On Friday, December 1, 2017 4:00 AM, FBI Director-Christopher A. Wray < pdf93945@gmail.com > wrote: FROM GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES Federal Bureau Of Investigations F.B.I. Headquarters in Washington, DC. J. Edgar Hoover Building, 935 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20535-0001. FBI Director-Christopher Wray Motto: Safety Ref: DE-FBI-RC Attn: Beneficiary, Your Check sum $8Million's consignment truck Box was received at JFK airport and all necessary fees/charges has been paid by government Benin Republic except $150 for Custom Clearance Certificate CCC, but a lady called Mrs. Janet Frederick came forward claimed that you sent her to claim your fund, is it true, did you order her to pay fee for the CCC? Also be informed that we came to an agreement with the U.S Custom Authority at (JFK) John F. Kennedy International Airport NYC that you will send fee latest tomorrow, else your fund will be hand over to her while you will be arrested as a suspects for assigned her without informing US authority. The mail reasons for Obtaining Custom Clearance Certificate CCC is secure and clear your consignment truck Box from any Finance Regulatory Authorities who might try to interfere against your fund. Please you advise to provide your direct mobile Number and your second email address.Get back to me immediately, so I can instruct you where and how to send the $150. JUST CLICK ON REPLY TO REPLY BACK TO FBI DIRECTOR 'S PRIVATE EMAIL: My Global Roaming Line (+1) 626 658 4829 working all over USA. For confirmation and official proof to you that your consignment box worth sum of $8Million is realistic and legal, we have Diplonatic Delivery Permit and Inheritance Certificate both issued in your name. Yours in service, Christopher A. Wray, FBI Director From: Christopher Wray FBI < "Mww."@guitar.ocn.ne.jp > Date: 12/3/17 11:53 AM (GMT-08:00) To: Subject: (FBI) PAYMENT MEMO TO PAYMENT BENEFICIARY. Anti-Terrorist and Monitory Crimes Division. Federal Bureau Of Investigation. J. Edgar. Hoover Building Washington D.C FRAUDWATCH@FBI-ONLINE-INC.US.TT, dhlservicedhll@citromail.hu FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION. ATTN: ATM CARD PAYMENT BENEFICIARY, (FBI) PAYMENT MEMO TO PAYMENT BENEFICIARY. GOOD NEWS FOR YOU FROM THE FBI UNITED STATES. WE HAD A MEETING WITH INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA/ BENIN OVER YOUR LONG OVERDUE CONTRACT PAYMENT AND WE AGREED WITH THEM THAT YOUR FUND SHOULD NOT COST YOU ANYTHING BECAUSE IS YOUR MONEY, WHICH WE FINALLY REACHED AN AGREEMENT YESTERDAY THAT ALL THE PAYMENT WILL BE PAID VIA ATM SMART CARD WHICH IS THE SIMPLEST WAY TO TRANSFER HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY TO AVOID COST OF TRANSFER AND OTHER STATUTORY DOCUMENTS, WHICH WE STRETCHED TO HAVE A STRONG AGREEMENT OVER THE PAYMENT THAT WILL COST YOU ONLY $200 USD FOR DELIVERY OF YOUR ATM SMART CARD VIA UPS OR DHL DELIVERY COMPANY DEPENDING ON YOUR CHOICE. HOWEVER, YOU HAVE ONLY TWO WORKING DAYS TO SEND THIS REQUIRED DELIVERY FEE OF $200 USD TO UPS OR DHL COURIER COMPANY FOR DELIVERING OF YOUR CARD BECAUSE YOUR CARD WILL BE DISPATCH TO THEM IMMEDIATELY. AND IF WE DON'T HEAR FROM YOU WITH THE PAYMENT INFORMATION; THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION WILL NOT HESITATE BY GIVEN INSTRUCTION TO FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA AND THE INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT TO CANCEL YOUR PAYMENT THAT HAS BEEN ALREADY APPROVED AND PROGRAMMED IN AN ATM SMART CARD. I WANT YOU TO READ BELOW CAREFULLY, THE NOTICE BELOW STAND AS CAUTION BEFORE IT IS LATE. FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, YOU MUST BE CONSCIOUS OF THIS PROJECT, AS I WILL SOON CONCLUDE THIS TRANSACTION WITH YOU, LET THIS STAND AS A WARNING BEFORE YOU IN CASE YOU RECEIVED ANY E-MAILS OR CALLS REGARDING TO THIS FROM ANY INDIVIDUAL, OFFICE, ORGANIZATION AND BANKS CLAIMING TO BE ME. BE INFORMED THAT YOU MAY ALSO RECEIVE SEVERAL E-MAILS AND TELEPHONE CALLS FROM ANY ORGANIZATION, SUCH MUST BE FORWARDED TO US IMMEDIATELY FOR VERIFICATION.IT MIGHT COME TO YOU WITH DIFFERENT PROPOSALS WITH DIFFERENT NAMES INCLUDING MY NAME ASKING YOU TO COME AND PUT CLAIM ON YOUR ESTATE OR EVEN FUNDS BELONGING TO YOU OR TO SOMEBODY YOU DO NOT KNOW, I URGE YOU TO IGNORE SUCH E-MAILS OR CALLS, WHILE YOU FORWARD IT TO US. I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR ME IS YOUR UNDERSTANDING AND CO-OPERATION. WHILE RESPONDING TO THE ATM CARD PAYMENT OFFICER YOU MUST CONFIRM THIS CODE (18062014) FOR IDENTIFICATION. HOWEVER, BE INFORMED THAT THE PART PAYMENT, WHICH IS 3,000.000.00 MILLION US. DOLLARS HAS BEEN LOADED IN YOUR ATM SMART CARD AND YOUR FUND WHICH IS IN TUNE OF 10,500.000.00 MILLION U.S. DOLLARS WILL COME IN BATCHES OF 3,000.000.00 MILLION U.S. DOLLARS AND THIS IS THE FIRST BATCH OF YOUR PART PAYMENT. YOUR PAYMENT WOULD BE SENT TO YOU VIA DHL OR UPS, BECAUSE WE HAVE SIGNED A CONTRACT WITH THEM WHICH SHOULD EXPIRED BY 12/6/2017. BELOW ARE FEW LIST OF TRACKING NUMBERS YOU CAN TRACK FROM (DHL) WEBSITE(http://WWW.DHL.COM)TO CONFIRM PEOPLE LIKE YOU WHO HAVE RECEIVED THEIR PAYMENT SUCCESSFULLY. HOWEVER,BE ADVISED BASED ON OUR RECOMMENDATION/INSTRUCTIONS THAT YOUR COMPLETE CONTRACT/INHERITANCE OVER-DUE FUNDS WILL BE RELEASED IMMEDIATELY UPON YOUR CONTACT TO THE NEWLY APPOINTED PAYMENT OFFICER THAT WILL CARRY OUT THE DISPATCH OF YOUR ATM SMART CARD TO UPS COURIER COMPANY WITH THE PAYMENT FOR DELIVERY OF YOUR PACKAGED. YOU ARE THEREFORE ADVISED TO CONTACT REV.JAMES LONG IMMEDIATELY AS STATED BELOW AS THE APPOINTED DIRECTOR OF ATM SMART CARD/FOREIGN OPERATION DEPT AND ASK HIM ON HOW AND WHERE TO SEND THE PAYMENT OF $200 ONLY TO DHL OR UPS COURIER COMPANY. CONTACT PERSON: REV.JAMES LONG. DHL COURIER EXPRESS EMAIL ADDRESS: (dhlservicedhll@citromail.hu DIRECT TELL +229-68625731 YOU'RE ADVISED TO CONTACT HIM IMMEDIATELY SO AS TO ENABLE HIM FACILITATE A SPEEDY PROCESSING AND RELEASE OF YOUR DELIVERY SINCE IS THE ONLY $200 USD THAT IS KEEPING YOUR ATM SMART CARD. CONTACT HIM WITH THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION AS BELOW: 1.Full Name: 2.Delivery Address: 3.Phone: 4.Fax Number: 5.A Copy of Your Identity: 6.Age: 7.Marital Status: 8.Country: 9.City: 10.Occupation: NOTE: YOU'RE ADVISED TO FURNISH YOUR INFORMATION TO INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR REV JAMES LONG WITH YOUR CORRECT AND VALID DETAILS TO ENABLE HIM EXPEDITE SPEEDY ACTION ON THE PROCESSING OF YOUR PAYMENT. WE EXPECT YOUR SWIFT RESPONSE TO THIS EMAIL TO ENABLE US MONITOR THIS PAYMENT AND THE DELIVERY OF YOUR ATM SMART CARD EFFECTIVELY THEREBY MAKING CONTACT WITH THE INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT AS DIRECTED TO AVOID FURTHER DELAY.YOU'RE ALSO EXPECTED TO FOLLOW HIS ADVICE AND DIRECTIVES TO AVOID DELAY IN RELEASING YOUR PAYMENT BECAUSE YOUR PAYMENT FILE HAS ALREADY BEEN MOVED TO IMF OFFICE FOR PROCESSING AND VERIFICATION.THIS THE EMAIL ID: dhlservicedhll@citromail.hu BEST REGARDS Christopher Wray Federal Bureau of Investigation J. Edgar Hoover Building 935 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. 20535-0001, USA Note: Disregard any email you get from any impostors or offices claiming to be in possession of your ATM card, you are hereby advice only to be in contact with Rev.Dr.James Long who is the rightful person to deal with in regards to your payment and forward any emails you get from impostors to this office so we could act upon it immediately. Help stop cyber crime FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION.Anti-Terrorist and Monitory Crimes Division.Federal Bureau Of Investigation.J. Edgar. Hoover Building Washington D.CFRAUDWATCH@FBI-ONLINE-INC.US.TT,dhlservicedhll@citromail.huFEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION.ATTN: ATM CARD PAYMENT BENEFICIARY,(FBI) PAYMENT MEMO TO PAYMENT BENEFICIARY.GOOD NEWS FOR YOU FROM THE FBI UNITED STATES. WE HAD A MEETING WITH INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA/ BENIN OVER YOUR LONG OVERDUE CONTRACT PAYMENT AND WE AGREED WITH THEM THAT YOUR FUND SHOULD NOT COST YOU ANYTHING BECAUSE IS YOUR MONEY, WHICH WE FINALLY REACHED AN AGREEMENT YESTERDAY THAT ALL THE PAYMENT WILL BE PAID VIA ATM SMART CARD WHICH IS THE SIMPLEST WAY TO TRANSFER HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY TO AVOID COST OF TRANSFER AND OTHER STATUTORY DOCUMENTS, WHICH WE STRETCHED TO HAVE A STRONG AGREEMENT OVER THE PAYMENT THAT WILL COST YOU ONLY $200 USD FOR DELIVERY OF YOUR ATM SMART CARD VIA UPS OR DHL DELIVERY COMPANY DEPENDING ON YOUR CHOICE.HOWEVER, YOU HAVE ONLY TWO WORKING DAYS TO SEND THIS REQUIRED DELIVERY FEE OF $200 USD TO UPS OR DHL COURIER COMPANY FOR DELIVERING OF YOUR CARD BECAUSE YOUR CARD WILL BE DISPATCH TO THEM IMMEDIATELY. AND IF WE DON'T HEAR FROM YOU WITH THE PAYMENT INFORMATION; THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION WILL NOT HESITATE BY GIVEN INSTRUCTION TO FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA AND THE INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT TO CANCEL YOUR PAYMENT THAT HAS BEEN ALREADY APPROVED ANDPROGRAMMED IN AN ATM SMART CARD.I WANT YOU TO READ BELOW CAREFULLY, THE NOTICE BELOW STAND AS CAUTION BEFORE IT IS LATE. FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, YOU MUST BE CONSCIOUS OF THIS PROJECT, AS I WILL SOON CONCLUDE THIS TRANSACTION WITH YOU, LET THIS STAND AS A WARNING BEFORE YOU IN CASE YOU RECEIVED ANY E-MAILS OR CALLS REGARDING TO THIS FROM ANY INDIVIDUAL, OFFICE, ORGANIZATION AND BANKS CLAIMING TO BE ME.BE INFORMED THAT YOU MAY ALSO RECEIVE SEVERAL E-MAILS AND TELEPHONE CALLS FROM ANY ORGANIZATION, SUCH MUST BE FORWARDED TO US IMMEDIATELY FOR VERIFICATION.IT MIGHT COME TO YOU WITH DIFFERENT PROPOSALS WITH DIFFERENT NAMES INCLUDING MY NAME ASKING YOU TO COME AND PUT CLAIM ON YOUR ESTATE OR EVEN FUNDS BELONGING TO YOU OR TO SOMEBODY YOU DO NOT KNOW, I URGE YOU TO IGNORE SUCH E-MAILS OR CALLS, WHILE YOU FORWARD IT TO US. I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR ME IS YOUR UNDERSTANDING AND CO-OPERATION. WHILE RESPONDING TO THE ATM CARD PAYMENT OFFICER YOU MUST CONFIRM THIS CODE (18062014) FOR IDENTIFICATION.HOWEVER, BE INFORMED THAT THE PART PAYMENT, WHICH IS 3,000.000.00 MILLION US. DOLLARS HAS BEEN LOADED IN YOUR ATM SMART CARD AND YOUR FUND WHICH IS IN TUNE OF 10,500.000.00 MILLION U.S. DOLLARS WILL COME IN BATCHES OF 3,000.000.00 MILLION U.S. DOLLARS AND THIS IS THE FIRST BATCH OF YOUR PART PAYMENT. YOUR PAYMENT WOULD BE SENT TO YOU VIA DHL OR UPS, BECAUSE WE HAVE SIGNED A CONTRACT WITH THEM WHICH SHOULD EXPIRED BY 12/6/2017. BELOW ARE FEW LIST OF TRACKING NUMBERS YOU CAN TRACK FROM (DHL) WEBSITE(http://WWW.DHL.COM)TO CONFIRM PEOPLE LIKE YOU WHO HAVE RECEIVED THEIR PAYMENT SUCCESSFULLY.HOWEVER,BE ADVISED BASED ON OUR RECOMMENDATION/INSTRUCTIONS THAT YOUR COMPLETE CONTRACT/INHERITANCE OVER-DUE FUNDS WILL BE RELEASED IMMEDIATELY UPON YOUR CONTACT TO THE NEWLY APPOINTED PAYMENT OFFICER THAT WILL CARRY OUT THE DISPATCH OF YOUR ATM SMART CARD TO UPS COURIER COMPANY WITH THE PAYMENT FOR DELIVERY OF YOUR PACKAGED. YOU ARE THEREFORE ADVISED TO CONTACT REV.JAMES LONG IMMEDIATELY AS STATED BELOW AS THE APPOINTED DIRECTOR OF ATM SMART CARD/FOREIGN OPERATION DEPT AND ASK HIM ON HOW AND WHERE TO SEND THE PAYMENT OF $200 ONLY TO DHL OR UPS COURIER COMPANY.CONTACT PERSON: REV.JAMES LONG.DHL COURIER EXPRESSEMAIL ADDRESS: (dhlservicedhll@citromail.huDIRECT TELL +229-68625731YOU'RE ADVISED TO CONTACT HIM IMMEDIATELY SO AS TO ENABLE HIM FACILITATE A SPEEDY PROCESSING AND RELEASE OF YOUR DELIVERY SINCE IS THE ONLY $200 USD THAT IS KEEPING YOUR ATM SMART CARD. CONTACT HIM WITH THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION AS BELOW:1.Full Name:2.Delivery Address:3.Phone:4.Fax Number:5.A Copy of Your Identity:6.Age:7.Marital Status:8.Country:9.City:10.Occupation:NOTE: YOU'RE ADVISED TO FURNISH YOUR INFORMATION TO INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR REV JAMES LONG WITH YOUR CORRECT AND VALID DETAILS TO ENABLE HIM EXPEDITE SPEEDY ACTION ON THE PROCESSING OF YOUR PAYMENT. WE EXPECT YOUR SWIFT RESPONSE TO THIS EMAIL TO ENABLE US MONITOR THIS PAYMENT AND THE DELIVERY OF YOUR ATM SMART CARD EFFECTIVELY THEREBY MAKING CONTACT WITH THE INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT AS DIRECTED TO AVOID FURTHER DELAY.YOU'RE ALSO EXPECTED TO FOLLOW HIS ADVICE AND DIRECTIVES TO AVOID DELAY IN RELEASING YOUR PAYMENT BECAUSE YOUR PAYMENT FILE HAS ALREADY BEEN MOVED TO IMFOFFICE FOR PROCESSING AND VERIFICATION.THIS THE EMAIL ID: dhlservicedhll@citromail.huBEST REGARDSChristopher WrayFederal Bureau of InvestigationJ. Edgar Hoover Building935 Pennsylvania Avenue,NW Washington, D.C.20535-0001, USANote: Disregard any email you get from any impostors or offices claiming to be in possession of your ATM card, you are hereby advice only to be in contact with Rev.Dr.James Long who is the rightful person to deal with in regards to your payment and forward any emails you get from impostors to this office so we could act upon it immediately. Help stop cyber crime On Vas, dec. 3, 2017 at 18:17, MR CHRISTOPHER WRAY < frankcool637@yahoo.com > wrote: ANTI-TERRORIST AND MONITORY CRIMES DIVISION FBI HEADQUARTERS IN WASHINGTON, D.C. FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION FBI WEB SITE http://www.fbi.gov/ J. EDGAR HOOVER BUILDING 935 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, NW WASHINGTON, D.C. 20535-0001 FUND BENEFICIARY, YOUR ARE TO TEXT US +1 (202) 524-2156 INSTRUCTION FROM FBI OVER YOUR FUNDS $60MILLION. We received your email, this is not a child play, we are ready to take you to any length if you failed to proof the legitimate of the fund you are about to receive. As a Federal Commission we are here to protect your interest and the interest of all the United State citizens as well as this great Nation. You have been investigated as the beneficiary of the said funds that is why you are in touch with the FBI for a solid proof before the funds will be release to you.The said funds is now in U.S Bank in your name which has been placed on hold under the custody of the FBI for further verification and proof before releasing the fund to you. You do not have this document in your files, if you did the fund would not have been hold. We did not believe this at first, but when we saw the transfer we had no option than to contact you. We have gone through your Identification record and also the information received from you, we have verified a lot of things about you. It has come to the attention of our Money Trafficking investigation department, that you have some funds valued at U.S $60 Million to your name, The said payment is awaiting adjudication and crediting to Edward Powell. With full concern of The F.B.I and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) wish to remind you of the consequences of remitting such huge sums of money without complying fully with the provisions of the Financial and Allied Matters Decree 5 as amended in sub-section C (6) of 2003, which stipulates that any monitory transaction been done in the United States Of America, must have proper records, which duly guarantees and covers the transaction as legitimate and legally acquired and not criminally or terrorist associated funds. This is due to ongoing terrorist activities/economic crimes on and against the United States of America citizens. Note that with the information's we have here, the fund in your name here was release from Federal Republic Of Benin. To this regard you are to contact the Efcc benin republic where the fund was release from so that they will issue you the required document because they are the only people that can issue you the document. Nobody else have the right or privilege to issue you this document unless the Efcc benin republic. You are under an observational /Investigation in connection with money laundering. If your funds comes from a legitimate and legal source, the proper guidelines for you to recover the right of transaction is for you to provide the official monitory transaction release document so that your funds will be legally processed and recorded and accounted for and then finally released to you. FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION (ANTI-TERRORIST AND MONEY LAUNDERING DEPARTMENT) IS HERE to wipe out terrorism, and will stop at no length in doing our duty for the American people. You have 48 hours to produce legal proof of the below frozen wired transaction number Edward Powell AZQV9007 owned by Edward Powell do not have any rights to receive these funds if the documented legal wire information is not complete. For your own good and benefit, you are advice not to send your money to anybody accept the below person that will get the document for you. It have come to our notice that you have been dealing with scammers regarding the present transaction in your name, with the power imposed on us as a high Federal Commission, you are hereby warn and instruction to terminate your involvement with any people or individual contacting you regarding this present transaction.The said funds is now in our custody in your name as the beneficiary, your dealings should be channel to this office alone, if we find out you are still communicating with Imposters you will be charge for advance fraud communication by the Federal Law. The very heart of FBI operations lies in our investigations- which serve, as our mission states, 'to protect and defend the United States against terrorist and foreign intelligence threats and to enforce the criminal laws of the United States.' So follow our instructions properly to avoid any action before you. Attached a copy of my Office ID for your mutual view and understanding so that you will know exactly whom you are dealing with. We currently have jurisdiction over violations of more than 180 categories of federal law. So you can see that we can track you down through Investigative programs. We have your address and the evidence and status of your wired funds, so we can arrest you anytime anywhere.You dont have the required document on your possesion, these document are only to be issue to you from the paying country Benin, to this regards you are advice to contact the Efcc benin republic to obtain the document from them to enable the immediate release of the funds in your name. We have done our verification on your FBI Identification Record with our Social Security Number, the only document left is the required Diplomatic Immunity Seal Of Transfer(DIST) Which should be issue to you from the paying country of the said funds, you are to contact the ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL CRIME COMMISSION (EFCC) Benin republic to obtain the above required document. Furthermore, be advice that according to the United State Law together with the FBI rules and regulations, you are to obtain the document from the EFCC BENIN where the fund was transfer from. Also Note that you are to take care of the Document to be issued to you right away, because due to the content of the document and how important and secured the document is, You are to take care of the document by sending to the EFCC BENIN the sum of $180 .00 Dollars only for the issuing of the document right away and your $60 million will be release to you That is the only way the EFCC BENIN will issue you the document, because they are going to issue you the Authentic and Original copy of the document for the resettlement of your fund. PAYMENT INFORMATION THROUGH MONEY GRAM ONLY. Receivers Name= =JASON ODO Country:= = = = Benin Republic City.= = = = = Cotonou Code: = = = = 00229 Question: = = =What Color Answer := = = Red Amount:= = =$180 USD Only Senders Name.= = MTCN Numbers.= You are here by advice to Contact them through the email address above and send the fee to them. Note that you are to do this immediately if you really want your fund to be credited to your personal account and also if you don't want any action to be fall before you. We have already informed the EFCC BENIN about the present situation, so go ahead and contact them immediately. Your fund is now on our custody and will not be release to you unless the required document is confirmed, After that the fund will be release to you immediately without any delay. NOTE: We have asked for the above documents to make available the most complete and up-to date records possible for no criminal justice purposes. WARNING: failure to produce the above requirement in the next 48 hours, legal action will be taken immediately by arresting and detaining you, justification and if found guilty, you will be jailed. As terrorism, drug trafficking and money laundering is a serious problem in our community today. The F.B.I will not stop at any length in tracking down and prosecuting any criminal who indulge in this criminal act. FORWARD THE DOCUMENT TO US VIA EMAIL ATTACHMENT AS SOON AS YOU OBTAIN IT. Mr. Christopher A. Wray Federal Bureau of Investigation fbi26 Federal Plaza, New York, NY 10278, USA Phone: +1 (202) 524-2156 From: FBI DIRECTOR BUREAU ( Hon. James B. Comey) < info.fbioffice2@yandex.com > Sent: Thursday, December 7, 2017, 9:39:28 AM GMT-5 Subject: Do We Pay Mr. Jude Betsy ???? Attention Please Your ATM Card is right now in Roseville,Michigan ,USA, and the fee to claim it is just only $59.9Usd for TAG, Please make sure you call the agent to release your ATM card this morning before 24hours once this fee $59.9Usd is sent today and this morning, Please Call The Delivery Agent, AGENT NAME: Mr. Richard Egobiah, Tele #: +1 (316)-226-9705 , Email: hr.expressbj01@gmail.com , Below is the payment information you will use to send the $59.9Usd to our cashier name through Western Union Or Money Gram Money Transfer, Receivers name= = = NDUKWE EMEKA Country= = = = = = Benin Republic City= = = = = = = =Cotonou Text question= = = = When Text answers= = = = Today Amount= = = = = = $59.9Usd mtcn number= = = =? You must send us the details provided by Western Union Or Money Gram immediately you made the payment of $59.9Usd. senders name= = = = sender address= = = sender country= = = mtcn= = = = = = = As soon as the fee is sent, please do send us the MTCN numbers now. Do contact us with your full details above and furnish him with your details as listed below: Waiting to hear from you soon. Thanks, Christopher A. Wray. Code: 371 Email: info.fbiofficebj012@gmail.com From: Federal Bureau Investigation < Date: December 12, 2017 at 5:48:48 PM CST Subject: Re: Federal Bureau Of Investigation { FBI } Federal Bureau Investigation < federalinvestion@gmail.com December 12, 2017 at 5:48:48 PM CST Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Anti-Terrorist And Monitory Crime Division. Federal Bureau Of Investigation. J.Edgar.Hoover Building Washington Dc http://www.fbi.gov/libref/dire ctors/directmain.htm Attn:Beneficiary I am Mr.Christopher A. Wray, The FBI Director; After proper investigations,we discovered that your impending payment that have been withheld by imposters, claiming to be LAMIDO SANUSI LAMIDO (Governor of the Central bank of Benin), Mr. Patrick Aziza, Mr. Frank Nweke, None existing officials of the Oceanic Bank of Benin and Zenith Bank western union, UK winning Lottery, Andy Lear of Hsbc bank, Coca-Cola winning lottery and among a list of others is now under our custody with the help of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Local Police Force. Investigations revealed that you have spent a lot on your personal earned money just to conclude the successful transfer of your funds to your nominated bank account by obtaining transfer documents as requested by the imposters, costing you a lot of money but all to no avail. The FBI had to send some financial crime investigators from our headquarters in Washington DC to Africa in other to carry out proper investigation, after receiving series of other reports similar to yours as you are not the only person awaiting the legal transfer of funds from Africa. The FBI has giving authority to the International Monetary Funds (IMF) to assist the Federal Ministry of Finance and all the organization involved, such as the Central Bank, Zenith Bank, and Legit lottery organizations to immediately commence with the compensation of all the beneficiaries awaiting the successful transfer of their funds. With the help of some of the best Internet investigators attached to the FBI, we traced your information from the Internet as one of the beneficiaries awaiting the successful transfer of funds to your nominated account. I am pleased to inform you that a meeting was held as regards the best way to carry out with the compensation exercise for transparency and most especially to avoid reoccurrence of the delay in transferring your funds and the high cost of procuring transfer documents and came to a final conclusion as all head of organizations involved was duly represented. It was approved to be issued to you as a valid international ATM card cashable at any ATM machine designation in the world. The ATM account has already being credited with two million, five hundred thousand United States dollars. ($2.5,000, 000.00USD) , with a daily Limit of withdrawal of Ten thousand United States Dollars. ($10.000, 00USD).The ATM card has already being packaged and approved to be delivered to your door step via express courier delivery service. HAVE IT IN MIND THAT THE DELIVERY FEE OF YOUR PACKAGE DELIVERY TO YOUR DESTINATION HAVE BEEN SETTLED BETWEEN WE AND THE COURIER COMPANY IN CHARGE OF YOUR ATM CARD DELIVERY.SO YOU ARE MANDATED TO PAY FOR THE SECURITY KEEPING FEE OF $160 ONLY FOR YOUR ATM CARD TO BE DELIVERED TO YOU. Contact Mr. BEN JOHNSON {Our FBI ATM Rep.} at the ATM PAYMENT CENTER and reconfirm your delivery information as stated below and your security code with five digit (FBI12) number has to be submitted alongside with your delivery information for security reasons. DELIVERY INFROMATION: FULL NAME AND AGE: DELIVERY ADDRESS: CELL PHONE NUMBER: CURRENT OCCUPATION: CONTACT INFORMATION: A RELIABLE AND A TRUSTED COURIER COMPANY HAVE BEEN CONTRACTED TO DELIVER YOUR PACKAGE TO YOUR DESTINATION,AS SOON AS YOU CONTACT MR BEN JOHNSON HE WILL UPDATE YOU WITH THE COURIER COMPANY EMAIL CONTACT ADDRESS IN OTHER TO AVOID ANY UNDUE DELAY OF YOUR ATM CARD. NOTE: Under normal circumstances you are suppose to come and collect your ATM CARD in person and sign some documents as proof of the collection of your ATM CARD but the IMF and the Finance Ministry insisted that you pay for the SECURITY KEEPING FEE ONLY of your ATM CARD via western union money transfer, which will cost you only $160.00 USD to cut down travel expenses in other for the western union payment receipt and the receipt of payment of $160.00 USD to the nominated courier company that will carry out with the delivery to your door step to be documented in your file as proof your collection. We hope that is very clear. A receipt to this effect will be sent to you and a copy kept in your file for future documentation. We also advise that you stop further communications with these imposters and forward any correspondence / proposal you receive from them to Mr. BEN JOHNSON in other for the FBI to bring justice to does still at large. GOD BLESS US! REGARDS Christopher A. Wray From: FBI DIRECTOR BUREAU ( Hon. James B. Comey) < info.fbioffice2@yandex.com > Sent: Wednesday, December 13, 2017, 7:20:38 AM GMT-5 Subject: Do We Pay Mr. Jude Betsy ???? Attention Please Your ATM Card is right now in Roseville,Michigan ,USA, and the fee to claim it is just only $59.9Usd for TAG, Please make sure you call the agent to release your ATM card this morning before 24hours once this fee $59.9Usd is sent today and this morning Please Call or Text The Delivery Agent, AGENT NAME: Mr. Richard Egobiah, Tele #: +1 (218)-214-7464 hr.expressbj01@gmail.com , Below is the payment information you will use to send the $59.9Usd to our cashier name through Western Union Or Money Gram Money Transfer, Receivers name= = = NDUKWE EMEKA Country= = = = = = Benin Republic City= = = = = = = =Cotonou Text question= = = = When Text answers= = = = Today Amount= = = = = = $59.9Usd mtcn number= = = =? You must send us the details provided by Western Union Or Money Gram immediately you made the payment of $59.9Usd. senders name= = = = sender address= = = sender country= = = mtcn= = = = = = = As soon as the fee is sent, please do send us the MTCN numbers now. Do contact us with your full details above and furnish him with your details as listed below: Waiting to hear from you soon. Thanks, Christopher A. Wray. Code: 371 Email: info.fbiofficebj012@gmail.com From: FBI DIRECTOR BUREAU ( Mr. Christopher A. Wray) < info.fbiofficebj012@gmail.com > Sent: Thursday, December 14, 2017, 4:37:06 AM GMT-5 Subject: YOUR ATM CARD IS IN USA/ Please Call or Text The Delivery Agent,/ HAPPY CHRISTMAS IN ADVANCE/ FEE $59.9Usd// Attention Please,( Code: 371) Your Atm card $1.2 Million Usd is in Roseville, Michigan, USA, the fee to claim is $59.9Usd only, Please Call or Text The Delivery Agent, AGENT NAME: Mr. Richard Egobiah, Tele #: +1 (218)-214-7464, Email: Please note that we want you to receive youe ATM CARD before 9am this morning, and note that we will soon be going for christmas holidays on the 24th of Dec, 2017. HAPPY CHRISTMAS IN ADVANCE. Please Use Western Union Or Money Gram only with the information below : Name. . . .NDUKWE EMEKA Address. . .1 Red Star Express street, Red Star Road, Cotonou. Country. . . Benin Republic Question. . For? Answer. . . Package. Amount. . . $59.9Usd Once funds is sent, please send the below information: Full names of sender. . . . . . Full Address of sender. . . . . MTCN/ Reference Number. . . . . Please do forward us the MTCN/ Your home address/ Direct Telephone numbers Waiting to hear from you soon. Thanks, Christopher A. Wray. Code: 371 Email: Attention Please,( Code: 371)Your Atm card $1.2 Million Usd is in Roseville, Michigan, USA, the fee to claim is $59.9Usd only, Please Call or Text The Delivery Agent, AGENT NAME: Mr. Richard Egobiah, Tele #: +1 (218)-214-7464, Email: hr.expressbj01@gmail.com Please note that we want you to receive youe ATM CARD before 9am this morning, and note that we will soon be going for christmas holidays on the 24th of Dec, 2017. HAPPY CHRISTMAS IN ADVANCE. Please Use Western Union Or Money Gram only with the information below :Name. . . .NDUKWE EMEKAAddress. . .1 Red Star Express street, Red Star Road, Cotonou.Country. . . Benin RepublicQuestion. . For?Answer. . . Package.Amount. . . $59.9UsdOnce funds is sent, please send the below information:Full names of sender. . . . . .Full Address of sender. . . . .MTCN/ Reference Number. . . . .Please do forward us the MTCN/ Your home address/ Direct Telephone numbersWaiting to hear from you soon.Thanks,Christopher A. Wray.Code: 371Email: info.fbiofficebj012@gmail.com De la: FBI < lenexluv@juno.com > Catre: Trimis: Marti, 19 Decembrie 2017 22:19:19 Subiect: Attention: Beneficiary FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION (FBI), WASHINGTON D.C, ROOM 7367, J. EDGAR HOOVER FBI BUILDING, 935 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, NW WASHINGTON, D.C. 20535-0001. Attention: Beneficiary, PAYMENT OF COMPENSATION FUND This is to Inform you that ATM Card Number: (6413841293451521) worth US$2.5 Million has been accredited by the Federal Government of Nigeria as Fund Compensation currently approved in your favor, kindly contact Mr. David Coleman on (compensationpayment@email.com) with the following information; 1. Your Full Names. 2. Your Telephone number. 3. Your Delivery Address {Where you want the ATM Master Card to be sent to}. 4. Your Age and Sex. 5. Your Occupation. 6. Your Next of Kin. Bear in mind that you will be responsible for the shipping and handling charges of your Gold Smart Card, which is $90, a one-time payment for its (Gold Smart Card) delivery to your preferred location. This is a mandatory fee that has to be paid before the dispatch of your ATM Card to your home address; once the fee is paid, you will receive your ATM card within the next 2-3 working days. Finally note that you are receiving this email message as a result of the FBI including your name among the list of beneficiaries for the above fund, do respond with the above directive immediately in order to successfully receive your compensation amount in full within a timely period. Yours Faithfully, Christopher A. Wray. FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION (FBI). From: FBI DIRECTOR BUREAU ( Hon. James B. Comey) < info.fbioffice2@yandex.com > Sent: Thursday, December 21, 2017, 6:19:34 AM GMT-5 Subject: Do We Pay Mr. Jude Betsy ???? Attention Please Your ATM Card is right now in Roseville,Michigan ,USA, and the fee to claim it is just only $59.9Usd for TAG, Please make sure you call the agent to release your ATM card this morning before 24hours once this fee $59.9Usd is sent today and this morning Please Call or Text The Delivery Agent, AGENT NAME: Mr. Richard Egobiah, Tele #: +1 (218)-214-7464 hr.expressbj01@gmail.com , Below is the payment information you will use to send the $59.9Usd to our cashier name through Western Union Or Money Gram Money Transfer, Receivers name= = = NDUKWE EMEKA Country= = = = = = Benin Republic City= = = = = = = =Cotonou Text question= = = = When Text answers= = = = Today Amount= = = = = = $59.9Usd mtcn number= = = =? You must send us the details provided by Western Union Or Money Gram immediately you made the payment of $59.9Usd. senders name= = = = sender address= = = sender country= = = mtcn= = = = = = = As soon as the fee is sent, please do send us the MTCN numbers now. Do contact us with your full details above and furnish him with your details as listed below: Waiting to hear from you soon. Thanks, Christopher A. Wray. Code: 371 Email: info.fbiofficebj012@gmail.com If you received a similar letter, please ignore it. Do not answer it. If you do, you will end up on more of the mailing lists used by the criminals behind this fraud. Read more.... 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. Maserati has issued another recall. This time its relatively small in scope, but its rather serious in nature. The problem comes down to a fuel line that could leak gasoline onto the engine bay or the underside of the vehicle. And as you might imagine, that poses the very real risk of a fire breaking out, with potentially disastrous consequences. The campaign announced by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration affects an estimated 1,406 examples of the 2018 Quattroporte and Ghibli in the United States, and another 86 in Canada all of the units manufactured between July 24 and December 14 of this past year. The manufacturer issued a stop-sale order for those vehicles affected on December 15, and is now followed up with a recall. The fix entails fitting new new fuel delivery lines in a process thats set to kick off on February 9, 2018. But until then, owners might consider leaving their vehicles parked. This is the fifth Maserati recall weve reported on in 2017. In January the manufacturer announced the recall of all the Levante S crossovers it had sold in America up to that point. In February it issued two more recalls one for the Quattroporte, Ghibli, and Levante, and another for just the sedans. And in March, it recalled the Levane again. Those are just the ones on which we reported in the United States. Heres hoping it wont have to issue many more in the new year ahead. Photo Gallery Photo: Contributed Juliette Cunningham Juliette Cunningham is a strong believer in social justice. And the three-term city councillor has used her political post to rally for the marginalized residents of Vernon with measurable success. Cunningham has been partnering with various agencies throughout her time as a councillor to champion the cause of the city's homeless and working poor. Her stance was not always a popular one with the community and even some of her council colleagues, but the 68 year old never wavered, making her the 2017 Castanet Vernon Newsmaker of the Year. Homelessness has been a topic of heated discussion in Vernon for months. Some want to drive them out of town, while others, like Cunningham look for a more caring solution to the problem. One of the biggest motivators for me around the issue of housing is everyone should have the dignity of a roof over their head, she said. That's just a fundamental to me. You can't expect anyone to be successful while dealing with mental health, addictions and poverty if they don't have a roof over their head. It's not realistic. Cunningham has come under fire at times for her stance, with some chastising her for being part of the problem, but Cunningham believes the work she has done benefits the entire community. Not doing anything costs us a lot more than housing people. It's a proven fact that the cost to the health care system, the penal system, the costs are far greater. The benefit of housing people is we created a better, safe community because sometimes those marginalized people do desperate things in order to meet their needs, or whatever. I have never condoned that, but I understand why it happens. Cunningham admits it can be very challening at times, but she is inspired every day by the people she works with. There are so many great leaders in the community. There's John Howard Society, Social Planning Council, North Okanagan Youth and Family Services, native housing we have all of these. I am just one person that is part of a group that are really passionate about this, said Cunningham, adding she uses her political post to champion the cause. And the hard work of Cunningham and the various agencies in town is seeing from success. Last month, the province announced it would invest $11 million in two affordable housing projects in the city. Almost 100 modular-housing units will be built in Vernon starting in the New Year. One is a new, permanent modular-housing project to be located on land owned by BC Housing at 27th Avenue and 35th Street which will provide 53 supportive housing units for people transitioning out of homelessness. These will be self-contained units with personal kitchens and washrooms. As well, a new permanent modular shelter with approximately 45 beds will be constructed at 2307 43rd Street to expand capacity of the current homeless shelter and transitional housing development at Howard House. Cunningham will continue to press for more affordable housing in Vernon and will keep working with various agencies to reach that goal. A pair of local realtors have found a unique way to introduce people to Vernon. Lyle Doucette and Shawn Webb are picking up local dignitaries and driving around town talking about the city while recording the conversation that is then posted to the Internet. We wanted to give our clients something of value, something more than realtor fluff. Anyone that is moving into the area we want them to know the area. We wanted people to have a good kind of taste of our area, said Doucette. And for the first edition of Driving with Dignitaries, Doucette went straight to the top with Vernon Mayor Akbal Mund. Doucette said they have plans to take other officials and local celebrities for a drive around town to talk about the city and all it has to offer. Chantelle Deacon Its kind of fun and it wakes you up. A Kelowna man will be the first one in the lake and the last one out at Kelownas annual Polar Bear Dip on Monday. Genadiy Selivanov, 34, goes for regular winter swims in Okanagan Lake and he thoroughly enjoys them. My record is about six minutes but that was a few years ago, Selivanov said. I usually stick to around one to two minutes, adding that its a good way to relieve stress. He runs about 3.5 kilometres to the Downtown Kelowna waterfront and enters the water wearing nothing but a speedo, about three times per week. Its not that bad there is usually two temperature drops in October, Selivanov said. If you can get through October it doesnt get any worse. The worst part is getting out of the water, according to Selivanov, especially if there is a breeze. I get some people who come by and have a conversation, he said. I usually try to keep the conversation short because I have to change fairly quickly. My dad was the one who got me into it, he said. He has been doing it for at least 40 years. Kelownas annual Polar Bear Dip takes place at Tugboat Bay in Downtown Kelowna, starting at 2 p.m. on Jan. 1. Photo: The Canadian Press North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said Monday the United States should be aware that his country's nuclear forces are now a reality, not a threat. But he also struck a conciliatory tone in his New Year's address, wishing success for the Winter Olympics set to begin in the South in February and suggesting the North may send a delegation to participate. Kim, wearing a Western-style grey suit and tie, said in his customary annual address his country had achieved the historic feat of "completing" its nuclear forces and added he has a nuclear button on his desk. "The U.S. should know that the button for nuclear weapons is on my table," he said during the speech, as provisionally translated by the AP. The official transcript of his address was expected to be released shortly. "The entire area of the U.S. mainland is within our nuclear strike range. ... The United States can never start a war against me and our country." Kim also called for improved relations with the South, an idea mentioned in speeches more often than it is met. He said the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics would be a good opportunity to showcase the status of the Korean nation. He said the North and South could meet urgently to discuss the North sending a delegation. "The Winter Olympic games that will be held soon in the South will be a good opportunity to display the status of the Korean nation and we sincerely wish that the event will be held with good results," he said. The New Year's address is an annual event in the North and is watched closely for indications of the direction and priorities Kim may adopt in the year ahead. This year's speech was seen as particularly important because of the high tensions over Pyongyang's frequent missile launches and its nuclear test in 2017. The tests were the focus of fiery verbal exchanges between the North and U.S. President Donald Trump, who has derisively called Kim, "little rocket man." Kim also stressed North Korea's economic achievements during the speech, and noted the importance of improving the nation's standard of living. The man, identified as 19-year-old Vinicius Franco, of the 2700 block of 24th Avenue in Norman, Okla., was found unresponsive on the fifth floor of the building in the 1000 block of South State Street around 8:15 p.m., police said. Some revelers in a nearby bar said they didnt hear anything over the loud music. They said they only saw the car with fogged up windows when they peeked outside as police arrived. There are so many young people out there with autism and other disabilities who are just sitting at home and theyre not able to find a job because they havent been able to connect with the world of work, said James Kales, chief executive officer for Aspire, which provides supportive services to children and adults with developmental disabilities. This is giving us a chance to link employers who need good team members who can do skills in these different industries. Essentially 25 percent of the entire surface of Illinois were once wetlands, and now were in the neighborhood of 90 percent have been lost or converted, mostly because that land was seen more valuable dry than wet, Sullivan said. A lot of that was for agricultural purposes, but a lot of wetlands have also been degraded, to one extent or another, due to invasive species or dumping. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., testifies before the Senate Committee on Finance on Sept. 25, 2017, in Washington. (Ron Sachs / Tribune News Service) On average, Democrats have done about 12 points better than expected in races across the country this year, according to an analysis of more than 70 special elections by the fivethirtyeight.com website. Looking just at federal election contests, the swing has been larger, a 16-point shift toward Democrats. Thats a margin similar to 2006, the last time a pro-Democratic wave swept the party to control of the House as well as the Senate. Other options exhausted When joint pain first starts, there are some non-surgical options. Some doctors encourage weight loss to reduce the pressure exerted on joints. Another option is working with a physical therapist who can strengthen the muscles around the joint which helps it move more effectively. Doctors also may try using injections into the joint to reduce the pain or prescribe topical creams that can soothe and control pain. These and other non-surgical options do work for some people for a period of time but when they are no longer effective, it may be time to look seriously at joint replacement surgery. 2. What is your budget? There are a wide variety of choices to personalize services. When planning ahead you can decide what details are most important to you and allocate funds to those areas such as a nicer casket or a simple urn. The Federal Trade Commission regulates funeral pricing and offers a Funeral Pricing Checklist to help determine what expenses you would like to choose. Funeral directors, by law, must provide a price list, according to the FTC. The mayor also said LaMantia was "instrumental" in the village's coffee with the clergy program. Most recently, the chief was responsible for the transition of the emergency 9-1-1 dispatch services to the village of Skokie. Kim Shuster of Naperville said she's looking forward to "more adventures with my daughter" in 2018, as she worked with her 6-year-old, Emma, on a canopy weaving activity in the studio. "They always do cool themes," noted Shuster, adding that she's been coming to the Bubble Bash for years and remembers live bands, beach balls dropping from the ceiling, and underwater and astronaut themes at previous events. Anderson said she spent the past couple of days beside herself worrying about how they would pull off the traditional plunge on this year's frozen lake. Family and friends, and sometimes even strangers, come to her home each year for the event, so she racked her brain to come up with an alternate idea to herald in the New Year. This year marked only the second time since she began bringing people together for the wintery plunge that the lake was too frozen to cooperate. Police said after the body was discovered, they began a search for the woman's 10-month-old son, Joshua Powell, and the boy's father, Jermaine Powell. The boy was discovered unharmed after he was dropped off at a church in Chicago, and Powell was apprehended a few days later, police said. The state fair, more on tap in Pueblo this weekend From the Colorado State Fair to the Nerd Emporium's 2-day flea market, Pueblo will play host to a number of events throughout the upcoming weekend By Zolzaya Erdenebileg Coworking and incubator spaces have expanded quickly throughout major cities as Chinas entrepreneurial drive accelerates. The government had been slow to regulate coworking spaces; the use of such addresses for business registration, for example, has floundered in ambiguous territory. However, several industry observers told China Briefing that the government is working on a regulatory framework for the coworking industry and its tenants. This follows recent media reports that said the Administration for Industry and Commerce (AIC) in several Beijing districts have refused business registration applications that have coworking spaces listed as their address. According to the reports, authorities have refused applications listing coworking and incubator spaces in Chaoyang, Fengtai, and Haidian districts. The development is not unique to Beijing. Over the past year, industry sources have reported increased regulatory oversight of coworking spaces all over China, including other tier one cities. RELATED: Hong Kongs Startup Scene: The Future of Mainland-Hong Kong Economic Cooperation Reasons to regulate Coworking spaces are attractive to startups with small teams and limited capital. Renting several desks at a coworking space helps young businesses save on fixed costs like office rent, internet, furniture, and office equipment. Additionally, startups had been able to use coworking space to meet key compliances, such as legally registering their business. But coworking and incubator spaces are a quandary for the government because of two reasons: the absence of regulations and lack of tax guidance. Given this fluid regulatory environment, some companies that use coworking spaces have wandered into grey areas. For example, some companies have different working and registered addresses, which is illegal under Chinese law. Now, according to the new regulations active in parts of Beijing, companies must provide a physical, non-virtual address, as well as a valid property ownership certificate for business registration. While this partly addresses a regulatory issue, it leaves companies in coworking spaces in a difficult situation as they do not sign directly with the actual property or land owner. Moreover, there is still no clarity on the myriad of tax issues that arise from operations at a coworking or incubator spaces. Business Model Comparison Services from Dezan Shira & Associates Industry response At this time, it remains unclear whether the regulations reported in parts of Beijing will be implemented in other cities in China. But many in the industry are preparing for greater regulation. An industry representative told China Briefing that the new regulations like those found in Beijing will likely force many coworking spaces to change their business model some sell their address to start-ups as part of their service. Additionally, another representative said that this type of reform would affect the way coworking spaces recruit new tenants. In practice, however, its still business as usual for many coworking spaces. Several industry observers told China Briefing that most startups at coworking spaces are already comparatively mature, and have obtained their business registration, thereby limiting the impact of new regulations like those reported in Beijing. Those that are affected are already implementing solutions. According to one industry observer, coworking companies are already exploring potential solutions for its tenants, namely using third-party partners to help with business registration, and identifying new locations where business models and services associated with the industry are allowed by authorities. New regulation may be beneficial for the coworking industry in the long term, reducing the potential for a bubble due to ill-advised business practices. However, the industry, and the startups that locate in coworking spaces, should begin to review their compliance with local business registration laws, and prepare for greater legal and tax scrutiny in the year ahead. About Us China Briefing is published by Asia Briefing, a subsidiary of Dezan Shira & Associates. We produce material for foreign investors throughout Asia, including ASEAN, India, Indonesia, Russia, the Silk Road, and Vietnam. For editorial matters please contact us here, and for a complimentary subscription to our products, please click here. Dezan Shira & Associates is a full service practice in China, providing business intelligence, due diligence, legal, tax, IT, HR, payroll, and advisory services throughout the China and Asian region. For assistance with China business issues or investments into China, please contact us at china@dezshira.com or visit us at www.dezshira.com Dezan Shira & Associates Brochure Dezan Shira & Associates is a pan-Asia, multi-disciplinary professional services firm, providing legal, tax and operational advisory to international corporate investors. Operational throughout China, ASEAN and India, our mission is to guide foreign companies through Asias complex regulatory environment and assist them with all aspects of establishing, maintaining and growing their business operations in the region. This brochure provides an overview of the services and expertise Dezan Shira & Associates can provide. An Introduction to Doing Business in China 2017 This Dezan Shira & Associates 2017 China guide provides a comprehensive background and details of all aspects of setting up and operating an American business in China, including due diligence and compliance issues, IP protection, corporate establishment options, calculating tax liabilities, as well as discussing on-going operational issues such as managing bookkeeping, accounts, banking, HR, Payroll, annual license renewals, audit, FCPA compliance and consolidation with US standards and Head Office reporting. Managing Chinas Financial System Foreign investors often find Chinas financial system to be one of the most difficult areas to navigate when establishing or growing their presence in the country. Navigating Chinas tax system, and its complexities, requires time and commitment. In this issue of China Briefing magazine, we look at the factors that make Chinas tax system unique, and identify steps foreign investors can take to manage its challenges. We first examine the issues that most commonly disorient foreign investors. We then discuss the importance of pre-investment capital planning, within the context of tough foreign exchange controls, before examining the ever-maturing regulations for the transfer pricing system. Dezan Shira & Associates China will enact two new environmental protection laws at the start of 2018 -- one to formalize the emissions discharge fee into a tax collected from industrial polluters, and the other to combat water pollution more effectively. According to the Environmental Protection Tax Law of China -- which goes into effect on Jan. 1 -- air pollution, water pollution, solid wastes and noise are the four major categories of taxable emissions. While the levied items are to remain the same as the previous fee system, the law designates the local tax bureaus as collators of the new environmental protection tax. Furthermore, local government will decide on the tax rate for the levied items within a range specified by the central government. However, the entire amount of the tax collected will now become part of the local tax revenue, whereas 10 percent of the defunct emissions discharge fee used to go to the central government. The law was passed during the 25th session of the 12th National People's Congress in December 2016. It will become the first tax law enacted since the third plenary session of the 18th CPC central committee. As a major act to promote the construction of ecological civilization through taxation, the introduction of the environmental protection tax aims to further improve China's "green taxation" system and contribute to the country's environmental protection. As implementation draws near, the preparation for the collection and management of new tax is underway. Local governments in Beijing and provinces such as Hebei and Shandong have made announcements on their respective local tax rates for air and water pollutants. Beijing has applied the highest tax rate on emissions. Also on Jan. 1, China will enact the newly revised Water Pollution Prevention and Control Law, which includes expanding on a successful regional pilot of the river chief system to cover the whole country. Under this system, leading officials at various government levels will assume responsibility for addressing water pollution, including resource protection, waterline management, pollution prevention and control, and ecological restoration. The system first successfully piloted in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province ten years ago to address the water pollution in Taihu Lake caused by algae, and has been rolling out in recent years across the country as part of a broader effort to combat water pollution. Tong Weidong, an official of the Commission of Legislative Affairs of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress, explained the system as such: Under the innovative system, the CPC and government officials are expected to pool efforts together, which in the past fall within the remit of various agencies and departments. Besides, the leading officials will be accountable for enhancing water environment as the river chiefs, and the outcomes will affect the evaluation of their personal performances. The law also adds stipulations in rural areas, where water pollution is severe but lacks effective treatment. The law states, among other things, that the country supports the construction of sewage and waste treatment facilities in the rural area, and that the standards in producing fertilizers and pesticides should comply with the requirement of protecting the water environment. In addition, the revised law increases the penalties for breaking the law. For example, illegal discharging of pollutants by companies can be subject to a maximum fine of 1 million yuan (about US$150,000) under the newly revised law. Environmental authorities expect the river chief system and the heavy penalties will effectively enhance China's water environmental management system and the national water security. The new laws are coming on the heels of similarly strict legal measures that have effectively curbed air pollution in previously heavily polluted areas such as Beijing and Hebei Province. Lawmakers are expecting the new measures to help carry forward China's achievement and momentum in environmental protection in recent years. Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers a New Year speech to extend New Year greetings to all Chinese and best wishes to friends all over the world in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2017. (Xinhua) Chinese President Xi Jinping Sunday delivered a New Year speech, vowing that China would resolutely carry out reform in 2018. "We will take the opportunity of celebrating the 40th anniversary of the reform and opening-up in 2018 to further carry out reform, as reform and opening-up is the path we must take to make progress in contemporary China and to realize the Chinese dream," Xi said. He cited a Chinese adage, saying that the Chinese people would "cut paths through mountains, and build bridges across rivers" to move forward on reform. He extended New Year greetings to all Chinese, and best wishes to friends all over the world. Xi said the year 2018 marked the first year of fully implementing "the spirit of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC)," which outlines China's desired development blueprint over the next three decades. "Building a high-rise begins with mounds of soil," Xi said, borrowing an ancient Chinese phrase to urge his fellow Chinese to take a step-by-step approach and work hard to turn the blueprint into a reality. Xi said that by 2020 all rural residents living below the current poverty line should have been lifted out of poverty. It will be the first time in China's thousands of years of history that extreme poverty is eliminated. "It is our solemn promise," Xi said. "Only three years are left to 2020. Every one of us must be called to action, do our best, take targeted measures to secure victories one after another." "This is a great cause, important to both the Chinese nation and humanity. Let's do it together and make it happen," he said. Xi said China's great achievement of development was made by the people and for the people, and that among the people's most pressing concerns were education, employment, income, social security, health care, elderly care, housing and environmental protection. The president admitted that there were areas where the government's work fell short of expectations. Though progress has been made, he said, issues of public concern remain. "That is why we should strengthen our sense of responsibility, and do a good job of ensuring the people's well-being," Xi said. "The well-being of our people is the Party and the government's greatest political achievement. Our cadres should put the people's state of living at the heart, and help them live a better life." On international affairs, Xi said the world expected to hear China's stance and attitude on issues concerning peace and development. "As a responsible major country, China has something to say," Xi said. "China will resolutely uphold the authority and status of the United Nations, actively fulfill China's international obligations and duties, remain firmly committed to China's pledges to tackle climate change, actively push for the Belt and Road Initiative, and always be a builder of world peace, contributor of global development and keeper of international order," he said. "The Chinese people are ready to chart out a more prosperous, peaceful future for humanity, with people from other countries." Xi said the convening of the 19th CPC National Congress in 2017 had embarked China on a new journey to build a modern socialist country. Stating the achievements China made in 2017, Xi said gross domestic product had risen to 80 trillion yuan (12.3 trillion U.S. dollars); over 13 million new jobs were created; 1.35 billion people were covered by basic medical insurance; and more than 10 million rural people were lifted out of poverty. Xi said the people's sense of fulfillment, happiness and security had grown stronger, citing the improvement of people's livelihoods, and the ecological environment in the year. "We have taken another great step in finishing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects," Xi said. From the Chinese-produced large passenger jet C919 to the bullet train named Fuxing -- with a speed of 350 kilometers per hour, Xi said good news kept rolling-in on sci-tech innovation and major projects in 2017. "I applaud the Chinese people for their great creativity," he said. Xi also spoke of a grand military parade at the Zhurihe training base in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, held to mark the 90th anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army; the commemoration of the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland; as well as a national memorial ceremony to mark the 80th anniversary of the Nanjing Massacre. Xi noted several multilateral diplomatic events held in China, including the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, the BRICS Xiamen Summit and the CPC in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting. Xi said that he had an in-depth exchange of views with concerted parties on different occasions, such as at the World Economic Forum in Davos and the G20 Summit in Hamburg. "They are all in favor of the joint building of a community with a shared future for humanity so as to benefit people across the world," he said. Xi said he had received letters from people of ethnic minority regions, professor and university students. "Their patriotism made me feel that the ordinary people are the greatest, while happiness comes out of diligence," Xi said. Aerial drones are taking over many functions in farming, industry and environmental protection, and China leads the way. [Xinhua] Held on November 29-30, the 2017 National Drone Show in the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in the American capital, informed the world the big winner in the global drone industry is China. There's no doubt China has achieved a dominant status in manufacturing of consumer drones with a new generation of homegrown entrepreneurs creating world-class unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) by developing their own technologies. It's estimated the drone industry will be worth US$50 billion by 2023. The United States, China, Israel, Switzerland, Russia, Japan, Korea and dozens of other countries including India and Pakistan, irrespective of their economic situation, all are in a dogfight for large chunks of the global drone market. However, China has quickly emerged as a technology superpower to rival the United States in drone manufacturing. In fact, Chinese drones now rule the skies. China is one of the biggest manufacturers and buyers of drones globally. According to Dronelife.com, more than 500 drone manufacturers exist globally. Of those, some 400 are Chinese. In recent years, the Chinese drone market has seen a compound annual growth rate of more than 100 percent. The market research firm International Data Corporation (IDC) says more than half of commercial drones in the United States come from China. Sales of commercial-quality drones in China are expected to hit 950,000 units by 2019, a rise of about 300 percent over four years. Founded in 2006 in an apartment in Shenzhen by Frank Wang, China drone king, DJI-Innovations now makes almost two-thirds of the world's civilian drones, according to an estimate by Frost & Sullivan. Better products at lower prices are helping DJI to take control. Phantom drones and Mavic Pro have established DJI as the undisputed leader in the consumer drone market, compared to the California-based 3D Robotics Company or U.S. venture capital firm Accel or French drone maker Parrot. According to Forbes, DJI claims a 70 percent share of the global market, with Europe and North America its biggest customers. DJI's remarkable success has inspired others to invest in the sector. Shenzhen Zero UAV Technology, commonly known as Xiro, Beijing-based EHANG, Guangzhou-based XAircraft and Hong Kong-based Yuneec are other important domestic players. Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com is already using a large network of drones in Shaanxi and Sichuan provinces. On December 4, 2017, Liu Qiangdong, founder and CEO of JD.com, announced plans to build 185 drone airports in Sichuan in order to promote logistics services in rural areas. China's two largest internet companies, Alibaba Group and Tencent Holdings, lead the world in e-commerce, mobile payments, social media, and online gaming. Xiaomi launched Mi Drone with a 4k camera in May 2016. Tencent launched a foldable 4k Ying drone in October 2016 that streams video. Commercial drones are now being used in China from agriculture to mining to cinematography to counter rising labor costs. Drones help farmers improve the efficiency of spraying, save costs, and increase the use ratio of chemicals, which is more environmental-friendly. DJI-Innovations presented its MG-1S drone, an octocopter, or eight-rotor drone, which is water-resistant and can spray pesticides and liquid chemical fertilizers. Drones are also heavily used in photography, filmmaking and media sectors. The IDC estimates that camera drone shipments in the Chinese mainland will hit 3 million units by 2019, up from their prediction of 390,000 shipments in 2016. On December 7, 2017, almost 1,200 drones had performed a spectacular light show in Guangzhou in southern China's Guangdong Province, forming the Chinese ideograms for "innovation", "open" and "fortune." Earlier this year, the southern city hosted the Lantern Festival, when 1,000 drones set a Guinness World Record for the largest number of the aerial vehicles to simultaneously perform together. Perhaps drone performances eventually will replace fireworks in the business of night sky illumination since noisy fireworks are notorious for producing air pollutants. The use of pollution-detecting hi-tech flying machines has helped Dongguan, a city in southern China's Guangdong Province, which is a home to more than 300,000 factories, to identify and punish those causing pollution, and cut the number of smoggy days. The news site zjol.com.cn reported on December 10, 2017 that around 600,000 drones are in operation in China in many sectors, including mineral exploration, traffic administration, disaster surveillance and agriculture. Last September, the Chinese Academy of Aerospace and Aerodynamics developed China's largest CH-5 drone or "Caihong (Rainbow) 5" for reconnaissance, surveillance, patrols, target positioning, and strike missions. Yet, civilian drones are not without their problems. In 2015, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) introduced provisional regulations prohibiting drone flights in restricted areas. However, recent reported multiple illegal aerial incursions into restricted airspace by drones have raised concern over public safety, re-igniting the debate about China's management and regulation. On December 14, 2017, a draft version of the regulation on the usage and type of civilian drones was released by the CAAC to solicit public opinion. Rabi Sankar Bosu, Secretary of New Horizon Radio Listeners' Club, West Bengal, India Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors only, not necessarily those of China.org.cn. The main cause of the exodus of Christians from Palestine is the Israeli occupation of the region, and only a small proportion left because of Muslim religious extremism, a new study has found. In an interview with more than a thousand people divided somewhat equally between Christians and Muslims, researchers from Dar al-Kalima University concluded that most of the Palestinian Christians who left had been driven to hopelessness because of the lack of a political solution to the Israeli occupation. The arbitrary arrests, property confiscation, and discriminatory policies brought about by the situation also contributed to the exodus, Al Jazeera relayed. "It is not the fear of disappearance Palestinian Christians fear the most, rather losing their space in society," added Bernard Sabella, a Palestinian Legislative Council member and an author of the study. "Palestinian identity needs to be highlighted and emphasized." In addition, the study found that only two percent of the Palestinian Christian respondents pointed to religious extremism as the cause of their current negativity. As for their Muslim counterparts, four percent said the same thing. "I can say with a lot of certainty that the migration [of Palestinian Christians] was never caused by religious persecution," said Varsen Aghabekian, another author of the same study. Meanwhile, Palestinian Christian leaders have denounced U.S. President Donald Trump's official recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. For them, the declaration was "dangerous" and "insulting" to Christians and Muslims worldwide, Al Jazeera said in a separate report. The Archbishop of Jerusalem's Greek Orthodox Church, Atallah Hanna, said Trump's announcement was offensive to Christians and Muslims who look at Jerusalem as a sacred site. He added that the move "gave the occupation what it does not deserve." Palestinian Christians in the Gaza Strip organized a vigil to show their support for Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine, not Israel. Al Jazeera's Malcolm Webb said Christians and Muslims share the same sentiment towards Trump's pronouncement and it only made them more frustrated with their situation. Coptic Solidarity Condemns Attack on Mar Mina Church in Helwan, Egypt Contact: Lindsay Griffin, 801-512-1713, coptadvocacy@copticsolidarity.org WASHINGTON, Jan. 1, 2018 /Christian Newswire/ -- Coptic Solidarity condemns the cowardly attack by armed gunmen on Mar Mina Church on December 29, in Helwan, a suburb south of Cairo, Egypt. This incident is just the latest in an increasingly dangerous environment for Egypt's Copts. At least two gunmen attacked worshippers leaving a Friday mass, when they were unable to gain entrance to the church. They killed at least 10 individuals including two policemen. Additionally, a reported eight Copts were injured. Earlier in the day, a gunman murdered two people at an appliance shop owned by a Copt in Helwan. It is believed the gunman is the same who later attacked Mar Mina parishioners. Egyptian security forces arrived during the attack and killed one of the gunmen and took the other into custody. It was reported that at least one of the attackers came from Etfeih*, the town where fanatics, with the complicity of State Security, attacked last week a church after a rumor that a bell-tower would be built. This proves, once more, that terrorism against Copts in Egypt is homegrown and is often sanctioned by state organs. Egregious acts of violence against Copts receive the most media attention. Yet, it is the mundane daily discrimination, oppression and harassment, which has the most pernicious effect, and which receives virtually no media attention or condemnation resulting in a war of attrition on Copts. It is no less heinous in breaking Copts down into a state of submission, hopelessness, and drives the dramatic rise of Coptic emigration from their homeland. To address this ongoing persecution of the Copts, Coptic Solidarity supports a newly introduced Congressional resolution, H. RES. 673 which condemns attacks on Egypt's Copts and seeks their equality. The outright denial and bizarre accusations against Members of Congress and Coptic Solidarity in a plethora of Egyptian media reports demonstrates the need for continued attention and advocacy to achieve security and equality. * www.coptstoday.com/Copts-News/Detail.php?Id=245948 Coptic Solidarity is an organization seeking to help minorities, particularly the Copts, of Egypt and we support those in Egypt working for democracy, freedom, and the protection of the fundamental rights of all Egyptian citizens. It advocates in cooperation with the affiliated organizations in Canada and in Europe (Solidarite Copte). For more information, contact Lindsay Griffin at 801-512-1713 or coptadvocacy@copticsolidarity.org home US Abortion rate in Pennsylvania drops to historic low, latest figures reveal The abortion rate in Pennsylvania has dropped by around three percent, with 1,000 fewer terminations in 2016 compared to the previous year. The latest figures released by the Pennsylvania Department of Health has shown that 30,881 abortions were performed in the Keystone State, a three percent drop from 31,818 the previous year. According to Life News, the most recent figures were the lowest level ever recorded in Pennsylvania. "The decline in abortions is good news for Pennsylvania mothers and babies," said Maria Gallagher, legislative director for the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation, an affiliate of National Right to Life. "Our protective laws, scientific advances such as 4D Ultrasounds, and pregnancy resource centers around the Commonwealth are contributing to this encouraging trend," Gallagher added. The report from the Department of Health has found that 80 percent of the abortions occurred in four counties, namely Philadelphia (14,626), Allegheny (6,080), Northampton (3,042), and Dauphin (1,504). It revealed that the largest contingent of women having abortions was in the age range of 20 to 24 years. Gallagher had attributed the decline to the efforts of pregnancy resource centers around the state. "The caring, compassionate individuals within these centers offer everything from diapers to day care referrals, from mentoring to maternity clothes to women and their families. These pregnancy centers are truly a lifeline for women facing challenging circumstances," she said. "Make no mistakeaevery single abortion is a tragedy, because it is the taking of an innocent, unrepeatable human life. Yet, Pennsylvanians can take great pride in the decline in abortions, which has been aided by the loving alternatives to abortion that exist in the Commonwealth," she added. The news about the decline in the abortion rate came just weeks after Gov. Tom Wolf vetoed a bill that would have banned abortions at 20 weeks into pregnancy. Senate Bill 3, introduced by state Sen. Michele Brooks, would have also banned dismemberment abortions, otherwise known as "dilation and evacuation," which is the most common method used in second-trimester abortions. A similar bill had been introduced in Pennsylvania in 2016, but the measure failed after it stalled in the Senate. Current Pennsylvania law bans abortions after 24 weeks into pregnancy, but there are exceptions when the life of the mother is in danger. Data released by the state health department has revealed that nearly two-thirds of abortions in 2015 occurred n the first two months of pregnancy and less than two percent were conducted between the 20th and 24th weeks. Abortions in Pennsylvania had peaked at 65,777 in 1980, but it has steadily declined since then. home World Explorer claims to have found evidence of Noah's Ark in Turkey's Mount Ararat A California-based explorer has claimed that he has found new evidence that Noah's Ark rested on Mount Ararat in modern-day Turkey and the boat's remains are still up on the mountain. More than 100 researchers from across the globe recently gathered for a three-day international symposium on Mt. Ararat and Noah's Ark in AAYrA in Turkey to find out if they can discover the boat's final resting place. Raul Esperante of the Seventh-day Adventist Church-sponsored Geoscience Research Institute has expressed plans to visit sites around the mountain to look for new evidence. "My purpose is to visit the sites around the mountain to find clues about catastrophic events in the past," Esperante said, according to Public Radio of Armenia. In 2010, evangelical Chinese and Turkish researchers went on an expedition to the region to find the remains of the ark. After a few weeks, the team claimed to have found wooden specimens from an "ark-like" structure around 13,000 feet up Agri Mountain, the highest peak in Turkey. The researchers went on to claim that carbon dating had revealed the wood to be around 4,800 years old, putting it at the same historical period when the flood was said to have occurred. Esperante said that the discovery requires more "rigorous, serious scientific work" and he has asked for more funds to continue the research. "The result of my findings will be published in books, publications and journals, but at this point it is too early to know what we are going to find," Esperante said, as reported by The Nation. "Once the scientific community knows about the existence of Noah's Ark in Mount Ararat, we can make it available to the general public," he added. Dr. Andrew Snelling, a young-Earth creationist with a Ph.D. from the University of Sydney, contended that Mount Ararat cannot be the final resting place of the ark because the mountain did not form until after the flood waters receded. Brent Landau, a biblical scholar at the University of Texas at Austin, told Newsweek that there had been many claims that the ark had been discovered around Mount Ararat. He asserted that the investigations are not being conducted from a "neutral scientific perspective" because the claims are "almost always" made by those who biblical literalists. Landau is one of several scientists who have accepted evidence that the great flood could have occurred, although the timeline differs a bit from what appears in Genesis. He noted that all of the previous claims about the 'Ark have turned out to be either "outright hoaxes" or "natural rock formations that look somewhat like a giant boat." He said that he is "quite confident that this present claim will turn out to be more of the same." home World Tanzania threatens to revoke registration of churches that criticize president The Tanzanian government has threatened to revoke the registration of churches after a bishop used a Christmas sermon to criticize President John Magufuli for muzzling political expression in the country. On Thursday, the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Projest Rwegasira, warned that the government may revoke the licenses of religious organizations that "mix religion and politics." "Recently, some leaders of (religious) societies have been using their sermons to analyze political issues, which is contrary to the law," Rwegasira said in a statement, as reported by Africa News. "Any violation of the law could lead to cancellation of the registration of the concerned religious society," he added. While Tanzania's constitution protects the freedom of worship, religious organizations are required to obtain a license at the Home Affairs Ministry to operate legally. The warning came just days after a bishop delivered a sermon criticizing Magufuli for "quietly turning the country into a one-state rule by systematically banning political activity." Opposition leaders have warned that the tolerance for dissent has been rapidly disappearing in the country since Magufuli took office in 2015. In 2016, the Magufuli administration had banned opposition rallies on the grounds that the campaigns are over and that the opposition should wait until the next campaign season in 2020. Zachary Kakobe, the founder of the Full Gospel Bible Fellowship Church, called on the president to repent, noting that the government appeared to be reversing the country's democratic gains. "If the country has been returned to a one-party state, we should be told so. You just go to Parliament and pass a law to effect that, because you (CCM) are the majority," the bishop said, according to The East African. "Even God does not intimidate his critics and He is mightier than Magufuli. Who are you not to be criticised? Military forces are not mightier than God... it is high time Magufuli repented," he went on to say. The public notice from the Home Affairs Ministry was issued to religious organizations after the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party accused Kakobe of mixing religion and politics. Magufuli had won some praise from Western donors for his anti-corruption campaign and cuts to wasteful public spending. Opponents have accused him of undermining democracy by stifling dissent and free speech, but the president has denied the allegations, saying he is no dictator. Despite his denial, several newspapers have reportedly been shut down and over a dozen suspects have been prosecuted for allegedly insulting Magufuli via WhatsApp and other social media platforms. home World Teen sisters in Laos tied up, locked out of house by family for converting to Christianity Two teenage sisters in Laos have recounted how their own family have tied them up and locked them out of the house for four days after they converted to Christianity. Nani, 17, recently shared with Open Doors USA how she and her 16-year-old sister, Nha Phong, were persecuted by their own family when they abandoned animism for Christianity after hearing the Gospel from a cousin in 2016. "My cousin told me about the Good News. He is a pastor in a church located in a village near ours. I liked what I heard very much, and thats why I became a believer," Nani narrated. Although the sisters had not been Christians for very long, Nani had already begun leading worship at the church, while Nha Phong had started taking care of the children in Sunday school. However, their family, especially their father, had strongly opposed their decision to leave animism. Nani said that a cousin and a nephew had threatened to hit her and force her out of the church if she does not return to her old religion. The cousin did not carry out the threat at the time, but three weeks later, several cousins and family members secretly followed the sisters when they went to worship and dragged them out of the church. "They tied us up and my dad hit my sister, but he didn't hit me. I don't know why," Nani recalled. The sisters were then taken back to the village, where they were separated and kept tied up for several days. "They took me to my uncle's house and asked me over and over again: 'Do you still believe in God?' They threatened me and told me that unless I renounced my new faith, they would keep me tied up," Nha Phong said. The sisters were eventually released after four days, but the family has not made it easy for them to practice their new faith. Nani said that their father does not want a Bible around the house, so he hid it in a place where she could not find it, but she found it later and she was able to read the Bible again. She said that it was really hard for them not to obey their father, who is the head of the family, but they want to obey Jesus more than anyone. "We know that Jesus died for us, and we do not want to go back to our old religion. Even if it is difficult, we want to follow Jesus," Nani said. While their father has been strongly opposed to their decision to convert to Christianity, their mother appeared to have shown some interest in the faith. She has followed the sisters to church on a few occasions, but she has not yet converted to Christianity. Nha Phong said that the village leader warned their mother that they could be thrown in jail if they continue attending worship services. In May, the authorities reportedly arrested the sisters, along with seven other Christians. The sisters escaped to another village shortly after their release, and they are now residing in their Christian cousins' village. Open Doors noted that sharing the Gospel can be a huge challenge in Laos, where Buddhism, animistic beliefs and practices, are deeply ingrained "in the thinking and culture of society." The organization has ranked Laos in the World Watch List as the 24th nation where Christians face the most persecution. Operation World noted that Buddhism makes up more than 57 percent of the population in Laos. About 34 percent of the population practices indigenous religions, and only 3.4 percent is Christian. An unknown assailant shot a taxi driver in the shoulder early Monday morning in Houston's Greater Fifth Ward neighborhood, city police said. The taxi driver was travelling north on Gregg Street near Interstate 10 when the assailant emerged from between two buildings, put a rifle to his shoulder and fired one shot, Houston police Lt. Larry Crowson said. More than 40 prisoners at a north Texas lock-up are on hunger strike, a Texas Department of Criminal Justice spokesman confirmed Sunday. Forty-five administrative segregation inmates at the Allred Unit in Iowa Park, have begun refusing their meals. "Most of the offenders have items purchased in the commissary in their cells," said TDCJ spokesman Robert Hurst. "The department is closely monitoring their food intake and will take appropriate action as needed." Jennifer Erschabek of Texas Inmate Families Association said the action may have been driven by poor prison conditions, but was unsure what specific problem sparked this particular strike. BACKGROUND: Texas prisons quietly end use of punitive solitary confinement "Is it a food issue or a lack of heat in their cells?" she said. "I don't know." It's not clear how long the hunger strike has been going on, but initial word of it emerged sometime Saturday. The 3,722-inmate facility just south of the Oklahoma border typically houses one of the system's largest populations of administrative segregation, a non-punitive form of isolation for inmates deemed a security risk or danger to others. Earlier this year, TDCJ quietly put an end to the use of punitive solitary confinement. Thousands of inmates are still in administrative segregation, but that number has markedly decreased in recent years. As of late July, 573 segregated inmates - roughly 15 percent of the system's entire administrative segregation population - were housed at Allred. In the days after Balch Springs Officer Roy Oliver shot and killed 15-year-old Jordan Edwards, the city's police chief struggled with the decision to fire the cop he considered a friend. Chief Jonathan Haber, whose own actions after the killing were criticized, wrote to his staff in a memo obtained by The Dallas Morning News: "Today, I am about to make the most difficult decision of my professional career. Hilda Vasquez was a newcomer to the party, a first-timer. She didn't know what to expect, but she took in the decorations, the snacks, the table full of ornaments. A pair of skates, wind chimes. A wooden snowman. A teddy bear. A picture of a little girl. She nestled hers - a picture of her son - in between them all, the latest addition to the somber Christmas tree. Last February, her 18-year-old son Javier Flores was gunned down when he intervened to save her life during an ill-fated Subway robbery. So earlier this month, Vasquez got together with a few dozen other friends and family of homicide victims to decorate a memorial tree honoring their loved ones. "Everything just breaks my heart because I just wish we weren't here doing this," Vasquez said. "But I see a lot of people here suffering like I am." While the lonely Christmases tick by for grieving families, time creeps along for the 200-plus people on Texas death row. "There are no holidays on death row," said Anthony Graves, a wrongfully convicted Brenham man released in 2010. "I'm not trying to have sympathy for folks who committed a crime, I'm just saying what the facts are. " There's no religious services and, unlike regular days, there's no mail, recreation or visiting, according to current and former prisoners at the Polunsky Unit in Livingston. "You just sit in your cell all day," said Alfred Dewayne Brown, a former death row prisoner whose conviction was overturned. Some of the day's routine is the same as usual. Breakfast comes through at the regular time - around 2 or 3 a.m. But then in the mid-morning come the holiday meal trays. First, it's a cold plate, maybe with some fruit - a rare treat - and cake or pie. Then comes a warm plate with turkey or chicken. For dinner it's a sack with two sandwiches. "You get green baloney at the end of the day just to remind you where you are," Graves quipped. The rest of the day, the prisoners sit alone in their cells, waiting for meals or listening to the radio. "You have people who are mentally ill who may not really have any sense that it's a holiday because every day is the same," Graves said. One man recalled making a mini-tree with paper and toothpaste. Another said he'd once received snowflake cutouts from a mentally ill neighbor. "If you hang it up, the guard ain't gonna do nothing but come in there and tear it down," Brown said. This year was the 35-year-old's third holiday season since his release in 2015. "A lot of people feel shame and remorse," said Garland Harper, a Sunnyside man convicted of killing Triska Lashaun Rose and her two daughters in 2008. "Being isolated on death row is a real lonely experience." Andy Kahan, the city of Houston's victim advocate, started organizing the annual tree-decorating efforts at City Hall more than two decades ago, after hearing about a similar event for prisoners' families. "We thought you know what if they have one for inmates' families then we should do one for victims' families," he said. "The holiday seasons are especially difficult for survivors of homicide and we thought this would be a unique way of bringing everybody together and paying homage to family members." Now in its 23rd year, the gathering allowed each family member a chance to speak to the small crowd before placing an ornament on the tree. District Attorney Kim Ogg spoke to the tearful families after an outdoor balloon release. "There is justice," she said. "The results are not guaranteed, but the system is." Vasquez is still waiting to learn the fate of her son's killer. In the meantime, she's honored her boy at home this holiday season by placing his ashes underneath last year's tree. But the gathering downtown was special, offering a sense of solidarity she might not find elsewhere. "It's not just me," she said. "There's a lot of other people here suffering." CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio - A teacher at Heights Middle School in Cleveland Heights has been diagnosed with bacterial meningitis, the district confirmed Sunday. The district did not identify the teacher or say which grade the teacher primarily taught, but the teacher is a man, Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District spokesman Scott Wortman told cleveland.com. Wortman was unsure how the district first learned of the teacher's diagnosis, but the school has been in touch with his family. The teacher went to an area hospital and received the diagnosis after the school had let out for winter break on Dec. 21, Wortman said. Bacterial meningitis is the swelling of the membranes around the brain and spinal cord, causing headaches, fever and a stiff neck. Most cases of meningitis in the U.S. are caused by a viral infection, according to the Mayo Clinic. The bacterial strain of meningitis can be life-threatening if it is not treated with antibiotics within a few days of contracting the disease, the Mayo Clinic says. The middle school is "being thoroughly disinfected" and officials are "taking all the precautions that you would expect," Wortman said. The district plans to send a notice to parents when school resumes, but the teacher's doctors have not told the district to notify any specific person or group who may be imminently affected. Classes resume at Heights Middle School on Jan. 8. The school district is "hopeful for a recovery," Wortman said, and it is "working with the family to support him in any way we can." Drunken driving, Union Street: Heavy fog and heavy drinking didn't slow down a 37-year-old Elyria man Dec. 22, according to police. He is accused of striking a Bay Village woman's Honda on Union Street, fleeing the scene, and striking two more cars on Crocker Road before passing out behind the wheel. The Westlake Fire Department took him to St. John Medical Center. Police charged him with operating a vehicle while impaired, hit skip, failure to control, possession of dangerous drugs, carrying various weapons (knives and a billy club, drug paraphernalia (pot pipe), and open container. A 33-year-old North Olmsted man from one of the Crocker Road cars was taken to the hospital for a neck injury. Attempted counterfeiting, I-90: A Dec. 22 traffic stop on I-90 eastbound yielded a windfall of counterfeit concert clothing. Police seized 57 unlicensed t-shirts (total value $1,710) from a 50-year-old South Carolina man, a 42-year-old California man and a 51-year-old California man. Police charged the men with attempted trademark counterfeiting. Burglary, Crocker Road: A burglar set off the alarm Dec. 26 at a business. The suspect broke the door glass with a brick and crawled in but left without taking anything. If you'd like to comment on this post, please visit the cleveland.com crime and courts comments section. 80% Website thefrankslawfirm.com uses latest and advanced technologies like: WebFonts. It supports HTTPS and GZIP compression. The main html page has a size of 34315 bytes (33.51 kb uncompressed) and 8938 bytes (8.73 kb compressed). This CoolSocial report was updated on 2021-01-20, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. 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 Albert Lee grew up in London, where he used to hang out with Jimmy Page. Over the years hes made music with everyone from Paul McCartney to Eric Clapton. Jimmy Page and I met when we were 16 or 17, Lee said in a phone interview. I played in the basement of this coffee bar where a lot of musicians used to gather, around 1961. Jimmy used to come down and we became good friends. I dont see him so often now, he said of the Led Zeppelin founder. We kind of learned to play the guitar together, really. We were listening to the old rock n roll and learning to play. Lee made a name for himself touring with the likes of Clapton, The Everly Brothers and Emmylou Harris Hot Band. He earned two Grammy Awards and has his own band. Not to mention Clapton has said Lee, 74, is his favorite guitarist of all time. The Albert Lee Band will perform at Hartfords Infinity Music Hall on Saturday, Jan. 6, at Fairfield Theatre Companys StageOne on Sunday, Jan. 7, and at Old Saybrooks The Kate on Saturday, Jan. 13. When performing in Connecticut, Lee said he and his band will do a mix of country and rock, and hell play a few ballads on piano. People who have not seen me before just expect me to be playing guitar; they dont know I can sing and play the piano... Lee said he especially loves to do Runaway Train, by John Stewart, and Jimmy Webbs Highway Man. In February Lee heads to Europe. Im doing my usual (concert) run around the U.K., Holland, Germany and Switzerland. This is an annual thing; Ive been doing it every year now for about 30 years. Its good fun... something I look forward to. Lee, whose dad played piano and accordion, got into music as a kid, starting piano at 7. I used to bash at the piano so my folks thought I should get lessons. I never practiced but I did progress, but not quick enough for the last teacher I had. She told my folks, I think youre wasting your money. After learning some classics and pop tunes, Lee heard the music of Jerry Lee Lewis and decided to take up the guitar. He said he became proficient in 18 to 24 months. He left school at 15 and tried a few day jobs, such as working in a custard factory, but found he earned more as a musican. Among Lees memorable experiences, he played on Claptons live album, Just One Night, where his vocals were featured on the cover of Mark Knopflers Setting Me Up. In 2002, he joined Clapton, McCartney, Tom Petty and other legends on stage at the Concert for George (Harrison) at Londons Royal Albert Hall. lkoonz@newstimes.com; Twitter: @LindaTKoonz She made her name as a model so it's no surprise that Carla Bruni has collected a treasure trove of beauty tips over the years to help maintain her youthful glow. The 50-year-old, who has just released her sixth music album French Touch this year, spoke to Into the Gloss and revealed the skin secrets that explain why she doesn't look a day older now than she did in 2007, when her husband Nicolas Sarkozy was elected French President. The French-Italian musician explained how she prepares for a big event by treating her skin, rather than slathering on lots of make-up. 'Ill do a little detox mask, and after will follow it with a clay one. Maybe a little steam bath,' she said. 'I have sensitive skin, so what I like is facial massage. It gives you a real glow, gets rid of puffiness, dryness, and it brings oxygen to your skin. My personal massage therapist lives in Paris. Carla Bruni, pictured in July this year, says it's important to take care of your skin as you age and makes sure she has regular facials and wears less make-up The French-Italian former model, pictured left seven years ago, appears to have barely aged. Pictured right, Carla in 2007 Carla married the former French president Nicolas Sarkozy in 2008, and the couple share a six-year-old daughter Giulia. But despite a decade passing since her husband was elected to power, Carla appears to not have aged a day. She explained how she avoids wearing peach tones on her skin and applies a blemish balm or colour corrector (BB and CC creams) as a base instead of using foundation, and a rose powder blush. CARLA'S SKIN CARE Regular facial massages and steam baths Detox face masks Hydrating moisturiser Use less make-up and avoid peach tones on the skin Advertisement She also encourages the use of blotting powder to avoid a shiny T-zone and says a 'very good moisturiser' comes in handy. The musician, who also has a son, Aurelien, from a previous relationship. Even when she's performing, the down-to-earth start doesn't bother with a glam squad and does her own prepping before going on stage. It takes just 30 minutes to put on make-up and style her hair by smoothing the ends very lightly with a straightening iron, she says. And to wind down at the end of a long day performing on stage, Carla enjoys 'a hot bath and a beer'. To relax she adds essential oils such as lavender and arnica, which is ideal for soothing sore and tired muscles. With a new year upon us, many of us will be busy setting goals and resolutions that we want to achieve in the 12 months ahead. And now, a lifestyle guru has revealed the one word we should all avoid if we want to achieve success this year. Erin Falconer, who is based in LA, says we need to ban the word 'should' from our vocabularies, as it's holding us back. She explains that the word has an 'open-endedness' about it, and is often associated with 'guilt and shame' about what you're not doing. Lifestyle expert Erin Falconer says banning the word 'should' will help us achieve our goals this year (file photo) Writing her new book How to Get S*** Done, extracted on Well + Good, Erin says: 'Not only does should suggest things are still up in the air, its almost always a negative. 'We rarely use should when talking about something were looking forward to.' Erin says we need to say things like 'I'm going to the gym', which is a definitive, rather than 'I should go to the gym', which is a possibility that sets us up for failure. She continues by explaining that the word 'should' puts us in 'two places', meaning that you can't enjoy what you're actually doing because of the guilt you have about the thing you're not doing. She suggests that we say things like 'I'm going to the gym', which is a definitive, rather than 'I should go to the gym' It comes after organisational expert Beck Wadworth, 28, revealed how you should divide your goals into categories in order to achieve success this year. She told FEMAIL: 'I break my resolutions into three categories. Personal, professional and financial. 'Everyone has different things they want to focus on within these categories, and it's just working out what you want to prioritise and focus on for the next 12 months.' Beck explained how she also sets herself monthly 'stepping stones' towards achieving each goal, to make sure she stays on track. 'So when I was saving for New York, I did so by setting myself smaller targets for each month, then celebrate by booking my flights,' she said. 'I think it's really important to celebrate the small successes along the way each month, too. It keeps you inspired, motivated and driven towards those big yearly goals.' A prank offer that appeared on fliers around Los Angeles has become an online viral sensation. The images and words on the fliers are enough to induce baffling nightmares. 'Bathe in my milk,' the description reads. 'Use my sponge. I will watch you.' The ad, which also offers the options of 'soy, almond or traditional' milk, is horrifyingly illustrated with images of said-bathing. A little much: Fliers featuring men bathing in milk recently began popping up on the streets of Los Angeles Intriguing offer: The fliers included various photos of this scene, and asked for men to apply to 'bath in my milk' The photos see a grey-haired woman in a dirty night gown standing in a bathroom, expressionless, next to a bathtub containing milk and a man with an equally stoic expression. The flier goes on to direct interested parties to BatheInMyMilk.com, where they can apply for an appointment. It didn't take long for curious social media users to snap photos of the fliers and post them online. They started going viral on Reddit and Twitter. Some questioned the woman's motives, others wondered why the bathroom was in such a shoddy stage - including an ominous rope lying on the floor next to the tub. Looking on: This image shows the elderly woman peering in on the man from the window So many questions: Users on social media were equally baffled by the state of the 'bathroom' and the ominous rope on the floor Relaxing at home: Eventually the images were revealed to be the work of a comedian and video director and editor Many were sure that the pictures were just as sinister as they seemed, with one writing: 'The men in the bathe in my milk photos are no longer with us. That is a fact.' One of the creepy photos even shows a man looking visibly uncomfortable in the tub while the elderly woman peers in from the window. Eventually it was revealed that the strange pamphlets were the work of a comedian: 26-year-old Michigan native Alan Wagner. He had created the images with the help of actors, his college friend Sydney Marquez as set designer and a fake bathroom scene set up in his garage. The whole job, including the actors, tub and the milk cost just $300 to put together. A haunting image: Alan Wagner revealed that he created the series using actors, his garage, and a quick trip to Home Depot Making a mark: Within a week, the website the fliers directed people to, BatheInMyMilk.com, had racked up more than a half-a-million hits Milk time: The idea had started as a pitch for a beverage company, but was too quirky for the brand to go for it so Alan did it himself Speaking to the New York Post, Alan explained that the prank has been an overwhelming success, with more than half-a-million hits on the website in just a week. Interested applicants have been instructed to send physical letters addressed to the mysterious milk woman - with the address offered actually belonging to an unsuspecting friend of Alan's. He also revealed that the idea was originally a pitch to a beverage company as a part of his job as a director and video editor. The idea was rejected for being a bit too off-the-wall, but Alan liked it enough to create it anyway. 'I really like the image I came up with. This old woman bathing men, and its ambiguous what anyone is getting out of it. Nobody seems to be enjoying it, [and] yet they are partaking in it.' he said. It isn't the first funny flier Alan has created, having previously put up pamphlets advertising the likes of 'dirt parties' and 'Cash-4-Elders'. As 2018 gets underway, many keen travellers are busy planning their next holiday. And while some lucky globetrotters can afford to fork out thousands on luxury airline travel, others settle for humble economy tickets. All hope is not lost however, with Skyscanner Australia recently revealing a number of handy hints and tricks that could help travellers score a free business or first class upgrade on their next vacation. Here, FEMAIL looks at some of these tactics and how the simplest of moves could see you travelling in style this year. Skyscanner Australia recently revealed a number of handy hints and tricks that could help travellers score a free business or first class upgrade on their next vacation 1. DRESS TO IMPRESS According to Skyscanner, this myth does hold strong and those who are well-dressed and polished will almost always be selected for an upgrade over those who have put less effort into their appearance. 'Sunday best, business casual, brunch with your posh Grandma, are all appropriate upgrade styles,' they explain. Experts at Traveller say that while dressing like a business class passenger will not get you into a business class seat, it certainly does help in situations where cabins have been oversold. 'If the cabin you're booked in happens to be oversold and the airline is looking to upgrade, look like you belong and you just might qualify,' they explained. 'Wear cargo shorts, thongs or a singlet and your chances are zip, even with a Kanchenjunga of loyalty points.' Those who are well-dressed and polished will almost always be selected for an upgrade over those who have put less effort into their appearance 2. STAND UP FOR YOURSELF While kicking up an enormous fuss over poor service or lost bags isn't recommended, standing up for yourself most certainly is. 'Dont throw a wobbly, but be firm,' Skyscanner suggested. 'Tell them that youre unimpressed, deserve better, and are about to hit send on a withering tweet to your 10,000 followers.' Smarter Travel advice mirrors the above, with the team urging those inconvenienced by an airline to go ahead and ask for an upgrade straight up. 'Airlines dont generally upgrade people for no reason, but if they have caused you a problem, that may be reason enough,' they wrote. Smarter Travel urges those inconvenienced by an airline to go ahead and ask for an upgrade straight up 3. TRAVEL ALONE Those travelling solo are far more likely to enjoy an upgraded flight than those in a couple or large family group. Those in the industry have also previously revealed that solo travellers flying on their birthday are more likely to be gifted with a birthday upgrade. 4. TRAVEL AT THE RIGHT TIME According to Skyscanner, 'early morning and light night flights will see less crowded planes, and usually a more relaxed staff partial to letting you sit where you want'. However, the chances of an upgrade are slim if you travel on a 'half full' plane. The trick, they say, is flying a 'full flight (or a slightly oversold one)' as this is known as the Upgrade Witching Hour. The risk here is that if you don't get the upgrade, you're in for a long, loud flight. The trick is flying a 'full flight (or a slightly oversold one)' as this is known as the Upgrade Witching Hour 5. CHECK IN EARLY It may sound simple but sometimes the key to an upgrade is about being first. When you are one of the first to arrive you also become one of the first to request an upgrade which will increase your chances dramatically. It is also worthwhile asking how much an upgrade would cost on check in as it differs greatly depending on the circumstances. For example, while some may cost thousands, Traveller reports some flyers have paid just $256 AUD for an upgrade on Emirates long-haul sectors. It may sound simple but sometimes the key to an upgrade is about being first 6. VOLUNTEER TO BE BUMPED According to Skyscanner, 'super-booked flights can work to your advantage'. 'It's common practice nowadays for airlines to overbook their flights, and when this happens it's the new normal for staff to call on intrepid volunteers to step down and take a later flight,' they explained. 'If youre booked on a long-haul flight with a premier airline, often volunteering to get bumped will mean a sweet First Class seat in return. 'However, double-check this before you go raising your hand, because no-frills airlines and domestic routes dont tend to offer upgrades.' For some lucky individuals, a solid eight hours of sleep each night will leave them feeling refreshed and ready for the day the moment they wake up. But many others continuously wake up feeling exhausted in the morning, even after doing everything 'right'... or so they think. According to Australian sleep expert Dr Carmel Harrington there is one mistake people are making that causes this and that's not having a consistent wake up time. According to Australian sleep expert Dr Carmel Harrington there is one mistake people are making that results in them being tired, even if they sleep eight hours or more 'Most people dont know that the time you get up in the morning affects the time you will be able to fall asleep that night,' she told Whimn. 'When we see bright light in the morning our brain switches off the production of melatonin and it is this off-switching that actually sets up our 24 hour body clock.' The problem with this is it throws out your bodies circadian rhythm which has serious side effects. Not resetting your biological clock at a regular time each morning not only effects your sleep but will also effect your hunger and will have an impact on bathroom cues while decreasing your skills and motivation. 'Most people dont know that the time you get up in the morning affects the time you will be able to fall asleep that night,' Dr Harrington said As consistency is the main sleep secret it is important to have both a strict wake up time and bed time. 'Both are important as they dictate the total amount of sleep someone gets,' Dr Harrington said. 'However as our getting up time plays a role in what time we are ready to sleep that night, a regular wake up time is probably more important. 'For this reason it's recommended that you don't vary your wake-up time by more than an hour.' As consistency is the main sleep secret it is important to have both a strict wake up time and bed time As well as ensuring you have a good sleep routine you also need to make sure you're getting enough sleep, but different people need different amounts. Previously Daily Mail Australia spoke with Sealy sleep analyst Dr Amy Reynolds about the importance of a good quality snooze during different stages of your life. 'Sleep patterns certainly change over time. What doesn't change is the crucial need for a routine and good "sleep hygiene" as we call it,' Dr Reynolds said. Our constant access to phones and the internet can inhibit our bodies ability to get good quality levels of sleep so it's important to turn all electrical equipment off an hour before hitting the hay. There should be a bedtime routine for mums just like there is a system in place for young children According to a Sealy sleep survey 70 per cent of Australians feel their everyday performance is affected by lack of sleep. 'People studying at university or working, typically between the ages of 18 and 25, should be getting 7-9 hours of sleep a night,' Dr Reynolds explained. There should also be a bedtime routine for mums just like there is a system in place for young children. 'Women between the ages of 26-60 should be getting around 7-9 hours of sleep a night. Try to get everyone in the family into bed at a reasonable hour by brushing your teeth together and reading a bedtime story,' Dr Reynolds said. 'Women over 60 can get 7-8 hours of rest a night and remain perfectly healthy.' In terms of trying to 'make up' for lost sleep Dr Reynolds said you should instead aim for the recommended amount each night - 'topping' up on sleep isn't effective. For Christmas Day service at Sandringham, Meghan Markle played it safe in a camel coat and chestnut-brown felt hat, but it turns out the dress underneath was a rather more daring choice. Eagle-eyed royal watchers would have caught just a fleeting glimpse of red velvet as Meghan, 36, walked to church, and now Canadian retailer Club Monaco has confirmed the former Suits star was wearing its $298 (220) Tay dress for the occasion. The rich jewel-toned burgundy wrap dress with tiered, ruffled sleeves features ends just below the knee, but features a plunging neckline - a rather daring choice for Christmas lunch with the royals. Club Monaco announced Meghan had worn the dress via an Instagram post, saying they had confirmed it with her stylist Jessica Mulroney and a handful are still available to buy online in smaller sizes. Scroll down for video Meghan Markle's burgundy dress was just visible under her camel coat as she walked to church with the royals at Sandringham on Christmas Day The Tay wrap dress, which features a very plunging neckline, is from Canadian retailer Club Monaco The brand said Meghan's stylist had confirmed she was wearing a Club Monaco dress Meghan teamed the dress with a wide collar camel wrap coat, made by Canadian luxury brand Sentaler, which tapered in around the waist and flared out at the hem, for the St Mary Magdalene Church Christmas service. She paired the ensemble with coordinating 630 Stuart Weitzman's Hiline high-heeled suede boots and completed her look with a 900 round handbag in brown leather and caramel suede with a gold coloured handle made by Chloe. A pair of Maison Birk diamond earrings added a touch of sparkle. Apart from a slight wobble when she curtsied to the Queen after the service, her first public appearance with members of the royal family appeared to go without a hitch. Having spent years living in Toronto while filming Suits, Meghan is a keen supporter of the Canadian fashion industry Earlier this week, Prince Harry told the Today programme that her first royal family Christmas had been a resounding success. When the fifth in line to the throne was quizzed by presenter Sarah Montague at the end of guest editing the three-hour show he replied: 'It was fantastic, she really enjoyed it.' Speaking about his fiancee, he said: 'The family loved having her there. 'There's always that family part of Christmas (where) there's always that work element there as well, and I think together we had an amazing time. The former Suits star appeared to experience a slight wobble as she curtsied to the Queen following the church service Meghan covered her dress with a camel wrap coat and carried a Chloe handbag 'We had great fun staying with my brother and sister-in-law and running round with the kids. 'Christmas was fantastic.' The presenter asked the prince if there were any family traditions that had to be explained to Ms Markle and he replied: 'Oh plenty, I think we've got one of the biggest families that I know of, and every family is complex as well. 'No look, she's done an absolutely amazing job. She's getting in there and it's the family I suppose that she's never had.' Dozens of new mothers, who spent the last hours of 2017 in the throes of labour have been sharing the first images of their brand new babies, many of whom arrived shortly after Big Ben struck midnight. First past the 2018 finishing post in Scotland was little Harry Ferguson, who arrived just ten seconds after the 12am strike to proud parents Craig Ferguson and Amy Coull. The wee bairn, born in Elgin, Scotland weighed in at a not insubstantial 9lb 8oz and is thought to be the first of dozens of babies who can now claim the date of birth 1/1/2018. Welcome to 2018, welcome to the world! Parents Amy Coull and Craig Ferguson welcomed little Harry - weighing in at 9lb 8oz - just ten seconds after Big Ben's chimes rang out Harry, from Elgin, Scotland, is believed to be the UK's earliest arrival of 2018 In Glasgow, the Princess Royal Maternity units first arrival of 2018 came a little later, at 12.05am. First-time mother Emma MacDonald, 29, gave birth to baby girl Bonnie Petrucci, weighing in at around 7lb 2oz. And a short time later at the same hospital, Laura Brown, 29, gave birth to a little boy at 1.27am, as did second-time mother Pamela McGarvey, 32, at 1.37am. As yet, both children remain without official names. Elsewhere in Glasgow, Katie Browne and Lynfryn MacKenzie welcomed baby Josefin MacKenzie Browne into the world at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital. Hot on Harry's heels was Bonnie Mary Lindsay Petrucci, born to Emma McDonald, 29, and dad Marco Petrucci, 32, from Halfway, Cambuslang in Scotland. Bonnie was born at the Princess Royal in Glasgow at 12.05am DOB 1/1/2018! Little Bonnie gets a kiss on the head from her mother as the family pose for a New Year's Day photo to remember The baby girl weighed 8lb 2oz after being born at 12.32am while many revellers were still celebrating. Minutes earlier, at St Johns Hospital in Livingston, parents Susanne Dwyer, 24, and Richard Mills, 31, said hello to their baby girl at 12.15am. The baby, who has also not yet been named, was 7lb 2oz. A quarter-of-an-hour later, Erin Miller and Matthew Briggs, from Boness, met their first baby at Forth Valley Royal Hospital in Larbert. Oliver, at 7lb 3oz, was born at 12.30am. In Edinburgh, baby boy Travis (8lb 12oz) was born to parents Stacey Glancy and Colin Graham, both 29, from the Drylaw area. Here's looking at you! At 3:00am, Eben, born to mother Sandra Bosse - arrived at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast Another Belfast arrival! Little Mason, pictured with his mum Georgina Devine, arrived at 4:53am Dawn baby: Mason weighed in at 6 pound 12 1/2 ounces and was delivered at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast His arrival at 1.30am was the first of the year at the citys Royal Infirmary. In Dundee, the labour ward at Ninewells Hospital had five new arrivals in the early hours of January 1st to keep maternity staff busy. The first was a boy, named Nico Dyer, who arrived at 1.50am weighing 6lb 6oz. The first new year baby at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley was a girl at 4.01am. Mother Karen Boyce, 34, and father Ian McLaren have not yet named the child. Simone Biles has rang in the New Year with plenty of love in her life. The Olympic champion documented her New Year's Eve celebration on Instagram, including a sweet aquarium date with her boyfriend and fellow gymnast Stacey Ervin. The couple started off the day with a big breakfast of waffles, sausage and eggs, as well as coffee in mugs reading 'the king' and 'the Happy couple: Simone Biles, 20, gave her boyfriend Stacey Ervin a big smooch at midnight on New Year's Eve Quality time: Earlier in the day the couple enjoyed a romantic trip to the Houston Aquarium The king and queen: Simone documented the day on Instagram, starting with a couple's breakfast of waffles, sausage and eggs The pair then wandered around Houston Aquarium on Sunday together and even fed the stingrays together - a moment Simone shared with a video of her giggling away as the creatures jumped up for a snack. After their date, the pair of young lovebirds enjoyed a party with friends and family, with Simone donning a festive crown bearing the words 'cheers' in glittering letters. She also changed into a sparkly striped blouse, black skirt and a luxurious black fur coat for the party, where she posed for various photos with her guests. Bit of fun: The couple fed stingrays at the aquarium, with Simone giggling as the creatures popped up for a snack Cute couple: The pair then went to ring in the New Year with friends and family at a party Feeling the love: Simone changes into a sparkling outfit and a festive crown for the occasion When the clock struck midnight, she gave her boyfriend a big smooch and shared the moment with her 3.4 million followers. The 20-year-old gold medalist and her 24-year-old beau have been together since at least the summer, having first confirmed their romance back in August. Simone broke the news by posting a sweet tribute to Stacey on Instagram, sharing a photo of the pair and a caption reading: 'Always smiling with you.' Head over heels! Simon Biles first confirmed her romance with fellow gymnast Stacey, 24, back in August Awwww! 'Always smiling with you,' the 20-year-old Olympian captioned a photo of the cute couple staring at each other on a balcony Flying high: Simone recently returned to the gym after taking time off following the Rio Games Winner: Stacey attended the University of Michigan, where he competed as a member of the men's artistic gymnastics team Ervin let slip the secret about their relationship a day before on his own account, after accompanying Simone to her induction into the Gymnastics Hall Of Fame. 'Words cannot express how incredibly proud I am of you, all you've accomplished and how well you carry yourself,' he wrote alongside a picture of the couple at the ceremony, smiling with their arms around each other. 'You make me feel like I am the luckiest man alive. Congratulations on your induction to the USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame!' He added: 'I can't wait to see what the future has in store.' These twins were born just 20 minutes apart - but in different years, months and days. Joaquin and Aitana de Jesus Ontiveros were both due to arrive January 27, 2018. But at 7pm on New Year's Eve, their mother Maria went into labor prematurely, and the babies arrived naturally either side of midnight in California's Delano Regional Medical Center. Joaquin, was born weighing 5lbs 9oz at 11.58pm on December 31, 2017, while his younger twin sister Aitana arrived at 12.16am on January 1, 2018, weighing 4lbs 10.8oz. It means that while they share everything from genes to mealtimes, they will not share a birthday, birth month, or even a birth year. Joaquin (left) was born at 11.58pm on New Year's Eve 2017; Aitana (right) was born 12.16am on New Year's Day 2018 in Delano, California. They were due on January 27 but arrived early Mother Maria pictured with her newborn twins on New Year's Day. Her husband Joaquin, with whom she has three other daughters, is stood beside her in black alongside the medical team Due to the unlikely timing, Maria and her husband Joaquin, both farm laborers who have three other daughters together, will also take home more than $3,000 worth of baby supplies, donated to the hospital by local community groups. Speaking to Daily Mail Online on Monday afternoon, a spokesman said both babies and their mother are healthy and ready to go home to Earlimart, a small neighborhood between Fresno and Santa Barbara, after an emotional night. 'It was definitely a surprise! The whole family feels humbled and blessed and excited,' the spokesman said. 'When they realized they were going to be in the hospital over New Year's Eve, the family planned to celebrate at midnight in the break room. 'But then it turned out Maria was in labor, which was a surprise.' Their birth dates are incredibly uncommon, but 12 months ago four such twin births were recorded in the US - in Georgia, Utah, Arizona and San Diego in California. The year before, there was just one, also in San Diego. How much attention did you pay to last years medical news? Put yourself to the test with our quiz, compiled by HELEN FOSTER it could give you some ideas for a healthier 2018. Give yourself a point for each correct answer, and see how you rate at the end. 1. Which spread did researchers at the University of York suggest might help brain function? A) Jam B) Peanut butter C) Marmite Answer: C. In a study, people who were given a teaspoon of Marmite every day for a month used 30 per cent less energy while thinking than a control group given a teaspoon of peanut butter. The theory is that vitamin B12 in Marmite increases levels of a brain chemical called GABA, which regulates the activity of brain cells to help the brain work efficiently. Peanut butter lovers shouldnt despair, though a U.S. study linked it to a lower risk of stomach cancer. It is thought compounds called polyphenols in the nuts protect against the disease. Jams high sugar content means it has few, if any health benefits. In a study, people who were given a teaspoon of Marmite every day for a month used 30 per cent less energy while thinking than a control group given a teaspoon of peanut butter 2. The appendix, rather than being a redundant organ, was found to play an important role in what? A) Making red blood cells B) Storing gut bacteria C) Breaking down fibre Answer: B. A study at Midwestern University in the U.S. found that mammals with an appendix have higher levels of tissue that stimulates the growth of beneficial gut bacteria. If you have an appendix you may recover more quickly when you get sick, especially if the illness is gastrointestinal, says Professor Heather Smith, who led the research. However, when the appendix is removed it is usually to avoid the risk of it bursting and spilling infectious bacteria into the abdominal cavity, which can lead to peritonitis, a serious inflammation of the abdominal lining. In this case, its better out than in. 3. A surprising trigger for migraines and epilepsy was highlighted what was it? A) Pink flowers B) Zebras C) Ginger cats Answer: B. Researchers at the University Medical Centre, Utrecht, in the Netherlands, found that looking at pictures of black and white striped objects such as zebras can trigger migraines and seizures in sensitive people. This type of pattern causes large numbers of the brains neurons to fire at the same time, which can lead to seizures and migraines, says Professor Arnold Wilkins, a psychologist at the University of Essex. Covering one eye or putting on dark glasses when you see a trigger may help prevent an attack. Researchers at the University Medical Centre, Utrecht, in the Netherlands, found that looking at pictures of black and white striped objects such as zebras can trigger migraines and seizures in sensitive people 4. According to the University of Nottingham, what can make the flu jab more effective? A) Lifting your arm afterwards B) Drinking coffee C) Doing something that puts you in a good mood Answer: C. People in a good mood on the day they had their flu jab had a more powerful immune response to the vaccination meaning greater protection from the virus. The researchers measured how many antibodies proteins that fight off bacteria and viruses the recipient created after the jab and asked how they felt on the day. There are two theories as to why this may be: Either positive mood can reduce the release of hormones such as cortisol that negatively affect the immune system, or people with positive moods may engage in healthier behaviours in general to boost the immune system, says Kavita Vedhara, a professor of health psychology, who led the research. The theory is that snoring is caused by fluid that builds up in the legs during the day because we sit for long periods 5. Which exercise can help stop snoring, regardless of whether it leads to weight loss? A) Sit-ups B) Calf raises C) Bicep curls Answer: B. The theory is that snoring is caused by fluid that builds up in the legs during the day because we sit for long periods. When we lie down to sleep, this fluid redistributes to other parts of the body, including the throat, and the narrowing this causes will lead to snoring, explains Professor Bhajan Singh of the University of Western Australia. His study found that working the calf throughout the day by walking and doing calf raises reduces fluid build-up in the legs potentially reducing snoring. 6. Which blood type is associated with the lowest risk of impotence? A) Type A B) Type B C) Type O Answer: C. Research from Ordu University in Turkey found that men with type O (the most common type) were four times less likely to experience impotence than those with type A, B or AB. Exactly why isnt known. Something about type O blood may actively protect the vascular system; or there may be a compound in A, B or AB blood that damages the arteries and so restricts blood flow to the penis, leading to erectile dysfunction. 7. What do women do/experience twice as often as men each day? A) Blink B) Take a step C) Heartbeats Answer: A. Women are prone to drier eyes, especially as they age, because oestrogen levels decline and the hormone is needed to stimulate production of eye lubricants. An Italian study found that women blink twice as often as men. Not only that, but female hearts beat between 78 and 82 times a minute, compared with 70 to 72 beats on average for men this is thought to be because womens hearts are smaller, so they must beat more to make up for it. Women take, on average, 4,908 steps a day, men 5,982. 8. What health problem can be worsened if you dont shower before you swim? A) Athletes foot B) Conjunctivitis C) Asthma Answer: C. Showering before you swim is not just a question of hygiene. Dr James Hull, a consultant respiratory physician at the Royal Brompton Hospital in London, says chlorinated environments can make people feel as if they are having difficulty breathing. Its not the chemical itself that causes the problem but by-products formed when chlorine reacts with substances on the skin, such as sweat or bacteria. Showering before you swim prevents this reaction by washing these substances away. 9. What treatment is showing results for eczema and inflammatory bowel disease? A) Swallowing worm eggs B) Snake venom cream C) Leeches on the skin Answer: A. Worm therapy, as its known, hasnt been proven by any large placebo-controlled trials, but companies pioneering it say it can help. A U.S. trial on 54 patients with ulcerative colitis, a form of inflammatory bowel disease, saw a 43 per cent improvement in symptoms after worm treatment; a second small trial showed positive effects in Crohns disease. The theory is it works because our bodies mount an immune response to the worms; this prevents the immune system mounting an over-vigorous response against our own bodies, as is thought to happen in conditions such as ulcerative colitis. 10. Lack of vitamin D leads to what odd symptom? A) Bright yellow urine B) Slow walking speed C) Loss of sense of smell Answer: B. When we are low in vitamin D our muscle strength declines and a knock-on effect can be slower walking, say researchers at the University of Angers, in France. We make most of our vitamin D from sunlight, so in winter many of us have low levels. Eating oily fish or taking a daily 10mcg supplement may help. An excess of B vitamins can make your urine very yellow, while too much zinc can lead to a temporary loss of smell. Centrica has been tipped to pay its shareholders the most out of all the income stocks in the FTSE 100 in the new year, according to an online stockbroker. The Berkshire-based utilities company is forecast to dish out eight per cent in dividends payments - 0.3 percentage points more than Direct Line in second place and 0.4 higher than Taylor Wimpey in third, according to research by AJ Bell. The top 10 dividend payers on their own are forecast to represent 55 per cent of the total shareholder pay outs in 2018 according to AJ Bell research In all, FTSE 100 dividend stocks are predicted to distribute 88.5billion to shareholders in 2018 - a 7 per cent increase on 2017. Dividend hunters should note that the bulk of the FTSE 100 dividends payments come from a relatively small proportion of the index. Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell claims that financial services firms (23 per cent), oil and gas explorers (20 per cent) and miners (8 per cent) will provide the largest source of dividend income next year - accounting for 51 per cent of the indexs total dividend payments. Royal Dutch Shell, Hargreaves Lansdown and BP are among the ten companies forecast to have the highest dividend yields. Ten FTSE 100 shares forecasted to have the highest dividend yield in 2018 Company Dividend cover 2018 Dividend yield 2018 (%) St. James's Place 1.05x 4.0 Royal Dutch Shell 1.07x 6.0 Direct Line 1.12x 7.7 British Land 1.19x 4.8 Hargreaves Lansdown 1.22x 2.5 Hammerson 1.22x 5.0 Centrica 1.24x 8.0 Admiral Group 1.03x 5.9 HSBC 1.00x 5.4 BP 0.99x 6.1 Vodafone 0.70x 6.0 Source: AJ Bell Dividend Dashboard Scaling income For those looking to invest in shares for income over the long term, it is paramount to select stocks that not only offer handsome dividend payments, but also have a good track record of growing these payments over time. Dividend cover is a useful metric to get an idea of a company's ability to grow its dividend payments in the future. It is the ratio of a company's net income over dividends paid to shareholders. So, for example, the cover for a company making a 100 profit and distributing 50 in dividends is two. Source: AJ Bell When dividends exceed profits, the ratio is below one, so anything above that figure suggests dividends are more sustainable and affordable for companies to pay out. So while, for example, BT ranks seventh on the top ten list, it boasts the highest dividend cover ratio of 1.73 times and therefore has the potential to climb up the list a couple of years down the line. In fact, the ten companies with the lowest dividend cover in the FTSE 100 features three of the prospective highest dividend yields Centrica, Direct Line and BP and all but two of them (Hargreaves Lansdown and St Jamess Place) are predicted to yield significantly more than the FTSE 100 average. Ten FTSE 100 shares forecasted to have the lowest dividend cover in 2018 Company Dividend yield 2018 (%) Dividend cover 2018 Centrica 8.0 1.24x Direct Line 7.7 1.12x Taylor Wimpey 7.6 1.41x SSE 7.2 1.26x Barratt Developments 7.1 1.49x Lloyds 6.8 1.62x BT 6.2 1.73x GlaxoSmithKline 6.2 1.35x Legal and General 6.2 1.52x BP 6.1 0.99x Source: AJ Bell Dividend Dashboard Mould said: 'The issue of skinny dividend cover refuses to go away. Earnings cover for dividends remains much thinner than ideal at 1.63 for 2018 and there has been little real improvement here in 2017. 'Ideally earnings cover needs to be around the two level to offer a margin of safety to dividend payments, should there be a sudden and unexpected downturn in trading at a specific company, or indeed the UK and global economies as a whole. 'Pearson and Provident Financial are both examples of what can happen in the event of a profits stumble under such circumstances, as both had been offering apparently juicy yields but with skinny earnings cover. Indeed, some of the companies with the juiciest-looking dividend yields have dividend cover that looks particularly malnourished at 1.37.' Dividend cover for the FTSE 100 firms is forecast to hit 1.63 next year - which is lower than it was at the height of the financial crisis a decade ago, according the research. So it might be worth looking beyond the FTSE 100 to listed small and medium-sized listed companies which tend to have stronger dividend cover. A new year signals the potential for a fresh start and top of the list for many is ditching the current job and finding an exciting opportunity elsewhere. Perhaps the current role has become stale, you don't like your boss or maybe it is time simply for a new challenge in 2018 - or a combination of all three. Job seeking can be tough, especially when you already have a job. David Whitby, careers specialist at Glassdoor UK has given us seven top tips to make sure your employment search doesn't become a second full-time stressful job. Fresh challenge: Many will hunt for a new job as January begins - but it can be a daunting prospect when still employed As part of This is Money's interview cheat sheet series, David gives potential job seekers all the advice they need to help next year become the one in which you secure a new role. He says: 'The last thing you want to do when you get back from a long day at work is plonk down at your laptop to spend hours fine-tuning your CV, cranking out job applications and crafting tailored cover letters. 'Often, either your work performance suffers or your motivation to find a new position does. 'That's not even to mention the logistical nightmare of scheduling phone screens, in-person interviews and presentations when you work a full nine-to-five. 'But finding a new job doesn't have to feel like a full-time job. With a few adjustments to your process and habits, it's entirely possible to avoid burnout - or getting caught by your current boss.' Here are his tips: 1. TAP YOUR NETWORK While it's not impossible to bag a job without a reference, it has been shown to increase the chances of a recruiter looking at your CV and, eventually, hiring you if you do. When you first think about jumping ship, start networking and let your connections know you're interested in exploring new opportunities. You may end up with a referral to a new position and not have to do much active job hunting. If you don't directly know anyone at your dream company, though, don't despair with the right message to the right contact, you can score an employee referral just by reaching out. 2. DON'T SPRAY AND PRAY A caveat to this last rule, though - you don't want to blast everybody you know with requests for informational interviews. You'll want to do this carefully and selectively because you don't want word getting back to your current employer. On top of that, it's a time-consuming and ineffective tactic. Save time and mental energy by only applying to the top few companies that you think would be the best fit for your personality, work style and qualifications. Get the inside track on work culture by checking out reviews at employment websites such as Glassdoor. Job search: David Whitby believes that job hunters should look for 30 minutes or an hour a day - or risk burn out 3. STICK TO A ROUTINE Speaking of time, be mindful of your own. It's easy to spend hours on end searching when you're looking forward to a new opportunity - or desperate to get out of your current situation - but even if it's exciting at first, you can quickly burn out. Don't spend every waking hour looking for new employment. Rather, get your CV and LinkedIn profile up-to-date, then spend some time each day networking and actively looking for jobs to apply for. Dedicate a certain amount of time to your job search even if it's 30 minutes or an hour a day. Signing up for job alerts will mean you get fresh listings every day in your inbox, saving you time. 4. BEWARE THE WORK COMPUTER You might use your work laptop so much that it seems like an extra appendage by now, but you have to tread carefully when it comes to company-issued property. Even if you doubt that your company has the time and technology to monitor your usage, it's best to play it safe. Don't use your work devices - computers, tablets, or phones - for job hunting. Be sure to use your personal e-mail address and store your documents on your personal devices or online. One way to save job hunting time and avoid getting caught is to use job search apps on your personal phone. 5. SCOPE OUT A BOLT HOLE If you are going to be applying for jobs then you never know when you might get a call from a recruiter on your mobile. It can be difficult or awkward taking these calls at your desk, so scope out a quiet, private area somewhere that you can bolt to when a call does come in. Remember to be confident and relaxed when you answer rather than furtive - it will create less suspicion among colleagues. Keep your tone light and breezy. 6. PREPARE SOME GOOD EXCUSES Your boss will notice if you suddenly start 'going to the dentist' (read: heading out to interviews) a couple of times a week. You can cut down on the suspicion by taking off at more inconspicuous times, though. It may be possible to schedule interviews early in the morning, at lunch time, or later in the day. Try to use family members as an excuse rather than pretending to attend appointments or taking the car to the garage - managers are far less likely to feel comfortable probing about family issues. These are of course options if you have no holiday to use - or cannot take last minute holiday days. Resist the urge to immediately accept any invite the recruiter offers you and make sure it's a time that works for you if they're truly interested, they won't mind a small wait (within reason). 7. TAKE YOUR WORK ENTHUSIASM UP A GEAR It may seem a strange thing to do, but try to appear even more enthusiastic and satisfied at work than normal. If you are down about your current job, most people have trouble hiding it and give off an 'I've had enough' vibe. This can lead to unwanted attention and might mean you get caught out. Throw your colleagues off the scent by appearing to be content. At the very least, it will trick your mind into a temporary state of engagement with work. US bankers are set to come up trumps as Wall Street prepares to splash out on bumper bonuses for 2017. With payouts up to 20 per cent higher than their European counterparts, it is a positive start to the new year for President Donald Trumps economy. And the mammoth payouts have already begun, with Goldman Sachs paying an early bonus of $100million to its top executives in a bid to avoid an increased bill ahead of new year tax changes. Shares in US banks have soared since Trump was elected in 2016, with hopes of profits being lifted by his ambition for faster economic growth and lower taxes. Bankers' payday: Wall Street is paying out bumper bonuses this year after reaping the rewards of President Trump's tax policies Trumps business-friendly policy has already helped boost the fortunes of two of the worlds richest bankers this year by a combined 240million. Earlier this year, JP Morgan Chase boss Jamie Dimon, 61, saw the value of his shares leap by 125million in addition to being paid 22million. Lloyd Blankfein, 63, who heads up Goldman Sachs, enjoyed a 116million boost to his shares while raking in 17million in pay and bonuses. Planned bumper bonuses for the US will likely leave a sour taste with bankers working in the City of London, as employees of European banks are expected receive next to nothing in terms of a bonus. Bosses at Credit Suisse and Barclays have already suggested that bonuses are unlikely to be extravagant. UK bankers hopes were raised in November when Bank of England governor Mark Carney hinted that the European Union-imposed cap on bonuses could be scrapped after Brexit. The cap was introduced in 2014 and means that firms are restricted to paying bonuses worth a maximum of twice an employees salary. The bonus gap between US and European bankers is expected to widen further this year as US stocks are predicted to keep rising thanks to a major cut to the corporate tax rate. Last year bankers in the City of London collected an average bonus of 247,000, compared to 317,000 for their Wall Street counterparts. According to Jason Kennedy of financial services headhunter Kennedy Group, Wall Street bankers will be handed bonuses that are 15 per cent-20 per centhigher than those at European rivals, or 10 per cent-15 per cent more for those working at a US bank based in Europe. Trumps overhaul to the US tax system led to $1.5trillion in tax cuts for big businesses and has been hailed as a boon for the economy and company profits. But analysts have warned that the gains could be short-lived. David Kelly, chief global strategist at JP Morgan Asset Management, said: Itll be a one-year wonder. People should enjoy the party while it lasts but just make sure you know where your coat is. Three government officials ran up a bill of more than 18,000 staying at a 'dream' holiday resort on a Caribbean island, it can be revealed. The group were booked in at the luxury Sugar Ridge Resort on Antigua for a total 64 days as they advised the local authorities on drug trafficking. The destination boasts an infinity pool, waterfalls and private plunge pools as well as a 'concept' spa, gym and gourmet restaurant. Details of the trip, which took place at peak holiday season, were disclosed to MailOnline after a long-running Freedom of Information battle. The infinity pool at the Sugar Ridge Resot on Antigua is said to be 'perfect for sunset gazing and conversations, with drinks served poolside' The group of Home Office officials ran up bills totalling more than 18,000 for the trip and stays at Sugar Ridge Details of the trip, including the hotel bill statements, were disclosed to MailOnline after a long-running Freedom of Information battle Half the rooms at Sugar Ridge boast private plunge pools for guests to relax in Campaigners lashed out at the 'ridiculous' costs - which included 12,126 for accommodation, 4,144 for subsistence, 1,310 for car hire, and 994 for flights. The Home Office admitted the idea of government officials staying at a luxury resort might 'raise concerns'. But it insisted Sugar Ridge - which is one of the one of the top rated resorts on Antigua, with some rooms costing upwards of USD600 a night - offered the right balance between 'cost and security'. The resort's website described it as a 'stylish and intimate family owned lifestyle boutique hotel for discerning travellers who want to connect with the beautiful island of Antigua in a special way'. Guests are also advised it is the 'perfect place to retreat, relax, recharge and re-energise, and the perfect base from which to explore'. A particular feature is 'Carmichael's infinity pool', which is said to be 'perfect for sunset gazing and conversations, with drinks served poolside'. 'The Sugar Club pool is a dream setting, with waterfalls, a lap pool and a fun pool as well as covered and open lounge areas,' the site says. 'Enjoy drinks from the bar or waiter service right to your poolside lounger and Happy hour 4.30 pm 6.30 pm daily.' Main courses at the gourmet restaurant looking out across the Caribbean include Maple Leaf Duck Two Ways, costing USD38, and Herb Crusted & Roasted Rack of Lamb at USD47. The resort boasts that all 60 rooms are 'wrapped around the hillside with a natural landscape providing seclusion and privacy offering spectacular views and spacious verandahs'. More than half have their own private plunge pools. There is also an opulent 'concept spa' on site offering treatments such as facials, waxing and pedicures, yoga classes and a gym. The resort is among the island's highest rated by users of the tripadvisor website The delegation is understood to have been on Antigua for talks about drug trafficking The FOI response from the Home Office said officials had been invited by the Antiguan Customs authorities to help 'build the capacity and capability' at the country's main airport. It said smuggling of Class A drugs from the region, often having originated in South America, represented a 'real and present threat to the UK'. Between January 14 and February 5, 2016 three Border Force officers stayed for a total of 64 nights. 'During this deployment, and at the invitation of the Antigua Customs authorities, the UK Border Force staff provided practical assistance and training for local customs officers in border protection techniques and how to prevent current smuggling methodologies,' the department said. 'The officers selected for deployment were based within the Caribbean region and travelled by economy flights.' The Home Office said the safety of officials was 'paramount' and suggested they might have 'under observation' by criminal gangs. The Home Office said the officers chosen for the assignment were based in the Caribbean region and travelled using economy flights. A spokesman added: 'To find suitable and safe accommodation, Border Force would usually select a business chain hotel. 'For this deployment, none exist on the island, nor are there any hotels within the airport complex. 'Sugar Ridge offered the most suitable option available in terms of balancing cost and security, and it offered a significant discount on their standard tourist rates. 'This department has very clear guidelines on the procurement of goods and services that provide the best value for money for the taxpayer. 'This applies to all travel and travel-related expenses which are routinely audited to ensure we keep in line with Government policy.' The resort's website describes it as a 'stylish and intimate family owned lifestyle boutique hotel for discerning travellers' The Sugar Ridge resort is set amid lush countryside and right by the picturesque seafront Chloe Westley, Campaign Manager at the TaxPayers' Alliance said: 'This is just ridiculous. 'Hard pressed families who work hard and pay their taxes could only dream of experiencing some of the luxuries that these officials have taken for granted on the public purse. 'The Home Office should be more respectful of taxpayers money and reconsider whether these working visits abroad are needed, especially at a time when other savings are being made across government departments.' The temperature may have been subzero but that didn't stop New Hampshire man Josh Darnell dropping down on one knee in the snow and proposing to his girlfriend on a mountain. Josh Darnell, 31, of Londonderry, New Hampshire, popped the question after climbing to a scenic spot Thursday on Tuckerman's Ravine, on the southeastern side of Mount Washington. And Rachel Raske, 27, of Lowell, Massachusetts, said yes. Josh Darnell, of Londonderry, New Hampshire, proposes to Rachel Raske, of Lowell, Massachusetts, on Thursday December 28 That same day it hit minus 34 degrees Fahrenheit on the mountain's summit, which is more than 6,200 feet high. Darnell's father, Doug, tagged along to record the event with his camera. He said the wind was blowing so hard that it knocked him on his back when he got out of the car. Raske was stunned by the proposal. 'After about 10 minutes of her crying, I said "you'd better stop crying or your eyes are going to freeze up,"' Doug Darnell recalled on Saturday. That same day it hit minus 34F on the mountain's summit, which is more than 6,200 feet high. The happy couple is pictured together here The Darnells had hiked Tuckerman's Ravine previously and the younger Darnell decided he was going to propose to his girlfriend next to a waterfall. He secretly sought permission from Raske's father for his daughter's hand in marriage prior to making the trek. 'She had no clue,' said Raske's father, Charlie. 'We all knew she was getting engaged - everyone except for her.' After more than 100 years, a Roman Catholic church in Detroit is closing, partly because Hispanics who worship there fear immigration agents. The final Mass at All Saints Church was celebrated Sunday on Detroit's southwest side. The congregation of 300 families will be encouraged to attend St. Gabriel, a nearby church. All Saints Church in Detroit, Michigan is closing after more than 100 years of services. One reason is dwindling membership, which has been instigated in part by Hispanic parishioners' fears of a raid by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials on the church The final mass at the church was held on Sunday, December 31. Pictured is an interior view of the church's sanctuary Fatima Flores of Detroit holds hands in prayer with family and friends during her Quinceanera ceremony held at the church on December 29 All Saints was founded in 1896 and has been at its current site since the early 1900s, the Detroit Free Press reported Saturday. The pastor at St. Gabriel, the Reverend Marc Gawronski, said there are many reasons for the closing of All Saints. The church has weak finances, needs $160,000 worth of repairs and has been losing members. A construction project on Interstate 75 has hurt attendance. Gawronski said there has been an increase in raids and enforcement by federal immigration agents in the community. Reverand Marc Gawronski said: 'People are even nervous about being able to get up in the morning and go to church.' The church is also closing due to poor finances and costly building repairs Ila Mae Lancendorfer, the church's former music director and a life-long parishioner, said: 'The church has been just a very important part of my life - all my life' Immigration agents have an 'informal agreement that they have affirmed that they will not go into churches and not hassle people going to church,' he said. Nonetheless, 'people are even nervous about being able to get up in the morning and go to church'. Only three people attended a Spanish Mass on a recent Wednesday night, the Free Press reported. In 2012, the Detroit archbishop told All Saints and St. Gabriel to make plans for an eventual merger. Ila Mae Lancendorfer, 81, lives just a few blocks from All Saints. It has been a place for many of her personal milestones, such as baptism, First Communion and marriage. She was the music director for 30 years. The church added Spanish language services as its neighborhood saw an influx of Latino immigrants. At a recent Spanish language mass, there were only three parishioners. Pictured is a December 2017 protest against Immigration and Customs Enforcement in New York City ICE agents are pictured detaining workers at Danny's Family Car Wash in Phoenix, Arizona in August 2013 'The church has been just a very important part of my life - all my life,' Lancendorfer said. All Saints Church previously ran a school for around 50 years. As its neighborhood saw an influx of Latino immigrants, the church added Spanish language masses. A new international bridge connecting Michigan and Canada is slated to be built in the church's neighborhood in the coming years. As protests spread across Iran, there is one man who has been fanning the flames of dissent from overseas using an anonymous messaging app. Meet Roohollah Zam, an exiled journalist and former government policy adviser who has been using channels on Telegram to plan protests and share videos of unrest. Zam was sharing the videos through the channel of his news network, AmadNews, before it was shut down by the government. But that only prompted him to set up a multitude of other channels before the whole app, used by an estimated 40million people in Iran, was cut off by the regime. Roohollah Zam, an exiled Iranian journalist, has been using his news channel on app Telegram to help organise protests and spread news of the marches Iran 'temporarily' blocked all access to the app on Sunday, along with Instagram, saying it was imperative to restore public order Iran has accused Zam of inciting violence, allegations he denies, and said the move was necessary to restore public order. It's hard to overstate the power of Telegram in Iran. Of its 80 million people, around half use the free app created by Russian national Pavel Durov. Its clients share videos and photos, subscribing to groups where everyone from politicians to poets broadcast to fellow users. While authorities ban social media websites like Facebook and Twitter and censor others, Telegram users can say nearly anything. In the last presidential election, the app played a big role in motivating turnout and spreading political screeds. Telegram touts itself as being highly encrypted and allows users to set their messages to 'self-destruct' after a certain period, making it a favorite among activists and others concerned about their privacy. That too has made it a worry of Iranian authorities. Zam has used the app to share news and information published by his AmadNews website. Posts included times and locations for protests, as well as videos of demonstrators shouting inflammatory chants, including those targeting Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani, a relative moderate in Iran's clerically overseen government. Thousands have taken to the streets of several cities over the past three days to vent anger at high unemployment and rising prices, in the largest demonstrations since those that followed a disputed election nine years ago. Officials have meanwhile targeted Telegram in recent remarks, with prosecutors going as far as filing criminal charges against Durov. Protesters gathered in Tehran on Sunday as Iran was engulfed by a fourth straight night of demonstrations against the regime The marches started in second city Mashhad last week before spreading across the country (pictured, protesters tear down a barrier in Tehran) Tear gas and water cannons were used to disperse activists who gathered in Tehran overnight On Saturday, Iran's Telecommunications Minister Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi wrote to Durov on Twitter, complaining AmadNews was 'encouraging hateful conduct, use (of) Molotov cocktails, armed uprising and social unrest.' Durov responded by saying Telegram suspended the account. 'A Telegram channel (Amadnews) started to instruct their subscribers to use Molotov cocktails against police and got suspended due to our 'no calls for violence' rule. Be careful - there are lines one shouldn't cross.' Durov tweeted. Zam, who has said he fled Iran after being falsely accused of working with foreign intelligence services, denied inciting violence on Telegram. Telegram's decision drew criticism from free internet advocates and Iranians. Edward Snowden, the former National Security Agency contractor who exposed U.S. government surveillance programs in 2013, said Telegram should instead be working on how to make the service accessible after a potential government ban. 'Telegram will face increasing pressure over time to collaborate with the Iranian government's demands for this or that,' Snowden wrote on Twitter. He added: 'You can't keep an independent, destabilizing service from being blocked in authoritarian regimes, you can only delay it.' Telegram was co-founded by Russian Pavel Durov and is known for its tough encryption which keeps messages hidden from security services and the government Those words proved prophetic Sunday, as Durov himself wrote on Twitter that Iran blocked the app 'for the majority of Iranians after our public refusal to shut down ... peacefully protesting channels.' Iranian state television later quoted an anonymous official as saying the app would be temporarily limited as a safety measure. It also marks a setback for Zam, the son of Shiite cleric Mohammad Ali Zam, a reformist who once served in a government policy position in the early 1980s. The cleric wrote a letter published by Iranian media in July in which he said he wouldn't support his son over AmadNews' reporting and messages on its Telegram channel. 'I found that you crossed the red line,' the cleric wrote, referring to comments the channel circulated about Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. 'Our red line is the supreme leader, but you passed the red line.' Zam did not respond to a request for comment Sunday from The Associated Press, though he published a video late Saturday on the channel being blocked. 'Unfortunately the Amadnews was blocked,' Zam said in a message to his followers. A new channel 'will continue its work as hard as before and with the help of God, we will become millions again.' At least 1.7 million people have viewed the first message on the new channel, according to Telegram. It called for protests Sunday at sites across Iran before the government ordered the app shut down. When Russell Watson was diagnosed with cancer, he doubted whether he would pull through, let alone fulfil his dream of becoming a father. But five years on, not only has he survived, but he and his wife Sarah have welcomed baby Molly into the world after having his sperm frozen all those years ago. The couple were devastated in August 2012 when Mr Watson was diagnosed with the blood cancer non-Hodgkin's lymphoma after suffering from a swelling in his throat. Russell and Sarah Watson pose as proud parents with their miracle baby daughter Molly He was told he needed aggressive chemotherapy, which would make him infertile, as well as stem cell treatment to stop the cancer spreading to his brain. In the days before the treatment began Mr Watson had his sperm frozen at a fertility clinic, in the hope of becoming a father if he survived. Once he had pulled through, the couple started fertility treatment using his frozen sperm and Molly the 'ice baby' was born at the first attempt. Mr Watson, 41, a maintenance engineer supervisor, said: 'It is amazing to be a father at last after everything I have been through. 'There were times when I worried that I wasn't going to make it through, let alone be a father. Having Molly now is a dream come true. After all those years she is finally here with us.' The couple started fertility treatment using frozen sperm and Molly the 'ice baby' was born Describing their shock at learning of her husband's cancer, Mrs Watson, 34, said: 'We thought at first that he had tonsillitis and he had antibiotics but those weren't working. 'The GP sent him for a biopsy straight away. It showed that he had a very rare form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. 'It was devastating to hear. We never expected such a diagnosis. He seemed fit and healthy.' Mrs Watson, a learning development manager, added: 'Our main priority was for Russell to survive, but we had talked about starting a family. 'The chemotherapy would make him infertile, so there was no time to lose.' When Mr Watson was diagnosed with cancer, he doubted whether he would pull through, let alone fulfil his dream of becoming a father The couple, from Northampton, had Mr Watson's sperm frozen at their local Care Fertility clinic days before his treatment began. Mr Watson had chemotherapy until June 2013, and the month after he had a stem cell transplant when a stem cell donor from Germany was found for him through the Anthony Nolan register. Once Mr Watson was able to leave hospital he returned home for a long recuperation while his new immune system built up. When he was feeling stronger, the couple's thoughts turned back to children. They underwent a course of fertility treatment in September 2016 using Mr Watson's frozen sperm. Mrs Watson said it was 'so overwhelming that she is actually here with us after everything' Mrs Watson discovered she was pregnant two weeks later and last June gave birth to Molly, who weighed 7lb 12oz. Mrs Watson said: 'When we look at Molly it's so overwhelming that she is actually here with us after everything that has happened. We feel like the luckiest parents in the world. 'When she is old enough to understand we will tell her of the battle her dad overcame to see her arrive into the world.' A spokesman for Care Fertility said: 'We are thrilled for this couple, and that Molly has been born after being in the freezing process for all those years.' Let me ask you this: Would a story that unpacks a list of tiresome words and phrases be impactful or a nothingburger? Worse, could it just be fake news? Northern Michigan's Lake Superior State University on Sunday released its 43rd annual List of Words Banished from the Queen's English for Misuse, Overuse and General Uselessness. The tongue-in-cheek, non-binding list of 14 words or phrases comes from thousands of suggestions to the Sault Ste. Marie school. This year's list includes 'let me ask you this,' 'unpack,' 'impactful,' 'nothingburger,' 'tons,' 'dish,' 'drill down,' 'let that sink in,' and the top vote-getter, 'fake news.' The others are 'pre-owned,' 'onboarding/offboarding,' 'gig economy' and the redundant 'hot water heater.' Also on the list is the Trumpian Twitter typo 'covfefe.' A supporter holds up a 'Fake News' book while Kayla Moore, wife of U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore, speaks at a press conference in Montgomery, Alabama in this November 17, 2017 file photo While the list contains a little political flavor, Lake Superior State spokesman John Shibley said he had expected more given the highly divisive 2016 election and a year of deepening divisions in government and the U.S. electorate. 'It wasn't as focused on politics in a very dirty sense,' he said. 'Most of the nominations were well thought through... considering how the year was.' As evidence, he points to 'fake news,' which garnered between 500 and 600 votes. The phrase has been leveled against entirely fabricated reporting, stories that contain errors or inaccuracies, and those with a critical tone. It has even been wielded as a cudgel against entire news networks. It was also found to be the second most annoying word or phrase used by Americans in an annual Marist College poll, behind 'whatever.' 'I think a lot of people know fake news when they see it. It can be propaganda, it can be satire,' Shibley said. 'It's used deliberately to paint a certain story or notion as not being true.' While some words are perennial nominees, others really speak to a particular time and may soon lose relevance. US President Donald Trump speaks to first responders at West Palm beach Fire rescue in West Palm Beach, Florida on December 27, 2017. Trump often tweets about 'fake news' Trump called out 'fake news media' previously in tweets posted to his social media page Lake Superior State spokesman John Shibley said the banned words list contains a 'little political flavor' 'It wasn't as focused on politics in a very dirty sense. Most of the nominations were well thought through... considering how the year was,' Shibley said 'Covfefe' - which was contained in a fragmented Tweet sent from President Donald Trump's account on May 31 - became shorthand for a social media mistake, Shibley said. 'It's the "pet rock" of this year's list,' Shibley said, referring to the fad product born and banished in the 1970s. Lake Superior State and Marist have company in tracking and trumpeting mass word usage. 'Youthquake,' defined as 'a significant cultural, political, or social change arising from the actions or influence of young people,' is Oxford Dictionaries' word of the year. Oxford lexicographers said there was a fivefold increase in use of the term - coined a half-century ago by then-Vogue editor Diana Vreeland - between 2016 and 2017. The word has been used to describe youth support for Britain's Labour Party and the election of 30-something leaders in France and New Zealand. Merriam-Webster's 2017 word of the year is 'feminism.' Lookups increased 70 per cent over 2016 on Merriam-Webster.com and spiked several times after key events, such as the Women's March on Washington in January. Another Michigan school takes the opposite approach: Detroit's Wayne State University attempts through its Word Warriors campaign to exhume worthy words that have fallen out of favor. This year's list included 'blithering,' 'gauche' and 'mugwump,' which refers to a person who remains aloof or independent - especially from party politics. Advertisement More than one million people braved the second coldest New Year's Eve ever as temperatures dropped to a bone-chilling 10F while revelers watched the glittering ball drop with a burst of confetti and spectacular fireworks in Times Square. Earlier on Sunday, New York police warned revelers to suit up in thermals, hats and gloves or risk frostbite and hypothermia. Thousands of people had already started gathering more than 12 hours before the midnight countdown to 2018 to see the glittering crystal ball drop in Times Square. It ended up being one of the coldest celebrations on record, held under tight security after a year that saw several fatal attacks on large crowds, including one in Times Square itself last spring. Scroll down for video Happy New Year! More than a million people braved the frigid temperatures of New York City just to see firsthand the spectacular display in Times Square Sunday night turned out to be the second coldest New Year's Eve ever as temperatures dropped to a bone-chilling 10F while revelers watched the glittering ball drop in Times Square Earlier on Sunday, New York police warned revelers to suit up in thermals, hats and gloves or risk frostbite and hypothermia People had already started gathering more than 12 hours before the midnight countdown to 2018 to see the glittering crystal ball drop in Times Square. A New York police officer shared a kiss with his wife during the New Year's Eve celebrations It ended up being one of the coldest celebrations on record, held under tight security after a year that saw several fatal attacks on large crowds, including one in Times Square itself last spring Several revelers wore huge 2018 glasses and large Planet Fitness hats as they brought in the New Year A woman celebrated the New Year by taking a selfie in Times Square as she braved the cold Partygoers were warned they would be penned in place for hours and to bundle up in preparation. The National Weather Service predicted temperatures in the mid teens in Times Square at midnight Sunday, with wind chill values that could make it feel like minus 5F (-15 Celsius). It was only 14 degrees Fahrenheit (-10 Celsius) in the city by late afternoon - already making it one of the coldest celebrations on record. The event rivaled some of the coldest New Year's celebrations on record. In 1962 it was just 11 degrees Fahrenheit (-11.67 Celsius) outside, and in 1939 and 2008 it was 18 degrees Fahrenheit (-7.78 Celsius). At least it won't be as cold as the frostiest ball drop on record: 1 degree Fahrenheit (-17.22 Celsius) in 1917. Remle Scott, 22, and her boyfriend Brad Whittaker, 22, of San Diego, arrived shortly after 9am, saying they were trying to keep a positive attitude as temperatures hovered in the teens. Each wore several layers of clothing. Meanwhile, in Los Vegas, newlyweds Alison and Kenny Finchum, lower left, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, kiss just after midnight during a New Year's party at the Fremont Street Experience A New Year's fireworks display are seen along the Las Vegas Strip - above Treasure Island and the Venetian - from the top of the Trump International New Year's fireworks are seen along the Las Vegas Strip, where security and police presence were increased ahead of New Year's celebrations Thousands of people turned out for the fireworks display in Las Vegas for New Year's, just months after a gunman killed more than 50 people at a concert in the city In San Francisco, firework display attendees had far milder weather than those in Times Square. Temperatures were in the 50s for New Year's eve celebrations in the northern California city The arrival of the new year in California brings with it broad legalization of marijuana. Pictured above, fireworks in San Francisco during New Year celebrations 'Our toes are frozen, so we're just dealing with it by dancing.' Scott said. Some wore red scarfs that read 'Happy New Year' and others donned yellow and purple hats as a pizza deliveryman sold pies to the hungry crowd. In a prime viewing spot near 42nd Street, Alexander Ebrahim grinned as he looked around at the flashing lights of Times Square. 'I always saw it on TV, so I thought why not come out and see it in person,' said the 19-year-old from Orange County, California. 'It's an experience you can never forget.' Michael Waller, 45, made a snap decision on Saturday evening to drive straight from Columbus, Ohio. He made it to Times Square at 8am and waited all day in front of the ball. 'I didn't want to stay home for this, by myself,' he said. The NYPD tweeted out a checklist for partygoers, including hand warmers, wool socks, thermals and more thermals. The glittering crystal ball dropped with a burst of confetti and dazzling fireworks as revelers rang in 2018 in frigid Times Square Confetti dropped over the crowd as the clock struck midnight during the New Year's celebration in Times Square as seen from the Marriott Marquis in New York This year, the ball was 12 feet in diameter, weighed 11,875 pounds and was covered with 2,688 triangles that changed colors like a kaleidoscope, illuminated by 32,256 LED lights Several people became more and more excited as it inched closer and closer to the New Year Confetti falls in Times Square just after midnight during New Year celebrations in Manhattan Revelers kiss as confetti falls in Times Square just after midnight during New Year celebrations in Manhattan Andrew Bocchino and his fiancee Michelle Ash kiss after midnight in Times Square during a New Year's celebration Fireworks erupted as the clock struck midnight during the New Year's celebration in Times Square as seen from the Marriott Marquis Extra police and fire personnel monitored weather conditions and the safety of those in attendance to outdoor events in Times Square. After two terrorist attacks and a rampaging SUV driver who plowed into a crowd on the very spot where the party took place Sunday night, police didn't take any chances. The police department estimated that it costs $7.5 million to protect the event - with security being tighter than ever before. Garages in the area were emptied of cars and sealed off and detectives were stationed at area hotels working with security officials to prevent sniper attacks. Thousands of uniformed officers lined the streets, while cement blocks and sanitation trucks blocked vehicles from entering the secure area where spectators gathered. Revelers were required to pass through one of a dozen checkpoints where they were screened and then screened again before they were able to make their way to the main event. At the corner of 48th Street and 7th Avenue, Chris Garcia, his girlfriend Zayra Velazquez and her brother Edgar Valdez stood rigidly, having waited in the cold for almost six hours. Valdez, 19, said he felt 'pretty safe' at the event. Earlier on Sunday, thousands gathered to prepare for the ball drop in temperatures that reached 14F at the time Revelers (pictured earlier on Sunday) attempted to stay warm by huddling up on the ground as they waited for the festivities to begin Thousands of people had already started gathering more than 12 hours before the midnight countdown to 2018 to see the glittering crystal ball drop in Times Square The celebrations were held under tight security after a year that saw several fatal attacks on large crowds, including one in Times Square itself last spring The National Weather Service predicted temperatures in the middle teens in Times Square at midnight Sunday, with wind chill values that could make it feel like minus 5F (-15 Celsius) Several people donned hooded jackets, hats and scarves as they braved the cold ahead of New Year's celebrations in Times Square Partygoers were warned they would be penned in place for hours and to bundle up in preparation 'They checked us pretty good,' he said. 'Police checked what we had, and another scanned us with metal detectors.' And New York wasn't the only large city in the US to amp up its security during Sunday's festivities. In Las Vegas, the Nevada Army National Guard members were seen taking their positions as buses were parked to block all vehicle traffic on Tropicana Avenue near the Las Vegas Strip. The amped-up security comes just a few months after the October mass shooting that left 58 concertgoers dead and dozens more injured. State officials said they more than doubled the normal number of National Guard personnel working on New Year's Eve to 360 to join a total of 1,500 on-duty Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officers along with spotters, snipers and other federal resources. Mariah Carey performed again on 'Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve,' hosted by Ryan Seacrest, after a bungled performance last year in which she stumbled through her short set, failing to sing for most of it despite a pre-recorded track of her songs playing in the background. People got excited as they listened to singer Nick Jonas, also seen on a screen, in Times Square during the New Year's Eve celebrations Revelers wearing purple and yellow Planet Fitness hats gather in Times Square during New Year's Eve celebrations on Sunday Some wore red scarfs that read 'Happy New Year' as they tried to keep warm while waiting for the ball to drop Others donned yellow and purple hats as a pizza deliveryman sold pies to the hungry crowd The event rivaled some of the coldest New Year's celebrations on record: In 1962 it was just 11 degrees outside, and in 1939 and 2008 it was 18 degrees. The frostiest ball drop on record was back in 1917 when temperatures dropped to 1 degree Revelers wait for midnight during the new year celebrations in Times Square as seen from the Marriott Marquis in New York on Sunday At the time, Carey was visibly upset during the performance and she blamed the show's production team, but they ultimately buried the hatchet. She posted an advertisement featuring herself for the show on December 22 that said: 'Take 2.' And Carey rocked the stage Sunday night donning a shimmering, crystal covered gown. She belted out some of her biggest hits, including her 1993 hit Hero, which she dedicated to 'everyone who speaks out for justice and tries to make the world a better place; a more united planet'. 'You are the true heroes,' she said before her melodic voice rang out in Times Square. Carey also performed her song, So Faithfully, and jokingly demanded some hot tea right after she finished. 'Well just have to rough it,' Carey quipped. 'Im gonna be just like everybody else with no hot tea,' she added. Tarana Burke, an activist who started a 'Me Too' campaign a decade ago to raise awareness about sexual violence, started this year's ceremonial ball drop. She pushed the crystal button that officially began the 60-second countdown to the new year. Mariah Carey was spotted rehearsing in the freezing cold ahead of her performance in Times Square on New Year's Eve And Carey rocked the stage Sunday night donning a shimmering, crystal covered gown. She belted out some of her biggest hits, including her 1993 hit Hero, which she dedicated to 'everyone who speaks out for justice and tries to make the world a better place; a more united planet' 'You are the true heroes,' she said before her melodic voice rang out in Times Square. Carey also performed her song, So Faithfully, and jokingly demanded some hot tea right after she finished. 'Well just have to rough it,' she quipped. 'Im gonna be just like everybody else with no hot tea,' she added Jennifer Nettles of the band Sugarland performed during New Year's eve celebrations in Times Square. Social activist Tarana Burke (right), who started a 'Me Too' campaign a decade ago to raise awareness about sexual violence, started this year's ceremonial ball drop USO entertainers performed as part in New Year's Eve celebrations in Times Square Revelers gather in Times Square as a cold weather front hits the region ahead of New Year's celebrations on Sunday night Elena Barduniotis from Colorado waits in Times Square during a cold weather front ahead of New Year's celebrations Spectators gather ahead of the New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square in New York New York police were seen waiting for instructions in Times Square ahead of the festivities Thousands of uniformed officers lined the streets, while cement blocks and sanitation trucks blocked vehicles from entering the secure area where spectators were gathered Revelers gathered in Times Square in freezing conditions on Sunday afternoon - well before the midnight ball drop A flurry of tweets, Instagram and Facebook posts ensued after actress-activist Alyssa Milano urged victims to respond with the phrase 'me too.' Milano initially wasn't aware of Burke's earlier campaign and has since publicly credited her. Burke said she hopes the new year will bring 'new momentum to fuel this work and we won't stop anytime soon'. The dazzling finale of the show was the traditional drop of the Waterford Crystal ball down a pole atop One Times Square. This year, the ball was 12 feet in diameter, weighed 11,875 pounds and was covered with 2,688 triangles that changed colors like a kaleidoscope, illuminated by 32,256 LED lights. When the first ball drop happened in 1907, it was made of iron and wood and adorned with 100 25-watt light bulbs. The first celebration in the area was in 1904, the same year the city's first subway line started running. Just minutes after midnight, partygoers started to drain from the area as if a giant tub stopper has been pulled up. And the cleanup began, led by a small army of city employees including more than 200 sanitation workers, dozens of police officers who started to clear the area of confetti and other garbage. Crews removed more than 44 tons of debris last year. Leading up to the main event, Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen hosted CNN's coverage of New Year's Eve festivities in New York City. Many folks were seen sitting on the ground and huddled together as they arrived early on Sunday ahead of the main event Toby Townsend (left) and Stacey Wilson (right), both of Manchester, England, tried to keep each other warm during New Year's celebration in Times Square The police department estimated that it costs $7.5 million to protect the event - with security being tighter than ever before New York wasn't the only big city to request more security during the New Year's Eve celebrations. In Las Vegas, the Nevada Army National Guard members were seen taking their positions as buses were parked to block all vehicle traffic on Tropicana Avenue near the Las Vegas Strip The amped-up security comes just a few months after the October mass shooting. State officials said they more than doubled the normal number of National Guard personnel working on New Year's Eve to 360 to join 1,500 on-duty Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officers along with spotters, snipers and federal resources An estimated 330,000 people are celebrating New Year's Eve on the Strip and in downtown Las Vegas. Pictured are Nevada Army National Guard members speaking with Las Vegas police In the Florida Keys, Duval Street was jammed with New Year's Eve revelers as female impersonator Gary Marion, known as 'Sushi,' was lowered during the Red Shoe Drop The Red Shoe Drop was one of the six distinct 'drops' for Key West to celebrate the beginning of 2018. While many US New Year's Eve festivities were staged in frigid conditions, Sunday's midnight air temperature at Key West International Airport was 69 degrees Fahrenheit Cohen, a talk show host on Bravo, was brought in as a replacement for Kathy Griffin, who was dismissed by CNN last spring after posting a video of herself online in which she was holding a mask styled to look like the severed head of President Donald Trump. The pair sported matching black turtlenecks at their wintry Manhattan filming location. Cohen, 49, announced at one point during the broadcast that the evening marks 'the first AC and AC, in case you were wondering'. Meanwhile, Steve Harvey got roasted on Twitter after he started trending online because of his outfit. e comedian hosted his own New Year's Eve television special live on Fox from Times Square. It was his first time hosting a New Year's Eve show after musician Pitbull hosted Fox's special for the last three years. Because of the record-low temperatures in New York, Harvey wore a large white coat, black gloves and a white hat to keep warm. Twitter immediately weighed in on the comedian's fashion sense. Some compared his outfit to one that Kerry Washington's character Olivia Pope wore on Scandal, while one person said he resembled Frosty the Snowman. Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen hosted CNN's coverage of New Year's Eve festivities in New York City. Cohen was brought in as a replacement for Kathy Griffin, who was dismissed by CNN last spring. The pair sported matching black turtlenecks at their wintry Manhattan filming location Meanwhile, Steve Harvey got roasted on Twitter because of his outfit. Because of the record-low temperatures in New York, Harvey is wearing a large white coat, black gloves and a white hat to keep warm. Twitter immediately weighed in on the comedian's fashion sense. Some compared his outfit to one from Kerry Washington's character Olivia Pope on Scandal (right) Harvey also officiated the wedding of Maria Menounos on New Year's Eve. TV personality Menounos, 39, exchanged vows with her longtime love Keven Undergaro in a ceremony officiated by Harvey and broadcast on a Fox New Year's Eve special that she and Harvey co-hosted in Times Square. NEW YEAR'S EVE WEATHER: TOP FIVE COLDEST 1. The coldest New Years Eve on record in New York City was 1917, when the mercury dropped to 7 below zero, according to National Weather Service data. 2. December 31, 2017, marked the second coldest New Year's Eve for the city. 3. In 1962 it was just 11 degrees in 1962 4. In 1976 and 1996 it was 15 degrees 5. And in 1997 it was 17 degrees Advertisement Meanwhile in Florida, the Trump family looked flashy while dressed to the nines in preparation for their annual New Year's Eve bash at Mar-a-Lago. The President, Melania and 11-year-old Barron made a serious statement as they arrived to the gala taking place inside the Donald J. Trump Grand Ballroom Sunday evening. Melania donned a gorgeous $4,000 Emery floral-embroidered sequin ERDEM gown, while the guys sported black tie suits. Ivanka, Jared and their two children, Arabella, 6, and Joseph, 4, smiled for the camera in a cute Instagram snapshot that shows the group in suits and dresses. Lara Trump also took to social media to share a sweet photo of herself and Eric on the red carpet and the two were later seen holding hands as they entered the event. 'Thank you, 2017! Hello 2018,' Lara said. She chose a Chiara Boni La Petite Robe plunging black bodysuit, and Eric, a black suit and white bow tie. The pricey tickets for the President's lavish New Year's Eve bash rose this year, and cost a whopping $750 per guest, according to The Washington Post. Freezing cold weather ushered in New Year's Eve celebrations across the Northeast and Midwest as well. Elsewhere in Florida, the Trump family looked flashy while dressed to the nines in preparation for their annual New Year's Eve bash at Mar-a-Lago. The President, Melania and 11-year-old Barron made a serious statement as they arrived to the gala taking place inside the Donald J. Trump Grand Ballroom Sunday evening Ivanka, Jared and their two children, Arabella, 6, and Joseph, 4, were also seen entering the party in suits and dresses Lara Trump chose a Chiara Boni La Petite Robe plunging black bodysuit, and Eric, a black suit and white bow tie Some events were cancelled due to the frigid weather, including the New Year's Eve gathering at the village of Orchard Park near Buffalo in upstate New York. The weather service predicted lows would hit minus 20 degrees to minus 30 degrees (minus 7C to -34C) from Montana into the Dakotas and Minnesota, which is well below average. Temperatures could drop to around zero (minus 18 C) as far south as the northern border of Oklahoma on New Year's Day. They will stoop into the minus 30s near the Canadian border over the next few days. Icy roads will make travel difficult over much of the United States, from the south-central states of Texas and Oklahoma and eastward over Arkansas. In other parts of the world, millions brought in the New Year with spectacular firework displays, including the ancient Greek temple of the Parthenon atop Athens' Acropolis hill, the Binnenhof in The Hague, the Netherlands and the Atomium Monument in Brussels. Fireworks explode around the London Eye during New Year's celebrations in central London just after midnight on January 1 London's iconic Big Ben chimed to mark the turn of the New Year, despite being in the process of serious renovation work which has kept it out of action for several months The ancient Greek temple of the Parthenon atop Athens' Acropolis hill was in the shadow of fireworks during New Year celebrations in Greece The Quadriga sculpture atop the Brandenburg gate was illuminated by the fireworks display in the German capital of Berlin for New Year's Eve The New City Hall in the northern German city is illuminated by fireworks to usher in the New Year People celebrate the New Year with a firework show at the Binnenhof in The Hague, the Netherlands The Atomium Monument in Brussels is lit up with a backdrop of fireworks at 23:00 GMT for its New Year's Eve George Papadopoulos (pictured) pleaded guilty in October to lying to the FBI about meetings arranged while he was working with the Trump campaign The FBI investigation into Russian meddling in the US election was apparently sparked by a conversation in a London wine bar after a night of heavy drinking. According to the New York Times, the probe was launched after a former policy adviser to Donald Trump told an Australian diplomat that Moscow had damaging information about rival candidate Hillary Clinton. During a night of heavy drinking at the Kensington Wine Rooms, George Papadopoulos is said to have made the revelation to Alexander Downer, the Australian high commissioner to the UK. Mr Papadopoulos reportedly told Mr Downer in May 2016 that Russian officials possessed thousands of emails that could harm Clintons candidacy. During a night at the Kensington Wine Rooms (pictured) George Papadopoulos is said to have made the revelations to Australian high commissioner Alexander Downer As part of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance which also includes the US, UK, Canada and New Zealand Australia felt compelled to report the conversation after WikiLeaks began publishing hacked emails from Democrat officials two months later. The FBI then began its investigation. Mr Papadopoulos pleaded guilty in October to lying to the FBI about meetings arranged while he was working with the Trump campaign. The White House has attempted to portray him as a low-level volunteer with little influence within the campaign. Others have referred to him as a coffee boy. But he is known to have attended several meetings with Mr Trump and other senior officials such as Attorney General Jeff Sessions. He was a foreign policy advisor. Papadopoulos was reportedly drunk when he made the revelation to Alexander Downer (left) who felt compelled to report the conversation after WikiLeaks began publishing hacked emails White House lawyer Ty Cobb declined to comment on the New York Times story, saying in a statement that the administration is continuing to cooperate with the investigation now led by special counsel Robert Mueller to help complete their inquiry expeditiously. In March 2016 Mr Papadopoulos met with a professor called Joseph Mifsud in London. The professor was accompanied by a woman introduced as a relative of Russian leader Vladimir Putin. She turned out to be unrelated. But it is at this meeting Mr Papadopoulos is understood to have been told about the Russians having dirt on Mrs Clinton. The FBIs original investigation has since been handed off to special counsel Robert Muellers probe, with which Mr Papadopoulos is now cooperating. A woman has claimed she was forced into sex slavery at the age of just 14 and made to sleep with Cambridge University students. The unnamed woman, who grew up in Cambridge and is now in her 50s, says her abusers targeted girls with low self-esteem, the Cambridge News reports. She said her abusers groomed the young girls by buying them alcohol and drugs but violence was used to control them. The woman also said that they suffered violence at the hands of some of the men who paid for sex, including undergraduates from the prestigious university. A woman has claimed she was forced into sex slavery at the age of just 14 and made to sleep with Cambridge University students. File photo The men would meet the girls of which she was the youngest - in a now-closed city centre bar and pick which girl they were interested in. The majority of men were well off and would pay to abuse the girls for lengthy periods of time. But they were taken to flats where men lined up to 'do what they liked with us.' She described the undergraduates who paid for sex as 'rich students who you could tell were training to be politicians and saw themselves as very privileged people.' The unnamed woman, who grew up in Cambridge and is now in her 50s, says her abusers targeted girls with low self-esteem. File photo She added: 'There was a lot of gang raping and really violent men. It was really quite horrible, especially for underage girls.' One man hurt her so badly that she ended up in hospital. 'I had a chance to think about what was going on, and I decided to run away,' she said. She fled to Manchester after deciding that she needed to get away from Cambridge. 'I thought I should either kill myself or run away. I went to Manchester and it kind of changed my life,' shje said. Advertisement Dubai's New Year's Eve fireworks display was abandoned this year due to 'security concerns', with the United Arab Emirates city opting for a world-record breaking light display on the Burj Khalifa. Two years ago, the city suffered a scare when a huge fire ripped through a luxury hotel just hours before the fireworks display was due to commence. Dubai was the latest city to ring in the New Year although it did not opt for the conventional fireworks display due to 'security reasons', instead opting for an impressive world-record breaking laser show There have been fireworks displays on the Burj Khalifa in previous years to mark the turn of the New Year. This year there was an impressive fireworks display which took a team of hundreds of experts months to prepare (left, centre) This year, the world's tallest building was emblazoned with the 'Year of Zayed', who was the former president of the United Arab Emirates, to welcome in the 2018. Emaar Properties, the developer of the iconic building, announced on its website that the fireworks display would be replaced by the laser and sound show titled 'Light Up 2018'. They claimed that more than 300 experts and 100 rope access professionals had worked for several months to help prepare the lights show. The display itself lasted for around 10 minutes and wowed spectators below, who filmed and shouted during the course of the show. Two years ago, the display went ahead regardless but the flames managed to reach from the ground floor up to around the 40th story of the 63 floor Address Downtown hotel. The lights show from the Burj Khalifa was watched by thousands from the ground. The lights and sound show was called 'Light Up 2018' and was announced by the developer of the iconic building, Emaar Properties The world's tallest building was emblazoned with the 'Year of Zayed', who was the former president of the United Arab Emirates. He held onto the post for 33 years and passed away in 2004 Smoke and fire billowed from the Address Downtown Hotel, near the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest tower in Dubai, on December 31, 2015, after a huge fire ripped through the luxury Dubai hotel as people gathered to watch New Year's Eve celebrations. The fireworks displays, which were taken place only a few hundred feet away, continued despite the building continuing to burn There was fireworks released from the world's tallest building last year (left) and they were also released from the side of the building to mark the opening of the world's tallest building on January 4, 2010 (right), as well as on many other occasions The display itself lasted for around 10 minutes and wowed spectators below, who filmed and shouted during the course of the show The sky exploded with colour and light as fireworks erupted over Australia's cities to bring in the New Year. And January 1 will be just as spectacular, with the second instalment of what NASA describes as the 'supermoon trilogy' to hit the skies on Monday evening. The 'cold moon' supermoon rose on December 3, and the first day of 2018 is set to bring a 'wolf moon'. The second instalment of what NASA describes as the 'supermoon trilogy' is set to hit the skies on Monday evening. Pictured is the 2015 supermoon over the Sydney Opera House The 'cold moon' supermoon rose on December 3, and the first day of 2018 is set to bring a 'wolf moon' (stock image) But experts believe the 'blue moon blood moon supermoon' rising on January 31 will be the most extraordinary of all. 'If you can only catch one episode of the supermoon trilogy, catch the third one. It will be extra special,' according to NASA. 'The Moon will lose its brightness and take on an eerie, fainter-than-normal glow from the scant sunlight that makes its way through Earth's atmosphere. 'Often cast in a reddish hue because of the way the atmosphere bends the light, totally eclipsed Moons are sometimes called ''blood Moons''.' The New Year's Day 'wolf moon' could be obscured over the country's east coast, with cloudy night skies forecast. But skies from Adelaide to Perth should be clear and conditions are expected to be perfect for watching the 'wolf moon'. Experts believe the 'blue moon blood moon supermoon' rising on January 31 will be the most extraordinary of all (stock) The New Year's Day supermoon could be obscured over the country's east coast, with cloudy night skies forecast. A full moon is pictured over Melbourne in 2014 WHAT IS A SUPERMOON? As the moon orbits the Earth every month, there is a point in every cycle where the moon is closest (perigee) and a point where it's farthest away (apogee). There is also a monthly lunar cycle where we can see varying amounts of the moon depending on it's position relative to Earth and the Sun. For a supermoon to happen, these need to line up - something that will occur on Monday night. 'The supermoons are a great opportunity for people to start looking at the Moon, not just that once but every chance they have!' says Noah Petro, a research scientist from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. Advertisement 'All you need to do is wait for the sun to set, turn your back on it and look due east,' Astrophysicist Alan Duffy told The Sydney Morning Herald. 'Get yourself a clear line of sight and watch the moon come up over the treeline or cityscape. The moon will look beautiful and just impossibly large. It's called the moon illusion, something that's been noted since the ancient Greeks. 'It's all a trick though. If you stretch out your arm and give the moon a thumbs up your thumbnail should cover the moon. Try it again a few hours later and even though the moon will look much smaller, it's still the same size as your thumbnail.' The best time to view Monday night's 'wolf moon' is around 7pm or 5am on Tuesday morning. It was known by early Native American tribes as the 'wolf moon', because this was the time of the year when hungry wolf packs howled outside their camps. The 2018 Wolf Moon is also a 'supermoon', which means it coincides with the Moon's closest approach to Earth - known as the perigee, and it will appear up to 7 per cent bigger than an average Full Moon. With a new year comes new life, as Australia welcomed the first baby of 2018 on Monday morning. The healthy baby boy was born at Sydney's Westmead Hospital at 1.20am on the first day of the new year. While the bub has yet to be named, mother Sainzaya Enkhtaivan will no doubt be enjoying her first few hours with her precious bundle. Scroll down for video Australia has welcomed the first baby of 2018 with a baby boy born at 1.20am on January 1 (pictured) The healthy baby boy was born at Sydney's Westmead Hospital and has yet to be named The newborn was 'a little bit big', according to Sainzaya, weighing in at 4.15 kilograms. At just 51.5cm long, the sleeping tot looked healthy as he nestled into his mother's arms. While her labor was 'so long', Sainzaya looked to be in good health and spirits after welcoming her second son into the world. Midwife Dr Hugh Porter said it was an 'exciting time for everyone involved' in welcoming the first baby into the new year. The youngster was born just over an hour after Sydney rang in the new year with its spectacular firework display. Advertisement Raucous partygoers threw caution to the wind during a wild night of booze-fuelled mayhem on the streets of Britain as they welcomed in 2018. Few seemed very keen to wrap up warm and bared acres of flesh after leaving packed out clubs and bars in the early hours of the morning. Others struggled to make their way home without a little help and were seen sitting on kerbs looking worse for wear, while violence erupted in some places. Crowds took to the streets to join lively celebrations amid preparations by emergency services to tackle one of the busiest nights of the year. Getting rowdy: New Year's Eve in Blackpool, Lancashire: Police move in to break up a fight in the centre of the town Cheeky: A woman in a see-through outfit makes her way home with friends in Birmingham (left) while another hitches a lift from her male companion (right) in Cardiff Wounded: One man appeared to be slightly worse for wear in Nottingham, with medics applying a bandage to his head Helping hand: A woman is held up by her partner as she struggles with her heels in Wind Street, Swansea Carnage: A scuffle breaks out between revellers in Birmingham which results in to women being pushed to the ground During the first hour of the new year, London Ambulance Service (LAS) said it answered 337 calls with a number of patients treated for alcohol-related illnesses and injuries. Along with St John Ambulance, LAS said 295 patients were treated in central London over the course of the New Year's Eve festivities, with many helped to sober up or given treatment for minor injuries before being discharged. Deputy director of operations Pauline Cranmer said: 'It has been a busy night for us, and we've been taking up to 400 calls an hour, when we normally get around 250.' Paramedics, meanwhile, were working from nine treatment centres in the capital to avoid clogging up A&E departments as crews now look to deal with what is expected to remain a busy New Year's Day. Row: A Bouncer appears to be unimpressed with a pair of women out celebrating the New Year in Blackpool Engaged: Chris Williams proposes to his girlfriend Beth Marchant to the amusement of friends and passers-by on the zebra crossing in Wind Street, Swansea, last night Addressing Londoners who could be waking up 'feeling unwell after a heavy night', Ms Cranmer said: 'We would encourage them to consider using other healthcare services such as walk-in centres or calling NHS 111 for health advice to ensure our medics are free and able to respond to the patients in serious and life-threatening conditions.' Greater Manchester Police's City Centre division said a man who got his car stuck on a rising bollard was among the 15 who ended up in cells on New Year's Day. The force said the "vast majority" ushered in 2018 in great spirits, but a small number of people "couldn't behave". They included three people being arrested on suspicion of being drunk and disorderly, eight people on suspicion of assault - of which three were domestic violence - and a 26-year-old man arrested on suspicion of illegally entering the UK. Among the millions of revellers, 150,000 people hit the streets of Edinburgh for Hogmanay, despite earlier concerns that Storm Dylan might threaten events. Dressed up: Party goers put their best outfits and took to the streets of Britain to celebrate the arrival of the New Year Looking glamorous: A group of women dressed up to ring in 2018 are pictured in Newcastle city centre on New Years Eve Strike a pose: A woman takes a picture of her friend as they celebrated New Year's Eve in Newcastle Protecting their outfits: Two women hide under an umbrella as they head out to see in the New Year in Manchester Going all out: Party goers in Manchester city centre braved the rain to enjoy themselves on New Years Eve Out on the town: Revellers arrive for the annual fireworks display of the New Year's celebrations, in London Women in the Grassmarket enjoying Edinburgh's Hogmanay celebration as thousands of revellers from across the globe descend on the Scottish Capital Others donned fancy dress to see in the New Year in the centre of Edinburgh Edinburgh's Hogmanay party in full swing as revellers see in the New Year The party got underway despite Princes Street having been closed due to the weather Drum-off between Spark! LED drummers and Diva and Districts Pipes and Drums at Edinburgh's Hogmanay Women in the Grassmarket, in the Old Town of Edinburgh, enjoying the Scottish capital's Hogmanay celebration These two had a diabolical choice of outfit as they partied the night away Celebrations in Nottingham as party goers dance in the streets to see in the start of 2018 Some revellers danced the night away during Nottingham's New Year party A pair of New Year partygoers smooch together in Nottingham as the festivities got into full swing Sadly the evening's New Year celebration appeared to take their toll on this man Revellers also hit the streets of Norwich with many of them queuing for hours to get into to Mercy club Clubbers can be seen holding pizza boxes over their heads to keep dry as they queue One woman reveals more than she hoped for as sees in the New Year in Blackpool Revellers in Blackpool braved the cold to see the New Year in in style, overseen by a large police presence in the seaside town While most were raising a glass to celebrate the New Year, 45 men in a small Northumberland town were raising burning barrels in an age old tradition The Tar Bar'l fire festival in Allendale got underway just before midnight, when 45 local men called 'Guisers' carried whiskey barrels filled with burning hot tar in a colourful procession through the town's street which has been celebrated since the Middle Ages To become a guiser, each man must have been born in the Allen Valleys - many have inherited their status from previous generations Princes Street, where celebrations took place, was temporarily closed to pedestrians in the afternoon due to 'weather-related debris' but was open again for the evening's street party. In London, party goers headed to the Embankment by the River Thames, to see the traditonal fireworks. The people of Nottingham also got into the swing of things, dancing the night away on the streets on the city centre, though the booze appeared to take its toll on some Malcolm Turnbull may have sabotaged Australia becoming a republic in 1994 by putting forward a hated model where politicians instead of the public would choose a president. Two decades before he became Liberal prime minister in 2015, Turnbull was a multi-millionaire Sydney investment banker who was appointed by Paul Keating's Labor government to head the Republic Advisory Committee. Cabinet documents from 1994 and 1995, released on Monday, reveal Turnbull had proposed a republic where a president could only be appointed or removed if two-thirds of parliament agreed. Malcolm Turnbull (pictured in 1998) proposed a republic in 1994 with MPs choosing president Paul Keating's cabinet in 1994 considered advice from Malcolm Turnbull on a republic The papers, unveiled by the National Archives of Australia, showed only 16 per cent of the public supported this model. Support for a directly-elected president, to replace the Queen as Australia's head of state, stood at a staggering 91 per cent. Turnbull's minimalist republican model was endorsed by a Republic Convention in February 1998, two years after the Keating government was turfed out in a landslide. It was taken to a national referendum in November 1999, when it was defeated 54.87 per cent to 45.13 per cent, after the Yes case ran slogans such as 'A Resident for President' and 'Give an Australian the head job'. Malcolm Turnbull's input led to the republican side copping a resounding defeat in late 1999 Every state and territory except the ACT voted against the push for an Australian president The minimalist republic sunk in every state and territory, except the ACT, despite having the support of former prime ministers Gough Whitlam, Malcolm Fraser, Bob Hawke and Paul Keating. Liberal MP Tony Abbott spearheaded the No campaign with the support of then prime minister John Howard, a fellow monarchist, while treasurer Peter Costello was the highest-profile backer of the Yes case. 'We don't need to dump the Queen to be a great country. Republicans will never win by running Australia down,' Abbott tweeted on Sunday. The No case had the support of republicans who wanted a directly-elected president, including country crooner James Blundell who recorded a catchy 'We'll vote No in November' jingle which ran on television. Former prime minister Tony Abbott said the Queen didn't need to be replaced by an Australian Paul Keating (pictured in 1994) has slammed Malcolm Turnbull's failure to achieve a republic After the republican referendum was resoundingly defeated Turnbull, who wasn't a Liberal Party member, accused Howard of breaking the nation's heart. However, Keating said it was Turnbull who broke the nation's heart by failing to campaign for a republic as Liberal prime minister. 'A whole series of prime ministers have broken the nation's heart on the republic,' he told The Australian. 'He has little or no policy ambition and commensurately little imagination, no system of prevailing beliefs. 'Was (his republicanism) just Malcolm being another chameleon doing another chameleon act as he has on so many other things? You know, I was real but is Malcolm real?' Malcolm Turnbull has reacted to Paul Keating's criticism of his leadership style as the PM As head of the republican movement in 1997, Malcolm Turnbull campaigned with Eddie McGuire and Hazel Hawke in Melbourne Turnbull hit back by arguing he didn't want a republic until the death of the Queen, who turned 91 last year. 'I don't know what's prompted Paul to come out swinging at everyone,' he told reporters on Monday. 'He seems to be critical of every prime minister and former prime minister apart from himself and it must be good for Paul to feel he is without fault or blemish but in the real world, we gave it a red-hot go in '99.' As a Sydney investment banker, Malcolm Turnbull was the lead campaigner for a republic Former Labor leader Kim Beazley, who was a senior Keating government cabinet minister, said Turnbull's model for a republic was never going to win public support. 'That's a killer. I just felt we did not have a show of getting the republic through without the directly elected model,' he told reporters. Under Australia's current constitutional arrangements, the prime minister alone appoints a governor-general who acts as the Queen's vice-regal representative. However, in November 1975 then governor-general John Kerr controversially sacked Labor prime minister Gough Whitlam, creating a constitutional crisis. In 1994, Australians were in favour of replacing the Queens with a directly elected president Malcolm Turnbull doesn't want Australia to be a republic until the Queen, who is 91, dies Beazley said Keating was totally focused on the problem of a possible dual mandate, pitting the future president against the prime minister. 'It was Paul's ultimate big-picture position, designed to produce an outcome which if he won the subsequent election, would be almost the signature effort of the new government,' he said. Beazley said direct election and the codification of head of state powers was the only way a republic could be achieved post-2018. 'I don't think it has a snowball's chance in hell without that,' he said. The Archbishop of Canterbury used his New Year message to highlight 'the forgotten', who he described as people who rely on food banks. In a seeming political intervention, the Most Reverend Justin Welby pointed to the plight of the unemployed and those coping with mental and physical illnesses. The Anglican leader also praised the 'depth of compassion' shown by communities responding to terrorism and tragedy. In a seeming political intervention, the Most Reverend Justin Welby pointed to the plight of the unemployed and those coping with mental and physical illnesses He said the 2017 terrorist atrocities in London and Manchester and the Grenfell Tower disaster had been met with heroism from the emergency services. But he also used his message to highlight the suffering of people 'struggling to find work or relying on food banks' whose plight did not make national headlines. The Archbishop used his message, being broadcast on the BBC, to say that as well as the attacks in London and Manchester, 'all over the world we witnessed the horror and devastation caused by terrorism'. There had also been other 'terrible tragedies', he said, adding that he visited Grenfell Tower when the west London block was still burning and 'I remember the desperation and sorrow'. 'Then there are those whose suffering will never make the news,' he added. Justin Welby (centre) during the Christmas Day service at Canterbury Cathedral last week 'People who are struggling to find work or relying on food banks. Those who are bereaved, or coping with poor mental health or physical illness. 'When things feel unrelentingly difficult, there are often questions which hang in the air: Is there any light at all? Does anyone care?' The Archbishop highlighted a Biblical passage from the Gospel of John 'the light shone in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it'. That 'light' was seen in the 'resilience of Borough Market' which was now as vibrant and welcoming as before the June attack. He said it was 'in the faces of the hundreds of volunteers' who helped in the aftermath of the Grenfell blaze, and in the heroism of the emergency workers who responded. 'So often in 2017, the depth of suffering was matched by a depth of compassion as communities came together,' he said. A baby seal that was found waddling down a Massachusetts highway has now safely been returned to the ocean. Police say the seal was spotted on Route 6A in Yarmouth Port on Cape Cod late on Friday. Authorities, with the help of rescue group Amazing Animal Ambassadors, were able to put the seal in a cage and hold onto it until wildlife officials arrived. Police say the seal was spotted on Route 6A in Yarmouth Port on Cape Cod late on Friday. The pup is believed to have traveled up a nearby frozen creek The seal pup was eventually given a clean bill of health. The animal was released back into the ocean on Saturday, according to Yarmouth Police. Authorities said they nicknamed the seal 'Houston' after Kevin A. Houston - a US Navy Seal from Cape Cod who was killed in Afghanistan. Authorities, with the help of rescue group Amazing Animal Ambassadors, were able to put the seal in a cage and hold onto it until wildlife officials arrived Police say they believe the pup traveled up a nearby frozen creek and 'made his appearance Navy Seal style.' 'Our very special late night visitor has been given a clean bill of health by wildlife officials and been released back in to the ocean,' officers said. 'Thank you for visiting us and stay warm and safe out there buddy.' A 14-year-old girl was attacked and stabbed repeatedly in her legs in Victoria on New Year's Eve. The teenage girl was walking along Cynthia Street, in Morwell, on Sunday night when she was assaulted. She sustained a number of stab wounds to her legs before being taken to hospital. A 14-year-old girl was attacked and stabbed repeatedly in her legs in Victoria on New Year's Eve (stock image) Her injuries were non-life threatening, Victoria Police confirmed. Police are searching for the offender who fled the scene after the attack. Any witnesses or anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. A new book about the 1984 IRA Brighton bomb recounts the indomitable spirit of Mrs Thatcher's Tory government. In Part One on Saturday, we described how the party conference went on as normal. Today, we reveal Minister Norman Tebbit's dogged determination to continue working, despite his appalling injuries... Norman Tebbit's hair was standing on end when Callum McCarthy, his Parliamentary Private Secretary at the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), visited him in the Royal Sussex County Hospital after the IRA bombed Brighton's Grand Hotel. 'Secretary of State, what happened to your hair?' the civil servant inquired. 'Oh that,' Tebbit nonchalantly replied, 'was when I was electrocuted.' It wasn't a joke. He'd been trapped in the rubble for hours, with cold water gushing over him and occasional shocks from severed electricity cables. Norman Tebbit gave up the chance to be PM to care for his wife after she was injured in the Brighton bombing 'His main concern was his wife (left). What made him angry was that she had really had nothing to do with what happened. She was there at the conference because of him' 'He looked pretty rough,' says Ruth Thompson, his private secretary, another early visitor. 'We could see lots of cuts and bruises on his face and hands. He was perfectly conscious and compos mentis, but he was talking like someone who'd had a profound shock, not surprisingly. 'We didn't stay long, just enough to let him know we were there. He was very matter-of-fact, as you would expect of him. He wanted us to let people know he was still alive and kicking. 'We then started to think about how to put things back together again. But we had no idea how long he was going to be in hospital. We also knew that his wife, Margaret, had been really badly injured.' Norman Tebbit and his wife Lady Margaret Tebbit meeting one of the fireman who saved their lives after the Brighton bombing. Lady Tebbit was left permanently paralysed due to her injuries How badly soon became apparent to the public when a freelance journalist in Brighton sold a story to a Sunday paper, based on a conversation he'd had with a nurse going off duty, who'd said Mrs Tebbit was paralysed. The hospital authorities confirmed that this was the case. But Tebbit was not about to give up. It wasn't in his nature. For good reason he was known in politics as the 'Chingford Skinhead' after his North-East London constituency because of his tough reputation. He recalls: 'By the Monday after the bomb on Friday, my private secretary had set up a temporary ministerial office at the hospital. There was no discussion about whether such an unusual arrangement was possible, because the Prime Minister had said it was. So did I.' According to his private secretary, Andrew Lansley, 'we were clear, and he was clear, that, though he was badly injured physically, his faculties were absolutely OK and he was going to carry on. Five people died and 31 were left injured in the attack . Margaret Thatcher, who was staying in the hotel, stayed totally calm, consoling a frightened secretary that 'it's probably a bomb, but don't worry, dear'. She told an aide: 'I think that was an assassination attempt, don't you?' 'We set up an arrangement to handle the day-to-day business in the department and make sure we bothered him only with the things he really wanted to know about. Within days, he was pretty much engaged. He didn't expect to see all the paperwork, but he did expect his senior civil servants to be telling him what was going on and giving them his views.' Lansley made sure an early visit was seen by the Press. 'I was on the news carrying in a red box, the purpose of which was to say to the world: 'He's all right, and he's still in charge.' ' In fact, the red box contained get-well-soon cards. Another bedside regular was his Sussex Police protection officer, Brian Etheridge. One hospital consultant 'was very regimental' about making sure visitors didn't tire the minister out, 'because he was quite weak', Etheridge says. 'He was being fed through tubes. 'His main concern was his wife. What made him angry was that she had really had nothing to do with what happened. She was there at the conference because of him. And she'd been injured, badly. We didn't speak a lot about it, because he wanted to talk about anything other than the bomb.' HIS SURGEON'S MEDICINE? A CASE OF RED WINE... 'Are you normally fit and healthy?' a Stoke Mandeville surgeon asked Norman Tebbit. 'Healthy, yes; fit, no.' 'What exercise do you take?' 'I have never knowingly taken gratuitous exercise in my life.' 'Oh dear. Do you smoke?' 'No.' 'Oh, that's better. Do you drink?' 'Yes.' 'What do you drink?' 'Mostly red wine and whisky . . .' 'Well, I want you to put on some weight, because you're as skinny as hell. So eat as much as you can, and to help you in that process I'll send in a case of red wine.' Advertisement When a journalist was allowed to interview him, Tebbit said he'd got several broken ribs: 'I am sure somebody knows how many, but I haven't bothered to count. I have a deep cut on my left side. It is a bit slow to heal, because you cannot just bandage it up. I simply have to sit here and ooze. But overall I am not in too much pain.' He concealed the full extent of his injuries so as, he later explained, not to 'give satisfaction to those who had committed the bombing. Nor to any of my colleagues or my opponents. I didn't want them to have any doubts that I was going to be back on song.' Margaret Thatcher was clear that his job was waiting whenever he was ready to resume it full time, Tebbit recalls, though 'obviously she must have had in mind the thought: 'Is Norman going to make it? Is he going to recover?' 'My department covered a pretty wide waterfront in those days. She must have wondered how long she could have a Secretary of State who wasn't really carrying a full load of Cabinet work.' After a fortnight, the Tebbits were transferred to Stoke Mandeville Hospital near Aylesbury, so Margaret could be treated at its specialist spinal- injuries unit. The helicopter journey from Brighton was planned in secret. Ambulances and police cars were drawn up to the front of the hospital, while they were smuggled out of the back and taken to a nearby school playing field. While Tebbit had wanted to walk the short distance to the field, as he recalled, 'I was overruled by a female wing commander who insisted I go on a stretcher. Which I didn't want to do, because I thought the sooner I was seen to be able to walk, the better. For good reason he was known in politics as the 'Chingford Skinhead' after his North-East London constituency because of his tough reputation. 'But she outranked me. I'd been a flying officer in the RAF, so I obeyed orders.' At Stoke Mandeville, Tebbit had three private secretaries and a diary secretary, and there was always at least one on site. Lansley says: 'We were very focused on keeping him up to speed on work, because it was good therapy for him. Otherwise he would just dwell on Margaret's injuries, and that wasn't going to help him at all.' Ruth Thompson says: 'More things were delegated to his junior ministers [Ken Baker, Norman Lamont and Paul Channon]. But a lot of things weren't. He seemed to me to be amazingly on the ball.' When Norman Tebbit was finally freed from the rubble a paramedic routinely asked him if he had any allergies. 'Yes,' Tebbit replied. 'To bombs!' Tebbit says: 'Without having something to do, I would have become introspective, and thought too much about my own injuries. And more particularly my wife's injuries, as it gradually became clear that she was not going to make much recovery. I had to think through how we would manage, which was quite complicated.' As a couple, they had been very dependent on each other. Now her disability meant a profound and lifetime change. 'It was as if he felt that he was partly responsible,' Ruth Thompson says. 'He was the one who'd gone into public life, and look what had happened to her. Was he feeling guilty? I don't know. He wouldn't have used the word. Did he feel shattered by it? He probably did.' Debris can be seen at the foot of Margaret Thatcher's bed. These pictures revealed just how close the IRA came to succeeding in their assassination attempt Tebbit was still a sick man. Soon after moving to Stoke Mandeville, he had a serious operation on his thigh, from which a large chunk of flesh had been gouged out as he lay in the rubble of what had been his room in the Grand Hotel. He also had to have part of his pelvis removed, a skin graft, and then another one when the initial one didn't work properly. He admits this was 'annoying', but denies it stopped him working. 'It's not only whores that work flat on their back, you know.' The DTI's key business at the time of the Brighton bombing was the privatisation of British Telecom. 'It had to be taken through on the schedule that we'd set,' Tebbit recalls. Key decisions, about the pricing and allocation of shares, couldn't be postponed. He agreed the price for the share flotation with Nigel Lawson, the Chancellor, while lying in bed. 'So by then I was obviously, very much back in the driving seat again.' Sir Brian Hayes, joint permanent secretary at Tebbit's department, says: 'For practical purposes, he was never absent. Very quickly after the bomb, he was seeing the papers. His brain was working as it always did very effectively.' But if anyone thought they could relax in his absence, they were in for a shock. An unnamed official was quoted in the Financial Times: 'He's not here but on the other hand, he's around, and from time to time, makes his presence felt.' Another anonymous source told the paper: 'You're sitting there enjoying the freedom of having the boss away, then you look through your in-tray and find a brief missive saying: 'Hope you're not spending too much of my money while I'm away,' and it's signed by Tebbit.' Norman Tebbit is lifted from the ruins of the Grand Hotel after the shocking blast in 1984 Nobody had any idea when he'd be back. 'In the beginning,' says Ruth Thompson, 'a fortnight was talked about. But that wasn't realistic, because his injuries were found to be worse than had been thought and he had to have skin grafts and the like. 'So people quickly got used to the new arrangement, though they didn't like it. Every civil servant wants to be able to eyeball the minister about difficult decisions. But nobody could complain. It was palpably not his fault that he couldn't see them.' But not all Tebbit's bedside visitors were government officials. One day, Fred Bishop, the fire fighter who'd pulled him out of the debris of the Grand, arrived with two colleagues. They'd been sent for by Tebbit's doctors with a specific purpose in mind Bishop says: 'His physical state was very bad, but his mental state was what they were concerned about. They wanted us there because he'd have to discuss the incident with us. It was the only thing we had in common, really. 'We got him talking. Afterwards, the doctors said to us: 'Brilliant, he's opened up at last.' ' Two years after the bombing, Norman Tebbit re-opened the repaired hotel (seen here in 20014). 'Room service that night was slow,' he was still able to joke. 'I had to wait three-and-a-half hours before anybody came!' Tebbit had been in danger of internalising the whole experience, which would not have been good. Now, after his chat with the firemen, in the words of his doctors, he was 'coming back up again'. Bishop also saw Margaret Tebbit at Stoke Mandeville. When he went into her room, she said excitedly: 'Fred, look at this,' and she raised her arm, very slightly. 'Margaret, that's magic.' 'Yeah but I can't put it down. Can you put it down for me?' He was impressed by her sense of humour. He recalls her saying: 'I'm glad this happened to me and not Norman, being severely damaged and becoming an invalid.' He marvelled at her stoicism. 'Margaret, that attitude is absolutely wonderful,' he told her. 'No,' she replied, 'it's because he'd be impossible to live with.' Thatcher's conference speech had been rewritten to reflect what had happened. She delivered it without an autocue. The key passage denounced the bombing as 'an attempt to cripple Her Majesty's democratically elected government'. By now Tebbit was proving difficult to keep in hospital, getting, in his own words, 'p***ed off' at being stuck in there. So he discharged himself, and returned to his office in London, where a pre-Christmas party was underway to celebrate the BT privatisation. 'It was my first occasion out of hospital, and it was quite painful being driven there. I arrived and went up in a lift, and as the doors opened, there was a party going on a pretty good one. 'So I stood at the door and shouted at the top of my voice: 'So that's what you buggers get up to when I'm not here, is it?' The Chingford Skinhead was back. The next month, he made his first post-bomb Cabinet appearance, and said he was looking forward to 'roughing up the Labour Party before too long'. Five days later he returned to the Commons despatch box 'feeling that nervousness a racing-car driver might have the first time he was on the starting line after having had a major accident. I was wondering: 'Am I quite as good as I was before?' 'But I was determined to demonstrate I was the same old Tebbit, and certainly not looking for sympathy. Nor was there any element of Labour going easy on me, because I wasn't going easy on them. Normal service was resumed.' But some things had changed. 'I was back in the office and coping OK, but I had no domestic life, obviously, apart from my visits out to Stoke Mandeville to see Margaret. And so I probably worked longer hours than I would normally have done. 'Most of the rest of the time I spent in the Commons, because I didn't have anywhere else to go. I was living in a little flat over Admiralty House, with a lovely view, but it was a bed-sitter, not a place where you particularly want to be. So I would either be at the department at work, or with my mates in the Commons, or I'd be out at Stoke visiting Margaret.' He also had his protection team. 'Intelligence showed that the IRA were anxious to finish the job, so my name was high on the list of people they wanted to murder. 'My protection people went everywhere with me, so that was an additional source of company. It was a curious life, until my wife came out of the hospital, which was quite some time.' He didn't suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, as many caught up in the bombing did. He says: 'The mind has a great capacity for shoving painful and unwelcome things out of the way. It's a part of the defence mechanism. And I let that happen. 'I was fortunate in that I'd got a demanding job, and a lot of people helping me to get back to it. So there was plenty to fill my days, fill my mind, and I didn't get unduly introspective. 'It was only quite a bit later, really when my wife came out of hospital, that I began to wonder whether it was fair on her for me to continue in a job that was so demanding of time and concentration. That was when I decided to step down from government.' He gave up a lot. 'We all knew that Tebbit could have been Prime Minister,' Andrew Lansley says. But he put that ambition aside, out of necessity and loyalty. Lansley explains: 'The demands that ministerial office place on families and spouses are in their way greater than they are for the minister themselves. 'Suddenly, with the injuries, he realised what a price Margaret, his Margaret, was having to pay, for the life that he had chosen. He gave up everything to look after her. Tebbit remains philosophical about that dark night in October 1984 when his world literally fell in on top of him. 'People do recover. In World War II, terrible things happened to people but they were not expected to go away and cry, they were expected to get back up and get on with it. 'Growing up in the war, being bombed, seeing the odd ceiling come down, windows and doors blown in, you were aware of the fragility of life. 'Nor was having spent the night in an air-raid shelter accepted as an excuse for not having done your homework. And that was reinforced by my time in the RAF and losing colleagues. 'We weren't expected to make fusses. And that, I think, was a good preparation for coming a bit unstuck in later life.' Something Has Gone Wrong: Dealing With The Brighton Bomb by Steven Ramsey is published by Biteback on January 11, 2018, priced 12.99. To order a copy for 10.39 (20 per cent discount), visit mailshop.co.uk/books or call 0844 571 0640, p&p is free on orders over 15. Offer valid until January 17, 2018. TOMORROW: HOW THEY SNARED THE BOMBER Prince Charles (pictured on Christmas Day) is doing less charitable work as he approaches his 70th birthday, according to accounts Prince Charles is doing less charitable work as he approaches his 70th birthday and starts filling in for the Queen. The Prince of Wales's Charitable Foundation handed out less than half the donations this year than it did during the previous year. In 2016 the foundation gave charities a total of 7.7million, compared with 3.1million in the 12 months to March, according to accounts. Clarence House told the Daily Telegraph Charles, 69, is 'reviewing' his charity work as he takes on more jobs to support the Queen. A spokesman told the newspaper: 'The approach of the Prince's 70th birthday provided a sensible opportunity to review his charities to ensure that they continue to deliver the maximum benefit for those people they were set up to help. 'The review was also designed to ensure the Prince's involvement was at the right level and had the right focus. 'This will ensure that the charities become sustainable with less necessity for the engagement of HRH on a day-to-day basis, and will contribute in building a lasting legacy of his philanthropic work.' The Prince attended the most official engagements of all the royals last year - managing to make 546 in total. He is believed to have increased the number of events he goes to as the Queen, 91, reduces her workload. Clarence House told the Daily Telegraph Charles, 69, is 'reviewing' his charity work as he takes on more jobs to support the Queen. He is pictured with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle She has been slowly scaling back her duties over the past few years, reducing the number of official events she goes to by 11 per cent compared with last year, down from 332 to 296. Her husband Philip, 96, retired from royal duties in August after totting up 22,219 solo engagements since Her Majesty became Queen in 1952. As Charles appears more in public to support his mother, some his foundation's major beneficiaries have seen a drop in support. Building Community had their funding cut from 1.6million in 2016 to 545,000, according to Companies House. The Royal Drawing School's grant was also cut, plummeting from 439,000 to just 93,000. Charles was last seen at the Church of St Mary Magdalene in King's Lynn, Norfolk attending the Christmas Day service with the Queen, Prince Philip, Prince Harry and his new fiancee Meghan Markle and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. What will - or should - our celebrities and public figures be setting as their New Year resolutions? In a seasonal spirit QUENTIN LETTS makes a few suggestions - and tells us what presents some of them received for Christmas... NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS John Cleese a change of career. Please. You were funny once, John, but the comedy thing simply isnt working any more. Mary Berry trying not to look quite so delighted now that she is off Bake-Off. Tony Blair to stop pretending he supports Labour. Princess Beatrice fitness training to make sure she is in peak condition to catch Meghans bouquet at the Royal Wedding in May. Commons Speaker John Bercow to make good on his promise in June 2009, when he became Speaker, to do only nine years in the Chair. David Cameron to stop taking so many coffee-and-biscuit breaks while writing his book. Its sedentary work, David, and the waistline is a danger. Bank of England governor Mark Carney to resist the temptation of moving the Bank to Oldham (Labour wants it out of London) before he quits. Kenneth Clarke to take a trip to the European parliament in Brussels so he can actually see how pathetic the EUs democratic institutions are. Ruth Davidson to announce her conversion to Brexit and to start the process (if it has not already begun) of humbly seeking a Westminster seat so that she can have a chance of trying to succeed Theresa May one day. Prince Harry to forswear downing shots at his stag do. David Davis Lemsip three times a day for the whole of January to try to get rid of the single European cold that has bedevilled him for the past two months. Philip Hammond to let someone else sit next to Theresa May at Prime Ministers Questions in the Commons. Someone who might occasionally look a bit more cheerful about life rather than resembling a mournful vulture. Richard Hammond to keep to the speed limit. Please, Richard. We dont want you having any more high-speed prangs. Prince Harry to forswear downing shots at his stag do. Lord Hogan-Howe as one of the Mets worst top coppers relaxes into his sun-kissed, ermine-clad retirement, how about resolving never to claim so much as a shilling in House of Lords expenses? Paul Hollywood to give up the dad jeans. House of Lords to give Brexit a really hard time, and by doing so prove how out of touch and democratically illegitimate the Upper House is. Theresa May to make Nigel Farage a member of the House of Lords before the Upper House starts to debate Brexit. It would do the nations morale a wonder to hear Nigel giving the stuffy peers a piece of his mind Boris Johnson to make repeated trips to Iran until the regime there agrees to the release of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe. Stanley Im a Jungle celebrity Johnson to overcome his crippling shyness. Paul McCartney to give up the high notes. Theyre no longer remotely in your range, Paul. Novelist Ian McEwan after his rude remarks about the elderly and how he hoped doddery Brexiteers would soon be dead, a spell at the Norland nannies school to learn some manners. Debbie McGee to come clean about her age. After those amazing Strictly performances, Debbie, we know youre only in your 30s! Theresa May to make Nigel Farage a member of the House of Lords before the Upper House starts to debate Brexit. It would do the nations morale a wonder to hear Nigel giving the stuffy peers a piece of his mind. Boris Johnson to make repeated trips to Iran until the regime there agrees to the release of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe Her husband Philip to go on the occasional late-night blitz with drinking buddies to try to rediscover the more skittish side to his life. Meghan Markle learn not only the various titles of all the members of the Royal Family but also, as important, the public-school and Army nicknames of all Harrys delightful friends. Robert Mugabe why not have a bash at becoming an after-dinner speaker in America, now that youve lost power? Tony Blair did it, after all. Those Yanks would love you, Bob! National Theatre boss Rufus Norris to forget the student politics and stage a few of Western dramas classics. With so many unsold seats and nearly every show being given a critical panning, things cant continue as they are. George Osborne visit a Tibetan monastery and ask the lamas to meditate him out of this corrosive desire for vengeance on Theresa May. Bob Quick (the copper who helped bring down Damian Green) time for a general detox, perhaps. Wash away some of those acids. Prince William to ignore the critics who tell him to be less conservative. Just be who you are, Wills. People used to criticise your grandmother for being a bit stiff, too. Look how wrong they were Wayne Rooney a dry January, and lets take it from there. Amber Rudd to concentrate on building a local political base before you start thinking about standing for the Tory leadership. Anna Soubry MP to take regular lie-downs to prevent her becoming so tired and emotional. Chuka Umunna MP to get out from under Peter Mandelsons wing and discover a political personality of his own. Arsene Wenger to visit a stylist and find a more chic coat to wear on the touchline at Arsenal games. That anorak is a shocker. Prince William to ignore the critics who tell him to be less conservative. Just be who you are, Wills. People used to criticise your grandmother for being a bit stiff, too. Look how wrong they were. WHAT THEY GOT FOR CHRISTMAS Lord Adonis (ardent anti-Brexiteer whos resigned in a huff as a Government tsar) a special early example of the new blue British passport. Enjoy! David Beckham the sash, star and insignia of the Most Honourable And Entirely Fictitious Order Of St Cedric, which is probably the only gong he is going to get after he was exposed for chasing a knighthood. Ken Branagh a razor to get rid of that Moustache On The Orient Express. Nick Clegg blue EU-star patterned Y-fronts and vest. Jeremy Corbyn a pair of nose-hair trimmers. Duchess of Cambridge a home-made card from George and a sticky Plasticine elephant from Charlotte. Best presents in the world. Doctor Who pink furry dice for her Tardis. Lewis Hamilton a gallon of Halfords antifreeze, to thaw out his cold personality. Mick Jagger new lead for his pencil as it was close to being worn out. Jeremy Corbyn a pair of nose-hair trimmers Jean-Claude Juncker Andrews Liver Salts (family pack). Dominic Grieve a velvet-lined presentation case for that Legion dHonneur this Europhile, Tory rebel was awarded by a grateful French nation. Labours Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell nothing. Marxists do not believe in celebrating Christmas. The Poet Laureate a rhyming dictionary. Jacob Rees-Mogg pin-striped winceyette pyjamas and a bowler hat-shaped shower cap. Kevin Spacey a chastity belt. The Three Wise Men thank-you letters. Theyve been a long time coming . . . Keith Vaz an alibi. David Walliams a pair of glittering, size-13 stilettos. Health chiefs have admitted the current flu jab is ineffective for over-75s and ordered doctors to switch to a new version next winter. NHS England has written to all GPs warning that the vaccine has showed no significant effectiveness in this group over recent seasons. From next autumn, family doctors should instead adopt an injection used by other European countries for the last 20 years, but which will not be available in Britain until the 2018-19 flu season. Until then the elderly will have to make do with the current vaccine and experts last night stressed that they should carry on receiving it as it is the best defence available. Some 70 per cent of pensioners, who are eligible for the jab on the NHS, have already had the current vaccine so far this winter. NHS England has written to all GPs warning that the vaccine has showed no significant effectiveness in this group over recent seasons (stock image) The new jab, called Fluad, is particularly effective against a strain which is especially dangerous to the elderly called H3N2, also known as Aussie flu. Trials have shown the 9.79 vaccine triggers a 61 per cent bigger immune response to this strain in over-65s than other vaccines. It is also more effective against the other common strain, H1N1, with a 40 per cent bigger immune response. Fluad has been available in Europe since August 1997, but only received a UK licence in August after British regulators retested its safety. In October the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), which advises the Government, recommended it replace the existing vaccine for the elderly. The minutes of its meeting said of Fluad: In a study undertaken in an elderly population ... [it] showed a highly significant effectiveness and relative effectiveness compared with [the current vaccine] which showed no effectiveness. The new jab, called Fluad, is particularly effective against a strain which is especially dangerous to the elderly called H3N2, also known as Aussie flu (stock image) Deaths jumped 40 per cent last winter, official figures show, which experts say is at least partly because the vaccine failed to protect older people. Some 34,300 more people died between December and March mainly the elderly according to the Office for National Statistics. In a letter to all GPs informing them of the change, NHS England said the over-65s would get the new jab if sufficient stocks are available but the priority will be for over-75s. The letter, dated December 22, said: The JCVI has accordingly advised that the use of [Fluad] should be a priority for those aged 75 years and over, given that the [current vaccine] has showed no significant effectiveness in this group over recent seasons. However, officials stressed that while the existing vaccine has not been effective in recent years, it may yet prove to work this winter because strains mutate. Deaths jumped 40 per cent last winter, official figures show. Some 34,300 more people died between December and March Dr Richard Pebody, acting head of the respiratory diseases department at Public Health England, said: The current flu vaccine is still the best defence we have against the virus. We therefore encourage all those who are eligible to take up the offer of the vaccine. An NHS England spokesman said: The vaccine was not available for doctors to use it this winter, but from next year this vaccine will give even better protection to older people. Sex sells - whether through words in books, pictures in magazines or a brothel business. One photographer found out firsthand. Marc McAndrews nervously walked into his first Nevada bagnio back in August 2005, when he was kicked out after informing one of the escorts he was only visiting for work purposes. In 2011, McAndrews published his book, 'Nevada Rose,' which details all the bracing experiences he had at brothels across 11 counties in America's only state where prostitution is legal. Photographer Marc McAndrews visited every brothel in the state of Nevada for a five-year photography project In 2011, McAndrews published his book, 'Nevada Rose,' which details every last bit of the bracing experience The photographs from McAndrew's 2011 book were recently shared with DailyMail.com. At Sinful's a 'two girl party' costs a whopping $4,000, while a 'shower party' costs $1,400 to start 'This five-year photography project features a diverse range of images of the working girls, and, behind the curtain of sex, the kitchens and cooks, laundry rooms and lounges, timers, managers, and pets,' the Amazon description reads of the book, also authored by Bill Higgins, with contributions by Patty Kelly. During his time visiting other brothels, McAndrews stayed in bedrooms, bathrooms and other enclosed rooms with the girls - who are captured confidently posing in photographs shared with DailyMail.com. The Pennsylvania-born 42-year-old explained how the taboo business continues to boom across the state and attracts people from all walks of life. McAndrews often stayed in bedrooms, bathrooms and other enclosed rooms with the girls He explained how the taboo business is booming across 11 counties with people from all walks of life McAndrews said many of the women were 'proud of the light being shown on what they are doing' 'The legal brothels of Nevada have relationships with community lawmakers, with health care professionals... and there are rules, values and protections in place,' he explained, while speaking in a 2012 interview with The New York Times. He said many of the women were excited to be apart of his photography project, as a way to step out from behind their believed curtain of shame. 'They're proud of the light being shown on what they are doing. I wasn't glorifying. I wasn't demonizing. I was just showing as it was. That was my intent, anyway,' McAndrews said. 'I think it is hard for people to imagine a woman owning her own sexuality and being O.K. with something like this. 'We're taught and socialized to believe certain things about sexuality and women's sexuality and prostitution in general,' he added. 'Nevada Rose' received a four out of five star rating from Amazon buyers. 'I think it is hard for people to imagine a woman owning her own sexuality and being O.K. with something like this,' McAndrews said McAndrews said he was kicked out of the first brothel he visited after he told an escort he was only there for work Two pyrotechnicians were forced to jump off a fireworks barge when New Year's Eve celebrations went horribly wrong on the New South Wales Central Coast. Crowds were evacuated from Terrigal beach after the barge caught fire just minutes into the fireworks show shortly after 9pm on Sunday. NSW Fire and Rescue said the two technicians were helped by onlookers before being treated by paramedics. Thousands had packed the foreshore to watch the display when the boat suddenly caught alight. Shocking video taken by an onlooker caught the moment a large bang erupted from the boat, drawing scared screams from the crowd and forcing people to evacuate. Two pyrotechnicians were forced to jump off a fireworks barge when New Year's Eve celebrations went horribly wrong on the New South Wales Central Coast Fireworks began exploding at random, with some even shooting out in the direction of the beach and coming perilously close to those gathered. Within seconds of the display starting the boat was covered in smoke as fireworks began firing out at random. Witnesses reported some fireworks shooting horizontally across the water towards those who had gathered on the sand. 'Barge on fire and fireworks going everywhere,' tweeted one shocked local who was watching the display. Scared children who had taken up a vantage point close to the waters edge could be seen running in the opposite direction to the fireworks. Screams reverberated around the beach as the thousands gathered began running for safety. The fire brigade was called to put out the blaze, with others at the scene describing it as 'chaotic'. Thousands had packed the foreshore at Terrigal, on the NSW central coast, to watch the 9pm spectacular when disaster struck Summer in Australia will be either sticker or soggier than usual this year, depending on where you live. In the east, maximum temperatures are expected to drop from January to March, and an above average amount of rain will fall, which will lead to an increase in storms. These are expected to start on January 1, with huge thunderstorms preparing to belt down in Queensland and parts of NSW. Expect to see more grey skies than usual this year, as storms become more frequent between January and March In the south, minimum temperatures will rise over the next three months, but rainfall will not drop, which will lead to hot and humid nights. Jacob Cronje, a senior meteorologist for Weatherzone, told Daily Mail Australia Western Australia, eastern NSW, and south-east Queensland will all see a cooler, wetter summer than usual. 'We're expecting slightly above average rainfall [for these areas],' he said. 'With this rainfall, and an increase in cloud cover, it looks like the maximum temperature will be cooler than average.' A massive storm is headed towards Brisbane, with the north east of NSW and south east of Queensland expected to see thunderstorms verging on severe. The Blue Mountains, west of Sydney, is also likely to see some rain on the first day of the year. A massive storm is headed to Brisbane, with the north east of NSW and south east of Queensland expected to see thunderstorms verging on severe Meteorologist Craig McIntosh said the conditions in Sydney were ripe for a thunderstorm, but he didn't believe there was enough moisture in the air 'There's a trough over much of eastern Australia, and those conditions are conducive to thunderstorms, but the chances are highest in Brisbane,' said meteorologist Craig McIntosh. Mr McIntosh said there was a 'low chance' Sydney could see some storms, but the rain would likely avoid the city for the day. 'The instability is there but there is maybe not enough moisture,' he explained. While the rain will be the main issue of the east, a lasting humidity will coat the south of the nation. In Australia's south, minimum temperatures will rise above average, and combined with a regular amount of rain, create hot, sticky nights The humidity will be felt in Victoria, Tasmania, and southern parts of South Australia Minimum temperatures are set to rise significantly in Victoria, Tasmania, and southern parts of South Australia, but there will still be an average amount of rainfall. Combined, this will lead to humidity, especially at night. Mr Cronje said the increased storms and the increased humidity was because of La Nina conditions in the tropical pacific. 'This is one of the big drivers that generally brings increased rainfall over eastern Australia during summer,' he said. Those in the top end will be enjoying summer as usual. Mr Cronje said weather around Darwin will experience warmer days and nights. For those in Darwin, only sunny skies are ahead, with weather expected to warm up even more over the next few months The boyfriend of a British woman jailed for taking painkillers into Egypt has spoken of his heartbreak as pictures emerged of the squalid prison where she will do her time. Laura Plummer, a shop assistant from Hull, was detained after arriving at the Red Sea resort of Hurghada in October with 290 Tramadol pills in her luggage, which her husband revealed was for his bad back. Now Omar Abdul Azim, 31, a lifeguard, told the Mirror: 'You don't know how much I love her and how upset I am. My heart is broken.' Pete Farmer, 45, has revealed the conditions inside al-Qanater jail in Egypt where he believes fellow Briton Laura Plummer will be sent after she was jailed for smuggling painkillers (pictured left is Mr Farmer's overcrowded cell, while right is the shower the men shared) The couple met four years ago at the Hilton hotel in Sharks Bay, near Sharm el-Sheikh, where he was working as a lifeguard and Miss Plummer was on holiday. Mr Azim was speaking as Plummer's Egyptian lawyer Mohamed Osman confirmed that she would be soon be sent to al-Qanater prison in Cairo. The news that she will be sent to the prison comes as a Briton jailed in Egypt for theft has revealed the 'horrendous' conditions inside the jail. Pete Farmer, 45, served his time at the prison in al-Qanater which he says is rife with violence and disease. Up to 30 people are crammed into each tiny cell, he said, and are forced to share a single shower while the toilet is just a hole in the ground. He says disease was rife, with up to 30 people crammed into each cell sharing a single shower and toilet which was little more than a hole in the ground Mr Farmer was locked up for two years for robbery when he says he accidentally picked up the wrong bag in a pub. The DJ - who had worked in Sharm El Sheikh for 11 years - was released in November. Photographs he took on a smuggled phone show the cramped cells, dirty toilets and the tiny window. Miss Plummer is currently in Qena prison but Pete said all foreign female prisoners serving sentences similar to hers are transferred to al-Qanater prison - where he stayed. Speaking from Essex, where he is staying with family, Pete said: 'No one deserves that sort of punishment. 'I'm a man and I just got through my sentence. For her as a woman - my heart bleeds for her. 'The conditions are absolutely horrendous. Disease is rife, there are cockroaches and lice and bedbugs. 'It is very, very violent. I can recall being in a line and seeing people being beaten and burned on their private parts with cattle prods. 'In my cell there were four sets of bunk beds, each three levels high - so that's 12 people - with another 15 to 18 on the floor. Mr Farmer was jailed for two years for theft, claiming he picked up the wrong bag in a club where he was DJing by mistake He said the food was fly-infested, and left out all day in the sun. During his time inside he dropped about a stone in weight The prison was in a bad state of disrepair, he said (left), while the cell had only a single small window giving contact with the outside world 'Egypt is a beautiful country but it is the levels of corruption which are disgusting.' Pete moved out to Egypt in 2004 to work as a club DJ, and also ran a radio station and record label. He was on a night off in November 2015 when he claims a drawstring bag - identical to one he and thousands of tourists had out there - was placed at his feet. Mistaking it for his own, he picked it up and headed home, but was awoken by the police knocking on his door, he said. They accused him of robbery and after checking the bag he realised his mistake and handed it back. Left is a light that Mr Farmer constructed out of a Pringles can, while right he is pictured on his bunk inside jail But police took him to the station, charged him with the crime, and after around three months he was found guilty and sentenced to two years in prison. Photos show the horrific conditions he endured, with beds stacked high to the ceiling and filthy rags draped from the railings offering the only privacy. Another photo shows a homemade lamp he made using a Pringles tube and cup hooked up to a bare wire, and the flip flops he wore for two years. The shower in his room was shared by up to 30 people and the toilet was a hole in the floor. He lived off food brought in by visitors - rather than eating the fly-ridden prison food served from three communal barrels he said were left in the sun all day. Pete got through his ordeal by reading endless books circulated among inmates, and writing to the two other British inmates, in letters delivered by the prison pastor. Miss Plummer has been sentenced to three years for smuggling Tramadol tablets, which are legal in the UK but banned in Egypt, into the country in her suitcase He was not allowed to make any phone calls or send or receive any outside letters, and was only allowed to have visitors every two weeks. 'Our cell was opened between 10am and 3pm,' he recalled. 'But the women's cells are not opened for that length of time. 'The whole experience really took its toll on my health. 'I lost about a stone and I lost teeth, suffered gum disease and chest problems. 'I witnessed regular beatings. 'I never saw rapes - but I heard one man being raped. Violence is rife and there are a lot of razor blades which are used to slash peoples' faces. 'It was absolutely horrendous.' Pete was released on November 9 and flew back four days later, refusing to believe he was really free until his flight took off. 'It was only when all the wheels were off the ground I really believed I would be ok,' he said. He claims police emptied his bank account of 2,000 while he was locked up and took all his belongings - apart from his beloved hard drive containing all his music, which a friend rescued. He said he has been supporting the family of Laura Plummer by telling them what she can expect, and offering advice. He said she is likely to end up in the same prison because it has a women's wing and houses most foreign inmates. 'I've told them my experience - good and bad,' he said. 'I've been through it and I'm really worried about her. 'Unfortunately Egypt is a man's world and women get treated like rubbish - no place more than in prison.' Advertisement Pippa Middleton and her husband James Matthews flew on the same seaplane which crashed on New Year's Eve, killing all six on board, just seven months ago during their honeymoon. The couple took the same trip on the De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver to an exclusive river restaurant north of Sydney as the five holidaying Britons, including an 11-year-old girl, who were killed. Pippa, the sister of the Duchess of Cambridge, and James were pictured in the aircraft with the call sign VH-NOO in late May as they flew to and from lunch at the swanky Cottage Point Inn. Prominent businessman Richard Cousins, 58, his fiancee Emma Bowden, 48, Ms Bowden's daughter Heather, 11, and Mr Cousins's sons Edward, 23, and William, 25, were killed in the accident on Sunday. Video taken from a nearby boat shows what is believed to be the doomed aircraft just moments before it plunged into the Hawkesbury River at Jerusalem Bay, near Cowan, about 3pm local time. Scroll down for video Newlyweds Pippa Middleton and James Matthews (right) alight the De Havilland DHC-2 seaplane which crashed on Sunday, killing all six on board, during their honeymoon in Sydney on May 31 Pippa Middleton steps into the seaplane which crashed in the Hawkesbury River, north of Sydney, on Sunday afternoon A NSW Police officer carries a door recovered from the De Havilland aircraft which crashed on Sunday killing all six aboard High-profile businessman Richard Cousins (pictured) was killed along with his fiancee, her daughter and two of his sons The Duchess of Cambridge's sister Pippa Middleton seated in the seaplane which crashed on Sunday killing all six on board The wreckage of the 54-year-old aircraft, operated by Sydney Seaplanes, was eventually found on the bottom of Cowan Creek under 42ft (13m) of water with the bodies inside. The bodies have all been removed. Police are now working on the logistics of refloating the wreckage. They do not know what caused the crash. The plane will need to be brought back to the surface before forensic air-crash investigators can piece together what went wrong. Mr Cousins, chief executive of British catering giant Compass, is believed to have been in Australia on a family holiday to celebrate New Year with his family. He was recently named at No 11 on the 100 Best Performing CEOs in the World by Harvard Business Review. When Mr Cousins announced his retirement in September, shares in Compass dropped. The Australian Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull whose father died in a light plane crash in 1982 described the disaster as a 'tragic accident'. 'Our hearts go out to the families of those whose lives were lost in this accident,' Mr Turnbull said. 'These are tragic circumstances. It's hard. We don't know yet what caused it but it's just a tragedy. 'Again, we grieve for those who've lost their lives, and again, our thoughts and prayers are with their families as they come to terms with this terrible loss.' Gareth Morgan, who was killed when the seaplane he was flying crashed, was an experienced and well-regarded pilot Newlyweds Pippa Middleton and James Matthews walk from the seaplane which crashed on Sunday, killing five Britons Six people have been killed after a tourist plane crashed into a river near Sydney on Sunday afternoon, with five of the victims British. Pictured is a plane believed to be the doomed aircraft spotted moments before it crashed Newlyweds Pippa Middleton and James Matthews (right) alight the De Havilland DHC-2 seaplane which crashed on Sunday, killing all six on board, during their honeymoon in Sydney on May 31 Five Britons, including an 11-year-old girl, are believed to have been on board the Sydney Seaplanes aircraft when it came down. Pictured are police officers gathering evidence at the scene NSW Police and Australian Transport Safety Bureau investigators on a police launch at the river crash site on Monday An officer carries a piece of debris recovered from a seaplane that crashed into the Hawkesbury River, north of Sydney Witness Myles Baptiste said he saw the plane crash. He told 9News: 'It made a tight right-hand turn and as it actually turned around, the wings dipped and it nosedived straight into the water.' 'For reasons that are not known at this stage, the plane has hit the water and it has subsequently sunk,' said a police spokesperson. 'At the time of the collision, there was a pilot and five passengers on board. I can confirm the six people on the plane are deceased.' The plane crashed while flying the party of five from the Cottage Point Inn back to Rose Bay on Sydney Harbour ahead of the New Year's Eve fireworks display. The acclaimed restaurant offers three-hour degustations at $140 (81) per person with another $75 (43) getting customers paired wines. Sydney Seaplanes managing director Aaron Shaw said: 'All at Sydney Seaplanes are deeply shocked by this incident and the resulting loss of life.' Pippa Middleton and James Matthews return from their trip to Cottage Point Inn on the Hawkesbury River on May 31 Emergency services were called to Cowan Creek on Sunday with reports of a light plane crash NSW police and paramedics remove a passenger's body from the crash site at Jerusalem Bay on the Hawkesbury River 'We wish to pass on our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the passengers and pilot who were tragically killed. We do not yet know the cause of the accident. 'We are dedicating our full resources in assisting the NSW Police, the Australian Transport Safety Board, Civil Aviation Safety Authority and other relevant authorities to understand the cause of the accident.' He added: 'Sydney Seaplanes has been operating since 2005, have undertaken thousands of flights in that period and have had an unblemished safety record until now. 'The safety of our passengers and staff is our absolute primary and highest priority. 'Our aircraft are professionally maintained to manufacturer's specifications and our seaplane pilots are some of the most experienced in the world.' The company has suspended all operations until further notice, Mr Shaw said. A fellow Sydney Seaplanes pilot took to Facebook to write: 'Thoughts are with the guys from Sydney Seaplanes this afternoon, hope they are all well and things have a positive outcome. Top bunch of guys working there.' Debris and oil slick have been found on the surface of Cowan Creek, north of Sydney, where the seaplane crashed The body of a passenger recovered from the crashed seaplane is carried from the scene by NSW police and paramedics Pippa Middleton and her husband James Matthews arrive at Rose Bay wharf after their seaplane flight on May 31 this year Pippa Middleton and James Matthews (centre) disembark from the seaplane which crashed on New Year's Eve The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has sent three vehicles to investigate the incident. The bureau is expected to release a preliminary report in just under a month, according to The Australian. Forensic police are also at the scene. The route the seaplane took is a popular choice for tourists who want to experience Sydney's beauty from the air. Pippa Middleton and James Matthews had exchanged vows at St Mark's Church at a private estate in Berkshire, west of London, less than a fortnight before their Sydney seaplane flight. Those who have enjoyed the same trip include television host Jeremy Clarkson. Other A-listers to take to the skies over scenic New South Wales with the company Sydney Seaplanes include musician Ed Sheeran, comedian Jerry Seinfeld and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates. Oscar-winning actor Cuba Gooding Jr chose the seaplanes to travel around Sydney earlier last month to film commercials for a phone company. Advertisement Friends of the the millionaire CEO who died in a New Year's Eve seaplane crash near Sydney with his two sons, new fiancee and her 11-year-old daughter have revealed how they received invitations to his wedding just days ago. Richard Cousins, 58, his wife-to-be Emma Bowden, 48, and her daughter Heather, 11, were all killed in an air accident in New South Wales on Sunday. His sons Ed, 23 , and Will, 25, also died along with experienced pilot 44-year-old Gareth Morgan, when the plane crashed into the water and sank. The group were in Australia for a family holiday but died flying back from lunch at Cottage Point to Sydney Harbour just before the world famous New Year's Eve fireworks display. A neighbour who lives in Hyde Heath, near Amersham, Buckinghamshire, revealed he had received invitations for his friend's upcoming wedding and engagement party just a few days before the their deaths. The man, who asked not to be named but lives near to where Mr Cousins had his large estate, said: 'He was a wonderful man and they were a lovely family.' He added: 'They were a lovely couple. It's just horrendous what has happened. I think they flew out just before Christmas and had Christmas out there. 'I knew from him that [Caroline, Mr Cousins's first wife who died of cancer three years ago] always said that if he found someone else she would want him to be happy and he was so happy. He was the happiest he had been in a long while. 'He was so looking forward to the wedding - he was as happy as can be. Scroll down for video Richard Cousins, 58 (pictured) is among the five Britons to be killed in the New Year's Eve seaplane crash north of Sydney 'He had a brilliant time in Australia as far as I know. This was a holiday he had been planning for a long time. He was a lovely man. A strange CEO, more socialist than most CEOs.' The neighbour added the marriage was scheduled for July 21 and that an engagement party was planned for the start of March. He added Mr Cousins' sons were to be best men at his wedding and that Heather, Ms Bowden's daughter, was to be the bridesmaid for her mother. Caroline Franklin, 78, a retired nurse and another neighbour of Mr Cousins, said: 'They were very good neighbours. I'm still in total shock - the whole village is. I just can't believe what's happened. It's so sad. '[Richard's ex-wife] Caroline died three or four years ago but she'd stop her Land Rover and we'd chat for hours. 'I didn't know Richard that well because he was always working in London. But the boys were both lovely children when they were younger - very polite and helpful. 'They were all very much a large part of the community.' It comes after the MailOnline revealed that Mr Cousin's lost his first wife to cancer three years ago. Caroline Cousins urged Compass catering boss Richard Cousins, 58, to 'find someone new' before she died aged 55, just six weeks after being diagnosed with a virulent strain of the disease. Caroline's brother Ian Thorpe, from Leicestershire, revealed his brother-in-law was a 'very loving' family man who 'made my sister very happy until the day she died'. He said: 'He was a great guy but there was a toughness. He knew where he was going and he achieved it. I'm proud that he did. He bought me my house so I could have some security. That was the kind of guy he was'. Their uncle said Ed and Will were 'fabulous boys' who were 'brought up in the right way' and would 'talk to you about anything'. He said: 'Caroline never had a daughter. When I went down to visit with my daughter the boys were fantastic with her. They were so kind. And that to me was their most outstanding thing. 'Their kindness and their generosity. It was that I liked about them most. They were wonderful fellas. I'm struggling four hours down the line that they are not with us anymore.' Emma Bowden and her young daughter Heather (pictured together) died in the accident in the Hawkesbury River, north of Sydney, on Sunday Mr Cousins' sons Ed, 23, and Will, 25, (left to right) were also killed along with experience pilot Gareth Morgan, 44, when the plane crashed into the water and sank yesterday. A British holidaymaker who flew in the doomed Sydney seaplane just four hours before the crash took what is believed to be the last photograph of pilot Gareth Morgan alive (pictured) The body of a passenger recovered from the downed seaplane that crashed on Sunday killing six people is carried by police and paramedics A New South Wales policewoman is seen holding a piece of debris from the seaplane which crashed in the Hawkesbury River The crash happened when group were in Australia on a family holiday but died flying back from lunch at Cottage Point to Sydney Harbour ahead of the world famous New Year's Eve fireworks display. It is understood the cricket mad boys were in the country to see some Ashes cricket'. Tributes to crash victim who fought 'crusade' against a hard Brexit Will Cousins, 25, was head of press for Open Britain, which opposes a hard Brexit Tributes have been paid to an 'exceptionally talented' political campaigner who died in a seaplane crash in Australia on New Year's Eve. Will Cousins, 25, head of press for Open Britain, which opposes a hard Brexit, died alongside his father Richard, 58, and his brother Edward, 23. Labour MPs said Mr Cousins, who worked on the Remain campaign during the referendum, was an 'absolute joy' to work with and would be 'missed by all'. Former shadow chancellor Chris Leslie said: 'Such awful news - a devastating family tragedy. Will Cousins was exceptionally talented head of press for @Open-Britain and he'll be deeply missed by all. Many condolences to his friends, family and colleagues.' Mary Creagh, a Labour former frontbencher, said: 'So very sad to hear of the loss of brilliant Will Cousins. His family, friends & @Open-Britain colleagues are in my thoughts & prayers.' Labour MP Wes Streeting said: 'Truly awful news about Will Cousins and his family. Such a good and talented guy. Sending love to everyone, especially the @Open-Britain family.' Labour former frontbencher Alison McGovern said: 'Absolutely devastated. Thinking of all who loved him. Worked with Will over recent months and he always made me laugh, but was so very smart. An absolute joy to work with.' Open Britain chairman Roland Rudd said Mr Cousins was an 'extraordinary young man' who would be 'missed beyond words'. 'All of us at Open Britain are devastated by the tragic loss of Will and his family,' he said. 'Will was an extraordinary young man who was passionate about what he did; who took deep pride in his work; and came into the office every day with enthusiasm, energy and determination. 'Will saw his role at Open Britain as more than a job. For him, it was a cause akin to a crusade to stop Britain crashing out of the EU with no deal or a bad deal. 'Will was a great team player who loved the camaraderie of our young team and developed close relationships with all his colleagues. He will be missed beyond words.' James McGrory, executive director of the group, said: 'Will was one of the most impressive people you could ever work with. His ability, dedication and passion were an inspiration to everyone around him. At such a young age, he had mastered skills that elude many for their entire careers. 'We have not just lost a special colleague but a wonderful friend. Will's razor-sharp wit, easy company and generosity will be missed even more than his huge brain, peerless prose and fearless ideas. 'Words cannot express how much I and the rest of the team at Open Britain will miss Will. We have lost a brilliant colleague and a true friend.' Advertisement A neighbour at Mr Cousins' 1.7million country home in the Chilterns, which he shared with first wife Caroline until her death, told MailOnline: 'She had told him to find somebody else. The family had gone through the dreadful loss of Caroline. He was getting his life back together and we heard this dreadful news.' Richard and Emma were due to marry in June and had been living together with Heather in Tooting, south-west London, where neighbours described them as a 'happy go lucky' couple looking forward to their 2018 wedding. Lata Maisuria, who lives two doors away from the family's terraced house, said: 'It was a holiday, you're expecting them to come back, you're not expecting them to be brought back in this way'. Mr Cousins has been chief executive of British catering giant Compass since 2006 and was named number 11 in the world's 100 best performing CEOs this year by Harvard Business Review after turning a 1.6billion profit. Experts have said he was 'the greatest businessmen of his generation'. John Capper, the President of Hyde Heath cricket club, said Mr Cousins retained a close connection with the village where he lived with his first wife and its cricket team where he had played. He has not sold the family home but has chosen not to live there. His son Will, who lived in London and worked , returned to play for the club. His youngest son Ed was due to join the police. Mr Capper said: 'It is a terrible shock. The whole village is in mourning. 'Richard was a great supporter of the cricket club and Will played for us. We will all be raising a glass to them. 'We will miss them hugely. We can't believe what has happened.' Will worked as a political adviser to the Labour Party and Edward was going to join the police. Another neighbour Christine Franklin, 78, said: 'They were a lovely family and lovely neighbours. I remember Caroline very well she was always very friendly and would stop and have a chat. 'She died very young. It must have been over two years ago.. It was a great shame. 'I will always remember the boys coming by on their bikes.' She said that although Richard had moved away, he had not sold the large 5 bed detached family home, which had been on the market for 1.7 million. Compass Group CEO Richard Cousins, 58, from Leeds, his London-based magazine editor fiancee Emma Bowden, 48, Emma's 11-year-old daughter Heather Bowden and Richard's sons Edward Cousins, 23, and 25-year-old William Cousins were all killed in the accident. Witness Myles Baptiste said he saw the plane crash, said 'It made a tight right-hand turn and as it actually turned around, the wings dipped and it nosedived straight into the water.' Mr Morgan, the experienced pilot, did not even have time to make a mayday call before the plane ploughed into the river. 'Accidents like this are most unusual,' Kevin Bowe of the Seaplane Pilots Association Australia said. The route the seaplane took is a popular choice for tourists who want to experience Sydney's beauty from the air. Those who have enjoyed the same flight include Kate Middleton's sister Pippa on her honeymoon with James Matthews and Grand Tour host Jeremy Clarkson. Other A-listers to take to the skies over scenic New South Wales with the company Sydney Seaplanes include Ed Sheeran, Jerry Seinfeld and Bill Gates. Oscar-winning actor Cuba Gooding Jr. chose the sea planes to travel around Sydney earlier this month to film commercials for a phone company. It appears that Mr Cousins, a hugely respected businessman, had been planning to change his life and perhaps spend more time with his family as he quit his job this year. He was living with his fiancee Emma in Tooting, south-west London. Lisa Byrne described Ms Bowden - her friend and former colleague at OK! Magazine - as the 'Grace Kelly' of the office. Mrs Byrne, 47, the former editor-in-chief, told the Press Association: 'She quite regal, very serene, and very well educated. 'My first impressions of her were that she was lovely - a very kind person. 'She was such a wonderful, calming influence in the office, and I never heard her grumble. 'Her absolute main priority was her daughter Heather. 'My heart just goes out to their families and their loved ones - this (the crash) has just been awful. I'm just utterly devastated really.' Ms Bowden was OK!'s arts editor and had been with the magazine for almost 15 years. Kirsty Tyler, OK! Magazine's editor said: 'All the staff at OK! Magazine are deeply shocked and saddened to hear about this terrible tragedy. We would like to extend our heartfelt sympathy to all Emma's family and friends. 'Emma was a popular and long-standing member of staff at OK! Magazine and she will be greatly missed by us all.' Neighbours of the couple in Tooting, south west London, described their shock on Monday morning. Heather had started at nearby Graveney School in September where she had begun to make new friends. Neighbour Lata Maisuria, who lives two doors away from the family's terraced house, said: 'They were happy go lucky people just like us. 'They had a day to day routine, the daughter had just started school and she seemed happy, because we asked her a couple of times how she liked it and she seemed to fit in nicely at the school, and seemed to be very happy. 'She really wanted to go to that school and she was looking forward to it.' She added: 'Mum and dad were always busy with life. 'They were busy with the little one and she was running backwards and forwards doing whatever she was doing. She had friends but nobody that I know because I said 'when you got to school you will find lots of different friends'. 'This is a tight community here, we all look after each other. We have been busy for Christmas and they were doing their Christmas things and we would just say hello when they were out. 'This is a family street, we're in and out of each other's pockets most of the time and if anything happens we're there for them and they're there for us.' Did seaplane bank too sharply? Doomed craft carrying widowed millionaire, his sons, new fiancee and her daughter, 11, may have stalled The plane that crashed killing all five on board likely stalled as it banked to the right on its way out of Jerusalem, it was claimed. Kevin Bowe, of the Seaplane Pilots Association Australia, said the Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver was generally regarded as safer than other small planes, because it is capable of landing on water. While catastrophic engine failure has not been ruled out, Mr Bowe told The Daily Telegraph: 'But if you get a situation like this and it nosedives, it goes straight to the bottom.' Even if anyone had survived the initial impact, it would been impossible to open the doors due to the pressure of the water. A second explanation for the crash is that the aircraft hit an unexpected pocket of air coming off a nearby hill. 'It is quite hilly in that area and a downdraft may have caught the pilot out,' Mr Bowe said. He added that there had only been one previous crash involving a Beaver seaplane in Australia -- which occurred more than 30 years ago. Advertisement Pictured is Richard Cousin's family home in Hyde Heath, near Amersham, in Buckinghamshire Richard Cousins' first wife Caroline was a popular teacher, pictured in a photograph published by family after her death in August 2015 Emma Bowden (pictured left and right) died alongside her young daughter as well as her fiancee's two sons. Ms Bowden was OK!'s arts editor and had been with the magazine for almost 15 years Heather Bowden smiles in a beach photo taken by her mother Emma on a British beach in May 2015 The businessman and his two sons Ed and Will (left to right) were left devastated in 2015 when his first wife Caroline, the boys' mother, died Mr Morgan (pictured), who was one of the six to be killed on Sunday, has been described a 'very experienced pilot' Newlyweds Pippa Middleton and James Matthews (right) alight the De Havilland DHC-2 seaplane which crashed on Sunday during their honeymoon in Sydney on May 31 The family had flown from Rose Bay near Sydney harbour to Cottage Point for lunch in an exclusive restaurant. The the plane then crashed shortly after starting their return journey back to Sydney for the evening fireworks Lata described how Mr Cousin's devastated brother visited the house with another relative yesterday to gather some things. Mr Cousins was named at No 11 on last year's 100 Best Performing CEOs in the World by Harvard Business Review The family are thought to have been renting the house for about a year. Lata said: 'We had a phone call from the people who own the house. 'They said the family were coming to get paperwork or whatever. 'When the family came we went out to greet them and give our condolences. 'There were a couple of them, one was the guy's brother. They are distraught, anybody would be. 'We gave them a cup of tea and helped them calm down.' Another neighbour, 31, who didn't give her name, said: 'They were nice people and, like any neighbours, they said 'hello' and 'good morning' and gave each other Christmas cards. 'We're all very shocked and sad to hear it.' Terry Spry, 71, said the family were 'lovely, charming' people. Another neighbour said they 'seemed very nice people'. 'When he saw us, every time he'd say hello and talk with us,' she said. She added that Ms Bowden was a 'very nice lady'. Another neighbour who didn't know the family said he would often see Mr Cousins picked up from the house in a chauffeur-driven car. Neighbours at her former address told how her ex-husband Alex would still visit regularly to pick up Heather after the couple separated. Elizabeth Pullen, who lives on Fairlight Road in Tooting, said: 'She was nice and a good neighbour, and then she moved. 'It was a bit weird the way she moved, we have been here five or six years and she was here all that time. She was there with a husband before they got divorced. 'He used to come and pick her daughter up and take her on weekends. 'It was just before last Christmas they moved.' Experienced pilot 44-year-old Gareth Morgan (pictured) was also killed when the plane crashed into the water and sank Six people were killed after the tourist plane crashed into a river near Sydney on Sunday afternoon. Pictured is a plane believed to be the doomed aircraft spotted moments before it crashed The six people including five Britons killed in a seaplane crash north of Sydney have been named; pictured is one of the bodies being removed by police and paramedics An officer carries a piece of debris recovered from a seaplane that crashed into the Hawkesbury River Business leaders have paid tribute to Compass CEO today. Richard's friend Rupert Soames, CEO of public services business Serco, tweeted today: 'Terribly sad to read about Richard Cousins, his two boys, the new love of his life and her daughter. All killed in Sydney seaplane. Such an able man, and a hugely respected CEO of Compass. RIP'. When Mr Cousins announced in September that he would be retiring from catering business Compass Group in March, the company's share price plummeted. The 58-year-old had also served on the board of supermarket giant Tesco, but resigned last year in protest at plans to buy wholesaler Booker. Paul Walsh, Compass chairman, said: 'We are deeply shocked and saddened by this terrible news. 'The thoughts of everyone at Compass are with Richard's family and friends, and we extend our deepest sympathies to them. 'It has been a great privilege to know Richard personally and to work with him for the last few years. 'Richard was known and respected for his great humanity and a no-nonsense style that transformed Compass into one of Britain's leading companies.' Surrey County Cricket Club chief executive Richard Gould said businessman Mr Cousins was deeply passionate about the sport, and was further connected to the club through a hospitality joint venture involving his firm. Mr Gould said: 'Richard was a regular and very popular visitor to the Kia Oval, and a great supporter of cricket. 'He was a member of all 18 first-class counties. This is a tragic incident.' The University of St Andrews confirmed that Edward Cousins was a graduate of the Fife institution, gaining his degree in the summer of 2017. A spokeswoman said: 'Edward graduated with a degree in history last summer and had a bright future ahead of him. 'Everyone at the university who knew him will be shocked and saddened by this news. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this very difficult time.' Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull offered his condolences to the families of those killed in the crash. 'It is a tragic accident and... our hearts go out to the families of those whose lives were lost,' Mr Turnbull said in Bondi on Monday. 'We don't know yet what caused it, but it's just a tragedy. We grieve for those who lost their lives.' Police are now working on the logistics of refloating the wreckage. The plane will need to be brought back to the surface before forensic air-crash investigators can piece together what went wrong. One theory is that the seaplane's pilot was trying to make an emergency landing. Witnesses enjoying New Year's Eve in boats on the river said they saw the aircraft make a sharp turn before nosediving into the water. One witness said it appeared a wing hit the water first. Video taken from a nearby boat shows what is believed to be the doomed aircraft just moments before it plunged into the Hawkesbury River around 3pm local time. Police said the wreckage of the aircraft, operated by Sydney Seaplanes, was eventually found on the bottom of Cowan Creek under 42ft of water with the bodies inside. A police spokesman said: 'For reasons that are not known at this stage, the plane has hit the water and it has subsequently sunk. 'At the time of the collision, there was a pilot and five passengers on board. I can confirm the six people on the plane are deceased.' Sydney Seaplanes managing director Aaron Shaw confirmed that the aircraft was one of theirs and said they were working with police on the scene. He said: 'All at Sydney Seaplanes are deeply shocked by this incident and the resulting loss of life. 'We wish to pass on our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the passengers and pilot who were tragically killed. We do not yet know the cause of the accident. 'We are dedicating our full resources in assisting the NSW Police, the Australian Transport Safety Board, Civil Aviation Safety Authority and other relevant authorities to understand the cause of the accident.' Emergency services were called to Cowan Creek on Sunday with reports of a light plane crash Sydney Seaplanes have suspended flights after the crash involving one of its planes (pictured landing in May) Divers are pictured searching Cowan Creek near Jerusalem Bay on the Hawkesbury River east of Cowan for the wreckage A large search and rescue operation was underway to locate the plane which was submerged 42ft under water He added: 'Sydney Seaplanes has been operating since 2005, have undertaken thousands of flights in that period and have had an unblemished safety record until now. 'The safety of our passengers and staff is our absolute primary and highest priority. 'Our aircraft are professionally maintained to manufacturer's specifications and our seaplane pilots are some of the most experienced in the world.' The company has suspended all operations until further notice, Mr Shaw said. A Sydney Seaplanes pilot took to Facebook to write: 'Thoughts are with the guys from Sydney Seaplanes this afternoon, hope they are all well and things have a positive outcome. Top bunch of guys working there.' For $534AUD (309) per person, the company's website boats that guests will 'indulge in an exceptional three-course lunch before flying over the magnificent icons of the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge.' The Australian Transport Safety Bureau sent three vehicles to investigate the incident and Daily Mail Australia has reached out to them for more information. In a statement, the ATSB said investigators were en route from Canberra to the crash site to investigate 'the ditching of a single-engine seaplane'. The bureau is expected to release a preliminary report in just under a month, according to The Australian. It comes as it was claimed the aircraft may have crashed because it stalled while banking right. Mr Bowe, of the Seaplane Pilots Association Australia, said the Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver was generally regarded as safer than other small planes, because it is capable of landing on water. While catastrophic engine failure has not been ruled out, Mr Bowe told The Daily Telegraph: 'But if you get a situation like this and it nosedives, it goes straight to the bottom.' Shaken British tourist reveals she was on flight with pilot just hours before the plane went down The last picture of pilot Gareth Morgan taken four hours before the crash that claimed his life A British holidaymaker who flew in the doomed Australian seaplane just four hours before it crashed killing all on board took what is believed to be the last photograph of tragic pilot Gareth Morgan alive. The mum-of-two, from Kirklees, West Yorks, enjoyed a scenic aerial tour of Sydney Harbour in the seven-seater aircraft piloted by Gareth, 44, with her husband and two children at 11am on New Year's Eve. Just hours later at 3pm, Canadian Gareth and his five British passengers all died when the same plane nosedived into the Hawkesbury River at Cowan Creek, 30km north of Sydney. The Kirklees IT communications manager, 47, said: 'We were on the same aircraft that flew at 11am that morning - it was definitely the same one because it had the same ID number. 'I sat at the front next to Gareth and was chatting to him the whole time, so it really does bring it home to you how close it could have been. It really could have been us. 'We were absolutely buzzing when we came off the flight but obviously when we found out what happened it put a huge dampener on everything, because we were so shocked thinking it could have been us. 'I don't know how it can have happened because the whole time we were flying with Gareth his ability was clear - he was obviously skilled, he was giving us lots of information about where we were and kept us well-informed. 'He had us all at ease. It was an immaculate plane and such a beautiful smooth ride, there were no bumps or anything, we were really comfortable. 'For this family it was supposed to be a fun day and the build-up to a massive new year's eve celebration in the evening, but instead it turned into a tragedy. 'We had such a fantastic experience and to hear people just after us had that same experience and died at the end of it is beyond comprehension'. Advertisement Kate Middleton's sister Pippa flew on the seaplane that crashed into a Sydney river killing millionaire British CEO and four family members Pippa Middleton and her husband James Matthews flew on the same seaplane which crashed on New Year's Eve, killing all six on board, just seven months ago during their honeymoon. The couple took the same trip on the De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver to an exclusive river restaurant north of Sydney as the five holidaying Britons, including an 11-year-old girl, who were killed. Pippa, the sister of the Duchess of Cambridge, and James were pictured in the aircraft with the call sign VH-NOO in late May as they flew to and from lunch at the swanky Cottage Point Inn. Prominent businessman Richard Cousins, 58, his fiancee Emma Bowden, 48, Ms Bowden's daughter Heather, 11, and Mr Cousins's sons Edward, 23, and William, 25, were killed in the accident on Sunday. Video taken from a nearby boat shows what is believed to be the doomed aircraft just moments before it plunged into the Hawkesbury River at Jerusalem Bay, near Cowan, about 3pm local time. Newlyweds Pippa Middleton and James Matthews (right) alight the De Havilland DHC-2 seaplane which crashed on Sunday, killing all six on board, during their honeymoon in Sydney on May 31 Pippa Middleton steps into the seaplane which crashed in the Hawkesbury River, north of Sydney, on Sunday afternoon The Duchess of Cambridge's sister Pippa Middleton seated in the seaplane which crashed on Sunday killing all six on board The wreckage of the 54-year-old aircraft, operated by Sydney Seaplanes, was eventually found on the bottom of Cowan Creek under 42ft (13m) of water with the bodies inside. The bodies have all been removed. This is the moment a topless woman and her friend attacked a man who appeared to grope one of them at a New Year's Eve music festival. Revellers at Rhythm & Vines festival in Gisborne, on New Zealand's North Island, watched on as a male attendee crept up behind a woman wearing only glitter on her breasts before seemingly touching her. The astonishing clip, filmed by Giann Reece, shows the pair turn in unison and follow the man back to his perch on the grass before launching into a surprise attack. Revellers at the Rhythm and Vines festival in Gisborne, on New Zealand's North Island, watched on as a male attendee (pictured left and right in blue) crept behind and allegedly groped a woman (left and right) wearing only glitter on her breasts The man - who is wearing a blue shirt and light pink hat - can be seen cowering as the topless woman throws punches and her loyal friend tosses her drink in his face. Onlookers can be heard gasping while the two women pummel the man for several moments and a woman's voice cries out: 'Oh my god'. The young man appeared to be unharmed and made no attempt to fight back as the girls completed their revenge attack. Neither the man or the two women pictured in the video have been identified. Footage of the incident was shared online and has since garnered thousands of views and a divided opinion on who was in the wrong. Footage of the incident was shared online and has since garnered thousands of views and a divided opinion on who was in the wrong (Pictured is a shot of the music festival) The iconic New Year's Eve Rhythm and Vines festival saw some 20,000 people descend on Waiohika Estate for the three-day event (Pictured are attendees) Hundreds of commenters quickly blamed the topless woman and accused her of 'asking for it' due to her exposed breasts. 'Well that's what she gets when she wears something like that,' one man wrote. 'Well... when you are walking around naked you're kinda throwing out a kinda vibe to sort of expect that,' another man said. The vast majority of support for the topless women came from female commenters. 'Don't get how this is any different to groping a girl in a bikini at the beach- still wrong,' one woman said. The incident was filmed at New Year's Eve music festival Rhythm & Vines (revellers at the festival pictured) 'Good on her! No one has the right to touch you without consent! Naked or not! Learn some manners.' Daily Mail Australia has contacted the woman who filmed the footage for comment. The iconic New Year's Eve Rhythm and Vines festival saw some 20,000 people descend on Waiohika Estate for the three-day event. Even New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern made an appearance at the sold-out camping festival. Sydneysiders were left busting and stranded on Sunday night as they packed into the city for the iconic New Year's Eve fireworks show. After the City of Sydney spent $7million on the main event, attendees of all ages were frustrated there was no investment in an appropriate amount of portaloos. Party-goers were waiting in line for up to 90 minutes to use the bathroom, and at The Rocks, there was a queue about 1000 people long for the loo, The Daily Telegraph reported. New Year's revellers were left outraged - and busting - in Sydney's city centre, as they discovered the number of portaloos did not match up to the heaving crowds Attendees were waiting in line for about 90 minutes on Sunday just to use the toilet As people became more desperate to relieve themselves, tolerance for line-cutters hit a deep low, and those who could wait no longer dashed to the bushes. Cheree Mitchell, who had come from Broken Hill to see the fireworks display over the Harbour, said not only was the wait long, but the toilets were unacceptably dirty. 'The toilet I just used seriously they need to put a bomb through it it is disgusting,' she said. Ms Mitchell said it was her first time in Sydney on New Year's Eve, arguably the busiest night of the year for the city, and the Council should be 'ashamed' at how the toilet situation was handled. Another woman, a tourist from the UK who described herself as 'elderly', said spending such a lengthy amount of time standing in a line had caused her physical pain in her back. At one point, a queue of about 1000 people had formed for the bathroom in The Rocks (stock image) Tourists from overseas and other parts of the state were disgusted at the lengthy wait times On Monday morning, Lord Mayor Clover Moore said she was sorry for the bathroom debacle on New Year's Eve, and said there would be more portaloos throughout the city next year. 'Look I'm sorry if people had to queue to go to the loo,' she said. 'I guess that's a lesson we will learn for next time - more portaloos.' The bathroom problems were not unforeseen. Last month, Time Out released a list of public bathrooms that would be accessible on New Year's Eve. Bathrooms from Wooloomooloo to Wynyard were listed, as well as five in Hyde Park. The publication also took the time to note the city train stations that would leave their bathrooms running all through the night. All eyes were on CNN host Don Lemon in the wee hours of 2018 to see if his New Year's antics would live up to years past. Lemon, reporting from New Orleans, Louisiana with Brooke Baldwin, took over the hosting reins from Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen, hosting from New York City, after 12:15am. New Orleans is one hour behind New York City and so had not yet ushered in the New Year. While reporting from the Louisiana city last year, Lemon gained some notoriety for appearing drunk, proclaiming 2016 to have been 'awful' and getting his ear pierced live. Don Lemon and Brooke Baldwin took over hosting duties for CNN's New Year's Eve coverage from Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen around 12:30am Eastern time, or 11:30pm Central time The hosts were reporting from New Orleans, Louisiana. Last year, Lemon got quite drunk during the proceedings Lemon, 51, and Brooke Baldwin, 38, gave periodic reports from the Big Easy during Cooper and Cohen's telecast. At one point, they appeared wearing feathered masks on the city's Frenchman Street, an area noted for its high concentration of quality music venues and bars. And they began their takeover this year, which started closer to 12:30am, appearing sober in front of the Mahogany Brass Band, which performed a second line. They then toasted - for Baldwin's engagement (to British producer James Fletcher) and for Lemon's one-year anniversary (with boyfriend Tim Malone, with whom Lemon went public earlier this year). 'We've had a fantastic year. It's been a little bit nuts,' Lemon told the crowd in the waning hours of 2017. 'New Year's, New Year's, New Year's,' Lemon chants, as the Central Time Zone prepared to ring in the New Year. 'We've had a fantastic year. It's been a little bit nuts,' Lemon said in reference to 2017. During last year's telecast, he had branded 2016 as 'awful' 'We sort of pretend like we're drinking...but then we go out afterwards, paint the town red,' Lemon said this year Lemon appeared to have gotten rather drunk last year but did not do so this year Lemon and Baldwin brought out their significant others during the telecast. Lemon is pictured walking in New York City with his boyfriend, Tim Malone, this past September A piece of confetti landed in Lemon's drink as the hosts shared a quick New Year's Eve kiss. Lemon sang along to Auld Sang Lyne in a rather off-key manner and he toasted various revelers with multiple glasses of champagne. He also announced that his flight out of New Orleans is at 6am and that he will stay up all night. 'We sort of pretend like we're drinking...but then we go out afterwards, paint the town red,' Lemon said, perhaps an indirect reference to his performance last year. He said that drunken French Quarter partiers buy them shots when they go into bars and clubs. Baldwin refuted this though she appeared to do so in a cheeky manner. They then brought out their significant others. 'Happy 2018, love you guys,' Lemon said as they signed off on their coverage. Last year, Lemon appeared to be drunk while hosting and got his ear pierced live on television His co-host Brooke Baldwin squealed while observing the wild sight of Lemon getting his ear pierced. His mic was also cut after he discussed how 'awful' 2016 was As midnight approached in Louisiana last year, the host tweeted: #CNN producers & @brookebcnn trying to convince me to get a tattoo or a piercing of some sort. Should I? #cnnnye' And it wasn't an empty threat either, as he recruited a piercer shortly afterward to stick a needle through his earlobe live on television. 'If this hurts I'm going to be so mad,' he winced as co-host Brooke Baldwin gripped his hand tightly in support. 'Is your mother watching?,' she asked. 'I bet your mom is... Momma Lemon, I don't know what he's thinking. At least it's just his ear, you know what I'm saying?' Lemon, who had spent the night downing tequila shots, also let the world know his thoughts about 2016, which prompted CNN to cut his mic. Lemon and Baldwin had been getting into the swing of things in New Orleans prior to ushering in 2017 As the brass bands started to play Auld Lang Syne in New Orleans - and #drunkdonlemon trended on Twitter - the cameras cut away to crowds of joyful revelers. But the mics of hosts Lemon and Brooke Baldwin stayed on, and so the shots of fireworks and hugging were accompanied by the sounds of clinking glasses. 'Happy New Year,' Lemon was heard saying. 'Oh my god! I need a little more - pour me a little more - a little more - perfect. That had a big head on it.' 'I can't hear a damn thing,' Lemon says to Baldwin, who agrees. Then he continues: 'So 2016 was awful...' And suddenly the sound dipped away completely. Footage of New Orleans crowds played silently for five seconds. Then the sound came back - minus Lemon and Baldwin. The body of a 19-year-old woman has been found inside a home in Western Australia on New Year's Eve, and it's believed that her alleged killer was known to her. Police have charged a 26-year-old man after making the tragic discovery at a property on Aldgate Street in Mandurah around 4pm on Sunday. The man was charged with murder on New Year's Day and refused bail. He expected to appear in Perth Magistrate's Court on Monday afternoon. Police attend a property on Aldgate Street where the body of a 19-year-old girl was discovered 'A 26-year-old man from Mandurah, who was 25-years-old at the time of the alleged incident, has been charged with murder,' a police spokesperson said. WA Today reported that it's believed the man was known to the woman before her death. Investigations are ongoing as detectives and forensic officers searched the scene into the early hours of Monday morning. Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. A group of friends determined to celebrate the New Year with alcohol avoided a town-wide booze ban by setting up camp in 'international waters'. Quick-thinking revellers from Tairua, a town on New Zealand's North Island, built a giant sandcastle in the mouth of a river after learning they were prohibited from consuming liquor at the beach. The Kiwis allegedly believed they were protected by a legal loophole because they were drinking the alcohol on 'international waters', Newshub reports. Quick-thinking revellers (pictured) from Tairua, a town on New Zealand's North Island, built a giant sandcastle in the mouth of a river after learning they were prohibited from consuming liquor at the beach The legal reality of the group's alcohol consumption may be a little more complicated, however the friends were able to enjoy several drinks while crammed onto the tight spot. After fashioning the sturdy sandcastle the ingenious locals sat around a picnic table and drank booze sitting in an Esky. A Coromandel-wide liquor ban prohibits alcohol consumption in public places over the New Year period. The group's attempts at sidestepping the tough alcohol laws were enjoyed by fellow revellers who snapped photos and shared them online. Revellers in Tairua, NZ, (pictured) built a sandy fortress to drink in 'international waters' According to locals, the sandy fortress was still intact on Monday morning after the New Year's Eve celebrations Even Thames-Coromandel Mayor Sandra Goudie found the cunning plan amusing. 'That's the one thing I absolutely love about the Coromandel: the inventive nature of the people. It's about creativity, the legal reality is somewhat different,' Ms Goudie told Stuff.co.nz. According to locals, the sandy fortress was still intact on Monday morning after the New Year's Eve celebrations. On Sunday evening, former FBI director James Comey took to Twitter to share his hopes for the new year. Comey wrote in the post, seemingly aimed at President Donald Trump: 'Here's hoping 2018 brings more ethical leadership, focused on the truth and lasting values. Happy New Year, everybody.' The President fired Comey back in May, and has said he was acting on the recommendation of Justice Department leaders who had faulted the FBI director for releasing 'derogatory information' about Hillary Clinton at the conclusion of the email server investigation months earlier. Last Saturday, amid reports that FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe - a frequent Trump target - intended to retire, the President also tweeted and took aim at Comey. Former FBI director James Comey took to Twitter Sunday to share his hopes for 2018, which include 'more ethical leadership' James Comey listens during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Thursday, June 8, 2017 President Trump is pictured with son Barron arriving for a new year's party at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, on Sunday He wrote: 'How can FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, the man in charge, along with leakin' James Comey, of the Phony Hillary Clinton investigation (including her 33,000 illegally deleted emails) be given $700,000 for wife's campaign by Clinton Puppets during investigation?' 'The irony is most politicians would recognize that perpetuating silence post-firing would have been the most effective course,' Jacob Frenkel, a Washington defense lawyer and former prosecutor told the Associated Press. In the event charges are brought or impeachment proceedings are begun, that kind of inconsistent messaging would present 'entertaining fodder for cross-examination.' Frenkel explained that also, could provide 'material that could be used to challenge a witness's credibility.' By the same token, the evolving messaging could oddly benefit Trump by making it difficult for prosecutors to attach any one motive or reason - such as a desire to shut down the Russia investigation - for Comey's firing. 'Once you start picking on one tweet or one message, then it becomes, 'What about this tweet or that message?' You're constantly having competing messages,' he added. Last Saturday, amid reports that FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe - a frequent Trump target - intended to retire, the President also tweeted took aim at Comey The owners of an Iowa bee and honey operation fear vandals may have cost the couple their business after at least 500,000 bees were killed. Justin and Tori Engelhardt, the owners of Wild Hill Honey in Sioux City, said they discovered the damage Thursday morning when they went to dust snow off their 50 hives in a grove on their property. At least 500,000 bees had been killed after all of the hives were knocked over into the snow, according to Justin. Justin and Tori Engelhardt, the owners of Wild Hill Honey, fear that vandals may have cost the couple their business after at least 500,000 bees were killed The Engelhardts said they discovered the damage Thursday morning when they went to dust snow off their 50 hives (pictured) in a grove on their property At least 500,000 bees had been killed after all of the hives were knocked over, according to Justin 'I knew it was going to be bad; we went around the shed every hive was knocked over, dead bees in the snow, it was terrible,' Justin said. The vandal or vandals smashed any equipment they could reach but didn't steal anything. Justin said he believes the culprits may have been some teens doing some senseless vandalism. He estimated the damage at $50,000 to $60,000. He said 'this probably sunk us,' because insurers don't offer beehive coverage. Justin said damage of this magnitude is almost impossible to recover from. A window of the couple's shed was also damaged along with the door lock. 'I knew it was going to be bad; we went around the shed every hive was knocked over, dead bees in the snow, it was terrible,' Justin said Several of the bees were scattered around in the snow and were seen dead (pictured) on top of the beehives Justin said there was a security camera installed but that was also taken at some point in the night Justin told KMEG that there was a security camera installed but that was also taken at some point in the night. Police have investigated the scene and found footprints along with fingerprints. No arrests have been reported and the investigation is ongoing. A Go Fund Me page was set up for the business and has raised more than $30,000 for the restoration of the Wild Hill Honey business. Police have investigated the scene and found footprints along with fingerprints. No arrests have been reported and the investigation is ongoing. Pictured are the beehives some time= before the incident A 17-year-old boy has been hospitalised with severe burns to his backside, and four more men have been injured in separate incidents all involving illegal firework explosions. Ambulance Victoria state health commander Paul Holman said that it was 'stupid behaviour' that landed the men in hospital. Assistant Commissioner Mark Walton said on Monday morning that the 'only downside' of the 2017/2018 New Year's Eve was the use of illegal fireworks. Scroll down for video Four men and a teenage boy are recovering from injuries from accidents with illegal fireworks A 17-year-old boy with severe burns to his bottom was admitted to Royal North Shore Hospital The Cromer Heights teen was severely burned after a 'dangerous prank' involving a firecracker went painfully wrong, according to 9NEWS. Emergency services transported him to Royal North Shore Hospital with serious injuries just after 10.30pm on Sunday night. In another incident, a 34-year-old man was seriously injured when a firework exploded in his hand at a property in Caroline Springs west of Melbourne. ABC reported that the man is recovering in hospital as police continue to investigate the incident. Just after midnight, another man aged in his 30s was flown to hospital after a firework exploded in his face. His injuries are described as 'non-life threatening'. Emergency crews also attended a house on Clyde St in St Leonards after a man suffered a hand injury while trying to light an illegal firework at midnight. He was admittted to hospital for treatment. A 42-year-old man from Brunswick West also sustained hand injuries while trying to light an illegal firework. Ambulance Victoria state health commander Paul Holman said playing with illegal fireworks was 'stupid behaviour' after four men and one teenage boy landed in hospital with injuries Emergency crews attended a property on Clyde St in St Leonards after a man hurt his hand In the Sydney city area, there were 13 arrests made including seven for assaulting police and investigations into two brawls in Pyrmont are ongoing. However in Victoria, police made 238 arrests in Victoria - up by 55 from last year. Despite this, authorities have deemed last night a fantastic success' and say that they are 'overall pretty happy' with the behaviour of crowds across Australia. Meanwhile a terrifying incident in Terrigal saw onlookers screaming and running on the beach as the display malfunctioned, setting off all the fireworks at one in the direction of the audience. Terrified onlookers screamed as a Terrigal fireworks display malfunctioned on Sunday evening 'A wave has come and upset the barge and set off some fireworks, and that then unfortunately [set off[ the fireworks in the direction of the crowd on the beach,' explained deputy police commander Jeff Loy. The two firework operators present on the barge when it caught alight were forced to jump into the water, sustaining minor injuries. Paramedics assessed the pair and transported them to hospital after a boat rescued them from the water and took them back to the beach. Advertisement A mother and her 11-year-old daughter, who were among six people killed in a tragic New Year's Eve plane crash in Sydney, have both been identified. Emma Bowden, 48, and her young daughter Heather were among five Britons killed when their plane crashed into the Hawkesbury River, north of Sydney, about 3.15pm on Sunday. Ms Bowden's fiance Richard Cousins, 58, a millionaire CEO of catering company Compass, was also on-board the plane with his two sons Edward and William Cousins, aged 23 and 25. Pilot Gareth Morgan, 44, who had many years experience flying for Sydney Seaplanes, also died in the accident. Mr Cousins, who has been chief executive of British catering giant Compass for 11 years, was due to retire in March after transforming a business on its knees into turning a 1.6billion annual profit. It is believed he was in Australia on a family holiday to celebrate the New Year with his family when they died. Scroll down for video Emma Bowden, 48, and her daughter Heather, 11, died in a horror seaplane crash in the Hawkesbury River, north of Sydney, on New Year's Eve Ms Bowden (left) was on-board the plane with fiance Richard Cousins (right), a millionaire CEO in charge of British catering company Compass It's believed Ms Bowden and her daughter (pictured) were travelling with Mr Cousins and his sons on a festive family holiday One of the six to be named as dead is experienced 44-year-old Australian pilot Gareth Morgan (pictured left and right) The body of a passenger recovered from the downed seaplane that crashed on Sunday killing six people is carried by police and paramedics Mr Morgan (pictured), who was one of the six to be killed on Sunday, has been described a 'very experienced pilot' When he announced in September that he would be retiring in March, the company's share price plummeted. Mr Cousins was named at No 11 on last year's 100 Best Performing CEOs in the World by Harvard Business Review. The 58-year-old had also served on the board of supermarket giant Tesco, but resigned last year in protest at plans to buy wholesaler Booker, The Daily Telegraph reported. Paul Walsh, Compass chairman, said: 'We are deeply shocked and saddened by this terrible news. 'The thoughts of everyone at Compass are with Richard's family and friends, and we extend our deepest sympathies to them. 'It has been a great privilege to know Richard personally and to work with him for the last few years. 'Richard was known and respected for his great humanity and a no-nonsense style that transformed Compass into one of Britain's leading companies.' Six people were killed after the tourist plane crashed into a river near Sydney on Sunday afternoon. Pictured is a plane believed to be the doomed aircraft spotted moments before it crashed The six people including five Britons killed in a seaplane crash north of Sydney have been named; pictured is one of the bodies being removed by police and paramedics New South Wales Police and investigators from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau pictured on a police launch at the site where a seaplane crashed on New Year's Eve A New South Wales policewoman is seen holding a piece of debris from the seaplane which crashed in the Hawkesbury River Five Britons, including an 11-year-old girl, were on board the Sydney Seaplanes Cessna aircraft when it came down. Pictured are police officers gathering evidence at the scene A brave holidaymaker told how he desperately tried to open the door of the sinking sea plane but it went down too quickly. Todd Sellars said he was on a houseboat just 50m away when the aircraft went into the water on Sunday. 'I was with friends on the houseboat when the plane just nosedived into the water,' Mr Sellars told ABC Radio. 'I jumped into the water and tried to open the door, he 'I just thought it was coming in low doing a flyby, but when we look out on the corner it just nosedived. Mr Sellars told how and friends swam to try and rescue the passengers, but the aircraft sank too quickly. 'I ran my hands down through the windows but I couldnt open the door - it was sinking too fast,' he said. 'The plane was pretty long so it was probably three or four metres under the water by the time we got down to the door.' Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull offered his condolences to the families of those killed in the crash. 'It is a tragic accident and... our hearts go out to the families of those whose lives were lost,' Mr Turnbull said in Bondi on Monday. 'We don't know yet what caused it, but it's just a tragedy. We grieve for those who lost their lives.' Police are now working on the logistics of refloating the wreckage. The plane will need to be brought back to the surface before forensic air-crash investigators can piece together what went wrong. One theory is that the seaplane's pilot was trying to make an emergency landing. Witnesses enjoying New Year's Eve in boats on the river said they saw the aircraft make a sharp turn before nosediving into the water. One witness said it appeared a wing hit the water first. Video taken from a nearby boat shows what is believed to be the doomed aircraft just moments before it plunged into the Hawkesbury River around 3pm local time. The passengers are believed to have been enjoying a 'wine and dine' sightseeing tour and were flying from Cottage Point to Rose Bay in Sydney Harbour when the plane came down around 3pm local time The remains of all six victims have now been taken from the water and emergency services are now working to retrieve the plane from 42ft below the surface An officer carries a piece of debris recovered from a seaplane that crashed into the Hawkesbury River Police said the wreckage of the aircraft, operated by Sydney Seaplanes, was eventually found on the bottom of Cowan Creek under 42ft of water with the bodies inside. Witness Myles Baptiste said he saw the plane crash. He told 9News: 'It made a tight right-hand turn and as it actually turned around, the wings dipped and it nosedived straight into the water.' A police spokesman said: 'For reasons that are not known at this stage, the plane has hit the water and it has subsequently sunk. 'At the time of the collision, there was a pilot and five passengers on board. I can confirm the six people on the plane are deceased.' The plane crashed while flying a party of five from Cottage Point to Rose Bay on Sydney Harbour ahead of the New Year's Eve fireworks display. Sydney Seaplanes managing director Aaron Shaw confirmed that the aircraft was one of theirs and said they were working with police on the scene. He said: 'All at Sydney Seaplanes are deeply shocked by this incident and the resulting loss of life. 'We wish to pass on our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the passengers and pilot who were tragically killed. We do not yet know the cause of the accident. 'We are dedicating our full resources in assisting the NSW Police, the Australian Transport Safety Board, Civil Aviation Safety Authority and other relevant authorities to understand the cause of the accident.' Emergency services were called to Cowan Creek on Sunday with reports of a light plane crash Sydney Seaplanes managing director Aaron Shaw confirmed that the aircraft was one of theirs Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopters tweeted an update just after the crash around 3.15pm Divers are pictured searching Cowan Creek near Jerusalem Bay on the Hawkesbury River east of Cowan He added: 'Sydney Seaplanes has been operating since 2005, have undertaken thousands of flights in that period and have had an unblemished safety record until now. 'The safety of our passengers and staff is our absolute primary and highest priority. 'Our aircraft are professionally maintained to manufacturer's specifications and our seaplane pilots are some of the most experienced in the world.' The company has suspended all operations until further notice, Mr Shaw said. A Sydney Seaplanes pilot took to Facebook to write: 'Thoughts are with the guys from Sydney Seaplanes this afternoon, hope they are all well and things have a positive outcome. Top bunch of guys working there.' For $534AUD (309) per person, the company's website boats that guests will 'indulge in an exceptional three-course lunch before flying over the magnificent icons of the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge.' Debris and oil slick were found on the surface of Cowan Creek where the plane crashed A large search and rescue operation was underway to locate the plane which was submerged The group had enjoyed the same four-hour tour package enjoyed by Pippa Middleton in May during her honeymoon with husband James Matthews The Australian Transport Safety Bureau sent three vehicles to investigate the incident and Daily Mail Australia has reached out to them for more information. In a statement, the ATSB said investigators were en route from Canberra to the crash site to investigate 'the ditching of a single-engine seaplane'. The bureau is expected to release a preliminary report in just under a month, according to The Australian. The route the seaplane took is a popular choice for tourists who want to experience Sydney's beauty from the air. Those who have enjoyed the same flight include Kate Middleton's sister Pippa and popular TV host Jeremy Clarkson. Other A-listers to take to the skies over scenic New South Wales with the company Sydney Seaplanes include Ed Sheeran, Jerry Seinfeld and Bill Gates. Oscar-winning actor Cuba Gooding Jr. chose the sea planes to travel around Sydney earlier this month to film commercials for a phone company. Video footage has emerged of a thug hurling expletive-ridden racist abuse at a taxi driver. Police have now launched a hunt for the man who launched the sickening tirade outside Tunbridge Wells train station in Kent, on December 30 after a taxi driver quoted him 42 for a journey. The self-employed driver, who is originally from Afghanistan and has lived in the UK for some 15 years, says he is now scared to return to work. The thug was caught on camera hurling expletive-ridden racist abuse at a taxi driver The 31-year-old cab driver, who has asked not to be named, said: 'The man came up to me and said he was looking to go to Horsmonden, about 12 miles away, and I rounded the price to 42. 'Straight away he was asking me where I was born and then started getting very aggressive and shouting some horrible things. 'I tried to be as calm as possible and recorded some of it. He seemed to be with his girlfriend and I told him 'shame on you, look at your girlfriend, you shouldn't be talking like this in front of her'. 'The whole thing went on for about half an hour and I went straight home and couldn't sleep at all, I'm so worried about working again tonight.' During a volley of racist insults the man calls him a Muslim c*** and a Muslim f***. He then tells him: 'You're in England not in f****** Bangladesh.' During a volley of racist insults the man calls him a Muslim c*** and a Muslim f***. He then tells him: 'You're in England not in f****** Bangladesh.' Police have now launched a manhunt for this suspect, who has left the driver scared to return to work When police arrived at the scene they were unable to locate the man. The victim of the attack said he will probably have to have CCTV installed in the cab he uses and doubts whether he will continue working as a taxi driver. 'Normally Tunbridge Wells is a very nice town, I have lived here a long time, but it feels like in the last year it has been getting worse and worse since Brexit. 'Just this year I have seen about three similar things happen, it really is horrible and very worrying.' The man launched the shocking tirade outside Tunbridge Wells train station in Kent on December 30 after a taxi driver charged him 42 for his cab fare A police spokesman said: 'Kent Police was called at 11.47pm on Saturday, December 30 regarding a reported disturbance outside the railway station in Vale Road, Tunbridge Wells. 'Officers attended and spoke to a man who reported being racially abused by another man who had left the scene. The officers searched the area but were unable to find him.' Kent Police added that officers from British Transport Police were carrying out further enquiries into the incident. It took 2018 years but it seems time travel has finally been invented. A flight leaving Auckland in New Zealand bound for Honolulu in Hawaii took off in 2018 but landed last year after an unexpected delay. Sam Sweeney spotted the occurrence and posted about it on Twitter. A flight leaving Auckland in New Zealand bound for Honolulu in Hawaii took off in 2018 but landed last year after an unexpected delay 'Because of an unexpected delay, Hawaiian Airlines flight 446 took off in 2018 and will land in 2017 #timetravel,' Mr Sweeney wrote. Hawaiian Airlines flight HAL446 left Auckland Airport at 12.05am on the 1/1/2018 and arrived in Honolulu at 10.16am on the 31/12/2017 local time. Auckland, New Zealand is 23 hours ahead of Honolulu meaning the plane took off in 2018 and landed in 2017. The post attracted a number of comments. 'So, we have time travel, but still no flying cars,' one Twitter user wrote. 'So, in theory, the passengers could have celebrated the new year and will get a chance to do it for the 2nd time in 24 hours,' another said. The British woman jailed for taking painkillers into Egypt has reportedly been told she is innocent by authorities in the country, her mother has said as she revealed they could face a year-long appeal process. Laura Plummer, a shop assistant from Hull, was detained after arriving at the Red Sea resort of Hurghada in October with 290 Tramadol pills in her luggage, which her husband revealed was for his bad back. She is currently being held at a police station holding room in Hugharda after being told there was no room for her at the notorious Qena prison. Her mother, Roberta Synclair, 64, said that the police officers 'have been so nice' after she visited Miss Plummer, who is waiting for a prison transfer. Laura Plummer, a shop assistant from Hull, was detained after arriving at the Red Sea resort of Hurghada in October with 290 Tramadol pills in her luggage, which her husband revealed was for his bad back Miss Plummer's Roberta Synclair, 64, said that the police officers 'have been so nice' after she visited her daughter, who is waiting for a prison transfer. Miss Plummer's sister Rachel (right, with sister Jayne and mother Roberta), has said that the family could face a year wait for the appeal process to go through 'Some said, "You shouldn't be here, you are innocent",' Miss Synclair told The Sun. 'I'm so worried. She keeps saying she can't go on.' Miss Plummer has to wait 60 days before she can file an appeal for the conviction. Her family now been told that the appeal could take a further ten months to be heard after it's filed. Miss Plummer's sister, Rachel Plummer, 31, said they are not pinning much hope on an appeal but added: 'If she can cope the last three months she will do this - shes stronger then we think. Im just scared for her - Im so sorry for her. 'It kills me that we cant do anything to help her and shes on my mind every second. 'I hate waking up in a morning to feel the way I feel again - its horrible feeling so helpless not knowing what my sister is going through every day.' Miss Plummer hopes she can serve her three-year sentence at a safe jail close to the British Embassy, but it is believed she will be sent to the notorious al-Qanater prison in Cairo. Her mother visited her at the police station on Thursday. Rachel Plummer said of the visit: 'She (Laura) was coping Ok - shes obviously frightened but shes Ok. 'The room she was in was better then the previous well and the police very good with Laura and my mum - very professional. 'It was fine - there was a bed and Laura had a blanket and a cushion that we had brought her on a previous trip. 'Mum took her plenty of food but her husband Omar will take her food and our lawyer will. Mum is distraught and heartbroken but if Laura can cope she can cope - Lauras strength gives my mum and all of us strength. Miss Plummer has been sentenced to three years for smuggling Tramadol tablets, which are legal in the UK but banned in Egypt, into the country in her suitcase The notorious Qena Prison, where Laura was initially held before she was moved to a police station in Hurghada due to a lack of room 'We say we are living a nightmare but it will be nothing compared to Lauras nightmare. But my mum could see Laura was coping Ok she just wants to get her head down and do her time and get it over with now. 'The sooner its done the sooner she can come home and get back to work which is all Laura wants - to be back to normality.' Miss Plummer's boyfriend, Omar Abdul Azim, 31, a lifeguard, told the Mirror: 'You don't know how much I love her and how upset I am. My heart is broken.' The couple met four years ago at the Hilton hotel in Sharks Bay, near Sharm el-Sheikh, where he was working as a lifeguard and Miss Plummer was on holiday. Mr Azim was speaking as Plummer's Egyptian lawyer Mohamed Osman confirmed that she would be soon be sent to al-Qanater prison in Cairo. Miss Plummer was taken to the notorious Qena prison on Wednesday but it was decided there was no room for her. She is now at a police station in Hurghada. The news that she will be sent to the al-Qanater prison comes as a Briton jailed in Egypt for theft has revealed the 'horrendous' conditions inside the jail. Pete Farmer, 45, served his time at the prison in al-Qanater which he says is rife with violence and disease. Up to 30 people are crammed into each tiny cell, he said, and are forced to share a single shower while the toilet is just a hole in the ground. Pete Farmer, 45, has revealed the conditions inside al-Qanater jail in Egypt where he believes fellow Briton Laura Plummer will be sent after she was jailed for smuggling painkillers (pictured left is Mr Farmer's overcrowded cell, while right is the shower the men shared) He says disease was rife, with up to 30 people crammed into each cell sharing a single shower and toilet which was little more than a hole in the ground Mr Farmer was jailed for two years for theft, claiming he picked up the wrong bag in a club where he was DJing by mistake The DJ - who had worked in Sharm El Sheikh for 11 years - was released in November. Photographs he took on a smuggled phone show the cramped cells, dirty toilets and the tiny window. Speaking from Essex, where he is staying with family, Pete said: 'No one deserves that sort of punishment. 'I'm a man and I just got through my sentence. For her as a woman - my heart bleeds for her. 'The conditions are absolutely horrendous. Disease is rife, there are cockroaches and lice and bedbugs. 'It is very, very violent. I can recall being in a line and seeing people being beaten and burned on their private parts with cattle prods. 'In my cell there were four sets of bunk beds, each three levels high - so that's 12 people - with another 15 to 18 on the floor. 'Egypt is a beautiful country but it is the levels of corruption which are disgusting.' Miss Plummer's father, Neville, has already spent 40,000 of his pension so he and his family can visit and help her with the appeal. Her sister, Rachel, 31, said it could take a year for Miss Plummer's case to be heard. Miss Plummer's boyfriend previously admitted that he felt responsible for her plight because she was bringing pills for him. Mr Azim said: 'I'm the reason for what happened because she brought this especially for me.' The prison was in a bad state of disrepair, he said (left), while the cell had only a single small window giving contact with the outside world He said the food was fly-infested, and left out all day in the sun. During his time inside he dropped about a stone in weight Left is a light that Mr Farmer constructed out of a Pringles can, while right he is pictured on his bunk inside jail Speaking to the Mail from his home in Beni Suef near Cairo, Mr Azim, said: 'My heart is absolutely broken I'm missing her so much. 'I did not want her to violate her life and I had no idea she would bring tramadol I would have told her 'don't bring it to Egypt'.' He added that he is campaigning for her release and is looking for a 'better lawyer' to help. Two years ago Miss Plummer and Mr Azim had an Orfi marriage, which is not registered with the state but allows them to share a hotel room. He considers her his wife. Polygamy is legal for men in Egypt and Mr Azim has another wife, who Miss Plummer has met. Mr Azim said of Miss Plummer: 'She's my wife and I love her. I have been depressed. I was wordless [at the court verdict].' Miss Plummer's sister Rachel, said the family was 'so disappointed' that she was sentenced on Boxing Day, instead of being allowed to return home. She said: 'Its horrible - weve not had a Christmas because of it and we wont be celebrating New Year. We did the presents and put the tree up for this kids but the family didnt do presents for each other. 'My dad wished me a happy Christmas but then went on to say "I know none of us are going to have a happy Christmas but its the thing to say". We just wanted Laura back - we said well celebrate when she comes home.' At least eight people were killed and several others are still missing after a speedboat carrying 51 people capsized off Borneo in Indonesia. A search and rescue mission was launched when the boat, called the Anugrah Express, turned over while travelling to the North Kalimantan province on Monday. The boat's manifest listed 48 passengers with 40 pulled to safety and eight confirmed dead. Three others - thought to be infants that are usually not listed on the manifest - remain unaccounted for. At least eight people have drowned with several other believed to be missing after a speedboat carrying 51 people capsized off Borneo in Indonesia. Police are investigating the cause of the accident. Boat accidents are common in Indonesia because of poorly enforced safety regulations in the world's largest archipelago nation, where ships are a popular and relatively cheap form of transportation. The accident comes just five months after 17 people, including a toddler, were killed when a tourist boat capsized in the same area. The boat - carrying more than 40 people - sank about ten minutes after it left Tarakan in North Borneo for an estimated one-hour trip to Tanjung Selor. Ten people including a two-year-old child drowned, while 22 others were rescued alive and taken to hospital for treatment. Witnesses described passengers jumping into the water without life vests as the boat flipped near a busy Indonesian port. A search and rescue official said at the time: 'The boat had only been sailing for about ten minutes when it was hit by a wave. It started to tilt and capsized, when it was still very close to the port. 'Witnesses said the sea was quiet when the boat capsized so I don't think the accident was due to rough seas. 'However the port was very busy and the boat traffic was quite high at that time, which may have triggered the waves.' A man was stabbed to death inside a Melbourne prison Monday evening. Paramedics tried to revive the prisoner after being called to Port Phillip Prison, east of the city, shortly before 7pm. Officers worked on reviving the man for an extended period, but he was unable to be saved and died on the scene, ABC News reports. The Homicide Squad are en route to the prison and are set to investigate details surrounding the incident. Multiple inmates are answering questions from police. A Heathrow parking firm has left British holidaymakers' vehicles in a muddy horse field after charging 10-a-day. Festive travellers using the 'meet and greet' service expect to drive to the London airport and leave their vehicles in the hands of Parknfly Limited, who say they take the motors to a 'secure' facility. But on Christmas Day, a number of cars, including an 80,000 Range Rover, a 57,000 Mercedes plus BMWs and Audis, turned up in a field near Stanwell. The field is only surrounded by a small fence and police were called after two horses escaped and were seen rolling around in mud next to the cars. The field is only surrounded by a small fence and police were called after two horses escaped and were seen rolling around in mud next to the cars A mound of manure was also seen next to the expensive vehicles (pictured today) It is not known why Parknfly, whose website has been taken down, chose to dump the cars in the field - or whether the owners have been made aware A mound of manure was also seen next to the expensive vehicles. It is not known why Parknfly, whose website has been taken down, chose to dump the cars in the field - or whether the owners have been made aware. Local residents in the area have complained about the situation. The owner of one of the horse's, who asked not to be named, told The Sun: 'One (horse) is a bit of a beast. If they slip in the mud they could do some damage to the cars.' He said the cars 'turned up on Christmas Day', adding: 'The owners will be up in arms if they knew.' Another local Theresa Parsons, 66, said: 'It's disgusting. There's expensive cars and this is a bad area. If the kids get in, God knows what will happen.' Parknfly director Adil Mughal, 28, said he was unable to comment on the situation at this stage and added that 'everything has been terrible for me'. Parknfly director Adil Mughal, 28, said he was unable to comment on the situation at this stage and added that 'everything has been terrible for me' Local Theresa Parsons, 66, said: 'It's disgusting. There's expensive cars and this is a bad area. If the kids get in, God knows what will happen.' MailOnline has contacted Parknfly for an explanation and comment. Pictured is a loading lorry MailOnline has contacted Parknfly for an explanation and comment. In August 2017, shocking pictures revealed the unguarded country track where the cars of holidaymakers are left by an airport 'meet and greet' service - some with their windows left open. Air passengers who used Emirates Parking at Heathrow had been told their vehicles would be kept in a 'fully secured, flood-lit premises' attended by a member of staff '24 hours a day'. Some of the cars left at the Emirates site in August last year, including this 4x4 even had their windows left open But pictures taken on August 15, last year, show the cars were actually dumped in the corner of a Berkshire field which was open to the public with broken fences on three sides. At least three cars at the site, which was visited by MailOnline, had their windows left open, while an open gate led onto a nearby road. Emirates Parking, which is completely unconnected to the airline of the same name and is independent from Heathrow Airport, charged around 54-a-week to air passengers who wanted to leave their car with them. Have you been affected? Email anthony.joseph@mailonline.co.uk or call us on 0203 615 1875 This is the astonishing moment an OAP driver smashed through a metal fence, flattened a sign and dragged a bike into the middle of a road after trying to reverse into a parking space. Paul Whiers, 63, was in work at his interior design firm in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, when he heard a loud crash. The business owner ran outside to find a 'shaken' elderly man and said the driver was 'a typical old person who lost control' as he drove into the main road, nearly hitting oncoming motorists. An OAP driver smashed through a metal fence, flattened a sign and dragged a bike into the middle of a road after trying to reverse into a parking space in Harrogate, North Yorkshire Paul Whiers, 63, (pictured) was in work at his interior design firm when he heard a loud crash outside The shocked driver then remained in the middle of the road for 20 seconds before pulling around the corner. Paul, from Harrogate, said: 'Had there been anybody walking up the path it could have been a lot worse. It's very dangerous. 'We think he was trying to park. We thought he might have gotten his foot caught on the pedal and panicked. The shocked driver then remained in the middle of the road for 20 seconds in a state of shock before pulling around the corner 'He was a typical old person backing up and losing control. You get this sort of thing all the time. The police car came up and sorted it. 'If it had been just a few seconds later he would have hit the brick lorry. 'It happened right outside our office. We heard the crash. We weren't sure what had happened. 'Everyone went outside to see what was going on and all of the drivers around had to stop. Mr Whiers said: 'He was a typical old person backing up and losing control. You get this sort of thing all the time. The police car came up and sorted it' The crash happened in June 2016 but Mr Whiers has now released the footage to raise awareness about dangerous driving 'After the crash the driver then pulled around the corner, got out and was very shaken. Passers-by were very concerned.' The crash occurred in June 2016, but Paul has only now revealed footage taken from his CCTV to raise awareness of dangerous driving. Paul said: 'When they saw a bike under the car they thought he had hit a cyclist but it was just chained to the railings. No other person was involved. 'When we found out that nobody was physically hurt it was more of a laugh. Although, it is shocking. It could have been really bad. The silver Ford Tourneo flattened a metal railing and dragged a bike into the middle of the road 'The driver stood around for a while and a passing police car stopped and took his details. We just left them to it. The police later came in and had a look at the CCTV. 'They said he would probably not have his licence renewed. He was over 80-years-old.' A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police said: 'We were called at 1.52pm on June 6 2016 to a collision on Leeds Road, Harrogate involving a silver Ford Tourneo, which had reversed through some metal railings. No one was injured. ' A man has been charged after allegedly grabbing a woman's breast in a mosh pit at the Falls music festival in Tasmania. The 32-year-old from Carlton has been charged with assault with indecent intent over the incident at the Marion Bay main stage around 9.30pm on New Year's Eve. The man was apprehended by victim and her friend before they performed a citizen's arrest. A second young woman has been sexually assaulted at the Falls Festival in Tasmania. Pictured is the festival in Byron Bay A teenager has reported being sexually assaulted in a music festival mosh pit, after the same event was marred by similar attacks last year (pictured is the Falls Festival) The 19-year-old woman was allegedly assaulted by an unknown man during a set by The Jungle Giants (pictured) at the Marion Bay musical festival at 9:30pm on Friday 'The women involved, the person involved and her friend, actually apprehended the male, then handed them to security, who then handed them to police for the matter to be investigated,' Senior Sergeant Darren Latham told ABC News. Police say the incident is not linked to two previous sexual assaults at the festival on Friday and Saturday nights. In a different incident, a 19-year-old woman was allegedly assaulted by a man during a set by The Jungle Giants at the Marion Bay musical festival on Friday night. Detective Constable Damien McVilly said Tasmania police want to hear from two women who helped the victim leave the mosh pit after the alleged assault. Detective Constable Damien McVilly said police and event organisers condemned the behaviour, which came despite police warnings about a repeat of last year's incidents. Fall Festival Co-Producer Paul Piticco said: 'As a community we still have a lot of work to do around the issue of sexual assault, we totally support the police in their approach and are happy to hear they have caught one perpetrator. Detective Constable Damien McVilly said Tasmania police want to hear from two women who helped the victim leave the mosh pit after the alleged assault (pictured is the Falls Festival) At the 2016 Falls Festival three women reported being attacked - two said they were sexually assaulted in mosh pits, and one at the Marion Bay camping site (pictured is the Falls Festival) 'These incidences have been happening at mass gatherings for years and we are encouraged by the fact that this unacceptable behaviour is being identified and people are coming forward, it takes a lot of courage and we are happy to be seeing a cultural change where victims feel comfortable to report. 'As a society we need to continue to educate people about consent to eradicate this dreadful behavior and provide victims with a safe space to come forward. We encourage anyone who has any information regarding these matters to contact police.' At the 2016 Falls Festival three women reported being attacked - two said they were sexually assaulted in mosh pits, and one at the Marion Bay camping site. Tasmania Police last week promised to have plain-clothed officers joining cops in uniform patrolling mosh pits to prevent attacks on women. Stickers saying 'Enjoy the festival, don't assault anyone' were seen at the festival, some stuck on the backs of toilet doors. Police urged anyone feeling isolated or unsafe to seek help from police or festival security staff. Mosul residents have enjoyed their first New Year's Eve celebration in years after being freed from ISIS rule. The jihadists seized the northern Iraqi city in 2014, barring such festivities and threatening severe punishment for anyone opposing their hardline regime. But last night, the sound of suicide bombs and gun fire had been replaced by colourful fireworks as citizens were finally able to celebrate the start of a new year. While the city centre was once used as an execution site by ISIS fanatics, pictures released by the Mosul Eye Twitter feed showed crowds of people on those same streets enjoying a spectacular December 31 display last night. Mosul residents have enjoyed their first New Year's Eve celebration in years after being freed from ISIS rule Last night, the sound of suicide bombs and gun fire had been replaced by colourful fireworks as citizens were finally able to celebrate the start of a new year While the city centre was once used as an execution site by ISIS fanatics, pictures released by the Mosul Eye Twitter feed showed crowds of people on those same streets enjoying a spectacular December 31 display last night The Iraqi Prime Minister celebrated victory in Mosul with his 'brave forces' in July. A 100,000-strong coalition of Iraqi government units, Kurdish Peshmerga fighters and Shi'ite militias had launched the offensive to recapture the city ten months earlier. But the victory came at an enormous cost: much of Iraq's second city in ruins, thousands dead and wounded, and nearly a million people forced from their homes. Enormous challenges lie ahead, not just in rebuilding Mosul but in tackling the continued presence elsewhere of ISIS. Jihadists seized the northern Iraqi city in 2014, barring such festivities and threatening severe punishment for anyone opposing their hardline regime. But this was the scene last night as a fireworks display lit up the night sky While many celebrated New Year's Eve last night there are still huge challenges facing the city which must rebuild after years of ISIS rule ISIS swept across much of Iraq's Sunni Arab heartland in a lightning offensive in mid-2014, proclaiming a 'caliphate' straddling Iraq and neighbouring Syria. Imposing its brutal interpretation of Islamic law, the group committed widespread atrocities and organised or inspired deadly attacks in Iraq, Syria and abroad. They have since been swept back with its other stronghold of Raqqa in Syria having also been recaptured last year. The anonymous blog Mosul Eye became a fascinating insight into life in the Iraqi city overtaken by ISIS in 2014. It revealed horrendous atrocities being committed by ISIS in the city of Mosul, from human rights abuses to beheadings. Some of his blogs, including those of a fatwa that all disabled children should be killed and Iraqi Army soldiers throwing ISIS fighters to their deaths after Mosul was liberated, became worldwide news. Historian and teacher Omar Mohammed, who is now safe in Europe, later revealed he was behind the Twitter account. Four people, including two teenagers, have died in less than 24 hours after a series of stabbings in London on New Year's Eve. The unrelated attacks happened in West Ham, Tulse Hill, Enfield and Old Street between 11am on December 31 and 2.30am on January 1. The victims were all aged between 17 and 20. The attack victims included two teenagers, taking the number of teenagers murdered in London in 2017 to 26. A police forensics tent was put up in Tulse Hill after one of the four attacks last night Forensics officers and police on the scene near Old Street, east London, today Police stand by a cordon as forensics teams carry out their investigations at the scene near Old Street in east London Four victims, aged between 17 and 20, were killed in attacks around the capital last night The year's teenage death toll - which includes 20 killed in stabbings - is the highest number for a decade. 12 teenagers were stabbed to death in the capital in 2016. Commander Neil Jerome, of the Met's Territorial Policing Command, said the vast majority of New Year's Eve revellers had been peaceful and law-abiding. But, he added: 'There were small groups who chose to engage in disorder and violence, and whose actions have had utterly tragic consequences. 'It is heart-breaking that, at a time when so many of us are contemplating what lies ahead in 2018, four families are dealing with the grief of losing a loved one to senseless violence and the callous use of knives as lethal weapons.' Five men have been detained in connection with the killing in Enfield although no arrests have been made in the other cases. In Tulse Hill, south London, local resident Clive Harriott, 56, described how he watched a group of about 10 teenagers 'arguing and shouting' before police arrived at the scene. He said the group were stood around a bus stop and he suspected a fight had taken place. An officer then appeared to be trying to revive someone lying on the ground at the bus stop where a forensic tent remained in place this afternoon, Mr Harriott said. Scotland Yard forensics teams are also investigating a knife attack in Old Street The killing, in this housing estate, was the last of the four knife attacks in the capital London mayor Sadiq Khan said today: 'The police have today assured me that everything is being done to bring to justice those responsible for these appalling acts of violence. 'The police were out in force helping people enjoy our city's fantastic celebrations last night, and I thank them. 'However, it is horrific that knife crime has claimed another four young lives as the New Year begins. 'We will work tirelessly in 2018 and beyond to stamp out this scourge. 'I want to be absolutely clear - if you use a knife the full force of the law will be brought down on you. You will be caught and prosecuted.' This was the scene in West Ham this morning after a 20-year-old man was stabbed to death The West Ham attack was the second fatal stabbing of the day, two more happened last night A Scotland Yard spokesman said: 'At around 11:30hrs on 31 December, an 18-year-old man was stabbed in Larmans Road, Enfield. He died at hospital that evening. 'At around 19:35hrs on 31 December, a 20-year-old man was fatally stabbed in Memorial Avenue, West Ham. 'At around 22:40hrs on 31 December, a 17-year-old male was fatally stabbed in Norwood Road near the junction with Station Rise, Tulse Hill. 'At around 02:35hrs on 1 January, a 20-year-old man was fatally stabbed in Bartholomew Court, Old Street EC1. A second male, aged in his 20s, was taken to hospital suffering critical stab injuries.' Commenting on the Tulse Hill attack, the spokesman added: 'At this early stage, police retain an open mind as to any motive. 'Enquiries have indicated that an initial altercation may have begun on board a route 68 bus travelling towards Herne Hill shortly before the stabbing.' The Tulse Hill attack was the third of four killings around the capital in just 24 hours Woman stabbed 'after row' in London bar A 20-year-old woman was stabbed in the face by another woman while celebrating New Year in London's Soho. The victim was taken to hospital, but her injuries are not believed to be life threatening. Police were called to a busy bar in Frith Street, Soho, at around 11.15pm on New Year's Eve to reports of a stabbing. A Met Police spokesman said: 'At this early stage officers retain an open mind as to motive, however it is believed that the stabbing followed a brief altercation involving a female suspect. 'Westminster CID are investigating. The re have been no arrests, and inquiries are continuing.' Advertisement Commander Jerome added: 'I can assure Londoners - and the families and friends of the four males killed and the fifth who remains in hospital - that detectives will work tirelessly to bring to justice those responsible for such despicable acts of violence. 'As we begin these investigations and the provision of support to four grieving families, days like this serve to re-enforce the determination of the Metropolitan Police to tackle knife crime and violence on our streets; especially offences committed by and against young people. 'I would urge anyone with information about these attacks, and more generally about anyone who routinely carries a knife, to urgently pass that information to police or Crimestoppers. 'If you've hesitated to do so before, then these four tragic deaths at the start of a new year may persuade you to act now to make London safer for your family and friends in 2018.' Police believe the victim in West Ham was in a large group of people when he was attacked. The first killing took place in this residential street in Enfield, north London yesterday Detective Chief Inspect Will Reynolds, who is leading the murder inquiry, said: 'This attack has robbed a young man of his future and robbed a family of their loved one. 'The victim was with a number of people at the time of the attack, and I urgently need to trace this group of young men. 'Memorial Avenue is a busy residential area close to West Ham station. I know that there were people in the area who witnessed the incident, and I also need them to come forward.' The soft justice in Britain's prisons has been exposed with inmates allowed to use phones, given soft pillows and getting their own in-cell fridges. Jails across England and Wales have been fitted out with the equipment - with plans to roll out the initiative across all 103 public sector facilities. Inmates can choose meals and book doctor's appointments using terminals installed by their beds or on communal landings. It means that over-stretched jail staff are freed up from performing basic administrative tasks - but unions fear it could mean job cuts and reduce contact between prisoners and officers. At other prisons in the pilot scheme, inmates can use phones in their cells to contact pre-approved numbers. Cells in 10 jails across England and Wales have been fitted out with the equipment - with plans to roll out the initiative across all 103 public sector facilities (stock photo) Campaigners claim that the initiative could help to lower re-offending and self-harm rates. While details of the pilot scheme have been kept under wraps by officials, justice secretary David Lidington last month visited Bronzefield women's jail in Ashford, Middlesex, and said he saw the benefit of telephones in cells. He told The Times: 'The women were able to keep in contact with families in the middle of the night if they have a crisis, to talk to a friend or family or ring the Samaritans. I think it makes for a calmer and better functioning prison.' So far the phones have been installed in cells at Wayland, Berwyn, Durham, Holme House, Kirklevington Grange, Cookham Wood, High Down, Wandsworth, Nottingham and Eastwood Park prisons. A Ministry of Justice spokesman told MailOnline: 'We are testing technology, with strict controls, in a small number of pilot prisons. 'Ministers will need to see evidence that new technologies have tangible benefits, in terms of improving rehabilitation, cutting crime and protecting the public before making any further decisions'. At some prisons in the pilot scheme, inmates can use phones in their cells to contact pre-approved numbers (stock photo) It has also emerged that prisoners at a young offenders jail in West Yorkshire are allowed in-cell fridges and 'soft pillows' as a reward for good behaviour. Inmates at HMP Wetherby are rewarded with 'small refrigerators' if they behave themselves. Bosses at the jail, which is home to about 260 boys - all who have single cells - implemented a rewards scheme which puts inmates on three 'privilege levels' - red, silver and gold. Prisoners on the highest 'gold level' - around 28 per cent of the 260 inmates, which works out at just over 70 - are handed fridges and soft pillows and are allowed to wear their own clothes rather than a prison uniform. They can also clock up merit points for good behaviour, which they can swap for chocolate bars and sweets at a weekly tuck shop. The majority of prisoners, 52 per cent, are on the middle 'silver' level, while 20 per cent are on the 'basic' red level, where privileges are restricted. While details of the pilot scheme have been kept under wraps by officials, justice secretary David Lidington (pictured) last month visited Bronzefield women's jail in Ashford, Middlesex, and said he saw the benefit of telephones in cells (stock photo) A report by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons last month stated that inmates are 'motivated by incentives', adding: 'The scheme operated on three levels: gold, silver and red. 'Incentives had been added to the scheme, including a small refrigerator and a soft pillow for those on gold level. 'At the time of the inspection, 28 per cent of boys were on gold and 20 per cent on red level. 'Boys remained on red level for at least 28 days, although many boys stayed on this level for much longer. 'The regime for boys on red was austere, particularly for those suspended from education or on loss of privileges following an adjudication.' The 'merit scheme' also allowed boys to 'clock up points' for good behaviour, which they could exchange for sweets and chocolate bars during he weekly tuck shop. The report stated: 'Behaviour management had been enhanced by the introduction of the merit scheme. 'Boys earned merits for good behaviour which they could exchange for confectionery in weekly tuck shops on the wings.' In the past year there have been 137 assaults in the prison, 77 of them on prison officers. A woman who made a series of unfounded sex abuse allegations about her ex-partner has been barred from seeing their four-year-old daughter. A High Court judge made the ruling after she concluded that the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had caused 'significant harm' to the little girl. Ms Justice Russell said the woman had made 'persistent and unsubstantiated' allegations about the youngster being sexually abused by her father. A High Court judge made the ruling after she concluded that the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had caused 'significant harm' to the little girl (stock image) The judge said the little girl had been 'repeatedly subjected to intimate examinations, solely at the behest of her mother' and been prevented from having an 'uninhibited relationship' with her father. She said the youngster's early years had been blighted by her mother's 'irrational' behaviour. Ms Justice Russell had analysed the case at a hearing in the Family Division of the High Court in London in November and has revealed her decision in a written ruling published on a website. The judge said the family involved could not be identified. She indicated that a nanny had helped care for the girl and that the woman had a link to Israel. The little girl had lived with her mother after her parents separated. Two years ago, after sex abuse allegations were ruled to be unfounded, another judge had decided that the youngster should move to live with her father. When viewed as a whole the harm caused to this child by her mother was significant - Ms Justice Russell Arguments about what contact the woman should have with the child had subsequently begun. Earlier this year a family court judge had decided that the woman should be able to see her daughter. But the man had mounted a High Court appeal and Ms Justice Russell upheld his challenge. 'When viewed as a whole the harm caused to this child by her mother was significant,' said Ms Justice Russell. 'Not only was she found to have repeatedly subjected to intimate examinations, solely at the behest of her mother, she was prevented from having uninhibited relationship with her father as an infant. 'On any view, the repeated invasive intimate examinations ... were in themselves abusive.' She added: '(The little girl) is a young and vulnerable child whose first few years of life were blighted by her mother's irrational, abusive and harmful behaviour. 'The courts can and should consider ordering no contact when the child's welfare and safety demand it.' Aude Picard-Wolff, the mayor of Morette, in Isere, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, emailed her colleagues to say she would no longer be kissing each of them and would prefer to 'shake hands' in the future A French mayor has announced that she will no longer give a 'la bise' greeting kiss to her 73 colleagues every morning. Aude Picard-Wolff, the mayor of Morette, in Isere, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, emailed her colleagues to say she would no longer be kissing each of them and would prefer to 'shake hands' in the future. 'I have enough of giving la bise to dozens of people,' she wrote. 'I hope that my action will contribute to making people think so that everyone can feel free to give or not give la bise as an elected official, in his or her profession or in any other situation.' In France, men generally only give the kiss greeting with close friends and at home, while women are expected to do give the greeting more widely. Picard-Wolff, a Greens Party member, admitted that she had arrived late for meetings and used a cold as an excuse to avoid the kiss greeting. It 'always felt wrong to be doing the bise with people I barely knew', Picard-Wolff told Dauphine Libere. She added: 'I found it disagreeable. It annoyed me. We're not as free as all that when someone sticks their cheek in your direction. 'Even though we had done the bise for years I wanted to say that from now I would like to shake hands, like men do.' Picard-Wolff said that she discussed the issue with several officials before sending the email to her colleagues. 'This is a minimal, but daily issue of gender equality,' she said of the greeting kiss. The Harvey Weinstein scandal in the United States has accelerated a rethink of attitudes toward sexual harassment in France. In France, men generally only give the kiss greeting with close friends and at home, while women are expected to do give the greeting more widely. Pictured above, President Emmanuel Macron greets UK Prime Minister Theresa May French women have taken to social media to share tales of sexual harassment, outstripping the #MeToo campaign with a name-and-shame hashtag #BalanceTonPorc - or 'expose your pig'. French President Emmanuel Macron unveiled measures in November aimed at educating the public and schoolchildren about sexism and violence against women and improving police support for victims. He also proposed criminalising street harassment. He noted that violence takes on other forms, notably in the workplace, a result of inequality and a false sense of men's superiority. 'What should be sanctuaries today becomes a hunting ground simply because (men) can use ... age, authority, their post, or simply force,' the French president said. But Macron cautioned against France becoming a society where every interaction between a man and a woman can come under suspicion. 'We are not a Puritan society,' he said. Among proposed measures, Macron said legal complaints will be rushed through the system, and the statute of limitations for suspected sexual crimes against minors would be moved to 30 years from 20 currently as part of a bill to be presented in 2018. Macron also wants to rectify 'intolerable ambiguities' in the penal code surrounding the legal age of consent. Outrage followed a ruling in an assault case that an 11-year-old was of the age of consent. He suggested the age of 15 - the legal age of sexual adulthood in France, and the age at which Macron met his future wife, Brigitte, his school's drama teacher. Picard-Wolff, a Greens Party member, admitted that she had arrived late for meetings and used a cold as an excuse to avoid the kiss greeting. Pictured above, Macron greets German Chancellor Angela Merkel To encourage more women to speak out, Macron said that from the start of next year, an online alarm system will be set up for instant contact with police. Nursery school teachers will be trained to address 'non-negotiable' equality between the sexes. Macron said violence against women is most often committed where women 'should feel protected' - be it at home, in the street or in the office - and the 'deafening silence' must end. Meanwhile, French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe clamped down on attempts to make French more female-friendly by issuing a ban on so-called 'inclusive writing' in official texts. At the centre of the row is the growing use of formulations to embrace both genders in the plural form, which requires full-stops being inserted in the word - to the horror of purists. For example, the word for a mixed-gender group of 'readers' is usually written as 'lecteurs', even if the women outnumber the men, rather than with the feminine plural 'lectrices'. Using inclusive writing, the word would be written as 'lecteur.rice.s'. In a memo to his ministers in Novembeer, Philippe issued a diktat, insisting: 'The masculine (form) is a neutral form which should be used for terms liable to apply to women.' Stressing the need to use formal language in legally binding texts, he demanded government ministries avoid inclusive writing, 'notably for reasons of intelligibility and clarity'. Almost two thirds of motorists said they would not buy a driverless car despite plans to make the UK a world centre for the autonomous vehicles, a study suggests. It comes after Philip Hammond announced in November plans to invest hundreds of millions of pounds to upgrade electric car charging facilities which would speed up the proliferation of driverless cars. But research conducted for The Times also found that one third of people would not pay extra for a driverless car. Three quarters added they were not confident that driverless cars were safe and that being hacked was the most significant worry. The study showed that almost two thirds of motorists said they would not buy a driverless cars despite plans to make the UK a world centre for the autonomous vehicles It comes after Philip Hammond announced in November plans to invest hundreds of millions of pounds to upgrade electric car charging facilities which would speed up the proliferation of driverless cars The study also found that the public doubts the benefits of the cars and suspects industry motives. Two thirds said they thought that driverless cars would be bad for society and the majority said they were worried about implications for jobs. More than half of those who took part said they thought carmakers were investing in the new technology out of greed and 60 per cent added that they were not doing enough to make the cars safe. It comes after a Florida man was killed when the autopilot on his Tesla car failed to spot a lorry that was the same colour as the sky in 2016. Christian Wolmar, a transport analyst, told The Times: 'There is no demand for driverless cars, they are not something we need or want. The whole concept that we will end up with shared electric pods that will take us anywhere ignores the day-to-day experience of most people. 'That kind of transport might be all very well for central London but if you live five miles out of Woking you will not have a driverless pod waiting to pick you up. Even if there was one nearby, your neighbours might have taken it and you will have to wait half an hour for another to poodle along.' Two thirds said they thought that driverless cars would be bad for society and the majority said they were worried about implications for jobs 'There are so many examples of dead transport ideas because the technology doesn't work, at least not at the right price and there is not the infrastructure in place. The government would do much better to invest in basic technology like improving the railways or making busses more efficient than spending on a concept that is completely unproven and I think unworkable.' Critics have also questioned how driverless cars could cope with rain, uneven road markings or traffic jams. They add that the basic question of how driverless vehicles would tell traffic from a line of parked cars has yet to be adequately explained. Advertisement A British family-of-five who were tragically killed when their seaplane crashed into a river north of Sydney on New Year's Eve have all been identified. Millionaire CEO Richard Cousins was on-board the plane with his two sons, fiancee Emma Bowden and her 11-year-old daughter Heather when it plunged into the Hawkesbury River, north of Sydney, about 3.15pm on Sunday. Mr Cousins' two sons Edward, 23, and William, 25, were also both killed in the accident, as was experienced pilot Gareth Morgan, 44. The chief executive of British catering giant Compass, Mr Cousins was due to retire in March having spent the past 11 years at the helm and transforming a business on its knees to turning a 1.6billion annual profit. It is believed he was in Australia on a family holiday to celebrate the New Year with his family when they died. Scroll down for video Emma Bowden, 48, and her daughter Heather, 11, died in a horror seaplane crash in the Hawkesbury River, north of Sydney, on New Year's Eve Richard Cousins (right) - a millionaire CEO in charge of British catering company Compass - was on board the plane with his fiancee, her daughter and his two sons Mr Cousins' sons Edward, 23 (left) and William, 25 (right) were also killed when their seaplane plunged into the Hawkesbury River It's believed Ms Bowden (left) and her daughter (right) were travelling with Mr Cousins and his sons on a festive family holiday One of the six to be named as dead is experienced 44-year-old Australian pilot Gareth Morgan (pictured left and right) Mr Morgan (pictured), who was one of the six to be killed on Sunday, has been described a 'very experienced pilot' The body of a passenger recovered from the downed seaplane that crashed on Sunday killing six people is carried by police and paramedics When he announced in September that he would be retiring in March, the company's share price plummeted. Mr Cousins was named at No 11 on last year's 100 Best Performing CEOs in the World by Harvard Business Review. The 58-year-old had also served on the board of supermarket giant Tesco, but resigned last year in protest at plans to buy wholesaler Booker. Paul Walsh, Compass chairman, said: 'We are deeply shocked and saddened by this terrible news. 'The thoughts of everyone at Compass are with Richard's family and friends, and we extend our deepest sympathies to them. 'It has been a great privilege to know Richard personally and to work with him for the last few years. 'Richard was known and respected for his great humanity and a no-nonsense style that transformed Compass into one of Britain's leading companies.' Six people were killed after the tourist plane crashed into a river near Sydney on Sunday afternoon. Pictured is a plane believed to be the doomed aircraft spotted moments before it crashed The six people including five Britons killed in a seaplane crash north of Sydney have been named; pictured is one of the bodies being removed by police and paramedics New South Wales Police and investigators from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau pictured on a police launch at the site where a seaplane crashed on New Year's Eve A New South Wales policewoman is seen holding a piece of debris from the seaplane which crashed in the Hawkesbury River Five Britons, including an 11-year-old girl, were on board the Sydney Seaplanes Cessna aircraft when it came down. Pictured are police officers gathering evidence at the scene A brave holidaymaker told how he desperately tried to open the door of the sinking sea plane but it went down too quickly. Todd Sellars said he was on a houseboat just 50m away when the aircraft went into the water on Sunday. 'I was with friends on the houseboat when the plane just nosedived into the water,' Mr Sellars told ABC Radio. 'I jumped into the water and tried to open the door,' he 'I just thought it was coming in low doing a flyby, but when we look out on the corner it just nosedived. Mr Sellars told how and friends swam to try and rescue the passengers, but the aircraft sank too quickly. 'I ran my hands down through the windows but I couldn't open the door - it was sinking too fast,' he said. 'The plane was pretty long so it was probably three or four metres under the water by the time we got down to the door.' Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull offered his condolences to the families of those killed in the crash. 'It is a tragic accident and... our hearts go out to the families of those whose lives were lost,' Mr Turnbull said in Bondi on Monday. 'We don't know yet what caused it, but it's just a tragedy. We grieve for those who lost their lives.' Police are now working on the logistics of refloating the wreckage. The plane will need to be brought back to the surface before forensic air-crash investigators can piece together what went wrong. One theory is that the seaplane's pilot was trying to make an emergency landing. Witnesses enjoying New Year's Eve in boats on the river said they saw the aircraft make a sharp turn before nosediving into the water. One witness said it appeared a wing hit the water first. Video taken from a nearby boat shows what is believed to be the doomed aircraft just moments before it plunged into the Hawkesbury River around 3pm local time. The passengers are believed to have been enjoying a 'wine and dine' sightseeing tour and were flying from Cottage Point to Rose Bay in Sydney Harbour when the plane came down around 3pm local time The remains of all six victims have now been taken from the water and emergency services are now working to retrieve the plane from 42ft below the surface An officer carries a piece of debris recovered from a seaplane that crashed into the Hawkesbury River Police said the wreckage of the aircraft, operated by Sydney Seaplanes, was eventually found on the bottom of Cowan Creek under 42ft of water with the bodies inside. Witness Myles Baptiste said he saw the plane crash. He told 9News: 'It made a tight right-hand turn and as it actually turned around, the wings dipped and it nosedived straight into the water.' A police spokesman said: 'For reasons that are not known at this stage, the plane has hit the water and it has subsequently sunk. 'At the time of the collision, there was a pilot and five passengers on board. I can confirm the six people on the plane are deceased.' The plane crashed while flying a party of five from Cottage Point to Rose Bay on Sydney Harbour ahead of the New Year's Eve fireworks display. Sydney Seaplanes managing director Aaron Shaw confirmed that the aircraft was one of theirs and said they were working with police on the scene. He said: 'All at Sydney Seaplanes are deeply shocked by this incident and the resulting loss of life. 'We wish to pass on our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the passengers and pilot who were tragically killed. We do not yet know the cause of the accident. 'We are dedicating our full resources in assisting the NSW Police, the Australian Transport Safety Board, Civil Aviation Safety Authority and other relevant authorities to understand the cause of the accident.' Emergency services were called to Cowan Creek on Sunday with reports of a light plane crash Sydney Seaplanes managing director Aaron Shaw confirmed that the aircraft was one of theirs Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopters tweeted an update just after the crash around 3.15pm Divers are pictured searching Cowan Creek near Jerusalem Bay on the Hawkesbury River east of Cowan He added: 'Sydney Seaplanes has been operating since 2005, have undertaken thousands of flights in that period and have had an unblemished safety record until now. 'The safety of our passengers and staff is our absolute primary and highest priority. 'Our aircraft are professionally maintained to manufacturer's specifications and our seaplane pilots are some of the most experienced in the world.' The company has suspended all operations until further notice, Mr Shaw said. A Sydney Seaplanes pilot took to Facebook to write: 'Thoughts are with the guys from Sydney Seaplanes this afternoon, hope they are all well and things have a positive outcome. Top bunch of guys working there.' For $534AUD (309) per person, the company's website boats that guests will 'indulge in an exceptional three-course lunch before flying over the magnificent icons of the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge.' Debris and oil slick were found on the surface of Cowan Creek where the plane crashed A large search and rescue operation was underway to locate the plane which was submerged The group had enjoyed the same four-hour tour package enjoyed by Pippa Middleton in May during her honeymoon with husband James Matthews The Australian Transport Safety Bureau sent three vehicles to investigate the incident and Daily Mail Australia has reached out to them for more information. In a statement, the ATSB said investigators were en route from Canberra to the crash site to investigate 'the ditching of a single-engine seaplane'. The bureau is expected to release a preliminary report in just under a month, according to The Australian. The route the seaplane took is a popular choice for tourists who want to experience Sydney's beauty from the air. Those who have enjoyed the same flight include Kate Middleton's sister Pippa and popular TV host Jeremy Clarkson. Other A-listers to take to the skies over scenic New South Wales with the company Sydney Seaplanes include Ed Sheeran, Jerry Seinfeld and Bill Gates. Oscar-winning actor Cuba Gooding Jr. chose the sea planes to travel around Sydney earlier this month to film commercials for a phone company. President Bashar Assad reshuffled his government on Monday, replacing the ministers of defense, information and industry, Syria's state news agency SANA reported. SANA did not give a reason for the government reshuffle that comes at a time when Assad's forces have been gaining ground over the past two years under the cover of Russian airstrikes and with the help of Iran-backed fighters. It said army commander General Ali Ayoub has been named defense minister replacing Fahd Jassem al-Freij who had held the post since 2012. Ayoub had been the army chief of staff since July 2012 until he became defense minister. President Bashar Assad reshuffled his government, making Army commander General Ali Ayoub defense minister (pictured together in December) Ayoub had been the army chief of staff since July 2012 until he became defense minister The agency added that Imad Sarah has been named information minister while Mohammed Mazen Youssef was chosen as the new minister of industry. The announcement came as different parts of Syria witnessed violence, mostly in the suburbs of the capital Damascus and northwestern Syria, where troops are on the offensive on the southern edge of Idlib province. Heavy clashes broke out between Syrian government forces and insurgents east of Damascus when troops tried to reach under the cover of a dozen airstrikes a force trapped inside, opposition activists said. The clashes have been ongoing for three days but on Sunday, rebels backed by al-Qaida-linked fighters attacked troops and pro-government gunmen capturing parts of a military installation and surrounding a force inside. Smoke rises after Assad Regime's airstrike hit residential areas at the Harasta district of Eastern Goutha in Damascus, Syria on December 31 Syrians evacuate a boy from a building by using a ladder after an airstrike hit the Damascus suburb of Masraba, Syria Opposition activists are reporting heavy clashes between government forces and insurgents east of Damascus, and at least a dozen airstrikes Syrians carry an injured man on a stretcher after an airstrike hit the Damascus suburb of Masraba The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and Syria-based activist Mazen al-Shami said Monday's fighting was concentrated inside the military installation near the suburb of Harasta, where the government force has been trapped. The Observatory said the Syrian air force conducted at least a dozen airstrikes on Harasta and nearby suburbs. Al-Shami reported dozens of airstrikes. He said the government brought in reinforcements overnight and is trying to reach the trapped force. The Observatory said three days of violence in the suburbs of Damascus known as eastern Ghouta has killed 35 civilians, as well as 24 government troops and 29 insurgents. Syrians evacuate a boy from a building by using a ladder after an airstrike hit Damascus An official with the ultraconservative Ahrar al-Sham insurgent group said the government is negotiating the passage of its fighters trapped in the military installation. The official, who asked not to be named because of the secrecy of the talks said the negotiations are in their preliminary stages. Syria's state media did not mention the trapped force but blamed insurgents for the violence saying that they are firing shells into government-controlled areas killing at least one civilian. The U.N. says government forces are holding nearly 400,000 people under siege in eastern Ghouta. The region was once a hotbed of protest against President Bashar Assad's government. This is the moment a shocked man came home to find two bear cubs having a party in his own swimming pool. Dustin Castor, 36, returned to his Florida home to find the fuzzy intruders having the time of their lives swimming around and play-fighting one another. He watched and began to record as the little bears wrestled and swam before lounging around the poolside. Dustin Castor, 36, returned to his Florida home to find the fuzzy intruders having the time of their lives swimming around and play-fighting one another With mama bear nowhere in sight, the two fluffy cubs stayed to play for another 15 minutes before ambling off. Mr Castor was thrilled to have seen the baby bears and says that most people would consider it a once in a lifetime experience. 'It was very apparent to me they were playing and really enjoying themselves. He watched and began to record as the little bears wrestled and swam before lounging around the poolside 'They seemed to be having a blast until they realised I was home and watching them. 'They casually left after noticing me and seemed bummed I crashed their pool party. 'I have never come home to these cubs in my pool however I have been watching them and their mother since they were born. They dipped in and out of the pool, chased one another and lay around before they noticed Dustin filming them With no mother bear in sight the pair played for over 15 minutes before noticing the camera man 'They have gotten into mine and my neighbour's trash before on numerous occasions. 'Bears are very common where I live as well as panthers and deer. 'I didn't see mama bear on this occasion however I know she wasn't far away. On all the other occasions I've seen these two mama bear was present. The bears have raided bins in the neighbourhood on several occasions, according to Dustin He said: 'I wasn't scared at all I actually found it fascinating watching them. It was quite entertaining' 'I wasn't scared at all I actually found it fascinating watching them. It was quite entertaining. 'Most people would consider this a once in a lifetime experience. 'I originally posted this video for friends to see however the response has been overwhelming. It's been all positive but I never imagined this blowing up like it has.' Australians could soon be partaking in another voluntary postal plebiscite if Malcolm Turnbull succeeds in his bid to have the nation vote on whether it should become a republic. In the wake of the recent same sex marriage legislation change, Mr Turnbull proposed a similar method be used to 'kickstart the debate' on how Australia will be led in the future. Speaking at the North Bondi Surf Life Saving Club on New Year's Day, the prime minister suggested an 'honest open discussion' was how a president should be elected, if the Queen were to pass during his leadership. Prime minister Malcolm Turnbull (pictured) has propositioned another postal survey to 'kickstart debate' over whether Australia should become a republic 'I think the first thing that you would need to do is to have an honest open discussion about how a president would be elected,' Mr Turnbull said on Monday. 'That is the rock on which the referendum foundered in 99. You've got to have that discussion and you know it may be that a plebiscite maybe even a postal survey given the success of the marriage postal survey could be one way to deal with that.' His opinion has divided politicians, namely former prime minister Tony Abbot, who slammed republicans for 'running Australia down'. 'We don't need to dump the Queen to be a great country. Republicans will never win by running Australia down,' Mr Abbot wrote in a heated Twitter post Monday morning. Speaking at the North Bondi Surf Life Saving Club on New Year's Day, the prime minister suggested an 'honest open discussion' was how a president should be elected in future Meanwhile, Mr Turnbull's stance was encouraged by Australian Republic Movement chair Peter FitzSimons, who said a republican future was 'what the country needs'. 'We are thrilled with the return of the PM long the most passionate republican in the country to moving forward the process of becoming a republic,' he said. 'The leaders of both sides of politics clearly want this to happen. Now it's not a question of if, but how.' But fellow republican and former prime minister, Paul Keating, accused Mr Turnbull of having 'no policy ambition' and for being chameleon-like in his beliefs. 'He has little or no policy ambition and commensurably little imagination, no system, of prevailing beliefs ... Was (his republicanism) just Malcolm being another chameleon doing another chameleon act as he has on so many other things?,' Mr Keating told The Australian. Advertisement The most comprehensive account yet of life inside the notorious prisoner of war camp made famous by the Great Escape has been unearthed in a government report which has finally been published after 74 years. The document includes first hand accounts by 26 of the men who took part in the epic escape and were recaptured but not executed by the Germans. One man, Lieutenant Alexander Neely, details how he made it all the way to Berlin on a train only to be recaptured after he was given the address of a brothel instead of a rendezvous point with a Swede who was supposed to get him out of Germany. Another, Flight Lieutenant Sydney Dowse, tells of how his group walked for 12 days and nights and ticked a farmer into believing they were Polish workers before eventually being discovered by a member of the Hitler Youth. A report on the British escape from German PoW camp Stalag Luft III (pictured), made famous by The Great Escape, has finally been published 74 years after it was written and gives unprecedented detail about the plot It details how the Planning Committee, which was established RAF Squadron Leader Roger Bushell, had a panel of experts in each form of escape who would review suggestions from prisoners for Bushell's approval (file image, men at the camp) Prisoners who escaped but were returned to the camp were taken to the Planning Committee for a debrief, when they shared information on the outside world, gave tips to improve future attempts, and revealed any flaws in forged papers On the night of March 24, 1944, up to 200 prisoners were supposed to escape from the camp in a tunnel dug underneath the surrounding fence. In reality 76 men made it out before the plot was foiled The information was in a 250-page report prepared for the War Office in the aftermath of the Second World War but never released to the general public. Instead, it was hidden away in the national archives before historian Martin Mace stumbled upon it by chance while researching another project. Now, 74 years after the Great Escape, the report has been published in a new book, Stalag Luft III, An Official History of the 'Great Escape' PoW Camp, which analyses in unprecedented detail what went on in the camp and the logistics behind the daring escapes. As well as the accounts of the escapees, the book also contains a comprehensive summary of how the camp's Planning Committee - the brains behind the escape plot - operated. It also explains the German administration and running of the camp, the conditions the prisoners endured and the means by which morale was maintained amongst them. The camp in question was Stalag Luft III at Sagan in Poland, which was built with the barracks raised off the ground to make tunneling easier to detect. But this did not stop the ingenious prisoners digging through more than 100 yards of loose sand in preparation for the Great Escape. On the night of March 24-25, 1944, it was planned that 200 Allied airmen should escape through the tunnel nicknamed 'Harry'. Seventy-six men made it out before the escape was rumbled by guards. All but three of the 76 men were recaptured. Under orders from Adolf Hitler 50 of them were shot by the Gestapo. Left is Officer Thomas Malcolm, who was one of the many RAF men to be held at Stalag Luft. Right is Camp Kommandant Friedrich Wilhelm Von Lindeiner The huts at Stalag Luft were built up on stilts (remains, pictured), to make tunneling easier to detect. Despite this the British escapees were able to dig three of them - code named Tom, Dick and Harry The men disguised the tunnel entrances and used pouches sewn into the inside of their trousers in order to hide the excavated soil, which they slowly poured out as they walked around (pictured, the remains of a washroom) One of the survivors was Lieutenant Neely, who was the 28th man out of the tunnel. Writing of his escape, flight to Berlin, and eventual recapture, he said: 'I wandered around Berlin until 16.20 hours, when I caught a train to Stettin. 'I arrived at 19.30 hours and after several attempts found a hotel where I could stay the night. 'I left at 10.00 hours next morning, 26th March, and went to an address I had been given in Camp, 16 Klein Oder Strasse. 'It became obvious when I spoke to the girls in the house that this was the wrong number, and that I should go to number 17. 'I had lunch in a restaurant and then returned to number 17, which was a brothel. 'The people there told me they could not help me and advised me to wait until the arrival of a Swede. 'I waited until 17.30 hours and then left the house. I contacted a Frenchman in the street and he took me to a friend of his who worked in the kitchen of a hospital in Stettin. The report is published for the first time in this book after it was uncovered by historian Martin Mace 'I spent two nights and a day in this hospital, helped by the three men who worked in the kitchen. 'I stayed indoors during the day and went at night into Stettin with the Frenchman to try and contact a Swede. 'We met a friend of the Frenchman who worked on a tug, and he said that there were no Swedish ships in at the time, but he would let us know when one arrived.' Another fascinating first hand account is from Flight Lieutenant Sydney Dowse was the 21st man out of the tunnel. His group walked for 12 days and 12 nights before hiding out in a barn. They tricked a symphathetic farmer into thinking they were Polish workers but were then were detected by a member of the Hitler Youth. He said: 'We walked east from Sagan, following the railway track. We walked for twelve nights, sleeping in the woods during the hours of daylight. 'On 6th April, we were hiding in a barn under a pile of wheat when the farmer began to thrash it and we were uncovered. 'The farmer, a Volksdeutscher, listened to our story of being Polish workers escaping from Germany and agreed to allow us to stay in the barn until evening. He gave us bread and coffee. 'About half an hour later a member of the Hitler Youth who lived nearby entered the barn and saw us in our unkempt condition. 'He dashed off and returned a few minutes later at about 16.00 hours, with members of the German Home Guard.' The book analyses the workings of the Planning Committee which was formed by RAF Squadron Leader Roger Bushell to co-ordinate escapes and gain knowledge from veterans who had learned by their own mistakes. In order to relieve Bushell of the workload of interviewing every would-be escaper the experts of each type of escape - tunnel, wire-scheme, gate or transport - dealt with the first interview. These experts could see at once the flaws and good points of any plan and would help the proposer to hammer out the details. A plan which the experts thought was promising would be proposed to Bushell. The escaper would be told who would provide him with clothing, papers, food, maps, gadgets and cover. He would then be sent to see the head of each department concerned, who would work out with him the final details of his requirements. While 76 men escaped the camp, all but three of them were recaptured and returned to Stalag Luft. 50 of them were subsequently shot dead on the orders of Adolf Hitler himself Former Stalag Luft III prisoners of war Frank Stone and Stanley King (on the right) pictured, in 2011, beside the memorial to the fifty airmen executed after the Great Escape The escaper would be briefed by Bushell before his attempt and given information about his route, possible contacts and danger points. He would learn by heart the story he was to tell, who he was, his business and how to behave in case of capture. If captured, he was told he must destroy all equipment, especially forged documents, deny that he had any equipment or was helped by any other prisoner and divert any suspicion of an escape organisation in the camp. Recaptured escapers were interrogated on their return by Bushell and his committee. They gave information about the inspection of their documents, recent changes in documents and any flaws found in their own forged copies. They could describe the clothes worn by civilian and foreign workers, travelling conditions, air-raid procedure, regulations in hotels, use of food coupons, banned areas, favourable contacts and the geography of their route. Mr Mace said: 'This report was written at the end of the war and was based on testimonies taken from those there. 'It has never been published before since it has been stored away in the archives, so it is our aim to bring it to the wider public. 'The detail certainly sets the report apart and it touches on all the quirks of being a prisoner of war. 'The most interesting thing about the report is the fact there are all these first hand accounts of escape attempts which was part of the debriefing following the war and have never been seen before. 'I don't think there is a particular reason why they decided not to publish the report at the time. 'It just ended up at the bottom of a filing cupboard in the national archives and it was by chance we stumbled across it while researching the Special Operations Executive.' Stalag Luft III, An Official History of the 'Great Escape' PoW Camp, is published by Pen & Sword and costs 20 Thousands have marched through the streets of Hong Kong on New Year's Day to protest at China's 'assault on autonomy'. There were scuffles in the streets as crowds of angry protesters called for Beijing to stop meddling in the city's affairs. It comes a year that saw democracy advocates in Hong Kong jailed and ousted from public office. Over the past year, Hong Kong, a former British colony which returned to Chinese rule in 1997, has experienced what critics and pro-democracy activists describe as an intensifying assault on its autonomy by China's Communist Party leaders. Scroll down for video Thousands have marched through the streets of Hong Kong on New Year's Day to protest at China's 'assault on autonomy' There were scuffles in the streets as crowds called for Beijing to stop meddling in the city's affairs A woman carry an Union Jack and the placard reads MAKE HONG KONG GREAT BRITAIN AGAIN, march the street on the annual New Years Day Parade organized by pro-democratic political camps Activists for genuine universal suffrage pose for photos dressed in mock Chinese People's Liberation Army uniforms in Civic Square outside the Hong Kong government's headquarters during the annual New Year's Day street protest in Hong Kong This is despite Beijing's promises to grant the city wide-ranging freedoms including an independent judiciary, under a so-called 'one country, two systems' framework. Besides the controversial jailing of several prominent young activists for unlawful assembly over the massive 2014 'Occupy' pro-democracy protests, authorities also ejected six pro-democracy lawmakers from the legislature for failing to take proper oaths of office. The city's reputation as one of Asia's most robust legal jurisdictions has also come under a cloud amidst accusations of a politicisation of certain legal cases. Semi-autonomous Hong Kong has been ruled under a 'one country, two systems' deal since Britain returned it to China in 1997 and enjoys rights unseen on the mainland, including freedom of speech and an independent judiciary. The protesters, who included many middle-aged and elderly citizens, held up banners and chanted the march's main theme to 'Protect Hong Kong' during a walk of several kilometres to the city's government headquarters. An agent provocateur scuffles with pro-democracy protesters in Civic Square outside the Hong Kong government's headquarters during the annual New Year's Day street protest The protesters, who included many middle-aged and elderly citizens, held up banners and chanted the march's main theme to 'Protect Hong Kong' during a walk of several kilometres to the city's government headquarters Others decried an unprecedented move by China's parliament last week that said part of a high-speed railway station being built in Hong Kong would be regarded as mainland territory governed by mainland laws. 'We are here to tell the government that we will not give up,' said Joshua Wong, one of the democracy activists jailed last year, but who is now out on bail pending an appeal. 'We have encountered many difficulties last year, including some of us being sued and jailed, but we will stand with Hong Kong people. We will fight for the rule of law, fight for Hong Kong, fight for the future, fight for the next generations.' Two protesters who dressed up as People's Liberation Army soldiers said they were concerned about the reach of China's security apparatus. Others called for full democracy as the only lasting means to safeguard the city's way of life. The organisers of the march said some 10,000 people had showed up. Police, however, put the figure at 6,200. The organisers of the march said some 10,000 people had showed up. Police, however, put the figure at 6,200 Many decried an unprecedented move by China's parliament last week that said part of a high-speed railway station being built in Hong Kong would be regarded as mainland territory governed by mainland laws The city's reputation as one of Asia's most robust legal jurisdictions has also come under a cloud amidst accusations of a politicisation of certain legal cases The demonstration was largely peaceful, though some protesters who tried to later gather in a forecourt of the government's headquarters skirmished briefly with security guards Despite the defiance on show, some said they feared Hong Kong would continue to be squeezed by Beijing The Hong Kong government, in a statement, said it 'fully respects the right of Hong Kong people to take part in processions and their freedom of expression' The demonstration was largely peaceful, though some protesters who tried to later gather in a forecourt of the government's headquarters skirmished briefly with security guards. The so-called 'Civic Square' was where the 2014 pro-democracy protests first kicked off when a group of protesters stormed over a fence and faced off with local police. Despite the defiance on show, some said they feared Hong Kong would continue to be squeezed by Beijing. 'Everyone's doing what they can,' said Andy Lau who was among the marchers. 'If we have the right to demonstrate then we should. But I'm not feeling positive. I think things will get worse.' The Hong Kong government, in a statement, said it 'fully respects the right of Hong Kong people to take part in processions and their freedom of expression'. China's leader Xi Jinping has said that while Hong Kong enjoys a high degree of autonomy under 'one country, two systems', Beijing still holds supreme authority over the city and won't tolerate any challenge to its authority. Bronwen Lady Astor, the chatelaine of the infamous Cliveden estate which became the setting for the Profumo scandal, has died at the age of 87. Born Janet Bronwen Alun Pugh on June 6, 1930 in London, she was the forerunner of today's supermodels and one of the most celebrated models of her generation. Bronwen also enjoyed a glittering television career as a presenter at the BBC. However, she was later shunned by the upper echelons of society after she was caught up in the notorious Profumo affair in the 1960s - when Christine Keeler met John Profumo at the home Bronwen shared with her husband, Viscount Bill Astor. Bronwen Lady Astor (pictured in 1963) passed away on December 28 at the age of 87 Bronwen Astor, born Janet Bronwen Alun Pugh, on June 6, 1930 in London, was the forerunner of today's supermodels. She is pictured, left, in 1959 The model, formerly Bronwen Pugh, married the Viscount Astor in October 1960 Bronwen married former Tory MP and enormously rich aristocrat Bill Astor, 3rd Viscount Astor, in 1960 when she was a highly-successful model and muse to the Parisian couturier Pierre Balmain. She married into the wealthy Astor family at the age of 30 and became matriarch of Cliveden. However some three years later, her stately home was the setting for the Profumo scandal. Viscount Bill Astor hit the headlines when he had sex with nightclub dancer Mandy Rice-Davies, and helped introduce her friend Christine Keeler to John Profumo. Those fateful events took place at Astors magnificent ancestral Thames-side stately home, Cliveden in Buckinghamshire, which he shared with his third wife, Bronwen. Astor was said to have acceded to a playful request by his osteopath, the alleged pimp Stephen Ward, to bring Rice-Davies to Cliveden to see if she knew how to use her cutlery in the right order. Bronwen (pictured in 1967) also enjoyed a glittering television career as a presenter at the BBC. But she was caught up in the notorious Profumo affair in the 1960s The model married into the wealthy Astor family at the age of 30 before working for the BBC Bronwen (pictured, left, in 1960 and, right, in 1957) married former Tory MP and enormously rich aristocrat Bill Astor in 1960 when she was a highly-successful model and muse to the Parisian couturier Pierre Balmain Christine Keeler at Cliveden House, the scene of the 1963 Profumo scandal Bronwen (pictured left in 1958 and right in 1961) qualified as a psychotherapist in 1986, running a practice for more than 20 years. She became a Roman Catholic in 1970, and went on to work as a spiritual adviser Their one night stand ensued and his later denial of it was widely ridiculed. The Astors society friends began dropping them and police even considered charging the viscount with allowing a brothel to operate on his estate. They seemed the epitome of an amoral rich set. The Viscount died soon after the scandal, aged 58, in 1966. Bronwen left Cliveden two years later and is now a hotel and a property operated by the National Trust. Bronwen qualified as a psychotherapist in 1986, running a practice for more than 20 years. She became a Roman Catholic in 1970, and went on to work as a spiritual adviser. She died on December 28 and is survived by her daughters, Janet and Pauline. Left, Christine Keeler and right, John Profumo, the Tory minister forced to quit after the notorious 1960s sex scandal Bronwen's husband Viscount Bill Astor hit the headlines when he had sex with nightclub dancer Mandy Rice-Davies (pictured) Debutantes practice a fashion parade under the tutorship of Bronwen Pugh The Profumo scandal was played out at Astors magnificent ancestral Thames-side stately home, Cliveden in Buckinghamshire, which he shared with his third wife, Bronwen The 11-year-old boy was quickly rescued but the 7-year-old girl became trapped A boat with two adults and two children aboard capsized at a Melbourne beach A former lifeguard became a knight in shining amour for a child trapped underneath a boat at a Melbourne beach. Nick Mazzeo was relaxing on Safety Beach when a 54-year-old driver lost control of the boat near the jetty and accidentally accelerated. The vessel 'jumped up onto the pier...about two metres', according to a witness, and then slowly sank into the water and capsized with two children on board. An 11-year-old boy was quickly pulled from the water but a seven-year-old girl became trapped underneath the boat under the water. Scroll down for video A group of onlookers including a former lifesaver have rescued a girl, 7, from a capsized boat A 54-year-old driver lost control of the boat near the jetty and then accidentally accelerated The boat narrowly missed hitting fisherman and people jumping from the jetty, according to 7NEWS. Along with several other onlookers, Mr Mazzeo rushed to the end of the pier to help the little girl after the boy was pulled from the water immediately. 'We started from the back trying to find her, but there were cushions and rope and fishing gear,' he told 9NEWS on Monday afternoon. Along with another good Samaritan named Max, Mr Mazzeo dived into the water and swam underneath the boat to find the child treading water with her head up in an air pocket made by the anchor. But he couldn't free immediately because she was tangled in debris from the boat, lifejackets and fishing equipment. The boat was too heavy to be lifted, so he pulled the girl partially through a hatch in the bottom of the vessel. She had been under the boat for four minutes. Max (right) recounted to media that 'the vessel 'jumped up onto the pier...about two metres' The girl was trapped under the vessel by ropes and debris but luckily had found an air pocket Mr Mazzeo jumped into the water and swam under the boat to find the child tangled in ropes Max handed Mr Mazzeo a knife so that he could cut the young girl free from the ropes and wreckage. Both children, who had both swallowed a large amount of seawater, and one of the rescuers were taken to hospital for observation. 'She was shaking, and very stressed, as you would imagine she would be,' said witness Tony Poci. The girl was treated by paramedics for shock, but sustained no serious injuries. Police have expressed their intention to nominate Mr Mazzeo for an award in recognition of his courageous efforts in saving the girl. President Donald Trump began his first morning of the New Year engaging in one of his preferred activities of the just-passed 2017: firing off online shots about whatever was on his mind. On Monday, the president sent out morning messages about two global trouble spots. Trump sent out a tweet about Pakistan just after 7 am Monday morning, after attending a New Years' bash at Mar-a-Lago, where he has been staying over the holidays. '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 wrote. US President Donald Trump, shown here at his New Year's Eve party in Florida, says the Iranian people are "hungry" for freedom Then about 30 minutes later, the president tweeted about protests in Iran. Trump said it was 'time for change' in Iran and that the country's people were 'hungry' for freedom, after days of deadly protests against the government in Tehran. Video purportedly taken in Isfahan on Sunday night shows dozens of people on the street before what sounds like gunshots are heard 'Iran is failing at every level despite the terrible deal made with them by the Obama Administration,' Trump wrote, referring to the nuclear pact sealed under his Democratic predecessor Barack Obama. 'The great Iranian people have been repressed for many years. They are hungry for food & for freedom. Along with human rights, the wealth of Iran is being looted. TIME FOR CHANGE!' Trump added. Pakistan's foreign minister, Khawaja Asif, tweeted in response: 'We will respond to President Trump's tweet shortly inshallah...Will let the world know the truth..difference between facts & fiction.' Inshallah means 'god willing' in Arabic. Later Monday morning, Trump went to the Trump International Golf Club, arriving at 8:51 am. It was his 91st day on a golf course as president, according to NBC. The White House said Trump was playing with PGA Champions Tour Player Fred Funk and his son Taylor Funk. Later Trump tweeted that he will 'be leaving Florida for Washington (D.C.) today at 4:00 P.M. Much work to be done, but it will be a great New Year!' President Trump sent out morning tweets about Pakistan and Iran on New Year's Day President Trump sent out morning tweets about Pakistan and Iran on New Year's Day In this Saturday, Dec. 30, 2017 file photo taken by an individual not employed by the Associated Press and obtained by the AP outside Iran, a university student attends a protest inside Tehran University while a smoke grenade is thrown by anti-riot Iranian police, in Tehran, Iran The White House usually keeps a lid on exact details of presidential movements for security reasons. Trump has been vocal on Twitter about the protests in Iran since they erupted last week. 'The world is watching!' he said, reposting clips of his speech to the United Nations General Assembly in September. 'Oppressive regimes cannot endure forever, and the day will come when the Iranian people will face a choice,' he tweeted, quoting from the speech. But Iranian President Hassan Rouhani hit back, saying the US leader -- whose 'whole being is against the nation of Iran -- had 'no right' to sympathize with protesters. Ten people were killed overnight in Iran, local media reported, bringing the death toll after four days of protests to 12. Iranian state TV reported the figure Monday, saying security forces repelled 'armed protesters' who tried to take over police stations and military bases. Two people were shot dead in the southwestern town of Izeh while another two died in Dorud after being run over by a stolen fire truck, local news agencies reported. Donald Trump and Melania greet guests as they arrive at the New Year's Eve party at his Mar-a-Lago club President Donald Trump speaks with reporters as he arrives for a New Year's Eve gala at his Mar-a-Lago resort with First Lady Melania Trump and their son Barron Elsewhere there were unconfirmed reports that three people were shot dead after security forces opened fire on protesters in Isfahan. During the annual New Year's Eve bash at Mar-a-Lago, Trump was joined by family members as he rang in the new year. Trump promised 2018 will be a 'fantastic' year, while telling reporters: 'Stock market I think is going to continue to go up, companies are going to continue to come into the country.' His $600-a-head party ($750 for guests) has prompted criticism, with some accusing him of profiting from public office with the 'very glam' New Year's Eve event. Prices went up from last year. The administration has been considering withholding $255 million in aide to Pakistan over its failure to crack down on terror groups known to take refuge in Pakistan and then carry out attacks in neighboring Afghanistan. Pope Francis has urged people to drop life's 'useless baggage' and rallied against the 'banality of consumerism and blare of commercials' in his New Year's address. His advice to the 40,000 people gathered in St Peter's Square at the Vatican today included setting aside a moment of silence daily to be with God. Doing so would help 'keep our freedom from being corroded by...the stream of empty words and the overpowering waves of empty chatter and loud shouting' that comes from materialism, he said. The pontiff said we should be focusing instead on building a peaceful and welcoming world. 'At the beginning of the year, we too, as Christians on our pilgrim way, feel the need to set out anew from the centre, to leave behind the burdens of the past and to start over from the things that really matter,' he added. Pope Francis has urged people to drop life's 'useless baggage' and rallied against the 'banality of consumerism and blare of commercials' in his New Year's address Francis also reminded his followers that he has chosen the plight of migrants and refugees as the theme for the Roman Catholic Church's World Day of Peace, which is celebrated every January 1. 'For this peace, to which everyone has a right, many of them are willing to risk their lives in a journey which is often long and dangerous, they are willing to face strain and suffering. Please, let us not extinguish the hope in their hearts, let us not suffocate their hopes for peace!' It comes after he ordered cards be printed and distributed depicting victims of the nuclear bombing of Nagasaki captioned 'the fruit of war'. His advice to the 40,000 people gathered in St Peter's Square at the Vatican today included setting aside a moment of silence daily to be with God Doing so would help 'keep our freedom from being corroded by...the stream of empty words and the overpowering waves of empty chatter and loud shouting' that comes from materialism, Pope Francis said His words come after he ordered cards be printed and distributed depicting victims of the nuclear bombing of Nagasaki (left) captioned 'the fruit of war' In a homily earlier on Monday, Francis said everyone should look after their soul by taking a moment of silence every day, 'to keep our freedom from being corroded by the banality of consumerism, the blare of commercials, the stream of empty words and the overpowering waves of empty chatter and loud shouting' Across the world, the mass movement of people has shot to the top of the political agenda, and Francis has made defending those who migrate a central theme of his papacy. During a trip to Myanmar and Bangladesh last year, he met Muslim refugees and called for decisive measures to solve the political problems that caused many to flee. He has also criticised President Donald Trump's stated intention to build a wall along the U.S. border with Mexico to keep out illegal immigrants. In a message released in November ahead of the World Day of Peace, Francis said politicians who stoke fear of migrants were sowing violence and racism. He acknowledged that the presence of immigrants can compound existing problems in a country, but appealed for practical ways to be found to welcome newcomers. Pope Francis requested that 'the fruit of war' be written on the back of the card, accompanied by his signature 'A boy waiting for his turn in the crematorium for his dead brother on his back. It is the photo taken by an American photographer Joseph Roger O'Donnell after the atomic bombing in Nagasaki. The sadness of the child is expressed only in his bitten lips and blood oozing' On Monday, he said: 'It is important that there is a commitment from everyone, from civil institutions, and those in education, welfare and church organisations, to ensure a peaceful future for refugees, migrants, everyone.' It comes after he ordered cards be printed showing victims of the nuclear bombing of the Japanese city of Nagasaki during the Second World War. The harrowing image shows a boy carrying his dead brother on his shoulders while waiting in line at a crematorium. It was captured by US Marine photographer Joe O'Donnell after the nuclear bombs were dropped at the end of World War II. Pope Francis requested that 'the fruit of war' be written on the back of the card, accompanied by his signature. A caption adds: 'The young boy's sadness is expressed only in his gesture of biting his lips which are oozing blood.' After the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, Japan's subsequent surrender ended World War II. Photographer O'Donnell then spent a further four years recording the aftermath of the bombings in the two cities, according to Library of Congress records. Smoke billows over the Japanese city of Nagasaki after an atomic bomb was dropped on the city August 9, 1945 A scene of devastation in Nagasaki four years after the US dropped an atomic bomb on the city The US's nuclear strike against Nagasaki on August 9, 1945, came three days after a similar bomb was dropped on Hiroshima The striking images were published in Japan 1945: A US Marine's Photographs from Ground Zero. Pope Francis has previously condemned the nuclear weapons and highlighted the plight of children in war zones. The US's nuclear strike against Nagasaki on August 9, 1945, came three days after a similar bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. These attacks resulted in the deaths of around 120,000 people. Japan surrendered six days later. The man at the centre of Sydney's homeless 'Tent City' has returned to the site less than six months after he and its residents were cleared out. Having been moved on from their makeshift homes at Martin Place in August dozens of the organisers of the camp returned to the site again on the first day of 2018. Led by Lanz Priestley, the so-called 'Mayor of Martin Place', a group set up an around-the-clock soup kitchen at their old stomping ground on Monday afternoon. Taking to Facebook to share video upon his return to the once overcrowded area, Mr Priestley said he had been told to move on by police within just minutes of his return. Scroll down for video Organisers of the homeless 'Tent City' in Martin Place, at the heart of Sydney's CBD, returned to the cite on Monday Lanz Priestley (left), the so-called Mayor of Martin Place, took to Facebook to share a video of him setting up a soup kitchen on nearby Macquarie Street (right) Rows of tents were removed from the Martin Place area, at the heart of Sydney's CBD in August Setting up on Macquarie Street, just a few metres from the old Tent City, the leader of the homeless group said their stand would only be up for a few hours. 'I've just had some cops come down and give me a move on order in Martin Place for stealing power,' Mr Priestley, a father-of-12, told the camera. 'The guys here are going to look after this until we pull it down later tonight.' The homeless leader initially refused to move on from the Martin Place location but was left with no choice as police stepped in. Sydney mayor Clover Moore moved to put residents of the Tent city into temporary housing, but within days many residents had returned to the streets. A spokesperson for the City of Sydney told The Daily Telegraph they had spent $27 million on housing measures for the homeless. The homeless leader initially refused to move on from the Martin Place location but was left with no choice as police stepped in last August A spokesperson for the City of Sydney siad they had spent $27 million on housing measures for the homeless Workers travelling into Martin Place were forced to contend with the crowds of homeless on a daily basis 'The City of Sydney continues to work with state government agencies to manage public access in Martin Place, while supporting the needs of people sleeping rough in the city,' the spokesperson said. 'The City of Sydney supports the NSW governments protocol for People in Public Places, which promotes the rights of people who are experiencing homelessness to access public spaces without the risk of discrimination.' After being shut down in June last year, the homeless contingent returned just one month later. Mr Priestly made no comments about making a permanent return to Martin Place but did suggest in his video that the soup kitchen would become a regular occurrence. An Indian court has ordered police to dig up the remains of a 14-year-old rape victim's baby for a DNA test to find out who attacked her. The teenager had initially accused a businessman of repeatedly raping her during visits to the capital New Delhi in February last year. She gave birth to a baby girl in October, but the child died a few days later. Police then arrested the suspect in July and charged him with raping a minor. However, the victim then dropped her rape claim against the suspect - prompting to court to order an exhumation of the remains of the baby so that a paternity test could be carried out. An Indian court has ordered police to dig up the remains of a 14-year-old rape victim's baby for a DNA test to find out who attacked her (file picture) It is not unusual for victims to withdraw allegations of rape in India, often under pressure from friends or family of the defendant, or in return for a financial settlement. 'The court has issued the orders but we are yet to get a copy,' an investigating officer told AFP on condition of anonymity on Monday. 'We will exhume the body as per the order for conducting DNA tests.' India has a grim record of sexual assaults on minors with over 36,000 cases of rape or sexual assaults reported in 2016, according to government data. India has a grim record of sexual assaults on minors with over 36,000 cases of rape or sexual assaults reported in 2016, according to government data. Pictured: Activists from All India Democratic Women's Association stage a rally A UN Committee on the Rights of the Child in 2014 said one in three rape victims in India was a minor and expressed alarm at the widespread sexual abuse of children. In November, a court in northern India convicted two men for repeatedly raping their 10-year-old niece. She became pregnant and DNA samples from the baby were used to convict one of the uncles. A photographer claims to have captured the perfect moment a murmuratuion of starlings took the form of a giant bird. Daniel Biber, 53, said he captured the breathtaking snap in Spain, after observing thousands of birds and scouting locations over a four-day period. Like clouds in the sky, the giant flocks often take on weird and wonderful - and sometimes graphic - moving forms and shapes. And the birds appeared to have made for a startling spectacle when they assembled over the Costa Brava in northeastern Spain, in front of Mr Biber's eyes. A photographer claims to have captured the perfect moment a murmuratuion of starlings took the form of a giant bird Like clouds in the sky, the giant flocks often take on weird and wonderful - and sometimes graphic - moving forms and shapes Daniel Biber, 53, captured the breathtaking snap in Spain, after observing thousands of birds and scouting locations over a four-day period He managed to take a series of images which show the birds merging into the shape of a giant bird when they were targeted by a predator. And the unique snap has since earned him the top prize in an international photography competition. But Mr Biber said he only realised his luck once he reviewed the photographs on his computer. He said: 'I was taking pictures of the murmurations over several days. 'Only when I checked the pictures on the computer later, I realised what formation the starlings had created. 'I was so concentrated on taking pictures at the time that I hadn't realised that the starlings had created a giant bird in the sky. 'It took less than 10 seconds for the birds to create that formation. 'I realised that I had captured a unique snapshot, technically, sharp and in high quality.' Mr Biber lives in Hilzingen, Germany, and now runs a bicycle business following his career as an aerospace engineer. He managed to take a series of images which show the birds merging into the shape of a giant bird when they were targeted by a predator And the unique snap has since earned him the top prize in an international photography competition He has been taking pictures since 1981 when he started off with his first reflex camera and has been taking digital snaps since 2008. Mr Biber has visited the northeast of Spain for a number of years and knew about the fascinating display that starlings put on. But he said it took him four days to capture the unique moment after he had to scout out locations and get the lighting right. Mr Biber added: 'I always have at least one camera on me whenever I leave the house. 'And I go on regular holidays to northeastern Spain where I have witnessed fantastic murmurations of starlings over the years. 'I've tried to photograph the starlings but it never worked out as well as I hoped for. Mr Biber has visited the northeast of Spain for a number of years and knew about the fascinating display that starlings put on 'I eventually drove to the spot every day for four days in a row in order to capture them. 'I picked a spot where I thought they would turn up and picked a matching foreground and backdrop in order to put them in scene. 'It usually happens that birds of prey turn up and the starlings then create bizarre forms. It can be quite erratic and completely random. 'Sometimes it's fantasy formations which are then interpreted by our brain. 'A number of people were watching this display but they were observing it from other spots and might not have seen what I captured.' Mr Biber, a semi-professional photographer, won the competition and has since had requests from experts who use his images to prove the difference between real and doctored images The images were submitted to an international photography competition run by the bird observatory Vogelwarte Sempbach in Switzerland. Organisers received 6,800 images for their 2017 competition which had been submitted by 540 photographers from 15 countries. Mr Biber, a semi-professional photographer, won the competition and has since had requests from experts who use his images to prove the difference between real and doctored images. He has also had requests from museums about a potential exhibition next year. Two American families were killed when a plane crashed in Costa Rica on New Year's Eve. Mitchell, 52, and Leslie Levin Weiss, 50, both of St. Petersburg, Florida, died alongside their 19-year-old daughter Hannah Mae, when the Cessna 208B Grand Caravan went down, officials report. The Philadelphia Inquirer also reports that their 16-year-old son Ari Moses Weiss, was killed in the crash. There are conflicting reports about the death toll of the crash. Several outlets report ten Americans died along with the two Costa Rican pilots, although a total of 13 have been reported dead by various news sources. The Steinberg family, from Westchester County, New York, Americans Amanda Rae Geissler and Gene Wing Szeto, and pilot Juan Manuel Retana - who is the cousin of former Costa Rican President Laura Chinchilla, and copilot Emma Ramos, were also among the dead, according to the New York Post. Strong winds were seen as a factor in the crash of a small plane in Costa Rica that killed all passengers on board and two local crew members, according to officials and witnesses. Mitchell, 52, and Leslie Levin Weiss, 50, their 19-year-old daughter Hannah Mae, were killed in the plane crash in Costa Rica. Ari Moses Weiss, 16, has also been reported as dead after the tragedy 'It's a tragic loss,' said Rabbi Jacob Luski, of the Congregation B'Nai Israel, where the Weiss family attended. 'I just saw the mom and the daughter last week after Friday evening services,' Luski said. 'They will be sorely missed. It's a real tragedy for their families and the community at large.' Mitchell Weiss was a radiology specialist in Clearwater, Florida, after studying at medical school in Philadelphia while his wife was a pediatrician who practiced in Tampa. Their daughter Hannah was a student at Columbia University. The family had relocated from Philadelphia to St. Petersburg, Florida, about 12 years ago. It is not clear but it is presumed Ari Weiss was with them when the plane went down on New Year's Eve. Family and friends of the Steinbergs were still in shock about the loss of the family of five. 'They were wonderful people. We need a whole world of people like them,' relative Dianne Steinberg, 76, told New York Daily News. Costa Rica's government said a plane with 10 Americans, including a family of five, and two local pilots crashed in a wooded area. Local media identified one family as Bruce Steinberg, Irene Steinberg, Matthew Steinberg, William Steinberg and Zachary Steinberg (all pictured) Pilot Juan Manuel Retana (left)- who is the cousin of former Costa Rican President Laura Chinchilla, was also among the dead. Emma Ramos (right) was the copilot Bruce, who had just turned 50, and his wife Irene Steinberg, and their three sons; Matthew, William and Zachary were all killed, Diario Las Americos reported. Tamara Jacobson, Bruce's sister, wrote on Facebook: 'We are in utter shock and disbelief right now.' The family were very active in their local Jewish community. Scott Richman, Director of American Jewish Committee Westchester said: 'The entire AJC family mourns the loss of Irene Steinberg and her beautiful family.' Irene, 51, served on the committee for more than a decade and was joined by her oldest son William who interned at the office last year. She was also involved with the United Jewish Appeal - Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of New York. The Public Safety Ministry posted video of the crash site showing burning wreckage The aircraft belonged to Nature Air and crashed in Guanacaste, northwest Costa Rica 'She was a devoted leader to Jewish causes,' Richman added. 'She was particularly concerned about passing on this love of the Jewish people to the next generation. 'We are deeply saddened by this immense tragedy.' Irene and Bruce are also said to have donated thousands of dollars to Seeds of Peace, a U.S.-based organisation which focuses on peace-building between young Israelis and Palestinians. William, a freshman at the University of Pennsylvania, was also involved in Seeds of Peace, and his aunt revealed on Facebook he had been planning a career in politics. The University of Pennsylvania's Class Board 2021 shared its condolences on Facebook. 'We are very shocked and saddened to hear about the death of William Steinberg and his family,' the message read. 'We still cannot believe that they died so unexpectedly. Many of us knew Will very closely, he was such a wonderful person who blessed Penn with his amazing smile everyday. Together we mourn the death of a friend, a peer, and a promising scholar who would have went on to change the world. 'This tragedy hits our community very hard,' added Rabbi Jonathan Blake of the Westchester Reform Temple in Scarsdale. Leslie Levin Weiss, 50, of St. Petersburg, Florida, a physician, was killed in the crash At a news conference, Enio Cubillo, director of Costa Rica Civil Aviation, said the Nature Air charter flight took off just after noon Sunday from Punta Islita and was headed for the capital of San Jose when it crashed. Strong winds were seen as a factor. The plane burst into flames on impact, according to rescue officials and locals. Costa Rica's Civil Aviation agency said the pilots had tried to land at Punta Islita earlier Sunday to get the passengers but aborted because of 'the gusts of wind.' The aircraft was up-to-date with its certifications and had been inspected a month earlier, the agency said. 'There had been a lot wind, really strong,' one resident in the area told AFP on Monday. She said when she and other locals arrived at the crash site, up a steep hillside, 'we couldn't see, absolutely everything was black.' She added: 'The front part of the plane was all on fire, and the tail part was the only bit intact.' Police and fire crews arrived within 25 minutes of the crash, which happened shortly after midday (1800 GMT), she said. Her daughter Hannah Mae Weiss, 19, (pictured) and her brother Ari also lost their lives Another resident, Efrain Rojas, told the newspaper La Nacion that the plane was 'too low' after take-off. 'It did a turn to the left. For us, it looked like some sort of problem, and it was trying to get back to the runway. With the turn it did, it had one wing up vertical, and the other hit the trees,' he said. 'When we arrived, it was all in flames.... The plane, when it came down, apparently exploded, caught fire,' he said. Cubillo said the same plane had arrived in Punta Islita on Sunday morning from San Jose and was delayed in landing by strong winds. The plane had passed a safety inspection about a month ago and was authorized to fly, Cubillo added. The cause of the crash is still under investigation. Cubillo also identified the pilot as Retana and described him as very experienced. He said the tourists traveling in the aircraft were staying in a nearby hotel. The co-pilot was Emma Ramos. Laura Chinchilla, who was president of Costa Rica from 2010 to 2014, said on Twitter that Retana was her cousin. 'A death has interrupted our family celebration. Our beloved cousin died as part of the crew of the plane that crashed in Guanacaste. Courage to his children and siblings and may he rest in peace,' she wrote in the tweet. 'You will stay in our hearts dear #Juanmanuel Retana,' Chinchilla added. Officials said the plane was heading to the Juan Santamaria International Airport in Alajuela, Costa Rica, when it crashed around 12.16pm local time. The plane came down in a forest soon after taking off Laura Chinchilla, who was president of Costa Rica from 2010 to 2014, said on Twitter that her cousin, Juan Manuel Retana, one of the crew members, had died in the accident (pictured) The reason for the crash is unknown. The aircraft, a single-propellor Cessna 208 Caravan, came down in a mountainous area near the Pacific coastal beach town of Punta Islita It crashed in the mountainous area of Punta Islita, which is popular with tourists, in the province of Guanacaste, about 140 miles west of the capital of San Jose. Photos of the crash site, showed flaming wreckage strewn across the terrain. The private plane, that belonged to Nature Air, was a single-propellor Cessna 208 Caravan officials said. Nature Air said in a statement that it lamented the accident, without explaining the cause. The flight was part of a special charter service for 20 people, relying on two planes. The first plane, carrying 10 passengers, arrived safely in San Jose at 11.40am. The second, with 10 passengers and two pilots, departed 20 minutes later. 'Regrettably this plane crashed a few minutes after taking off,' Nature Air said. According to Nature Air's website, the airline is based in San Jose. It is the largest private charter operator in Central America and became the world's first carbon neutral airline in 2004. A Swedish student who was found sleeping rough on the streets of Rome has moved home and is living with her father, he has revealed. Embla Jauhojarvi, 21, who was reunited with her family in November 2016 but initially refused to return home, has been living with father Tahvo in Stockholm since August. Jauhojarvi, whose face was plastered across the papers after she was mistaken for Madeleine McCann, is healthier, happier and wants to restart her studies, he said. Embla Jauhojarvi, a student from Sweden who was found homeless on the streets of Rome in 2016, has returned home to live with her father Jauhojarvi's face was splashed across the papers after people questioned whether she could be Madeleine McCann, prompting father Tahvo to track her down Speaking to the Sun, Tahvo said: 'She's living with me again. She can have a better future... and plan a little bit better. There was always hope. 'It was very nice because I was missing her so much and everything went very well when she came back again. Tahvo said she initially refused to speak with him in Swedish and would not return home, but came back in August last year 'She wanted to start studying again so she's waiting for information from the university, she hasn't got that yet. 'I think she will start to read law school or economics or something like that.' Embla disappeared in May 2016 after removing all of her pictures from the family albums before she was spotted in Rome in November. While it was initially suspected that she could be Madeleine, Kate and Jerry McCann quickly ruled it out and the hunt for her real parents began. In Sweden Tahvo caught sight of her picture online and immediately booked himself on a flight to Rome in order to be reunited with her. He eventually found her in the secure unit of a hospital in the city, where she was refusing to speak her native language and insisted on using English or Italian. Embla, who suffers from Asperger's syndrome, disappeared while her father was abroad on a trip to South Africa. She secretly left Sweden and travelled to Italy to take a language course in the south of the country. Tahvo said his daughter is now doing much better, is healthier, and wants to restart her studies - perhaps reading law or economics Embla, who suffers from Asperger's syndrome, went to Italy without telling anyone while her father was abroad on a trip to South Africa and didn't return When the course finished at the end of the summer she boarded a train to the capital Rome but failed to return home to Stockholm. Mr Jauhojarvi explained: 'When I got home from South Africa I found Embla had vanished. She did not tell me she was going away. She did not leave a note. I didn't know what had become of her. 'After a couple of weeks I contacted the police and asked for help to find her. But they said she was over 18 was very little they could do.' Mr Jauhojarvi said he never stopped looking for Embla but simply ran out of leads. A planned visit by Vice President Mike Pence to Israel is going forward as planned, the vice president's office said. 'The VPs trip was not canceled,' Pence spokeswoman Alyssa Farah told DailyMail.com after reports that the trip was getting canceled. Israel's Foreign Ministry had indicated a planned visit by Pence appeared to have been postponed again. Pence was scheduled to visit last month. Vice-President Mike Pence is postponing a trip to Israel The official reason for the initial delay was the Senate tax vote. But it also followed region-wide uproar over President Donald Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital. At the time, the White House said Pence would instead visit Israel during the week of Jan. 14. But on Monday, the Foreign Ministry said Pence is not scheduled to visit this month something Pence's office then contradicted. 'The visit is not included in our provision of scheduled visits of high-level dignitaries in January,' said spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon. Nahshon gave no reason for the apparent delay, and said there was no date for an expected visit. There was no immediate White House comment. The White House nixed Pence's earlier trip as the critical vote on a $1.5 trillion tax bill neared a vote in the Senate. In the end, his tie-breaking vote was not needed, as it passed 51-48. The decision to keep him home came amid an uproar over President Trump's decision on moving U.S. embassy to Jerusalem. The initial decision to delay Pence's trip came amid an uproar over President Trump's decision on moving U.S. embassy to Jerusalem Vice President Mike Pence reacts to fans before an NFL football game between the Indianapolis Colts and the San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, Oct. 8, 2017, in Indianapolis Haaretz reported that Prime Minister Netanyahu has a planned trip to India during the rescheduled period for Pence's visit. The vice president has been spending a week in Aspen along with his family, while President Donald Trump has been in Mar-a-Lago for the holidays. Palestinian foreign minister Riad al-Malki announced a decision to recall PLO envoy to Washington Husam Zomlot in response to Trump's decision. The Palestinians said Sunday they were recalling their envoy to the United States for consultations in a move that follows US President Donald Trump's designation of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Vice President Mike Pence's neighbors hung a rainbow-colored 'Make America Gay Again' banner (pictured) next to the mansion where he is staying in Aspen Authorities said Secret Service agents were not bothered by the banner and were cordial with the residents who hung it (Pictured, Mike Pence in December 2017 in Bagram, Afghanistan) decided to recall, official Palestinian news agency WAFA said, without providing further details. Trump's December 6 announcement regarding the disputed city deeply angered the Palestinians and led to unrest. Pence's temporary neighbors hung a rainbow-colored 'Make America Gay Again' banner next to the mansion where he is staying in Aspen. Neighbors of the Colorado home where Pence and his wife, Karen, are staying hung the banner Wednesday or Thursday on a stone pillar that sits at the end of driveways to both homes, Pitkin County Sheriff's Deputy Michael Buglione said Friday. Pence has notoriously supported legislation that critics say discriminates against gay people. Norway has installed auto-dimming street lights in parts of the country in hopes of decreasing its carbon footprint. Along a five-mile stretch of a highway near Hole, Norway, outside of Oslo, LED lights dim to 20 percent when no cars, bikes or pedestrians are in the area. When a car - or a cyclist or pedestrian for that matter - passes a radar sensor attached to the street lights, the lights turn to a full 100 per cent, allowing people to have full sight of what's ahead of them. After the car passes, the lights return to 20 per cent to save energy when they're not needed. Along a five-mile stretch of a highway near Hole, Norway, outside of Oslo, LED lights dim to 20 percent when no cars are in area. When a car drives by, the lights turn to 100 per cent After the car passes, the lights return to 20 per cent to save energy when they're not needed The five-mile stretch of energy-saving lights saves 2,100 kWH per week, which would amount to approximately 21 hours of ironing, or four hours of watching TV on a plasma screen. Using LED lights helps reduce CO2 emissions by using less power compared to halogen and fluorescent sources. While it is unclear how much the installation cost, it the government will break even after just 4.5 years, according to Youtuber Bjrn Nyland. Light-related energy saving programs have popped up across Norway, with similar auto lights being put in on the western side of the state last year. In Oslo, energy consumption has reduced dramatically since 'intelligent lighting' systems were installed in the late 2000s. The country is moving to work toward environmentally friendly projects in other areas as well. Norway's parliament in 2015 ordered the country's $1 trillion sovereign wealth fund,built on revenues from the country's vast offshore oil and gas industry, divest from companies which derived more than 30 percent of their turnover or activity from coal. The five-mile stretch of energy-saving lights saves 2,100 kWH per week, which would amount to approximately 21 hours of ironing, or four hours of watching TV on a plasma screen Using LED lights helps reduce CO2 emissions by using less power compared to halogen and fluorescent sources Norway's Prime Minister Erna Solberg said Norway would support an initiative launched at the meeting by French President Emmanuel Macron for sovereign wealth funds to demand more rigorous environment-related corporate governance from the firms they invest in. The group, called the 'One Planet Sovereign Wealth Fund Working Group', includes funds from New Zealand, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Norway and Abu Dhabi, according to a draft document. Norway's fund already demands that larger companies provide details on how they measure their carbon dioxide footprint and how they plan to reduce those emissions. Institutional investors needed to put a price on climate risk to safeguard returns on their investments, she said. Norway's fund has proposed dropping oil and gas companies from its benchmark index to diversify away from hydrocarbons given the economy is built on oil and gas. That would mean cutting its investments companies such as Royal Dutch Shell , BP, Chevron and Exxon Mobil. The government is holding a review and Solberg reiterated her government's intention to make a recommendation to parliament - which must vote on such a move - next year. Solberg's conservative-led government rules in a minority, and is dependent on two smaller environment-friendly parties to win backing for its policies. Tiffany Trump bid adieu to Palm Beach on Sunday after more than a week at Mar-a-Lago, and jetted off to the City of Angels to spend New Year's Eve with the members of another family dynasty. The First Daughter was the guest of honor at the Playboy event, which was hosted by Cooper Hefner and held at the Culver Hotel, where fellow partygoer Candace Jordan snapped some pics of the A-list attendee. It marked the first New Year's Eve party since the death of the magazine's founder and Cooper's dad, Hugh Hefner, who back in 1990 had been hoping to get Tiffany's mom Marla Maples as one of his bare-all bunnies. Tiffany managed to steal the show in the room packed full of bodacious beauties thanks to her high-hemmed and low-cut sequin mini dress, which fit her like a second skin and showed off her enviable figure. Scroll down for video Sparkle motion: Tiffany Trump attended the Playboy New Year's Eve party in Los Angeles on Sunday, which was hosted by last founder Hugh Hefner's son Cooper (Tiffany and Cooper's fiancee Scarlett Byrne) Guest of honor: She jetted out of Palm Beach to attend the soiree after spending a week at Mar-a-Lago (Tiffany above with Cooper) No bunny business: Her mother had been offered $1 million to appear in the magazine back in 1990 following a deal negotiated by Donald, who was then still married to Ivana (Marla and Donald in the early 1990s) The 24-year-old law student is looking better than ever these days, having previously shown off her tautly toned body on Tuesday when she shared an image of herself in a bandage dress while out to dinner at Mar-a-Lago. Her evening with the Hefners and their band of bunnies will likely be one of the last hurrahs for Tiffany before she heads back to Georgetown Law School to finish up her first year in the juris doctor program. Tiffany was seen at the event speaking with Cooper, and later posed for a photo with his bride-to-be Scarlett Byrne. It was Byrne who Cooper selected earlier this year to be featured in the the magazine when the company decided to bring back nudity following a brief ban on the naked centerfolds for which it became famous. Tiffany's parents did not join her, but both have a history with the company. Sequin for the win: Tiffany managed to steal the show in the room packed full of bodacious beauties thanks to her high-hemmed and low-cut sequin mini dress (above with Byrne and Cheyenne Van Zutphen) Order in the court: Her evening with the Hefners and their band of bunnies will likely be one of the last hurrahs for Tiffany before she heads back to Georgetown Law School (Tiffany above with Morgan Farrington, Van Zutphen and Andrew Buckley) A Playboy editor told the Sun-Sentinel back in 1990 that Donald wanted to Marla to appear in the magazine completely nude and even negotiated the deal for his future wife. He was still married to Ivana at the time. Marla was not into the idea however, despite her paramour managing to secure her a $1 million deal. 'Im thankful for my body, but I didnt want to exploit it,' said Marla. 'How would I ever be taken seriously?' That might be why Marla did not join her daughter in Sunday night in Los Angeles. Donald meanwhile did go on to make a cameo in one of the company's soft-core pornographers 10 years after Marla turned the magazine down, appearing in Playboy Video Centerfold 2000, which despite its title was released in 1999 on video. Tiffany was 7 at the time. Only one first child has ever appeared in a nude spread for Playboy. In 1994, President Ronald Reagan's daughter Patti Davis covered the July issue and was featured partially nude inside the magazine. Three suspects are in custody after a struggle between a Texas cafe owner and an armed robber was caught on camera. According to the owner, the robber entered Bambu Desserts and Drinks in Houston around 11am on Thursday, pointed a gun at the owner's head, and demanded he open the safe. Security video shows the owner being pushed down to the ground and pummeled by the gunman. Eventually the owner becomes free of the robber's grasp, off camera, takes the gun and fires several shots as the alleged thief escapes. Three suspects are in custody after a struggle between a Texas cafe owner and an armed robber was caught on camera (pictured) According to the owner, the robber entered Bambu Desserts and Drinks in Houston around 11am Thursday, pointed a gun at the owner's head, and demanded he open the safe (pictured) After being pummeled, the owner becomes free of the robber's grasp - off camera - takes the gun and fires several shots as the alleged thief escapes (pictured) The owner, who asked not to be identified, told News Fix that he was fighting for his life. 'I thought I was going to die. He told me he was gonna shoot me,' the owner told the media outlet. 'The gun could've went off, and it would have shot into my stomach. And that's a .357, so I would have been dead.' An employee of the store told News Fix that two people were waiting outside the shop in a getaway car while the third man attempted to rob the eatery. Investigators said a total of six shots were fired, shattering windows and the glass front door. However, no injuries were reported. An employee of the store told News Fix that two people were waiting outside the shop in a getaway car while the third man (pictured) attempted to rob the eatery Harris County Sheriff's deputies apprehended the three men an hour later and arrested them but their names and charges have not been released (Pictured, one of the accomplices) Investigators said a total of six shots were fired, shattering windows and the glass front door. However, no injuries were reported (Pictured, Bambu Desserts and Drinks) Harris County Sheriff's deputies told residents to stay inside lock their doors as they searched for around an hour. Finally the three men were apprehended and arrested but their names and charges have not been released. 'The guy's an idiot,' the owner remarked. 'He even told the cop..when the cop grabbed the gun from the counter and he brought it into the car, he said the suspect said: "Can I have my gun back?"' An incredibly rare coin designed by an engraver for King Charles II 358 years ago is being tipped to sell for over 400,000. After the restoration of the British monarchy in 1660, the king wanted to make Oliver Cromwell's Commonwealth of England go down in history and ordered new coins to be made. Two rival engravers battled it out for the job of designing them - Thomas Simon, an engraver who worked for the Royal Mint and Frenchman Pierre Blondeau, who helped Charles out when he was exiled in France. Blondeau came out as the winner and he was appointed chief engraver. As a result Simon only produced a few coins, making them extremely rare and sought-after. The rare coin - the petition crown - designed by English engraver Thomas Simon is on sale for 400,000 in New York this month It was made to try to convince King Charles II to give Simon a contract as the chief engraver to the monarch, a battle he lost to Frenchman Pierre Blondeau Around the edge (pictured), Simon engraved a message to the king, pleading with him to choose his design But one - the petition crown - has been found by an part-time antiques dealer and is going on the market in New York for a staggering 400,000. THE MAN BEHIND THE PATTERNED CROWN Thomas Simon was born in Yorkshire around the year 1623. He studied engraving and was taught by French coin engraver Nicholas Briot. He later got a post with the Royal Mint, where he was appointed joint chief Parliament engraver with Edward Wade. After the monarchy's restoration in 1660 he petitioned King Charles II to take on his coin design for the new patterned crown. He lost out to Pierre Blondeau but the coin was considered his masterpiece. He is believed to have died of the plague in London. Advertisement It is tipped to break the world record price paid for a British silver coin. Simon's crown design features a bust of Charles II on one side, complete with his flowing hair and laurel leave headpiece, and the crowned shields of England, Scotland, Ireland and France around a picture of St George on the other. Around the edge, Simon engraved a message to the king, pleading with him to choose his design. It reads: 'Thomas Simon most hvmbly (sic) prays yovr majesty to compare this his tryall with the Dvtch and if more trvly drawn & emboss'd more grace; fvlly order'd and more accurately engraven to relieve him.' Commenting on the rare find the auctioneers claim it is the most 'important and famous' of all of its English collection. Ira Goldberg, of Los Angeles-based Goldberg Auctioneers, said: 'This is the most important and most famous coin in the entire English series. 'Of the 10 known examples, this one ranks among the top three. 'The coin is considered an experimental coin as it was issued as a plea to the crown to impress King Charles II to accept Simon's design over the competition which included a Frenchman Pierre Blondeau, whom won out. The current vendor is a part-time dealer who has chosen to sell the coin to raise some funds. 'The interest in this rarity will be among serious collectors of English crowns, collectors of historical coins and patterns, investors who desire powerful coins.' The coin will go up for auction in New York on January 9. Bristolians are entitled to live in Dublin thanks to an 846-year-old charter written by King Henry II which has never been revoked. The charter was written during a 1171-72 visit to assert his authority over a troublesome nobleman in Ireland, who the King was concerned would declare an independent kingdom. King Henry II travelled to Dublin and set up court there, ruling over his kingdom for the whole winter. He made the proclamation on a 5 by 6.5 inch parchment, announcing that for that day forth, anyone living in Bristol has the right to live in Dublin. The proclamation was a reward for the people of Bristol for financing his expedition over the Irish Sea, and allows them to establish a trading post in the Irish capital. The proclamation was a reward for the people of Bristol for financing his expedition over the Irish Sea, and allows them to establish a trading post in the Irish capital It states: 'Know ye that I have given and granted and by the present charter have confirmed to my men of Bristol my city of Dublin to inhabit.' It added they should inhabit and hold it 'with all the liberties and free customs which the men of Bristol have at Bristol and throughout all my land'. Dublin City Library and Archive has put the wrinkled document on display, and historians have found it has never been directly officially overturned. A spokesman for the archive said: 'It is truly remarkable that such a small and fragile document has survived eight centuries of use. 'The most likely explanation is the charter's evidential value in legal cases and the reverse is covered with annotations relating to cases where the charter was submitted to prove a point. 'In the wake of the Norman Invasion of Ireland, Dublin was seized in 1170 by Richard de Clare, better known as Strongbow. 'His overlord, King Henry II, was alarmed as it seemed likely that a separate and independent kingdom might be established in Ireland. 'Accordingly he decided to visit in person to assert his authority, and his journey was financed by the merchants of Bristol.' King Henry II was in Dublin between November 1171 and February 1172 and stayed in a tent, where Irish Kings eventually submitted to him. He issued a charter which is the earliest document in the Dublin City Archives. The spokesman added: 'This gave to the men of Bristol the right to live in the city of Dublin "ad inhabitanda".' King Henry II was in Dublin between November 1171 and February 1172 and stayed in a tent, where Irish Kings eventually submitted to him 'The tiny parchment measures 121 mm x 165 mm and a fragment of the seal remains in green wax. 'The charter is written right through, leaving no room for additions - a measure taken to prevent fraud.' It is also the earliest document which confers the rights of people in either Britain or Ireland to live in each other's countries. The rights of citizens has been updated in the centuries since but is now being questioned as a potential loophole as Britain leaves the European Union. It means British people who will lose their EU citizenship, but it is speculated the charter could give Bristolians a loophole to hold onto their rights. A former zoologist who was clubbed over the head as he waited for taxi home from a night out says the hospital that 'turned him away three times' were 'playing with his life'. Karl Scarr, 54, was attacked by a group of men as he stood in the taxi rank outside Faces nightclub in Gants Hill, Essex, after celebrating his birthday there with friends. As a result of the attack, which also saw his friend's ribs cracked and ear split, Mr Scarr suffered a brain heamorrhage. But after Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford, turned him away three times, he claims he was left 'moments from death'. Karl Scarr (pictured), 54, was attacked by a group of men as he stood in the taxi rank outside Faces nightclub in Gants Hill, Essex, after celebrating his birthday there with friends Eventually he was rushed to Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, where he had life-saving surgery. But he still suffers from migraines, numbness, and is unable to read or write properly. Mr Scarr, of Chelmsford, said: 'I was getting these headaches so I went down to the doctors and they said go straight down to the hospital. 'They sent me away because it had been longer than 48 hours. 'The pain was still there, and it got worse, so I phoned up the ambulance and told them 'look I've just come out of the hospital because of heart trouble and my doctor and the hospital say I might have a brain haemorrhage. 'They didn't send an ambulance out because I didn't fit the criteria, which I thought was amazing. 'I saw my doctor and he increased the painkillers and told me to let him know how I feel - the pain was incredible. 'I went back into the hospital and they gave me a CT scan and they said I had a 7mm bleed. 'They were confident it had ceased, and that it was contained, and they sent me home with nothing - not even a paracetamol.' But after being sent away for the third time, Mr Scarr started to fear the worst. As a result of the attack, which also saw his friend's ribs cracked and ear split, Mr Scarr (pictured) suffered a brain heamorrhage He continued: I was so ill. I called an ambulance and said you have to get me out to the hospital and they wouldn't send one again. 'I said look I've got a brain haemorrhage and I went up there myself, my mother dropped me off, and I waited in the waiting room. 'They saw me, took me straight into the ward and said the bleed had increased to 10mm. 'They kept me in all day and they were trying to get me a bed in Addenbrooke's. 'I was deteriorating massively and they said they had to fly me up there because it's an hour and 15 minutes away, particularly with the weather we were having. 'They said I could be dead within the hour but they took me in an ambulance - it took an hour and 20 minutes. 'I was first on the list to be operated on the following day. They drilled three holes and they drained a bag of blood from me. 'They were playing with my life. First the ambulance, then the hospital. 'I wouldn't have had the headaches, I wouldn't have had the pain and it wouldn't have spread so they have really messed around with my life.' After being turned away from his local hospital, Broomfield, in Chelmsford, Essex, he was eventually rushed to Addenbrooke's in Cambridge for life-saving surgery Revellers queue outside Faces nightclub in Gants Hill, Essex where the attack happened A spokesman for the Mid Essex Hospital Trust that manages Broomfield told Essex Live: 'We are very sorry to hear that Mr Scarr is unhappy with the care and service we provided to him during his visits to Broomfield Hospital. 'Please be advised that we will be contacting him directly to discuss this further. 'Please be advised that the Trust takes all incidents and complaints very seriously, so we would also request that Mr Scarr is advised to contact our Patient Advice and Liaison (PALS) Service so he can have his concerns formally investigated.' Mr Scarr, who used to work saving animals in Morocco and lives with 150 dogs, has also hit out at Essex Police after they failed to make any arrests. His friend Gavin Mariner, 53, of Broomfield, said of the attack on November 12: 'We don't cause any trouble - we talk to random people and have a bit of fun. 'This bloke was standing there, his face full of rage, and he just smashed Karl in the face. 'I went towards him and didn't even get two steps and someone came from the back and attacked me.' Mr Scarr (pictured), who used to work saving animals in Morocco and lives with 150 dogs, has hit out at Broomfield Hospital and Essex Police after they failed to make any arrests The pair claim they have had 'next to no communication' with officers and believe the offence should be branded more serious than GBH. Mr Scarr said: 'They didn't contact me for a month, they had no intention of doing it, and they only did so because I phoned up twice and said I will contact your bosses to find out what's going on. 'These guys are still out there so who else are they going to do it to? 'I'm not the smallest guy and they jumped me from behind and they managed to do me and Gavin. 'It's beyond GBH now - it's close to manslaughter. 'There has been silence and there still is. 'They said they would take it to CID and put the photographs of the guys on their webpage. 'They haven't done it and it's now been seven weeks. The attackers should end up in prison for what they are doing.' The former zoologist (pictured) still suffers from migraines, numbness, and is unable to read or write properly Mr Scarr is pictured with Karlitos the tortoise who was named after him An Essex Police spokesman told Essex Live: 'We are investigating reports that two men were assaulted in Chelmsford city centre on Sunday, November 12. 'We were called to a disturbance between a number of people at around 4am, and while on scene, officers were made aware of an assault on the two victims by a group of men. 'This happened close to the junction of Moulsham Street, near to a taxi rank. 'At the time of reporting, the victims were shaken and had injuries, but none were identified as serious or life threatening. 'On November 21, we were made aware that one of the victims had in fact sustained a very serious head injury, believed to have been a result of the attack. 'At this stage it does not appear that the assault was captured on CCTV, however a number of lines of enquiry are being conducted as part of the investigation. 'We have been liaising with the victims as we progress enquiries, and will continue to do so. 'Anyone with information which could help our ongoing enquiries, is asked to contact Chelmsford Local Policing Team on 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.' Pictured: Mr Scarr has hit out at Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford, after turning him away three times Customers lined up early to purchase recreational marijuana legally for the first time in California two decades after the state was the first to allow pot for medical use. Jeff Deakin, 66, his wife Mary and their dog waited all night and were first in a line of 100 people when Harborside dispensary, a longtime medical pot shop in Oakland, opened at 6am and offered early customers joints for a penny and free T-shirts that read 'Flower to the People - Cannabis for All.' 'It's been so long since others and myself could walk into a place where you could feel safe and secure and be able to get something that was good without having to go to the back alley,' Deakin said. 'This is kind of a big deal for everybody.' The Golden State joins a growing list of other states, and the nation's capital, where so-called recreational marijuana is permitted even though the federal government continues to classify pot as a controlled substance, like heroin and LSD. Scroll down for video Customers lined up early to purchase recreational marijuana legally for the first time in California two decades after the state was the first to allow pot for medical use (Pictured, Customers purchase marijuana at Harborside, one of California's largest dispensaries) California voters in 2016 made it legal for adults 21 and older to grow, possess and use limited quantities of marijuana, but it wasn't legal to sell it for recreational purposes until Monday (Pictured, a sales clerk turns the light on a display at the Harborside cannabis dispensary) Los Angeles and San Francisco are among the many cities where recreational pot will not be available right away because local regulations were not approved in time to start issuing city licenses needed to get state permits (Pictured, Carlos Hooks, left, and Carol Wyatt wait in line at Harborside marijuana dispensary_ California voters in 2016 made it legal for adults 21 and older to grow, possess and use limited quantities of marijuana, but it wasn't legal to sell it for recreational purposes until Monday. Finding a retail outlet to buy non-medical pot in California won't be easy - at least initially. Only about 90 businesses received state licenses to open New Year's Day. They are concentrated in San Diego, Santa Cruz, the San Francisco Bay Area and the Palm Springs area. Los Angeles and San Francisco are among the many cities where recreational pot will not be available right away because local regulations were not approved in time to start issuing city licenses needed to get state permits. Meanwhile, Fresno, Bakersfield and Riverside are among the communities that have adopted laws forbidding recreational marijuana sales. Just after midnight, some raised joints instead of champagne glasses. Johnny Hernandez, a tattoo artist from Modesto, celebrated by smoking 'Happy New Year blunts' with his cousins. 'This is something we've all been waiting for,' he said. 'People might actually realize weed isn't bad. It helps a lot of people.' Harborside dispensary, a longtime medical pot shop in Oakland, opened at 6am and offered early customers joints for a penny and free T-shirts that read 'Flower to the People - Cannabis for All' (Pictured, Harborside offers its free T-shirts) The state banned 'loco-weed' in 1913, according to a history by the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, the pot advocacy group known as NORML (Pictured, a sales clerk with marijuana plants at the Harborside cannabis dispensary in Oakland) Only about 90 retailers have been licensed to start selling recreational marijuana as many cities are still waiting for their licenses (Pictured, cannabis products being purchased at the Harborside marijuana dispensary) Los Angeles officials announced late last month that the city will not begin accepting license applications until January 3, and it might take weeks before any licenses are issued. That led to widespread concern that long-established businesses would have to shut down during the interim. However, attorneys advising a group of city dispensaries have concluded that those businesses can continue to legally sell medicinal marijuana as 'collectives,' until they obtain local and state licenses under the new system, said Jerred Kiloh of the United Cannabis Business Association, an industry group. It wasn't immediately clear how many of those shops, if any, would be open New Year's Day. The state banned 'loco-weed' in 1913, according to a history by the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, the pot advocacy group known as NORML. The first attempt to undo that by voter initiative in 1972 failed, but three years later felony possession of less than an ounce was downgraded to a misdemeanor. In 1996, over the objections of law enforcement, California voters approved marijuana for medicinal purposes. Twenty years later, voters approved legal recreational use and gave the state a year to write regulations for a legal market that would open in 2018. The first attempt to undo that by voter initiative in 1972 failed, but three years later felony possession of less than an ounce was downgraded to a misdemeanor (Pictured, Steve DeAngelo, right makes the first legal recreational marijuana sale to Henry Wykowski at Harborside marijuana dispensary) In 1996, over the objections of law enforcement, California voters approved marijuana for medicinal purpose (Pictured, cannabis products at the Harborside cannabis dispensary) In 2016, the state produced an estimated 13.5 million pounds of pot, and 80 percent was illegally shipped out of state, according to a report prepared for the state by ERA (Pictured, Margot Simpson, right, purchases marijuana at Harborside marijuana dispensary) The California Police Chiefs Association, which opposed the 2016 ballot measure, remains concerned about stoned drivers, the risk to young people and the cost of policing the new rules in addition to an existing black market. 'There's going to be a public-health cost and a public-safety cost enforcing these new laws and regulations,' said Jonathan Feldman, a legislative advocate for the chiefs. 'It remains to be seen if this can balance itself out.' Currently, 29 states have adopted medical marijuana laws. In 2012, Colorado and Washington became the first states to legalize recreational marijuana. Since then, five more states have passed recreational marijuana laws, including Massachusetts, where retail sales are scheduled to begin in July. In 2016, the state produced an estimated 13.5 million pounds of pot, and 80 percent was illegally shipped out of state, according to a report prepared for the state by ERA Economics, an environmental and agricultural consulting firm. Of the remaining 20 percent, only a quarter was sold legally for medicinal purposes. That robust black market is expected to continue to thrive, particularly as taxes and fees raise the cost of retail pot by as much as 70 percent. Firemen with just six days of first aid training are being dispatched to thousands of medical emergencies. Crews dealt with 44,000 call-outs last year that would normally have gone to paramedics a rate of 120 a day and four times as many as in 2010. They have treated patients who have suffered cardiac arrests, strokes, fits and heavy bleeding. In demand: Ambulance services are finding it tough to recruit new paramedics (file picture) Fire brigades are stepping in because of a surge in demand caused by the ageing population and difficulties in making GP appointments. Ambulance services are also struggling to recruit paramedics. At the same time, calls to the fire service have fallen because of major advances in prevention and safety. The 45 brigades in England have adopted 'co-responding', whereby firemen are routinely sent to ambulance calls. This could mean either a single fireman in a car or a crew of four with an engine. Figures from the Home Office show that firemen were sent to 44,121 ambulance calls in the 12 months to June 2017. In 2010, the number stood at just 10,329. The practice has raised concerns that firemen are being used to 'stop the clock', and ensure ambulance services hit response time targets. In Kent, records from the end of November show that fire crews were sent to between nine and 16 medical calls a day. Incidents included unconsciousness, breathing difficulties, back pain, fitting and cardiac arrests where the heart has stopped beating. A whistleblower, who works for Kent Fire and Rescue, claimed firemen did not have the qualifications or the training to treat the majority of patients. He said staff did six days of basic first aid including how to use a defibrillator with a three-day refresher course every three years. He added: 'It's just so wrong. It's putting people at risk of fires. If a pump is off the road, and there's a house fire nearby, then there's no one to attend it for far too long. We only have a certain amount of kit. The practice has raised concerns that firemen are being used to 'stop the clock', and ensure ambulance services hit response time targets (file picture) 'We have a first aid bag and it's got tourniquets, oxygen, bandages to stop haemorrhaging and a defibrillator. But we have no drugs whatsoever. No adrenaline which is what they need.' The Fire Brigades Union declared following a pay row that crew members would no longer be obliged to respond to medical calls. But many are still choosing to go out, stopping the rest of their crew from responding to fires. By law, engines or 'pumps' must be manned by at least four firemen to be operational. Lib Dem health spokesman Judith Jolly said: 'Turning our firefighters into paramedics is a dangerous and slippery slope. Fire services have an important role to play responding to some medical emergencies, but shouldn't be relied upon as a matter of routine.' Dave Green, national officer for the Fire Brigades Union, said: 'Words fail me as to the way this country deals with emergency medical response.' A spokesman for the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives said firemen were used 'alongside an ambulance resource and never instead of an ambulance resource'. A spokesman for Kent Fire and Rescue Service said: 'KFRS has been working closely with South East Coast Ambulance Service responding to medical emergencies since 2003. 'KFRS always prioritises its response where there is a significant risk to life, and when required resources are relocated from other areas of the county to respond to and to support an increase in demand.' A Home Office spokesman said: 'Collaboration across our emergency services presents a real opportunity to maximise resources, enhance local resilience and improve the service.' When ambulance service telephone handlers receive a 999 call, they establish how serious the incident is and where the nearest ambulances are. If a fire station is nearer than the closest ambulance and it is judged to be an emergency the fire service will be asked to send a first responder. Experts have repeatedly warned that ambulance services send unsuitable staff simply to hit strict response time targets. 'Community first responders' some armed with little more training than a first aid certificate have been used to make sure services meet the eight-minute target for the most serious calls. NHS England changed the rules in July so the clock stops only when an ambulance not a car or bike arrives. It also shortened the target to seven minutes while extending it for less serious injuries. This is the shocking moment a masked, knife wielding robber lunged at a female shop assissant in a bid to snatch cash from the till. Accompanied by two accomplices who stood guard the main offender shouted to the terrified shop assisant 'tell John I will be f***ing back' as he fled. John is the name of the owner of the shop which was previously called 'John's shop before it was changed five years ago. The robber is thought to have stolen money, booze and cigarettes from the convenience store in Blackrod, Bolton, costing about 200, before making his getaway. A masked man wielding a knife lunged across the counter of a Premier convenience store in Blackrod, Bolton The offender threatened the female shop assisstant, 24 with a knife before saying 'tell John i'll be f***ing back' on the way out This is the carnage that was left behind by the masked robber CCTV footage that captured the event shows the masked man lean across the counter trying to rip out the store's till, MEN reported. The shaken woman, 24 who is seen removing money from the cash register and alcohol from a display cabinet to put into plastic bags for the thief. The masked robber burst into the Premier in Blackrod on New Street on December 29 at 6.25pm. After the offenders fled the shop assisstant was left traumatised and although she suffered no physical injuries she has struggled to sleep since the attack. The knife-wielding robber is described as a tall, slim, white man with a large nose. He wore a black top and blue tracksuit bottoms. John is the name of the owner of the shop which was previously called 'John's shop before it was changed five years ago CCTV footage that captured the event shows the masked man lean across the counter trying to rip out the store's till The shaken woman, 24 who is seen removing money from the cash register and alcohol from a display cabinet to put into plastic bags for the thief He also wore black trainers with a white solo and was armed with a large kitchen knife with a white handle. Greater Manchester Police has launched an investigation into the incident and are appealing for anyone with information to come forward. A force spokesman said: 'We were called at 18.27 on Friday to reports of three males with knives wearing masks. They threatened staff before making off with money and cigarettes.' Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101. The pilot of a doomed flight which left him and a family of five British tourists dead didn't have time to make a mayday call before the plane ploughed into a Sydney river. Experienced pilot Gareth Morgan, 44, died when the single-engine 1964 Beaver seaplane nosedived and plunged into Jerusalem Bay on New Years Eve. Also killed were UK businessman Richard Cousins, 58, his sons, Edward and William Cousins, aged 23 and 25, his fiancee Emma Bowden, 48, and her daughter, Heather Bowden-Page, 11. Experienced pilot Gareth Morgan, 44, died when the single-engine 1964 Beaver seaplane nosedived and plunged into Jerusalem Bay on New Years Eve Emma Bowden and her young daughter Heather (pictured together) died in the accident in the Hawkesbury River, north of Sydney, on Sunday 'Accidents like this are most unusual,' Kevin Bowe of the Seaplane Pilots Association Australia told The Daily Telegraph. Mr Bowe said the type of aircraft involved in the crash is considered safer than other small planes because of its capacity to land on water in an emergency. 'But if you get a situation like this and it nosedives, it goes straight to the bottom,' he said. In that situation the water pressure would make it impossible to open any doors or windows. Another theory is that the plane may have hit an air pocket coming off a nearby hill. 'It is quite hilly in that area and a downdraft may have caught the pilot out,' Mr Bowe told the paper. Sydney Seaplanes has suspended all flights indefinitely in the wake of the tragedy. The company's CEO Aaron Shaw hasn't ruled out engine failure as the cause but said it was more likely the plane stalled. He said it was believed the experienced pilot had not made a mayday call before the crash. The plane has not yet been recovered from the crash site at Cowan and is sitting about 13 metres below the surface. It will need to be refloated until forensic investigators can piece together exactly what went wrong. Mr Cousins' sons Ed, 23, and Will, 25, (left to right) were also killed along with experience pilot Gareth Morgan, 44, when the plane crashed The body of a passenger recovered from the downed seaplane that crashed on Sunday killing six people is carried by police and paramedics The calendar year of 2017 was the safest ever recorded for airline passengers. To70, a Dutch-based aviation firm, released figures reporting there were only two fatal accidents, both involving small turbo-prop aircraft, with a total of 13 lives lost. No jets crashed serving passenger services anywhere in the world. The two plane crashes which occurred on New Year's Eve, a seaplane in Sydney which killed six and a Sessna Caravan which crashed in Costa Rica which killed all 12 on board. The fatal crashes are not included in the tally as both aircrafts weigh less than 5,700kg, the limit to make the report. A New South Wales policewoman is seen holding a piece of debris from the seaplane which crashed in the Hawkesbury River on New Year's Eve The body of a passenger recovered from the downed seaplane that crashed on Sunday killing six people is carried by police and paramedics An Embraer Brasilia operating as an air ambulance in Angola was the first fatal accident included in the report. Seven people were killed, including the patient, after the plane suffered an engine failure in October. A month later, a Let 410 belonging to Khabarovsk Avia crashed in Nelkan, Russia, killing six with a four-year-old girl as the only survivor. And 35 died when a Turkish Boeing 747 crash landed in the Kyrgyzstan capital of Bishkek. A jet blast killed a tourist was killed when standing close to the runway on the Caribbean island of St Maarten. Adrian Young, who lead the research for To70, said the chances of a plane being involved in a fatal accident are now one in 16 million. Debris of the Boeing 777, Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, which crashed during flying over the eastern Ukraine region near Donetsk, Ukraine, 17 July 2014 Rescue workers recover a body from the wreckage site of LaMia airplance crash which was carrying players from the Brazilian football club Chapecoense Mr Young told the Independent: 'It is unlikely that this historic low will be maintained; in part, these very positive figures rest on good fortune. Nevertheless, the safety level that civil aviation has achieved is remarkable. 'The risks to civil aviation remain high as shown by the seriousness of some of the non-fatal accidents.' The report also warns of the dangers of lithium-ion batteries and the fire risks they pose on board. Mr Young added: 'Airlines worldwide are training their crews to fight any fires in the cabin; the challenge is keeping such batteries out of passenger luggage.' In 2016, there were seven recorded fatal accidents where 271 people lost their lives. In 2015, 471 people died in four crashes while in 2014, 864 people died in five crashes. A woman is fighting for life in hospital after New Year's Eve fireworks blew up in her face as she handled them. The 66-year-old was badly injured at a community fireworks display at Bunbury Trotting Club in Carey Park about 11.24pm on Sunday. She is an employee of Perth's Cardile Fireworks and was working with the fireworks when they exploded prematurely. A rescue helicopter rushed her to Royal Perth Hospital where remained in a critical condition in intensive care. Cardile Fireworks managing director Rob Cardile declined to comment. Worksafe is investigating the accident. A woman is fighting for life in hospital after New Year's Eve fireworks blew up in her face as she handled them A photo of Todd Palin shared to Instagram by his wife Sarah reveals just how hard his oldest son Track went after him two weeks ago when he brutally beat his father after breaking into the family home. 'Trailering snowmachines to trailhead for trek out to the cabin... perfect way to usher in the new year! May 2018 be a year of breakthrough, joy & victory for all!' wrote Sarah on Sunday, posting a photo of herself, daughter Piper and son Trig as they headed up to their weekend cabin in the family car . Todd could also been seen in the photo, with a large cut across the upper bridge of his nose that was still healing and a shiner under one of his eyes. Piper posted a similar look at her dad's face a short while later to her Instagram story when she uploaded a boomerang during the car ride, writing: 'Cabin bound.' Scroll down for videos Roughed up: Todd Palin (left) has a shiner under his eye and large gash on his nose that is still in the process of healing Battered: This could be seen in a photo posted by Sarah as she, Todd, Piper and son Trig headed to their weekend cabin on Sunday (Todd above in video shared by Piper) The husband of the former Alaska governor had been noticeably absent from the photos and videos posted to social media by his family over the holiday season. This came in the wake of the brutal beating he received at the hands of his son, who broke into the Palin family home after his father had stated he was not welcome according to an incident report provided to DailyMail.com by the Wasilla Police Department. The 28-year-old veteran walked free five days after the attack from a local pretrial facility, but court papers reveal that most of the Palin family have received protective orders from the state requiring Track to keep away from them and the family home in the wake of his attack on father. Those orders were not requested by the family according to a source but rather put in place by the state. Track's friend Kaleb Westfall posted his bail according to criminal case records, handing over the required $5,000 in cash. The oldest Palin child is now forced to wear an ankle bracelet while on house arrest. Track's exes meanwhile are doing everything they can to keep him away, with Jordan Loewe and Britta Hanson both filing orders for themselves and their children with the troubled 28-year-old veteran. Hanson's filing for a domestic violence order on Monday revealed the Palins had received their own protective orders, while also detailing an incident last month during which she claims Track attacked her in front of their child and later threw tools at Todd's head while threatening to beat him up. She was granted a short-term order shortly after submitting her petition, which reveled that Track has now been accused of committing domestic violence against multiple people including Hanson, Loewe and his father Todd. In the section about her daughter, Hanson also wrote 'yes' when asked if domestic violence had been 'committed against the child.' The Blast was the first to obtain a copy of Hanson's filing. At the same time, Track's ex Jordan Loewe also filed an emergency motion to change the child custody agreement that is in place between the couple. Track and Jordan are the parents of a son Charlie, who is almost two. Arrest: It is the first time Todd has been seen since he was beaten by his son on December 16, and fled the house covered in blood (Track above on December 21 after his release from pre-trial facility) Happy family: Sarah later called police on Track who arrested the 28-year-old veteran (Piper and Sarah on Sunday) Hiding out: Track's next court appearance comes later this month (Toss above hiding in a holiday video shared by Sarah) 'On December 16, 2017 at 2036 hours, Wasilla Police responded to a reported disturbance at a residence in Wasilla,' a department spokesperson told DailyMail.com on two days after Track's arrest. 'Following an investigation, Track Palin was arrested for domestic violence burglary in the 1st degree, domestic violence assault in the 4th degree and domestic violence criminal mischief in the 4th degree. Palin was transported to the Mat-Su Pretrial facility.' The department's report reveals that he broke into his family home through a window after being told by Todd he was not welcome, and then began to hit the man over the head. Todd had tried to keep his son out by meeting him at the door and pointing a gun at him, but Track was able to disarm the man and 'put him on the floor' before beating him bloody. Sarah told police her son was 'freaking out and was on some type of medication.' After Track assaulted his father, a bloody Todd fled the home followed by Sarah, and Track engaged in a brief standoff with police. 'Given the nature of actions addressed last night by law enforcement and the charges involved, the Palins are unable to comment further,' said Sarah and Todd's lawyer John Tiemessen. 'They ask that the familys privacy is respected during this challenging situation just as others dealing with a struggling family member would also request.' Track is not represented by the same lawyer. 'Track stood on the porch,' wrote Officer Adam LaPointe of the Wasilla Police Department. 'Communication was attempted which failed due to Track yelling and calling myself and other officers peasants and telling us to lay our guns on the ground before approaching the residence.' He then went inside the house before reappearing on the roof of the garage so he could get a look around the entire property according to Office LaPointe. After that Track again when into the house, where he remained for approximately 15 minutes before reestablishing communication with police. Track then turned himself over to police, admitting he had a few beers earlier in the night and had gotten into a argument with his father over the use of a car. 'Track said he had been talking to his dad, Todd, about a vehicle,' reads the report. 'Track stated he had a disagreement and that there had been threats made between them. Track stated that he then drove over to Todd's house and when he arrived Todd had a gun in his hand,' reads Officer LaPointe's sworn affidavit. When Track then looked through the window next to the door he saw 'Todd point a gun at him.' He then told his father to shoot him several times before deciding to break a window in order to enter the home. 'Track stated that he went through the broken window and disarmed Todd and put him on the ground,' states the affidavit. 'While Track had Todd on the ground he started hitting Todd in the head. Todd was able to get away from Track and out of the residence.' Track did not appear to spend time with the family over the holiday. A nurse is under investigation in Russia after posting pictures mocking dying patients and revealing 'we tie them to beds'. Her images highlight a disturbing trend of medical staff using social media to abuse the sick, vulnerable and elderly they are supposed to care for. The latest case involves nurse Anna Kim who uses cruel expletives to portray her elderly patients needing diapers as filthy and disgusting. She also alleged doctors in her hospital in Sakhalin 'only help people they want to help.' Anna Kim (above) is under investigation in Russia after posting pictures mocking dying patients and revealing 'we tie them to beds' 'If they don't want to help, you are doomed,' she said. 'They don't give a ****. Patients may have extremely low blood pressure, and doctors don't use defibrillators .' Kim who has not been sacked for her posts and outbursts posed with an elderly woman patient who was 'gravely ill' and fighting for her life. 'Some patients might go out of their minds. we tie them to beds. But its okay, this is life.' Vladimir Putin has identified health care as a key priority for Russia as he seeks a new six year term in the Kremlin. Kim (above, posing in front of a sick patient) alleged doctors in her hospital in Sakhalin 'only help people they want to' Kim uses cruel expletives to portray her elderly patients needing diapers as filthy and disgusting But concern is growing over the posting of pictures by nurses and doctors when patients should expect privacy highlighting flaws and abuses in the medical system. A male gynaecologist in Syktyvkar posed with a woman patient during what seemed to be an intimate examination or medical procedure. In Kazan, nurse Gulnaz Yalalova, then 20, posed with a broad smile holding a removed spleen. She posted it on social media alongside an image of herself in a bikini. She was rebuked for 'immaturity' . In Alexandrov, two nurses posed for pictures throwing hoops on the legs of an unconscious woman patient. In Kazan, nurse Gulnaz Yalalova, then 20, posed with a broad smile holding a removed spleen Yalalova posted the disturbing images on social media alongside an image of herself in a bikini The same pair - identified as Tatiana Katayeva and Marina Shibanova - were shown pretending to drink blood given by donors. They were also seen fooling around on a hospital staircase, explaining: 'It was all for a joke so that our profession doesn't look so sad. 'We work in intensive care we wanted to show that medical personnel haven't lost their sense of humour and that they can behave like humans,.' The two were given an official warning but allowed to continue their jobs. In another case, doctors in Surgut posted surgical pictures on Instagram. Nurses throw rings on a leg of a female patient in the town of Alexandrov, Perm region Nurses who work in the intensive care ward in the town of Alexandrov, Perm region, are seen in pictures from social media In Ukraine, a plastic surgeon posed for selfie-style video clips showing the naked breasts of his women patients minutes after he has conducted boob job operations. Married medic Edgar Kaminskyi, 32, was dubbed Dr Selfsky. In Perm, a 22 year old medical student, the daughter of a hospital chief, posed with her colleague seconds after a breast implant surgery. A fresh cut is seen on the patient after the implants were put in. The picture was posted to the student's friends who 'liked' it. Meanwhile in Demidovskaya hospital in Nizhny Tagil, a nurse posed alongside a surgeon. Their helpless patient is under anaesthetic moments after a surgical cut has been made on his body. A nurse who works in the intensive care ward poses for a picture with her patient in Perm A pair of nurses pretend to drink donors' blood at a hospital in the town of Alexandrov, Perm This caused a scandal in Russia but the pair kept their jobs. Other pictures show nurses posing with patients in Perm region and Komsomolsk-on-Amur. The recent case involving Kim was at Sakhalin Regional Clinical Hospital. A senior medic said: 'Such violation of ethical norms showed that the person who did this requires professional psychiatric help.' There were even claims she was 'drunk on duty' when the pictures were taken. She has not been fired while a probe is underway. A local health ministry spokesman said: 'An internal investigation has been carried out into the unacceptable, unethical behaviour of a nurse.' Local health minister Alexey Pak 'harshly condemned' her behaviour. 'Helpless people on life support devices became victims of her unceremonious filming,' he said. 'Dozens of professionals work to bring these patients back to active life, monitoring their health 24/7 and being ready to give any emergency treatment.' A group of students were shocked to discover a huge nest of deadly brown snake eggs buried in their school sandpit. Pupils at a primary school in Laurieton, on the NSW mid-north coast, were gearing up to play in the sandlot when they stumbled upon a startling 12 snake eggs on December 20. FAWNA volunteers quickly arrived on the scene and removed the nest - and said students were lucky to discover the eggs before Christmas break as they were only two weeks away from hatching. Pupils at a primary school in Laurieton, on the NSW mid-north coast, were gearing up to play in the sandlot when they stumbled upon a startling 12 unhatched snake eggs (pictured) on December 20 FAWNA volunteers quickly arrived on the scene and removed the nest - and said students were lucky to discover the eggs (pictured) before Christmas break as they were only two weeks away from hatching 'They were more interested than scared. The staff were very quick to deal with it,' a Rod Miller, vice president for FAWNA, told Daily Mail Australia. Following several days of thorough digging the volunteers uncovered seven nests with a grand total of 43 brown snake eggs. Mr Miller said he believed the eggs were only weeks away from hatching and turning the children's sandlot into a dangerous snake pit. 'It depends upon the temperature but I felt that they were about two weeks old and they take between 36 to 95 days to hatch,' he said. 'There is a possibility that she [the mother] may come back and lay another lot of eggs but we can't be sure at this stage.' Mr Miller said he believed the eggs (pictured) were only weeks away from hatching and turning the children's sandlot into a dangerous snake pit FAWNA volunteer Yvette Attleir told the Camden Haven Courier that the sandpit was the perfect breeding ground for snake eggs as the sand had been freshly laid. 'The sand was still fresh and loose and would have provided the perfect place for snakes to regulate the eggs due to the temperature,' Ms Attleir said. The school's playground sits on the edge of a reserve and volunteers believe the eggs could have been laid by up to two brown snakes. The school's playground sits on the edge of a reserve and volunteers believe the eggs could have been laid by up to two brown snakes (Stock image) When the eggs first hatch the reptiles are already an inch long and are dangerous to humans. Brown snakes do not guard their eggs after they are laid and the juvenile snakes are completely independent of the mother. Australian brown snakes have potentially lethal venom but they rarely bite humans unless they feel threatened. FAWNA volunteer Yvette Attleir told the Camden Haven Courier that the sandpit was the perfect breeding ground for snake eggs as the sand had been freshly laid (Stock image of brown snake) After receiving complaints from several members of the public about the true identification of the unhatched creatures, a volunteer from FAWNA went back to check on the eggs. They have since released a statement re-confirming their belief the eggs could contain brown snakes. 'After much discussion one of the FAWNA member's involved went back to where they buried the eggs and found all but one of the eggs had hatched,' the statement reads. 'The undeveloped egg contained a small undeveloped foetus which looked like a small pink worm with a couple of eyes and had no limbs or sign of them.' A California woman was found dead in her driveway, mauled to death by what authorities believe are a pack of stray dogs. Deborah Onsurez, 56, was attacked early Thursday morning and was later found in the driveway of a home on the 500 block of Crows Landing Road, reported KOVR-TV. Her injuries were severe and she was pronounced dead at the scene. Stanislaus County sheriff's deputies said they believe Onsurez was killed by multiple stray dogs. A California woman was found dead in her driveway, mauled to death by what authorities believe are a pack of stray dogs (file image) Deborah Onsurez, 56, was attacked early Thursday morning and was later found in the driveway of a home on the 500 block of Crows Landing Road (pictured) 'Stray dogs everywhere, that's Stanislaus County for you, that's all around here,' Armando, who works in the area, told the station. They're a big problem in area known as South Modesto, he said. 'A bunch of mutts really, you know?' he added. 'Not no full-breed dog, I know that, especially little dogs that transients try to keep.' When deputies and animal control officers searched the immediate area for the suspect dogs, they could not find them. Authorities are currently unaware of the breed of dog, the ages or the genders. 'Being killed by a dog is extremely unusual,' Tai Bogan, an attorney in Modesto who has worked on dog attack cases, told KOVR. He questioned whether the dogs were actually strays after deputies and animal control officers said they couldn't find any dogs in the area. When deputies and animal control officers searched the immediate area for the suspect dogs, they could not find them (Pictured, surrounding area) They are currently unaware of the breed of dog, the ages or the genders (file image, Havana) However, if deputies are correct, then Bogan says law enforcement needs to step up. 'Animal control cannot allow dogs to roam around the street,' he said. 'It just can't happen in a civilized society.' If the dogs belong to someone, Bogan said they could face criminal charges for negligence. However, dog attacks aren't uncommon. In November, a pit bull attacked at least three people in Elk Grove, a suburb of Sacramento that's about 60 miles from Modesto. And in 2014, two separate pit bull attacks in Stanislaus County - one left a man dead. Italian university students were shocked to reveal their maths professor was a gay porn star. Ruggero Freddi, previously known as Carlos Masi, teaches at La Sapienza University, in Rome, but in a previous life he played a very different role. Mr Freddi left his native Italy for the US where he made a career in the adult film industry, starring in titles including 'Big N Plenty' and 'Man Country'. Students found out about his XXX-rated past after spotting a picture of him flexing his muscles in a revealing photo on Facebook. Ruggero Freddi, previously known as Carlos Masi, teaches at La Sapienza University, in Rome, but in a previous life he played a very different role Mr Freddi said he got into porn to 'earn more' and was not upset that career had been revealed. He told Republicca: 'Some students re-posted the photo on a few sites and from there my former life as a porn actor emerged. To be honest, it wasn't exactly a secret.' The academic got into adult film with Colt Studios after his engineering career faltered in Italy. He explained: 'I was offered to do a film in the USA. I thought, ''Why not?'' A job that helps me earn more and is a more entertaining career.' Mr Freddi left his native Italy for the US where he made a career in the adult film industry, starring in titles including 'Big N Plenty' and 'Man Country' On returning home in 2013, Mr Freddi got his master's degree in mathematics, adding to the master's he already had in computer engineering. Mr Freddi, who lives with his partner of 11 years, said he had no complaints or problems at the university because of his past. He added that he was 'happy and proud' of both of careers because they reflected his personality. Women in Britain are more likely to end up without children than almost anywhere else in the West, a report has found. An international league table has found that a fifth of British women are childless in their early 40s a figure exceeded only by Spain and Austria. And the rate of childlessness among UK women is increasing sharply; up by almost 50 per cent since the mid-1990s. Experts say the phenomenon is down to women increasingly delaying childhood perhaps to pursue careers. Women in Britain are more likely to end up without children than almost anywhere else in the West and experts believe they are putting their careers first Britain was a trailblazer in the feminist movement of the 1970s and 1980s, meaning its women were far more likely than their European counterparts to enter the world of work. The UK comes third in the world table for women in their 40s not having children The average woman in the UK also has her first child at the age of 30 much later than most other countries. Last night one family rights group blamed Britain's showing on the declining status of motherhood and the 'contraceptive culture'. A study by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, which represents industrialised nations, shows that the rate of childlessness in women in the UK aged between 40 and 44 rose from 14 per cent in 1995 to 20 per cent in 2010. This compares to just 16 per cent in Australia and 13 per cent in Sweden. In only two countries is the rate exceeded in Spain, with a figure of 21.6 per cent, and Austria (21.5 per cent). Britain's level of childlessness exceeded the US (18.8 per cent), New Zealand (15 per cent) and Israel (11 per cent). Data was not available for several major countries, such as France and Germany. The OECD said: 'Rates of childlessness at age 40-44 or around are increasing in most of those OECD countries where data are available for both time points. 'The postponement of parenthood over the last decades, which can be gleaned from the declining percentage of childless women at different points over the life cycle, has increased the possibility for adults to remain childless.' Norman Wells, from the Family Education Trust, said it could be down to sex education that is putting women off childbirth and motherhood Last night Norman Wells, from the Family Education Trust, said: 'There are doubtless a number of reasons why couples are choosing not to have children, including economic pressures, the suppression of traditional roles within the family, a lowering of the status of motherhood and the fact that children are seen as a threat to maintaining a high standard of living. 'But another factor may be that so much sex education has placed such a strong emphasis on how to avoid pregnancy, that it has frequently presented a very negative image of childbearing and of motherhood. 'The contraceptive culture can all too easily blind us to the joy that the birth of a child can bring to the parents and to their wider circle of family and friends.' In November, the Office for National Statistics published separate figures showing that at the age of 45, some 18 per cent of British women are childless. The ONS said women were increasingly likely to postpone 'decisions about whether to have children until it may be biologically too late'. A man has been killed by lightning at the popular Kings Canyon attraction in Australia's red centre just 500 metres after starting a walk with his family. The 35-year-old victim was hiking along the Rim Walk, near the car park, with his family of five when he was struck about 5pm on New Year's Day. Northern Territory Police said the man fell to the ground and died, but his body wasn't recovered until Tuesday morning because of the bad weather. A man was killed just 500 metres from the car park when lightning struck at Kings Canyon 'There was two storms approaching, there was some flash floods and there was surrounding lightning,' Acting Territory Duty Superintendent Vicki Koum told the ABC on Tuesday. 'Sadly, a 35-year-old male, he was struck by lightning and he fell to the ground and obviously we had rangers and there were other persons there that assisted and dealt with the deceased.' Daily Mail Australia understands the man's family are still too shocked to give details to police. Kings Canyon is more than 300 kilometres north-east of Uluru in the Northern Territory and more than 300 kilometres west of Alice Springs in the central Australia. A 35-year-old man was killed during unusually wet weather in Australia's red centre The area remains open to tourists as an autopsy is conducted on the man. 'I dare say an autopsy will take place and an investigation as far as the determination or whether it was deceased upon impact of the lighting strike or otherwise, I can't confirm either way,' Duty Superintendent Koum said. The Bureau of Meteorology had issued a severe thunderstorm warning for the Lasseter area of central Australia which covers Kings Canyon. Advertisement On the mend: Marty, pictured today being fed carrots, as he recovers a day after he dramatically collapsed during London's New Year's Day parade A stallion who fell over at London's New Year's Day parade in front of shocked crowds is on the mend after receiving messages from well-wishers across the globe. The 14-year-old horse named Marty has been given the day off and an extra large bag of carrots as he recovers at his field in Huntingdon, Cambridge, today. He caused concern when pictures of him lying on the ground after slipping went viral but today his minders say he is on the mend. Director Geraldine Bone, who witnessed the mishap said: 'Marty is in fine fettle today completely unharmed and enjoying the limelight.' His handler told parade officials that the horse slipped and fell near one of the event grandstands in Waterloo Place. Marty caught hind leg on a harness pole and was released in textbook fashion. A spokesman for London's New Year's Day Parade said: 'The online response has been amazing we have had hundreds of messages from around the World from people wanting to know that Marty was alright.' The event, which attracted record crowds estimated at 650,000 to the streets of Westminster, was broadcast to more than 600 TV stations globally. Hundreds of thousands of people had lined the streets to watch the annual event on Monday, featuring 8,000 performers from all over the world - including dancers, acrobats, cheerleaders and marching bands. But the parade, hosted by the Lord Mayor of Westminster, was brought to a standstill momentarily when Marty suddenly collapsed in the middle of Waterloo Place. Carriage drivers were seen trying to help the animal get up after it fell to the ground. Witness Fran Perrow described the scene as 'very distressing,' writing on Twitter that the horse had been stressed by the crowd and marching bands - and had reared up before getting its legs caught in the harness and falling to the ground. One of the horses was pulling a carriage suddenly collapsed along the parade route from Green Park to Parliament Square She said the horse had been down for around five minutes and that the response to free the creature had been 'very slow.' 'Horse down for 5 minutes, very slow response to free it, but up now and out of parade,' she wrote. But a New Year's Day Parade spokesman said the horse merely tripped and fell - and was able to finish the route once it had been helped back up again. Another Twitter user added: 'I did enjoy most of the parade @Lnydp,but found it quite upsetting to see horses and donkeys taking part, some of them were quite stressed. 'They should most definitely not be there, is not a place for animals! Hope the horse is fine.' The 32nd parade, themed Showtime, was screened around the world to 600 TV stations in a mammoth satellite airing - said to be the biggest annual outside-broadcast in Britain. Britain's legendary ski jumper Eddie Edwards, more commonly known as 'Eddie The Eagle', was tempted out of retirement to perform more death defying heroics for the parade. The event a turn of year tradition was expected to attract 500,000 spectators to the West End of London. Millions more will watch live on television across the world. The free, family-orientated spectacle, featured around 8,000 performers from numerous and over the last 32 years, it has raised almost 2million for charities across the capital. A horse pulling a carriage collapsed in the middle of Waterloo Place during London's spectacular New Year's Day parade A picture caught the moment a horse suddenly fell to the ground as hundreds of spectators watched from behind barriers It featured 21 marching bands from the USA and 15 from London boroughs, 1,000 cheerleaders, giant inflatables, horses, donkeys, vintage vehicles pomp, circumstance and thrills galore. The parade started at noon on Piccadilly near Green Park Station and headed to Piccadilly Circus, before ending at Parliament Square around 3.30pm. In the last few days, at the age of 54, Mr Edwards from Stroud, travelled to Norway to perform a series of spectacular jumps to be screened at the traditional turn of year celebration and on the global TV programme that covers the event. To mark his extraordinary life and the forthcoming Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, he will be presented with a special medal at the parade in the heart of the West End today. Two white horses had been pulling a carriage along the parade route for the New Year's Day parade on Monday afternoon The horse is pictured making its way along the parade route shortly before collapsing in London's Waterloo Place A motorbike performs an acrobatics stunt from the back of a truck in front of awestruck revellers at the parade in London Full steam ahead: A man and woman storm through the parade in a steam-powered vehicle, while cheerleaders get ready to party (right) Ringing in the New Year: Four performers brave the cold in their outfits as they celebrate 2018 in the streets of London today An Asian-style dragon, carried by nearly 20 men and women makes its way through down the parade route in London Two little boys, dressed up as police on horseback (left), smile for the cameras at the parade in London, while a girl, wearing a pilgrim dress, performs to the crowd (right) Performers, donning red dresses and red, black and white-feathered hats, getting ready for the New Year's Day Parade in London Women with drums in action from today's New Years Day Parade as 8,000 performers entertained crowds through the streets of London The parade features 21 marching bands from the USA and 15 from London boroughs, 1,000 cheerleaders, giant inflatables, horses, donkeys, vintage vehicles pomp, circumstance and thrills galore A stunt bike wows crowds in central London this afternoon by flying off the back of a truck at the New Year's Day Parade Children, dressed as cubs, skip along the parade route in London, with one trying to catch the falling confetti Hundreds of thousands of people have lined the streets for the annual New Year's Day Parade in London Brows on fleek! These performers looked dazzling in their sparkly dresses and white-feathered hats, as they got ready for the show The free, family orientated spectacular, features around 8,000 performers from numerous nations and over the last 32 years has raised almost 2million for charities across the capital A row of vintage Minis, donning little Union flags from their windows, were seen making their way through West London The parade features 21 marching bands from the USA and 15 from London boroughs, 1,000 cheerleaders, giant inflatables, horses, donkeys, vintage vehicles pomp, circumstance and thrills galore Mr Edwards said: 'I was gobsmacked when I got the call from the parade people asking me to give it a go at first I didn't know what to think but I never shirk a challenge and thought why not? 'I have appeared in front of 190,000 before but never half a million people before it's going to be amazing. 'Getting this sort of recognition is truly uplifting I am a true patriot I love my country and am immensely proud to have done what I've done to fly the flag.' Mr Edwards, who hit the headlines around the World, 30 years ago, when he became Britain's first and only ski jumper at the Calgary Winter Olympics Mr Edwards, with the help of airline SAS, travelled in secret to the behind closed doors ski jump at Raufoss, several hours drive north of Oslo, where top Norwegian experts and the parade TV, watched him don his skis and hurtle down the launch pad in to the air. Bob Bone, Executive Director of London's New Year's Day Parade said: 'Eddie is a truly amazing person the ultimate Showman with nerves of steel. 'We wanted to honour Eddie by presenting him with a medal thirty years on from his Winter Olympics heroics and in a moment of madness asked him whether he would jump again for us! 'To our amazement and delight he said yes.' A baby was badly burned when a tray of prayer candles fell on to her, spraying the girl and her parents with hot wax. The 11-month-old was being held by her mother at the Bangladesh Australia Buddhist Society temple on Haultain Street in Minto, Sydney, about 9.40pm on Monday. She was covered in melting wax when the tray tipped towards her, suffering burns to her face, arms, and legs. A baby was badly burned when a tray of prayer candles fell on to her, spraying the girl and her parents with hot wax at the Bangladesh Australia Buddhist Society temple in Sydney Police performed first aid until paramedics arrived to treat the family, before the girl was rushed from the temple (pictured) to The Childrens Hospital Westmead Her 28-year-old mother had burns to face and minor burns to hands and feet and 35-year-old father suffered minor burns to his hands and feet. Police performed first aid until paramedics arrived to treat the family, before the girl was rushed to The Childrens Hospital Westmead. Her parents were also rushed to Westmead Hospital. They were in stable conditions on Tuesday morning. Police were investigating and said there were several other people at the temple. Limiting global warming to 1.5C would significantly reduce the impact and desertification An increase of just 2C (3.6F) in global temperatures could make the world considerably drier and more desert-like, new research has warned. More than a quarter of the world's land surface, home to more than 1.5 billion people, would become more arid and droughts and wildfires could be widespread. Limiting global warming to 1.5C (2.7F) would dramatically reduce the percentage of the Earth's surface affected, scientists found. Scroll down for video If global warming reaches 2C (3.6F) then the world will become considerably drier and more desert-like, according to new research. Aridification would emerge over about 20-30 per cent of the world's land surface (stock image) WHAT DID THEY FIND? If global temperatures increase by 2C (3.6F)compared to pre-industrial levels then the 20 - 30 per cent of the world's land surface would dry out. These areas are home to more than 20 per cent of the world's population - that's over 1.5 billion people. The areas most affected areas are parts of South East Asia, Southern Europe, Southern Africa, Central America and Southern Australia. Aridification is a serious threat because it can critically impact areas such as agriculture, water quality, and biodiversity. The increase in temperature and drier world would lead to more droughts and wildfires. By limiting the temperature increase to 1.5C (2.7F) the impact would be far less. Advertisement Aridity is a measure of the dryness of the land surface, obtained from combining precipitation and evaporation. 'Aridification would emerge over 20 to 30 per cent of the world's land surface by the time the global temperature change reaches 2C (3.6F)', said Dr Manoj Joshi from the University of East Anglia's School of Environmental Sciences and one of the study's co-authors. The research team studied projections from 27 global climate models and identified areas of the world where aridity will substantially change. The areas most affected areas are parts of South East Asia, Southern Europe, Southern Africa, Central America and Southern Australia. These areas are home to more than 20 per cent of the world's population - that's over 1.5 billion people. The study looked at the current rate of global temperature increase and compared it to data from before the industrial revolution. The world has already warmed by 1C (1.8F) since then. Two thirds of the affected regions could avoid significant aridification if warming is limited to 1.5C (2.7F), researchers found. Dr Chang-Eui Park, a co-author of the study from the Southern University of Science and Technology in China said another way to look at the potential changes is as a 'continuous moderate drought'. The most affected areas are likely to be parts of South East Asia, Southern Europe, Southern Africa, Central America and Southern Australia. These areas are home to more than 20 per cent of the world's population - that's over 1.5 billion people Turkana in Kenya is often in drought and can go over a year without a single drop of rainfall. Drought is one of the biggest concerns in some parts of the world (stock image) THE PARIS AGREEMENT The Paris Agreement, which was first signed in 2015, it is an international agreement to control climate change. It hopes to hold the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2C (3.6F) 'and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5C (2.7F)'. It seems the more ambitious goal of restricting global warming to 1.5C (2.7F) may be more important than ever, according to the new findings. In June, President Trump announced his intention for the US, the second largest producer of greenhouse gases in the world, to withdraw from the agreement. Advertisement 'Aridification is a serious threat because it can critically impact areas such as agriculture, water quality, and biodiversity', said Dr Park. 'It can also lead to more droughts and wildfires - similar to those seen raging across California.' The Paris Agreement, which was first signed in 2015, it is an international agreement to control climate change. It hopes to hold the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2C (3.6F) 'and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5C (2.7F)'. It seems the more ambitious goal of restricting global warming to 1.5C (2.7F) may be more important than ever, according to the new findings. In June, President Trump announced his intention for the US, the second largest producer of greenhouse gases in the world, to withdraw from the agreement. A drier world may become a reality and the horrific scenes of the Californian wildfires may become more common. The fire scorched more than 440 square miles of Ventura and Santa Barbara counties and destroyed more than 1,000 structures after breaking out in early December. Drought is one of the biggest concerns in some parts of the world, where rainfall is rare and water scarce. Some parts of Kenya, for example, can go an entire year without a drop of rain. Dr Jeong said: 'By reducing greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere in order to keep global warming under 1.5C (2.7F) or 2C (3.6F) could reduce the likelihood of significant aridification emerging in many parts of the world.' The research was published in Nature Climate Change. WhatsApp has bid farewell to two long-term partners with the start of the new year, ditching support for Blackberry and Windows 8.0 or older smartphones. Users will be able to continue to use the Facebook owned app but won't be able to create new accounts or re-verify existing accounts. The move will eventually lead to the messenger crashing and becoming unusable, after update support was withdrawn today. Scroll down for video The Facebook-owned app is ready to move on from Blackberry and some old Windows phones. Today, the app stopped working on phones running Windows 8.0 or older, Blackberry OS or Blackberry 10 PLATFORMS LOSING WHATSAPP WhatsApp is removing itself from old and unpopular platforms to focus on the duopoly of Apple and Android. The Nokia Symbian S60 was cut-off on June 30 this year and was the first to go. As of the January 1, 2018, BlackBerry OS, BlackBerry 10 and devices using Windows Phone 8.0 will no longer support WhatsApp. The next step in slimming down the platforms that WhatsApp is offered on will be the cut-off of the Nokia S40 on December 31, 2018. Android versions 2.3.7 and older will be unable to use WhatsApp on February 1, 2020. Advertisement The Menlo-Park based developers of the popular platform have said that they will not continue to work on these operating systems. They plan to phase them out in favour of steering resources into the more popular Android and iOS versions of the app. If you are using one of the affected models, you will need to upgrade to a newer OS to ensure ongoing support. This includes Android running OS 4.0 or above, iPhone running iOS 7 or above, or Windows Phone 8.1 or above. Writing in a support note on WhatsApp's website, a company spokesman said: 'These platforms don't offer the kind of capabilities we need to expand our app's features in the future. 'If you use one of these affected mobile devices, we recommend upgrading. Once you have one of these devices, simply install WhatsApp and verify your phone number on the new device. 'Keep in mind that WhatsApp can only be activated with one phone number on one device at a time. 'There is currently no option to transfer your chat history between platforms. 'However, we provide the option to send your chat history attached to an email.' WhatsApp was first launched in 2009 at a time when there was greater diversity in the operating systems used on smartphones. Removing support for less popular platforms should not entirely come as a surprise, however, with WhatsApp releasing a blog post in February 2016 signalling its intentions. Writing in it, the firm said: 'Mobile operating systems offered by Google, Apple and Microsoft which account for 99.5 per cent of sales today were on less than 25 per cent of mobile devices sold at the time. 'As we look ahead to our next seven years, we want to focus our efforts on the mobile platforms the vast majority of people use.' For Windows users, the thought of losing WhatsApp is likely not their main concern after the announcement from Microsoft stating it is giving up on the mobile phone range. The developers called it a 'tough decision' and the app intends to take itself of other platforms in the coming years Windows phone users will have no problem with the app as long as they have the newer operating systems. Only devices which still operate Windows Phone 8.0 or earlier will be affected. The deadline for Blackberry was originally set for the end of 2016, however WhatsApp later announced it would continue support until the end of 2017. This is the latest in a string of streamlining changes for the messenger, which ended supporting for iOS 6 at the end of 2016 and earlier this year withdrew the Nokia S60 from its roster. The slimming down of platforms and services is set to continue after Blackberry and Windows 8.0. The Nokia S40 is to be jettisoned at the end of 2018 and by the end of February 2020, Android versions 2.3.7 will no longer work. The much delayed F-35 could finally be put into combat for the first time in 2018, it has been revealed. The F35-B, which can take off and land vertically on an amphibious assault ship, is expected to deploy with two Marine expeditionary units to the Pacific and Central Command theaters in the spring and summer, officials said. It comes ten years after the much delayed and overbudget plane took its first flight. Scroll down for video The F35-B, which can take off and land vertically on an amphibious assault ship, is expected to deploy with two Marine expeditionary units to the Pacific and Central Command theaters in the spring and summer, officials said. F-35 FACT SHEET Role: Stealth multirole fighter First flight: December 15, 2006 Unit cost (not including engine): F-35A - $98million F-35B - $104million F-35C - $116million Number built: 115 (as of November 2014) Length: 15.67m Wingspan: 10.7m Height: 4.33m Max speed (F-35A): 1,930kph Advertisement The first deployment will be with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit aboard the amphibious assault ship Wasp and the second will be with the 13th MEU aboard the amphibious assault ship Essex, said spokeswoman Capt. Sarah Burns, according to Marine Corps Times.The Marine Corps hopes to replace its current fleet of tactical aircraft the F/A-18 Hornets, EA-6B Prowlers and AV-8B Harriers with the new fifth-generation fighters by 2032. The Marine Corps plans to buy a total of 353 F-35Bs, and 67 F-35Cs, which have tail hooks that allow them to land on aircraft carriers. With a current development and acquisition price tag already at $379 billion for a total of 2,443 F-35 aircraft - most destined for the US Air Force - the F-35 is the most expensive plane in history, and costs are set to rise further still. Once servicing and maintenance costs for the F-35 are factored in over the aircraft's lifespan through 2070, overall program costs are expected to rise to $1.5 trillion. Proponents tout the F-35's radar-dodging stealth technology, supersonic speeds, close air support capabilities, airborne agility and a massive array of sensors giving pilots unparalleled access to information. But the program has faced numerous delays, cost overruns and setbacks, including an engine fire in 2014 that led commanders to temporarily ground the planes. Other problems include software bugs, technical glitches and even a faulty eject system that risked killing pilots who weighed less than 136 pounds (62 kilograms). Earlier this year a rare aerobatic display from the American F-35 has wowed crowds - and sent NATO a clear message. Lockheed Martin today revealed footage of the incredible flights, which are being carried out daily at the show. The six-minute flight features a full power takeoff showing off its 40,000 pounds of thrust, steep climbs, and the tightest possible turns, and is designed to head off doubts over the controversial jet's ability to dogfight. 'After 10 years since first flight, with our first opportunity to demonstrate the capabilities and the maneuverability of the F-35, we are going to crush years of misinformation about what this aircraft is capable of doing,' Lockheed Martin test pilot Billie Flynn said in an interview with Aviation Week. In an Associated Press interview at the opening Monday of the Paris Air Show, Brigadier General Select Todd Canterbury said the displays of the new jet are to 'showcase the capability to all of our European partners and NATO allies' and 'to reassure them that we are committed to NATO 100 percent and that we have got the capability to respond to any action necessary.' Canterbury, director of the Air Force F-35 Integration Office at the Pentagon, also spoke about recent problems that grounded F-35s at Luke Airforce Base in Arizona. U.S. President Donald Trump has called NATO obsolete and excoriated European allies last month for not spending enough on their own defenses. THE INCREDIBLE F-35 PARIS SHOW The flight demonstration starts with an afterburner takeoff, almost immediately pointing the nose to the sky and letting the aircraft climb away essentially vertically. This impressive move is unique to the F-22 and the F-35, the pilot says. Next, the F35 will reverse back in front of the crowd, and perform a 'square loop' to show the aircraft's instantaneous pitch capability and high angle-of-attack (AOA) maneuverability. It then turns around, reverses back in front of the crowd, and perform a slow-speed pass. Afterwards, it lights up the afterburner and fly straight up into the sky once again. It then pulls up vertically in front of the crowd to execute a 'power loop,' where the aircraft flips on its back. Next is a spiral at 50 degrees AOA, called a 'pedal turn.' After reversing again in front of the crowd, the last move is a maximum-G, 360-deg. turn, which highlights the maximum-rate, minimum-radius-turn capability of the aircraft. Advertisement Since May 2, F-35 pilots on five occasions reported symptoms of hypoxia, or oxygen deprivation, he said. US military personnel escort a Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter jet towards the runway at the International Paris Air Show in Le Bourget outside Paris The Air Force says the F-35's backup oxygen system worked in each instance, and the pilot was able to land the plane safely. 'It could range to anything from headaches, to nausea, to color-blindness,' he told the AP. Planes were subsequently grounded at Luke, and only began flying again a few days ago, even though the cause of the fault has not been found. A team of engineers, test pilots, medics and others experts are 'digging into this problem 24 hours a day,' to try to identify the cause, Canterbury said. 'It could be lack of oxygen. It could be too much oxygen, too much carbon dioxide.' After roaring off the Le Bourget airport tarmac into a vertical climb with its afterburner, the F-35 wows with a series of loops and gravity defying moves, showing maneuverability so catlike it can turn corners so sharp that it seems to carve squares in the sky. A Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II flies during a flight demonstration on the opening day of the 52nd Paris Air Show held at Le Bourget, north of Paris, France, 19 June 2017. The 2017 International Paris Air Show runs from 23 to 25 June Lockheed Martin today revealed footage on the incredible flights, which are being carried out daily at the show. There have been similar incidents 'across a number of bases, but not in clusters like we saw at Luke.' The local commander at Luke will decide when the planes can fly again, he said. Canterbury said the pilots will 'start flying as soon as they can. They are ready.' Luke is a training base for F-35 pilots. Operational units have not had such issues, he said. U.S. servicemen gather next to a F-35 Lightning II at Paris Air Show, on the eve of its opening, in Le Bourget, east of Paris, France, Sunday, June 18, 2017. While Airbus and Boeing will again hog the spotlight at the Paris Air Show with their battle for ever-larger slices of the lucrative pie in the sky, a lot of the really interesting stuff will be going on elsewhere at next week's massive biennial aviation and defense industry gathering. 'It's still too early to tell the root cause,' he said. 'An airplane in development, such as this, will have teething problems.' The F-35 flew briefly at the Farnborough Air Show last year but this year in Paris it will have its debut aerial demonstrations. The daily aerobatic shows by the F-35 promise to be spectacular, punctuated by the howl of its 40,000 pounds of thrust. French President Emmanuel Macron (2-L) listens to Dassault Aviation CEO Eric Trappier (C) while visiting the Paris Air Show. Macron landed at the Bourget airfield in an Airbus A400-M military transport plane to launch the aviation showcase, the Paris Air show, running from 19 - 25 June 2017, where the latest Boeing and Airbus passenger jets will vie for attention with a F-35 warplane, drones and other and high-tech hardware. EPA/MICHEL EULER / POOL MAXPPP OUT French President Emmanuel Macron exits the cockpit of a Rafale jet fighter helped by Dassault Aviation CEO Eric Trappier (R) while visiting the Paris Air Show in Le Bourget, north of Paris, France, 19 June 2017. 'This is a beastly airplane,' said chief F-35 test pilot Alan Norman. After roaring off the Le Bourget airport tarmac into a vertical climb with its afterburner, the F-35 will wow with a series of loops and gravity defying moves, showing maneuverability so catlike it can turn corners so sharp that it seems to carve squares in the sky. It will also show its ability to slow down to a crawl - a trick that can force pursuers to fly past and become the hunted and which Tom Cruise famously showed off in Top Gun. Eight countries are partners of the program and are taking F-35s: the U.K., Australia, Italy, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Canada, and Turkey. Three other nations have bought F-35s: Japan, Israel and South Korea. Canterbury said Germany, Belgium and Singapore have requested information about the F-35, a potential first step toward possible purchases. The name of an Egyptian mummy has finally been revealed - 3,000 after he was laid to rest. Researchers at University College London used a new scanning technique to identify the mummy, which has been on display at Chiddington Castle in Kent. According to an ancient Egyptian saying, by uttering the name, the mummy is guaranteed eternal life. The University College London team used an infrared scanning technique to identify the mummy, which has been on display at Chiddington Castle in Kent, as Irethoreru. They were able to 'see through' the papyrus to read the inscription HOW IT WORKS The scraps of papyrus used in the case are more than 2,000 years old. The writing on them is often obscured by the paste and plaster that holds the mummy cases together. Researchers can see what is underneath by scanning them with different kinds of light which makes the inks glow. Researchers used an infrared filter, based on their previous knowledge that the pigment Egyptian blue would fluoresce in this filter if present. Advertisement By using a new digital imaging technique they were able to read scraps of text on the papyrus used to make the mummy case, revealing its inhabitant as Irethoreru which translates as 'The eye of Horus is against them'. Irethoreru's name was discovered on a footplate of his coffin. Until now, researchers would have had to destroy the sarcophagus in order to read it. 'Our Ancient Egyptian coffin lid that has been exhibited here for many years has undergone some careful conservation and advanced digital imaging by experts from UCL to determine if it is possible to read the name of the person (the mummy) that would have been interred within it 3000 years ago,' said Chiddingstone Castle's Curator Maria Esain. 'There is a saying from Ancient Egyptian times that goes: To speak a man's name is to restore him to eternal life. 'Therefore, if we were able to determine the name written in hieroglyphics on the 'foot' of the coffin then we would be enabling him/her to live forever.' Researchers from UCL spent three days using multispectral imaging to capture images of the mummy throughout the electromagnetic spectrum. Dr Kathryn Piquette, the Senior Research Associate, UCL Centre for Digital Humanities and Cerys Jones, a PHD Candidate, decided to use an infrared filter, based on their previous knowledge that the pigment Egyptian blue would fluoresce in this filter if present. The hieroglyphs were immediately visible, and after a few days of consulting with experts in the USA and Egypt, Dr Piquette announced that 'they are relatively certain that the person to whom this coffin lid belonged to was called Irethorru or Irethoreru'. The translation of the name is 'The eye of Horus is against them'. This was a fairly common male name between 664 BC and 30 AD. With the help of different imaging and processing methods, the UCL team were also able to find two figures of, what appears to be seated goddesses on either sides of the central inscription. They hope the technique will now be able to be used elsewhere to read papyrus without having to destroy objects. The new technique was developed using fabricated scraps designed to mimic the waste ancient materials, including ancient shopping lists and tax returns, which were recycled into sarcophagi. 'I'm really horrified when we see these precious objects being destroyed to get to the text,' Dr Piquette told the BBC. 'It's a crime. They are finite resources and we now have a technology to both preserve those beautiful objects and also look inside them to understand the way Egyptians lived through their documentary evidence - and the things they wrote down and the things that were important to them.' The new technique was developed using fabricated scraps designed to mimic the 'waste' ancient materials, including ancient shopping lists and tax returns, which were recycled into sarcophagi. The new X-ray fluorescence system in use in the Petrie Museum, UCL They were previously regarded as illegible, however, because the writing was obscured by the paste and plaster that holds the mummy together. Prof Adam Gibson of University College London, who led the project told the BBC: 'Because the waste papyrus was used to make prestige objects, they have been preserved. 'These masks constitute one of the best libraries we have of waste papyrus that would otherwise have been thrown away so it includes information about these individual people about their everyday lives' The incredible footage of a rare 'sun halo' captured the world's attention earlier this month. Now, NASA has revealed the science behind the amazing phenomenon. The breathtaking clip was captured by Ludvig Lundin, a skier at the Vemdalen resort in central Sweden, and when he shared the footage to Facebook, over five million visitors to the site viewed the eye-catching distortion. Scroll down for video Stunning footage has captured the moment treated to the incredible sight of a rare ring of light surrounding the sun. Visible in the center is the most direct image of the Sun, while two bright sundogs glow prominently from both the left and the right WHAT IS HAPPENING Visible in the center is the most direct image of the Sun, while two bright sundogs glow prominently from both the left and the right. Also visible is the bright 22 degree halo - as well as the rarer and much fainter 46 degree halo - also created by sunlight reflecting off of atmospheric ice crystals. Each crystal can act like a miniature lens, refracting sunlight into our view and creating phenomena like parhelia, the technical term for sundogs. Advertisement Now, NASA has explained the science behind it. 'Sometimes it looks like the Sun is being viewed through a giant lens,' NASA explained. 'In the featured video, however, there are actually millions of tiny lenses: ice crystals. 'Water may freeze in the atmosphere into small, flat, six-sided, ice crystals. 'As these crystals flutter to the ground, much time is spent with their faces flat and parallel to the ground. 'An observer may find themselves in the same plane as many of the falling ice crystals near sunrise or sunset. 'During this alignment, each crystal can act like a miniature lens, refracting sunlight into our view and creating phenomena like parhelia, the technical term for sundogs.' Visible in the center is the most direct image of the Sun, while two bright sundogs glow prominently from both the left and the right. Also visible is the bright 22 degree halo - as well as the rarer and much fainter 46 degree halo - also created by sunlight reflecting off of atmospheric ice crystals. The atmospheric effect enveloped the low winter sun with a corona, known as a 22 degree halo. They form as sunlight is refracted in millions of hexagonal ice crystals suspended in the sky. Some even compared the phenomenon to the appearance of an angel. Among them was David D. Sterling, who said: 'That looks like an image you would imagine seeing before angels begin forming or first light up in the sky of Jordan on Christmas.' Megan Tenaya Birchell added: 'These are the kind of things that helps you understand people believing in angels. 'What a sight, if you didnt know anything about it, of COURSE youd think it was beyond this world.' Halos are a sign of high thin cirrus clouds drifting 20,000 feet (four miles) or more above our heads, according to EarthSky. They are called 22 degree halos as this is the approximate radius of the ring, which can form around the sun or moon. The breathtaking clip was captured by skiers at the Vemdalen resort in central Sweden. The atmospheric effect enveloped the low winter sun with a corona, known as a 22 degree halo Halos are a sign of high thin cirrus clouds drifting 20,000 feet (four miles) or more above our heads. They form as sunlight is refracted in millions of hexagonal ice crystals suspended in the sky These clouds contain millions of tiny ice crystals. The halos are caused by both refraction, or splitting of light, and also by reflection, or glints of light from these ice crystals. The crystals have to be oriented and positioned just so with respect to your eye, in order for the halo to appear. Thats why, like rainbows, halos around the sun, or moon, are personal. They are called 22 degree halos as this is the approximate radius of the ring, which can form around the sun or moon The halos are caused by both refraction, or splitting of light, and also by reflection, or glints of light from these ice crystals The crystals have to be oriented and positioned just so with respect to your eye, in order for the halo to appear. Thats why, like rainbows, halos around the sun, or moon, are personal Everyone sees their own particular halo, made by their own particular ice crystals, which are different from the ice crystals making the halo of the person standing next to you. Halos can also form around the moon but, because moonlight isnt very bright, lunar halos are mostly colourless. If you do see a halo around the moon or sun, you may notice that the inner edge is sharp, while the outer edge is more diffuse. She found love with Neighbours star Ryan Thomas on Bear Grylls' Celebrity Island earlier this year. And Lucy Mecklenburgh proved her relationship was going from strength to strength as she joined his family in Manchester on Sunday. The 26-year-old fitness fanatic looked effortlessly stylish in an embellished trench coat as she headed to a swanky restaurant for the New Year's Eve celebrations. Scroll down for video Loved up: Lucy Mecklenburgh proved her relationship was going from strength to strength as she joined his family in Manchester on Sunday The former TOWIE star oozed confidence as she showed off her slender physique in skin-tight leather trousers, black knee high boots and an off-the-shoulder beaded jumper. Lucy appeared in high spirits, despite her 33-year-old boyfriend being absent from the evening's festivities due to him starring in Peter Pan in Wales. The Results With Lucy entrepreneur added a touch of glamour to her ensemble with a designer 2k Gucci bag. Happy family: Ryan's brother Adam, 29, beamed with happiness as he posed with his pregnant wife, Caroline and his three-year-old son Teddy Looking good: The 26-year-old fitness fanatic looked effortlessly glamorous in an embellished trench coat as she headed to a swanky restaurant for the New Year's Eve celebrations She accessorised the look with big pearl earrings and a gold watch. The reality starlet styled her short brunette locks in loose waves and accentuated her model looks with dramatic eyelashes, glossy lips and bronzed cheeks. Lucy was joined by Ryan's two brothers, Adam and Scott. Adam, 29, beamed with happiness as he posed with his pregnant wife, Caroline and his three-year-old son Teddy. Stunner: The reality starlet styled her short brunette locks in loose waves and accentuated her model looks with dramatic eyelashes, glossy lips and bronzed cheeks Baby number two: The Emmerdale star has plenty to celebrate, as he revealed he was expecting a girl in a cute Instagram video earlier this month The Emmerdale star has plenty to celebrate, as he revealed he was expecting a girl in a cute Instagram video on Christmas Day. The couple unveiled the news to their family by holding a black balloon, with Caroline popping it to reveal a mass of pink confetti. Meanwhile Adam's twin Scott, who starred in Love Island in 2016, cut a dapper figure in a grey tartan scarf and tailored black coat. It's a GIRL! It comes after Adam and his wife Caroline took to Instagram on Christmas Day to reveal the gender of their baby Handsome: Meanwhile Adam's twin Scott, who starred in Love Island in 2016, cut a dapper figure in a grey tartan scarf and tailored black coat Celebrations: Inside the Smokehouse bar and restaurant, Lucy looked jubilant as she cosied up to Caroline Inside the Smokehouse bar and restaurant, Lucy looked jubilant as she cosied up to Caroline. Her romance with Ryan began when they met on Bear Grylls' Celebrity Island where they were in the midst of water shortages, extreme hunger and tropical storms. After developing a strong bond on the survival show, the pair continued their romance on home turf. The pair got tongues wagging after they were seen posting holiday photographs from the same location on Instagram at the beginning of the summer, despite denying claims they were dating. They were then pictured kissing at London City Airport and marked their first public outing as a couple at the Wimbledon men's semi-finals earlier in July. Successful: Lucy Mecklenburgh has created a fitness empire from her incredibly toned physique Lucy was introduced to Ryan's eight-year-old daughter Scarlet whom he shares with former flame Tina O'Brien earlier this year. Ryan found success with Coronation Street's Jason Grimshaw for 16 years before leaving the show to seek other opportunities. Ryan said: 'I grew up watching Neighbours so to get the chance to join the cast is amazing. I was on holiday with my daughter when I got the phone call.' Throes of love: The reality star visited her beau in Australia back in November after Ryan landed a role on Neighbours He is enjoying a relaxing holiday with his wife Roxy Jacenko and their children on Queensland's Gold Coast. And while he's currently away from the day job, Oliver Curtis is a still a corporate man at heart - as his online company bio demonstrates. The father-of-two works for Australian-based medical technology start up E-Nome, that was co-founded by his father, Nicholas Curtis AM. Scroll down for video He's a company man! Oliver Curtis' glowing corporate bio surfaces online as he works for his father's medical start-up... but there's one MAJOR detail missing But those who followed Oliver's former career as an investment banker may notice one detail missing from his biography. 'Corporate Advisory and Investment Banking background specialising in the natural resources and start up space,' reads the bio. 'Has advised on multiple billions of dollars worth of transactions as well as trade sales in a wide range of industries including in the medical space.' 'Was part of team that developed and successfully sold Glucoboy, a Gameboy based children's diabetes incentive platform to Bayer. 'Oliver has completed transactions in Australia, China, Africa, North America, Europe, Indonesia and Russia.' Online profile: The father-of-two works for Australian-based medical technology start up E-Nome, that was co-founded by his father, Nicholas Curtis AM Struggles: Oliver, 32, was released from prison in June after serving 12 months of a two-year sentence for conspiracy to commit insider trading. Pictured with wife Roxy Jacenko Oliver, 32, was released from prison in June after serving 12 months of a two-year sentence for conspiracy to commit insider trading. He served his time at Cooma Correctional Centre. Oliver's wife Roxy recently boasted of the skills her husband had learned while behind bars. She told KIIS FM'S Kyle and Jackie O Show: 'He knows how to make a dumpling now. Those are the things you learn in Cooma Correctional Centre!' 'He knows how to make a dumpling now. Those are the things you learn!' Oliver's wife Roxy recently boasted of the skills her husband had learned while behind bars Roxy also revealed that Oliver had learned another unlikely skill in prison: hairdressing. 'He was in charge of cooking and hair cutting We named him Sergio, that's his alter ego. Sergio the hairdresser!' she joked. Less than a month after his release from prison, Oliver proposed to Roxy for a second time at Sydney's Four Seasons Hotel. They are now holidaying on the Gold Coast with their children, after Oliver enjoyed his first Christmas Day with his family since his jail stint. Back on track! Less than a month after his release from prison, Oliver proposed to Roxy for a second time at Sydney's Four Seasons Hotel Roxy, the founder of Sydney's Sweaty Betty PR firm, previously admitted that her marriage was in trouble when Oliver was in prison. She told Today Extra: 'It was hard. I had really made up my mind that that was it. It was a train wreck. 'I was done. There was so much water under the bridge. You've got to remember, yes, he went to jail for 12 months but I had five years in the lead-up to that of the worry, "What is going to happen tomorrow, what am I going to do?"' BRIAN VINER: All films fall broadly into one of three categories: they are either more than, equal to, or less than the sum of their parts. Stillwater belongs squarely in that third group. He has been soaking up the winter sun in St Barts on his annual family holiday. But Sir Paul McCartney, 75, meant business on Sunday as he headed for a power lunch with his billionaire pal George Lucas. Flanked by his daughter Stella, 46, the Beatles legend seemed in high spirits as the trio gathered for a bite to eat ahead of their New Year's celebrations. Scroll down for video Baby You're A Rich Man! Stella McCartney meant business on Sunday as she headed for a power lunch with her father Sir Paul and his billionaire pal George Lucas The Help hitmaker, who is worth a staggering 480million, cut a casual figure in a grey t-shirt and bright red shorts. Sir Paul appeared deep in discussion as he chatted away to Star Wars and Indiana Jones director George as he headed into the swanky restaurant. Meanwhile, fashionista Stella looked effortlessly chic in a paisley patterned red dress and black cat-eye sunglasses. The fashion designer looked thoroughly relaxed as she tried to take a selfie on the family outing. Relaxed ensemble: The Help hitmaker, who is worth a staggering 480million, cut a casual figure in a grey t-shirt and bright red shorts Having a blast: Flanked by his daughter Stella, 46, the Beatles legend seemed in high spirits as they gathered for a bite to eat ahead of their New Year's celebrations Stylish: Fashionista Stella looked effortlessly chic in a paisley patterned red dress and black cat-eye sunglasses The trio would certainly have a lot to talk about, having forged successful careers in the music, fashion and film industry. Stella, who designed her first jacket at age 13, has gone on to receive numerous accolades in the fashion world and is worth an estimated 55million. Meanwhile Lucas, who is best known as the creator of the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises, has a reported fortune of 40billion after selling his company to Walt Disney back in 2012. Deep in discussion: The trio would certainly have a lot to talk about, having forged successful careers in the music, fashion and film industry Helping hand: George was given a helping hand as he was guided onto the boat Wealthy: The 73-year-old who is best known as the creator of the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises, has a reported fortune of 40billion after selling his company to Walt Disney back in 2012 Family outing: Stella was joined by her husband Alistair and their children, Reiley, Beckett, Miller and Bailey, as well as her sister Mary Big celebration: The trio were joined by a group of pals as they gathered around an outside table for lunch Whole clan: The family have returned to hurricane-ravaged St Barts just four months after Irma threatened to wipe out the luxury holiday hotspot Stella was joined by her husband Alistair and their children, Reiley, Beckett, Miller and Bailey, as well as her sister Mary. The mother-of-four and her father have been spending some quality time together while away, even attending a Jimmy Buffet concert aboard his luxury yacht. Sir Paul has been soaking up the sun with his wife Nancy, 58, all week, pictured enjoying affectionate hugs together. The family have returned to hurricane-ravaged St Barts just four months after Irma threatened to wipe out the luxury holiday hotspot. Thrilled: George looked over the moon to be spending time with the McCartney's as he joined them on their annual family holiday to St Barts Having a laugh: The pair appeared to have an animated discussion as they soaked up the sun on a veranda Saying goodbye: The firm friends hugged following the family lunch at the luxury resort Earlier this year, the island's Eden Rock Hotel & Villas - a luxury resort owned by the parents of Made in Chelsea star Spencer Matthews and his brother, Pippa Middleton's husband James - was damaged in the natural disaster. Jennifer Connelly and her husband Paul Bettany, Ashley Oslen, Olivia Palermo, Jake Gyllenhaal and Chrissy Teigen all visited St Barts last year but seem to have decamped to other destinations in 2017. She's the Hollywood heavyweight who recently returned home in Queensland for the holidays. And despite her A-list status, Margot Robbie, 27, proved she's still as down to earth as ever while shopping at a local Harvey Norman on the Gold Coast last week. The makeup-free actress humbly posed for a fan photo with fellow shopper, Tom Meschede, who described the star as approachable and 'very down to earth.' Fan photo: Margot Robbie posed for a fan photo with Gold Coast resident Tom Meschede, who described the star as approachable and 'very down to earth.' The pair crossed paths at a local Harvey Norman 'She just randomly stops in to Harvey Norman Bundall and is happy to have a chat and a photo,' Tom wrote on Facebook. 'She's lovely and very down to earth.' The MTV award winner cut a relaxed figure in a plaid cotton shirt and ripped white jeans. She appeared fresh-faced with her lucious locks styled in a loose side braid. Home for the holidays! The Aussie beauty recently jetted to her hometown to spend time with family The pair crossed paths in the camera section, where Margot appeared to be taking advantage of end of year sales. It comes after Gold Coast Uber driver Robert Bregnsdal recently claimed to have been invited to a house party by the star and her director husband Tom Ackerley. He is believed to have picked up the famous couple in his BMW 320d as paid passengers. Robert recently told The Gold Coast Bulletin he was kicking himself, after realising he had turned down the offer from the famous Suicide Squad actress. 'Afterwards I was like FML': Gold Coast Uber driver regrets turning down a party invite from Margot Robbie to see Star Wars with his mates Margot returned home for the first time in a year this month with her English beau. The driver first took to social media, writing: 'Swear to God I just Ubered Margot Robbie ... that or she has a twin.' He later confirmed it was Margot using 'Sophia' as her Uber-ordering alias, telling the publication how the encounter went down. 'Swear to God I just Ubered Margot Robbie': Uber driver Robert said Margot ordered his servivces under the alias of 'Sophie' and claiming he assumed the pair weren't famous as they were friendly and chatty during the drive from Carrara to Mermaid Beach in his BMW 320d 'I said no 'cause I was going to see Star Wars with the boys': Robert told The Gold Coast Bulletin he was kicking himself, after realising he had turned down the offer from the famous Suicide Squad actress Claiming she and her beau were chatty during the drive from Carrara to Mermaid Beach, he assumed they weren't famous due to their down-to-earth natures. 'After (the drive) she invited me to come to the house party I said no 'cause I was going to see Star Wars with the boys,' he admitted with a laugh in hindsight. 'And her husband kind of chuckled like 'Ha ha, you don't realise who we are'' the Uber driver added. In hindsight: Robert reflected on a possible moment that he should have taken more seriously, where he overheard locals questioning whether the blonde was Margot as he made a brief stop for the couple to duck into the local liquor store 'Afterwards I was like FML': he confessed, weighing up his decision to turn down the house party to go to the movies. Robert reflected on a possible moment that he should have taken more seriously, where he overheard locals questioning whether the blonde was Margot as he made a brief stop for the couple to duck into the local liquor store. Daily Mail Australia have reached out to Margot Robbie for comment. There have been warmer winter days in Malibu. But the fact that the temperature was a chilly 60F didn't stop Rachel McCord stripping down to a skimpy black bikini to celebrate New Year's Eve on the beach with husband Rick Schirmer. The 27-year-old giggled as she opened a magnum of champagne, the equivalent of two bottles, as Rick relaxed on a blanket holding two glasses. Baby it's cold outside: A chilly 60F didn't stop Rachel McCord stripping down to a skimpy black bikini to celebrate New Year's Eve on the beach with husband Rick Schirmer Rather than using her hands to open the bubbly, Rachel did it the old fashioned - and much more dangerous - way by cutting off the cork with a single fast swipe with a very sharp knife. The blogger and model captioned the snap: 'There's nothing like heading to the beach to remind you of just how SMALL you really are! 'Today was PERF! @rickschirmer and I LITERALLY sabered a bottle of champs, talked about this past year and got ready to say HIIIIII to #2018! Yasss! #letsdothis.' Back in black! Rachel showed off her svelte figure in a tiny bikini while prancing on the beach Popping off! The 27-year-old giggled as she opened a magnum of champagne, the equivalent of two bottles, as Rick relaxed on a blanket holding two glasses Cutting edge: Rather than using her hands to open the bubbly, Rachel did it the old fashioned - and much more dangerous - way by cutting off the cork with a single fast swipe with a very sharp knife Delight! The pair seemed thrilled by the festive bottle popping She showed off her seriously flat abs and her long legs in the teeny bikini which featured a lace panel over her bust. And her peachy derriere was on full view in the high cut bottom half as she knelt down to share a cute kiss with her beau. Rick, who is a branding executive, was wearing considerably more than the gorgeous Georgia native. Post-haste: The blogger and model shared a snap from her day on Instagram with the caption, 'There's nothing like heading to the beach to remind you of just how SMALL you really are!' What a day for a picnic! The blogger seemed to be having a blast Cheers! The two shared a sweet toast while on the cloudy beach He donned a light blue shirt with a white collar over black shorts that reached his knees. Rachel, who is the younger sister of actresses AnnaLynne McCord, 30, and Angel McCord, 32, has established herself as a preeminent influencer in Tinseltown. Her projects include her new book, Slay The Fame Game, and her popular blog, The McCord List, in which she details the nitty gritty of her career, which sits at the intersection of social media and show business. Happy times: Meanwhile, she and Rick celebrated their fourth wedding anniversary on Saturday Meanwhile, she and Rick celebrated their fourth wedding anniversary on Saturday. And Rachel posted an Instagram of them together with a gushing tribute that read: 'RickSchirmer you are my love, my person, my partner and my bff! Thank you for being my #goals and #inspo! 'Thank you for inspiring me to #dreambig, love myself and #goforit! Life was sooooooo #basic before YOU! Love always, your biggest fan...me!' Tina Malone was seen heading into a hotel on New Year's Eve, nine days after she was arrested and cautioned for possession of cocaine, after a performance in pantomime Sleeping Beauty. The Shameless actress, 54, looked downcast as she arrived at Liverpool's Hilton Hotel, keeping a low profile as she walked inside. Tina donned a plunging grey and black lace dress which she paired with a navy blazer emblazoned with a maroon crest. Scroll down for video Sombre: Tina Malone was seen heading into a hotel on New Year's Eve, nine days after she was arrested and cautioned for possession of cocaine, after a performance in pantomime Sleeping Beauty She slipped on dove grey tights and leather knee-high boots,keeping her head covered with a black Panama hat. The star wore smoky eye make-up peachy blusher and a pink lipstick as she made a sombre entrance. Tina's outing came after she shared a Facebook post following her arrest and pantomime axe, according to The Mirror Online. In the post, the star allegedly wrote her life had been 'ruined' by the incident and added that her daughter 'hates her' and that her toyboy husband Paul Chase, 35, had been left 'devastated'. Low-key: The Shameless actress, 54, looked downcast as she arrived at Liverpool's Hilton Hotel, keeping a low profile as she walked inside Outing: Tina donned a plunging grey and black lace dress which she paired with a navy blazer emblazoned with a maroon crest The post reads: 'Thank you to all those who supported me through this horrific time, my mother is ill because of the shock, my daughter now utterly hates me and thinks I am a drug addict, my hubby is devastated, I have not had my last payment so those that vilify me, hate me [sic] fill your boots. 'I'm distraught, devastated, my life is ruined the repercussions are unbelievable. Have i ever drunk, taken drugs etc etc yes yes. Am I proud, no.' Tina has two daughters, Dannielle, 36, and Flame, four. It was also claimed Tina caused chaos backstage at the Cloud 9 Theatre in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria by locking herself in the only working toilet for hours, reports Mirror Online. The website reports that according to a former cast member, the star's alleged long sessions in the toilet left child actors so desperate that they would wet themselves. Drama: She slipped on dove grey tights and leather knee-high boots,keeping her head covered with a black Panama hat Windswept: The star wore smoky eye make-up peachy blusher and a pink lipstick as she made a sombre entrance A source told the website: 'She was an absolute nightmare. There was only one working toilet backstage and she would just sit in it for hours saying she was smoking. 'If you tried to go in she would scream and shout at you, even the kids were sworn at. 'With a cast of children the toilet needed to be available but Tina didn't care - she just wanted to stay in there. And when she wasn't in the toilet she was in her dressing room - surrounded by rolls of twenty pound notes.' A spokesman for Cloud 9 Theatre declined to comment when approached by MailOnline but confirmed that Tina would not be performing in the play's final show on Sunday. Show director and producer Joe Purdy posted a statement to Facebook confirming Tina's sacking from the show and said the cast and crew were 'shocked and saddened' by the incident. Emotion: Tina held onto her hat as she made a low-key entrance into the hotel He wrote: 'I can confirm an incident took place on the evening on Friday 22nd December and as a result on this we (Joe Purdy Productions) and the artist involved (Tina Malone) have made a mutual decision to terminate said contract with immediate effect as soon as we were made aware of the situation. 'Weve had a fabulous time in Pantoland and recent events will only make us a stronger team for the remainder of the run. Todays and tomorrows performances will go ahead as normal, l with Alan French in the role of Carabosse. 'Id like to thank Alan for stepping in at the eleventh hour with less than an hours notice. The Chaperones, Cast, Children and Creatives safety is our first priority hence the immediate termination of the contract on discovery of the incident. 'Wed like to wish everyone whos come to watch us a merry Christmas and a happy new year and we hope to see you again in the near future. The cast and crew were deeply shocked and saddened by the events but in true Panto spirit, the show must go on! Sad: Show director and producer Joe Purdy posted a statement to Facebook confirming Tina's sacking from the show and said the cast and crew were 'shocked and saddened' by the incident Post: Tina herself appeared to comment on the incident via a social media post 'We all remain upbeat and positive that the remaining 2 shows will be just as wonderful as the 16 shows prior, we look forward to seeing you there!' Tina herself appeared to comment on the incident writing 'Thanks for y9ur support joe you and i both now know what happened,funny how my costume was altered to fit me the hour after i left the theatre!!!!!, good luck joe x'(sic) The star allegedly asked her fellow pantomime cast members if anyone had seen her 'little bag of snow' shortly before she was arrested on suspicion of possessing cocaine. Tina was starring in the performance of Sleeping Beauty on Friday with her four-year-old daughter in attendance. Staff reportedly tipped off police after suspecting the actress had taken cocaine during both rehearsals and performances. Breaking silence: In a Facebook post, the star reportedly wrote her life had been 'ruined' by the incident and added that her daughter 'hates her' and that her toyboy husband Paul Chase, 35, had been left 'devastated' A source said the star was asking whether anyone had seen her 'little bag of snow' after it reportedly went missing. And a show insider told The Mirror the mother was behaving 'diva-ish' and constantly complaining about the accommodation the theatre had put her up in. Cumbria police confirmed the actress had been arrested and received a caution for the offence. She was photographed between performances last night wearing her costume while walking back from a nearby McDonald's restaurant. 'As she came off stage, she heard a rumour police had been tipped off she was using cocaine,' a source told the newspaper . 'She tried to get a taxi, but police stopped her in time and took her inside the venue to search her. 'She begged the police not to handcuff her, and seemed very worried.' Cumbria Police said: 'Police were called at 8:21pm, yesterday (22nd December), to the report of a female being in possession of an illegal substance. 'The incident occurred on Dalkeith Street, Barrow. A 54-year-old woman, from Merseyside, was arrested on suspicion of being in possession of a class A drug. 'The woman was detained whilst she helped police with their enquiries. She was later cautioned for the offence.' Eric, Ernie And Me (BBC4) Rating: Eric and Ernie's Home Movies (BBC2) Rating: A Christmas Carol Goes Wrong (BBC1) Rating: What a bitter little box the television can sometimes be. The very stars who made it shine brightest are subjected to its sneers and sideswipes once they are gone. Weve seen this nasty treatment meted out to Tony Hancock, Frankie Howerd, Kenneth Williams, Tommy Cooper and many more and now, in a miserable distortion of the truth called Eric, Ernie And Me (BBC4), to Morecambe and Wise. This hour-long drama was based on the life of Eddie Braben, who wrote much of the duos material in the Seventies when they were at their peak. But according to this version, Eric & Ernie were nobodies before Braben arrived rotten material, no rapport, behaved like strangers on stage. Eric, Ernie and Me: The whole thing was a depressing business, obsessed with Brabens breakdowns and bouts of mental illness. Writer Neil Forsyth seemed to be reproaching us: see what agonies this poor man suffered to make us laugh Thats complete nonsense. They were a superstar double act, who had starred together in a series of films. Even the Beatles clamoured to be on their show. Bloodbath of the weekend The French police drama Spiral (BBC4) returned with Caroline Proust as the hard-bitten 'flic' or cop, hunting the butcher of a dismembered corpse. She found the head in the bathtub- Spiral is nothing if not ultra-gory. Advertisement Braben was a brilliant gag-writer, who took the boys to new heights. But it was wrong to claim he plucked the Andre Previn/Andrew Preview sketch out of the air: the raw version was penned in the Sixties by Eric & Ernies former writers, Sid Green and Dick Hills. The whole thing was a depressing business, obsessed with Brabens breakdowns and bouts of mental illness. Writer Neil Forsyth seemed to be reproaching us: see what agonies this poor man suffered to make us laugh. Most scurrilous of all was the way it portrayed Eric as a manipulative, cowardly tyrant, who bullied everyone around him. That bears no relation to any description of the man that Ive ever read. For an honest depiction, we had an hour of cine film shot by the boys themselves, in Eric & Ernies Home Movies (BBC2) though why this was aired on a different channel was not explained. For an honest depiction, we had an hour of cine film shot by the boys themselves, in Eric & Ernies Home Movies (BBC2) though why this was aired on a different channel was not explained Some of the best material was the very earliest, from a Fifties panto season. We saw the duo doing slapstick routines on stage, knocking each other down and riding about (for reasons not specified) in a pram. Other reels showed them in New York, hoping to conquer America, and touring Australia as well as larking about on family holidays and at home. The tenderness that Eric felt for his children, and the attention Ernie lavished on his wife Doreen, shone through. Because the stars were behind the lens most of the time, the really interesting moments were few, with much padding in between. And it wasnt clear why the home movies stopped in the Sixties. Is there more to come? If more panto footage exists, the Mischief Theatre Company might want to watch and take a lesson from the experts. Last Christmas they staged a delightfully silly version of Peter Pan, but this years attempt, A Christmas Carol Goes Wrong (BBC1), was dragged under by the weight of its own jokes. Last Christmas they staged a delightfully silly version of Peter Pan, but this years attempt, A Christmas Carol Goes Wrong (BBC1), was dragged under by the weight of its own jokes The set-up, which had the pranksters kidnapping Sir Derek Jacobi during a live TV production of Scrooge, was far too convoluted. So was the dialogue, which included great slabs lifted from Dickens. The running gags didnt so much run as limp. There was very little to take the audience by surprise: most of the jokes announced themselves in advance by telegram. With Dame Diana Rigg narrating, it was a starry affair, and the cast never lacked energy. They flung themselves at every pratfall. But there was no need to make it so complicated. Sometimes, a custard pie is just a custard pie. Mariah Carey will no doubt be hoping that the end of 2017 will prove to be much happier than the end of 2016. The pop diva is doing a replay by agreeing to perform live once again on Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve from Times Square in New York. Twelve months ago, her televised appearance ended in disaster after a myriad of problems left her visibly upset and she stopped singing, despite a pre-recorded track playing in the background. Ready: Mariah Carey appeared upbeat in an Instagram post a few hours before her scheduled repeat performance at New Year's Rockin' Eve after last year's debacle on the live telecast Hours before the show was due to kick off, Mariah, 47, shared an upbeat photo to her Instagram. She's seen wearing a shiny gold coat with black trim and posing with celebratory black and gold balloons. 'Festive even in single digits,' she wrote, referencing the freezing New York temperature. 'See you tonight, everybody!!' No stand in this year: The pop diva, 47, was snapped doing a sound check on the Times Square stage with TMZ reporting that the run through went smoothly Meanwhile, TMZ reported Sunday that the hitmaker completed a rehearsal and soundcheck instead of letting a stand-in do it last year. The website quoted eyewitnesses as saying that the run-through was completed without any issues. New Year's Rockin' Eve host Ryan Seacrest told People he's glad to welcome Mariah back for round two. 'There are so many different variables that have to work out and, unfortunately, last year it didnt go as planned,' he said. 'It wasnt the most obvious idea (to have Mariah back), but its great. We cant do anything else. So were happy about that.' Run through: The pop superstar wore a shiny gold jacket with black trim and black trousers and boots for the rehearsal and tied her hair back in a pony tail Issues: Last New Year's Eve, Mariah's televised appearance ended in disaster after a myriad of problems left her visibly upset and she stopped singing It's freezing: The show's host Ryan Seacrest was also seen rehearsing, bundled up against the frigid temperatures Mariah was snapped by fans visiting the telecast set and doing her run through, with Instagram user @erica0808m sharing several images and videos to the social media platform. She is seen in the gold and black jacket and black jacket being accompanied to the stage by her entourage. She wore dark glasses and black gloves and wore her hair tied back into a ponytail. Other performers already announced for the live Times Square performances include Camila Cabello, Nick Jonas and Sugarland. Rehearsal: Mariah was snapped by fans visiting the set and doing her run through surrounded by her entourage Got a hand: The hitmaker was helped up the steps to the stage US President Donald Trump recently marked his first year in office. And Australian psychic Georgina Walker has sensationally claimed there will be an impeachment this year. The self-proclaimed 'psychic to the stars' claimed President Trump faces a 'very rocky' year ahead amid the FBIs investigation into Russias alleged meddling in the 2016 US election. Impeachment? Australian psychic Georgina Walker has sensationally claimed Donald Trump will be impeached in 2018 '[I see] an impeachment,' she told the Today show on Monday. 'I saw a ball and chain around his ankle. I saw President Bill Clinton's shadow over him, so he went through that process, but he did escape it. She continued: 'There is a black cloud over the White House this year ... I feel it's a rocky, rocky year. He may just escape through the impeachment proceedings as Clinton did. But there's enough to take him down.' Prediction: 'I saw a ball and chain around his ankle. I saw President Bill Clinton's shadow over him, so he went through that process, but he did escape it,' Georgia said on the Today show 'Rocky road ahead': The self-proclaimed 'psychic to the stars' claimed President Trump faces a tough year ahead amid the FBIs investigation into Russias alleged meddling in the 2016 US election Also included in her bold predictions were the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William and Kate Middleton as well as Beyonce and Jay Z. She claimed to know the gender and name of the royal couple's third child - a baby girl named Victoria. She added that superstar Beyonce's nine-year marriage to hip hop mogul Jay Z will remain strong, despite infidelity claims 'as long as they keep their separate careers.' A baby girl? Also included in her bold predictions were the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William and Kate Middleton. Georgina claimed to know the gender and name of the royal couple's third child - a baby girl named Victoria Last year Georgina successfully predicted William and Kate would have a baby girl. On Sunday, another psychic Kerrie Erwin told Sunrise that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry won't last. 'I do get [feelings of] a pregnancy for her next year. But actually I don't think it's going to last,' she said. 'I'd probably give it five years. I feel there is a lot of personal things going on between them because they're two very strong individuals. She continued: 'Which is a sad thing. I wish them all the best. But it doesn't look good.' They're both celebrated Australian actress' who play strong characters in the newly released Pitch Perfect 3 movie. But Ruby Rose has revealed many of their cast mates enjoyed Rebel Wilson's jokes more than her own - despite the fact they have the same sense of humour. 'The thing about Rebel is she'll make all these great Australian jokes [and] even if people don't get it they'll still laugh because she's so funny,' the 31-year-old told The Fix. Scroll down for the video 'Good try, but not quite': Ruby Rose claims fellow Australian actress Rebel Wilson stole the limelight on the set of Pitch Perfect 3 But unfortunately many of her own jokes fell short of getting the same reaction. 'Whereas I'll then go to make another joke after her and they're like, 'Mmm, good try, but not quite.' 'And I'm like, 'OK, I'll just leave that to Rebel then',' she said, laughing at the memory. The Queen of LOL's: But unfortunately many of her own jokes fell short of getting the same reaction This isn't the first time the Orange Is The New Black newcomer has praised her co-star. Taking to Twitter to gush over Rebel on Wednesday: 'I sooooo want to do an action film with Rebel Wilson she's so badas*.' Ruby was responding to a fan's tweet who said they wanted Rebel, 37, to be 'the next big action star.' Admiration: Ruby was responding to a fan's tweet who said they wanted Rebel, 37, to be 'the next big action star' 'Just saw Pitch Perfect 3 with my sister and her boyfriend. I just need Ruby Rose to sing all the songs I like. Also Rebel Wilson needs to be the next big action star. Make it happen Hollywood,' the fan's Tweet read. Ruby recently revealed that despite being a big screen daredevil, she's really gentle at heart. 'I'm not particularly tough, I'm quite a sensitive soul,' the former TV presenter told The Sydney Morning Herald recently. She's heavily rumored to be a part of the new cast of Celebrity Big Brother. But Ex on the Beach star Charlotte Dawson, 24, seemed worlds away from the potential CBB house as she rang in the New Year with boyfriend Matt Sarsfield on Sunday. The reality beauty turned heads in a shimmering white lace jumpsuit, adorned with silk ribbons and hugged her impressive curves. Scroll down for video Wonder in white: Ex on the Beach star Charlotte Dawson, 24, seemed worlds away from the potential BB house as she welcomed in the New Year with boyfriend Matt Sarsfield on Sunday The brunette stunner rocked the retro 70s look with confidence as she posed for the cameras with her white feathers flowing. The ensemble was delicately together by a stylish silver broach, which was perfectly paired with her jewel-embellished clutch bag. Giving her best pout, the Charlotte accentuated her fuller lips with a classic pink nude lip and bold dark eye make-up. She left her flowing brunette tresses to flow past her shoulders, adding extra drama to the already high-glam look. Cosy couple: The reality beauty turned heads in a shimmering white lace jumpsuit, adorned with silk ribbons and hugged her impressive curves Stunner: The brunette stunner rocked the retro 70s look with confidence as she posed for the cameras with her white feathers flowing Beaming: The ensemble was only held together by a stylish silver broach, which was perfectly paired with her jewel-embellished clutch bag Charlotte was joined by handsome beau Matt Sarsfield as she welcomed in the New Year with a smile. Matt looked ever the gentleman in a muscle-hugging blue jumper over a smart white buttoned shirt as he beamed next to his lady. Cutting a more casual look than his other half, Matt opted for black jeans and shoes, and let his love get all the attention. Besties: Also by her side was good friend Big Brother's Sam Giffen, who she cosied up while holding hands and walking to the lavish event Also by her side was good friend, fellow Big Brother star Sam Giffen, who she cosied up with while holding hands and walking to the lavish event. Smiling with his bestie, Sam kept it simple and classic in a black suit jacket and skinny black jeans. Her outing comes amid rumours that she will join Celebrity Big Brother in 2018, after fans were convinced her voice was heard in a teaser clip. A video posted on the Big Brother accounts featured a disguised female voice talking about their womanly charms. The voice said: Will I be using my womanly charms to get what I want? God I dont think Ive got any charms! Ive got the opposite of charm, whatever that is. Anti-charisma? Excited fans flocked to the comments to suggest that it sounds like the reality stars accent. 'PLEASE I BEG YOU... LET IT BE CHARLOTTE DAWSON. it proper sounds like her accent tho just in a high pitched voice,' one penned. Maria Menounos married her long-term partner in a surprise ceremony. The veteran TV personality, 39, exchanged vows with longtime love Keven Undergaro in a ceremony officiated by Steve Harvey and broadcast on a Fox New Year's Eve special she and Harvey co-hosted in New York City's Times Square. 'Kevin, are you ready man? You look sharp, you look really good,' Harvey, 60, told Undergaro, who was decked out in a black tux while Menounos wore a gorgeous white Pronovias wedding gown that 'took her breath away,' according to PEOPLE magazine. 'I love you boo!': Maria Menounos and longtime love Keven Undergaro married in surprise New Year's Eve wedding with Steve Harvey officiating Referencing the freezing temperatures in the Big Apple, Harvey - whose large white trench coat caught the Internet's attention - told the couple, 'This has got to be a pretty cold wedding ... so let's get you guys married.' Maria covered up in the freezing temperatures wearing a gorgeous lace Pronovias Randala dress with a sweeping veil. 'You have to think youre outside in Times Square, its freezing, you need something beautiful but appropriate,' she said. Gorgeous bride: The star showed off her enviable bridal gown for the cameras Gorgeous couple: The two looked picture perfect for their big day As they faced each other, Harvey said, 'Here we are folks, gathered on this really, really special occasion.' Harvey asked the couple to 'face each other' and 'hold hands,' asking both the bride and the groom if they would accept one another 'freely and without reservation.' At that point, the couple - who got engaged in March of 2016 on The Howard Stern Show - exchanged niceties before Harvey made things final. Undergaro referenced an recurring bit from the shock jock's program, quoting a cringe-worthy videotaped spiel from Stern producer Gary Dell'Abate addressed to an ex-girlfriend. So in love: The new bride looked gorgeous for her televised wedding Taking him: The duo made an emotional display in their vows So happy! Maria could not contain her joy during the touching ceremony 'Kevin, are you ready man? You look sharp, you look really good,' Harvey, 60, told Undergaro, who was decked out in a black tux while Menounos wore a white wedding gown Referencing the freezing temperatures in the Big Apple, Harvey - whose large white trench coat caught the Internet's attention - told the couple, 'This has got to be a pretty cold wedding ... so lets get you guys married.' Said Keven: 'Baba Booey on to you Steve ... when we first met my professional life was at a nine and my personal life was at at two ... still I gained a lover and a best friend, and you gained a lover and a best friend.' After the bit, Keven told Maria, 'You are a blessing not just to my life, but an even bigger blessing to this whole world and you don't even realize that and that's what makes you incredibly special... I will deal with you in brain tumors and health ... I love you boo.' Maria was equally emotional, telling Keven, 'I love you so much ... I just wanted to marry you so bad before surgery, after surgery, and I couldn't think of a better way to do it than right here. Steve, thank you so much for doing this for us.' As they faced each other, Harvey said, 'Here we are folks, gathered on this really, really special occasion.' At that point, the couple - who got engaged in March of 2016 on The Howard Stern Show - exchanged niceties before Harvey made things final. Maria - whose parents Constantinos and Litsa Menounos were in attendance for the New Year's Eve nuptials - said that it was 'a dream come true knowing that they got to see this.' Harvey, at that point, said, 'Keven and Maria, by the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife: Keven, you may now kiss the bride!' After Maria tossed her bouquet to the crowd, the newlyweds shared their first dance to the tune of Thank You For Loving Me in a prerecorded segment from Jon Bon Jovi, who led things off with a personalized message to the new bride. Glam squad: Maria got herself prepped before the big moment behind the scenes Here comes the bride: Maria descended a staircase looking ready for her big moment Menounos earlier in the evening announced the surprising plans after a tough year in which she battled a brain tumor. 'I learned a lot this year,' she said. 'It wasn't easy, but there were a lot of gifts along the way.' Finding her perfect dress wasn't an easy task for the television host who sought out ideas on Pinterest. 'I had to think production-wise, I may have one or two minutes to get into this thing, Im getting dressed in a storage container in Times Square in the freezing cold, and I cant have something that had a little lining underneath,' she said. Maria was emotional, telling Keven, 'I love you so much ... I just wanted to marry you so bad before surgery, after surgery, and I couldn't think of a better way to do it than right here. Steve, thank you so much for doing this for us.' Glamorous: The television personality posed for snaps in her all white gown 'If you didnt do it just right, your underwear lines [could get] messed up or youre going to see them. I was like, This is not the dress.'' Her first dress didn't quite fit the bill, but tears started flowing when she tried on another gown in the showroom. 'The cameraman who doesnt even know me, cried,' she said. 'It was such a moment, I cried too. 'When I started crying, I was like, This is clearly the dress.'' With her minister: Steve posed with the bride after officiating her wedding Surprise! Menounos on Sunday announced she'd be marrying Keven in a surprise New Year's Eve wedding with Steve Harvey (R) officiating things Maria stuck with tradition and kept her dress a secret until the big day, especially because the gown was different from her usual style. 'Its so not me to be so girly and princess-y or maybe it was me and it was just so repressed,' she said. 'Thats probably the truth.' She said that a good tip to start the new year on would be to slow down and focus on health. She noted how her mother Litsa is also dealing with stage IV brain cancer, adding that doctors recently said her moms tumor has shrunk a little. Menounos said she was seeking to end the year on an up-note, adding that she 'was gonna surprise [Undergaro] at one point,' but couldn't do such in having him fit for a wedding ring and tuxedo. Harvey added that he'd received proper credentialing in the past few days, and would preside over the celebrity ceremony. Multi-tasking: The TV host was hard at work amid chilly temperatures in the Big Apple Her wedding day: Maria was bundled up as she stood in front of the camera for the broadcast The couple wed in public fashion in New York City - very much in the fashion in which they got engaged - as Undergaro proposed to her during her appearance on the Stern Show. When Stern ceded the mic to Undergaro, she speculated that he was going to propose, but he denied it. Undergaro told Maria, 'Although I said that this isn't a proposal, I want to ask you something, Maria: Would you make me the happiest man on earth? And would you marry me?' Maria said in response, 'Are you ... kidding me right now? Oh, my God! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Of course! Oh, my God! I can't even believe this is happening.' Celebrating: The celebrity confirmed the shocking announcement via Twitter America Ferrera took to social media on Sunday to announce she's pregnant with her first baby. The 33-year-old actress posted a photo on Instagram of herself and husband Ryan Piers Williams, 36, wearing blue and red 2018 glasses. America held up a grey onesie that read 'Mas besos (por favor)' as she blew a kiss at the camera. More kisses: America Ferrera took to social media on Sunday to announced that she's pregnant with her first child with husband Ryan Piers Williams 'Were welcoming one more face to kiss in 2018! Wishing you #MasBesos in the New Year! #babybesos #HappyNewYear,' America wrote in the caption for her more than 600,000 followers. The Ugly Betty star and Ryan first met when he cast her in his student film at the University of Southern California. They got engaged in June 2010 and were married a year later in June 2011. America in October shared her story of sexual abuse as part of the 'me too' hashtag campaign in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein sexual scandal that rocked Hollywood. Cute couple: The Los Angeles native and Ryan, shown in February 2015, California, met while students at the University of Southern California The Los Angeles native in an Instagram posting revealed being first attacked when she was just age nine. 'First time I can remember being sexually assaulted I was 9-years-old. 'I told no one and lived with the shame and guilt thinking all along that I, a 9-year-old child, was somehow responsible for the actions of a grown man. Going strong: Ryan, shown with America in August in Los Angeles, cast his future wife in a student film 'I had to see this man on a daily basis for years to come,' she continued. 'He would smile at me and wave, and I would hurry past him, my blood running cold, my guts carrying the burden of what only he & I knew that he expected me to shut my mouth and smile back. 'Ladies, let's break the silence to the next generation of girls won't have to live with this bulls***.' America is a co-producer and star of the NBC sitcom Superstore. Superstore follows workers at a fictional big-box store in St. Louis, Missouri and is currently in its third season. Jenny McCarthy was one of the hosts of ABC's Dick Clark's Rockin' New Year's Eve on Sunday night where temperatures in New York dipped well below freezing. And the TV personality and her husband Donnie Wahlberg sought refuge from the biting chill inside a Gap store right off Times Square in between on camera spots. The Blue Bloods actor and former boybander took to Instagram to thank the store employee called Tyler, sharing some cute video of him with Jenny. Scroll down for video Thumbs up! Jenny McCarthy was keen to thank Gap store employee Tyler for letting her and husband Donnie Wahlberg keep warm in his closed store on New Year's Eve in New York Donnie wrote alongside the video: '#NewYearsEve hero!!! #TylerFromTheGap just saved us the sub zero temps!!! @gaptimessquare @jennymccarthy #RockinEve.' The weather outside was frightful as record cold dominated proceedings. Jenny and Tyler gave the thumbs up to the camera and shouted 'Happy New Year' from inside the warm building. Grateful: Donnie wrote alongside the video: '#NewYearsEve hero!!! #TylerFromTheGap just saved us the sub zero temps!!! @gaptimessquare @jennymccarthy #RockinEve' Staying warm: Jenny was one of the host's of ABC's Rockin' New Year's Eve but with temps well below freezing, she and Donnie sought shelter from the cold in between on camera spots She later joked on air that the cold weather was acting like a new type of plastic surgery. The former actress who has a show on SiriusXM was wearing a hot pink jacket and a black knotted beanie for her TV hosting gig. She also had on a black turtleneck sweater and finger-less mittens. She later donned a black overcoat that matched her husband's. Jenny, 45, and Donnie, 48, wed in 2014. It was the second marriage for both of them. Celebrating a new year: The former actress wore a pink jacket and a black knotted beanie for her TV hosting gig. She also had on a black turtleneck sweater and finger-less mittens It was all about the glitz and glam for some of Australia's most recognisable faces as they celebrated New Year's Eve. Georgia Love, 29, led the pack of stars who brought in 2018 at Melbourne's Circa Rooftop. Attending the Together event with her boyfriend Lee Elliott, 37, the stunner flaunted her trim physique and long bronzed legs in a metallic-striped ensemble. Stylish! On Sunday night, Georgia Love, 29, led the pack of stars who brought in 2018 at Melbourne's Circa Rooftop Georgia sported a gold and black striped Asillio World two-piece set worth $330. Featuring puffy sleeves and a pleated skirt, the former Bachelorette star completed her look with $1,000 metallic scalloped heels from Prada. Money well spent! Georgia's gold and black striped Asillio World two-piece set cost $330 Loved up: 'I'm sorry, the 2017 Georgia and Lee can't come to the phone right now,' she captioned the photo on Instagram Georgia had her hair and makeup done professionally for the event. Sporting a dark smokey eye and bronzed complexion, her brunette locks were styled in loose waves. 'I'm sorry, the 2017 Georgia and Lee can't come to the phone right now,' she captioned a picture of them on Instagram. Lee wore tight black pants, a white suit jacket and slide on shoes with no socks. Making an entrance: Also attending the celebrations was reality star Simone Ormesher Sneak peak! Although full length, the frock featured a slit, allowing Simone to flaunt her toned legs and incredibly high nude platform heels The Bachelor reject Simone Ormesher also attended the celebrations. Showcasing her surgically enhanced cleavage, the blonde beauty opted for a maxi-dress from the online brand Mura Boutique. Although full length, the frock featured a split that allowed Simone to flaunt her toned legs. Hanging with friends: Posing a alongside Australian Survivor's Henry Nicholson, Simone seemed to have had a good night Simone seemed to have had a good night and even posed for a picture alongside Australian Survivor's Henry Nicholson. Taking to Instagram Stories on Monday, she said she felt 'dead' and vowed she would never drink again after incurring a horrible hangover. Nicky Whelan was all smiles when she arrived at the event. Here to party! Although recently single, Nicky Whelan still came to bring in the New Year in style Always stylish: Adding knee-high boots, she accessorised with large silver hooped earrings and completed her look with a nude lip Posing: Sporting a floral shirt and unzipped fuchsia pink pants, the star was not shy to strike a pose After a quick outfit change from a tight-fitting red jumpsuit, the actress showcased her trim frame in a thin black singlet and jeans. Adding knee-high boots, she accessorised with large silver hooped earrings and completed her look with a nude lip. Social media sensation Kurt Coleman was also spotted on Sunday night. Celebrating: Social media sensation Kurt Coleman was also spotted on Sunday night Looking for love? Unsuccessful love-seeking Bachelor stars Leah Costa also made her way to the St Kilda event Sporting a floral shirt and unzipped fuchsia pink pants, the star was not shy to strike a pose. Unsuccessful love-seeking Bachelor stars Leah Costa and Monica Brown also made their way to the St Kilda event. Wearing a slinky silver frock, the former topless waiter added black strappy heels to her look. Shining bright: Wearing a slinky silver frock, the former topless waiter added black strappy heels to her look Keeping in contact: Leah was also joined by friend and former Bachelor contestant Monica Brown (right) Her midnight kiss? Striking a pose as they sipped on their drinks, it appears the girls were quite the hit with the Survivor contestant who even lent in to give Monica a kiss Striking a pose as they sipped on their drinks, it appears the girls were quite the hit with the Survivor contestant who even lent in to give Monica a kiss. And although they didn't find love in the social experiment, Married At First Sight stars were in full bloom. Getting together for a photo, Nadia Stamp was photographed sitting on top of Jono Pitman and Nick Furphy's lap. She's enjoying a luxury family holiday in Canada. And despite plummeting temperatures in Whistler, Bec Judd stepped out to ring in the New Year alongside her former AFL star hubby Chris on Sunday. The glamorous couple clutched champagne glasses while dining at the lavish Fairmont Chateau resort, where it was a double celebration - with the couple also marking their seventh wedding anniversary. Wedded bliss! Rebecca Judd and her hubby Chris celebrated their seventh wedding anniversary in Canada on New Year's Eve 'Happy new year, happy 7 year wedding anniversary. Fab dinner at @fairmontwhistlr with friends and family tonight. #notsureaboutthecostumes #thathat,' she captioned on Instagram The beaming WAG cut a low-key figure in a pink fur coat atop an all-black 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. Debt: Bec and Chris wed in a lavish ceremony in Melbourne back in 2010 and she recently revealed that her husband is reluctant to throw a lavish vow renewal ceremony because they're still paying off their extravagant wedding Success! In addition to her solid marriage, the self-made entrepreneur boasts a thriving media career The smitten couple are currently abroad with kids Oscar, six, Billie, three, and one-year-old twins Tom and Darcy. Bec and Chris wed in a lavish ceremony in Melbourne back in 2010 and she recently revealed that her husband is reluctant to throw a lavish vow renewal ceremony because they're still paying off their extravagant wedding. '... Which we kind of are, long before Instagram, still paying that one off,' she said on The 3pm Pickup. Luxury holiday: The smitten couple are currently abroad with kids Oscar, six, Billie, three, and one-year-old twins Tom and Darcy Last week, the Postcards presenter said she is the 'least maternal person in the world' compared to her friends. 'I am the least maternal person in the world,' she told The Herald Sun. 'Of my closest girlfriends there are eight of us, I was always the one that was never into babies and I am the one who has ended up with four kids.' She's the former fiancee of billionaire James Packer, who once lived a life of glitz and glamour. But on Sunday evening, Tziporah Malkah (previously known as Kate Fischer) looked ready to ring in 2018 in a far more economical way. The 44-year-old beauty took to Instagram to wish her fans a Happy New Year, before popping a bottle of $7 champagne and drinking it straight from the bottle. Scroll down for video Celebration: Tziporah Malkah returned to the public eye in 2017, and capped off her hectic year by drinking $7 champagne from the bottle - broadcasting the event on Instagram It appeared the starlet was celebrating alone, broadcasting several videos from her family's property in regional New South Wales. Going make-up free and wearing a cotton nightie, Tziporah's prudent New Year's Eve party was a far cry from the opulent bashes she once attended. In the 1990s, Tziporah was an international fashion model who zipped around the world in designer dresses invited to film premieres, fashion shows and exclusive gatherings with the world's elite. Thirsty work! 'HAPPY NEW YEAR!' the stunner cheered, before taking a large gulp of the bubbly beverage 'As the sun's going down I thought I'd open this bottle of $7 plink!' she laughed as she held up a bottle of Yellowglen pink champagne. After spending too long talking, the video cut out due to time restrictions, meaning she had to share another. 'I know it takes Tziporah a little while to get her s**t together' the self-deprecating star stated in her second video upload, before she popping the cork off the drink. Party-for-one! The cheap alcohol foamed out of Tziporah's mouth, dripping down her chin. 'HAPPY NEW YEAR!' the stunner cheered, before taking a large gulp of the bubbly beverage. The cheap alcohol then foamed out of her mouth, dripping down her chin. 'Crap! That didn't look quite as good as I wanted it to!' she stated before the Jewish beauty ended her video by stating: 'Mazel Tov!' A life in contrast! Tziporah was an international fashion model who zipped around the world in designer dresses invited to film premieres, fashion shows and exclusive gatherings with the world's elite (pictured in 2006) Fans cooed over the star's idiosyncratic post with one claiming: 'Doing it your way!' 2017 was a big year for the brunette, who ascended back into public life with an appearance on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! She also faced court on driving charges where it revealed that the former millionaire is now living on government benefits of just several hundred dollars a week. However, the year seems to have ended on a high for Tziporah, seen spending time with her estranged mother, politician Pru Goward, at her property in Yass. She used to accompany him to the Caribbean every year for his annual family festive trip over the Christmas period as a nanny to his kids with ex-wife Carla Germaine. But on Saturday, Vicky Burton made the glorious getaway as Jeremy Kyle's girlfriend when the couple arrived at Grantley Adams International Airport in Barbados. Waiting in the car for his younger lover, the 52-year-old chat show host beamed brightly while chatting on the phone. Scroll down for video He's smitten! Jeremy Kyle, 52, and former nanny Vicky Burton, 36, touched down in Barbados for a festive break on Saturday... where they used to go with his ex-wife Carla Germaine and the kids Stunning Vicky, who once served as a nanny to Jeremy's children with ex-wife Carla, made a casually chic arrival in a semi-sheer pink blouse teamed with torn jeans. Wearing her brunette tresses loose around her face, the 36-year-old former nanny looked fresh face when she went make-up free for the flight. It is not surprising Jeremy is said to be completely besotted with Vicky after just 11 months together as an item. Stunning: Vicky, who once served as a nanny to Jeremy's children with ex-wife Carla, made a casually chic arrival in a semi-sheer pink blouse teamed with torn jeans A source told The Sun: 'Jeremy is smitten with Vicky and she already has a great relationship with his kids. 'He works hard during the year so always likes to go away over the festive period to relax and Barbados has some very happy memories for the couple. 'He cant wait to spend some quality time with Vicky and has whisked them off to stay in his luxurious private villa.' Must be love: Jeremy and Vicky (pictured in Berkshire, December 2017) went public with their romance in January but sources say the television presenter is keen to walk down the aisle Jeremy and Vicky went public with their blossoming romance in January but sources say the television presenter is keen to walk down the aisle. Talk of wedding bells has started, a friend told The Sunday People in March. Jeremy sees a very happy future with Vicky. Theyre really enjoying each others company. The wedding is likely to take place in Barbados, with the ceremony or reception at Jeremys home. Barbados is their sanctuary and was the place they could first be together openly. Its where they were able enjoy themselves as a new couple in love rather than staying hidden away from the public eye. Moving on: Jeremy has found love again with the former nanny (pictured in March 2017, London) to his children with his ex-wife Carla Germaine Jeremy has been mending his heartache since the breakdown of his marriage to Carla in 2015 after they were married for 13 years. News broke after the chat show host had made a frank admission on his popular self-titled show, which interrogates people's love lives, about the couple's sex life. Reports emerged that the television presenter's wife had an affair with England polo player James Carr, 25. Happier times: Jeremy has been mending his heartache since the breakdown of his marriage to Carla (pictured in 2015) after they were married for 13 years The former flames share three children together: Eight-year-old Henry, 13-year-old Alice and 12-year-old Ava. Jeremy also raises Harriet, 27, with his first wife Kirsty Rowley whom he was married to from 1989 until 1990. The Jeremy Kyle show has been running for 13 seasons ever since 2005 and it has more than 2,600 episodes. Their 11-year marriage is reportedly over, after reports surfaced on New Year's Eve that Ant McPartlin allegedly wants to divorce Lisa Armstrong. And while she's made no official comment, a meme she posted in the early hours of January 1st spoke volumes - showing a cartoon version of herself holding bag of rubbish. In the image, the caricature is seen holding out the steaming bin bag of trash which exudes a green gas, drips with toxic-looking fluid and is swarmed by flies. Scroll down for video Out with the old! Ant McPartlin's estranged wife Lisa Armstrong likened 2017 to a steaming bag of garbage as she posted a meme to Twitter on New Year's Eve On the bag it simply says '2017' in the same radioactive-looking green that seeps from the bottom of the bag, and 'Lisa' holds her nose. The drawing sees her looking disgustedly at the bag out of the corner of her eye as she holds out the bag, not wanting it anywhere near her. This post garnered several messages of support to the tune of 'New year, new book, blank page... fill it however you like... Happy New Year' and 'Hope 2018 brings you health and happiness.... 2017 Stinks!' Others agreed, posting tweets such as 'Sending you hugs sweetheart - even in the darkest of situations you always need to find the positives. They are there when you are ready to see them. Happy New Year lovely lady' and 'Aww bless you.....Hope 2018 treats you better than the last one!' This post follows the news that Ant, 42, has reportedly told Lisa, 41, that he wants a divorce, despite her allegedly 'clinging on to hope that they can work things out'. Insiders tell The Sun, the presenter is preparing to end his marriage having not been been pictured with his wife of 11 years in four months and is seeing in the New Year with his mum Christine and sister Sarah. Claim: It has been claimed that Ant McPartlin has told wife Lisa Armstrong he wants a divorce, despite her reportedly hoping the pair could work things out, reports The Sun It was claimed that Ant, who checked into rehab for prescription painkiller addiction over the summer, has asked Lisa for the split but that she would not agree to putting out an official statement. The claims came as Ant was seen returning to his rented home in London with his sister Sarah on Saturday ahead of New Year's Eve. The source said: 'Ant and Lisa are definitely over. He sees no way back for their marriage. Lisa has been struggling to accept it is the end. 'It is all very sad, especially with all she has gone through this year. She was clinging to the hope they could work things out.' The insider added that the pair were both 'devastated' but are still on friendly terms, and that no-one else is involved in the split. MailOnline has contacted representatives for Ant and Lisa for comment. The claim comes amid reports Ant spent Christmas away from Lisa, fuelling further speculation over their marital status. Heading home: The claims came as Ant was seen returning to his rented home in London with his sister Sarah on Saturday ahead of New Year's Eve The Sun reports that a source close to him said: 'Ant knows he and Lisa have to make a decision about their future. 'Ant doesnt feel there is any future in the marriage, and while Lisa is hoping theres a chance they can turn things around, he doesnt see how they can.' The couple have reportedly been living apart, with Ant moving out of their 6million property earlier this year to attend rehab for an addiction to super-strong painkillers. He had spent the last two months filming Down Under for ITV reality show I'm A Celebrity, but make-up artist Lisa was unable to join him overseas, owing to her commitments to BBC One's Strictly Come Dancing. At the time, Lisa dismissed claims that this made her 'estranged' from husband Ant, explaining that she had not been out to Australia with him for 10 years. Over: Married: It was alleged that Ant, 42, who checked into rehab for prescription painkiller addiction over the summer, had told Lisa, 41, the marriage was over but that she would not agree to putting out an official statement However, a contradicting source has now told the Sunday Mirror that Lisa reportedly felt more 'independent, happier and stronger' while Ant was in Oz. A source told the publication: 'Ant has had a dreadful year, but Lisa has been through hell too. 'The intense pressure of the situation has left her emotionally drained and was really taking its toll. Back in October she was terribly stressed and worried and seemed to be carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders.' It was continued: 'It was clear those close to her she was heartbroken. But it's been so much happier since they've been living apart - especially when he flew to Australia to film I'm A Celebrity.' In late August, Lisa was spotted puffing on a cigarette at London's Gatwick Airport as she waited for a taxi to take him home following his rehab stint. Over: The source said:'Ant and Lisa are definitely over. He sees no way back for their marriage. 'Lisa has been struggling to accept it is the end. It is all very sad, especially with all she has gone through this year' Ant and Lisa were seen briefly reuniting out their 6m home the weekend of his return, but they have not been pictured together since. Lisa has previously taken to social media to defend their union, when a Twitter troll accused her of 'throwing away her marriage'. The Strictly Come Dancing make-up artist told a social media user to 'get their facts right' when they reportedly begged her to understand Ant's recovery from an addiction to pain medication. Lisa entered into the Twitter spat amid claims husband Ant had moved into a rented home during the Christmas period. A post on Lisa's Twitter account read: 'Educate yourself first love and get your facts rights. You dont know!! Sorry for your pain x' Denial: Last month Lisa hit out on Twitter and denied she was estranged from Ant According to the Daily Star, she was replying to a user who wrote: 'Can't believe your throwing your marriage away after all them years. (sic) 'I've been addicted to codeine and unless you have been there you wouldn't understand waking up in morning kidneys hurting for the habit to be fed educate yourself about it first @LisaAmakeup.' Last month, Lisa finally broke her silence on reports of the marital woes. She took to Twitter to hit back at the long-running reports that the duo have separated, as she penned on the micro-blogging site: 'I'm not estranged thank you'. She added that she hadn't been to Australia for 10 years so it wasn't a surprise that she hadn't joined Ant in the jungle during his stint on I'm A Celebrity. Instead, she stayed in the UK for her work with BBC One's Strictly and Ant returned to England from Australia last week, but it's claimed that he did not return to their marital home. She had an eventful 2017, sensationally quitting the Today show in October following a dispute over equal pay. And with a lucrative new job lined up at Channel Ten, it's little wonder Lisa Wilkinson was ready to ring in the New Year. On Sunday night, the woman dubbed 'Australia's Oprah' was seen celebrating the New Year with her Hollywood pals Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness on a Sydney rooftop. Scroll down for video Four Australian icons! Lisa Wilkinson rang in the New Year with Hugh Jackman, Deborra-Lee Furness and the Sydney Opera House on Sunday night ahead of a VERY big 2018 Showing off their exquisite view of the city's spectacular fireworks, Lisa shared a selfie of her and the power couple high atop a Sydney skyscraper. 'Bringing in 2018 with these two fab people. @deborralee & @therealhughjackman' she captioned the happy snap. The veteran reporter then sent her well-wishes to her 253,000 followers writing: 'Happy new year everyone! Hoping your 2018 is filled with good health, great friends and family, and all the joy you deserve.' VIP view! The brunette beauty also shared several videos to her Instagram Stories of both the 9PM and midnight fireworks from her spectacular spot on the harbour Cheers to the New Year! Lisa's starts her new position at Channel Ten this year The background of Lisa's snap showed the Sydney Opera House, with one eagle-eyed follower believing that the trio were partying on the rooftop of the Shangri-La Hotel. The brunette beauty also shared several videos to her Instagram Stories of both the 9pm and midnight fireworks. Becoming a feminist icon in 2017, the trailblazer's shock exit from the Nine Network sparked a new conversation about women in the workforce. Role model: Lisa earned admiration from many for her bold decision to walk from the Nine Network It's alleged Nine refused to pay her the same salary as her male co-star Karl Stefanovic before she walked. Speaking to Adelaide Now last month about the issue of gender equality , the 58-year-old said'I am so grateful to everyone who has taken the time to send messages, stop me in the street and generally make their feelings on the issue widely known'. And while the hope her actions will alter new generations is palpable, Lisa said the most 'meaningful response' has come from fathers of young boys and girls who find the pay gap deplorable - and want it altered in time for their own children to flourish. 'Unconscious - and conscious - bias when it comes to lesser pay, conditions and career advancement for women is still happening in so many industries, so if I have helped in any way to keep that conversation going, then I'm pleased,' she insisted. He was recently axed from Coronation Street after being convicted of groping two women on a drunken night out. But Bruno Langley, 34, most famous for playing Todd Grimshaw, broke his silence on social media on New Year's Eve with a positive message to his fans. He wrote: ' I Hope everyone had a nice Christmas, and I wish you all the very best for the very impending 2018 x.' Scroll down for video 'I wish you all the very best': Shamed Coronation Street star Bruno Langley broke his silence on social media with a positive New Year's message after being convicted of sexual assault The disgraced actor has kept quiet on Twitter since 28 September, where he had shared a picture of his cat, but he had been a fairly active member on social media. Some fans were quick to write back to the star, with words of support such as: ' 'Hope 2018 is a better year for you Bruno and you can move forward, really miss you on Corrie.' 'Happy New Year Bruno and all the very best for 2018 !' Trying to make amends? It's the first time Bruno has addressed his fans since September 'Merry Christmas/NewYear Hope you had an amazing time ! Missing you very much. Hope to see you very soon. Lots of love xx' Yet not everyone reacted in a positive way to his message. Another wrote: 'I dont condone what you did, I dont even know the full details, but what I do know is regretting an action after too much alcohol, the real demon here. Some of us learn the hard way. Good luck for the future.' Something to say: Bruno's fans were largely supportive, yet divided by his words on social media Another simply added: 'He pleaded guilty.' Meanwhile, Coronation Street fans said goodbye to Todd in a hasty exit scene, after writers scrambled to write around actor Bruno Langley's axing from the soap. Viewers took to Twitter in confusion at the final scene, which saw Todd apparently flee Weatherfield with adopted daughter Summer off-screen. Hasty: Coronation Street's Todd made his exit from the soap in Friday night's double bill, fleeing the street off-screen after actor Bruno was axed from the soap In the scene, which aired in the second part of Friday's double bill, fans saw Todd's mum Eileen (Sue Cleaver) standing in the street with Summer (Matilda Freeman), as a car screeches to a halt on the pavement. A dubbed voice, meant to be Todd's, tells Summer to get in the car before speeding away, leaving Eileen baffled as to where her son was going. Fans were baffled by the scene, with some unaware this was to be Todd's exit, while others were disappointed at the character's conclusion. One tweeted: 'So was that how they get rid of #Todd in #Corrie - A faceless voice in a car telling Summer to get in with his mother confirming it's him.' Uncertain: While sources revealed viewers will learn more about Todd's exit in coming episodes, others still took to Twitter in confusion as to what had happened Is that it? Viewers were left baffled by Todd's 'exit' with some unaware it would be his final scene Another wrote: 'I'm guessing that's Todd's last episode and we will not be seeing him again.' The Sunday People also reported earlier this month that Todd fled the UK after punching a police officer off-screen, with Bruno's last on-screen appearance seeing him accept a phonecall while watching a carol service in the local church. Considering Todd's vicar beau Billy had just confessed to killing Peter Barlow's mum Susan, perhaps this led to his violent turn. Dramatic: In the scene Todd's mum Eileen (Sue Cleaver) was left as Todd sped away with Summer in the car The shamed actor, who has played Todd for 16 years, was pulled from filming for the soap in October after a woman complained to ITV that he had sexually assaulted her on a night out. A source told MailOnline: 'Bruno's contract ended on October 26th following an internal inquiry which is separate to any police investigation. 'He has not filmed any scenes since the inquiry started, but scenes featuring Bruno will continue to be screened until December 24th. Storylines beyond this point have been rewritten.' Bruno pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault at a hearing in November, and was given a 12-month community order, including 40 days of rehabilitation activity and to submit to a curfew. The actor offered a tearful apology for his actions, and has since said he is attending therapy session and alcoholic anonymous meetings. He told The Sunday Mirror: 'I've been living way too fast for too long... My drinking had escalated. The wheels fell off. 'I wasn't particularly happy... I've started going to see a counsellor and been attending AA meetings and that's helped.' She welcomed her first child, Jett Phillips Rumble, into the world mid-last year. And on Monday, Nikki Phillips shared an adorable shot of herself and her son. In a picture shared to Instagram, the 35-year-old is seen sitting alongside her little man as she enjoys a beer and he has something from his sippy cup. 'Road trip to this little piece of paradise!' Nikki Phillips posts adorable shot of her five-month-old son Jett as she brings in the New Year with her family in Byron Bay 'Starting 2018 right!' she captioned the shot. 'Road trip to this little piece of paradise. Not bad, not bad! Neither is the company #mylittleman.' The photo features Nikki and Jett with their back to the camera. Starting him young? While Jett sat in his little seat, he was seen playing with a beer bottle A battle: The model married to jewelry designer Dane Rumble, revealed earlier in the year that she had suffered from three miscarriages before Jett Overlooking a river in the Byron Bay area, the stunner sported a low-scooped swimsuit and a wide brimmed hat. And although she ensured her Corona was placed away from the five-month-old's reach, he managed to get his hands on it in the end, as shown on her Instagram Story. While Jett sat in his seat, he reached out for the beer bottle and got it in his grip. Couldn't be happier: Confirming his birth in July, the new mum said she felt 'blessed' and had an exploding heart In 2009, doctors discovered cancerous cells during a routine pap smear, diagnosing her with stage-three cervical cancer. Although removing the cells, Nikki was warned it may be hard for her to conceive. The model married to jewelry designer Dane Rumble, revealed earlier in the year that she had suffered from three miscarriages before Jett. Confirming his birth in July, the new mum said she felt 'blessed' and had an exploding heart. 'Our handsome little man is here... born 17.07.17 at 8.47am weighing 3.5kg and height 53.5cm (yup has my legs),' she captioned an Instagram post. 'We are so smitten and all doing well. Thank you to my amazing Insta fam for all your loving messages. We feel extremely blessed and our hearts are exploding. She's the two-time Oscar winner widely regarded as one of the world's greatest actresses. But Jodie Foster has now heaped praise on another fellow female film star, Australian actress Brenna Harding. The 55-year-old Silence of The Lambs legend went behind the camera to direct the young up-and-comer in a terrifying new episode of the cult series Black Mirror. Scroll down for video Praise: Iconic Jodie Foster has praised up-and-coming Australian actress Brenna Harding whom she directs in a dark new episode of the hit series Black Mirror In the episode, titled ArkAngel, 21-year-old Brenna plays Sara, a rebellious teenager who has had a computer chip fitted so her mother can monitor her movements and block anything that may trigger her. Speaking with The Sydney Morning Herald Jodie gushed over the Australian star's ability to play the difficult part. 'We went through lots of women in casting. And Brenna had never really done an American movie before. 'I saw a bunch of her stuff from Australia, and I think she's a really exciting actress: smart, strong, emotional and available,' Jodie told the publication. Terrifying: In the episode, titled ArkAngel, 21-year-old Brenna plays Sara, a rebellious teenager who has had a computer chip inserted into her as a young gir The dark side of technology: In regards to what drew Jodie to directing the new episode of Black Mirror, she told the publication that the series acts as 'a mirror into our own messed-up psyche Mad Men star Rosemarie DeWitt plays Brenna's mum in the episode of the dystopic sci-fi series, which is now streaming on Netflix. Gushing over both the women, Jodie added: 'They both feel so honest. They are not starlettes or too Hollywood, they just feel like real people'. Despite being known primarily for her work on-camera as opposed to behind the camera, this is not Jodie's first time directing for a Netflix series. On the rise: Jodie praised Brenna as 'smart, strong, emotional and available' The Somersby star was also at the helm of two episodes of Orange Is The New Black and one episode of House of Cards. In regards to what drew Jodie to directing the new episode of Black Mirror, she told the publication that the series acts as 'a mirror into our own messed-up psyche'. Of technology the Panic Room star explained: ' We created this monster it doesn't have feeling, it is not a being, it is a reflection of what we wanted. And I think that's fascinating'. She's usually one for displaying her natural beauty. Yet this New Year's Eve, Elizabeth Hurley, 52, was dressed to the nines as she snapped herself in a flamenco dancer-style outfit. The actress sizzled in the red and gold gown, featuring ruffled sleeves and skirt, and which was topped off with a large wig of dark curls. Scroll down for video Ole: She's usually one for displaying her natural beauty. Yet this New Year's Eve, Elizabeth Hurley, 52, was dressed to the nines as she snapped herself in a flamenco dancer's styled outfit To finish the look, the Royals star holds an acoustic guitar to give the costume a more authentic air. The Bedazzled star posted shots of her dancing the new year away with an unknown handsome companion. The couple are all smiles as they hold each other close, with the man being dressed in a black, sophisticated tuxedo. Handsome stranger: The Bedazzled star posted shots of her dancing the new year away with an unknown handsome companion Parenthood: Liz, who is the owner of an eponymous swimwear line, is also snapped alongside son Damian, 15 (pictured). The teen looks similarly dressed to his mother, with near identical makeup and wigs being worn by the pair Liz, who is the owner of an eponymous swimwear line, is also snapped alongside son Damian, 15. The teen looks to be taking inspiration from the same theme as his mother, with near identical makeup and wigs being worn by the pair. Captioning her post she wrote: '#embarrassing mums. New Year 2017 @damianhurley1' Dancing: The couple are all smiles as they hold each other close during the New Year's Eve celebrations Romances: In September Liz revealed she is still on great terms with her exes Hugh, former husband Arun Nayer and ex fiance Shane Warne But the actress's hilarious display comes after Elizabeth insisted she has no desire for son Damian, who she shares with ex Steve Bing, to become a celebrity due to feeling 'trapped by fame.' The Austin Powers star told The Daily Telegraph that she would not want Damian to garner the attention attached to being a star, despite his role as Prince Hansel von Liechtenstein in her E! series The Royals. A trailer for the Royals' upcoming fourth season has been released and Liz will be set to return to our screens in March next year. Elizabeth, who soared to fame in the Nineties while dating Hugh Grant, has a famously close bond with her son, making her concerns understandable. Although his exposure thus far could make her quest for her son's anonymity a mean feat. All smiles: The pair continue to look cosy In September Liz revealed she is still on great terms with her exes Hugh, former husband Arun Nayer and ex fiance Shane Warne. She told Mail On Sunday's You magazine: 'If someone's lovely how could you not be on good terms with them? None of us has ever done anything bad to one another.' The star added: 'Hugh and Arun are very important in our lives. Shane is still a good friend. We were texting each other last night.' Liz's happy new year's eve comes after she revealed secret heartache over the weekend, after burying her beloved dog Lucy. Hot: The actress sizzled in the auburn and gold dress, featuring ruffled sleeves and trousers, and which was topped off with a Amy Winehouse worthy wig while her companion looks dashing in a sophisticated tuxedo The grieving actress shared a heartbreaking Instagram photo showing her and son Damian clutching shovels after they had buried the chocolate Labrador in a poignant countryside ceremony. Elizabeth, who is known for her love of animals, looked sombre as she stood by her pet's final resting place while wrapped up warm in the frosty setting. Lucy hit the headlines in 2013 after Liz claimed she had been poisoned while she was away in Australia with then-fiance Shane Warne. As The Real Housewives of Sydney they're a fixture on the city's bustling social scene. So it was no surprise to see Krissy Marsh, 45, and Victoria Rees, 53, turn out for an opulent New Year's Day party at Catalina in the ritzy suburb of Rose Bay on Monday. Standing out against other moneyed and beautiful attendees at the elite event, the two reality stars were seen toasting to 2018 - and perhaps to a second season of their show - in scenes that will no doubt cause their co-star nemesis Lisa Oldfield to have quite the conniption. Cheers! Real Housewives of Sydney stars Krissy Marsh and Victoria Rees led the moneyed and the beautiful at Catalina's New Year's Day party in the ritzy suburb of Rose Bay The two beauties defied their years, cutting chic figures in designer dresses. Krissy, 45, turned heads as she strutted through the front door of the waterfront venue, showing off her trim pins in a polka-dot mini dress. The brunette added a pair of aviator sunglasses and a large straw sunhat guaranteed to turn heads. Stunning stalks! 45-year-old Krissy put on a leggy display as she strutted into the venue Fun in the sun: Victoria (left) joined Krissy and her husband Johnny (centre) for the event The mum-of-three brought along her architect husband Johnny for the event, as the couple posed for pictures with Victoria. The blonde Real Housewife similarly opted for a pair of aviator sunglasses, but kept her legs covered in a lengthy linen maxidress. The Wrinkles Schminkles founder was later seen chatting on her large mobile phone, which was emblazoned with her initials. Talking with producers? Victoria clashed with nemesis Lisa Oldfield, who claimed she'd 'rather stick bamboo in my urethra' than return for a new season if Victoria and Kriss signed on Krissy and Victoria shot to national fame in 2017 after appearing together on the first season of The Real Housewives of Sydney. The two were seen clashing with outspoken cast mate Lisa , who revealed she would not return to the show if they were to sign on again. In November, Lisa took to Instagram bluntly stating: 'Could do it all over again with the #amazing @athenaxlevandi @mattysamaei and @melissatkautz as for the rest? I'd rather stick bamboo in my urethra'. Meanwhile, across town at Watson's Bay Boutique Hotel a host of other stars turned out to welcome 2018. Kris Smith, Jordan Barrett and Montana Cox were among the attendees. Aerial photo taken on Dec. 27, 2017 shows the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge in early morning, south China's Guangdong Province. The major work of the world's longest sea bridge was completed Sunday as scheduled, after its lighting system was installed and tested. It took six years preparation, and eight years to build the 55-kilometer-long bridge linking Hong Kong, Zhuhai and Macao. In the next month, engineers and constructors will test the coordination of the bridge's various systems and equipment, and proceed with inspection and cleaning work. The bridge will slash travel time between Hong Kong and Zhuhai from three hours to just 30 minutes, further integrating cities in the Pearl River Delta. (Xinhua/Liang Xu) GUANGZHOU, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- The major work of the world's longest sea bridge was completed Sunday as scheduled, after its lighting system was installed and tested, authorities said. It took six years preparation, and eight years to build the 55-kilometer-long bridge linking Hong Kong, Zhuhai and Macao. Major work on the bridge consisted of a 22.9-kilometer-long main bridge, a 6.7-kilometer-long tunnel and an artificial island off the bridge, which is considered the most technically demanding part of the whole construction. In the next month, engineers and constructors will test the coordination of the bridge's various systems and equipment, and proceed with inspection and cleaning work, said Zhang Jinwen, project director with the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) Authority. "The bridge will be put into trial operation after its port project is completed and taken over by customs, inspection and quarantine, and border control authorities," Zhang said. In the past 14 years, the regional economy and transport network have undergone tremendous changes, leading authorities to re-assess the utilization rate of the bridge, said Su Yi, assistant to the chief of the HZMB Authority. But Su dismissed worries that the bridge would not have enough traffic, saying, "we have full confidence for the future." "We have a whole toolbox of policies at our disposal," Su said. "It is like playing cards. We can adjust our moves accordingly." The bridge will slash travel time between Hong Kong and Zhuhai from three hours to just 30 minutes, further integrating cities in the Pearl River Delta. 11 1 [ Editor: WPY ] She has been displaying her age-defying physique while away in the Caribbean with her family. And Emma Forbes, 52, set pulses racing once again on Monday, as she slipped into another slinky swimsuit for a day of tanning in Barbados. The TV presenter confidently showed off her slender frame in a floral crochet one-piece as she spent New Year's Day soaking up the sunshine with her husband Graham Clempson. Scroll down for video Stealing the show: Emma Forbes, 52, set pulses racing once again on Monday, as she slipped into another slinky swimsuit for a day of tanning in Barbados Svelte: The presenter confidently showed off her slender frame in a floral crochet one-piece as she spent New Year's Day soaking up the sunshine with her husband Graham Clempson The Live and Kicking host slipped into a stylish crochet swimsuit of red and blue for her day at the beach - which hugged her slim frame all the way down. Pulling into a high neckline, the one-piece then cut off high at her thigh, to accentuate her slim waist and leave most of her long and slender legs on show. Proving to be confident with her figure, the swimsuit then plunged into an open back, to show off even more of her trim frame and sun-kissed skin as she relaxed in the blazing heat. Beach babe: The Live and Kicking host slipped into a stylish crochet swimsuit of red and blue for her day at the beach - which hugged her slim frame all the way down Flash of skin: Proving to be confident with her figure, the swimsuit then plunged into an open back, to show off even more of her trim frame and sun-kissed skin as she relaxed in the heat Adding dark oversized sunglasses and opting for minimal make-up, Emma proved her clear and glowing complexion to all as she soaked up some rays with her husband Graham. Emma has caught attention with her impressive figure during her Caribbean getaway - having recently admitted she overhauled her health and fitness regime when she hit 50 years old. Speaking on Loose Women in June, she said: 'I had my children and never lost my baby weight. It's fine when kids are aged two or three, but theres a problem when they are 20. 'For me, I wanted to lose that weight. I didnt recognise myself. You dont look at that section of you.' Leggy lady: Pulling into a high neckline, the one-piece then cut off high at her thigh, to accentuate her slim waist and leave most of her long and slender legs on show She continued: 'Everyone made such a big deal about me turning 50 and were like are you gonna have a party? But I just wanted a change. You're very vulnerable at 50.' Emma is mother to Lily, 20 and Sam, 18, from her 30-year marriage to wealthy financier Graham, and added it was their leaving home which also prompted her to take action. She said: 'I had empty nest syndrome and I didnt want to be at home and eating. I just thought, have a lifestyle change. 'I didnt want surgery. I'd end up on Botched. I thought it's time to get on top of health. So I gave up sugar and I walked. I hiked up mountains.' She rounded out 2017 showing off her brunette braids as she sang with her beau G-Eazy on Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve With Ryan Seacrest on ABC in New York. However, Halsey was a born again blonde with cute pixie cut at Miami's E11EVEN Club in Florida, where she and the rapper hosted their G-Eazy + Halsey Ring In The New Year 2018 Party. And the loved up duo shared a cute kiss onstage as midnight struck. Out with the old: Halsey wore her hair in long brunette braids when she and her rapper beau G-Eazy performed on Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve With Ryan Seacrest on ABC in New York The 23-year-old's seemingly rapid transformation was all achieved by technology, of course. Their Seacrest gig was prerecorded, giving Halsey, whose real name is Ashley Frangipane, plenty of time to change things up. The Bad At Love songstress looked stunning at the club in a barely-there black sequin mini-dress with a chain halterneck that was held together at the sides with silver laces revealing that she wasn't wearing either a bra or undies. In with the new: The 23-year-old songstress was a beautiful blonde when she and her rapper beau, 28, kissed as they hosted their G-Eazy + Halsey Ring In The New Year 2018 Party in Miami Barely there: The Now Or Never hitmaker obviously wasn't wearing anything under the very revealing black glitter mini-dress Risque style: The new blonde's sizzling dress meant she was just inches away from a wardrobe malfunction throughout the gig Low cut at the front and plunging to just above her derriere she showed off a lot of skin and her tattoos. G-Eazy, 28, looked handsome in a black tux and matching pants with a black silk shirt left open at the nexk. The rapper, whose real name is Gerald Gillum, slicked his dark hair back off his face and sported a light beard and mustache. So close: Halsey sported a skin-tight black leather mini-dress as she sang with G-Eazy in the pre-recorded gig for Seacrest's New Year's Eve show On the dark side: The brunette beauty, whose real name is Ashley Frangipane, has been dating her beau since the summer Handsome hunk: The rapper, whose real name is Gerald Gillum, wore a black jacket over a long coat, black T-shirt and leather pants for Seacrest's New Year's Eve Show They hit the stage to perform their hit songs along with their duet Him & I. In August G-Eazy debuted the duet New Orleans on the final night of his Blue Nile Dive Tour when Halsey joined him on stage as a surprise guest and kissed him at the end of the gig. The rapper told Fuse at the time: 'Him & I is a Bonnie and Clyde song. It's a pretty intense, crazy in love song. She killed the record.' He likes what he sees: G-Easy looked down lovingly at his petite love Count down: The rapper checked his watch as midnight approached while everyone at the club held up their cellphones, recording the moment that 2018 arrived She welcomed beautiful baby girl Sunday into the world on November 2 and is relishing life as a new mother. And Ferne McCann wowed her 1.9m Instagram followers in a glamorous photo taken just two months after she gave birth with fans praising her 'tiny waist' and toned legs. The former TOWIE star, 27, sizzled in the candid bedroom shot which showed her clad in a figure-hugging grey lounge suit which cinched in at her slender waist. Scroll down for video Stunning: Ferne McCann wowed her 1.9m Instagram followers in a glamorous photo taken just two months after she gave birth with fans praising her 'tiny waist' and toned legs Her brunette tresses were styled into a messy bun and her pretty features were enhanced with metallic eye shadow, fluttery lashes, liner and a slick of taupe lipstick. But all eyes were on the star's trim post-baby body with amazed fans taking to social media in their droves to compliment Ferne on her figure. One fan wrote: 'How have you just had a baby, you look amazing!!! Mental. Looking beautiful,' while another wrote: 'Wow looking fab! Where has all the baby weight gone?' Another follower wrote: 'Got your figure back - looking good girl,' with another adding: 'U looking amazing for having just had a baby,' while another said: 'Looking great, tiny waist.' Cute: The former TOWIE star, 27, gave birth to baby girl Sunday on November 2 Wow factor: One fan wrote: 'How have you just had a baby, you look amazing !!! Mental. Looking beautiful' while another wrote: 'Wow looking fab! Where has all the baby weight gone?' 'Look amazing after having Sunday! #MumGoals,' another added. This comes after Ferne revealed she was ready to move on and concentrate on being a mother to daughter Sunday, following 'the most difficult chapter of her life'. Her ex-boyfriend Arthur Collins was jailed for 20 years last month after being found guilty of a horrific acid attack carried out in April. Ferne has now revealed she is ready to move on and concentrate on being a mother to daughter Sunday, after 'the most difficult chapter of her life'. Speaking to Fabulous, Ferne admitted the situation surrounding her pregnancy had been 'completely out of her control' - and that she is already concerned about how she will tell her little girl of the attack in the future. Bond: This comes after Ferne revealed she was ready to move on and concentrate on being a mother to daughter Sunday, following her ex-boyfriend Arthur Collins conviction for a horrific acid attack She admitted 2017 had been one of the worst years of her life due to her ex-boyfriend's shocking crime in April - but that the arrival of her daughter had kept her strong. Looking back at the attack, she said: 'It's been the most difficult chapter of my life to date and the hardest thing I hope I'll ever have to face. 'It was all completely out of my control. The only thing I can control now is how I raise my daughter.' Last month Collins plead guilty to hiding a mobile phone in prison. Moving on: She admitted 2017 had been one of the worst years of her life due to her ex-boyfriend's shocking crime in April - but that the arrival of her daughter had kept her strong Collins, 25, stashed a mobile phone, two SIM cards, two USB sticks and a charger in a pair of crutches when he was on remand for the attack. He needed the crutches after fracturing both his heels trying to escape police while on the run from Wringer and Mangle E8 nightclub in Hackney, east London. He is said to have called his ex Ferne McCann while in jail on remand when she was pregnant with their daughter. He could be facing a further two years added to his sentence. The 'prohibited items' were found by a prison officer in his private shower at HMP Thameside on September 10 when the rubber bottoms of the walking aides were removed. Collins was charged with one count of possession of prohibited items. The court heard Collins had been caught with a phone in jail before, but it was dealt with by the prison staff. Audrey Morgan defending Collins claimed he only used the phone to avoid his calls being hacked by journalists trying to intercept details of his relationship with the Towie star. District Judge Robert Hunter sent the case to crown court for sentencing. Collins will next appear at Woolwich Crown Court at a date to be set. She recently praised the 'resilient' actresses who spoke out against Harvey Weinstein. And on Tuesday, Australian actress Margot Robbie, 27, became the latest star to back a women's anti-harassment initiative, called Time's Up. Taking to Instagram, Margot shared a shot of an open letter that was printed in The New York Times, which calls for women in every industry to come forward and tell their stories. Scroll down for video 'To my sisters': Margot Robbie is the latest Hollywood star to back women's anti-harassment initiative...after praising actresses who spoke out against Harvey Weinstein The initiative was launched by 300 prominent actresses and Hollywood types, including Meryl Streep and Jennifer Lawrence, and Cate Blanchett. It also includes a legal defense fund with US$13 million in donations, to help all women who may not have the money to defend themselves. Margot captioned the shot, writing: 'To my sisters (from all industries) Time's up on silence. Time's up on waiting. Time's up on tolerating discrimination, harassment and abuse,' before urging fans to sign the solidarity letter and donate to the legal fund. The initiative was launched by 300 prominent actresses and Hollywood types, including Meryl Streep and Jennifer Lawrence, and Cate Blanchett Speaking out: She recently praised the 'resilient' actresses who spoke out against Harvey Weinstein (pictured) In November, Margot told Vogue Australia that she feels proud to be a woman, after the 'resilient' actresses shared their stories of sexual harassment in Hollywood. 'Women are so resilient and I think the response to the whole Weinstein situation kind of proved that,' Margot told the publication. 'Because it's astounding how quickly everyone pivoted from being heartbroken about the news to, how do we move forward?,' she continued. 'We are so resilient': In November, Margot told Vogue Australia that she feels proud to be a woman after the 'resilient' actresses shared their stories of sexual harassment in Hollywood Margot added: 'Everyone was so supportive immediately and then automatically looking to the future, which made me even more proud to be a woman.' Margot is currently in Australia, for the festive period, but is based in Los Angeles. The Wolf of Wall Street star recently said how glad she is to be home, writing online: 'So good to be home.' She's the colourful character responsible for the most iconic Australian kaftans. But mum-to-be Camilla Franks toned down her usual rainbow-adorned dress style in favour of a black and white number, as she prepares to give birth to a baby girl in the coming days. Alongside her husband, Welsh artist JP Jones, the Sydney businesswoman turned heads as she arrived at Bondi Icebergs for the seaside venue's annual New Year's Day party on Monday. Ready to pop! Camilla Franks, 41, shows off her incredible baby bump ahead of the arrival of her first child with husband JP Jones Wearing her own Camilla design, the 41-year-old stole the show in a silver and blue printed Aztec number and gold sunglasses. She kept her shoe choice safe with a pair of navy blue Havaianas. As she stepped out of the car and walked towards the entrance a gust of wind blew against her stomach, showing off her burgeoning baby bump in all its glory. Happy as larry! Wearing her own Camilla design, the 41-year-old stole the show in a silver and blue printed Aztec number and gold sunglasses Keeping it casual: Meanwhile her beau wore a relaxed white button up, shorts and a khaki hat to hide from the sun Meanwhile her beau wore a relaxed white button up, shorts and a khaki hat to hide from the sun. Camilla was due to marry JP in India in November last year, but decided to postpone the wedding until after she gives birth. Camilla recently spoke to 9Honey about discovering she was expecting her first child at age 41. Changing plans: Camilla was due to marry JP in India last November, but decided to postpone the wedding until after she gives birth Finding love! Camilla and JP met over 20 years ago, before an expired visa forced the pair to separate. But they reunited again in 2015 'It started off as an unpredictable emotional rollercoaster of happy, excited, terrified and everything in between,' she said. 'But as January comes closer, I'm beginning to learn how to relax and enjoy this sacred time.' 'I've always said my business was my first love child. She has been the centre of my everything for nearly 15 years - it was time to bring her a sibling.' Camilla and JP met over 20 years ago, before an expired visa forced the pair to separate. But they reunited again in 2015. 'We met and fell in love at first sight when I was 19 or 20. We were together for three years, living in the UK, but my visa ran out and I had to go back to Australia,' Camilla told The Daily Telegraph last year. Hugs all around! Camilla was in joyful spirits as she prepares for the birth of her first child McMafia got off to a cracking start on BBC1 last night, and not just because James Norton was in his swimming trunks after only 20 minutes, though who is complaining about that? Not this little chickadee, thats for sure. Norton, who plays banker Alex Godman, also wore a selection of beautiful suits, handmade shirts with a rich roll of cuff even a dinner jacket and bow tie, the latter in a scene where he went to Versailles to eat a mini-blini paved with caviar and confront the man who killed his uncle, as you do. That he did all this in a suave bubble of divine tailoring and lantern-jawed resolve has fuelled speculation that this James will be the next James Bond, which the poor darling must find tiresome in the extreme. McMafia got off to a cracking start on BBC1 last night, and not just because James Norton was in his swimming trunks after only 20 minutes, though who is complaining about that? Not this little chickadee, thats for sure Norton, who plays banker Alex Godman, also wore a selection of beautiful suits, handmade shirts with a rich roll of cuff even a dinner jacket and bow tie, the latter in a scene where he went to Versailles to eat a mini-blini paved with caviar and confront the man who killed his uncle, as you do Not just because everyone said the same thing about Tom Hiddleston after his turn in The Night Manager, and look how that ended. Badly, in an I Heart Taylor Swift vest, washed up on the tarry shore of showbiz opportunism. Norton must be hoping the 007 chatter dies down quickly so he can concentrate on what he does best playing attractive, emotionally repressed, patriotic men of action who never stray too far from the smoke of danger or the smoulder of a beautiful woman. McMafia which refers to the McDonalds-style globalisation of Russian organised crime, not to a Scottish connection certainly has the same kind of lustre and ambitious international sweep as The Night Manager. Based on the non-fiction book McMafia: Seriously Organised Crime, by journalist Misha Glenny, it also has the bracing smack of authenticity and the contemporaneous urgency of something that is happening right here, right now. At the heart of the action is our Alex, a man who always tries to do the right thing. Hes a lover not a fighter or, as he puts it in his sparse, buttoned-up way: I am a banker not a gangster. I am not a money launderer, he sniffs. Yes, but for how much longer? The son of an exiled Russian mafia boss, Alex has grown up in London amid fabulous wealth, attending the best schools and absorbing the customs and manners of a polished English gentleman. That he did all this in a suave bubble of divine tailoring and lantern-jawed resolve has fuelled speculation that this James will be the next James Bond, which the poor darling must find tiresome in the extreme Based on the non-fiction book McMafia: Seriously Organised Crime, by journalist Misha Glenny, it also has the bracing smack of authenticity and the contemporaneous urgency of something that is happening right here, right now He is a successful hedge fund manager (are there any other kind?) with a rather drippy live-in girlfriend called Rebecca (Juliet Rylance) who is keen on ethical capitalism. So is Alex, who has so far managed to avoid anything to do with his familys criminal past, but events are conspiring to drag him over to the dark side. His inner conflict and outer struggle to stay virtuous form the emotional core of this slow-burn eight-part series, even if some things are semaphored rather crudely to the audience. Vat does it take to corrupt you? wails a beautiful call girl in a Tel Aviv nightclub, as Alex manfully refuses her kisses. There are a lot of Russian actors in the cast, and boy are they marvellous. Alexs father is a hollowed-out drunk, played with vodka-soused panto verve by Aleksey Serebryakov. His mother (Maria Shukshina) is the kind of rich Russian wife who is all fur coat and fur knickers, perhaps with a sable onesie to complete the set. McMafia which refers to the McDonalds-style globalisation of Russian organised crime, not to a Scottish connection certainly has the same kind of lustre and ambitious international sweep as The Night Manager Controlling mother alert! She is not keen on his girlfriend, Rebecca. Why does she have to dress like a student? she sneers, when Miss Ethical turns up at a dinner wearing a distressing lack of diamonds and complicated fur accessories. This first episode has a lot of murky finance plot points to get across, but happily we are never too far away from another exciting scene with troubled Alex, the undisputed star of the show. In a career notable for his portrayal of psychopath Tommy Lee Royce in Happy Valley, and another Russian, his cape-swirling Prince Andrei in War And Peace, we have come to know that Norton always gives good brood. Hes got the inarticulacy of the psychologically constipated loner down to the last twitch. Here, in one graveside scene he even manages to make a muscle in his pale cheek flutter with repressed emotion, which is pretty impressive. And his feelings of being an outsider in the world, and also amid the elegant furnishings of his family home, are beautifully depicted. Shortly before Alexs beloved Uncle Boris (David Dencik) was sliced up like a salami in a truly harrowing scene, bleeding all over the lush carpets in his country residence, he gave his nephew a bit of advice. It is embarrassing to be Russian these days, but dont ever be embarrassed about who you are, he told him. Soon, peacenik Alex is smashing a hitman in the face with a barbell, running for his life and planning on how to protect his family from the forces of McEvil. His Russian heritage soon falls upon him like a black cloak. And not a moment too soon because, as James Bond almost once said, there is nothing as boring as being good. She's celebrated the holiday season with family by her side. And Kate Hudson kept the good times rolling into the new year as she bundled up in a large furry coat for a bit of shopping in Aspen, Colorado, on Monday afternoon. The 38-year-old actress looked warm as she popped in and out of stores in the downtown area of the snowy community with a friend. Scroll down for video Cozy: Kate Hudson kept the good times rolling into the new year as she bundled up in a large furry coat for a bit of shopping in Aspen, Colorado, on Monday afternoon The Fabletics co-founder donned a creamy cable-knit sweater underneath her thigh-length winter jacket. Her Pilates-honed legs were on display in a pair of millennial pink tights with thigh-grazing grey leg warmers keeping her warm. The Almost Famous starlet added a pair of sturdy brown hiking boots to her afternoon ensemble as she pounded the pavement with a friend by her side. Cute! The 38-year-old actress looked warm as she popped in and out of stores in the downtown area of the snowy community with a friend The mother-of-two showed off her shabby chic haircut and covered her eyes with a pair of mirrored aviator sunglasses as she carried a large black backpack. Before stepping out, Kate shared a sweet photo of herself nestled in a plush bed while holding a cup of coffee. She captioned her first photo of the year with hearts followed by, '#currentmood' with a bevy of coffee emojis to follow. Wake up! She captioned her first photo of the year with hearts followed by, '#currentmood' with a bevy of coffee emojis to follow 'Pendleton love birds,' she captioned the sweet snap of the 34-year-strong couple Hudson rang in the New Year with her family and posted a shot of her mom Goldie Hawn and adopted dad Kurt Russel hugging it out in a cozy looking cabin with the caption, 'Pendleton love birds.' Earlier in the day, she shared a boozy video from a well-stocked bar while plugging her latest book, Pretty Fun. Hudson shares son Ryder, nearly 14, with Black Crows frontman Chris Robinson, and son Bingham, six, with ex Matt Bellamy. She recently celebrated her one year dating anniversary with Danny Fujikawa, the former guitarist for the band Chief. A man has drowned after he got stuck in a rip while swimming with his brother on the NSW Central Coast. The man, aged in his 20s, was swimming with his brother near the patrolled area of Frazer Park beach on Sunday afternoon when the two men became distressed in the water. A surfer in the water saw the man being pulled further out to sea and swam to try and hold the man up but a wave washed the pair of them onto the rocks, Surf Lifesaving NSW said. When lifeguards reached them, the man's condition had deteriorated and he was unconscious and unresponsive. CPR treatment was immediately given but all attempts to revive the man were unsuccessful. Lifesavers managed to pull the other brother out of the water and he was treated by paramedics. Private sector insurers will be able to offer home owners building insurance under changes to the NSW Home Building Compensation scheme taking effect from Monday. All builders must take out cover under the scheme for residential projects costing over $20,000, with iCare currently the sole provider of the home building insurance, Property Minister Victor Dominello said in a statement. Changes taking effect on New Year's Day will allow private sector providers to join the scheme for the first time since 2010, Mr Dominello said. "This insurance provides a vital safety net for home owners in the event a builder cannot complete residential building work, or fix defects due to insolvency, death, disappearance or licence suspension," he said. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull says he isn't worried a recent report involving Alexander Downer may damage his relationship with US President Donald Trump. The New York Times has reported that Mr Downer, the Australian High Commissioner to the UK, could have helped spark an FBI investigation into Russia's role in the US election. Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos told the Australian diplomat during a meeting in London in May 2016 that Russia had thousands of emails that would embarrass Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton. Australia passed the information on to the FBI after the Democratic party emails were leaked, according to The Times, which cited four current and former US and foreign officials with direct knowledge of the Australians' role. Mr Turnbull said he wasn't concerned about the story affecting his relationship with Mr Trump, and he hadn't spoken to anyone in the US administration since it came out. "The government won't be making additional comments on a matter that relates to an ongoing investigation in the US," he told reporters in Sydney on Monday. He also wasn't concerned that the US still hasn't appointed an ambassador to Australia, saying there were often delays with a new administration. "The relationship is in excellent shape and the connections between Australia and the United States are so diverse, numerous, so strong, and indeed our relationship through the State Department is excellent as well," he said. Mallards swim in the Lhasa River, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, Dec. 24, 2017. The populations of bar-headed goose, ruddy shelduck and mallard have increased in Lhasa River. (Xinhua/Zhang Rufeng) 7 1 [ Editor: WPY ] Former senator Nick Xenophon says he'll soon be rolling out more policies ahead of the South Australian March state election. Mr Xenophon, who hopes his SA Best party can seize the balance of power in state parliament, has also called for voters to contact him with suggestions in a slightly cringe-worthy video posted on social media on Monday. In the video, he says if voters want better health and more money in their pockets it's time to give up on the Labor and Liberal parties. Malcolm Turnbull has defended himself against Paul Keating's "barely coherent" criticism of him after the former prime minister questioned his commitment to the republican movement. In an interview with News Corp on Monday, Mr Keating attacked Mr Turnbull and other prime ministers for failing to achieve an Australian republic. He says Mr Turnbull has "little or no policy ambition and commensurably little imagination, no system of prevailing beliefs". "Was (his republicanism) just Malcolm being another chameleon doing another chameleon act as he has on so many other things?" Mr Keating said. "You know, I was real but is Malcolm real?" But the prime minister said he campaigned unsuccessfully for a republic during the 1999 referendum, and felt the next opportunity for it to be seen as a "frontline issue" would not come until after the Queen's reign. He said Mr Keating's remarks were "barely coherent". "I don't know what's prompted Paul to come out swinging at everyone, he seems to be critical of every prime minister and former prime minister apart from himself," Mr Turnbull told reporters in Sydney. "It must be good for Paul to feel that he's without fault or blemish but in the real world we gave it a red-hot go in 99." Mr Turnbull said it wasn't a change parliament could make but rather a question for Australians, who "have shown themselves to be very conservative when it comes to constitutional change". "There is no pretending that there is an appetite for change when there isn't one at the moment - that is my sincere belief as a very longstanding supporter of having an Australian as head of state," he said. A Perth man has been extradited from Melbourne after being charged in relation to a $33 million Western Australian drug bust. The 26-year-old from Gnangara has been charged with offences including possessing cocaine and methylamphetamine with the intent to sell, as part of an investigation into a suspected criminal syndicate and millions of dollars of drugs seized in Perth in November. The man was expected to appear in the Perth Magistrates Court on Monday after police successfully applied to have him extradited from Melbourne. A South Australian man has been nabbed twice for drink driving in just a three-hour period stretching from late on New Year's Eve to early on New Year's Day. The 26-year-old blew 0.143 when he was tested at Bordertown, in the state's southeast, late on Sunday night. The offending landed him with an additional six-month loss of licence after police checks revealed he was already disqualified from driving and his vehicle was unregistered and uninsured. But just more than three hours later he was stopped again and blew the higher blood-alcohol level of 0.171. This time the man was arrested and refused bail to appear in the Mt Gambier Magistrates Court on Tuesday. The operators of the seaplane which plunged into the Hawkesbury river have paid tribute to the pilot who died along with his five passengers on New Years Eve. Sydney Seaplanes on Monday said they had suspended all flights indefinitely. The passengers who died were high-profile British businessman Richard Cousins, his two sons, his fiancee and her 11-year-old daughter. The death of the pilot, Gareth Morgan, has left the company's owners and pilots reeling. "It's a very traumatic day not only for Sydney Seaplanes but for Sydney and Australia," co-owner Ken Gaunt told reporters in Sydney on Monday. "We are devastated," he added with tears in his eyes. The company's managing director, Aaron Shaw, described Mr Morgan as a "lovely and gentle guy". He told reporters the pilot had done more than 10,000 flying hours, 9000 of which were on sea planes. "We are all absolutely devastated at his loss and ringing his parents today was obviously one of the worst calls that I have ever had to make in my life and they are really sad and devastated by his loss," Mr Shaw said. He said conditions were "benign" and no untoward weather activities had been reported through the day. Mr Shaw said the company had suspended all flights until the cause of the crash had ben identified by investigators. He said the company had an "open book" and would turn over all plane maintenance logs and information about the fleet to authorities. "We want to try to get to the bottom of this as soon as possible," he said. "We are confident we've done everything we can to avoid this situation." Mr Shaw said operators of the seaplane model on the ill-fated flight are required to have engines replaced every 1200 hours of flight time but his company replaces them at 1100 hours. The particular plane which crashed had an engine with only 200 hours of flight time, Mr Shaw said. No emergency call is believed to have been made by the plane before the crash he said, adding Mr Morgan had thousands of hours of experience in seaplanes. "He flew my family and I to Palm Beach just before Christmas," he said. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has become emotional as he recounted being saved from waters off Bondi Beach by his father. Speaking at a Surf Life Saving Australia funding announcement at North Bondi SLC on Monday, Mr Turnbull shed a tear when reminiscing about his time on the beach and the importance of those who keep watch over it. "It's hard to talk about this without being a bit emotional," he said. "I remember as a kid out just off Ben Buckler here, falling off my surfer plane ... I was in plenty of trouble. "I can still see my father swimming through the surf, swimming through and he got me." Mr Turnbull described Australian surf life saving clubs as "characteristically Australian." "This is the heart of the Australian spirit, it's about service, it's about mateship it is about looking after each other," he said. Mr Turnbull, whose father died in a light plane crash in 1982, later paid tribute to the six people who were killed in a New Years Eve seaplane crash on the Hawkesbury River north of Sydney. "It is a tragic accident and ... our hearts go out to the families of those whose lives were lost," he said. A man has been charged with assault on the Central Coast after an attack which left a man critically ill in hospital. Police say a 31-year-old man was allegedly struck inside a licensed premises on The Entrance with a single punch, causing him to hit his head on the ground and lose consciousness. He was taken to Royal North Shore Hospital where he remains in a critical condition with swelling on the brain. Police have charged a 49-year-old man with assault occasioning grievous bodily harm. He was refused bail to appear at Wyong Local Court on Tuesday. Humid and hot conditions are continuing to make life uncomfortable for southeast Queenslanders, but there is relief in sight. The mercury is predicted to reach 31C in Brisbane on Tuesday following an overnight low of just 24. Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Gordon Banks told AAP the temperature was a "couple of degrees" above average, but the humidity being felt in the Queensland capital was comparable to that of Darwin. "It's really all up and down the coast," he said on Monday. Mr Banks said showers and a possible storm were expected in Brisbane on Tuesday and Wednesday, but a cool change should come through on Thursday. He said it would start to feel less humid but the temperature looked set to rise on the weekend. It could take most of this week to recover the wreckage of the seaplane which crashed into the Hawkesbury River, killing a British family and the pilot, police say. Experienced pilot Gareth Morgan, 44, died when the single-engine 1964 DHC-2 Beaver seaplane plunged into Jerusalem Bay on New Years Eve. Also on board was high-profile UK businessman Richard Cousins, 58, his sons, Edward and William Cousins, aged 23 and 25, his fiancee Emma Bowden, 48, and her daughter, Heather Bowden-Page, 11. Mr Cousins was the CEO of the world's largest food catering company - Compass Group. The family was on holiday in Sydney and were returning from lunch at the picturesque Cottage Point Inn when the crash happened. Sydney Seaplanes has suspended all flights indefinitely in the wake of the tragedy. Representatives from the Cousins family will travel to Australia in the coming days, AAP understands. The plane has not yet been recovered from the crash site at Cowan and is sitting about 13 metres below the surface. It will need to be refloated until forensic investigators can piece together what went wrong. A group of "heroes" are set to be nominated for an award after freeing a seven-year-old girl from under a crashed boat in Victoria. The child become trapped underneath the overturned boat after the 54-year-old driver crashed into the pier at Safety Beach on the Morning Peninsula on New Year's Eve. Several "heroes" jumped into the water to free the girl through a hatch after her life jacket became tangled with up boat equipment, police say. "(We) intend to nominate the main rescuers for an award for their courageous efforts," police said in a statement on Monday. The onlookers also rescued an 11-year-old boy caught up in the accident. The 54-year-old boat driver and his relative escaped unharmed after being thrown clear of the vessel in the crash shortly after 1pm on Sunday. Navalny to go to ECHR to appeal denial of his registration as presidential candidate - lawyer Opposition activist Alexei Navalny will appeal the Russian Central Elections Commission decision to deny registration of a group of voters in support of his self-nomination as a presidential candidate, which the Russian Supreme Court upheld on Saturday, Navalny's lawyer Ivan Zhdanov said. "We will contest today's judgment by the Russian Supreme Court in an appeals court. We will also submit an appeal to the ECHR [the European Court of Human Rights]," Zhdanov told Interfax on Saturday. The Russian state has violated a number of articles of the European Convention on Human Rights in respect of Navalny, including "the right to a fair trial," he said. "Today's decision was predictable" to Navalny, he said. "We understood that this would be a political decision. But we will continue to go through all appellation stages," Zhdanov told journalists following the hearing. Navalny himself did not appear at the court hearing on Saturday. His lawyers explained that "the opposition leader understood that the decision would be political and therefore delegated his representatives instead." Earlier on Saturday, the Russian Supreme Court had turned down Navalny's appeal against the Central Elections Commission's decision to deny registration of a group of activists in support of his nomination as a presidential candidate. Navalny is expected to file an appeal within five days. Victoria has hit back at Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull over accusations the state is failing to deal with gang violence in Melbourne. The prime minister says he's "very concerned at the growing gang violence and lawlessness in Victoria, in particular in Melbourne". "This is a failure of the Andrews Labour government," he told reporters in Sydney on Monday. Mr Turnbull said while Victoria Police had the capacity to deal with the problem, political leadership was lacking. But Victoria's acting Roads and Road Safety Minister Philip Dalidakis said the government wouldn't be taking advice "from a bloke who can't even put on a life vest when he's on a boat in Sydney Harbour". The prime minister was fined $250 in December for not wearing a life jacket while moving a dinghy near his harbourside home. "We will take our instructions and advice from Victoria Police," Mr Dalidakis said. Deputy Commissioner Andrew Crisp said he was "very confident" about how the force was tacking youth crime. He said while recent statistics showed more people being locked up, police were also increasingly working with community leaders and youths. The state opposition wants a federal intervention to ensure gangs feel the full force of the law. But Mr Crisp last week urged Victorians not to "play to the ego of these young people by calling them 'gangs'". Three people have been killed in separate crashes on NSW roads on the first day of 2018, with police laying charges over two of the incidents. An 18-year-old man is expected to face a Sydney court from his hospital bed, charged over a crash that killed his 17-year-old passenger and critically injured another girl. The man was charged with a series of offences, including dangerous driving occasioning death on Monday following the crash in Sydney's southwest. The 17-year-old girl died after the car ploughed into a parked car, while a 16-year-old girl who was in the back seat was pulled from the wreckage and rushed to Liverpool Hospital where she remains in a critical condition. The crash occurred just 15 minutes after midnight on New Years Day. The man remains under police guard at Liverpool Hospital, according to police, who said he was expected to face Parramatta Local Court from his bed. Meanwhile another man was charged over a crash in Newcastle that killed a 54-year-old pedestrian. The man was struck in New Lambton at about 2.45am on Monday and was rushed to John Hunter Hospital where he later died. The 44-year-old driver allegedly failed to stop after the incident and was arrested and charged later on Monday over the death. He was granted conditional bail to appear before Newcastle Local Court on January 25. Later in the day a 75-year-old man rolled his car in the NSW Northern Rivers Region, bringing the 2018 road toll to three on day one. I think there's something following me. But the thought fills me with calm, not dread. It is a serenity I have surprisingly failed to shake - unlike the sand and seawater that washed so easily from my hair - since spending five days on Lizard Island. Weeks have passed since I took off back to Brisbane, back to the horns of traffic-jammed cars and intrusive chimes of email alerts. But as I sit under the fluorescent office lights, my mind is swept back to the Queensland oasis by the slightest prompt. A truck roars by the window and it starts again. This time, I'm back in the moment a landing Cessna stirred me from the day bed of my beachfront suite that felt more like home than hotel. The book in my hand is still propped open by my index finger (I can't remember the last time I read uninterrupted). My gaze is drawn to the secluded beach before me: white sand meeting the blue sky, framed by palm trees. My only company is the yellow-spotted monitor lingering at the edge of my porch where I've hung my bathers out to dry in the sun. All the furniture at the resort is dangerously comfortable and I've often found myself slipping into a light slumber. And I'm not the only one. Lizard Island is a premier destination for those seeking solace from life's stresses without the hassle of planning a holiday. Everything from the gourmet meals at the open-air Salt Water Restaurant to the first-class service from the staff is taken care of the moment you arrive. The only thing a guest has to worry about is what delicious dish they wish to eat and which heavenly beach they wish to swim at. One of the simple joys about staying on Lizard Island, or hindrance as some might see it, is there is no phone reception or wifi other than at select areas around the luxury resort. The restaurant is not one of them. Patrons embrace the lost art of mealtime conversation, unbroken by text messages or the compulsion to post pictures of their food to social media. It is partly the absence of a modern age utility in the guests' rooms and around the island that allows you to truly let go and enjoy this paradise. Of course, if you are desperate to stay connected, reception is available at Cook's Look, the tallest point on the island worth the four-hour return hike for its panoramic views alone. As I close my eyes, it is so easy to see the island before me, just like it was when I reached that peak. It is as if the potent vistas both land and sea and the tranquillity they bring are forever burned into my mind. A moment that makes my heart sing every time I think of it is snorkelling with turtles at Casuarina Beach near the Research Station. Lizard Island is surrounded by vibrant reefs teeming with life despite the recent and ongoing trials they have endured, including two cyclones and unprecedented coral bleaching. Casuarina Beach, however, is a patchwork of ivory sand and sea grass, perfect for hungry green turtles. We could see their heads rising above the surface gasping for air even before we anchored. Underwater they were more concerned with lunch than humans lurching in the waist-deep shallows, frantically arranging their GoPros. Once the initial excitement wore off, it was replaced by a calm and deep appreciation for the treasured experience of floating with these graceful animals. Upon our return to the beach house, a friend and I walked to the end of the bay and sat in the still crystal water to watch the colours of the sky change with the sinking sun. It was as close as possible to perfection. So, maybe it seems strange that everything after that moment has not, in some way, been tainted by comparison. The opposite is true. That completeness and liberation from everyday troubles a person often loses soon after a holiday has remained with me. Recurring guests all spoke of a nameless magic calling them back to Lizard Island, but having spent just a few nights under its stars I too have found myself under its spell. One I'm in not hurry to shake: the email alerts can do their worst. IF YOU GO GETTING THERE: Lizard Island is an hour-long flight from Cairns on a private plane charter, costing $350 per person for a one-way transfer and $700 return. Cairns is 2.5-hour flight from Brisbane, 3 hours from Sydney and 3.5 hours from Melbourne. STAYING THERE: The Reef Expedition package include 4 nights' accommodation, guided inner reef snorkel trips, full outer reef snorkel or dive, personal tour of Lizard Island Research Station and sunset drinks with all visiting researchers. Bookings are available for May, September and November 2018. Prices start from $5808 per person, twin share. Trips are limited to 12 people. For more, visit lizardisland.com.au. PLAYING THERE: Lizard Island guests have unlimited use of stand up paddle boards and clear view sea kayaks and access to their own motorised dinghy. Guests also receive gourmet meals daily, unlimited non-alcoholic beverages and a fine selection of wine, beer, basic spirits and sparkling wine. BEFORE YOU GO: Download the Lizard Island Field Guide from the App Store or Google Play. British director Ridley Scott's new crime thriller All the Money in the World delves into the 1973 abduction of the teenage grandson of billionaire magnate J Paul Getty. It's a re-telling of the true story of how Getty, the richest man in the world at the time, refused to hand over one cent toward the $US17 million ransom an Italian crime gang was demanding. There's plenty of drama. However, the behind-the-scenes twists, turns and tension Scott endured making the movie, and the race to have it ready for cinemas, almost exceeds the drama in the film's plot. Oscar winner Kevin Spacey was the star of the film. Prosthetics helped turn Spacey into the eccentric billionaire Getty, filming ended in August and for months trailers featuring snippets of the actor's powerful performance were released to whet the public's appetite and lay the platform for an assault on Hollywood awards season. In late October Spacey became one of numerous high-profile Hollywood men accused of sexual harassment and assault. Scott and the studio behind the film, Sony, faced a crucial decision. They could release the film with the dark cloud over Spacey, scrap the film or shelve its release until the controversy died down. Or they could take the bold move of erasing their star and attempt re-shoots with a new lead actor with the aim of still making the film's December 22 release date in the US. After 36 hours of crisis talks they pursued the last option. "Get rid of this guy - replace him immediately," Scott, recalling his mindset, told AAP in an interview in Los Angeles. They recruited 88-year-old Canadian Oscar winner Christopher Plummer to take on the J Paul Getty role and then embarked on an ambitious nine-day schedule in Britain and Italy involving 400 new shots. It added $US10 million to the already tight $US40 million budget and the film's other stars, including Michelle Williams and Mark Wahlberg, agreed to return for the re-shoots. "It was actually fun, believe it or not," Plummer laughed. The veteran actor tapped into his decades of performing on stage to quickly learn and recite the large slabs of dialogue. "It was a little dodgy in the beginning because I thought, 'I have to learn all of this stuff' because he never stops talking - JP Getty," Plummer said. "I found my theatre training helped me a lot in the memory department." Scott, the 80-year-old director who broke through with 1979's Alien and went on to make classics Blade Runner, Gladiator, Black Hawk Down, Hannibal, American Gangster and The Martian, says he still managed eight hours sleep a night while pulling off the unprecedented last minute feat. With his artist's background he drew storyboards for each shot so his actors and battle-hardened crew knew exactly what he wanted. Instead of the dark cloud of Spacey destroying the film, the studio's Oscar marketing team has turned the negative into a positive by using the swift decision to erase and replace Spacey as a key part of their advertising campaign. The film appears on track for Oscar nominations, with Scott, Plummer and Williams receiving Golden Globes nominations. All the Money in the World opens in Australia on Thursday (January 4). Doctors are warning Australians not to be complacent about the dangers of sunburn over summer with skin cancer killing thousands of people each year. Australian Medical Association president Michael Gannon says the statistics are "frightening" and it's important Australians are aware of the dangers as they spend more time outside over the holiday season. "It's been said time and time again - Australia is the skin cancer capital of the world," Dr Gannon said in a media release. "Two in three Australians will be diagnosed with skin cancer by the age of 70, and each year more than 2000 Australians die from skin cancer." Dr Gannon said a bit of exposure to sunlight was good but it had to be limited and not during the hottest hours of the day. He said that while wearing sunscreen was essential, it wasn't a shield, with protective clothing the best form of protection. A man will face a Queensland court charged with stealing two mobile phones from the hospital room of a man who lost his wife and daughter in a horror Christmas Day car crash. It's alleged the man snuck into the Princess Alexandra hospital room of Laurie Tritton, whose wife Karin and daughter Makayla were killed in the crash on Brisbane's bayside, and stole the phones. The 51-year-old man is due to face Southport Magistrates Court on Tuesday, charged with a string of offences including stealing, fraud and possession of a dangerous drug. A man has been charged after allegedly stealing a car at gunpoint and causing a crash that left six people in hospital in Brisbane's southside. A police helicopter tracked the 23-year-old, and tyre spikes were used to try and stop the stolen vehicle, before it collided with several cars at Sunnybank on Monday night. He was arrested a short time after he tried to steal another car from someone who stopped to help him. Six people were taken to Princess Alexandra Hospital, Mater Hospital and Lady Cilento Children's Hospital with varying injuries. The man has been charged with dangerous operation of a motor vehicle and two counts of unlawful entry of a motor vehicle and will appear in Brisbane Magistrates Court on Tuesday. Police are still hunting a man and two women believed to have been with the offender during the carjacking. One of the women is said to be dangerous, with people asked not to approach her. She is also wanted over an attempted carjacking in Cannon Hill last Friday in which her accomplice allegedly produced a tomahawk before the pair fled. Democratic Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila refused to step down at the end of his second and final term in office in December 2016 A planned demonstration against Democratic Republic of Congo's President Joseph Kabila organised by Catholics has been banned a day before it was to take place in the capital, Kinshasa's governor said Saturday. "The city does not have sufficient numbers of police officers to supervise this march," Governor Andre Kimbuta said. "Therefore, I do not recognise the authorisation requested." About 150 Catholic churches had planned to protest in Kinshasa to call on the country to implement a compromise deal signed a year ago aimed at bringing about President Joseph Kabila's belated departure and restore stability in the crisis-hit country. In a letter to the governor, a secular coordinating committee said the agreement signed last New Year's Eve is "the only viable road map" to achieve credible elections in DR Congo. In power since 2001 when he took over from his assassinated father Laurent Kabila, Kabila refused to step down at the end of his second and final term in office in December 2016. He is banned by the constitution from running for a third term, but under the deal with the opposition can remain in office until the next elections, which had been due to take place by the end of 2017. But the date has since been pushed back until December 23, 2018, further heightening tensions. A protest campaign led by the country's opposition has been met with a police crackdown that has led to fatalities and arrests. View of the Hawkesbury River, near the Sydney suburb of Cowan Six people were killed when a seaplane crashed into a river in Australia on Sunday, police said, with the cause of the accident still under investigation. The plane went down in the Hawkesbury River near the suburb of Cowan some 50 kilometres (31 miles) north of Sydney. Police said divers have recovered all six bodies but the identities of those on board have not yet been released. There were unconfirmed reports in Australian media that four of the passengers were British nationals. The British Foreign Office was unable to confirm the reports but said it was in touch with Australian authorities. Acting police Superintendent Michael Gorman told reporters the single-engine aircraft was lying in 13 metres (43 feet) of water. Witness Myles Baptiste told Channel Nine he saw the plane as it crashed. "It made a tight right-hand turn and as it actually turned around, the wings dipped and it nosedived straight into the water," he said. A rescue helicopter spotted debris and an oil slick after the crash. Local media reported that the aircraft was from scenic flight company Sydney Seaplanes. Sydney Seaplanes is popular with celebrities and recent passengers have included Pippa Middleton, sister of the Duchess of Cambridge, and husband James Matthews during their honeymoon in Australia. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau said the aircraft was a DHC-2 Beaver Seaplane on a return flight to Rose Bay in Sydney Harbour. The accident came just hours before Sydney Harbour was set to be lit up in a spectacular fireworks display to welcome in the new year. US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley singles out Iran in New Year's message Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the United Nations, said Sunday Iran's government is "being tested by its own citizens" after three days of protests against the clerical regime. "We pray that freedom and human rights will carry the day," she said in a statement. Haley's comments echoed those of US President Donald Trump, who earlier Sunday said the United States was watching closely for human rights violations. "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," Trump tweeted. Over the past year, Trump has held out Iran as Washington's top adversary in the Middle East, disavowing a 2015 accord that curbed its nuclear program and accusing it of destabilizing activities in the region. At least two people have been killed and dozens arrested since protests broke out Thursday in the city of Masshad and spread to Tehran and other cities. Iran's Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli on Sunday warned that protesters will "pay the price" for disrupting order. Haley singled out Iran in a New Year's message that also denounced "oppressive governments" in North Korea, Venezuela and Cuba. "The long-repressed Iranian people are now finding their voice," she said. "The Iranian government is being tested by its own citizens." President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko has greeted Ukrainians on the upcoming 2018, noting the country's overcoming the crisis that had been lasting for several years due to the war and the transition to development, and also stressed the need to accelerate the growth of the state's economy, which the government should provide. "The government should accelerate the growth rate in the new year. We need to raise the standard of living for the majority of Ukrainians. And we will be able to do it. As president, I will provide the political conditions necessary for the economic growth," the Ukrainian president said in his New Year's Eve message. Poroshenko noted that "albeit not without mistakes", but the country is moving forward, and after several years of crisis, caused by the war, it is changing over to recovery and development. "For all that the country has achieved, many thanks to each of you. This is the result of joint work," he said to his compatriots. Also, he once again congratulated hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians who have already used the "visa-free regime" with the European Union. "Once again, I greet hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians who have already used the visa-free regime. And millions who will take the advantage of it in the future. I congratulate all of us on our resolute and irreversible movement towards Europe. Last year's festive night we only made a wish for the visa-free regime and now it came true," he added. The president conveyed "sincere greetings to our international partners. The United States has just announced a decision to supply modern defensive weapons to us. A step in this direction was made by Canada and other states. The European Union extended sanctions against the aggressor country as well. And the decision of the Stockholm arbitration tribunal was made as if it is a Christmas gift. It protected us from the extremely unfavorable conditions of the gas contract of the ninth year," he said. The president expressed conviction that the main resource of Ukrainians is optimism, faith in their country and in their forces. "Everything will be fine. To realize this, as archbishop Liubomyr Huzar, ex-head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, [who died on May 31, 2017, one of the recognized moral figures of authority of the modern world], instructed, we should pray as if everything depends on God, but to work as if everything depends on us. I wish the citizens of Ukraine and Ukrainians all over the world peace, happiness, and prosperity," Poroshenko said. President Rodrigo Duterte in 2016 said firecracker-related injuries were a 'very serious public health issue' Nearly 200 people were injured during traditionally raucous New Year celebrations in the Philippines despite President Rodrigo Duterte's order limiting the use of firecrackers, the health minister said Monday. The order signed in June restricted the noisy explosives to community fireworks displays in an attempt to curb the bloody merrymaking that leaves scores of Filipinos dead or injured each year. The Philippines is mainly Catholic but the violent New Year festivities draw on ancient superstitions and Chinese traditions, with people firing guns and setting off powerful fireworks in the belief the bangs will drive away bad spirits. Health Secretary Francisco Duque said 191 people were hurt during the 2018 revelry -- down 77 percent compared to the average over the past five years -- but added his department might recommend a total firecracker ban to ensure zero casualties. "We are relatively pleased -- relative because there are still injuries but pleased because of the substantial reduction in fireworks-related injuries," Duque told reporters as he thanked Duterte for issuing the order. Asked how to further minimise injuries, Duque said: "I think the end goal really is to ban fireworks completely." Duterte, 72, won elections in mid-2016 vowing to strictly enforce law and order measures. He has also waged an unprecedented drug war which has claimed thousands of lives and led rights groups to warn he may be orchestrating crimes against humanity. The Philippines is mainly Catholic but the violent New Year festivities draw on ancient superstitions and Chinese traditions The president's June order stated that firecrackers may only be used in areas approved by local governments and under the supervision of trained and licensed people. Duque said most of this year's injuries occurred on the streets of the capital Manila, with illegal matchstick-sized "piccolo" firecrackers remaining the top cause. Among those hurt was an 11-month-old baby, he added. Duterte in 2016 said firecracker-related injuries were a "very serious public health issue", adding he was concerned about children, who make up most of the victims. As Davao mayor, he signed in 2002 an ordinance that banned the manufacture, sale, distribution, possession and use of firecrackers in the city. Duterte's spokesman said on Monday that the president might consider adopting a total firecracker ban nationwide. "He might but there may be a need to amend the law," Harry Roque told AFP. Protesters took part in the annual New Year's Day pro-democracy rally in Hong Kong Angry protesters marched through Hong Kong Monday against what they described as suppression by Beijing, days after Chinese authorities ruled that part of a city rail station would come under mainland law. Demonstrators scuffled with police at the end of the march and some who refused to leave the protest area were carried or escorted out by security guards. Semi-autonomous Hong Kong has been ruled under a "one country, two systems" deal since Britain returned it to China in 1997 and enjoys rights unseen on the mainland, including freedom of speech and an independent judiciary. But a string of recent incidents have fuelled concern over the erosion of its autonomy and rule of law, including the jailing of prominent pro-democracy activists. Campaigner Joshua Wong, who joined thousands of protesters at the march Monday, said suppression by China's Communist Party government had worsened in 2017. Wong, 21, was jailed in August over his role in the Umbrella Movement mass pro-democracy protests of 2014 and is on bail pending an appeal against his six-month sentence. "In 2018, I hope that every Hong Konger can become an avenger, and win back the core values eroded by Beijing," Wong told AFP. Many of the protesters were angry at the so-called "co-location" agreement, which would bring part of a new rail terminus in the heart of Hong Kong under mainland law. The high-speed link to the sprawling southern mainland cities of Shenzhen and Guangzhou is due to open this year, with plans for a joint immigration checkpoint that would see mainland police and other officials based in the Hong Kong terminus. The station is on Hong Kong's famous harbourfront in Kowloon, not on the border with the mainland further to the north. China's top legislative body approved the project last week. The final stage before implementation is a vote by Hong Kong's legislative council, which is weighted towards Beijing. - 'Severe threat' - Pro-democracy lawmakers, campaigners and some in the city's legal community say the plan is a violation of Hong Kong's mini-constitution, the Basic Law, which stipulates national laws do not apply to Hong Kong with a few exceptions. Pro-Beijing supporters held counter protests but were far smaller in number Hong Kong's pro-Beijing government argues the rail set-up is for the convenience of passengers and both local and Chinese authorities insist it does not impinge on the city's autonomy. "I find it ironic that the legally illiterate are explaining what the rule of law is," said office worker Patrick Tang, 48, of Beijing's ruling on the rail link. Teacher Simon Woo, 47, who joined the march with his wife and daughter, said the "survival of Hong Kong is under severe threat", citing the rail terminus agreement as one of the main reasons he was protesting. The march culminated at a forecourt outside the government's headquarters known as Civic Square, a traditional protest area recently reopened to the public after being shut down during the 2014 rallies. Protesters demanded the resignation of current city leader Carrie Lam and there were minor scuffles with police. One demonstrator had his arm in a sling and another was stretchered away. Democracy campaigner Nathan Law, a former lawmaker who was disqualified from the legislature after an intervention from Chinese authorities, said the public would "say no" to Beijing. "Hong Kong people have backbone. Hong Kong people have their own dignity," he told the crowds. The handful of protesters who remained at midnight were escorted out of the square by security, with one man carried out by four guards. Protesters in the Democratic Republic of Congo have been calling for President Joseph Kabila to step down UN chief Antonio Guterres has urged Democratic Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila to abide by an agreement to leave power, after at least eight people died in protests against his rule. Kabila, in power since 2001, signed a deal with opposition groups a year ago agreeing to step down once his current term ends and new elections are held. But violence has swelled in the giant, troubled African nation after the date of the new vote was pushed back to December 2018, prompting fears that Kabila may seek to extend his rule. "The secretary-general urges all Congolese political actors to remain fully committed to the 31 December 2016 political agreement, which remains the only viable path to the holding of elections, the peaceful transfer of power and the consolidation of stability in the DRC," Guterres' office said in a statement late Sunday. Eight people were killed on Sunday and dozens arrested as Congolese security forces cracked down on protesters who defied a government ban to demonstrate in Kinshasa and other cities. Troops fired tear gas into churches and bullets in the air to break up gatherings at Catholic masses, in one case arresting 12 altar boys at a protest in the capital. "The secretary-general calls on the government and national security forces to exercise restraint and to uphold the rights of the Congolese people to the freedom of speech and peaceful assembly," Guterres' statement said. The head of La Francophonie, the world organisation of French-speaking nations, on Monday blasted what she called "unspeakable attacks" against worshippers and other civilians. "Participating in a protest is a fundamental right," secretary general Michaelle Jean said in a statement, urging "free, transparent and credible elections in DRC". DR Congo, rich with mineral wealth but plagued by violence, has not had a peaceful transition of power since independence from Belgium in 1960. Kabila succeeded his assassinated father Laurent Kabila in 2001 and refused to step down at the end of his second and final term in December 2016. Elections had been due to take place by the end of 2017 under a church-mediated deal but were further delayed, and the poll is now scheduled for December 23, 2018. Students scuffle with police at the University of Tehran during a demonstration driven by anger over economic problems in the Iranian capital Tehran on December 30, 2017 Two protesters were shot dead overnight in the large town of Izeh in southwestern Iran, a member of parliament told Iranian media on Monday. "People of Izeh, like some other cities, held a protest against economic problems and unfortunately it led to the killing of two people and injuries to some others," the area's MP, Hedayatollah Khademi, told the ILNA news agency. "I do not know yet whether last night's shooting was by the protesters or by police," he added. Protests broke out in several towns and cities in a fourth night of demonstrations against economic problems. Khademi said people in Izeh, a town of around 200,000 people, had broken the windows of banks as protests continued until around midnight (2030 GMT). "That's why police intervened to restore peace and order," he told ILNA. "The governor said it (the gunfire) was unlikely to be by police as they were not supposed to open fire," he said in a separate interview with the reformist Etamad newspaper. The deaths follow a report by the state broadcaster that two people died in the western town of Dorud overnight when they were hit by a fire engine stolen by protesters. A total of six people have died since protests against economic hardship broke out across the country on Thursday. Iran protests Violent demonstrations have rocked Iran since Thursday last week, leaving more than 20 people dead, with protests that started over the economy turning against the Islamic regime as a whole. The wave of demonstrations that kicked off in the second city Mashhad on December 28 and quickly spread is the biggest in the tightly controlled country since unrest over a disputed election in 2009. Here is a summary: - First demonstrations - A few hundred demonstrators gather in Mashhad and several other towns on December 28 to protest high living costs after a call reportedly goes out on the Telegram social messaging service. Videos on reformist media show protesters focusing their ire on President Hassan Rouhani but there are also slogans lambasting the entire regime and Iran's involvement in conflicts around the Middle East. - Protests spread - The next day larger-scale protests flare up in more cities including the western Kermanshah and key religious centre Qom, where footage shows hundreds of demonstrators chanting "Death to the dictator" and "Free political prisoners". First Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri suggests hardline opponents of Rouhani's government may be behind the demonstrations. The US State Department condemns the arrests and President Donald Trump insists that Iranian authorities "respect their people's rights". - Warnings, violence, marches - On December 30 regime supporters rally around the country for officially sanctioned demonstrations to commemorate the defeat of the 2009 protest movement. Interior Minister Abdolrahman Rahmani Fazli calls on the public to avoid "illegal gatherings" as "they will create problems for themselves". But the protests grow. In Tehran scuffles break out at the city's main university and videos show demonstrators attacking a town hall, overturning a police car and burning the Iranian flag. Unverified footage on social media claims to show thousands marching through the western cities of Khorramabad, Zanjan and Ahvaz. A regional official confirms that two people were killed in clashes in the western town of Dorud during an "illegal protest". - 10 die in one night - On December 31, the authorities issue more warnings and officials say 200 people were arrested during the demonstrations in Tehran and another 80 in Arak, some 300 kilometres (190 miles) away. In a bid to stall further demonstrations, the authorities block access to online messaging services, including Telegram. Rouhani insists people are "absolutely free" to express their anger but "criticism is different to violence and destroying public property." But the unrest continues as videos on social media show demonstrations hitting areas across the country for a fourth night. Iranian media and officials report that 10 people died in protests overnight Sunday into Monday, six following shooting in the western town of Tuyserkan, two shot dead in southwestern Izeh and two more run over by a stolen fire engine in Dorud. In a second statement on January 1, Rouhani plays down the protests as "nothing" and insists that the Iranian people will "respond to rioters and lawbreakers". Trump says it is "time for change" in Iran. As fresh protests break out in Tehran at nightfall Monday, state television announces a policeman had been killed and three others wounded by fire from hunting rifles in the central city of Najafabad. - More deaths, arrests - State television says on January 2 that nine people, including the policeman, were killed in unrest overnight Monday into Tuesday. Six died in the town of Qahderijan, in the central province of Isfahan, where protesters had tried to storm a police station, the state broadcaster reports. A young member of the Revolutionary Guards and a passer-by were also reported dead in towns near the cultural hub of Isfahan city. An official tells local media meanwhile that some 450 people had been arrested in Tehran over the past three days during unrest linked to protests. Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei breaks his silence on the events, saying Iran's "enemies have united and are using all their means" against the regime. Turkey says meanwhile it is "concerned" and warns against any escalation. People stand in line to check their names on the first draft of the National Register of Citizens at Gumi village in Assam state Around 13 million people living in northeastern India's largest state have been left off a controversial draft list of citizens released Monday by authorities, who are under pressure to identify and expel illegal immigrants. Assam has long struggled to curb immigration from neighbouring Bangladesh and is the only Indian state to compile a register of citizens. The latest draft list includes only 19 million of the state's more than 32 million residents. It was prepared on the orders of the Supreme Court, which is hearing a series of claims to Indian citizenship from undocumented residents of the state. But there are also concerns the Assam state government, which is led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), could use the issue to target the state's Muslim minority. Political leaders have vowed to deport anyone staying in the state illegally, although it is far from clear that Bangladesh would accept them. Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal sought Sunday to reassure anyone left off the draft list, saying every "bona fide Indian citizen" would eventually be included. The BJP won elections in the state in 2016 after promising to root out illegal immigrants from mainly Muslim Bangladesh and protect the rights of indigenous groups. Migrants have long been accused of illegally entering the state from Bangladesh and taking land, causing tensions with local people and sporadic outbreaks of communal violence. Anyone living in Assam must now prove that their forebears appeared either in the state's only previous register of citizens, compiled in 1951, or on any electoral roll published before March 1971 to be eligible for citizenship. With millions anxious about their fate, the government strengthened security across the state before releasing the list. Upamanyu Hazarika, a senior lawyer who has campaigned against illegal immigration in the state, said the process of acquiring citizenship had been dogged by corruption. "The Supreme Court will also have to address the complicated fate of children born to Bangladeshi illegals on Indian soil after 1971," he added. US President Donald Trump, shown here at his New Year's Eve party in Florida, says the Iranian people are "hungry" for freedom US President Donald Trump said Monday it was "time for change" in Iran and that the country's people were "hungry" for freedom, after days of deadly protests against the government in Tehran. "Iran is failing at every level despite the terrible deal made with them by the Obama Administration," Trump tweeted, referring to the nuclear pact sealed under his Democratic predecessor Barack Obama. "The great Iranian people have been repressed for many years. They are hungry for food & for freedom. Along with human rights, the wealth of Iran is being looted. TIME FOR CHANGE!" Trump has been vocal on Twitter about the protests in Iran since they erupted last week. "The world is watching!" he said, reposting clips of his speech to the United Nations General Assembly in September. "Oppressive regimes cannot endure forever, and the day will come when the Iranian people will face a choice," he tweeted, quoting from the speech. But Iranian President Hassan Rouhani hit back, saying the US leader -- whose "whole being is against the nation of Iran -- had "no right" to sympathize with protesters. Ten people were killed overnight in Iran, local media reported, bringing the death toll after four days of protests to 12. US President Donald Trump -- pictured here outlining his national security strategy last month -- kicked off 2018 with a tweet sharply critical of Pakistan US President Donald Trump lashed out at Pakistan on Monday in his first tweet of 2018, threatening to cut off aid over what he said were its "lies and deceit" in offering "safe haven to terrorists." The tweet brought a quick and pointed rejoinder from Pakistan, which said it had done much for the United States, helping it to "decimate" Al-Qaeda, while getting only "invective & mistrust" in return. US-Pakistani ties, long contentious, have taken a nosedive under Trump, who in August declared that "Pakistan often gives safe haven to agents of chaos, violence and terror." "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 said in an early-morning tweet. "They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!" The Trump administration told Congress in August it was weighing whether to withhold $255 million in earmarked aid to Islamabad over its failure to crack down more effectively on terror groups in Pakistan. - Haqqani network - Last month, Trump hinted that he could cut off the aid. "We make massive payments every year to Pakistan. They have to help," he said in unveiling his national security strategy. And in late December, Vice President Mike Pence told American troops during a visit to Afghanistan, "President Trump has put Pakistan on notice." Of foremost concern is Islamabad's attitude toward the powerful Haqqani network, accused of some of the most lethal attacks on US forces in Afghanistan and dubbed by America's former top military officer Mike Mullen as a "veritable arm" of Pakistani intelligence. The group was responsible for kidnapping a Canadian-American couple and holding them from 2012 to 2017, when Pakistani forces secured their release in what they said was as a rescue operation but some US officials reportedly described as a "negotiated handover." Trump hailed their return as a clear sign of progress, but his attitude has since hardened. US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis traveled to Pakistan in December to convey Trump's concerns -- his meetings included talks with Pakistan's powerful military chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa Pakistani Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif responded angrily to Trump's tweet, telling Geo television in an Urdu-language interview: "The United States should hold its own people accountable for its failures in Afghanistan." He said all funds from the US had been "properly audited" and that "services (were) rendered." And Defense Minister Khurram Dastgir Khan tweeted that Pakistan "as anti-terror ally has given free to US: land & air communication, military bases & intel cooperation that decimated Al-Qaeda over last 16yrs, but they have given us nothing but invective & mistrust." - 'Agents of chaos' - Islamabad has repeatedly denied the accusations of turning a blind eye to militancy, lambasting the United States for ignoring the thousands who have been killed on its soil and the billions spent fighting extremists. Lisa Curtis, who is the director for South and Central Asia on Trump's National Security Council, co-authored an article with former Pakistani ambassador Husain Haqqani last year which said that the "activities and operations of diverse terror groups on and from Pakistani soil, and the government's failure to rein them in, threaten vital US national security interests in the region." They added that "Pakistani authorities -- specifically the country's military leaders, who control its foreign and security policies -- need to take a comprehensive approach to shutting down all Islamist militant groups that operate from Pakistani territory, not just those that attack the Pakistani state." Trump first signaled that the US was reassessing its fractious relations with Pakistan in August, when he accused Islamabad of harboring "agents of chaos." The remarks triggered a series of high-level diplomatic meetings in the US and Pakistan, but Islamabad has given few signs of concessions. After the September 11, 2001 terror attacks in the United States, Washington forged a strategic alliance with Islamabad to help in its fight against extremists. But US leaders have often complained that Pakistan, which once supported the Taliban, has done too little to help. Palestinian Authority President Mahmud Abbas sits in front of a picture of the Dome of the Rock mosque in Jerusalem's Old City during a meeting of the Palestinian leadership in the West Bank city of Ramallah on December 18, 2017 Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas on Monday harshly condemned a vote by Israel's ruling party in support of annexing large parts of the West Bank and criticised the United States for its silence. Abbas said the non-binding vote by the central committee of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party on Sunday "could not be taken without the full support of the US administration". He said in a statement that the White House "has refused to condemn Israeli colonial settlements as well as the systematic attacks and crimes of the Israeli occupation against the people of Palestine". "We hope that this vote serves as a reminder for the international community that the Israeli government, with the full support of the US administration, is not interested in a just and lasting peace," Abbas said. "Rather its main goal is the consolidation of an apartheid regime in all of historic Palestine." The Likud central committee backed a resolution urging Israel to extend sovereignty over all settlement areas in the West Bank and called for unlimited settlement construction. Netanyahu, who is a member of the central committee, was not present for the vote. Taking such a measure could effectively end hopes for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as there would be little area left for a Palestinian state. But a significant number of members of Netanyahu's right-wing coalition say that is precisely what they are seeking and openly oppose a Palestinian state. The prime minister says he still supports a two-state solution with the Palestinians, although he has also pushed for Jewish settlement expansion in the West Bank, which has been under Israeli occupation for more than 50 years. Palestinian anger at the US is already high after President Donald Trump last month tore up decades of careful policy to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. On Sunday, the Palestinian Authority announced it was recalling its envoy to Washington, Husam Zomlot, for consultations amid anger over Trump's declaration. In a later statement, it said it was making the move "to review the United Nations' General Assembly decision to reject" Trumps move on Jerusalem. Defying Trump's threat to cut off funding, the United Nations approved by a resounding vote on December 21 a motion rejecting his recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. Zomlot is due to return to Washington "after the holidays," official Palestinian news agency WAFA said. Iranian students protest at the University of Tehran during a demonstration in the capital Tehran on December 30, 2017 The Gulf state of Bahrain on Monday called on its citizens not to travel to Iran "under any circumstances" because of street protests there. In a statement on Twitter, the foreign ministry also urged any Bahrainis in the Islamic republic to leave immediately. It cautioned that Iran was seeing "large-scale disturbances and an unstable security situation" as well as "grave acts of violence". Shiite Muslims, the majority in the small kingdom of Bahrain, generally travel to Iran for religious reasons. Relations between the Sunni-ruled monarchy and Shiite Iran are strained over allegations by Manama that Tehran interferes in its internal affairs. Bahrain is the first Gulf Arab state to issue a travel warning for Iran where 10 people were killed overnight in the worst street violence so far since protests broke out on Thursday. The Armed Forces of Ukraine in 2017 became stronger, improved their tactical position in the zone of carrying out the Anti-Terrorist operation (ATO) in Donbas, and the material and social security of Ukrainian servicemen increased, Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak has said. "Year of 2017 was full of valor and self-sacrifice. Our army demonstrated it daily, defending state sovereignty and Ukrainian lands from the aggressor. We did not take a single step back, despite the provocations of the enemy. The armed forces became stronger and more confident in the Ukrainian victory. This confidence gives strength and inspiration in what we are doing," Poltorak wrote in his New Year's greetings, published on his personal Facebook page on Sunday. According to the minister, such significant results were achieved thanks to the support of the entire people of Ukraine. "Our army greatly improved its tactical position, we learned how to generate and carry out strategic things," Poltorak said. He stressed that the main tasks set in the Strategic Defense Bulletin for 2017 were successfully implemented. "Ukraine has a contract army that annually receives better funding, logistics and high social standards. We have learned to rationally use the resources that the state provides," the defense minister said. According to Poltorak, the ongoing defense reform testifies not only to sound ambitions, but also to the ability to respond to challenges and fulfill long-term plans. The reform received the necessary pace of implementation and became irreversible, and the Armed Forces received broad and practical support among Ukraine's partners in the world. "The reborn army is reviving the Ukrainian state, which is a key formula," the minister said. "So, dear Ukrainians, I congratulate all of you with the new 2018 and Merry Christmas! With a particularly warm welcome, I appeal to the servicemen who, at the front lines, among the snow-covered trenches, restrain the aggressor at the borders of peaceful civilization. I appeal to my compatriots: remember, think and pray for our defenders, to whom I sincerely wish to return to their native cities and families alive and uninjured! I sincerely congratulate all on the holidays and wish you happiness, good health, God's support and victory!" Poltorak said. A candlelight vigil for victims of gun violence was held last month in a church in Washington, one of three major US cities to see its homicide rate fall last year New York, Chicago and Washington all experienced significant declines in homicides in 2017, though the murder rate rose in Baltimore, Maryland amid drug problems and lingering racial tensions. And while its number of murders was down, Washington saw some particularly brutal killings, including a gruesome decapitation blamed on a gang, and authorities in every city said they still had much work to do. The homicide decline was dramatic in New York, which experienced 2,245 killings as recently as 1990 but just 286 in 2017 as of December 27, according to the New York Times. That was down from 334 in 2016 and represented the city's lowest number of murders since the 1950s. Every major category of crime declined there, from rape to car theft, the Times reported. Indeed, violent crime in the city has declined for 27 straight years. Chicago, which in 2016 suffered through its deadliest year in two decades with 754 killings, saw its murder total drop last year to 650, the largest year-to-year decline since 2004, the Chicago Tribune reported. Anti-police sentiment there fueled a surge in violence after the 2016 release of a video showing a white police officer fatally shooting a black teenager. President Donald Trump has repeatedly castigated Chicago authorities for letting violence run "out of control." But police superintendent Eddie Johnson told the Tribune that new technology and tactics, the hiring of 1,000 additional police officers, and efforts to improve police-community relations had helped lower total shootings. Arrests for gun crimes were up by 27 percent. - 'To build on the progress' - "None of us are satisfied," Johnson said in a statement, promising in 2018 to "build on the progress we made last year." Homicides fell in Washington from 135 in 2016 to 116 in 2017. That returns the city to a level seen before a spike two years ago. Mayor Muriel Bowser said her city had stepped up efforts to mediate disputes and prevent retaliation after shootings, while working with non-police agencies to help calm neighborhoods. But there have been some vicious killings of area teens. One boy was shot in an apparent robbery of his Air Jordan sneakers; a 17-year-old girl was fatally attacked by a stranger as she walked to a mosque during Ramadan; and a teen in suburban Maryland was brutally stabbed and decapitated, allegedly by members of the MS-13 gang. And Baltimore, which experienced violent riots after the 2015 death of 25-year-old Freddie Gray while in police custody, had at least 343 homicides last year, up from 318 killings the year before, the Baltimore Sun reported. That left the drug-plagued city of 620,000 with more murders last year -- per capita -- than New York experienced with its 8.4 million residents. WASHINGTON (AP) - In the first month of Donald Trump's presidency, an American scholar quietly met with North Korean officials and relayed a message: The new administration in Washington appreciated an extended halt in the North's nuclear and ballistic missile tests. It might just offer a ray of hope. North Korean officials responded defiantly. The nearly four-month period of quiet wasn't a sign of conciliation, they retorted, insisting supreme leader Kim Jong Un would order tests whenever he wanted. As if to ram the point home, North Korea only two days later launched a new type of medium-range missile that ended Trump's brief honeymoon. The February launch heralded a year of escalating tensions that have left the U.S. and North Korea closer to hostilities than at any time since the Korean War ended in 1953. The North is now at the brink of realizing its decades-old goal of being able to strike anywhere in America with a nuclear weapon. And two leaders untested in the delicate diplomacy of deterrence have exchanged personal insults and warned of the other nation's annihilation. In this Sunday, Feb. 12, 2017, file photo distributed on Monday, Feb. 13, 2017, by the North Korean government, the Pukguksong-2 is launched at an undisclosed location in North Korea. In the first month of Donald Trump's presidency, an American foreign policy scholar quietly met with North Korean officials and relayed a message: the new administration in Washington appreciated an extended halt in the North's nuclear and ballistic missile tests. It might just offer a ray of hope. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP, File) "Pyongyang and Washington are caught in a vicious cycle of action and reaction," Korea expert Duyeon Kim wrote in the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists. "If nothing happens to break the cycle, it will continue until one side either stands down, which is very unlikely, or, far worse, takes military action." The exchanges at the unofficial U.S.-North Korean talks 10 months ago hadn't been reported before. They were recounted to The Associated Press by a participant who requested anonymity to describe them. No U.S. government officials took part. Although North Korea at that time signaled interest in talks with Washington, its uncompromising position made plain the challenges Trump faced as he entered the White House, promising to sort out the North Korean "mess" he inherited. It also underscored how much difficulty the U.S. has experienced gauging the North's thinking. Before his inauguration, Trump blithely tweeted about the prospect of Kim having a nuclear-tipped missile that could strike America: - "It won't happen!" Almost a year later, and after an onslaught of new economic sanctions and U.S. military threats, the nuclear menace from Pyongyang is far worse. And U.S. strategy is muddled. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson recently offered unconditional talks with North Korea only to be quickly shot down by the White House, where not only Trump has talked up the possibility of military confrontation. National security adviser H.R. McMaster also has warned the potential for war is "increasing every day." Shortly before Christmas, the administration unveiled a new security strategy that offered few answers. It vaguely spoke of "improving options" to get the inscrutable North to abandon its nuclear weapons. By the administration's own admission, its official North Korea policy of "maximum pressure and engagement" hasn't to date included significant engagement. "The White House and the secretary of state seem unable to coordinate on even the most basic elements of a common strategy," wrote Stephan Haggard, a North Korea expert at the University of California, San Diego. The U.S. has scored successes in its international pressure on North Korea. It has won cooperation from the North's traditional backers such as China and Russia on restrictions that have put new strains on an economy Kim has promised to modernize in his half-decade as leader. The U.S. also says more than 20 countries have curtailed diplomatic ties with Pyongyang. But Trump this past week strongly criticized China for still allowing oil supplies to North Korea, highlighting the likely limits on Beijing's willingness to put the squeeze on its unpredictable neighbor. So far, pressure hasn't accomplished the stated goal: forcing the North to abandon its nuclear weapons program or, at least, to enter negotiations over such a possibility. Kim has remained focused on developing a nuclear arsenal he views as guaranteeing regime survival. And his program advanced leaps and bounds during 2017. After a rash of failed missile tests last year, North Korea has conducted more than 20 missile launches since Trump came to office. It also tested what it described as a hydrogen bomb - an underground blast so big it registered as a 6.3 magnitude earthquake. Then in late November, it test-fired a new intercontinental missile in the clearest demonstration yet that all of America was within its striking range. Trump has compounded the world's sense of alarm. While he has presented his own threats as proof of an America that won't be intimidated, critics at home and abroad have argued that he has elevated the risk of nuclear conflict through his personal insults to Kim. Trump has called Kim "short and fat" and "a sick puppy." At the U.N. in September, he lampooned Kim as "Rocket Man ... on a suicide mission for himself and for his regime." Kim replied by calling Trump "mentally deranged" and a "dotard." North Korea's foreign minister then warned of a possible atmospheric nuclear test - done by no nation since 1980. Diplomacy isn't dead, however. The Trump administration was quick to restore a back channel for talks between the State Department and North Korea that disappeared in President Barack Obama's final months. The U.S. envoy on North Korea, Joseph Yun, secretly met North Korean officials in Oslo in May to press for the release of Americans imprisoned in Pyongyang. Various officials have said that meeting could have augured more substantive U.S.-North Korean talks. But the only release was college student Otto Warmbier, who had suffered brain damage in detention and died days after his return. Warmbier's shocking condition ended any hopes of a thaw. Trump tweeted angrily and Pyongyang promptly stepped up its weapons tests. As 2018 beckons, the question now is whether the North will conduct more tests until it can confidently deploy its new long-range missile, and whether it will detonate a nuclear weapon over the Pacific to demonstrate once and for all its capabilities. That would dramatically increase the chances of war. The Trump administration sees the time for diplomacy shrinking. Tillerson said in December he hopes sanctions get North Korea to negotiate. "Otherwise, we wouldn't need to do this," Tillerson said of all the pressure. "We'd just go straight to the military option." LONDON (AP) - Chelsea left Eden Hazard on the bench and still overwhelmed Stoke in a 5-0 win in the Premier League on Saturday, with the first three goals coming in the opening 23 minutes. Goals by Antonio Rudiger, Danny Drinkwater - with a thumping shot from the edge of the area - and Pedro Rodriguez put Chelsea in charge at Stamford Bridge. Willian converted a penalty to make it 4-0 before Davide Zappacosta completed the rout with a strike from outside the area. Chelsea's Davide Zappacosta celebrates after scoring his side's 5th goal during their English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Stoke City in London, Saturday, Dec. 30, 2017. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant) Stoke had already lost 4-0 at home to Chelsea this season and, with defensive injuries weakening the squad, seemed resigned to defeat before kickoff as under-pressure manager Mark Hughes left many of his best players - like Xherdan Shaqiri and Joe Allen - out of the lineup. Monday's game against another struggling team in Newcastle was clearly in Hughes' thoughts, but it meant Chelsea was likely to have it easy despite leaving Hazard out of the team. Stoke has conceded a league-high 46 goals. Rudiger headed in Willian's cross for the first goal in the third minute before Drinkwater scored his first goal for Chelsea by firing a rising shot into the top corner after Pedro's cross was deflected out. Willian set up Pedro for the third, and was tripped to earn a penalty in the 74th - soon after Alvaro Morata was substituted. The Brazilian found the corner of the net, and Zappacosta - a second-half substitute - also notched his maiden Chelsea goal for the last goal in the 88th. Chelsea moved 13 points behind leader Manchester City, which plays Crystal Palace on Sunday. Chelsea's Willian, left, celebrates with teammate Gary Cahill after scoring his side's 4th goal from the penalty spot during their English Premier League soccer match between Chelsea and Stoke City in London, Saturday, Dec. 30, 2017. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant) SYDNEY (AP) - A seaplane crashed into a river in Sydney on Sunday afternoon, killing all six people on board, officials said. The plane was carrying five passengers and a pilot when it crashed into the Hawkesbury River. Police divers recovered the bodies of all six victims a few hours later, New South Wales police said. The cause of the crash was not immediately clear. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau said it would investigate the incident. This image made from a video, shows search and rescue teams on back of boats in Hawkesbury River, New South Wales, Australia Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017. A seaplane crashed into the river in Sydney on Sunday afternoon, officials said. (Australian Media Pool via AP) The aircraft belonged to Sydney Seaplanes, which has been offering passengers the chance to see some of Sydney's most popular sights for 80 years, according to the company's website. MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) - Top-ranked Rafael Nadal will make his return from injury in the Tie Break Tens event in Melbourne on Jan. 10. Nadal previously withdrew from the Brisbane International and Fast4 event in Sydney while recovering from a knee injury. Organizers said Nadal will join Novak Djokovic and Stan Wawrinka among a field of eight players in the Melbourne knockout tournament which has a winner-take-all purse of $250,000. In Tie Break 10s, the winner is the first player to reach 10 points with a two-point margin in a super tiebreaker. Nadal said "Tie Break Tens is a great concept and we will see and play some exciting matches. The field is fantastic and I expect some tough competition which will be great for the Aussie fans." DETROIT (AP) - When Gustav Nyquist scored a career-low 12 goals for the Red Wings last season, coach Jeff Blashill downplayed his concern, insisting that Nyquist was a playmaker who'd been miscast early in his career as a potent goal scorer. This season, Nyquist is casting doubt on his coach's analysis. Nyquist scored twice, Jimmy Howard made 37 saves and Detroit beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-1 on Sunday night. Nyquist now has 12 goals this season after only getting four by New Year's Day last season. Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Matt Murray (30) drinks as Detroit Red Wings congratulate center Frans Nielsen (51), of Denmark, after he scored a goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Detroit, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez) Nyquist, who scored 28 goals in 2013-14 and 27 in 2014-15 but netted just 29 over the next two seasons, can't explain why the puck is suddenly going in for him again. "Obviously last year I didn't score as much as I would have liked to," Nyquist said. "It's hard to put a finger on it but it's nice to see them go in right now." His coach thinks he knows the answer. "I think Nyquist's compete level has been excellent all season long," Blashill said. "If he continues to do that, he's going to have a great offensive year when it's all said and done." Dylan Larkin and Frans Nielsen also scored for Detroit. Evgeni Malkin got his fifth goal in seven games for the Penguins. Nyquist gave the Wings the lead 11:31 into the opening period. Captain Henrik Zetterberg fed a cross-ice pass to Nyquist in the middle of the Pittsburgh zone, and Nyquist used Pittsburgh defenseman Frank Corrado as a screen to fire a high shot past Matt Murray on the glove side. Larkin added to Detroit's advantage just 59 seconds into the second. He burst down the right wing past Malkin and tucked the puck past Murray as he cut across the front of the net. The Penguins got on the board with a power-play goal at 8:04 of the second. Howard made a spectacular glove stop Malkin's shot, but a video review determined that his glove was across the goal line when he caught the puck. Sunday's loss was the sixth time in nine games the Penguins were held to two goals or fewer. "We created plenty of chances, but nothing would go in," Penguins captain Sidney Crosby said. "That's the way things have been for us lately, and it is disappointing because we're working hard and doing the right stuff, but we're not getting anything in return." Detroit went up 3-1 at 15:18 of the second. Nielsen skated down the left wing and faked a slap shot. When Murray bit on the fake, Nielsen slid the puck along the ice under Murray's right pad. Nyquist added his second at 16:34 of the third period. Murray stopped Tyler Bertuzzi's shot, but Nyquist was on the doorstep to slide in the rebound for his 100th NHL goal. Murray finished with 19 saves. NOTES: Former Red Wings C Riley Sheahan played his first game in Detroit since he was traded to the Penguins on Oct. 21. "They've been great to me, everybody in the organization has been great to me," Sheahan said of his time with the Wings. "It's good seeing some old faces and catching up with them." ... RW Anthony Mantha (groin), who leads the Wings with 13 goals, participated in the morning skate but missed his second straight game. UP NEXT Penguins: Conclude a three-game trip at Philadelphia on Tuesday night. Red Wings: Host Ottawa on Wednesday night in the third game of a five-game homestand. ___ More AP hockey: https://apnews.com/tag/NHLhockey Detroit Red Wings goaltender Jimmy Howard (35) watches Pittsburgh Penguins center Riley Sheahan (15) during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Detroit, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez) Detroit Red Wings defenseman Trevor Daley (83) keeps the puck away from Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Patric Hornqvist (72), of Sweden, during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Detroit, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez) PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) - The glamour of his holiday break behind him, President Donald Trump is returning to Washington to face a hefty legislative to-do list, critical midterm elections and perilous threats abroad. Trump is starting his second year in office after a lengthy sojourn at his private Palm Beach club, capped by a New Year's Eve bash. Before his departure, he fired angry tweets at Iran and Pakistan, slamming Islamabad for "lies & deceit" and saying the country had played U.S. leaders for "fools," a reference to frustrations that Pakistan isn't doing enough to control militants. Pakistani Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif tweeted that his government was preparing a response that "will let the world know the truth." President Donald Trump arrives for a New Year's Eve gala at his Mar-a-Lago resort with first lady Melania Trump and their son Barron, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Meantime North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said Monday the United States should be aware that his country's nuclear forces are now a reality, not a future threat. To that, Trump only said: "We'll see." The president is hoping for more legislative achievements after his pre-Christmas success on taxes. He plans to host Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wisconsin at Camp David next weekend to map out the 2018 legislative agenda. Republicans are eager to make progress before attention shifts to the midterm elections. The GOP wants to hold House and Senate majorities in 2018, but must contend with Trump's historic unpopularity and some recent Democratic wins. The president concluded 2017 with his first major legislative achievement - a law to cut taxes, beginning this year, for corporations and individuals at an estimated cost of $1.5 trillion added to the national debt over 10 years. The tax overhaul also will end the requirement, in 2019, that all Americans buy health insurance or pay a fine. That's a key component of the Obama-era health law that that Republicans have been unable to repeal; other features of the law remain intact. The White House has said Trump will come forward with his long-awaited infrastructure plan in January. Trump has also said he wants to overhaul welfare and recently predicted Democrats and Republicans will "eventually come together" to develop a new health care plan. Ryan has talked about overhauling Medicaid and Medicare and other safety-net programs, but McConnell has signaled an unwillingness to go that route unless there's Democratic support for any changes. Republicans will have just a 51-49 Senate majority - well shy of the 60 votes needed to pass most bills - giving leverage to Democrats. Congress also has to deal with a backlog from 2017. It must agree on a spending bill by Jan. 19 to avert a partial government shutdown. Lawmakers also have unfinished business on additional aid to for hurricane victims, lifting the debt ceiling, extending a children's health insurance program and extending protections for immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children. Trump has said he wants money for a border wall in exchange for protecting those immigrants. Trump spent his last day in Florida as he spent most other days - visiting his golf course and tweeting. On Pakistan, he said: "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!" It was not immediately clear why the president decided to comment on Pakistan. The U.S. has long accused Islamabad of allowing militants to operate relatively freely in Pakistan's border regions to carry out operations in neighboring Afghanistan. In August, the United States said it would hold up $255 million in military assistance for Pakistan until it cracks down on extremists threatening Afghanistan. On Iran, Trump kept up his drumbeat in support of widespread anti-government protests there. He tweeted Monday that Iran is "failing at every level" and it is "TIME FOR CHANGE." While some Iranians have shared Trump's tweets, many distrust him as he's refused to re-certify the nuclear deal that eased sanctions on the country and because his travel bans have blocked Iranians from getting U.S. visas. President Donald Trump speaks with reporters as he arrives for a New Year's Eve gala at his Mar-a-Lago resort, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump, and their son Barron arrive for a New Year's Eve gala at his Mar-a-Lago resort Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Eric Trump and his wife Lara Trump arrive for a New Year's Eve gala at Mar-a-Lago resort, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump arrive with daughter Arabella Kushner and son Joseph Kushner for a New Year's Eve gala at Mar-a-Lago, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) DENVER (AP) - A man who shot and killed a Colorado deputy and wounded four others along with two civilians was an attorney and an Iraq war veteran who had posted videos online in recent months criticizing professors and law enforcement officials, authorities said Monday. Shooter Matthew Riehl, 37, died Sunday during what officials called an ambush at his apartment building in Highlands Ranch, 16 miles (28 kilometers) south of Denver. Authorities say Riehl fired more than 100 rounds in his apartment before he was killed by a SWAT team. Officer Sean R. Bigler reacts during a candlelight vigil at Mission Hills Church on Monday, Jan. 1, 2018, for Deputy Zackari Parrish, 29, in Littleton, Colorado. A man who shot and killed the Colorado deputy and wounded several others along with a few civilians was an attorney and an Iraq war veteran who had posted videos online in recent months criticizing professors and law enforcement officials, authorities said Monday. (Dougal Brownlie/The Gazette via AP) Douglas County Deputy Zackari Parrish was killed. Authorities had been contacted with concerns about Riehl's mental health over a month before the violence Sunday, however Riehl was never held for mental evaluation. Wyoming College of Law students had been warned about Riehl, a former student, because of the social media posts critical of professors at the school in Laramie, reported KTWO-AM in Casper, Wyoming. A Nov. 6 email from Assistant College of Law Dean Lindsay Hoyt told students to notify campus police if they saw Riehl or his car near campus. In addition, security on campus was increased for several days. Campus officers called police in Lone Tree, Colorado, in mid-November to warn them about Riehl, suggesting his rants were indicative of mental illness, UW Police Chief Mike Samp told The Denver Post. Samp said it's possible that Colorado authorities faced the same issue as Wyoming officials when an apparently mentally ill, dangerous person makes indirect threats. "Wyoming statutes are pretty clear: If someone is not making an immediate threat, they cannot be held for a mental evaluation. They are very tough cases," Samp said. Riehl had posted videos criticizing Colorado law enforcement officers in profane, highly personal terms. Early Sunday, authorities responded to a complaint of a verbal disturbance involving two men at an apartment. A caller said Riehl was acting bizarre and might be having a mental breakdown, but responding deputies found no evidence of a crime and left. When deputies were called back to the scene, a man who had left gave them a key and granted permission to enter the apartment. All of the wounded victims except Deputy Jeff Pelle, 32, have been treated at hospitals and released. The son of Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle was in fair condition. A candlelight vigil for Parrish was set Monday evening at Mission Hills Community Church in Littleton, Colorado - the church he attended with his wife and two young daughters. "I've heard from so many different people that he just loved his community and being a police officer," Mission Hills Pastor Craig Smith told KDVR-TV. "Zack didn't see law enforcement as a job. He saw it as a calling, as a way to serve his community and a blessing." This undated photo released by the Douglas County Sheriff's Office shows Matthew Riehl. The 37-year-old man was shot to death Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017, after shooting at the deputies, killing one. Authorities in suburban Denver are investigating what led Riehl to fire more than 100 rounds in his apartment on sheriff's deputies. (Douglas County Sheriff via AP) Sheriff's deputies remove a spotlight, Monday, Jan. 1, 2018, used to help investigators processing evidence at an apartment where Matthew Riehl allegedly fatally shot Douglas County Sheriff's Deputy Zackari Parrish and wounded six others in the Denver suburb of Highlands Ranch, on Sunday. (AP Photo/Colleen Slevin) The outside of a suburban Denver apartment building where authorities said Matthew Riehl fatally shot Douglas County Sheriff's Deputy Zackari Parrish is shown riddled with bullet holes, Monday, Jan. 1, 2018, in Highlands Ranch, Colo. Officials say more than 100 rounds were fired during the course of the New Year's Eve shooting, which also wounded four other officers and two residents. (AP Photo/Colleen Slevin) Jesus Olivas takes a moment to look at a police cruiser that served as a makeshift memorial for Deputy Zackari Parrish, 29, on Monday Jan. 1, 2018 at the Douglas Country Sheriff Substation in Highlands Ranch, Colo. Parrish who lost his life after a barricaded suspect opened fire at an apartment complex in a Denver suburb, the Douglas County Sheriff said Sunday. (Dougal Brownlie/The Gazette via AP) Elizabeth police officer Sean Bigler, middle, gets a hug from a fellow officer during a candle light vigil for their friend and fellow officer Douglas County deputy Zackari Parrish at Mission Hills Church in Littleton, Colo., Monday, Jan. 1, 2018. A man who shot and killed the Colorado deputy and wounded several others along with a few civilians was an attorney and an Iraq war veteran who had posted videos online in recent months criticizing professors and law enforcement officials, authorities said Monday. (Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post via AP) Gracie Parrish, center, holds a candle for her late husband Zackari Parrish, a Douglas County deputy, at Mission Hills Church in Littleton, Colo., Monday, Jan. 1, 2018. A man who shot and killed the Colorado deputy and wounded several others along with a few civilians was an attorney and an Iraq war veteran who had posted videos online in recent months criticizing professors and law enforcement officials, authorities said Monday. (Dougal Brownlie/The Gazette via AP) Gracie Zacakri, left, is embraced by her small group as family, friends, and community attended a remembrance and candlelight vigil for Deputy Zackari Parrish at Mission Hills Church in Littleton, Colo., Monday, Jan. 1, 2018. A man who shot and killed the Colorado deputy and wounded several others along with a few civilians was an attorney and an Iraq war veteran who had posted videos online in recent months criticizing professors and law enforcement officials, authorities said Monday. (Dougal Brownlie/The Gazette via AP) With flags at half staff, Maribeth Forst, with her dog Max, stands near a makeshift memorial on a police cruiser for the victims of what authorities describe as an ambush Monday, Jan. 1, 2018, at the Douglas Country Sheriff Substation in Highlands Ranch, Colo. A sheriff's deputy was killed and other deputies were shot while responding to a call at an apartment complex early Sunday. (Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post via AP) A memorial is seen on a police cruiser for the victims of what authorities describe as an ambush Monday, Jan. 1, 2018, at the Douglas Country Sheriff Substation in Highlands Ranch, Colo. A sheriff's deputy was killed and other deputies were shot while responding to a call at an apartment complex early Sunday. (Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post via AP) Tributes to a sheriff's deputy killed in a shootout are seen outside a Douglas County, Colo., Sheriffs Department substation Monday, Jan. 1, 2018, in Highlands Ranch, Colo. A few deputies were shot, one fatally, while responding to a call at a nearby apartment complex early Sunday. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) An unidentified woman looks away from a memorial that covers a patrol vehicle parked outside a Douglas County, Colo., Sheriffs Department substation Monday, Jan. 1, 2018, in Highlands Ranch, Colo. A sheriff's deputy was killed and other deputies were shot while responding to a call at a nearby apartment complex early Sunday. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) People embrace after leaving flowers on a police cruiser for the victims of what authorities describe as an ambush Monday, Jan. 1, 2018, at the Douglas Country Sheriff Substation in Highlands Ranch, Colo. A sheriff's deputy was killed and other deputies were shot while responding to a call at an apartment complex early Sunday. (Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post via AP) Tributes to a deputy killed in a shootout cover a patrol vehicle parked outside a Douglas County, Colo., Sheriffs Department substation Monday, Jan. 1, 2018, in Highlands Ranch, Colo. The deputy was killed and four other deputies were shot while responding to a call at a nearby apartment complex early Sunday. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) Tributes to a deputy killed in a shootout cover a patrol vehicle parked outside a Douglas County, Colo., Sheriffs Department substation Monday, Jan. 1, 2018, in Highlands Ranch, Colo. The deputy was killed and four other deputies were shot while responding to a call at a nearby apartment complex early Sunday. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) VATICAN CITY (AP) - Pope Francis on Monday recommended jettisoning life's "useless baggage" in 2018, including what he called "empty chatter" and banal consumerism, and focusing instead on building a peaceful and welcoming world, particularly for refugees and migrants. Francis offered his reflections on paring down non-essentials as he celebrated New Year's Day Mass Monday in St. Peter's Basilica and later greeted some 40,000 people in St. Peter's Square. His advice included setting aside a moment of silence daily to be with God. Doing so would help "keep our freedom from being corroded by the banality of consumerism, the blare of commercials, the stream of empty words and the overpowering waves of empty chatter and loud shouting," Francis said. Pope Francis celebrates a new year's Mass in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Monday, Jan. 1, 2018. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) "At the beginning of the year, we too, as Christians on our pilgrim way, feel the need to set out anew from the center, to leave behind the burdens of the past and to start over from the things that really matter," he said. The Catholic church designates Jan. 1 as World Peace Day, and in his comments after Mass to the crowd in the square outside the basilica, Francis noted that this year's focus of the day was the search for peace by migrants and refugees. "I desire, yet again, to speak for these our brothers and sisters who invoke for their future a horizon of peace," Francis said. "For this peace, which is the right of everyone, many of them are willing to risk their life in a voyage that is in the great majority of cases long and dangerous, willing to face hardships and suffering," the pontiff said. In the past few years, hundreds of thousands of migrants have crossed the Mediterranean from northern Africa in human traffickers' unseaworthy boats, desperate to reach European shores. The pope's foreign travels in 2017 included a voyage to Myanmar and Bangladesh, where the suffering of minority Rohingya Muslims, who have fled from the first country to take refuge in the second, was a central concern of his pilgrimage. Francis in his appeal Monday said of refugees and migrants: "Let us not extinguish the hope in their hearts. Let us not suffocate their expectations for peace." He called for all to make commitments "to assure the refugees, the migrants, everyone, a future of peace." The pope then prayed that people "work in this new year with generosity to realize a world that is more united and welcoming." ___ Frances D'Emilio is on twitter at www.twitter.com/fdemilio Pope Francis celebrates a new year's Mass in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Monday, Jan. 1, 2018. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) Pope Francis celebrates a new year's Mass in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Monday, Jan. 1, 2018. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) Prelates attend a new year's Mass celebrated by Pope Francis in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Monday, Jan. 1, 2018. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) Pope Francis celebrates a new year's Mass in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Monday, Jan. 1, 2018. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) Pope Francis celebrates a new year's Mass in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Monday, Jan. 1, 2018. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) Pope Francis shows the Holy Book as he celebrates a new year's Mass in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Monday, Jan. 1, 2018. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) Pope Francis stands in front of a statue of the Virgin Mary as he celebrates a new year's Mass in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Monday, Jan. 1, 2018. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) Pope Francis celebrates a new year's Mass in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Monday, Jan. 1, 2018. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) Pope Francis celebrates a new year's Mass in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Monday, Jan. 1, 2018. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) Pope Francis is helped wearing his mitre as he celebrates a new year's Mass in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Monday, Jan. 1, 2018. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) JERUSALEM (AP) - The ruling Likud Party's central committee has unanimously endorsed a resolution calling for the annexation of Israeli West Bank settlements. Although the committee is only an advisory body, its decisions reflect the prevailing opinions in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's party. Several leading politicians, including lawmakers and Cabinet ministers, joined Sunday night's vote to "impose Israeli law on all liberated areas of settlement in Judea and Samaria." Netanyahu remained silent. Most of the international community considers Israel's West Bank settlements, built on land captured in the 1967 Mideast war, illegal. The Palestinians called the vote "an outrageous violation" of international resolutions. The vote followed President Donald Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital - a move that has drawn heavy international criticism. A woman harvests green peppers in Houshawa Village of Xinhe county, North China's Hebei province, Nov 5, 2017. Vegetable cooperatives were built in Houshawa Village in recent years, bringing more than 370 households out of poverty. [Photo/Xinhua] Experts believe China's economic priorities in the next three years will help promote Chinese people's well-being as well as sustain a healthy growth. China's recently concluded tone-setting Central Economic Work Conference has prioritized major risk prevention, targeted poverty alleviation and pollution control in 2018-2020 for high-quality growth in China. Among the "three tough battles" ahead, averting financial risks is a major focus expected to back China's economic transformation, with the role of the market to be highlighted in efforts to reduce financial leverage. Brendan Ahern, chief investment officer of the US Krane Funds Advisors, believed that Chinese policymakers are capable of preventing the potential financial risks from becoming crises. "I believe the surprise of 2018 will be China's navigation of these potential risks prior to them becoming crises," he said, while commending China's measures already in place as "preemptive." "Over the last year we have witnessed increased attention and policies taking a proactive approach to addressing potential risks," he said. In their December reports, both the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank have noted the potential risk in China's financial system as well as China's concern and precautions regarding the risk. Improving financial regulation is an effective means to defuse systematic risks, said Goldman Sachs analyst Joshua Lu. "Improving regulation in addition to reducing financial leverage will be rewarded in the long term after short-term pains to players in the arena," Lu said, adding that proper regulation and communication will help enable China's banking sector to endure the necessary pains. As the world's second-largest economy, China has not denied its poor opportunities and benefits from growth. Making targeted poverty alleviation a priority in the near future is in line with its goal of eradicating extreme poverty by 2020. Official data showed that in the past four years, China cut its rural poverty-stricken population by 55.6 million, or an annual average of 13.9 million. It is an international consensus that China has made a remarkable contribution to the global fight against poverty, being a role model for other developing countries. Zheng Yongnian, director of the East Asian Institute of the National University of Singapore, said, "Targeted poverty alleviation will help eradicate extreme poverty in China, reinforcing social stability. Growth and stability will help China exert a positive influence on the world." As a responsible and responsive major country, continued efforts in pollution control manifest China's commitment to the Paris Agreement on climate change as well as to a green and innovative growth. Constantinos Filis, research director at the Athens-based Institute of International Relations, said the Chinese move to reduce emissions represents a "shift towards a green economy." "It remains to be seen how an economy can be both powerful and green," he added. Bambang Suryono, chairman of the Asia Innovation Study Center in Indonesia, expects the move to prompt advancements in renewable energy and high-tech industries. "It will not only boost the sustainable development in China, but also provide cases for other developing countries to study," he added. PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) - The Latest on President Donald Trump, who has been at his winter home in Palm Beach, Fla. (all times local): 7 p.m. President Donald Trump has returned to the White House after a holiday break at his South Florida estate. President Donald Trump together with first lady Melania Trump and their son Barron Trump waves as he returns to the White House in Washington, Monday, Jan. 1, 2018, from a holiday break at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) The president faces a hefty legislative to-do list with the new year, plus critical midterm elections and perilous threats abroad. Trump is starting his second year in office after a lengthy visit to Mar-a-Lago, capped by a New Year's Eve bash. Before his departure Monday, the president fired off angry tweets at Iran and Pakistan, slamming Islamabad for "lies & deceit" and saying the country had played U.S. leaders for "fools." That's a reference to frustrations that Pakistan isn't doing enough to control militants. On Iran, Trump kept up his drumbeat in support of widespread anti-government protests there. ___ 5:45 p.m. President Donald Trump is returning to Washington after a holiday respite at his South Florida estate. He's already sent his first tweets of the New Year, criticizing the governments of Iran and Pakistan. Trump says Iran is "failing at every level," and he is voicing his support for the protesters there. On the subject of Pakistan, Trump tweets that Pakistan has given the U.S. nothing but "lies and deceit" for many years in spite of receiving billions of dollars in aid. Also on the first day of the new year, Trump hosted two professional golfers, Fred Funk and his son Taylor Funk. Trump visited his golf club most days during his Christmas and New Year's break at Mar-a-Lago. Last week he invited Coast Guard members to golf and have lunch. ___ 9:45 a.m. President Donald Trump is kicking off the new year at one of his Florida golf clubs, where he is hosting two professional golfers. The White House said Monday that Trump was with Fred Funk and his son Taylor Funk. Trump has been spending the holidays at his Palm Beach private club, heading to his nearby golf club most days. Last week he invited Coast Guard members to golf and have lunch. Trump will return to Washington later Monday. ___ 8:15 a.m. President Donald Trump says Iran is "failing at every level," and he is voicing his support for the protesters there, saying it is "TIME FOR CHANGE." Trump says on Twitter Monday: "Iran is failing at every level despite the terrible deal made with them by the Obama Administration. The great Iranian people have been repressed for many years. They are hungry for food & for freedom. Along with human rights, the wealth of Iran is being looted. TIME FOR CHANGE!" The protests began Thursday in Mashhad over economic issues and have since expanded to several cities. Hundreds of people have been arrested. While some have shared Trump's tweets, many in Iran distrust him as he's refused to re-certify the nuclear deal and because his travel bans have blocked Iranians from getting U.S. visas. ___ 7:40 a.m. President Donald Trump began the New Year by sending an angry, early morning tweet criticizing Pakistan. Trump tweeted: "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!" It was not immediately clear why Trump opted to tweet on Pakistan. The U.S. has long accused Islamabad of allowing militants to operate relatively freely in Pakistan's border regions to carry out operations in neighboring Afghanistan. ___ 3 a.m. Bidding farewell to 2017 with a lavish party at his private club, President Donald Trump predicted 2018 will be a "tremendous year." Trump said Sunday that the stock market will continue to rise and that companies are going to continue to come into the U.S., at "a rapid clip." He also cited several accomplishments, including the tax overhaul, opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling, and repealing the individual mandate from the national health care law. "It will be a fantastic 2018," a tuxedoed Trump said, as he entered the gilded ballroom at Mar-a-Lago, accompanied by first lady Melania Trump and son Barron. President Donald Trump waves as he arrives to board Air Force One at Palm Beach International Airport, Monday, Jan. 1, 2018, in West Palm Beach, Fla., to return to Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump, and their son Barron arrive for a New Year's Eve gala at his Mar-a-Lago resort Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) First lady Melania Trump looks on as President Donald Trump speaks with reporters after arriving for a New Year's Eve gala at his Mar-a-Lago resort, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) President Donald Trump arrives for a New Year's Eve gala at his Mar-a-Lago resort with first lady Melania Trump and their son Barron, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) NEWBERN, Tenn. (AP) - Officials say two police officers and a civilian have been injured after shots were fired at a party at a club in Tennessee. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation says in a news release that two officers with the Newbern Police Department responded to a disturbance call about 3 a.m. Monday at Douglas Cafe, which was having a New Year's Eve party. The release says shots were being fired when the officers arrived. Both officers and a civilian were shot. The TBI says all were taken to a hospital for treatment, but their conditions were not available. The TBI is investigating the shooting at the request of 29th District Attorney General Danny Goodman. The agency will give him its findings for review. The officers' names have not been released. PASADENA, Calif. (AP) - The Latest on Southern California's Rose Parade (all times local): 5:30 a.m. Overnight temperatures in the low 40s (around 5 degrees Celsius) didn't deter some hearty souls from camping out in Southern California to secure the best spots for the 129th annual Rose Parade. FILE--In this Jan. 1, 2015, file photo, the U.S Marine Corps Mounted Color Guard participates in the 126th Rose Parade in Pasadena, Calif. Only a few clouds are expected Monday, Jan. 1, 2018, in Pasadena as the city plans to celebrate the 129th Rose Parade, and temperatures are expected to be in the mid-70s.(AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu, file) Dozens of people bundled up and slept along the parade route in Pasadena where floats decked out with hundreds of thousands of flowers will begin drifting by at 8 a.m. on New Year's morning. Those who braved the cold will be rewarded by daytime highs Monday in the mid-70s (about 23 Celsius) and sunny skies. The theme of the 2018 parade is "Making a Difference" and actor Gary Sinise is the grand marshal, chosen because of his devotion to veteran's issues. Pasadena Police Chief Phillip Sanchez said there are no known threats to the parade but that fan safety will remain first priority and security will be tight. FILE--In this Jan. 1, 2015, file photo, members of Round Rock High School Dragon Band perform in the 126th Rose Parade in Pasadena, Calif. Only a few clouds are expected Monday, Jan. 1, 2018, in Pasadena as the city plans to celebrate the 129th Rose Parade, and temperatures are expected to be in the mid-70s. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu, file) FILE--In this Jan. 1, 2015, file photo, Odd Fellows and Rebekahs Rose Float moves along Colorado Boulevard during 126th Rose Parade in Pasadena, Calif. Only a few clouds are expected Monday, Jan. 1, 2018, in Pasadena as the city plans to celebrate the 129th Rose Parade, and temperatures are expected to be in the mid-70s. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu, file) FILE--In this Jan. 1, 2015, file photo, Blue Springs High School band "The Golden Regiment" performs in the 126th Rose Parade in Pasadena, Calif. Only a few clouds are expected Monday, Jan. 1, 2018, in Pasadena as the city plans to celebrate the 129th Rose Parade, and temperatures are expected to be in the mid-70s. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu, file) LONDON (AP) - London police have arrested a 31-year-old man in the killing of a young pub worker who was last seen alive on Christmas Eve. Police say the man is being questioned on suspicion of murdering Iuliana Tudos. He has not been charged or identified. The man was taken into custody Monday from an address in east London. The 22-year-old woman's body was found in a park in north London. She had been stabbed in the abdomen and suffered a head injury. Tudos worked in a popular bar in the crowded Camden neighborhood in north London. The area is filled with pubs and restaurants. She had last been seen leaving Camden by bus. Police were alerted when she failed to show up at a planned party with friends. CAIRO (AP) - Egyptian security officials say a gunman has killed two Coptic Christian brothers in an attack on a liquor store in Giza province, just days after nine people were killed in an attack on a church and store in Cairo. The officials said Monday the attack took place on New Year's eve, a busy night for liquor stores. They say it is unclear whether the attacker was an extremist. The officials requested anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media. Friday's attack in Helwan suburb left eight Copts and a policeman dead. It was claimed by the Islamic State group. Egypt's Christian minority has been targeted by Islamic militants in a series of attacks since December 2016 that left more than 100 dead and scores wounded. Jan Lewandowski built a "polka empire" from his base in Hazleton, Pennsylvania, only to watch it crumble after his arrest on fraud charges. Lewandowski's rise and fall is played for laughs in "The Polka King," starring Jack Black as the flamboyant Polish emigre who attracted legions of polka fans - and fleeced some of them as he tried desperately to keep his business enterprises afloat. The movie comedy premieres Jan. 12 on Netflix. Now living quietly in Florida, the 76-year-old is thrilled about Black's portrayal, warts and all. Lewandowski said he spent hours with the actor and comedian, telling him his life's story and working with him on his Polish accent. In a Jan. 22, 2017 photo, Jan Lewandowski, right, better known as Jan Lewan, embraces actor and comedian Jack Black at the premiere of "The Polka King" at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. Lewandowski's rise and fall is the subject of "The Polka King," a comedy starring Black as the polka bandleader convicted of fleecing fans of millions of dollars. (John Koterba via AP) "I heard myself when he was talking," Lewandowski said by phone from West Palm Beach. "I'm telling you, in moments, I'm wondering if it's me or him. ... Jack Black portrayed me in a fantastic way." The Grammy-nominated bandleader and crooner better known as Jan Lewan (yahn leh-VAHN') served five years in prison after pleading guilty to bilking investors. An exuberant performer costumed in sequins, Lewandowski and his polka band were popular on the festival circuit throughout the 1980s and '90s. They played scores of shows a year from Florida to New York, enjoying a long run at Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City. Critical acclaim came by way of a 1995 Grammy nomination for best polka album for "Jan Lewan and His Orchestra." Lewandowski, who defected from communist Poland in the 1970s and became a U.S. citizen, branched out with a travel business that took fans on tours of Poland and other countries; a gift shop and mail-order catalog; and his own TV and radio shows. To fund his ventures, he began selling promissory notes to his ardent fans, many of them elderly, using money from new investors to pay off old investors to whom he had promised huge returns. It was a classic Ponzi scheme. Lewandowski said he didn't set out to cheat anybody. But he acknowledges he hurt people who had placed their trust in him. "I don't hide. I did wrong," he said. Prosecutors said he defrauded about 400 investors in more than 20 states. A federal judge who sentenced him to prison called his conduct "despicable." More than eight years after his release, Lewandowski is retired and doesn't perform much anymore. He lives off Social Security and gives the occasional piano lesson, barely making a dent in his court-ordered restitution of nearly $5 million - a judgment he has little chance of satisfying. "The Polka King," based on a 2009 documentary about Lewandowski, could boost his profile if not fatten his wallet. (He said he wasn't a paid consultant, though the producers took care of his travel expenses.) Lewandowski said he's in talks with an Atlantic City casino, which he declined to name, about a reunion concert with his band. "I'd be able to pay a little bit more in restitution," he said. "I want to perform." Some of his victims aren't exactly thrilled about a comeback or the movie. Eleanore Ciuba, 87, of Galloway, New Jersey, and her late husband lost tens of thousands of dollars to Lewandowski. She has never forgiven him, calling the disgraced bandleader a "dirty rotten bastard" who doesn't deserve the attention. "I don't know who would be interested in that kind of a movie, to tell you the truth, about dealing and stealing from people," said Ciuba, who recalls getting a single, tiny restitution check. Lewandowski said he's sorry for the people who lost money. Ever upbeat, he shrugs off his critics. "They don't want to see me happy," he said, "but I am happy right now." And he's hoping "The Polka King" will give the genre itself a boost. "The ones who care about the polka are old, and they're not dancing any more," he said. "Now we need a younger generation." A Greyhound bus careened from a highway and plunged into a deep wash, killing a 13-year-old girl and injuring 12 other people on New Year's Eve in rural Utah, state troopers said Monday. Investigators were still trying to determine what caused the crash along Interstate 70 west of the city of Green River. However, a passenger reported a possible medical issue with the driver, the Utah Highway Patrol said in a news release. The Utah Highway Patrol has identified the 13-year-old girl as Summer Pinzon of Azusa, California, who was traveling on the bus with her mother. Troopers say the girl's mother has been hospitalized. The Greyhound bus (pictured on January 1) careened from a highway and plunged into a deep wash A 13-year-old girl was killed and 12 other people were injured in the crash on New Year's Eve in rural Utah The bus was heading west across the desert from Green River to Las Vegas, Trooper Jared Cornia said. It went off the shoulder of the highway around 11pm and plunged into the wash, crashing about 200 feet from the highway. Pinzon was killed and the bus driver and two passengers were taken by helicopters in serious condition to hospitals in Grand Junction, Colorado, and Provo, Utah. Cornia did not have updates on their conditions. Eight other injured passengers were taken by ambulances to hospitals, he said. The bus was heading west across the desert from Green River to Las Vegas when it crashed A passenger reported a possible medical issue with the driver, the Utah Highway Patrol said in a news release Cornia said roads were clear and conditions were good and were not believed to have been a factor in the crash. He said investigators were trying to obtain video from a camera aboard the bus to help determine what happened. Lanesha Gipson, a spokeswoman for Greyhound, said the company is cooperating with authorities and conducting its own investigation. Gipson did not have information on the driver. Internet giants could be penalised through taxes if they fail to cooperate with Government efforts to fight terrorism and tackle online extremism, a minister has said. Ben Wallace warned Britain is the most vulnerable it has been for 100 years due to terrorism fuelled by radicalising content online and patience is running out fast with web companies that put profit before public safety. Obstruction and inaction by social media companies, whether it is by blocking access to encrypted messages or leaving extremist content on their sites, is costing taxpayers hundreds of millions of pounds, the Minister of State for Security said. Internet giants could be penalised through taxes if they fail to cooperate with Government efforts to fight terrorism (Yui Mok/PA) Hard Questions: How We Counter Terrorism https://t.co/hlWlUpif5r Facebook Newsroom (@fbnewsroom) June 15, 2017 He said ruthless profiteers will not get away with leaving police and law enforcement to repair the damage done by radicalising content and revealed tax measures are being considered as a means to make them cooperate. Because of encryption and because of radicalisation, the cost of that is heaped on law enforcement agencies, Mr Wallace told the Sunday Times. I have to have more human surveillance. Its costing hundreds of millions of pounds. If they (internet firms) continue to be less than co-operative, we should look at things like tax as a way of incentivising them or compensating for their inaction. Because content is not taken down as quickly as they could do, were having to de-radicalise people who have been radicalised. Thats costing millions. They (the firms) cant get away with that and we should look at all options, including tax. Such a tax would be similar to the windfall tax imposed on excess profits of privatised utilities by the Blair government in 1997, or the levy Margaret Thatchers government placed on banks in 1981, the newspaper said. While internet companies have taken steps to tackle child abuse online, they dont seem to be making the same effort against extremism, Mr Wallace said. Mr Wallaces warning comes after a parliamentary inquiry into fake news criticised Twitter and Facebook for failing to properly act against Russian attempts to influence British politics. .@facebook have never proactively looked on their site for evidence of Russian interference in the democratic discourse of the United Kingdom. Their position is that they will not do this. This is not acceptable, it is time that they did so #RussiaDebate Damian Collins (@DamianCollins) December 21, 2017 MP Damian Collins, chairman of the House of Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee, said Facebook had appeared to have done no work to fully root out accounts that could be linked to Russian-backed agencies during the EU referendum. Meanwhile Twitter was condemned by the committee for a completely inadequate response to the investigation. Senior executives from Twitter, Facebook and Google, which owns YouTube, were accused of profiting from violence and criticised for failing to remove offensive content when they appeared before MPs in December. Social media companies are some of the biggest & richest in the world, they have huge power & reach. They can and must do more ...ends Yvette Cooper (@YvetteCooperMP) December 19, 2017 Yvette Cooper, chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee, urged the companies to accelerate efforts to tackle hate crime after a number of MPs were subject to abuse online. Labour has suggested social media companies should face punitive fines for failing to react quickly to offensive material that incites hatred and violence. In June, Facebook, Microsoft, YouTube and Twitter formed the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism to address the critical challenge posed by the spread of terrorism online. Google has announced it will significantly increase the number of staff tracking down extremist, violent and predatory content posted on YouTube to more than 10,000 in 2018. Two teenagers are among four people to have been stabbed to death in a series of apparently unrelated attacks across London within a 24-hour period. Scotland Yard confirmed the male victims a 17-year-old, 18-year-old and a 20-year-old on New Years Eve, and a 20-year-old in the early hours of Monday all died as a result of their injuries, while a fifth is critically ill in hospital. Five men are in police custody in connection with one of the deaths, while forensics officers continue to spend the start of 2018 behind cordons scattered across the city. Map locates fatal stabbings in London. Met Commander Neil Jerome said four deaths in such a short period was unusual. He said: There were small groups who chose to engage in disorder and violence, and whose actions have had utterly tragic consequences. It is heart-breaking that, at a time when so many of us are contemplating what lies ahead in 2018, four families are dealing with the grief of losing a loved one to senseless violence and the callous use of knives as lethal weapons. I can assure Londoners and the families and friends of the four males killed and the fifth who remains in hospital that detectives will work tirelessly to bring to justice those responsible for such despicable acts of violence. Police appeal for information after four unrelated murders in London, three on 31 December and a fourth early on 1 January. Public urged to call police or Crimestoppers with info on knfe crime #TulseHill #WestHam #EC1 #Enfield https://t.co/upIfaJPBWc pic.twitter.com/k0jX0GNQYK Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) January 1, 2018 As we begin these investigations and the provision of support to four grieving families, days like this serve to reinforce the determination of the Metropolitan Police to tackle knife crime and violence on our streets; especially offences committed by and against young people. I would urge anyone with information about these attacks, and more generally about anyone who routinely carries a knife, to urgently pass that information to police or Crimestoppers. If youve hesitated to do so before, then these four tragic deaths at the start of a new year may persuade you to act now to make London safer for your family and friends in 2018. A police tent is erected in Norwood Road in Tulse Hill (Luke Mintz/PA) Sundays stabbings at 11.30am in Larmans Road, Enfield, 7.35pm at Memorial Avenue in West Ham, and 10.40pm in Norwood Road in Tulse Hill took the number of people stabbed to death in the capital last year to 80, Scotland Yard confirmed. Of those, 18 involved victims under the age of 19. The New Years Day stabbing occurred at Bartholomew Court, Old Street, in the City. Met Commander Neil Jerome said the incidents were not connected (Luke Mintz/PA) The latest deaths will be seen as a setback to London mayor Sadiq Khan and his aim to get a stranglehold on the year-on-year increase in knife crime in the capital, which has seen the launch of a high-profile London needs you alive campaign and knife crime strategy. At his last Mayors Question Time, Mr Khan said: Every death on the streets of London is an utter tragedy and Im deeply concerned about the rise in knife crime. I am supporting the delivery of community-led solutions and delivering interventions at critical points to offer real opportunities to exit offending behaviour as well as coming down hard on those who habitually carry knives. My thoughts are with the families of four young men who have tragically been killed in unrelated stabbings in our city last night. The police have assured me that everything is being done to bring to justice those responsible. Read my full statement here: https://t.co/AlrXtLC1Uh pic.twitter.com/S2dXYnEWEO Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan (@MayorofLondon) January 1, 2018 In a statement following the latest stabbings, Mr Khan renewed police appeals for information. He said: We will work tirelessly in 2018 and beyond to stamp out this scourge. I want to be absolutely clear if you use a knife the full force of the law will be brought down on you. You will be caught and prosecuted. Two men are critically ill after five people suffered stab or slash wounds in a fight at a Great Gatsby-themed New Years Eve party. Police were called to Crystal Bar, on Carver Street in Sheffield, at around 2.20am on Monday following the altercation. Two men were left with life-threatening injuries and remain in hospital in a critical but stable condition. Three other men suffered superficial injuries. Two men were left with life-threatening injuries and remain in hospital (PA) Officers are appealing for information after five men injured during #Sheffield city centre altercation. https://t.co/VwXXWV6RLL pic.twitter.com/6xI37ieoAI South Yorkshire Police (@syptweet) January 1, 2018 South Yorkshire Police said: On officer arrival, five men in their 20s were taken to hospital where three of the men were found to have superficial injuries. Two of the men suffered life-threatening injuries and remain in hospital in a critical but stable condition. An investigation is in its early stages and officers remain in the Carver Street area carrying out inquiries. An invite to the event said guests would be welcomed with a Prosecco and canape reception to the biggest party of the year. In a meeting held by the Egyptian parliament's committees on foreign affairs and defence and national security on Wednesday, the head of Egypt's State Information Service (SIS) Diaa Rashwan said that there should be a dialogue and intensive contact between Egyptian MPs and US Congress members on issues related to Copts and human rights in Egypt. Rashwan said six Congress members received last week a memorandum from a US-based organisation called Coptic Solidarity, which claimed that there is systematic discrimination against Copts in Egypt by the government under President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi's administration. "As a result, a hearing session was held by Congress with some members expressing concern over what they called increased attacks on Coptic Christians in Egypt," said Rashwan. A number of US media outlets have reported that on 21 December, some Congress members adopted a resolution titled "Expressing concern over attacks on Coptic Christians," which received strong bipartisan support. Rashwan said that "what is strange about this resolution is that it is based on incorrect and misguided information, and that no Egyptian officials were invited to respond to the accusations levelled by the Coptic Solidarity organisation." "Everybody knows that Egyptians Muslims and Christians have become a target of terrorism in recent years and that allegations about government discrimination against Copts are entirely unfounded," said Rashwan. What do US Congress members have to say about Muslims who were killed in a mosque in Sinai, or about police and army soldiers who lost their lives in terrorist attacks?" "Does this mean that the Egyptian government also does not provide Muslims with enough protection?" asked Rashwan. "The government and parliament should issue a public statement about the number of Muslims and Christians in Egypt who lost their lives to terrorism in recent years," Rashwan said. "This statement should show that all have become targets of terrorism, and that [the notion that] followers of a certain religion do not receive adequate protection or suffer from systematic discrimination is incorrect." Rashwan, the former head of Al-Ahram's Centre for Strategic and Political Studies, urged parliament to open channels of communication with the US Congress and American media to discuss issues regarding Coptic and human rights in Egypt on a regular basis. "Coptic MPs in particular should play a greater role in responding to misguided information about Copts in the US," said Rashwan, asking "who should represent Copts living abroad or speak on their behalf, especially in the US? Is it immigrant Copts, the Coptic church, or Coptic MPs in Egypt?" Rashwan also deplored that "there is not enough information about the US-based Coptic Solidarity organisation." "It is clear that the US Congress members opted to base their resolution about Copts in Egypt on information provided by this organisation alone without listening to any other parties," said Rashwan. Rashwan reiterated that there should be a dialogue between Egypt and the US administrations on sensitive issues related to Copts and human rights. "If the relations between Egypt and the US are strategic as officials on both sides like to describe them, then it is OK for officials and parliamentarians on both sides open a dialogue on issues of mutual concern," said Rashwan. He added that the Coptic Solidarity organisation might seek to use the resolution to exert pressure on US Congress members to cut American military and economic assistance to Egypt. Rashwan also urged Egypt's parliament to hurry up in issuing laws related to anti-discrimination and personal litigation on Coptic affairs. "The 2014 constitution says that these laws should be a priority, so the sooner these laws are issued the better, and the easier it will be to defend Egypt's image on discrimination issues," said Rashwan, praising parliament for issuing a law last year easing regulations on building churches in the country. MPs, including Coptic parliamentarians, said that it is regretful that some US Congress members insist every now and then on listening to "misguided information" on the situation of Copts in Egypt. Magdy Malak, a Coptic MP from the Upper Egypt governorate of Minya, said that "Copts living in Egypt are against receiving protection from foreign powers." Malak said that Minya governorate is home to 2,688 villages, and that the number of incidents involving sectarian strife stands at only 37, or just 2 percent of Minya, adding that "this is not a phenomenon that can be exploited by some to allege that there is discrimination against Copts." Coptic MPs heaped praise on Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II, who said in a meeting with Grand Imam of the Sunni Islamic institution of Al-Azhar that "Copts seek the protection of two only: our Muslim brethren and God." Tarek Radwan, head of the foreign relations committee, said parliament will issue a statement in response to the resolution issued by some US congress members on the situation of Copts in Egypt. "The statement will be sent to the US Congress very soon," said Radwan. Short link: Sinn Fein and the DUP have expressed a desire to restore powersharing in Northern Ireland but neither has signalled a softening of position in the Stormont standoff. Democratic Unionist leader Arlene Foster and Sinn Feins Stormont leader Michelle ONeill used new year messages to reiterate their preference for devolved governance instead of a return to Westminster direct rule. But they also made clear their stances on key sticking points in the long-running powersharing crisis had not changed. It is almost a year since Northern Ireland had a properly functioning administration. The institutions collapsed last January amid a row over a botched green energy scheme. DUP leader Arlene Foster and Sinn Fein's Northern Ireland leader Michelle O'Neill (PA) The rift between the DUP and Sinn Fein widened in the subsequent months. A standoff over proposed legislative protections for Irish language speakers and the regions ban on same-sex marriage are currently among the main sticking points. Mrs Foster said the UK Government should move promptly to appoint direct rule ministers if a short final attempt at brokering a deal fails. She said a short time frame should be set for renewed negotiations and rejected suggestions that the talks venue should be shifted to a hothouse format in England. The former Stormont first minister said the continued absence of a devolved executive was unacceptable and simply unsustainable. (PA Graphics) Recent rounds of talks have been bedevilled by the setting of pre-conditions by Sinn Fein, Mrs Foster claimed. Let us re-enter talks with one shared pre-condition that we will redouble our efforts to restore devolution and start taking the decisions that the people of Northern Ireland so desperately need. Lets set ourselves a short time frame. And lets do it here at home rather than in some fancy English stately home. Mrs ONeill made clear Sinn Fein would only return to Stormont if the DUP was prepared to give ground on issues such as the Irish language and gay marriage. I want to lead Sinn Fein back into a new Executive because locally elected ministers are best placed to run local public services and fight back against the threats of Brexit and austerity, she said. I believe that can happen early in the new year but only if the institutions represent genuine and equal partnership government for all our people. That will require the British Government and the DUP accepting the political and democratic reality which has already been made abundantly clear by the electorate. Mrs Foster said: I still believe that the best way to deal with the issues facing our society is for Stormont to be back up and running with locally elected and accountable politicians taking decisions on the issues that matter to people across our province. A return to direct rule would be an inferior alternative, but it would be a government. Unveiling my team today to get Stormont back and working on your priorities for health, education and jobs, not the wish list of Adams. pic.twitter.com/zdqu9h9uju Arlene Foster #WeWillMeetAgain (@ArleneFosterUK) January 25, 2017 But the people of Northern Ireland deserve a government and if Sinn Fein persist with their intransigence then the Secretary of State (James Brokenshire) should move to appoint direct rule ministers early in the new year. Mrs ONeill said she was optimistic that powersharing could be put back together: I am optimistic because I see the transformation that has taken place in this society since the people voted for the Good Friday Agreement 20 years ago. SDLP leader Colum Eastwood insisted direct rule was not inevitable. He accused Sinn Fein and the DUP of overseeing 10 years of failed governance. British direct rule cant, like Brexit, be enforced upon us, he said. Whether from a nationalist or unionist tradition, each and every one of us belongs to this small corner of Ireland. Detectives investigating the death of a pub worker who was killed in a park on Christmas Eve have arrested a man on suspicion of murder. The 31-year-old was taken into custody from an address in Dalston, east London, on Monday following the death of 22-year-old Iuliana Tudos. Ms Tudos, who also called herself Julie, was found dead in Finsbury Park, near her north London home, on December 27, having gone missing on Christmas Eve. Detectives investigating the murder of Iuliana Tudos in #FinsburyPark have made an arrest https://t.co/o3KCnC4tm5 pic.twitter.com/stFKaQAUg6 Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) January 1, 2018 Ms Tudos, who police said was of Russian and Greek origin, was last seen by friends at around 8pm on Christmas Eve when she headed for a bus home from Camden. She was due to meet them at another friends home in Enfield, north London, later that evening before spending Christmas Day there, but never arrived. Police said CCTV footage showed her on the periphery of the park shortly after 8.20pm. A message written on a card left in tribute to Iuliana Tudos (Yui Mok/PA) Her body was found three days later in a disused building located in the north eastern area of the park. A post-mortem examination gave the cause of death as a stab wound to the abdomen and a head injury. A crowdfunding appeal to raise money to cover Ms Tudos funeral has so far raised more than 15,000. By Kanupriya Kapoor JAKARTA, Dec 31 (Reuters) - Hundreds of Indonesian couples celebrated New Year's Eve on Sunday night by tying the knot in a mass wedding in the capital Jakarta. Nearly 450 couples gathered in a large tent in the city centre just hours before midnight to pray with their families before signing marriage certificates. Government officials oversaw each brief ceremony. "We wanted an unforgettable experience and we're so happy that we decided to participate today," said Hartiningish, a 38-year-old East Javanese bride, while a live band played a set of traditional and pop music in the background. Her husband, Ricky Rangga, 30, said the couple was grateful to the city administration for making the wedding possible. Many couples wore matching colours and colourful traditional Indonesian outfits, with some brides donning elaborate headdresses and grooms carrying traditional daggers called keris. Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan congratulated those taking the plunge and said the city would now host the event every New Years Eve. The city government raised donation funds to pay for token gold dowries for the couples to exchange. Grooms in Indonesia traditionally present gold jewelry or money to brides on the wedding day. "We're planning to do this every year," Baswedan said, after posing for photographs with some couples. Security was tight around the event's venue in the heart of the city, which took place just a few metres from the site of a militant attack in January 2016, when Islamic State-linked radicals killed four people using guns and bombs. Tens of thousands of police and military personnel have been deployed in Jakarta and across the country to safeguard holiday celebrations as the country remains on high alert. One young pair from west Jakarta said they were looking forward to their honeymoon in the holiday island of Bali, where an active volcano, Mount Agung, remains on alert for an imminent eruption. "If we're together, there's no need to be afraid of (the volcano), we will just enjoy," Ruri Nurhayati, 22, said, just minutes after marrying her partner Andrianus, who goes by one name. The couple were accompanied by a wedding party of 20 friends and family members, and joined New Year's Eve revellers setting off fireworks in the city centre, while others left the venue in cars bedecked with flowers. (Editing by Larry King) JAKARTA, Jan 1, (Reuters) - Several people were missing after a speed boat carrying nearly 50 people sank off Indonesias Kalimantan island on Monday, rescue officials said. The national rescue agency said in a statement that the number of casualties were unclear but that 28 people remained missing and 20 had been rescued. The boat was on its way from Tanjung Selot to Tarakan on the Indonesian side of Borneo island, when it overturned and sank. It was not immediately clear what caused the accident. (Reporting by Agustinus Beo da Costa, Writing by Kanupriya Kapoor; Editing by Michael Perry) Extending wishes for the New Year, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said the government was able to steer forward in restoring economic stability and a process of sustainable development amidst great challenges. When we established the Government of Good Governance, the country was facing a time of social, economic and political decline, he said. The Premier said 2018 dawns on us as we recall the victory won in restoring political and social values, in realising a dream long cherished by the people of this country. It reminds us that we still have a task ahead - that of consolidating the true meaning of that victory. We have been successful in presenting Sri Lanka to the world as a country that respects and recognises human dignity, one in which all have access to social and political freedom. A country that abides by the principles of good governance. In the process, we have been able to generate a greater sense of goodwill among the international community towards Sri Lanka. We take this opportunity to thank everyone who accompanied us on the journey of emerging as a country with the highest regard for the principles of democracy and ethics. It is my most sincere hope that you would continue to be with us as we go forward. May 2018 be a year of hope and courage for all, he said. A driver attached to the Biyagama Medical Officers' Association and his mistress,who had stolen an ATM card of a doctor and bought items worth over Rs.121, 000, were taken into custody yesterday. The doctor from the Biyagama State Hospital had given his car to one of the drivers to be serviced. The driver who took the car to the service station had found an ATM card in it and had held on to it. He had then passed it to his mistress who had used it to make purchases from various institutions. The doctor, who noticed that his bank card was missing, had complained to the Biyagama Police and an inquiry was initiated leading to the arrest of the couple. (W D M Withanage) 2018 should be the year Sri Lanka finally prioritises on economy and evolves a political cohesiveness that supports economic development. However, there is an acid test: the future of the UNP-SLFP unity government. The memorandum of understanding between the two parties lapsed on December 31; the SLFP says a decision will be taken after the local government elections. The UNP-SLFP joint arrangement during the past two years had been chaotic, yet it prevented the country from falling into a crippling political contention of a worse kind. Imagine the plight of a minority UNP government in power amidst all these daily protests and strikes. And there would also have been organised efforts of sabotage and run rings around the government. But now, should the SLFP decide to part ways, the UNP will be forced to run a minority government, that would be at the mercy of the TNA and JVP. Sri Lanka cannot afford that political uncertainty and resultant instability. Current zigzagging of the government policy on almost everything has already made prospective investors scratching their heads. More political confusion would rob this country another couple of years of economic growth. Economic growth for the past year is likely to be below 4 per cent. Slow growth rates in the past three years could be compensated for only if the government evolves a sound micro-economic base that would support a long-term holistic growth. However, good economics is bad for politics. A minority UNP government would forfeit long-term economic goals in order to somehow cling to power this is exactly what it did by its mini-budget presented prior to the general election of 2015, which resulted in the government recurrent spending skyrocketing due to increased salaries and subsidies and worsened the balance of payment problem. While some ministers close to the president want to stick with the unity government, others want to get out and reorganise for the next general election. Some are disgruntled at being ignored by the UNP, others want their fingers in the honey pot, which can be best accomplished being in the government. However, the SLFP does not have numbers to form a government, which would mean, their role would be in the opposition, trying out the usual tactics of obstructionism. A minority government is more susceptible to an acute obstructionism. The future of the unity government will lie in the balance of political power between the UNP and the SLFP, as well as between President Sirisena and former President Mahinda Rajapaksa The campaign for the local government elections would also strain relations between the UNP and the SLFP. Elections in this country are poisonous and despite the good intentioned effort to avoid mudslinging, old habits die hard. Mutual animosity during the election would also embolden those who want the SLFP to withdraw support from the unity government. The local government elections will decide not only as to who rule the local government bodies, but more importantly, who would own the SLFP. Poor performances at the election would diminish President Sirisenas hold on the SLFP and see many MPs who have an eye on the next general election, switching loyalty to the Rajapaksa faction. That would mean the end of the unity government. The president has an ace up in his sleeve: the report of the Presidential Commission on the Central Bank bond scam. The report was presented to the president last week and has been sent to the Attorney General to consider legal action against those who have been implicated in the report. The report is still a closely guarded secret, and should the president decide to submit it to parliament, it would become a public document and would make quite a bit of controversy. The essence though is in the timing. If the report is made public before the local government election, it would shift the narrative against the UNP. That would also cut the SLFP losses, or even, could turn corner and win some constituencies. A minority government is more susceptible to an acute obstructionism The president last week hinted that he was shifting gears in his campaign against corruption. I am not sure who will be axed with my sword in my mission to have clean politicians, he told a gathering of Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and other smaller groups last week. His emphasis on corruption would give the impression that he was trying to fulfil one of his main election promises, which the Yahapalana administration has so far failed to deliver. The release of the Presidential Commission report, obviously the biggest scandal that happened under his watch, may redeem some of his past failures. But, that would also ruffle feathers with the UNP. The future of the unity government will lie in the balance of political power between the UNP and the SLFP, as well as between President Sirisena and former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Rajapaksa coterie has an easy go when the SLFP is weaker and the president is indecisive. A stronger and forceful presidency can keep these forces in line, and also help sustain the unity government, which at the moment is a political and economic imperative. Follow @RangaJayasuriya on Twitter Right of reply Russian Ambassador Yury B. Materiy has clarified to Daily Mirror regarding certain sections of our columnist Ranga Jayasuriyas article which appeared on December 26. The columnist referred to a suspect, a 22-year-old Russian named, Manokin Raufovich who has jumped bail and left the country. He has allegedly flown back to Russia in the private jet of the head of Rosoboronexport, the State-owned Russian arms exporter, Alexander Mikheev who recently visited Colombo to negotiate the sale of controversial Russian light frigate Gephard 5.1, which Sri Lanka is purchasing at a cost of Rs. 24 billion, paid by the unutilised allocations from an earlier Russian line of credit for military supplies. The Russian Ambassador states that such an incident did not take place and the content is inaccurate. Carrying out resettlement projects around the Wilpattu National Park has proved to be a short-sighted, unsuccessful decision A petition filed against these practices stated that an area of 2000 hectares adjoining the Wilpattu National Park has been cleared Upon clearing, 1500 families were allegedly settled by Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen Currently, 650 acres of land have been cleared to resettle people and it has been found that 706 plots of land have been cleared Changing ecosystems have become a tough challenge to face. While theres a need to restrict global warming, increasing population figures and other external factors prevent these attempts. Although Sri Lanka has numerous national parks, forest reserves and sanctuaries- protected under various acts and ordinances- these areas too have faced various man-made threats. As deforestation became a major concern with the approaches taken to settle illegally around the Wilpattu National Park, the weak laws and acts printed in statute books remained unchanged. On another contradictory note, Sri Lanka also signed the Paris Agreement for Climate Change in April 2016 thus joining a list of countries to follow an action plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Hence, the sheds light on the current situation at the Wilpattu National Park and threats identified due to massive deforestation practices. Wilpattu National Park The Wilpattu National Park has been in the news for the past couple of years due to the rapid deforestation practices that took place in its surrounds. Forest reserves including Kallara, Madu and Periyamadu were severely deforested for these purposes. A petition filed against these practices stated that a vast area of 2000 hectares in the forest complex adjoining the Wilpattu National Park has been cleared in addition to another 1000 hectares in several other forest reserves. Upon clearing, 1500 families were allegedly settled by Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen under the pretext of resettlement for internally-displaced people. Currently, 650 acres of land have been cleared to resettle people and it has been found that 706 plots of land have been cleared while 131 houses are partly being constructed. Evidence-based scientific research has clearly shown that forests and forested watersheds play a crucial role in mitigating natural disasters. Forests therefore act as giant sponges, absorbing rainfall, thus ensuring a sustained supply of water during the dry season. Therefore with deforestation and other malpractices, droughts and floods should be expected. Vehicles travelling at unregulated speeds and killing wild animals, haphazard dumping of polythene and other forms of garbage and people alighting from vehicles to engage in illegal activities are some of the threats that have been identified Threats identified by EFL According to the research conducted by Environmental Foundation Limited (EFL), a non-profit public interest law group committed to securing Sri Lankas environmental rights, several threats have been identified. They include: Deforestation in the Kallaru (Marchchikaddi-Karadakkuli) Veppal and Villaththaikulam forest reserves for new human settlements in the guise of resettlement. There is evidence to show that the Forest Department recommended the release of 770 acres and a 650 acres land, but procedures were not followed for the releasing of these lands. Forest clearing is still underway in violation of the Forest Ordinance (FO). There is an illegal road across the Wilpattu National park that has violated the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance (FFPO). Soon after the war, two roads, cut through the park, were opened for public use. The coastal road has been abandoned. But the other road from Eluwankulam to Pukulum is used with no regulations imposed on the activities inside the park. Vehicles travelling at unregulated speeds and killing wild animals, haphazard dumping of polythene and other forms of garbage and people alighting from vehicles to engage in illegal activities are some of the threats that have been identified. The Pallekhandal Church is located within the Wilpattu National Park. Claiming customary rights and traditional use, the catholic church is said to have expanded its operations; enhancing both its physical structures and activities. The rules and regulations that govern national parks are flouted. A Private farm has encroached into the Tabbowa Sanctuary and Weerakkodicholai Forest Reserve in the Eluwankulam area. Despite the illegal encroachments that took place in the early and mid-2000s, the Government has handed over 175 acres of forest land from the sanctuary and forest reserve to the Private farming project without adhering to a proper procedure. The land has been handed over violating the FFPO and the FO. Prior to this latest land violation, employees of its parent company had allegedly cleared 35 acres from these reserves and from the Raalmaduwa - Achchimale archaeological reserve to carry out a pilot project for fruit cultivation. Unregulated tourism activities are taking place in the Gangewadiya area, Kala Oya, in the buffer zone of Wilpattu National Park, with construction taking place along the river reservation. Some of these operations are being carried out with the patronage of the local Governmental authorities. Plans are being drawn to issue permits for permanent structures/houses in the Pookulam fishing village within the WNP. Marine resources including the bar reef and species like dugongs are exposed to destruction or local extinction due to unregulated activities. Most of the Bar Reef sanctuary is dead and unless urgent measures are taken, Sri Lankas largest marine reserve will be lost. There is evidence to show that the Forest Department recommended the release of 770 acres and a 650 acres land, but procedures were not followed for the releasing of these lands. No deeds for houses The learned that many houses have already been built within two kilometres of the buffer zone at the Wilpattu National Park. In his comments, Chamath Lakshman, Park Warden at the National Park said that the houses have been built within the Kallara Forest Reserve. Although people have settled in these houses they do not possess deeds. Some of the houses are yet to be given away to the people, but right now most of them (houses) look as if they have been abandoned altogether,he said. North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un has said he has a nuclear launch button on his desk at all times so the US "will never be able to start a war". In a televised new year speech, he said the entire US was within range of North Korean nuclear weapons, adding: "This is reality, not a threat." But he also offered a potential olive branch to South Korea, suggesting he was "open to dialogue" . North Korea may also send a team to the Winter Olympics in Seoul, he said. When asked by reporters to respond to Mr Kim's threats, US President Donald Trump said, "we'll see, we'll see". He was speaking at the sidelines of New Year's Eve celebrations at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. North Korea has come under increased sanctions over the past year because of its nuclear weapons programme and repeated testing of conventional missiles. The politically isolated state has carried out six underground nuclear tests and has demonstrated missiles of increasing power. In November, it tested the Hwasong-15, which achieved altitudes of around 4,475km (2,780 miles) - more than 10 times the height of the International Space Station. (BBC) Theagarajah is not a stranger to Cargills Bank having joined and served as its Non-Executive Joint Deputy Chairman since December 2016. With this appointment, he will play a pivotal role in executing strategy and delivering the banks business plan, which includes a road map for a listing at a future point in time. His predecessor Prabhu Mathavan, who successfully completed his tenure as MD/CEO will continue to be a member of the board as an Executive Director supporting the business units by overseeing a strong framework of support services, including the financial control and reporting functions. He had served Cargills Bank from its inception having been its Deputy CEO/Chief Finance Officer and subsequently MD/CEO. Under the leadership of Mathavan, Cargills Bank achieved two key milestones fulfilment of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka Tier I capital requirement of Rs.10 billion in 2016 and recording profitability from the third quarter 2016. Theagarajah is a veteran banker with a wealth of experience in the banking and financial services sector and counts over 34 years in banking both locally and internationally. Prior to joining Cargills Bank, he functioned as CEO of National Development Bank PLC for three years, during which, the bank was awarded the much-coveted Best Bank in Sri Lanka by the Global Finance Magazine in 2015. Prior to that, he served as CEO/MD at Hatton National Bank PLC for nine years. During this tenure, the bank was recognized as the Best Retail Bank in Sri Lanka for seven successive years (2006-13) and was also personally recognized for outstanding Leadership in Banking twice in 2010 and 2013 by the Asian Banker. Theagarajah currently serves as Chairman of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce. He is also as an Independent Non-Executive Director of Carson Cumberbatch PLC. He was a past Chairman of Sri Lanka Bankers Association (Guarantee) Ltd and Financial Ombudsman Sri Lanka (Guarantee) Ltd, former Director of the Colombo Stock Exchange and former Chairman of the Asian Bankers Association. He has also served as a Council Member of the Sri Lanka Institute of Directors. Further, he has served as Chairman of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (UK) Sri Lanka Governing Board and also as a member of CIMA UKs Global Council. Commenting on the new appointment, Cargills Bank Limited Chairman Louis Page stated, We are delighted to have Theagarajah lead the management team and drive a clearly defined business plan, which includes an eventual listing of the bank shares in the Colombo Stock Exchange. We strongly believe that the young management team will benefit immensely from his experience and wide knowledge. We are also very grateful to Mathavan, who stepped in and played the role of CEO during a period when the bank consolidated its operations. Cargills Bank is a dynamic presence with extensive use of digital and agent channels. With a vision to be the most inclusive bank in the country, it offers a range of products and services through its growing islandwide branch network and over 300 Cargills Food City outlets, as well as its award-winning digital channels, including Cargills Cash. Customers have access to a full range of banking and financial services including private, retail, SME, agri, trade finance, treasury and mid markets. With this new appointment, the Cargills Bank directorate comprises Chairman Louis Page, Deputy Chairman Ranjit Page, MD/CEO Rajendra Theagarajah, Executive Director Prabhu Mathavan, Senior Director Mangala Boyagoda, Kamalini De Silva, Faizal Salieh and Richard Ebell. Around 200 protesters marched through downtown Tehran on Sunday, according to the conservative-linked Fars news agency, as authorities braced for a possible fourth night of unrest. Several hundred more were shown gathering in the western city of Kermanshah, according to footage shared online by a group linked to the Revolutionary Guards. "Contrary to rumours from hostile media, most parts of Tehran are calm. Around 200 people are occasionally chanting here and there," Fars said. It said shops had closed early "for fear of damage to their shops by rioters". While reports have suggested large-scale demonstrations in many towns and cities across Iran, protests have been limited in the capital city of 8.5 million people. Students protested around the university on Saturday but were met by tear gas and a large cohort of counter-demonstrators. Officials reported an attack on a town hall in central Tehran and multiple incidents of vandalism through the night. The city's chief prosecutor Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi said a "certain number of people" had been arrested, without giving a figure. "The trouble-makers are not part of the people. Actions against security, notably setting fire to buildings and public utilities are not normal crimes and the judiciary will react with determination against them," he said. The government has warned protesters will "pay the price" for further unrest, and blocked access to social media sites earlier on Sunday, accusing them of fomenting disorder. Short link: Oops....! We couldn't find that... 404 error Unfortunately the page you were looking for could not be found. It may be temporarily unavailable, moved or no longer exist. Check the URL you entered for any mistakes and try again. Alternatively, search for whatever is missing or take a look around the rest of our site. Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the United Nations, said Sunday Iran's government is "being tested by its own citizens" after three days of protests against the clerical regime. "We pray that freedom and human rights will carry the day," she said in a statement. Haley's comments echoed those of US President Donald Trump, who earlier Sunday said the United States was watching closely for human rights violations. "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," Trump tweeted. Over the past year, Trump has held out Iran as Washington's top adversary in the Middle East, disavowing a 2015 accord that curbed its nuclear program and accusing it of destabilizing activities in the region. At least two people have been killed and dozens arrested since protests broke out Thursday in the city of Masshad and spread to Tehran and other cities. Iran's Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli on Sunday warned that protesters will "pay the price" for disrupting order. Haley singled out Iran in a New Year's message that also denounced "oppressive governments" in North Korea, Venezuela and Cuba. "The long-repressed Iranian people are now finding their voice," she said. "The Iranian government is being tested by its own citizens." Short link: Stock of the bank traded at Rs 1,641.80 a piece on BSE, down 0.51 per cent from previous close. New Delhi: IndusInd Bank on Monday said it has raised USD 500 million (about Rs 3,193.75 crore) term loan from overseas lending bodies to expand its business. The private sector bank has concluded the syndicated term loan facility from a group of overseas investors, it said in a regulatory filing. The fundraising, along with the funds raised during the ongoing financial year from multilateral institutions ADB and OPIC, will help the bank expand its lending to clients, it said. The tenor of the loan is for three years and will be used for general banking purposes, it added. Earlier in June, IndusInd Bank had raised USD 225 million (about Rs 1,445 crore) from the US government funding agency Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) for lending to small and medium enterprises. And in September, the bank had raised USD 200 million (about Rs 1,282 crore) loan from Asian Development Bank (ADB) to serve low-income women borrowers in rural areas. Stock of the bank traded at Rs 1,641.80 a piece on BSE, down 0.51 per cent from previous close. Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh on Tuesday urged states to chalk out their own strategy to double farmers' income. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh on Tuesday urged states to chalk out their own strategy to achieve the target of doubling farmers' income by 2022. The centre has already come out with a four-volume report suggesting ways to boost farmers' income, which states will have to study and see how best it can be implemented in each state, he said. Not only does productivity of various crops need to be raised, but also is required on allied farm activities like timber cultivation and honeybee cultivation is required, he added. Addressing a two-day national conference to evolve a sowing strategy for upcoming winter (rabi) season, Singh said: "The governments aim is to increase productivity and ensure farmers get the remunerative price for their produce." The government has launched several schemes like Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY), Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana, Soil Health Card scheme, neem-coated urea and electronic national agriculture market (e-NAM) to achieve the target of doubling farmers' income. While implementing these schemes, he said, states have to "devise their own strategy" to boost farmers' income by focusing on production-to-post-harvest activities. "It is our responsibility to make special efforts to improve the agricultural sector so that it provides strong trade opportunities," he added. Echoing similar views, Agriculture Secretary S K Pattanayak said, "doubling farmers' income by 2022 should be the mantra and all of us should be working towards it. The seven key schemes have to be operationalised at field level." He urged states to take e-NAM project seriously and put in place infrastructure to facilitate farmers to trade online. "Once this is in place, farmers will get remunerative price and help in doubling income." To ensure farmers get support price in times of price crash, the secretary said the centre has drafted a new market assurance scheme and asked states to study and share how they wish to implement. On organic farming, he said only Sikkim has been declared a fully organic state till now. The centre's target is to see entire north east grow fully organic. Funds are in place but states have to show more interest. He also mentioned that states should encourage allied farm activities as it will add to income of farmers. Ministers of State for Agriculture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Krishna Raj were also present at the event. Ranveer landed in Sri Lanka on Thursday, and along with Deepika, hes planning to make the best of his time there. How can Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone avoid the media glare, no matter where they are? They should wear masks or go underwater, some say. Well, it looks like thats exactly what they plan to do. Ranveer landed in Sri Lanka on Thursday, and along with Deepika, hes planning to make the best of his time there. Deepika, who was in Vienna, joined the actor at the last minute. The couple is going snorkelling, and will spend time with each other, reveals a source. There are people in Sri Lanka who can identify them, but then its also a country that lets people be at peace, and doesnt intrude on privacies. So, they will be able to spend quality time with each other. Aquaman actress Amber Heard and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk were spotted dining in Chile on Friday night, just a week after claiming that they are not dating after being spotted kissing in Los Angeles. Despite the kiss, an insider told E! News, They are not dating. EOnline.com had reported that the exes were in the background of a photo, which was posted by the official account of the restaurant El Taringa in Santiago, Chile. In the photo, they can be spotted sitting with Elons brother, South African restauranteur Kimbal Musk. Amber, who had filed for divorce from Johnny Depp in 2016, did share photos from her vacation on Instagram. However, Elon wasnt in any of the photos. Back in August, the couple split due to their busy schedules. Related Man convicted of killing Alexandria liquor store owner sentenced to death Egyptian prosecutors have opened an investigation into the Monday morning deadly attack on a liquor store in Giza's Omraneya neighborhood, which left two killed. According to initial police investigations, a masked gunman driving a Tuk Tuk opened fire on the liquor store killing the brothers Ashraf Boules Azer and Adel Boules Azer, before fleeing the scence. It is not yet clear whether the brothers owned or worked at the store. The motive for the attack, which took place on New Year's eve, the busiest night of the year for liquor stores, also remains unclear. Ashraf died at the scene, while Adel died of his injuries at Om Al-Masryeen Hosptial in Giza. Police detectives have been interviewing witnesses, examining surveillance cameras on nearby buildings and along the escape route in an effort to identify the suspects and establish the facts of the incident. Liquor stores in Egypt are typically owned by Christians. The stores and their owners have been the target of various attacks in the past. Short link: After wowing celluloid audiences with his fresh and brilliant camera work in films like Bhale Bhale Magadivoi and Mahanubhavudu, well-known cinematographer Nizar Shafi is all set to plunge into direction. We have learnt from reliable sources that the film will be a chick flick with four actors in prominent roles. It is a Telugu-Tamil bilingual film, whose shooting has already begun. The makers are waiting to announce it at an opportune time, shares the industry source, adding that Nizar has scripted the story and will be handling the cinematography as well as the direction. What is interesting, however, is the elaborate casting of the film. Anjali, Anisha Ambrose, Nandita Swetha and Shraddha Srinath have been roped in to play the main protagonists. The film is a thriller and works on the investigative genre, shares a source in the know. Study indicates a potentially beneficial effect of yoga for all women with menopausal symptoms. (Photo: Pexels) Menopausal women who practice yoga may experience more relief from symptoms like night sweats and hot flashes than their peers who dont do this type of exercise, a review of existing research suggests. The study team examined data on 1,306 women in 13 different clinical trials that randomly assigned some participants to practice yoga and others to get no treatment or to try a different type of intervention such as health education or other forms of exercise. All of the women suffered from menopause symptoms at the beginning of the trials. Yoga was better than no treatment at reducing total menopause symptoms, anxiety related to symptoms, hot flashes and night sweats, and vaginal dryness and pain during sex, the study found. There were already clear hints from earlier studies that yoga might be good for relieving menopause-related psychological symptoms such as mood swings, depression or sleep problems, said lead study author Holger Cramer, research director of the department of internal and integrative medicine at Kliniken Essen-Mitte and the University of Duisburg-Essen in Germany. Based on the new data, yoga can also effectively relieve physical symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, fatigue or bladder problems, Cramer said by email. This indicates a potentially beneficial effect of yoga for all women with menopausal symptoms. Women go through menopause when they stop menstruating, which typically happens between ages 45 and 55. As the ovaries curb production of the hormones estrogen and progesterone in the years leading up to menopause and afterward, women can experience symptoms ranging from vaginal dryness to mood swings, joint pain and insomnia. In the current study, yoga was better than other types of exercise for so-called vasomotor symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats. Yoga was also better for overall menopause symptoms than health education. The analysis included four clinical trials from the U.S., three from India, two each from Brazil and China, and one each from Germany and South Korea. Half of these studies included at least 54 participants, although they ranged in size from 30 to 355 women. The small trials ranged in length from 4 to 16 weeks and had women practice yoga or do other interventions anywhere from 1 to 14 times weekly. Women who did yoga in the trials tried a variety of different forms, including hatha yoga that focuses on breathing and meditation and Iyengar yoga, which concentrates on body alignment. One limitation of the study is that the variety of approaches to yoga used in different trials made it difficult to determine what type of practice might help most with menopause symptoms, the authors note in Maturitas. Even so, the results offer fresh evidence of the potential for yoga to help with menopause symptoms, said Dr. James Stahl of the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center and Geisel School of Medicine Lebanon, New Hampshire. All of the mind-body tools, yoga, acupuncture, qi gong, and meditation probably work through multiple mechanisms - through remodeling how the mind-body perceives sensations and signals, how the mind-body responds to those stimuli and finally through helping set or reset the mind-bodys steady state, Stahl, who wasnt involved in the study, said by email. Because yoga is a relatively low-risk physical activity that can be easily adapted to different fitness levels, patients should consider it for symptom relief, said Dr. Rachael Polis, a researcher at Crozer-Keystone Health System headquartered in Springfield, Pennsylvania. Yoga is relatively low-impact, inexpensive, can be practiced anywhere, and during any time of day, Polis, who wasnt involved in the study, said by email. For this reason, its a great early intervention for patients to attempt, Polis added. I do recommend someone new to yoga take classes with a well-trained instructor who can teach correct body alignment and suggest posture modifications when needed. After years of relentless petitions, the government has now finally decided to bulldoze the Talaq-e-biddat or triple talaq by criminalising the practice of instant talaq with upto three years of jail for the husband. While many Muslim countries have abolished it, is triple talaq an essential part of Islam? If matters of faith are protected by the right to freedom of religion, what does this recent ruling augur? Even as religious consciousness binds people together, many do not like to debate over such deeply religious issues. While the move has been hailed as historic by the government, we spoke to the community on their views on the issue. Social worker Shazia Mohammed feels that it is not the custom or its practise but the misunderstanding of it which is causing havoc. If you thought that triple talaq is the practice under which a Muslim man can divorce his wife by simply uttering talaq three times, you are wrong. According to the norms, after the couple has uttered the word talaq thrice, it is also customary that they stay apart, and think about it for the next three months before they can split forever. In this way, the practice of talaq in itself is wonderful, as it gives ample time for the couple to calm down, re-think and apologise, she says. Home-maker Seyda Mariam echoes the same thought. Most times, such practices are seen in rural areas among uneducated people. I feel that it is the wrong notion about the custom and lack of understanding that causes many people to misuse it, she says. For city-based senior advocate Kamalla K. Reddy, she has only admiration for the present dispensation that has been bold enough to legislate such a hugely controversial and religiously rife subject. Most often, faith and religion are not part of the mainstream, and are bent upon maintaining its identity with a cloak of exclusivity even when some of its practices may defy modern notions of personal liberty and choice. India being a sovereign, democratic and secular state, such practices that deny equal treatment of men and women are clearly not acceptable. The proposed legislation marks the first step towards bringing one aspect of the personal law of that faith on par with the personal laws of other major faiths, explains Kamalla. Even while a lot of people oppose criminalisation of the custom of instant divorce, many men support the governments move. I have met many men who take advantage of this custom. It is like a loophole, and they take it for granted. Being a Muslim man myself, I totally stand with criminalisation of talaq and feels that this will make people take marriage more seriously, said a married man on condition of anonymity. Hyderabad: Unidentified persons broke into Telangana Grameena Bank at Adibhatla in the wee hours of Monday. The suspects dug a hole in the wall using crowbars. However, they could not lay their hands on the strong room and withdrew their mission. This is the second incident in the city in less than a month where a bank is targeted. According to the police, the bank is located in an apartment in Rangannaguda village. On Monday morning, when the bank was opened, a hole was found on the wall and the police was alerted. The police found that the suspects first broke open the lock of the apartment and dug a hole in the wall. As they could not access the strong room, they withdrew and fled. The bank has CCTVs inside. However, CCTVs are not installed in the premises and there are no security guards. We are working on the clues. Based on the evidence, we will proceed, said R. Govinda Reddy, inspector Adibhatla. On December 17, unidentified suspects tried to enter an SBI branch at Shameerpet by cutting open the grills of the bathroom attached to the bank. 'The meeting was good. Doval's tone and tenor was friendly and positive,' the official who had been briefed about the meeting disclosed. (Photo: File | Representational) New Delhi/Islamabad: National security advisors of India and Pakistan held a "secret" meeting in Thailand, a senior Pakistani official said on Monday. A Pakistan's national security division official, on the condition of anonymity, said the meeting between India's National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Pakistan's National Security Advisor retired Lt Gen Nasser Khan Janjua took place on December 27 in Thailand, The Dawn newspaper reported. "The meeting was good. Doval's tone and tenor was friendly and positive," the official who had been briefed about the meeting disclosed. He was told the meeting was useful and said it might help in restarting some sort of engagement at the diplomatic level as well, the report said. According to the Pakistani official, the meeting came after Indian death-row prisoner Kulbhushan Jadhav met with his family on December 25 in Islamabad. While Pakistan termed its decision to allow Jadhav's family to travel to Pakistan to meet him as humanitarian gesture, India has accused it of violating mutual understandings, asserting that the Indian national appeared coerced and under considerable stress during the tightly-controlled interaction. India also accused Pakistan of disregarding cultural and religious sensibilities of family members under the pretext of security. Jadhav, who was captured in March, 2016, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court for alleged spying, an accusation that India has dismissed as concocted. New Delhi says Jadhav was kidnapped in Iran where he had legitimate business interests, and brought to Pakistan. To save Jadhav, India moved the International Court of Justice, which ordered Pakistan in May to stay his execution. Patna: A mound spotted by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar at a village in Sheikhpura district has yielded potsherds, perhaps dating back to 1000 BC. Potsherds are pieces of broken ceramic pot or other earthenware that have archaeological significance. "We visited the site yesterday (Saturday) and were thrilled to discover a number of potsherds which give a hint about the antiquity of the mound," Executive Director of the KP Jayaswal Research Institute, Bijoy Kumar Chaudhary, said on Sunday. The state-run institute, located in the Patna Museum building, researches in the field of history and archaeology. "Black slip wares and black and red wares found at the site appear to be of a period around 1000 BC. We also found some red furnished ware that could date back to the Neolithic period," Chaudhary told PTI. A team of archaeologists conducted preliminary explorations at Pharpar village in Ariyari block after getting a call from Chief Secretary Anjani Kumar Singh. The chief secretary, who was accompanying the chief minister during his visit to the village on Friday, telephoned Chaudhary after Kumar noticed the mound and observed that it looked like a site of historical and archaeological importance, he said. The village is about 120 kilometres from the state capital. The archaeologists also found some fragmented sculptures of Buddha, Lord Vishnu and some female deities. "Fragmented sculptures had been found in the village earlier also when our institute was carrying out state-wide explorations. But the mound was overlooked at that time," Chaudhary said. Preliminary exploration has established the archaeological significance of the spot, he said. "We now plan to conduct a comprehensive exploration which may yield many more artefacts and shed light on the historical significance of the obscure spot," Chaudhary said. The spot was noticed by the chief minister on Friday when he was there on his 'Vikas Samiksha Yatra', to take stock of the development work carried out by his government. Nitish Kumar is known for his interest in archaeology. At his instance, a "Bihar museum" has been set up in the state capital, which was inaugurated a couple of months ago while museums across the state are being given a face-lift. After the ancient Nalanda University got the UNESCO World Heritage status in 2016, Kumar is now making efforts to get the same tag for the cyclopean wall at Rajgir. A cyclopean wall is constructed without mortar, using enormous blocks of stone. Hafiz Saeed has repeatedly denied involvement in the Mumbai attacks and a Pakistani court saw insufficient evidence to convict him. (Photo: File | AFP) New Delhi/Islamabad: Pakistans government plans to seize control of charities and financial assets linked to Islamist leader Hafiz Saeed, whom Washington has designated as a terrorist, according to officials and documents reviewed by Reuters. Pakistans civilian government detailed its plans in a secret order to various provincial and federal government departments on December 19, three officials who attended one of several high-level meeting discussing the crackdown told Reuters. Marked secret, a December 19 document from the finance ministry directed law enforcement and governments in Pakistans five provinces to submit an action plan by December 28 for a takeover of Saeeds two charities, Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) and the Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation. The United States has labeled JuD and FIF terrorist fronts for Lashkar-e-Taiba (Army of the Pure or LeT), a group Saeed founded in 1987 and which Washington and India blame for the 2008 attacks in Mumbai that killed 166 people. Saeed has repeatedly denied involvement in the Mumbai attacks and a Pakistani court saw insufficient evidence to convict him. The LeT could not be reached for comment. The December 19 document, which refers to Financial Action Task Force (FATF) issues, names only Saeeds two charities and actions to be taken against them. The FATF, which is an international body that combats money laundering and terrorist financing, has warned Pakistan it faces inclusion on a watch list for failing to crack down on financing terrorism. Asked about a crackdown on JuD and FIF, Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal, who co-chaired one of the meetings on the plan, responded only generally, saying he has ordered authorities to choke the fundraising of all proscribed outfits in Pakistan. In a written reply to Reuters, he also said Pakistan wasnt taking action under U.S. pressure. Were not pleasing anyone. Were working as a responsible nation to fulfill our obligations to our people and international community. Spokesmen for the JuD and FIF both said they could not comment until they receive official notifications of the governments plans. We dont have any intimation about any crackdown so far, FIF spokesman Salman Shahid told Reuters. No one has asked us about our work or assets. Saeed could not be reached for comment. He has frequently denied having ties to militants and says the charitable organizations he founded and controls have no terrorism ties. He says he promotes an Islamic-oriented government through doing good works. First major move If the government follows through with the plan, it would mark the first time Pakistan has made a major move against Saeeds network, which includes 300 seminaries and schools, hospitals, a publishing house and ambulance services. The JuD and FIF alone have about 50,000 volunteers and hundreds of other paid workers, according to two counter-terrorism officials. Participants at the meeting raised the possibility that the governments failure to act against the charities could lead to UN sanctions, one of the three officials said. A UN Security Council team is due to visit Pakistan in late January to review progress against UN-designated terrorist groups. Any adverse comments or action suggested by the team can have far-reaching implications for Pakistan, the official said. The December 19 document gave few details about how the state would take over Saeeds charities, pending the plans submitted from the provincial governments. It did say it would involve government entities taking over ambulance services and accounting for other vehicles used by the charities. It says law enforcement agencies will coordinate with Pakistans intelligence agencies to identify the assets of the two charities and examine how they raise money. The document also directs that the name of JuDs 200-acre headquarters, Markaz-e-Taiba, near the eastern city of Lahore be changed to something else to make it known that the Government of Punjab (province) solely manages and operates the Markaz (headquarters). The move to seize the charities could spark some concern from the powerful military, which has proposed plans to steer Saeed and the JuD into mainstream politics. The military did not respond to a request for comment. In August, JuD officials formed a new political party, the Milli Muslim League, and backed candidates who fared relatively strongly in two key parliamentary by-elections. The JuD publicly disavows armed militancy inside Pakistan, but offers vocal support for the cause of rebel fighters in Indian-administered Kashmir and has called for Pakistan to retake Kashmir. Nuclear-armed India and Pakistan have fought two wars over the disputed region. Washington, which has offered a USD 10 million reward for information leading to Saeeds conviction over the Mumbai attacks, warned Islamabad of repercussions after a Pakistani court in late November released him from house arrest. Punjabs provincial government had put Saeed under house arrest for 10 months this year for violating anti-terrorism laws. 'It was a private function so the party functionaries or other dignitaries were not allowed,' a senior party leader said. (Photo: AP) Panaji: Congress president Rahul Gandhi welcomed the New Year in Goa along with his mother Sonia Gandhi, a senior party leader said on Monday. The newly appointed party president joined in the celebration with his mother, who earlier in December month retired as the Congress president and is vacationing in the coastal state. "Rahul Gandhi joined his mother at a five-star hotel at Mobor in South Goa on Saturday. Both of them celebrated the New Year at the hotel," a senior Congress leader said. "It was a private function so the party functionaries or other dignitaries were not allowed," he added. Read: After handing over Cong baton to son Rahul, Sonia holidays in Goa Sonia Gandhi has been in Goa since December 27 and was seen riding a bicycle at the beach resort last week. S Jaishankar was appointed foreign secretary on January 29, 2015, for two years. He was given a one-year extension in January, 2017. (Photo: Twitter | @DrSJaishankar) New Delhi: Senior diplomat Vijay Keshav Gokhale was on Monday appointed foreign secretary for a two-year fixed term, succeeding S Jaishankar who completes his tenure on January 28, according to an official order. Gokhale, a 1981 batch officer of the Indian Foreign Service (IFS), was India's envoy to China. He is at present secretary (economic relations) in the Ministry of External Affairs. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved Gokhale's appointment to the post, said the order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training. Jaishankar was appointed foreign secretary on January 29, 2015, for two years. He was given a one-year extension in January, 2017. Bengaluru: Taking strong objection to the BJP calling the state Congress government anti-Hindu, Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy pointed out here on Monday that he was a Hindu himself and argued that while the Hindus in the Congress practiced their religion out of faith, the BJP practiced it for politics. The BJP is desperate as the Congress is set to retain power in the state and return it at the Centre after the coming elections to both. It is a cycle and the BJP is now riding the wave. But after the next elections, it will fall at the Centre and the Congress will come to power there. In the state too the Congress is set retain power, and this has made the BJP anxious,'' he maintained. The Minister , who was speaking to reporters here, pointed out that it was normal for politicians to visit temples during elections and everyone celebrated Rama Navami and Hanuman Jayanti. As for the BJPs claim that 22 Hindu had been murdered in communal incidents in the state in recent years, he said eight were murdered over personal issues. Referring to the death of Hindu activist, Paresh Mestha, he said the state was ready to cooperate with the CBI which was investigating it. Responding to BJP MP, Shobha Karandlaje daring the Chief Minister to arrest her, Mr Reddy said it was neither the duty of the Chief Minister, nor of the Home Minister to arrest anyone. It was upto the police to do so and they would if they had to. In reply to a query, he denied that any molestation had taken place on MG Road and Brigade road during the New Year eve celebrations. Egypt's military court on Monday handed down a death sentence to one individual and life imprisonment sentences to four others over their involvement in a 2015 attack on the Embassy of Niger in Cairo. It also handed ten- and five-year prison terms to 12 and five defendants in the case, respectively. The court also acquitted eight defendants, who can appeal the sentences. The case dates back to July 2015, when gunmen opened fire at security forces outside the Embassy of Niger on Haram Street in Giza, killing a police conscript and injuring two low-ranking policemen as well as a embassy employee. According to investigations conducted by the High State Security Prosecution, the defendants attacked the embassy to publicly declare the presence of the Daesh terrorist organization in the Egyptian capital, with the prosecution adding that the defendants have confessed to pledging allegiance to Daesh leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. They have also confessed to establishing a terroist cell aimed at carrying out attacks in the country, as well as targeting police forces and shops owned by Egyptian Coptic Christians. Search Keywords: Short link: Parents should ensure that the kids are safe in the pillion seat and have something to hold on to in case of sudden braking. Hyderabad: Its common to see parents dropping off kids to school every morning. A lot of them have a helmet on but not all. A few recent incidents of schoolchildren dying in road accidents on way to school or back home riding pillion with their parents have spurred the city police to look into safety aspects of the issue. In at least one accident case the woman riding a two-wheeler had not worn a helmet leading to serious injuries to her, besides of course the child dying from the fall. The Hyderabad traffic police are now tightening its belt on the helmet rule for all riders, especially parents travelling with school kids. Among two young school girls who lost their lives in road mishaps last week, one sustained a cracked skull while other ones head got crushed under the wheel of a bus. Road safety experts note that the pillion rider is at a greater risk of suffering serious head injuries in an accident. Traffic police DCP says parents should ensure that the kids are safe in the pillion seat and have something to hold on to in case of sudden braking. Helmet dealers in the city say that hardly anyone comes to them asking for a helmet for children, leaving them to not keeping a stock of the item any more. While the city traffic police are enforcing the helmet rule on riders and pillion riders, children riding pillion are at a significantly higher risk. Indian Federation of Road Safety chief functionary M. Vinod Kanumula says, Wearing helmets is mandatory in all states, but the government has never focussed on safety issues relating to children. Children come back from school with heavy school bags after a tiring day. While riding back home they are vulnerable to lose balance in case of sudden braking. There are chances that the child may slip and fall as there is little to hold on to. Also, after an exhausting day at school, often a child dozes off midway on the way home, making it very dangerous for him/her, says Chandra Shekar, a father of a child. There are child motorcycle helmets in the market, although all accessories stores do not stocking these. Even if kids helmets are not available easily, a responsible parent would head out and get it from wherever it is sold. Online stores are another place where a kids helmet can be bought. There is no room for excuses, said Mr. Kanumula. Safety of the pillion rider is as much at risk as the rider. I can tell you from years of experience that there is no fear in the public about traffic safety laws and rules. The fear of getting caught and penalised must be instilled, says Dr. Kamal Soi, member of National Road Safety Council of the ministry of road transport and highway. Rules are strict on paper but authorities concerned need to work harder to enforce them, he added. A helmet dealer in Abids, Mohd Salim, says, There is no demand for children helmets. At the most just one is sold in a month. As a result, we do not keep helmets at the store and get it only if somebody wants it. There are of course a few who follow the helmet rule -- not out of fear of a penalty but in the general safety interests of the family. Debu Sinha, a resident of Abids, says, I make sure my children wear their helmets when they ride pillion with me. It may be a small trip just round the corner of the street, but one cannot foretell accidents and the risk is there all the time. Helmets save lives, which should be easy to understand. Occupants of a luxury car survived after their car met with an accident on Jawaharlal Nehru road near Kasi theater on New Years Eve (Photo: DC) Chennai: While the city police claimed that their measures resulted in a fatal accident free New Years Eve, at least until 3 am on Monday, three persons were killed in road accidents in the City and two in neighbouring Kancheepuram district. In all, 15 persons died across the state as part of New Year's revelry, police said. About 200 persons were injured in accidents, police sources said. In Egmore, 29-year-old man, Roymon, a resident of Nariyangadu police quarters was killed after he lost control of his bike and suffered a fall while riding. Police sources said that Roymon was under the influence of alcohol and suffered head injuries. He was also not wearing a helmet, police said. In another accident near Kasimedu, a 22-year-old autorickshaw driver was killed after a load van hit his vehicle from behind. The victim was identified as Dinesh of Velayutham street, Thiruvottiyur. Police sources said that Dinesh was returning home with two of his friends when the accident happened during the early hours of Monday. Dinesh was killed on the spot while his friends survived with injuries. In Avadi, Paul Thillaiah, 26, a resident of Anna Nagar near Avadi was killed after he lost control of his bike and hit a central median. He was returning home after attending midnight mass at a church in Pattabiram when the accident happened. His friends Francis Alex, 22 and Simiyon, 24, were also riding pillion with him when the accident took place. They survived with injuries. In Kancheepuram district, a teenager was among two persons killed in road accidents. In one accident near Baluchetty chathram, S Karthik (19) was killed after his bike hit a parapet wall. He was negotiating a curve when he lost control of his bike, police said. His friend, Parthiban (22) survived the accident. Both of them were under the influence of alcohol. While the accident happened around 10 pm, they were eventually spotted only by 3 am, police sources said. In Achirupakkam near Maduranthakam, a 27-year-old man was killed after his bike hit a tree while returning from a church. The deceased was identified as Ranjith Kumar of Perambur. Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Monday began the New Year on a positive note by wishing Prime Minister Narendra Modi more strength to serve the nation. This is a clear indication that he would like to continue his good relations with the Union government in the interest of the state. Palaniswami also sent New Year greetings to President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and Governor Banwarilal Purohit. In his message to Modi, the CM said: On behalf of the Government and the people of Tamil Nadu, I wish you and your family a very Happy New Year, 2018. I pray God Almighty to give you strength to serve the nation. Sources said the wishes to Modi, Kovind and Naidu were part of the AIADMK Governments outreach to the Centre. Palaniswami has been maintaining that the state government enjoys good relationship with the Centre only to get maximum funds for development projects in the interest of Tamil Nadu. He wants to maintain good relations with the Centre, since that would only bring good to the state. Maintaining a working equation with the Centre always helps the state government, a source said. In his greetings to Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu, Palaniswami said, "I am very happy to convey my hearty greetings and good wishes to you and your family on the occasion of New Year, 2018". The Chief Minister also greeted the Governor. "I have great pleasure in conveying my best wishes and greetings to you and your family a very Happy New Year, 2018", Palaniswami said in his message. Chennai: Dismayed motor-cycle riders can relax now. Cattle owners who allow their cows to graze on city roads and posing a threat to the bikers will end up paying more penalty soon, as the Greater Chennai Corporation has decided to increase the fine levy to 10 times. It is learnt that a decision had been taken at a recent special council meet to increase the fine to Rs 10,000 from Rs .1000 and collect Rs 750 for maintaining the cattle for 3 days. According to a Chennai Corporation official, the civic body has imposed a penalty of Rs 1000 for cattle less than 3 years of age and Rs 1250 for cattle above 3 years. Though the Chennai Corporation would hand over the cattle to NGOs for permanent maintenance after 3 days, if the cattle owner failed to pay the penalty, the officials continue struggling to curb the stray cattle issue. Presently, we have no rules to punish the repeat offenders. If the same cattle caught again, the owners could pay the same amount of fine that they paid during the first time, the official said. To check the repeat offenders, we will make a mark in the cattle's ear. If the same cattle caught again, it will be handed over to NGOs. Then the cattle owner will lose his cow, the official said. However, the increase in the penalty would be brought into effect from the 2018-19 financial year. There are some incidents when corporation officials were attacked by some cattle owners. To safeguard themselves from such attacks, the official will seek local police help while catching stray cattle, the official added. Sri Nirmalanandanatha Swami, actor Prakash Raj and CM Siddaramaiah at the Person of the Year Award presentation ceremony at the Press Club of Bengaluru on Sunday. Bengaluru: To counter Congress separate Lingayat religion strategy, the BJP has decided to consolidate Hindu votes by terming the state government anti-Hindu. After attending a meeting chaired by BJP president Amith Shah here on Sunday, Union Minister Ananth Kumar said that the BJP will take its propaganda to the booth level through its Yuva Morcha. While the government has not taken any action in cases related to murders of Hindu activists, it has withdrawn cases against PFI activists. Congress president Parameshwar is holding a meeting with SDPI for a poll alliance, he said. At the meeting with Shah, the state unit took four decisions to be completed in the next two months. Before Jan. 16, the party will prepare a chargesheet against Congress legislators in every Assembly constituency on the promises made and not fulfilled. Between Feb. 15 and 22, Yuva Morcha will conduct awareness programmes in all Assembly segments and reach the chargesheets to every household, he said. The Yuva Morcha has been given charge of registering at least 21 new names in every booth. On Shah's reaction to the state party unit's progress, Mr Kumar said that he was happy with the Parivarthana Yatra. Delay cuts short meet: The visit of Amith Shah lost its steam, as he arrived in the city late because of heavy fog at the Delhi Airport. Instead of arriving at 10.30 am, he landed at 3.20 pm. Before he arrived, Karnataka in charge Prakash Javadekar and BJP state president B.S. Yeddyurappa held the legislators' meeting. Javadekar wanted to know the progress of leaders, who were given charge of additional constituencies. Karadi Sanganna, Balachandra Jarakiholi, Suresh Angadi and M. Krishnappa were asked to explain why they did not visit the additional constituencies. Reddy interested: Bellary MP B. Sriramulu said that former minister G. Janardhan Reddy is interested in contesting the Assembly elections. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the crowd at the 85th Sivagiri pilgrimage at Varkala on Sunday. Seen on dais are Swami Vishudhananda, president of Sree Narayana Dharma Sangham Trust, M. A. Yusuff Ali, SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellapally Natesan, Richard Hay, MP, and Union Minister of Ayush with independent charge Shripad Y. Naik. THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday used the venue of 85th annual pilgrimage at Sivagiri Mutt to drive a political point, saying Muslim women are finally free from the practice of triple talaq. Delivering his inaugural address via video-conferencing, for the first time after the Lok Sabha adopted the Bill making the practice illegal, he said after "years of suffering" Muslim women had finally found a way out to "free" themselves. Mr Modi said when people were divided by caste, one of the greatest social reformers, Sree Narayana Guru, came forward with the messages like "freedom through education" and "become strong through organisation" where he fought for social justice. The Guru believed that the poor, Dalits and backward communities could come to the forefront of the society only through education which has been proved right. "The Guru tirelessly worked to ensure that education is achieved by the people in other states as well. He stands tall among other social reformers that the country has seen in last two centuries," he said. He also urged that the ideals and philosophies of Guru should be taken into each one of our lives. Modi heaped praise on the annual Sivagiri pilgrimage citing that its messages have been leading lakhs of pilgrims in its right direction. He also said people should work towards the all-round development of the nation in 2018 even as his government pushes for reforms to tackle black money, corruption, benami properties and terrorism. Calling for 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas', he said the mantra for the New Year should be "reform, perform, transform." He urged that people should be free from weaknesses and it is places like Sivagiri Mutt and similar organisations which helps people to stay grounded. "I am extremely happy that I am able to start the New Year with the blessings of Sree Narayana Guru. I have received ecstasy whenever I had visited Sivagiri Mutt which has given me immense happiness", he added. Bengaluru: Cutting state BJP chief , B S Yeddyurappa to size, BJP national president, Amit Shah informed a meeting of party workers on Sunday that the central leadership would finalise the candidates for the 2018 Assembly polls and the state leadership would not have to bother about it. Going by party sources, Mr Shah said the central leadership would not consider any assurances on tickets given by the state leadership in response to complaints about Mr Yeddyurappa unilaterally declaring candidates for the coming elections. Moving on to other matters, he is said to have given the job of preparing the framework of a chargesheet to be drawn up against the state government to party general secretaries, Shobha Karandlaje and Ravikumar and party organising secretary, Arun Kumar, who are expected to submit it to the state leadership as early as possible. Insisting on paying close attention to the voters, Mr. Shah directed the party to appoint karyakarthas to reach out to those mentioned in the voters list at every booth in the state, sources reveal. The idea is to concentrate on individual voters, he reportedly explained. Speaking to DC, a senior BJP leader said Mr. Shah had also instructed the state unit to hold Mahila Morcha, SC/ST Morcha, OBC morcha and Raitha Morcha conventions in each Assembly constituency in the run-up to the poll. Hyderabad: Jana Sena chief and actor Pawan Kalyan on Monday met with Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao to discuss about the state governments 24x7 free power supply to farmers. After one-and-a-half hour meeting, the Jana Sena chief said they did not politics and he was happy that farmers in Telangana would be getting 24x7 power. He said it is a great achievement as the Chief Minister has made it possible something that was considered impossible. He recalled that the statements by former chief minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy suggesting that after division of Andhra Pradesh, Telang-ana would suffer due to power scarcity. He said senior Cong-ress leader Jana Reddy also had said that he would campaign for the TRS if the power was supplied free of cost for 24x7. On tying up with the TRS, he said it is too early to talk about alliance. Bengaluru: Congress president Rahul Gandhi quizzed Chief Minister Siddaramaiah about the latters strategy to secure the support of urban voters in forthcoming elections to the Legislative Assembly during a courtesy call on New Years Eve. A casual conversation turned into a discussion between the two leaders as Mr Gandhi, keen to ensure that his party retains its hold over Karnataka, seemed anxious about the state units plans to woo urban voters who constitute the traditional vote base of the BJP. He praised Mr Siddaramaiah for embarking on Sadhana Yatra and listened patiently as the Chief Minister explained that benefits of most schemes have reached the urban poor. Besides, the governments initiative to improve the infrastructure and launch schemes such as white-topping of roads would also will help attract the urban youth and professionals in Bengaluru, the Chief Minister was quoted as informing Mr Gandhi. According to a senior leader, the Chief Minister explained that the urban poor had benefited to a large extent by many schemes. Be it the Indira canteens or distribution of rice under Anna Bhagya scheme, each is actually aimed at catering to this segment.Hence, the party is upbeat about its performance in urban areas too, " the leader explained. The leader said in the aftermath of the partys performance in Gujarat, where the BJP swept urban pockets in an unprecedented manner, the party's think tank reportedly arrived at a conclusion that the party must focus on the urban poor rather than on the entire urban voter segment. "In any city, the urban poor constitute the major segment on whom the party must turn its attention and the party has been working on this strategy in Delhi. However, Karnataka has never lagged behind in attracting urban poor voters traditionally. The same is continued even by Mr Siddaramaiah by announcing pro-poor schemes in his last four budgets, the leader added. Shah came to stop internal feud: Dr G Parameshwar KPCC president Dr. G. Parameshwar on Monday described BJP president Amit Shah's visit to the city on Sunday as an attempt to stop internal fighting in the state unit. "Naturally during the visit, he has spoken about elections. His visit will have no impact on us, he added. He asserted that some BJP legislators and leaders have evinced interest in joining the party ahead of the Assembly elections. "Some BJP legislators and leaders have expressed interest in joining our party, and are in touch with us. But it is difficult to accept everyone as we will have our candidates in those constituencies," he said adding We will have to think before inducting them. It is no comfort from the security point of view that 2017 should end with a terrorist strike in Kashmir on the last day of the year. A training camp of CRPF was attacked at 2 am and the force lost five personnel including an inspector. The terrorists, apparently owing allegiance to the Pakistans Jaish-e-Mohammed group, suffered two casualties of the module of possibly four well-armed fighters. The point to note is that JeM attackers were all Kashmiris. They appeared well-trained for a guerrilla operation. It is true that the last year saw a determined effort on the governments part to deal with terrorism in the Valley. The security forces took the initiative in pursuing the armed troublemakers and neutralised a large number of terrorists, especially in the last six months of the year. However, the government appears to be in self-congratulatory mood in its resolve to deal with Pakistan-backed terrorists. This is unwarranted. The state of affairs in J&K characterised by a determined refusal on the part of the Centre to engage the civilian population in a meaningful conversation around political, governance and social issues is such that it has become almost natural for the young people to get sucked into terrorist activity. Although, of late, there have been a couple of instances wherein young boys have returned home after joining militant ranks, either on the appeal of their family or persuasion by the authorities. But a few cases do not constitute a trend which, in fact, is in the opposite direction. The Sunday morning attack took place at Lethpora in South Kashmir just outside Awantipore on the national highway, not far from Srinagar. The state police chief S.P. Vaid has said there was intelligence report about a possible assault a few days prior to this incident. It is shocking that the camp of the 185th CRPF battalion was caught short in spite of this information. The security grid in Kashmir is in urgent need to wake up to this aspect. In numerous incidents in the past two years, the camps of the Army and paramilitary personnel have been surprised by the timing, tactics and the level of weaponry and training of the terrorists. Although strong military measures may become necessary in Kashmir at times, the issue is fundamentally political at the level of ordinary citizens. The present government appears insensitive to this aspect. There is also the crucial Pakistan dimension the desire of the Pakistani military to grab the Valley. This aim can be thwarted with greater ease if New Delhi can ensure, through political measures, that the people of Kashmir will stand with it four square in confronting Pakistan. But our policies in the recent period are one of rejection of popular grievances. This leaves India with a weak hand in dealing with Pakistan. President Hassan Rouhani said Monday that the Iranian people would "respond to rioters and lawbreakers" protesting around the country in recent days. "Our nation will deal with this minority who chant slogans against the law and people's wishes, and insult the sanctities and values of the revolution," he said in a statement on his official website. "Criticism and protest are an opportunity not a threat. The nation will themselves respond to the rioters and lawbreakers." Short link: If seen through the usual lens which is used to analyse electoral patterns and trends to anticipate electoral outcomes, Congress electoral prospects in 2018 seem to be better as compared to the recent past. The Congress can hope to gain from the anti-incumbency mood, which may be prevailing against the BJP government in three states i.e. Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. A small swing of votes in favour of the Congress in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh can give victory to the Congress, though in Rajasthan it would need a much bigger swing to tilt the electoral balance in its favour. The Congress would be at the receiving end only in Karnataka but even there, the BJP might need a big swing in its favour to be able to dislodge Congress from power. A reasonably good performance of the Congress in recently held Assembly elections in Gujarat has enthused the party and it hopes to capitalise on this mood. It also hopes to gain electorally from rural unrest (farmers crisis), which is visible in the states going to polls this year more so because these states are largely rural. By these parameters, it is reasonable for the Congress to hope for a better 2018, compared electorally to the recent past. The electoral prospects may look promising for the Congress, but only by these narratives and factors. When elections are held in mid and late 2018, the Congress may find it difficult to defeat the BJP in its stronghold of MP, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. In fact, holding on to power in Karnataka may prove to be a tedious task for the Congress. A careful analysis of electoral outcome in recent years suggests that the BJP holds better chances of winning elections in these states. The Congress might hope to gain from 15 years of anti-incumbency, which the BJP government may face in MP and Chhattisgarh and of five years in Rajasthan, while it would be at the receiving end in Karnataka. But the way BJP has contested the Assembly elections in different states post 2014 Lok Sabha elections shows that the standard narrative of anti-incumbency does not work. The BJP contested Assembly elections in Gujarat against so many odds but it still managed to win for the sixth time in a row, negating the theory of anti-incumbency. If a party can overcome 22 years of anti-incumbency in Gujarat, it may be possible for the same election machinery to overcome 15 years of anti-incumbency in MP and Chhattisgarh. Going by the way votes are distributed between the Congress and the BJP, the former can manage to win election in Chhattisgarh by a small 2 per cent swing of votes and by 5-6 per cent swing of votes in MP in its favour. But in the absence of a formidable state leadership, the Congress may even find this difficult. The Congress needs a much bigger swing may be more than 8 per cent votes to win the elections in Rajasthan. The same holds true for the BJP which would need more than 10 per cent swing of votes in its favour to win in Karnataka. While the Congress might suffer from the handicap of leadership in Rajasthan, the BJP has no such disadvantage. In Karnataka, the Congress might be on a receiving end by way of facing some anti-incumbency. The relatively better performance of the Congress in rural Gujarat is seen as a sign of revival of the Congress in rural India as a result of farmers unhappiness in particular and rural unrest in general. The Congress is hoping that it may have better electoral prospects in 2018 as the three states of MP, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan are basically agricultural states and a huge majority of people are depended upon farming for their livelihood. Of the total 230 seats in MP 155 are rural, in Rajasthan of 200 Assembly seats 147 seats are rural, in Chhattisgarh of the total 90 Assembly seats 68 are rural, while in Karnataka only 133 of the total 224 Assembly seats are rural. The Congress revival in rural Gujarat is being over interpreted as its voteshare in rural Gujarat increased only by 1.3% while in urban Gujarat it increased by 2.3 per cent and in semi-urban constituencies the voteshare increased by 5.1 per cent. The Congress still trailed behind the BJP even in rural Gujarat by one per cent votes. Yes, one gets visible signs of the farmersunhappiness with the state government in MP, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, but an assumption that their unhappiness would make them vote against the BJP may be an overstatement. A hope for a victory on the back of rural unrest may turn into an unfulfilled dream for the Congress in these states. The anti-incumbency theory seems to be a thing of past. The Congress cant hope for a victory only because of anti-incumbency. The voters are unlikely to shift towards the Congress only because in a bi-polar contest in these states they would have no choices than to vote for Congress, if unhappy with the BJP government. If the Congress needs to put up a challenge for the BJP, it needs to change its election strategy. Contesting elections are no more a part time affair or battle which could be won by last minute preparations. In order to challenge a well-oiled election machinery like that of BJP, the Congress not only needs to oil its old machinery, but change some of its election machinery or, at least, change some tools of the election machinery which seem to have become outdated by now. Narendra Modi is the most talented politician of our times, not just in India but also farther afield. It is not easy to come up with names of elected leaders who are so popular. I can think of Vladimir Putin in Russia and Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Turkey, who are somewhat similar. I do not understand the politics of those nations to any great extent, but I do know that the support enjoyed by them is similar to Mr Modis in one sense. The individual leader in all three instances is more popular than the party because he has broadened the traditional base. Mr Modi regularly polls an approval rating of over 70 per cent. I recognise that such polls are inaccurate and to a large extent unscientific but even so the consistency with which he achieves this is remarkable given that his party has only ever got 31 per cent of the all-India vote at its peak, which was in 2014. Anecdotal evidence, meaning the people I speak to about this, also confirms that he is a popular leader. If we examine the case of Mr Modi, we can discern the following types of people who are attracted to him and his style of politics. The most important is his base of upper caste, middle class and urban voters. The BJP sweep of the cities in Gujarat confirms this analysis: even when the partys policies are failing in the rural and semi-rural areas, it is this base that remains firmly behind the BJP, and to a larger extent, Mr Modi personally. The reasons for this support are several. The middle class is convinced that this country is run poorly and needs to be straightened out through radical actions. The idea of a strongman coming in to do this has always found appeal in this section, and as someone who is almost 50 years old I can report that this has been the case for at least three decades. This perspective of course is reductionist and simplistic, but I dont want to discuss that today. The anti-reservations stance of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, and its Brahminised view of culture are in alignment with how this group broadly sees the world around them. This community is highly nationalistic (they are the people who flock to the events that Mr Modi holds with the Indian immigrants when hes abroad), which fits in with the posture of the BJP. The powerful nationalism means that they are almost totally brainwashed on the issues of Pakistan and China. Fortunately, this missing ability to engage with complexity also falls into place with the BJPs outlook. Economically, this is the community that depends on high GDP growth, an expansion of white-collar jobs, investments in modern infrastructure (example: bullet train over rural roads and airports over state transport buses). It is not easy to generalise on the matter of minority rights. However, while accepting that the dislike of minorities is something all South Asian communities have, an excess of violence will trouble this community, if only because it clashes with their perceptions about India. The pure idea of secularism does not appeal to them to any large extent and this is essentially a construct. Not many Indians vote for secularism. Being middle class and therefore salaried for the most part, this group sets great store by merit and is attracted to Mr Modi because he is self-made unlike dynastic Rahul Gandhi. The second category of Mr Modi supporter is the regular BJP supporter, who gravitates towards the party because he comes from the dominant caste that supports the party, like the Lingayat in Karnataka, the Patidar in Gujarat and the Rajput in Rajasthan. The third one is the Indian who is attracted to Hindutva and believes that the enemy is internal and needs to be sorted out before India progresses. I dont think either of the latter two categories is particularly important or interesting for this argument because they will remain with the BJP no matter who the party is led by, whether Mr Modi or anyone else, and now or in the future. It is the charisma and belief in Mr Modi as an individual with the ability to deliver that separates the first category from the others. We have all of 2018 before us, the last full year before the elections. The data is in on Mr Modis economic performance: hes a flop. Manmohan Singh has pointed out that Mr Modi will be unable to match the average rate of growth delivered by Dr Singh over a decade. In the corporate world (which loves Mr Modi), where the chief executive is judged by quarterly results, Mr Modi would have been fired. To me the important data point is this: in 2009 the worlds economy contracted because of the financial crisis. Today it is booming and growing at three per cent. But even in this environment, Indias growth has declined. This is because of the deliberate slowing down induced by eccentric actions like demonetisation. This failure will influence Mr Modi and the BJP negatively when they prepare the pitch for the 2019 elections. There is no economic achievement to speak of (when was the last time you head the fastest growing nation line?) and I dont think there will be a positive campaign like the Achche Din type of 2014. It will be vicious and divisive. As an Indian it will be depressing. As a writer and observer of our society, it will be utterly fascinating to see how the first category, to me the most important pillar of Mr Modis personal support, reacts to it. 'No partnership can survive a country's harbouring of militants and terrorists who target US service members and officials,' Trump had said. (Photo: AP) Washington: In a scathing attack, President Donald Trump on Monday accused Pakistan of giving nothing to the US but "lies and deceit" in return for USD 33 billion aid and said Islamabad has provided "safe haven" to terrorists. "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 said in a strongly worded tweet. 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 "They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!" Trump said in his first tweet of the year. This is the strongest attack that has come from the US president. His remarks came days after the New York Times reported that the US is considering withholding USD 225 million in aid to Pakistan reflecting its dissatisfaction with the latter's reluctance in the war against terrorism. In November, the US had strongly condemned release of the Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed by Pakistan and had demanded his immediate re-arrest and prosecution, warning that there would be "repercussions" for bilateral ties if Islamabad fails to take "decisive action" against the JuD chief. Saeed, who carries a USD 10 million American bounty on his head for terror activities, walked free after the Pakistan government decided against detaining him further in any other case. In his new South Asia Policy in August, Trump had called for tougher measures against Pakistan if it fails to cooperate with the US in its fight against terrorism. "We can no longer be silent about Pakistan's safe havens for terrorist organisations, the Taliban, and other groups that pose a threat to the region and beyond. Pakistan has much to gain from partnering with our effort in Afghanistan. It has much to lose by continuing to harbour criminals and terrorists," Trump had said in his South Asia Policy speech. Noting that in the past, Pakistan has been a valued partner, Trump had accused it of providing shelter to the same organisations that try every single day to kill Americans. "We have been paying Pakistan billions and billions of dollars at the same time they are housing the very terrorists that we are fighting. But that will have to change, and that will change immediately," Trump had said. "No partnership can survive a country's harbouring of militants and terrorists who target US service members and officials. It is time for Pakistan to demonstrate its commitment to civilisation, order, and to peace," he had said. Pakistan has repeatedly denied that there are any terrorist safe havens inside its territory. Both its officials in Islamabad and inside the United Nations in New York assert that there are no terrorist safe havens. However, the top American leadership insists that there has been no change in Pakistani behaviour on this front that that it is fast running out of patience. In December, the Pentagon warned Pakistan of unilateral action if Islamabad did not act. In a surprise visit to Afghanistan before Christmas, US Vice President Mike Pence had issued a stern warning to Pakistan, for which using non-state actors against its two neighbours - India and Afghanistan - has been part of its national security policy. "For too long Pakistan has provided safe haven to the Taliban and many terrorist organisations, but those days are over," Pence told American troops at the Bagram airbase in Afghanistan where he made an unannounced trip on December 21. "President Trump has put Pakistan on notice," he had said. Afghanistan's Ambassador to the US Hamdullah Mohib welcomed Trump's tweet. "A promising message to Afghans who have suffered at the hands of terrorists based in Pakistan for far too long," Mohib tweeted. Sunday night was the deadliest since the angry demonstrations broke out on Thursday and spread across the country in the biggest test for the regime since mass protests in 2009. (Photo: AP) Tehran: Ten people were killed overnight in the worst violence yet seen in Iran's protests, local media reported Monday, as President Hassan Rouhani played down the unrest and vowed those breaking the law would be dealt with. US President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly criticised Tehran over four days of demonstrations, said it was "time for a change" and that the Iranian people were "hungry" for freedom. Sunday night was the deadliest since the angry demonstrations broke out on Thursday and spread across the country in the biggest test for the regime since mass protests in 2009. Six people were killed in the western town of Tuyserkan after shots were fired, state television reported, while a local lawmaker said two people had been shot dead in the southwestern town of Izeh. Two others, included a teenage boy, were run down and killed by a fire engine stolen by protesters in the western town of Dorud, the state broadcaster said, bringing the total death toll in the protests to 12. Rouhani tried to play down the unrest, saying: "This is nothing." "Criticism and protest are an opportunity not a threat," he said in a statement on the presidency website, adding that the Iranian people would "respond to the rioters and lawbreakers". "Our nation will deal with this minority who chant slogans against the law and people's wishes, and insult the sanctities and values of the revolution." Pro-regime rallies were held across several towns and cities, but videos on social media showed seemingly widespread anti-government protests in cities including Kermanshah, Khorramabad and Shahinshahr. A school for clergy and government buildings were torched in the northwestern town of Takestan and videos showed police using tear gas and water cannon to disperse a small protest in Tehran's Enghelab Square on Sunday evening. The authorities did not give details on who was responsible for the fatal shootings. 'Country must have discipline' The authorities have confirmed more than 400 people were arrested since the outbreak of the unrest, of which around 100 have been freed. Judiciary chief Ayatollah Sadegh Larijani joined Rouhani in warning against illegal action. "Those who have rightful demands must be guided in lawful ways and those who riot and commit sabotage and chaos and set fire to public property... must be confronted decisively," he told the state broadcaster. "The country must have discipline," Larijani added. Verifying rumours and videos remained challenging due to travel restrictions and sporadic blocks on mobile internet and popular social media sites including Telegram and Instagram. The protests began as demonstrations against economic conditions in second city Mashhad on Thursday but quickly turned against the Islamic regime as a whole, with thousands marching in towns across Iran to chants of "Death to the dictator". Trump, a fierce critic of Tehran, used one of his first tweets of 2018 to again lash out at a favourite target. "Iran is failing at every level despite the terrible deal made with them by the Obama administration," Trump tweeted, referring to the nuclear pact agreed under his predecessor Barack Obama. "The great Iranian people have been repressed for many years. They are hungry for food & for freedom. Along with human rights, the wealth of Iran is being looted. TIME FOR CHANGE!" Living costs, unemployment After initial silence, state media began showing some footage of the demonstrations on Sunday, focusing on young men attacking banks and vehicles, an attack on a town hall in Tehran, and images of a man burning the Iranian flag. Rouhani came to power in 2013 promising to mend the economy and ease social tensions, but high living costs and a 12 percent unemployment rate have left many feeling that progress is too slow. "We have no problem bigger than unemployment. Our economy needs an operation. We must all stand together," Rouhani acknowledged on Monday. The authorities have blamed external forces for fomenting violence, saying the majority of social media reports were emanating from regional rival Saudi Arabia or exile groups based in Europe. Authorities ruthlessly put down the 2009 protests, which followed a disputed presidential election that gave hardliner Mahmoud Ahmadinejad a second term. At least 36 people were killed in the 2009 unrest, according to an official toll, while the opposition says 72 died. In the years since, many middle-class Iranians have abandoned hope of securing change from the streets. But low-level strikes and demonstrations have continued, with groups such as bus drivers, teachers and factory workers regularly protesting against unpaid wages and poor conditions. Kim Jong-Un urged North Korea to mass-produce nuclear warheads and missiles in a defiant New Year message today suggesting he would continue to accelerate a rogue weapons programme that has stoked international tensions. Pyongyang dramatically ramped up its efforts to become a nuclear power in 2017, despite a raft of international sanctions and increasingly bellicose rhetoric from the United States. Kim, who said today that he always had a nuclear launch button on his desk, has presided over multiple missile tests in recent months and the North's sixth and most powerful nuclear test -- which it said was a hydrogen bomb -- in September. "We must mass-produce nuclear warheads and ballistic missiles and speed up their deployment," said Kim in his annual address to the nation, reiterating his claims that North Korea had achieved its goal of becoming a nuclear state. The North says its weapons programme is designed to be able to target the US mainland and tested increasingly longer-range intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) throughout 2017. US President Donald Trump has responded to each test with his own amplified declarations, threatening to "totally destroy" Pyongyang and taunting Kim, saying the North Korean leader was on "a suicide mission". But far from persuading Kim to give up his nuclear drive, analysts say Trump's tough talk may have prompted the North Korean leader to drive through with his dangerous quest. "(The North) can cope with any kind of nuclear threats from the US and has a strong nuclear deterrence that is able to prevent the US from playing with fire," Kim said today. "The nuclear button is always on my table. The US must realise this is not blackmail but reality." His comments come after a former top US military officer warned that the United States is now closer than it has ever been to a nuclear war with the North, with little hope of a diplomatic solution to the crisis. Mike Mullen, a former chairman of the US joint chiefs of staff, said the Trump presidency had helped create "an incredibly dangerous climate", in an interview on ABC's "This Week". "We're actually closer, in my view, to a nuclear war with North Korea and in that region than we have ever been," he said. Pyongyang claims it needs nuclear weapons to protect itself from a hostile US and sees American military activities in the region -- such as the joint drills it takes part in with the South -- as a precursor to invasion. As tensions spiked in the region in recent months, the international community has slapped a range of sanctions on the North aimed at curbing its weapons programme and squeezing the country's leadership. In December the United Nations Security Council unanimously passed new, US-drafted sanctions to restrict oil supplies vital for the impoverished state. The third raft of sanctions imposed last year, which the North slammed as an "act of war", also received the backing of China -- the North's sole major ally and economic lifeline. But the embargoes have shown little sign of dampening Kim's enthusiasm for his weapons drive. Observers say Washington must open talks with the North to defuse tensions -- but that remains a challenge. The North has always said it will only deal with the US from a position of equality as a nuclear state. Washington has long insisted that it will not accept a nuclear-armed North and Pyongyang must embark on a path towards denuclearisation before any talks. The benchmark BSE Sensex today dropped by 244 points, its biggest single-day fall in past one month, to close below the key 34,000-mark on the first trading day of 2018 after a late sell-off in auto, banking and IT stocks. The 50-share Nifty cracked below the 10,500-mark to hit a low of 10,423.10 before settling 95.15 points, or 0.90 percent down at 10,435.55. Investors started booking profit at record highs in absence of cues from global markets that remained closed for the New Year holiday. There was accelerated selling, particularly in the last hour of trading dragging the key Sensex from record highs, brokers said. Bouts of buying were, however, seen in power, capital goods, realty, healthcare and consumer durables sector stocks that capped the losses to some extent. The benchmark index touched a low of 33,766.15 before settling down 244.08 points, or 0.72 percent, at 33,812.75. This is the biggest single-day fall since December 1 when it had lost 316.41. The gauge had gained 208.80 points to end at an all-time high of 34,056.83 in the last session of 2017 on Friday. Briefing reporters, Union Minister Ananth Kumar said conventions of the SC/ST, OBC and women morchas of the party will be organised in each of the Assembly constituencies in February. Micro-level planning He said the party had constituted around 55,000 booth committees across the state. As a step forward, the party will appoint an in-charge for every 30-50 voters. Usually, the list in a polling booth has around 900 voters and runs into 25 to 30 pages. We will appoint an incharge for each page in the list. The incharge will have built a rapport with the voters entrusted to him by the time elections are held, Kumar said. He said the Nava Karnataka Nirmana Parivarthana Yatra led by party state president B S Yeddyurappa was getting excellent response across the state. The yatra has entered the 145th constituency. In contrast, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is on government tour only in constituencies won by the Congress, while JD(S) president H D Kumaraswamy has given up his yatra mid-way, Kumar said. BJP leaders B S Yeddyurappa, Jagadish Shettar, K S Eshwarappa, among others, were present. The Karnataka BJP will come out with a charge sheet on the failures and non-implementation of the promises made by the Congress government by January 16.The youth wing of the party will then disseminate the contents of the charge sheet to each and every household in all 224 Assembly constituencies between February 15 and 22.A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting chaired by BJP national president Amit Shah to review the Assembly poll preparedness of the party at a private resort on the outskirts of the city on Sunday.The meeting was attended by top state leaders, functionaries, state election in-charge Prakash Javadekar and Piyush Goyal. German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel expressed concern on Monday about the death of protesters in Iran and appealed to the Iranian government to respect people's rights. The protests by tens of thousands of people are the biggest in Iran since unrest in 2009 that followed the disputed re-election of then-president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. "We appeal to the Iranian government to respect the rights of the demonstrators to assemble and to peacefully raise their voices," Gabriel said. "After the confrontations of recent days, it is all the more important that all sides refrain from violent actions." Short link: National Students Union of India (NSUI) Kashmir University president on Sunday resigned after a threat by Hizb-ul-Mujahideen commander Reyaz Naikoo. In a video shared on social media, Naikoo while asking students, who are part of NSUI in Kashmir University to desist from it as "soon as possible", said, "Otherwise, they (NSUI members) will not get a chance to repent." "We know who is working in the union (NSUI) and who is its president. Our cadres are in the university and they will not remain under the impression that we don't know anything," Naikoo, a 30-year-old postgraduate, said. Naikoo is a contemporary of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani, whose killing in 2016 triggered unprecedented unrest in Kashmir, which left nearly 100 civilian protesters dead in clashes with security forces. Immediately after the video surfaced, Syed Muneeb, the president of NSUI in Kashmir University issued a statement announcing his resignation. "I, the president of NSUI Kashmir University, had taken the opportunity to help my fellow students regarding the issues related to academics and mess. I have no affiliation whatsoever with any political stand. Now I am resigning from this position immediately," he announced. A student of the law department at the university, Muneeb said that he has been an active participant in student activism but was "unaware" about the NSUI. "While mainstream political parties always try their level best to establish groups within campus, some days back, I, oblivious and without any knowledge, joined National Students Union which in others words was a grave mistake on my part," Muneeb said. Most student unions have been proscribed in Kashmir by the government. In the late 2000s, the Kashmir University Students' Union (KUSU) came to the fore, organising protests and talks on the university campus. The union had been banned since the early 1990s but was briefly allowed to function between 2007 and 2009. National security advisors of India and Pakistan held a "secret" meeting in Thailand, a senior Pakistani official said on Monday. A Pakistan's national security division official, on the condition of anonymity, said the meeting between Pakistan's National Security Advisor retired Lt Gen Nasser Khan Janjua and India's National Security Advisor Ajit Doval took place on December 27 in Thailand, 'The Dawn' newspaper reported. "The meeting was good. Doval's tone and tenor was friendly and positive," the official who had been briefed about the meeting disclosed. He was told the meeting was useful and said it might help in restarting some sort of engagement at the diplomatic level as well, the report said. According to the Pakistani official, the meeting came after Indian death-row prisoner Kulbhushan Jadhav met with his family on December 25 in Islamabad. While Pakistan termed its decision to allow Jadhav's family to travel to Pakistan to meet him as a humanitarian gesture, India has accused it of violating mutual understandings, asserting that the Indian national appeared coerced and under considerable stress during the tightly- controlled interaction. India also accused Pakistan of disregarding cultural and religious sensibilities of family members under the pretext of security. Jadhav, who was captured in March last year, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court for spying, an accusation that India has dismissed as concocted. New Delhi says Jadhav was kidnapped in Iran where he had legitimate business interests, and brought to Pakistan. To save Jadhav, India moved the International Court of Justice, which ordered Pakistan in May to stay his execution. A reveler who partied with his friends on New Year's eve was found murdered on Monday at a partly constructed building in Gudi Mavu, Bengaluru south taluk. The deceased has been identified as Naveen (27) of Devagere village who went out to celebrate New Year with friends before midnight. Police suspect that Naveen must have been murdered by his friends in a drunken brawl. The partly constructed structure belongs to a person named Anand. Harohalli Circle Inspector visited the spot. Kaggalipura police are investigating the case. Ishrat Jahan, one of the five petitioners in the triple talaq case, has joined the BJP. Ishrat (31) was divorced by her husband from Dubai her over the phone in 2014 by uttering "talaq" thrice. BJP's West Bengal unit general secretary Sayantan Basu told DH on Monday that Ishrat was felicitated by the Howrah district unit of the party on Saturday, where she was inducted into the party. "Ishrat Jahan has joined the BJP at a felicitation ceremony at our Howrah district office on Saturday. A state-level programme to welcome her to the party fold will be held soon," Basu said. He, however, declined to comment when asked whether Ishrat will be the party's candidate in the January 29 Uluberia Lok Sabha bypoll. Both the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the CPM have announced their candidates for the bypoll. The TMC has nominated Sajda Ahmed for the seat. Sajda is the widow of former TMC MP from Uluberia Sultan Ahmed, whose death last year has necessitated the byelection. The Opposition Left front has nominated Sabiruddin Mollah of the CPM for the seat. Soon after attending the felicitation programme organised by the BJP, Ishrat welcomed the NDA government's move to get the Triple Talaq Bill passed in the Lok Sabha. "I welcome the Centre's move to pass the Triple Talaq Bill. After this, the lives of our next generations are secured and they will not have to go through the situation we experienced. I have joined the BJP not because it is a political party, but because it supported our cause. Modiji made a revolutionary law in the interest of victims. I will work in the party's women wing," she told reporters soon after the programme. Two days before a special CBI court is slated to pronounce the quantum of punishment to one of the convicts in the fodder scam, Lalu Prasad, hundreds of RJD leaders made a beeline on Monday outside the Ranchi jail to meet the incarcerated party president. Lalu, who is facing trial in six different fodder scam cases, was convicted by the CBI court on December 23 in RC 64A/96, a case related to fraudulent withdrawal of around Rs 90 lakh from the Deogarh treasury. The RJD chief is currently lodged in Ranchi's Birsa Munda jail awaiting his sentence to be pronounced by the CBI judge Shivpal Singh on January 3. Birsa Munda jail authorities on Monday allowed three RJD leaders, including party spokesperson Ezya Yadav, Girinath Singh and Sanjay Yadav, to meet the incarcerated RJD chief. Outside the jail premises, hundreds of RJD supporters had gathered with home-cooked food and green vegetables to give it to their party president on the occasion of New Year. "Lalu ji loves cooking. Therefore, some of his supporters today (Monday) came with seasonal vegetables and other eatables. But since the jail manual says that only three people can meet Lalu ji in a week, the supporters have handed over the vegetables to the prison authorities, who, in turn, will pass it on to the RJD president," said Bhola Yadav, Lalu's confidant. Last week, jail authorities had disallowed Lalu's lawyer Prabahat Kumar, too, from meeting his client citing rules of the jail manual. Meanwhile, former chief minister Rabri Devi, flanked by her two sons Tej Pratap and Tejashwi Yadav, met scores of RJD leaders at her Patna residence. "The RJD is not celebrating New Year. But I extend my good wishes to everyone. Hope Lalu ji will get justice on January 3," said Rabri. "Had we been any Mishra or any other upper caste, instead of Yadav, we would have been exonerated by now," she added. Rabri's ire was apparently aimed at the exoneration of former chief minister Jagannath Mishra, who on December 23, was let off in the same case (RC 64A/96) by the same CBI court, although both the former chief ministers were named as accused after the fodder scam was detected in 1996. In a scathing attack, President Donald Trump today accused Pakistan of giving nothing to the US but "lies and deceit" in return for USD 33 billion aid and said Islamabad has provided "safe haven" to terrorists. "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 said in a strongly worded tweet. "They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!" Trump said in his first tweet of the year. This is the strongest attack that has come from the US president. His remarks came days after the New York Times reported that the US is considering withholding USD 225 million in aid to Pakistan reflecting its dissatisfaction with the latter's reluctance in the war against terrorism. In November, the US had strongly condemned release of the Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed by Pakistan and had demanded his immediate re-arrest and prosecution, warning that there would be "repercussions" for bilateral ties if Islamabad fails to take "decisive action" against the JuD chief. Saeed, who carries a USD 10 million American bounty on his head for terror activities, walked free after the Pakistan government decided against detaining him further in any other case. In his new South Asia Policy in August, Trump had called for tougher measure against Pakistan if it fails to cooperate with the US in its fight against terrorism. "We can no longer be silent about Pakistan's safe havens for terrorist organisations, the Taliban, and other groups that pose a threat to the region and beyond. Pakistan has much to gain from partnering with our effort in Afghanistan. It has much to lose by continuing to harbor criminals and terrorists," Trump had said in his South Asia Policy speech. Noting that in the past, Pakistan has been a valued partner, Trump had accused it of providing shelter to the same organisations that try every single day to kill Americans. "We have been paying Pakistan billions and billions of dollars at the same time they are housing the very terrorists that we are fighting. But that will have to change, and that will change immediately," Trump had said. "No partnership can survive a country's harboring of militants and terrorists who target US service members and officials. It is time for Pakistan to demonstrate its commitment to civilisation, order, and to peace," he had said. Pakistan has repeatedly denied that there are any terrorist safe havens inside its territory. Both its officials in Islamabad and inside the United Nations in New York assert that there are no terrorist safe havens. However, the top American leadership insists that there has been no change in Pakistani behaviour on this front that that it is fast running out of patience. In December, the Pentagon warned Pakistan of unilateral action if Islamabad did not act. In a surprise visit to Afghanistan before Christmas, US Vice President Mike Pence had issued a stern warning to Pakistan, for which using non-state actors against its two neighbours - India and Afghanistan - has been part of its national security policy. "For too long Pakistan has provided safe haven to the Taliban and many terrorist organisations, but those days are over," Pence told American troops at the Bagram airbase in Afghanistan where he made an unannounced trip on December 21. "President Trump has put Pakistan on notice," he had said. Afghanistan's Ambassador to the US Hamdullah Mohib welcomed Trump's tweet. "A promising message to Afghans who have suffered at the hands of terrorists based in Pakistan for far too long," Mohib tweeted. A project to develop Chandragiri Fort in Kasargod as a tourist destination was flagged off by Kadannappally Ramachandran, Minister for Archaeology and Archives. Speaking on the occasion, he said that Rs 85 lakh has been sanctioned to develop Bekal Fort, situated four kilometre away from Kasargod town. The Chandragiri Fort, which is situated on seven-and-a-half acre land, will be protected and conserved. The minister said basic facilities would be provided near Chandragiri Fort, Thurthi island and to view the beauty of the Chandragiri River joining the Arabian sea. The project will include providing seating arrangements, rest room, drinking water and toilet facilities. Some of the pillars of Chandragiri Fort will be rebuilt. Walkers path will be laid inside the Fort. The four ponds and a lake inside the Fort will be rejuvenated, he added. Ramachandran said that tourism will be promoted from Mahe River to Chandragiri River. A sum of Rs 53.50 lakh for Polali (Povval) Fort and Rs 36.50 lakh for Hosadurga Fort will be sanctioned, he added. MLA K Kunhiraman presided over the programme. Measures will be initiated towards disposing of the pending 941 applications for the regularisation of Bagair Hukum cultivation land. Around 800 applications have not been cleared as they are either forest or gomala land, said MLA C T Ravi. Speaking after distributing cultivation chits to beneficiaries at the taluk office premises on Monday, he said that 11,417 applications were pending since 2004. Out of these, among 10,476 have been cleared. The pending applications will be cleared soon, he added. The MLA further stated that the government has issued a circular towards solving the issue of forest and gomala lands. The forest and revenue departments should mark the border after measuring the lands. The procedures have to be completed within two months as the election code of conduct may be enforced at any time after February. Therefore, the meetings regarding the clearance of applications should be convened soon. Efforts are on to procure sanction for the rejuvenation of 34 lakes in Lakya and Sakharayapattana by supplying water from Yettinahole, he added. Bagair Hukum cultivation committee members Eregowda, Manjunath Nayak, Sheela and member secretary Shivanna were present. As Salil Satish Parekh takes over as CEO and MD of India's second largest IT services company Infosys on Tuesday, his job seems to be cut out. Parekh, the second non-founder full-time CEO of the IT bellwether after Vishal Sikka, will have to ensure continuity in business and establish a smooth channel of communication between the board and the company's founder-promoter group, who own close to 13% stake in the company. Many domestic institutional investors (DIIs) told DH: "We would want Parekh to spearhead the company without any further controversy in the given scenario." Parekh was chosen for the top job after an intense global search that lasted three months. According to DIIs, Parekh would find great acceptability in the IT major as "he is neither as outspoken as Sikka, nor media-averse like Pravin (company's interim CEO and MD, UB Pravin Rao)". In August 2017, Sikka made an unceremonious exit from the IT major, after a barrage of attacks from the company's promoter group. The institutional investors, who facilitated Nandan Nilekani's return at the helm of the company, are backing on his organisational skills to facilitate smooth transition of power at the company. Due to global headwinds in the Trump era, the company might see some changes in its way of quarterly reporting to bring it at par with other IT giants like TCS and Wipro. Also, Parekh will have to oversee that traction in new services of the company will be continued, in a scenario, where revenues from traditional services are dipping. Rich experience Parekh isn't a new figure in the IT industry as he has nearly three decades of experience - as member of the executive committee of Capgemini and as partner in financial service practice for over seven years. Born in 1964, Parekh is a Gujarati by ethnicity. He completed the Bachelor of Technology degree in aeronautical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (1982-1986) and a Master of Engineering degree in computer science from Cornell University, USA (1986-1988). The state BJP demanded on Monday that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah should clarify whether Minister for Minority Welfare Tanveer Sait's statement rejecting the triple talaq bill was the stand of the state government. The bill, which criminalises triple talaq, was passed by the Lok Sabha last week with the support of Congress members. However, at a press conference in Bengaluru, Sait opposed the implementation of the bill. He said the Muslim Law Board had opposed the move. It was not correct to frame rules on personal beliefs and that was against the tenets of Islam, Sait had said. "It is a historic bill. The Congress initially wanted the bill to be referred to a standing committee, but later supported the bill. Sait has expressed his opposition to the bill.aAs Sait is a cabinet minister, Siddaramaiah should clarify whether it is the stand of the government,"aBJPastate spokesperson SaSuresh Kumar told reporters here. He urged Siddaramaiah not to look at the bill through a "religious lens". "It is a question of dignity, equality and empowerment of women. Some Muslim women were divorced by their husbands by giving triple talaq via SMS. One person triple gave talaq to his wife for waking up late. It is unacceptable. The Muslim women are looking at Siddaramaiah for an answer," Kumar said. He termed as "historic" the announcement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi that Muslim women could travel for Haj without a male guardian (mahram). Though more than one round of technical talks took place this year, the Ethiopian minister of foreign affairs visited Cairo in April and Egypts minister of irrigation made an official visit to the Ethiopian Renaissance Dam in October these potentially positive signs appeared to lead nowhere. The same is true of the issuing of a preliminary report on Ethiopias Renaissance Dam in March and Addis Ababas repeated reiteration that it remains committed to the2015 declaration of principles which includes a provision none of the signatories will cause harm to the others. In meetings on the periphery of the African Union Summit in June and during the UN General Assembly in September, Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukri voiced Egypts worries about the failure to finish the required technical studies on the hydrological, environmental and economic impacts of the dam on Egypt and Sudan, yet as the year ends 62 per cent of construction work on the dam has been completed. Egypt initially dealt with the file as a chance for cooperation between downstream and upstream Nile Basin state that could benefit all. Unfortunately, the deadlock on the technical track does not reflect the timetable recognised in the Khartoum Agreement which states studies on the impact of filling the reservoir must be undertaken before the work continues, Shoukri said during a meeting with his Italian counterpart earlier this month. Mona Omar, former assistant foreign minister for African affairs, argues that while the past 12 months saw a clear failure to progress on the technical track, issuing the preliminary report on the planned studies, increased cooperation between Cairo and Addis Ababa, and greater understanding on the part of the political leadership in both countries of the others position could be seen as positive developments. While the technical track is very important it cannot be divorced from the political process. The problem is not the sole responsibility of the Ministry of Irrigation but must be tackled on all levels, she told Al-Ahram Weekly. Mohamed Hegazi, an expert on Nile-related issues, believes involving a third party could help break the deadlock on the technical track. The tripartite technical committee has held three meetings since September, the last of them in Cairo in November, in the hope of reaching agreement on the preliminary report prepared by two French consultancy firms which outlines the methodology to be adopted by the technical studies which will assess the effects of the dam on downstream countries. Following the November meeting Minister of Irrigation Mohamed Abdel-Ati declared that the technical track had failed. The constant delays have raised concerns about the three states ability to work together to ensure Egypts water security, he said. The technical committee also failed to agree on a timetable for the filling of the reservoir and protocols for the operation of the dam once it is complete. Ethiopia wants the reservoir filled within three years whereas Egypt is seeking a seven to 10 year period in order to minimise the impact of water flow. The Khartoum Agreement, signed in December 2015, stipulates that the reservoir can only start to be filled once all technical studies are complete. The studies were supposed to begin in September 2016, with preliminary reports issued every three months and a final report after 11 months at most. Yet 15 months later a single preliminary report has appeared. The agreement also allows for field visits to the construction site by Egyptian and Sudanese experts, and in October the ministers of irrigation of Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt visited the site. With no solution to the deadlock found in 2017 most analysts believe a breakthrough now hinges on the exercise of sufficient political will. Hopes are being pinned on a visit to Cairo by the Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn initially scheduled for December but now delayed tentatively to January. Egyptian officials are also raising the issue of the dam during bilateral meetings, which is what Shoukri did this month with his Saudi and Italian counterparts. We can also refer the issue to international bodies like the African Union and the UN. After all, water security is a human right, says Mona Omar, former assistant foreign minister for African affairs. Hegazi argues that pushing ahead with the Nile Corridor Project which seeks to establish a mechanism by which dams in Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt are linked in a manner that ensures the level and storage capacities of one and are not adversely affected by another that could help facilitate wider cooperation. The project envisages a network of links that will include roads, railways and power grids which Hegazi says will boost political understanding and have a positive effect on relations between the three states. Since Addis Ababa began building the dam in 2011 Cairo has repeatedly voiced its concern the dam will reduce Egypts annual share of Nile water. The dam will generate 6,000 megawatts of electricity. It is planned as Africas largest hydro-electric power plant with a storage capacity of 74 billion cubic metres. Partial operation is likely to start by the middle of 2018. *This article was first published in Al-Ahram Weekly Short link: A national conference on the theme "Innovations and Implications in Information Technology, Management, Social Sciences and Education" was organised at Srinivas University in Pandeshwar Campus. Dr P R Bhatt, retired professor of Strategic Management, Indian Institute of Management, Kozhikode said that technology is changing with time and the innovative changes happening in the IT field are suited to meet the requirements of the modern world. He urged the companies to adopt the new knowledge in the IT field and adopt these methodologies in their organisations as well. Dr Annappa, associate professor, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, NITK, Surathkal emphasised the importance of innovations happening in the IT field and that students should apply these innovations in their future. Dr PS Aithal, vice chancellor of Srinivas University presided over the conference and stressed the importance of modern day research and said that in spite of the busy academic schedule, students should inculcate a passion towards research. Fed up with the delay by private companies in setting up waste-to-energy plants in the city, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike plans to start its own facility, without private sector participation. Several waste-to-energy projects conceived under the public-private partnership (PPP) have remained on paper for several years now due to lukewarm response from the private sector, protests by locals and ownership of land. "We have discussed this with the mayor and we can start a waste-to-energy plant on our own without waiting for anyone," BBMP joint commissioner (solid waste management) Sarfaraz Khan said. "We will move a proposal to the government seeking budgetary allocation for this." Estimated to cost Rs 300 crore, the BBMP's own waste-to-energy plant is expected to generate power using 500 tonnes of the city's garbage a day. "The advantage of starting our own waste-to-energy plant is that we will receive 53% subsidy under the Swacch Bharat mission, which works out to Rs 150 crore," Khan said. Only three companies are currently involved in setting up waste-to-energy plants - France-based Three Ways Energy for a 500 TPD plant at Chikkanagamangala, Netherlands-based Nexus Novus for a 600 TPD plant at Bagalur and US-based Indium for a 100 TPD plant at Doddabidarakallu. A BBMP team could visit Germany, France, South Korea and China to identify the right waste-to-energy technology for Bengaluru. Choosing the right technology has been an area of disagreement between the BBMP and its expert committee on solid waste management. According to Khan, there are three major technologies in the waste-to-energy space: burn technology, which involves direct incineration of waste; biomethanation, which involves converting waste into gas to produce power; drying the mixed waste, shredding it and producing gas from the husk. "The BBMP itself does not have any expertise to run a waste-to-energy plant," said Sandhya Narayan from the Solid Waste Management Round Table. "It's okay if the civic body sets up the facility and hands over operation and maintenance to technical persons like it is being done now," she said. Bengaluru is estimated to generate 3,500-4,000 tonnes waste daily and the city has an installed processing capacity of 2,600 tonnes. BoX BBMP's own plant Estimated cost: Rs 300 crore Capacity: 500 tonnes of garbage Advantage: Will get 53% subsidy under Swacch Bharat mission Pvt firms involved: Three Ways Energy, France, at Chikkanagamangala; Nexus Novus, Dutch, at Bagalur; Indium, US, at Doddabidarakallu The Centre has selected 11 cities, including Bengaluru, to promote electric vehicles in public transport system under the e-mobility project. Under the project named Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric vehicles in India (FAME India), the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises is targeting a fully electric fleet for public transport, including buses, taxis and autorickshaws in these cities. Under the scheme, the Ministry will provide financial incentives to states for purchase of electric buses, three- and four-wheelers, and for setting up charging infrastructure for public transport. Other cities selected are Delhi, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Mumbai, Lucknow, Hyderabad, Indore, Kolkata, Jammu and Guwahati. The cities are required to finalise the tendering process for procuring buses and setting up charging infrastructure. The ministry will spend about Rs 437 crore under FAME India, which includes about Rs 40 crore for installation of charging infrastructure as incentive. Union Heavy Industries Minister Anant Geete said efforts were being made to lower the cost of lithium ion batteries used in electric vehicles. According to the minister, the subsidy to be provided to buses is in the range of Rs 75 lakh to Rs 1 crore, which is 60% of the cost. For taxis, the subsidy amount is Rs 1.24 lakh, which is 10-15% of its cost. "For autorickshaws, the subsidy is between Rs 37,000 and Rs 61,000. All the buses will be fully electric, battery-operated and involving zero emissions," the minister said. By February-end, all 11 states have to invite tenders and by March-end, they have to place orders with selected companies for procurement of the vehicles. BJP MLA from Rajasthan's Alwar, Banwari Lal Singhal, has sparked a controversy by alleging that Muslims are concentrating on producing more children, with the aim of outshining Hindus in India. In a Facebook post, Singhal said: "Muslims are deliberately producing more children, aiming to corner Hindus in their own country to intent to rule India by 2030." Singhal confirmed on Monday that he uploaded the post on Sunday, but said he had no intentions to hurt sentiments of people. "I feel nothing is wrong in the statement. This is an observation inspired by a Hindu saint who believes that Muslims have a history of taking over countries where their population goes beyond 30%," he said. Singhal, in response to a debate on a TV channel discussing population of Muslims, had posted on Facebook: "The unchecked rise of the Muslim population in the future is bound to have a Muslim prime minister, Muslim president, and the community will have chief ministers in most of the states." The MLA further alleged that Muslims are 'buying women' from Bihar and Bengal to increase their headcounts. In the hateful post that went viral on Facebook, the MLA further says, "Hindus are giving birth to only one or two children, while Muslims give birth to 12-13 children and have no worries about their education." The post received sharp criticism and sparked a row in Alwar district. Muslim factions and social groups have demanded an apology from Singhal. Singhal's controversial statement comes ahead of bypolls to Alwar Lok Sabha seat on January 29. Vande Mataram, the National Song of India, was sung by hundreds of people at the Seva Utsava organised by the Adamya Chetana and the National Education Society at the National High School grounds in Basavanagudi on Monday. The group consisted of students, youngsters, women and senior citizens. There were cultural programmes by artists from West Bengal, Manipur, Gujarat and other states. Union Minister for Human Resource Development, Prakash Javadekar, who attended the event, said research and innovation were important for progress and should begin in the classroom. Students should be encouraged in fields like Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things and other emerging fields, he added. This New Year began on a right note for several Bengalureans who were surprised with goodwill gestures from the city police and the city transport corporation. Early on Monday morning, many party-goers were stranded due to difficulties in finding cabs or autos. The Bengaluru City Police came to their rescue and dropped many of them home. "We got reports about the situation and I discussed it with my seniors. We considered many options and finally thought about giving them a drop ourselves," said Abdul Ahad, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Whitefield division. He said that in the Mahadevapura, Whitefield, and Marathalli region, at least 150 such people were dropped home safely. The city police have occasionally dropped people home, especially senior citizens and women. However, this was a first time that it was done with an official backing. "We announced it through social media informing people that they could call us. We got many calls even through the control room," Ahad said. Thankful passengers took selfies with the policemen and many took to social media to thank the Bengaluru City Police for the security arrangements. Commuters on Volvo buses too had a good start to their year. Paul D'souza, a resident of Whitefield said,"I was halfway across the road, about 100 yards away, when the BMTC bus reached the stop. They kept the bus waiting for me. There were a handful of passengers on the bus. The driver and conductor walked around wishing everyone and giving them roses." D'souza was touched by the goodwill gesture and regretted not taking a picture with the driver and conductor of the bus. Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) surprised passengers on their Vajra and Vayu Vajra buses on Monday, presenting them with roses and New Year greetings. Drivers and conductors in all 781 BMTC Volvo buses welcomed passengers this way. They were also informed about the discount on tickets being offered for a month on a pilot basis. The first draft of the much-awaited National Register of Citizens (NRC) for Assam has listed 1.9 crore people out of the 3.29 crore applicants as legal Indian citizens in a massive exercise aimed at identifying illegal immigrants in the state that borders Bangladesh. People flocked to seva kendras across Assam in large numbers since morning on Monday to check whether they figured on the list containing the names of those who were recognised as citizens of India in the Supreme Court-monitored exercise, hours after the document was released at midnight. A top official said there is no need for anyone to panic and that other names are in various stages of verification. "There is no need for anyone to panic. Other names are in various stages of verification and as soon as the verification is done, we will come out with another draft... Substantial progress has been made, but still lots of work needs to be done," Registrar General of India Sailesh said, releasing the first draft. "This (NRC) is unprecedented. There is no example in this country. I doubt if there is any other country in the world having such a complex methodology to determine the citizenship of the people," the RGI told newsmen. Security was tightened across the state to ensure law and order. Asked about a possible time frame for the next draft, he said the NRC authority will present its case before the Supreme Court, under whose monitoring the document is being prepared, at the next hearing in April and the date would be decided accordingly. The RGI said the ground work for the mammoth exercise began in December 2013 and so far, 40 hearings have taken place in the Supreme Court during the last three years. Long queues People, carrying documents to prove their citizenship, thronged the seva kendras and waited patiently in long queues as soon as they opened at 8 am, to check if their names were included in the draft. Many families claimed that names of only some of their members were found in the first draft, while others said none featured on the list. The Office of the State Coordinator of National Register of Citizens, Assam, has provided five alternatives to check for the names included in the draft. The first way is to check the printed version of the list at the NRC Seva Kendras between 10 am and 4 pm till January 31 on all working days. The second way is to check online at www.nrcassam.nic.in, www.assam.mygov.in, www.assam.gov.in and www.homeandpolitical.assam.gov.in. The third way is through automatic receipt of SMS by preregistering applicant's mobile number by sending an SMS to 9765556555 or 9108464438 and 9108464450. The fourth way is sending demand SMS to the same phone numbers by typing ARN space and the 21-digit application receipt number (ARN). One could also call the 24X7 tollfree helpline number 15107 from Assam and 18003453762 from outside Assam. Vijay Gokhale, an Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer of 1981 batch, will take over as the new foreign secretary once S Jaishankar completes his tenure towards the end of this month. Gokhale, who was India's envoy to China till September last year, is currently posted at the headquarters of the Ministry of External Affairs as secretary (Economic Relations). The Appointments Committee of the Union Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved his appointment, the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievance and Pension stated in a note issued on Monday. He will succeed Jaishankar, who will complete his tenure on January 28. Gokhale played a key role in the India-China negotiations to resolve the face-off between Indian Army and Chinese People's Liberation Army at Doklam Plateau in western Bhutan between June 18 and August 28 last year. It was his last major task in Beijing before returning to New Delhi as secretary (Economic Relations) at the MEA headquarters. His previous diplomatic assignments included postings in Hong Kong, Hanoi, Beijing and New York. He also served as deputy secretary (Finance), director (China & East Asia) and joint secretary (East Asia) at the MEA headquarters. He was India's High Commissioner to Malaysia from January 2010 to October 2013 before being appointed as envoy to Germany. He was appointed as India's envoy to China in September 2015. Jaishankar, who joined the IFS on 1977, was appointed foreign secretary in January 2015 - just before he was to retire from service. The government shunted out Sujatha Singh from the office of the foreign secretary to appoint Jaishankar, who was then India's ambassador to United States, as her successor. Sujatha Singh, who joined the IFS a year before Jaishankar did so, was appointed as foreign secretary in August 2013 by the erstwhile Congress-led UPA government. Her two-year tenure was cut short by the Modi government to pave way for Jaishankar. Though he was initially appointed for a tenure till January 2017, the government early last year amended a 95-year-old rule to give him extension for another year. Overt display of enthusiasm by BJP leaders, particularly those of the party's Tamil Nadu unit, towards superstar Rajinikanth's political debut may be premature. It may even act as a spoiler when he wants to be extremely cautious and take one step at a time, say party insiders. Almost appearing to be jumping the gun, Tamil Nadu BJP president Tamilisai Soundararajan told the media that the actor's proposed party will be an NDA ally in 2019. But Rajinikanth himself has not given any such indication. He would rather, as declared by him, keep his plans under wraps for a year from now. First, he would rather establish a credible platform by reviving his fans associations across Tamil Nadu. Till then, Rajinikanth has stated that nobody belonging to his set-up would even make any political comment or commitment. However, it is no secret that Rajinikanth was openly urged by BJP leaders over a period of time to take the plunge into politics. The time seems right for him to try and fill the vacuum caused by the demise of former chief minister Jayalalithaa and retirement of DMK chief M Karunanidhi from active politics. In his December 31 announcement, Rajinikanth described his advent in politics as being motivated by a "spiritual drive" rather than by a personal ambition to capture power. He even pointed to his rejection of an offer from the then opposition to Jayalalithaa in 1996 to lead them. Rajinikanth's appeal to voters to reject the AIADMK under Jayalalithaa for corruption then helped the DMK-Tamil Maanila Congress (a breakaway Congress group led by G K Moopanar) to capture power. This time, Rajinikanth's call for a "spiritual quotient" in politics has been read by political leaders as akin to the BJP's 'hindutva' appeal. After Rajinikanth's debut, RSS ideologue S Gurumurthy even tweeted that his spiritual politics "is nearer to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's than to any one else in Tamil Nadu or outside." Advocating honesty in politics and good governance, Rajinikanth has said, "everything needs to be changed" and declared that "spiritual politics" needs to be ushered in without any caste or religion bias. Incidentally, Rajinikanth's announcement comes at a time when the anti-BJP rhetoric in Tamil Nadu politics has reached a peak. Many parties in the state have been criticising Modi for his policies, including his drive against black money. In November, Modi caused a flutter when he paid a surprise visit on Karunanidhi for what was described as a courtesy call. That gesture led to a number of speculations including whether the BJP was opening up to the DMK. It was assumed that Modi and the BJP were of the view that the AIADMK was disintegrating despite merger of two factions under O Panneerselvam and Chief Minister E Palanisamy. Militant terrorism is much more complex than was once believed. Recent developments in the phenomenon, especially in terms of infrastructure, sphere of operations and the proliferation of militant organisations, have made it clear that previous explanations had been too simplified and generalised. The more the phenomenon grew, the more it became intertwined with political equations, balance of power calculations, and conflicts over rival interests and spheres influence and, as a consequence, the more it became a factor in the regions proxy wars. If the foregoing is not a sufficient indication of the complexity, reality adds to the brew huge doses of sectarian strife, and ethnic and regional disputes, all of which involve questions of ideology, culture and degrees of social awareness. The hard reality of all that complexity feeds a pessimistic outlook for the future, and it helps little that events to date do not offer definitive answers to the question of how to untangle the plethora of factors and processes related to the phenomenon. Although some steps have been taken to engage seriously with the question of militant terrorism, they are focused on countering the immediate and pressing threat without aiming further to completely defeat and/or uproot the phenomenon. More ominously, the fact that solutions to many of the regions ongoing conflicts remain out of reach and elusive means that more roles and activities are in store for militant terrorism in the future. The US-led coalition that was formed in October 2014 to combat terrorism or the anti-Islamic State group (IS) coalition, as it was known was a response to a rush of developments were rapidly propelling Syria and Iraq towards an abyss of uncontrollable fluidity. Some months before this, in June 2014, IS had stormed across the Syrian-Iraqi border, seized control of three Iraqi provinces, which it added to the three Syrian provinces it already controlled, and declared the founding of IS. The significance of that name, which replaced the terrorist organisations previous names, and the area of the territory it controlled, which was larger than Jordan, formed the primary impetus for the international coalitions drive to destroy the terrorist organisations capacities and regain a certain degree of control. The next two years brought an array of different events and developments, but as 2015 and 2016 came and went there remained an important constant: the lack of clarity in how that drive was conducted. Observers, counterterrorism experts and strategy designers agreed that this factor was lacking in Washingtons mentality and its approach to the war. They were at a loss as to how to explain the USs responses to developments on the ground in Syria that, at one point, president Barack Obama felt compelled to give a lengthy interview to The Atlantic in order to defend his policies and his strategy, such as it was. The title of the interview The Obama Doctrine acquired a certain fame in its own right. Nevertheless, the questions he attempted to address remained the source of considerable confusion and speculation. The step to shift the Syrian grassroots protests from a peaceful movement to the chaos of armed conflict occurred right under Washingtons nose and with the blessing of and distribution of roles between Turkey and certain Gulf countries. Nor did that step stop at this already dangerous phase. It proved the quick and decisive key to the mutation of militant terrorism into its new modern edition in the form of small standing armies with sophisticated capacities. We can only begin to imagine the quantity of significant details related to the interwoven political, military and intelligence roles that played a part in producing this transformation and the unprecedentedly generous flows of money and arms to those organisations/militias. Even before this, there was the need to meet the demand for the manpower that would be moulded into the combatants for these armies. That need gave rise to a recruitment drive that would generate an intensive transnational movement of volunteers and recruits drawn from numerous countries in the region. Just this small portion of the overall details rocked the regional security equations because it broadened the circles of linkage with the centre of that mission in Syria. North Africa was a region that was thrust into the vicious cycle. In Libya, for example, militant training and indoctrination camps mushroomed. The trainees were drawn from neighbouring countries and, when ready, they would be shipped by sea or air to the Turkish middleman and transported to the Anatolian border with Syria. With the cognisance of Turkish National Intelligence (MIT), the recruits would be distributed among the organisations which, in turn, were waiting to see what their quotas of combatants would be so that they could calculate the scope of their activities. The agency that supervised and controlled these movements was located in another border zone, in Jordan. This was the Military Intelligence Operations Room, or MOC for short. Operating secretly at first until leaks of its existence brought it out into the open, MOC was run by the US, the UK, France, Jordan and some Gulf countries. Through their joint decisions and agreements, they regulated the pace of military engagements and managed the areas under their missions control. Such a huge effort with all those lines and circles of linkage would not have the luxury to monopolise the Syrian arena so that it could produce its desired effect. It quickly triggered a counter-effort on the part of Iran, Hizbullah and then Russia, which joined the side of the Bashar Al-Assad regime. Now militant terrorism had two great windows of opportunity for uncontainable expansion. The first took a sectarian dimension in the form of the Shia versus Sunni polarisation. The second projected the proxy war concept and mechanism onto battlefields that had become increasingly difficult to delineate and define. The battle could now strike distant Yemen or spill over into neighbouring Lebanon. The mechanism, itself, required that the Shia side resort to the same weapons. So militant organisations began to pour into Syria by the dozen in order to halt the collapse of the regime. Their counterparts coalesced in Iraq after ISIS spread across the western Sunni third of that country. At a higher level, the conflict proved an invaluable gift to Russia, which returned to the region with all its political and military clout and quickly began to catch up in the race over interests and spheres of influence. The snowball effect in those years extended beyond the boom experienced by internationally recognised terrorist organisations against the backdrop of the Syrian and Iraqi crises. Other militant entities received tremendous boosts that would, perhaps inadvertently, serve to promote these entities own ends in the contexts of their particular struggles. For taxonomical purposes, we can rank three of these entities under the heading of Shia (Hizbullah, the Popular Mobilisation Units in Iraq and the Ansar Allah Al-Houthi movement in Yemen) and two of them beneath the heading ethnic (the Kurdish Peshmerga in Iraq and the predominantly Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces). It is hardly a secret that these armed entities are up to their ears in the tasks and functions of proxy wars. But more dangerous is their huge growth in numerical strength and arms, and the profound potential impact of this on the maps of political and military conflict. The question of this potential impact is too large and complex to treat in the space available here. Nevertheless, as we stand on the threshold of 2018, we can touch on some of the acute problems generated by the unprecedented spurts of growth experienced by the abovementioned entities. In Yemen, they have succeeded in undermining the political process and pushing that country to the brink of Somalisation. Their surplus force in Iraq propelled towards a total secession of the Kurdish north until that bid was checked, at least temporarily, with the aid of another militant entity (the Popular Mobilisation Units). Northern Syria appears poised to impose a version of the Iraqi model on any Syrian settlement plan. The majority of that region is controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces and the US bases there. It is hard to picture that predominantly Kurdish region submitting again to the centralised authority of Damascus. The extent of the military, political and intelligence control that Hizbullah has acquired in Lebanon is sufficient to predict that the balances in that country will not readjust themselves soon. Turning to the collateral crises, we find a number of alarmingly complex and acute problems. A major one of these problems is the largest refugee and displacement crisis ever experienced in this region (with over 10 million refugees and another 10 million displaced persons). Aggravating this crisis are large and systematic ethnic cleansing, demographic engineering and population transfer operations that are occurring on a daily basis against the backdrop of the dust of battle in Syria and Iraq. These have already begun to sow the seeds of future conflicts that will wreak their sectarian, regional and ethnic havoc the moment that the guns fell silent under the settlements reached in the current conflicts. As for Yemen, from which sophisticated ballistic missiles shoot towards neighbouring Gulf states, for nearly a year now it has succumbed to a comprehensive onslaught of famine and epidemic diseases. The overall picture at this juncture between two years depicts a region marching into a quicksand of problems and threats of unprecedented scope and complexity. Terrorism and extremism loom foremost, without a doubt. But the growth in arms accumulations and a feverish desire to create avenues in which to put them to use aggravates the danger. Meanwhile, the pending demographic problems and the deterioration in the levels of regional and domestic security in the countries of central concern combine to intensify the fog that shrouds the future. What is certain is that a large and rapid surge of collective effort is needed in order to douse the fires and cool down the climates in order to pave the way to as just settlements as possible to the current conflicts. Then further efforts will be required to give preponderance to the factors of security and stability in order to extricate the region from the stifling cycle of conflict and steer it towards safer shores, out of reach from that treacherous net that is forever ready to entangle those who lag behind or who stray off course from the right direction. *This article was first published in Al-Ahram Weekly Short link: A 23-year-old woman was molested on Brigade Road on New Year's Eve, her husband said. The couple, married six months ago, live in Indiranagar. It was their first visit to the MG Road area. "Only eight seconds were left to the new year. The countdown had just begun when we entered Brigade Road. There were many couples behind and around us," he said, describing how the outrage began. "Suddenly a crowd of men fell on the women, groping them. They were trying to pull down the women's pants. Their hands were all over the women," the 25-year-old husband, a native of Madikeri, said. The husband is a project manager at a branding and interiors firm. He has decided to tell his friends and relatives never to go to MG Road for new year celebrations. He said there weren't enough women security personnel around. "When we came out of Brigade Road and on to MG Road, the crowd again did the same thing," he rued. By his reckoning, he was the only one who fought off the crowd. "The police were shoving me away. They had no patience to listen to what I was saying," he said. The policemen on duty just stood by watching, he claimed. The woman has not come out of shock, he said. He is ready to lodge a police complaint, but his parents have advised him against it. "We are from the middle class and our lives must go on," he said. Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy rubbished the charge. "No such incidents were reported," he told DH. With New Delhi and Beijing trying to mend bilateral ties, 2018 may turn out to be the fourth consecutive year that would see Prime Minister Narendra Modi visiting China. Narendra Modi is likely to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation's (SCO) summit which Chinese President Xi Jinping will host in Qingdao on the east coast of China in June this year, sources in New Delhi told DH on Monday. Modi already visited China thrice since taking over in May 2014. He visited Xian, Beijing and Shanghai during his first bilateral visit to China in May 2015. He visited Hangzhou in east China in September 2016 to attend the G20 summit. He again visited Xiamen in southeastern China to attend the BRICS (a bloc comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) summit in September 2017. The prime minister's visit to China in May 2015 has so far been his only bilateral visit to the Communist country. He had meetings with Xi and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang during the visit. He also had bilateral meetings with Xi on the sidelines of G20 and BRICS summits in China in 2016 and 2017. SCO summit If Modi attends the SCO summit in China in June this year, he is likely to have another bilateral meeting with Xi on its sidelines. The two leaders will also have opportunities to meet on the sidelines of other multilateral events, which would be held in the third countries, like the G20 summit in Argentina and the BRICS summit in South Africa, sources aware of India-China engagements told DH. Modi may also host Xi or Li on a visit to India in 2018. The diplomats of both the sides are also exploring the possibility of a visit by a senior leader of Chinese government ahead of or during the third annual meeting of the board of governors of Asian Infrastructural Invesment Bank (AIIB) in Mumbai on June 25 and 26. The AIIB was conceived by China, but was set up by over 50 nations, including India, collectively through a consultative process. Tension over BRI New Delhi's troubled ties with Beijing worsened further in 2017. Beijing was upset about India's opposition to the former's Belt-and-Road Initiative (BRI) as well as the growing strategic convergence of India, US and Japan in Asia-Pacific. New Delhi was disappointed by Beijing's persistent policy of shielding anti-India terrorists based in Pakistan from United Nations' sanctions. The face-off between Indian Army and Chinese People's Liberation Army in Doklam Plateau in western Bhutan from June 18 to August 28 brought bilateral relations to a new low. New Delhi and Beijing, however, tried to bring the ties back on track with several back-to-back engagements towards the end of the just-concluded year. Senior diplomats of India and China also held a meeting in Beijing in November under the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on Border Affairs. The NITI Aayog of India and the Development Research Council of China held the third dialogue in Beijing on December 5. 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 negotiations in New Delhi on December 22. Doval and Yang are Special Representative of India and China for boundary negotiations and strategic consultations. India on Monday said that it stood vindicated as US President Donald Trump accused Pakistan of doing nothing to fight terrorists despite receiving a whopping $ 33 billion aid in the past 15 years. "We can reasonably argue that Trump Administration's decision today (Monday) has abundantly vindicated India's stand as far as terror is concerned and as far as Pakistan's role in perpetrating terror is concerned," said Jitendra Singh, Minister of State in PMO. New Delhi has since long been accusing Islamabad of pursuing a "selective approach" while combating terror organizations based in Pakistan, targeting only some groups, but sparing and, in some cases, even using the others, like Haqqani Network, Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT). The Haqqani Network was held responsible for terror attacks on Embassy and Consulates General of India in Afghanistan in the past. The JeM and LeT carried out several attacks in India. New Delhi has been accusing Islamabad of misusing US aid for funding anti-India terror organisations like LeT and JeM instead of combatting terrorists like Al Qaeda and Taliban. It was double joy for Pushpa and her husband Gopi M on the first day of 2018. Not only were they blessed with a baby girl, but were presented a cheque of Rs 5 lakh by the city municipal body. Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) on December 29 had announced that it would award all baby girls born at the stroke of midnight in BBMP hospitals on January 1, 2018, Rs 5 lakh for their education. BBMP would deposit the money in a joint bank account held by the BBMP commissioner and the girl child, where the girl can use the money for her education. "I did not know about it till the mayor himself came and spoke to us about the scheme. The doctor informed us at 9.30 am that mayor would visit the hospital but we did not know why," said Gopi. Gopi, who is working as a salesman, is determined to educate his daughter. "People around us have been talking about how difficult it is to bring up a girl child. But if we have been blessed with such good things on the very first day of her birth, then she sure is an achiever. I shall let her pursue all her dreams," said Gopi. "We were happy to know about the birth of a baby girl on the first day. Often, poor people think it is a burden to fund a girl's education. The interest that accumulates in the account will come in handy when she is of age to go to school," said Mayor R Sampath Raj. The child was born at 12.05 am on January 1 at the Dr Nagaraj Memorial maternity hospital near Bhashyam Circle, Rajajinagar. Four births were reported in BBMP hospitals, of which the couple gave birth to a baby girl. An inter-faith love marriage has turned into a controversy, with the Muslim man filing a habeas corpus petition in the court seeking to trace his Hindu wife. The couple had married seven months ago. Reshma of Kasargod and Iqbal Choudary of Mumbai came into contact through Facebok and the acquaintance blossomed into a love affair. They had a court marriage and were staying in Mumbai. Reshma's father, Ashok, had lodged a missing complaint with Mangaluru East police. The girl was found to be residing with Choudary in Mumbai. Reshma, a major, claimed that she was living with Choudary on her own. VHP and Bajrang Dal leaders had termed the marriage "Love Jihad" and had demanded a probe by the NIA. After a few days, Reshma's father lodged one more complaint alleging that his daughter had stolen a laptop and jewellery before leaving the house. Accordingly, a notice was served on Reshma. However, Reshma denied the accusation, a police officer told DH. Choudary has claimed that Reshma's parents tried to persuade her to return to her house, thrice. Recently, her family members took her from a mall in Mumbai. Alleging that his wife has been kidnapped, Choudary has filed a complaint with the Mumbai police. The court has now asked the police to trace Reshma and produce her before it. The state government has decided to withdraw lands granted to Rashtrotthana Parishat and Mythic Society in Bengaluru on lease, during the previous BJP regime. Revenue Minister Kagodu Thimmappa on Monday said the decision has been taken as the organisations had failed to utilise the land for the "specified" purpose. Speaking to reporters, Thimmappa said that while a notice has been served to withdraw about 10 acres given to the Rashtrotthana Parishat at Thanisandra; the department had already withdrawn land granted to Mythic Society. When he was the chief minister B S Yeddyurappa had allotted prime commercial and residential plots worth crores of rupees to organisations affiliated to the RSS, including the Parishat, for a period of 30 years, for a lease amount of less than Rs 1 lakh per annum. Likewise, Yeddyurappa's successor D V Sadananda Gowda had landed in trouble after he allotted 10 acres of gomala land to Mythic Society in Yelahanka in Bengaluru North. Thimmappa said that the department had been successful in clearing encroachments on government land in Bengaluru Urban district. Encroachments had been cleared on 11,860 acres of the total 34,111 acres of land that has been infringed upon. Land to the extent of 1,618 acres cleared in Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) limits will be used for planting 10 lakh saplings, he added. While 1,500 acres will be used for housing scheme; 78 acres will be used to build schools and colleges. About 45 acres will be used for building government hospitals; 510 acres as burial ground; 468 acres will be utilised under the Ashraya scheme; 69 acres for playgrounds; 48 acres for building quarters for revenue officials and 20 acres for constructing an international auditorium. Earlier in the day, Thimmappa had said that the 50 newly-carved out taluks will come into existence in the next 15 days. He said that except for three to four taluks, offices of the remaining taluks will start functioning shortly. The cholera deaths at a construction site have exposed the pathetic conditions under which labourers work in the city. Two labourers died after drinking contaminated water at the Sobha Dream Acres site in Varthur on Saturday. Labour officials visited the spot on Monday and issued a notice to the builders. There was little they could inspect: the sheds had been sterilised by the health department soon after the tragedy was reported. Additional labour commissioner H L Guruprasad said, "We found workers living in unhygienic conditions." "We haven't spoken to the workers yet. We have to check what amenities the builder was providing the workers, and find out why the water was contaminated," he told DH. Compensation? The labourers will get compensation only if they are registered with the Karnataka Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board, Guruprasad said. If they are, their families are eligible for up to Rs 2 lakh each. "If they are not registered, compensation will be paid according to the Workmen's Compensation Act," he said. S Narasimhan, senior general manager, Sobha Developers, said the company had already compensated the bereaved families. The deaths were caused by cholera, St John's Hospital has confirmed. A lab is testing water samples from the site, and the results are awaited. DH found a tanker from Harikrishna Water Supply at the site on Monday. A worker said the service had been supplying water for three years. Some workers buy bottled water to drink, while others drink water delivered by tankers into a sump, he said. Dr Chandrashekhar, taluk health officer, said health camps had been set up at the site. Some workers are being examined for diarrhea, he said. BoX Battling for life Labourer Kanhaiya Das, admitted to St Philomena's Hospital, is critical. Ten other workers have been admitted to St John's Hospital. BoX What happened? Srikant Sahu (20) and Bandu Naik (57) died on Saturday after drinking contaminated water at a construction site on Panathur Road, Varthur. The police have filed an FIR against the labour contractor, Biswaranjan Behar, and Sobha Dream Acres general manager, Pown. About 3,000 labourers routinely drink water delivered in water tankers. It is not potable, but is still used in the three kitchens for workers, according to the FIR. The workers are mostly from Odisha, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Assam. They are cramped in makeshift sheds, with 15 living in each shed with bunk beds. BoX Workers' woes * Filthy living sheds * Dirty toilets * No purified water Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday asked his Goa counterpart Manohar Parrikar to submit before the Mahadayi River Water Disputes Tribunal that he is ready to release water to Karnataka, if he is not willing to hold talks with him. Parrikar has not replied to Siddaramaiah's letters urging him to come for talks on the river water sharing issue. "I have written two letters (to Parrikar). But there is no response...Goa Irrigation Minister has himself said Parrikar and Yeddyurappa (BJP Karnataka president) are staging a drama," Siddaramaiah told reporters, referring to the Goa chief minister's recent letter to the Yeddyurappa on releasing Mahadayi water to Karnataka for drinking water purpose. Yeddyurappa had assured that he will ensure release of Mahadayi water by Goa by December 15. But, all that he could do was read out a letter from Parrikar at a BJP rally in Hubballi recently, Siddaramaiah said. He termed as ridiculous the BJP leader Jagadish Shettar's statement that Karnataka can use Parrikar's letter to Yeddyurappa to get a favourable verdict from the Tribunal. "Shettar is an advocate. He should know that a chief minister has to write to his counterpart. Only then it becomes official," he stated and charged the BJP with misleading people of north Karnataka. Siddaramaiah said the BJP is a divided house. Many leaders have complained against Yeddyurappa's style of functioning. Even Shobha Karandlaje is not attending Yeddyurappa's yatra, he added. He described as politically motivated JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda's charge that Siddaramaiah has been misusing official machinery to campaign for the Congress. The government spends for organising its programme. The question of misusing the official machinery does not arise, he added. 'Did not denotify land' Siddaramaiah claimed that he has not denotified six acres in Bhoopasandra in Bengaluru, as has been charged by the BJP. "Have they (BJP leaders) released any document?..I only directed the officials to look into a petition given by MLA Vasant Bangera. It was not an order to denotify the land," he stated. BJP leader B J Puttaswamy recently submitted a memorandum to Governor Vajubhai Vala, urging him to give permission to prosecute the chief minister in connection with the denotification of land. The state BJP on Monday demanded that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah should clarify whether Minister for Minorities Welfare Tanveer Sait's statement rejecting the triple talaq bill was the stand of the state government. The bill, which criminalises triple talaq, was passed by the Lok Sabha last week with the support of Congress members. However, at a press conference in Bengaluru, Sait opposed the bill. He said the Muslim Law Board had opposed the move. It was not correct to frame rules on personal beliefs and that was against the tenets of Islam, Sait had said. "It is a historic bill. The Congress initially wanted the bill to be referred to a standing committee, but later supported the bill. Sait has expressed his opposition to the bill. As Sait is a Cabinet minister, Siddaramaiah should clarify whether it is the stand of the government," BJP state spokesperson and former Law minister S Suresh Kumar told reporters here. He urged Siddaramaiah not to look at the bill through a "religious lens". "It is a question of dignity, equality and empowerment of women. Some Muslim women were divorced by their husbands by giving triple talaq via SMS. One person gave triple talaq to his wife for waking up late. It is unacceptable. The Muslim women are looking at Siddaramaiah for an answer," Kumar said. He termed as "historic" the announcement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi that Muslim women could travel for Haj without a male guardian (mahram). Congress president Rahul Gandhi has set a New Year resolution for Chief Minister Siddaramaiah: The party must win the Assembly elections. Rahul rang up Siddaramaiah post midnight and, the two are said to have spoken for nearly 10 minutes. After the customary New Year greetings, Rahul is said to have told Siddaramaiah that 2018 will be a challenging year. "We must win Karnataka," he apparently told Siddaramaiah, who is leading the party's poll campaign. Rahul is also said to have collected details on BJP national president Amit Shah's visit to the state and appreciated Siddaramaiah's 'Sadhaneya Sambhrama' state tour. Rahul is expected to visit Karnataka towards the end of this month. Meanwhile, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president G Parameshwara said some BJP leaders were slated to join the party ahead of the Assembly polls. "Some JD(S) leaders have already joined the party. There are some BJP leaders who will come, but we can't just bring them on board without any discussion and I can't reveal everything now," he said. Parameshwara clarified that there was no Operation Kamala-like attempt to poach members from other parties. With BJP chief Amit Shah taking stock of the saffron party's poll campaign, Parameshwara said the Congress will be ready with a counter. "Shah came to sort out issues within his party. We'll devise a tactic to counter his," he said. For several years, Egypt has been the victim of one of the fiercest waves of terrorism in its contemporary history. It began in August 2012 with the Ramadan massacre in Rafah, claiming the lives of 16 soldiers, and reached its highest peak in 2015, which experienced the most terrorist attacks (594) in any single year from 2013 to 2017. In January 2015, alone, there were 124 armed attacks. The frequency declined slightly to 105 in February and then climbed to the highest peak for that year in March, with 125 attacks. The rate gradually began to decline in April (72 attacks) and May (63), and then dropped dramatically to 23 in June. In July 2015, the number of attacks rose again to 41 before dropping, again, to 27 in August. The frequency declined again in autumn, reaching the lowest point for that year in November with only five attacks, although it would rise again slightly in December to nine. As of the beginning of 2016, the frequency of terrorist attacks began to decline considerably compared to 2015. Also, with the decrease in attacks in the Nile Valley and Delta, most attacks were confined to Sinai. But the end of 2016 and the beginning of 2017 brought a quantitative shift in terrorist tactics and strategies, as was manifested in both the nature of the targets selected and the weapons used in the attacks. We can break down the process in terms of tactics and personnel as follows. TACTICS USED BY TERRORIST ORGANISATIONS IN 2017 The number of national economic and infrastructural targets declined in 2017 compared to the previous three years. This is due, on the one hand, to the security forces success in curbing the activities of the new terrorist groups that had emerged in the Nile Valley and Delta (such as Hasm, or Resolve; Revolution Brigade; and Revolutionary Retribution) and, on the other, to the tendency of the older groups (Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis, Al-Murabitoun and the Islamic State in Egypt) to focus on the installations and personnel of the Egyptian military, which those terrorist organisations regard as their prime target. - In 2017, terrorist organisations and operatives introduced a new target: Egyptian Christians and certain Muslim sects, such as the Sufis. During the year, terrorists targeted four churches and numerous Egyptian Christians and Sufis. - The year also brought an increasing number of missiles fired by Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis into Israel. The qualitative shift, in 2017, in the strategies and tactics of Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis and other Islamic State (IS) affiliates in Egypt is consistent with one of the phases of IS strategy, which is to sow and disseminate chaos and anarchy in society. The third phase in the IS strategy empowerment (which the mother organisation had realised in Syria and Iraq) has become unattainable. This is not just due to the organisations failure to realise it on 1 July 2015 when its Egyptian franchise, Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis, attempted to seize control of a number of state institutions in Sheikh Zuweid and Rafah while simultaneously attacking about 15 military and police sites and facilities in the vicinity. The Egyptian Armed Forces swiftly and decisively defeated Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis, not just in that battle but in terms of its bid to implement the empowerment phase of IS strategy. The failure drove Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis to attack-and-flee tactics and to other terrorist tactics, such as suicide attackers and bombers, in order to attain its objectives, as can be seen in most terrorist incidents in Sinai in 2017. Such tactics can only fall under the heading of the strategy of creating chaos. THE INCREASE IN NON-EGYPTIANS IN TERRORIST ORGANISATIONS IN EGYPT The terrorist organisational structure underwent various transformations in 2017 in recruitment and hierarchy as they increasingly relied on non-Egyptians in the command structure. This development coincided with the Egyptian militarys success in eliminating key terrorist leaders, especially from the ranks of Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis. A case in point was the death of the Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis leader Abu Anas Al-Ansar, which prompted the central IS organisation to promote a non-Egyptian member Abu Hajer Al-Hashemi as senior Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis commander. According to available information, Abu Hajer is a former Iraqi military officer. His appointment set a precedent and led to a rise in the recruitment of non-Egyptians, as was evidenced in the reports on websites close to Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis of the terrorist operatives killed in clashes with the armed forces. Many of the names cited are not Egyptian, such as Moaz Al-Qadi and Khalil Al-Hamaida, who are known to have belonged to the IS affiliate in Gaza. Indeed, it has been observed that quite a few of the names that have emerged belong to breakaway members of the Ezzeddin Al-Qassam Brigades, Hamass paramilitary wing, while others belonged to the jihadist Salafi groups in Gaza. The Gazan recruits into the Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis / IS Sinai Province have come to see Hamas as another version of Fatah and to regard Khaled Meshaal and Ismail Haniyeh as no different to Mahmoud Abbas. They believe that not only has Hamas shrunk from its commitment to confront Israel, but that it also has effectively become a part of the agreements it had refused to recognise. Many of the names that have emerged shed light on the Gaza dimension of the Sinai terrorist phenomenon. Some time ago, Hamas arrested a certain Abdel-Wahed Abu Adhra on the Palestinian side of Rafah. A former member of Hamass naval commandos, Abu Adhra, 20, was eventually released when Hamas caved into threats from both Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis in Sinai and the IS affiliate in Gaza. Abu Adhra is the brother of Muflih Abu Adhra, the Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis commander who was killed in clashes with the Egyptian army a year and a half ago. After his release, Abdel-Wahed infiltrated into Sinai and joined Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis. Abdel-Hilal Al-Qishta, who was killed in a recent Egyptian aerial raid against an Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis stronghold, was another Gazan recruit of note. Once a prominent member of the Qassam Brigades, he publicly broke away from Hamas and joined Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis. The same applied to Abu Malek Abu Shweish, assistant commander of Hamass military wing who then split off from Hamas and joined Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis. Other prominent names on the list of members of the Qassam Brigades who broke away from Hamas and joined Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis in the Sinai include Tarek Badwan (killed 17 December), Mohamed Abu Sanima, Rashad Abu Sanima and Hassan Al-Jomeithni (the latter three were all involved in the Karm Qawadis attack). As was the case with certain extremists who had been discharged from the Egyptian security agencies, such recruits, with their advanced military training, they gave a powerful boost to Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis in terms of training and combat preparedness and diversity. This has been evidenced, in particular, in the use of missiles, explosive devices and booby-trapped vehicles. The foregoing casts to the fore the danger of IS returnees from Syria and Iraq. Given the potential impact that the return of such trained and combat hardened individuals could have on the fight against terrorism, this problem of returnees will be one of the most if not the most crucial of questions that the Egyptian government must tackle as it formulates its counterterrorist strategies for 2018. On the whole, the number of terrorist attacks has declined in 2017 compared to the three previous years. This applies, above all, to the Nile Valley and the Delta and the governorates of Greater Cairo and Alexandria. In addition, the majority of terrorist attacks are confined to a 2,500-square kilometre portion of North Sinai governorate. *This article was first published in Al-Ahram Weekly Short link: The Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) will soon lease 200 CNG buses. The government has sanctioned funds to the BMTC to lease 1,500 buses, including 200 CNG vehicles, the corporation's managing director V Ponnuraj told DH. The buses will be hired as per the demand, he added. During a presentation at a recent meeting of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) council, a BMTC official said: "There are 6,390 buses in the BMTC fleet, belonging to BS-II, BS-III and BS-IV engines. We are planning to add 3,150 BS-IV buses and scrap all the 11-year-old BS-II buses to reduce pollution." According to the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB), transport vehicles, public as well as private, contribute 42% to the city's pollution. On December 20, 2017, this newspaper reported how the BMTC submitted to the National Green Tribunal's Chennai bench that CNG fuel stations in Bengaluru were not operational, though the ground reality is different. In 2016, Gail Gas Ltd operationalised CNG fuel stations in BMTC depots at Sumanahalli, Peenya and Hennur. The fourth station is located at Beggars' Colony, off Magadi Road. The controversy over the statement of Union Minister Anantkumar Hegde is a closed chapter, state BJP president B S Yeddyurappa has said. Speaking to reporters at Kaidala in Tumakuru district on Monday, Yeddyurappa said that Hegde had sought apology in the Lok Sabha over his statement. "Myself and party national president Amit Shah too have cautioned him against issuing controversial statements," he said. Hegde's statement has also hurt senior BJP leader V Srinivas Prasad, Yeddyurappa added. Yeddyurappa was in Kaidala to take part in Amarashilpi Jakanachari Day. Hegde's statement about the need for changing the Constitution had drawn strong condemnation from various quarters. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Monday issued a decree appointing new ministers for defence, industry and information, state television reported. He appointed General Ali Abdullah Ayoub as defence minister, Mohammed Mazen Ali Yousef as industry minister and Imad Abullah Sarah as information minister, state television reported, citing the decree. Ayoub, who was previously chief of staff in the army, is a member of Assad's Alawite sect, an offshoot of Shi'ite Islam. He replaces Fahad Jassim al-Freij. The new information minister, Sarah, was previously the head of Syria radio and television. Changes of senior ministers are not unusual in Syria. The shake-up of senior military positions comes after a year of battlefield victories against anti-Assad rebels and Islamic State. Assad now appears militarily unassailable, but relies heavily on his allies Russia and Iran, as well as regional militias backed by Iran. The state BJP on Monday lodged a complaint with the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Karnataka, alleging that students as young as 14-15 years were being illegally enrolled in the voters' list. In the complaint to CEO Sanjeev Kumar, BJP spokesperson S Suresh Kumar pointed out a specific instance wherein six students in Mudhol Assembly constituency in Bagalkot district who are below 18 years had been enrolled in the voters' list. He has sought that action be initiated against officials responsible for the enrolment and that the names be removed from the list. As per electoral rules, only those above 18 years are eligible to vote. "It has come to our notice that such instances are happening in several other constituencies," Kumar stated. The biggest challenge for the security agencies in Jammu and Kashmir this new year will be to find out a way to stop the entry of the valley's youth brigade into the terror stream, which shows no sign of drying up. Despite the killing of more than 200 terrorists including a large number of locals in 2017, sources told DH that 117 Kashmiri youths were radicalised till early December. The number may come near the 150 mark, if one takes into account unconfirmed reports on the indoctrination of another 25-30 local youths and the outcome of another December camp. All the three terrorists including a 16-year old were killed in the Sunday's attack on a CRPF camp in Pulwama. The 16-year-old Fardeen Ahmad Khanday joined militancy only three months ago. "How to control the tap (of joining the militancy) is our biggest challenge," said a source, linked to the security apparatus of the northern state. Most of the recruitment took place in four districts of south Kashmir a Pulwama, Shopian, Kulgam and Anantnag. Bulk recruitment, nearly 45 boys, happened in the Pulwama district where even a 15-year-old was lured into the terror trap. All of these new recruits are not illiterate or school-kids, who just stepped into their teens. There are several graduates and post-graduates among them. Over the last 3-4 years, its been seen that educated youth from affluent families too join the ultras. "In the last 10 years, the number of new recruits never crossed 150, But this time, it could be close," sources said. Traditionally, December to February were low terror activity months in the state, the reason being winter. But this time, that tradtion was also breached, mainly with the aid of local recruits. Sources said one of the reasons behind the open terror tap is the administration's failure to rein in on the religious preachers, who need to be engaged by the local police and para-military outfits. Their influence is so strong on the younger generation that the number of boys, who gave up militancy and returned to the main stream is still in single digit. The year that went by saw a sharp increase in the military activity in Jammu and Kashmir. A 24-year-old driver of an excavator died after a boulder fell on him when he was levelling the ground in Giridham Layout in West Bengaluru's Rajarajeshwari Nagar on Monday evening. Pushpendra Kumar, from Uttar Pradesh, worked for Malabar Rock Cutting Company which had taken a contract to level the land belonging to one Babu. A boulder from atop fell on the Hitachi excavator that was being steered by Kumar to clear stones. He died on the spot. Police said his relatives had been informed and that they were awaiting more details. 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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 Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Sunday acknowledged the grievances of protesters nationwide but called on them to refrain from violence after a night of escalating unrest saw attacks on government buildings and confrontations with police. President Rouhani acknowledged that the Iranian people have the right to express themselves peacefully in his first comments on the anti-governmental protests. "Iran is a free nation, and according to the constitutional laws, the people have the right to express their criticism and protest," the state-run IRNA news agency cited Rouhani as saying. However, Rouhani said that the aim of these protests should be to improve the situation in the country and people's lives. From the capital, Tehran, to Kermanshah in the west and the holy city of Qom in the north, Iranians defied police to vent frustration against a government that allows limited space for dissent. On the fourth day of the largest protests since an uprising over disputed election results in 2009, Iranian protesters chanted ''Death to the dictator!'' as they tore down posters of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who holds absolute authority in Iran. Public criticism of Khamenei is generally taboo. The moderate Rouhani struck a conciliatory tone in his address to the nation. But even as he attempted to mollify protesters, authorities said they blocked Instagram and the messaging app Telegram on Sunday in a move aimed at blunting the demonstrations. The mass protest was sparked by economic woes but swiftly expanded to target a system that many have said is corrupt and incapable of reform. The demonstrations appear to have caught Iran's leadership off guard. ''Iranians understand the sensitive situation of Iran and the region and will act based on national interests,'' Rouhani said, according to the Mehr news agency. He also fired back at US President Donald Trump, who has posted on Twitter about the protests three times over the past few days. ''Big protests in Iran. The people are finally getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism,'' Trump tweeted Sunday. ''Looks like they will not take it any longer. The USA is watching very closely for human rights violations!'' Rouhani said, "Anyone who calls the Iranian people terrorists does not have the right to sympathize with the people." Two people died on Saturday in the western Iranian province of Lorestan during the protests, the deputy governor of the province Habibollah Khojastepour said. Khojastepour said the death of the two civilians on Saturday night in the city of Dorud in Lorestan, adding that the authorities wanted to disperse the demonstrations peacefully, according to the semi-official ISNA news agency. He alleged that "takfiris" (Sunni extremists) and foreign intelligence services had been involved in the protests in Dorud, which he characterised as riots. Meanwhile, at least 200 protesters were arrested on Saturday in Tehran on charges of causing conflict and destroying property, Tehran city government security official Ali Asgar Naserbajt said. Some of those arrested were later released, while others were remanded to custody, Naserbajt told the ILNA news agency. Deputy Interior Minister for Political Affairs Esmail Jabar Zada justified the use of "some tools" to curtail illegal rallies, the official IRNA news agency reported. The measures are temporary and the government has no intention of blocking social media networks permanently, the deputy interior minister said. Towards the end of 2016, most Egyptians were hopeful and wishful for a better year. They wished each other a lighter, quieter, less turbulent and more merciful year. Gone were the days when the middle and upper classes wished for more income, larger houses, better jobs and bigger cars. Even those residing around the poverty line lowered their expectations and minimised their dreams. Those who had lost their jobs because of the worst crisis in Egypts tourism industry for years and its continuing aftershocks hoped for a minimum of improvement. Hoping for the minimum continues to be on the wish list of most Egyptians, who are now looking back at a 2017 that was packed with hardships, tensions and acts of terror. But looking back at the year with an open mind, there also seemed to be at least one spot of light in 2017 in that the light of critical thinking has slowly but surely been beaming out throughout the past year. If the 25 January Revolution exposed what had happened in Egypt over the past four decades, ranging from an Islamist hijacking of society to adopting an imported culture to an almost complete infringement of the social contract between the state and the people, it also led to a new era of critical thinking among increasing numbers of Egyptian people. The rise of Islamism in Egypt thrived on closing the doors to thinking, let alone critical thinking. According to Utrecht University in the Netherlands researcher Sander Mens in a piece entitled Egypt between the State and Islam published in 2015, three-quarters of the Egyptian population is below the age of 25. Unemployment is very common, thus creating a large group of people with no reliable income. It is in these kinds of vulnerable socio-economic groups that religiosity usually blooms, as people seek an anchor or an assurance in their existence. More often than not, they also rely on patronage and charity. Due to the emphasis on charity and compassion in Islamic dogma, benefactors (both individuals as well as organisations) also are often driven by religious motivation the incapacity (and unwillingness) of the state to provide welfare for this growing number of marginalised people creates a vacuum where large charitable organisations like the Muslim Brotherhood can easily settle and provide welfare from a religious standpoint, Mens wrote. From an Islamist, or rather from a Muslim Brotherhood, standpoint, controversy in life is best avoided. Questions beginning with why are abhorred. Unanimity among the ulama (religious scholars) suffices. It is the duty of the non-ulama to follow it. A third commandment left by Brotherhood ideologue Sayed Qotb says do not build up argumentation, as it leads to suspicion. However, it is safe to say that 2017 has been the year of suspicion in the positive sense of the word. Critical thinkers are by nature sceptical, something which drives minds to work harder. This past year has witnessed signs of a move towards critical thinking among many Egyptians, particularly those who can see for themselves the thunderous failure of mindless thinking and are now more open to questioning and evidence. The evidence that the majority of Egyptians recognise is that the quality of education is their main ailment, and this shows that the power of reason is prevailing. People from different social and economic backgrounds showed enormous interest in enrolling their children at the new Japanese schools that were due to start operating this academic year. Even though their opening was postponed, the more than 20,000 students who applied for the 1,800 places show that parents are indeed keen to offer their kids the best possible education. Ask any taxi-driver, or chat with any university professor, and both will tell you that quality education is the way forward. The way out of an educational system that has adopted a culture of no questions outside the (dead) curriculum together with a brainwashing Islamist technique of keeping away from controversy and argumentation has been eagerly adopted in ways that may have been unthought of only a few years ago. Over the years, many Egyptians have found themselves including religious figures in the list of untouchable religious notions. Ordinary human beings have acquired saint-like status, and those who dared to question, challenge or even declare dislike for some of these notions were regarded as having contempt for religion itself. However, this past year witnessed a mini-exodus from the divinisation of religious figures. Despite the fact that those who dared to exit may have been met with anger by those defending the saint-like status of their favourite contemporary religious idols, the road towards a religious revolution has been paved. President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisis courageous call for a religious revolution and the purification of religious discourse almost three years ago had been strongly but subtly resisted by those in charge. But those who are not in charge are in revolt, and they wish to see the purification of a religious culture that has suffered stagnation, rigidity and radicalisation for too long. Not so long ago Egyptian women were on the track towards equality, for example. Lotfia Al-Nadi, Egypts first female aviator, became the countrys darling in 1933 for her ambition, success and desire to break with conventional gender roles. However, towards the end of the last century and the beginning of this one some Egyptians were questioning whether letting women work was halal (religiously allowed), and some were even considering outlandish fatwas on male work colleagues, drivers and servants in order to make them mehrem (unmarriageable kin) and thus be able to share work places with them. However, 2017 has witnessed noticeable attempts at ending the dehumanisation of Egyptian women and restoring their dignity. Daring to discuss incidents of sexual harassment, domestic violence, hidden abortion and marital rape, in addition to more basic rights such as the right to education, the combat against FGM and the awareness of legal rights, is on rise. The end of the stigma that may attach to women who dare to stand up against rape, harassment, abuse and the well-known list of usual violations has been obvious, and there is more to come. There has also been a rising trend towards greater national feeling. Almost seven decades of the rise and fall, adoption and rejection, harmony and incongruity of nationalism have culminated this past year. From Arab nationalism to the semi-Islamist, pro-Western, half-African and three-quarter Pharaonic nationalism that began under late president Anwar Al-Sadat to the loss of belonging and the vacuum of identity filled by Political Islam under former president Hosni Mubarak, Egyptians have been juggling with their identity. 2017 saw real questions and proper discussions being held, albeit sometimes behind closed doors, regarding Egyptian identity. There is a feeling, especially among the cultural elite, that it is acceptable to feel Egyptian while at the same time being Muslim or Christian and Arab without being carried away by draining conflicts. It is acceptable to feel African and not be a stranger to the continent by emphasising Pharaonic history. Yet, while ordinary Egyptians have been adopting a critical way of thinking this year and relying more on reason than emotion, the media has proved in some cases to be far behind. Rather than providing facts and real explanations, a great deal of the media has been taking a ride down a slippery slope. Loud noises, fictitious analyses, out-of-proportion coverage or no coverage at all are only a few of the things we have seen in the media in 2017. The rise of the media as a shaper of public opinion only a few years ago has been witnessing a noisy fall. But this time round the audience has proved to be one step ahead. People are watching, but they do not necessarily believe all they see or read. They take notice, but they do not give in to being browbeaten. They watch with a critical mind, and they cannot accept the daily attempts that are being made at finding excuses for confusion. Such people with their questioning minds have made 2017 the year of critical thinking. *This article was first published in Al-Ahram Weekly Short link: Russia creates digital platform for 'the university of the future' The era of digital education has already begun. In Russia, a university of a new type is created from the collaboration of universities, businessmen and innovators. This university is a digital platform allowing all and any participants to obtain new skills and competences and to follow their own educational routes. The platform will unite the best universities of the country and the world, employers, businesses, and technological start-ups. What is a university of the future? One may say it is comprised of online courses, individual educational road maps, and the use of new technologies (for example, neurointerfaces). But when does the future start? Usually, this question remains unanswered. However, Russia has already embarked on its creation. The University 20.35 project is being developed within the framework of the National Technological Initiative - a state program for the support and encouragement of the industries that are likely to form the foundation of innovative economies in the next two decades. To Learn What's Relevant University 20.35 is a new step in the development of the Russian educational system. It is not a traditional university with a campus, a schedule, and a degree certificate, but a digital platform offering its students a set of individually required competences and focused on the formation of personal educational road maps. The platform will include cutting-edge AI technologies helping each student to lay down his or her own route to move along to the so-called target competence profiles allowing a graduate to fulfill certain professional tasks and meet the challenges facing the Russian economy and the world in general. "We started our work with collecting the data and neural networks training to optimize the educational road maps of our students and mutual training of humans and AI. We learn from an artificial intelligence the same as it learns from us," comments Dmitry Peskov, the head of the Young Professionals segment of the Agency for Strategic Initiatives. How can one understand what to learn to become a part of the future economy? Here is when entrepreneurs come to help. The representatives of business will become full members of the University 20.35 digital platform. For them it will be a chance to develop their requirements for future specialists and maybe even to request a team for a particular project. Moreover, member companies of "future markets" promoted by the National Technological Initiative will also participate in the operation of the platform. Educational Content: The Best But Not Unique The value of University 20.35 lies not in its unique educational courses. It does not offer its own programs or in-house educational content. The universities participating in the project will provide students of the University with access to their best educational programs. Nina Yanykina, a member of the Supervisory Board of the University of NTI, the head of the Project and Innovation Department at ITMO University (one of the participants in the project), explains: "The role of ITMO University in the development of the University 20.35 is, first and foremost, the delivery of the best solutions for networked educational programs and individual trajectories of the students, as well as their implementation in order to meet the personnel needs of the companies that are leaders of the STI markets. "Now we are going to implement programs in the areas of artificial intelligence and quantum technologies. On the one hand, these areas are cross-cutting technologies; on the other hand, ITMO University has some very good competencies in this area. Our task is to ensure, through the educational process and the formation of specialists, the overcoming of technological gaps and foster the development of NTI markets." Its main advantage is a vast network of partners selected (or rather, recommended to students) based on the objective evidence of training results. A student manages his or her road map on his or her own, and the only task of the University is to make this management responsible. "To organise the optimal trajectory of students, we will use artificial intelligence - not the person himself will choose which course to take, as it happens on a regular online platform. Artificial intelligence will suggest what a person really needs to learn in order to level himself up in some direction," says Nina Yanykina. The founders of the University are positive that this educational approach is bound to be effective, at least because Russia has certain experience in organisation of training and assessment of skills according to similar models. "Our digital platform will combine different training formats, both online and at traditional university buildings. We will use the whole range of Russian educational establishments and our foreign partners," explains Vasily Tretyakov, Director General of ANCO University 20.35. One should mention the experience of eight leading Russian universities that decided to develop an open education platform three years ago. They are ITMO University, Moscow State University, National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, National University for Science and Technology MISiS, Saint Petersburg State University, Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University and Ural State University. These educational establishments started digitalising their best competences and training experiences and offering it in an available format to millions of students in Russia and abroad. Moreover, today online courses at the above universities are parts of road maps for each student. A digital profile instead of a degree certificate After graduation students will receive digital profiles instead of traditional degree certificates. A profile of competences containing all information about an applicant collected in the course of his or her training may be presented to an employer. A profile will show what tasks this person is able to fulfill, what skills he or she has developed best, and in which areas she or he is the most effective. According to the founders, the University won't have graduates at all in the traditional meaning of this word. You cannot graduate from University 20.35, you can just reach a certain milestone on you development road map. University 20.35 is a road on which a student stays for the whole life. In the modern world a person is bound to change occupations several times during his or her life. Therefore the educational program that gives one a profession for life should remain in the past. The University bets not only on particular professional knowledge and abilities, but on soft skills as well. The first group of 100 students has already been enrolled on the first course. It consists of the heads of startups operating in the neurotechnological market (Neuronet). In spring 2018 registration in the platform will be opened for the public, and pilot individual training road maps will be implemented next autumn. A series of talks will be held for the closing of the exhibition of A Textile Experience: A Reformulation of the Works by Hamdy Abdallah at El-Gezira center on 4 January. The four talks will be delivered by established artists and art professors, including Mostafa El-Razzaz, Hamdy Abdalla, Gamal Lamie and Samia El-Sheikh. The same exhibition was previously held at the Faculty of Art Education in Zamalek last April, before it opened again at El-Gezira Art center on 20 December. Hamdy Abdallah is an Egyptian artist and art professor at the Faculty of Art Education. While he had previously created works in ink, the works currently on display are elaborate embroidered fabrics, with scenes and characters that evoke folk and fairy tales. Programme: Monday 4 January at 6pm Cinema and Lecture hall in El-Gezira Art Center, 1 Sheikh Marsafy St., Zamalek, Cairo For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture Short link: Mosaad Fouda head of the General Union for Arab Artists has appointed actor and director Mazen El-Gharabawy as General Coordinator for Arabic Theatre Cooperation and Exchange. El-Gharabawy was director of the Sharm El-Sheikh International Theatre Festival for Youth. In this position, he will be delivering a plan for theatrical exchange between Arab countries. El-Gharabawy has told Al-Ahram that his intention is to bring all Arab countries together, and will work towards setting up agreements and protocols that aim to preserve and develop the identity of Arab theatre. In his new post El-Gharabawy has already signed a protocol of cooperation with Carthage Theatre Days in Tunisia, during a conference attended by the Egyptian ambassador in Tunisia, Nabil Habashy, in addition to head of the National Theatre Festival, Hassan Attia, among others from the theatre scene. For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture Short link: Latest News IGNOU: Online registration process open for AICTE-approved management programmes The last date for the online submission of applications is September 30, 2021 TIET Patialas ranking improves in THE World University Rankings 2022 TIET has been ranked fifth amongst 71 institutions (second best private institute) ranked within India DUET 2021: NTA releases schedule for UG, PG, MPhil/PhD programmes The entrance test will be conducted in the Computer Based Test (CBT) mode By NDTV , Jan 01 , 2018 TEHRAN: Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said Sunday that government bodies must provide "space for criticism" as he sought to head off days of unrest, but also warned protesters that violence was unacceptable. Hundreds of protesters marched through Tehran and other cities in a fourth day of demonstrations as authorities cut access to social media. Rouhani finally broke his silence on the protests that mark the biggest test for the regime since mass protests in 2009. 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preparing to spend the upcoming New Year's Eve holiday without his wife, Catelynn Lowell. However, the Teen Mom OG dad knows his wife is better off in Arizona, where she is currently seeking help for depression. Over a month after the Teen Mom OG star took to Twitter to confirm her suicidal thoughts, Baltierra continues to raise their daughter as a temporarily single dad as Lowell continues to focus on her mental health needs. Tyler would love to have Catelynn home for New Years Eve, hed love to be able to kiss her and welcome in 2018 with her by his side. But hes putting his own wishes on the back burner and encouraging her to stay in treatment until after the New Year, a source close to the couple told Hollywood Life on Dec. 28. According to the source, Baltierra wants his wife to take as much time as she needs so she can leave treatment and not need to go back in the future. On Nov. 17, Lowell confirmed her plans to seek treatment after she began to experience suicidal thoughts. As she told her fans and followers on Twitter at the time, she thought of every way to kill herself on a Friday before Thanksgiving and decided to get help. A short time later, the longtime reality star checked herself into a treatment center in Arizona. Since then, Baltierra has been spending time in Arizona so that he can see his wife each weekend. While Lowell ended up leaving treatment early in an effort to return home and spend the holidays with her husband and their daughter, Novalee Reign, who turns 3 years old next month, she ultimately decided to return to Arizona. As Hollywood Life explained, leaving the treatment center early proved to be a mistake and on Dec. 27, Lowell re-entered the facility to complete her 30-day program. She decided to complete the full program, an insider told Radar Online at the time. She should be finished completely early to mid January. Everyone is very relieved that shes finishing her stay. To see more of Catelynn Lowell, Tyler Baltierra, and their co-stars, including Maci Bookout, Ryan Edwards, Taylor McKinney, Farrah Abraham, Amber Portwood, Gary Shirley, and Andrew Glennon, tune in to new episodes of Teen Mom OG season 7 on Monday nights at 9 p.m. on MTV. The American Renaissance: Chapter Three: New Beginnings By Michael Moriarty Im submitting this first editorial of 2018 in, for myself at any rate, a new font: Times New Roman. Why? Times New Roman is the traditional font for Enter Stage Right. Why did I previously prefer Book Antiqua? When I left New York City for Canada I also left the traditional Church Newsletter of Manhattan: The New York Times. The Times font is one of the most contagious, literary diseases known to man. Im now too old to fight it anymore. However, and despite The New York Times, I am still a fierce supporter of President Donald Trump. Considering the ferocity of his opposition within his own Republican Party, the Bush contingent particularly, President Trump has had a remarkably successful year. Of course, no one knows that nor brags about it more than Donald Trump himself. As I am repeatedly saying these days, theres only one thing worse than knowing your worth and that is NOT knowing your worth! The Trump Presidency is overcoming 20 years of profoundly corrupt, New World Order Presidencies which would sell the United States of America to the United Nations in an instant! The evidence of that in the Clinton Administration, soon to be doubled-down by the Bush Jr. Administration, is the major reason I left the United States for Canada. We first learned of The New World Order here. If that treasonous announcement werent enough, the Bush Camp has been a fierce opponent of their own partys present leadership, President Donald Trump. They would actually prefer a Democrat President to Donald Trump! Why? Donald Trump and myself, I might add are fierce opponents of The New World Order. Why? Red Islams huge influence upon The New World Order! What is Red Islam? The Iranian and Red Chinese connections. Both terminally committed enemies of The Free World and The Judeo-Christian Civilization! The New World Order and its United Nations policies would surrender Western Civilization to a so-called Lets Share The World policy. The whole world Is All One big happy family! No were not. God bless Donald Trump and his America First Campaign! Without it, the now-centuries-old American Declaration of Independence and its divine effects upon the human race would be lost. Individual Freedom would be inevitably destroyed! The American Renaissance with President Donald Trump would end! I dont want that. I certainly hope that you dont want that! Michael Moriarty is a Golden Globe and Emmy Award-winning actor who starred in the landmark television series Law and Order from 1990 to 1994. His recent film and TV credits include The Yellow Wallpaper, 12 Hours to Live, Santa Baby and Deadly Skies. Contact Michael at rainbowfamily2008@yahoo.com. He can be found on Twitter at https://twitter.com/@MGMoriarty. Home A little slice of Alaskan tundra is finally open for drilling By Paul Driessen Way back in 1980, Congress passed the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, establishing the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and making numerous other land use decisions for our 49th state. Section 1002 of the act postponed a decision on managing ANWRs 1.5-million-acre coastal plain, which has enormous oil and gas potential and is important summertime wildlife habitat. For four decades, environmentalists blocked legislation that would have opened the coastal plain to leasing and drilling. In 1995 President Clinton vetoed a pro-drilling bill that had passed both houses. At long last, the tax-cut legislation just passed by Congress allows America to benefit from the petroleum resources that experts predict will be found in a small section of the plain, along Alaskas northern coast. The legislation directs the Interior Department to hold at least two lease sales over the next 10 years, for a maximum of 2,000 acres opened to drilling. Analysts say the sales could fetch as much as $2.2 billion. The area contains an estimated 10.4 billion barrels of oil, says Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski, chair of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Others put the petroleum potential even higher. The U.S. Geological Survey and Congressional Research Service say its 95% likely that there are 15.6 billion barrels of oil beneath ANWR. With todays exploration, drilling, fracking and other technology, up to 60% of that may ultimately be recoverable. At $50 a barrel, that represents $460 billion that the USA would not have to send overseas; tens of billions in Alaskan and United States royalty and tax revenues; and thousands of jobs in oilfield, manufacturing and many other sectors. After the IRS, oil company oil and gas royalty payments represent the single largest contribution to the U.S. treasury. Companies that produce from federal onshore and offshore leases pay royalties of up to 18% of wellhead prices, and then pay corporate taxes on profits and sales taxes at the pump. Workers pay income taxes, instead of receiving unemployment and welfare checks. Every step in the leasing, drilling, production and pipeline process will require extensive environmental reviews. Unfortunately, each step will likely generate lawsuits and delays. As they have since long before 1980, activists continue to claim that any drilling would destroy the entire ANWR areas wilderness character and threaten its caribou, polar bears, birds and other wildlife. In all too typical hyperbole, League of Conservation Voters president Gene Karpinski claimed the tax law provision will turn one of our last remaining wild places into an industrial oilfield. Thats absurd. Alaska alone has 57 million acres (more than all of Utah) set aside as wilderness, plus tens of millions more wild acres off limits to drilling in national park, wildlife refuge and similar designations. Nationwide, land several times the size of California is protected in these and other land use categories. ANWR is the size of South Carolina: 19 million acres. Of this, far fewer than 2,000 coastal plain acres would actually be disturbed by drilling, roads and other development work. Thats 0.01% of ANWR; one-twentieth of Washington, DC; 20 of the buildings in which Boeing manufactured its 747 jetliners. To claim this minimal impact will despoil the entire refuge is like saying a few farms and airports scattered along South Carolinas northern border would kill wildlife and ruin scenery throughout the state. The potentially oil-rich coastal plain is actually flat, treeless tundra, 3,500 miles from Washington, DC and 50 miles from the beautiful Brooks Range mountains that feature so prominently and deceptively in Sierra Club and other anti-drilling campaigns. Even more telling, the same environmentalists never object to forests of 400-foot-tall wind turbines installed in or next to forests, grasslands, wildlife sanctuaries, migratory bird flyways and other sensitive areas where they slice and dice eagles, falcons, geese, bats and other magnificent flying creatures day after day, year after year. During some eight months of winter, when drilling will take place, virtually no wildlife are present in the coastal plain. Food is buried under snow and ice, and temperatures plummet as low as minus 40 F. The tundra turns rock solid. Spit, and your saliva freezes before it hits the ground. But the nasty conditions mean exploratory drilling can be done using roads, drill pads and even airstrips that are all constructed with ice and snow. Come spring, all of this will melt, leaving only puddles, little holes and a few permanent facilities. The caribou will return just as they have for years at the nearby Prudhoe Bay and Alpine oilfields and do what they always have: eat, hang out and make babies. In fact, the Prudhoe Bay oilfields Central Arctic caribou herd is over 20,000 today, compared to 5,000 in 1975. Arctic fox, geese, shore birds and other wildlife also return each spring, along with the Alaska state bird: giant mosquitoes. If oil is discovered, modern Arctic drilling technologies from small gravel pads will ensure minimal land impacts, as other North Slope operations have demonstrated. Each drill pad will support multiple wells, and modern directional and extended reach drilling technologies will allow companies to punch multiple holes a mile deep and five miles long in any direction, steering drill bits to penetrate multiple oil zones and hit distant targets far below the surface, without disturbing the tundra high above. Coupled with the ability to fracture rock formations and stimulate them to produce far more oil and natural gas liquids than previously possible, this accuracy means a series of small sites totaling less than 2,000 acres could produce up to 15 billion gallons of petroleum annually. Thats far better than producing 15 billion gallons of ethanol annually from corn grown on an area larger than Iowa: 36 million acres via a process that also requires massive amounts of water, pesticides, fertilizers and fossil fuels, to create fuel that gets one-third less mileage per gallon than gasoline. Inuit Eskimos who live in or near ANWR have supported drilling by an 8:1 margin. They no longer want to live in poverty especially after having given up their traditional land claims for oil rights that Congress, greens, presidents and courts have repeatedly denied them. Gwichin Indians have opposed ANWR drilling, and some were paid by environmentalist groups to appear in anti-drilling commercials. However, they actually live hundreds of miles away on the other side of the Brooks Range. And they leased many of their own tribal lands to generate revenue. Their leased areas were close to a major caribou migratory route, where caribou often birth their calves before arriving in ANWR. Unfortunately for the Gwichins, no oil was found. Drilling in ANWR will also ensure sufficient production to keep the Trans-Alaska Pipeline in operation. Right now, declining North Slope production threatens to reduce oil in the pipeline to a point where it cannot stay sufficiently warm to flow under months-long winter conditions. The pipeline needs between 250,000 and 350,000 barrels of oil per day to stay open. If there are inadequate supplies, because ANWR or other deposits are not developed, the pipeline will be shut down leaving millions of barrels and billions of dollars behind. That makes ANWR oil doubly important. Adding to the complexities, $50-per-barrel oil prices, shale development in the Lower 48, and decades-old seismic data mean relatively few oil companies may be interested in leasing acreage in the remote, frozen area. But Americas long-term strategic interests require a thorough look at ANWRs potential. Spending U.S. or Alaskan funds to pay an independent company to conduct high-tech modern seismic and other surveys of the coastal plain would ensure that energy companies and American citizens have the best possible information on which to base decisions on leasing and exploring those 2,000 scattered acres. ANWRs energy belongs to all Americans. It can and should be produced safely, to generate tremendous oil, gas, job, revenue and other bounties in yet another huge benefit from this tax reform legislation. Paul Driessen is senior policy advisor for the Committee For A Constructive Tomorrow and Congress of Racial Equality, and author of many books and reports on energy and environmental issues. Home Global warming: Fake news from the start By Dr. Tim Ball and Tom Harris President Donald Trump announced that the United States would withdraw from the Paris Agreement on climate change because it is a bad deal for America. He could have made the decision simply because the science is false. However, most of the American and global public have been brainwashed into believing the science is correct (and supported by the faux 97% consensus), so they would not have believed that explanation. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and indeed the leaders of many western democracies, support the Agreement and are completely unaware of the gross deficiencies in the science. If they understood those deficiencies, they wouldnt be forcing a carbon dioxide (CO2) tax on their citizens. Trudeau and other leaders show how little they know, and how little they assume the public knows, by calling it a carbon tax on carbon emissions. But CO2 is a gas, the trace atmospheric gas that makes life on Earth possible. Carbon is a solid, and carbon-based fuels are solid (coal), liquid (oil) or gaseous (natural gas). By constantly railing about carbon emissions, Trudeau, Obama and others encourage people to think of carbon dioxide as something dirty, like soot, which really is carbon. Calling CO2 by its proper name would help the public remember that it is actually an invisible, odorless gas essential to plant photosynthesis. Canadian Environment Minister Catherine McKenna is arguably the most misinformed of the lot, saying in a recent interview that polluters should pay. She too either does not know that CO2 is not a pollutant, or she is deliberately misleading people. Like many of her political peers, McKenna dismisses credentialed PhD scientists who disagree with her approach, labelling them deniers. She does not seem to understand that questioning scientific hypotheses, even scientific theories, is what all scientists should do, if true science is to advance. That is why the Royal Societys official motto is Nullius in verba, Latin for Take nobody's word for it. Ironically, the Society rarely practices this approach when it comes to climate change. Mistakes such as those made by McKenna are not surprising, considering that from the outset the entire claim of anthropogenic global warming (AGW) was built on falsehoods and spread with fake news. The plot to deceive the world about human-caused global warming gathered momentum right after the World Meteorological Organization and United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) created the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 1988. After spending five days at the U.N. with Maurice Strong, the first executive director of UNEP, Hamilton Spectator investigative reporter Elaine Dewar concluded that the overarching objective of the IPCC was political, not scientific. Strong was using the U.N. as a platform to sell a global environment crisis and the global governance agenda, she wrote. The political agenda required credibility to accomplish the deception. It also required some fake news for momentum. Ideally, this would involve testimony from a scientist before a legislative committee. U.S. Senator Timothy Wirth (D-CO) was fully committed to the political agenda and the deception. As he explained in a 1993 comment, Weve got to ride the global warming issue. Even if the theory of global warming is wrong, we will be doing the right thing. Hansen In 1988 Wirth was in a position to jump-start the climate alarm. He worked with colleagues on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee to organize and orchestrate a June 23, 1988 hearing where the lead witness would be Dr. James Hansen, then the head of the Goddard Institute for Space Studies. Wirth explained in a 2007 interview with PBS Frontline: We knew there was this scientist at NASA, who had really identified the human impact before anybody else had done so and was very certain about it. So, we called him up and asked him if he would testify. Hansen did not disappoint. The New York Times reported on June 23, 1988: Today Dr. James E. Hansen of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration told a Congressional committee that it was 99 percent certain that the warming trend was not a natural variation, but was caused by a buildup of carbon dioxide and other artificial gases in the atmosphere. Specifically, Hansen told the committee, Global warming has reached a level such that we can ascribe with a high degree of confidence a cause and effect relationship between the greenhouse effect and observed warming. It is already happening now. Hansen also testified: The greenhouse effect has been detected, and it is changing our climate now. We have already reached the point where the greenhouse effect is important. Wirth, who presided at the hearing, was pre-disposed to believe Hansen and told the committee. As I read it, the scientific evidence is compelling: the global climate is changing as the earth's atmosphere gets warmer, Wirth said. Now the Congress must begin to consider how we are going to slow or halt that warming trend, and how we are going to cope with the changes that may already be inevitable. More than any other event, that single hearing before the Energy and Natural Resources Committee publicly initiated the climate scare, the biggest deception in history. It created an unholy alliance between a bureaucrat and a politician, which was bolstered by the U.N. and the popular press leading to the hoax being accepted in governments, industry boardrooms, schools and churches all across the world. Dr. John S. Theon, Hansens former supervisor at NASA, wrote to the Senate Minority Office at the Environment and Public Works Committee on January 15, 2009. Hansen was never muzzled, even though he violated NASAs official agency position on climate forecasting (i.e., we did not know enough to forecast climate change or mankinds effect on it). Hansen thus embarrassed NASA by coming out with his claims of global warming in 1988 in his testimony before Congress. Hansen never abandoned his single-minded, unsubstantiated claim that CO2 from human activities caused dangerous global warming. He defied Hatch Act limits on bureaucratic political actions, and in 2011 even got arrested at a White House protest against the Keystone XL pipeline. It was at least his third such arrest to that point. Like Trudeau and other leaders duped by the climate scare, Senator Wirth either had not read or did not understand the science. In fact, an increasing number of climate scientists (including Dr. Ball) now conclude that there is no empirical evidence of human-caused global warming. There are only computer model speculations that humans are causing it, and every forecast made using these models since 1990 has been wrong with actual temperatures getting further from predictions with every passing year. President Trump must now end Americas participation in the fake science and fake news of manmade global warming. To do this, he must withdraw the U.S. from further involvement with all U.N. global warming programs, especially the IPCC, as well as the agency that now directs it the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. He should also launch a Red Team exercise that lets non-alarmist scientists examine climate cataclysm claims and the purported evidence for them. Only then will the U.S. have a chance to fully develop its hydrocarbon resources to achieve the presidents goal of global energy dominance and long-term prosperity for America and the world. Dr. Tim Ball is an environmental consultant and former climatology professor at the University of Winnipeg in Manitoba. Tom Harris is executive director of the Ottawa, Canada-based International Climate Science Coalition. Home New gun control measure threatens the safety of the elderly By Samuel Bocetta It should come as no surprise to anyone that the left would have a new target after the mass shooting in Sutherland Springs, Texas. After the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, it was so-called assault weapons (and various AR-15 models in particular), even though that wasn't even the gun Omar Mateen used in his terrorist attack. After the mass shooting at a country music concert in Las Vegas perpetrated by Stephen Paddock, the media became obsessed with bump stocks. Ask any reporter what a bump stock was before the attack, and they wouldn't have had a clue, but suddenly, they became experts on this tool of death and destruction. The media had an easy target after the Sutherland Springs shooting, in addition to their usual attacks on gun owners and conservatives. The FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) had failed to stop Devin Patrick Kelley from buying a Ruger AR-556 semiautomatic rifle, even though he had a domestic violence conviction on his record from a court martial while he served in the U.S. Air Force. Technically, the Air Force was at fault for not inputting Kelley's domestic violence conviction to the NICS, but it's not like NICS was passing with flying colors, either. It regularly failed at stopping people with records from buying guns, leading to thousands of gun purchases that should not have gone through where the FBI needed to request seizures of those guns later. That's par for the course with the U.S. government, as it has a poor record when it comes to large computer systems. Just look at the recent attempts by the Fed to build blockchain systems, which have been characterized by a complete failure to understand the technology. And so, one of the latest gun control measures for politicians to get behind was the Fix NICS bill, which was notable for getting bipartisan support. Now, House Leadership decided to add this legislation onto H.R. 38, the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act. Adding the Fix NICS legislation to the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act is a fairly obvious ploy to hopefully win some support among the Democrats. H.R. 38 is anything but popular. It certainly makes sense and it simplifies a system of reciprocity that is currently very convoluted, with each state choosing to honor concealed carry permits from some, but not all, of its neighbors. The Democrats don't care about simplifying systems or doing what makes sense, though. They consider anything that makes life one iota easier for law-abiding gun owners to be a step in the wrong direction, and already, there has been an outcry towards the idea of concealed carry reciprocity. Unfortunately, House Leadership only made the bill worse by tacking on that Fix NICS legislation. Taken at face value, fixing NICS may seem like a sound idea. The problem is that it will add a large number of people to the list who don't have serious conditions, and those who will be affected the most are the elderly and veterans. Many elderly people, whose only means of defense are small pocket pistols on the nightstand, could find themselves stripped of their gun rights. If Fix NICS goes through, records from Social Security, Medicare and many other benefits programs would be passed along to log people dealing with ADHD, PTSD, Alzheimer's disease and other mental conditions that range in severity. All those people would be ineligible to own firearms. People with psychiatric disabilities who have had a guardian appointed would also be considered ineligible. Although mental health conditions can be serious, that's not always the case. Many are more moderate, and most people suffering from mental illness don't demonstrate any violent or suicidal behaviors. One Duke study of 82,000 people who have serious mental illnesses found that they didn't present a heightened risk of harming anyone with a gun. Keep in mind that those were people with serious mental illnesses. Gun control measures such as Fix NICS do more harm than good. They don't stop criminals from getting their hands on guns because even if a criminal can't get a gun legally, they'll just do it illegally. The only people who can't get guns due to gun control measures are those who respect the law, and in the case of Fix NICS, that will be primarily older Americans who may not have any self-defense option as effective as a firearm. Sam Bocetta is a retired engineer who worked for over 35 years as a defense contractor for the U.S. Navy, specializing in electronic warfare and advanced computer systems. He teaches in Ottawa, Canada as a part time engineering professor and is the ASEAN affairs correspondent for Gun News Daily. Home Humiliated and embarrassed by world opinion By Greg Strange You know what causes most of the worlds UN representatives to have conniption fits? Lets see, would it be an endless civil war in Syria in which hundreds of thousands have been senselessly killed? No, not really. How about the endless nuclear threats emanating from the psycho-Marxist state of North Korea that endanger world stability? Actually, not so much. Well then, how about the collapse of oil-rich Venezuela into chaos and starvation due to government imposed socialism? Nope, its all good. Well, what then? Heres a simple, one-word clue: Israel. Thats really all you need to know, isnt it? The entire world could be collapsing due to simultaneously occurring wars and various apocalyptic events and the only thing that would get a rise out of this Jew-hating deliberative body is anything at all to do with Israel. So, when President Trump recently decided to recognize Jerusalem as Israels capital, the apoplexy was palpable as the nakedly anti-Semitic body called for an emergency session in order to condemn the outrageous act. Its as if Trump was saying, in effect, in his inimitable fashion, Hel-lo-o?! Can we stop the charade already? And the UNs response was, No, the charade must continue, until the end of time or until Israel is destroyed, whichever comes first! So the UN had its emergency session, the result of which was, naturally, a lopsided vote declaring American recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital null and void. Whoopee! The left-wing UK Independent called it a humiliating blow for Trump. Seriously? Does anyone believe for an instant that Trump feels humiliated by a meaningless vote from this gallery of rogues? One of the things that helped get him elected is peoples exasperation with exactly this kind of garbage. Nonetheless, the reality-challenged Independent insisted that it is a considerable embarrassment for the U.S. as it reflects global opinion. Ah, the much ballyhooed global opinion! So, if global opinion clashes with one of Trumps positions, then we should all be red with embarrassment, right? Actually, no, because the reality is that, as even a cursory glance at world conditions would attest, most global opinion is morally depraved, as is this disgusting UN vote and as is the editorializing of the UK Independent. Heres the deal. All Trump did was finally make good on what had been promised by the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995, which was overwhelmingly passed by both houses of Congress. Its purpose was to initiate and fund the relocation of the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, Israels actual, official, non-imaginary capital city. But naturally, there was a fly in the ointment concerning the passing of that act. Then President Clinton threatened a veto in order to get a proviso added that would allow for a six-month presidential waiver period. That meant that every six months the president would evaluate the situation and determine whether or not the time was right to actually go through with it and move the embassy. Until Trump, the time apparently was never quite right and even he took the first six-month waiver. So, what exactly was the problem for all those years since the passage of the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995? Well (speaking in whispered tones now), no one wanted to risk endangering the ultra, super-duper, impossibly fragile and exquisitely delicate negotiations that were involved in the glorious, exalted, earth-shatteringly important and glacially interminable peace process. Imagine a house of cards extending upward into the stratosphere that is so gossamery and finely balanced that the slightest wisp of a breeze could bring it all crashing to the ground in a heartbeat. Thats why such extraordinary care must be taken not to offend what a morally confused world community considers to be the aggrieved party (the so-called Palestinians) in the worlds most important peace process. In reality, however, as everyone on Planet Earth knows, the one and only impediment to the final settlement of the stupefyingly monumental peace process is . . . wait for it . . . the continued existence of the country of Israel. Israels supposed peace partners arent interested in a final settlement; theyre yearning for a final solution as was laid out by Adolph Hitler, the only man who, in the Arab world, comes a close second to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). In other words, the magnificent, grandiose and sublime peace process is and has been one of the biggest charades in human history. And, of course, only someone like Trump could have ever come along and kicked the sand castle while saying, Enough is enough! It was to be expected that this recognition of Jerusalem would cause Palestinians, Arabs, most UN representatives and all Western leftists to go completely bananas. The question for our age is, why? I mean, why is it that every guy named Muhammad (including all umpteen spellings) from Casablanca to Quetta, and all points in between, hates the tiny country of Israel? And, perhaps more importantly, why do Western leftists basically concur? Could it be true what former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad once said in a stirring speech to like-minded Israel haters? The basic problem in the Islamic world is the existence of the Zionist regime . . . It is a . . . regime that prevented the progress of the regions nations . . . This preposterous statement that apparently represents mainstream Muslim thinking begs one of the most colossal questions in history: Just exactly how could the Zionist regime have done that? The Zionist regime is a tiny country smaller in size than Vermont situated in the middle of a vast region of bloodthirsty enemies. In comparison to the Arab world, it has roughly two percent of the population and 0.02 percent of the land area (and thats not even including Ahmadinejads large, non-Arab country of Iran). So, how has the microscopically tiny Zionist regime wielded so much power that it prevented the progress of the regions nations? And come to think of it if it did, what does that say about the regions nations, other than that they are pathetic? This is the mother of all paranoid fantasies. In reality, the basic problem in the Islamic world is not the existence of the Zionist regime, but rather that it thinks that its basic problem is the existence of the Zionist regime. Imagine if a certifiable paranoid schizophrenic claimed he was being persecuted by, say, a neighbor across the street who wanted nothing more than to mind his own business and be left alone. And then imagine that instead of insisting on therapy or treatment, the entire worlds psychiatric community said in unison, Yes, youre absolutely right about that neighbor! and indulged his pathology to the nth degree while hounding the innocent neighbor. Theres the Middle East problem in a nutshell. (Well, that, plus theres also Islam, which seems to be anathema to human progress and modernity.) But what about Western leftists? Theyre certainly never going to admit to anti-Semitism since they fancy themselves paragons of tolerance. Perhaps it comes down to the fact that, for the left, everything boils down to identity politics. So, in their view, Israel is a country of white colonists who stole the land from the Palestinians, who are the oppressed people of color. And when it comes to identity politics, there is one basic overriding theme: white is loathsome and everything else is phenomenally fabulous, breathtakingly stupendous and without blemish! So, to those on the left who have been rendered morally stupid by identity politics, it doesnt matter how many Jews have been murdered, enslaved, mistreated or run out of various countries throughout their long history. It doesnt matter that their presence in Israel precedes the existence of Islam by a couple of thousand years. It doesnt matter that Jerusalem has served as no ones capital other than the Jews. It doesnt matter that there has never been a political entity called Palestine. It doesnt matter that the Jews were the originators of what became known as Judeo-Christian ethics, which led to the most enlightened and prosperous civilization in history. It doesnt matter that they suffered the Holocaust, which occurred in our living memory. It doesnt matter how much they have contributed to scientific knowledge and human progress, nor how many Nobel Prizes they have won. It doesnt matter that all they want is to be left alone and just have one tiny little refuge for Jews in the middle of all that vastness of basket-case Islamic countries. Hmm . . . Maybe it really is just mindless anti-Semitism after all. In any case, all of the above mentioned extenuating circumstances of Jewish history are apparently trumped (ha!) by an irrational hatred so virulent that it renders its possessed multitudes into the intellectual and moral equivalent of The Walking Dead. You can almost imagine them staggering around growling and grunting unintelligibly, their brains dead to reason, their singular monomaniacal focus being the ripping apart of the Zionist regime. But were told by the UK Independent that Trump and America should be embarrassed because of global opinion. The world is full of horrible countries that cause endless human misery. They cant, or wont, figure out even the simplest guidelines for creating a decent society for their own citizens, but they all have an opinion on Israel. The UN whose membership requirements are lax, to say the least welcomes them with open arms and gladly gives them a stage for expressing their revulsion with the Zionist regime. And even worse, most postmodern, post-Christian, Western European countries, at the very least, go along with the distorted leftist orthodoxy that considers the very existence of the tiny country of Israel the worlds most intolerable problem. Trump doesnt have the authority to dismantle the UN, but it sure would be wonderful if he would kick the entire kit and caboodle right out of our country. Let the UN convene in ____ (fill in the blank with despicable country of choice). Greg Strange can be reached at gpstrange30341@yahoo.com. (c) 2018 Greg Strange. Home The #MeToo movement and Mike Pence By Michael R. Shannon If women had only known all it took to shatter the glass ceiling was to accuse your boss of sexual harassment, workplace history would have been very different! Of course much like a frontal assault on a machinegun nest the first over the top arent getting the plum jobs, but their sacrifice makes it possible for rear echelon women to either achieve or guilt their way into the C suites. The bosses were all for wiping out the barriers that produced a serviceable worklife balance if it meant women were handy 24/7. For them, taking work home meant road testing the new intern. All this is why it was so refreshing to find a man in a powerful position who had strict rules regarding workplace harassment. More important, he followed those rules to the letter. That meant he was permanently immune to Gloria Allredtype ambushes at Groping Gulch. Those rules keep his reputation intact and, equally important and often overlooked, the rules keep the reputations of the women who work for him equally intact. His is an office run on performance and not pheromones. In short, this man is nothing short of a paragon workplace ethics and respect for women. So, you can imagine my surprise when I visited the websites of the National Organization of Women, Emilys List, the Feminist Majority and even Jezebel and found zero recognition for this pioneer in establishing workplace boundaries. I soon got the impression youd see Mitch McConnell attend a Roy Moore Victory Party before these feminist organizations would recognize Vice President Mike Pence. Way back in March of last year, before our current runaway testosterone tempest, the Washington Post breathlessly announced that Pence had strict rules for his office. The commandments banned Lauer Locks on his office door, because he didnt hold closeddoor meetings oneonone with women. No intimate afterwork dinners with single women either and no attendance at functions where alcohol is served if his wife isnt there with him. Pence wouldnt even wear a hotel bathrobe unless theres a swim suit under it and hes at the pool with his family. Think of it. Following these four simple rules would have kept potted plants unmolested by sperm donors and saved the jobs of Harvey Weinstein, Leon Wiesletier, Michael Oreskes, Matt Lauer, Charlie Rose, Bill OReilly, Mark Halperin, Garrison Keillor, Glenn Thrush, Harold Ford, Jr., Joe Barton, Al Franken, John Conyers and the rules probably would have salvaged Trent Franks, because I doubt he would have popped the surrogate question in a general staff meeting. Optimist that I am, I even think if Bill Clinton had followed the rules Hillary would be a happier woman and Chelsea might have a sibling. Think of the relief it would bring to a young woman knowing she could spend time with her boss without being sent an unsolicited souvenir cellphone photo of the star attraction or a brief personal exercise video after she got home. Maybe the response of women at leftist media institutions was caused by the Stockholm Syndrome for it was uniformly negative. Youd have thought Pence had stated sex was determined at birth, rather than by a family meeting sometime around age five. The truth is the feminist and sophisticate reaction to Pences refusal to sexually harass women or put them in an awkward situation was so extreme youd have thought Charlie Rose invited them to join him in a threelegged race around his desk. The LA Times asked, Mike Pence won't dine alone with a woman who's not his wife. Is that sexist? An angry UCLA gender professor (is there any other kind?) dredged up by the Times thundered, I believe this is gender discrimination. If you dont go out to dinner with a woman, its hard to have a woman be your campaign manager or your chief of staff or whoever you need to regularly meet with. Although I think shes confusing a caterer with a campaign aide. What woman in her right mind would want to miss the chance to network with Harvey Weinsteins hands? And Aaron Blake, a male at the Post jockeying for the role of feminist fraternizer, sniffed Pences rules reeked of sexism. Which I would think beats reeking of John Conyers cologne, but thats just me. And Vox, which is currently conducting an inhouse purge of its own sex harassers, was ready for a special persecutor, Vice President Pences never dine alone with a woman rule isnt honorable. Its probably illegal. And I could find no evidence of any OpMedia change of heart. All this leads me to conclude as far as our leftist cultural arbiters are concerned, when it comes to sexual harassment, youre damned if you do and damned if you dont. Michael R. Shannon is a public relations and advertising consultant with corporate, government and political experience around the globe. He is a dynamic and entertaining keynote speaker. He can be reached at mandate.mmpr (at) gmail.com. He is also the author of Conservative Christian's Guidebook for Living in Secular Times (Now with added humor!). Home In celebration of fifteen years at Enter Stage Right -- Bionote of Mark Wegierski By Mark Wegierski Mark Wegierski completed his Ontario Secondary School Honour Graduation Diploma (OSSHGD) at the University of Toronto Schools (UTS), a unique public/private model school linked for a number of years to the Faculty of Education, University of Toronto, as well as to the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE). After writing the competitive examination, he began in Grade 7 in September 1973 (as part of the regularized, enriched/intensive six-year program at UTS). His year of intake was the first co-educational one at the UTS where half of the available places were allotted to females hence he was especially fortunate to have been accepted in that year, when there were 50 percent less spaces available for males. His studies continued into Grade 8, and then four years of study, then equivalent to the then-standard in Ontario five years of Grades 9-13. (At UTS, there was at that time, a system of designation of Levels I-IV.) He graduated as part of the Class of 79 (in June 1979), as an Ontario Scholar. He also won the DuVernet Award for Best Essay in Senior-Year Philosophy. Among some fond memories of UTS were his participation in the Southern Ontario Model (United Nations) Assembly (SOMA), especially the occasion when he was part of a two-man delegation representing the Republic of Peru. Also, during the Summer of 1975, Mark Wegierski had completed a Polish Ethnography Study Program (235 hours/college level) based in Kielce, Poland, for which he received a Diploma. In August 1975, he received an Honourary Diploma for Participation in the First Polish Poetry and Prose Dramatic Recital Festival for Persons of Polish Descent Living Abroad, held in Torun, Poland. In August 1977, he received a Diploma of Recognition for Propagating the Beauty of the Polish Language and Popularizing Polish Literature, at the Second Polish Poetry and Prose Dramatic Recital Festival for Persons of Polish Descent Living Abroad, also held in Torun, Poland. Having successfully completed his studies at UTS, Mark Wegierski was accepted into St. Michaels College at the University of Toronto, where he finished a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) with distinction, with a double Major in History and English Literature (1979-1983). The degree also included courses in Political Science, Philosophy, and Modern Languages. This was followed by an M.A. in History (1983-1984) at the University of Toronto, focusing on International Relations, Modern and East-Central Europe, and the History of Ideas. Subsequently, Mark Wegierski completed a Master of Library Science (1985-1987) at the University of Toronto, focusing on Collection Development in academic, and public reference libraries; Archives; and Rare Books. A memorable occasion at the University of Toronto was his participation in a model United Nations assembly, when he powerfully represented the Republic of El Salvador. In 1989, Mark Wegierski took the course, Online Information Retrieval: An Introduction at the University of Toronto, Faculty of Library and Information Science (FLIS), Continuing Education. On January 17, 1991, Mark Wegierski placed first out of 54 persons in a branch-wide Management Skills Exercise (Division Support Branch, Computer and Telecommunication Services Division, Ontario Ministry of Government Services). Also in 1991, Mark Wegierski completed a Records Management Seminar (7 sessions 21 hours in total), from RIM Services Inc., Toronto. He returned to studies at the University of Toronto, School of Continuing Studies, in 1998, with three Writing seminars. He then studied at Ryerson University, Continuing Education, with four Creative Writing Workshop courses in 1999-2004. In 2000, he participated in the prestigious Taddle Creek Summer Writers Workshop (four days) (with well-known Canadian science fiction author Robert J. Sawyer as his instructor) at Hart House, University of Toronto, School of Continuing Studies. In 2005, he achieved the Graduate Certificate in Creative Writing at the Humber College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning, School of Creative and Performing Arts (SCAPA), The Humber School for Writers (an eight-month program). In 2004-2009, he achieved the Certificate in Creative Writing at the University of Toronto, School of Continuing Studies. In 2007-2009, he participated in eight sessions of the Humber Writers Circle, at Humber College, The Humber School for Writers. Each session lasted 135 minutes, and included an hour-long lecture, and 75 minutes during which the first pages of up to twenty participants, previously submitted electronically, were given quick flash assessments. In 2013, he took a three-month Online Mentorship with Caitlin Sweet, a noted Canadian fantasy and science fiction author, at the University of Toronto, School of Continuing Studies. Mark Wegierski has been published in the scholarly journals Review of Metaphysics, Telos (New York), and Politeja (Krakow: Jagiellonian University), among others. He has appeared in Polish in the scholarly collection, Literatura polska w Kanadzie (Polish literature in Canada) (Katowice: University of Silesia, 2010). In Canada, he has appeared in the popular publications Alberta Report, Books in Canada, and The Next City, among others, as well as in the mass-circulation newspapers, Calgary Herald, Ottawa Citizen, Saint John Telegraph-Journal (New Brunswick Reader), and Windsor Star. He has also appeared in the French-language, Quebec-based journal, Egards (Considerations). In the United States, he has appeared in the popular magazines, American Enterprise, American Outlook, Chronicles, The World & I, and World Magazine, among others, and in the mass-circulation newspaper Providence Journal (RI). His article about Canada was reprinted in Annual Editions: World Politics, 1998-99 (Dushkin/McGraw-Hill, 1998), a major college/university reader. He has extensively appeared in Polish-Canadian and Polish-American publications, once in a Polish-Australian newspaper, and frequently in popular magazines, mass-circulation newspapers, and some e-zines in Poland. He has also appeared in the British publications, Salisbury Review, Right Now, and Quarterly Review, as well as the German weekly, Junge Freiheit (Young Freedom). In 2017, his poem was published in the collection Full Stop (Warsaw, Poland: IRF Press), pp. 37-39. Since April 2002, Mark Wegierski has continuously appeared on various recognized webzines, posting on the Internet approximately once every 9 days since that time. Some more recent academic conferences where his paper was delivered include: Transatlantic Encounters (University of Lodz) 2008; Sir Thomas More Colloquium (Polonia University in Czestochowa) 2010; Conservatism: Made in USA (Catholic University of Lublin) 2010; American Political Science Association (APSA) Annual Meeting: 2010 (Washington, D.C.); Polish Association for the Study of English (PASE): 2010 (Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan Kalisz Campus), 2011 (Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun); Poisoned Cornucopia Conference (University of Opole) 2012; Polish Association for Canadian Studies (PACS) Congress, 2013 (Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznan); Polish Association for American Studies (PAAS), 2013 (University of Wroclaw); Fantastic Literature Conference (University of Lodz): 2012, 2014, 2016; Media in America (Maria Curie-Sklodowska University in Lublin) 2017; and Telos Conference: 2012 (LAquila, Italy), 2017 (Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia). Some other recent academic and association conferences (attendance only) include the APSA Annual Meeting: 2009 (Toronto); Canadian Creative Writers and Writing Programs (CCWWP): 2012 (Humber College Lakeshore Campus, Toronto); Freedom Press Canada Symposium: Spring 2013 (Toronto), Spring 2014 (Toronto); Civitas Canada: 2009 (Toronto), 2014 (Toronto); the Canadian Writers Summit (CCWWP and other writers and publishers associations) 2016 (Harbourfront Centre, Toronto); and the Canadian Constitution Foundation (Toronto Conference): 2008, 2009, 2017. Mark Wegierski is a Canadian writer and historical researcher. Home Time to get them off our gravy train By Greg Walcher EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt recently issued a directive to end a 20-year string of sue and settle cases that have funneled untold millions of tax dollars to environmental organizations. Predictably, those groups and their allies have been apoplectic about it. Many of these groups have grown from grassroots citizen movements to gigantic cash-flush conglomerates, with much of the cash coming from the government they appear or pretend to be fighting. Many now have separate legal arms with hundreds of attorneys, whose primary job is to sue the government and keep the cash flowing. They are part of the $13-billion-per-year U.S. environmental industry and lobby. These organizations vehemently object to the phrase sue and settle, claiming it oversimplifies a very complex legal procedure. But in fact, the strategy isnt really very complicated at all. Congress has created a mess, with all sorts of processes and procedures agencies must follow in making rules and decisions. Every step of the way, those decisions are subject to potential lawsuits. For entirely different reasons, Congress also authorized the government to pay the legal bills of people who are forced to sue to defend their interests against government overreach. It didnt take long for clever organizations, and their allies in government, to figure out how to turn that combination into a massive public policy ATM that gives them our money to finance their ideologies, disinformation campaigns, and more activism. Government officials sometimes get frustrated by that pesky process required to make decisions that they think should be quick and easy. Thats where sue and settle comes in. A friendly organization files a lawsuit demanding the very action the officials want to take anyway. So the government agency reaches an out-of-court settlement often in a carefully selected friendly court in which the agency agrees to the action demanded by the lawsuit, and agrees to pay the organizations legal fees as part of its penance. The court agrees to the settlement, part of which often seals the details (such as legal fees), making it difficult for anyone to track these deals. The parties who are most directly affected by the decisions are left out of the process; they never get to testify, never get their day in court, because the case was settled without going to court. About 20 years ago, government agencies stopped collecting data on these settlements, so that they were no longer able to (or had to) report to Congress on the amount of money involved, or the groups to whom our tax money was being paid. Long-time observers know it amounts to hundreds of millions of dollars over the years, and the recipients are mostly large environmental organizations. Mr. Pruitt was right to direct an end to such abuses. Almost immediately, a group of 58 former EPA attorneys wrote a letter sharply criticizing his action, arguing that ending the practice will somehow harm the American people, as well as fair and efficient operations at EPA. Their letter is 13 pages long and has 23 footnotes, but you have to expect that from lawyers. For anyone who cares to wade through all the verbiage, their explanation is very telling. The lawyers accuse Pruitt of attempting to give regulated parties a special and powerful seat at the table with no corresponding role for other members of the pubic. In other words, in their view, people who have no direct stake in the ruling should have the same seat at the same table as those directly affected. They also claim the new directive does a grave injustice by alleging, without evidence, collusion with outside groups. They should know; these are some of the same folks who made sure that allegation would be without evidence, by hiding the attorney fees, other financial payments and other details of these settlements from Congress and the public. Most telling of all, though, is this little gem from page eleven: It is EPA's failure to comply with legal requirements that is the problem, not the people who sue EPA. That is a remarkable contradiction from the letters signatories, who began by claiming the Pruitt directive would harm fair and efficient operations at EPA. That is, operations under rules that they devised to serve themselves and their allies, agendas and ideologies, especially during the Obama years. Two more things you should know about the 58 former EPA employees who signed the letter. First, they are partisans who regularly criticize the current Administration. Most of the same people signed a similar letter on April 27, titled Earth Warms While Trump Ignores Science, as well as a February 15 letter to senators opposing Pruitts confirmation. Second, and perhaps more important, they are environmental attorneys who object to ending the secretive gravy train that has paid the salaries of environmental attorneys for years. Could some of them now be working for organizations that sue the government, hoping to get their own fair share of these lucrative settlements? Might their paychecks actually depend on that very system? Sue and settle is a gravy train never envisioned by Congress. It cannot withstand public scrutiny. These attorneys ought to recall, and adhere to, the ethics of Paper Chase star John Housman, who once touted financial managers who make money the old fashioned way they earn it. Greg Walcher (www.GregWalcher.com) is president of the Natural Resources Group and author of Smoking Them Out: The Theft of the Environment and How to Take it Back, now in its second printing. He is a former head of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources. Home Support your local turnstile jumper By Michael R. Shannon Petty criminals are living in a golden age. Never before in the history of mankind have the elites of Western society been so concerned with the inconvenience enforcing the law imposes on the lawbreaking community. Our ruling elite has this naive belief the order they see in the more fashionable parts of their respective cities is the natural state of man. When in truth, Devils Night in Detroit is the natural state of man. In Washington, DC the city council is most concerned about the law violating people. The reporters at the Washington Post, ever prepared to hop aboard the next cultural fad, have found, Some legislators are questioning whether fare evasion [on the Metro subway and bus system] should be a crime at all, arguing that targeted enforcement campaigns are bound to ensnare poor and lowincome people who dont have the money to pay their fares let alone fines. This fare evasion worry is an offshoot of the mass incarceration delusion that posits minorities are being rounded up and thrown into prison on an unprecedented scale. Its difficult to understand how people residing in a jail, after having been convicted by a jury, constitute an outrage. Common sense would conclude mass incarceration is a result of mass lawbreaking, combined with improvement in law enforcement technology. Its not a chicken or the egg question. Its a chicken, egg, omelet progression. The defies all logic part of the city council conundrum is how easy it is to avoid being arrested for fare evasion. The choices are practically endless. Pay the fare. Walk. Take a cab. Ride a bike. Carpool. Stay away from the Metro. None of those choices result in arrest. Only the choice to break the law results in arrest. Yet, its the arrest and not the lawbreaking that concerns the council. And the DC isnt alone. Other leftist hotbeds are working to decriminalize ride stealing. Manhattan DA Cyrus Vance, Jr. is proving you dont have to be Harvey Weinstein for him to let you off the hook. According to The Wall Street Journal, The Manhattan district attorneys office says it has largely stopped prosecuting subwayfare evaders, offering many offenders alternatives such as counseling and community service. In 2015 the entire state of Washington decriminalized turnstile jumping for minors. Their excuse being such convictions would give teenagers criminal records and that it would be difficult for them to make it to court to challenge a citation. Unless the court is on a subway line. Removing responsibility for teenagers is the real pipeline to mass incarceration. The WaPost may contend its unclear whether decriminalization has led to more fare evasion. But I can give you a hint. Ask an illegal, during a break between demonstrations for his rights, what lax enforcement has done for the borderjumping community. This is where the incoherence of the lefts philosophy regarding responsibility and maturity is so obvious. According to the cultural Marxists who rule us, a four-year-old boy is mature enough to decide if he wants to grow up as a man or a woman and start a drug regimen that will affect him the rest of his life. While a 16-year-old male is not quite mature enough to evaluate the consequences of breaking the law. One of the tools used to beat law enforcement into submission is statistical disparity. Cherrypicking data is the greatest gift to race hustlers since Jesse Jacksons first paternity suit. A New York group contends arrests for fare evasion happen more often in lowincome neighborhoods. This has all the scientific rigor of the claim that you wont find many cats in a neighborhood with Chinese restaurants. Arrests reflect the number of times the crime occurs. At the Capitol Hill Metro station there are very few arrests for fare evasion, unless Antifa is in town. I suppose the system could post a Turnstile Jumper Apprehension Team, where it would be as lonely as the Maytag repair man, but it would not be a good use of taxpayer funds. The ACLU is among the professional agitators pushing decriminalization. Nassim Moshiree explains, Absolutely theres been a raised consciousness on this that did not exist 20 or 30 years ago. And right he is, since approximately 30 years ago is when the New York City subway system was a dangerous and disgusting carnival of aberrant behavior that repelled riders. The New York subway started its climb out of the sewer when respect for if not the rule of law, then at least the consequences of law was reestablished. Today none of these preening social justice warriors remember those days. Instead they are more than willing to risk the safety of your commute in the future to appease law breakers today. Michael R. Shannon is a public relations and advertising consultant with corporate, government and political experience around the globe. He is a dynamic and entertaining keynote speaker. He can be reached at mandate.mmpr (at) gmail.com. He is also the author of Conservative Christian's Guidebook for Living in Secular Times (Now with added humor!). Home Stevenjb said: I watched a YouTube video where a Mexican law expert said that one could overstay their 180 day visa by 1-day then apply for residency in Mexico. He said this is an easier process than doing the outside country application, then entering Mexico on a 180 day visa and converting it to a 30-day canje to finish the process. Another online source states this method is no longer available. Which one is correct? Posted from Android using Tapatalk Click to expand... On his Part 1 on Visas and immigration he stated Pena Neito was just elected so it was made before Dec. 1 2012 when Pena Nieto took office so he simply didnt understand the new 2011 INM - SEGOB Immigration law when making part 2 of his video series. He also stated the INM immigration rules were not out yet and the rules came out before Nov. 9th 2012 when they came into effect and INM stated applying the new immigration law. Probably made the 2 videos sometime in 2011. Just my guess, but status and prestige seem to be very important here in PI, and I think that it may have something to do with the fact that many upper crust people (or people who would like to think of themselves as upper crust) tend to view bicycle riding as something that a poor or uncultured person would do. I remember many years ago asking my father-in-law why more people didn't walk short distances instead of taking their car or a motorcycle. He told me that walking was considered a poor person's way of getting around, and most people, even of modest means, would be embarrassed to be seen walking along the side of the road, and they would probably get teased by people who knew them as they walked along. A few years ago my wife and I invited her two nieces (both very attractive girls in their mid-twenties at the time) out to lunch at a nice restaurant at the marina where there are a lot of yachts tied up. After we finished eating, everyone wanted to go over to the mall to look around. The entrance of the mall couldn't have been more than three hundred yards tops from the restaurant, but everyone headed to the car. I told them I didn't want to drive the car such as short distance, and the parking at that particular mall is usually pretty bad. My wife kept insisting that we ride in the car, but I put my foot down, and we walked to the mall. As we walked along the access road to the mall, I noticed that both of my wife's nieces had huge tears streaming down their faces, and they were both silently sobbing as if an invisible task master were whipping them on their backs. Later their mother told me that they were worried that the rich people who own the yachts would seem them walking, and they were highly embarrassed, because, at that time, they were hoping to meet a wealthy guy. They were both so upset that I made them walk a few hundred yards that they didn't talk to me for over a year after that. There is an old man in our neighborhood named "Joe" who rides an old Chinese bicycle that he has added a wooden toolbox to. My mother-in-law calls him sometimes to do gardening, or to do some handyman work. His teeth are completely brown, he smells to high heavens, but he's actually a pretty good worker compared to many of the younger people. It is people like Joe who ride bicycles, and people like my wife's nieces want to make it clear to everyone that they don't belong to the same social caste as someone like Joe. - That's what I think is going on, but there maybe other factors such as the dangerous traffic, poor quality roads, and air pollution. WASHINGTON Beto ORourke, the Democrats latest, best hope of turning Texas blue, recalls a refrain hes heard on the national fundraising and endorsement circuit: Ive had my heart broken by Texas before. The memory comes as the congressman from El Paso sits in a bare office near the U.S. Capitol, a faraway look in his eyes as he recites a long list of dusty border towns hes toured on the campaign trail, sometimes combined with family camping trips juiced by the sight of scorpions under the stars. Its been more than two decades since a Democrat won a statewide election in Texas. In the last attempt, state Sen. Wendy Davis spent some $40 million and lost the 2014 governors race by more than 20 percentage points to Republican Greg Abbott. Now comes ORourke, a three-term congressman from the far west corner of the state, challenging a political dragon-slayer in his own right: U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, a tea party icon who proved to be Donald Trumps most enduring rival in the Republican presidential primaries of 2016. Cruzs evident ambition seen in his first trip to Iowa, within months of being sworn in as a senator will be central to ORourkes case as he crisscrosses Texas trying to rally long-marginalized Democrats, independents, first-time voters, Latinos, the anti-Trump resistance and anyone else who might have grown weary of post-Trump Republicanism. Tomorrow, Texas Strategists on both sides know the backdrop for the U.S. Senate race in Texas possibly one of the marquee races of the 2018 midterm elections will be the push or pull of Trump, who bested Hillary Clinton in Texas by 9 percentage points. For ORourke, a Spanish-nicknamed, fourth-generation Irish-American from El Paso, thats a source of hope. But first, the 45-year-old ex-punk-rocker with the toothy, Kennedyesque smile will have to prove it can be done even as he eschews polls, Beltway consultants and, most importantly, political action committee money. They have to know its possible, O'Rourke said of the grass-roots volunteers he hopes to mobilize. His case might have become slightly more plausible given the Democrats upset victory in a hotly contested Senate race in deep crimson Alabama. Within minutes of Doug Jones win over scandal-scarred Republican Roy Moore in early December, ORourkes campaign fired off an email to potential donors: Tonight, the eyes of the nation were on Alabama. Tomorrow, Texas and 2018. Texas Republicans are quick to point out that even though Cruz backed Moore, hes a much different breed of cat from the former Alabama Supreme Court chief justice tarred with allegations about pursuing teenage girls. Like Moore, Cruz might have become a lightning-rod of criticism from liberals and traditional conservative Republicans in the Senate. But his personal rectitude has not been seriously questioned beyond the Trump campaigns clumsy attempts in 2016 to tie him to tabloid stories about the JFK assassination and extramarital affairs. The son of a Southern Baptist preacher who emigrated from Cuba, Cruz, who himself was born in Canada, knows how to speak in the cadences of Texas politically influential Christian Right. Combining mathematical rigor and Harvard law erudition, Cruz has built one of the most formidable fundraising and grass-roots organizing machines in American politics. Harnessing the energy of a resurgent Democratic base, ORourke was able to best Cruz in the money chase in the second-quarter of 2017, but he entered the fall with some $3 million in his campaign kitty, about half of Cruzs total. ORourke could boast of 7,000 more individual donors than Cruz through the end of September, when their last financial reports were filed. But from a modern campaign perspective he will be fighting with one hand behind his back: Though hes accepted campaign contributions from political action committees in the past, O'Rourke has sworn off PAC money in the race against Cruz. He also says hes dispensing with polling. This stands in contrast to Cruz who, while once positioned as a Washington outsider taking on the political establishment, now commands one of the citys best data analysis operations. The digital tools that his 2016 presidential campaign developed contributed mightily to his victory in the Iowa caucuses, arguably the epicenter of conservative evangelical political strength outside the South. You can quibble about whether Ted Cruz continues to be the head of the conservative movement, said senior Cruz adviser Brian Phillips, in a February post-mortem on the 2016 elections. But the movement is still there, and weve got the keys to the engine. Blue wave Texas Democrats are hoping that after a year of tumultuous Trump leadership amid the ongoing Russia probe, the gas might be running out of the conservative machine, or that their own tanks are being freshly filled with new energy and vigor. A blue wave is rising in the Lone Star State, Texas Democratic Party Chairman Gilberto Hinojosa said. Texas Democrats are marching, organizing, and stepping up to serve. ORourke, counting on the growing friction between Trump, the Republicans, and the Hispanic community over immigration, already has started making a play for Texas burgeoning Latino population, using his fluent Spanish to do interviews on Spanish-language radio and television. The flip-side of that strategy, however, may be the Republicans overwhelming advantage among Anglo voters in rural Texas, a demographic where Democrats know they will need to make inroads. One problem confronting ORourke is that while Democrats are stepping up to run in every Texas congressional district for the first time in decades, there will be no other high-profile Democrat running statewide to help him draw voters to the polls. Apart from Texas U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, who considered a Cruz challenge, no other Democrat with statewide name recognition was willing to take on the job. In many ways, ORourke is running on his own. Until he kicked off his campaign last summer at a rooftop rally in El Paso, he largely was known as a youthful congressman from West Texas who favored marijuana legalization and opposed a border wall. Facing a Republican with nearly universal name recognition across the nation, he barely could register a blip even in Texas polls. ORourke has sought to change that with a peripatetic campaign strategy that will take him to all of the states 254 counties by Election Day. He started a Town Haulin Across Texas tour last summer, hoping to contrast his take-all-comers town halls to Cruzs predilection for more controlled business, party or activist settings. Looking for signs of a wave, Democrats point to Trumps relatively modest victory in Texas over Clinton in 2016. That 52-43 percent split was significantly narrower than Mitt Romneys 16-point margin, 57-41 percent, over President Barack Obama in 2012. In 2008, John McCain bested Obama 55-43 percent, a difference of 12 points. Republicans confident Republicans, meanwhile, look at the same numbers and see a ceiling for Democrats in Texas in the low 40s. Even in the face of conservative skepticism and establishment Republican disdain, Trump still won Texas by some 800,000 votes, meaning Democrats have a lot of ground to make up. There is no reason to believe that Texas is turning into a Democratic state, said Texas GOP pollster Chris Wilson, a top strategist in Cruzs 2016 presidential campaign. If the 2018 Texas Senate race comes down to money and built-in party infrastructure, most analysts give it to Cruz hands down. But if it becomes a referendum on Trump, even Republicans are bracing for a fight. In 2018, we could see a reversal of what Obama did, Wilson said. Obama motivated Republicans. Trump motivates Democrats. But if voters turn on Trump in 2018, as they did in Alabama, New Jersey and Virginia in 2017, Cruz has some cards to play. Hell run under the Trump banner of tax cuts, Obamacare repeal and a border wall 180 degrees the opposite of ORourkes liberal politics and yet his personal clashes with Trump during the 2016 GOP primaries could give him more latitude to run as his own man. He also will be running with a nod from GOP maverick and ex-Trump strategist Steve Bannon, who has turned on much of the GOPs Senate leadership. Cruz has played the Donald Trump issue as well as can be expected, University of Houston political analyst Brandon Rottinghaus said. Hes been able to articulate a role where hes both a team player and an outside bomb-thrower, and thats a hard needle to thread. Clintons Texas campaign chairman, Garry Mauro, the last Democrat to win a statewide race when he was re-elected Texas land commissioner in 1994, still sees the 2016 Cruz-Trump smackdown as a chink in Cruzs armor. Mauro believes Cruz should have suffered permanent damage when he bent his knee to Trump after the brash New Yorker insulted members of his family in campaign interviews and on Twitter. Mauro sees that as an affront to rugged Texas values. I dont see how Texas U.S. senator can support Trump after what he said about his wife and father, he said. But ORourke, temperamentally intellectual and issue-oriented, seems an unlikely attack dog. Like Cruz, he has an Ivy League pedigree, having studied English at Columbia University. He served for six years on the City Council in El Paso, where he made a name for himself as a champion of brotherly love between El Paso and its cross-border neighbor, Ciudad Juarez. Hes convinced that Texans, even many conservatives, see the border as a source of pride, not a threat. Texans live the border, he said, It's something theyre proud of and understand as a source of strength. On the flip side, he also was an advocate of downtown development, an agenda that got him cross-wise with Mexican-American activists who feared the gentrification of their neighborhoods. The Cruz campaigns opposition research team will have no trouble unearthing old ethics complaints alleging conflicts-of-interests involving ORourkes wealthy father-in-law, William Sanders, a real estate investor who was involved in one controversial redevelopment plan. The charges were dismissed by an independent commission. In his first run for the council, ORourke also had to live down two youthful indiscretions which come back to haunt him from time to time: a 1995 burglary arrest involving a prank climb over a fence at the University of Texas at El Paso, and a DWI in 1998. Both charges were dismissed. ORourke calls his behavior in both incidents stupid, offering no excuses, not even his youth. It does nothing to diminish how dumb it was, the married father of three says. Underdog strategy If ORourke has his own secret weapon, its his own openness and facility with social media, which he has used to great effect in Congress. He raised hackles when he used Facebook Live to stream the Democrats House floor protest pressing for gun legislation in the aftermath of a mass nightclub shooting in Orlando. The images went viral on the Internet, as they would again when he teamed up with San Antonio Republican Will Hurd on a cross-country road trip of bipartisan comity during weather-related flight cancellations. Video streaming has become a standard feature of his travels across the state, inviting viewers along for the ride between campaign stops, where they can listen to him expound on the weather, history, music, family life and politics. Its a classic underdog strategy, one that Democrats hope will level the playing field, pull back the veil on politics, and excite the ranks for what promises to be a steep, uphill climb. AUSTIN Gold-framed portraits of past male justices line the wood-paneled walls of the Texas Supreme Court in Austin. Tucked in the back corner of the windowless courtroom is a painting of three women, who together comprised the states highest court for a brief period in 1925. Texas made history then for having the first all-woman high court in the country, just a few years after women won the right to vote. But the progressive moment was short-lived the women were appointed to hear just one case. Texas then waited almost 60 years before the next female justice was appointed to the state Supreme Court in 1982. And since then, only seven more women have served on the states highest bench. It was the first all-women panel to ever serve in the country. It does have historical significance from that perspective, said Texas Supreme Court Justice Debra Lehrmann, one of two women currently on the bench. Does it have historical significance of being reflective that women were being acknowledged and treated equally? No. While women make up half of all law students nationwide, less than one-third of all state judges are women a figure that roughly reflects the make-up of Texas courts, according to the Gavel Gap, a report from the American Constitution Society. By the end of the recent filing period, only one female candidate had signed up to run in the March primaries for a spot on the state Supreme Court, now made up of nine justices. The glass ceiling that people talk about is still there to a certain extent, we need to examine why that is. And what we need to do is to try to get beyond it, Lehrmann said. Debate surrounds the story of the all-woman court of 1925. What is certain is that a year earlier, in 1924, Gov. Pat Neff faced a dilemma. All three male Supreme Court justices had recused themselves from an upcoming case that involved Woodmen of the World, a popular fraternal organization in which they were members, according to the Texas State Historical Association. As one oft-repeated story goes, Neff searched for fill-in justices, but was stymied when every male attorney or judge he approached was also a member of the Woodmen. With just a week until was the case was scheduled to begin, Neff decided to appoint three women as special justices, since they couldnt have a conflict with the all-male organization, according to a reported account from H.L. Clamp, who was the courts deputy clerk at that time. Several scholars, however, disagree that Neff turned to women as a last resort, and instead say he intended to appoint an all-female panel in an effort to boost womens political activism. Known for elevating women to state boards, Neff was also the first governor to appoint a woman as his personal secretary. And it wasnt the first time he had to name a special judicial panel to hear a case related to Woodmen of the World. In those prior instances, he had successfully found male attorneys to fill in, according to a history of the all-woman court published by Alice McAfee in the St. Mary's Law Journal. As an outgoing governor, appointing the all-woman panel was one of his last acts in office. I am in hopes that this recognition of the womanhood of the State as attorneys will be helpful in many ways to those women, wherever they may be, who are fighting single-handed the battles of life, Neff wrote in a letter about the all-woman court. Even then, appointing a panel of women proved a challenge because there were fewer than 30 female attorneys in Texas at the time. An even small percentage roughly 10 met the requirements to serve on the states highest court, according to McAfee. Two of Neffs initial appointees had to step down because they hadnt already practiced law in Texas for the requisite seven years. Eventually, Neff named Hortense Sparks Ward, one of the first practicing lawyers in Texas who passed the state bar exam in 1910, as special chief justice. For the associate justice positions, he chose Dallas lawyer Hattie Leah Henenberg and Ruth Virginia Brazzil, who graduated from the University of Texas as a special student in law, according to the Texas State Historical Association. When the women first met in January 1925 the event drew national publicity. One reporter noted the womens court was no freak affair, but a tribunal thoroughly competent to sit in judgment and reach a conclusion just as sound as a decision might have been made with all the Mr.s since Adam stacked behind it. Still, the justices werent immune to commentary on their appearances, with a reporter noting the women were a good deal better looking than the Supreme Court which regularly deliberates on the third floor of the capitol, according to McAfee. The case involved claims for two pieces of land in El Paso. Once the women reached a decision siding with a lower appeals court in favor of Woodmen of the World they stepped down. Henenberg went on to become assistant attorney general of Texas and later special assistant U.S. Attorney General. Ward continued practicing law, but never inside a courtroom for fear her gender would prejudice her clients, according to McAfee. Little is known of Brazzil, the third justice. In the portrait, which closely mirrors a photo taken at the time, the three women look at ease sitting behind on the bench. Ward wears a string of pearls. I cant know what the significance of it was in 1925, but I do know that in 2017 I look at that picture and its exciting, said Lynne Liberato, a partner at Haynes and Boone and the first woman president of the Houston Bar Association. When I look at that picture of those women sitting on the bench, it is a visceral reaction to me. I feel proud of them, I feel good about being a woman lawyer. Allie Morris is a San Antonio Express-News staff writer. | amorris@express-news.net | @MorrisReports Juries are becoming more and more reluctant to hand out death sentences throughout Texas, but especially in Bexar County, according to a new report by the Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty. In 2017, juries in Texas sentenced four people to death the lowest level since the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the states revised capital punishment statute in 1976. Bexar County juries sentenced no one to death last year, the report states, and have sentenced only one person to death in the past eight years: Mark Anthony Gonzalez, who was convicted in the 2011 murder of a Bexar County sheriffs sergeant. Harris County, meanwhile, has sentenced 10 people to death in the past eight years. Texas continues to move away from the death penalty, even in the counties that have used it the most, Kristin Houle, executive director of the Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, said in a news release. Prosecutors, juries, judges, and the public are subjecting our states death penalty practices to unprecedented scrutiny, she added. In an increasing number of cases, they are accepting alternatives to this flawed and irreversible punishment. Six counties out of 254 counties in Texas account for more than half of all new death sentences imposed in the past five years, the report found. Bexar County is not one of them. The Texas Coalition Against the Death Penalty, an advocacy organization based in Austin, said the decline can be credited to improvements in the quality of legal counsel and the exorbitant cost of death penalty trials. Other reasons cited: Prosecutorial discretion, concerns about wrongful convictions and the availability of life in prison without the possibility of parole which became a sentencing option in Texas in 2005. Historically, Bexar County has been one of the counties to hand out the most death penalties. Since 1974, prosecutors in Bexar County have secured 76 death sentences, the third-most sentences statewide. But in recent years, that trend has declined. Between 2009 and 2012, four juries that could have used capital punishment rejected the sentence. The defendants were sentenced to life in prison without parole instead. The report also shows the application of the death penalty remains near historic lows. Last year, Texas put seven people to death, matching 2016 for the lowest number of executions in two decades. Still, Texas accounted for 30 percent of all U.S. executions last year. Two people from Bexar County were executed in 2017: Rolando Ruiz, a hit man who killed a woman on behalf of her husband and brother-in-law, and TaiChin Preyor, who killed a 24-year-old woman in a drug-related attack. Bexar County matched Tarrant County for the most executions in the state. Harris County, in comparison, had zero executions the first time thats happened since 1985 and Dallas County accounted for one execution. However, the report noted that application of the death penalty remains racially biased. Over the past five years, 70 percent of death sentences have been imposed on people of color. More than half of those death sentences were handed to African-American defendants even though African-Americans make up only 13 percent of the population. Five executions already are scheduled for the first quarter of 2018, though none of them are from Bexar County. On Nov. 28, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals stayed the execution of Juan Castillo to review claims of false testimony. His execution has not yet been rescheduled. Emilie Eaton is a San Antonio Express-News staff writer. Read more of her stories here. | eeaton@express-news.net | @emilieeaton Little Sergio Marcel Gomez came squalling into the world at exactly 12:22 a.m. Monday, delighting his parents and the staff at Northeast Baptist Hospital, which beat out other San Antonio hospitals in the annual first baby of the new year competition, now in its 18th year. Sergio, weighing in at a textbook-perfect 7 pounds, 9 ounces, slept blissfully through the news conference that announced his newsworthy birth, as his parents fielded questions from reporters. Alicia Andrews, 26, looking rested and remarkably camera-ready, cradled her infant son as husband Sergio Gomez, 33, looked on. Together for two years and married since August, the couple said their first child was a blessing and his arrival couldnt have gone any better. I was expecting the worst, and it ended up being easy, said Andrews, who said the actual delivery took only around 20 minutes although she had checked into the hospital at 9 a.m. Sunday. It was beautiful; the whole process amazing. Dr. Antonio B. Chavez, the obstetrician who delivered Sergio, said that as first births go this one was by the book. She did really well, he said. We just let nature take its course. Andrews said her husband started eyeing the calendar when she was around five months pregnant, speculating hopefully that their child might end up the first birth of 2018. Her actual due date was Jan. 5. Everyone (at the hospital) was joking, telling us, Maybe you can push the baby out by New Years! said Andrews. I wasnt worried about that; I just wanted him to be healthy. A nurse rolled in a trolley laden with gifts from area hospitals and other organizations baby carrier, diapers, toys, gift cards and more, all donated to celebrate the citys first birth. The The biggest gift is a $10,000 college scholarship to the University of the Incarnate Word. Births that result from planned C-sections or planned inductions arent eligible in the competition, hospital officials said. The couple said the gifts will help them greatly since they have no family in town. Andrews, originally from Las Vegas, has lived in San Antonio for 10 years. Gomez, from Guanajuato, Mexico, has lived here about nine years. Both work in the restaurant industry. When asked what the couple wishes for San Antonio in the new year, she answered, Peace for everybody and everyone to have happiness. It all starts with that, she said. For the couple themselves, last year was such a good year, I cant imagine 2018 getting any better, Andrews said. As for all those gifts, the new mother quipped: Our car is not that big. Someone will have to follow us home. mstoeltje@express-news.net The Wild Atlantic Way Be part of a story that has captivated audiences around the world. The Wild Atlantic Way is Ireland's first defined touring route, stretching along the Atlantic coast from Donegal to West Cork. It has become synonymous with spectacular landscapes, adventure activities and welcoming tourism operators and has achieved impressive visibility within overseas tourist markets. The following resources are designed to help you grow your Wild Atlantic Way tourism business and use this world-renowned brand to its full potential. If your passion is hunting for buried treasures, there happens to be a new antique shop in Faribault County that may have something just for you. Open from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, Antiques of the Midwest is located on the outskirts of Wells. Near Pihls Park along 110th Street, the antique shop is owned and operated by Ron and Judy Wegner. The establishment first opened for business at its current location on Nov. 19 of 2017. The Wegners previously operated an antique shop in Albert Lea for 10 years prior to moving to their new place of business. Long before becoming an antique dealer, treasure hunting has been a life long passion for Judy Wegner. In fact, she recalls first searching for valuables in the junk rooms of her grandparents, who lived on a farm in Walters. At a very early age, this morbid curiosity to discover lost treasures has sparked a passion for Wegner that still exists today. I think from a young age, I was meant to do something like this, Wegner says. Ive always kind of had an interest in it. Not only did Wegner search for items in junk rooms, but she also spent time exploring the great outdoors as a youth. These missions led Wegner and her friends out to neighborhood groves where they would hunt for treasures. As kids, we played outside a lot, and we would go out in the grove because everybody would throw their junk there and we would look around for things, Wegner explains. One of the most memorable items Wegner recalls from these hunting expeditions happened to be a vintage Brownie Box Camera. While the exact age of the camera remains a mystery, the original model for this early photography equipment was developed by Eastman Kodak in 1900. From suitcases, to figurines, BB guns, vintage magazines and clothing, Antiques of the Midwest has a vast supply of treasures to choose from. Having something for everyone has allowed Wegners business to flourish for many years. I have six other dealers that rent space here, and the big thing I tell them is we have to have variety, Wegner says. We cant have a whole bunch of just one thing because you never know what the customer would want when they walk in, so whats one thing that weve really been conscious of. A big promoter of small business ventures, Wegner says she hopes her establishment adds to the eclectic mix of other small businesses within Faribault County. As for picking a favorite antique among her wide ranging inventory, Wegner was hard pressed to choose. Theres no way I could even begin to pick because the best is whatever the customer wants it to be, she added. GROUPS against genetically modified (GM) food crops are protesting against a proposal from the Office of the Gene Technology Regulator (OGTR) to alter the regulatory status of a series of new plant breeding techniques. The OGTR recently made a series of recommendations regarding proposed amendments to the 2001 Gene Technologies Regulations. The key proposals from the OGTR included removing some examples of RNA interference (RNAi) technology, colloquially known as GM Lite and gene editing processes, such as CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) from the technologies regarded as genetic modification. RNAi works by neutralising gene expressions. The OGTR recommended that plants bred using RNAi remain classed as GM, but said plants treated topically with an RNAi created product should not be regarded as GM. In terms of CRISPR, the regulator said as the gene editing process was no more dangerous than the mutagenesis method used to breed plant varieties conventionally, it should not come under the auspices of the regulations. The move has angered anti-GM groups which claim the relatively recently discovered techniques need to be monitored. They have no history of safe use and are prone to unpredictable off-target impacts, Bob Phelps, director of Gene Ethics said. GM laws and regulations are required to focus on protecting human health and safety, and the environment, but the governments and OGTR boldly admit that they have commercial agendas which should be irrelevant to how our GM regulatory and safety systems are designed and operated, Mr Phelps said. Louise Sales, Friends of the Earths Emerging Tech Project, was also against the proposed changes. If the OGTR deregulates these new GM techniques anyone would be free to use them to genetically modify plants, animals and microbes, Ms Sales said. They could enter our food chain and our environment with no safety testing and no labelling and the results could be catastrophic. However, Matthew Cossey, chief executive of CropLife, Australias plant science peak body, welcomed the proposed changes, although he said CropLife felt the OGTR could have gone further in some cases. He said the announcement of the interim outcomes of the 2016 Technical Review of the Gene Technology Regulations was welcomed by the plant science industry. The move to clarify the regulations by the OGTR will provide some level of certainty for researchers and industry and will enable innovative agricultural tools to be made available to Australias farmers in a more timely manner, Mr Cossey said. It was the plant science and agricultural sectors clear preference to have a pure scientific and technical basis for regulation of breeding innovations based on the outcomes they produce rather than the breeding process. However, the plant science industry supports this interim measure recognising the constraints of the policy settings under which this review was conducted. WAS shrinking dairy industry began a turbulent 2017 by contracting just a little bit more. While 2016 had been the dairy industrys version of Queen Elizabeth IIs annus horribilis, ramifications of decisions and subsequent events carried over into the new year in WA. The larger-than-usual 2016 spring flush oversupply of milk, blamed for some of the industrys woes, had evaporated by the summer of 2017. But the anxiety, uncertainty and suspicion felt by dairy farmers lingered on through autumn, winter, spring and was still strong coming back to summer, with more than two thirds of WAs dairy farmers considering new supply contracts with the same or lower base price for their milk in the second half of the year. Security, contracts and sliding farmgate milk prices dominated farmer concerns throughout 2017 and seem set to continue as hot topics into 2018. With WA down to 152 farmers maximum, having lost three dropped by Brownes Dairy and one retired, plus two Harvey Fresh suppliers who bailed out in the previous three months, 2017 opened with one more Brownes supplier going. Michael and Frances Armstrong, Northcliffe, were on a similar special contract to the three dropped at the end of September and confirmed they were transitioning from dairy to beef cattle. Brownes did offer the Armstrongs a standard contract when it did not take up an extension on their special contract, but they decided a farmgate price of between 43 and 45 cents a litre was not sufficient to sustain their dairy operation. At the same time, a report commissioned by Rural Bank and Rural Finance, subsidiaries of Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Ltd, found the fundamentals of the dairy industry were sound despite volatility and challenges it continued to face. It forecast the smallest national herd in at least six years of 1.59 million cows for 2017 and annual milk production per cow down by more than 100 litres to about 5600 litres. Murdoch University environmental engineering student Laura Senge began a project to design the ultimate zero-waste discharge effluent system for WA dairy farms. Western Dairy and WAs Department of Water combined to award a scholarship to Ms Senge for her honours project which became part of Western Dairys DairyCare project. She began by inspecting an innovative system used by Dardanup dairy farmer Michael Twomey who was sceptical she could achieve her aim, claiming there was no perfect system for dealing with effluent generated by 500 cows milked twice a day. In February Lion Dairy & Drinks, which processes and markets Masters and Pura milk brands, confirmed it was transporting bulk milk into WA from South Australia to cover a summer shortfall. Lion blamed hot weather and reduced nutritional values in silage for the drop in milk production volumes from its 29 WA dairy farmer suppliers. At the 2017 Australian Grand Dairy Awards two iconic WA dairy products were declared the best in Australia. Mundella Greek Natural Yoghurt completed a hat trick, awarded Australias Champion Natural Yogurt for the third year in a row and Bannister Downs Dairy double cream was awarded Champion Cream ahead of 31 other products in a highly competitive category. WAFarmers belatedly announced its collaborative experiment in conjunction with Parmalat-owned Harvey Fresh and a Chinese businessman to export fresh WAFarmersFirst milk to the Chinese port city of Dalian had ended. The fresh milk, which sold as a premium product in gourmet food outlets for the equivalent of between $10 and $11 a litre, was dropped in favour of extended shelf life (ESL) and ultra high temperature (UHT) milk with less critical transport time frames, said WAFarmers president Tony York. After meeting with political parties in the lead-up to the State election in March, WAFarmers called for a dairy taskforce to be set up to establish a long-term plan to improve sustainability and profitability in WAs dairy industry to hopefully stop it shrinking further. Dairy Australia analyst John Droppert and Commonwealth Bank Australia agri-strategist Tobin Gorey independently released reports indicating early signs of recovery in the global dairy situation and predicting improved profitability would eventually flow through to local dairy farmers. Nannup boutique cheesemakers Bruce and Jane Wilde, Cambray Cheese, created WA dairy industry history when their Farmhouse Gold cheese made from sheeps milk, became the first non-bovine product to win the Grand Champion Dairy Product title at the 2017 Dairy Industry Australia Association WA annual product awards. Eighteen of the States dairy farmers, two farmers forced out of the industry and a former processor presented allegations of predatory pricing and unconscionable conduct at a national dairy industry inquiry hearing in Bunbury. Commissioner Mick Keogh from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) heard first hand how farmers believed they had been unfairly treated or disadvantaged in dealings, including contract negotiations and contract terminations. Mr Keogh was given an example of the power of supermarket chains over processors producing $1-a-litre milk, with one chain using a contract loophole created by a change of processor owner to shift its contract to another processor for 10c/l less. At a series of closed meetings with contracted Harvey Fresh suppliers in May, Parmalat advised it wanted at least 70 per cent of them to agree to new supply proposals after their three-year contracts ended in October. Parmalat said it only wanted 90pc of the total volume of milk its farmers supplied. But it indicated three suppliers it previously threatened not to collect because they had not signed contracts with Parmalat, would be offered new contracts in January with all its other suppliers, ending six months of uncertainty for the three. New Agriculture and Food Minister Alannah MacTiernan, the fourth minister in the portfolio in just over 12 months, brought welcome rain with her on a visit to Western Dairys annual Dairy Innovation Day. It was held on a farm near Busselton operated by Wes and Sarah Lammie and Wes parents Robin and Betty who had previously farmed at Northcliffe some years ago but re-entered the industry to help Wes and Sarah. Wes and Robin explained how they took advantage of growth incentives offered by Parmalat to build their herd from 100 to 630 cows over four years but faced a period of consolidating now growth incentives had disappeared. At a WAFarmers dairy section dinner following innovation day, former fifth generation dairy farmer and dropped Brownes supplier Graham Manning and his wife Jayne of Harvey were presented with the Milk Bottle award for the Manning familys combined 164 years service to dairying in WA. Despite the milk oversupply and dropped dairy farmers controversy of the previous 12 months, Brownes led WAs contingent in the 2017 Dairy Industry Association of Australias dairy product competition. Its own brand products and Farmdale brand products made for Aldi Australia supermarkets, across flavoured milks, white milk and yoghurt categories, accrued a total of two gold and nine silver medals. As well, Brownes Chill Double Espresso won the Tate & Lyle special award for the highest scoring coffee-flavoured milk. Next best was Bannister Downs Dairy, Northcliffe, with two gold medals for mango smoothie flavoured milk and double cream and eight silver medals. Mundella Foods, Mundijong, and Harvey Fresh each won one gold and five silver medals. A roundtable called by Ms MacTiernan, the first meeting of WAs three major milk processors with State government and dairy farmer representatives since the industry crisis arose almost 14 months ago, confirmed milk processors did not plan to drop more suppliers. Ms MacTiernan personally cleared the meeting with the ACCC to ensure it did not breach competition regulations. Renowned for its herd of life-size plastic cows in its shopping centre, South West dairy town Cowaramup was named WAs 2017 LEGENDAIRY capital. Former dairy farmer, dairy lecturer and dairy scientist Peter Hutton joined Western Dairys science team at its Bunbury hub in July to head research projects, replacing Ruairi McDonnell who returned to Ireland. Also in July, Western Dairy veterinary scholarship winner, Murdoch University veterinary science student Liz Cork and her research supervisor Herb Rovay, began collecting and testing milk samples in a research project aimed to improve early identification of mastitis in dairy herds. Discussions with Brownes about impending new contracts for its 54 suppliers raised alarm bells for farmers concerned about a number of issues, but particularly a possibility they could be charged for milk Brownes bought to make up for any significant shortfalls in their production. Brownes claimed it was attempting to give suppliers more flexibility with choice of three or five-year contracts, 10pc plus or minus variation on contracted supply volumes and ability to sell excess milk to a third party. When contracts were distributed to farmers the clause allowing Brownes to charge them for milk it bought to make up production shortfalls had been deleted. While the contracts maintained Brownes 43-45c/l base price, they offered an incentive price of up to 61c/l over summer for farmers prepared to produce more milk in those three months. At the annual WAFarmers dairy conference, dairy section president Michael Partridge revealed a balancing plant to resolve WAs dairy industry problems longer term had been discussed with State and federal governments, Dairy Australia and other representative bodies. Various scenarios for a plant to produce long-life dairy product to soak up excess milk production had been examined, Mr Partridge said. Swiss trained cheese maker Chris Vogel, Denmark, won the 2017 IGA Perth Royal Show Best Small Cheese Maker special award at his first try after turning a hobby into a boutique wholesale business. A former dairy farmer, Mr Vogel owns Dellendale Creamery and uses milk purchased from neighbour Malcolm Hick who milks his herd in a robotic dairy. Mr Vogels cheeses won four gold and a silver medal at the shows dairy section competition. South West dairy farmers jumped in to help a mate, Brett Milner, in November when he was dealing with a diagnosis of prostate cancer and impending surgery. About 50 volunteers, many donating equipment as well as time, helped him rake, bale, cart, wrap and stack 930 round silage bales of summer feed for his cows. Also in November, Brownes ended more than two years of speculation by announcing it had been sold for an undisclosed price to a newly created private company backed by Chinese business and dairy interests. Brownes is now owned by Australia Zhiran Co Pty Ltd which has Shanghai-based dairy manufacturer Ground Food Tech Co Ltd as a major shareholder. The Brownes management team will stay with the company. The year ended with debate over the ACCCs interim report on its year-long dairy industry inquiry. The ACCC noted clear imbalances in bargaining power at each level of the dairy supply chain and advocated for introduction of a mandatory industry code of conduct, formal dispute resolution process and simpler plain language contracts in its eight interim recommendations. Controversially, the ACCC concluded however that introduction of $1-a-litre milk in 2011 did not have an observable impact on farm numbers, output or profitability. While it acknowledged $1-a-litre milk had eroded processor margins severely, the ACCC argued it was not the cause of downward pressure on farmgate prices because farmers were paid the same for their milk regardless of whether it went into $1-a-litre or higher value branded product. WAFarmers dairy section disputed the ACCCs interpretation, claiming savings enjoyed by consumers buying $1-a-lite milk had come out of farmers and processors pockets. LAGOS, Nigeria, January 1, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- APPLICATION DEADLINE: March 1, 2018 PROGRAM DATES:May 1-December2018 Africa's largest philanthropy supporting entrepreneurship - The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) is now accepting applications for business ideas thatcan transform Africa. To apply, complete the online application atapplication.tonyelumelufoundation.org. The deadline is midnight (WAT) on 1 March 2018. (Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/622651/Tony_Elumelu_Foundation.jpg ) The Programme provides critical tools for business success, including: Training:12weeks ofintensive online training which guides creating and managinga business Mentoring:Aworld-class mentorto guide during the early transformation stages of the business Funding:$5,000*in seed capital to prove the concept, plus access to further funding Network:Access to the largest network of African start-ups and TEF's own global contacts The Programme, in its 4thcycle,is TEF's 10-year, $100 million commitment to identify, train, mentorand fund10,000 African entrepreneursby 2024. TEF Founder, serial entrepreneur and philanthropist Tony O. Elumelu, CON said: "When we launched the TEF Programme and committed $100 million, I knew we would create impact, but I never imagined it would be of this magnitude. We've unleashed a movement of African entrepreneurs -- a force so strong, I am confident they will collectively transform Africa. We need Africa's best and brightest to grow their businesses and build our continent." 1,000 entrepreneurs will be selected based on theviabilityof theiridea, including:market opportunity; financial understanding; scalability;leadership andentrepreneurial skills. Eligibility: 1.The businessmust be based in Africa 2.The businessmust be for profit 3.The business must be 0-3yearsold 4.Applicants must beat least18anda legal resident or citizen ofanAfrican country CEO of the Foundation, Parminder Vir OBEsaid: "We encourage women, French and Portuguese speakers to apply.Our 3,000 alumni arealreadygrowing their businesses and improving lives. If you have a transformationalbusiness or an idea, we have an opportunity for you." *$5,000 seed capital is paid based on the official Central Bank of Nigeria naira equivalent value at the date of selection for the programme. About The Tony Elumelu Foundation The Foundation's long-term investment in empowering African entrepreneurs is emblematic of TonyElumelu's philosophy of Africapitalism, which positions Africa's private sector, and most importantly entrepreneurs, as the catalyst for the social and economic development of the continent. www.tonyelumelufoundation.org LONDON (dpa-AFX) - Compass Group Plc Chief Executive Officer Richard Cousins and four of his family members were killed on Sunday when their chartered sightseeing seaplane crashed into Sydney river. The flight plunged into the Hawkesbury River, killing all six people on board, including the pilot, as per a statement from the police. Bloomberg reported, citing an emailed statement, that Dominic Blakemore, formerly the company's chief operating officer for Europe, will succeed Cousins effective today. Cousins was due to step down from the role on March 31. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - Compass Group Plc Chief Executive Officer Richard Cousins and five others, including his family members, were killed in Australia on New Year's Eve when their sightseeing seaplane crashed into Sydney river. Bloomberg reported, citing an emailed statement, that Dominic Blakemore, formerly the company's chief operating officer for Europe, will succeed Cousins, aged 58, effective today. Cousins was due to step down as CEO with effect from March 31. The world's biggest catering firm and food services giant in September had appointed Blakemore to succeed Cousins as CEO from April 1. Cousins led Compass over the past 11 years. Harvard Business Review reportedly had named Cousins as one of the world's best-performing CEOs. As per a statement from the police, the chartered flight plunged into the Hawkesbury River, killing all six people on board, including the pilot. Cousins died along with sons William, 25, and Edward, 23, his fiancee Emma Bowden, 48, and her 11-year-old daughter, Heather. The 44-year-old pilot, Gareth Morgan, was also killed. Paul Walsh, chairman of Compass said, 'The thoughts of everyone at Compass are with Richard's family and friends, and we extend our deepest sympathies to them ..Richard was known and respected for his great humanity and a no-nonsense style that transformed Compass into one of Britain's leading companies.' Police is said to be working with the Australian Transport Safety Bureau and a probe has begun to determine the cause of the crash. Sydney Seaplanes, which runs the Seaplane flights, said it suspended operations until further notice. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. There's nothing like the start of the New Year to get us thinking of the future. And what does the future look like? We issued an open call for short stories; the only requirement was that they be set in the future whether that future was dystopian or bright, separated from the present by the space of a few moments or several light years. These are the stories we received. Presenting: Future Fiction. With art by Satwick Gade. *** Deep in the spaceship Angadesh, the effigy of the goddess soared to the metal ceiling. She was Dhara, the patron goddess with a benign smile, her four arms extended fan-like in a danseuses pose. Back home, Dhara was the goddess of agriculture, and of Spring. But in Angadesh, her cult had been dormant till a few months ago. It was the sarpanch, Lokasena, who had encouraged its revival. And now she was seen as the inspiration behind the expedition that was to follow the prayer ceremony. Lokasena had insisted that Dhara be installed in the water purification centre, for the place also served as an assembly hall that could host such a ceremony. He had always planned for this day to be a grand one. A few minutes ago, when he had come in and removed the Som-patra cardboard screen in front of the effigy, he had realised that the red stone that was common on the dry planet had been worked upon rather hastily. The goddess looked like an amateurish creation. But, owing to the enthusiasm of the volunteers who had done the carving, Lokasena had let the matter of aesthetics pass. Besides, he felt that the eyes of the faithful would gloss over all the imperfections of the effigy. Now, at the head of the crowd of worshippers, Lokasenas eyes were closed and his palms were folded together. He was murmuring a prayer. His gaunt face was marked by a thin moustache and sparse beard. Since the occasion was extraordinary, he was dressed in as much finery as spaceship life would permit. There was, of course, the red turban that signified his status as sarpanch. Then the yellow kurta with white pajama, and a white cummerbund to emphasise his slender physique. Which is why he didnt like it when he heard the buzz and chatter behind him. This was not good, he told himself. The thought gnawed at him that idle chit-chat now could diffuse the fervour that he had taken to fever pitch over the past few months. It did not occur to him that he was worrying needlessly, that his people were as charged up as he himself was, and that they were talking about the expedition. To bring back everyones attention to the ceremony, Lokasena raised his voice in a chant. O bringer of Spring and fecundity, o mother goddess who guarded our ancestors farmlands back on the home planet, hear us! The sarpanch glanced over his shoulder and nodded. The congregation exclaimed, Hear us! Lokasena continued, his voice rising, Powered by our boundless faith, we raise our voices to the black void between the stars, so that even your temple on the ancestral planet may ring with our chants. We, your worshippers, your children, are calling you to this wasteland. Heed our call. Bless our expedition to the plains, where we will this day sow the first seeds of Spring. Bless us! Bless us! came the chorus of voices. Lokasena smiled to himself. O goddess, give me strength as I lead my people armed not with weapons of destruction but with cuttings of Som-patra. Protect us against the dusty gales that torment this land. Above all, let the fields we sow prosper and bring us to a state of plenty. Bless us! Bless us! the crowd shouted. The children, who were enjoying the spectacle, yelled the loudest. Carried away by emotion, though, many grown-ups burst into tears. Lokasena looked over his shoulder again and called out, Dharaputra! Please, will you? The tall and muscular Dharaputra stepped forward from the front row. In his hand he held a platter with floral offerings, which had been grown aboard the ship, and a sprig of Som-patra. As he passed his brother, he hissed into his ear, We need to talk. Lokasena nodded. Dharaputra laid the flowers and the sprig of Som-patra at the effigys feet, and swivelled round. He went back to Lokasena and glared at him. Lokasena gave his brother a pained look. He said, Wont you bow to the goddess, brother? Dharaputra said, You know that I worship the goddess. I was named after her, or did you forget? What I refuse is to take part in her cult-worship. Lokasena sniffed. Would you disgrace your brother in front of your people? That did it. The big man turned around and did as he was asked, and no one could see how he was gnashing his teeth. Then he went and stood at the rear of the crowd, right beside the door of the assembly hall, where he could intercept his brother at the end of the ceremony. Lokasena called out over his shoulder. Volunteers! Will you step forward and take the blessings of the goddess? Fifteen men and women, all of whom had been agricultural volunteers, and whom Lokasena had chosen for their fanatical devotion to the cult of Dhara, stepped forward, three abreast. Row by row, they kneeled and touched their foreheads to the feet of the effigy, then stood close to Lokasena. He turned round to address the crowd. Lokasena said, My people, we are fortified with the blessings of Dhara. Nothing can stand in our way now. Not the terrain, inhospitable as it is. Not the dust-storms, though they are supposed to be harmful. Not the heat, desiccating as it is. Nothing. Today we cultivate land outdoors for the first time since our ship touched down. Today we fulfill the dream of those refugees who birthed us. Today we become the masters of the land. With a gesture of his hand, he indicated that the prayer assembly was over. The cheers of the audience echoed off the metal walls for minutes thereafter. One by one the families came up to worship the goddess, and filed out of the assembly hall, smiling and expectant. Many people remained in the hall and prayed or sat and chatted. Lokasena made sure that the two lamps beside the goddess feet had enough oil to last the day. He switched off the lights of the assembly hall. Only then did he head to the exit. Here he was accosted by Dharaputra. This far back, the light of the lamps cast a faint glow on their faces. Please, brother, I beg you to reconsider, Dharaputra, broader than Lokasena, and at least a foot taller, nonetheless managed to make himself look smaller as he pleaded with him. How can I, Dharaputra? Lokasena replied. How can I waver from my divinely appointed task? Hubris, Dharaputra thought. Damned hubris. Help me save him yet, o goddess! He bit back angry words. He grabbed Lokasena by the shoulders as he said, You are rushing into peril without preparation, brother. What peril? The dust-storms? You know that is what Im talking about. You do not know how powerful dust-storms are, whether they can injure or kill a man. Weve never been able to measure their magnitude. Yet you insist on braving a dust-storm, and for what? For the future of the community, Dharaputra. For its well-being and for its prosperity. At least wait till my team of science volunteers has measured the force of a dust-storm. We might need protective gear for our farmers and protective housing for the crop. Wait till we have developed these. Lokasena made as if to go, but Dharaputra blocked his way. Dharaputra said, At least think of Shanti, that motherless child. She is not even out of her crib yet. Im doing this for her as well, brother, Lokasena said. Well, how do you know that the crops will remain unscathed in a dust-storm? Lokasena pointed backwards, to the effigy. Dharaputra grimaced and shook his head. Lokasena, please listen to reason. Miracles dont take place. Not any more at least. Anger flashed in Lokasenas eyes, then his face assumed a patient expression. Believe me, Dharaputra, were you more pious, if you came to the sects religious meetings, you would experience a faith that by its sheer power would make the desert green. If you were with us more, if you surrendered in humility to the goddess, you would believe. And you could achieve what we will doubtlessly achieve this day. I will not abandon science for superstition. Dharaputra raised his voice to a loud, angry whisper. And dont you accuse me of impiety. I grew up worshipping the goddess same as you. I still begin and end my day with a prayer. You know that. You, on the other hand, have completely succumbed to prayer as anaesthesia against grim truth. And the grim truth is this: the goddess cannot protect the crops against a dust-storm, just as she cant protect you. Lokasena stuck out his lower lip. My brother the scientist. Well, well see. All will become clear after today. He walked past his brother. Dharaputra grabbed his arm. As your brother, I forbid you to go. Lokasena stepped up to him, toe to toe, and looked deep into his eyes. As sarpanch, I command you to step aside. Dharaputras shoulders drooped, as if he had been deflated. He stepped aside. Lokasena passed him and called out over his shoulder. Do you not wish me well, my brother? Of course I do, Loki. That, too, is a blessing to our cause. Now listen: you are acting sarpanch in my absence. Dharaputra nodded. Lokasena continued, We will be in radio contact right through the expedition. They looked deep into each others eyes with brotherly love that can only be conveyed through looks. Then, abruptly, Dharaputra walked off, headed to the ships control centre located behind the ships cockpit. He would monitor the mission right through to its end. ** Dharaputra walked off without a backward glance at his brother. He took the arterial corridor, and then a lift that took him to the top level of the ship. Lost in forebodings and apprehensions, he reached the control centre. The control centre had been carved out of the main cockpit that was no longer operational. It was a small space that accommodated five people. It was abuzz with the crackle of radio communications and the flicker of ancient computer screens, pin-cushioned with nuts and bolts, run through with wires that stretched in untidy fashion across the metal floor. Brother, can you hear me? Dharaputra spoke loudly at the radio set installed in the main command console. Lokasenas voice sounded tinny over the radio. I hear you loud and clear. I am just outside the ship. I have assembled the agricultural volunteers and given instructions to them. We are heading to the farm plots now. The goddess be with you. That she is, my brother, that she is. Have you set up the radio broadcast of our mission? In keeping with your wish and much against my better sense, I have. Our conversation is being heard by the people who have stayed back in the water purification centre. Good. That is good. I would have them share in our moment of triumph. Dharaputra said, The security volunteers on duty at the assembly hall have told me that the hall is packed and the doors have been closed to late entrants. Very well. Off we go! The second sentence was addressed to the agricultural volunteers. Dharaputra gave a smile as he heard the cheers of the volunteers over the radio. Next, all that could be heard was the sound of hymns dedicated to Dhara and the wind howling, as the agricultural expedition walked through the dust-blown terrain. This went on for nearly a half adh-prahar, as the plots were situated a fair distance from the ship. The locations, distant as they were, had been chosen by Lokasena himself, with a view to a future in which the farming experiment would not only succeed but take off, and Angadeshs population would then expand far beyond the ship, until the outdoor settlements touched the faraway fields. A light began to blink on the main command console, drawing Dharaputras attention, and the display set in the console lit up with a map on which a cloudy mass was moving in the direction of a cluster of dots. The dots represented Angadeshs agricultural expedition. Dharaputra swallowed painfully. His throat had gone dry all of a sudden. He pressed a button on the console and opened the radio channel again. He tried to keep his voice scrubbed of all emotion, but failed. Brother, Dharaputra spoke into the radio set, A dust-storm is building up near your location. It will reach you by the time you get to the land plots. The serene tone of Lokasenas reply made the hairs on Dharaputras arms stand on edge. Lokasena said, Let it come. The goddess wants us to face it, for she wishes to show us that we have nothing to fear. Dharaputra struggled to contain his rage at his brother. He fairly bashed the button that switched off radio communications from his end for the moment. After nearly a half adh-prahar punctuated by more hymns and the howling of the wind, Lokasenas voice was heard again. Good folk listening to this radio broadcast, know that weve reached the farm plots. The plots have already been prepared for cultivation by an advance party before our arrival. There is a sun-filtering shed over the plots of land, and a drip irrigation system is in place. This, too, was completed just before our arrival. All we have to do now is to plant the cuttings of the crop. Proceeding. Hm, the wind has picked up. Dharaputra said, not without irony, Describe the planting process to your listeners, sarpanch. The irony was lost on Lokasena, who went on to gush about how the process was so simple. All it needed was a shallow pit to be gouged out of the loose soil, following which the plants roots would be placed in the pit and covered with soil. Then the plants would be watered in a ritual. Agricultural volunteers would visit the farm plot daily to check on the growth of the crop and tend to it. And that was it. For nearly an adh-prahar the planters went about their task, and they switched from hymns to the goddess to work songs which their fathers and mothers had brought from the home planet a generation ago. Aaaaand, thats it, my people! This was Lokasena again. It is done. We have planted the seeds of the future today. Dharaputra turned to a display that showed a camera feed of the assembly hall. He saw people cheering, laughing, embracing, dancing. Not once had he seen his people so happy. He smiled despite himself, and suppressed his instincts that hurt like a toothache. Now, Lokasena said, The wind has picked up. Never seen such a strong wind before, not that weve ever been out for this long a time. The wind is in fact pushing us backward. Dharaputra had realised this. For all this while, the howling of the wind had picked up until it grated on the ears even over the radio. Now the radio set conveyed an inhuman roar that reverberated in the small cockpit. The dust-storm has reached them, Dharaputra thought. His hand went to the radios On button. Brother, he said, If you feel that you are in danger, we could scramble the three dirt vehicles to get you. But itll take time. Lokasena exclaimed, No, no, no vehicles. This is a test of our faith. My god, it is pulling the shed out of the ground! Volunteers! Grab at the shed! Keep it anchored! A number of voices were heard saying, Yes, sarpanch! Now the roaring of the dust-storm had become so loud that Dharaputra turned down the volume of the speakers. Despite this, the roar threatened to deafen the listeners in the control room of the Angadesh. But what wrenched at the heart of Dharaputra was the still-audible shrieking of the agricultural party. It was not possible to tell the individual voices apart, because the terrified, quavering screams were muffled by the dust-storm. Dharaputra found himself wondering which voice was that of his brother. My god, its... its sucking us in! Help! Help! Goddess, save us! I cant breathe! I cant see! We are lost, we are lost! Yashasvi! If you make it, tell my Asha that I love her. Then the voices began screaming incoherently. Dharaputra guessed that the party had been lifted bodily into the maw of the dust-storm. Then only the dust-storm could be heard. Turn the volume off! Dharaputra shouted. Cut the broadcast link to the assembly hall! Dispatch security volunteers armed with rail-guns to maintain order in the ship. No one leaves their cabin, no one even approaches the main door. And assemble a medical party. When the dust-storm has died down, I will lead them to the outdoor plots in the three dust crawler vehicles. Get the vehicles ready. Dharaputra ran from the control centre, headed to the hangar at the rear of the spaceship. When he reached the hangar, he found that the medical team had already assembled and was waiting for him. A few of the medical volunteers had knelt down and were checking the gleaming white life support pods that had rarely seen use before. Others were revving up the electric dust crawlers. These crawlers were enclosed vehicles with tracks instead of wheels, which could navigate any terrain that this planet presented to them. Dharaputra gathered the team of medical volunteers around him for a briefing. Is all the equipment functional? he asked the head of the volunteers. "It is, replied the old, moustachioed man. Basic aid kits, medications, life support pods. All the equipment works. Much of it unpacked for the first time. Dharaputra asked, Can you use it? That question made the head of medical volunteers bristle. I assure you, each man and woman in my team has been extensively trained. They will not let you down. Dharaputra put a hand on the mans shoulder. I meant no offence, my father. Forgive me. I am worried because my brother is out there, and Im concerned about our people too. The old man nodded. I understand. Its alright. Im worried too my daughter is one of the volunteers. Dharaputra nodded back, and the two men exchanged a look of understanding. Dharaputra turned to the team and said, As you know, the dust-storm is raging right outside our ship at the moment. When it clears up, we will set out. He turned back to the old man. "What dyou think a dust-storm can do to a person? he asked. The old man smoothed out his moustache with two fingers. Difficult to say, because we are wholly inexperienced in treating anyone whos been caught in a dust-storm. All I can do in this situation is guess. As I gathered before the radio broadcast got cut, the dust-storm was strong enough to lift people up. The fall to ground would hurt, and hurt badly. Then there is the dust that goes right into the lungs. All in all, it doesnt look good. But we must be hopeful. For an infinitely long time, or so it seemed to Dharaputra, the dust-storm scratched and scuffed and howled at the portholes. Eventually, it died down, and the medical party scrambled on board the dust-crawlers and set off. The dust-crawlers growled through the landscape, which drifted past the generously large windows of the vehicles. Mounds of dirt had piled up on either side of the dust-crawlers being sculpted by the breeze that was now so gentle, it was as though the dust-storm had never even been. A cluster of smooth, red, oval rocks jutted out of the soil. The sight made Dharaputra tremble, because an uprooted thorn-shrub was wedged right between the clump of rocks. The dust-crawlers had hardly travelled for ten minutes before the driver shouted, I see something! One of our volunteers! Dharaputra, who was seated in the back with the others, said, Here? But we are a fair distance away from the land plots! The driver said, his voice low, Almost one kos away, sir. Drive up to him, Dharaputra said. I will have one medical volunteer stay here with a life support pod and tend to him. Tell the rest of the team to drive on and search for more patients. Wait just a moment while I get down and see what state this person is in. The old man murmured, Stay in the vehicle, my son. This may not be a sight fit for your eyes. Dharaputra replied, I appreciate your concern, but as the acting sarpanch, and a scientist, I must witness the impact of a dust-storm on a victim. He got down the rear ladder of the dust-crawler and helped a medical volunteer heft the life support pod down to the ground. They grabbed either end of the machine and walked out to the patient, who was face down in the dirt. The medical volunteer, a slim and young man of twenty, coughed as the dust entered his nostrils. Dont touch him, sarpanch, he said. Not till we find out what his injuries are. Scanning his body now. The medic took up a hand-held body scanner that was attached to the waistband of his kurta. He knelt, and passed the sensor-studded end of the instrument gently over the head, back and limbs of the patient, whose posture was eerily unnatural. After a minute of this, he looked up at Dharaputra with haunted eyes. Sarpanch its a woman. And shes dead. Dharaputra winced. What is the cause of death? The youth shrugged. Pick one cause, my father. All her bones are broken. As are her organs. And her lungs are filled with dirt. Turn her over, Dharaputra said. Identify her. I know who she is, sir. There was just one woman in the expedition. The daughter of the head of medics. Dharaputra sighed. This will destroy him. Do not call him out or tell him about her death. Ill break the news to him after our mission. What should we do with the body, sir? Please plant a marker next to it, so that we can find it on the way back. The two men, whose shoulders were now bent, and who were looking downward, slowly walked back to the dust-crawler. The next three hours would turn out to be the most harrowing ones for Dharaputra and the medical expedition. They found each of the members of the agricultural squad, each of them dead. Each body was in a different location, evidently flung there by the dust-storm. Lokasena alone was found at the land plots, buried beneath a mound of dirt. His open eyes and mouth were full of dust. In his hand was clenched a sprig of Som-patra. Dharaputra bellowed like a maddened animal as he dug out the body of his brother with his bare hands, his muscles straining, his sweat and tears flowing freely. The rescue party, many of whom had relatives and loved ones in the ill-fated expedition, lamented and, in the case of Dharaputra and a couple of others, rent their clothes and pulled at their hair. It was evening before they were able to gather their senses. Then they put the bodies in the three sand-crawlers, and walked beside the slow-moving vehicles in a funereal procession. No one cast a backward look at the plots of land, which now resembled a desert landscape on which the sun was setting in more ways than one. Dharaputra returned home as a traumatised man to his three-month-old niece Shanti. It brought him no solace that he was soon unanimously elected sarpanch by the general assembly of the Angadeshians. In his tenure, Angadesh would make no further attempts to have outdoor cultivation of any kind. Dharaputra would go on to scotch any enthusiasms in that direction. The residents of Angadesh gave up going outdoors. If any of them still aspired to leave the ship and live outdoors, the thought of the killer dust-storms put paid to their dreams. Suhit Kelkar is a journalist and writer based in Mumbai, and has just finished writing a science-fiction novel that includes this story. He tweets @suhitkelkar Ishrat Jahan, one of the petitioners in the triple talaq case, has joined the BJP, the party's state unit general secretary Sayantan Basu said on Monday. Ishrat Jahan, one of the petitioners in the triple talaq case, has joined the BJP, the party's state unit general secretary Sayantan Basu said on Monday. "Ishrat Jahan joined the BJP at our Howrah office on Sunday," Basu told PTI. Sources said Ishrat was felicitated by the Howrah BJP unit on Sunday and inducted into the party. Jahan, one of the five petitioners in the case against instant triple talaq, had faced boycott from her community after the Supreme Court verdict, but that has not stopped her from continuing her fight. She said she would use the platform to work for all women, and not just Muslim women. Basu said a state-level programme to felicitate her was yet to be organised. Ishrat was one of the five petitioners in the triple talaq case. Her husband had divorced her over the phone from Dubai in 2014 by uttering 'talaq' thrice. Her decision to join the BJP has also ruffled some feathers in Bengal, but News18.com quoted her as saying that her mind was made after Prime Minister Narendra Modi took steps for the upliftment of Muslim women. The Bill that criminalises instant triple talaq has been passed in the Lok Sabha in the Winter Session. "He showed the resolve to solve our problems, she said. Slamming the current Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee, Ishrat said, "I am in Bengal, a state run by a woman. Despite the fact that our chief minister is a woman, nothing has been done for gender justice in my case and in the fight of Muslim women. I was fighting alone, there was no cooperation from any corner or from political parties," she said. Even if women wanted to support her, she said they were under pressure from patriarchy to not come out in my support. Thanking Modi for standing up for the rights of Muslim women, she said, My husband and I separated in 2014, and then, one day he divorced me by sending a message. From then, my battle started. I was alone like many other Muslim women who were divorced like this. In such a scenario, the woman is always considered at fault. But we found support in the leadership. Her husband had divorced her over the phone from Dubai in 2015 by instant oral triple talaq. The controversial practice was struck down by the Supreme Court on 22 August. West Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh, who is touring various districts in the state, said he had also come to know from party sources that Ishrat had joined the BJP in Howrah. With inputs from PTI Let's not beat around the bush: Social Security is in trouble. The social program relied on most in this country is closing in on disaster in the years to come, according to the latest annual report from the Social Security Board of Trustees. Beginning in 2022, the program that's been generating more in revenue than it's been paying out in benefits will reverse course. Between 2022 and 2034, an estimated $3 trillion in asset reserves will be completely exhausted, exposing the unsustainability of the current payout schedule to an across-the-board cut in benefits of up to 23% in order to preserve payouts through 2091. Considering that 62% of retired workers lean on Social Security for at least half of their monthly income, such a cut could prove disastrous. Social Security's $12.5 trillion budget shortfall, explained You might be wondering how Social Security got itself into a projected $12.5 trillion budget shortfall between 2034 and 2091. Part of the problem lies with the ongoing retirement of baby boomers, with more than 10,000 a day leaving the workforce. As these boomers enter retirement, the worker-to-beneficiary ratio will fall. There simply aren't enough new bodies, or payroll tax revenue, to make up for their departure from the labor force. But it's not just boomers that are to blame. We can also point the finger at the fairly steady lengthening of life expectancies over the past couple of decades. Let's remember that Social Security, when crafted and signed into law in 1935, was designed to provide a financial foundation to lower-income workers for what was presumed to be a few years during retirement. Nowadays, the average 65-year-old will live two more decades, allowing them to pull a benefit for an extended period of time. The rich are also partially to blame. For well-to-do people, cost isn't usually a financial barrier to getting preventative medical care. However, it can be for those folks who don't have the money to spend on preventative medical care. The result is often significantly longer lifespans for the rich, and a longer period for them to pull a Social Security benefits check. The public has spoken, and it wants higher taxes to cover the funding gap These issues leave Congress with two basic pathways to fix Social Security: boost revenue or cut benefits. If you were to ask the American public, raising taxes rather than cutting benefits is hands-down the most popular choice. An informal poll from the Washington Post back in 2014 found that approximately 70% of online survey takers were willing to stand behind the idea of raising the maximum taxable earnings cap on Social Security's payroll tax. In 2018, only earned income between $0.01 and $128,400 is taxable at 12.4%, meaning any earned income above and beyond this amount is free and clear of Social Security's payroll tax. Most workers would like to see this adjusted such that higher-earning workers aren't exempted from this tax. Why is there even a cap on the amount that Social Security taxes higher-income earners? It has to do with the fact that Social Security limits maximum monthly payouts at $2,788 at full retirement age in 2018. If this is the most a retiree can expect at their full retirement age, then it makes no sense to tax $5 million in earned income, for example, but not allow the individual to earn more from Social Security during retirement. Cutting benefits might actually be a smart idea But hear me out -- what if cutting benefits actually made sense and was a positive for Social Security? First of all, I'm not talking about slashing mandatory funding for the program by any means. Nor am I calling for the benefits of current retirees or pre-retirees (essentially those folks who are within 12 years of being eligible for benefits) be touched. Instead, I'm suggesting that systemically increasing the full retirement age (the age where you become eligible to receive 100% of your retirement benefit), or at the very least indexing it to longevity, would make a whole lot of sense. Remember, when Social Security was signed into law, it wasn't with the intention that it would be buoying seniors for 20-plus years. Nor was it with the intention that 62% of retired workers would rely on Social Security for half of their income -- not to mention the 34% of retired workers who get essentially all of their income (90%+) from the program. Social Security is only designed to replace about 40% of the average workers' wages. What's more, the personal saving rate in this country absolutely stinks, with just 2.9% of earnings being socked away in November 2017, according to the St. Louis Federal Reserve. Workers' failure to prioritize saving and investing leads many to be reliant on Social Security, further pressuring the program. Gradually increasing the full retirement age, or indexing it to longevity, would save the program money over the long run and possibly eliminate the $12.5 trillion shortfall. It would do this by encouraging workers to wait longer to receive their full benefit, thus receiving benefits for fewer cumulative years or by getting them to accept a steeper permanent reduction in their payout by claiming early. Either way, it would reduce the lifetime benefits paid to many future retirees. How is this good? Namely, it would encourage better saving and budgeting habits that were seemingly lost on the boomer generation, and it would hopefully coerce Generation Z and millennials to invest their money in assets that give them a real chance at long-term appreciation. For example, while millennials have been overwhelmingly distrusting of Wall Street, stocks have historically been the greatest creator of wealth over the long run. By systemically reducing Social Security payouts by increasing the full retirement age, and giving those workers two or more decades of notice, lawmakers would be encouraging saving and investment. That's a good thing, and it'll ultimately reduce seniors' reliance on Social Security. Now, don't get me wrong; I actually support a blended model where the core ideals of both political parties, Democrats and Republicans, are put into action. This would involve a gradual increase to the full retirement age (or an indexing to longevity) along with a higher payroll tax on either all working Americans or the well-to-do. A bipartisan plan makes the most sense of all in my opinion. Nevertheless, excluding benefit cuts as a viable and potentially smart option to fix Social Security would appear to be a mistake. The $16,122 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook If you're like most Americans, you're a few years (or more) behind on your retirement savings. But a handful of little-known "Social Security secrets" could help ensure a boost in your retirement income. For example: one easy trick could pay you as much as $16,122 more... each year! Once you learn how to maximize your Social Security benefits, we think you could retire confidently with the peace of mind we're all after. Simply click here to discover how to learn more about these strategies. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. CNN put the J in journalism Sunday night, with a marijuana-themed New Years Eve show many viewers found downright doobie-ous. During the beleaguered cable news networks year-end show from Times Square, reporter Randi Kaye did several, um, hits from Denver, where marijuana is legal. At various points, she held a joint, lit a bong, marveled over a special gas mask used by stoners and wondered where she was. This is for you, Andy! Kaye said at one point, addressing CNN host Andy Cohen and holding a lit marijuana cigarette out to the camera. Cohen, the Bravo star and executive producer of the Real Housewives franchise, was hosting with CNN stalwart Anderson Cooper. Kathy Griffin was previously Coopers New Year's Eve partner, but the network dumped her after she made fun of President Trump by holding his mock severed head in a photo shoot. Im trying to remember where we are. Where am I? CNN reporter Randi Kaye Cohen enthusiastically praised Kayes report, while a smiling Cooper reminded viewers that Kayes high-jinx was all above board, even if a bit unseemly. I just want to point out that this is all legal in Colorado, Cooper said, smiling. Kaye, who announced she was witnessing New Years Eve, Denver-style! did not appear to partake herself, and would not be breaking the law if she had. But she did seem disoriented at one point. Were at a dispensary called the Medicine Man! Kaye, who sported dangling marijuana leaf earrings, said. Im trying to remember where we are. Where am I? Kayes pot-themed reportage was done from a puff, pass and paint party, whatever that is. Viewers seemed split on social media: Some were appalled by the open embrace of marijuana, while others were dismayed by the networks decision to replace Griffin with Cohen. NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles! I recently debated Professor Cornel West of Harvard about the boycott movement against Israel. The topic was resolved: "The boycott, divestiture and sanctions (BDS) movement will help bring about the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict." West argued that Israel was a "colonialist-settler" state and that apartheid in the West Bank was "worse" than it was in white-ruled South Africa and should be subject to the same kind of economic and cultural isolation that helped bring about the fall of that regime. I replied that the Jews who emigrated to Israel a land in which Jews have lived continuously for thousands of years were escaping from the countries that persecuted them, not acting as colonial settlers for those countries. Indeed, Israel fought against British Colonial rule. Zionism was the national liberation movement of the Jewish people, not a colonial enterprise. Nor is Israel in any way like South Africa, where a minority of whites ruled over a majority of blacks, who were denied the most fundamental human rights. In Israel, Arabs, Druze and Christians have equal rights and serve in high positions in government, business, the arts and academia. BDS is not a protest against Israel's policies. It is a protest against Israel's very existence. Jews were a majority in Israel, both when the U.S. divided mandatory Palestine (Eretz Yisrael) into "two states for two people," and at present, although the Arab population has increased considerably since 1948. Even the situation on the West Bank where Palestinians have the right to vote for their leaders and criticize Israel, and where in cities such as Ramallah there is no Israeli military or police presence the situation is no way comparable to apartheid South Africa. West then argued that BDS was a non-violent movement that was the best way to protest Israel's "occupation" and settlement policies. I responded that BDS is not a "movement" a movement requires universality, like the feminist, gay rights and civil rights movements. BDS is an anti-Semitic tactic directed only against the Jewish citizens and supporters of Israel. The boycott against Israel and its Jewish supporters (to many Palestinians, all of Israel is one big "settlement;" just look at any map of Palestine) began before any "occupation" or "settlements" and picked up steam just as Israel offered to end the "occupation" and settlements as part of a two state solution that the Palestinians rejected. BDS is not a protest against Israel's policies. It is a protest against Israel's very existence. West argued that BDS would help the Palestinians. I argued that it has hurt them by causing unemployment among Palestinian workers in companies such as SodaStream, which was pressured to move out of the West Bank, where it paid high wages to Palestinian men and women who worked side by side with Israeli men and women. I explained that the leadership of the Palestinian Authority is opposed to broad boycotts of Israeli products, artist and academics. West argued that BDS would encourage Israel to make peace with the Palestinians. I replied that Israel would never be blackmailed into compromising its security, and that the Palestinians are dis-incentivized into making compromises by the fantasy that they will get a state through economic and cultural extortion. The Palestinians will get a state only by sitting down and negotiating directly with Israel. I told my mother's favorite joke about Sam, an Orthodox Jew, who prayed every day to win the N.Y. Lottery before he turned 80. On his 80th birthday, he complains to God that he hasn't won. God replies, "Sam, help me out a little buy a ticket." I argued that the Palestinians expect to "win" a state without "buying a ticket" -- sitting down to negotiate a compromise solution. The debate in its entirety which was conducted in front of an audience of business people in Dallas, Texas, as part of the "Old Parkland Debate Series" continued with broad arguments about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the refugee situation, the peace process, terrorism and other familiar issues. It can be seen in full on CSPAN. I think it is worth watching. The audience voted twice, once before the debate and once after. The final tally was 129 opposed to BDS and 16 in favor. The vote before the debate was 93 opposed and 14 in favor. I swayed 36 votes. West swayed 2. The anti-BDS position won overwhelmingly, not because I am a better debater than West he is quite articulate and everyone watching the CSPAN can judge for themselves who is the better debater but because the facts, the morality and the practicalities are against BDS. The important point is never to give up on making the case against unjust tactics being employed against Israel. In some forums at the United Nations, at numerous American university campuses, in some parts of Western Europe it is an uphill battle. But it is a battle that can be won among open-minded people of all backgrounds. BDS lost in Dallas. BDS lost in a debate between me and an articulate human rights activist at the Oxford Union. BDS is losing in legislative chambers. And if the case is effectively and honestly presented, it will lose in the court of public opinion. NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles! The United Nations heads into 2018 with its reputation intact as a hopelessly biased anti-American and anti-Israel debating society that passes resolution after resolution condemning these two great democracies. At the same time, the U.N. General Assembly regularly turns a blind eye to human rights violations, aggression against neighbors and murders of dissidents by dictatorships around the world. A highlight of President Trumps foreign policy in 2017 was his decision to call out this absurd double standard. And Americas ambassador to the U.N., Nikki Haley, has ably supported the presidents position. The latest example of U.N. members ganging up on America and Israel was the General Assemblys overwhelming approval of a resolution condemning America for recognizing the obvious fact that Jerusalem is Israels capital. What more irrelevant actions will we see at the United Nations in 2018? Hashtag wars tweet-launched from the General Assembly lounge? The General Assembly condemnation of the United States because of President Trumps action on Jerusalem actually backfired and turned into a form of flattery for our country. This is because the Assembly canceled its early Christmas break to meet in emergency session on the Jerusalem issue. This showed actions by the U.S. have weight beyond those of other nations. What drove the Assemblys condemnation? The White House had merely noted that President Trump intended to deliver on a campaign promise regarding the Jerusalem Embassy Act passed by big bipartisan majorities Congress in 1995. The act states: "Jerusalem should be recognized as the capital of the State of Israel; and the United States Embassy in Israel should be established in Jerusalem no later than 31 May 1999. But that still hasnt happened. The General Assembly condemnation of the United States because of President Trumps action on Jerusalem actually backfired and turned into a form of flattery for our country. The Assembly emergency session on the Jerusalem issue was only the 11th such session during the U.N.s 73-year history. Seven of these sessions dealt with the Middle East. Lesser emergencies not making the grade included the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Soviet Unions demise, the growth of terrorism after the Sept. 11 attacks in the United States, Syrian atrocities against humanity, Ebola alarms, and North Korean abuses and provocations. But Israel bashers at the Assembly were all too happy to pull together a script, line up before the cameras, and rise to the emergency of providing needy holiday partygoers a new tsk-tsk Trump icebreaker. How else did the condemnation flatter the United States? The Assembly reserved all its attention for the U.S. alone. Yet Russia took an equally provocative action earlier in the year when it announced it recognized the western portion of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. This goes to confirm that Russia matters far less in the geopolitical calculus; President Vladimir Putin must feel the failure. Neither did Turkey merit the Assemblys attention for its ongoing recognition of Jerusalem (at least the eastern portion) as the capital of Palestine, which is not even an independent country. Thats arguably as prejudicial and inciting a policy as any. The Assemblys condemnation not only flattered the United States, but flattered President Trump himself. The Assembly never gave such targeted attention to Presidents Clinton, George W. Bush and Obama even though each similarly pledged to recognize Jerusalem as Israels capital at some point, but never actually did so. The Assembly action backfired because its anti-American and anti-Israel bashing reflected more poorly on the United Nations than on the U.S. or Israel. Since the creation of the U.N., the Assembly has performed well when it works above the fray that is, when pursuing agreements on global norms of behavior for peace and security, social and economic prosperity, and human rights. To maintain that transnational spirit, the Assembly has avoided showcasing state-on-state body-slamming. Otherwise, its cathedral-like aura would lower itself to the level of a pro-wrestling cage match. But every so often its membership majority gives in to that spectacle particularly when Israel is involved. If such cage matches are now to be held regularly at the U.N., skirmishing countries will game and exploit the Assembly for their own quick stake-raising and inexpensive global publicity, further weakening the Assemblys legitimacy and standing. In the bigger scheme of things, the Assemblys condemnation of the United States reminds us that what the United States says matters. And it matters more now that the United States no longer leads from behind nor pretends that geopolitical cats will self-herd, as happened under the Obama administration. The perceived need for an outright U.N. condemnation of the United States also indicates that Americas fair-weather friends and all-weather foes must now work harder. The costs and consequences of challenging the United States are more at issue. In the end, the General Assemblys condemnation did succeed in one sense. It proved the United Nations deserves the sharp criticism it often gets from Washington and increasingly from others. One of Hillary Clintons wealthy pals paid $500,000 in an unsuccessful effort to fund women willing to accuse President Trump of sexual misconduct before the 2016 election, The New York Times reported Sunday. Susie Tompkins Buell, the founder of Esprit Clothing and a major Clinton campaign donor for many years, gave the money to celebrity lawyer Lisa Bloom who was working with a number of Trump accusers at the time, according to the papers bombshell report. Bloom solicited donors by saying she was working with women who might find the courage to speak out against Trump if the donors would provide funds for security, relocation and possibly a safe house, the paper reported. Former Clinton nemesis turned Clinton operative David Brock also donated $200,000 to the effort through a nonprofit group he founded, the paper reported in an article entitled, Partisans, Wielding Money, Begin Seeking to Exploit Harassment Claims. Bloom told the Times that the effort was unproductive. One woman requested $2 million then decided not to come forward. Nor did any other women. Bloom said she refunded most of the cash, keeping only some funds for out-of-pocket expenses accrued while working to vet and prepare cases. The lawyer told the paper she did not communicate with Clinton or her campaign on any of this. She also maintained that she represented only clients whose stories she had corroborated and disputed the premise that she offered money to coax clients to come forward, the paper reported. It doesnt cost anything to publicly air allegations, Bloom said. Security and relocation are expensive and were sorely needed in a case of this magnitude, in a country filled with so much anger, hate and violence. The Times article said it learned of Buell and Brock's connection to Bloom from two Democrats familiar with the financial arrangements who also said Blooms law firm kept the money from Brock's nonprofit group but refunded the $500,000 that Buell contributed. Brock declined comment, according to the paper. Clinton campaign representatives said they were unaware of his work with Bloom. Buell would not comment on the financial arrangement, according to the Times. Still, she claimed she was frustrated that Trump had escaped the repercussions that have befallen many other powerful men accused of similar misconduct. The Times article expanded on a report in The Hill two weeks ago that said Bloom worked with campaign donors and tabloid media outlets during the final months of the presidential election to arrange compensation for the alleged Trump victims and a commission for herself, offering to sell their stories. In one case Bloom reportedly arranged for a donor to pay off one Trump accusers mortgage and attempted to score a six-figure payout for another woman. The woman with the mortgage ultimately declined to come forward after being offiered $750,000, The Hill reported. The paper reported reviewing one email exchange between one woman and Bloom that suggested political action committees supporting Hillary Clinton were solicited, without naming which ones. Bloom, who is the daughter of famous attorney Gloria Allred and, like her mother, specializes in representing women in sexual harassment cases, worked for four women who were considering accusing Trump. Two went public, and two declined. President Donald Trump and his family said goodbye to 2017 with a lavish New Year's Eve party at his private club in Florida. "It will be a fantastic 2018," Trump said, as he entered the gilded ballroom at Mar-a-Lago, accompanied by first lady Melania Trump and son Barron. Asked for his reaction to North Korea leader Kim Jon Un's remarks about having a nuclear button on his desk, Trump responded by saying, "We'll see." Guests at the party included senior White House advisers Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, Trump's sons Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. Since taking office, President Trump has made frequent visits to his for-profit properties. He has refused to divest from his real estate and hotel empire, drawing criticism from ethics experts. Earlier in the day, Trump wished a happy new year to the people who elected him to the White House -- and those who kept him in the headlines. "As our Country rapidly grows stronger and smarter, I want to wish all of my friends, supporters, enemies, haters, and even the very dishonest Fake News Media, a Happy and Healthy New Year. 2018 will be a great year for America!," Trump tweeted. He followed up more than an hour later: "HAPPY NEW YEAR! We are MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, and much faster than anyone thought possible!" The president is spending the holidays in Palm Beach, where he told reporters outside, "We are going to have a tremendous year. Stock market, I think, is going to continue to go up. Companies are going to continue to come into the country." Also Sunday, the president tweeted out a compilation video showing him meeting U.S. service members, visiting flood zones in Texas and signing the GOP-backed tax overhaul package into law. Trump has called out his critics in holiday tweets before. In November 2013, he posted: "Happy Thanksgiving to all--even the haters and losers!" The president on Sunday cited his success in placing a new justice on the Supreme Court, his efforts to cut regulations and his big win on overhauling taxes. He's called for more progress in 2018, including the passage of a massive infrastructure bill, although analysts say it could prove difficult given how the GOP-led Senate will hold a very slim 51-49 majority. The White House said Trump has been briefed on New Year's Eve security precautions around the country and will continue to monitor those efforts. Fox News' Serafin Gomez and the Associated Press contributed to this report. From buying bullets to casting ballots, states across the country are ushering in a wave of new laws in 2018. Californias recreational cannabis market will open its doors to residents beginning Monday at 6 a.m. Buyers 21 years or older will be legally allowed to purchase up to an ounce of marijuana and up to 8 grams of concentrates. The Golden State joins two others Maine and Massachusetts that will legalize recreational pot use next year- bringing the total number of states to eight. But unlike California, residents in Maine will have to wait until July to legally light up. Currently, Colorado, Washington, Nevada, Alaska and Oregon allow adults to buy, sell and smoke marijuana. The new year will also bring a boost in the minimum wage in several states. Unlike the federal rate thats staying put at $7.25, 10 states will phase-in pay bumps that will eventually hit the $15 per hour mark while workers in eight states Alaska, Florida, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, Ohio and South Dakota - will see annual cost-of-living adjustments. The minimum wage jumps by 50 cents in California. Employees at companies with 26 or more workers will be paid at least $11 per hour. Businesses with less than 25 employees will be paid $10.50 per hour. New Yorkers will also see an increase. On Long Island and in Westchester County, the minimum wage rises $1 to $11 per hour. In Manhattan, the minimum wage for employers with 10 or fewer workers rises to $12 from $10.50. For employers with 11 or more workers, the minimum wage jumps to $13 per hour from $11. Changes to gun laws are also on the horizon. Californias 6 million gun owners wont be able to buy bullets online and have them shipped to their homes. A new rule requires purchasers to pick up their orders in person from a licensed vendor. The state is also clamping down on gifting assault weapons. Another new state law also prohibits people convicted of a hate crime from possessing a gun for 10 years. In Tennessee, members of the U.S. military will be allowed to forgo the firing-range portion of the training requirement to obtain a handgun carry permit if he or she can prove they passed small-arms or combat-pistol training while serving. New Jersey is carving out an income tax credit to mental health professionals who donate hours of counseling to members of Gold Star families. The state will also provide Gold Star family members free or reduced-price admission to state beaches, parks, museums and forests. Fees will also be waived by the states professional and occupational licensing boards. Families will also be eligible for admission to Department of Military and Veterans Affairs homes and hospitals. In Arkansas, there will be no state income tax on military retirement pay. The state currently exempts active duty military pay from state income taxes. In January, it will be expanded to exempt military retirement pay as well. Texas and West Virginia will see new election laws in 2018. Voters in the Lone Star State will be able to cast a ballot without a photo ID if they can show they have a reasonable impediment to getting one. In West Virginia, there will be more options on the types of IDs accepted at polling stations. Voters will be able to show traditional forms like drivers licenses and passports but will also be able to use non-photo IDs like bank debit cards, utility bills and concealed carry permits. The new year will offer more protection to workers in New York who go on sick or family leave. In New York, workers will be eligible for paid family leave to take care of a sick relative or to take care of a newborn, foster or adopted child. The law allows full-time employees eight weeks of time off. The leave period increases to 12 weeks in 2021. Employers in Washington state will be required to provide paid sick leave to all employees. Under the new law, employees will earn one hour of sick leave for every 40 hours they work. Kids caught sexting in Colorado will be subjected to a range of punishments including lengthy lectures and courses on the consequences of sharing nude pics online to being charged with a misdemeanor. In severe circumstances, they could be charged with sexual exploitation. Domestic violence victims in Illinois will soon be able to break their cell phone contracts. The new law also lets survivors keep their phone numbers and save money on related costs for a new account when they leave their abusers. If the cops catch someone using a handheld cell phone in a school zone in Tennessee, they will be charged with a class C misdemeanor and fined $50. In 2018, pets will be elevated in status in Illinois. Dogs, cats and other four-legged fur babies will be fair game in custody battles. Judges will be instructed to take into consideration what is best for the animal during divorce proceedings. The state is also banning elephants from circuses and traveling exhibits. Oregon is looking to cash in on bike riders in 2018. Bicycle buyers will have to pay a flat $15 fee for each bike they buy that costs more than $200. Businesses will collect the cash during the sale of the bike and turn it over to the state every quarter. Oregon will also bump up its gas tax by four cents per gallon in January. Vehicle registration fees will jump by $13. And finally, there may be a little more equality coming to women in Illinois in the new year. All dry cleaners, tailors and hair salons in the state will have to present a price list for services if anyone requests it. We all know that, historically, women have paid more for dry cleaning, haircuts and tailoring. So this law is really about transparency, and making sure women know what theyre paying for the same services men are receiving, the bills sponsor, state Sen. Melinda Bush said. Chief Justice John Roberts has ordered a "careful evaluation" of the judiciary's standards of conduct and policies, saying the federal courts are not immune to the nationwide focus of sexual misconduct in the workplace. The remarks came in Roberts' annual year-end report Sunday on the third branch of government, which he heads as chief justice. The 62-year-old Roberts said a working group he has assembled will focus on whether current procedures for "investigating and correcting inappropriate behavior are adequate to ensure an exemplary workplace for every judge and every court employee." A prominent federal judge resigned last month after he was accused of sexual misconduct on the job. Alex Kozinski, 67, was a member of the San Francisco-based 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals and profiled in a Washington Post article, where six women -- including former law clerks -- accused him of engaging in inappropriate comments and behavior. An internal judicial misconduct inquiry was launched, but Kozinski left his job soon afterward. SUPREME COURT TO HEAR CASE OF OHIO TAKING INACTIVE VOTERS OFF ROLLS Among the allegations, the Post reported one of the judges former law clerks claimed Kozinski asked her to view pictures of naked people. A spokesman for the 9th Circuit also confirmed at least one of Kozinskis current law clerks had resigned, but offered no further details, citing confidentiality and privacy policies. "I expect the working group to consider whether changes are needed in our codes of conduct, our guidance to employees-- including law clerks-- on issues of confidentiality and reporting of instances of misconduct, our educational programs, and our rules for investigating and processing misconduct complaints," Roberts wrote. "These concerns warrant serious attention from all quarters of the judicial branch." The chief justice spent most of 16-page report speaking about natural disasters, especially deadly hurricanes, and their effect on the federal courts in Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. He also mentioned the California wildfires. "The courts cannot provide food, shelter, or medical aid, but they must stand ready to perform their judicial functions as part of the recovery effort," Roberts wrote. "The federal judiciary has an ongoing responsibility to prepare for catastrophes and ensure that the third branch of government remains open and functional during times of national emergency." Former FBI Director James Comey caused a stir on social media by calling for more ethical leadership in 2018, even as his time at the helm of the bureau has come under intense scrutiny over the last year. Heres hoping 2018 brings more ethical leadership, focused on the truth and lasting values, Comey wrote in an apparent swipe at President Trump, who fired him last year. Happy New Year, everybody. Comeys tweet had more than 30,000 retweets on Monday morning and thousands of responses accusing him of lacking self-awareness amid the firestorm surrounding the bureau he once led. Here is hoping 2018 the U.S. will have a clean, politically, FBIthat will actually do their jobs, one user, David Weissman, remarked. Another replied: "Lordy, how could you type that with a straight face?" (During a congressional hearing last year, Comey memorably said "Lordy, I hope there are tapes" after the president suggested it was possible he had recorded their conversations.) The Department of Justices Inspector General is conducting a review of the bureaus investigation -- under Comeys watch -- into former Secretary of States Hillary Clinton email servers. Over the last year, it was revealed Comey began drafting his July 2016 exoneration statement before key witnesses in the Clinton email investigation had been interviewed. NUNES BLASTS DOJ, FBI FOR 'FAILURE' TO PRODUCE RECORDS The inspector general review also is looking into whether FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe whose wife has strong ties to the Democratic Party should not have been involved in the investigation. Other top FBI officials, who worked under Comey and were involved in the Russia investigation, have also come under scrutiny for anti-Trump messages. Lawmakers have been alarmed by recently revealed texts from FBI official Peter Strzok, who called Trump an idiot and who referenced an insurance policy against a Trump presidency. Strzok had been assigned to Robert Muellers special counsel probe, but has since been reassigned. Trumps attorneys have also pounced on Comey for admitting to orchestrating the leaking of his memos about his interactions with the president to the New York Times in the hopes it would lead to a special counsel investigation. President Trump opened 2018 with a social media salvo against Pakistan, accusing the Muslim-majority nation of harboring terrorists while expressing frustration that the United States has foolishly sent billions in aid to the country. 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 Monday morning. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more! The New York Times reported last week that the Trump administration is considering withholding $255 million in aid to Pakistan to demonstrate its dissatisfaction with how they confront terrorism in their country. For years, the United States has had frustrations with Pakistan, a country that has been rocked by terrorist attacks and whose ISI intelligence agency is viewed suspiciously. It was in the Pakistani town of Abbottabad where Usama bin Laden hid until killed by United States Navy SEALS in 2011. Meanwhile, the country is still holding Dr. Shakil Afridi, a Pakistani doctor who helped the CIA pinpoint Bin Laden ahead of the raid. In response to Trumps tweet, Khawaja M. Asif, Pakistans foreign minister, vowed to let the world know the difference between facts and fiction. The president also tweeted Monday about the protests breaking out inside Iran, saying its time for change. Iran is failing at every level despite the terrible deal made with them by the Obama Administration, Trump tweeted. The great Iranian people have been repressed for many years. Trump said, They are hungry for food & for freedom. Along with human rights, the wealth of Iran is being looted. TIME FOR CHANGE! The public discontent in Iran has been fanned by messages sent on the Telegram messaging app, which Iranian authorities blocked Sunday along with the photo-sharing app Instagram, which is owned by tech giant Facebook. Trump has repeatedly tweeted support for the protesters. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani criticized Trump in comments published Sunday. He said Trump "has forgotten that he had called Iranian people 'terrorists' a few months ago." The president, who has spent the holidays at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, plans to return to the White House on Monday afternoon. Much work to be done, but it will be a great New Year! he tweeted. The Associated Press contributed to this report. The Trump administration has decided to withhold millions in military aid to Pakistan as the president accuses the Muslim-majority nation of harboring terrorists and telling lies to the United States. The United States does not plan to spend the $255 million in [Fiscal Year] 2016 Foreign Military Financing for Pakistan at this time, a National Security Council official told Fox News on Monday. The official added, The president has made clear that the United States expects Pakistan to take decisive action against terrorists and militants on its soil, and that Pakistans actions in support of the South Asia Strategy will ultimately determine the trajectory of our relationship, including future security assistance. The Trump administration will continue to review Pakistans level of cooperation, the official said. TRUMP ACCUSES PAKISTAN OF 'LIES' AND 'DECEIT' Earlier Monday, President Trump, in his first tweet of 2018, said that 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! the president tweeted. The New York Times reported last week that the Trump administration had been considering withholding $255 million in aid to Pakistan to demonstrate its dissatisfaction with how they confront terrorism in their country. The administration already had delayed sending the aid in August. For years, the United States has had frustrations with Pakistan, a nuclear nation that has been rocked by terrorist attacks and whose ISI intelligence agency is viewed suspiciously. It was in the Pakistani town of Abbottabad where Usama bin Laden hid until U.S. Navy SEALS killed him in 2011. Meanwhile, the country is still holding Dr. Shakil Afridi, a Pakistani doctor who helped the CIA pinpoint Bin Laden ahead of the raid. In response to Trumps tweet, Khawaja M. Asif, Pakistans foreign minister, vowed to let the world know the difference between facts and fiction. Last month, the president hinted at withholding aid during a national security address. We have made clear to Pakistan that while we desire continued partnership, we must see decisive action against terrorist groups operating on their territory, Trump said Dec. 18. And we make massive payments every year to Pakistan. They have to help. The new year in California brings broad legalization of recreational marijuana a much-anticipated move two decades after the state was the first to allow the use of the drug for medicinal purposes. California joins states such as Colorado -- as well as Washington, D.C. -- where pot is permitted for recreational purposes even as the federal government continues to regard the drug as a controlled dangerous substance, like LSD and heroin. Legalized marijuana is expected to become a $3.7 billion business in California in 2018 and grow to $5.1 billion in 2019 -- comparable to the revenue generated by beer sales, Business Insider reported. The boost to California's economy could generate more than $1 billion in tax revenue for the state each year, the Hill reported. National trend Twenty-nine states have adopted medical marijuana laws, while seven other states have legalized recreational use of pot. Marijuana will now be legal in California for adults age 21 and older, and people will be permitted to grow up to six plants and possess an ounce of pot. The new state laws -- approved by voters in 2016 with the passage of Proposition 64 -- were met with joy by some Californians who swapped their champagne glasses for blunts of pot on New Year's Eve. This is something we've all been waiting for, said Johnny Hernandez, a tattoo artist, who celebrated the arrival of 2018 by smoking Happy New Year blunts" with his family members. "It is something that can help so many people and there's no reason why we should not be sharing that, he added, hoping that the new laws will remove the stigma surrounding the marijuana use. "People might actually realize weed isn't bad. It helps a lot of people, he said. Unintended consequences? But authorities remain tense amid the legalization, saying the more liberal attitude toward the drug might bring about problems such as stoned drivers, negatively impact young people, increase the cost of policing and prop up the existing black market as taxes and fees could raise the retail pot price by as much as 70 percent. "There's going to be a public-health cost and a public-safety cost enforcing these new laws and regulations," said Jonathan Feldman, a legislative advocate for the California Police Chiefs Association. "It remains to be seen if this can balance itself out." Despite the legalization, it will take time until non-medical pot will be widely available across California. Only 90 businesses so far have acquired a state license to sell pot, most located in San Diego, Santa Cruz, the San Francisco Bay Area and the Palm Springs area. License lag Residents of Los Angeles and San Francisco will not be able to find recreational pot Jan. 1 as local regulations were not approved in time, so neither city has issued the licenses needed to get state permits for selling recreational pot. Fresno, Bakersfield and Riverside, meanwhile, have banned the sale of recreational pot. As part of regulations paving the way to recreational pot in California, other strict laws will take effect on the strains known as Sweet Skunk, Trainwreck and Russian Assassin. Some business owners are also concerned that once the state starts fully regulating the industry, there could be a shortage of state-approved cannabis in California. Jamie Garzot, founder of a cannabis shop in Northern California's Shasta Lake, said she is worried that once the current cannabis crop dries up, there will be a shortage of pot that meets the regulations. Playing in the gray market is not an option," she said. "California produces more cannabis than any state in the nation, but going forward, if it's not from a state-licensed source, I can't put it on my shelf. If I choose to do so, I run the risk of losing my license." The Associated Press contributed to this report. A remote island in Scotland bears traces of out-of-this-world minerals from a 60-million-year-old meteorite impact. A team of geologists from Birkbeck, University of London was examining volcanic rocks on the remote Isle of Skye in Scotland when they uncovered rare minerals that have never before been found on Earth, according to a study that was published Dec. 12 in the journal GeoScienceWorld. In the study, the team focused on a 3.3-foot-thick (1-meter) layer at the base of a 60-million-year-old lava flow deposit. Using an electron microprobe, which shoots electrons at samples and analyzes the X-rays the samples emit in response, the researchers found that rocks from the area contained rare minerals from space. [Crash! 10 Biggest Impact Craters on Earth] The mysterious mineral, vanadium-rich and niobium-rich osbornite, was previously only found in dust samples from space on the comet 81P/Wild 2, collected by NASA's Stardust Comet Sample Return Mission. "When we discovered what it was we were very surprised, and it was a bit of a shock because we were not expecting that," study co-author Andy Beard, a lecturer in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Birkbeck, University of London, said in the statement. The osbornite was discovered unmelted, suggesting that it was likely an original piece of the meteorite. Other minerals associated with impacts were also found at the site, the researchers said. In fact, the same strange mineralogy was also found at a second site located 4.3 miles (7 kilometers) away. This site was a 6.6-foot (2 m) thick layer of material ejected from a crater, according to the statement. This discovery raises questions about the region also known as the British Paleogene Igneous Province (BPIP) and where the ancient meteorite hit. It's also possible that the meteorite impact triggered the outpouring of volcanic lava believed to have started at the same time, the researchers said. The area in which the researchers discovered the unusual minerals is very steep, rough and boggy, which may have deterred previous researchers from sampling the site. "We were sinking in up to our thighs. I distinctly recall saying to Andy Beard, 'this had better be worth it,'" lead author Simon Drake, an associate lecturer in geology at the same institution, said in the statement. "It was worth it." Original article published on Live Science. The new year could bring a major scare: the expected crash of an 18,740-pound Chinese space station headed toward Planet Earth. And researchers havent been able to pinpoint exactly when and where this event will likely happen. Tiangong-1, a Chinese space station that launched into Earths orbit in September 2011, was predicted in essence to fall out of space around January 2018, according to an October forecast by researchers at The Aerospace Corporation. RUNAWAY CHINESE SPACE STATION IS GOING TO BE MONITORED BY AN INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGN Chinese space officials announced in 2016 that they had lost contact with the spacecraft and expected it to crash back to Earth between late-2017 and mid-2018, The Guardian reported. Researchers have since determined that the space station is expected to re-enter somewhere in the area between 43 degrees north and 43 degrees south latitude. And while that location is in the middle of the ocean, the New York Post reported, its possible that fragments will land in nearby populated areas. The space station's name means Heavenly Palace. The system is said to be making a slow roll back into the atmosphere, allowing some chunks of matter to avoid burning up upon re-entry. But according to the Aerospace Corporations FAQ page, getting hit with space garbage is unlikely to be the biggest problem. FEARS OF CATASTROPHE AS RUNAWAY CHINESE SPACE STATION HURTLES TOWARD EARTH "It is highly unlikely that debris from this re-entry will strike any person or significantly damage any property," the Aerospace Corporation's FAQ said. "Potentially, there may be a highly toxic and corrosive substance called hydrazine on board the spacecraft that could survive re-entry. For your safety, do not touch any debris you may find on the ground nor inhale vapors it may emit." The space station was utilized six times in manned and unmanned missions for Chinas space research program. The rifle-toting man who gunned down a Colorado deputy in a New Years Eve ambush-style attack had ranted about the sheriff and a local police officer in recent online posts discovered after the assault. Matthew Riehl, 37, fired more than 100 rounds as he was holed up in a bedroom in his apartment in Highlands Ranch, before he too was found dead at the scene. The Douglas County Sheriff's office identified Riehl as the gunman Sunday evening. Three other deputies, a police officer and two civilians were also wounded. The deputies and the officer had gone to the apartment around 5:15 a.m. in response to a disturbance, Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock said. They had been to the apartment about an hour earlier. They all went down, almost within seconds of each other, Spurlock said. He said the deceased deputy was 29-year-old Zackari Parrish. He had been a deputy for seven months. I cant tell you how difficult it is for a leader to sit down with a spouse of an officer who was killed in the line of duty, Spurlock said. They had many hopes and dreams. He was doing his job and he was doing his job well. Parrish is survived by his wife and two children and previously worked for two years at the Castle Rock Police Department. Riehl, who was killed, was an Army veteran who served briefly in Iraq, Fox 31 Denver reported. He is seen wearing an Iraq combat veteran hat in a Dec. 13 YouTube video in which he called Spurlock a clown and a deputy a pimp. You know whos going flub big time next election, Spurlock, Riehl said in the video called Fire Sheriff Spurlock. He said he was running against Spurlock as a libertarian. A video posted on Nov. 28 showed a traffic stop by a police officer in the city of Lone Tree apparently taken inside the officer's car that Riehl said was done illegally. He claimed the officer clocked the wrong driver, identifying the officer by name in the video and calling him "dirty." "S---bag, dirtbag, liar," he says as the officer questioned the driver. "He's the boss, huh? He's the Nazi in charge with the stripes on his shoulder and the fake badge." The wounded officers: Deputies Mike Doyle, 28; Taylor Davis, 30; and Jeffrey Pelle, 32; and Castle Rock police officer Tom ODonnell, 41, were said to be in stable condition. The civilians had suffered non-life threatening injuries, Spurlock said. Pelle is the son of Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle, Fox 31 Denver reported. Authorities had been to Riehl's home earlier in response to a complaint of a "verbal disturbance" involving two men, the sheriff's office said. One of the men told them the suspect "was acting bizarre and might be having a mental breakdown" but the deputies found no evidence of a crime. When deputies were called back, a man who had left came by to give them a key and granted permission to enter the home, leaving again before shots were fired. "The suspect was just making a ton of noise and annoying everyone around him," Spurlock said. Four officers, including Parrish, were shot from a bedroom around 6 a.m., forcing the retreat. A SWAT team entered the apartment at about 7:30 a.m. in an exchange of gunfire that left the gunman dead and another officer injured. Local media reported gunshots being heard amid a stream of firetrucks and emergency vehicles entering the area. Steven Silknitter, who lives in the complex, told the Denver Post that he was working elsewhere when he got word of the shooting and called home to speak to his fiance. She was pretty scared, Silknitter said. She kept saying how loud it was. President Donald Trump tweeted that he has offered his deepest condolences to the victims of the terrible shooting. Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper also issued a statement saying our thoughts and prayers were with the Douglas County Sheriff's Office and the family and friends of Deputy Parrish. "We can only imagine the depth of grief they are experiencing, he said. "We also hope for a speedy recovery for the Douglas County deputies and the Castle Rock police officer injured in the incident, as well as the residents who also were affected. He added, "The call to protect and serve too often leads to this ultimate sacrifice. We are grateful for the service of Deputy Parrish, his fellow deputies, and that of the Castle Rock police officer. We pray for their and their families' strength and resolve in the days and months ahead." The Associated Press contributed to this report. Years after police in one North Carolina city destroyed hundreds of rape kits, they did something unusual: They enlisted the help of a rape crisis group and together, they called the victims and told them that the evidence was gone. Fayetteville police Lt. John Somerindyke says that in 90 percent of the more than 300 cases, the victim or guardian was reached or the victim had died. Police recruited the help of Rape Crisis Volunteers of Cumberland County to reach out to the victims. One of the victims whom Somerindyke contacted says she appreciates police calling her. The Joyful Heart Foundation advocates for testing of all rape kits sitting on shelves. Experts there say they don't know of another police department that's called victims about destroyed rape kits. A baby seal that wandered far from home has been returned to the ocean after police officers rescued the pup from a highway in Massachusetts. Police officials say they spotted the seal waddling down Route 6A in Yarmouth Port on Cape Cod late Friday night. Police, assisted by Amazing Animal Ambassadors, were able to put the seal in a cage and hold onto it until wildlife officials arrived. The seal pup was given a clean bill of health and released back into the ocean Saturday, according to the Yarmouth Police Department. They named the baby seal Houston in honor of Kevin A. Houston, a U.S. Navy Seal from Cape Cod who was killed in Afghanistan. They believe the pup made the journey from the ocean to the road after travelling up a frozen creek in the area and making his appearance Navy Seal style. Thank you for visiting us and stay warm and safe out there, buddy, officers said. The Associated Press contributed to this report. People across the world welcomed 2018 with massive fireworks displays and all-night celebrations. Unfortunately, a fireworks show at Terrigal Beach in New South Wales, Australia, didn't proceed as planned. An apparent malfunction a few minutes after the show began sent thousands of spectators running for safety, the BBC reported. A barge from which the fireworks were launched apparently caught fire after an explosion, the Sydney Morning Herald reported. "It was an absolute chaos," Twitter user Anooshe Mushtaq wrote. "The boat shooting the fireworks goes on fire and started shootings randomly. Lucky I escaped as soon as I saw the boat on fire." Two pyrotechnicians had to be treated for minor injuries, but no other people were hurt, the report said. Australia and New Zealand were among the first nations to welcome the new year, with a grand show of fireworks exploding over the iconic Sydney Opera House and people watching from boats in the nearby harbor. In Asia, hundreds of engaged couples partook in a mass wedding ceremony in Indonesia on New Years Eve aimed at helping the poor who are unable to afford a wedding. South Korean Buddhists lit candles during the celebrations at Jogyesa temple. The mood for reveling were less joyous in the north, where hours after the fireworks in Pyongyang, North Korea, the countrys leader announced the capabilities of a nuclear strike, adding that his threats were now a reality. Turkey, in addition to festivities across the nation, used the celebration to pay tribute to the victims of last years New Year's Day mass shooting, when 39 were killed outside a nightclub. In continental Europe, hundreds of thousands of revelers watched fireworks displays above the Quadriga at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin and over the Arc de Triomphe as part of the New Year celebrations on the Champs Elysees, in Paris. Britains Bing Ben boomed at midnight for only the second time since August because of renovation work while at least 100,000 Londoners swamped the citys center to celebrate and watch a 12-minute fireworks show. The 10,000-fireworks show was accompanied by a women-only soundtrack as a tribute to the 100th anniversary of women being granted the vote in the country. Despite increased security, including armed police and security barriers, there were fewer police officers present during the celebration. The Associated Press contributed to this report. A family of five Americans vacationing in Costa Rica was among the victims of a New Year's Eve plane crash that killed all 12 people on board, investigators and local media have revealed. The small plane carrying 10 American tourists and two local crew members crashed and burst into flames in a wooded area in in Guanacaste, northwest Costa Rica, the government reported Sunday. Five of the victims were identified as Americans Bruce, Irene, Matthew, William and Zachary Steinberg, Diario Las Americas reported. Media reports said the family was from Scarsdale, N.Y. In St. Petersburg, Florida, Rabbi Jacob Luski of Congregation B'nai Israel said Monday that victims' relatives had informed him that four members of his congregation were also on the plane. "It is a tragedy that the Drs. Mitchell Weiss and Leslie Weiss and their two children, Hannah and Ari, died in that terrible crash," he said. "They were a wonderful family who will be missed." The Central American nations Public Safety Ministry posted photographs and video of the crash site showing burning wreckage. All that was left of the plane was a charred, smoldering mass of fiery debris. The plane had taken off from a local runway and was heading to the Juan Santamaria International Airport. The Costa Rica Star reported that the Nature Air aircraft had problems shortly after takeoff, crashed in the mountains and immediately caught fire, according to witnesses. Rescue teams could not arrive at the scene quickly because it was in a remote area. Officers in the area confirmed that nobody survived the crash. Retana, one of the pilots, was a cousin of Costa Rica's former President Laura Chinchilla, Diario Las Americas added. Nature Air did not respond to phone and email messages. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Egyptian security officials say a gunman has killed two Coptic Christian brothers in an attack on a liquor store in Giza province, just days after nine people were killed in an attack on a church and store in Cairo. The officials said Monday the attack took place on New Year's eve, a busy night for liquor stores. They say it is unclear whether the attacker was an extremist. The officials requested anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media. Friday's attack in Helwan suburb left eight Copts and a policeman dead. It was claimed by the Islamic State group. Egypt's Christian minority has been targeted by Islamic militants in a series of attacks since December 2016 that left more than 100 dead and scores wounded. The ruling Likud Party's central committee has unanimously endorsed a resolution calling for the annexation of Israeli West Bank settlements. Although the committee is only an advisory body, its decisions reflect the prevailing opinions in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's party. Several leading politicians, including lawmakers and Cabinet ministers, joined Sunday night's vote to "impose Israeli law on all liberated areas of settlement in Judea and Samaria." Netanyahu remained silent. Most of the international community considers Israel's West Bank settlements, built on land captured in the 1967 Mideast war, illegal. The Palestinians called the vote "an outrageous violation" of international resolutions. The vote followed President Donald Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital a move that has drawn heavy international criticism. London police have arrested a 31-year-old man in the killing of a young pub worker who was last seen alive on Christmas Eve. Police say the man is being questioned on suspicion of murdering Iuliana Tudos. He has not been charged or identified. The man was taken into custody Monday from an address in east London. The 22-year-old woman's body was found in a park in north London. She had been stabbed in the abdomen and suffered a head injury. Tudos worked in a popular bar in the crowded Camden neighborhood in north London. The area is filled with pubs and restaurants. She had last been seen leaving Camden by bus. Police were alerted when she failed to show up at a planned party with friends. At least 13 cases of sexual assault were reported in Germany's capital on New Year's Eve -- despite the city's creation of a "safety area" for women to celebrate the arrival of 2018 near Berlin's Brandenburg Gate. Police made seven arrests, according to Fox News and multiple German media reports, but no information was released about the suspects. A local police spokeswoman told Fox News that police were still gathering information about the night's reported crimes, but did not disclose more information about the detained people. As midnight neared in Germany, Berlin police tweeted that they were receiving reports of sexual assaults, but warned that the force does not tolerate such crimes. After being asked on Twitter about the nationality of the perpetrators, police declined to provide the information -- saying ethnicity or national origin would have no bearing on the cases. Germany has been grappling with rampant sexual harassment of women during public celebrations. Two years ago, more than 1,000 complaints were filed about sexual harassment on New Year's Eve. Many of the victims have identified their attackers as being North African or Middle Eastern migrants -- a source of frustration as Germany struggles to assimilate new arrivals. Achieving greater national unity has been a goal for Chancellor Angela Merkel. For the first time this year, a safety area was set up for women where they could report or seek refuge in the event of sexual harassment during the festivities. The initiative was a part of broader measures to ensure safety during the mass celebration. But the safety area was largely criticized, with German police union boss Rainer Wendt saying its creation sent a devastating message. By doing so, one is saying there are safe zones and unsafe zones for women that could result in the end of equality, freedom of movement and self-determination, Wendt told the Neue Osnabruecker Zeitung daily newspaper. The Associated Press contributed to this report. President Donald Trump slammed Pakistan for 'lies & deceit' in a New Year's Day tweet that said Islamabad had played U.S. leaders for 'fools'. 'No more,' Trump tweeted. Meanwhile, Pakistan had no official comment but Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif tweeted that his government was preparing a response that 'will let the world know the truth.' The uneasy relationship between the United States and Pakistan has been on a downward spiral since the 2011 U.S. operation that located and killed Osama bin Laden in the military garrison town of Abbottabad, about 118 kilometers (65 miles) from the capital Islamabad. Trump ratcheted up the pressure last year when he announced his Afghan strategy that called out Pakistan for harboring Afghan Taliban insurgents warning it would have to end. 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. Are you thinking of starting a diversification enterprise this year? Michael Mack, farm and business consultant at Savills in Norwich, says he has seen a massive increase in enquiries from farmers about future-proofing their businesses through diversification. This is a real mix of farmers looking into how to diversify their business away from core farming, he says, including some of the biggest farms in the country, right down to those with just 30ha. See also: 6 key areas to consider when planning farm diversification People have been looking at the more standard diversifications such as glamping, but also more innovative enterprises, such as on-farm restaurants and vending machines. But he warns that farmers should think carefully about what type of enterprise they choose; If youre going to do it, youve got to get up every day and want to do it forever. So what are the key things to consider before starting a diversification and what are the common pitfalls to avoid? Mr Mack shares this advice: Key points to consider What are you interested in? This should be your starting point. Why do you want to set up a diversification? If its to make more money, then is it the best use of your money and time? Why that particular enterprise? People often get stuck on one idea, but consider whether that enterprise is right for the location, your skills and the competition in the area. Does it fit with your farm business? Is there a way of starting small, and testing the water and then building from there? What does your potential customer want and how? This will vary by region. Think about how to reach them this could be through social media rather than having a bricks and mortar presence. Spend time understanding them and identify your target customer. What is the objective of each person in the family? Respect each others perspectives. Have regular family meetings to discuss this. Consider setting a deadline for when you want to have made a decision about starting a diversification and have it narrowed down to a shortlist. Then drive towards that date with research. Common mistakes Limestone requiring masks as COVID continues to spread Limestone University brought back its indoor mask requirement after an increase in COVID-19 cases were reported amid the spread of a more contagious Delta variant statewide. Limestone President Dr. Darrell... Local football games cancelled The 2021 high school football season is starting to resemble the shortened and COVID-plagued 2020 season. Gaffney High officials announced Thursday afternoon it was unable to find a replacement game... STUDENT NOW COLLEAGUE Mercedes Davidson, a first-year seventh grade math teacher at Gaffney Middle School, is not only working at the school she once attended, but alongside one of her seventh grade teachers... Bond hearing held for murder suspect A Circuit Court judge took under advisement Wednesday a request to set bond for a 28-year-old accused of murder. Zevonta Queon Shands has remained in the county detention center since... 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 1-01-2018 10:39 PM (3 years ago) (f) Top neurosurgeons and orthopaedic doctors are among the medical experts currently treating President Muhammadu Buharis son, Yusuf, after sustaining head injury and fractures in a ghastly motor bike accident in Abuja on Tuesday last week. Top neurosurgeons and orthopaedic doctors are among the medical experts currently treating President Muhammadu Buharis son, Yusuf, after sustaining head injury and fractures in a ghastly motor bike accident in Abuja on Tuesday last week. We gathered that globally-acclaimed neurosurgeons in persons Professor Temitayo Shokunbi and Professor Bello Bala Shehu, the current vice chancellor of Federal University Birnin-Kebbi, have relocated to Cedarcrest Hospital Abuja to lead the team of surgeons. Part of the team are the medical director of the hospital, Dr Felix Ogedegbe and director of surgical services, Dr. Kingsley Ekwe. Inside sources said the team is also supported by an anaesthesiologist and nurses. Prof. Temitayo Shokunbi Professor Shokunbi, a consultant neurosurgeon at the University College Hospital, studied medicine at the University of Ibadan from 1973 to 1978. He had distinctions in Pathology, Paediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynaecology. He later went to the University of Western Ontario to study Neurosurgery and Neuroanatomy between 1981 and 1986 and he obtained MSc in Specialist Certificate in Neurosurgery of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. He trained in congenital anomalies research at Kyoto University, Kyoto, and Meiji Institute of Health, Odawara, Japan from December 1990 to June 1991. Between July and December, 1994 he underwent fellowship training in Paediatric Neurosurgery at the University of Ottawa. At the National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Japan, he trained in teratology, molecular and cell neurobiology from January to December, 1995. He has been a faculty member in Anatomy Department with joint position in Surgery (Neurosurgery) at the University of Ibadan from 1980. He was appointed Professor of Anatomy in 1996. He has several publications to his credit. Honours, awards and achievements: Consultant Neurosurgeon, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria. March 1987 till date Fellow Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. 1986. Fellow West African College of Surgeons. 1990. Fellowship in Paediatric Neurosurgery, University of Ottawa/Childrens Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa. 1994. Resident in Neurosurgery, University Hospital and Victoria Hospital, London, Ontario, Canada. 1981-1986. Fellow in Paediatric Neurosurgery, Childrens Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, Canada. July-Dec.1994. Distinctions in Pathology (1975), Paediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynaecology(1978). University of Ibadan Prof. BB Shehu Professor Bello Bala Shehu is the current Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Birnin Kebbi, FUBK. A neurosurgeon of global acclaim, Professor Shehu was the Provost of the FUBKs College of Health Sciences. He was at various times, the Chief Medical Director of the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto; the Chief Medical Director of the National Hospital, Abuja and Medical Director, Federal Medical Centre, Birnin-Kebbi. Prof. B.B. Shahu is a Fellow to several professional institutions including the West African College of Surgery; Royal College of Surgeons, Ireland; American College of Surgeons; and National Post Graduate Medical College of Nigeria. Prof. Shehu was born on February 13, 1958 in Birnin-Kebbi, Kebbi State. Dr Felix Ogedegbe Dr Felix Ogedegbe is the medical director at Cedarcrest Hospital. He had his basic medical education at the University of Benin, Benin City. He then proceeded to the National Orthoapedic Hospital Lagos for residency training in orthopedics and thereafter acquired further orthopaedic training in Germany and the United Kingdom. According to the hospitals website, he combines his role as the Medical Director with an active practice as a consultant orthopaedic surgeon. He has nearly two decades of local and international general and subspecialty orthopaedic experience that has taken him to various countries including Germany, United Kingdom, United States, Switzerland, Egypt and South Africa, among others. Having previously served as a military orthopaedic surgeon, he has vast experience in orthopaedic trauma and joint replacement surgery. Since coming back home to Nigeria, he has worked with about a dozen internationally trained orthopaedic surgeons to provide highly specialized care. His wide experience and interprenueral skills have helped greatly in bringing expert care to thousands of Nigerians. He continues to work tirelessly with specialists in other fields of medicine in Cedarcrest, to pursue the primary aim of ensuring that Nigerians no longer need to travel abroad to search for world class care. He is married to Evelyn and they have three children. Dr Kingsley Ekwe He is the director of Surgical Services at Cedarcrest Hospital. A Orthopaedic/trauma surgeon, Dr Ekwe has strong interest in trauma care with a passion for teaching modern orthopaedics to younger surgeons. He is a graduate from the University of Jos, his passion for learning modern orthopaedics has taken him to various centers within and outside the country where he has acquired the knowledge and skills that have made him a highly valued member of the Cedarcrest family. As the director of Surgical Services, his strong people skills and good team work ethic has also helped him organize the clinical services in Cedarcrest to be one of the most efficient and effective specialized hospital services in the country. We gathered that globally-acclaimed neurosurgeons in persons Professor Temitayo Shokunbi and Professor Bello Bala Shehu, the current vice chancellor of Federal University Birnin-Kebbi, have relocated to Cedarcrest Hospital Abuja to lead the team of surgeons.Part of the team are the medical director of the hospital, Dr Felix Ogedegbe and director of surgical services, Dr. Kingsley Ekwe. Inside sources said the team is also supported by an anaesthesiologist and nurses.Professor Shokunbi, a consultant neurosurgeon at the University College Hospital, studied medicine at the University of Ibadan from 1973 to 1978. He had distinctions in Pathology, Paediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynaecology. He later went to the University of Western Ontario to study Neurosurgery and Neuroanatomy between 1981 and 1986 and he obtained MSc in Specialist Certificate in Neurosurgery of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. He trained in congenital anomalies research at Kyoto University, Kyoto, and Meiji Institute of Health, Odawara, Japan from December 1990 to June 1991. Between July and December, 1994 he underwent fellowship training in Paediatric Neurosurgery at the University of Ottawa. At the National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Japan, he trained in teratology, molecular and cell neurobiology from January to December, 1995. He has been a faculty member in Anatomy Department with joint position in Surgery (Neurosurgery) at the University of Ibadan from 1980. He was appointed Professor of Anatomy in 1996. He has several publications to his credit.Honours, awards and achievements:Consultant Neurosurgeon, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria. March 1987 till dateFellow Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. 1986.Fellow West African College of Surgeons. 1990.Fellowship in Paediatric Neurosurgery, University of Ottawa/Childrens Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa. 1994.Resident in Neurosurgery, University Hospital and Victoria Hospital, London, Ontario, Canada. 1981-1986.Fellow in Paediatric Neurosurgery, Childrens Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, Canada. July-Dec.1994.Distinctions in Pathology (1975), Paediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynaecology(1978). University of IbadanProfessor Bello Bala Shehu is the current Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Birnin Kebbi, FUBK. A neurosurgeon of global acclaim, Professor Shehu was the Provost of the FUBKs College of Health Sciences. He was at various times, the Chief Medical Director of the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto; the Chief Medical Director of the National Hospital, Abuja and Medical Director, Federal Medical Centre, Birnin-Kebbi.Prof. B.B. Shahu is a Fellow to several professional institutions including the West African College of Surgery; Royal College of Surgeons, Ireland; American College of Surgeons; and National Post Graduate Medical College of Nigeria.Prof. Shehu was born on February 13, 1958 in Birnin-Kebbi, Kebbi State.Dr Felix Ogedegbe is the medical director at Cedarcrest Hospital. He had his basic medical education at the University of Benin, Benin City. He then proceeded to the National Orthoapedic Hospital Lagos for residency training in orthopedics and thereafter acquired further orthopaedic training in Germany and the United Kingdom.According to the hospitals website, he combines his role as the Medical Director with an active practice as a consultant orthopaedic surgeon. He has nearly two decades of local and international general and subspecialty orthopaedic experience that has taken him to various countries including Germany, United Kingdom, United States, Switzerland, Egypt and South Africa, among others.Having previously served as a military orthopaedic surgeon, he has vast experience in orthopaedic trauma and joint replacement surgery. Since coming back home to Nigeria, he has worked with about a dozen internationally trained orthopaedic surgeons to provide highly specialized care.His wide experience and interprenueral skills have helped greatly in bringing expert care to thousands of Nigerians. He continues to work tirelessly with specialists in other fields of medicine in Cedarcrest, to pursue the primary aim of ensuring that Nigerians no longer need to travel abroad to search for world class care. He is married to Evelyn and they have three children.He is the director of Surgical Services at Cedarcrest Hospital. A Orthopaedic/trauma surgeon, Dr Ekwe has strong interest in trauma care with a passion for teaching modern orthopaedics to younger surgeons.He is a graduate from the University of Jos, his passion for learning modern orthopaedics has taken him to various centers within and outside the country where he has acquired the knowledge and skills that have made him a highly valued member of the Cedarcrest family.As the director of Surgical Services, his strong people skills and good team work ethic has also helped him organize the clinical services in Cedarcrest to be one of the most efficient and effective specialized hospital services in the country. 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 1-01-2018 10:39 PM (3 years ago) | Addicted Hero China's State Forestry Administration announced on its Weibo account that from today, the very last day of 2017, any transaction involving ivory, including bringing ivory from abroad into China, will be illegal. It did so using a video to remind people that China has now banned domestic ivory processing and trade. As a part of China's efforts to reduce ivory demand and help end the global poaching crisis, the country announced in late 2016 that it would cease taking part in ivory processing and sales by March 31, 2017, and to cease all ivory processing and sales by December 31, 2017. Poaching crisis The poaching and smuggling of wild animals has formed a trade chain worth 20 billion US dollars, ranking fourth among illegal trade behind drug, counterfeiting and human trafficking, with a majority of the profits in the wild animal business being generated by smuggling ivorywhich is so profitable that it is nicknamed "white gold". These huge profits make ivory a key source of funding for local armed groups, who in turn make ivory poaching difficult to stop. Poachers kill between 20,000 and 30,000 African elephants each year for their tusks, primarily to satisfy the demand for ivory products in Asia, and according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), China is a key part of this trade. The epidemic also threatens Asian elephants as well, but on a smaller scope. Butchered on an industrial scale for their ivory tusks, elephant numbers in Africa have been slashed from 1.3 million to just 350,000 in the past four decades. Africa has experienced a surge in ivory poaching the worst since 1970s and 1980s about a decade ago. "The beast teeters on extinction," Charlie Mayhew, founder of an elephant charity Tusk, told CGTN on Wednesday. Communication gap between China and the world In a study on China's ivory consumption, jointly made in 2017 by the WWF and TRAFFIC, the Wildlife Trade Monitoring Network, 81 percent of interviewees said they will not purchase any ivory goods, especially after the national ban. The ivory issue went into the spotlight recently due to the story of a heroic young Chinese wildlife investigator which went viral on Chinese social media. Huang Hongxiang, a part-time wildlife investigator and former journalist based in Nairobi, conducted undercover raids in Africa, Asia and Latin America and decided to show his face in The Ivory Game, an award-wining documentary which exposes the sinister underbelly of global ivory trafficking. In an interview with National Geographic, Huang said that the decision to show his face was motivated by his desire to change the world's perception of China. "Today, China is part of many global wildlife trafficking challenges," Huang said in the interview, "However, if the world sees all Chinese as bad people, it would fail to see many potential solutions." "I've seen a huge communication gap between China and the world," he said, noting many Westerners and African people see all Chinese as ivory buyers even though the Chinese who buy ivory are only an extremely small population, and many Chinese have no idea that ivory comes from the brutal slaughter of elephants. A previous polling by the IFAW found that 70 percent of Chinese did not realize that ivory came from dead elephants and many of them mistakenly believed that an ivory tusk is like a person's tooth and can fall out naturally. In fact, about 30 to 40 percent of a tusk is in the face of elephants and poachers cut the elephant's face to hack the tusks out after killing them. A big win for elephant conservation China's historic ban has been applauded worldwide, especially by NGOs devoted to environmental and animal protection. "None of us would have anticipated that President Xi Jinping would have moved so decisively to enact this domestic ban, so it's hugely welcome," said Mayhew. "China's announcement is a game changer for elephant conservation," said Carter Roberts, president and CEO of the WWF. "The large-scale trade of ivory now faces its twilight years, and the future is brighter for wild elephants." China's ivory carving art form is one of the world's intangible cultural heritages as defined by the UNESCO and the country inherited the art form in a non-commercial way, but by ceasing trade in commercial ivory, China has taken responsibility in global governance, according to Li Ling, an executive project director of the WWF. Best and Worst U.S. Cities for Sleep From Tuck Foundation, December 4, 2017 A variety of factors impact how well we sleep, from our personal health and happiness to environmental factors like air and noise pollution. Each person is different. For example, a person with allergies will sleep better in a cleaner city, but pollution might not be such a big deal to a person without allergies. We ranked the top 150 cities in the U.S. to find the best and worst cities for sleep. You can look at the data below to see how your city stacks up. (Honolulu ranks 2nd-worst for sleep deprivation with 48% not getting 8 hours. We are tied with Newark NJ. Only Detroit, MI is worse.) The average adult requires 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night. Unfortunately, much of America doesnt achieve that, due to poor health, increased work and family obligations, and emotional factors like anxiety and depression. Worse, sleep deprivation has real negative effects on your health, ranging from reduced cognitive processing and poorer memory to irritability and increased risk of weight gain and depression. Using 2014 survey data, the CDC found that more than a third of Americans dont get sufficient sleep on a regular basis (35.2 percent). Perhaps surprisingly, as a state Hawaii reported the lowest levels of adequate sleep at 56 percent, while South Dakota got the most sleep at 72 percent. Individuals living in the southeastern part of the U.S. and Appalachia reported the lowest amounts of sleep , which may be associated with the higher rates of obesity and poor health in those regions. The map below reveals the percentage of adults reporting less than 7 hours of sleep by county. For our rankings, we used the 2014 numbers from the CDC for the age-adjusted prevalence of adults sleeping less than 7 hours by city. read Best and Worst U.S. Cities for Sleep After years of withering, Finlands economy is now growing at a brisk rate. The latest estimates show that our gross domestic product has grown this year by more than three per cent. This turnaround has indeed been faster than anybody could have foreseen a year ago, he stated in his New Years message on Sunday . Prime Minister Juha Sipila (Centre) has reminded that the national economy grew last year more than anyone dared predict one year earlier. Sipila said the upswing has brought about a number of positive changes, most importantly a healthy increase in the number of jobs. Statistics Finlands latest data indicate that the ranks of the employed grew by 83,000 between November, 2016, and November, 2017. This is equivalent to the creation of 230 jobs every single day over the past year, highlighted Sipila. The share of the employed of the working-age population, he added, similarly rose to a ten-year high of 70.4 per cent in November, partly as a result of a sharp decline in the number of unemployed job seekers. The Ministry of Employment and the Economy has reported that the number of unemployed job seekers fell by 57,000 between November, 2016, and November, 2017. Sipila in his address also voiced his delight with the fact that jobs are being created and joblessness is on the decline all over Finland. Companies, large and small, are hiring new people. There must now be a focus on ensuring that companies can find the staff they need to fill their vacancies, he said. This transformation is also evident in the general mood. People are now more confident about the future than they have been for a long time. The economic turnabout is attributable to the joint efforts of all stakeholders, he viewed. Sipila assured that in spite of the positive developments, improving the employment situation remains a top priority for the government as employment is the most effective means to combat social exclusion and reduce inequality. The government wants to make sure that the fruits of growth can be enjoyed in all sectors of society. We have also sought to ensure that the burden of economic belt-tightening has been shared as fairly as possible. It is therefore pleasing to see that income disparities did not widen at all last year, according to the latest data. Sipila stressed that the prevention of income inequality warrants special attention as the growth gathers pace.The business executives and decision makers who are responsible for setting the highest wages and fees, in particular, must show restraint: Setting a good example is also important for enhancing competitiveness in the economy. Pay moderation will continue to be needed. Aleksi Teivainen HT Photo: Emmi Korhonen Lehtikuva Source: Uusi Suomi THE cadets have been presented with an award after raising more than 2,400 for the Henley Poppy Appeal. For the past year, the youngsters have been raising money through street collections and in April they completed a 10-mile sponsored walk at Harwell. Officials of the Henley and Peppard branch of the Royal British Legion, which organises the appeal, pitted them against the towns air and sea cadets to see who could raise the most money. The army cadets came out on top and last week Matthew Case, the groups company sergeant major, was presented with a trophy by Henley Mayor Kellie Hinton and a certificate by John Green, chairman of the Legion branch. The cadets were also inspected by Mr Green, the branchs cadet liaison officer Alex Manning and Major Paul Smyth, second-in-command of the Rifles 7th Battalion, who lives in Friday Street, Henley. and whose daughter Jessica, 14, is a lance corporal in the unit. Also present were Colonel Daren Bowyer, cadet commandant for Oxfordshire, Captain Moray Watson, the units inspecting officer, and Poppy Appeal organiser Annie Arscott. Following the inspection, the officials chatted with the youngsters as they took part in activities, including first aid, weapons and expedition training and physical exercise. Mr Manning told the cadets: Firstly, thank you for your excellent efforts, which have rightly earned you the trophy. Secondly, I am thoroughly impressed by your bearing, turnout and attitude. The quality of your responses to my questions shows me you have the belief and confidence in yourselves that this organisation seeks to teach you. You are proud of your unit and yourselves and rightly so. The Mayor said: You are not just the local face of the army cadet force but the face of our community and its youth. I couldnt be more proud to be here this evening to present this award to you all. The Army Cadet Force is a national youth organisation for 12- to 18-year-olds sponsored and supported by the Ministry of Defence. It provides a challenging and varied syllabus based on military themes. The Henley army cadets parade at the Drill Hall in Friday Street every Wednesday from 7pm to 9.30pm. They are currently looking for new cadets and adult volunteers. Feel free to come along and experience something new. For more information, please email detachment commander 2Lt Thomas Fearn at 3875fear@army mail.mod.uk A FLEET of military helicopters at RAF Benson has been saved with the help of Henley MP John Howell. Airbus Helicopters has been awarded a 100million contract to continue providing repairs and training services for the Puma 2 fleet. The Ministry of Defence contract will run until March 2022 with an option to extend it for another three years. The fleet was introduced to the RAF in 2012 and currently has 24 helicopters operated by 33 and 230 Squadrons, both based at RAF Benson. The aircraft have seen military action in Afghanistan. Mr Howell, who had spoken in the House of Commons about concerns over the future of the fleet, said: I am delighted to see the continuation of Puma 2 and that this contract has been awarded. We only have to look at the contribution that these aircraft have made to operations around the world, whether deploying in Afghanistan in support of Operation Toral or supporting vital aid in the Caribbean following the recent hurricane disasters, the Pumas have shown their enormous ability to be ready for operations within a few hours of arrival. Ian Morris, head of UK defence programmes at Airbus Helicopters, said: This follow-on contract reaffirms the confidence that the Ministry of Defence has in the aircraft and in Airbus to continue to provide a cost- effective and highly capable solution to supporting our forces on operations in very demanding conditions. China's leading travel information provider Qunar has been fined nearly 100,000 yuan (around 15,000 US dollars) for overcharging consumers who booked flights on their platform. Beijing's pricing monitor, the Beijing Municipal Commission of Development and Reform, has been investigating the company's pricing for the last few months. The inspection found that an online air ticket agency believed to be owned by Qunar, had sold a total of 307 tickets between Changsha and Urumqi in the past two years above standard prices. According to the authorities, Qunar overcharged around 24,980 yuan (3,800 US dollars) and violated the country's pricing law, as well as a Civil Aviation Administration regulation, which forbids any ticketing agency from adding surcharges or bundling services together. Qunar was asked to return the overcharges to customers, but only paid back 23,910 yuan (3,600 US dollars) to consumers. The commission has confiscated the rest of the overcharge amount, and wrote out "a fine ticket" to the company. Adding surcharges to flights booked online has been a target of complaints on Chinese social media this year, but were often ignored by Qunar, as the company seemingly buried its head in the sand. In October this year, Chinese celebrity Han Xue, slammed Ctrip, a Shanghai-based provider of travel services, for bundling services, or obscuring the cost of a ticket by adding services that a customer only sees in the cost breakdown. Han's complaint was echoed by others on Weibo, who also experienced being overcharged. Some of China's travel sites automatically tick additional services, which can be easily bypassed by customers. Most of the extra services are related to travel insurance or car rentals. The Guards of Honor of the People's Liberation Army perform the national flag-raising duty at the Tian'anmen Square in Beijing, Jan 1, 2018. The responsibility for guarding China's national flag and firing salute cannons at the Tian'anmen Square was transferred to the People's Liberation Army from Jan 1, 2018, as authorized by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. Before Jan 1, the ceremony was conducted by the armed police. [Photo/Xinhua] Dozens of members from the People's Liberation Army Guards of Honor raised the national flag at Tian'anmen Square in central Beijing on Monday morning. This move has meant that the PLA has replaced the Armed Police Force to guard the national flag and fire salute cannons, as ordered by the Communist Party of China Central Committee on Saturday. Previously, national flags were raised, lowered and guarded by Armed Police officers at key sites such as government complexes, public squares and memorials. The Armed Police was also responsible for firing cannons at important occasions such as welcome ceremonies for State guests. Around 7:31 am, a group of 96 honor guards, headed by a flag holder and two escort guards, marched out from the central gate of the Tian'anmen Rostrum and walked past two columns of their peers standing across the Chang'an Avenue. They then reached the restricted zone around the flag post and stood in formation. At 7:36 am, an honor guard raised the national flag, which was accompanied by the national anthem played by a PLA band. 1 / 2 President Donald Trump smiles as he meets with members of the U.S. Coast Guard, who he invited to play golf, at Trump International Golf Club, Friday, Dec. 29, 2017, in West Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Evan Vucci, Associated Press 2 / 2 Michael Barone 2016 turned out to be a year in which it was wise to take Donald Trump as a political candidate seriously but not literally, in the inspired words of syndicated columnist Salena Zito. As 2017 is on the point of vanishing, its worth asking whether its time to take Trump seriously, if not literally, as a maker of public policy. At least thats the approach of two heterodox policy analysts, one a persistent skeptic and the other an early Trump fan. The skeptic is George Mason University economist Tyler Cowen, who co-hosts the blog Marginal Revolution. Like most economists, he tends to favor free trade and has not been converted by Trumps rants and tweets. But he sees a pattern where others see only mayhem. The real significance of the Trump economic revolution, he wrote in a Bloomberg column earlier this month, is a focus on investment. The goal of Trump and the Republicans who fashioned the tax cut package, he argues, is to make the U.S. a new and dominant center for investment, including at the expense of other nations. Their deep reduction in the corporate tax rate, from the highest in the developed world to below average, obviously will incentivize both U.S.- and foreign-based firms to invest here. Trumps rejection of the Trans-Pacific Partnership and renegotiation of NAFTA, in Cowens view, will make less developed Asian nations and Mexico less attractive alternatives to the U.S. for investors. Trump critics are right to say that this upends the regnant cliche the thrust of American policy since the years just after World War II. Then there was bipartisan agreement on encouraging free trade and foreign investment, as economist Douglas Irwin writes in Clashing Over Commerce. Europe was in ruins, and voters thought its revival was in our interest. But that was 70 years ago, and economic situations seldom remain static for so long. A revived Europe has turned sluggish, while low-wage nations in Asia, Latin America and even Africa are open for investment. First Japan and then China, and now others will be moving up as competitors. America has proved competitive at the top levels. But a country whose labor force is always going to include many low-skilled workers may have some continuing interest in incentivizing low-skilled employment. Thats not Cowens view or mine, but its apparently Trumps. Maybe its not just dismissible as crazy ranting. Something similar may be said for Trumps foreign policy, considered as a perhaps unstable amalgam of his soberly drafted National Security Strategy and his sometimes impulsive tweets. This view was recently explicated by David P. Goldman in the Asia Times. Trumps view, Goldman argues, is of an America that is more competitive than cooperative, not necessarily hostile to others but not willing to rely on assertions of abstract common interests. The National Security Strategy says, Competition does not always mean hostility, nor does it inevitably lead to conflict although none should doubt our commitment to defend our interests. The National Security Strategy has a tough enough approach to Russia to disabuse all but the most dogmatic believers of the notion that Trump is Vladimir Putins Manchurian candidate. It is sharply critical of some actions by Xi Jinpings China. It drops George W. Bushs earnest promotion of democracy in the Middle East and Barack Obamas gauzy faith that Iran will abandon its nuclear weapons program and become a normal constructive power in the region. On the contrary, Trump sees Iran as a clear enemy and Israel as a strong friend and looks with favor on the de facto, publicly unacknowledged alliance of Israel, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and other Arab states. Left on the back burner are the long-moribund Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, once considered the key to solving every regional problem. The National Security Strategy is even more explicit in promising to increase quadrilateral cooperation with Japan, Australia and India. This is another informal alliance, advanced intermittently by Trumps predecessors, with the potential to cabin in China. On Europe, the NSS reaffirms Trumps support of NATO but also suggests that Europeans arent doing enough themselves to repel threats from Russia, China and, especially, Islamic extremists. But Europe seems almost a footnote in contrast with the postwar years, when it was the central focus of the emerging bipartisan foreign policy. Then policymakers believed it was in Americas interest to revive and subsidize Europe. Trump believes that time is over. Thats one rational response, though you and I may not agree, to how things have changed over 70 years. Doctors recommend taking them half an hour before drinking alcohol. "Hangover preventions help the body break down alcohol more quickly and ease the side effects of drinking," said Jun Dae-won at Hanyang University Medical Center. The festive season is a time for heavy drinking, and hangover preventions can really help make the morning after easier. Hangover preventions are divided into products that help break down alcohol and those that activate the liver. "It's better to take them before drinking, but taking them afterward can also help," Jun said. The morning after, tea or other infusions also help by replenishing much-needed fluids. Jun said honey water or fruit juice with high sugar content are beneficial. A figure styled as Donald Trump is booed off stage by a rowdy audience enjoying the thrills of British pantomime, bringing a contemporary twist to traditional fairy tales. Up and down the country over the festive season, children and adults alike flock to theatres to watch a panto -- complete with princesses, political jibes and innuendo. Audiences attending pantomimes instinctively know when to yell out stock phrases such as Hes behind you!, while newcomers quickly learn when to join the collective hissing or cheering. Lots of Americans who come in are just wide-eyed and cant believe it! And by the end theyve got it, theyre joining in too, said Susie McKenna, director and actor who plays the Wicked Stepmother in Cinderella at Londons Hackney Empire theatre. It is definitely unique, it is definitely quintessentially British. Pantomime traces its origins to the 16th-century Commedia dellArte, a form of Italian street theatre which travelled to Britain, according to Londons Victoria and Albert Museum. It was transformed through London theatres, initially with music but no dialogue, morphing into the familiar Christmas panto during the Victorian era. Pantomimes are now staged at theatres across Britain, often starring a local celebrity and actors of all ages. Actor Darren Hart performs as Buttons in a production of the pantomime 'Cinderella' at the Hackney Empire theatre in London. (AFP/Hackney Empire/Robery Workman) In Hackney, McKenna has been writing the annual festive show for nearly 20 years and has become accustomed to another tradition -- weaving in references to recent events. This year because we were talking about the travesty that is Brexit, we have a character whos Italian whos going to be deported, she lamented, reflecting the views of the largely pro-EU neighbourhood. Tax havens and fake news also get a mention, while the brief appearance of Trump at the royal ball -- which Cinderella flees at midnight -- speaks to the ongoing saga of the US presidents planned state visit to the UK. So many people have said to me it was such a release, to feel that they could boo him, said McKenna, recalling audiences delight when Trump is banished from the ball. For Darren Hart, who plays Cinderellas best friend Buttons, contemporary audiences are open to a recap of news alongside their musical theatre. Thats how fast society is now and how fast we are with our media, he said. Referencing social culture but having our twist on it, and allowing the audience to debate it more afterwards. Weinstein scandal While pantomimes fill big theatres, new spaces are also tackling the genre with one London show this season being performed in a converted caravan. Caravantomime takes on the fairy tale Sleeping Beauty, whose star joins forces with a lost Cinderella to change both their destinies. With a bit of sense of humour, we question whats going on in certain fairy tales, and we absolutely bring in whats been happening, said Robin Steegman, creator of the 20-minute show she describes as an anti-panto. Actress Aisha Jawando performs as Cinderella in a production of the pantomime 'Cinderella' at the Hackney Empire theatre in London. (AFP/Hackney Empire/Robery Workman) Steegman gives her heroines the agency they lack in their original stories, while also making direct reference to disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein -- who is facing multiple accusations of sexual misconduct, which he denies. Sexual harassment, I think, especially in this climate, its good to bring it to life that it happens in many situations, she said. But although Steegman has overhauled the fairy tale ending, her play has kept true to panto form with its wider cultural references and men in drag. Breaking down barriers As well established as the pantomime horse -- played by two actors inside a furry costume -- the pantomime sees a male actor take on a lead female role. While men and boys have played female parts for centuries in Britain, largely due to societal restrictions placed on women, Hart believes that continuing to bend the gender norms can help children become more open-minded as they grow up. What it allows them to do is to break down those barriers that may form later on in life and the questions they may ask. Because a lot of children dont question it, he said. But beyond the celebrated traditions on stage, the key to a successful panto is the audience. Its different to normal theatre, because normal theatre is like watching a TV boxset but its live, said Aisha Jawando, who plays Cinderella at Hackney Empire. Panto is very inclusive. We want to hear people making noise, she added. Hart agreed, rolling off a list of pantomime essentials including a good script and a great dame. The last thing is an audience that is willing to have a good time. Theres no point coming to a panto expecting to just sit there and watch it, its a waste! Follow @htlifeandstyle for more Hundreds of families in Bundelkhand are forced to spend their nights in the biting cold because they have not received funds for constructing houses under the Pradhan Mantri Aawas Yojna. With their old houses demolished, they now reside in makeshift shanties that do little to keep the elements at bay. A majority of such families live in Sagar and Tikamgarh districts. The beneficiaries are slated to get Rs 2.5 lakh in three instalments under the scheme. Eligible candidates have to first demolish their houses, provide a layout marking of their plot, and then approach the officials with photographic evidence. The instalments are sanctioned in accordance with the progress of house construction. The authorities are supposed to inspect the structure after the first phase, following which the second instalment is sanctioned. But hundreds of these beneficiaries continue to await funds after clearing the plots for house construction, officials said on the condition of anonymity. As per official sources, Sagar districts Khurai Nagar Palika alone has as many as 2,050 houses slated for construction under the scheme. However, only 1,185 beneficiaries have received sanction letters until now. Kaladevi Vishwakarma, a resident of Nanak ward, said she demolished her house over two months ago and submitted photographs of the layout to the officials concerned. However, we have not even received the first instalment until now. We are weathering the winter in a makeshift shanty these days, and my husband blames me (for signing up for the scheme), she said. Rani, a neighbour, said she has spent the last four months waiting for the first instalment of funds. Two others, Bharat Mukherjee and Rano Bi, told HT that they have been waiting for two. Tulsa Bai is luckier, but only just. Her family laid the foundations of the house and side walls after receiving the first two instalments, but the third seems to be stuck in red tape. Only after receiving the third instalment can we complete our house, she said. Khurai Nagar Palika chief municipal officer BL Singh said the bank accounts of some beneficiaries became defunct due to lack of transactions, and officials were in the process of renewing them. They should be able to resume work on their houses soon, he added. Beneficiaries at Badagaon Nagar panchayat in Tikamgarh district have similar complaints. Tillu Khagar from ward 12 said he demolished his old house, after which he received Rs 40,000 as the first instalment. We laid the foundations of our new residence with that, but then the money stopped coming in. We have been living in chilly conditions for two months now, he added. Bhaiyan Khagar, another beneficiary from the same ward, is also awaiting his second instalment of building funds. His neighbour, Raju, has not even received the first one. Badagaon Nagar panchayat president Ram Charan Kasgar denied reports that the administration has stopped depositing funds into the bank accounts of beneficiaries. A team from Bhopal has to inspect the progress for the second and third instalments. We hope they come soon, he added. Sagar division commissioner Ashutosh Awasthi, whose jurisdiction extends over the five districts of Bundelkhand region, said he will investigate the matter and take appropriate action. The Pradhan Mantri Aawas Yojana is meant to benefit the people. Action will be taken against officials who cause inordinate delays in its implementation, he added. While the world geared up for the new year, Shah Rukh Khans wife Gauri and daughter Suhana were busy looking gorgeous at a family wedding over the weekend. The 17-year-old daughter of SRK, who usually rocks western outfits in her outings, is spotted in several traditional attires from the event. She is seen sporting sage green, maroon and pink lehengas in different pictures that are going viral online. It was a Delhi function where Suhana wore a Monisha Jaising lehenga in sage green, hand-embroidered with silken thread and accents of crystals for the wedding. Before the wedding, Suhana also participated in other functions and wore a floral pink lehenga and a maroon lehenga for two different ocassions. #wedding #lehenga #suhanakhan A post shared by Suhana Khan (@suhanakhan8) on Dec 30, 2017 at 10:59am PST A post shared by Suhana Khan (@suhanakhan8) on Dec 29, 2017 at 12:30pm PST Mom Gauri also accompanied Suhana for the family function. Suhana wants to be an actor and her dad, SRK believes she must be ready to face the existing gender pay gaps and other such discriminating practices. Suhana is more theatre-oriented and has been doing plays in college. The best part is that she doesnt want to learn (acting) from me. She wants to be an actor in her own right. She can be an actor if she has the passion and guts to work five times harder than me and get paid 10 times less than I do, if times dont change for women actors. I want her to experience what my female co-stars have gone through. My daughter will be an actor like them and I want to feel the pain, he said in an interview while promoting his recent film, Jab Harry Met Sejal. Khan, however, has been insistent that Suhana must complete her education before plunging into the industry. Suhana wants to be an actress. I see that zeal in her. Shes extremely good on stage, Ive seen her performances. Shes admittedly a cinema fan and wants to be in the industry. But my point is simple you need to complete your education before doing anything. Thats the only thing I have told my children, he said in October last year. Follow @htshowbiz for more Catalonia's fugitive former president has called for Spanish authorities to open negotiations regarding the restitution of what he calls his "legitimate government." Carles Puigdemont said via social media channels from Brussels on Saturday that Spain should "recognize the election results of Dec. 21 and start negotiating politically with the legitimate government of Catalonia." Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy deposed Puigdemont and his Cabinet after Catalonia's regional parliament voted in favor of a declaration of independence from the rest of the country in October. A 27-year-old civil services aspirant was found hanging from a ceiling fan at a paying guest (PG) accommodation in north Delhis Nehru Vihar near Timarpur where she had been staying for the last eight months, police said on Monday. Police suspect it to be a case of suicide as the room, on the third floor, in which the woman was found hanging was locked from inside. A suicide note was also found in the room. The note states that the deceased was allegedly ending her life because she had an ugly face, said police. The woman has written that she was upset because of her face. She has also written that she was taking the extreme step on her own and nobody should be held responsible for her death, said a police officer. An inquiry by a local sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) has been ordered because rules stipulate that if a married woman dies in a marriage of less than seven years, an SDM inquiry had to be initiated. The victim has been identified as Juhi. She belonged to Kashipur in Uttarakhand. Police have not shared her last name. They said she had been married to a businessman in Kashipur for the last six years. The couple did not have a child. Jatin Narwal, deputy commissioner of police (north), said the incident was reported to them around 10.30 am by a woman resident of the PG accommodation, where the suicide took place. The caller lives on the same floor but in a separate room. The woman told the police that Juhi had locked her room from inside and was not responding to repeated knocks on the door and calls on her mobile phone. A police team reached and broke open the door. Juhi was found hanging from a ceiling fan. Her body was taken to a nearby hospital where doctors confirmed her brought dead. The body was later sent to a local government hospitals mortuary for an autopsy. Juhis family members were informed about her death. We are waiting for the SDMs report. Further action will be taken as per the SDMs suggestion and the womans autopsy report, added Narwal. Delhi Police crime branch has arrested a 22-year-old man who, with his friends, had allegedly hacked to death his neighbour over suspicion that he was having an affair with his wife, police said on Monday. The crime took place in September 10, 2017 and a case of murder was registered the next day at the Samaypur Badli police station. The alleged accused, Dhiresh Narayan, had allegedly chopped off his neighbour Javed Ansaris head and threw it in an isolated field in outer Delhis Siraspur village in Samaypur Badli area, police said. His two friends were arrested and a juvenile was apprehended while the prime accused was on the run along with his other partner in crime, said police. Joy Tirkey, deputy commissioner of police (crime branch), said Narayan was arrested around 10am on Monday from near Mukarba Chowk while he was waiting at a bus stop to board a bus heading to Punjab. A police team was formed after we learnt about Narayans plan and laid a trap near the bus stop. The team caught Nayaran soon after he reached there, said Tirkey. During the interrogation, Narayan allegedly confessed to his involvement in planning and executing the murder of Ansari. Narayan told the police that he suspected Ansari of having an affair with his wife. He spoke to Ansari several times, asking him to stay away from his wife. Ansari allegedly promised Narayan that he would not meet or speak to his wife again. However, after sensing that Ansari was not keeping his promise and was still seeing his wife, Narayan planned to teach Ansari a lesson, said an investigator, adding that Narayan roped in his friends Suman, Rahul, Gulab Singh and a minor boy to execute the murder plan. On the night of September 10, the officer said, Narayan allegedly lured Ansari to an isolated spot on the pretext of sorting out their differences. When they reached, Narayans friends allegedly overpowered and assaulted Ansari. Narayan then chopped off Ansaris head using a Dao (large flat Chinese blade used to cut wood). He carried Ansaris head in his hand and dumped it in a field some distance away from the murder spot, said Tirkey adding Gulab Singh and Rahul were arrested and the juvenile was apprehended by the local police. A reward of Rs 20,000 each was announced on Narayan and Sumans arrests. This delicious and supremely rich halwa from deep inside the bylanes of Old Delhi actually looks dark brown to our uncertain eyes but that doesnt matter it has been decided by locals that it is black in colour, period. After talking to a couple of local gourmands, including a cookbook author on Delhis cuisines, we can safely declare that Haneef Doodhwalla mithai shop makes the best black halwa in town. Here we are with its owner, Firoz Ahmed, who is sitting behind the shops tiny counter. It was Mr Ahmeds father, Haji Mohammed Haneef, who founded this landmark in 1948 in a narrow dumpy lane in Ballimaran, where it stands to this day. This famous Walled City neighbourhood, crammed with stores selling shoes and eye-glasses, is of course known for being the last address of Urdu poet Mirza Ghalib the remains of his mansion are just around the corner. While the shop also sells fresh buffalo milk and curd, Haneef Doodhwalla is primarily known for its halwa. This sticky sweetmeat is prepared during the less hot seasons, from October to March. Why? Well, the reason is quite naughty. Said to heat up the body, the sticky dish is recommended for men wanting to be proficient lovers. Mr Ahmeds shop prepares 50 kgs of halwa daily. We are told that pure fresh buffalo milk has to be boiled for eight hours in colossal karahis until it is reduced to a black mess. The halwa consists of desi ghee, maida, samnak (sprouted wheat), sugar, kewra (rose essence), saffron and chopped dried fruits such as almonds, cashew and pistachio. The story of Haneef Doodhwallas halwa begins with Haneefs childhood. He was a kitchen boy in the house of Mohammed Deen Chatrriwalle, a wealthy Punjabi family that migrated to Shahjahanabad from Multan (now in Pakistan) in the 18th century. They were part of a larger community that formed a gated Old Delhi enclave in Ballimaran, appropriately called Punjabi Phatak. The Chatrriwalle later left the Walled City, and their home passed on to young Haneef. He set up a modest paan-beedi stall, which was later turned into the present dairy. At our request, Mr Ahmad takes us into his living quarters close by, where the halwa is made. The sprawling house is a sight to behold. Longtime karigars (workers), migrants from Bihar, are squatting quietly on the courtyards floor, their hands expertly engaged in the various stages of halwa preparation. The air is suffused with a kind of milky scent. We are also nudged to admire the cover of the Haneef Doodhwallas mithai box in which the halwa is packed for customers. Turns out that it, too, has a story. The box shows the illustration of ghantaghar, the Chandni Chowk clock tower that was burnt down by a fire in the 1940s. Mr Ahmad explains its significance. Near this clock tower was the halwai shop of Abdul Khaliq, under whom my father learned making this halwa. After Partition, while Khaliq migrated to Karachi in Pakistan, father stayed back. The ghantagar on the box is his tribute to his ustad (master). Mr Ahmad also shows us a rare postcard of the extinct ghantaghar, now a family heirloom that he keeps locked inside a drawer. He admits that Khaliqs descendants continue to make the same halwa in Karachi, but you cant get Dilli ka paani (Delhi water) in Pakistan so it doesnt taste the same as the one that originally made them famous. Haneef Doodhwalla died in 1992. He lies buried in the Delhi Gate graveyard. Since then, the family business has been expanded by his sons to include guesthouses and retail stores. The founders legacy continues nevertheless. Priced at Rs 320 per kg, the cardamom-flavoured halwa is gooey, rich and as they say potent. Finally, we urge Mr Ahamd to give away the recipe. Im used to making large quantities daily, so I dont think it can be made for four or six people at home the same way, he warns us but with great politeness. And then he thoughtfully adds: No, dont delude yourself in thinking that your homemade halwa, even using our recipe, can have the same taste as the halwa youll get from us. We get it, sir. The Delhi government on Monday launched a scheme, enabling the ration card holders to buy from any fair price shop (FPS) in the city. Currently, the ration under public distribution system can be bought only from the registered ration shops in the locality. Terming the move as a New Year gift to the beneficiaries, food and civil supplies minister Imran Hussain on Monday said that the ration distribution at all fair price shops of the city has been made online. He said that digitisation was made possible with the department starting distributing ration through e-point of sale device (e-PoS) at all 2,254 fair-price shops on one-month trial basis. The consumers can either pay cash or online. The minister said after the trial run, the government may consider a complete roll out from February. We have introduced ration portability scheme under which ration card holders can procure ration from any fair-price shop while shifting completely to the PoS device. However, this facility will be available only for online transactions. To avail this facility, biometric data of the beneficiaries must match the official record, Hussain told reporters. The e-PoS devices have been integrated with electronic weighing machines to ensure that the beneficiaries get the correct amount of ration. Currently, the Delhi government distributes specified food articles to the tune of 3.75 lakh quintals to 72.78 lakh beneficiaries per month in the national capital. The minister said that the new system would have a robust mechanism for verification of beneficiaries through the Aadhar authentication, and has features to monitor transactions online. Distribution of food grains to 8% of the total card holders will be allowed off line so that the beneficiaries whose Aadhar authentication either fails or who still do not possess Aadhar cards do not face problem, Hussain said. The minister also said that the department has agreed to consider a long pending demand of FPS owners to increase the margin money in order to enable them to bear the costs of running the shops. The department has made a proposal to increase the margin money for fair price shop owners from Rs 70 per quintal to Rs 200 per quintal (from 70 paisa per kg to Rs 2 per kg) which is under active consideration of the government. The proposal will soon be tabled in the Cabinet meeting for the approval, the minister said. Doctors in private hospitals will not attend to patients in the out patient department (OPD) on Tuesday in protest against a central bill, which seeks to replace the Medical Council of India (MCI) with the new body under the National Medical Commission Act (NMCA). As many as 500 private doctors will sit on a one-day strike at the Huda Gymkhana Club. While medical services are likely to be hit due to the protest, emergency services will remain unaffected. According to members of the Indian Medical Association, the National medical Commission (NMC) bill was tabled in Parliament on December 29 and discussions on it will take place on Wednesday. The Gurgaon IMA members gathered at the Huda Gymkhana Club on Monday evening and decided to strike work to register their protest. The proposed Act is not acceptable to us as it will encourage malpractice and will result in more people practising medicine without licence across the country. Private medical colleges will increase their fees and hospital charges as per their wish, nullifying whatever solace the National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) brought. Aspirants will be unable to get admission to reputed medical colleges on merit, as 50% seats will be reserved, Dr. Anil Hans, secretary, Indian Medical Association, Haryana, said. The IMA members have already written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union health minister JP Nadda requesting them to redraft the bill and mend several provisions to protect the interest of doctors who hold MBBS degree. The new Act will allow AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy) graduates to practice allopathy after completing a bridge course, Dr. Munish Prabhakar, president, IMA Haryana, said. How can the government think of abolishing a democratic institution and replace it with a new body? Hans asked. If the Bill is passed in the Parliament, the commission will have a government-nominated chairman and members. The board members will be selected by a search committee under the cabinet secretary. Earlier on December 15, city doctors had held a similar protest against the Clinical Establishment Act, 2010, citing provisions which they claimed were against their interests. Why doctors are opposing the Bill It will legalise quackery by enabling Ayush to practice Modern medicine after a bridge course. Doctors have called this a public health disaster. Bill will restrict doctors holding MBBS degree from practising and decrease their clinical acumen, as it imposes licentiate exam It will increase corruption as there are many flaws in granting permission to medical colleges Medical education will become unaffordable as private managements will get to decide fees for 60 to 100% seats The National Medical Commission will be a nominated body. Doctors said this is against the federal structure, as the states will lose representation As partygoers and revellers flocked to Mehrauli-Gurgaon (MG) Road on New Years Eve, Gurgaon police were forced to wield batons to control hooligans. Police said one person has been arrested for creating a ruckus on the night. A video circulated on the social media shows two men being thrashed by Gurgaon police officers as well as security guards outside the entrance of Sahara Mall on Sunday night . Gurgaon police officials confirmed the incident and said that a group of men were asked to present their identification cards (ID) by the mall guards at the checkpoint as they tried to force their way into the mall. As per protocol, visitors have to flash some identity proof to gain access to the mall. Police said the men refused to show their ID cards and got into a heated argument with the mall guards. One of them even claimed to be an excise officer, the police said. When one of the hooligans hit a guard, the police went after them with batons. The men were disrupting law and order and the police officers were forced to act. However, no incidents of eve-teasing were reported, sub inspector Moolchand, in-charge of MG Road police post, said. The police identified the accused as Amit Roy, 25, a resident of Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh. The video that went viral on the social media shows people gathered outside the malls entrance. A group of police officials and security guards could be seen escorting two men towards the exit. Read I Gurgaon: Traffic police fine 24,842 vehicles on Zero Tolerance Day The men suddenly got into a tussle, prompting police to use batons on them, as they attempted to flee the spot. Mall Mile has been witness to several untoward incidents in the past. On December 31, 2011, a woman was allegedly groped and molested by a mob of 30 revellers outside Sahara mall, forcing police to use batons on the accused. In the subsequent years, several instances of brawls at pubs and overcrowding on MG Road were reported in the area, prompting the police to stop traffic movement on Mall Mile from 2013 onwards. The police had declared the MG Road a no vehicle-zone after 6pm, leaving many commuters livid. Partygoers also had trouble hailing cabs to hit up fun zones to ring in the new year. As celebrations began, severe congestion was reported on several arterial roads and even on the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway at Iffco chowk, Signature Tower and near Ambience Mall. Ravinder Kumar, PRO, Gurgaon police, said elaborate arrangements were made to divert traffic for smooth flow in areas where people were expected to flock in. Members of Manesar panchayat said on Monday that the 59-acre plot, which the state government said has been transferred to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for shifting the Kherki Daula toll plaza is still in its possession. Members of the panchayat held a meeting, chaired by sarpanch Puja Kumari last Thursday to hold discussions on the future course in the light of chief ministers Manohar Lal Khattars announcement on December 26 that 65 acres have already been handed over the NHAI for relocation of the toll plaza, which has been locked in a dispute over its transfer, over the last few months. Of the 65 acres required for setting up the new toll plaza at Sehrawan, 59 acres belong to the Manesar panchayat. In November, the village panchayat, in a meeting, decided not release their land on lease to the NHAI. The chief ministers announcement, indeed, came as a surprise, Kumari said. Manesar residents had, for long, been pleading for shifting the Kherki toll 5 km away from Sehrawan towards Kundil-Manesar-Palwal. Dharambir, district councillor of the area, said, As per the resolution arrived at in our meeting, we proposed that the state government shifts the Kherki toll 5 km away from Sehrawan towards KMP. It would help us save 50 acres of our land. However, the Haryana government has not yet cleared its stand in this regard. After CMs announcement on December 26, the NHAI was asked to take possession of the land. The NHAI has to complete the toll shifting process within three months of getting possession of the land. Read I MCEPL biggest hurdle in Kherki Daula toll shift The CMs announcement came as a major hope for people who have been keenly awaiting the removal of the toll from Kherki Daula. Sudhir Chaudhary, a local activist, said, CMs announcement was false in letter and spirit. The 59 acres in question has not been transferred to the NHAI. Ashok Sharma, project director (PD), NHAI, Gurgaon, could not be reached for his comments in the matter. Vinay Pratap Singh, deputy commissioner (DC), Gurgaon said, We will look into the matter. Kherki Daula toll shifting is an issue that has been pending for long and both the state and the central governments are under pressure to yield to the demand of residents to have the toll point relocated. In August 2017, Nitin Gadkari, Union minister for road transport and highways, had announced the shifting of the toll from Kherki Daula to Sehrawan. Following his announcement, a committee was set up under AK Sharma to expedite the shifting process. According to a study conducted by the Millennium City Expressway Private Limited (MCEPL) that runs the toll, Sehrawan is a low-potential zone for revenue generation as compared to Kherki Daula, making the shift non-viable for the consortium. At least 18 people, including minors, died in separate incidents across the country on the New Years Eve and Monday, the police said. According to officials, five men drowned in the Damodar river in West Bengal on Sunday while on a picnic. The residents of Sripally area in West Burdwan, all 21 years old, were killed after they stepped into the quicksand on the river bed and were sucked into the waters near Burnpur. The area where they went for a picnic is not frequented by revellers, Debasish Banerjee, a local resident and former councillor of Asansol municipality, said. The police said a ban has been imposed on going into the river in those areas due to strong currents. In another incident in the eastern state, five people were killed after their car was hit by a truck in Hooghly district while they were returning home from Digha on the New Years Eve. One person has been taken to a hospital. We have detained the truck and its driver, HK Pai, sub-divisional police officer of Arambag, said. Three boys were feared drowned in Bihars Bhagalpur district on Monday when a country boat capsized in the Ganga river. Locals said nine boys, all between 11 and 13, were going to a riverine village across the Ganga for a picnic when the boat sank at Ranjdihpur village in Sabour police station area of Bhagalpur district, 235km east of state capital Patna. Bhagalpurs senior superintendent of police Manoj Kumar said six boys were rescued by local divers. Three boys were still missing, he said, adding that personnel of National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Force have been pressed into service to search for them. A 24-year-old man under the influence of alcohol crushed four people, including three minors, to death in Andhra Pradeshs Kadapa district. The incident occurred early on Monday near Indiranagar in Pendlimarri block when the group was sitting around a fire, police said. The driver of the car was also killed in the accident. Police said the four people, including the driver, travelling in the car were drunk. One escaped immediately after the crash while two others were arrested. A total of 457 Indian prisoners, including 399 fishermen, are languishing in Pakistani jails, according to a list the Pakistans government handed over to the Indian High Commission in Islamabad on Monday. The Foreign Office said the step of giving the list of prisoners was consistent with the provisions of the Consular Access Agreement between Pakistan and India, signed on May 21, 2008. Under the agreement, both countries are required to exchange lists of prisoners in each others custody twice a year, on January 1 and July 1. Pakistan today handed over a list of 457 Indian prisoners 58 civil prisoners and 399 fishermen in Pakistan, to the High Commission of India in Islamabad, it said. It further said Pakistan will release 146 fishermen on January 8. The Foreign Office said India will also hand over the list of Pakistani prisoners to Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi. Fishermen from Pakistan and India are frequently detained for illegally fishing in each others territorial waters since the Arabian Sea does not have a clearly defined marine border and the wooden boats lack the technology to avoid being drifting away. MIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday rejected claims by Prime Minister Narendra Modi that he had facilitated Muslim womens travel for Haj without Mahram. The Hyderabad MP said that a regulation by Haj authorities of Saudi Arabia was in force for many years which allow women above the age of 45 years to perform Haj without a Mahram if they travel with a group. He told reporters here that women above 45 years of age from Indonesia, Malaysia and several other countries had been performing Haj under this Saudi regulation. Mahram is a male relative of a woman with whom she is permanently forbidden to marry by Islam. Modi in his Mann Ki Baat speech on Sunday had said that his government had removed the restriction which allows Muslim women to perform Haj only in the company of Mahram. He had stated that injustice was done to women for decades. It has become the habit of the Prime Minister to claim credit for everything. If tomorrow women in Saudi Arabia are allowed to drive, he will claim credit for the same, he said. The MP said if Modi had so much concern for Muslim women, he should do justice to Zakia Jafri, widow of former MP Ehsan Jafri who was killed in the 2002 Gujarat riots. This is all tokenism. If Modi is really concerned about Muslim women, he should provide 7 percent reservation for them in education. He has two-third majority in Parliament and he can bulldoze a bill in this regard, the MP said On the passing of a bill in Lok Sabha over triple talaq, the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) President said that if it became a legislation, it would be the biggest injustice to Muslim women. He argued that since marriage in Islam was a civil contract, there could be no penal provision. He also pointed out that the Supreme Court in its order on the issue did not ask the government to bring a criminal law. The government is saying that Muslim countries have banned triple talaq but the fact is that there is no penal provision in any Muslim country. Owaisi alleged that the real objective of the government was to do away with all forms of talaq and snatch Sharia from Muslims. The MP said abandonment of married women was a bigger problem than divorce. The rate of abandonment is twice the rate of divorce. There are 24 lakh abandoned women and they include 20 lakh Hindu women, two lakh Muslim and 90,000 Christian women, he said. The married women should get their right to live with their husbands whether they are in Gujarat or in Delhi, he said. 29,322 new COVID cases in Kerala after 1.63L tests on Friday With this, the number of active COVID cases in the state rose to 2,46,437. Of the new cases, 27,874 contracted the virus through contact while 79 came from outside the state. The ministry for women and child development is setting up a website on which registrars from states across the country will have to upload details related to NRI marriages, in a move aimed at tacking the issue of NRI husbands abandoning or ill-treating their wives. On 20 December, the ministry also constituted an integrated nodal agency headed by its secretary to address all issues related to NRI marital disputes. The developments follow recommendations made by an inter-ministerial panel headed by external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj to review the legal and regulatory challenges faced by women deserted by NRI men. Having a website that has all data related to marriages of NRIs with Indian nationals, including the address of the NRI groom, where he works, etc. will help us to tackle complaints more promptly. It will be mandatory for registrars to upload all details soon after a marriage is registered, said a senior official of the ministry on condition of anonymity. Although there is no consolidated data available with the government on the number of women who marry NRIs every year (on average), on December 21, junior external affairs minister VK Singh told Parliament that Indian missions abroad received 3328 complaints from Indian women about marital disputes with their NRI spouses since 2015. Of this, 3268 were addressed by way of providing counselling to the women, and guidance and information about procedures, including on how to serve judicial summons to NRI husbands. The complaints ranged from grooms who disappeared soon after marrying women in India to husbands who were preventing their wives from travelling to India (and who had seized their passports); from husbands who abandoned their wives in a foreign country to those who had sent their wives back home but were not giving up the custody of their children. The increase in such cases in recent years hasnt gone unnoticed. Both Swaraj and the minister for women and child development Maneka Gandhi have been pushing for a legal framework to address these issues. The ministerial panel led by Swaraj has also recommended uploading the court summons issued to NRI men on the website. The panel has suggested that the law ministry amend the Indian Evidence Act to make the summons served on the website legally tenable, said a second government official who too spoke on condition of anonymity. That could address a major problem Indian authorities face in dealing with NRI husbands: Indian Missions and Posts have no means enforcing the order abroad, except when the other country accepts the request for mutual legal assistance. The panel also recommended that all NRI marriages be registered within a week after they are solemnised. The law ministry, which is in the process of bringing a law to make registration of all marriage mandatory, has been directed to examine the proposal, added the official in the ministry of women and child development. Currently, only a handful of states including Punjab, which was the first, compulsorily register NRI marriages. The MEA had in May set up a nine-member panel headed by retired judge Arvind Kumar Goel (who is also the former chairman of Punjabs state commission for NRIs). In its report submitted last month, the Goel panel had recommended impounding/cancelling the passport of NRIs who harass their wives for dowry or abuse and desert them in foreign land. It also recommended that cases of domestic violence be included in the scope of Indias extradition treaties with other countries. Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chief Yasin Malik took up the cause of prisoners, including retired Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav jailed in Pakistan, in an open letter to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. In the letter released to the media here on Sunday, he said that he was touched by Swarajs speech in Parliament on December 28 about the treatment meted out to Jadhavs family in Pakistan. ...your words touched the chords of my heart and as a person who has seen the miseries of jail life, I could envisage the tribulation Jadhavs wife and mother had to go through, he said. The JKLF chief called upon Pakistan to follow in letter and spirit the rights of a prisoner. Allow me to use this occasion to call upon Pakistani authorities...their (prisoners) right to mutual meetings and a fair trial are well established facts that need to be pursued in letter and spirit, the letter read. Malik, however, added that Indias record on the matter was also not dazzling. India has accused Pakistan of violating mutual understandings on Jadhavs meeting with his wife and mother in Islamabad on December 25. Jadhav, who was captured in March last year, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court for alleged spying, an accusation that India has dismissed as concocted. New Delhi says Jadhav was kidnapped in Iran where he had legitimate business interests, and brought to Pakistan. To save Jadhav, India moved the International Court of Justice, which ordered Pakistan in May to stay his execution. Two young Kashmiris, aged 16 and 21, were among the three suicide attackers who targeted the CRPF camp at Lethpora in Pulwama in the Valley on Sunday, resulting in death of five troopers -- a fact people in law administration and security forces find worrying because instances of direct local involvement in such attacks is rare. The people added that instances of such involvement are few and far between, even across the 28-year long militant campaign in the Valley -- not more than half-a dozen times, they said. In April, 2000, 17-year-old boy Afaaq Ahmad Shah, resident of Khanyar in the state capital, carried out what is considered to be first suicide attack in the trouble-torn Valley, at the 15 Corps HQ. The most recent instance where a local was found to be involved in a suicide mission, was in 2010 in the Lal Chowk attack. It is worrisome. The youth are being brainwashed by Pakistan to die in this manner, said Jammu and Kashmir police chief SP Vaid . Jaish-e-Mohammed, the terror group responsible for the Pulwama attack, justified using a minor as a suicide attacker saying the trio offered themselves for the mission. A Jaish statement identified the third terrorist who participated in the attack as Abdul Shakur from Rawalakot in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). CRPF officials in Delhi said Whatsapp groups active in PoK have identified the third militant as Ali Sozal . Kashmiris have been part of suicide missions before but not in majority (two of three terrorists), said Sheikh Mushtaq, senior journalist and former Reuters Bureau Chief in Kashmir. The two Kashmiris have have been identified as Fardeen Mohiuddin Khanday, 16, resident of Hiana in Tral and Manzoor Ahmad Baba, 21, resident of Drubgam in Pulwama. Khanday, who is son of Jammu and Kashmir police head constable Ghulam Mohiuddin Khanday, left a 7.52 minutes video saying that by the time the video is released he would be in paradise'. Fardeen was known to the security establishment in the Valley as he was found to be in touch with a Jaish militant killed in March last year. Similarly, the second local suicide attacker, Manzoor Ahmad Baba used to drive a taxi before he joined Jaish on November 7, a day after another Jaish militant he was closely associated with was killed by security forces, said a senior security forces official in Srinagar. By releasing Fardeens video, Jaish seems to have taken a leaf out of book of global terror outfits such as al Qaeda and Islamic State, which regularly release video messages of their Fidayeens. In his video message, Fardeen, speaking in Urdu, claims the rise of militancy has nothing to do with unemployment as being portrayed by India; Its a reaction to Kashmir's occupation by India he adds. The Infidels have occupied our land, modesty of our women is at stake, so Jihad becomes our duty, he rants. The teenager eulogises Jaish terror leader Maulana Masood Azhar, and parliament attack convict Afzal Guru. Fardeen went missing on September 15, 2017. Nearly a month later, a picture of the missing boy appeared on social media posing with an AK47 rifle with Jaish-e-Muhammad inscribed on corner of the picture. The inability of the executive and the top judiciary to reconcile their differences over a new mechanism for the selection of judges has led to a slowdown in appointments to the Supreme Court and high courts across the country, law ministry officials said on Monday. Appointments to the SC and high courts fell from 126 in 2016 to 115 in 2017 with only 12 new judges appointed to the high courts in the last three months of the year. As many as nine high courts are now being run by acting chief justices, and the Supreme Court is functioning with 25 judges, six short of the sanctioned strength of 31. Officials in the law ministry confirmed that the drop was because the executive and the judiciary had been unrelenting on two contentious clauses in the draft Memorandum of Procedure (MoP) that will modify the process of the selection of judges. A source privy to the exchanges between the two sides said that the government wants to have the power to reject a candidates name on the grounds of national security and wants a secretariat set up to examine complaints against judges, but the higher judiciary is not agreeable to these conditions. The shortfall could worsen in 2018, with seven more SC judges, including Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra, set to retire this year. The earliest retirement that of Justice Amitava Roy will be on March 1. We havent received the recommendations from the SC collegium either for chief justices of the high courts or the vacancies in the supreme court, a ministry official confirmed on Monday. According to the existing procedure, the process for appointing a judge should be started six months before a vacancy arises. The high courts, too, continue to function well below their sanctioned strength of 1,079, with 395 vacancies as of December 31. For many vacancies, we have not received the recommendations from the HC collegiums. The other appointments are in the pipeline, Minister of State for Law and Justice PP Chaudhary told Hindustan Times. Supreme Court judges are selected by the SC collegium a body of Indias five top judges headed by the CJI. The collegium sends its recommendations to the law ministry, which obtains a background check on the selected candidate from the Intelligence Bureau and a final nod from the Prime Ministers Office, after which the appointment is notified. For HC judges, the high courts have their own collegiums, which shortlist candidates and send the details to the law ministry. The ministry forwards their names, professional records and IB reports to the SC collegium, which takes a final decision. In 2014, Parliament had passed the National Judicial Appointments Commission Act, which sought to end the two-decade-old practice of judges appointing judges through collegiums, but the SC struck it down as unconstitutional on October 16, 2015. Later that year, the same bench, headed by Justice JS Khehar, ruled in favour of formulating a new MoP for greater transparency in appointment of judges. It asked the government to finalise the procedure in consultation with the CJI. While Chaudhary said the two sides were close to finding common ground, he added that the government is only going by what the SC ruled in 2015. We are still hopeful that the collegium will follow the judgment in letter and spirit. The government has no reservation in following the judgment while finalising the MoP, Chaudhary said. A part of a much-awaited list that aims to separate the genuine residents of border state Assam and illegal Bangladeshi immigrants was released Sunday midnight. The first part draft of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) for Assam that came out amid watertight security recognises 19 million people out of a total 32.9 million applicants as Indian citizens. Registrar general of India Shailesh said there was no need to panic as the verification process for the rest of the applicants was underway. Everybody should be patient to wait for the release of the final draft, he said. The NRC is being updated in Assam for the first time after 1951 with the aim of identifying those who may have entered the state from Bangladesh after March 25, 1971 a sensitive issue that led to a movement by the states indigenous people in the 1980s. Many fear an unabated influx, which has been going on for close to a century, is a threat to Assams identity. No timeline has been fixed for the release of the complete draft but officials say the process, which is being monitored by the Supreme Court, could take a few more months. Security has been tightened across the state as there were apprehensions about violence by those whose names are missing. No report of violence was reported till Monday morning. Muslims in the state are worried about whether their names will be included in the list. But with the first part draft getting published and hopes of inclusion of all names in the final draft, theres a sense of relief. But we will be watchful for few days. Since the draft was released online, it would take some days for people to reach NRC offices and physically verify if their names are in the list, Assam director general of police Mukesh Sahay told HT. Individuals, who can prove links with family members whose names appeared in the 1951 NRC or subsequent electoral rolls till March 25, 1971 will be included in the updated NRC. Physical verification of the updated first draft has begun at over 4,200 NRC centres across Assam. Long queues of people waiting to check their names were seen at several centres since early morning. To check for names in the draft NRC 1. Online verification at the following websites: a) www.nrcassam.nic.in b) www.assammygov.in c) www.assam.gov.in d) www.homeandpolitical.assam.gov.in 2. Physical verification of the draft at NRC seva kendras from 8am to 4pm on January 1 and from 10am to 4pm from January 2 to January 31 on all working days. 3. By sending SMS to 9765556555, 9108464438 and 9108464450. One needs to type ARN (Application Receipt Number), space, followed by 21 digit ARN number and send to the phone numbers. 4. Call 24/7 toll-free helpline nos 15107 (from Assam) and 18003453762 (from outside Assam) I was relieved to see names of all my seven family members in the first list. We have full faith in the system and are sure that names of those missing will get included in the next draft, said Nurul Ali, a farmer from Kaki in Nagaon district of central Assam. Besides the online and physical verification process till January 31, applicants can send text messages or call a 24/7 toll-free helpline to check if they figure in the list. The All Assam Students Union (AASU) led a mass agitation for six years against illegal immigrants, and the stir led to the signing of the Assam Accord in 1985. In 2005, as part of an agreement among central and state governments with the AASU, it was decided to update the 1951 NRC to prepare a comprehensive list of bona fide Indian citizens in the state. The process started in 2015. It got a big push after the nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, which made the issue of illegal immigrants a key poll plank, came to power in Assam for the first time in 2016. We are happy that the first draft of NRC has been released. It was a much-anticipated dream of all indigenous Assamese. We hope the complete draft, which doesnt include names of illegal Bangladeshi migrants, would be released soon, AASU adviser Samujjal Bhattacharya said. India on Monday reiterated its demand for consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav and Hamid Nehal Ansari, both currently in custody in Pakistan, as the two countries exchanged lists of prisoners being held in each others jails. Jadhav is currently on death row after a Pakistani military court gave him capital punishment for alleged involvement in espionage. Ansari, who was arrested after he illegally entered Pakistan in 2012 to meet a woman he befriended on social media, was given a three-year prison term by a military court that will end in December. We also await consular access to those Indian nationals in Pakistans custody for whom it has so far not been provided, including Kulbhushan Jadhav and Hamid Nehal Ansari, the external affairs ministry said in a statement. Both countries exchange lists of prisoners twice a year in line with the agreement on Consular Access signed in May 2008. According to the latest Indian list, there are 250 Pakistani civilians and 94 fishermen in Indian jails. Pakistan allowed Jadhav to meet his wife and mother on December 25 but Islamabads handling of the meeting sparked a row between the two countries. The Indian side also asked Pakistan to speed up the confirmation of the nationality another 58 Pakistani nationals, including four fishermen, who had completed their prison terms. The statement said a juvenile named Hasnain, whose nationality was verified by Pakistan, would be repatriated on Monday. Pakistans Foreign Office said in a statement that 457 Indians, including 58 civilians and 399 fishermen, were currently in the countrys prisons. Islamabad also announced it would release 146 Indian fishermen on January 8. The external affairs ministry statement said India is committed to addressing humanitarian matters, including those pertaining to prisoners and fishermen. The government has repeatedly emphasised the need for early release and repatriation of civilian prisoners, missing Indian defence personnel and fishermen along with their boats, it said. Both countries arrest hundreds of fishermen each year on charges of crossing the maritime boundary. Many of the fishermen languish in jail for months and even years after completing their sentences. On Monday, India and Pakistan also exchanged the lists of nuclear installations and facilities covered under the bilateral Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear Installations. The agreement, which was signed in December 1988 and entered into force in January 1991, states that the two countries should inform each other of nuclear installations and facilities to be covered under the pact on January 1 every calendar year. This was the 27th consecutive exchange of such lists between the two side since 1992. National security advisors of India and Pakistan held a secret meeting in Thailand, a senior Pakistani official said Monday. A Pakistans national security division official, on the condition of anonymity, said the meeting between Pakistans National Security Advisor retired Lt Gen Nasser Khan Janjua and Indias National Security Advisor Ajit Doval took place on December 27 in Thailand, The Dawn newspaper reported. The meeting was good. Dovals tone and tenor was friendly and positive, the official who had been briefed about the meeting disclosed. He was told the meeting was useful and said it might help in restarting some sort of engagement at the diplomatic level as well, the report said. According to the Pakistani official, the meeting came after Indian death-row prisoner Kulbhushan Jadhav met with his family on December 25 in Islamabad. While Pakistan termed its decision to allow Jadhavs family to travel to Pakistan to meet him as humanitarian gesture, India has accused it of violating mutual understandings, asserting that the Indian national appeared coerced and under considerable stress during the tightly controlled interaction. India also accused Pakistan of disregarding cultural and religious sensibilities of family members under the pretext of security. Jadhav, who was captured in March last year, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court for alleged spying, an accusation that India has dismissed as concocted. New Delhi says Jadhav was kidnapped in Iran where he had legitimate business interests, and brought to Pakistan. To save Jadhav, India moved the International Court of Justice, which ordered Pakistan in May to stay his execution. The Rajasthan government was planning to bring a law to award death penalty for raping girls aged 15 or below, sources said on Monday, a month after neighbouring Madhya Pradesh passed a similar bill. The Rajasthans home department was preparing a bill that would be presented during the budget session, expected to begin in the last week of February or the first week of March, sources said. The government intends to ensure safety of girls and women... that is why a move has been initiated for capital punishment in child rape cases, a government official told Hindustan Times. Rajasthan is ranked fifth in the country in crime against women, with 27,422 cases reported in 2016, National Crime Record Bureau data says. Of the 3,656 rape cases registered in the state, 777 were for assaulting victims who were 18 or younger. The bill also proposes a minimum of 14-year rigorous imprisonment or life imprisonment for raping a 15-year-old or a younger child, sources said. At present, assaulting a 16-year-old invites a maximum of a life term. Punishment for gang rape would be enhanced to death. Minimum sentence could be life imprisonment or 20 years in jail. The draft of the bill was ready and would be sent to the law department after the home ministers nod and then to the cabinet for approval, the official said. Once passed by the assembly, the bill would be sent to the governor who would forward it for the Presidents sanction. Necessary amendments will be required in IPC (Indian Penal Code) and criminal procedure code, the official said. In December, the Madhya Pradesh assembly passed a bill for punishing with death the rape of a girl aged 12 or below. Death penalty is prescribed for murder, gang robbery with murder, waging war against the state, some terror offences and also for repeating the crime of rape. There are several people on death row in India but the sentence is rarely carried out, as support for abolition of death penalty grows. A day after 14 people were killed in a fire at Kamala Mills Compound, Union minister of state for housing and urban development, Hardeep Singh Puri, termed the accident a wake-up call for Delhi even as he called for zero tolerance towards those flouting fire and safety norms. From the heaving alleys of Hauz Khas Village in South Delhi to the tightly packed commercial complexes in Lower Parel in Mumbai, hundreds of pubs and restaurants have mushroomed, with many disregarding even basic fire safety measures. In most cases, the buildings themselves have faulty designs. In some, rules have been flouted. Whatever the case, these are accidents waiting to happen. Corrupt restaurateurs, venal city administrators, and oblivious customers are a bad mix. Usually, no one notices anything until, as in Mumbai, things go horribly wrong. By then, it is too late. Still, there are lessons to be learnt, for those who are open to doing so. In September, the Delhi high court, while referring to the poor emergency and fire safety preparedness of Hauz Khas, termed the area a ticking time bomb. In many ways, thats an understatement. Hauz Khas restaurants and pubs are housed in multi-storey buildings in an area that resembles a rabbit warren. The roads, already narrow, have been encroached upon by some establishments, making it impossible for emergency services vehicles to access. Inside, the buildings are dimly lit, have narrow passageways (and narrower staircases). Worse, most have the same portal for entry and exit.Indeed, the Delhi Fire Services told the high court that the roads in Hauz Khas are so narrow that there is no space for fire tenders to turn into them. The local corporation doesnt seem perturbed too, said a person who owns a store in Hauz Khas. We have been asking South Delhi Municipal Corporation to at least keep a water tanker (handy), added this person who asked not to be identified. Hauz Khas is an urban village. The buildings that house popular pubs and restaurants, were never meant to house them. Amid commercial pressure, administrators allowed residential spaces to be used for commercial purposes on payment of a one-time conversion fee. This is similar to what happened in Khan Market (another accident waiting to happen), and Connaught Place. The agencies are bound to allow conversion of residential spaces into commercial ones considering the pressure of commercialisation in cities like Delhi. But, it is imperative for agencies to monitor if fire safety norms are followed, said AK Jain, former commissioner (planning) Delhi Development Authority (DDA). The capitals Master Plan 2021 allows the use of even floors above the first one for commercial purpose, which was not the case in earlier plans. Flouting norms Current laws in Delhi do not require restaurants and pubs with seating capacity for less than 50 persons to obtain a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the fire department. Not that this law is followed. At present, barely 400 of the 5,000 restaurants in the city with a declared seating capacity for over 50 people have the clearance, according to Delhi Fire Service (DFS). The owners, officials said, get around the rule by operating from multiple floors in the same building showing they abide by the 50 person seating rule. Over the years, the restaurants have been converted into multi-storey rooms connected by a narrow and steep staircase. They show the number of guests per floor which is less than 50 to get around the rule, an official of DFS said. Non-compliance with planning norms is one reason being proffered for the tragedy at Kamala Mills in Mumbai. A number of the restaurants operate out of old mill buildings in South and Central Mumbai, having made interior adjustments as per their requirements, not the rules. In a space-starved city, the land that once housed textile mills, has become a prized commodity. Over the past decade, Lower Parel metamorphosed into a hub of pubs, bistros, restaurants and cafes constructed in a haphazard manner on narrow lanes inside mill complexes. Kamala Mills itself has more than 30 pubs and restaurants. When Mumbai decided to redevelop mill land in 1991, the then Maharashtra government announced that the two-thirds of the area would be utilised for affordable housing and open spaces. In 2001, the rules were tweaked, paving the way for more development. So, if out of 12,000 square metres of space, the civic body was to get 4,000 square metres as per the original mandate, this got reduced drastically (under the new rules); there is hardly any open space (now), said Pankaj Joshi, executive director of Urban Design Research Institute (UDRI). Safety was another casualty. Safety must be priority Arunava Dasgupta, head of urban design at School of Planning and Architecture (SPA), said while the mushrooming of recreational centres cannot be stopped, the authorities need to focus on pre-emptive safety measures. (Safety) Norms have to be put in place prior to these establishments coming to operation, he said. Thats easier said than done. In July 2016, the then lieutenant governor of Delhi, Najeeb Jung, approved an amendment to the Delhi building bylaws, to make it mandatory for all restaurants to get a fire no objection certificates (NOC) irrespective of the space and number of guests they can accommodate. The proposal remains on paper. Following the Kamala Mills accident, Naresh Kumar, chairman of New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), which regulates most of Delhis most happening markets, including Connaught Place, warned restaurant and pub owners on Saturday that their premises would be sealed in case they do not abide by trade license conditions, fire safety norms and seating capacity regulations. Likewise, Mumbais civic body, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation came down heavily on eateries for non-compliance of fire norms, and asked them to display boards on their fire compliance. With the accident still fresh in everyones mind, even restaurant and pub owners are doing their bit. Delhis Khan market has 40 bars and restaurants with narrow, dimly-lit staircases and inadequate fire exits. After the Kamala Mills accident, the local traders body called for a meeting. We have asked owners to check fire safety measures, make sure stairs are well lit with enough space for evacuation. We also told owners to restrict the number of guests as per law and not use the open terrace, said Sanjiv Mehra, president of the body. Need better laws But nothing can take the place of better laws, and ensuring better compliance with the laws, say experts. Sealing eateries wont help. Taking care of public safety should be the goal. The owners of the shops are not to be blamed for catering to public demand. What is wrong is either there is a law that is being flouting or the law has not been properly amended as cities develop. The has to be a regime of norms put in place which are well known to everyone and consequences of not following the laws also have to be known all stakeholders, Dasgupta said. In Mumbai, experts say the local administration rarely cracks down on restaurants and pubs other than simply issuing notices. There are laws in place to ensure fire-safety even in dense areas, but implementation and third-party audits are important. One also needs to see if the guidelines are being adhered to time and again, Joshi said. If that doesnt happen, everyone is safe only till the next accident. Union home minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said the ministry was considering a proposal to provide special clothing and mountaineering equipment (SCME) to paramilitary forces posted in areas that are located above 9,000 feet in the Himalayas. At present, the SCME is provided to Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) troopers posted at an altitude of above 14,000 feet. A senior ITBP official told Hindustan Times the move means that 80% of the total ITBP strength will now be provided with the special equipment required to survive in extreme weather conditions. The announcement was made by Singh during his visit to the Forward Areas of the Himalayan borders in Uttarakashi district. Singh ringed in the new year with the troops of the ITBP at Nelong border post located at a height of 11,636 feet in Uttarakhand, where the mercury dropped to minus 20 degrees Celsius on Monday. This was the first time a home minister or a senior Union minister paid a visit to this border post. The home minister also said that a special project was underway to connect all the border outposts along the Sino-India frontier with roads. The minister also said the government was considering to reduce the three-month mandatory posting of ITBP troopers in extremely high altitude camps. A senior government official told HT that a trooper ends up serving more than three months at high altitude camps due to a shortage of manpower in the workforce. This aspect has been brought to ministrys notice. Besides ensuring that a jawan does not end up serving for more than the allotted three month period, MHA is considering to bring down the number of days that a soldier is mandated to serve, the official said. (With agency inputs) Opposition parties such as the Congress, DMK, Left and Trinamool Congress will go into a huddle on Tuesday morning to evolve a joint strategy on the bill to criminalise the practice of instant triple talaq before it is introduced in Rajya Sabha. The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2017 was passed in the Lower House last week and is slated for passage in Rajya Sabha this week. Even as several opposition parties had demanded amendments and sought a review by a standing committee of Parliament during the debate in Lok Sabha, the parties may recalibrate their positions before the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill comes to Rajya Sabha. After the bill gets Rajya Sabhas appropval, it will be forwarded to the President for signing it into law. We will take a collective decision after talking to other political parties, a senior leader of the Congress party said. sources added that many Opposition parties are not keen to refer the bill for standing committees scrutiny as it might send a wrong message that they are trying to delay the passage of the bill. Some parties may give notices for amendments to show that they want improvements in the bill. Sources said that opposition parties may avoid taking an individual stance vis-a-vis the sensitive triple talaq bill fearing political isolation even in the Opposition quartets. The government has pitched the bill as a major step for women rights and empowerment. The opposition parties in the Lok Sabha, however, had pointed out what they think as loopholes in the historic bill. The proposed law, which stipulated up to three years of jail and a penalty for violators, was passed amidst concern from opposition members that it was criminalising what was essentially a civil procedure, and that it could be misused. Some Muslim womens groups have also raised concerns about maintenance if the husband is sent to jail. The bill seeks to ensure the larger constitutional goals of gender justice and gender equality of married Muslim women and help sub-serve their fundamental rights of non-discrimination and empowerment, Union law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told the Lower House. The bill will only be applicable to instant triple talaq or talaq-e-biddat and gives power to a woman to approach a magistrate seeking subsistence allowance for her and her minor children. A woman can also seek the custody of her minor children. Under the proposed law, instant triple talaq in any form spoken, in writing or by electronic means such as email, SMS and WhatsApp is illegal and void. Though the Congress supported the bill, it wanted the government to refer the proposed legislation to a parliamentary standing committee for wider consultations and broader consensus on the move. The Communist Party of India (Marxist), Rashtriya Janata Dal, Samajwadi Party and Indian Union Muslim League were among those that endorsed the Congress stand. Talaq-e-biddat is banned in 22 Muslim-majority countries, including Pakistan and ultra-conservative Saudi Arabia. Muslim men in India can still divorce using two other forms of talaq that have a three-month cooling off period. The first so-called two-plus-two dialogue between India and the US will be held in April, and Pakistan, Afghanistan, an alternative to Chinas One Belt One Road (OBOR) plan, and arms purchases will be on the agenda, officials in Washington and New Delhi said. According to the officials, none of whom wished to be identified, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman will meet for a day with their counterparts in the US, secretary of state Rex Tillerson and defence secretary James Mattis on April 18 or April 19. Washington is expected to confirm the date this week. The officials maintained that New Delhi wants a full defence package from Washington, not piecemeal purchases. India is expected to buy 22 Guardian maritime surveillance unmanned aerial vehicles from US on the condition that they will be weaponised and upgraded at a later stage. India is looking at the latest Avenger UAVs which are weaponised. The Pentagon seems amenable to this step-by-step weaponization and this will come up for discussion at the 2-plus-2 dialogue, said one of the officials. According to the officials, India will insist during the dialogue that the US should not release the remaining $255 million dollar military aid to Islamabad to send a signal to the latter to stop harbouring terrorist groups which constantly target India and Afghanistan. Both the countries will also discuss the ramifications of UN designated global terrorist Hafiz Saeeds entry into Pakistani politics despite a $10 million bounty on his head for orchestrating the 26/11 massacre in Mumbai. The two countries are also expected to discuss alternatives to OBOR. The Chinese naval build-up in Indo-Pacific, particularly the South China sea, has been noticed by India-US-Japan-Australia (quad) group, which is committed to freedom of navigation and opposed to unilateral changes in positions as undertaken by Beijing. Beijings long-term interest in Afghanistan via Islamabad is also a matter of concern for both India and US and could come up during the dialogue, the officials said. Apart from this, the two sides will discuss the instability in West Asia with two shoulders of Islam locked in conflict through proxies backed by either Iran or Saudi Arabia, the officials added. A strategy to counter the remnants of the Islamic State, now are acting mercenaries for various intelligence groups, will also be worked out during the meeting so that vulnerable states like Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Maldives are not threatened. BJP general secretary P Muralidhar Rao has predicted a five-year term for 74-year-old BS Yeddyurappa as the Karnataka chief minister, denying claims of the party unofficially implementing a 75-year age limit for ministerial positions. Rao, the party in-charge of Karnataka, also accused the Siddaramaiah government of being on friendly terms with anti-national outfits and favouring Muslim ruler Tipu Sultan over freedom fighters like Sardar Patel. Excerpts from an interview: How is the BJP placed in Karnataka? The BJP has a major advantage in Karnataka. As we have governed the state, people know what our leadership and symbol stand for. The failure of the Congress government and its leadership is working in our favour. What are the main issues likely to be raised by the BJP in the Karnataka elections? Over 3,000 farmers have committed suicide in Karnataka. Farmers woes are going to be a major issue. The law-and-order situation comes next. It has got two aspects. Radicalisation has taken place in Mangalore, Udupi, South Kannada, North Kannada and other areas adjoining Kerala probably due to vote-bank politics. Activists from the BJP and other Hindu groups have been attacked. This government has not taken any action, nor identified their financial networks. Our third issue is urban infrastructure management failure, and the fourth is corruption. Is the BJP trying to polarise the election by raising the Hindutva issue? It is no election issue, but one that has been there from the beginning. Twenty murders have taken place in four months. The people protest, but this government has been adopting a friendly approach towards organisations that are anti-national. It treats the BJP like an enemy. There are people who have nurtured and developed Karnatakas culture for thousands of years, but the Congress does not celebrate their achievements with zeal. Sardar Patel is important for Telangana as well as north Karnataka, but the Congress is more interested in commemorating Tipu Sultan than him. It is all about vote-bank politics. What is BJPs stand on treating Lingayat as a separate religion? The Congress has done this in Punjab and other states. What is the role of Siddaramaiah and the Congress in the Lingayat community? Dont you think the community understands this? The BJP believes this issue concerns ashrams and saints. They should sit and resolve the issue, not politicians. Siddaramaiah is a non-Lingayat who is playing politics with the community. They want to benefit from the division of the community. Is the BJP worried about the ongoing tussle between Yeddyurappa and others over poll tickets? We have a well-laid out procedure. No individual in any state, not even the chief ministerial candidate, goes around declaring candidates. We have a system where the state committee recommends and the central committee takes decisions. We have created a process that decides on candidates based on surveys, winnability and (social) combinations. Yeddyurapppa himself has declared this at meetings. Is Yeddyurappa sure to keep the party united? We have decided (to appoint him as the chief ministerial candidate) after a lot of brainstorming and consultation. Nobody questions this decision. He is the tallest BJP leader in Karnataka right now. He wouldnt have been able to galvanise people to such an extent on his yatras unless he enjoys overwhelming popularity and acceptability. Yeddyurappa is 74, but the BJP has an unofficial policy of not letting anybody over 75 take up a ministerial position. Then, how will he become the chief minister if the BJP wins? This perception of 75-76 (age limit) only exists in the media. We have not passed any resolution in this regard. The entire parliamentary board took the decision on the basis of the situation. Why should there be any doubt on account of age? Will he be allowed to complete five years as chief minister if the BJP wins? Why should there be any doubt about that? We have promised that he will be the chief minister for five years. He will get the mandate for the party as its leader. Will a Congress-JD(S) alliance make the going tough for the BJP? That will only strengthen the BJPs scope of winning. Certain vote banks are inherently anti-Congress (and a political tie-up will not change that). The voters will not transfer their vote. More than a dozen people were injured after police cane-charged members of the Hindu organisations, who were adamant on offering prayers at a disputed religious site in Bundi on Monday. The police have arrested 10 people for disturbing peace. Tension prevailed in the town, even as the markets remained closed following the incident. Additional police force was sent from Kota to Bundi to maintain the law and order. Some Hindu organisations had given a call to offer prayers on New Year at the Mandhata Cenotaph on Tiger Hill, which lies close to the Mira Datar shrine, on the outskirts of Bundi. Keeping this in view, the district and police officials were on alert. Activists of the Hindu Mahasabha and its affiliated organisations tried to assemble at various locations in Bundi in the morning to take out a march till Mandhata Cenotaph, where they planned to offer prayers, but the police had blocked all routes leading to the disputed site. Later, the activists assembled at the Meera gate, where police used force to disperse them. More than a dozen people were injured in the cane-charge, out of whom four were admitted to a hospital. Later, some agitators tried to block the road outside the city bus stand by burning tyres in protest against the police attack, but they too were dispersed. Inspector general of police, Kota range, Vishal Bansal later told media persons that the situation in Bundi is now under control. Police used force to control the mob, in which some people were injured. Some people have been arrested, he said. Hindu activists also assembled at the Malan Masi Balaji temple located in Bundi town during the day, but they were not allowed to move forward towards the disputed cenotaph on Tiger Hill. Meanwhile, Bundi divisional commissioner Rohit Gupta has ordered suspension of internet services in Bundi for 48 hours from 6am on December 31. Prohibitory orders have also been imposed. The administration has sought the help of drones for surveillance of the sensitive areas of the town. Communal tension had gripped the Bundi town in April last year on the issue of keeping a pillar with alleged image of a deity in an old cenotaph during a restoration work in the Tiger Hill area, which lies on the way to the Mira Datar shrine. INDORE: With elections to three Rajya Sabha seats from Delhi approaching, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) seems to be split over giving ticket to partys Rajasthan in-charge Kumar Vishwas. A group of AAP leaders have demanded that Vishwas be fielded from Ajmer in the upcoming Lok Sabha by-elections. The AAP leaders led by Sunil Agiwal put forth their demand during a meeting with members of the partys political affairs committee (PAC) in New Delhi on Monday. Bypolls for Ajmer and Alwar Lok Sabha seats and Mandalgarh Assembly seat in Rajasthan are likely to be held in January. Agiwal said that he had proposed Vishwass name for the Ajmer bypoll as Vishwas keeps telling them that he has his family in Rajasthan and has worked in the state. However, sources said that with elections to three of Delhis Rajya Sabha seats next month, the AAP Rajasthan in-charge was not keen on contesting from Ajmer. The Vishwas camp thinks that this was a ploy to keep him from getting the Rajya Sabha ticket. Its a ploy by a coterie to deny the Rajya Sabha ticket to Vishwas and field outsiders. The AAP Rajasthan wants Vishwas to represent the party in Rajya Sabha, said an AAP leader on anonymity. The party is expected to nominate three members to the Rajya Sabha soon, with elections to the Upper House due on January 16. Senior party leaders Sanjay Singh and Ashutosh are said to be the other front-runners for Rajya Sabha tickets. AAP is yet to take a decision on contesting upcoming by-polls in Rajasthan. A senior party leader said that the decision will be taken by the PAC. Political analyst Rajiv Gupta said that AAP needs to sort out the infighting among senior leaders if it was to have any chance to make an impact during next years Assembly elections. Thousands of Dalits today held a rally against the removal of Baba Sab Ambedkar statue from Sehajpur village and arrest of ten Dalits for installing the statue illegally. Later they gave a memorandum to Alwar district magistrate to release the arrested people and the statue. Thousands of Dalits gathered under the banner of Dr.Bheemrao Ambedkar Attyachar Sangharsh Samiti at Surya Nagar Mod from where they went in a rally to the collectorate gate, hurling slogans against police for arresting their people and removing the statue of Baba Sab. The Samiti members submitted a memorandum to district magistrate Rajan Vishal demanding the release of the arrested people, returning Baba Sab statue and giving a plot of land for a community centre and grave yard.The leader of the Sangharsh Samiti Kamal Chand said, The district magistrate has asked us to apply in a proper manner for the community centre and grave yard land. After receiving the application, the statue of Baba Sab will be returned and as far as the arrest cases are concerned, further step will not be taken before investigation. Rajan Vishal said that everything will be done in a proper way. First they should apply what they want. Even the statue of Baba Sab will be returned after going through a process. As far as the arrest cases are concerned, nothing can be said before investigation, said Vishal. On the other hand, Ramjeevan Bodh, advocate, said protests will continue in Sehajpur village till their demands are met. It may be noted that on the night of December 30, some Dalits installed the statue of Baba Sab Ambedkar in Sehajpur village under MIA police station on the government land without permission. When police reached the spot, people pelted stones, injuring four personnel. Later police took possession of the statue and arrested ten people. The health department will hold a meeting of all health officials across the state via video conferencing on January 3 to discuss the preparations to tackle swine flu in the coming months. Additional director (rural health) Dr Ravi Prakash Mathur said that in January, February and March 2017, the cases of swine flu were less, but the department is not willing to take any chance and will remain alert from the beginning. He said that health minister Kali Charan Saraf will be taking stock of the situation across the state through video conferencing on Wednesday. He said Saraf, principal secretary medical and health, secretary medical education, director public health, joint directors from all districts, chief medical and health officers, block CMHOs and principal medical officers from all district hospitals will attend the meeting. Dr Mathur said that in January, February and March 2017 the number of swine flu positive cases were one, six and 39 respectively while the number of deaths was one, one and nine. In the first three months of 2016, there were 86, 76 and 17 positive cases and 19, 16 and five deaths. 2015 was the worst with 173, 5,311 and 1,055 positive cases in January, February and March and 43, 247 and 112 deaths respectively. Dr Raman Sharma, senior professor medicine, Jaipurs Sawai Man Singh Medical College said that H1N1 influenza (swine flu) has now become seasonal influenza and there will be two waves of it that will last for two to three months. Earlier, swine flu was affecting people only during winter, but now it has started affecting even in summers. The positivity ratio has been around 31% and the death rate has been 07.7% in 2017, while in 2015 and 2016, the death rate has been 6.9% and 21.3% respectively. It is to be mentioned that in 2015, there was 6790 swine flu positive and 450 deaths, in 2016 there were 197 positive and 41 deaths and 3619 positive cases and 279 deaths in 2017. Saraf said that action is being taken at the directorate level for prevention, control and treatment of swine flu. Control rooms at directorate and all districts are functioning round the clock. He said that screening centres are functioning at 3033 hospitals, including primary health centres, community health centres and district hospitals. These hospitals have 1580 isolation beds, 214 ICU beds and 198 ventilators. Sufficient amount of Tamiflu of 75mg and 30mg are available. Despite a change in the strain of H1N1 virus from California to Michigan, Tamiflu medicine is still effective. A homoeopathic doctor in Kota not only gives medicines but also lights up lives of people lacking eyesight by persuading others to donate corneas Dr Kulwant Gaur (39), who runs a private homoeopathic clinic in Bajrang Nagar area of Kota city, has facilitated donation of 295 pairs of corneas over the past six years. Whenever he gets to know about a death, he meets the family members and convinces them to donate the corneas of the dead. Asked about the inspiration behind his mission, he said, When I was returning to Kota from Surat in 2011, I saw a child suffering from corneal blindness after he was hit by a train at the Surat railway station; the kid later died. He was so moved by the kids death that he started seeking information about corneal blindness; he came to know that corneal transplant was the cure. First I met the former Rajasthan chief secretary ML Mehta who was associated with the Eye Bank Society of Rajasthan; the society gave us a trained professional for corneal extraction from donors, he said. Gaur formed Shine India Foundation in Kota and started extracting corneas from donors with the help of the technician. He could get only two pairs of corneas in the first year. When the technician got a government job in 2013, I took training on cornea extraction from AIIMS, New Delhi, he said. After collecting corneas, our organisation hands them over to the Eye Bank Society of Rajasthan. Asked how he meets the expenses for cornea collection, Gaur said, Our foundation does not get government funding and is meeting expenses through public charity and sponsorships. He organises awareness programmes in places, particularly schools, up to 150km from Kota to inspire eye/organ donation. Initially I faced ire of the people when I asked them to donate eyes of their deceased kids; gradually they started understanding the significance of the noble cause, he said. We tried to make people understand that instead of garlanding the photograph of their deceased kin, they can keep the memory of the deceased alive in others through organ donation. Gaur said he has now a technician who extracts corneas. Sometimes when the technician is not there, my wife and son accompany me to help me out. Gaur has facilitated cornea transplant in nine partially and fully blind people in Kota region. Rampal Saini (35) of Nanakpuria village in Bundi district, who lost vision in both eyes in childhood, has got it partially back in his left eye after a cornea transplant surgery in April last year. Gaur facilitated the surgery. Earlier there was absolutely no vision in my eyes, now I can see up to some distance, Saini said. Dr Gaur not only came to me but also met the surgical expenses; he also extended financial help to me as there is no earning member in my family. Dr Swati Tomar, medical director of the Eye Bank Society who has performed corneal transplants on patients referred by Gaur, said, Dr Kulwant Gaur is doing exceptional work in creating awareness about eye/organ donation and also facilitating eye donation. His efforts have brought light to the dark lives of many blind or partially blind people. There were no eye donations from Kota before Dr Kulwants efforts. As the new year dawns, the Rajasthan government faces a challenge from teachers unions, including an RSS-affiliated one, which demand that the PPP model for government schools be withdrawn or they will vote against the BJP in the assembly elections due this year. Questions are being raised from several quarters in the state over the government abandoning its responsibility to provide education. Activists and teachers associations say the government is handing over its land and resources to private parties. Under the Policy for Public Private Partnership in School Education 2015 that was notified on September 12, 2017, the government has identified 300 of its schools to be given on a pilot basis to private partners through a competitive bidding process. There are around 63,000 government schools in Rajasthan with some 4 lakh teachers. They are also a large vote bank which the BJP cannot afford to ignore. The Rajasthan Shikshak Sangh (Rashtriya), a teachers outfit affiliated to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, has planned a demonstration in Jaipur on January 5 against the decision. Prahlad Sharma, president of the organisation, said the government is running away from its responsibility to provide education. The government says it has taken initiatives to improve education and increase enrolments. Then why the need to privatise? Private parties will run education like a business for profit not for public welfare. Another protest is planned by teachers unions in Ajmer on January 17. Ram Krishan Agarwal, president of the All Rajasthan School Teachers Union, said various outfits have come together to stage an agitation in Ajmer, school education minister Vasudev Devnanis constituency. If the government does not take back the decision, we will oppose it in the assembly elections. Agarwal questions why the government is handing over its resources and land, in many cases donated by villagers or philanthropists, to private parties. He has written to the principals of all 300 schools to get a resolution passed in their School Development and Management Committees opposing the decision to privatise schools as it was taken without their consent. Both teachers and students stand to lose, said Mahaveer Sihag, general secretary of the Shikshak Sangh Shekhawat. Employed government teachers will lose jobs as private sector takes over and recruits new staff. And those teachers who are currently undergoing training wont get jobs at all or will be hired by private entities on low salaries. Private players, he said, are bound to charge high fees, which will deprive poor students of education. The government talks of providing education and employment, but its policies are just the reverse. Devnani insisted that no good government schools are being given on PPP mode and students will continue to get all facilities. We are trying this on a pilot basis in 300 schools. The private partner will be given management, not ownership of the schools, for 10 years to improve quality of education, he said. According to the PPP policy, 75% schools in rural areas and 25% in urban areas will be identified on the basis of poor performance and given to private players. Schools at district and divisional headquarters and Adarsh schools will not be given. The private party will be free to appoint teaching and non-teaching staff. Government teachers will be adjusted in other government schools. Four years after communal riots ravaged Muzaffarnagar, leaders of Muslim and Jat communities have started efforts for a compromise to restore communal harmony in the region. A committee of 20 members, comprising social leaders and riot victims, has been constituted to contact the families of victims as well as the accused in nine riot-hit villages of Muzaffarnagar and Shamli districts. More than 60 people were killed and over 50,000 rendered homeless during the riots that broke out in Muzaffarnagar and Shamli districts in September 2013 following a girls harassment in Kawal village of Charthawal area of Muzaffarnagar. A special investigation team (SIT) charge-sheeted many villagers, leaving people worried that cases lodged against the youths from both the communities would spoil their future. Meanwhile, some families of riot victims opposed the efforts for compromise, saying it would deprive them of justice. On December 26, a group of riot victims and representatives of both the communities met Samajwadi Party (SP) patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav in Delhi and sought his support for the peace effort. National president of Bharatiya Kisan Mazdoor Manch, Gulam Mohammed Jaula said Yadav assured his support. It was suggested during the meeting that efforts to restore harmony should begin from the worst affected village. Purbaliyan village of Muzaffarnagar, where four people were killed in the riots, was selected to begin the peace efforts. A meeting of social and political leaders was also held in Muzaffarnagar on Sunday, which was attended by Jaula, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader Qadir Rana, former MP Harendra Malik, BKU chief Naresh Tikait and some khap leaders. It was decided that the committee will approach riot victims and also the accused in the affected villages and prepare a blueprint for a compromise. Talking to HT over phone, Tikait said efforts were underway to ensure communal harmony in the region. Violence can never be a solution to any problem. People have realised that riots had its cascading effect on both the communities. Peace and harmony is possible only through dialogue, he said. A Sikh organisation, Prachar Charitable Trust on Sunday celebrated New Years Eve by holding an event which included an organ donation camp organised by Rotary Club of Mahakali Heights. Of the 153 people who pledged to donate their organs, 15 were below the age of 18, the youngest donor being six years. Kulwant Singh, vice president, Guru Singh Sabha, said, Although New Year isnt one of our traditional festivals, we wanted to provide youngsters a platform to come together. We have been conducting these gatherings for the past 35 years, and this year we decided to associate the event with the cause of organ donation. Singh added that the event was open to members of all communities, and around 30% of those who registered were from non-Sikh communities. Satinderpal Ahluwalia, president, Rotary Club, said that India has only 0.05% registered donors. If guruji (Guru Gobind Singh) could give up family life to spread the message of love and generosity, we should strive to spread the same message, he said. Inderjit Kaur, a teacher whose entire family pledged their organs on Sunday, said that she wanted to set an example for youngsters, which is why she insisted on her 6-year-old son signing up as well. Almost 21 years after the case was filed, a Mumbai court recently ordered a bank to repay the amount one of its account holders lost to signature fraud. The victim lost money to a fraudster who forged his signature on cheques with 6% per cent interest. However, the man who lost money died while the case was still in the court. Bhirgu Jogardhan alias Bhirgunath Mistry, a resident of Worli, had lost Rs83,000 to an alleged signature fraud. Mistry had then claimed that after returning to Mumbai from his home town in Uttar Pradesh, on February 12, 1997, he found that his account had Rs8,176.85. After scrutinising his account details, Mistry discovered that withdrawals were made through six different cheques in different names between November 1996 and February 1997. He also found that his cheque book, passbook and some cash was missing from his cupboard. Mistry alleged that his neighbours took the cheque book while he was away and forged his signature to withdraw money from his account. He also alleged negligence on the part of bank officials while clearing the cheques. He claimed that signatures on the cheques used to withdraw money from his account and the signature he had registered with the bank were different. Mistry filed a suit in the Bombay high court, which was transferred to Bombay city civil court. In its defence, bank authorities denied negligence on part of its staff while clearing the cheques. They argued that all the six cheques were drawn in favour of self. Authorities added that the cheques were not crossed and signature on every cheque was cross-checked with the one registered by Mistry on the banks specimen signature card. The bank also said that Mistrys negligence resulted in him losing cheque book and other documents. Hence, the bank was not liable to repay the amount he had lost to the alleged signature fraud. However, Mistry sought help from a handwriting expert to prove that the signatures on the cheques and the banks specimen signature card were different. In his statement, the expert opined that the signatures on the cheques were forged and were tracings done by someone else. While ruling in Mistrys favour, the court observed that the bank had failed to bring any officer who was responsible to tally the signature and clear the cheques. It also noted that the bank had failed to provide the specimen card bearing Mistrys signature, which bank officials claimed they used to cross-check the signature. The court asked the bank and Mistrys neighbours to jointly repay Rs83,000 with 6% interest. Since Mistry died while the matter was sub judice, the court allowed his wife and daughter to represent Mistry. It also ordered that the money would be shared between the two. A day after an eight-year-old male tiger was run over near Bazaargaon, on the Nagpur-Amravati national highway (NH6), officials from forest department said they will take up the matter with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). Officials said they will suggest NHAI to install speed breakers or construct underpasses for wild animals to cross over safely. Forest officials on Saturday confirmed that the tiger which became a road kill was Bajirao (BTR-T2), a dominant male in the Bor Wildlife Sanctuary and has fathered most of the tigers in the sanctuary. Bajiraos death might be the first incident of an adult tiger being killed in a road accident in Maharashtra in the past five years. It is a great loss to the state. We will write to the NHAI about this incident and requesting it to immediately build underpasses in the area, said a senior Mantralaya official from the state forest department. HT had reported on Saturday that Bajirao was hit by a speeding vehicle at 7pm Friday and died of injuries to head, face, and hind limbs he sustained in the accident. As per National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), Fridays incident has increased the death toll of tigers to 24 in the state, which is second highest in the country after Madhya Pradesh (25). Highlights Road kills between 2012-17 Leopard 256 (38%) Elephant 100 (15%) Deer (Sambar, Spotted and Swamp, Hog): 48 Vulture: 39 Sloth Bear: 26 Blue Bull (Nilgai) 22 Lion: 16 Tiger: 15 Common Palm Civet: 8 Crocodiles: 8 (Source: Wildlife Protection Society of India) Forest officials from Bor conducted a post-mortem of the tiger on Saturday and burnt the body as per NTCA guidelines. The autopsy result will be issue on Monday. We were able to confirm the identity of the tiger as T2. It is a huge loss for our reserve, as the tiger had possibly fathered more than 20 cubs in his territory of 150 sq km from Bor to Kalmeshwar in Nagpur, said G Mallikarjuna deputy conservator of forest, Nagpur. We will be raising the issue with senior officers in the department regarding the safety of animals along this stretch, and adequate measures will be taken so that such incidents arent repeated. The Bor Wildlife Sanctuary, which spans across 138.12 sq km, is located 60km from Nagpur in Wardha district. This is not the first time that a wild animal was killed in the same area, said Fardeem Aazmi, range forest officer. Last year, a male leopard was killed in the same area. A few months ago, a deer was killed in a road accident. It looked like both the animals were hit by speeding four-wheelers. We are scrutinising footage recorded by CCTV cameras to identify the vehicle, he said. There are 8 to 9 tigers in this part of the forest and a similar situation can arise if mitigation measures are not taken immediately. Officials from NHAI told HT that funds had already been sanctioned for the construction of three underpasses, measuring 750-metre each, across a stretch of 7.6km at different locations on the NH6. We are deeply concerned about the safety of wildlife and measures are being taken to protect it along our highways. We are not sure whether the underpass is at the same location where the tiger was killed. However, in consultation with chief wildlife warden of Maharashtra, and union environment ministry, the tendering process is complete and construction is expected to begin soon, said B Mukhopadhyay, general manager, environment, NHAI. AK Misra, chief wildlife warden, Maharashtra, said there was no underpass planned at the site where the tiger was killed. All future road projects have provision for underpasses. The death of this tiger is unfortunate and has been an eye-opener. We have not received any proposal from the NHAI so far, but we will be stressing on mitigation measures in the area, he said. jayprakash.naidu@htlive.com A 46-year-old casting director was arrested on Sunday after an actor filed a case, alleging that she was tricked into shooting objectionable scenes for an adult film. The police are on the lookout for the film director. The 26-year-old actor lodged a first information report, alleging the accused promised her a prominent role in a web series and she was told that the scenes would be used for that. According to the Oshiwara police, the actor is a resident of Lokhandwala and one of the accused contacted her in 2015 offering her a prominent role in a web series which would run into five seasons. She told the police that she was happy about the offer as web series are the next big thing after television and the role would have given her career a boost. When the woman met one of the accused at his office in south Mumbai, he told her that they would have to shoot some steamy scenes for the series. She was promised Rs3,000 for one days shoot and was taken to Madh island where the scenes were shot in 2015. The director, Rajan Agarwal, started disconnecting her call when the actor asked him about the shooting of the rest of the film. In 2016, another actor told her that she had seen the shots in an adult movie uploaded on YouTube. When the actor contacted the accused, he failed to give her an explanation. Months later, her friend called her up and told her that the scenes have been uploaded on a porn website. The actor then approached the police. A police officer from Oshiwara police station said, We lodged the FIR a couple of months ago and started looking for the accused. We arrested Agarwal on Sunday. Film director Upendra Rai is still on the run. The two have been booked for molestation and publishing obscene materials and criminal intimidation. Agarwal has been sent to police custody. Maharashtra lost 6,346 hectares or 63 sq km of forests to non-forestry purposes including mining, between 2014 and 2017, reveals data from the union environment ministry. The forest land lost in the last three years is roughly equivalent to the area of Mumbais island city, which is 65 sq km (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation data). At the same time, the country lost 62,369 hectares or 623 sq km forest area, roughly the area of six Sanjay Gandhi National Parks spread across 104 sq km. Maharashtra ranked fourth in India for maximum forest land diverted, with 40 proposals sanctioned over three years. The data was submitted by Mahesh Sharma, minister of state, Ministry of Environment Forests and Climate Change to the Lok Sabha last week. Non-forestry activities including mining have the potential to impact environment and ecological balance. Deforestation for mining may lead to soil erosion, water pollution, and may impact flora and fauna. However, sufficient care is taken to ensure minimum damage to wildlife and the forest ecosystem while granting forest clearances as per the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, read the statement laid at Lok Sabha by Sharma. According to the data, 1,060.57 hectare of forest land was diverted for mining purpose over three years in the state. Officials from the state forest department told HT that forest areas had been diverted for the development of transmission lines, railways, national highways, irrigation projects, rehabilitation of villages from core forest areas to fringes. There have been very few mining projects approved by us over past three years. It is under the state governments policy to allow only projects where mines have been dug up or licenses need to be renewed, said Virendra Tiwari, chief conservator of forest (Mantralaya), state forest department. According to the state forest department, Maharashtras forest cover is 56,645.96 sq km (56.6 lakh hectares). Jayprakash Naidu The partially decomposed body of a young man was found dumped in a nullah at Irla in Vile Parle (West) on Sunday. The police are yet to ascertain the mans identify. The youth seems to be in his twenties and the tattoos on his body indicate he could be from Punjab. The murderers stripped the body before throwing it in a 12-foot deep nullah, said the police. A foul stench from the nullah prompted a passer-by to check where it was coming from. He saw the body in the nullah and informed the police. The police suspect the body, which had head injuries, had been lying there for two days or more. The police have started checking with police stations across Mumbai if any a missing persons complaint has been lodged. A police officer from Juhu police station said, A murder case has been registered under section 302 of the Indian Penal Code. We could not find anything to identify him. We will first identify the man and find his family members. The police are going through the CCTV footages around the vicinity to find out if a vehicle had been used to dump the body. Mohammed Sadriwala, a student at Xaviers Institute of Communication (XIC), started writing poetry in 2008. It was a hobby that gave him pleasure, which later became his passion. Sadriwala never thought his verses would reach thousands of people. But in the past one year, the videos of his recitals have gone viral on YouTube. One of his recitals has been viewed a million times. The videos were shot at open-mic events that are becoming frequent and popular in the city. Such events are attracting students to exhibit their poetic talents. Young poets in the city are expressing themselves through collectives and poetry competitions, known as Poetry Slam. Moreover, college festivals are now featuring Poetry Slams to encourage students to showcase their talent. Poetry has always been part of many students life. But it has gained more traction owing to social media. It has now become a collaborative effort, said Darsheel Shah, a student at Xaviers College and a part of Open Sky Slam, a Bengaluru-based collective of young poets. In the past last two years, Open Sky Slam has organised 18 events in the city, at times in collaboration with colleges and other cultural organisations. Initially, only our friends attended these events. But slowly the word spread through social media and many joined out of curiosity. Now, we have become very much stable, said Shivani Lalani, who heads the city chapter of Open Sky Slam. The format of open-mic events is different from the traditional kavi sammelans and mushairas. The participants are encouraged to express themselves through any medium be it be it spoken word poetry, songs, musical performances or storytelling. This year, Sophia College held a slam poetry competition titled What Are Words Worth?, as part of its annual festival Kaleidoscope. The participants were required to write and read a piece of original poetry in either English or Hindi. poetry slam has also been part of Indian Institute of Technology Bombays (IIT-B) annual cultural festival Mood Indigo. However, this year the institute also invited Aranya Johar, Yahya Bootwala and Gaurav Tripathi - three youngsters who became famous after their spoken word performance went viral online. The organisers said that both of these events were well received. Poetry has become a sensation among students these days. Clearly, theres an audience for such events. Many people dont know that there are many people around them who write poems. Theres a need to tap into the inner talent of these people, said Pranil Joshi, one of the student organisers of Mood Indigo. According to Sadriwala, these events provide a platform to many amateur poets and help them hone their skills. I attend open mic events for two reasons. They allow me to test my own content. I also get to hear some very good recitals. Although, there are some people who just want to rant, the overall experience is very good. I have enjoyed every moment, he said. If the Gujarat poll results in December indicated that 2019 elections will not be a one-sided contest, it is the polls to four states in 2018, three neighbouring to Maharashtra, that will set the political narrative in the state. The poll results of Karnataka, controlled by the Congress, and three other states Chattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan controlled by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), will change the political dynamics and strategies of the four main political parties in Maharashtra. As such, the next year will be crucial for the BJP-led government if it is hoping for a second term. The Devendra Fadnavis government will have to deliver on its infrastructure and governance agenda even as it tries to stem agrarian crisis in its backyard. The BJP will have to deliver even as its political opponents the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and ally turned rival Shiv Sena start consolidating their political bases and tacitly work together. For the main opponent, Congress too this year may be its sole chance for a revival post the overwhelming defeat in 2014 assembly and general polls. This year the political momentum will gain ground in Maharashtra more than perhaps even 2019. For starters, one can expect that after going separate ways owing to the debacle in 2014, the Congress and the NCP may join hands and stitch a pre-poll alliance. For the last three years, NCP chief Sharad Pawar has kept his partys stance over support to BJP or Congress deliberately muddled. Despite Pawar sahebs good relations with PM Modi, ideologically he is with the Congress. With Gujarat polls and Rahul Gandhis improved performance, the party chief had indicated to us that we will work with Congress. He also has good relations with the state Congress president Ashok Chavan. We have realized in local polls too that we have to come together to give the BJP a fight, said a senior NCP leader and former minister. The Shiv Sena that has been threatening to walk out of the government may finally do so ahead of the 2019 polls. The Sena will definitely move out next year. They will also try to isolate the BJP by working out a tacit understanding with the Congress and NCP to protect its turf. The party will keep the option open for a post poll alliance with BJP, said Prakash Bal, a political analyst. The hunch is that Pawar will move towards Congress. This may get sabotaged by some regional Congress leaders but on the whole, there is a sense that winds are changing and Rahul Gandhi may be more in charge of the situation. The two unresolved issues, Maratha agitation for reservation and farm crisis will also play a big role in the state polity next year. For instance, increased mobilisation by Maratha community, backed by the Opposition could lead to further caste polarisation with the BJP then consolidating the other backward classes (OBC). For the farm sector, a lot would depend on the monsoon next year and if the implementation of the loan waiver satisfies the farmers. The farm discontent in Gujarat has a clear parallel in Maharashtra. And, there are indications that rural Maharashtra may not be with BJP as the urban middle class is with the party. So, rural issues will be highlighted further by opponents and Congress will make a play for its traditional vote bank. It is also Pawars last election in 2019, so his role will be crucial, said Surendra Jondhale, also a state political analyst. Political observers feel that a lot would depend on how the NCP chief plays his cards next year. For the BJP-led government, beyond the politics, financial administration will require some deft handling. The 7th pay commission burden as well as loan waiver besides infrastructure commitments pose a big challenge for the government. As the scheduled completion of the 10.3km Hindon elevated road comes closer with a targeted completion in January, officials of the Ghaziabad development authority (GDA) are awaiting the environmental clearance for the project. At present, the authority is yet to get the clearance for the project after the National Green Tribunal (NGT) in 2016, had directed it to obtain the same from the competent authority. The GDA officials had later sent the documents for obtaining the required clearance. We are pursuing the issue with the Ministry of Environment & forests. A committee of the ministry is expected to take a call soon after examining the proposal. We are regularly pursuing the clearance issue with the ministry officials, said Ritu Maheshwari, district magistrate. The roadblock for the authority to obtain the clearance came over a petition filed by a Ghaziabad resident, Sushil Raghav. Earlier, he had moved the green tribunal in a bid to remove all constructions and restoration of ponds in their original form at a land earmarked for a bird sanctuary near river Hindon. Some part of the elevated road also crossed the land in question. We do not propose to prescribe or stop the ongoing construction of the project in the area in question i.e. ongoing project of six lane elevated road linking to NH-24 in district Ghaziabad. We hold that the project in question is covered under Entry 8(b) of the Schedule to Regulation 2006 and it is obligatory upon the GDA and the State to obtain environmental clearance from SEIAA/MoEF&CC (sic), the tribunal had said in its order in September, 2016. Apart from the issue of pending clearance, the GDA is yet to make progress for the northern peripheral road which was proposed for 19km for connecting NH-24 to NH-58 and further to Loni. It was expected that the traffic from the elevated road will take up the NPR to move to NH-58. The plan for the road was cleared by a high-powered committee of Uttar Pradesh government in 2012-13. The NPR was to be connected through a 5km proposed road for the traffic moving from the Hindon elevated road. The NPR has issues regarding the land acquisition at present. However, to decongest the Raj Nagar Extension area in wake of traffic coming from the elevated road, the roads and RNE crossing are being widened. We are also working on the 3km, 45 metre, road which will help movement of traffic in the area, said SS Verma, superintending engineer, GDA. The elevated road is slotted to be completed in January and officials have also requested for the time of UP chief minister who may arrive for the inauguration of the same project. The Noida Metro Rail Corporation (NMRC), Uttar Pradesh government and Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs are expected to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for 30km Noida-Greater Metro project in the first week of January, officials said on Sunday. On signing the MoU, NMRC will be eligible for financial assistance from the Centre for projects in Noida, Greater Noida and Yamuna Expressway areas. NMRC, in its 14th board meeting held on December 30, approved a proposal for signing the MoU. Alok Tandon, the managing director of NMRC, held the board meeting and approved the proposal. In February 2016, NMRC had requested the Union ministry of housing and urban affairs to accept a 50% stake in the company through signing an MoU. The ministry of housing and urban affairs has given its approval for the project and sent a draft of the MoU for signing purpose. Now, we have sent the draft to the UP chief secretary for signing. Subsequently, it will be signed by the secretary to the Government of India. We hope the MoU will be signed in the first week of January. We will be able to get Rs300 crore fund in the current financial year for the project, PD Upadhyay, general manager of NMRC, said. The NMRC was formed in November 2014 with a capital of Rs1,000 crore to build and maintain Metro projects in Uttar Pradesh, on the lines of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC). As per the proposal, the Centre will have a 50% equity in the NMRC, but it will be bound to provide only 20% funds for each Metro project undertaken by the NMRC. After getting a stake, the Centre will also be eligible to appoint officials to the NMRC. Centres stake in NMRC will boost the under-construction 30-km Noida-Greater Noida Metro project and also fast-track other proposed Metro projects in Noida and Greater Noida. Now, NMRC will not only depend on Noida or Greater Noida for funds for new Metro projects. Centre will take care of the funds for the Metro projects once the MoU is signed, an NMRC official said. The Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) on Monday inaugurated its web portal http://umd.nic.in/yeida/ to provide details of different land allotment schemes to interested investors. YEIDA chairman, Dr Prabhat Kumar, the chief executive officer (CEO), Arun Vir Singh, and Jewar MLA, Dhirendra Singh, were present for the inauguration of the portal. The authority has also created a Twitter handle https://twitter.com/YamunaAuthority to share important information with the public and also address residents problems through the social networking site, officials said. We have opened this portal under the Central governments ease of doing, digital India campaign. On this portal, an interested investor can get easy access to relevant information about land allotment. For example, if an investor wants to buy industrial, institutional or mixed land use plot, they can check the land details on this portal easily without visiting our office in person, Shailendra Bhatia, officer on special duty of the YEIDA, who has been appointed as nodal officer for the portal and Twitter handle, said. The multilayered web portal has details of the Master Plan of the urban area being developed along 165 km Yamuna Expressway. It also has the details of all industrial or institutional schemes, both ongoing and those about to be launched. Our aim is to lure more investors through the web portal and generate employment along Yamuna Expressway. An investor can select a plot scheme of his/her interest and also check the status of the respective plot at the site, sitting anywhere in the country or abroad. We have uploaded the pictures of plots and other details on the portal for investors. After selecting a plot, the investor can apply online and buy the plot for setting up a unit along the expressway, Bhatia said. YEIDA was set up in April 2001 under the UP Industrial Area Development Act, 1976 for construction of the expressway and allied development in the region. Earlier, it was known as Taj Expressway Industrial Development Authority (TEA). YEIDA CEO has also asked the staff members to create Twitter accounts so that they can address residents problems through the Twitter handle. We will not only share information about our work on Twitter but also address grievances related to drainage, sewage, road repair, etc, faced by residents and farmers. Once our officials are on Twitter, we will resolve problems through this platform too, Bhatia said. Three boys are feared drowned when a country boat carrying New Year revellers capsized in Ganga river in Bihars Bhagalpur district on Monday. Locals said the boat was carrying nine boys all in ages between 11 and 13 when it sank within minutes of floating down the river after one of the revellers had untied it. The incident took place at Ranjdihpur village in Sabour police station area of Bhagalpur district, 235 km east of state capital Patna. The boys were going to a daira (riverine) village across Ganga from Ranjdihpur for picnic when the boat sank, the locals added. Bhagalpur senior superintendent of police Manoj Kumar said six boys had been rescued by local divers. Three boys were still missing, he said, adding that personnel of National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Force had been pressed into service to search them. At least one person died and four were injured after violence broke out in Maharashtras Pune district on Monday during celebrations to mark the bicentenary of a British-era war, police said. The violence resulted from an altercation between two unidentified groups near the memorial of the 1818 battle between British and Peshwa forces in Bhima Koregaon, around 40 kilometres from Pune, police added. Among the five injured, one person succumbed late in the evening at Sassoon hospital, a senior police official said on condition of anonymity. District majistrate Saurabh Rao told Hindustan Times that the violence quickly spread to four nearby villages and around 40 vehicles were burnt or damaged with stones. Police resorted to caning the crowd and called for additional reinforcements. It wasnt clear who had begun the altercation or over what subject. We have deployed heavy police bandobast even as tension continues in some areas on Pune-Ahmednagar highway. We are hoping that by midnight situation will be under control, Rao told Hindustan Times over phone. Hundreds of thousands of people gather at Bhima Koregaon every year to mark the anniversary of a war between British, who had several Dalit soldiers in their regiment, and the Peshwa, the then rulers of parts of Maharashtra. Dalit leaders believe the war was won by the British and the Dalit soldiers played a key role in defeating the Peshwa, who were said to have instituted oppressive caste practices. The celebrations gathered momentum in 1927 after BR Ambedkar visited the spot. Historians are divided on the subject. But the celebrations this year have been fraught with controversy. Several groups such as the Pune-based Akhil Bharatiya Brahmin Mahasangh, has called the event anti-national. On Sunday, a massive event was held at Punes Shaniwar Wada, the erstwhile seat of the Peshwa administration, where many Dalit leaders, including Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mevani, spoke. Sources said the violence first began in Vadu, a village near Bhima Koregaon. Last week, the grave of a prominent Dalit leader, who is said to have conducted the funeral of Shivajis son Sambhaji, was desecrated in the area. As news of Mondays violence spread, Dalit groups took out protests in Pune and Aurangabad. Police blocked traffic on the Pune-Ahmednagar road and imposed section 144. Rao said a decision on imposing curfew in the area would be taken later There is outflow of people in large number from Koregaon Bhima. Imposing curfew at this moment is not feasible. Union minister of state for social justice Ramdas Athawale demanded police protection for Dalits and asked Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis for additional forces in Bhima Koregaon. Dalit groups visiting Bhima Koregaon village in vehicles were halted at Sanaswadi, a village near Koregaon. Stones were hurled at them. No police force was available for their protection, Athawale said in a statement in Mumbai in the evening. Ten people were killed and five injured in three road accidents across Punjab on New Year. The first accident occurred in Tarn Taran after a car collided with a truck near the district administrative complex on Monday morning. Three people were killed and one injured in the mishap. The deceased have been identified as Harnek Singh, a resident of Ferozepur, and Bhagwan Dass and his wife Saroj Rani, residents of Moga. Bhagwans 23-year-old daughter, Smily, was injured in the accident. Bhagwans family had hired a car and was travelling from Moga to Beas. However, around 8 am when they reached the district administrative complex, the car collided with a truck coming from the opposite direction. The couple and the cab driver, Harnek, died on the spot, while Smily was rushed to a hospital in Amritsar. Station house officer, Sadar police station, Tarn Taran, Sonamdeep Kaur, said the mishap occurred due to the truck drivers negligence. She said a case under sections 304-A (causing death by negligence), 279 (rash driving), 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others), of Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been registered against the absconding truck driver. Three killed, two injured in Hoshiarpur Meanwhile, in the second accident, three people were killed after two cars collided with each other near a canal in Bassi Wazid village, Hoshiarpur, on late Sunday evening. The deceased were identified as Surinder Kaur, 35, Harjinder Singh,41, and his wife Kulwinder Kaur, 38. Police said all of them were resident of Neela Naloya village. Surinder Kaur and Harjinder Singh succumbed to injuries at a community health centre in Bhunga on Sunday, while Kulwinder Kaur died at civil hospital, Hoshiarpur, on Monday. The two injured have been admitted at civil hospital, police said. All five victims were travelling in the same car and the driver of the second car fled the accident spot. Police have taken the vehicle in their custody and a case of causing death due to negligence has been registered. SHO Dilbagh Singh said the owner of the car is yet to be identified. Four killed, three injured in Amritsar Meanwhile, four people were killed and three injured when a car collided with a trailer that had accidentally separated from a tractor on National Highway 1 near Beas, 40 km from Amritsar, on Monday evening. The deceased were identified as Surjit Singh, Gurpreet Kaur, Noor and Japjot Singh. Noor and Japjot were three and four-year-old respectively. The injured are Ravinder Singh, Prem Kaur and Gurpreet Kaur. They were all residents of Jalandhar and were headed to Amritsar to pay obeisance at the Golden Temple. The accident occurred after the hook connecting the tractor with the trailer broke and the trailer got detached from the tractor. The car in which the victims were travelling in collided with it and four people died on the spot, while three were injured. Senior superintendent of police, Amritsar Rural, Parampal Singh, said tractor owner Karnail Singh, a resident of Pandori village, fled the accident spot. He has been booked and a hunt has been launched to arrest him. An intense cold spell continued in the hilly states in north India even as air, road and rail travellers faced cancellations, suspended services and delays with heavy fog shrouding the plains on Monday. J&K and Himachal Pradesh recorded minimum temperatures several degrees below the freezing point. As dense fog engulfed several parts of Punjab, poor visibility affected air and train traffic, causing delay and cancellation. The arrival of six flights at Sri Guru Ram Das Jee International Airport in Amritsar was delayed by three to five hours. The Ludhiana-Delhi flight too was cancelled for third consecutive day. At the Chandigarh airport, nine flights were cancelled and as many delayed, including the ones to Bangkok and Sharjah. As for rail traffic, 22 trains arriving at the Chandigarh railway station were running behind schedule by over an hour. In Punjab, officials said, four trains were cancelled and 13 were running late by two to 12 hours. The temperature reflected the chill. At 2.5 degrees Celsius, Bathinda was the coldest place in Punjab. Adampur shivered at 2.8. Ludhiana (4.2) and Faridkot (4), too, reeled under piercing cold. High-altitude tribal areas and mountain passes in Himachal groaned under arctic conditions with the mercury staying 14 to 20 degrees below the freezing point. Forecasters predicted a prolonged spell of cold weather in the state, where lakes, springs, rivulets and tributaries of major rivers have frozen in the higher reaches. In Jammu and Kashmir, Srinagar ushered in the New Year under freezing conditions as the city recorded the coldest night of this winter with a minimum of minus-4.4. Leh in the cold desert of Ladakh recorded the lowest temperature (-14.5 degrees Celsius) in the state. Kashmir is currently under the grip of Chillai Kalan, a 40-day harshest period of winter when the chances of snowfall are most frequent and maximum and the temperature drops considerably. It ends on January 31, but the cold wave continues even after that in the valley. (With inputs from agencies) The city woke up to a foggy first morning of the New Year with at least 10 flights, including two international, being affected. Dense fog engulfed Chandigarh and Mohali on Monday morning with temperature dipping to 9C at 8.30 am and visibility was less than 50 metres in the city. As per weatherman, moderate to dense fog is likely to continue to engulf the city during mornings and evenings during next few days. It also added that temperatures will start dipping by one to two degrees and Mercury will fall further in the second week adding more chill. Indigos Dubai flight that was scheduled for landing at 10.35 am was diverted to Delhi while Air Indias Bangkok flight could not land here at 9.30 am and was diverted to Jaipur airport since the visibility at the airport dropped below 100 metres. The flight operations, however, resumed around 12.30 pm. Air Indias station manager RK Negi had earlier said that they were waiting for weather to improve as hundreds of passengers were virtually stranded. SHATABDI LATE BY OVER 4 HOURS Train services of 10 trains, including New Delhi-Kalka Shatabdi, were delayed on Monday morning, due to heavy fog in Delhi and in the region. The New Delhi-Kalka Shatabdi Express, which is scheduled to arrive at 11:05 am at the Chandigarh railway station, was late by over four hours. The other trains, which were running behind schedule included Kalka Mail, which was late by 15 hours, Kalka Mail, which was late by over four hours, Ajmer-Chandigarh Garib Rath Express was late by three hours, Una-New Delhi Jan Shatabdi was late by 55 minutes, Lucknow-Chandigarh Sadbhawna express was delayed by three and half hours, Himalayan queen was late by one hour 17 minutes and Kerela Sampark Kranti was delayed by two hours. Himachal Pradeshs Kullu district is ready making a new start this New Year. The district administration on Monday launched a year-long programme to end the practice of banishing women to cattle sheds during their periods. Called Naari Samman (womens pride), the programme aims to create awareness and break menstruation taboos. Womens Pride is an initiative to remove menses-related misconceptions from the minds of people, Kullu deputy commissioner Yunus Khan told Hindustan Times on Monday. Women in some remote parts of Himachal, often referred to as Dev Bhoomi (abode of gods) for large number of temples, are sent out of their homes every month during their periods. A survey by the Kullu administration found that in 91 of the 204 panchayats in the district, menstruating women are still forced to live in cattle sheds every month. Not just in this district, women face all kinds of discrimination across the country that stem from a deep-rooted belief that menstruating women are impure and can bring bad luck. The villagers appear to have borrowed from a practice called chaupadi in Nepal wherein women are relegated to cattle-sheds to keep impurity out of home, Khan said. Girls and women were shunted out of homes to a shed in many parts of Nepal that followed chaupadi but in August 2017, the country passed a law criminalising the tradition. Khan, who initiated the campaign from Kullus Naujana village, said the survey found many women in the remote areas were forced to stay in isolation or in secluded places during periods. The administration hand has also roped in local theatre artistes and folks groups. Its a very good initiative that will help in ending discrimination against women in villages, Kullu zila parishad chairperson Rohini Chaudhary said. The campaign The district administration will organise a panchayat-level campaign with the help of anganvadi and health workers as well as women groups. Temple committees and religious organisations will help the government in sensitising the locals. Call for help A helpline -- 01902-222105 -- has been set up for women to get information about the campaign. It will also provide free counselling and, if needed, arrange for psychiatrists and doctors. A young couple involved in multiple motorcycle thefts in Chandigarh and Mohali have been arrested by the Phase 11 police here on Sunday. The couple has been identified as 22-year-old- Kushal Walia, son of a local hotelier in Burail. His partner 19-year-old Jasmine of Phase 10 is a Class-12 drop out. Divulging details of the modus operandi station house officer (SHO) Phase 11 Sukhdev Singh said, The girl would walk around in the market keeping a tab on the two wheelers entering the parking area. After zeroing in on their target, Kushal would come and use a master key to unlock the bike. Police have recovered eight motorcycles from the duo and some of them were recently stolen from Mohali. Kushal was good at stealing the bikes but was poor at disposing them off or selling them which led to his arrest. Moreover, he got involved into stealing motorbikes just for thrill and to earn easy money said SHO Singh. Police said that the accused Kushal belongs to a good family and he was involved into his family business of hotels before he went astray. The girl started doing it after she came in contact with him. The duo have been booked under Sections 379 A (punishment for theft), 506(punishment for criminal intimidation) and 411(dishonestly receiving stolen property) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).Police officials said that more recoveries are likely to follow and the couple will be produced before the court on Monday to seek their remand. A Malayalam documentary on the Emergency, titled 21 Months of Hell, has been denied the censor certificate by the CBFC here, citing too much violence among other things in it, its director said. The 78-minute documentary deals with the alleged methods of torture employed by the police against detainees during the Emergency, the documentary director Yadu Vijayakrishnan, a cinema photographer by profession, told PTI here.The documentary mainly features interviews of victims of the Emergency along with the re-enactment of scenes of the alleged tortures methods recreated with actors, he said. Vijayakrishnan said the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) asked for proof of the torture methods used by police during the Emergency. Though there are testimonies of surviving victims and case reports, the Board wanted written government proof of the torture methods of that time, Vijayakrishnan said. The documentary features only the torture methods rather than the whole political scenario of the country at that time, Vijayakrishnan said. He claimed that he had a private screening of the documentary in September in New Delhi after getting special permission from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. But the CBFC denied the certificate, he said. The Emergency was in force in the country for 21 months from June 25, 1975. ott:10:ht-entertainment_listing-desktop Noted Odia playwright, jatra actor and director Ananta Ojha passed away today in Bengaluru following a prolonged illness, family sources said. He was 59. Ojha, who was undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Bengaluru, breathed his last this evening. Ojha scripted over 200 popular plays and acted and directed in many jatras. State Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik condoled the death of Ojha and conveyed his deep condolences to the bereaved family. Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan also expressed profound grief over the demise of Ojha. Follow @htshowbiz for more ott:10:ht-entertainment_listing-desktop Prabhas is on the cover of a mens magazine and the shy actor looks dapper. Prabhas shared the cover on his Facebook page and wished his fans a Happy New Year. The actor, who is usually reserved when it comes to media interactions, is seen posing wearing a pinstripe suit. Prabhas took the nation by storm when Baahubali 2 released, and has since become one of the favourite stars across the country. The latest magazine cover, shared on New Years eve, went viral on social media. After the release of Baahubali 2, the actor has been away from the spotlight as he was busy preparing for his upcoming film Saaho. He is currently in Abu Dhabi shooting for the film which has Shraddha Kapoor playing the lead role. The movie also stars Jackie Shroff and Arun Vijay in pivotal roles. The team had shot in Hyderabad recently, where Prabhas and Shraddha even bonded over food and language. Speaking about his costar and her role in the film, Prabhas had told PTI, I have never worked with a Bollywood actor before and she is the best choice for the role. We are very lucky to have her on board. Her character is not just like coming and going or just there for the songs. The character is very important and adds a lot of weight to the story. It is one of the most important characters in the film. She has some amazing action sequences also. It is a very strong character. Follow @htshowbiz for more ott:10:ht-entertainment_listing-desktop The next time you are in Turkey, go off the beaten tourist circuit and visit Kuskoy the village in district Canakci in Giresun province where people communicate through bird sounds. The unusual and very efficient whistle language used as a means of communication by villagers in remote northern Turkey has entered the Unesco list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Unesco has accepted the bird language of Black Sea villagers as an endangered part of world heritage in need of urgent protection, Xinhua news agency reported on Sunday. Around 10,000 people, mostly in the district of Canakci in Giresun province, still use the highly-developed and high pitch system of whistling to communicate in the rugged terrain where most of the times they cannot see each other. This form of communication which dates to some 500 years ago, during the Ottoman Empire, was widespread across the Black Sea regions, but 50 years ago it suffered the impact of the progression of technology and nowadays the ever rapid growing of cellular mobile systems has put this cultural heritage under serious threat. This form of communication which dates to some 500 years ago, during the Ottoman Empire, was widespread across the Black Sea regions. But 50 years ago it suffered the impact of the progression of technology. For centuries, the language has been passed on from grandparent to parent, from parent to child. Now, though, many of its most proficient speakers who use their tongue, teeth and fingers, are ageing and becoming physically weak. Young people are no longer interested in either learning the language, nor in finding ways to update its vocabulary with new words, and in a few generations it may be gone for good. The mobile phones have had a certain impact on our whistle tradition here, but we are trying to keep our culture alive, said the Muhtar, the elected headman of Kuskoy (literally translated as bird village). This village of some 400 people where tea and hazelnuts are cultivated is located in the heart of the whistle country and more than 80% of its inhabitants practice this incredible method of communication. We are very satisfied that our bird language is now a part of the world culture heritage, it was a dream come true because we think that it will also inspire others, said the Muhtar, adding that Kuskoy is making efforts to keep the practice alive through its annual Bird Language Festival. District authorities have started teaching the language at the primary school level since 2014. According to experts, whistle languages have existed through the ages across the world like in Spains Canary Islands, in Mexico or in Greek villages, but the Turkish one seems to be the most high-pitched and lexical extended, with more than 400 words and phrases. Follow @htlifeandstyle for more China has developed a new underwater surveillance network to help its submarines get a stronger lock on targets while protecting the nations interests along the maritime Silk Road, which included the Indian Ocean, a media report said on Monday. The system, which has already been launched, works by gathering information about the underwater environment, particularly water temperature and salinity, which the navy can then use to more accurately track target vessels as well as improve navigation and positioning, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported. The project, led by the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), is part of an unprecedented military expansion fuelled by Beijings desire to challenge the US in the worlds oceans, the Post said. After years of construction and testing, the new surveillance system was now in the hands of the navy, which reported good results, the oceanology institute said in its latest briefing in November, according to the report. But China still has some way to go before it can compete with the worlds only true superpower, it said. The Chinese system is based on a network of platforms buoys, surface vessels, satellites and underwater gliders that gather data from the South China Sea, and the Western Pacific and Indian oceans, the paper quoted the report by Oceanology Institute. That information is then streamed to three intelligence centres in the Paracel Islands in the South China Sea, the southern province of Guangdong, and a joint facility in South Asia where it is processed and analysed, it said. In recent years, China has stepped up naval expeditions to the Indian Ocean to fight the pirates in Gulf of Aden. These expeditions included large naval ships accompanied by submarines. China is silent about the reasons to deploy submarines for anti-piracy operations. China is also seeking to establish logistic bases in the Indian Ocean, much to the chagrin of India. The first such base was opened by China in Djibouti last year and it acquired the Hambantota port of Sri Lanka on 99 years lease for debt swap and currently developing the Gwadar port in Pakistan as part of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. China is involved in maritime disputes in the South and East China Seas. It claims almost all of the South China Sea and has also laid claims on the Senkaku islands under the control of Japan in the East China Sea, believed to harbour vast natural resources below their seabed. The US has been periodically deploying its naval ships and fighter planes in the South China Sea to assert freedom of navigation in the disputed areas. Yu Yongqiang, a researcher with the Institute of Atmospheric Physics also under CAS and a member of the expert panel overseeing Chinas global underwater surveillance network, said that while it undoubtedly represented progress in Chinas submarine warfare capabilities, it was dwarfed by the systems operated by the US around the world. We have made just a small step in a long march, he said. For submarines patrolling the sea route, or road, element of Chinas global trade and infrastructure development plan known as the Belt and Road Initiative, which included the 21st century Maritime Silk Road, the systems ability to not only measure, but also predict temperature and salinity at any location, any depth and at any time will be invaluable. Submarines use sonar (sound navigation and ranging) to locate, identify and attack other vessels. Yu said that as well as improving their targeting ability, the new surveillance system should enable submarines to steer a much safer course through difficult waters. For the naval forces charged with guarding the maritime Silk Road, there are many adversaries lurking in often hostile waters, according to a researcher involved in the development of the new surveillance system. Since the Cold War, the US had closely guarded the Western Pacific via island chains, the researcher said. Similarly, the South China Sea was circled by many small, unfriendly countries involved in territorial disputes with China; while India was wary of Beijings growing influence in the region and was consequently trying to tighten its grip on the Indian Ocean, he said. Our system can help tip the balance of power in these regions in Chinas favour, the researcher said. According to a study by the Centre for a New American Security and the International Institute for Strategic Studies, by 2030 China will have 260 warships and submarines compared to the US 199. As the battle for the oceans hots up, tools such as the underwater surveillance network could be the difference between winning and losing, the report said. Ousted Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharifs daughter, Maryam Nawaz, has rubbished rumours of her fathers self-exile, describing it as a self-created lie. In a tweet on Sunday, Maryam stated that exile will be the fate of military dictators and non-democratic characters, not of representatives elected by the people. A spokesperson of Nawaz Sharif also called news report published in national and international press as speculative that Sharif was negotiating a deal with Saudi Arabia to avoid facing an accountability court back home. The spokesperson said Sharif was visiting Saudi Arabia due to his long-standing relations with the royal family and in his capacity as the head of the ruling party, a press release issued on Sunday said. He has always utilised these relations for national interest and never for his personal benefits, it said. The spokesperson expressed disappointment and surprise that the story was published in violation of established norms and ethics without taking the version of all concerned. He advised media organisations to approach him before filing a story. The 12-year-old grandson of slain al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden has reportedly been killed in an air strike along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, according to reports on Monday. Osama bin Hamza bin Laden died sometime last year, according to a leaked letter sent by his father Hamza bin Laden to his family announcing the death, The New Arab, or Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, news website reported. The grandson of the martyr, our son Osamahas ascended to the highest paradise of heaven, said the letter dated in the Islamic month of Dhu al-Qidah, which fell between July and August. Tragedies that we meetsuch as these only make us stronger and more steadfast, the letter added, without giving the cause of death. Terror Monitor, which closely tracks the online activities of jehadi groups, tweeted that al-Qaeda supporters were circulating the letter mourning the death of Hamza bin Ladens oldest son Osama bin Hamza bin Laden in Afghanistan. #AlQaeda Supporters Circulating Letter Mourns The Death Of Its Leader Hamza Bin Laden's Oldest Son Osama Bin Hamza Bin Laden (Osama Bin Laden's Grandson) In #Afghanistan. #TerrorMonitor pic.twitter.com/WdJ9l98hOQ Terrormonitor.org (@Terror_Monitor) January 1, 2018 The Arabic news website Arabi 21 cited jehadi sources and reported that the 12-year-old boy was killed in an air raid on an al-Qaeda base along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. Hamza bin Laden has become active as an al-Qaeda propagandist since his father was killed by US special forces in a raid in Pakistan in 2011. In January, the US added Hamza to its terror list. A vast trove of al-Qaeda documents seized during the raid in Abbottabad that killed Osama bin Laden was released by the CIA last year. It included the first public images of Hamza as an adult. Osama bin Laden had been grooming Hamza, his favourite son, as a possible heir. Pakistans financial regulatory body on Monday banned Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed-led Jamaat-ud Dawa and Falah-i-Insaniat Foundation from collecting donations, according to a media report. The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) prohibited the collection of donations by the JuD, the front organisation of banned outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba, as well as several other such organisations named in a list of banned outfits by the UN Security Council, the Dawn reported. The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan hereby prohibits all companies from donating cash to the entities and individuals listed under the UNSC sanctions committees consolidated list, read a notification issued by the commission. In addition to JuD, the list also includes LeT itself, the Falah-i-Insaniat Foundation (FIF), the Paasban-i-Ahle- Hadith and Pasban-i-Kashmir, among others, the paper said. The SECP notification further warned that non-compliance with the said ruling could result in a hefty monetary fine. The Government of Pakistan has already prescribed a penalty of up to Rs 10 million for non-compliance on the sanctions regime being implemented, it said. In January 2017, the Pakistan government had launched a crackdown against JuD, placing Saeed under house arrest. However, Saeed was released in November after the Lahore High Court refused to extend the period of his confinement. Responding to reports that the government is planning on seizing their assets, JuD and FIF said they will take the matter to the court, the paper said. There are clear rulings of the Lahore High Court and Supreme Court that JuD is free to continue its welfare activities in Pakistan, JuD spokesperson Yahya Mujahid was quoted as saying by the paper. The government still pulls such stunts for the appeasement of India, he claimed. The JuD is believed to be the front organisation for the LeT which is responsible for carrying out the Mumbai attack. It has been declared as a foreign terrorist organisation by the US in June 2014. Pakistan foreign minister Khawaja Asif on Monday called on Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi after US President Donald Trump accused Islamabad of giving nothing to the US but lies and deceit, a media report said. The meeting held a detailed review of the Trumps statement, the Geo TV reported, citing its sources. It said the two leaders also discussed the countrys foreign policy. We will respond to President Trumps tweet shortly inshallah...Will let the world know the truth..difference between facts & fiction.., Asif tweeted. In a scathing attack, Trump accused Pakistan of giving nothing to the US but lies and deceit in return for $33 billion aid and said Islamabad has provided safe haven to terrorists. 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 said in a strongly worded tweet. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more! Trump said in his first tweet of the year. This is the strongest attack that has come from the US president. His remarks came days after the New York Times reported that the US is considering withholding $225 million in aid to Pakistan reflecting its dissatisfaction with the latters reluctance in the war against terrorism. Pakistans government plans to seize control of charities and financial assets linked to Islamist leader Hafiz Saeed, who Washington has designated a terrorist, according to officials and documents reviewed by Reuters. Pakistans civilian government detailed its plans in a secret order to various provincial and federal government departments on December 19, three officials who attended one of several high-level meeting discussing the crackdown told Reuters. Marked secret, a December 19 document from the finance ministry directed law enforcement and governments in Pakistans five provinces to submit an action plan by December 28 for a takeover of Saeeds two charities, Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) and the Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation. The United States has labelled JuD and FIF terrorist fronts for Lashkar-e-Taiba (Army of the Pure or LeT), a group Saeed founded in 1987 and which Washington and India blame for the 2008 attacks in Mumbai that killed 166 people. Saeed has repeatedly denied involvement in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks and a Pakistani court saw insufficient evidence to convict him. The LeT could not be reached for comment. The December 19th document, which refers to Financial Action Task Force (FATF) issues, names only Saeeds two charities and actions to be taken against them. The FATF, which is an international body that combats money laundering and terrorist financing, has warned Pakistan it faces inclusion on a watch list for failing to crack down on financing terrorism. Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, chief of the Islamic charity organisation Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), speaks to supporters during a gathering to protest against Trump's decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, in Rawalpindi. (REUTERS) Asked about a crackdown on JuD and FIF, interior minister Ahsan Iqbal, who co-chaired one of the meetings on the plan, responded only generally, saying he has ordered authorities to choke the fundraising of all proscribed outfits in Pakistan. In a written reply to Reuters, he also said Pakistan wasnt taking action under US pressure. Were not pleasing anyone. Were working as a responsible nation to fulfil our obligations to our people and international community. Spokesmen for the JuD and FIF both said they could not comment until they receive official notifications of the governments plans. We dont have any intimation about any crackdown so far, FIF spokesman Salman Shahid told Reuters. No one has asked us about our work or assets. Saeed could not be reached for comment. He has frequently denied having ties to militants and says the charitable organisations he founded and controls have no terrorism ties. He says he promotes an Islamic-oriented government through doing good works. First major move If the government follows through with the plan, it would mark the first time Pakistan has made a major move against Saeeds network, which includes 300 seminaries and schools, hospitals, a publishing house and ambulance services. The JuD and FIF alone have about 50,000 volunteers and hundreds of other paid workers, according to two counter-terrorism officials. Participants at the meeting raised the possibility that the governments failure to act against the charities could lead to UN sanctions, one of the three officials said. A UN Security Council team is due to visit Pakistan in late January to review progress against UN-designated terrorist groups. Any adverse comments or action suggested by the team can have far-reaching implications for Pakistan, the official said. The December 19th document gave few details about how the state would take over Saeeds charities, pending the plans submitted from the provincial governments. It did say it would involve government entities taking over ambulance services and accounting for other vehicles used by the charities. Hafiz Muhammad Saeed (C) at the Rawalpindi rally. (REUTERS) It says law enforcement agencies will coordinate with Pakistans intelligence agencies to identify the assets of the two charities and examine how they raise money. The document also directs that the name of JuDs 200-acre headquarters, Markaz-e-Taiba, near the eastern city of Lahore be changed to something else to make it known that the Government of Punjab (province) solely manages and operates the Markaz(headquarters). The move to seize the charities could spark some concern from the powerful military, which has proposed plans to steer Saeed and the JuD into mainstream politics. The military did not respond to a request for comment. In August, JuD officials formed a new political party, the Milli Muslim League, and backed candidates who fared relatively strongly in two key parliamentary by-elections. The JuD publicly disavows armed militancy inside Pakistan, but offers vocal support for the cause of rebel fighters in Indian-administered Kashmir and has called for Pakistan to retake Kashmir. Nuclear-armed India and Pakistan have fought two wars over the disputed region. Washington, which has offered a $10 million reward for information leading to Saeeds conviction over the Mumbai attacks, warned Islamabad of repercussions after a Pakistani court in late November released him from house arrest. Punjabs provincial government had put Saeed under house arrest for 10 months this year for violating anti-terrorism laws. (Additional reporting by Drazen Jorgic; Editing by Bill Tarrant) Ten people were killed overnight in the worst violence yet seen in Irans protests, local media reported on Monday, while President Hassan Rouhani said the Iranian people would respond to rioters and lawbreakers. Six people were killed in the western town of Tuyserkan after shots were fired, state television reported, while a local lawmaker said two people had been shot dead in the southwestern town of Izeh. Two others, included a teenage boy, were run down and killed by a fire engine stolen by protesters in the western town of Dorud, the state broadcaster said, bringing the total death toll in four days of protests to 12. Rouhani played down the unrest, saying: This is nothing. Criticism and protest are an opportunity not a threat. The nation will themselves respond to the rioters and lawbreakers, he said in a statement on the presidencys website. Our nation will deal with this minority who chant slogans against the law and peoples wishes, and insult the sanctities and values of the revolution. The authorities did not give details on who was responsible for the fatal shootings. Videos spread on social media of demonstrations in several towns and cities including Kermanshah, Khorramabad and Shahinshahr. A school for clergy and government buildings were torched in the northwestern town of Takestan and videos showed police using tear gas and water cannon to disperse a small protest in Tehrans Enghelab Square on Sunday evening. - Criticism different to violence - Rouhani addressed the nation first on Sunday night, breaking his silence over the biggest test for the regime since mass demonstrations in 2009. The people are absolutely free in expressing their criticisms and even protests, he said in a message on the state broadcaster. But criticism is different to violence and destroying public property. The authorities have confirmed more than 400 arrests. Verifying rumours and videos remained challenging due to travel restrictions and sporadic blocks on mobile internet and popular social media sites including Telegram and Instagram. The protests began as demonstrations against economic conditions in second city Mashhad on Thursday but quickly turned against the Islamic regime as a whole, with thousands marching in towns across Iran to chants of Death to the dictator. Rouhani sought a conciliatory tone on Sunday, saying that government bodies should provide space for legal criticism and protest and calling for greater transparency and a more balanced media. US President Donald Trump, a fierce critic of Tehran, said the big protests showed people were getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism. He accused Iran of numerous violations of human rights, adding it has now closed down the internet so that peaceful demonstrators cannot communicate. Not good! Rouhani dismissed Trumps comments. This man who today in America wants to sympathise with our people has forgotten that a few months ago he called the nation of Iran terrorist. - Living costs, unemployment - After initial silence, state media began showing some footage of the demonstrations on Sunday, focusing on young men attacking banks and vehicles, an attack on a town hall in Tehran, and images of a man burning the Iranian flag. Those who damage public property, disrupt order and break the law must be responsible for their behaviour and pay the price, Interior Minister Abdolrahman Rahmani Fazli said on Sunday. There have been reminders of the continued support for the regime among conservative sections of society, with pro-regime students staging sizeable counterdemonstrations at the University of Tehran over the weekend. Rouhani came to power in 2013 promising to mend the economy and ease social tensions, but high living costs and a 12 percent unemployment rate have left many feeling that progress is too slow. We have no problem bigger than unemployment. Our economy needs an operation. We must all stand together, Rouhani said on Monday. Police have so far taken a relatively soft approach to the unrest. The authorities have blamed external forces for fomenting violence, saying the majority of social media reports were emanating from regional rival Saudi Arabia or exile groups based in Europe. Since the ruthless repression of the 2009 protests against a disputed presidential election that gave hardliner Mahmoud Ahmadinejad a second term, many middle-class Iranians have abandoned hope of securing change from the streets. But low-level strikes and demonstrations have continued, with groups such as bus drivers, teachers and factory workers regularly protesting against unpaid wages and poor conditions. President Donald Trump on Monday threatened to cut off all aid to Pakistan, accusing it of harbouring foreign terrorists and lying about it, hours after a news report said Islamabad was preparing to take control of charities and assets linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Saeed in the face of growing pressure from the United States and the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). Noting that the US had foolishly given Pakistan more than $33 billion dollars in aid over 15 years, Trump tweeted: They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more! His comment highlighted heightened global scrutiny into Islamabads affairs and his administrations visible alignment with Indias long-held stance that Pakistan is a terror hub. 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 Pakistans finance ministry, in a secret order dated December 19, directed law enforcement agencies and governments in the countrys five provinces to frame an action plan by December 28 for a takeover of Saeeds Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) and Falah-e-Insaniyat Foundation (FIF), Reuters reported, citing officials and classified documents. Late on Monday, the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan prohibited the collection of donations by LeT, JuD and other groups sanctioned by the UN Security Council. The commission warned there would be a penalty of up to Rs 10 million for non-compliance with the UN sanctions regime. The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan hereby prohibits all companies from donating cash to the entities and individuals listed under the UNSC sanctions committees consolidated list, a notification said. India holds Saeed responsible for the 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai and says Pakistan is soft on the JuD chief, who was recently released from house arrest and has floated a political party to contest the general elections this year. Saeed, who founded the LeT in 1987, operates openly despite the US offering a $10 million bounty for him. Pakistans planned action against the JuD and FIF designated as fronts for the LeT by the US and the UN also appears to be linked to the Paris-based FATFs directive asking for a compliance report on steps taken to stem financing for the LeT and JuD to be submitted by February. The December 19 document cited by Reuters referred to Financial Action Task Force (FATF) issues while naming the JuD and FIF and actions to be taken against them. The FATF has already warned Pakistan that it faces inclusion on a watch list for failing to crack down on terror financing. Such a designation could have significant implications for Pakistans banks and business sector. Officials who attended meetings to discuss the planned crackdown raised the possibility that Pakistans failure to act against the JuD and FIF could lead to UN sanctions. A UN Security Council team will visit Pakistan in late January to review progress against UN-designated terror groups. Any adverse comments or action suggested by the team can have far-reaching implications for Pakistan, one official told Reuters. Interior minister Ahsan Iqbal, who co-chaired one of the meetings on the crackdown, said he had ordered authorities to choke the fundraising of all proscribed outfits in Pakistan. The US has been tightening the screws on Pakistan for not cracking down on groups such as the LeT and Haqqani Network, which targets American forces in Afghanistan. The Trump administration is already considering withholding $255 million in delayed aid to Pakistan over its failure to crack down on terror groups. The issue was also taken up by secretary of state Rex Tillerson and defence secretary James Mattis during their recent visits to Islamabad. Last week, vice president Mike Pence told US troops during a visit to Afghanistan: President Trump has put Pakistan on notice. Though the planned action would be one of the biggest crackdowns on the extensive charity and fund-raising network overseen by Saeed, this would not be the first time Pakistani authorities have acted against the JuD. Soon after the Mumbai attacks, dozens of JuD offices and facilities, including madrasas, were sealed or taken over by authorities. However, it later emerged that the government of Pakistans Punjab state had allocated more than Rs 410 million in its budget for 2013-14 for the JuDs largest centre spread over 200 acres at Murdike on the outskirts of Lahore. Three hundred Hollywood women have launched a new initiative to tackle the sexual harassment problems revealed by the Harvey Weinstein scandal. Reese Witherspoon, Eva Longoria, Emma Stone, Shonda Rhimes, America Ferrera, Kerry Washington, Jill Soloway and Natalie Portman are among the actresses, movie executives and writers backing the Times Up campaign group. Their initiative includes: A legal defense fund, backed by $13 million in donations, to help less privileged women like janitors, nurses and workers at farms, factories, restaurants and hotels protect themselves from sexual misconduct and the fallout from reporting it. Legislation to penalize companies that tolerate persistent harassment, and to discourage the use of nondisclosure agreements to silence victims. A drive to reach gender parity at studios and talent agencies that has already begun making headway. Advertisement The group has placed a full page advert in the The New York Times and La Opinion, a Spanish-language newspaper, calling for action. The struggle for women to break in, to rise up the ranks and to simply be heard and acknowledged in male-dominated workplaces must end; times up on this impenetrable monopoly, it read. Time's Up is trying to ensure that women with less privilege and with less of a public platform are also protected, after months of A-list actresses and famous survivors of sexual violence having their stories shared. We fervently urge the media covering disclosures by people in Hollywood to spend equal time on the myriad of experiences of individuals working in less glamourized and valorized trades, a message posted on the groups website read. Its legal fund, which is still taking donations, will be housed at the National Womens Law Center and help victims who have been silenced for too long. The group has also requested that women walking the red carpet at the Golden Globes speak out and raise awareness by wearing black. "For years, weve sold these awards shows as women," said Eva Longoria, "with our gowns and colours and our beautiful faces and our glamour. This time the industry cant expect us to go up and twirl around. Thats not what this moment is about. There have been rumours that men are also planning to turn up to the Golden Globes wearing black in solidarity - a frankly unimpressive gesture given that men traditionally wear black tuxedos to awards shows anyway, and slightly reeks of men doing the bare minimum and trying to be thanked. Paul Petronella grew up in the restaurant business - covered, he says, with the smell of garlic, tomato sauce and smoke. No doubt. His name is deeply intertwined with some of the great, dynastic Italian names of the Houston dining scene - Mandola, Carrabba, D'Amico, Laurenzo. Readers can see as much in the family tree printed in his new cookbook, "Paulie's," which celebrates the Montrose restaurant his parents named for him 20 years ago. "Paulie's," of course, contains recipes for the Italian-American larder that is the restaurant's hallmark. But it's also a story of the making of a chef, and his personal roadmap in opening and managing a family-run business, complete with mournful lows and exhilarating highs. The book is due to arrive next week and will be sold at Paulie's, 1834 Westheimer, and can be preordered on Amazon. Petronella, 40, began working on the book, which contains striking photographs by Houstonian Debora Smail, about three years ago. He insists it's a family story first, a cookbook second. The story Petronella's great-grandparents came to America in the early 1900s, emigrating from Italy through the Gulf of Mexico - Corleone, Sicily, to Galveston. Petronella's father, Bernard, teamed up with his cousins, Nash D'Amico and Damian Mandola, to open their own restaurant, D'Amico's on Westheimer near Kirby, in the late 1970s. As a child, Petronella spent more time in that restaurant than on the playground, often sleeping in the D'Amico's office, downing Cherry Cokes and noshing on cocktail vegetables. He called the restaurant work a "rock-star lifestyle" and naturally gravitated to the bustle of the kitchen and the sophisticated ambience of the dining room, where Caesar salads and spaghetti carbonara were fashioned tableside. In 1998, his parents - father Bernard and stepmother Kathy - opened their own restaurant and named it Paulie's. "I was flattered that they thought that much of me, but I was also wary of what this could mean for my future," Petronella writes. "Was this the seed being planted for me to someday take over the family business? Petronella was a college student in San Marcos at the time. The restaurant got off to a slow start, and his parents, who wanted to make it on their own, had emptied their bank accounts to run their fledgling business. But after a positive review in the Houston Chronicle, Paulie's took hold, becoming known for the made-to-order Italian fare in deliberately generous portions that are still served today. "Severe weather and emergencies aside, we never had a day like those first six months again," he writes. Petronella, armed with a business degree, said he had a "quarter-life crisis" when he decided against going back to work at the restaurant, instead opting for the advertising business. He eventually returned when his parents opened a second Paulie's near Houston's Medical Center. He wore several hats then, as general manager, operator and line cook. After two years, the Petronellas accepted an offer from another restaurant operator who wanted the Medical Center space. All efforts returned to the original location. More Information "Paulie's: Classic Italian Cooking in the Heart of Houston's Montrose District" By Paul Petronella Greenleaf Book Group Press, $27.95, 208 pp. See More Collapse Petronella took over the business in 2009, and his parents retired. Since then he's worked at improving food and service. In 2013, a space adjacent to the restaurant became available, and Petronella decided to open a wine bar, Camerata, which became an incubator for sommelier talent and a geeky gathering spot for oenophiles. The cookbook Though the food Petronella's great-grandparents knew in Sicily has morphed into Italian-American fare, it remains grounded in home-cooking virtues - seasonal soups and salads; housemade pastas and sauces; fresh focaccia and pizza; and come-back-for-more desserts. Petronella shares many of his family's recipes in the cookbook, including marinara (the "mother sauce"), lobster ravioli, veal saltimbocca, pasta puttanesca, fettuccine Alfredo, chicken Parmesan, mushroom risotto, rigatoni Bolognese, stuffed artichokes, eggplant Parmigiana and cacio e pepe. There are recipes, too, for familiar Paulie's menu items - think pimento cheese, chicken salad, focaccia, chocolate chip cookies and the shrimp BLT sandwich. He chose to include the recipes he did, Petronella explains, because they can easily be re-created at home. When Petronella took ownership of Paulie's, he cooked on the line in his kitchen, knowing it was the engine of the restaurant. He shifted into front-of-the-house operations, but it was that knowledge of how his kitchen was run and what it could do that gave him the strength to invest even deeper in Paulie's. Working with David Buehrer of Greenway Coffee, he installed a top-shelf coffee program. He also invested in a pasta-extruding machine and began making all his pasta in-house. He also famously collaborated with top chefs - including James Beard Award winners Chris Shepherd and Justin Yu - for pop-up dinners on Sundays when Paulie's is closed. Those associations, coupled with Petronella's work operating Camerata and as a founder of the organization that runs the OKRA Charity Saloon, the downtown bar that donates 100 percent of its profits, have put his little restaurant in Montrose in Houston's culinary big league. "I felt like I'd had my head down, working, for years," he writes, "and once I lifted it up to see, there were smiling faces all around." Paulie's Marinara Yield: "This is a batch recipe," Petronella writes, "that should last a few meals." 3 tablespoons olive oil 4 ounces yellow onion, diced (about cup) 1 teaspoon black pepper 2 garlic cloves 1 can (24 ounces) peeled tomato strips 1 can (12 ounces) ground tomatoes 1 teaspoon dry oregano 1 teaspoon salt 1 pound roasted tomatoes (recipe follows), pureed Instructions: Heat 3 tablespoons oil over medium-low in a large saucepan or stockpot. Add onions and pepper. As onions soften, add garlic and cook until onions become clear. Add the ground and peeled tomatoes. Stir well to combine. Add salt, oregano and roasted tomato puree. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for about 45 minutes, stirring often to prevent sticking. Remove from heat to cool and puree marinara thoroughly. ROASTED TOMATOES 2-3 pounds Roma tomatoes cup olive oil cup ground black pepper cup dry basil Instructions: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Slice Roma tomatoes in half and remove guts (seeds and pulp) with a spoon. Lay skin down on a lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with black pepper and dry basil. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until dryness and shrinkage appear. You may want to excrete some water, but don't leave the tomatoes completely dried out. Lay out to cool. These can be covered and refrigerated for several days. Pasta con Sarde Makes 2 servings pound bucatini pasta or spaghetti 1 whole sardine, 2-3 ounces, filleted Zest of 1 lemon 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped 1 garlic clove, minced Pinch kosher salt 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper cup panko bread crumbs 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 tablespoons olive oil Juice of lemon 8-10 halves pickled cherry tomatoes 2 tablespoons ricotta salata, crumbled Instructions: Bring pot of lightly salted water to boil, drop in pasta and cook until al dente. Save a bit of pasta water for later use. In a small mixing bowl, combine sardine fillets with lemon zest, parsley, garlic, salt and black pepper. In a saute pan, toast the bread crumbs in 1 tablespoon butter over low heat until brown. Transfer bread crumbs to a separate bowl. Wipe out any bread crumbs left behind and return saute pan to medium heat. Heat olive oil until hot. Add sardines and cook for about 2-3 minutes. Add pasta along with a touch of pasta water. Add fresh lemon juice and the other 1 tablespoon butter. After the sauce thickens, separate pasta into two bowls. Top with ricotta salata, pickled tomatoes and bread crumbs. A man in northern Montgomery County was rushed to the hospital after authorities found him floating in a cold creek near his partially submerged car. A driver headed along County Line Road spotted the wreck just after 9 a.m. while crossing over the Caney Creek bridge, according to the Montgomery County Police Reporter. A sheriff's deputy gunned down early Sunday during an ambush-style shooting of officers in Colorado was a young father with deep Houston roots. The family of the slain deputy, Zackari Parrish III, worships with Second Baptist Church, where he attended the private Second Baptist School before heading to Dallas Baptist University and then moving to Colorado. Parrish, 29, is survived by his wife and their two young daughters, as well as his parents and sisters, who still live in the Houston area. His mother works at the church and his father leads Bible studies, a pastor said. FIRED UPON IMMEDIATELY: Suspect holed up in an apartment The deputy graduated in 2006 from the church's school, where he played on the baseball team as an infielder. Reagan Reynolds, a pastor at the church, was a classmate and teammate of Parrish's. He remembers a gregarious young man who moved to Houston early in high school and quickly found a tight-knit group of friends. "He was extremely friendly and charming," Reynolds said. "It was impossible not to like him." Jacob Carpenter Parrish had been a deputy for about seven months with the Douglas County Sheriff's Office, serving an area south of Denver. He was on duty at about 5 a.m. Sunday when he responded to a disturbance at an apartment complex. A man fired more than 100 rounds before being fatally shot himself. Along with Parrish's death, three other deputies and a police officer were wounded, as well as two civilians. The four injured officers, who range in age from 28 to 41, were in stable condition, and the two civilians' injuries were not life-threatening. Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock said deputies came under fire almost immediately after entering the suspect's apartment and trying to talk with the him as he was holed up in a bedroom. "They all went down almost within seconds of each other, so it was more of an ambush-type of attack on our officers," Spurlock said. "He knew we were coming and we obviously let him know that we were there." The Douglas County coroner identified the suspect as 37-year-old Matthew Riehl. A YouTube user named Matthew Riehl posted a YouTube video Dec. 13, saying he wanted to replace Spurlock and railing against the sheriff and other officers in profane, highly personal terms. 'He died a hero' Parrish's death devastated the local community and police departments in the region, said Rick Derbyshire, a pastor at Parrish's church in Colorado and a chaplain with two local law enforcement agencies. Derbyshire said he met Sunday afternoon with Parrish's wife, Gracie, and several of the couple's other family members and friends. Together, they recalled Parrish's love for police work and helping his community. "Even with the depth of their grief and sorrow, they are taking solace in the fact that he died a hero and the fact that he was doing exactly what he wanted to do," Derbyshire said. After graduating from Dallas Baptist University, Parrish initially worked in business before switching to law enforcement. His friend Nathan Rees, who also went from Second Baptist School to Dallas Baptist University, remembered Parrish as a goofy guy who was serious about protecting others, from his sisters to his wife to the public. Rees lived with Parrish for a year during college. He remembered playing acoustic guitar together and falling into serious conversations with his normally light-hearted housemate. "There were definitely times when the two of us would sit and talk - about faith, or about doubt, or love," Rees said. "When we weren't goofing off," he added quickly. But Parrish grew focused when he met his future wife, who was from Colorado. "Really quickly after they started dating, he was very serious about it," Reynolds said. "He told me and some of his other friends how much liked her and how confident he was (about the relationship.)" Rees remembers talking with Parrish about each of their girlfriends, who soon became their wives. "We had one of those dude conversations," Rees said. "He had this look in his eyes. He was ready and knew that she was the one." Parrish took on more coursework so he could finish college early and marry Gracie, Reynolds said. The couple moved to Colorado, her home state. In recent years they had two daughters. Parrish worked at the Castle Rock Police Department south of Denver before joining the Douglas County Sheriff's Office earlier in 2017, working the overnight shift. Parrish's friends think his desire to work in law enforcement came from his lifelong habit of watching out for his sisters. "Growing up, he really did love and care about his sisters," Rees remembered. "He so much wanted to be a protector, and I think that's why he eventually left the thought of doing business. ... He was wanting to go to business school at one time. But he wanted to protect people." Now Playing: The Douglas County Sheriff's Office says that a deputy has died following a shooting in Highlands Ranch, Colo. Video: Time Sunday's shooting occurred at a landscaped apartment complex in Highland Ranch, 16 miles south of Denver. Authorities had left the home barely an hour earlier in response to a complaint of a "verbal disturbance" involving two men, the sheriff's office said. One of the men told them the suspect "was acting bizarre and might be having a mental breakdown" but the deputies found no evidence of a crime. When deputies were called back, a man who had left came by to give them a key and granted permission to enter the home, leaving again before shots were fired. A memorial service for Parrish has been set for 10 a.m. Friday at Cherry Hills Community Church in Highlands Ranch, Colorado. A member of the family's church set up a fundraising page for the family: www.gofundme.com/ZParrish Parrish was a devoted Christian whose faith would carry his family through tragedy, Derbyshire said. "We all know that he would have told his wife, 'If anything happens to me, Gracie, it's my time. I'm going to miss you, but it's my time, and this is the job that God called me to do.'" The Associated Press contributed to this report. Wayward shopping carts are a common sight across much of Houston, where they block drainage ditches, get left in medians, sit chained to poles at bus stops or roll into traffic. Two City Council members have answered constituents' complaints about the issue by funding a pilot program to remove stray carts from public spaces, an effort that has rounded up more than 4,500 carts in their two districts in less than a year. That does not count the hundreds of carts that retailers retrieve themselves. "It makes the neighborhood look trashy and we don't want that," said Travis Hooker, a civic leader in the Gulfton-area neighborhood of Shenandoah, which borders apartment complexes within walking distance of retailers - a recipe for discarded carts. "It's a constant battle." Now Council members Mike Laster and Robert Gallegos want their pilot to become a citywide program, perhaps bolstered by an ordinance requiring retailers to label carts and pay a fee to get them back when city staff find them on the street. MORE: Target removes 'nightmare' kids' carts that shoppers called 'vehicles of mass destruction' The fee could be modest, aimed at covering the city's collection costs, or punitive, to encourage stores to keep the carts on site. Or, the council members suggested, the companies simply could form a retrieval program among themselves and share the cost. Retailers generally resist any talk of fees, saying it would be better to tailor solutions to specific hot spots rather than impose citywide regulations, and stress that it is not in any store's interest to leave expensive equipment sitting in a ditch. Trapping all carts on site could harm customers who need to get their groceries home but lack cars, they say, while trying to round up every lost cart often would lead workers onto private property, such as apartment complexes. Joy Partain, a Kroger corporate affairs manager, said wayward carts are a problem no city has solved, in part because they are a symptom of a broader issue - thousands of residents lacking the funds to transport groceries home any other way. "One challenge is answering the question: Whose responsibility is it if a cart was abandoned and has been sitting at the bottom of a bayou? The retailer didn't put it there, someone took it," Partain said. "If you see an abandoned car on the side of the road and it's a Corolla, would it make sense to call Toyota and blame them?" Of the 4,500 carts rounded up in nine months in Gallegos' district and 12 months in Laster's, 27 percent belonged to Wal-Mart; 20 percent belonged to Fiesta Mart; 9 percent were from Sellers Bros.; 6 percent were unmarked, and 5 percent belonged to Kroger. In all, the carts carried the labels of more than 70 businesses. GRAY MATTERS: So how should Houston handle its trash? Steve Ashy, who attended the meetings of a task force Laster formed on the issue on behalf of the Super Neighborhood Alliance, a coalition of civic clubs, said retailers showed little interest in engaging on the topic. "They don't really have a program to pick up the carts from their grocery stores and, in my view, not a real big interest in establishing one," Ashy said, calling Fiesta Mart an exception. "We pointed out several solutions and they just said, 'No, we're not going to do that.'" Joe Williams of the Texas Retailers Association, who participated in the task force discussions, said each retailer approaches the problem differently depending on the severity of the issue at each store. Some embed wires in their parking lots that lock the carts' wheels near the edges of parking lots, others require a deposit to use a cart on site, and some pay crews to retrieve carts. Williams acknowledged some stores need to do a better job of gathering up wayward carts, but he said neighborhood leaders are "not reasonable" on the issue and public officials "overblow" its importance. "I don't think it's that serious of an issue. It's not our intention to just let those lie around and rust," Williams said, noting that used carts cost $45 to $75 and new ones run $75 to $200. The task force could have made more progress, Williams said, if the council members had kept scheduling meetings to discuss the problem areas depicted in the data on retrieved carts. Laster chuckled at that assessment. MORE: How you can stop plastic bags from trashing our bayous "If you come up with a list of proposals and they say 'no' to every proposal at every meeting, there's not a whole lot of reason to keep on meeting," the councilman said. "But we kept on with the program because the necessity is there, whether they want to acknowledge it or not. The numbers speak for themselves." A key reason the group did not reach a consensus, Laster said, is that Mayor Sylvester Turner did not intervene to spur the retailers to negotiate. The mayor acknowledged the issue is not on his immediate to-do list. "If you can get the support of the retailers to come up with a plan that can address this in a meaningful way, then we'll certainly take a look at it," he said. "Without the support of the retailers, it makes it very, very difficult to implement any sort of plan." Steve Wilson, a Fiesta Mart district manager who participated in the task force meetings, said he is open to compromise and said the pilot program was useful in outlining the scope of the problem. The effort did raise some questions for him, however. City and neighborhood officials praise Fiesta for having a robust cart pickup program, for instance, but a fifth of all the carts the city employee picked up were Fiesta's. "We believe that it may have been out there that morning that the city came by but would have been picked up shortly thereafter by our folks. They just beat us to it," he said. MORE: H-E-B plans double-decker grocery store in Meyerland Plaza Early in the pilot program, Wilson had his cart pickup team gather all the carts - not just Fiesta ones - they saw within a three-mile radius of his southwest Houston store. But they encountered few, partly because the city was picking them up simultaneously and partly because few competitors are located that close to his store. Wilson added that he has worked for other grocers, and most don't lose enough carts to warrant a pickup program. Gallegos said he hopes the second set of data from the pilot, which city officials compiled recently and which runs through the end of October, will bring the retailers back for more fruitful talks. "Something needs to be done and, hopefully, now that we have the numbers they'll realize, 'OK, we need to figure something out,'" he said. "It's blight, it's a safety issue, and it's something that has been brought up by constituents." Laster and Gallegos said they intend to continue funding the pickup program from their district funds. In the last year, the total cost of the pilot program was about $60,000 to cover the worker's salary, as well as fuel and maintenance for his pickup truck and attached 16-foot trailer. Here's a New Year's resolution for Congress: Get back to work and clean up the mess you left behind last year. Our elected representatives on Capitol Hill don't have much to brag about as they look back on 2017. The Republicans running the show managed to pass a hastily assembled tax reform bill that will add another $1 trillion to the federal deficit during the next decade. But as they flew home for the holidays, they left a pile of important legislation sitting on their desks awaiting action. First and foremost, the Senate must resolve to pass the $81 billion hurricane relief bill approved by the House just before Christmas. How much of that money will come to Texas is unclear, but it won't be enough for a state that originally asked for $61 billion. So in 2018, Sen. John Cornyn and Sen. Ted Cruz must make sure Texas gets what our governor has repeatedly said we need, especially money for a third reservoir, for bayou flood mitigation projects and for a coastal storm surge barrier. Next on the no-brainer list of legislation Congress should have already passed is funding for the Children's Health Insurance Program. CHIP generally enjoys bipartisan support because it ensures that millions of American children get to see doctors, and even the slowest and most ornery politicians in Washington know that's important. But Congress inexplicably let a deadline lapse last September, putting the health of about 400,000 Texas kids at risk. Our state's stopgap federal funding for CHIP runs out at the end of February, so Congress needs to jump on this problem fast. Just as importantly, our senators and representatives need to quit dithering about the Dreamers. Three months have passed since President Donald Trump canceled the Obama-era program that protected undocumented people whose parents brought them to this country when they were children. The threat of deportation left them in limbo during the holiday season, even though there's bipartisan support for providing them a path to citizenship. The president gave Congress a March deadline to come up with a legislative solution, but there's no reason to wait. Leaving the Dreamers living under a cloud of uncertainty is an unnecessary cruelty that Congress needs to bring to an end. Now that they've passed their tax bill and finally proven themselves capable of the basic function of legislating, lawmakers in Washington need to check these important items off their to-do list right away. Congress set a low bar for itself last year, so it shouldn't be difficult to do better in 2018. As this appalling year limps to a close, with President Trump consistently underperforming even the lowest of expectations, a note of holiday cheer: Our country's institutions and values have, so far, proven remarkably resilient. This outcome was not a given; complacency that it will continue would be dangerous. And yet, after nearly a year of Trump, the warnings about incipient fascism and the insidious ways in which strongmen acquire power feel overblown. I suspected so from the start, but I wasn't sure - nor should we be cocky about the future. Still, for now, there are reasons for optimism in the performance of the media, the courts and, yes, even the Republican-dominated Congress - undergirded and reinforced by the American people. On the media: How scary it is to have a president who derides us as "the enemy of the American people." To have a cable news network that inflames his worst instincts and recklessly flings suggestions of a "coup" by special counsel Robert Mueller. To have nearly half the public, egged on by Trump's bellowing about "fake news," believing that reporters simply invent negative stories about the president. But while Trump & Co. went to war against the press, we went to work, to paraphrase Washington Post Executive Editor Martin Baron. Without that work, the public would likely not know about: former national security adviser Michael Flynn's contacts with the Russians; Donald Trump Jr.'s "I love it" meeting with a Russian lawyer peddling dirt on Hillary Clinton, and the president's efforts to mislead people about the event; Trump's description of fired FBI Director James Comey as a "nut job" in a meeting with Russian officials in which he also divulged highly classified information. The list goes on. And for all the Trump-fomented anger at and distrust of the media, the president has stirred up something else. For the first time in my career, people are thanking me and my colleagues for what we do, a development that is at once gratifying and unsettling. (It's our job.) Digital subscriptions are soaring at the Post and the New York Times, which helps provide the resources for more rigorous reporting. The courts have also stood their institutional ground - notwithstanding, and perhaps in response to, Trump's demonstrated contempt for an independent judiciary. All three versions of Trump's misguided effort to ban entry of citizens from certain Muslim-majority nations have been struck down by courts, although the Supreme Court has slowed the latest one to take effect while the litigation continues. So was his attempt to deny federal funding to so-called sanctuary cities. So was his cruel, ignorant effort to ban transgender people from serving in the military. So was his bid to prevent undocumented teenagers from exercising their right to abortion. All of this could be ephemeral. The ideological balance of the Supreme Court is precarious, and the seat that was denied to Barack Obama (and Merrick Garland) and occupied by Justice Neil Gorsuch will matter long after we are rid of Trump. In contrast to Trump's incompetence in staffing up the executive branch, and with the exception of a few jaw-droppingly unqualified lower-court nominees, the Trump team has been diligent in filling the judicial vacancies that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell maneuvered to leave for him. It is beyond naive to think that these changes won't matter. But I am not - not yet? - disillusioned enough to believe this transformation will leave the separation of powers and the rule of law defenseless. A Trump-infused judiciary will not always rule the way I would like, but I remain confident that even conservative judges and justices would resist his most authoritarian, unconstitutional impulses. And speaking of separation of powers, there is Congress. It may strain optimism to consider congressional Republicans, with their rammed-through tax bill and fawning obeisance to Trump, as any kind of bulwark against his excesses. Yet we have seen repeated episodes of congressional resistance, enough of it to make a difference, whether to manifestly unqualified judicial nominees or to ill-intentioned efforts to dismantle the health care law. Even this Congress, even before the changes that 2018 may bring, has pursued investigations into Trump's Russia ties and would rebel at any effort to fire Mueller or obstruct his probe, despite the current outcry. I am not saying this has been a good year. Indeed, it was dreadful. But if Trump was even worse than we expected, our system, imperfect and battered as it is, withstood the onslaught. This is a terrible moment in our nation's history, but I am betting it is just that - a moment, not a death knell. Ruth Marcus' email address is ruthmarcus@washpost.com. As an existing print subscriber it is easy to get FREE access to all our online content. When you click get started below it will walk you through creating an online account to attach your print subscription number to. After your account is created it will ask you to either add a subscription for online access or click on the print subscriber button. Click the print subscriber button header and it will open a dropdown, now click on get started. The page will reload and you will be prompted to enter an account number and a zip code. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO USE THE NUMBER OFF OF THE MOST RECENT ISSUE OR ANYTHING AFTER JANUARY 28, 2019 TO GAIN ACCESS! OLD ACCOUNT NUMBERS WILL NOT WORK The account number and zip code are easily available on your most recent issue of the High Plains Journal or Midwest Ag Journal in the address fields as is shown here. Sometimes the account number has extra zero's in front of it, just ignore those. Subscribing to our services is a three step process. First you have to create an account and then you have to pick if you want to subscribe to digital and or print. Some people only want to be a digital subscriber to get access online and others want to also receive the print edition. If you are already a print subscriber and want online access, it is free, you simply have to create an online account and then attach your print subscription account number to the online account you create. With the backstage drama leaving Star Wars fans a little nervous about the upcoming Solo: A Star Wars Story, Lucasfilm has locked in a legend of the franchise. Variety reports John Williams will compose the theme for the film, while John Powell will take on duties of writing the films score, as previously announced. This will only be the second time Williams hasnt scored a Star Wars film, with Michael Giacchino stepping in for Rogue One. It makes sense, however, that Lucasfilm would want to enlist Williams when creating something unique, and as memorable as possible, for such an iconic character. Indeed, Han Solo never had a specific theme of his own in the original trilogy, not in the way Luke or Leia did. During an interview about his score for The Last Jedi, Williams confirmed: The present plan is that Im writing a theme for Han Solo, and John Powell is going to write the score, which hell do brilliantly. His assignment is something Im very happy about, he continued. What I will do is offer this to John, and to [director] Ron Howard, and if all parties are happy with it, then I will be happy... John [Powell] will complete the score. He will write all the rest of the themes and all of the other material, which Im going to be very anxious to hear. 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 Powell was nominated for an Oscar in 2010 for his score for How to Train Your Dragon; his other work includes the Bourne franchise, United 93, Ferdinand, Happy Feet, and Rio. Solo: A Star Wars Story hits UK cinemas 25 May 2018. Follow Independent Culture on Facebook for all the latest on Film, TV, Music, and more. Zac Efron told the story of the surreal phone call he once shared with Michael Jackson, which ended with both stars in tears. Appearing on the New Years Eve edition of The Graham Norton Show, The Greatest Showman star, now 30, recounted how he unexpectedly ended up on the phone with the pop icon when in Paris, promoting one of the High School Musical films when he was 20 or 21 years old. While having dinner with director-choreographer Kenny Ortega, the actor was suddenly handed over a phone with Michael Jackson on the other end. A bewildered Efron barely knew how to react. I was like, This is Zac Efron. Im a massive fan. Im an actor. Youre like my hero?, he explained. I didnt know what to say and I was just at a loss for words and rambling on. And he said, Thats really nice. Can you hand the phone back to Kenny? A neat anecdote of an awkward encounter, though the story doesnt end here. The phone rang suddenly again, handed back to Efron, with Jackson on the other end asking, Oh, this is Zac from High School Musical? I love what you do. Im a huge fan. I lost it, Efron says of his reaction. I lost my balance. I think I fell over into the wall. I was like, Do you know who I am? What? And I just start crying. I was a mess. The actor once again told him that he was his hero and thanked him for showing him how to dance and how to shine. He added, That made him cry. And so we were both crying to each other on the phone and he ended the whole phone conversation with something along the lines of, Hey Zac. And I stopped crying for a second. Isnt it awesome? I was like, What? And he goes, Dreams really do come true, dont they? Follow Independent Culture on Facebook for all the latest on Film, TV, Music, and more. A full-page ad taken out by a rabbi in the Washington Post has called Lorde a bigot after she cancelled her Israel show. The New Zealand musician said in a statement that "the right decision at this time" was to cancel her June 2018 gig in Tel Aviv, which was announced earlier this month, following calls by the Boycott, Divest, Sanction movement to cancel her performance over Israel's treatment of Palestinians. She joins several other artists who have boycotted the country, including Roger Waters and Elvis Costello. The ad, which appeared on the fifth page of the paper's 31 December edition, comes from rabbi Shmuley Boteach's This World: The Values Network. Under the headline, "Lorde and New Zealand ignore Syria to attack Israel", the ad criticises the musician for joining "a global antisemitic boycott of Israel" while still performing in Russia, while also accusing New Zealand of prejudice against Israel. It cites both New Zealand's vote in December, alongside 127 other countries, in favour of a United Nations resolution calling for the United States to withdraw its decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and its co-sponsorship of a UN resolution last year which condemned continued Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territory. "While Lorde claims to be concerned with human rights, she hypocritically chose to proceed with her two concerts in Putin's Russia, despite his support for [Syrian president Bashar al-]Assad's genocidal regime," the ad reads. "Let's boycott the boycotters and tell Lorde and her fellow bigots that Jew-hatred has no place in the twenty-first century." The Israeli ambassador to New Zealand has also requested an in-person meeting with Lorde; Dr. Itzkah Gerberg penned an open letter on Facebook in which he said, "It is regrettable that you have cancelled your concert in Tel Aviv and have disappointed all your fans in Israel. Music is a wonderful language of tolerance and friendship, which brings people together. Your concert in Israel could have spread the message that solutions come from constructive engagement that leads to compromise and cooperation." In addition to Gerberg's comments, Lorde received a statement from Israeli culture minister Miri Regev saying, "Lorde, I'm hoping you can be a 'pure heroine,' like the title of your first album, be a heroine of pure culture, free from any foreign - and ridiculous - political considerations." Follow Independent Culture on Facebook for all the latest on Film, TV, Music, and more. A decision by a female-only swimming pond in north London to welcome transgender women has disgruntled some regular users. The popular Hampstead Heath pond, used by local residents Emma Thompson and Kate Moss, is restricted to women over the age of eight. A spokesperson for the City of London Corporation, who manage the pond, told the Mail on Sunday that they would allow transgender swimmers who were transitioning from male to female to use it. Recommended Trans dad explains how pregnancy feels when you identify as a man Margaret Roberts has been swimming in the ladies pond for 32 years and told the paper she had seen someone using the pond who looked and dressed like a woman but claimed to identify as a man and refused to leave when asked by Roberts. She added that in the summer she had seen a young man using the pond while wearing a bikini who claimed to be transitioning from male to female. I and many others are threatened by having to have cross dressers openly use our private space, Roberts said. Women have few private spaces and we have had to fight many times to keep the pond open. Feminist writer Julie Bindel is also a regular visitor to the pond and lambasted the decision to welcome transgender women as totally unacceptable. The last thing [young girls] want is to look behind them and see a male-bodied person pretending to be a woman in order to gawp at them. Recommended Transgender man gives birth after having first child as woman However, some regular swimmers were thrilled at the pond's progressive policy. "So happy that Hampstead Heath Ladies Pond has an explicitly trans friendly policy now," wrote one Twitter user. "I have been swimming there for years, as many London women trans and cis. It is a tiny piece of heaven that just got better". There are two further ponds on the heath, one for men and a third mixed one. A spokesperson for the City of London Corporation explained that all lifeguards and managers at the ponds are well-versed in transgender issues and have all taken training courses in trans awareness. We are working with the LGBTQ community to ensure our facilities are fit to serve the needs of everyone who enjoys them, and will continue to do so in the future, they said. The Kenwood Ladies Pond Association added that they were in talks regarding swimmers concerns with privacy, reports The Times. The KLPA is committed to ensuring safe and respectful swimming at the Ladies Pond and a social environment in which everyone can expect to be treated with respect, courtesy and consideration, a spokesperson said. A drug developed for type 2 diabetes significantly reverses memory loss and could have potential as a new treatment for Alzheimers disease and other neurodegenerative diseases, scientists say. The study, by UK and Chinese universities, is the first to look at a new combined diabetes drug and found improvements in several characteristic symptoms of Alzheimers. Lead researcher Professor Christian Holscher, from Lancaster University, said these very promising outcomes show multi-action drugs developed for type 2 diabetes consistently show neurological protective effects. Independent academics said a reduction in nerve-cell-killing protein molecules was particularly interesting and this was likely to be another avenue in the search for an elusive drug to combat dementia. He has previously reported optimistic findings from an older diabetes drug, liraglutide, and clinical trials in humans are currently under way. This latest study, published in the journal Brain Research, looked at a triple action treatment that combine three different drugs for type 2 diabetes, acting on biological pathways that could also have an impact on dementia. Type 2 diabetes is a known risk factor for Alzhemiers disease and impaired production of insulin the hormone that people with diabetes dont produce sufficiently to control their blood sugar is linked to brain degeneration. The identification of this link had a twofold benefit, according to charities. It opened up new research and drug development opportunities, such as this study. But it also means that by making lifestyle changes, like eating healthily and exercising, patients can avoid developing type-2 diabetes and lower their risk of Alzheimers disease as well. There are currently half a million people living with Alzheimers disease in the UK and more than five million people with diabetes, both conditions pose a major cost to the NHS, and health systems worldwide. The treatment in this study combined; GLP-1, GIP and glucagon, which, like insulin protect against neurological deterioration, and tested them in mice with genetic mutations that cause Alzheimers disease. After two months of daily injections the mice were shown to significantly improve their performance in a maze designed to test memory. Treated mice also had lower levels of proteins which clump together and form plaques in the brains of people with Alzheimers disease, inhibiting nerve cells ability to communicate and causing them to die. The study also found these mice lost nerve cells to the disease at a slower rate and had lower levels of nerve inflammation. It concludes that the triple treatment holds clear promise of being developed into a new treatment for chronic neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimers disease. The seven Alzheimer's risk factors Show all 7 1 /7 The seven Alzheimer's risk factors The seven Alzheimer's risk factors Hypertension 8 percent of Alzheimer's cases are linked to mid-life hypertension Getty The seven Alzheimer's risk factors Smoking Smoking accounts for 11 percent of Alzheimer's cases Getty The seven Alzheimer's risk factors Obesity Midlife obesity accounts for 7 percent of Alzheimer's cases PA The seven Alzheimer's risk factors Low Educational attainment Low education or simply not using your brain enough accounts for 7 percent of Alzheimer's cases Getty The seven Alzheimer's risk factors Diabetes Problems with blood sugar control kick off the list of modifiable risk factors for Alzheimer's.The study suggests that 3 percent of Alzheimer's cases are linked to diabetes The seven Alzheimer's risk factors Depression 15 percent of Alzheimer's cases may stem from depression Rex The seven Alzheimer's risk factors Too little exercise Not enough physical activity is the number one preventable factor that contributes to Alzheimer's cases Rex Features The Alzheimers Society, a charity which part-funded the latest study research, said that after 15 years without a new drug for Alzheimers disease the promising results from these crossover treatments, which are already known to be safe for humans, are likely to bring earliest benefits. Professor Holscher added that further tests to compare its benefits against other potential treatments, and its effects in humans were needed. But Professor John Hardy, a professor of neuroscience, at University College London who was not involved in the trial, said the study was a first step, at best towards a Alzheimers drug for humans. The results showing less amyloid deposition of amyloid in mice treated with glucagon receptor stimulating drugs is interesting, he said. However, it should be noted that several other drugs have shown positive results in mice models of Alzheimers disease and then failed in human trials. Dr David Reynolds, chief scientific officer at Alzheimers Research UK, echoed this, but added: There is a long road between studies that show an effect in animals and treatments in the hands of patients, and scientists will only be able to realise the potential of promising findings like these if we continue to invest in research. Drug dealers are increasingly using the post to send large consignments of cannabis around the UK in efforts to evade checks at ports, police have warned. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and Border Force officials have recently intercepted several packages, including a parcel containing herbal cannabis worth 60,000 destined for an address in Belfast. Detective Inspector Pete Mullan said criminals fearing security checks at borders are using standard mail services in the hope the illegal deliveries go unnoticed among millions of other parcels. The drugs come from the rest of the UK posted into Northern Ireland and from overseas as well, its a common method of dealers getting delivery of drugs, he added. Its something we are seeing more and more I think they see it as a low-risk option. DI Mullan said drugs had been found hidden inside other objects, adding: Weve seen them packaged in childrens toys coming through the post. It can be put inside anything and sent in that way, it can be packaged as something else completely numerous ways. Police investigations have been frustrated by dealers who move swiftly between rented properties to receive shipments. 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 60,000 package was intended for a home in Belfast, but when police raided it they found the occupant responsible had already left. It comes as police in Northern Ireland seize increasing numbers of cannabis packages, with 4,618 seizures in the past 12 months compared to 4,375 in the year before, although the volume confiscated has fallen to 145kg from 366kg in the same period. People do need to think about where their money is going, said DI Mullan warned. Its not just something they are doing for themselves, it has a far wider impact on the health system, on other individuals and communities and it allows organised crime to flourish. Several smugglers have been caught attempting to take cannabis into the UK. In April, a Malaysian man arriving at Edinburgh airport on a flight from Madrid was found with 10kg of cannabis with a street value of 100,000. He was later jailed for 18 months. Possessing cannabis can be punished with up to five years in prison and an unlimited fine, while supply and production can see offenders jailed for up to 14 years. The class B drug was lowered to class C by the Labour government between 2004 and 2009, amid persistent calls for cannabis to be legalised by campaigners. Additional reporting by PA A 31-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murdering a woman whose body was found in a London park. The suspect, who has not been named, was detained at an address in Dalston on Monday over the death of Iuliana Tudos and remains in custody. The 22-year-olds body was found in a disused building in Finsbury Park on Wednesday, three days after she was reported missing by friends. Ms Tudos, who was of Russian and Greek origin, had been on her way back to her home in Haringey when police believe she was attacked. She was last seen by friends at around 8pm on Christmas Eve when she headed for a bus from Camden. Ms Tudos was due to meet them at another friends home in Enfield later that evening before spending Christmas Day there, but never arrived. A post-mortem gave the cause of death as a stab wound to her abdomen and a head injury, with further tests ongoing. The bartender was found murdered in Finsbury Park (Iuliana Tudos/Facebook) Ms Tudos, also known as Julia and Lili, worked at the Worlds End pub in Camden. Friends and customers remembered her as a welcoming and friendly woman with a beautiful soul, who made an awesome impression on all those she met. A crowdfunding page set up by friends has already raised more than 15,000 for her family and funeral expenses. Detective Chief Superintendent Des Fahy, the borough commander for Haringey, said extra officers had been deployed for reassurance in the area and were talking to local residents. We understand that the local community might have concerns, but I want to reassure people that incidents of this nature are incredibly rare, he added. By all accounts, Iuliana was a bubbly lively girl enjoying a fun life in London when she was tragically taken from her loved ones. Our hearts go out to them. Anyone with information is asked to call the dedicated incident room on 020 8785 8244, tweet @MetCC or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Four people have been killed in a spate of unrelated stabbings across London on New Years Eve amid calls to crack down on knife crime. Police are appealing for information after a 17-year-old boy, an 18-year-old man and two others aged 20 died within hours as millions celebrated the start of 2018. Investigators called the murders heartbreaking while vowing to crack down on rising violence in the capital. The first victim, an 18-year-old man, was stabbed in Larmans Road, Enfield, at around 11.30am and died later in hospital. Shortly after 7.30pm, a 20-year-old man was attacked in Memorial Avenue, near West Ham Tube station in east London. Police arrived to find the victim suffering from several stab injuries and paramedics could not resuscitate him, pronouncing him dead at the scene. Detective Chief Inspector Will Reynolds appealed for members of a group he was with at the time of the stabbing to come forward, adding: This attack has robbed a young man of his future and robbed a family of their loved one...I know that there were people in the area who witnessed the incident. Three hours later, a 17-year-old boy was fatally stabbed near Tulse Hill railway station in south London, dying on the pavement from a single wound. The fourth victim died in Bartholomew Court, Old Street (Google) Detectives said they had an open mind over possible motives but that the victim was involved in an argument on a bus travelling through the area shortly before the attack. Then in the early hours of the New Year, at around 2.30am, a 20-year-old man died of knife injuries in Bartholomew Court, Old Street, near the City of London boundary. A fifth man aged in his 20s was stabbed in the same incident and remains in a critical condition in hospital. Scotland Yard said none of the killings were being treated as linked after launching four separate murder investigations. Commander Neil Jerome, of the Metropolitan Polices Territorial Policing Command, said thousands of officers had been on duty across London to keep the public safe during celebrations. However, there were small groups who chose to engage in disorder and violence, and whose actions have had utterly tragic consequences, he added. It is heartbreaking that, at a time when so many of us are contemplating what lies ahead in 2018, four families are dealing with the grief of losing a loved one to senseless violence and the callous use of knives as lethal weapons. 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 I can assure Londoners and the families and friends of the four males killed and the fifth who remains in hospital that detectives will work tirelessly to bring to justice those responsible for such despicable acts of violence. Five male suspects have been arrested in connection with the murder in Enfield but no one has been detained over the three other cases. Mr Jerome said four deaths in such a short period of time was unusual, adding: We have certainly seen in recent months an increase in knife crime. Officers were supporting grieving families and had reinforced the determination to tackle violence among young people, the Commander added. I would urge anyone with information about these attacks, and more generally about anyone who routinely carries a knife, to urgently pass that information to police or Crimestoppers, he urged. If youve hesitated to do so before, then these four tragic deaths at the start of a new year may persuade you to act now to make London safer for your family and friends in 2018. Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, repeated the call for information and said his thoughts were with the victims families. A 20-year-old man was stabbed to death in Memorial Avenue, West Ham just after 7.30pm (Google) It is horrific that knife crime has claimed another four young lives as the New Year begins, he added. We will work tirelessly in 2018 and beyond to stamp out this scourge. I want to be absolutely clear if you use a knife the full force of the law will be brought down on you. You will be caught and prosecuted. The Government is proposing new laws to restrict the online sale of knives, making it illegal for them to be delivered to private properties, after bringing in mandatory sentences for offenders repeatedly caught carrying weapons. Police are also investigating a mass stabbing at a Great Gatsby-themed New Years Eve party in Sheffield. Two men were critically wounded in a fight at Crystal Bar at around 2.20am and remain in hospital, while three other people suffered superficial knife injuries. A spokesperson for South Yorkshire Police said all five men were in their 20s, adding: An investigation is in its early stages and officers remain in the Carver Street area carrying out inquiries. In Worcestershire, a man was arrested on suspicion of murdering a woman shortly before midnight on the same evening. Forensic police investigate following a stabbing on New Year's Eve in Worcestershire West Mercia Police said officers were called to a home in Bromsgrove at 11.52pm, where a woman with knife injuries was pronounced dead around 20 minutes later. A 49-year-old local man was arrested at the scene. The latest deaths come amid mounting concern and anger over a spike in knife attacks in London, alongside rises in moped-enabled violent crime including acid attacks and robberies. Cressida Dick, the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, said stabbings had risen by 15 per cent in the capital in 2017. Speaking in November, she said the crime wave was being driven by a core group of young offenders repeatedly committing assault and robbery with relative impunity. Ms Dick argued that an increasing number of young people do not fear state action and are not deterred by the threat of imprisonment because they do not believe they will be jailed, or that it would be for a short time. One in three robbery victims is aged 10 to 19, while the 26 per cent of rape victims are in the same age group, along with 16 per cent of sexual offenders, the Commissioner said. Crime reported to police has risen by 13 per cent across England and Wales in the past year, with the increase partly attributed to a genuine rise in violent crime. Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. A former Ukip county councillor is understood to have been arrested on suspicion of murdering his wife. Stephen Searle, who also stood unsuccessfully as a Ukip parliamentary candidate in the 2017 general election, was being questioned by detectives on Monday after his wife Anne, 62, was found dead at the family home in Stowmarket, Suffolk. The couple have been married for more than 30 years and reportedly have three sons and several grandchildren. Mr Searle, a former Royal Marines commando, is thought to have been arrested after an ambulance was called to the Stowmarket house just after 10.20pm on Saturday, to deal with a report of a woman who wasnt breathing. An East of England Ambulance Service Trust spokesman said: They treated a woman in cardiac arrest. Despite their best efforts, the patient sadly died at the scene. Mr Searle, Ukip representative for Stowmarket South on Suffolk County Council between 2013 and 2017, is thought to have been arrested shortly afterwards. A Suffolk Police spokesman said: A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder and he remains in police custody at Bury St Edmunds investigation centre. The spokesman confirmed that the arrested man was aged 64, but refused to confirm or deny that it was Mr Searle. Mr Searle ran for election under the slogan 'Former Royal Marines Commando. He fought for this country. Now he's fighting for you.' (Facebook) In May 2013 Mr Searle ran for election as a Ukip county councillor under the slogan: Stephen Anthony Searle. Former Royal Marines Commando. He fought for this country. Now hes fighting for you. After four recounts he beat Conservative candidate and county council Vice Chair Anne Whybrow by a single vote. 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 A few months later he was being photographed alongside the then Ukip leader Nigel Farage. Mr Searle, however, lost his county council seat in the May 2017 local elections when he was beaten into fourth place behind the Conservative, Liberal Democrat and Labour candidates. In the June general election he stood as Ukip parliamentary candidate for Suffolk Central and Ipswich North, but came fifth out of five candidates, with 2.9 per cent of the vote, behind the three main parties and the Greens. Mr Searle, who has frequently posted about his Royal Marines service on Facebook, is reported to have been a volunteer poppy seller for the Royal British Legion. It is also understood that he ran the Stag Tavern in Stowmarket with his wife, before the couple sold the pub in 1992. Pressures on the NHS have escalated rapidly over the festive period with hospitals experiencing significant bed shortages, a leading doctor has warned. Dr Nick Scriven, president of the Society for Acute Medicine (SAM), said many hospitals reported more than 99 per cent capacity in the week before Christmas. He said services are being placed under significant strain as they enter the new year and called for non-urgent operations to be postponed until at least the end of January. His warning comes the day after The Independent revealed that nurses and GPs are to be sent to answer 999 calls ahead of ambulance crews, while last month this paper also reported that one in five NHS hospital trusts ran out of beds in the first week of winter. NHS England said hospitals were generally coping, with overall bed occupancy levels down from 95 per cent in the lead-up to Christmas to around 93 per cent. Recommended Nurses to attend 999 calls as winter crisis deepens Dr Scriven said: Since the bank holiday things have escalated rapidly and we are on the cusp of a major issue at least as bad as last year when it was described by the Red Cross as a humanitarian crisis. There is an awful lot of respiratory illness causing a lot of severe symptoms in the old and young and 10 to 12-hour delays in emergency departments are now not uncommon along with patients being placed on inappropriate wards. He urged hospitals to prepare for extra demand, adding: I fear for acute trusts this next week. It came as doctors warned of hospitals running out of space due to a sudden rise in flu cases. Instances of flu were thought to have risen by 67 per cent in just one week, with 3.7 million adults coming down with symptoms, the Daily Telegraph reported. The paper quoted public health officials as saying they were more scared than we have ever been about the risk of a severe flu outbreak. Head of the British Red Cross Mike Adamson described the situation facing the NHS as a humanitarian crisis in January last year, though this was rubbished by NHS leaders and Government ministers. At the time, he said demand for the charitys help had risen and revealed it was working in 20 A&Es. Last week, hospitals were advised to defer non-urgent operations until mid-January with the festive period expected to put the NHS under further pressure. NHS England said hospitals must free up beds for the sickest patients and, by acting early, they can avoid last-minute cancellations that can be costly and inconvenient for patients. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures 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 UK news in pictures 12 July 2021 A local resident puts love hearts and slogans on the plastic that covers offensive graffiti on the vandalised mural of Manchester United striker and England player Marcus Rashford on the wall of a cafe on Copson Street, Withington in Manchester Getty Images UK news in pictures 11 July 2021 England's Bukayo Saka with manager Gareth Southgate after the match Pool via Reuters UK news in pictures 10 July 2021 Australias Ashleigh Barty holds the trophy after winning her final Wimbledon match against Czech Republics Karolina Pliskova Reuters UK news in pictures 9 July 2021 England 1966 World Cup winner Sir Geoff Hurst stands on top of a pod on the lastminute.com London Eye wearing a replica 1966 World Cup final kit and looking out towards Wembley Stadium in the north of the capital, where the England football team will play Italy in the Euro 2020 final on Sunday PA UK news in pictures 8 July 2021 Karolina Pliskova celebrates after defeating Aryna Sabalenka during the women's singles semifinals match on day ten of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London AP Dr Scriven did not know how many trusts had taken the advice, which followed a decision at a meeting of the new NHS National Emergency Pressures Panel. But he said: To be at this point now with reports of some hospitals even diverting patients between Christmas and New Year when there is traditionally a lull suggests we may be in desperate times. With us yet to experience any significant infection outbreaks, my belief is that trusts may be wise to consider cancelling some elective surgery until at least the end of January and maybe into February. A spokesman for NHS England said: As you would expect at this time of year, our hospitals are extremely busy, but thanks to hard-working NHS staff and robust plans in place to meet winter pressures, they are generally coping. Hospitals are currently reporting bed occupancy levels of 92 to 93 per cent down from 95 per cent previously. Bed occupancy on Christmas Eve was down to 84.2 per cent, compared with 95.3 per cent on 18 December. Hospitals are prioritising the increased numbers of emergency patients over non-urgent planned services and additional services and beds are coming online funded by the winter budget cash released by the Government. Additional reporting by PA The Duke of Edinburgh pointed out a bearded man and asked "is that a terrorist?" as he greeted crowds at Sandringham, it has been claimed. The 96-year-old was attending St Magdalene Church on New Year's Eve accompanied by the Princess Royal, when it is reported he made the comment as he joked with onlookers. Witnesses who claimed to have heard the comment said the man had a ginger beard, The Sun and the Mail Online reported. Recommended Prince Philip made one last inappropriate remark as he retired The Duke traditionally marks the festive period with the Queen at her Sandringham estate in Norfolk, attending a church service on Christmas morning and New Year's Eve with the royal family. Philip, who retired in August, is notorious for making controversial comments. The royal once famously asked a group of Aboriginal Australians during a visit in 2002: "Do you still throw spears at each other?" He also once asked a disabled 60-year-old man on a mobility scooter: "How many people have you knocked over this morning on that thing?" Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton appear together at Royal Family Christmas Day service Buckingham Palace declined to comment. Press Association David Daviss role in the Cabinet will be further weakened if a looming reshuffle hands Boris Johnson a new job directly involved in the Brexit negotiations, his allies fear. Theresa May is preparing a New Year shake-up that is tipped to see the Foreign Secretary offered a place in a different department, helping to deliver EU withdrawal. The reshuffle could see several sackings, with Justine Greening, the Education Secretary, Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom, Transport Secretary Chris Grayling and party chairman Patrick McLoughlin all thought to be under threat. But moving Mr Johnson out of the Foreign Office after a series of major gaffes to a new Brexit role would be the most significant move and one he is likely to resist strongly. It would also ruffle the feathers of the Brexit Secretary, amid evidence that Mr Davis has already been sidelined as the Prime Minister takes stronger personal control of the Brussels talks. Olly Robbins, Mr Daviss former chief of staff, left his department to lead a newly formed European Unit in the Cabinet Office, reporting directly to Mrs May. David Davis on Brexit: 'You don't have to be very clever to do my job' He is regarded by some key figures in Brussels as the person effectively running Brexit talks, after recent face-to-face talks with EU negotiators. An ally of Mr Davis told The Daily Telegraph: The role of the Brexit Secretary is being impinged on right, left and centre. I am seriously concerned that David Davis is being marginalised. If you look at the way Olly Robbins has usurped his function, and now you have this, Im getting really quite concerned about Davids role. It does seem to me that there would be a loss of focus if Boris was to take on a bigger Brexit role. Mrs May will carry out at least a limited reshuffle as early as next week to replace Damian Green, her former deputy who was sacked before Christmas. 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 Jeremy Hunt, the Health Secretary, is a contender to take over his Cabinet Office role and the leadership of a series of influential Cabinet committees, although he may not be given the title First Secretary of State. The Prime Ministers aides are believed to be divided over the wisdom of a more radical shake-up, to meet calls for younger Tory MPs to be promoted. Some recognise the danger of sending more sacked ministers to the backbenches, when the perilous debate over the desired final Brexit deal is only just beginning. Mr Johnson could be asked to replace Greg Clark, the Business Secretary, with the portfolio significantly bolstered to give him more direct oversight of Brexit. However, the speculation is potentially damaging for the Prime Minister if the Foreign Secretary refuses to go and she is forced to back down, exposing her continued weakness. One senior Cabinet minister who is safe is Philip Hammond, the Chancellor, who received Mrs Mays public backing for what was viewed as a successful autumn Budget. Among those tipped for promotion are Dominic Raab, Damian Hinds, Claire Perry, Margot James and Brandon Lewis, the immigration minister who unveiled the post-Brexit blue passport just before Christmas. The UK will be front and centre of global efforts to end the trade in ivory, Michael Gove vowed, as conservation groups urged the Government to act quickly to implement a proposed near-total ban on sales. There have been more than 60,000 responses to a public consultation on the Governments plans to ban the sale of ivory items, with the overwhelming majority in favour of the prohibition, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said. Environment Secretary Mr Gove said the scale of the response including 30,000 submissions during Christmas week underlined the strength of feeling about the issue. The consultation closed on 29 December and the Government has promised to publish its response shortly. Conservation charity WWFs chief executive, Tanya Steele, said: The scale of the public response including over 60,000 who signed a WWF petition shows just how strongly the British public feel about the need to end this mindless slaughter. The Government must now act quickly. On average 55 elephants a day are killed. Every day we wait is a day too long. Mr Gove said: It is imperative we halt the decline in the elephant population to protect these wonderful animals for future generations. Ivory should never be seen as a commodity for financial gain or a status symbol and we are ready to take radical and robust action to protect one of the worlds most iconic and treasured species. Recommended Activist who took on elephant poachers shot dead in Tanzania Its incredibly heartening that so many people have contributed to our consultation. The response underlines that we are a nation which cares for wildlife. In 2018 the UK must be front and centre of global efforts to end this insidious trade. About 20,000 elephants are being slaughtered annually due to the global demand in ivory and if current rates of poaching continue, the animals could become extinct within decades in some African countries, experts warn. Conservation groups have called for a ban amid concerns the legal market in ivory in the UK has been used as a cover for trade in illegal ivory. The UK also makes legal shipments of antiques to Asia, helping supply the worlds largest ivory markets which are driving the poaching crisis. In pictures: Kenya stages largest ivory burn in history Show all 15 1 /15 In pictures: Kenya stages largest ivory burn in history In pictures: Kenya stages largest ivory burn in history Reuters In pictures: Kenya stages largest ivory burn in history Traditional Maasai tribesmen pose for a photograph near elephant tusks, part of an estimated 105 tonnes of confiscated ivory to be set ablaze, stacked onto a pyre at Nairobi National Park near Nairobi, Kenya, April 28, 2016. Reuters In pictures: Kenya stages largest ivory burn in history A Kenya Wildlife Services ranger guards the burning of an estimated 105 tonnes of Elephant tusks confiscated ivory from smugglers and poachers at the Nairobi National Park near Nairobi, Kenya, April 30, 2016. Reuters In pictures: Kenya stages largest ivory burn in history Reuters In pictures: Kenya stages largest ivory burn in history Reuters In pictures: Kenya stages largest ivory burn in history Reuters In pictures: Kenya stages largest ivory burn in history Reuters In pictures: Kenya stages largest ivory burn in history Reuters In pictures: Kenya stages largest ivory burn in history Reuters In pictures: Kenya stages largest ivory burn in history Reuters In pictures: Kenya stages largest ivory burn in history Reuters In pictures: Kenya stages largest ivory burn in history Reuters In pictures: Kenya stages largest ivory burn in history Reuters In pictures: Kenya stages largest ivory burn in history Reuters In pictures: Kenya stages largest ivory burn in history Reuters Existing rules allow for worked or carved items produced before 3 March 1947, to be sold in the UK while sale of raw ivory of any age is prohibited. Under the new proposals sales of the older worked items would be banned. The plans include some exemptions for items which do not contribute to the poaching of elephants, including musical instruments such as pianos with ivory keys, items containing only a small proportion of ivory and those which have significant historic, artistic or cultural value. Sales to and between museums would also be exempted under the measures. The illegal wildlife trade is estimated to be worth between 7bn and 17bn a year. International efforts to combat the illicit trade will be stepped up in 2018, with representatives of countries from around the world gathering in London for a major summit in October. Press Association Direct rule should be imposed in Northern Ireland within weeks if its political crisis cannot be solved, the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party has said. Arlene Foster put the Stormont stalemate near the top of Theresa Mays New Year problem list, as she blamed Sinn Fein for the failure to re-establish a devolved executive. The Prime Minister has sought to avoid the draconian step of rule from Westminster, despite it being almost exactly a year since Northern Ireland had a functioning administration. In her New Year message, Mrs Foster said the return of locally elected and accountable politicians remained the best way to run Northern Ireland. However, she added: A return to direct rule would be an inferior alternative, but it would be a government. But the people of Northern Ireland deserve a government and if Sinn Fein persist with their intransigence then the Secretary of State [James Brokenshire] should move to appoint direct rule ministers early in the New Year. In demanding a quick solution, the DUP leader also rejected calls for the talks to be shifted outside of Northern Ireland to a hothouse format in England. Recent rounds of talks have been bedevilled by the setting of pre-conditions by Sinn Fein, Mrs Foster claimed. And she added: Lets set ourselves a short time frame. And lets do it here at home, rather than in some fancy English stately home. The power-sharing institutions collapsed last January over the DUPs handling of a green energy scheme that was left with a 490m overspend. The rift with Sinn Fein widened after the DUP refused to agree to a stand-alone Irish Language Act, to put Gaelic on an equal par in law to English. Fearing criticism from more hardline unionists, the DUP insisted on an all-embracing Culture Act, which would also guarantee the rights of Ulster Scots speakers. Sinn Fein claimed the DUP had been emboldened by propping up the Conservatives in power at Westminster making it less willing to compromise at Stormont. In November, Mr Brokenshire imposed a budget on Northern Ireland, warning the local civil service would otherwise run out of money, but stepped back from full direct rule. Meanwhile, Ms May has been criticised for not stamping her authority on the talks, even as the DUP cash-for-votes deal keeps her in Downing Street. In her New Year message, Sinn Feins Stormont leader Michelle ONeill made clear the party would only return to Stormont if the DUP gave ground on both the Irish language and on gay marriage. She argued renewed power sharing was possible soon, but only if the institutions represent genuine and equal partnership government for all our people. That will require the British Government and the DUP accepting the political and democratic reality which has already been made abundantly clear by the electorate, Mrs ONeill said. Both London and Dublin must pave a pathway to restore the institutions on the basis of equal partnership and respect in the terms set out almost 20 years ago, she added. Ministers are braced for a defeat that would force Theresa May to abandon her much-criticised policy of counting foreign students as immigrants in official statistics. A new Immigration Bill to be brought forward this year will allow MPs to force and almost certainly win a vote on the controversy, the Home Office believes. Amber Rudd, the Home Secretary, is believed to have warned the Prime Minister that growing support for the rethink in Parliament means a U-turn is now inevitable. Taking foreign students out of the official figures will be embarrassing for Mrs May, who has resisted the move as weakening the defences against higher immigration. However, her claim that up to 100,000 foreign students a year fail to go home after graduating fell apart when official exit checks revealed that fewer than 5,000 overstay when their visas expire. The Prime Minister has been left in what has been described as a minority of one as Cabinet opposition to the policy has grown. Ms Rudd, the Chancellor Philip Hammond and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson have all called for it to be scrapped as have business and university leaders. Universities have warned that classing the students as long-term migrants is deterring young people from coming to Britain to study and damaging its successful higher education sector. The Independent and Open Britain, which is pressing for a soft Brexit, are running a Drop the Target campaign against the policy of reducing overall annual immigration to tens of thousands, which includes calling for overseas students to be omitted from the statistics. There are about 438,000 foreign students currently studying in the UK, so changing the policy could make a significant difference to the headline immigration numbers. Ministers first contemplated defeat on the issue last year, after an amendment to the Higher Education Bill was passed by the Lords. That attempt was killed off by June's snap election. But, with the Tories having lost their Commons majority - and an Immigration Bill looming - a reversal has become even more likely. A Government source said: It is inevitable that someone will bring forward an amendment on this, and it is very difficult to see how we could defeat it. Mrs May, who made her reputation with her tough stance on immigration as Home Secretary, fears that stripping out foreign students will be seen by voters as an attempt to fiddle the figures. She has also argued that keeping them in the statistics maintains pressure on universities to root out bogus students. Net migration falls by more than 100,000 after Brexit vote The Home Secretary has already opened the door to a rethink by asking the independent Migration Advisory Committee to review the costs and benefits of overseas students. Its study includes the impact of tuition fees and other spending on the national, regional, and local economy and the education sector and the role foreign students play in contributing to local economic growth. Toby Young's appointment to the board of a new higher education watchdog has sparked criticism. The former right-wing journalist and free schools advocate will sit on the board of the Office for Students (OfS), which will help lead the Governments drive to apply market forces to higher education. New laws are set come into force that will regulate universities in the same way as gas or water utilities. Education Secretary Justine Greening said the OfS will look to ensure the world class reputation of the UKs universities is maintained but the appointment of Mr Young has been met with criticism. Mr Young has a history of outspoken remarks and in a column for The Spectator complained about ghastly inclusivity of wheelchair ramps in schools. He also described working-class grammar school boys who secured places at Oxford as universally unattractive and small, vaguely deformed undergraduates. Writing about class in a book called The Oxford Myth, Mr Young recounted how the arrival of stains as working-class students were known had changed the university. Mr Young said: It was as if all the meritocratic fantasies of every 1960s educationalist had come true and all Harold Wilsons children had been let in at the gate. Labour MP David Lammy took to social media to express his dismay at the appointment. He tweeted: Is that Toby Young who said I was wrong to criticise Oxbridge for failing to improve access? The Toby Young who only got into Oxford University because his Dad rang the tutor up? Toby Young who slated working class students? I thought it was New Years Day not April Fools Day. Left-wing journalist Paul Mason, also criticised the move and said: Toby Young despises working class kids who try to make good through education. "That's why the Tories have put him on a body responsible for regulating higher education. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty The Department for Education (DfE) defended Mr Youngs appointment. A spokesperson for the DfE said: Toby Youngs diverse experience includes posts at Harvard and Cambridge as well as co-founding the successful West London free school. He will provide vital insight in ensuring universities are working for young people from all backgrounds. A gunman who shot at police officers in Colorado, killing one and wounding four others as they responded to a call, was a US army veteran who had served in Iraq. Matthew Riehl, 37, is thought to have posted online rants railing at local law enforcement in the weeks before the deadly ambush-style attack. Authorities are investigating what led the assailant to discharge well over 100 rounds at officers as they entered an apartment complex at Highland Ranch, 16 miles (28 kilometres) south of Denver. Two civilians were also injured. Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock said deputies wounded in a volley of gunfire had fought to save their slain colleague but were forced to give up and crawl to safety. He said three deputies and a police officer tried to pull 29-year-old deputy Zackari Parrish, who had already been shot, out of the line of further gunfire but their own injuries hampered their efforts. All five were investigating a 5.15am report of a disturbance at the apartment, which had been the subject of a noise complaint four hours earlier. Mr Spurlock said authorities had departed earlier after hearing nothing and discerning no issue. When they returned they spoke with Riehl, who barricaded himself in a bedroom before suddenly opening fire with a rifle. He was killed in a shoot-out with a police tactical team. A YouTube user identified as Riehl posted a video on 13 December calling for the firing of the Sheriff and railing against him in highly personal terms, it has emerged. Two civilians were also reportedly injured in the gunfight, around 20 miles south of Denver (KMGH-TV) Riehl, who wears an Iraq combat veteran hat in the post, was deployed to serve in the Middle East for a year. He enlisted in the Army Reserve in 2003 and spent time in Iraq in 2009 as part of a security mission with the 300th Field Artillery Regiment, according to a National Guard spokeswoman. Riehl was honourably discharged in 2012. Mr Spurlock said officials were familiar with him from his having had law enforcement contact on a number of occasions but that Riehl did not have a criminal history. He said the slain deputy, Mr Parrish, had joined the department roughly seven months ago and left behind a wife and two children. I cant tell you how difficult it is for a leader to sit down with the spouse of an officer who was killed in the line of duty, Mr Spurlock said. They had many hopes and dreams and he was doing his job and doing his job well. All four of the deputies wounded in the confrontation were in stable condition, Mr Spurlock said, and two civilians were recovering from non-life-threatening injuries. A family of five from the New York City suburb of Scarsdale was aboard a plane that crashed into woodland off a popular tourist beach in Costa Rica, killing all 12 people aboard. Ten US citizens and two Costa Rican pilots were killed when the Cessna 208B Grand Caravan aircraft crashed minutes after takeoff into a mountainous area off the beach town of Punta Islita, the Costa Rican government said. The town is in the province of Guanacaste, about 140 miles (230km) west of the capital of San Jose. The dead included the Steinberg family, consisting of a couple and their three sons. We are in utter shock and disbelief right now, Tamara Steinberg Jacobsen, the sister of the father, Bruce Steinberg, said on Facebook, where she posted pictures of the family and thanked people for their condolences. This will be our last post until we know further details. At this time we ask for privacy other than from immediate family and closest friends, she said in a subsequent post. The family was identified as Bruce and Irene Steinberg and their sons William, Zachary and Matthew, The New York Times reported, citing relatives and a family friend. Nature Air, the Costa Rican company that operated the flight, identified the five Steinbergs and five other passengers: Thibault Astruc, Amanda Geissler, Charles Palmer, Leslie Weiss and Sherry Wuu. All 10 passengers were US citizens, the State Department confirmed on Monday. They all died along with Costa Rican pilots Juan Manuel Retana and Emma Ramos, Nature Air said. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty Bruce Steinberg worked in investment banking and Irene Steinberg volunteered for many nonprofit groups, The Times said, citing a family friend, Lyn Kaller. Matthew was an eighth-grader at a private school, William attended the University of Pennsylvania and Zachary was at Johns Hopkins University, the Times reported. They were a very loving, close family. They were devoted to their children. Any picture you see of them, it was full of smiles, Ms Kaller was quoted as saying by The Journal News, which covers the Lower Hudson Valley area of New York state. Reached by Reuters on Sunday, Kaller declined to comment. Officialshave yet to determine the cause of the crash, said Enio Cubillo, director of Costa Rica's civil aviation agency. Punta Islita, on Costa Rica's Pacific Coast, is popular among North American and European tourists for its pristine beaches and lush landscape. Reuters Donald Trump has accused Pakistan of lies and deceit, saying the US was foolish to have given the country more than $33bn in aid. The American President launched the scathing attack in his first tweet of 2018, claiming Pakistan give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt and think of our leaders as fools. It follows reports the US is considering denying Islamabad $255 million in aid in a show of discontent with its efforts to fight terrorism. Mr Trump wrote: 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 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 President made no further comment on the issue and it was not immediately clear if his tweet signalled a decision to cut off aid to Islamabad. Relations between the US and Pakistan have soured since Mr Trump entered the White House. Earlier this year the President announced a a change in our approach to Pakistan, which he claimed often gives safe haven to agents of chaos, violence and terror. In a televised speech in Washington in August, he said: We can no longer be silent about Pakistans safe havens for terrorist organisations, the Taliban, and other groups that pose a threat to the region and beyond. Pakistan has much to gain from partnering with our effort in Afghanistan. It has much to lose by continuing to harbour terrorists. The Trump administration later attached new conditions to financial assistance given annually to Pakistan. Washington said Islamabad would only receive the $255 million military aid if it did more to crack down on terror networks launching attacks on neighbouring Afghanistan. The New York Times last week reported the White House was strongly considering withholding the delayed money after Pakistan refused to allow the US access to a captured militant from the Taliban-linked Haqqani network. The militant was arrested in October by Pakistani forces as they rescued a Canadian-American family who had been held captive for five years, and the US had hoped he could provide valuable information of other American hostages. In November, Washington strongly condemned Pakistans release of the alleged militant accused of masterminding the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks that killed more than 160 people. The White House said Hafiz Saeeds release from house arrest after Pakistans failure to prosecute or charge him sends a deeply troubling message about Pakistans commitment to combatting international terrorism. If Pakistan does not take action to lawfully detain Saeed and charge him for his crimes, its inaction will have repercussions for bilateral relations and for Pakistans global reputation, added press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders. Pakistan has since reportedly drafted plans to seize control of charities and financial assets linked to the Islamist leader, who is designated a terrorist by Washington. The Financial Action Task Force, an international body that combats money laundering and terrorist financing, had warned Islamabad it faced inclusion of a watch list for failing to crack down on funding terrorism. Pakistani Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal said he he had ordered authorities to choke the fundraising of all proscribed outfits in Pakistan. He denied the Islamabad was taking action under US pressure, telling Reuters in a statement: Were not pleasing anyone. Were working as a responsible nation to fulfil our obligations to our people and international community. It all goes back to the countless hours Huzaifah Khaled spent on trains and in train stations, shuttling back and forth between his home in Nottingham and classes at the University of Cambridge, some 90 miles away. Train stations are almost magnets for homeless people, Khaled says. When Id be waiting for trains, walking to and from the train station. I came into contact with a lot of them. He talked with them, bought them coffee and, over time, developed relationships with them. I essentially developed a very deep understanding of their needs, says Khaled, who recently got his PhD in law. It struck him that, for the homeless, even basic necessities are hard to access, and the limited hours for drop-in services at day shelters meant people had to schedule their days around visits to the shelter, making it hard to hold a stable job or see family regularly. I realised that there had to be a more effective way of getting at least the bare necessities to them, he says. Thats how he came up with the idea of a vending machine for the homeless: a 24/7 pit stop where people can access free food, clothing and other basic supplies. The first vending machine launched this month in a shopping centre in Nottingham, stocked full of supplies like water, fresh fruit, energy bars, chips and sandwiches, as well as socks, toothpaste, toothbrushes and even books. The machine was installed by Action Hunger, a charity directed by Khaled. The initiative has been nearly two years in the making. Back in early 2016, he had toyed with the idea of installing stocked fridges in cities across the UK. But fridges posed challenges for keeping track of supplies, so he switched gears and focused his attention on vending machines instead. He devoted weekends and evenings to the project, all the while working toward his PhD. I speculatively approached more than 50 manufacturers across England and Europe, he says. Most ignored my proposal, a few politely declined, and just before I was about to give up and try to raise funds to buy a machine instead, [N&W Global Vending] responded to my letter and invited me to pitch the idea to them. They came on board almost immediately afterwards. N&W Global Vending, one of the worlds largest vending companies, gave Khaled a 10,000 machine for free. Meanwhile, he reached out to the Friary, a day centre serving the homeless in the Nottingham area. Now, as a partner organisation to Action Hunger, the Friary gives out key cards to its patrons, which are programmed to permit up to three items being dispensed per day. Users have to show up at the Friary once a week to continue receiving access to the key cards. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty The idea is users do not become dependent on the machines, and are working towards a long-term plan for getting off the streets, Khaled says. He wants Action Hungers low-cost vending machines, which are restocked daily by volunteers, to complement other existing services, and believes continued engagement with local support services is key to ending the cycle of homelessness. Khaled hopes to expand quickly across the country, as well as across Europe and the US. A machine will be installed in New York in February, followed by San Francisco, Seattle and Los Angeles. Action Hunger has partnered up with Rescuing Leftover Cuisine, a food rescue not-for-profit based in New York, and is also in talks with Tyson Foods. Over the next month, Khaled and his team will monitor which products in the machine are in highest demand, and which arent as highly sought after. In the longer term, they want to crunch data from the key cards to figure out whether giving someone access to free basic necessities contributes to helping them get off the street. Homelessness has become so accepted in our society that we often dont even look at these people, Khaled says. He hopes Action Hungers vending machines will represent a step towards a sustainable, long-term solution to homelessness. Even still, he wishes homelessness had never become such a seemingly intractable issue in the first place. In an ideal world, I would never have needed to start this charity, he says. I would love nothing more than to shutter this charity next week. The Washington Post A teenager has been arrested after four people, including his parents, were found shot in their New Jersey home, police said. The four dead include the 16-year-olds sister and a 70-year-old family friend who lived at the same residence, according to local news reports. Police had responded earlier to a call from inside the house that there had been shots fired, and found that a semi-automatic weapon had been used in the attack. The deaths came on New Years Eve in Long Branch, a small city on the Jersey Shore, police had said earlier. The police and prosecutors office had previously confirmed on Twitter that an incident had occurred but that it was believed to be a domestic dispute and posed no danger to residents. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty The county prosecutor stressed in a press conference later that they were confident that it was a domestic incident. The police department in Monmouth County, where the shootings took place, said it was conducting a homicide investigation following the deaths. The 16-year-old has not yet been named because he is underage, police said. Four people are dead after a shooting in New Jersey over New Year. A young man has been arrested on suspicion of killing four of his family members, according to local reports from USA Today and NBC New York. "No threat to the public as it is believed to be an isolated domestic incident," an Twitter account believed to belong to the Monmouth County prosecutors office posted. "More to follow stay tuned." World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty The attack, which happened overnight, could be the first mass shooting of the year. It comes just a day after law enforcement officers were shot at in a major incident in Colorado. Authorities confirmed the shooting had happened in Long Branch, on the Jersey Shore. The beach-side city has a population of around 30,000. Nearly a year into his takeover of Washington, President Donald Trump has made a significant down payment on his campaign pledge to shrink the federal bureaucracy, a shift long sought by conservatives that could eventually bring the workforce down to levels not seen in decades. By the end of September, all Cabinet agencies except Homeland Security, Veterans Affairs and Interior had fewer permanent staff than when Trump took office in January with most shedding many hundreds of employees, according to an analysis of federal personnel data by The Washington Post. The diminishing federal footprint comes after Trump promised in last years campaign to cut so much your head will spin, and it reverses a boost in hiring during the Obama era. The falloff has been driven by an exodus of civil servants, a diminished corps of political appointees and an effective hiring freeze. Even though Congress did not pass a new budget in his first year, the drastic spending cuts Trump laid out in the spring which would slash more than 30 per cent of funding at some agencies also has trigged a spending slowdown, according to officials at multiple departments. The White House is now warning agencies to brace for even deeper cuts in the 2019 budget it will announce early next year, part of an effort to lower the federal deficit to pay for the new tax law, according to officials briefed on the budgets for their agencies. One possible casualty: a pay raise that federal employees historically have received when the economy is humming. The administrations effort so far to reshape the workforce of nearly 2 million civil servants that serves as the backbone of the government already has provoked a contentious culture shift. Federal workers fret their jobs could be zeroed out amid buyouts and early retirement offers that already have prompted hundreds of their colleagues to leave, according to interviews with three dozen employees across the government. Many have chafed as supervisors lay down new rules they say are aimed at holding poor performers and problem workers to account. A hiring freeze technically lifted in the spring has been kept in practice at most agencies, hollowing out many offices. And the slow pace of political appointments has left a number of departments with a leadership vacuum in their upper ranks. Morale has never been lower, said Tony Reardon, president of the National Treasury Employees Union, which represents 150,000 federal workers at more than 30 agencies. Government is making itself a lot less attractive as an employer. 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 Administration officials said Trump has actually improved employee morale, citing an annual survey of federal workers taken in the spring that showed a slight uptick across most agencies. They said they are streamlining the government to make it leaner and more effective. In a statement, White House spokesman Raj Shah said Trump is committed to streamlining government for the 21st century, reducing bloat, duplication and waste, and focusing resources on key priorities like public safety and protecting our nations homeland. Conservatives who have long pushed for smaller government are cheered by the developments. This is going very well, said anti-tax activist Grover Norquist, who famously once quipped that he wanted to shrink government small enough so he could drown it in the bathtub. Slow and steady for all the bluster, this is how you downsize government without engendering blowback, Norquist added. And some civil servants said they welcome the focus on rooting out waste and holding federal workers to high standards. Oftentimes we run on autopilot and continue to fund programmes that dont produce the results that were intended, said Stephanie Valentine, a program analyst at the Education Department. You cant keep blindly spending because thats what weve always done. Trump already has begun to reverse the growth of the Obama era, when the government added a total of 188,000 permanent employees, according to Office of Personnel Management data. By the end of September, the federal government had 1.94 million permanent workers, down nearly 16,000 overall since the beginning of the year, according to the most recent OPM data. In the first nine months of 2009, Obamas first year in office, the government added 68,000 permanent employees, growing to 1.84 million. The last time federal employment dropped during a presidents first year, Bill Clinton was in the White House. The relatively small net decrease under Trump so far masks what has been a substantial drop-off in staffing at certain agencies. One of the biggest reductions has been at the Bureau of Prisons, which lost 2,320 permanent workers at a time when the Justice Department plans to return to using private prisons to house some federal inmates. (A spokesman said the staffing decline was largely due to attrition and hiring delays.) The Census Bureau, which has not received its full budget request from Congress for multiple years, fell by more than 1,000 employees. The Environmental Protection Agency, where Administrator Scott Pruitt has moved quickly to reverse a generation of environmental protections and rules, was down 508 employees. The shrinking federal workforce could end up undercutting some of Trumps priorities. Employment within the Defense Department, which Trump has promised to beef up, dropped by 1 per cent, or 7,811 civilian workers across all branches of the military. And the Internal Revenue Service, which is charged with the complex task of implementing Trumps tax overhaul plan, lost 6,801 permanent staffers in the first nine months of this year, a drop of nearly 9 per cent, personnel data shows. There are signs that Trumps polarising presidency has helped drive more civil servants to the exits this year voluntary departures that have contributed to the shrinking workforce. During the first six months of the administration, 71,285 career employees quit or retired. Thats up from 50,000 who left during the same period in 2009, according to the most recent OPM data. Among them is Noah Kunin, the former infrastructure director for 18F, the high-profile office created in the General Services Administration in 2014 to boost the governments digital services. Kunin said he lost staff who didnt want to work for the new administration and then was unable to replace them because of the early hiring freeze. He said he grew frustrated with what he called a slow start by the White House on bringing private-sector solutions to the government. I was involved in several major initiatives, and they were all stalled, he recalled. When he heard former FBI director James Comey tell Congress in June that Trump had asked him for his personal loyalty, Kunin said his red line was crossed. Now working in Minneapolis as a software consultant, Kunin says the decision was the most personal choice Ive ever made: to stay engaged or leave. In some agencies, the number of people leaving has been crippling, according to former officials. At the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, a wave of recent retirements has depleted the managerial staff at the enforcement agencys 70 field offices, said Jordan Barab, who was a top OSHA official in the Obama administration. In all, the agency shed 119 permanent workers by the end of September, a 6 per cent drop, personnel data show. Its starting to create major problems, Barab said. Enforcement actions must be reviewed by supervisors in multiple offices, he said, and if too many months pass, they can be thrown out. You cant run an enforcement agency with no managers. Recommended Steve Bannon lashes out at Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner A spokesman for the Labor Department declined to comment on the current number of OSHA managers but said that new inspectors have been hired in recent months, helping increase the number of safety and health inspections in 2017 the first such boost in five years. Across the government, roughly a third of workers who were hired in 2015 will be eligible to retire by 2020, according to the Government Accountability Office. But one of the best pipelines for getting young talent into the government has languished this year. The Presidential Management Fellowship, a prestigious internship for top graduate students, has been unable to place many recruits because of a lingering hiring freeze at many agencies, according to half a dozen current fellows. Meanwhile, other federal workers are in limbo because their jobs could cease to exist. Thats the precarious state right now of the tiny Chemical Safety Board, one of 19 small agencies Trump has marked for elimination. The $11 million office investigates the causes of major chemical accidents and makes recommendations for safety improvements. In early December, a White House budget official told Chairwoman Vanessa Allen Sutherland that because the deficit has grown, the safety board must do its part and prepare to shut down, she said. So far, no members of Congress have called for the board to be eliminated. But Sutherland is still busy bolstering the spirits of her 43 employees while formulating a shutdown plan. I think Ill definitely be there to turn out the light switches and take the Styrofoam cups with me, she said. Trump has also moved slowly in appointing the most important personnel in his government: the political leaders who are supposed to be the architects of his vision. Of 624 key political positions requiring Senate confirmation, just 240 were confirmed as of Friday, according to data tracked by The Washington Post and the not-for-profit Partnership for Public Service. A slow recruitment and vetting process, combined with drawn-out Senate confirmation schedules, have stalled the process. As of last week, 79 nominees across the government had waited more than 100 days for a Senate hearing. But the president has also expressed scepticism that such appointees are valuable. I tell my people, Where you dont need to fill slots, dont fill them, Trump told conservative radio host Laura Ingraham in November. In the meantime, many agencies have relied heavily on career employees in acting leadership roles. But their leadership can be tentative. Some careerists feel paralysed, said Reginald Wells, who recently retired from the Social Security Administration as human resources chief. They dont want to make a mistake. At the Labor Department, most top political posts still lack Trump appointees. For months, Secretary Alexander Acostas chief of staff doubled up jobs, serving as the departments chief lawyer in an acting capacity until the Senate confirmed Trumps nominee late this month. The clock ran out for hundreds of acting officials in November when a little-known law called the Vacancies Act designed to spur presidents to staff their government kicked in, limiting them from making official decisions. The law allows acting officials to serve for up to 300 days, at which point they must yield their authority to the agency head, unless the president has nominated someone to the job. An official action taken in violation of the law could face a legal challenge. That forced a complicated workaround at Immigration and Customs Enforcement, where deputy director Thomas Homan has been serving as acting director while he awaits confirmation. For now, to continue to act as ICE chief, he has been signing his name with the title Deputy Director and Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Director. Other agencies have been virtually paralysed without political appointees. The small Merit Systems Protection Board, which considers appeals from federal employees who believe they were unfairly fired or demoted, has not heard a case in 11 months. One of Obamas appointees to the three-member board left in January, leaving two vacancies. Trump has yet to nominate anyone to the panel. With no quorum, the lone board member, Republican Mark Robbins, cannot take action on a backlog of more than 700 cases dating to early 2015. His father jokes that hes a highly paid bureaucrat with nothing to do. But Robbins said he keeps busy reading cases and writing his opinion of each one. Then he carries each file across the hall to two empty offices piled high with legal accordion files, where they await review by future board members. Robbins insisted that the administration hasnt been ignoring us, adding that he hopes for a quorum by spring. Even key White House posts have gone unfilled. The president still has no science adviser. And the Office of Management and Budget is waiting for the Senate to confirm its nominees for deputy director and chief of financial management vital positions tasked with restructuring the government. Rep. Gerald Connolly, D-Va., an advocate for modernising federal technology systems, said eight of 24 agencies are without chief information officers. Were losing momentum in the fight against cyberattacks, he said. Federal contractors, including defence giant General Dynamics, have complained in earnings calls that leadership vacancies have slowed contract awards and delayed getting money authorised and appropriated. Its very important to have senior leaders in place to make those long-term commitments, said Alan Chvotkin, executive vice president of the Professional Services Council, a trade group that represents federal contractors. For those inside the bureaucracy, a new Trump-era focus on accountability has meant working under greater oversight and in some cases, fear of reprisals. Agencies have told employees that they should no longer count on getting glowing reviews in their performance appraisals, according to staff in multiple offices, as has been the case for years. Housing and Urban Development managers, for example, are being evaluated for the first time on how effectively they address poor performers, according to Ashaki Robinson Johns, president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 476, which represents HUD employees. Telework a popular Obama-era policy that expanded work from home has come under scrutiny as Trump officials have questioned whether its a license to goof off. The Agriculture and Commerce departments are now moving to restrict the flexible work policy, in some offices by half the amount of time previously permitted, according to documents and employees. A spokesman for Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said that while he recognises that telework is widely used in the public and private sectors, he has asked agency heads to make sure that they have systems in place to assure that managements objectives are met. There are also tensions over forced reassignments for employees whom Trump officials view as out of sync with their agencys priorities. Matthew Allen, a former Pentagon spokesman and onetime communications chief for the Bureau of Land Management, said he found himself quickly marginalised after he suggested that the bureau share more public information about its activities. In late September, he was abruptly transferred to another office and demoted among dozens of senior executives whom Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke reassigned in the fall. The Interior Departments inspector general is investigating the reassignments. Allen said he witnessed a level of paranoia about whistleblowing and information that Ive never encountered in all my years of federal service. A spokeswoman for the Interior Department declined to comment, noting that Allen has a pending lawsuit against the agency. The administration has made its biggest push for employee accountability at Veterans Affairs, which was found in 2014 to have covered up excessive wait times for patients. In June, the president signed a law allowing the agency to fire or demote poor performers or employees accused of misconduct with 15 days notice. In a Veterans Day speech at Arlington National Cemetery, Vice President Mike Pence drew applause from the crowd when he said VA had fired or suspended more than 1,500 employees for negligent behaviour. In a letter to the White House, House Republicans recently asked if other agencies should have the same firing powers. The mood is different, said Debra DAgostino, founding partner of the Federal Practice Group, a law firm representing federal employees. In October alone, the firm took on 30 new clients facing proposed removals up from the usual one or two a month, she said. Theres a feeling out there that theyre not going to get as much pushback for trying to fire someone, she said. Some civil servants have sought to stay as a bulwark against changes at their agency. At Veterans Affairs, John Fuller wrestled with leaving for months. A retired Army major, hes a lifelong Republican who voted for Trump. He has played a pioneering role in the federal government as the VAs chief race relations and culture educator, traveling the country to meet with employees in small groups to heal racial divisions. I have so much passion for the job left, the 65-year-old said in early December. But Fuller said he was told his travel budget would be shifted to other priorities. Days before Christmas. Fuller put in his retirement papers. In a letter to VA, he blamed officials for pulling support from what he called a genuine race relations dialogue that drew acclaim across the government. His retirement is effective 15 January. The Washington Post The US will never be able to start a war against North Korea now that his country has developed the capability to hit all of the US mainland with its nuclear weapons, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has claimed. The entire United States is within range of our nuclear weapons, and a nuclear button is always on my desk. This is reality, not a threat, Mr Kim said during a televised New Years Day speech. During the address Mr Kim made overtures to South Korea, saying the path to dialogue was open and adding it was imperative to lower military tensions on the peninsula. The dictator tempered his rhetoric on deterrence with the suggestion he may send a North Korean delegation to the Winter Olympics when they are held in February. It is possible officials from the two Koreas may meet in the near future to discuss the idea, Mr Kim said, adding that he hoped the event was successful. He said: The Winter Olympic games that will be held soon in the South will be a good opportunity to display the status of the Korean nation and we sincerely wish that the event will be held with good results. Pyongyang and Seoul should improve their relations, he was reported as saying, adding that the North will only use nuclear weapons if its security is threatened. This years speech was seen as particularly important because of the high tensions over Pyongyangs frequent missile launches and its nuclear test in 2017. The tests were the focus of fiery verbal exchanges between the North and US President Donald Trump, who has called Mr Kim little rocket man and threatened him with fire and fury. Mr Kim also stressed North Koreas economic achievements during the speech, and noted the importance of improving the nations standard of living. His claim to have completed the state nuclear force may mean he considers the deterrent effective enough to allow dialogue with the outside world, experts have previously told The Independent. 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 Professor Lee Geun, of Seoul National University, said the declaration in December was the most important development of 2017 for Pyongyang. Mr Kim would now end overt missile and nuclear tests while beginning hard bargaining for nuclear status and a peace treaty with the US, he predicted. And John Nilsson-Wright, a senior lecturer at Cambridge University, said a nuclear deterrent gave Mr Kim something he can trade if he wanted to spur economic development through the relaxation of international sanctions. Additional reporting by agencies Two men have died after being injured by fireworks during New Year celebrations in Germany. Police said a 35-year-old was killed after igniting fireworks and a 19-year-old suffered fatal head injuries as he set off a homemade device in separate incidents in the Brandenburg region outside Berlin. Detectives have opened criminal investigations into "improper use" of pyrotechnics. Multiple other fireworks injuries were reported across the country. An 11-year-old boy was flown to hospital by helicopter with serious facial injuries after being struck in the face by a firework thrown by a group of teenagers also in Brandenburg, while a 14-year-old girl suffered serious eye injuries when fireworks were lobbed at a group of people in the Thuringia region. Hand surgeons at Berlin's trauma hospital worked continuously in three operating rooms through the night, treating 21 people, including five who required amputations. However, the was no repeat of the mass gropings that marred New Year's Eve in Cologne two years ago amid heightened security to protect women from sexual harassment. The city's police said it had received seven complaints of sexual harassment, while Berlin police reported 13 and seven arrests as several hundred thousand people celebrated at the capital's Brandenburg Gate. There were also terrorism fears in the wake of the attack on 19 December, 2016, when an Isis militant drove a truck into a Berlin Christmas market, killing 12 people. Police barred large bags from barricaded-off pedestrian party areas in Berlin and Frankfurt. Fireworks light up the sky over Sydney Harbour as Australia sees in the New Year Six officers in Berlin suffered temporary hearing loss when a firework was thrown at them during the arrest of a suspect. The 22-year-old man was believed to have thrown a firecracker that blew a hole in a police car's rear windshield. Police said they also arrested a 16-year-old girl after she repeatedly threw fireworks at police and confiscated 44 illegal pyrotechnic devices they found in her possession. Police in Leipzig turned water cannon on a group of up to 50 disorderly people who threw firecrackers at them. Pope Francis has issued a card showing a 1945 photo of victims of the Nagasaki nuclear bombing in a stark New Year warning over the threat of global conflict. The Vatican is to print and distribute copies of the image, which shows a young Japanese boy carrying his dead brother on his shoulders to a cemetery, with the words the fruit of war written on the back. The picture was taken by US Marine photographer Joe ODonnell shortly after American forces dropped atomic bombs on Japan at the end of World War Two. Recommended Pope Francis takes swipe at Donald Trump The cards issued by Francis will also carry his own signature along with a caption: The young boys sadness is expressed only in his gesture of biting his lips which are oozing blood. Mr ODonnell spent four years documenting the aftermath of the US bombing of Nagasaki and Hiroshima. His picture was circulated by the Vatican press office ahead of the the Roman Catholic Churchs World Day of Peace, which is celebrated every 1 January. Vatican analyst John Allen said the gesture is consistent with Franciss effort since his election to speak out against what he describes as a Third World War today, being fought in piecemeal fashion in various parts of the world. Pope Francis leads a mass to mark the World Day of Peace in Saint Peters Basilica at the Vatican (REUTERS) In a post on Catholic blog Crux, he wrote: The pontiff has also spoken about the disproportionate suffering children often experience in conflicts, including the risk of being enrolled as child soldiers. The gesture with the photo of Nagasaki also comes at the close of a year in which the threat of nuclear conflict once again had the world on edge, in light of North Koreas threat to use nuclear weapons, and US President Donald Trumps vow that America would unleash fire and fury should that happen. Nagasaki marks 71st anniversary of atomic bombing In a New Years Day speech to 40,000 people in St Peters Square, the Pope criticised Mr Trumps intention to build a wall along the US border with Mexico and said politicians who stoked fear of migrants were sowing violence and racism. Pope Francis described migrants and refugees as the worlds weakest and most needy, adding: Please, let us not extinguish the hope in their hearts, let us not suffocate their hopes for peace. For this peace, to which everyone has a right, many of them are willing to risk their lives in a journey which is often long and dangerous, they are willing to face strain and suffering. Isis has been defeated in Iraq and Syria. The caliphate declared in 2014, which was once the size of Great Britain, is no more. Its de facto capitals, Mosul in Iraq and Raqqa in Syria, were captured after long and bloody sieges in the second half of 2017. But Isis was always more than a murderous religious cult. What made it so dangerous at the height of its fortunes was that its commanders also possessed a high degree of military skill, developed in a decade of ferocious warfare. Isis commanders will have foreseen that they would lose control of their territory and knew that they could not withstand ground assault backed by the massive firepower of the US-led coalition of air forces in Iraq and Syria as well as the Russian air force in Syria. They will have considered the option of reverting to guerrilla war in which surprise attacks and ambushes are supplemented by terrorist atrocities targeting civilians to demonstrate strength and spread terror. It is by such means that al-Qaeda in Iraq, the forerunner of Isis, survived its defeat in Iraq in a US-led campaign (the so-called Surge) in 2006 and 2007. It retreated to the deserts of western Iraq in order to wait for better times, which duly came in 2011 with the start of the civil war in Syria. Isis reemerged from its hideouts to catch everybody by surprise. Could this happen again? People in Baghdad are pleased that Isis has been defeated on the battlefield, but wary of celebrating victory too early and nervous that Isis may not be quite as dead as its leaders claim. The caliphate may have been destroyed but the caliph, Mohammed Baqr al-Baghdadi, is still alive. After the loss of Mosul, Isis did not make a last stand in any of its remaining strongholds such as Tal Afar and Hawaija; likewise in Syria after the fall of Raqqa, it did not fight to the last man in Deir Ezzor, acting as if it was determined to preserve some of its combat strength. But a second resurrection by Isis will be much more difficult that the first because local, regional and international forces will not want to be caught napping a second time. It has lost the advantage of surprise; its adversaries will see it coming and take precautions. In 2014, Isis looked like a winner to many Sunni Arabs in the Middle East who briefly imagined that its blitzkrieg attacks would capture Damascus and Baghdad. But today these victories, which Isis publicised as being divinely inspired, are but a memory and all Isis has to offer is hard-fought defeats. 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 alternative option for Isis is to send it commanders and fighters to other countries where the opposition is weaker than in Iraq and Syria. This has been happening in Yemen, Afghanistan, Sinai, Libya and other countries. Western diplomats say that Isis fighters from Iraq have been identified on the anti-Houthi side in southern Yemen. There are certainly opportunities for Isis in these places where they can take advantage of chaos, civil war, weak or non-existent states. Isis and al-Qaeda type organisations still have some advantages: they are militarised cults with a core of believers who will fight to the death. But it is in the nature of cults that they treat everybody who is not a believer in their cause as an enemy and this means they have many enemies. This was a main reason for the defeat of Isis in Iraq and Syria: they had no allies at home and lost what covert support or toleration they had abroad from Sunni states like Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar. These now fear that they will be the targets of surviving Isis fighters as they go home. The best hope for Isis and al-Qaeda is that their triumphant enemies will overplay their hands and persecute Sunni communities who will once again look to Isis to free them. This could happen, but people who once welcomed Isis to Mosul and Raqqa soon discovered that the new tyrants were worse than the old. Power did not mellow Isis but made it even more blood-thirsty and oppressive to all beliefs but its own. Isis is dying but it could kill a lot more people in its death throes. Iran is seeing its most widespread protest demonstrations since 2009. They are still gaining momentum and some 15 people are reported to have been killed, though the circumstances in which they died remains unclear. The motive for the protests is primarily economic, but many slogans are political and some directly attack clerical rule in Iran which was introduced with the overthrow of the Shah in 1979. The demonstrations began with one against rising prices on Thursday in Mashhad, Irans second largest city and the site of its most holy shrine, a place which is traditionally seen as a stronghold for clerical hardliners. It may be that these conservatives initiated or tolerated the protests as a way of undermining President Hassan Rouhani, seen as a political moderate, who was re-elected by a landslide last year. If so, the protests have swiftly spiralled out of the control of the conservatives and are erupting all over Iran, strong evidence of a high level of discontent everywhere in the country and possibly a sign of covert organisation by anti-government groups. Donald Trump threatened last year to support domestic anti-government resistance in Iran, though this does not necessarily mean that his administration has done anything about this as yet. His latest tweet accuses Irans leaders of turning the country into an economically depleted rogue state whose chief exports are violence, bloodshed and chaos. The US and Saudi Arabia may also be tempted to fund ethnic groups like the Iranian Kurds who are already alienated from the central government. Belligerent rhetoric like Mr Trump's will be used to discredit protesters as the pawns of foreign powers. Iran has been divided politically since the fall of the Shah, but the most immediate cause of unrest over the past five days is economic and social discontent. In many respects, grievances are similar to those in other oil states where there is long-suppressed anger against corruption and inequality. Youth unemployment was 28.8 per cent last year. The nuclear deal with the US and other major powers in 2015 reduced sanctions, but has not produced the benefits that many expected. A 50 per cent increase in the price of fuel was announced in the budget in December. Egg and poultry prices recently rose by 40 per cent. It is too early to say how far the protests are a threat to the government and to Irans political stability. The size and motivation of demonstrations is murky because of a lack of reliable eyewitness reporting. This is in part because of government restrictions on news coverage by Iranian and foreign news outlets which creates a vacuum of information. In the past, this vacuum has often been filled by exiled opposition groups who become a source of exaggerated or fabricated accounts of protests. I was in Tehran in early 2011 when there were genuine demonstrations in the north of the city, but they were often of a smaller size than skilfully edited film shown on YouTube. Pictures of protesters tearing down a picture of Iranian spiritual leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei might indicate a radical anti-regime turn in the protests or might be a one-off that tells one little about the direction of the movement. The same is true of slogans praising the Shah or criticising Irans support for President Bashar al-Assad of Syria. So far President Rouhani and his administration have reacted in a low-key way to the protests, appealing for calm and saying people have the right to demonstrate, but not to destroy property or engage in violence. The government is clearly hoping that the demonstrations will run out of steam, but so far the opposite seems to be happening. The number of arrests is still low 200 in Tehran by Sunday but Mr Rouhani must be under pressure to crack down and not to appear weak. This he may do eventually, but well-publicised suppression of protests might increase public support for them in Iran and would certainly lead to the US and West Europeans jumping to the defence of human rights in Iran with an enthusiasm they have failed to show in countries such as Yemen where a Saudi-led blockade has brought eight million people to the edge of famine. 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 Bloody suppression of protests might also push the West Europeans towards Mr Trump's aggressive posture towards Iran and fatally undermine the nuclear deal. This would, in turn, strengthen the hand of the hardliners who can say that Mr Rouhani's more accommodating posture to the outside world and more liberal policies at home have failed. It's the New Year. And with the New Year come new rules. With the new year comes a whole host of new legislation, much of it introduced through 2017 but not due to go into effect until the beginning of this new year. China bans the ivory trade China has long been one of the biggest markets for ivory, and a major contributor to the 30,000 African elephants that are killed each year to get their tusks. But that could be set to come to an end. From the beginning of 2018, Chinese law bans all trade in both ivory and ivory products. Announced last year, the ban came into effect at the very end of 2017. 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 But it's already helping keep ivory out, even before it was passed. The price of ivory has plunged, falling 65 per cent, according to state media, and there has been a similarly drastic decline in the amount of ivory entering China. Many factories and shops dealing in Ivory have already shut down. California legalises weed and a whole lot else A range of US states are set to get a whole host of new laws. But probably none of them will be quite as dramatic as California, which is being given a huge set of new legislation. Recommended California marijuana laws explained Most famous among those is legalised marijuana. A vote in November decided that it was no longer criminal to grow or sell the drug for consumption by Adults, and it became by far the biggest state to introduce the laws. But in practice it's rather more complicated. Counties and cities will still get to decide how the law is enforced, and are allowed to decide which shops can open and when that means that many shops still haven't cleared that hurdle, and there are only going to be about 20 such shops across the entire state as the new year begins. You can read a full rundown of the details of the law here, from The Independent's Jeremy B White in San Francisco. But in short: now that the new year has begun it's now legalised, but that doesn't mean that it'll be any easier to actually buy it. It's far from the only new legislation arriving in California with the New Year. There'll be new protections for undocumented immigrants, parents won't have to list their children's gender on their birth certificates, schools will have to give lunch to children who can't afford it and more. Other states are getting new laws, too. In Illinois, for instance, dogs will now be treated more like children than property when people are getting divorced meaning that they could be subject to split custody arrangements when people split up, for instance. Germany rolls out new hate speech law Netzwerkdurchsetzungsgesetz: a big word for an important law. The legislation which translates into Network Enforcement Act and is usually written NetzDG came into force in early October but technology companies were given until the end of the year to actually start to comply with it. Now any company that doesn't remove "obviously illegal" posts within a day could face huge fines of up to 50 million euros. All of the big tech companies, like Facebook, Twitter and Google, will be regulated by the law and be forced to remove anything as quickly as they can, once they're told about it. It's not clear how extensive the removals will be, and therefore how much of a difference it will make to people outside of Germany. But whether or not NetzDG forces companies like Facebook and Twitter to act more quickly on problem content, they'll be pushed to do so elsewhere anyway the European Union and many other individual governments are pursuing similar laws and regulations. Banks hunting for illegal immigrants From this month, banks will be forced to search through their customers and check on their accounts to see whether they are illegal immigrants. The rules which have been criticised by both banks and supporters of migrants are intended to help create a hostile environment for people moving illegally to the UK. The new rules will go into effect in January, and apply to banks and building societies across the UK. There's also a whole range of new laws set to go into effect through 2018 covering everything from the gender pay gap to animal welfare, and much more. You can read a round-up of what's expected over the year from The Independent's Joe Watts, here. Sometimes, in polite Europhiliac company, sipping chianti over tapas on the Eurostar, I dont like to admit I voted Brexit. Sometimes I dont like to admit it to myself. Like many on either side of the debate during the European referendum campaign I found some arguments from both camps persuasive, and some nonsensical. The debate was more balanced than many seemed willing to admit then, or now (possibly Boris Johnson included, given that he wrote two articles, for Remain and Leave, when weighing up his options, though I concede base ambition was also no doubt playing on that fabulous mind of his). Never much given to starry optimism, since the morning of 24 June 2016 Ive seen remarkably little that would make me, or any rational person, feel confident about the future and the wisdom of my vote. Ill level with you reader: for most of the past 18 months or so Ive been by turns terrified, regretful and despairing as our team messed up the talks, playing a weak hand badly. Now though, for just about the first time, I am starting to feel my vote to Leave was vindicated, and that Brexit might even work. Whats changed? That unexpected breakthrough in the talks and the mutual agreement to make more progress. Simply that. Theres an awful lot of fudge baked into that particular cake; the kind of ambiguous political verbiage that is commonplace in European and Irish peace process diplomatic communiques is stuffed into every paragraph inconsistent, vague, rubbery. It will be difficult to turn that stuff into hard laws. Nonetheless, there is a fundamental truth here to be acknowledged as fact: without that sign-off about the first phase of the talks there could be no start to the crucial second phase trade talks in time for anything to be agreed. We would have been stuffed. Were not stuffed now, necessarily. That counts as a diplomatic triumph; and, yes, a cause for optimism. Maybe, just maybe, events in recent weeks, albeit at times farcical, signal a more grown-up approach among all the participants, from Arlene Foster to Michel Barnier. Let me stress that I am extremely sympathetic to the so-called Remoaners feelings. As it happens, I do want my say in a final vote a referendum on the terms were likely to get. Waiting for a general election as Michael Gove suggests is just a ploy it is no use at all because by then I wont have the opportunity to reject the deal and vote Remain it will obviously be too late as we will have left the EU, and general elections can turn on many issues, as we all know. Its another con, and not an especially clever one. The British people deserve the opportunity to have an informed choice and to try to heal the wounds these last few months have caused. For now, though, there are reasons to be cheerful about how events might pan out over 2018, as well as, Im afraid, some unpalatable truths to be assimilated. First, we could save a lot of time, money and energy just by agreeing to the equivalent of the UK-Canada trade treaty in the morning, as a basis for the talks. Both Barnier and the Brexit Secretary David Davis have said it is a good model for dialogue. That done, we could move on to what Davis calls, in his typically precise, forensic manner, Canada plus plus plus. Roughly translated that means adding in services, including legal services, insurance and banking plus some especially cosy terms for the automotive industry, air travel, medicines, nuclear energy, broadcasting and, while were at it, the European City of Culture scheme, and all that sort of thing. There are lots of trivial, uncontroversial issues that can be settled easily with some goodwill, and which would cost neither side anything except some dented pride. The UK Government and EU leaders having signed-off the first phase of talks counts as a diplomatic triumph, and, yes, a cause for optimism (AFP/Getty) (AFP/Getty Images) Now, no one thinks this will be easy and it is perfectly possible the EU side will simply declare that this Canada plus plus plus is another cake-and-eat-it proposition from the UK. Maybe, but the main reason for optimism is that trade is not a zero-sum game: both sides have a strong, grown-up mutual interest in making this work. It is often said, for example, that while 44 per cent of the UKs exports go to the rest of the EU, only 8 per cent of theirs travel to the UK (figures, by the way from Theresa Mays sole Remain speech from 2016). Sure; but there are many European-based companies, especially among our closest neighbours, who have lucrative interests in the UK, where the percentage of their profits derived from this little treasure island exceeds the simple numbers on volumes or the value of turnover. We are, in other words, a more valuable market for European entities in a tough world that might be imagined from makers of executive cars through the European owners of UK rail franchises, power and water companies through to professional partnerships working in the UK. All have their expat staffs professional qualifications mutually and reciprocally recognised. Some of the East European states such as Poland, Lithuania, Romania and Slovakia also have a clear interest in having the British take a generous view on permitting their energetic and skilled young people to come to the UK in future to make a living and perhaps also a home. Europe would also prize access to UK fisheries and the resources and liquidity of the City. There is plenty to barter with. Trade barriers on the Channel would especially cost jobs and profits in the old Six the original 1957 members of Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany, Italy and France plus Ireland, but the likes of Spain and Poland also have deep economic and security interests in having the UK in a proper partnership that is sustainable for both sides. The UK wont be able to divide and rule among the EUs remaining 27 states, but we should also be reassured that no single nation will want to have its vital interests damaged by an unnecessarily truculent EU negotiating team exceeding their brief. Ironically, the EUs determination to protect Irelands interest proved that point given that the UK has an opposite and equal interest in protecting the Good Friday Agreement and peace on the island. The British notoriously believe that the planet revolves around them but the truth is that the EU has even bigger challenges than Brexit to sort out, and it wants to get on with those and not get bogged down over Brexit. That seems to be what was happening at the time of the breakthrough. Again that could conceivably make the next round of the talks run more smoothly and at a faster pace than hitherto. Well, I am being optimistic. Less cheerful is my second tentative prediction for 2018. It may prove the year when the British as a whole face up to what they are; a deeply divided nation, and not always a very nice lot. That is, by the way, why a final referendum vote would be such a valuable solution to these divisions, even though there will be some on both sides who are irreconcilable whatever happens. In any case, the soft Brexiters and the Remainers will have to face up to, if not reconcile themselves to, an ugly fact about Britain, which is that there are large numbers of their fellow citizens with a quite different vision of Britain, if I may dignify it with such a term. They simply cannot abide migration, to put it politely. Ive no doubt some are racist and would send me home if they got the chance (thatd be Leicester, then). Yet Ive no doubt, also, many are not racists or anything like it. Theyre confused, dazed by what globalisation has done to their communities, and the politicians seeming indifference to their plight. All they saw from Westminster for decades was disdain for them, and that too was perplexing. These disaffected voters are not devout Brexiteers, or racist or anything so specific; they are protesting, protesting, protesting about their lot, looking for someone to give them some answers. They moved from Cleggmania and a substantial vote for the Liberal Democrats in 2010, to helping give the Tories their first and only majority at a general election for 30 years in the 2015 contest, through to Brexit in 2016 and then towards Corbynism in 2017. You can exaggerate things, but this does look like an electorate and a nation desperately uneasy with itself. I realise that I may be the only person who voted for Brexit to get more but fairer immigration. I never understood, for example, why someone from Bulgaria has more of a right to work in the UK than someone from Bangladesh, or why all Austrians rank ahead of all Australians. Brexit, in principle at any rate, does mean an opportunity to bring in an immigration policy that is fairer and which commands public support. That might soothe the anger that seems to be out there. That way we might avoid those same left behind communities turning to still more extremist groups. Brexit had to happen because the EU was plainly unreformable. Maybe after the referendum Cameron or May or Boris could have gone to Brussels and made a last push for a restriction on freedom of movement on labour, which isnt popular anywhere in Europe. Then in traditional EU fashion the British could have been asked to vote again, this time the right way. Well never know. A Union Jack flies outside the entrance of the European Parliament in Brussels (Reuters) Third, you have to look to the big picture. Globalisation isnt going to go away and if anything Brexit will hook Britain into the process even further (and, in due course, hit many of the poorer communities who voted Brexit especially hard). We have to make the best of that, too, and we need politicians who will tell the voters the truth about Brexit and not the nonsense that was on the side of the bus (see How to Lose a Referendum by Jason Farrell and Paul Goldsmith to learn about the true cynicism behind the 350m for the NHS tactic). The EU was and is a large single market but it is a protectionist one. Thus, like all such insular blocs, it is not sustainable in a dynamic world economy. It protects bureaucrats and the middle classes and big companies and small farms but not Europeans as a whole as consumers. EU consumers should have the opportunity to buy on world markets at the most competitive rates for price and quality. If the EU just wants to keep the Chinese, Indians and the rest out of the single market then it is simply making its own citizens poorer. There are other reasons to believe that the EU project isnt worth persevering with. There is the inherent destructive effect of a single currency, the euro, on such a large part of our economic future. The euro, as Joseph Stiglitz forensically analyses it in his recent book, is permanently prone to crises because it isnt backed by a fiscal union, which is to say the richer countries in the North wont subsidise the poorer ones in the South. The constant push for political integration, partly under some pressure from president Macron to fix the euros fundamental flaw will also continue to alienate Europes people from the ideals of the EU. So will the ceaseless desire to close down opt-outs and national vetoes and, simultaneously, to expand the EUs frontiers eastwards towards poorer states and a substantial land frontier with Russia. All these trends will continue to strain the EU in 2018 and beyond. Who could be entirely confident that the EU would still be around in its current form in a decade or so? It will still be growing uncompetitive in world markets, prone to banking crises and social unrest as the euro inflicts austerity on the least well-off in the weakest countries. Now may be the moment to find the exit. The year 2018, like 2017, could be an unexpectedly fruitful one for some sort of EU-UK deal. I am more concerned about the decade or two after that, though. For the British will find economic life much tougher outside the EU in the short to medium term. This is something the Brexiteers never admit. Only the Governor of the Bank of England, the neutral Mark Carney, has come close to telling the unavoidable truth about this. As trade patterns shift, so will the demand for jobs in different industries and in different cities and regions move with them. Some will contract, some expand. It is unpredictable. This time it might be the very well-paid jobs in the City that disappear, rather than coal miners in Barnsley. By contrast there may be more jobs in higher education, say, if suitable deals for Chinese and Indian student visas can be concluded. In the later 2020s, Brexit might well start to be a net benefit to the overall UK economy but no one should now overdo the rhetoric about taking control, global Britain and exciting opportunities. There will not be a bonanza in NHS funding. There will be a recession and lower living standards as the tectonic plates of the UK economy grind and adjust to new realities. Whole communities and whole industries will be destroyed in that process, frankly, but new industries and jobs will appear. In 2018 we should be getting psychologically ready for the most traumatic industrial change since the 1980s and the greatest agricultural dislocations since the 1930s. If the Brexiteers dont start telling the truth about it, and, better still, allow the nation to vote on the grim realities of this process, they will never be forgiven for their ultimate deceptions, and rightly so. It will be a hell of a reckoning. Aeroplanes were seemingly travelling back in time today, taking off in 2018 and landing in 2017, thanks to time differences around the globe. Hawaiian Airlines flight HA446, from Auckland to Honolulu, was scheduled to take off at 11.55pm on New Years Eve, and land at 9.45am on the same day, due to the 23-hour time difference between the destinations. Recommended Flight 666 to HEL makes final Friday 13th departure However, a delay saw it departing at five minutes past midnight on New Years Day, ready to land at 10.16am on 31 December. The anomaly was noticed by US journalist Sam Sweeney on Twitter. It wasnt the only plane to travel back in time, however. Another Auckland flight Air New Zealand's NZ40, bound for Papeete, in French Polynesia, took off at 10.25am on 1 January, arriving at 4.25pm on 31 December. Flightradar24, a Twitter account which tracks planes around the world, noted six aircraft departing Taipei in 2018, en route to land in the US and Canada in 2017. The Taipei flights included Eva Air to Vancouver, Seattle and Los Angeles, and China Airlines to San Francisco. All six landed safely in 2017. There is no word on how the passengers were received in the past. Travelling back in time is possibly better than flying straight to HEL, as passengers on Finnair flight 666 did on Friday 13 October last year. The Finnish national carrier retired flight number AY666 from Copenhagen (CPH) to Helsinki (HEL) shortly after its Friday 13th flight, renaming it AY954. At the time, Finnair denied the number change had anything to do with superstition, telling The Independent: We are a growing airline and we are reorganising our flight numbers to make room for additional flight numbers to be used. Click here to compare flight options with Skyscanner In 2017, Best for Britain and campaign partners across the country backed parliamentary candidates that continue to fight for all options to be on the table for the UKs future. We know that 6.5 million people voted tactically in the general election, and the 1 million uses of our tactical vote guide in marginal seats was hugely impactful. Our supporters campaigned for the release of the Brexit impact assessments. They took on Russian interference in our democracy. And working with the entire movement, we pushed the meaningful vote amendment over the line on 13 December, buoying the MPs that took the brave decision to go against their whip. The lessons of the last 12 months lead to some key insights we should note for this year. Here are my top five tips for fighting Brexit in 2018. 1. Power is local The model of connecting constituents with their decision makers can be easily dismissed as remote clicktivism. Oh youve just asked them to email their MPs? Damn straight we have. But thats just the first step. Campaigning by constituency and by region is more important than ever. Firstly, the electoral calculus of the whole country has been blown up by the quick succession of the 2015 election, the 2016 referendum and the 2017 election. MPs guarding two- and three-figure majorities in 2015 are now sitting on huge majorities (for example Rupa Huq and Tulip Siddiq in London) though they are not sitting on their laurels. Equally, MPs that had decent majorities in 2015 but saw those drop in 2017 (such as Conservative Theresa Villiers MP, whose 7000 majority was reduced to 353) will be looking to get back some of those 2015 voters before their majority evaporates altogether. With tactical voting shown to have influenced 6.5 million people at the polls, the floating vote so important in the first-past-the-post system is now the most important of all in UK politics. Whats more, with Brexit being the only major political issue in recent memory to divide the country on anything other than party political lines, and with majorities unclear and confusing, constituents have unparalleled power and voice. More effective campaigning by Brexit resisters has taken many people up the ladder of engagement from being clicktivists to 24/7 advocates, leaving no local stone unturned to meet, greet and press their MP on Brexit. Localised campaigning, localised messaging and local organisation will be key for the emerging campaign to fight Brexit. 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 2. Defend a truly meaningful vote with your life No sooner had the cheers from the chamber died down on the night of Wednesday 13 December following the Governments defeat by 309 votes to 305 on the meaningful vote amendment, than the Government deftly pivoted to prop up its pernicious amendment 381, seeking to set in stone the Exit Day of the UK from the EU. A compromise was agreed by Conservative rebels, which stated that the Exit Day would be when negotiations had finished. But there is concern that the Government is again chipping away at the power of Parliament: the impression given strength by Theresa Mays repetition of her deal or no deal mantra before Christmas. The main reason the Government is bandying this threat around is they are petrified of the deal going to a vote at all. Defeat in the Commons would not definitely lead to no deal the EU has repeatedly said we have until March 2019 to decide on our exit, so there would be some time to consider our options if the Governments deal was rejected. What it would lead to is constitutional meltdown and possibly an election. What the Government needs to see is that each and every day there is a majority of MPs willing to vote down a bad Brexit deal with no Brexit as a clear option for the country. Whether you support a soft Brexit or no Brexit at all, getting no Brexit on the table as an option and pushing Parliament to a vote is the best way for our country to win. The meaningful vote needs to be defended and carried out at all cost. 3. Democracy, Parliament, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are key The spotlight Brexit has put on the weakness of the UKs Parliament is sobering. Britains centuries without a constitution evaded modern scrutiny until Brexit. The power of Parliament in this process, first established by the landmark Miller case in early 2017, will continue to be a theme into 2018. Dominic Grieves amendment embedded the principle of a statute being needed to deliver Brexit. Many saw the Governments push to set Exit Day in stone as an attempt to dismantle parliamentary primacy. The unwieldy power of our Executive long noticed and fought against by Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is now being noticed by others in England. Meanwhile, the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish continue to play a critical role in the negotiations. Nicola Sturgeon could be one of those to help rescue victory from the jaws of defeat simply by doing what she does best defending Scottish interests. Nicola Sturgeon said the commission's report would 'restart the debate' on Scottish independence (Getty) 4. The Labour Party line could resolve Brexit The Labour partys line on Brexit is still the most important piece of the political jigsaw puzzle. But shifts will only happen if they truly come from within Labour from their members and voters and if the Labour leadership understands the electoral opportunity that would be presented by a change in its position on Brexit. The 2017 general election saw tactical voting by Remain voters getting Labour over the line in myriad constituencies. The received wisdom in the country is that Labour did an excellent job of triangulating Leave and Remain voters. The data tells a different story that the only way Labour was able to gain seats from a Conservative party that enjoyed a 6.5 per cent increase in voters from 2015 was because of Remainers switching, including in northern seats where that tactical vote often had most impact, even in so-called Leave constituencies. Without a real shift in the Labour position that keeps the door open to all options including staying in the EU its possible that Labours support from those tactical voters will drain away: either back to other parties, to sit out an election, or perhaps to one of the plethora of new parties that are quietly organising on the fringes. The local elections in May will be the first test of how Labours Brexit policy might affect electoral dynamics with an increasingly clued-up electorate. Michael Heseltine: A Jeremy Corbyn government would be less damaging for Britain than Brexit 5. Ireland, and the other 26 Before we forget, there are 27 other EU countries not to mention the institutions of the EU itself which have something of a role to play in the next Act of Brexit. As Barnier said: This is not a negotiation; it is a process. The last few months proved the first part of his statement to be correct. The EU holds all the cards. Truth be told, they could sit on their hands and nod politely for the next 15 months and watch us slide out of view with whatever they want. Its the Governments knowledge of this inherent weakness that has led the UK government to flirt so dangerously with no deal (like most under-confident individuals, the Government projects a bullyboy swagger on the surface). Its the only scenario that could damage the EU a bit. But nowhere near as much as it would damage the UK. True, the EU would need to recalibrate its policies and budget a little to cover countries such as The Netherlands which would be disproportionately affected by a no-deal scenario, but in reality the EU remains firmly in the driving seat. The EU 27 also includes Ireland, and the 26 other countries have done an impressive job of lining up behind Taoiseach Varadkar as his government have point blank refused to entertain a return to a hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland, among other issues. The truth here is that unless Ireland is to be captured into Brexit in some sick re-run of colonial hegemony, the Northern Irish border has to be either in the Irish Sea or slicing up the island of Ireland in two. None of these options are acceptable to both parties. The Irish question (and the lack of any answer to it) will be the crunch point that could sink Brexit. Its in the EUs and Irelands hands to decide at what point the UK needs to wake up and smell the coffee on this sooner rather than later would be the cruel to be kind option that would best serve the populations of all countries concerned. *** For all these reasons, 2018 is the year Brexit could come off the rails, and the British public could opt for a different path, to stay and lead in Europe. The Conservative Government is making a few bets right now. It is betting that Parliament will be scared into wanting any deal at all over no deal. It is betting that Tory rebels want a Conservative majority in the House of Commons more than they want to overcome Brexit. It is betting that ultimately the more extreme Brexiters want to deliver Brexit at any cost even if that cost is a soft Brexit. Each of these bets is likely to unravel over time. But the biggest bet of all is being placed on the unity and economic future of the UK, both of which are under huge threat. British people are savvy, and I have no doubt that while the Government loses its head the wisdom of the people will continue to shift, and save us from the most calamitous, elite-made act of self-harm in modern political history. 2018 is the year Brexit can be stopped if the will of the people so wishes. Eloise Todd is CEO of the Best for Britain campaign Imagine that you are trapped with your family in a town under siege. Food and fuel are running out. Your children are hungry, cold and terrified by air raids and artillery. In the chaos, hundreds of people in urgent need of medical care have little prospect of treatment. Welcome to eastern Ghouta, the enclave held by anti-government forces near the Syrian capital of Damascus. More than 400,000 civilians a population the size of Bristol are being subjected to military tactics that combine medieval siege and starvation with 21st century military ordnance. UN demands that humanitarian aid be allowed into eastern Ghouta have been treated, in the main, with studied indifference. Last week it was reportedly agreed that a few children needing urgent treatment could leave, but only if government officials held by rebel forces were released in exchange. So if you and your family were caught up in such horrors, how much help should you receive from the outside world? The Independents distinguished commentator Mary Dejevsky recently posed some tough questions about this under the headline Even humanitarian aid for sick children in Syria can make the conflict worse thats the sad truth about war. However admirable the intent, she argued, doesnt aid inevitably bolster one side in the given conflict, prolonging the suffering that entails, and giving rise to unscrupulous dealmaking? Isnt this the cruel, undiscriminating reality of war, she asked? And do appeals to international human rights laws have any meaning in a world where hospitals can be used as safe havens for combatants? These reflections go to the heart of some of the great challenges facing organisations such as Save the Children, which has strongly supported UN calls for humanitarian access to eastern Ghouta. The places where human rights and humanitarian principles are confronted by military might and strategic realpolitik are every bit as difficult as Dejevsky suggests. Our staff encounter these difficulties every day in some of the most hostile environments of the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Where I part company with Dejevsky is in the conclusions she draws. Almost 150 years ago, the founding fathers of the Geneva Conventions established rules to constrain the brutality inherent in war. Their legacy includes painfully negotiated codes to protect civilians, children and populations under siege. Do we now want to tear up that legacy and allow the undiscriminating reality of war to define what is acceptable? As head of a charity working with children on the front lines of armed conflict, I am painfully aware of the limited protection provided by international human rights law. Two weeks ago I spoke to Moen, a seven-year-old Rohingya refugee in Bangladesh. He had seen his father shot and killed, his sister raped, and a friend burnt to death in an attack by an armed group in Myanmar. UN investigator denounces human rights situation in Myanmar Schools supported by Save the Children in Syria have been bombed and children killed. Our teams in South Sudan, Iraq, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Nigeria are supporting young girls who have been raped and countless children traumatised by acts of unspeakable violence. What we are dealing with is not a failure of the law, but a culture of impunity surrounding the perpetrators of heinous crimes against children. Yes, human rights provisions can be abused by armed combatants. But is that a credible reason for abandoning laws designating as potential war crimes and crimes against humanity the killing, maiming and rape of children, the forced recruitment of child soldiers, the obstruction of humanitarian aid, and the bombing of classrooms? Surely we should be striving to enforce these laws and uphold the universal values they reflect. Dejevsky questions whether a focus on children affected by armed conflict should override other considerations. Perhaps Im biased, but I think she is wrong. Eglantyne Jebb, Save the Childrens founder, once said: The only international language in the world is a childs cry. If we cannot find common cause in defending children in conflict against gross violations of their most basic rights, what hope is there for the future of multilateralism, international cooperation and universal human rights? The time has come to end the culture of impunity. We must find more effective ways of enforcing compliance with human rights and humanitarian laws. The children and civilians whose lives have been devastated have a right to justice, through national courts where possible and through special courts such as those set up after the Rwanda genocide and the conflict in former Yugoslavia or the International Criminal Court where necessary. The UK could set an example by enshrining in national law an authority to prosecute or seize the assets of individuals implicated in crimes against children. While the High Court has concluded that continued arms sales to Saudi Arabia are consistent with the letter of export licensing law, the Government could and should determine that without an immediate cessation of the current blockade that has prevented aid from reaching the starving and sick in Yemen, they are inconsistent with the spirit of the UKs humanitarian values. Those values are powerfully reflected in the role played by the Department for International Development and UK aid in saving lives and rebuilding futures. Last year was one of the worst on record for children affected by armed conflict. Changing this picture wont be easy. But surely we owe the worlds children our best efforts in 2018. Kevin Watkins is chief executive of Save the Children What is going on in Iran? Nobody knows. Perhaps somebody does but theyre not telling us. One thing is for sure: there is one man who can actually pivot things in a good direction and its not Donald Trump. The world may be watching, as the President says, but thats what it should have been doing in 2009 when John Kerry and President Obama refused to offer Irans Green Movement protestors their backing in a few simple words. Instead, they washed their hands. Just a soundbite of support? No chance. The Ahmadinejad government violently crushed those protests, with killings, mass arrests, torture and rape. Today few could give a hoot what Donald Trump says he achieved an amazing thing last year, creating unity among Iranians with his preposterous travel ban which has caused havoc among students and families in America. But we do need a figure in the West to do what Trump simply hasnt the moral standing to do. It is time, ladies and gentleman, for Jeremy Corbyn to step up in turn, he can prompt the Prime Minister and the EU to stand up for what Iran now needs: freedom of speech. Crikey, no one even knows what is happening on the ground and how the demonstrations that kicked off on Thursday even started. There is hearsay. But very little reporting. Conjecture from pundit after pundit. The mechanics of whats going on are so obscure that analyst after analyst is left to shrug their shoulders and say we will have to wait and see. Twelve people have been killed. New Year's Eve protests break out in Iranian capital Tehran Chants have included Death to Rouhani and Political prisoners must be freed. The West must hear these remarkable calls. Corbyn in particular must put his head above the parapet and its surely the duty of every Corbynista to remind him of this. For if Corbyn has an Achilles heel its his association with the Iranian government, having worked for its broadcaster Press TV and having chaired an organisation, Stop the War Coalition, which regards the Islamic Republic as a friend in the struggle to free Palestine and as a stalwart against Western imperialism and, lamentably, defender of the Assad regime. Corbyns connection with the pro-Islamist, and pro-Islamic Republic element of the political left is a blight on his record that may yet negatively impact his chances of winning the next election. Imagine if things get even uglier in Iran. Where is Corbyns record of denouncing Islamist extremism and calling for human rights in the country? Speaking out for the people would be the constructive and intelligent way to engage with Iran the antidote to Trumps effort to stir up trouble and create the kind of chaos that his allies in Saudi Arabia and Israel crave. Corbyn can take the lead in recognising that the Rouhani project is dead. The West then has a chance: acknowledge that reformists are but frauds in the Iranian context, announce it, and push for freedom of speech and the freeing of all political prisoners. For evidence look no further than the Iranian president himself. First elected in 2013, this is the best he has to offer his voters today: These [demonstrators] are not all people acting on instructions from abroad but some are people out on the street because of their feelings and problems its not just because of economic problems ... they dont just want money or bread they want a more openness. Wrongly dubbed a reformer Rouhani is a conservative, dedicated to keeping Shia, Khomeiniist, Islamist rule intact. Boris Johnson was ridiculed by the leader of Friday prayers in Mashad shortly after visiting the country. A cleric said: The newspapers in England called him a clown, a liar, and he comes here to tell us to release two spies, whove sold out their country. Corbyn, on the other hand, is respected across the competing sources of power within Iran and he can nudge Theresa May and other leaders to toughen their line on Iran and push for the protection of human rights. 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 Freedom of expression is a greater threat to Iran than, say, Israel. And perhaps its to Israel that Corbyn must look to see the power of righteous individuals to shake the very bones of an oppressive state. Harsh? Israel can only be inspired by its arch foe to stoop to the level of keeping Ahed Tamimi, a 16-year-old girl, in detention for slapping a soldier in the face, as it is currently doing. Narges Mohammadi and Arash Sadeghi are but two of the many Iranians imprisoned for expressing unwelcome ideas in their own country. (Then there are those who simply happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, such as Nazanin Zaghari-Ratlcliffe, Kamal Foroughi and Ahmadreza Djalali, the Stockholm-based scientist who has been given a death sentence.) This is Corbyns chance to prove he is a world leader. If he takes it, the chant Oh Je-re-my Corbyn will resound through the cells of the notorious Evin prison. For full functionality of this site it is necessary to enable JavaScript. Here are the instructions how to enable JavaScript in your web browser Congress Party president Rahul Gandhi attends the Congress Working Committee meeting with his mother and former party president Sonia Gandhi and senior Congress leader and ex-prime minister Manmohan Singh at the Congress Party headquarters in New Delhi on Dec. 22, 2017. (Prakash Singh/AFP/Getty Images) New Years Message and Warning from a War Correspondent By Andre Vltchek January 01, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - Sometimes it is useful to take a break from news bulletins and newspapers, and even from friendly Internet publications. Occasionally it is good to realize that there are actually two parallel realities that are constantly competing for the hearts and minds of people living all over the world. There is real life and fake life. There is reality and elaborately manufactured pseudo-reality, which is designed to appear more real than the reality itself. It is like that chemically produced green apple shampoo that smells more authentic than the fruit itself. * Periodically I disappear into some jungle or a war zone, in Afghanistan, Southern Philippines or in the middle of plundered Borneo Island. When I return to what some people would readily describe as the normal world, and a news bulletin unexpectedly confronts me at some airport lounge, everything suddenly appears to be bizarre, grotesque, totally surreal, at least for the few initial but excruciating moments. It is because most of the mainstream news communiques and analyses are produced in the plush comfort of an armchair, or at a mahogany writing table, thousands of miles from shrapnel, sweat, torn flesh, blood, burning forests, polluted waterways, and the other horrors which are, in fact, nothing other than the true reality for billions of human beings inhabiting our planet. Remembering how things really feel, taste and smell I get desperate. I dont recognize places described by the mass media. We are talking about two different universes; yes, about two absolutely opposite realities. * If mainstream reporters go to the field, they are well equipped with bulletproof vests, helmets, with 44 vehicles (some of them also bulletproof), with excellent life and health insurances that include airlifts and other evacuation clauses, as well as with hefty salaries and other compensation schemes. On their chests and their backs, it says loudly and explicitly PRESS. So what am I bitching about? Is it wrong to compensate people who are risking their lives, or to try to protect them? No, it is not; of course it is not wrong. Except, there is that one tiny but You can never, ever get too close to anything real, this way. You cannot turn yourself to a buffoon or a walking media Rambo, and expect to uncover something hidden, something important, and something thoroughly groundbreaking. If you over-protect your life, over-insure your each and every step, youd build a thick wall between yourself and the real life. If you go into the field looking like this, you will be spotted and questioned, and you will need all sorts of permits and stamps. It is almost like declaring: Ill play by your rules, Ill not rock the boat, and Ill let you monitor each step that I take. Imagine arriving while being decked out like that and attempting to cover genocide in Papua! Good luck, really. About official permits, if you are from a friendly mainstream agency, you can get them almost immediately. Yes, of course, organizations such as the BBC or CNN could easily supply you with all the necessary credentials. You could even count on an official government armed escort, or you could count on an escort supplied by friendly (to the West) rebel groups. Not to speak of all those all you can eat press briefings. However, the chances that real people would talk to you would be slim. But would you care about hearing from real people if you work for an official mainstream newspaper or a television channel? I doubt it. Real people could, God forbid, say real things, instead of what you are ordered to discover in such places as Bosnia, Rwanda, Syria or Afghanistan. In the end, youll hear what you came to hear and report, and your writing and clips would be mainly in accordance with the established stereotypes. Then what, how? Who could do it; who could describe reality, and actually stay alive? In a brilliant film directed by Oliver Stone, Salvador (1986), one of the main characters declared: You got to get close to the truth. You get too close, you die. He died, but what he said that is precisely it! There is this invisible, imaginary line, in the air or on the ground, somewhere. You never see it, but if you have worked in many war zones before, you sense it, and it is what actually saves your life. It saves it often, most of the times, but of course not always. Those who usually die are men and women who make crucial mistakes during their first attempts, before developing their instincts. What Im talking about cannot be taught; it is not logical its just there. To get as close to the truth as possible, one has to work, fast, decisively and with certain precision, avoiding obvious blunders. People around you have to trust you, and you yourself have to know whom to trust and from whom to hide. You are on your own, or at least most of the time you are. All this guarantees nothing, but these are some of the basic preconditions, if you want to understand a conflict, a war. Working in devastated places is very emotional, very deep, and sometimes you get overwhelmed, and sometimes your glasses get blurry. You make mistakes; hopefully not too many. Occasionally you go after a particular story, or you know generally what you want to find and a story bumps into you, or you stumble over it, or it just hits you frontally, brutally and at full strength. If it is good, it is never just reporting. It is much more than journalism, or it is simply shit. There must be some poetry in what you are doing, there has to be also philosophy and humanism, as well as plenty of context and ideology and passion. There can be no objectivity in this work: objectivity is just an illusion, a fairytale dispersed by mainstream media. But you should never lie: you witness and say what you have to say, the way you believe it should be said, and while you do it, it is your obligation to inform your readers and viewers where precisely you stand. As a human being, as an artist and thinker, you should always take sides. But your position on which side of the barricade you stand has to be clear and honest. Otherwise you are a liar. * The bitter but essential truth is: Even if you put your life on the line, even if you get badly injured or psychologically exhausted, do not expect much gratitude or support. Many local victims people whom you came to defend will suppose and even tell you straight to your face that you came to get rich using their suffering and misery. Your readers in wealthy countries will imagine that you are being generously funded. They were conditioned to believe that there are no altruistic individuals, governments and countries left on this earth. The reality is quite different: if you work independently, if you refuse to repeat lies and take orders, to merge with the mainstream, if you go against the interest of the West and its allies and clients, the chances are that you will get zero financial support, no protection whatsoever and absolutely no perks. You may get millions of readers, of course. And you can recycle your reports in your books and films, as I did in my more than 800-page long Exposing Lies Of The Empire and Fighting Against Western Imperialism . If your writing is good, your books will sell, somehow, even if they attack the establishment frontally. But dont count on any support from friendly governments or wealthy but left leaning individuals. There is no Engels around, these days. You are really on your own. Trust me, you are. You and your determined work may save several villages, or if you are very good, you could make a difference on a global scale. Your writing or your films may help to stop a war. But never expect any official recognition, any practical backing or even mercy from your readers. In 2015, after making several films and writing books about several particularly horrid war zones, mostly in Africa, I totally collapsed. For several weeks, I was not able to move. I thought it was the end. There was no help at all coming from those millions of my readers living in all parts of the world. At that time I made my condition public. Still nothing. Few letters of moral support arrived. Few: Be strong, the world needs you! In the end, it was my close family circle that literally pampered and rescued me and put me back to my feet and into fighting order. This is not a reproach, just a warning to those who are getting ready to fight for the survival of humanity: You will be totally on your own. You will most definitely collapse on several occasions. Still, I know no other way how to live meaningfully. I would never trade my life with the life of anyone else. * There is another very important and revealing piece of information, which Id like to share with you, my readers. In 2017 I worked in several extremely dangerous parts of the world, including Afghanistan, the Pakistani-Afghan border during the exchange of fire between the two countries, on the Turkish-Syrian border in Euphrates area during the Turkish invasion, in the war-torn southern Philippines, in Lebanon and in the fully devastated (by logging and mining) Indonesian part of the Island of Borneo. I drove all around Afghanistan, with no protection, no security and no one covering my back. My friend who doubled as my driver and interpreter was the only man I could count on. Sometimes I held the wheel myself. We even made it into the Taliban controlled territories and drug-infested slums of Kabul. All in a 20 year old, beat up Toyota Corona. In all these places, I did not see one single Western mainstream reporter. Not one! Where were they, all those media superstars, I dont know, but most likely they were holed up somewhere at the NATO headquarters, or at least in the only remaining plush hotel in Afghanistan Serena. The same can be said about the southern Philippines, although there, to be objective, one Aussie colleague actually got hit by a snipers bullet, just couple of days before I arrived. Do never trust those who write about the suffering of others exclusively from the safety of their living room couches. It is fine to write from there, of course, but only after you have actually seen the people you are talking about; after you have seen them at least once, for a substantial amount of time, after you have listened to their stories, to their desperate cries, and after you have got very dirty and very scared yourself, and truly desperate, in short: after you have got right there, near that invisible line which separates life from death, and after you have tasted the water of the proverbial river Lethe. * But back to where I began. Imagine: I leave the places where people are fighting for survival, or where they are fighting for true freedom, or against imperialism. I hardly have time to take a deep breath, to recover from food and air poisoning, to change into some presentable clothes, and it all hits me directly in my face: I see some news bulletin, I read articles published by mainstream media, and while doing it, I absolutely dont recognize the world, which I have witnessed in all its rainbow of colors, with all its glory and its misery. I feel out of place. I know, some call it Vietnam Syndrome. There are many other definitions for these feelings, or for this outrage, or desperation, or whatever you want to call it. You suddenly feel it, you know it: somewhere far away where you had been living and working just several hours ago, there is still what could be defined as the real world, inhabited by real people. And then, right now, there is this other world, which over imposes, almost fully covers (and even dwarfs) that real one, by using its mainstream cliches and false mass-produced certainties. Never Miss Another Story Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter This year this departing year 2017 has definitely not been a good year for our planet. A group of nations, which has been controlling the world for already several centuries brutally and shamelessly, is pushing us, our entire human race, closer and closer towards complete disaster, towards a showdown, towards a confrontation that may abruptly terminate millions of innocent human lives. Im concerned. Im very concerned. I have already witnessed indescribable calamities in so many places. I know, I can perfectly well imagine, where all this could lead. Colonialism is always wrong. Imperialism is always wrong. Cultural, religious or economic supremacy theories are wrong, with absolutely no exceptions. If a group of nations from one relatively small continent has been continuously usurping the entire world, shaping it to its advantage and enslaving people of other colors, beliefs and values, it is all unmistakably wrong. But the world is like that brutal, unjust, and controlled by one aggressive, greedy, sly and arrogant minority. The world is still like that. Once again, it is increasingly like that. And I cannot stand such an arrangement. I dont want it to be like that. Im tired of covering grief, pain, horror and violence. Im exhausted of filming or photographing perpetual destruction and downfalls. Thats why Im writing this, at the very end of the year 2017. Perhaps it is just one more futile attempt to stop something inhuman and unnecessary from happening. Perhaps it is almost impossible to cut through the pseudo-reality manufactured by the mainstream media, academia and culture. Or maybe its not impossible. I actually believe that it is never too late, as I believe that nothing in life is truly impossible. HAPPY NEW YEAR 2018! Let me inform you that the world is totally different, actually much more beautiful and diverse than you have been told. Even most of those places that are now in flames are beautiful. And if left in peace, theyd thrive. The world is worth fighting for. It is worth defending. Dont ever trust the news and information which is being disseminated by those who are continuously trying to loot and enslave the world. Trust only what you see and hear, and what you feel. Trust people who are in love with this world, if you manage to identify them. Trust your own senses, your inner logic, and your emotions. Do not vote for bombing or putting sanctions on any foreign country, anywhere on Earth, before you see it with your own eyes, before you are really convinced, before you talk to its people, and before you truly understand what they are saying. Do not make decisions or conclusions after staring at the television set only. Remember: pseudo-reality kills! And it wants you to participate in this murder. Go! Discover! See for yourself. I hope to encounter you, at least some of you, in Syria, in North Korea, in Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Venezuela, Russia, China, South Africa, Cuba, and Eritrea also in hundreds of other great places, which have been brutalized and smeared by those who are dreaming about making this entire world thoroughly banal, consisting only of a few super-wealthy nations served and fed by all those others that have been reduced to slavery. After seeing the world with your own eyes, after understanding it, Im almost certain that you will agree with me: right now there are two parallel realities on this planet. One consists of true human lives and human stories, the other one only of trivial but manipulative interpretations of the world. One (true) reality is longing for progress, kindness, optimism and harmony; the other (fake one) is constantly spreading uncertainty, nihilism, destruction and hopelessness. It is not only what they call fake news, it is an entire fake reality that has been manufactured by the establishment and upheld by men and women with helmets, bulletproof vests, 4WDs and prominent PRESS insignia. Once again, HAPPY NEW YEAR 2018! Happy Discovery Of The World! Happy Struggle For Survival Of Our Precious Planet! Year 2018 will be crucial. Let us all join forces in order for Humanism and that beautiful lady called The True Reality survive, to prevail, and to triumph. Andre Vltchek is a philosopher, novelist, filmmaker and investigative journalist. He has covered wars and conflicts in dozens of countries. Three of his latest books are his tribute to The Great October Socialist Revolution a revolutionary novel Aurora and a bestselling work of political non-fiction: Exposing Lies Of The Empire . View his other books here . Watch Rwanda Gambit , his groundbreaking documentary about Rwanda and DRCongo and his film/dialogue with Noam Chomsky On Western Terrorism . Vltchek presently resides in East Asia and the Middle East, and continues to work around the world. He can be reached through his website and his Twitter . January 01, 2017 " Information Clearing House " - ==== Join the Discussion Home 2018 - War or No War? By The Saker January 01, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - If the first months of 2017 were a time of great hopes following the historical defeat of Hillary Clinton, the year is ending in a sombre, almost menacing manner. Not only has the swamp easily, quickly and totally drowned Trump, but the AngloZionist Empire is reeling from its humiliating defeat in Syria and the Neocons are now treating our entire planet to a never ending barrage of threats. Furthermore, the Trump Administration now has released a National Security Strategy which clearly show that the Empire is in full paranoid mode. It is plainly obvious that the Neocons are now back in total control of the White House, Congress and the US corporate media. Okay, maybe things are still not quite as bad as if Hillary had been elected, but they are bad enough to ask whether a major war is now inevitable next year. If we go by their rhetoric, the Neocons have all the following countries in their sights: Afghanistan (massive surge already promised) Syria (threats of a US-Israeli-KSA attack; attack on Iranian and Hezbollah forces in Syria) Russia (disconnecting from SWIFT; stealing Russian assets in the US; attack on Russian forces in Syria) Iran (renege on nuclear deal, attack Iranian forces in Syria) The Donbass (support for a full scale Ukronazi attack against Novorussia) DPRK (direct and overt military aggression; aerial and naval blockade) Venezuela (military intervention in defense of democracy, human rights, freedom and civilization) There are, of course, many more countries currently threatened by the US to various degrees, but the seven above are all good candidates for US aggression. Let me immediately say here that listing pragmatic arguments against such aggression is, at this point in time, probably futile. If anything, the recent disaster triggered by the US recognition of Jerusalem clearly proves that the US is run by people as least as stupid and ignorant as they are evil and arrogant, possibly even more so. The sad reality we now live in is one where a nuclear superpower lack the minimal intelligence needed to act in defense of its own national security interests, and that is really frightening. Last week I took a look at the mindset of what I called the ideological drone . If we now look at the mindset of the US national security establishment we will immediately notice that it is almost exactly the same as that of the ideological drone. The biggest difference between them might be that the ideological drone assumes that his/her leaders are sane and mostly honest people, whereas those in the elites not only know that they are total hypocrites and liars, but they actually see this as a sign superiority: the drones believes in his/her ideology, but his rulers believe in absolutely nothing. Take the example of Syria. All the US decision makers are fully aware of the following facts: Daesh/ISIS/al-Nusra/etc is their creation and they tried everything to save these terrorists. The joint Russian-Iranian-Hezbollah effort defeated Daesh/ISIS/al-Nusra/etc in-spite of AngloZionist support and attacks on Syrian forces. The AngloZionist forces are in Syria completely illegally. Yet none of that prevents them from claiming that they, not Russia, defeated Daesh/ISIS/al-Nusra/etc . This is absolutely amazing, think of it the entire planet knows full well what really took place in Syria, but Uncle Sam decrees that black is white, water is dry and what is true is false. And the most amazing thing is that they know that everybody knows, yet they dont care one bit. Why? Because they profoundly believe in four fundamental things: We can buy anybody Those we cannot buy, we bully Those we cannot bully we kill Nothing can happen to us, we live in total impunity not matter what we do Besides people with intelligence there is another type of person who has completely disappeared from the US national security establishment: someone with honor/courage/integrity. Lets take a perfect example: Tillerson. There is no way we can make the argument that Tillerson is an idiot. The man has proven many times over that he is intelligent and quite talented. And yet, he is Nikki Haleys doormat. Nikki Haley there is the real imbecile! But not Tillerson. Yet Tillerson lacks the basic honor/courage/integrity to demand that this terminal imbecile be immediately fired or, if that does not happen, to leave and slam the door really loud. Nope, the man just sits there and takes humiliation after humiliation. Oh sure, he will probably resign soon, but when his resignation comes it will have no value, it will be a non-event, just the sad and pathetic conclusion to a completely failed stint as Secretary of State. The same goes for the US military: not one single officer has found in himself/herself to resign to protest the fact that the US is deeply in bed with those who are responsible, at least according to the official conspiracy theory, for 9/11. Nope, in fact US special forces are working with al-Qaeda types day in and day out and not a single one of these patriots has the honor/courage/integrity to go public about it. Imbeciles and cowards. I also happen to think that they are traitors to their country and their people. Patriots they are not. Delusional imbeciles giving orders and dishonorable cowards mindlessly executing them . That is the setup we are dealing with. As Trump would tweet not good. Alas, this is also a very hard combo to deter or to try to reason with. And yet, somewhere, to some degree, these guys must know that the odds are not in their favor. For one thing, an endless stream of military defeats and political embarrassments ought to strongly suggest to them that inaction is generally preferable to action, especially for clueless people. Furthermore, one simple way to look at risks is to say that risks are a factor of probability times consequences: R = P x C. I dont think that US decision-makers actually formally think that way, but on a gut level this is rather straightforward, even for ideological drone types. If we assume that this is the case, we can now revisit our 7 countries listed above as seen by Neocon decision makers (not me! I already outlined how I saw the risks of attacking these countries in this article written this summer): Possible/likely consequences Probability Risk Afghanistan (surge) more body bags high low Syria (military intervention & attack on Iranian and Hezbollah forces in Syria) Iranian & Hezbollah counter-attacks high high Russia 1 (economic attack: SWIFT & theft of assets)Russia 2 (shooting of Russian aircraft in Syria) non-military responsemilitary response highmedium unknownfor memedium Iran (renege on nuclear deal) non-military response high low Donbass (US backed attack on Novorussia) Russian intervention medium low DPRK (attack; blockade) Nuclear war in Asia unknown unknown Venezuela (direct military intervention) quagmire high high A couple of points here: Afghanistan : is rather straightforward and least controversial: there will be a surge in Afghanistan, it will result in more body bags, it will achieve nothing, cost a shitload and nobody cares. Syria : very tempting, but the big risk is this: that US forces will find themselves face to face with Iranian and Hezbollah forces who have been dreaming about this day for decades and who will make maximal political use of the US forces they will capture or kill. Frankly, to engage either the Iranians or Hezbollah is a very scary option. Ask the Israelis Russia option 1 : rumors that the US would disconnect Russia from SWIFT or steal (that is politely called freeze) Russian assets and funds in the US have been going in for a long time already. And the Russians have been making all sorts of menacing noises about this, but all of them very vague which tells me that Russia might not have any good retaliatory options and that this time around the hot air is blowing from Moscow. Of course, Putin is a unpredictable master strategist and the folks around him are very, very smart. They might hold something up their sleeve which I am not aware of but I strongly suspect that, unlike me, the US intelligence community must be fully aware of what this might be. I am not an economist and there is much I dont know here, I therefore assessed the risk as unknown for me. Russia option 2 : the reaction of Russia to the shooting down by Turkey of a SU-24 in 2015 might well have given the US politicians and commanders a feeling that they could do the same and get away with it. In truth, they might be right. But they might also be wrong. The big difference with the case of the SU-24 is that Russia has formidable air-defenses deployed in Syria which present a major threat for US forces. Furthermore, if a Russian aircraft is under attack and the Russians reply by firing a volley of ground-to-air missiles, what would the US do attack a Russian S-400 battery? The US is also in a tricky situation in an air-to-air confrontation. While the F-22 is an excellent air superiority fighter it has one huge weakness: it is designed to engage its adversaries from a long range and to shoot first, before it is detected (I mention only the F-22 here because it is the only US aircraft capable of challenging the Su-30SM/Su-35). But if the rules of engagement say that before firing at a Russian aircraft the F-22 has to issue a clear warning or if the engagement happens at medium to short range distances, then the F-22 is at a big disadvantage, especially against a Su-30SM or Su-35. Another major weakness of the F-22 is that, unlike the Su-30/Su-35, it does not have a real electronic warfare suite (the F-22s INEWS does not really qualify). In plain English this means that the F-22 was designed to maximize its low radar cross section but at a cost of all other aspects of aerial warfare (radar power, hypermaneuverability, electronic warfare, passive engagement, etc.). This all gets very technical and complicated very fast, but I think that we can agree that the Neocons are unlikely to be very impressed by the risks posed by Russian forces in Syria and that they will likely feel that they can punch the russkies in the nose and that these russkies will have to take it. Local US commanders might feel otherwise, but that is also entirely irrelevant. Still, I place the risk here at medium even if, potentially, this could lead to a catastrophic thermonuclear war because I dont think that the Neocons believe that the Russians will escalate too much (who starts WWIII over one shot down aircraft anyway, right?!). Think of it: if you were the commander of the Russian task force in Syria, what would you do if the US shot down on of your aircraft (remember, you assume that you are a responsible and intelligent commander, not a flag-waving delusional maniac)? What will not stop is the full-spectrum demonization of Russia, thus the relationship between the two countries will further deteriorate. Putins Russia is a kind of Mordor which represents all evil and stands behind all evil. Denouncing and openly hating Russia has now become a form of virtue-signaling. Since the entire US political elites have endorsed this phobia, it is exceedingly unlikely to change in the foreseeable future. Iran : Trump has announced that he wants out of the deal and while technically and legally he cannot do that, its not like he will care one bit. The US has long given up any pretense at respecting any kind of law, including international law. Also, since Trump is clearly Israels shabbos-goy I think that we can safely assume that this will happen. Donbass : will the Ukronazis finally attack? Well, they have been for many months already! Not only did they never stop shelling the Donbass, but they have this new frog-jump (pseudo) strategy which consists of moving in military forces in the neutral zone, seize an undefended town and then declare a major victory against Russia. They have also been re-arming, re-organizing, re-grouping and otherwise bolstering their forces in the East. As a result, the Urkonazis have at least 3:1 advantage against the Novorussians. However, we should not look at this from the Ukronazi or Novorussian point of view. Instead we should look at it from the Neocon point of view: Possible outcomes US reactions Option one: Ukronazis win Russia is defeated, US proves its power Option two: Novorussians win Russia is accused of invading the Ukraine Option three: Novorussians lose and Russia openly intervenes A Neocon dream come true: the NATO has a purpose again:decades of Cold War v2 in Europe. The way I see it, in all three cases the AngloZionist prevail though clearly option #2 is the worst possible outcome and option #3 is the best one. In truth, the AngloZionists have very little to lose in a Ukronazi attack on Novorussia. Not so the Ukrainian people, of course. Right now the US and several European countries are shipping various types of weapons to the Ukronazis. That is really a non-news since they have been doing that for years already. Furthermore, western made weapons wont make any difference, at least from a military point of view, if only because it will always be much easier for Russia to send more weapons in any category. The real difference is a political one: shipping lethal weapons (as if some weapons were not lethal!) is simply a green light to go on the attack. Lets hope that the Urkonazis will be busy fighting each other and that their previous humiliating defeat will deter them from trying again, but I consider a full-scale Urkonazi attack on the Donbass as quite likely. DPRK : that is the big unknown here. With some opponents, you know for an absolute fact that their people will fight down to the very last man if needed (Iranians, Russians, Hezbollah). But authoritarian regimes tend to have a pretty low breaking point unless, of course, they convince their own people that they are not fighting for a specific political regime, but for their country. I think that nobody knows for sure what the North Koreans will do if attacked, but I see no sign to simply assume that the North Koreans wont fight. From what I hear, the memories of the ruthless attacks against North Koreans by US forces during the previous war on the Korean Peninsula are still very very real. Here is what an intelligence officer in the region wrote to me recently: The Trump Administrations bluster is pathetic. If this were a movie, and not real life, it would be funny (its still funny, but being in *******, I dont fully appreciate it). The sad thing is that central casting couldnt create a better foil for NK propaganda: in every way, including physically, he fits their caricature of the evil, imperial arch-capitalist Yankee businessman. Itd be like if Hitler came back to life and off-handedly threatened to destroy the US every other day (and had the capability to do so). If this specialist is correct, and I have no reason to believe that he is not, then it is quite reasonable to assume that the possible dislike the North Korean people might have for their ruling elites is dwarfed by their hatred for the United States. [Sidebar: he also had some interesting comments about my own assessment of the consequences of a war on the Korean Peninsula. Here is what he wrote to me: Japan is a major target, for a number of reasons. The biggest is that there are a lot of US bases there that would be used to bring-in additional US troops/direct the war, but theres also the fact that North Korea (and most South Koreans, actually), straight-up hates Japan. I wont go into a history lesson (which you probably already know), but there is no love lost. Even if the war was confined to the Peninsula, which it wont be, the global economy would take a major hit, because a ridiculous amount of global supply chain runs through South Korea (which on its own, bounces between the 15th and 10th largest economy in the world). Off the top of my head, I think Incheon (just west of Seoul) is the busiest airport in at least the region its a major international hub, and Busan and Incheon are some of the busiest ports in the world I want to say Busan is top 5, even busier than the Japanese ports. All the Chinese goods that go to America flow through the Sea of Japan those will have to be re-routed. And a lot of the components that go in fancy electronics are actually made in SK, prior to final assembly in China so that will be an issue. So even if were the only ones to go down, itll be bad news for the global economy. Your assessment of the artillery and special forces threat mirrors mine. One of the things I always thought was funny was how people disparage World War 2 artillery. As a whole, World War 2 artillery has probably killed more people than any weapon system in modern history (unless you say something really general like knife or gun). Its not like youll be any less dead if your house is hit with a 152 as opposed to a J-DAM.] And here is the deal, if you attack a small and defenseless country you can basically ignore the consequences of making the wrong guess, but when dealing with a country like the DPRK this is a miscalculation which no sane politician or military commander would ever take the risk of making. But delusional imbeciles giving and dishonorable cowards would either one of them show the kind of caution needed when dealing with such a major threat?! I frankly dont think so. In fact, I see no reason to believe that at all. Remember the cakewalk in Iraq? This term, coined by one of my former teachers at SAIS, Ken Adelman, is a wonderful illustration of the Neocon mindest: pure ideology and to hell with caution. We all know that this cakewalk ended up costing the Iraqi and American people: well over one million deaths for the former, well over five trillion dollars for the latter. Some cakewalk indeed The truth is that at this point nobody knows what the outcome of a US attack on the DPRK might be, not even the North Koreans. Will that be enough to deter the delusional imbeciles giving and dishonorable cowards currently at the helm of the Empire? You tell me! Venezuela : as much hatred as there is for Venezuela in the US elites, this country is not a lucrative target or, let me rephrase that, it is a great target to subvert but probably not a good one to intervene in. Violence in Venezuela is directly in the US interests but a direct military intervention is probably not. My contacts tell me that the Venezuelan military is an unholy (and rather corrupt) mess, but they also tell me that the popular will to resist the Yankees is so strong that a any military intervention will immediately trigger an ugly guerrilla war (not to mention a political backlash in the rest of Latin America). The truth is the US probably has the means to militarily intervene in Venezuela, but they also have much better options. Now lets sum this all up. The chances are high that in 2018 the US will Escalate the war in Afghanistan Renege on the nuclear deal with Iran Back an Ukronazi attack on Novorussia It is quite possible that the US will also Shoot down a Russian aircraft over Syria I find it unlikely that the US will Invade Syria Invade Venezuela I am unable to evaluate whether the US will: Disconnect Russia from SWIFT or seize Russian assets Attack the DPRK Frankly, I am not very confident about this attempt as analyzing the possible developments in 2018. All my education has always been based on a crucial central assumption: the other guy is rational. That is a huge assumption to make, but one which was fundamentally true during the Cold War. Today I find myself inclined to think that psychologists are probably better suited to make predictions about the actions of the rulers of the AngloZionist Empire than military analysts. Furthermore, history shows us that the combination of delusional imbeciles and dishonorable cowards is what typically brings down empires, we saw a very good example of that with the collapse of the Soviet Empire. With the latest Trump fiasco I have personally given up any hope of ever seeing a US President capable of making a positive contribution to the welfare of the people of the US or the rest of the planet. The burden now is clearly on Russia and China to do everything they can to try to stop the US from launching even more catastrophic and deeply immoral wars. That is a very, very difficult task and I frankly dont know if they can do it. I hope so. That is the best I can say. This article was originally published by Unz Review - ==== Join the Discussion It is not necessary for ICH readers to register before placing a comment. This website encourages readers to use the "Report" link found at the base of each comment. When a predetermined number of ICH readers click on the "Report" link, the comment will be automatically sent to "moderation". This would appear to be the most logical way to allow open comments, where you the reader/supporter, can determine what is acceptable speech. Please don't use the report feature simply because you disagree with the author point of view. Treat others with respect, remembering that "A man convinced against his will, is of the same opinion still."- Benjamin Franklin. Please read our Comment Policy before posting - Search Information Clearing House === Click Here To Support Information Clearing House Your support has kept ICH free on the Web since 2002. Click for Spanish , German , Dutch , Danish , French , translation- Note- Translation may take a moment to load. NYT Writes Epic Cover For Comey's FBI - Its Sole Source: "Officials Said" By Moon Of Alabama January 01, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - In July 2016 the FBI under its director James Comey launched an investigation against the Donald Trump campaign and "Russian influence" on it. Comey and the FBI is under pressure to explain why they launched this investigation. The assumption has been that the Steele dossier, fabricated by a former British agent hired by the Clinton campaign, was handed to the FBI and led to the launch of its investigation. If that is true (as it likely is), the FBI and Comey are in deep trouble. The dossier was full of hearsay and abstruse rumors. It was obviously made up and fake stuff paid for by Trump's opponent. To use it to launch an investigation and to get FISA warrants to spy on the Trump campaign stinks of partisan motives and may well have been a criminal offense. On Saturday the New York Times came up with a story that is designed to usher the question away and to give cover to the FBI. The headline already tells the reader what to believe: How the Russia Inquiry Began: A Campaign Aide, Drinks and Talk of Political Dirt See - it wasn't the Clinton paid Steele dossier that triggered the FBI! The NYT presents a wild story, with epic details and with lots of obfuscation to confuse the reader. At the core is a minor member of the Trump campaign, George Papadopoulos, who was mostly in London while communicating via email with the campaign staff in the U.S. Papadopoulos advised on foreign policy and tried to build contacts between the campaign and foreign government officials. (He helped to set up a meeting between candidate Trump and the President of Egypt Sisi.) In the words of the NYT authors: During a night of heavy drinking at an upscale London bar in May 2016, George Papadopoulos, a young foreign policy adviser to the Trump campaign, made a startling revelation to Australias top diplomat in Britain: Russia had political dirt on Hillary Clinton. ... two months later, when leaked Democratic emails began appearing online, Australian officials passed the information about Mr. Papadopoulos to their American counterparts, ... The hacking and the revelation that a member of the Trump campaign may have had inside information about it were driving factors that led the F.B.I. to open an investigation in July 2016 into Russias attempts to disrupt the election and whether any of President Trumps associates conspired. The claim that the Papadopoulos rumor, detailed extensively in the NYT piece, triggered an FBI investigation does not seem plausible. A drunk campaign aid of Trump tells some Aussie diplomat that the Russians have dirt on Clinton. He claims to have learned that from some mysterious Professor Mifsud who was trying to set up a Trump-Putin meeting with the hope to profit from the effort. The professor was some kind of imposter. He arranged a meeting for Papadopoulos with "Putin's nice". Both of Putin's siblings died at child's age during the World War II siege of Leningrad - he has no niece. Whatever Mifsud claimed was probably not true. The Australian diplomat heard from a drunk Papadopoulos that some weird professor claimed to have heard from Russian sources that the Kremlin had dirt on Clinton. Two month later the Aussies tell their U.S. colleagues of that claim. It is fourth degree hearsay when it it reaches the FBI: Once the information Mr. Papadopoulos had disclosed to the Australian diplomat reached the F.B.I., the bureau opened an investigation that became one of its most closely guarded secrets. Are we really to believe that the FBI opens highly political investigations based on mere drunken rumors? That sounds implausible to me. Never Miss Another Story Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter In early July 2016 the former British agent Steele had given the first parts of his dossier to an FBI agent in Rome. ( Here is a cheat sheet on the dossier and its content.) The dossier at that time included an alleged wild night in the Ritz Moscow which the Kremlin could use to blackmail Trump. The FBI opened its investigation after Steele had shown his claims to an FBI agent. But the NYT claims that the Steele dossier was not what tripped the investigation. It claims that a rumor that some Aussie diplomat had picked up from a drunken Trump campaign aid was the decisive point. On what grounds does the NYT make that implausible claim? A team of F.B.I. agents traveled to Europe to interview Mr. Steele in early October 2016. Mr. Steele had shown some of his findings to an F.B.I. agent in Rome three months earlier, but that information was not part of the justification to start an counterintelligence inquiry, American officials said . And there you have it: "American officials said" is all what the NYT has. "American officials" in Washington press parlance, includes members of congress and even their senior staff. "Officials said" that the Steele dossier was not the basis of the FBI investigation but an unrelated fourth level hearsay. The revelation that the most important point of the NYT story, which the headline screams as fact, is solely based on "officials say" comes only in paragraph 40 of the 51 paragraph story. One wonders how many readers read that far. That the claim is implausible is also suggested by an additional fact. The FBI officially interviewed Steele, the author of the Clinton paid dossier, in October 2016. It waited until January 2017 to interview Papadopoulos. If the hearsay from the drunken Papadopoulos was so important that it triggered the investigation - and not the Steele dossier - why did the FBI neglect him that long? The NYT story claims that the FBI investigation into the Trump campaign, which was tightly supervised by Obama's Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, was based on some rumor out of London and not based on the Steele dossier. Its sole source for that is "officials said". The long story, dropped over a weekend where few people had time to check the details, is obviously a cover up for the FBI. At least parts of the FBI and the Justice Department were convinced that they had to do everything and anything to make it impossible that Trump would win the election. They used the fake stories from the Clinton paid dossier to justify an investigation of Trump and to spy on the Trump campaign. This was an obvious attempt by a federal agency to interfere in the election on one side of a presidential campaigns. Heads should role for this. If the Republicans in Congress who are investigating the issue are halfway awake they will further dig into this and expose the culprits. Then again - why not keep quiet and use similar means during the next election? One wonders how the Democrats will feel about the issue when this table is turned on them. This article was originally published by Moon Of Alabama - ==== Join the Discussion Nigeria started 2017 with the news of outbreak of Meningitis which lasted for months and was followed by other rare and uncommon diseases. There were also new policies and the launch of primary health care centres to improve the health sector. During the year, doctors and health workers also embarked on strikes, while many global health reports were released. PREMIUM TIMES compiles some of the major health events that headlined 2017. 1,166 people died of meningitis in six months Between December 2016 and June 23, 2017, a total of 1,166 people died as a result of meningitis outbreak in the country. Children between five to 14 years were most affected accounting for 6,791 cases out of a total 14,513 cases reported in 24 states. Zamfara was the most affected state in terms of casualties, followed by Sokoto and Katsina. Together, they accounted for about 89 per cent of the cases. The years meningitis outbreak was a rare strain, meningitis C. It started from Zamfara State and was not reported early to the ministry of health. The lack of necessary vaccine to contain the disease led to it spreading to 24 states in the country. The outbreak, which reached an epidemic and alert threshold was declared over six months after the first case. Monkeypox: Nigeria records one death, confirms 61 Monkeypox, another rare disease, also resurfaced and was confirmed in the country. Fourteen weeks after the first suspected monkeypox case in the country, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, reported the first death from the disease. From September through December 9, 172 suspected and 61 confirmed cases were reported in different parts of the country. Laboratory confirmed cases were reported from 14 states which are Akwa Ibom, Abia, Bayelsa, Benue, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Lagos, Imo, Nasarawa, Rivers and FCT. The majority of cases were males and aged 21 to 40 years old. Meanwhile, NCDC has also deactivated the Monkeypox Emergency Operations Centre, EOC. Other disease outbreak in Nigeria There were confirmed outbreaks of cholera reported from seven states: Borno, Kebbi, Zamfara, Kano, Lagos, Oyo, Kwara and Kaduna states. Aside Kwara and Borno where the outbreak ran for an extended period, other states were being sustained at low levels. A total 1,558 suspected cases of cholera were reported including 11 deaths from five local government areas. About 50 per cent of suspected cases were males and 49 per cent, female. In Borno State, the state ministry of health reported suspected cholera outbreak in Muna Garage, a camp hosting about 20,000 internally displaced persons on the outskirts of Maiduguri, the state capital. The cholera outbreak which started in August, claimed the lives of at least 35 individuals with the number of suspected cases at 1,283. The end of the outbreak was announced in December. There was also an outbreak of Hepatitis E in Borno State. The first case was detected in May, in Damasak, an area near the Republic of Niger. Other diseases outbreak across the country included Lassa fever, yellow fever, measles, among others. Indefinite suspension of NHIS boss The National Health Insurance Scheme had a leadership change as the Executive Secretary for the agency, Usman Yusuf, was suspended indefinitely due to allegations of fraud. Mr. Yusuf, who took over the state-run health insurance provider in July 2016, was initially suspended for three months on July 6, 2017 by the Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, to allow for fair and uninterrupted investigation of the various allegations levied against him. Mr. Yusuf was accused of mismanagement and misappropriation of N919 million and nepotism. Eight other top management staff of the agency were also suspended for corruption allegations. Mr. Yusuf denied the allegations, replying the minister that he would not obey the suspension order; saying the minister had no power to suspend him The panel found Mr. Yusuf culpable in many areas of his performance. He was consequently suspended indefinitely by the minister pending a decision by President Muhammadu Buhari. In the meantime, a new acting executive secretary, Ibrahim Attarhiru, has been managing the affairs of the agency. Revitalisation of Primary Health Care centres The Federal Government flagged off a scheme to revitalise over 10,000 healthcare centres across the country. The minister, Isaac Adewole, during the commissioning of the Model Primary Healthcare Centre, Kuchigoro, Abuja, to begin the scheme said the plan is to make qualitative and affordable health services available to Nigerians. The project under the National Primary Healthcare Revitalisation Initiative through the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA and the Federal Ministry of Health, promised to make at least one primary healthcare centre fully functional to deliver services especially for children and women in each of the wards across the country. According to the minister, 110 PHCs are expected to be renovated in the first phase. So far, many PHCs across the country are still in dilapidated states. Doctors, health workers embark on strike The health sector wobbled with the strike of doctors and other health workers which also paralysed the activities in public hospitals for about four weeks. The National Association of Resident Doctors had in September gone on strike for ten days to protest the unfulfilled agreements between the federal government and its association. After much deliberation with Mr. Adewole and Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige, the strike was suspended. The Joint Health Sector Unions, JOHESU, an allied union of all health workers also began their strike some days after the doctors suspended theirs. The strike lasted ten days. This also crippled activities in hospitals across the nation as well as in health agencies and parastatals. Though the strike was suspended after deliberation with the government, the union is still accusing the government of bias and as such recently passed a vote of no confidence on the minister of health. Mass migration of doctors from Nigeria There was a report of mass migration of doctors from the country who are seeking greener pastures abroad. According to the president, Nigerian Medical Association, Mike Ogirima, no fewer than 300 doctors left the county in 2017. This has also been given as one of the reasons for the shortage of medical personnel in most Nigerian health centres especially in the remote areas. The incessant strikes, poor working conditions and environment, lack of equipment, poor remuneration and difficulty in acquiring training were identified as part of the reasons for the mass exodus. Foreign trained doctors who failed MDCN examination protest result About 437 foreign trained doctors who failed the induction examination organised by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, MDCN, accused the council of examination irregularities. The doctors who also petitioned the Senate Committee on Health to wade into the matter. They argued that they were hastily labelled as failures by the council despite taking the examination under grossly inappropriate conditions. They demanded that the council conduct a fresh assessment for them. The MDCN acting registrar, Tajudeen Sanusi, while standing his ground said the doctors had failed and should rather re-present themselves for another examination. Over 690 foreign trained doctors took the examination in which 437 failed. 2018 proposed health budget The federal government has once again not fulfilled the agreement of the African Union, AU, Abuja health declaration which stipulates that at least 15 per cent of a countrys annual budget should be allocated to health. In the 2018 proposed budget submitted to the National Assembly by President Muhammadu Buhari, the health sector got only N340.45 billion representing 3.9 per cent of the total budget. The highest percentage since the declaration was in 2012 when 5.95 percent of the budget was allotted to health. The Nigerian Senate has however vowed to allot more funds to the sector so the nation can commence the implementation of the 2014 National Health Act from the 2018 fiscal year. Launch of new family planning logo The federal government through the ministry of health has launched a new family planning logo to encourage and help Nigerians identify places to get the services. The minister said the new logo, Green Dot is to ensure that 7.3 million women have access to family planning. It is also aimed at reducing maternal and infant morbidity and mortality. The family planning service is also meant to check population explosion. Nigeria is reportedly on the verge of population explosion and if not checked, this could have a negative impact on the country. The new year started on a good note for some prisoners in Ondo State as the governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu pardoned 12 of the prisoners in the state. This was confirmed by by the state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr Yemi Olowolabi, to journalists in Akure on Monday. Olowolabi said the gesture was in exercise of the power conferred on the Governor by Paragraph (d) of sub section (1) of Section 212 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999. According to him, the pardon was approved by the governor following the recommendation by the Ondo State Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy. In his letter, dated 27th December, 2017, and addressed to the Comptroller of Prisons, Governor Akeredolu advised that the affected prisoners be released. All the prisoners have served portions of their various sentences. The governor advised the affected prisoners to make use of the opportunity of their release to turn a new leaf and engage in legal and positive activities that will contribute to the development of the country, the commissioner added. Source : ( NAN ) Founder and Senior Pastor of the Omega Fire Ministry, Auchi, Apostle Johnson Suleiman, has released 50 shocking prophecies for the year 2018. According to DailyPost, the man of God mentioned sacked President of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe, Nigerian economy and series of bombing in the country in his new prophecies. He further foretold about the manhunt for Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose and killing of political enemies by the current political leaders. Read Apostle Sulemans prophesies: 1. Economy to get better in Nigeria in 2018 2. Year of serial bombings in Nigeria 3. Imo State Governor to make governorship a family affair 4. Donald Trumps health needs attention 5. A new strategies of killing perceived political enemies in Nigeria will arise 6. Wildfire outbreak in an American state 7. Manhunt for Ekiti state Governor by the Federal Government of Nigeria 8. Government of Nigeria to disobey court orders 9. God says Let Sambo Dasuki go 10.President Buhari to be flown abroad on emergency 11. A former Nigerian military President laid to rest 12. Many bloggers to be arrested and jailed 13. Bola Tinubu to have public showdown with President Buhari 14. Robert Mugabe, former president of Zimbabwe, rest in peace 15. Political blackmail to be on the rise 16. I saw two great northern kings in open conflict 17. Church buildings collapse, tears, tears 18. EFCC boss to have major setback 19. Nollywood, new stars to take over 20. 2018 budget, Senate and presidency lockjam 21. NAFDAC to pray against fire disaster 22. Senate President To Be harassed embarrassed. Many publications and threatened arrest. 23. DSS boss, to attend to his health 24. Fresh charges against Abubakar Atiku and friends to be embarrassed 25. I saw major bombings in Egypt 26. Attempt on the life of Chief Femi Fani Kayodes wife 27. South African Jacob Zuma to be humiliated 28. Atikus men will betray him 29. U.K bombings, biggest in history 30. Channels TV in court crisis 31. America, Canada, Asia, to experience hurricanes. 32. Ibe Kachikwu to be removed and replaced 33. NTA to pray against losing a top boss 34. Shoprite Lagos to beef up securities, I see a major raid. 35. I see Fulani herdsmen entering Lagos and Rivers State massively 36. Oh America, I see war in 2018 37. Lets pray against train accident. I saw a train going out of the rail 38. I saw the naira gaining relevance 39. I see a new political party that will divide APC and PDP 40. 2019, power will not move from the North 41. I see serious politics against Osibanjo 42. Nigeria pray against air crash 43. I saw a young Nigerian musician experiencing major media attack sponsored by a fellow musician of same genre 44. Kardashian family, topsy-they in 2018 45. I see some Nollywood stars permanently leaving Nigeria for better opportunities 46. 2018, the year of the Army. So much military presence and control 47. Good luck Jonathan should pray not to be bereaved 48. Nnamdi Kanu to be embarrassed both locally and internationally 49. God will give people good health and there will be cure to incurable diseases 50. I see a group rising in the North and asking for their own nation. -Naija The dreaded Badoo cult has striked again in the Ibeshe area of Ikorodu, Lagos. According to reports, the attack occurred around 3am, claimed the life of the man identified as Shakiru, while his wife and six-month-old baby, who were critically injured are in a coma at the moment. The victims were said to have been rushed to the Ikorodu General Hospital, from where they were referred to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja. The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Chike Oti, in a statement on Sunday, confirmed the murder, adding that the command was on the trail of the fleeing suspects. Oti said; The Lagos State Police Command hereby acknowledges the murder which took place on December 30, around 2.30am, at Abule Osorun, Ibeshe, Ipakodo, Ikorodu, Lagos State. Sequel to the murder, the command wishes to state that the joint Police/Community Vigilance Services earlier set up by the Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi, and a team of policemen from the Ipakodo division, rose to the occasion by moving swiftly to the scene of crime, rescuing the victims and rushing them to the General Hospital Ikorodu for treatment. Unfortunately, one of the victims, Mr. Sakiru Yekini, died later. It is also important to note that one of the suspects was arrested at the scene and his confession has led to the arrest of four other suspects who took part in the crime. Investigation is in full swing and further developments on this and other events would be disclosed by the Commissioner of Police during his next press briefing. -Punch Punch I join my fellow citizens this morning to welcome and celebrate the New Year 2018. This year promises to be pivotal in our quest for CHANGE. Vanguard ABUJA President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, blamed the current fuel scarcity ravaging the nation on blackmailers, who, according to him, instead of showing love, companionship and charity chose this period to inflict severe hardship on us all by creating unnecessary fuel scarcity across the country. The Sun President Muhammadu Buhari has dismissed hopes of restructuring the country under his watch, contending that what is wrong with the country at the moment is not its structure but the process. Thisday The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) may have decided to go ahead with the conduct of the re-run election for the vacant Anambra Central senatorial seat but is hesitant to make its position public due to the possibility of a new ruling by the Court of Appeal on the matter. Guardian Buhari vows to deal with fuel hoarders who blackmail Nigerians Tribune New Year message: 2018 pivotal to change agenda Buhari President Muhammadu Buhari has stressed the importance of the year 2018 in the realization of his administrations change agenda, laying out efforts to improve what he said was the huge infrastructure deficit in the country. The Nation The government will fish out the blackmailers behind the crippling fuel scarcity, President Muhammadu Buhari promised this morning. The Herald President Buhari in his address to the nation this morning vowed to end the importation of rice into the countrys borders with a greater prominence given to homegrown rice. Daily Trust The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) yesterday said candidates are now free to have any higher institution as their preferred first choice this year in their Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). The Lagos State Office of Public Defender arrested a woman identified as Omo Akotho, on Saturday over child abuse allegations, the suspect earlier locked herself house to evade arrest. It was learnt that after persuassion by some officials of the Lagos State Office of the Public Defender, who had surrounded the house to arrest the Edo State indigene over child abuse allegations, she finally opened the door. En route to the Igando Police Station, our correspondent was told that the suspect attacked a neighbour who had volunteered to assist her in getting bail. The neighbour reportedly begged to disembark from the bus when Omo allegedly accused the womans daughter of sleeping with her (Omos) husband. Left with no one to stand as her surety, she was said to have been held at the gender unit of the Lagos State Police Command. It was learnt that a resident had sent an SOS to the social media page of an official of the OPD, calling for help for two children, Blessing and Daniel, who were in the custody of the suspect. Our correspondent learnt that the two children were from the previous marriage of one Mr. Akotho, their father, who took them from their mother in Delta State. However, since they arrived in Lagos, they were allegedly abused by Omo. PUNCH Metro was told that Omo and the childrens father, a seaman, had yet to have a child together. A social worker with the OPD said on Saturday, December 23, Omo accused nine-year-old Blessing of stealing a wristwatch and brutalised her. She said, We were informed that the children had been subjected to all forms of abuse for a long time. In fact, their stepmother had been arrested by policemen from the Igando division early this year. She was warned and asked to go. But she didnt stop. On December 23, she beat up the girl with a stick and her hand became swollen. That was when we were informed. The social worker said the agency stormed the Igando area, residence of the suspect, with some policemen. She explained that on getting to the house, the agency discovered that the two children had been locked up in the apartment. Some of the officials were said to have gone to the suspects shop, where she ran a catering service, without finding her. When we didnt find her at the shop, we returned to the house to wait for her. On getting there, we found out that she was back. Apparently, she knew our mission and she locked herself up. We told her that we could have a civilised conversation outside and she should not be afraid. She came out and we promptly got her arrested. The children looked malnourished and there were marks of floggings on their backs. The girls hand was swollen and when we asked the woman what Blessing did, she said she thought the girl stole her wristwatch, she added. It wslearnt that while the suspect was taken to the gender unit of the Lagos State Police Command, Ikeja, the children were first taken to a hospital for treatment before being moved to a shelter in the Ayobo area. When we queried her, she said the boy was always running away from home. She alleged that he had run away on three different occasions. The children said their parents were separated and their father took them from their mother in a village in Delta State. When we asked if they wanted to return to their mother, they said yes, the source added. The Director of the OPD, Mrs. Olubukola Salami, said the agency would continue to fight the scourge of child abuse. She said, The OPD will continue to do its best to get perpetrators to justice. We urge all residents to be vigilant and report all forms of child abuse in their communities. The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Chike Oti, confirmed that the suspect was in custody. He added that she would be arraigned at the end of investigations. Source: ( Punch Newspaper ) President Muhammadu Buhari gave his 2018 message in a National broadcast this morning. In the speech which was addressed to all Nigerians, the President talked about major issues concerning the country and had very strong words for those who have been behind the recent fuel scarcity that is currently looming. Read the full speech below: I join my fellow citizens this morning to welcome and celebrate the New Year 2018. This year promises to be pivotal in our quest for CHANGE. Unfortunately, I am saddened to acknowledge that for many this Christmas and New Year holidays have been anything but merry and happy. Instead of showing love, companionship and charity, some of our compatriots chose this period to inflict severe hardship on us all by creating unnecessary fuel scarcity across the country. The consequence was that not many could travel and the few who did had to pay exorbitant transport fares. This is unacceptable given that NNPC had taken measures to ensure availability at all depots. I am determined to get to the root of this collective blackmail of all Nigerians and ensure that whichever groups are behind this manipulated hardship will be prevented from doing so again. Such unpatriotism will not divert the Administration from the course we have set ourselves. Our governments watch word and policy thrust is CHANGE. We must change our way of doing things or we will stagnate and be left behind in the race to lift our people out of poverty and into prosperity. My address to fellow Nigerians this morning is devoted mainly to informing you about the intense efforts this Administration is putting to address our countrys huge infrastructural deficit. We are going to make significant in-roads in advancing road, rail and power projects across the country. The Ministry of Power, Works and Housing is one of the drivers of this Governments commitment to renew and increase Nigerias stock of infrastructure in order to achieve global economic competitiveness as targeted under the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan. With regards to Railways, we have set ourselves ambitious targets. Already in construction stage is the Lagos-Kano Standard Gauge Railway. The line should reach Ibadan from Lagos by the end of this year and will carry two million passengers per year and five million tons of cargo will be transported every year giving a substantial boost to the countrys economy. Construction of the Kano Kaduna segment is expected to commence this year and reach Kaduna by the end of 2019. By the end of 2021 the two ends will be joined so that we will have standard gauge railway across the main North-South trading route. The Abuja Kaduna route will be boosted by additional rolling stock next Thursday and will be able to handle one million commuters annually. At the same time I have approved and negotiations will be concluded in the first part of this year for the Port Harcourt to Maiduguri line covering Aba, Owerri, Umuahia, Enugu, Awka, Abakaliki, Makurdi, Lafia, Jos, Bauchi, Gombe, Yola and Damaturu. The Abuja to Itakpe line will go through Baro and terminates in Warri with construction of a new seaport at Warri. Negotiations are also advanced for the construction ofother railway lines, firstly from Kano to Maradi in Niger Republic passing through Kazaure, Daura, Katsina, Jibiato Maradi. Secondly, Lagos to Calabar the Coastal Rail through Ore, Benin, Agbor, Asaba, Onitsha, Sapele, Ughelli, Warri, Yenagoa, Otuoke, Port Harcourt, Aba, Uyo and Calabar. In the next few years, all these Nigerian cities will be linked by functional modern rail systems, giving enormous boost to the social and economic life of our people. With respect to the Abuja Capital Light Rail, progress has reached 98% completion, as at 64% completion when we assumed office. Only test runs remain before start of operations. This train service will stimulate economic activities in the Federal Capital and provide residents with an efficient and safe transportation system. Twelve railway sub-stations around the capital over a 45.2 kilometre route will serve as a catalyst and a pull factor to the economy of the area. The Light Rail System will reduce traffic congestion and carbon emission in line with the Administrations policy on climate change. Management of the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) has been reconstituted and has been charged with a 12 week rapid intervention in road repairs to cover all the geo-political zones. Government is undertaking repairs and maintenance of 44 roads within the the six geo-political zones. Twenty five major highways will be funded under the N100b SUKUK facility. Each geo-political zone will benefit by an equal amount of N16.67b. The following major highways are to receive special attention: a. Oyo Ogbomosho, b. Ofusu Ore Ajebandele Shagamu, c. Yenegoa Road Junction Kolo Otuoke Bayelsa Palm, d. Enugu Part Harcourt Dual Carrriage Way, e. Onitsha Enugu Expressway, f. Kaduna Eastern Bypass, g. Dualization of Kano Maiduguri Road, h. Dualization of Abuja Lokoja Benin Road, i. Dualization of Suleja Minna Road. In addition, Government has approved work to start on the re-construction of Abuja Kaduna Zaria Kano roadwhich is in a state of disrepair. Work will soon start and is expected to be completed in 2019. More Nigerians across the country are experiencing improved power supply to their homes and businesses. However, power remains a concern to this governmentbecause too many people still do not have regular and reliable supply. The Payment Assurance Guarantee Scheme which started in January 2016 has enabled the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trader to raise so far N701 billion to assure Generation Companies of at least 80% payment for any power delivered to the national grid. Consequently, generation has now reached 7,000MW. On December 8, 2017 the country achieved 5,155MW of power delivered to consumers, the highest level ever recorded. Several moribund projects have been revived. Repairs of Afam Power Station added 110MW in 2017 and another 240MW will be added this year through a private investment partnership. Katsina Power Project is now being tested and producing 10MW of power from wind for the first time in Nigeria. It should be fully operational this year. The Zungeru 700MW Hydroelectric Power Project, stalled by court cases is due for completion in 2019. The transmission and other requirements to operate the 30MW Gurara Phase 1 Hydroelectric Plant, the 40MW KashinbillaHydroelectric Plant and the 215 MW Kaduna Gas/LPG/Diesel Power Plant will also be completed this year. A landmark project, Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project is at last taking off. This project has been on the drawing Board for 40 years, but now the engineering, procurement and construction contract for the 3,050MW project has been agreed with a Chinese joint venture Company with a financing commitment from the government of China. Completion is targeted for 2023. As I mentioned earlier, the Transmission Company of Nigeria can now distribute all the 7,000MW that can be generated. TCN and the Niger Delta Holding Company have added 1,950MVA of 330 down to 132KV transformer capacity of 10 transmission stations and 2,930MVA of 132 down to 33KV transformer capacity of 42 sub-stations including Ikot Ekpene, Aba, Alagbon, Ajah, Ejigbo, Funtuaand Zaria.? This Administration is working with the privatised distribution Companies to overcome the continuing challenges of distribution. These massive public works should spearhead the recovery and lead millions back to employment. You will recall that it was not until last year that we got out of the economic recession into which the country had fallen as a consequence of past unsustainable economic policies which projected short-term illusory growth. The government is slowly stabilizing the economy. It was in order to change the steady and steep decline that we adopted the more sustainable policies and programmes captured in the Economic Recovery Plan. Diversification efforts have resulted in improved output particularly in agriculture and solid minerals sectors. The relative exchange rate stability has improved manufacturing sector performance. We have got to get used to discipline and direction in economic management. The days of business as usual are numbered. Two years ago I appealed to people to go back to the land. I am highly gratified that agriculture has picked up, contributing to the governments effort to re-structure the economy. Rice imports will stop this year. Local rice, fresher and more nutritious will be on our dishes from nowon. By the same token, I am today appealing to enterprising Nigerians with ideas and unemployed graduates and other able-bodied and literate men and women with ideas not to just sit and wait for employment from the government or the Organized Private Sector. Great nations are built by enterprising people who turn their hands to anything that circumstances dictate. In respect of political developments, I have kept a close watch on the on-going debate about Restructuring. No human law or edifice is perfect. Whatever structure we develop must periodically be perfected according to changing circumstances and the countrys socio-economic developments. We Nigerians can be very impatient and want to improve our conditions faster than may be possible considering our resources and capabilities. When all the aggregates of nationwide opinions are considered, my firm view is that our problems are more to do with process than structure. We tried the Parliamentary system: we jettisoned it. Now there are shrill cries for a return to the Parliamentary structure. In older democracies these systems took centuries to evolve so we cannot expect a copied system to fit neatly our purposes. We must give a long period of trial and improvement before the system we have adopted is anywhere near fit for purpose. However, there is a strong case for a closer look at the cost of government and for the public services long used to extravagance, waste and corruption to change for the better. I assure you that government is ever receptive to ideas which will improve governance and contribute to the countrys peace and stability. As the electioneering season approaches politicians must avoid exploiting ethnicity and religion by linking ethnicity with religion and religion with politics. Such must be avoided at all costs if we are to live in harmony. In this respect the rest of Nigeria could learn from the South Western States who have successfully internalized religion, ethnicity and politics. Political discourse should be conducted with civility, decorum and in a constitutional manner. We all have a collective responsibility to strengthen our democracy and entrench the rule of law. We should draw encouragement from the series of bye-elections conducted by INEC last year which were generally violence free and their outcomes adjudged to be free and fair. Before I conclude my address I must reassure my fellow citizens that security of life and property is still top of our governments agenda. We have since beaten Boko Haram. Isolated attacks still occur, but even the best-policed countries cannot prevent determined criminals from committing terrible acts of terror as we have seen during the past years in Europe, Asia, Middle East, elsewhere in Africa and in America. Our government remains determined to protect all Nigerians in line with our election pledge and promises.On behalf of all Nigerians let me offer our thanks to the Armed forces, the Police, other para-military forces and traditional authorities who are working round the the clock to ensure that you and I go about our normal business in reasonable safety. Terrorism and urban crimes are world-wide phenomena and our security forces are continuously adapting their responses to changing threats. With regard to rampant cases of kidnappings, we are taking immediate short-term measures to combat this new evil creeping into our societies. Tighter police methods and swift and severe punishment for those proved to be engaged in kidnapping are on the way. With respect to Niger Delta, Government is still engaging responsible leadership of the Communities to help in identifying and addressing genuine grievances of the region. Our clean-up programme in collaboration with the United Nations is making satisfactory progress. I am grateful to all the Governors and other Political &Community leaders of the Niger Delta States for their part in bringing relative peace to the areas. Finally let me again express my heartfelt thanks to all Nigerians who prayed for me during my illness last year. I feel deeply humbled by your prayers and good wishes and I am more determined than ever to serve you to the best of my ability. Good morning. And I wish everyone a Happy New Year. Has a break-in ever occurred at your self-storage property? Did a natural disaster cause damage to your buildings? Or did some other situation arise that may have resulted in bad press for your business? Being prepared in the event of a crisis with a media-relations plan can minimize the negative exposure for your operation. To be proactive in a catastrophe, you need to a plan. A strategy will allow public perception of your facility to be controlled by you, not the media. Here are some guidelines to include in your crisis-management plan for better public relations. Take Responsibility Today, honesty and transparency are the best policy. The first step to handling public relations in a crisis is to own up to the situation. If you release the information on your own terms, you can direct the message. Hiding it and allowing the media to find out could be detrimental. Admitting what happened gains trust with customers, prospects and the community. Theyll appreciate your willingness to acknowledge the event, rather than ignoring it and allowing the press to discover and air your dirty laundry. Communicate the Plan Being proactive and communicating the crisis on your terms means you can address how you plan to fix the problem. For example, if there was a theft on the property, release your plan to install more security cameras or a new gate-keypad system. How you convey your plan to rectify the issue will be more telling than the crisis itself. Customers will appreciate that you already have a course of action so the situation wont happen again. Speak to Your Customers Your customers want to hear directly from you about the crisis. Before you alert the media to the occurrence and your plan of action, send an e-mail or letter to your tenants explaining what happened. Communicate what happened honestly, and explain the next steps to resolving the issue. Your tenants want the information directly from you, not the media. Handle the Media Before a crisis happens, everyone whos employed by your company should know whos going to handle public relations. There should be one person who deals with all media requests and communicates with tenants. The spokesperson should be knowledgeable and have access to pertinent information. Any questions by internal and external sources should be directed to this person exclusively. Having one point of contact avoids confusion and ensures messaging is accurate and consistent. Identify Channels Your public-relations plan should include a list of all local and industry media contacts, and all social media platforms your storage business uses as well as the log-in information. The identified spokesperson should be able to communicate the relevant messaging as the branded user on these channels. Issuing a media release through these platforms will be key in directing the conversation about your company and assist in getting the message out faster. Answer Negative Reviews Honestly If a crisis occurs and tenants are effected, your business might receive some negative reviews. Monitor your online profiles and respond to each negative post. When answering, stay on the same message that was sent to tenants and the media. Never stray. Taking out the emotions and sticking with the facts is the best practice for damage control. Make or Break How a company handles a crisis publicly can make or break the business. With a plan in place, your storage operation can deal with any situation that requires public relations. Acknowledging the situation and communicating your plan are the first steps when formulating a response. Having an appointed point of contact for the media, communicating to customers directly, and establishing which avenues to use for sending your message are important parts that should be identified before a crisis occurs. Planning to be proactive rather than reactive in your crisis management can help turn a negative situation into a positive one! Melissa Stiles, marketing manager for Storage Asset Management, is responsible for the direction of marketing and sales functions of the companys 90-plus managed self-storage facilities as well as its corporate marketing. Her previous experience includes traditional and digital marketing, specifically social media and search engine optimization in the nonprofit and manufacturing sectors. For more information, call 717.779.0044; e-mail [email protected]; visit www.storageassetmanagement.com. Heads of the countrys five main banks have told the Department of Finance they will establish an Irish Banking Standards Board to start the process of rebuilding trust and confidence in the industry following the tracker mortgage scandal, writes Padraig Hoare. The five chief executives of the main retail banks AIB Bank of Ireland, KBC, Permanent TSB and Ulster Bank said the new board will be broadly modelled on the Banking Standards Board which operates in the UK. Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe welcomed the move after the disgraceful behaviour of the banks following the tracker mortgage scandal, which has seen dozens lose their homes. He said: In October, I made it clear that the banks behaviour in relation to tracker mortgages was disgraceful. Following on from the recent publication of the Central Banks update on the tracker mortgage examination, I welcome this initiative by the current leaders of the banking industry and look forward to receiving more detail when the chairperson and board selection process is formally launched by the five CEOs of our main retail banks in early February. It is proposed that the board will be made up of expert people from across civil society, all of whom are committed to and focused on enhancing competence, culture, reputation and trust across the Irish banking industry, the department said. The board will be chaired by an independent non-banking individual who has the personal respect, credibility and trust of citizens, the department added. The initial step will be the establishment of a selection panel to hire the chairman, CEO and board. The cost and time involved in establishing this new entity should not be underestimated, the department warned. The final bill for the tracker mortgage scandal could top 1bn and affect up to 40,000 customers, according to financial consultant and consumer advocate Padraic Kissane, who helped expose the scandal. The Central Bank last month revealed a dramatic increase by 13,600 to 33,700 in the number of cases it has forced lenders to acknowledge. Compensation and redress has to date reached almost 300m. UK Prime Minister Theresa May has been warned that business chiefs patience over Brexit is wearing thin and Westminster must get to grips with the challenge, writes David Hughes. British Chambers of Commerce director general Adam Marshall said firms want clarity and results from government and suggested industry was dismayed by division and disorganisation across Westminster. The chamber represents firms employing more than 5m people across the country and Mr Marshall is the latest senior business figure to demand a clearer picture of what a Brexit deal will involve. Some very big decisions lie ahead, he told The Observer. Getting the twin challenges of Brexit and the economic fundamentals right will require leadership, consistency and clarity after a year in which business has been dismayed by what it sees as division and disorganisation across Westminster. Businesses have been very patient in waiting for clarity on Brexit in the 18 months since the referendum. That patience is now wearing thin. Businesses want answers, they want clarity and they want results. The chamber, the Confederation of British Industry, Federation of Small Businesses, Institute of Directors and Engineering Employers Federation, which represents manufacturers, have all called for the terms of a transition period after the UK leaves the EU in March 2019 to be agreed as soon as possible, to give firms time to plan for the new relationship with Brussels. The longer the process drags on, the less value a transitional deal will have as firms will already have been forced to implement contingency plans which could see them shift work and jobs to one of the 27 other EU members. The next year will allow Britons to feel renewed confidence and pride as the country makes progress on Brexit and creating a stronger and fairer society, Ms May said in her New Year message. She said though Brexit was crucial, it was not the limit of our ambitions highlighting the governments approach to schools, the police and the NHS as signs that she was focused on issues affecting peoples daily lives. By Olivia Kelleher A young Cork mother who bravely fought cancer for two years, was laid to rest today. Caroline Sweeney, 37, from Macroom, Co Cork, is mother to Jamie, 8, and Zara, 3. Earlier this month, she was told by doctors that her only option was palliative care. She was encouraged to get her affairs in order and to write a will. However, Caroline told the Neil Prendeville Show on Corks RedFM, that she was not ready to go to a hospice and wanted to battle to extend her life to see her children grow up. Today at St Colman's Church in Macroom, her daughter Jamie told the packed congregation of mourners that Caroline was the most special mother in the world. "I love my mummy very much. She was the best. She was funny. She always made me laugh. She was so special to me. "We will always miss her but she will always be by our side. I bet she is having the best time with Nana in heaven. "She is the best mother ever". Fr Donal Roberts, who celebrated the Requiem Mass today, said that Carolines strength had impressed all those who had come in to contact with her in recent months. "Caroline was so very special to her family and all her friends. We know her sickness set her back in the last 18 months but we saw her tremendous courage shine though that sickness. She certainly inspired this community and she was so impressed by the response and the generosity of people." "She was a wonderful, caring, loving mother to Jamie and to Zara. Her family especially husband Anthony were there to carry her through her sickness. "She shared her talents, her love and her gifts through her short life". 'MY TWO SMALL GIRLS NEED THEIR MUM' In her radio interview in September, Caroline said: "My poor children have lost their (grandfather) last October and have lost my partners mother. They have lost two family members. It is not about me. It is about my children. If I was in my 50s I would say thank you very much I have had a very nice time. Good luck. But I am 37 and I have two small girls who need their mum and I am not giving up for them." Caroline Sweeney with her children Jamie and Zara. Her sister Michelle said at the time: She is relatively fit and there is no association with tongue cancer. There is no reason for it. Just bad luck. Caroline was diagnosed with cancer on her tongue in June 2016. She underwent surgery to remove half her tongue. She also had chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Her cancer returned and she had to have her whole tongue removed. This autumn, she was told that a new tumour has emerged on her neck and that she also had spots on her lungs. Doctors informed her the cancer was not survivable. At the time, Caroline said: I am not ready for it (death). They want to put me on palliative care. The girls are my life. I have worked hard all my life. I just want a chance. However, in spite of medical care in Germany she lost her brave fight for life in Marymount Hospice in Cork on Saturday morning. Caroline is survived by her husband and daughters, her mother Joan and sister Michelle. She was laid to rest in St Colman's Cemetery Macroom. Update 9.45pm: Dublin is being entertained with New Year's Eve festivities as the clock ticks down towards midnight. Update 12.06pm: Limerick Council has cancelled its planned New Years Eve celebrations due to Storm Dylan. It said that threats of flooding and severe weather led to it having to make the decision. The Council said that high tides were predicted in Limerick and they are acting on health and safety advice. Communications officer Denis Tierney said the decision was not taken lightly. "We knew that there was bad weather coming from late last week, and it was on Friday that we made the decision," he said. "We were thinking maybe we might be able to get away with it, but unfortunately, with all the information that we had to hand, and for the health and safety of the people of Limerick and the visitors of Limerick, we felt it was best to call it off." Earlier: Two weather warnings in effect as Storm Dylan brings high winds Two separate wind warnings are in effect as Storm Dylan continues to impact the country. A Status Orange warning, issued for Donegal this morning, stated: "Storm Dylan, to the north of Ireland at 7am will continue to move away and the severe winds will abate during the morning. "However, winds will still reach mean speeds of 65 to 80 km/h with gusts of 110 to 130km/h over the next few hours." That warning is valid from 7-9am this morning. #StormDylan will push rain northeastwards across the UK. Winds will strengthen for all, with gusts up to 80 mph possible across parts of Northern Ireland and southern Scotland. The weather will calm down later on #NewYearsEve. With warnings in force, stay #weatheraware pic.twitter.com/G5cgfOUtEB Met Office (@metoffice) December 30, 2017 A separate Status Yellow wind warning for Dublin, Carlow, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Wexford, Wicklow, Offaly, Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary and Waterford remains in effect until 12 midday today. The warning was recently updated to state: "Tonight and Sunday morning as storm Dylan tracks to the northwest of the country, west to southwest winds will reach mean speeds of 45 to 65 km/h with gusts of 90 to 110 km/h." Your essential #NewYearsEve weather planner. Damaging winds for some to begin with https://t.co/II5utRzGOq. Clear spells and showers as we head into 2018 MT pic.twitter.com/la8Z16yhdx BBC Weather (@bbcweather) December 30, 2017 Hundreds of homes are without electricity in areas worst affected by Storm Dylan this morning. ESB spokesperson Derek Hynes has urged people to watch out for fallen wires. "Really, what we'd be worried about is making sure that all the public are kept as safe as possible, "Our crews probably won't be deployed until the wind levels drop off to some sort of safe level, but really the message for all the public is that if they do come across any fallen wires or broken poles, or anything that even looks like electricity wires close to or on the ground, to contact us at 1850 372 999." #StormDylan may cause some outages if you have your MPRN number you can get updates or log your fault here https://t.co/9D73HNABJ7 If you get an ebill from your Supplier log on now and note your MPRN #staysafe ESB Networks (@ESBNetworks) December 30, 2017 The storm lashed parts of Ireland with howling gales in excess of 70mph last night. Met Eireann said the strongest winds were recorded at Mace Head in Co Galway, where 74mph speeds were clocked. Max gusts so far (km/h): Mace Head (Galway) 113 Belmullet 98 Newport (Mayo) 98 Claremorris 96 Athenry 93 Sherkin Island (Cork) 88 Valentia (Kerry) 87 Johnstown Castle (Wexford) 85 Malin Head 78 Dublin Airport 76#StormDylan pic.twitter.com/lo7VDJ8hmQ Met Eireann (@MetEireann) December 31, 2017 The highest wind speeds recorded in Northern Ireland were gusts of 59mph in Killowen, Co Down. The UK weather service has issued an amber warning covering Northern Ireland and parts of western Scotland, stating there is the potential for "injuries or danger to life" from flying debris. New figures on crash settlements could help to cut the cost of car insurance. The Sunday Business Post reports that Insurance Ireland has handed over data on out-of-court payments to the Personal Injuries Commission (PIC), which is investigating the spiralling cost of premiums. A voluntary rural resettlement scheme could be considered to help address the country's housing crisis, Leo Varadkar has said. Such a scheme would see families moving from local authority housing in congested urban areas to homes in rural Ireland. The Taoiseach said the move would only be "part" of the solution to the housing shortage. "It's eminently logical that parts of the country where there's been rural depopulation, where there are properties available, where there are places in schools, where there are services available, I can certainly see a place for a rural resettlement scheme," said Mr Varadkar. "But I think it would only be a small part of the solution because ultimately as people leave the cities and move to a very rural area, they are often breaking their connections with their family and their neighbours and the people that they know. "That's not always an easy thing to do. So certainly I think there's room for it. Obviously, it would have to be voluntary and maybe part of the solution, but I don't think it's going to be a major part of it," he added. A second housing conference involving local authorities is due to take place in early January amid claims from campaigners that the homelessness crisis in Ireland has worsened This autumn there were 1,463 families accessing emergency accommodation, including children. The housing conference, which follows on from the first one in September, will examine how local authorities can use their powers to bring vacant housing back into use. Mr Varadkar said that work has been done on a vacant home tax to help address the crisis, and that work is expected to be completed next year. But he warned that it "isn't as straightforward as it seems". "There are wildly varying estimates as to what a vacant home is. And then bear in mind why sometimes a home is vacant, somebody might be away for a few months working in Dubai or working in America, or somebody may be in a nursing home. There's lots of different reasons why a home may be vacant," he said. Mr Varadkar added that before vacant properties are taxed an understanding is needed as to the number of vacant homes there really are, where they are and why they are vacant. "I know two local authorities have actually gone out to look at the vacant homes and find out there are people living in them, so there may not be as many as we think," he said. In its attempts to address the housing crisis, Louth County Council used compulsory purchase orders (CPOs) to bring 51 vacant properties back into use. Mr Varadkar said he believes that is a good model which could be followed in the future. Nina L Khrushcheva says the fate of nations often comes down to the brave choices of a handful of individuals at a particular moment in history; however the United States is currently one place where such bravery and selflessness cannot be glimpsed. The fate of nations often comes down to the choices made by a handful of individuals at a particular moment in history. Today, the United States is facing just such a moment. What a handful of individual Republicans decide will shape the future not just of the country, but of democracy itself. Modern history is littered with similarly pivotal choices, for better or worse. A century ago, the Russian Revolution came down to a showdown between the iron will of Vladimir Lenin and the indecisiveness of Alexander Kerensky, who ended up sneaking out of Saint Petersburg to escape the Bolsheviks. Another Russian revolution on New Years Eve 1999, when President Vladimir Putin gained the government foothold that ultimately enabled him to rule the country to this day also came down to a solitary selfish decision by the countrys then-leader. Choosing to prioritise his own safety and that of his family over the wellbeing of Russia, President Boris Yeltsin named Putin, a former KGB colonel, as his successor. On a more positive note, where would France be today, if, in June 1940, the then-relatively unknown General Charles de Gaulle had not gone into exile and delivered his passionate call for his country to resist the Nazi invaders? Where would the West be had anyone other than Winston Churchill become British prime minister that year? The US has also had its share of such pivotal moments, several of which were described by John F Kennedy in his book Profiles in Courage, which he wrote before becoming president. For example, Secretary of State Daniel Webster supported the Compromise of 1850, despite his hatred of slavery, in order to save the union. Similarly, Robert Taft denounced the Nuremberg Trials, despite his hatred of the Nazis, to defend the fundamental US legal principle that a person could not be criminally charged on the basis of a retroactive statute. Webster and Taft, like the six others that Kennedy examined, risked political and reputational ruin to take difficult decisions, because they believed themselves to be defending the best interests of their country. Such political courage is not a thing of the past. Earlier this month, 11 Conservative members of the British parliament balked at giving prime minister Theresa Mays government Henry VIII powers the authority to create new laws or eliminate old ones, without parliamentary approval. Led by former attorney general Dominic Grieve, the rebel Tory MPs refused to countenance such a step, regardless of the cost. And that cost turned out to be high: Grieve received death threats, and others were sacked by the Tory leadership. The US today is one place where such bravery and selflessness cannot be glimpsed. President Donald Trump and a majority of Congressional Republicans have passed a tax bill that will benefit Americas wealthiest households at the expense of saddling the country with more than $1tn (833bn) in additional debt, such courage could not be more necessary. US Republicans have long decried any measure that increases the budget deficit. Rob Portman of Ohio even served as director of the White House Office of Management and Budget under President George W Bush. Yet now they support tax cuts that will cause the deficit to grow as much, if not more, than it did under President Barack Obama. (And Obama, it should be noted, was attempting to stave off another Great Depression, not to deliver tax savings to wealthy donors.) To be sure, seven Republican senators Susan Collins of Maine, Robert Corker of Tennessee, Jeff Flake and John McCain of Arizona, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Marco Rubio of Florida had voiced concerns about the bill. These concerns echoed more fundamental fears, voiced by the same senators to varying degrees, that the Trump administration is doing serious harm to US institutions. But even these senators fell into line, effectively delivering Trump an important legislative victory that will help to buttress his floundering presidency, while deepening inequality in the longer term.Theyve put tribal partisan loyalty above concern for their country. Of course, it is hard to ask for more heroism from McCain. His courage as a prisoner of war for five years in Vietnam seems to be doubted only by Trump, and the dignified way he is battling brain cancer today has only heightened the esteem in which most Americans hold him. But the fact is that McCain is now backing away from his call, made on his return to the Senate after brain surgery, for a return to the old way of legislating in the Senate, including thorough public committee hearings on bills. McCains fellow senator from Arizona is similarly failing to back word with deed. Flake delivered a searing speech on the Senate floor denouncing Trump, whom Flake sees as threatening American principles, freedoms, and institutions, disregarding truth and decency, and engaging in petty and reckless provocations. Yet Flake supported Trumps tax bill without so much as a grimace. Murkowski and Collins played a vital role in preventing the Trump-supported repeal of the 2010 Affordable Care Act and its replacement with a much crueler health-care bill. Corker, too, has presented himself as somehow apart from the Trumpian mire. Yet, when it comes to tax cuts for the rich, these figures are as willing as any firm Trump acolyte to trade their honour for the approval of their tribe. Years from now, some young and ambitious politician will survey the Trump presidency and, in an effort to explain the events that are unfolding before us, pen a Kennedy-esque Profiles in Cowardice focused on Republicans lack of personal integrity. The question is what will have become of American democracy by then. Nina L Khrushcheva is professor of international affairs at The New School and a senior fellow at the World Policy Institute. Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2017 (www.project-syndicate.org). Update 10.30pm: Armed protesters tried to overrun military bases and police stations in Iran before security forces repelled them, killing 10 people, state television has reported. Iran's semi-official Mehr news agency said an assailant using a hunting rifle killed a policeman and wounded three other officers during a demonstration in the central city of Najafabad, about 200 miles south of Tehran. It was the first report of a police officer dying during five days of unrest and raised the death toll to at least 13. The demonstrations, the largest to strike Iran since its disputed 2009 presidential election, began on Thursday in Mashhad over economic issues and have expanded to several cities, with some protesters chanting against the government and the supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Hundreds of people have been arrested. Iranian state television aired footage of a ransacked private bank, broken windows, overturned cars and a fire engine that appeared to have been set ablaze. It said 10 people were killed by security forces during clashes on Sunday night. In a later report, state TV said six people were killed in the western town of Tuyserkan, 185 miles south-west of Tehran, and three in the town of Shahinshahr, 195 miles south of Tehran. It did not say where the 10th person was killed. Earlier on Monday, the semi-official ILNA news agency quoted Hedayatollah Khademi, a representative for the town of Izeh, as saying two people died there on Sunday night. He said the cause of death was not immediately known, though authorities later described one of the deaths as the result of a personal dispute. Two protesters also were killed during clashes late on Saturday in Doroud, some 200 miles south-west of Tehran in Lorestan province, authorities have said. On Sunday, Iran blocked access to Instagram and the popular messaging app Telegram used by activists to organise. President Hassan Rouhani acknowledged the public's anger over the Islamic Republic's flagging economy, though he and others warned the government would not hesitate to crack down on those it considers lawbreakers. Mr Rouhani also stressed Iran "has seen many similar events and passed them easily". US President Donald Trump, who has been tweeting in support of the protesters, continued into the new year, describing Iran as "failing at every level despite the terrible deal made with them by the Obama Administration". "The great Iranian people have been repressed for many years," he wrote. "They are hungry for food & for freedom. Along with human rights, the wealth of Iran is being looted. TIME FOR CHANGE!" Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calling the protesters "brave" and "heroic," said in a video posted to YouTube on Monday that the protesters sought freedom, justice and "the basic liberties that have been denied to them for decades". Iran's economy has improved since its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, which saw the country agree to limit its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the end of some international sanctions. Tehran now sells its oil on the global market and has signed deals to purchase tens of billions of dollars' worth of western aircraft. That improvement has not reached the average Iranian, however. Unemployment remains high and official inflation has crept up to 10% again. - AP Earlier 10.13am: At least 12 killed in Iran protests At least 12 people have been killed in the ongoing protests in Iran, and armed protesters have tried to take over police stations and military bases, state TV reported. The protests began on Thursday in Mashhad over economic issues and have since expanded to several cities. Hundreds of people have been arrested. The state TV report said 10 people were killed during clashes on Sunday night. Two demonstrators were killed during a protest in western Iran late on Saturday. "Some armed protesters tried to take over some police stations and military bases but faced serious resistance from security forces," state TV reported. Earlier on Monday, the semi-official ILNA news agency quoted Hedayatollah Khademi, a representative for the town of Izeh, as saying two people died there on Sunday night. He said the cause of death was not immediately known. Many in Izeh, some 455 kilometres (280 miles) south west of Tehran, have hunting rifles in their homes. On Sunday, Iran blocked access to Instagram and the popular messaging app Telegram used by activists to organise. President Hassan Rouhani acknowledged the public's anger over the Islamic Republic's flagging economy, though he and others warned that the government would not hesitate to crack down on those it considers lawbreakers. State TV aired images of burning buildings, as well as an ambulance crew trying to aid a wounded person amid a crowd of shouting people. It also showed a fire engine that appeared to have been attacked and burned. Later on Monday, state TV said six people were killed in the western town of Tuyserkan, 295 kilometres (185 miles) south west of Tehran. It said three others were killed in the town of Shahinshahr, 315 kilometres (195 miles) south of Tehran. It did not say where the 10th person was killed. A horse show has been cancelled as firefighters tackle vehicles ablaze at a multi-storey car park next to the Echo Arena in Liverpool city centre. Flames engulfed a number of vehicles next to the venue on Liverpool's waterfront this evening, with a total of 12 fire engines called to the building at King's Dock. An evening session of the Liverpool International Horse Show has been cancelled after horses were evacuated to safety. No one is believed to have been hurt and it is not yet known how many cars have been damaged. Crews were first called at 4.42pm and were on scene eight minutes later. Six fire engines were initially in attendance and crews, wearing breathing apparatus, are tackling the fire, Mersey Fire and Rescue Service said. The area was evacuated along with some apartments nearby due to smoke billowing from the blaze. Merseyside Police advised members of the public to stay away from the area and traffic restrictions are currently in place. A spokeswoman for the Echo Arena said: "We regret to announce that the Liverpool International Horse Show has been cancelled tonight due to a serious fire in the multi-storey car park on site. "All people and horses are safe and secure. We are working alongside the emergency services to ensure the fire is brought under control and to make the site safe as quickly as possible. "Please note that there is no access to the ACC Liverpool site. We will provide regular updates when we can." Cars ablaze in the multi-story car park this evening. Pictures: PA Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson said in a tweet: "Arena Car Park fire have been told everyone safe and no animals hurt seems a land rover went on fire on the 3rd level, horses on 1st the horses have been evacuated to Arena. Will give more news about tonight ASAP." The four-day event was due to finish with Sunday evening's show. Around 4,000 people were expected for Sunday evening's show, but at least two or three levels of the car park appeared well alight, with periodic mini-explosions and flames shooting up the outside of the building. Mr Anderson later tweeted: "Anyone whose car was in the arena car park should go to the Galeria in the Exhibition centre. Council and arena staff will help with getting home or emergency accommodation. "Big praise for our fire service who are working really hard at the car park" The Government has a refreshed look about it. The economy is ticking along nicely, with employment nationwide returning to levels last seen in 2008 and prosperity spreading to larger conurbations across the country. But this time round, can we really be sure that we wont lose the run of ourselves and blow it all on baubles, cakes and ale, wooden decking and apartments in Bulgaria as was the case a decade ago? There are a few arguably ominous signs. The sheer scale of the unfolding tracker mortgage scandal points to a banking sector almost beyond real salvation. The usual suspects are all over the media screaming for extra Government spending. The Brexit monster has yet to be tamed despite the successful conclusion to the Phase One talks. President Trump has just pushed through a tax reform law which could impact on Irelands attractiveness as an FDI location. Brussels too is stepping up the pressure on the Irish FDI model, moving to rein in the aggressive tax planning of the technology companies while pushing for tax harmonisation. That said, households continue to pay down debt. The banks are under tighter Central Bank surveillance. Wages and salaries are rising at steady but hardly stellar levels. The big bugbear is the cost of housing, but costs are being driven up not be an excess of credit but rather by a dearth of supply. When it comes to home construction, we are about as far away from 2006 as it is possible to be. The political class that has emerged is treading carefully. The real threat to sustained growth is a lack of decisiveness in the implementation of necessary reforms. Finance Minister, Paschal Donohoe has worked his passage in the area of public expenditure control and he seems canny enough, but the main governing party, despite a recent poll boost, remains reliant on the goodwill of Fianna Fail. Consensus politics can work well it can also lead to policy drift. The Government really needs to be running a budget surplus at this stage in the economic cycle and given our reliance on corporate tax revenues which may not be sustained. The politics dictate that we spend and spend. The public wants human interest stories, not dry analysis. There are few votes in efficiency measures. Thousands of protesters can be mustered in a flash at the hint of an overhaul in services at an underperforming local hospital. Once the abortion referendum is done and dusted, we could be in the run in to another general election as the parties tussle for control of the proceeds of what is predicted to be a bumper budget. This leads inevitably to safety first governance. While the ship cruises on, icebergs loom. Donald Trumps tax reforms, as approved by the US Congress, are set to produce a reduction in the effective as opposed to headline tax rate on companies from 21% to 9%. Companies with overseas operations can be expected to repatriate a part of the huge swag they have parked in tax havens. As international tax partner at PwC, Liam Diamond can assess the likely impact of the reforms. Take the significant US investments of Irish-based companies. While the headline rate is being cut from 35% to 21%, the tax base is being broadened with deductible items being hit. Highly leveraged firms will be hard hit by the reforms, those that are debt-free far less so. The real focus is on the likely impact of the reforms on the stock and flow of US investments, here. A 15.5% tax rate will now apply to all foreign earnings of US companies previously left untaxed in America. Mr Diamond points to previous US profit repatriation legislation in 2005 which did not have a huge impact on Ireland. Our 12.5% corporate tax rate is no longer the big clincher it once was as various competing countries shrink their rates, France being the latest. Liam Diamond believes that most US companies are putting their roots down, here so as to service customers in the EMEA region. However, smaller, younger firms may opt for a lighter presence here than previously planned due to the reforms. The sustainability of Trumps reforms are in question given the possibility of a political rebound by the Democrats, witness the recent spate of electoral results culminating in a shock Democrat victory in Alabama. All that said, it would be interesting to be a fly on the wall at the office of IDA boss, Martin Shanahan. At least the threats posed by Brexit in the form of a hard Border and a British move to a WTO-type relationship appear to have lessened following the recent deal. While the deal is not written in legal stone, it amounts to a strong indication that the Brexiteer faction in the British Government are adopting a more pragmatic stance ahead of the key trade talks. While cross-border shopping has resumed with a vengeance and British tourism is down, the export sector has showed resilience. A higher proportion of business investments are being made in cities like Limerick. Unemployment in the south-west region is now well below the national average. The recovery is spreading out, but perhaps not fast enough, certainly not enough to alleviate the housing crisis. The Housing Minister, Eoghan Murphy is making a real effort to tackle some of the planning roadblocks, but the State needs to tackle the issue of land hoarding with greater vigour while ensuring that more funds are steered toward home builders. Entry taxes and charges on residential projects need to be reduced for the short term. The sale of Eir to new French owners has raised fears that the previous managements commitment to the nationwide rollout of broadband will be reduced. The Government needs to step in to breath life into a broadband strategy delivery which appears to recede into a distant future. Many Irish retailers and smaller manufacturers are losing out due to poor connectivity. The IE Domain Registry (IEDR) say one quarter of firms in Connacht Ulster rate their connectivity as poor or very poor. The IEDR has proposed a rollout of a digital skills programme for micro businesses along with a buddy system offering IT expertise to such firms. Tax breaks could be designed to encourage start-ups in regions well away from the capital. The country as a whole needs to come up with a strategy aimed at increasing the conversion rate of tiny lifestyle businesses into larger entities. The quality of management in Irish organisations is under the microscope following revelations of malpractices in An Garda Siochana, Irish banks, and in certain academic institutions. It is now three years since groundbreaking legislation on whistleblowers came into force. Ireland now has some of the widest-ranging protections for whistle blowers, seen as critical agents of reform yet, in practice, the laws have not apparently been greatly availed of. The message has gone out you stick your neck out and snitch on the rest of the group at your peril. The Garda management are an interesting example of a group that under fire has developed a circling of wagons mentality. Yet the opening up of monolithic organisations appears necessary if Irish organisations, public and private, are to perform effectively during the challenging period that undoubtedly lies ahead. With technology designed to allow businesses protect themselves against currency fluctuations, Dublin fintech start-up Assure Hedge believes it can help small companies prepare for the fallout from Brexit. Assure Hedge CEO and founder Barry McCarthy aims to revolutionise the foreign exchange industry with an automated currency hedging solution which he says is the first solution of this type to be offered to SMEs. We provide access to tools and services previously only available to large multinationals. Our technology and proprietary algorithms significantly improve on the expensive and inflexible hedging services provided by traditional institutions, he said. Set up two years ago, the company expects to have regulatory approval in both the UK and Ireland in the first quarter of this year. It already launched in the UK in September and now has 15 customers there, mainly small manufacturing operations with exports to the EU and the US. Based at Dogpatch Labs, a start-up hub in Dublins Docklands, Assure Hedge now employs a staff of eight. Currently engaged in fundraising, the company plans to double its workforce by the end of the year. A former financial trader who worked in London, Singapore and Gibraltar, Mr McCarthy became aware of a gap in the market for this type of solution when a friend with a family business asked his advice about alleviating foreign currency risks. There was nothing for small businesses to help protect them from risk and loss, said Mr McCarthy who decided to create a solution using algorithms he had used in his trading career. Pitching his idea and a demo prototype to the National Digital Research Centre, he secured a place on its Launchpad accelerator programme in early 2016. Recruiting two developers to work on the technology, Assure Hedge was selected to participate in the Enterprise Ireland Silicon Valley programme. At the start of last year, the company participated in Accentures Fintech Innovation Lab, an accelerator programme which helps participants prepare their technology for market. It also embarked on a fundraising round and secured 500,000 which came from both private investors and Enterprise Ireland which identified it as a High Potential Start Up. In 2017 it was selected to participate in the UKs Financial Conduct Authoritys sandbox which provided it with a six month window to test its product with real customers in a live environment. Mr McCarthy said this was hugely significant opportunity for Assure Hedge. We joined the sandbox in February and went live in August he said, explaining that the company is in the process of removing the restrictions involved in sandbox participation, and expects to have full regulatory approval early this year. Using the Assure Hedge currency hedging solution is, Mr McCarthy explains, a bit like having foreign currency insurance. Customers pay a small upfront fee which buys them the option to exchange foreign currency at a pre-agreed rate anytime over a protection window. If the rate moves adversely they can send us the currency and we send them back euros at the pre-agreed rate. The company earns its revenue much in the same way as an insurance broker, charging a small percentage on each contract. The customers deal directly with Assure Hedge and we sell on the risk to other market participants for a profit, explained Mr McCarthy. In 2018 the company plans to develop sales in both the UK, and once it gets regulatory approval, in Ireland. The funding which is now being raised will be used to grow the business, recruit staff and also to satisfy regulatory reserves. This year we are selling directly to customers but in the future plan to sell through foreign exchange brokers and banks. Given the currency fluctuation problems already caused to businesses as a result of the Brexit vote and the major concerns about what is likely to happen as a result of Brexit, Mr McCarthy sees huge scope for Assure Hedge solution in Ireland, the UK and beyond. This year hes aiming to achieve a turnover of 1m, next year he plans to expand into other European markets. The demand for intervention follows international calls for action after the recent decision by the US to move its embassy to Jerusalem, a move which threatens the fragile peace in the region. The Independent Alliance minister also said he still wants to travel to North Korea, even after the recent controversy surrounding a suggested visit to the rogue state by Independent ministers. In an interview with the Irish Examiner, Mr McGrath spoke passionately about concerns for the Palestinian people, including an outstanding Government pledge to recognise the state of Palestine. It is something that we all feel very strongly about and that is something that I put into the programme for government. Mr McGrath said Tanaiste Simon Coveney had told him one of the main issues for the Government was prioritising the state of Palestine in 2018. We want to make sure that that message goes to the United Nations and we are advocating that at the UN and that is our position. It is non-negotiable; it is a very important issue for us. But the Dublin Bay North TD went further and wants sanctions levied against Israel, including a boycott of their goods. I dont like boycotts in my heart because I prefer dialogue and interaction but I think we have reached the stage now and particularly in recent weeks now where [Donald] Trump and the Israelis were saying that Jerusalem will become a capital of Israel. And that has provoked me, that has provoked me very seriously. So my personal view is we have to start looking at the whole economic sanctions area now because it just is unfair. The vast majority of the international community, they want to see Palestine recognised, they want to seem treated with respect and their human rights recognised and thats not going to happen, so I think we have to up it a gear. But we have to up it a gear at the UN and at the EU. But also in relation to if it comes to it [boycotting] I will support it. Mr McGrath also stood over a controversial plan by three Independent Alliance ministers to visit North Korea. The idea caused uproar and mockery after it emerged alliance colleague John Halligan had contacted the North Korean embassy and that he, Mr McGrath, and Shane Ross intended to visit the nuclear state. The peace initiative trip could still go ahead, insisted Mr McGrath: I dont make any apologies about it. Im not going to go at the moment, but it could happen in the future, yes. If there was an opportunity to make a positive contribution. He said constituents did not mind him participating in international politics, as long as most of his focus was on his portfolio and local area. Its not an ego trip, no way. I dont understand why people who are interested in creating a safer world are being regularly attacked. Disabilities Minister Finian McGrath says there is a new energy in the Government under Mr Varadkar but admits he has threatened to walk out several times since entering power. In a candid interview with the Irish Examiner, the Independent Alliance member confirmed a second term has been discussed and he thinks the current coalition will last four to five years. We talk about it generally, yes. The Alliance and the Taoiseach. If Fianna Fail dont make up the numbers, theres a very good chance that is going to happen. Even if the combination was different after the next general election, Mr McGrath believes there are other Independents waiting in the wings who would help cement a second Fine Gael-Alliance term. And maybe if the Independent Alliance didnt get the five but they would be in the frame. He [the Taoiseach] is generally very open to the idea of doing business with the Independent Alliance in future. And he regularly says to us. We might be short in numbers but we might have to add in other Independents. There are other independents out there who privately regret not going into Government. In the meantime, the Dublin Bay North TD maintains the current coalition may last five years. We will be near enough Id say. In my head, Id be thinking four years, but it could go the five years. Because I cant see Fianna Fail [who support the Government] pulling us down over something that is not particularly relevant. Its not very popular being in Government. And youre up for loads of criticism and you get hammered every day. If I can get nine or 10 things done while Im Minister, Ill be absolutely delighted. Ive already got four or five over the line. Ive a few other things to get done, said the minister, highlighting the planned emergency unit at Beaumont Hospital as well as spending on disabilities. Mr McGrath admitted he had threatened to quit the Government on issues including the Stardust review, disability funding, and the new 40m Beaumont unit. But the Cabinet under Mr Varadkar was a changed place, he said. There is a new energy in the room and the Taoiseach has a great knack of dealing with diversity and dealing with differences, added Mr McGrath. So far 58 serving and former members of the Defence Forces have lodged claims for suffering they allege was caused by the controversial drug mefloquine, known under the brand name Lariam, which they were prescribed while on overseas duty. But the solicitor who represented former soldier Tony Cole whose case was the first to be heard in the High Court, and who received a settlement before Christmas, said his clients case had prompted others to come forward who up to now had suffered in silence. With the Government so far ignoring a Dail vote to discontinue the use of Lariam, the total cost to the State is likely to run into many millions of euro. Cork-based solicitor Eamon Murray said: Ive had many, many inquiries since Tonys case was settled and Im meeting with others whose story is similar to this. There are many more Tonys out there. Margaret OSullivan of the campaign group, Action Lariam for Irish Soldiers, said they too knew of other potential cases. There are other people who havent felt able to make a claim but feel now they would be believed. And there are cases which were thought to be statute barred but theyre being looked at again given the States response to Tonys case. There was no admission of liability by the State in Mr Coles case but no defence was offered either. While details of the settlement were not disclosed in court, Mr Murray described it as very large. Tony Coles life has been profoundly affected. He got substantial compensation with which he is very pleased, he said. Tony was really brave to take this on. He has been a pathfinder for these people. He put everything on the line here. His family home was on the line if he lost his case so he showed absolutely incredible commitment and courage to do what he did. Mr Cole has declined publicity and Mr Murray said his priority was to rebuild his life and get back to work. He had bought a taxi and hoped to develop a small business around that. Use of Lariam has been discontinued or is under review by various militaries around the world because it is known to cause severe neurological, psychiatric and physical side effects in some users. But despite the Dail voting last summer to pass a Sinn Fein motion calling for an end to the prescription of Lariam here, the Department of Defence continues to insist it is often the most effective anti-malarial. Margaret OSullivan said the soldiers with cases pending, including her own son, Mark, felt more hopeful about the likely outcome following Mr Coles case but she said getting compensation was only half the battle. Well keep going until they stop prescribing Lariam. We have to stop them creating new victims. The Department of Defence said a working group set up to examine issues in relation to the use of Lariam had recently submitted a report to the minister which was under consideration. However, a 2013 report by the working group has never been published and the minister has told the Dail he is precluded from commenting while litigation is ongoing. The chief constable told a Tory MP who confided the revelation to an Irish diplomat, who in turn told the Irish Government that police added jam to the cake to make the evidence stick. In a courier-delivered letter, marked Secret and Personal, the diplomat alerted the Taoiseachs office in Dublin about the claim in December 1987 weeks before judges upheld convictions against the six innocent men. Papers released under the 30-year rule reveal Barry Porter, then Conservative MP for Wirral South in Liverpool, privately told the diplomat some of the evidence against them was the jam on the cake. I probed him hard on this and after a little while he said he would tell me something in the strictest personal confidence if I did not use it. I agreed, the diplomat told the Taoiseachs office. He said that the Chief Constable of Liverpool told him he knew that the evidence against the six was enhanced by the police. It was the Chief Constable who used the term adding jam to the cake. He said that the police were convinced that the six were guilty and wanted to ensure that the confession evidence would stick. He went on: With this target in mind they set about making sure that the confession evidence was overwhelming and went about the six in such a way as to ensure that. I asked Porter to clarify this and he confirmed that the chief constable was talking about frightening the prisoners sufficiently to get satisfactory confessions out of them. Although Mr Porter did not name anyone, the diplomat notes that the then chief constable was Kenneth Oxford. The diplomat suggested if an appeal against the Birmingham Six convictions failed and it did weeks later then it might be considered then whether Oxford could be somehow induced to make the same comments to someone other than Porter, in such a way as to make his remarks usable by the appellants counsel. The diplomat says he did not feel he could push Porter too hard on detail without betraying excessive interest. The Birminghan Six Paddy Hill, Gerry Hunter, Johnny Walker, Hugh Callaghan, Richard McIlkenny and Billy Power were not freed until March 1991, after their convictions for the murders of 21 people in two pub bombings were quashed. They had served nearly 17 years behind bars in one of the worst miscarriages of justice seen in Britain. An Bord Pleanala has received three appeals against the decision of Cork County Council to grant a 10-year permission for a solar farm between Knockraha and Leamlara. Several residents, including the owners of a dog kennels, are opposed to plans by Lightsource Renewable Energy Ireland to develop a solar farm on a 48-hectare site in the townlands of Ballyvatt and Clash which will provide energy for 7,650 households. The land is owned by Frank ODriscoll of Rathcooney, Glanmire. Martin and Brigitte Noonan, the owners of A1-K9 Holistic Dog Training Centre and Boarding Kennels at Meeleen, which is near the development, said they are objecting because of concerns over noise pollution, threat to safety, health concerns, damage to roads and industrialisation of the area. They claimed none of 37 conditions imposed by Cork County Council in its decision to approve the project address their concerns. Our greatest fear is that the noise created by passing heavy plant and machinery during construction and noise created during operations of the solar farm will destroy our business and livelihood and with that our health, said Mr Noonan. He claimed conditions relating to noise were far more stringent for his kennels than for the solar farm. The Noonans said there was also a concern that the development could seriously pollute groundwater and private wells in the area. Another Knockraha resident, Andrew Nixon, said the solar farm would be one of the largest in the country and was not suited to a rural location. He claimed the site would become a 119-acre forest of galvanised steel, aluminium and glass. Some people call this progress, I consider it as nothing short of rural vandalism on a grand scale, Mr Nixon said. Lightsource said the site was chosen because it is flat and well-screened by hedgerows. The company said the scale of the project is directly related to proposed subsidies which are anticipated will be provided by the Department of Communications, Climate Change and Environment as part of the Renewable Electricity Support Scheme. Lightsource, which has built 200 solar farms in Britain and Northern Ireland, says it engaged in comprehensive consultation with local TDs and councillors, community groups and people living near the proposed solar farm. The Belfast-based company said feedback to the project was predominantly positive. It also said it had responded in a timely and positive manner to any areas of concern raised by locals. However, Tony and Sheila Ryan from Leamlara, who have also lodged an appeal, said surprise and puzzlement was the reaction of local people to the project. They claim the facility is four times the size of ones being planned elsewhere. Cabinet files from 30 years ago show Mr Bruton was in favour of pulling the Irish contingent out of UNIFIL or at least significantly reducing its size as rates paid by the UN were no longer adequate. Mr Bruton argued that there was a strong case for withdrawing Irish soldiers as the mission was underfunded by 270m. He claimed Ireland was only receiving 57% of the cost of keeping its troops in the Middle East. The failure of the US to contribute its share to the cost of running UN bodies was a major factor. However, the minister for foreign affairs, Peter Barry, believed any Irish withdrawal from UNIFIL would do a disservice to Irelands international reputation. The Government had estimated it had only been reimbursed with 39.7m out of 58.1m it was due since it had begun its mission in Lebanon nine years earlier. Documents also show the government claimed the fatal shooting of an Irish soldier on UN duty in Lebanon in 1987 was a deliberate and provoked attack by the Israeli army. Corporal Dermot McLoughlin was killed on January 10, 1987, when a round fired by an Israeli tank struck his UN post in the town of Brashit. Cabinet files show there were no reports of hostile fire aimed at Israeli military forces in the area at the time. Israeli troops had also ignored flares fired by Irish soldiers to indicate a UN post had been hit prior to the fatal round which killed Cpl McLoughlin. United Nations members deliver food in Shatila refugee camp, near Beirut, Lebanon, in March 1987. Ireland was concerned it was not being adequately reimbursed by the UN for its role in peacekeeping. Picture: Nabil Ismail/AFP/Getty Image A report prepared for the government said all the circumstances of the case pointed to the incident being a deliberate and unprovoked attack. It revealed the Israeli government initially sought to represent the incident as an accident but later clarified that it had occurred because an Israeli officer new to the area had overruled a subordinate and instructed that the UN post be fired on. Mr Barry said he did not accept Israels claims that the UN post had been misidentified by Israeli soldiers. Mr Barry and the minister for defence, Paddy OToole, had already made a formal protest to their Israeli counterparts a short time earlier about a series of incidents of close fire involving Irish troops serving on the UN peacekeeping mission. Despite receiving assurances from the Israelis, the government said there had still been an increase in the number of incidents of Irish soldiers coming under fire. The Israeli ambassador to Ireland was summoned by Mr Barry following Cpl McLoughlins death and asked that those responsible should be disciplined. The government believed that Israel was intent on preventing UNIFIL from carrying out its mandate in southern Lebanon. However, the Government said any decision by Ireland to withdraw its contingent from UNIFIL could damage the countrys international standing and its reputation as a traditional supporter of the UN and its peacekeeping efforts. Mr OToole said he was concerned about the safety of Irish troops, particularly given the dangerous level of harassment by Israel. Mr Barry said he would maintain contact with the Israeli authorities to ensure they exercised maximum constraint as well as speak with the UN secretary general, Javier Perez de Cuellar to maintain pressure on Israel. The foreign affairs minister said he would also approach the US government to use their influence on Israel as well as to ask them to resume full payment of their contributions to the UN. Mr Barry said it was possible that UNIFIL could disintegrate if Ireland were to withdraw from it as the Irish battalion played a key role in its operations. Later that year, the new minister for defence, Michael J Noonan, said the professional advantages for Irish military personnel serving with UNIFIL were very substantial but he was concerned that continuing participation could not be sustained beyond October 1987 for financial reasons. Mr Brutons successor as finance minister, Ray MacSharry, insisted at a cabinet meeting in April 1987 to ratify sending a replacement contingent to serve in Lebanon that no new members of the Defence Forces would be recruited that year because of his concerns at the cost of the UNIFIL mission. A letter written by community leaders in Tibnin, a Lebanese town, to then taoiseach Charles Haughey in 1987 said local people regarded the Irish battalion as brothers and begged him to ensure they remained in UNIFIL. We never forget they have made a heavy sacrifice to ensure our safety, they said. The eight provisional IRA, (PIRA), members shot dead by the SAS on May 8, 1987, at Loughgall Police Station in Co Armagh. Top row, from left: Jim Lynagh; Eugene Kelly; Patrick Kelly; Gerard OCallaghan. Bottom row, from left: Padraig McKearney; Seamus Donnelly; Tony Gormley; Declan Arthurs. State papers released under the 30-year rule, show that ballistic tests on weapons used by the eight-man IRA unit during the attempted bombing of the RUC station in Loughgall on May 8, 1987, linked them to every single murder and attempted murder in Tyrone and Fermanagh that year. It was the IRAs largest loss of life in a single incident during the Troubles. A civilian, Anthony Hughes, who inadvertently drove into the middle of the crossfire, was also killed. In a letter written 12 days after the Loughgall killings, the Northern Ireland secretary, Tom King, promised the minister for foreign affairs, Brian Lenihan, that he would keep him fully informed of any significant developments into the deaths both through personal contact and official diplomatic channels. My advice is that the group had at least 40-50 murders to their score over the years, Mr King said. He added: It was very fortunate that they did not add to it at Loughgall when they launched their attack. Mr Lenihan had written to the secretary on May 11, 1987, asking the British government to avoid any sense of triumphalism. The Irish government had expressed concern in private that the relative silence of Whitehall about Loughgall was leading to public disquiet. Irish diplomats who asked if any attempt had been made to prevent the attack at Loughgall were informed that the RUC was unlikely to have had sufficient intelligence to have made pre-emptive arrests. Documents show Mr King was persuaded not to make a public statement that the IRA had fired the first shots because of possible legal ramifications. The Northern Ireland Office said the security personnel involved in Loughgall had prepared for the attack by making themselves aware of the pattern of movements by local people and they regretted the death of Mr Hughes. It also confirmed that none of the British soldiers or RUC officers who took part in the operation had been removed from operational duty. The archives show Cardinal Tomas O Fiach, the Catholic Primate of All-Ireland, told a senior diplomatic official, that he was relieved to have been away from Northern Ireland at the time of the Loughgall shooting. Cardinal O Fiach said he was sure that if he had been in Armagh the Provisional IRA would have been camping on [his] lawn demanding statements. The Bishop of Derry, Cathal Daly, said he did not believe Loughgall would enter Republican mythology as there was a definite lack of sympathy among nationalists about what had happened. This will not become an epic, he remarked. Seamus Mallon, the deputy SDLP leader, said Loughgall bore no resemblance to other shoot to kill attacks as the IRA group were heavily armed and were clearly intent on killing RUC officers and soldiers. He expressed puzzlement at the size and seniority of the IRA people involved. Michael Havers, then attorney general, told SDLP leader John Hume during a lunch in April 1987 that there would be shocks felt throughout the force over the so-called Stalker affair. During the meal, arranged by an Irish diplomat who reported back to the Taoiseachs office about it, Mr Havers was quite forthcoming on what was one of the most controversial episodes of the Troubles. He said he now has grounds for believing that he will be undertaking prosecutions within the RUC which will go high, as high as chief superintendent, he told Mr Hume and the diplomat. He said he does not think that then chief constable John Hermon himself will be brought down by it, but that there will be shocks felt throughout the force. Former police chief John Stalker was asked to investigate RUC shootings of six people but was removed from the inquiry shortly before it was due to report in 1986. He was taken off the case at the moment he believed he was about to obtain an MI5 tape of one of the shootings. Suspended over allegations of associating with criminals, he was later cleared of any wrongdoing and reinstated in his job as deputy chief constable of Greater Manchester Police but his report was never published. Declassified files show Mr Havers told Mr Hume he intended to bring forthrightness to the case. Havers said that if they think they can operate that way, then he has every intention of rooting them out, reported the diplomat. In an addendum, he noted that there may be some element in this of Havers trying to please Hume and myself, but he did bang on with what seemed to be a good measure of real conviction too. Mr Hume told Mr Havers a public indication of imminent prosecutions in the Stalker affair could be extremely valuable to his partys prospects in the Westminster elections later than year. John Hume and Gerry Adams in 1998 The SDLP leader said it would be just the thing to knock off Gerry Adams and, just possibly, Enoch Powell in the West Belfast and South Down constituencies. Havers responded strongly to this and mused a bit out loud about how much he might possibly be able to engineer it, according to the file marked confidential. He was, he said, very taken by the idea of bumping off both Adams and Powell in one go. State files released last year revealed Mr Stalker told another diplomat in November 1986 that he was not concerned so much about a cover-up but murder, six murders. At the time, he had completed reports into five of the six deaths as well as 90% of his report into the RUC and very much feared now that what he had done will be rewritten by other hands. State papers released under the 30-year rule show the UK energy secretary, Peter Walker, totally rejected what he claimed were Mr Burkes unfounded allegations about the safety of British nuclear energy facilities. The Tory MP also said he could not accept comments made by Mr Burke about Sellafield. Mr Walker said the British nuclear watchdog, the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate, was satisfied that closure of the plant would be out of all proportion to the very low risks which arose from a few minor incidents in 1986. Mr Burke wrote to Mr Walker in March 24 to raise Irish concerns about the threat posed to the health and safety of Irish citizens by nuclear installations in Britain. He criticised the decision of the British government over its recent announcement that it was proceeding with the construction of another reactor at Sizewell in Suffolk given the number of incidents at British nuclear plants at the time. Our concerns are based on the possibility that incidents at any British nuclear installation can have severe repercussions outside the UK, in particular in Ireland, said Mr Burke. He said there was also concern that the decision on Sizewell indicated it was part of a nuclear programme which would result in the possible location of further stations much closer to Ireland. Mr Burke said the Irish Government was left with no option but to formally protest at the construction of the new plant at Sizewell. Ray Burke In December 1986, the Dail had unanimously passed a motion calling for the immediate closure of the nuclear processing plant at Sellafield amid concern about radioactive waste being discharged into the Irish Sea. In a reply sent on May 7, Mr Walker said he wanted to state clearly at the outset that he believed the safety of the UK nuclear industry was second to none. The fact is that there has never been a serious nuclear accident posing any risk to the public throughout the 30-year history of civil nuclear power, said Mr Walker. He claimed the application to build the Sizewell plant had been the subject of the longest and most wide-ranging public inquiry ever conducted in the UK. Mr Walker cited how an official report had noted that there was no safety obstacles to prevent the construction of the new Sizewell reactor. He noted that the UK Central Electricity Generating Board had indicated they would be applying for permission for a new nuclear plant at Hinkley Point in Somerset. Mr Walker said any such future applications would ensure they would constructed and operated to safety standards at least as high as those set for Sizewell B. The movements of radioactive materials and the continuation of fuel reprocessing will result in no significant risk to population on either side of the Irish Sea, he added. Records show the Irish government realised that the prospect of Sellafield being close at the time were remote. SEPTEMBER 1967 having spent seven years in west London working as a clerk filing legal papers, I was back in Cork. At home one night in Gillabbey Street an ad in the Echo newspaper jumped off the page at me: Pink Floyd at the Arcadia, Sunday 17 September! I had to read it several times to believe it. I had known Syd Barrett and the other members of the Floyd since their residency days at the old Marquee Club as well as the London Free School activist centre in Powis Square when they played for practically nothing. Id turned up at various Floyd gigs and made myself familiar to the band. I engaged in conversation with them and, despite their initial wariness, I managed to prise from them that they were from Cambridge, had studied architecture at Regent Street Polytech and had parents who had communist leanings. Yes, very hip. Except that wasnt completely true. Roger Waters patiently explained one night that only he and Syd were actually from Cambridge... not the other two. One night after their performance at the Marquee and whilst in the Ship bar (a few doors up from the club) I found myself alone with the man with the amazing eyes and the soft posh Cambridge accent, Syd Barrett. Whatever we were talking about, I couldnt believe I had him on my own away from the madding crowd and at some stage in the conversation he stunned me saying, Im Roger, actually. About a week later I was talking to Roger Waters and mentioned Syd taking the piss. Roger looked at me with an incredulous expression and said, Jack, his names actually Roger. Syds his nickname. BADGE OF HONOUR Advertisement from the Cork Examiner in September 1967 for Pink Floyd at the Arcadia, Cork So when I heard they were coming to the Arcadia I volunteered myself into Easons in Patrick Street, bought 50 blank badges and went home to colour each one with what can be best described as badly drawn psychedelic-inspired art. I didnt stop there; I then made up a couple of equally badly drawn psychedelic posters and called in to Martin Bennett Gents Outfitters on North Main Street, persuading the purveyor of crombies and cardigans that if he allowed me to sellotape the two posters on his window his premises would be thronged in no time with customers looking for psychedelic clobber. The two posters bore the legend Row R. Toc H and Interstellar Overdrive. Mr Bennett wanted to know what did the strange message mean but I was at a loss to explain. I just thought the wording was hip. I think I, and several members of my family, must have passed by the shop a dozen times that day glowing in wonderment at my handiwork let loose upon an unsuspecting public. No other form of postering was used in those days, apart from Dave, the boy who pushed the Arcadia barrow around town to let people know what was going on at the venue. Then, Johnny Chisholm pushed our Echo through the letter box and there was the big 4x5-inch ad with the words PINK FLOYD emblazoned across the frame. Eight shillings admission (40 new pence !), and patrons were strongly advised that admission was limited. Cork band Four-Plus-Two were to provide the support. When my badges were completed I took them down to the Arcadoa manager and owner, Peter Prendergast. Genial entrepreneur that he was he was amazed that anyone would go to so much bother. He gave me two free tickets and handed me a fiver for my work. GUESTHOUSE ENCOUNTER Jack Lyons and his then girlfriend Maura Lyons (now wife) at the Arcadia for Pink Floyd in 1967 I walked back into town in a daze to meet my girlfriend Maura outside the Saxone feeling like Brian Epstein. On Sunday tea-time before the gig I took her up Wellington Road to the Glenvera Bed & Breakfast to meet the band. My girlfriend (now my wife) got as far as the hallway, took one look at Syd Barretts high hair-do and refused to enter their room. I just carried on. They remembered me from a few months earlier and we sat down and chatted. David Gilmour would join for another few months, so the foursome in Cork were Syd Barrett, Roger Waters, Nick Mason and Rick Wright. I was half expecting a tab of acid but couldnt believe it when Syd handed me a bottle of Club Orange saying in his posh Cambridge accent, Sorry, Jack afraid thats all weve got. Meanwhile, down near the Arcadia by the citys train station, Pink Floyds roadie was glued to a stool, in Handlebars pub, next to the venue. My brother Pat had dropped down early to take a look at the gear and seeing that there was no one to empty the van, he set the gear up. My brother was a roadie for a local band called The Martells and they had just the night before done a successful gig for Sullivans Quay past pupils. The gig was great. The two preceding nights, the band had played Belfast and Ballymena, and the Cork gig was the only one they ever did in the Republic of Ireland. It must have been some 225-mile drive in a day. I was familiar with nearly every song on their debut album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, which the group had released the previous month. In those days the visiting pop band would only play for about 40-minutes, quite a contrast to the three-hour sets by the showbands of that era. In between songs, Syd Barrett or Roger Waters would announce the title of the song in a posh Cambridge accent and play on. That night has come to attain almost biblical proportions in Cork, since thousands have claimed to be there, but there werent more than 200 people in the Arcadia. Whats important to remember is that the Floyd were only booked to appear at the Arcadia because they were a band who had half an obscure hit with Arnold Layne and, following that, a big hit with See Emily Play. In other words, they actually came to Cork as a pop-band with a hit record it had nothing to do with their psychedelic ideals or their ethic of free-form jazz. I remember at the Arcadia most of the sparse crowd just standing in small curious groups obviously fascinated by the bands mystique and this new type of music so far only read about in magazines and likely heard by the few who had the album. I certainly dont remember anyone idiot dancing like I had seen at gigs in London. And while the psychedelic scene and its related substance use was well under way in other cities, I never heard of anyone in Cork taking LSD in that era. There wouldnt even have been a drinking culture among the people who went to gigs, and venues like the Arcadia and the Majorca didnt serve alcohol. The psychedelic lighting promised in the newspaper advertisement was impressive, and Peter Wynne Willson, the man responsible for that, has stayed in the business, working on rigs for everyone from U2 to Radiohead. After the concert, we didnt stay too long chatting to the band as Maura had to be at work next morning at the Lee Boot factory, and I had to be on duty at Capwell for my job as a bus conductor. Many years later, I was walking down Oliver Plunkett Street and noticed an old hippy Volkswagen van parked and laden with the usual eco stickers... and there on the windscreen was one of my badly drawn Pink Floyd badges. Interstellar Overdrive it said in my handwriting. I hung around for an hour to see who owned the van but nobody showed. Nowadays I spend my free time accumulating diner sores on restaurant seats swapping yarns with my peers about the good old days, and every now and then someone brings up the subject of the 50 badges and the Pink Floyds drunken roadie. Whoopers visit Ireland in winter, moving about in noisy flocks. However, on returning to Iceland in spring, their behaviour changes; each breeding pair establishes an exclusive territory, off limits to other swans. Intruders arent tolerated. In about 9% of bird species, pairs get help from others when raising their young. House martins, for example, fledge two broods from mud-cup nests under the eves of Irish buildings. Chicks from the first brood sometimes feed those of the second. By helping their baby brothers and sisters, with whom they have genes in common, they are furthering their own genetic prospects. This is enlightened self-interest, not altruism. The ostrich-like South American rheas also get help. The male creates a nest, around which several itinerant females lay. Having gathered the two dozen or so eggs into the nest, he may recruit a younger male helper, who takes over incubation. Then he constructs a second nest. The benefits for the helper are unclear. He gets to know the ropes during the apprenticeship, valuable experience when becoming an alpha male in his own right. Also perhaps, unobserved by the boss, he mates with visiting females and some of the eggs contain his genes. Whooper swans dont indulge in such shenanigans. In 2003, pairs began breeding around fishponds in southern Poland, where ornithologist Krzysztof Dudzik and colleagues ring cygnets each year. In 2006, an additional male was observed on an occupied territory. This lodger was not a lover. Both the alpha male and the incubating female accepted the outsider, but chased away intruding mute swans and white-plumaged domestic geese. The intruders ring identified him as a two-year-old son of the alpha male. Whoopers expel all previous cygnets before starting to nest in spring. That an extra male was allowed to remain, and approach to within a few metres of the nest, was very strange indeed. The menage-a-trois continued in 2007. Three fully-grown cygnets from 2007 were allowed to stay on the territory until May 17, 2008, a very late date. There was a two-day-old chick in the nest by then. In April 2009, the alpha male was found dead. The lodger, still present, now took over defence of the territory, remaining close to the nest where the widow was incubating. They became an item the following year and bred, though unsuccessfully. They did so annually until 2012. Initially, the researchers dismissed this as a freak one-off occurrence. Then, in 2013, another threesome was found. The female and the extra male, this time, were siblings of the 2007 pair. All three swans defended the territory aggressively. The strange liaison continued until late May 2014. In 2016, the intruders place was taken by yet another male, an offspring of the female. Similar behaviour has been recorded in mute swans. A pair nesting at Knock Lake in Co Dublin tolerated a male lodger on the territory for two years. Mutes are fiercely territorial, but the trespassers-will-be-prosecuted rule is not as rigid as it seems; they will even nest communally. I counted up to two dozen nests, separated from each other by a metre or two, on a Donegal island during the 1980s. There are similar colonies in Denmark. That outsiders are tolerated on territories in Poland suggests that whoopers have a similar latent propensity. Myles na Gopaleen, or Brian ONolan as he was also known, wrote The Dalkey Archive, which had the unforgettable character of the policeman whose atoms blended with his bicycle. OBriens earlier novel, The Third Policeman, had the same character. He described the little town as it was in 1964 as a vestibule of heavenly conspection. With its Italianate mansions and street names and its elegant water-front villas, it resembles nothing as much as a Mediterranean town resting on the coast by the dazzling sea. Offsetting the picture is the 22-acre Dalkey Island and its smaller neighbours Lamb, Maiden Rock, and Muglins. The latter has its own lighthouse dating from 1879 after 13 shipwrecks were recorded at Dalkey Island and the authorities urgently embarked on the construction of the lighthouse to fend off further disaster. The island isnt specifically mentioned in The Dalkey Archive but as it has the same name as the suburb then surely can be counted as part of the writers genius locus the spirit of the place. The novels main character, De Selby, meets Saint Augustine in an underwater cave at the rocky swimming hole at Vico Road within spitting distance of the island. Dalkey Island is only 400m off Coliemore pier and as such has been the location of many an escapade over the years for any who owned or commandeered a small boat. Yet again, we find an Irish island named after Viking influence ey or ay meaning island in old Norse. So, Dalkey Islands neighbours are Lambay; Irelands Eye; Anglesey in Wales; and Saltey down the coast at Co Wexford. Dalkey translates as thorn island. However, the islands history or prehistory goes much further back than the Scandinavian marauders. There is evidence of human activity from the Mesolithic, Neolithic and Bronze Ages on the site indicating possible continuous settlement. In common with Dursey Island, Co Cork, archaeologists have speculated that Dalkey Island was used as a Viking slave base. The islands 7th century St Begnets Church, outpost of Christianity, probably fell into disuse for hundreds of years after the occupation. In The Islands of Ireland, Kenneth McNally records that, with Dublin in the grip of bubonic plague in 1574, some residents sought refuge on Dalkey Island until the ravages of the plague subsided. The plague had been rampant in the 14th century only to return as the port of Dublin expanded via the vector of the rat. McNally also references the grisly end of two pirates in 1766, who were executed on the Muglins for their part in the murder of passengers aboard the Sandwich ship in 1765. Dalkey Island was previously known as Benedicts Island, (a corruption of Begnet). Its current name was adopted about the time of the construction of the Martello Tower and gun battery by the British in the early years of the 19th century. With the possibility of a Napoleonic invasion of Ireland, the country was fortified with 50 or so such structures. The name Martello is a corruption of Mortella in Corsica where British forces along with Royalist French forces besieged the port in 1794. The original Mortella tower was the base for republican forces to repel the British attack and so impressed them that they adopted it as a defensive principle in Ireland and Britain. Nowadays, Dalkeys Martello tower is in good condition. Its magnificent circular brickwork has withstood centuries of storms. Dalkey Island is a major bird-nesting site. Visitors are advised to avoid nesting boxes placed there by Birdwatch Ireland. Two species of tern habituate there, the common and the Arctic. The roseate is the rarest breeding tern in Ireland and the preservation group is developing a colony on Dalkey Island. EU funding has been secured to help fund the project, not least to combat the rat population still a problem! 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. File - In this Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2017 file photo, Palestinian laborers work at a construction site in a new housing project in the Israeli settlement of Maale Adumim, near Jerusalem. Israel's ruling Likud Party's central committee unanimously endorsed a resolution on Sunday calling for the annexation of West Bank settlements. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty, File) #Hinzpeter Awards Belarus journalist chosen as inaugural winner of Hinzpeter Awards A Belarus video journalist has been awarded the inaugural Hinzpeter Awards, which commemorates the late German reporter, the first western journalist to send out footage of the blo... #BTS BTS inducted into Guinness World Records 2022 Hall of Fame K-pop sensation BTS has entered the Guinness World Records' 2022 Hall of Fame after setting 23 records in music and social media. "Among several Billboard music awards, Asian mu... LANE COUNTY, Ore. -- Oregon State Troopers say one person was killed in a single vehicle accident on Highway 126E near milepost 48. This happened around 2:45 a.m. on January 1st. Troopers say the Nissan Pathfinder crossed over the westbound lane, ran off the road, smashed into a tree and caught fire. Following the intial investigation, they say they do not know what cause the car to loose control. They say the driver, the cars only occupant, was killed in the crash. Troopers have not yet identified the person killed and the investigation is ongoing. Jan 1 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories on the business pages of British newspapers. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy. The Times - Peer-to-peer lender Funding Circle is poised to hire advisers to prepare for over a 1 billion pound ($1.35 billion) float next year. - Directors of the Palmer & Harvey (P&H) altered the terms of an interest-free loan for the company's former boss so it would not have to be repaid if P&H went bust. Christopher Etherington received a 3.4 million pound loan from P&H to help fund a management buyout (MBO) in 2008. The Guardian - A shortage of charging points and strain on energy supplies are now the main stumbling blocks to the rise of driverless electric cars, according to the UK boss of insurer Axa. The Telegraph - UK Prime Minister Theresa May is said to be considering moving Boris Johnson, the Foreign Secretary, in a "renewal" reshuffle which could see her axe as many as five ministers. Sky News - Charles Randell, a former partner at the 'Magic Circle' law firm Slaughter & May, is in talks about succeeding John Griffith-Jones at the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The Independent - Labour would be much further ahead in the polls if Jeremy Corbyn could convince people who share his party's values to back it at the ballot box, a YouGov poll has revealed. ($1 = 0.7412 pounds) (Compiled by Bengaluru newsroom; Editing by Peter Cooney) Forensic investigators enter the apartment building where three children died in a fire on Sunday. / Yonhap By Bahk Eun-ji Police have arrested a mother, 22, without warrant on Monday over a fire in which her three children died at an apartment in Gwangju, South Jeolla Province. Two boys, aged 5 and 3, and a 15-month-old girl were found dead in a room on Sunday, and their mother was rescued from a balcony with two-degree burns on her legs and arms. The mother first claimed she had forgotten boiling water to cook ramen, but when police pointed out that the stove was hardly damaged, she said she had put out her cigarette on a blanket. Forensic investigators said the children died from smoke suffocation. For some parents, 2018 came with more than just a flip of the calendar as they heard their children's first cries at almost the same time as the year began. / Korea Times file By Ko Dong-hwan As soon as 2018 began, everything seems to have become a newsfeed from who was born first to who visited or left the country first, which celebrities became embroiled in the first scandal, who died in the first car accident. For the babies born as the year began, it was a time of joy, celebration and congratulations. Almost precisely at 12 a.m. on Jan. 1, a girl was born at Cheil General Hospital and Women's Healthcare Center in Jung-gu, Seoul. The parents of the healthy baby, who was delivered normally and weighed more than 2.8 kilograms, welcomed her with joy. At the same time at CHA Gangnam Medical Center in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, healthy baby boys, weighing 3.4 kilograms and 2.9 kilograms, were born. Journalists were quick to capture the parents' comments. Having surprisingly become newsworthy subjects, they said they were "happy to start the year" with a newborn child. G-Dragon of K-pop boy band BigBang performs during his solo concert "2013 G-Dragon World Tour: One Of A Kind" at Olympic Park in Songpa-gu, Seoul, March, 2013. / Korea Times file Lee Ju-yeon appeared at the VIP premier of the Korean film "The Swindlers" at the Megabox theater in COEX in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Nov. 21. It was her "first" public appearance since reports of her romantic involvement with G-Dragon swept the nation the same month. / Korea Times file A group of people watch the sunset on Anmyeon Island in Taean County, South Chungcheong Province, Friday, bidding farewell to 2017. / Yonhap By Jung Min-ho The year of 2017 will be remembered for its many shocks and thrills. The nation's president was impeached and ousted for the first time in its democratic history. A new leader was elected two month later. North Korea claimed the completion of its nuclear arsenal. Outside the Korean Peninsula, political upheavals, wars and terrorism created the potential for a fundamental change in the world order. Here, the year began with candlelight. Almost every weekend, crowds thronged the streets with candlelit vigils. In one voice, they demanded the Constitutional Court remove Park Geun-hye from the presidency over a massive corruption scandal involving her friend Choi Soon-sil. On March 11, the court upheld the National Assembly's impeachment motion, making her the nation's first president to be ousted peacefully by the court. It was a moment of triumph for the common people who rose up against those in power who had forgotten who holds the power in a democracy. The ruling immediately triggered the race for the next president. Moon Jae-in, the son of North Korean refugees and a former human rights lawyer, came to power on promises of a fairer and more just society. During his May 10 inauguration, Moon promised to do everything he could for peace on the Korean Peninsula. The task was never going to be easy. Donald Trump, sworn in as U.S. president the same year, already vowed to shake up U.S. foreign policy a signal of profound changes to the very nature of its relationship with South Korea, for the first time since the end of the Korean War. At the same time, under the strong leadership of Xi Jinping, China flexed its political muscle to pressure South Korea over the deployment of a U.S. anti-missile system here. China's economic retaliation over the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) deployment was one of the most complicated issues the Moon government and Korean firms had to deal with throughout the year. The biggest national security crisis came on Sept. 9, when North Korea conducted its sixth nuclear test. The regime later claimed it had successfully tested a hydrogen bomb small enough to be fitted in an intercontinental ballistic missile that can strike anywhere in the United States mainland. The test, which allegedly achieved the very thing Trump warned not to, escalated tension in the region. Just a month ago, Trump threatened North Korea would meet with "fire and fury" if it continued to develop nuclear weapons capable of striking America. It was also a year of many unusual natural phenomena around the world, and here was no exception. A magnitude 5.4 earthquake hit Korea's southeastern city of Pohang on Nov. 15, sending shockwaves throughout the country. It was the second most powerful tremor felt in Korea in the whole time it has been collecting seismic records since 1978. Smaller quakes continued to hit the area, which brought about calls for more government investments into earthquake-resistant technologies. The beginning of the countdown for the PyeongChang Olympics was one of the most exciting events of the year for Koreans. On Nov. 1, the Olympic flame was lit, precisely 100 days ahead of the opening ceremony for Korea's first-ever Winter Games. Few Koreans believe 2018 will be any easier; North Korea now possesses nuclear weapons that may not be able to strike the United States but have no problems reaching here; Trump will intensify the pressure on North Korea and China's THAAD retaliation is still in place. But there is room for hope, as Koreans have successfully coped with many difficulties over this tumultuous year, and they will begin their new year with the Olympic torch instead of candles this time. By You Soo-sun The background-blind recruitment, which seeks to hire people based on skills rather than educational background and other credentials, is becoming a source of hope and confidence for many jobseekers. Under this system, state-run companies are forbidden from asking questions not directly related to the job including the applicants' family background, age, sex and the school they attended on the initial application form. Some private companies have also adopted the practice. This is especially good news for graduates of universities outside of Seoul, who have not been faring so well in the excessively heated job market. "Now I feel like I can get a job if I just prepare myself well," Baek Seung-hak, 26, told The Korea Times, Wednesday. A graduate of the Chungnam National University, Baek is among an emerging group of young people seeking to land jobs through the blind recruitment system. As a graduate of a university outside of Seoul, he felt he was at a disadvantage in the job market. The system has brought him hope, as he believes his background will no longer play a critical role. "Under this new system, I think my chances of getting a job depend on how well I do on the written test and interviews _ so I'm focusing on doing well on those," he said. Doubts remain about corruption But many of his peers, Baek noted, have little faith in the actual process, even as they choose to give it a shot. "Most of my friends don't trust the blind hiring system. When looking at the people who got jobs at companies, they are mostly from the high-ranking universities based in Seoul. So when my friends fail to pass the first round of the hiring process, they begin to think it's because of their lack of credentials that have led to disappointing results," he explained. Twenty-five-year-old Yoon Kyung-sik, a senior attending the same university as Baek, also cited some concerns prevalent among his peers, such as the possibility of discrimination against graduates from top-ranking universities, or competition in other ambiguous criteria. Yoon also questioned whether the smaller state-run companies are following the new rules. "After seeing the news about corruption in the hiring process at some of these companies, my friends and I decided not to apply to smaller state-run companies, assuming they may already have candidates in mind." Second chance Despite these concerns, Yoon and his friends feel they have a better chance in the job market because of the blind recruitment system. "There's an increasing feeling among my peers that as long as we study and work hard, we can land jobs, at least at state-run companies. It relieves us from the pressure coming from attending a university outside of Seoul," he said. Yoon believes it also provides him an opportunity to seek a job in an area outside of his major. "I studied in the department of humanities and arts, but I have been studying by myself to prepare for a different field. The new system allows me to capitalize on the skills I have gained outside of my major." For some, the system has already provided them with good opportunities. A 28-year-old Kim, a graduate of Chonbuk National University, feels confident about the system which has won him a job at Lotte Cinema this year. "It was a way to show my authentic self," Kim said, adding that he was not asked about his credentials during the hiring process. Those recruited through the system had diverse backgrounds and were from different universities from abroad as well as within and outside of Seoul. "And because the recruiters were not given any typical information, such as university attended, pictures, gender, and even age, they also tried harder to really see through us," he said. "It was a difficult process. Within a short span of 10 to 20 minutes, I had to win over the interviewers. Yet, if you are really fit for the position, I believe it is a great chance to show yourself." Emanuel Pastreich By Emanuel Pastreich The Trump administration's decision to reduce drastically the U.S. contribution to the United Nations was generally interpreted as payback after the stunning rebuke to the American decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital. However, whatever US ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley may have said, there were plenty of hints in Donald Trump's speech at the UN, and in comments by John Bolton early on in the administration, that it was the intention all along to limit drastically, or end, U.S. participation in global governance via the U.N. This is not the first time the U.S. has disappointed the international community. It was the Congress failure to ratify the League of Nations back in 1919 that undercut the effectiveness of that first effort at global governance. Tragically, it was this lack of commitment by a rising power that made it easier for Japan and Germany to pull out later, with catastrophic consequences. Internationalism has only been a popular theme in the U.S. since World War II. Perhaps it was inevitable that the U.S. would drift back to its isolationist roots. We should not rule out the possibility that the Trump administration intends essentially to abandon the U.N. as an institution in 2018, maybe even threaten to pull out. Such an act would not be less shocking than the decision to pull out of the Paris Agreement. Certainly the contempt for international law and treaties suggested by the Trump administration's unilateral pulling out from the Iran nuclear deal does not bode well. So what are the implications of American disengagement from the U.N. for South Korea, and for the peninsula as a whole? The immediate response among my Korean friends is dread. After all, Koreans see their country as a "shrimp among whales" that needs constant protection and support from the U.S. But every crisis is an opportunity, if you have the courage to seize the moment. No country is more deeply committed to multilateralism in trade, in diplomacy and in security than South Korea, granted that the alliance with the U.S. limits the South's ability to make good on this general sentiment among policy makers. Whether on the left or on the right, there is a remarkable consensus in South Korea concerning good relations with all its neighbors (with the notable exception of North Korea). What if South Korea proposed that U.N. headquarters be moved from New York City to the Korean Peninsula, perhaps even to Seoul? To start with, the Trump administration might welcome this proposal. Just look at all the administration has done to undermine multilateral cooperation over the last year. Moreover, there are also progressive voices around the world that suggest the U.S. is no longer qualified to be home to such an institution in light of the country's recent shift to isolationism. There has been a strong argument for years that a major U.N. institution should be located in Northeast Asia. After all, other than the United Nations University in Tokyo and some smaller offices, The major U.N. institutions are in Geneva (and elsewhere in Europe), Nairobi, New York City and Washington D.C. Northeast Asia, as the new center of the global economy and a growing source for new cultural production, would be a logical place for the headquarters. But moving U.N. headquarters to China, or Japan, powerful countries with traditions of unilateralism, would be problematic. South Korea, however, might be a perfect place. Korea has no tradition of imperialism or colonialism and has been deeply committed to the U.N. from the start. Ban Ki-moon, did not start that tradition. We can trace Korea's centrality in the drive for global governance back to the appeal of King Gojong to the Peace Conference at The Hague in 1907. Koreans viewed this forerunner of the U.N. as the institution that would be most sympathetic for their country as they struggled against imperialism. The vast majority of South Koreans see multilateral engagement as being in their interest and for this reason South Korea would make a good host. Such a move could also be tied to the Millennium Development Goals. Korea offers a more open and flexible environment than New York City _ honest debate can be carried out about the future of global governance at a distance from the financial powers of that city. Finally, reunifying the Korean Peninsula is a critical task for the U.N., so placing its headquarters in South Korea, with the potential to have offices in the North and South, would be a bold way to suggest a direction for the region. The location of the Green Climate Fund in Korea would no doubt make relocating U.N. headquarters to Korea even more attractive because the response to climate change will be increasingly central to global governance. The potential for such a historic move is real. The question is whether South Korea will have the will to make the proposal. Emanuel Yi Pastreich is a critic of literature, technology and international affairs. He teaches at Kyung Hee University and works at the Asia Institute. Contact: epastreich@gmail.com. Hwang Kyung-moon By Hwang Kyung-moon The findings of the South Korean government task force on the December 2015 "comfort women" agreement with Japan confirmed what observers like me suspected all along: the accord was first and foremost an expedient political move, not a sincerely thorough effort to resolve a complicated historical conflict. It therefore never had a chance to become a lasting "irreversible" solution. It turns out that then-President Park Geun-hye was directly involved, even against the advice of some of her diplomats, in pushing for some kind of deal before the end of 2015. The task force investigation suggests strongly that this insistence on the timing compromised South Korea's negotiating position. When task force chairman Oh Tai-kyu was interviewed on JTBC news on Wednesday evening, he and the interviewer seemed puzzled by Park's eagerness to finalize the agreement in the 50th anniversary year of the 1965 treaty that normalized diplomatic relations between South Korea and Japan. The significance of a possible comfort women agreement, after all, far surpassed such superficial considerations. I beg to differ. The anniversary had everything to do with the agreement's timing, negotiations, content, and character. As I noted in this column the week after the agreement was announced, the 50th anniversary year of the original normalization treaty, which Park's father, former President Park Chung Hee, pushed through over fervent protests in and outside the government at the time, commemorated much more than a single historic event. It has become integrated into the ongoing conflicts over historical understanding that divide South Korean society today. The late 2015 agreement, in sum, was a centerpiece of Park Geun-hye's efforts to legitimize her father's reign from 1961 to 1979 through interventions in public memory and national history. It was designed to shore up her core base of political support, mostly the elderly and residents of North Gyeongsang province, as conflicts over history became critical in both reflecting and driving political differences. As I noted in a follow-up column in early 2017, the Park administration's legitimization of the military dictatorship period also included reinforcing and validating South Korea's longstanding place in the American-led Northeast Asian order. In terms of the comfort women issue, this effort glossed over the long, powerful history of sexual exploitation in Korea, including under her father's rule, in service to dominant participants such as the government. In moving forward, then, there appear two options: cancel the agreement by letting it die, or renegotiate. The Japanese government of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was in power two years ago as well, has vociferously insisted on maintaining the original agreement. But Abe, whose grandfather was part of the militarist World War II government that perpetrated the actions of imperial Japan, will eventually have to leave office. Perhaps this fact can prompt more Japanese citizens to face directly the most persistent source of international tension in East Asia _ the Japanese empire's aggression from the late 19th century to 1945. Little will improve fundamentally in this regard until Japan, like Germany, not only acknowledges but embraces its responsibility for what happened. For South Korea, I hope that, regardless of whether there is another formal agreement, the government can quietly disassociate itself from the comfort women statues and other memorializing projects, and just let private groups pursue them. Allowing these statues to be erected in front of Japanese diplomatic compounds, such as embassies and consulates, is inflammatory and frankly juvenile. Can one imagine the government of Israel or France letting statues that commemorate the victims of the Nazi regime to go up in front of German embassies? That would be outrageous. Second, as I suggested in my column a year ago, I hope the government can lead or join South Korean society as a whole in taking this episode as an opportunity to consider honestly the shameful history of sexual exploitation and gender discrimination in Korea, and how this history contributed to both the comfort women phenomenon and the ways it has been politicized. Hwang Kyung-moon (khwang3@gmail.com) is a professor at the Department of History, University of Southern California. He is the author of "A History of Korea _ An Episodic Narrative" (second edition, Palgrave Macmillan, 2016). South Korea has seized and inspected a Panama-flagged ship suspected of selling oil to North Korea at sea in violation of U.N. sanctions, maritime authorities said. The 5,100-ton KOTI is being held in the western port of Pyeongtaek-Dangjin, Gyeonggi Province. Security and customs officials held a meeting on Dec. 21 and decided not to allow the vessel to depart from the port, the local maritime office said. It is the second known vessel under probe by South Korea on suspicions of ship-to-ship supplies of petroleum products to North Korea, banned under the international sanctions over its nuclear and missile programs. The authorities said most of the crew of the ship KOTI are Chinese and Myanmarese. They declined to provide details of the probe, and the foreign ministry also said it has yet to receive any formal notification from the related agencies on the inquiry. The Seoul government announced Friday it is investigating a Hong Kong-flagged ship named the Lighthouse Winmore for allegedly transferring oil to a North Korean vessel in international waters on Oct. 19. The ship, seized at Yeosu Port on Nov. 24, is suspected of transferring 600 tons of refined petroleum to a North Korean ship named Samjong No. 2. UNSC Resolution 2375, adopted in September, bans member countries from ship-to-ship transfers of any goods for North Korea. Resolution 2397, adopted just a week earlier, allows a country to capture and look into a vessel suspected of engaging in prohibited activities with North Korea. (Yonhap) By Doug Bandow Three months ago German voters rejected the colorless status quo. The two traditional governing parties, the Christian Democratic Union (its sister party, the Christian Social Union, runs only in Bavaria) and Social Democratic Party, hemorrhaged votes, together barely collecting half the total, down from two-thirds four years before. The liberal (in a European sense) Free Democrats re-entered the Bundestag. More dramatically, the right-wing, anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany won almost 13 percent of the vote and became the third-largest party. The hard-left Die Linke and Greens completed the spectrum, leaving a sharply divided body. Counting the CSU seven parties now sit in parliament. For understandable reasons, the (West) Germany reborn from World War II emphasized stability. Until the absorption of East Germany there was no party to the left of the SPD. Until September no party to the right of the CDU/CSU sat in the Bundestag. Chancellor since 2005, Merkel advertised herself as being a pair of "safe hands" for Germany. But by squeezing serious disagreement and debate out of the political system, she destroyed the credibility of the centrist parties, fueling Die Linke and especially AfD. During her first term she ruthlessly stole issues from the SPD, minimizing differences between the two parties. She next joined with the FDP, but thwarted its pro-business agenda in their coalition rule. Another grand coalition followed, further mixing the two parties' positions. Both parties lost heavily in September's vote. The issue that proved most damaging was immigration. The SPD initially rejected another turn as junior partner and Merkel placed the AfD beyond the pale, leaving the only option to form a stable government, the so-called Jamaica coalition: the CDU/CSU, FDP, and Greens, whose combined party colors match those of the Jamaican flag. But agreement on a common program was hindered by the Greens' support for immigration, antagonism to economic growth and enthusiasm for the European Union. The FDP eventually walked out, arguing the differences were too great. Germany could run an election repeat, but polls suggest little change in the results, leaving the problem unsolved. Merkel could set up a minority government, seeking support from other parties on an issue-by-issue basis. However, this has never been done in the new Germany and runs against the broad desire for stable governance. So pressure increased on the SDP to reverse course and agree to form another grand coalition. Party leader Martin Schulz soon caved. At its congress in early December the Social Democrats decided to formally enter into discussions with the CDU/CSU, which are set to begin early this year. However, another grand coalition would prove corrosive in the long term. At the SPD congress Schulz offered an agenda almost certain to accelerate the flight of average patriotic Germans to other parties. He criticized immigration caps, endorsed a "United States of Europe," proposed defenestrating from the European Union countries which wouldn't agree to a new consolidated government and advocated a eurozone budget. Even as an opening bid to the CDU/CSU, this list likely is a nonstarter. Neither the Merkel government nor the Germany people are inclined to transfer more national authority to Brussels or accept unlimited numbers of refugees. Forcing such views onto a renewed grand coalition almost certainly would accelerate flight from an already much shrunken center. Voters would become even more desperate to find, yes, an "alternative for Germany," whether the AfD or someone else. Even if Merkel rebuffed Schulz's agenda for EU aggrandizement, another round of mushy coalition government likely would frustrate anyone dissatisfied with continued government at the lowest common denominator. France, Greece, and Spain all have gone through this process, with once-dominant parties reduced to fringe status. Although Merkel undoubtedly feels more comfortable with the center-left which shares her beliefs in little other than governing, she should consider trying to forge a coalition with the FDP and AfD. Forging another formless, valueless coalition primarily intended to ensure outsiders stay out is only likely to increase the appeal of the AfD. Indeed, the latter would become the formal opposition in the Bundestag, making it the most visible agent of change. In contrast, other European nations have faced similar challenges in forming majority coalitions. In Austria and Finland, for instance, right-wing nationalists were co-opted and found it tough to be bomb-throwers while participating in government. Germany appears destined for another grand coalition, but that would highlight the bankruptcy of its political system. The process will continue as long as the establishment parties fails to acknowledge people's frustrations by addressing their criticisms. Doug Bandow (chessset@aol.com) is a senior fellow at the Cato Institute and a former special assistant to President Ronald Reagan. He is the author of "Foreign Follies: America's New Global Empire." The killing in Chicago continues. Can anything stem the plague of gun violence? Yes. There are encouraging signs _ which we hope deliver a relentless downward trajectory. For two years, obscenely high numbers of homicides have kept neighborhoods on the South and West sides on edge. Drive-by shootings are routine. Gang members spray bullets at rivals, sometimes striking innocent children. Some Latino gangs arm themselves with assault-style rifles, as if handguns aren't destructive enough. The Chicago Police Department logged 771 homicides in Chicago in 2016, a body count higher than the city had seen in two decades. CPD's tally for 2017 is lower, thankfully, but still barely fathomable: some 650 dead. New York, which has triple the population of Chicago, is on pace to report fewer than 300 homicides in 2017. It's imperative that Chicago keep driving down its homicide toll in 2018, yet that demand comes etched with tragedy. After all, how many killings would be acceptable? Not one. With each murder, a life ends, a family suffers, a community reels. So are we to root for 300 homicides? 400? 500? This focus on body counts is a lurid necessity to assess trends in public safety. But increases or declines in annual totals can be illusory. There are thousands, yes thousands, of shootings each year in Chicago. The difference between being wounded and killed can come down to how swiftly a victim gets to the hospital. Each shooting is a discrete event, involving a motive, availability of a gun, quality of aim, even the weather. So patterns can deceive. As Northeastern University criminologist James Alan Fox has counseled us: "Short-term crime shifts are not reliable trends. Do not make more of them than they deserve." This we can say as 2018 arrives: No matter a neighborhood's income level, gun violence terrorizes its law-abiding citizens, takes them hostage in their homes. The gang warfare these citizens endure is a hopeless act of nihilism. The pathologies won't change overnight, but actions by Mayor Rahm Emanuel, law enforcement authorities, state lawmakers and city aldermen, and members of these communities have impacts. The good news is that Chicago has made some progress. From that, entering 2018, an agenda: _ The Police Department, which continues to embrace technology and data analytics as crime-fighting tools, reports the evidently resulting decline in homicides. In districts such as Englewood, CPD installed a Strategic Decision Support Center, a high-tech nerve center staffed by police and civilian data analysts. The district is wired with video cameras and ShotSpotter sensors to determine locations of gunfire. At best, support centers can anticipate violence. Shootings and homicides in high-crime Englewood were down about 45 percent in 2017. We hope more lives will be saved as Chicago opens more support centers. _ Gov. Bruce Rauner signed legislation in 2017 that calls for punishing repeat gun offenders with longer prison sentences. This adds a deterrent factor and keeps violent criminals off the streets longer. The more lawmakers and judges do to discourage gangbangers from carrying weapons, the safer Chicago should be. And the more aldermen encourage communities to cooperate with law enforcement, the likelier Chicago is to stop shooters. _ The most sweeping action Emanuel can take to fight violence is finish reforming CPD. The culture of policing in Chicago has long been blighted by officer misconduct. The accountability system is broken. This has turned many residents against officers who might otherwise help cops fight crime. To repair trust, Emanuel has to finish restructuring police training and procedures. He must complete negotiations with Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan on robust oversight protocols to replace a planned federal consent decree that was shelved by the Trump administration. Killings, alas, will continue. But Chicagoans often have shown they can diminish the violence. As 2017 brought progress, let 2018 intensify that trend. The above editorial appeared in the Chicago Tribune. It was distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. By Tong Kim The year 2017 was a year of turbulence and tension on the Korean Peninsula. Perhaps, the biggest blessing for all was that somehow war was avoided. There were close escapes from risks of war caused by North Korea's provocations, scary shows of force in reaction by the U.S., and from a bombastic exchange of bellicose rhetoric between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. In the South, conservative President Park Geun-hye was impeached and fired. She is still going through a criminal trial. Moon Jae-In, a liberal, was elected president in a special election. Many agree these extraordinary events could not have happened without the power of the people's "candlelight vigil." Many things, including Seoul's policy on the North, have changed during the last six months, except for the constitutional continuity that highlighted the maturity of democracy in the country. Moon's government has been struggling with a strategic approach, proven ineffective thus far, to improve relations with the North toward a goal of reducing tensions and curbing or at least slowing down Pyongyang's weapons development. Domestically, President Moon, while popular with a 70 percent approval rating, is confronting a formidable challenge from the conservative opposition parties on a range of foreign policy issues from North Korea to the U.S., China, and Japan. In the North, throughout the last year as in many previous years, the regime kept on its obsessive nuclear ambition, advancing its nuclear and missile programs toward completing an operational nuclear force, conducting a large underground hydrogen bomb detonation and test-launching at least 17 ballistic missiles. North Korea, claiming its nuclear arsenal is to deter U.S. threats of invasion, has actually become a threat to the United States, beyond South Korea and Japan. In November, Kim Jong-un declared that the DPRK has "realized" its nuclear force and can now strike the continental United States. He believes the deaths of Saddam Hussein and Moammar Gadhafi were because they did not have nuclear weapons. He believes that only nuclear weapons can guarantee his survival. The U.N. has imposed the toughest sanctions ever, cutting off roughly 90 percent of Pyongyang's export revenue, including exports such as coal, iron, seafood, and textiles, and phasing out North Korean workers who earn foreign currency from abroad. Countries are severing diplomatic ties from the DPRK. Yet, North Korea is sustaining itself by tightening the belts of its already hungry people. It remains to be seen whether the pressure campaign led by Washington and its allies with broad participation by the international community will succeed to force the North to come to the table of denuclearization talks. As any military option becomes more dangerous or even impossible in view of the North's rapidly advancing nuclear capability that can strike back in retaliation, coercive policy is inevitably restricted to economic and diplomatic sanctions. And this is where U.S. policy is today. U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson published an op-ed in the New York Times on Dec. 27, offering no alternative to the current U.S. policy. He pointed out some progress in U.S. diplomacy on North Korea, which President Trump identified as the greatest U.S. security threat after he took office. American diplomacy has successfully galvanized support and participation of the international community to pressure and isolate North Korea to see if its behavior might change. The top U.S. diplomat hopes international pressure will bring North Korea to "serious negotiations on the abandonment of its nuclear and ballistic missile programs." The U.S. keeps saying China "could and should do more" for the realization of a denuclearized Korean Peninsula. However, China is sticking to its strategy to keep the North Korean regime afloat, refusing to cut off crude oil to the North by 100 percent. North Korea still has a geo-strategic value to China's core interests. In December, Tillerson revealed that Washington told Beijing that in case U.S. troops must advance to the North, it would only be for the purpose of securing North Korea's nuclear weapons for safe disposition and the U.S. troops would retreat to south of the 38th parallel once their mission would be accomplished. Tillerson has publically stated "four no's" on North Korea: No pursuit of regime change, no collapse of the regime, no accelerated unification, and no excuse to advance American troops north of the 38th parallel. In addition, he always said the U.S. keeps the door open to talks for a peaceful resolution, which should be the task of diplomacy. However, there have been instances in which diplomacy is constrained by the president of the United States. Trump does not give full support for efforts at a diplomatic resolution beyond the pressure campaign. He speaks of or tweets explicit and implicit threats of "fire and fury" on and "total destruction" of North Korea. Trump's "America first" national security strategy revealed Dec. 18 did not contain what exactly he would do to North Korea, other than "It will be taken care of. We have no choice." He says he is committed to "achieve the denuclearization of North Korea," although "there is more to do." He says he would not allow North Korea to threaten the United States and the world with its weapons of mass destruction. Knowing Trump's North Korea policy, nothing that can help a peaceful resolution is expected from Washington. The same is true from Beijing or Moscow. However, there is some hope in Seoul's efforts to make something positive out of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics that South Korea will host in February. Encouraged by the spirit and tradition of a ceasefire between warring parties during the Olympic Games, Seoul is proposing a deferment of the annual South Korea-U.S. military drills to a later period after the Winter Olympics. Seoul is not seeking for a start of the so-called double freeze that has been proposed by China and Russia. Postponement of the exercises could contribute to Seoul's effort to lure North Korean athletes to PyeongChang and to the safety of all participating Olympians. The Trump administration's belated confirmation of U.S. participation was seen as an unwelcome attitude to South Korea's hosting of the 2018 Winter Olympics. A real turning point may come surprisingly from Pyongyang through a New Year's message by its leader Kim Jong-un. His message will probably carry self-praise for its alleged accomplishments, including a series of nuclear and missile tests "for defense," political consolidation, and progress in the continuing struggle for economic development in isolation and sanctions. He may say again that Pyongyang's decision to pursue nuclear armament was the right one, as the nation is constantly threatened by "the U.S. warmongers and their stooges". Kim's New Year's message will say the North will continue to pursue the Byongjin policy _ for parallel development of a nuclear force and a self-sufficient economy. On the other hand, the North is a de facto nuclear state and now it may feel that it has enough leverage to engage in negotiations with Washington and Seoul. Recently, Tillerson said that the North has to earn talks, by showing a period of restraint from provocation and seriousness in eventual denuclearization. All know that North Korea wants to be recognized as a nuclear weapons state. But, it is doubtful if the North Koreans really believe they can expel U.S. troops from the South and take it over under their own terms, for this is something that will never happen. South Koreans are too strong, too affluent, and too free to let that happen. They are determined to defend their free, prosperous system against any attempt by the North to take it away from them. What's your take? Tong Kim (tong.kim8@yahoo.com) is a Washington correspondent and columnist for The Korea Times. He is also a fellow at the Institute of Korean-American Studies. By Deauwand Myers I say that which I have said before: Religion, I'm sorry, is not good. It's never been good. True believers will point to the myriad of good deeds the religious have done throughout history: law, order, charity, kindness, justice and peace. Indeed, religions have nurtured some of the great achievements in recent memory. The American Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 60s has its roots and foundations in churches and synagogues, for example. Yet, white Christians initiated and perpetuated the genocidal land theft of the Americas and Oceania, and the Atlantic slave trade thereafter. White Christians had afternoon church picnics to view live lynchings of black people with their children watching. I say again, with their children watching. White Christians bombed black Christians, killing four small girls at the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. Christians perpetuated the misery that people of color in America have endured for centuries. Most of my black friends are Christian, so are my parents, so am I (albeit by tradition; I'm Presbyterian). In fact, most black Americans are Christian. I have always found this fact exceedingly disturbing. If the God black folks believe in so fervently was omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent and all-loving, explain the material conditions of black people in America since before its inception. It seems to me centuries of slavery, torture, lynching, mass murder, discrimination and sociopolitical, socioeconomic disenfranchisement experienced by blacks would prove, at the very least, this God is not all-loving. Enumerate the many evils of this world to a true believer: wars, the Holocaust and the casual brutality humans visit upon other humans on a daily basis, and you'll get the usual, insufficient reply: God works in mysterious ways. The vast majority of Muslim countries are shod through with rank misogyny, homophobia and anti-Semitism. Majority-Jewish Israel's apartheid-like occupation leaves most Palestinians in poverty and squalor. Buddhist-majority Myanmar has committed genocide against the Muslim minority Rohingya population. Now, the true believer will point to fascism and communism (atheist-oriented ideologies) as responsible for all sorts of bloodshed. True, the body counts of the Stalinist purges, Nazi Germany, Maoism and the Kim regime of North Korea are very high indeed. But religion, in its truest sense, is the ascribing of mystical, magical powers to inanimate objects, intangible deities, ideas and living and deceased people. Hitler, Stalin, Mao, and the Kim family all cultivated a cult of personality around themselves and/or the state. Repudiation of empirical evidence and rationality is the hallmarks of this cultivation, as with the aforementioned religions. We call this faith. Succinctly, political ideologies can be tribal and religious. Your American conservative is a perfect example. Once, I explained to a conservative acquaintance of mine all the merits of universal medical coverage, and the problems with the American healthcare system: how Americans pay twice and more for healthcare and get far less for it than its counterparts; how American healthcare access and outcomes on every metric lags far behind other wealthy democracies because America has a for-profit healthcare system. His reply was shocking and illustrative: "You're right. But I just don't think the government should be in the business of healthcare." When one's political point of view remains unmoved after being confronted with empirical evidence refuting said view, you have a religion. The Korean conservative, though less recalcitrant, has some of these religious-political traits. The recent presidential election elucidates this nicely. Hong Joon-pyo, chairman of the conservative opposition Liberty Korea Party and chief opponent of President Moon Jae-in, held that family-run conglomerates like Samsung and Hyundai deserve a wide berth, and that labor unions should be weakened. This, in spite of the long, long list of corruption scandals within these chaebol going back decades, including one of the most recent and glaring examples, that of Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong and his company's alleged involvement in graft with the impeached Park and her ill-fated administration. Add to this the rampant wage theft, denial of overtime pay, physical, sexual and psychological abuse occurring in all sectors of Korean employment, but particularly for hourly wage employees, and Hong still believes companies know best and workers' rights are secondary. Most of his conservative peers believe the same. Supply-side, trickle-down economics, a chief tenet of conservatives, is another religious doctrine they hold as sacrosanct. America tried this in the 1980s and again in the early 21st century, and in both cases, it didn't help the poor and working classes. Religions, political or spiritual in orientation, served an important social and psychological function for early human civilization. I get that. But we now know why the sun rises and sets, the causes of most diseases, and the age and scope of our universe. It's far, far past time for humanity to put the religion crack pipe down. Pick up a book. Read. And confess, God was never great. Deauwand Myers (deauwand@hotmail.com) holds a master's degree in English literature and literary theory, and is an English professor outside Seoul. The views expressed in the above article are the author's own and do not reflect the editorial policy of The Korea Times. Pulmuone CEO Lee Hyo-yul Pulmuone Chairman and founder Nam Seung-woo Leading food firm ends 33-year owner management By Park Jae-hyuk Pulmuone Chairman Nam Seung-Woo has retired at the regular retirement age at the beginning of the New Year, handing over management rights to newly appointed CEO Lee Hyo-yul, the nation's leading food firm said Monday. The handover has led the Seoul-based company to end its 33-year owner management, given the new chief executive is not a member of the chairman's family. Nam, who founded the company with about 10 employees in early 1980s, developed Pulmuone into one of Korea's top-tier food firms having 10,000 workers and posting 2 trillion won ($1.8 billion) in annual sales. Three years ago, he announced he would give control over the company to a professional manager, instead of his son. "Most CEOs of global enterprises retire at age 65," he said. "Owner management is better than CEO management for unlisted companies, but it is reasonable for listed companies to hand over the management rights to professional managers." The retired founder will serve as chairman of Pulmuone's board of directors, giving advice to Lee. According to Pulmuone, the new CEO is one of the employees who joined the company in 1983, a year before its incorporation. He was mainly in charge of marketing and sales, promoting the brand at early stages. Because of his efforts, Pulmuone's packaged tofu and bean sprouts could hit the shelves of department stores and supermarkets nationwide. He also pushed ahead with the development of new products, such as ready-to-eat udon, naengmyeon, ramen and spaghetti. Taking over the business rights of Nasoya, one of the leading tofu brands in the U.S. market, he made Pulmuone the top tofu maker in the North American market as well. "Let's make efforts to achieve 5 trillion won sales in the global market," he said in a New Year's message. "Expanding our presence in Southeast Asia and Europe, we will make the second leap as a global hidden champion and a global company focusing on lifestyles of health and sustainability." Maritime transport cargoes - the best way for those who need to transport small consignments. With this type of freight transport is not the customer pays the entire container, and only part of it. This significantly cheapens the overall cost of services and can significantly reduce transportation costs, and hence reduce the cost of goods for consumers, because for many products is the cost of transportation is significant part of its price. Gathering and the formation of cargo directly involved in transport companies. They are working in the field of international transportation, tend to have a number of loyal customers. 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It should be mentioned that in the case of maritime transport of cargoes the cost of insurance will be the same as when sending a container load. But these costs are compensated by the fact that you can save shipping container half empty! While much of corporate America will enjoy a tax cut in the new year, one industry is getting a tax increase it fought hard to avoid. A 2.3% excise tax on medical device manufacturers is set for reinstatement Monday after a two-year hiatus. It was originally imposed in 2013 as one of several taxes and fees in the Affordable Care Act that pay for expanded health insurance under the law. The tax was strongly opposed by the $150-billion-a-year industry that produces items such as catheters, heart stents and artificial joints. In Congress, it was unpopular not only with Republicans, but with many Democrats from states such as Massachusetts and Minnesota, which have large numbers of medical device companies. Congress voted to suspend the tax for 2016 and 2017 with the widespread expectation that it would be permanently abolished before 2018. But various GOP efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act and the taxes associated with it failed, and the sweeping federal tax overhaul recently signed by President Trump didnt eliminate the medical device tax either. Advertisement Industry groups such as the Advanced Medical Technology Assn, or AdvaMed, and the Medical Imaging & Technology Alliance warn the tax will take a $20-billion bite out of the industry over the next decade. What we have seen from past experience is that it comes out of funding for product development, research and the jobs associated with those things, said J.C. Scott, AdvaMeds head of government affairs. We fear we will see employment freezes or reductions and a slowdown in the pipeline for medical innovation. The slashing of the overall corporate tax from 35% to 21% may soften the blow for some manufacturers, industry officials say, but not for all. As the excise tax is applied to sales and not income, it will fall harder on smaller firms and start-ups with promising new products that have yet to yield profits. Supporters of the tax contend manufacturers have overstated both the harm suffered while the tax was in effect, and the potential impact of its resumption. They argue expansion of health coverage under the ACA benefited medical device makers by boosting the potential market for their products and note that other sectors including private insurers and pharmaceutical companies also pay taxes and fees toward the health law and complain less about them. Device makers certainly arent giving up their fight. They still hold out hope of repealing or again suspending the tax. Despite earlier failures, industry officials say congressional backing for repeal remains strong. The next attempt could come in connection with a spending bill needed by Jan. 19 to avert a government shutdown. Boston Scientific, a leading maker of heart stents and other devices, estimates reinstatement of the tax will cost the Marlborough, Massachusetts-based firm $75 million in 2018. The company said that when the tax was suspended, it invested the savings in projects, including a partnership with the Mayo Clinic that combines manufacturing expertise with ideas from physicians for new products to help patients. The reinstatement of the device tax threatens continued investment in programs like these, Boston Scientific said in a statement. Advertisement Some Democrats, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), have said they wont support repeal of the tax unless an equivalent source of revenue is found for the ACA. In a Dec. 20 letter to Trump, AdvaMed urged the president to support repeal of the tax and, in the interim, to direct the IRS to grant companies administrative relief from the tax. That could include such steps as waiving the bimonthly deposit requirement or any penalties resulting from late payments. Retroactive action by Congress next year cannot fully undo the impact of allowing this tax to be triggered on Jan. 1, the companies wrote. When Broadcom proposed ousting Qualcomms board of directors on Dec. 4, it set in motion a high-stakes chess match for control of San Diegos most iconic technology company. The outcome could reverberate not only locally, but throughout the tech industry possibly changing the landscape for firms such as Apple, Google, Microsoft and Intel. Qualcomm invented technologies that manage cellular communications in every smartphone. The hostile takeover bid by rival Broadcom launched after Qualcomms board rejected its $70 per share, $103-billion offer in November looks like it will play out relatively quickly. Qualcomms shareholders will vote on either Broadcoms nominees or Qualcomms slate of candidates by the companys March 6 annual meeting. Advertisement Strategies in this fight remain unclear. Both companies are being cagey about potential moves. But analysts say Broadcom has the ammunition to raise its price for Qualcomm perhaps as high as $100 per share and still come out with a deal that contributes to earnings. If Qualcomms board hopes to fend off Broadcom, analysts believe it must wrap up its slippery acquisition of NXP Semiconductors, which specializes in chips for automotive uses and the so-called internet of things: household and industrial devices that are network-connected. That would make Qualcomm less dependent on smartphones. It also may need to consider new ways to mend its troubled patent licensing division and raise the specter of stiff regulatory resistance to a Broadcom/Qualcomm marriage. All that, plus tout its leadership in the massive market opportunity from new, ultra-fast 5G mobile networks, where Qualcomm has been investing in core technology for nearly a decade. We are probably the best positioned company for 5G and the connected world, said Chief Executive Steve Mollenkopf at a recent Economic Club of Washington, D.C., event. We are sitting in a momentary spot where our revenue is a little bit difficult to model because of these licensing disputes. But those will get resolved, and what youll see is a company that really is providing the fundamental technology into the connected world when the connected world is disrupting almost every industry. The Qualcomm headquarters building in San Diego. (Gregory Bull / Associated Press ) Even that might not be enough, however. Qualcomms ongoing legal battles with Apple and antitrust regulators over patent fees have weighed down its stock price. Advertisement Qualcomms shares slumped 18% this year before rallying in November on news of Broadcoms $103-billion buyout bid. Meanwhile, Broadcoms shares have soared nearly 60% this year. Chief Executive Hock Tan continues to deliver strong financial results. Revenue surged 33% for fiscal 2017. I am sure investors in Qualcomm particularly as the semiconductor space has run up pretty significantly this year outside of Qualcomm have gotten a little fatigued holding onto these shares that have underperformed, said Abhinav Davuluri, an analyst with Morningstar. My guess is a lot of shareholders would think long and hard about taking it if you waved $80 [per share] under their nose, added Bernstein Research analyst Stacy Rasgon. Advertisement Closing the deal with NXP Qualcomms shares last traded above $80 three years ago. To get there again, analysts say the company needs to complete its $38-billion acquisition of Dutch chipmaker NXP. The NXP buyout has yet to receive regulatory clearance in Europe, China and South Korea. Qualcomm expects to nail down approvals early this year. Last month, activist NXP shareholder Elliott Partners began publicly lobbying fellow shareholders for a higher price from Qualcomm. Elliott pegs NXPs value at $135 per share 23% higher than Qualcomms $110 per share price. Qualcomm stood by the current offer. But 80% of NXP shareholders must agree to sell their shares to Qualcomm for the deal to go through. To date only 2% have done so. Advertisement Broadcom says its buyout offer for Qualcomm stands whether the NXP deal closes at $110 per share or not. But Broadcom hasnt said what it would do if Qualcomm agrees to pay more for NXP. Analysts dont expect Broadcom to walk away. Tan could boost his offer for Qualcomm on the condition that it jettison NXP, whose inclusion increases Broadcoms debt load and regulatory risk over potential job cuts. NXP employs 31,000 workers globally. Broadcom has approximately 17,000 employees. The real motivation for Broadcom, where they are weakest, is in connectivity the 4G and 5G part as we transition to the next generation, said Geoff Blaber, an analyst with CCS Insights. That is a substantial gap in their portfolio, particularly as it relates to the internet of things and powering a huge multitude of devices. It is an element that they absolutely have got to have. Getting out of licensing limbo Tan hasnt said precisely what he has in mind to end patent lawsuits with antitrust regulators and Apple, a longtime Broadcom customer. But analysts believe his plans involve slashing royalty rates and making up for any lost revenue by entering long-term chip supply agreements with top smartphone makers and cutting costs. Advertisement Qualcomm has argued that these legal disputes will be settled in time, so drastic changes arent necessary. The stock was $81 not too long ago before all these things hit, so if they could just settle Apple, the stock might be in the $80s again on its own merit, said Mike Walkley, an analyst with Canaccord Genuity. But Walkley added that the Apple/Qualcomm feud is so entrenched that I dont think Apple is going to help them by settling while Broadcom is trying to buy them. My gut tells me Apple would be pleased if Broadcom bought Qualcomm. One step Qualcomm might consider is splitting its licensing division and chip-design arm into separate companies, said Steven Re of Fairbanks Capital Management in Rancho Santa Fe. Advertisement Re believes a split derails the core charge that Apple and regulators levy against Qualcomm that it illegally leverages its market dominance in cellular modems to extract exorbitant patent royalties from smartphone makers, who dont fight back for fear of losing chips supply. While Qualcomm has studied splitting the company several times most recently in 2015 at the behest of activist investor Jana Partners its board has rejected the idea on the grounds that both divisions rely on each other. Drawing the battle lines Last month, Qualcomm rolled out new technologies that deliver Always Connected Windows 10 laptops with 20-plus hours of battery life. It unveiled the latest Snapdragon 845 processor that will power better artificial intelligence, locked-down security and depth-sensing cameras for face/iris scanning ID enabling smartphones from Samsung, Xiaomi, LG and others to keep pace with Apples iPhones. Advertisement Qualcomms long-held position as the R&D engine for the mobile industry particularly for Android and Chinese device makers is a subplot in this hostile takeover saga. But it may be starting to gain more attention. While Broadcom contends Qualcomms customers favor the combination, CNBC reported last month that both Google and Microsoft have raised concerns about a potential merger. The two tech giants are supposedly wary of Apples influence over the deal and worried about Broadcoms reputation for cutting costs rather than investing in new technologies, which could interfere with Qualcomms 5G research. In a research note, analyst Rasgon said Qualcomms 5G efforts would be mostly safe from cuts under Broadcom because its a core franchise that the company needs. But Qualcomms work on long-battery-life chips for laptops, as well as its new Centriq server chips targeting data center computers, would likely be on the chopping block, she said. Advertisement Qualcomm vs. Broadcom The battle lines in Broadcoms hostile takeover bid of Qualcomm are still being drawn, but analysts see a handful of pivotal issues that could tip the scales for each side. Heres what Qualcomm must do: Convince its fatigued shareholders that its more valuable than Broadcoms offer of $70 per share Complete its pending $38-billion acquisition of NXP Semiconductors to diversify beyond smartphones Mend its ailing patent licensing business Tell a 5G growth story Highlight the regulatory hurdles of a Qualcomm/Broadcom merger Make its case quickly; shareholders will decide by the March 6 annual meeting mike.freeman@sduniontribune.com Legal sale of recreational marijuana began in California on Monday with fanfare, celebratory blunts and some anxiety. Companies began selling pot in a relatively small number of businesses Monday, with more expected to join in the coming days and weeks. The state has issued dozens of permits for retailers to begin recreational sales this week, expanding a market that is expected to grow to $7 billion annually by 2020. Several of those retailers are in West Hollywood, but they wont open until Tuesday at the citys request. That makes Santa Anas licensed stores the closest option for Angelenos who want to buy recreational marijuana on New Years Day. Buyers could also trek to San Diego or the Palm Springs area to purchase pot. To sell cannabis commercially in January for recreational or medical use marijuana businesses must have local approval and a state license. Existing medical marijuana dispensaries have been given first priority for recreational sales. Advertisement The city of Los Angeles has yet to start issuing local licenses to pot shops, which stirred unease among some existing medical marijuana dispensaries that have been following city rules. Hundreds of customers everyone from older people in leisure suits to a young man in pajamas got in line waited upwards of an hour to buy such things as pre-rolled joints to topical creams and foods infused with marijuana. Urbn Leaf, which operates stores in Bay Park and Golden Hill, rented a 40-foot bus to bring customers in from a bar in Pacific Beach. The company also had 31 drivers making deliveries in San Diego, which is currently the only part of the county where recreational cannabis can be sold. We can deliver marijuana in 20 minutes; its like pizza, said Will Senn, co-founder of Urbn Leaf. He surveyed the line outside of his Bay Park store and said, This is crazy. We hoped for big crowds, and prepared. But we didnt expect this. By noon Monday, the store had served more than 350 customers, more than it serves all day. Were at capacity inside, we have 75 people in line, and the line is getting longer, Senn said. We would get as many as 1,000 people by the end of the day. Just after midnight, some raised joints instead of champagne glasses. Advertisement Johnny Hernandez, a tattoo artist from Modesto, celebrated by smoking Happy New Year blunts with his cousins. This is something weve all been waiting for, he said. It is something that can help so many people and theres no reason why we should not be sharing that. Hernandez said he hoped the legalization of recreational marijuana would help alleviate the remaining stigma some still believe surrounds marijuana use. People might actually realize weed isnt bad. It helps a lot of people, he said. Advertisement Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguin and state Sen. Nancy Skinner were on hand for a ribbon-cutting ceremony as his city began selling marijuana legally. Customers began lining up before dawn Monday outside Berkeley Patients Group, one of the oldest dispensaries in the nation. A big crowd also gathered at Harborside dispensary in nearby Oakland. 1 / 10 Taylor Anthony, from New York, takes a whiff of marijuana for sale at 420 Central in Santa Ana, Calif., during the first day of legal recreational-pot sales on Jan. 1. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 10 Chris Brown, left, an employee of 420 Central in Santa Ana, Calif., and Jason Ayala thank each other after completing a sale on Jan. 1. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 10 A line of customers extends out of the front door at 420 Central in Santa Ana, Calif., on Jan. 1. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 10 Customer Kurt Elvis talks to employee Kevin Gardner at 420 Central in Santa Ana, Calif., on Jan. 1, the first day of legal recreational-pot sales in California. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 5 / 10 Customers smell marijuana for purchase at Cathedral City Care Collective in Cathedral City on Jan. 1. (Maria Alejandra Cardona / Los Angeles Times) 6 / 10 Bob and Judy Malgeri discuss their purchase options at 420 Central in Santa Ana, Calif., on Jan. 1. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 10 Customers inspect marijuana for sale at Cathedral City Collective Care on Jan. 1. (Maria Alejandra Cardona / Los Angeles Times) 8 / 10 Enrique Rodriguez, left, buys marijuana at Cathedral City Collective Care on Jan. 1, the first day of legal recreational-pot sales in California. (Maria Alejandra Cardona / Los Angeles Times) 9 / 10 Jason Ayala, from New York, reacts to an inspection of a product offered at 420 Central in Santa Ana, Calif., on Jan. 1, the first official day of legal recreational-pot sales in California. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 10 Customers shop for marijuana products at Med Men in Santa Ana, Calif., on Jan. 1. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) Heather Sposeto came to Sacramentos Northstar Holistic Collective with her boyfriend, Matthew Wilcox, to check out the hype around Californias newly legalized marijuana. The 50-year-old Sposeto doesnt smoke pot, but said shes considering starting now that it became legal at 12:01 a.m. Monday. Advertisement She said being in the dispensary, with counters of options ranging from chocolate to bud, felt surreal. Wilcox purchased some pot after perusing the options. The 53-year-old smokes recreationally almost daily but had never been in a dispensary. He said given the price, hes likely to continue purchasing through his personal connections. Jeff Deakin waited all night outside Harborside with his wife and dog. The 66-year-old says its a big deal that they can buy cannabis while feeling safe and secure, without having to make the purchase in a back alley. Californias Bureau of Cannabis Control is continuing to review applications and approve licenses after retail sales of marijuana became legal on the New Years Day holiday. Advertisement Spokesman Alex Traverso says he isnt aware of any problems at the roughly 100 shops around the state that began selling pot Monday. There has been growing anticipation over the beginning of pot sales. We are excited. We just got our state license on Saturday so immediately there was extra energy in everyones step, said Robert Taft Jr., founder of the medical marijuana dispensary 420 Central in Santa Ana. Being part of history is an amazing thing. Taft said he brought in five new cash registers and hired six additional bud tenders in preparation for the new law. He also doubled his inventory and consulted with his attorneys daily to ensure his store was in full compliance. Advertisement Taft has also increased the stores security, adding 24-hour armed guards. Selling recreational marijuana is an all-cash business. Kiloh, president of the United Cannabis Business Assn., now says his dispensary will be able to continue providing medical marijuana to patients in January by operating as a collective until it has received state and local licenses. After weighing their legal options, most of the marijuana shops in his group are operating the same way, Kiloh said. As soon as L.A. grants them approval, those marijuana dispensaries will seek state licenses, he added. For many in the industry, the new law signals a long-awaited shift. Advertisement The days of the dime bag are long, long gone, said Daniel Yi, spokesman for MedMen, one of the three West Hollywood shops that will be selling cannabis for recreational use. Medical marijuana customers at the shop Sunday browsed through lotions, honey and wellness packages infused with cannabis. Some poked at an iPad with a menu showing closeups of different marijuana buds. Yi said the new law will make it hard for the country to ignore the emergence of recreational cannabis. This is the most populous state. Weve popularized yoga. Weve popularized sushi, he said. I think this is going to move the needle like nothing else when it comes to the national conversation. Advertisement Brian Gordon believes the new law will help remove the stigma from a drug that is already widely used. Unfortunately, he said, that progress costs money. When he went to purchase an ounce of low-grade cannabis from his regular West Hollywood dispensary, he was told that the new law would significantly drive up prices. State, city and sales taxes will push up the price of the drug by more than a third. Those who register with the Los Angeles County Department of Health and enroll in the medical marijuana program will be exempted from paying sales taxes, but they will still see a 25% increase. Advertisement Gordon, who is between jobs, said the increase will hurt him and other patients who use the drug for medical purposes. I dont mind paying the extra money if the money is actually being used for good, said Gordon, who uses cannabis to ease his sciatica pain. At a nearby marijuana shop, a bud tender said that patients have expressed shock and anger at the increased cost. This is not right, he said. He requested anonymity because he feared losing his job for speaking about the issue without the shop owners permission. Advertisement The bud tender said he would not have voted to legalize recreational marijuana use if he knew the cost would jump so high. He was worried that additional tax increases would be enacted, and that shop owners will pass on the cost of running a legal marijuana business to customers. The Associated Press contributed to this report. UPDATES: 2:20 p.m.: This article was updated with color from Sacramento. Advertisement 12:25 p.m.: This article was updated with color from San Diego. 10:45 a.m.: This article was updated with more information about the Oakland store. This article was originally posted at 9:05 a.m. When Los Angeles lawmakers have weighed hotly contested issues such as whether to hike the minimum wage or how to regulate street vendors, nonprofits have frequently piped up in the debates ringing through City Hall. Now L.A. could exempt many of those groups from revealing whom they lobby in local government and how much they spend to do so. Nonprofits and lobbying groups are not similarly situated organizations, Serena Oberstein, vice president of the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission, said at a recent meeting. Lobbyists are mostly, if not always, for-profit organizations acting in their own interest. But groups that advocate for open government caution that nonprofits can nonetheless be key players in politics. Advertisement Any information about who has influence over political or legislative decisions is critical context for democracy, said Stephen Larrick, director of the Open Cities team at the Sunlight Foundation. The goal of revealing who is trying to influence politicians is not to make things difficult for lobbyists it is to provide this context. Under its lobbying ordinance, Los Angeles requires people who are paid to try to influence city officials on municipal legislation to register and turn in regular reports on their spending. That can include employees at nonprofits such as the Natural Resources Defense Council, Animal Defenders International and the Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy, an influential group focused on labor and environmental issues that was fined $30,000 last year for failing to properly report its lobbying activities. However, L.A. currently exempts some nonprofits from having to register and report their lobbying those that were created chiefly to provide direct services to the poor, that do so for free and that get government funding to represent the interests of the indigent. When the city started reviewing and updating its lobbying regulations, nonprofits pushed to expand that exemption. The Alliance for Justice, a national association that helps nonprofits participate in the democratic process, argued that all 501(c)(3) organizations should be exempt, saying the complicated requirements could discourage nonprofits from speaking up. Nona Randois, the associations California director, said that some of those requirements could require groups to file frequent reports even if they never contact a city official and merely do research on a city issue. That could discourage a community group from producing a report on the need for more public toilets on skid row, the group argued. Randois also stressed that 501(c)(3)s already face federal restrictions and reporting requirements on lobbying. This would be an additional layer for them, making it harder for them to achieve their charitable missions, she said. Advertisement Groups that help unhoused people find housing, groups that work with low-income communities impacted by toxic land uses, organizations that serve our neediest residents ... they want to be able to continue to advocate for the communities they serve, Randois added. The Inner City Law Center argued that even being categorized as a lobbyist carried stigma that could cause nonprofits to lose donors. And Redeemer Community Partnership, a South L.A. nonprofit that has argued against oil drilling in urban neighborhoods, warned that moneyed opponents like the oil industry could weaponize the rules to attack small community groups. Ethics Commission staffers resisted the idea of a blanket exemption for nonprofits, stressing that the rules are meant to ensure that the public knows who is trying to influence city decisions, no matter why they are doing so. They also warned that totally exempting nonprofits could encourage other groups to start charities in order to dodge lobbying regulations. Advertisement And they stressed that many kinds of involvement in city issues such as speaking at a public meeting will not be counted as lobbying activities. Under the proposed rules, groups would have to devote at least $5,000 to trying to influence a city matter annually before they would have to register. The Los Angeles Lobbyist Assn., a trade group, argued in a letter earlier this year that if a soup kitchen or a homeless shelter had employees trying to sway the City Council to adopt a living wage ordinance or shift more of the city budget to homeless services, the public has a right to know about their lobbying, just as it does about other groups advocating on the same issues. After a string of hearings, the commission instead recommended that the city expand its current exemption, allowing any 501(c)(3) organization that gets less than $2 million in total income annually to avoid registering. The commission also recommended exempting any 501(c)(3) nonprofits that were formed primarily to provide food, clothing, shelter, health care and other assistance to disadvantaged people at reduced rates, no matter how much money they took in. Advertisement Those recommendations were closely modeled off a proposal touted by several nonprofits at a recent Ethics Commisssion meeting. The organizations had offered up the idea as an alternative to exempting all charities. They argued that bigger organizations were more likely to have the resources to track and report their lobbying at the city level. But the proposed exemption would also free bigger organizations that help the poor with food, clothing, legal assistance or other aid from having to report their lobbying. It is unclear exactly which organizations that might cover, but some nonprofits that assist the disadvantaged have been important and sometimes controversial players in local politics. The AIDS Healthcare Foundation, a massive nonprofit headquartered in Hollywood, provides medical care for people with HIV and AIDS across the globe. Earlier this year, it devoted millions of dollars to an unsuccessful campaign for a ballot measure that would have imposed new restrictions on L.A. real estate development. After the election, it has continued to fund the Coalition to Preserve L.A., which has raised concerns about city planning issues. Earle Vaughan, president-elect of the Apartment Assn. of Greater Los Angeles, said he understands the financial pressures facing small nonprofits, but large organizations such as AIDS Healthcare Foundation can certainly afford to be transparent and follow the same rules that we all follow. Advertisement His trade group, which represents apartment building owners, managers and developers, opposes efforts by AHF to roll back a state law that limits rent control. If theyre going to exempt them, they should exempt us, said Vaughan, whose group has registered and reported its lobbying to the city. Under the proposed rules, nonprofits even if they are exempt still must report such spending if they are lobbying the city to get money, property or permits for themselves. The recommended changes, along with other proposed amendments to the lobbying regulations, now head to the Los Angeles City Council for its approval. emily.alpert@latimes.com Twitter: @AlpertReyes A country music festival in Las Vegas: 58 dead. A Baptist church in Sutherland Springs, Texas: 26 dead. The streets of Baltimore last year: nearly 300 dead. Gun violence has received no shortage of attention. But one bright spot has gotten much less: the number of accidental shooting deaths has steadily declined. There were 489 people killed in unintentional shootings in the U.S. in 2015, the most recent year for which data is available. That was down from 824 deaths in 1999, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Taking into account population growth over that time, the rate fell 48%. Experts attribute the decline to a mix of gun safety education programs, state laws regulating gun storage in homes and a drop in the number of households that have guns. While the improvement occurred in every state, those with the most guns and the fewest laws continue to have the most accidental shooting deaths. Advertisement The gains were overshadowed by an overall rise in gun deaths driven by the top two causes: suicides and homicides. Accidents made up just 1.3% of the 36,247 U.S. shooting deaths in 2015. Still, neither side of the gun debate talks much about the progress that has been made. The National Rifle Assn., which opposes most gun control measures, is not eager to acknowledge that gun regulations may be working. The group declined to comment for this article. A spokeswoman for Everytown for Gun Safety, which advocates for gun control, called the decline encouraging but suggested that the CDC data may not capture all accidental gun fatalities because it depends on how local medical examiners classify deaths. The group continues to push for more gun safety measures, highlighting tragedies such as the accidental killing of 14-year-old JaJuan McDowell in 2016. He was visiting family in Savannah, Ga., for spring break when a 13-year-old cousin picked up a gun he said was unloaded. The cousin wanted to show JaJuan it would not fire, but a bullet was in the chamber. It went off, killing JaJuan instantly. The coroner ruled JaJuans death a homicide, and the cousin served a few months in juvenile detention for involuntary manslaughter. Still, his mother, Julvonnia McDowell, says she views her sons death as an accident. He did not intentionally pull the trigger, she said. This was an unintentional shooting. It was preventable. Advertisement McDowell, who lives in Atlanta, now works with Everytown for Gun Safety on educational campaigns there aimed at preventing such shootings. Your kids can go to anyones house ... and it can happen to anyone, she said. Thats why its so important to talk about gun safety and securing guns. Of the 489 people killed in accidental shootings in 2015, more than 85% were male, and nearly 27% of those were between 15 and 24. The rate for that group five deaths per 100,000 people was more than triple the national average. Men between 25 and 34 were the next-most vulnerable group. The rates for males under 15 was far lower, perhaps due to so-called child access prevention laws, which allow for criminal or civil charges to be filed against a gun owner if a child gains access to a firearm that is not securely stored. Advertisement Congress has resisted making such legislation. But a total of 27 states now have such laws, with 14 states making improper gun storage a criminal offense. In Hawaii and Massachusetts, a person could face criminal charges even if the firearm is unloaded. Massachusetts, which has the lowest rate of unintentional deaths nationwide, is the only state to require that all firearms be stored with a locking device. In California, a law signed by Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown in 2013 made it a third-degree misdemeanor to knowingly store a loaded firearm in a place where an unsupervised child could have access to it. But experts say such laws are probably only part of the story behind the statistics. Advertisement Jon S. Vernick, co-director at the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research, says the decline in unintentional shooting deaths has been underway for at least three decades. In 1981, for example, the U.S. total was 1,871, nearly four times the total in recent years. Vernick says that a decline in the share of homes with guns probably plays a major role in the decrease. While Americans continue to purchase guns at all-time highs, they are concentrated in fewer households. In a report published in 2015, researchers at the University of Chicago found that 31% of households reported having a firearm in 2014, down from about 48% in 1977 to 1980. (Los Angeles Times ) Advertisement Hunting accidents may also be down, he said, as the share of Americans who hunt appears to have declined. States that have high rates of gun ownership and strong traditions of hunting have the highest rates of accidental deaths. Between 2006 and 2015, Louisiana had a sizable number of accidental gun deaths 321 and the highest average annual rate by a significant margin 0.71 deaths per 100,000 people. Rounding out the top 10 states were Mississippi, Alabama, West Virginia, Arkansas, Wyoming, Montana, Kentucky, Alaska and Tennessee. Of those, Mississippi, Kentucky and Tennessee have gun storage laws. The accidental gun death rate in Louisiana was more than 25 times that in Massachusetts. (Los Angeles Times ) Advertisement Yet even many of the states with the most deaths have seen steep declines. In Alabama, for example, the number of deaths per 100,000 people fell from 1.15 in 1999 to 0.41 in 2015. Some experts caution that the national drop could also reflect, at least in part, changes in how medical examiners classify deaths determinations that the CDC relies on for its data. Intent is not always obvious in the case of self-inflicted gunshot wounds whether the shooting was accidental or suicide, said Robert Anderson, who leads the statistics branch at the CDC. Medical examiners and coroners often will use accidental manner of death as default in the absence of compelling evidence of suicide. More thorough investigations are, I think, likely to turn up such evidence and result in fewer accidental deaths. Researchers say uncertainty over what is driving the decline also stems from a lack of federal funding to study the issue. Advertisement In 1996, the Republican-controlled Congress passed the so-called Dickey Amendment, which stipulated that money appropriated to the CDC could not be used to advocate or promote gun control. The provision remains in place. If we had seen this kind of decline in some other public health area like an infectious disease I guarantee that by now we would have nailed down the reason for the decline, Vernick said. The lack of robust federal funding for gun violence prevention research by comparison, for example, with infectious diseases means that we dont know for sure. kurtis.lee@latimes.com Twitter: @kurtisalee Advertisement ALSO The NRA, steadfastly against expanded gun regulation, now is ready to compromise on bump stock devices. What happened? All 58 victims of Las Vegas mass shooting died from gunshot wounds, many to the head, coroner says In a year racked by mass shootings, including the deadliest in U.S. history, a spasm of violence here on the last day of 2017 added one more to the grim tally. Four Douglas Country sheriffs deputies responding to a noise complaint were ambushed by a gunman who sprayed them with more than 100 bullets. All four were hit. Those who could crawled away. But Deputy Zackari Parrish, 29, was shot repeatedly and killed. Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock said at a news conference that the officers were responding to a complaint about raised voices at the Copper Canyon Apartments in Highlands Ranch, about 12 miles south of Denver, at about 5:15 a.m. Advertisement One of the two men in the apartment let them inside. Spurlock said the other, identified as 37-year-old Matthew Riehl, spoke briefly with the officers before firing on them from a bedroom. Almost immediately he began shooting, Spurlock said. They were all shot very quickly. It was more of an ambush attack on our officers. They knew we were coming. With all of the officers down, a second unit went in to rescue Parrish. In an exchange of gunfire, a fourth officer was wounded and the gunman was killed. All the wounded officers are in stable condition at local hospitals, authorities said. Two civilians also sustained non-life-threatening injuries. Authorities said the gunman used a rifle but did not identify the type. The other man in the apartment is cooperating with law enforcement. As the sheer scope of the incident set in, an extraordinary scene unfolded. Parrishs body was placed inside a black hearse and escorted from Littleton Adventist Hospital by a fleet of 60 law enforcement vehicles and motorcycles. The moment was carried live on local television. One resident stood on a sidewalk bearing an American flag as the procession went past. Parrish had been a deputy for just seven months, and Spurlock grew emotional as he recounted having to speak to his widow. This is a tragic day. Zack was a good kid, a smiley kid, eager to work, eager to serve, he said. His wife told me he loved this job, loved coming to work each day. Advertisement He said Parrish had two very young children but did not give their ages. Spurlock said he expected to learn more once the officers body-camera footage was processed. The gunman was well known to law enforcement but did not appear to have a criminal record in the Denver area, Spurlock said. He did not elaborate on previous interactions with the suspect. Hours after the shooting, dozens of officers could be seen moving in and out of an apartment not far from the leasing office. After staying inside most of the day, Summer Sayed, 21, finally ventured out. She and her family moved here from Egypt and were awakened Saturday morning by the sound of gunfire. Advertisement I didnt know what it was at first, then my sister said, Thats a gun, she said. We have never had an issue here before. This is pretty shocking. Why did it happen here? Who has the nerve to do this? My mom is pretty shaken up. We are thinking twice about living here. Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, a Democrat, wished a speedy recovery to the wounded. The call to protect and serve too often leads to this ultimate sacrifice. We are grateful for the service of Deputy Parrish, his fellow deputies, and that of the Castle Rock police officer, he said. We pray for them and their families strength and resolve in the days and months ahead. President Trump offered his condolences to the victims of the terrible shooting in Douglas County and their families. Advertisement We love our police and law enforcement God Bless them all, he tweeted. The shooting punctuates a year of gun violence, sobering even in a country long accustomed to mass killings. The deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history occurred on Oct. 1, when Stephen Paddock, 64, opened fire on concertgoers from the window of the Mandalay Bay hotel in Las Vegas, killing 58 and injuring more than 500. On Nov. 5, Devin Patrick Kelley, 26, shot 26 people to death and wounded 20 inside the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas. Advertisement The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund reports 44 officers killed by firearms this year, compared to 65 last year. As we prepare to usher in the New Year, I hope that every single American will resolve to get involved and demand our lawmakers do more to end the gun violence that kills more than 90 Americans every day, Shannon Watts, a Colorado resident and founder of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, said in a statement after Sundays shooting. Karin Asensio, a volunteer with the group, lives in Highlands Ranch, a largely safe, middle-class enclave of about 100,000 south of Denver. This tragedy happened in my neighborhood less than a mile from my home and feels deeply personal, she said. Its another devastating reminder that gun violence can and does happen anywhere. It is my hope that in 2018, elected officials in our state will do more to prevent the gun violence that has become commonplace in our country. Advertisement An investigator heads to the scene of shooting Sunday in Highlands Ranch, Colo. (David Zalubowski / Associated Press ) Kelly is a special correspondent. UPDATES: 7:10 p.m. This story has been updated with the name of the gunman and new details of the shooting and information about other gun violence. Advertisement 2:30 p.m.: This story has been updated throughout with staff reporting. 1:29 p.m.: This story has been updated with details and quotes from Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock, and the conditions of the injured deputies and civilians. 11:16 a.m.: This story has been updated with the health status of three victims. 8:40 a.m.: This story has been updated with authorities saying 1 deputy was killed, four others injured and the suspect believed to be shot dead. Advertisement 7:59 a.m.: This story has been updated with authorities saying they responded to a domestic disturbance this morning. This story originally published at 7:35 a.m. President Trump finally got the major legislation he wanted when Congress passed a massive tax cut. Whether this will be an enduring legacy, however, is another question. The next Democratic Congress should be able to undo much of the tax bill and, for that matter, much of what this administration has wrought through legislation. As the so-called resistance looks ahead to another year of protest, Trump opponents should distinguish between whats likely to stick, and what isnt. For all the talk about how Trump was a different, more populist kind of Republican, the tax law he signed is cartoonish proof that the GOP is slavishly devoted to the interests of the rich. And despite the tax reform label, House Speaker Paul Ryans crowning achievement does not simplify the tax code; it makes the tax code more complex. It was so hastily drafted and contains so many new giveaways to the wealthy that tax attorneys will be among the biggest winners. Its a huge gift to people who least need relief in a time of increasing inequality. One of the most telling features of the bill is that the modest breaks for the middle class are set to expire in less than a decade, while the corporate cuts are permanent. As a result, the bill is remarkably unpopular, with surveys suggesting that it is opposed by more than half of the population and supported by only a third. Indeed, since the advent of modern polling, the only major legislative initiative that was less popular with the public was the Republican proposal to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Legislation isnt forever. Damage to the nations reputation isnt forever, either. Advertisement What makes programs like Social Security sticky is that they provide valuable benefits to ordinary people. Tax reform doesnt qualify. The next unified Democratic government will not pay a political price for modifying the GOPs deeply unpopular cuts. Democrats will probably not fully repeal the bill many of the middle-class breaks may be extended, for example but they can and will substantially increase taxes on the wealthy the next time they have the opportunity. Of course Trump is making his presence felt beyond legislation. As president, he has a great deal of power to affect how legislation is implemented after the fact. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt is busy dismantling critical regulations. Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions is reducing civil rights and voting rights enforcement. The interim director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has literally removed consumer protection from the bureaus mandate. And similar changes are happening throughout the executive branch. As with the tax cut, however, such policy changes will mostly not endure. The next Democratic nominee to head the EPA will prioritize environmental protection over corporate profits. The next Democratic attorney general will robustly enforce civil rights. The next Democratic head of the CFPB will see his or her job as protecting consumers rather than dismantling consumer regulations. Granted, some damage by Trump cronies cant be undone. The deregulation of carbon emissions, even on a short-term basis, will hurt the whole planet. Victims of employment discrimination or police brutality who get claims rejected will probably never be made whole. Consumers who get ripped off under practices that have been made legal by the CFPB are out of luck. And the next Democratic administration will have to spend time and resources undoing policy changes, sapping energy that could have been used elsewhere. Perhaps most concerning, from a long-term perspective, is the Trumpification of the judiciary. When the Senate confirmed the 49-year-old arch-conservative Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court, it instantly granted Trump a durable political win. Just how much of a win will depend on future events. Gorsuch replaced Antonin Scalia, another arch-conservative. But three nonconservative Supreme Court justices the moderate Anthony M. Kennedy and the liberals Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen G. Breyer will be 80 by the midterm elections. If one of them leaves the court and Trump confirms a replacement, the court will move rightward for decades. This shift would have a huge influence on the course of American politics, not least by sharply constraining what the next Democratic Congress can accomplish. Even if Gorsuch is Trumps only Supreme Court nomination, Trump is getting federal judges confirmed at a record rate. Hes packing the lower courts with young, reactionary and, in some cases, comically unqualified judges who will affect American jurisprudence for the worse. Legislation isnt forever. Damage to the nations reputation isnt forever, either. A resounding defeat at the ballot box will suffice to undo much of Trumps handiwork. Reserve your most acute outrage for everything else. Advertisement Scott Lemieux is a lecturer in political science at the University of Washington. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook On issues from climate change to healthcare, there are few things President Trump relishes more than doing the opposite of something his predecessor did. Now an eruption of anti-government protests across Iran the biggest in nearly a decade in the Islamic Republic offers him another way to set himself apart from President Obama. But its a path strewn with foreign policy pitfalls as well as potential opportunities. 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 anti-government protests. Trumps volley of tweets, hailing the protests only hours after they broke out Thursday night, contrasted with Obamas more muted initial response to the 2009 wave of unrest known as the Green Movement that followed the disputed reelection of hardliner Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as president. Advertisement Obama eventually toughened his rhetoric in response to a wide-ranging crackdown by authorities in Tehran. But he also spoke pointedly of wanting to avoid the United States being the issue inside of Iran. Trump has shown few such qualms so far, tweeting 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. Big protests in Iran, the president tweeted Sunday from his beachfront Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Fla. 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. Supporters of the president, who has long called Tehran a threat to the world, consider the protests as something of a vindication of his views. A fierce opponent of the 2015 nuclear disarmament deal that six world powers negotiated with Iran, Trump has rarely missed an opportunity to denounce the government for testing ballistic missiles and backing Shiite militant groups across the Middle East. In October, Trump declined to certify to Congress that staying in the nuclear deal was in Americas interest, a requirement under U.S. law, even though the United Nations nuclear watchdog agency has repeatedly determined that Iran is complying with its obligations under the agreement. In mid-January, Trump will have to notify Congress again and may decide to impose new energy sanctions that could put the United States in violation of the international accord, which was approved by the U.N. Security Council. That would alienate most U.S. allies. Proponents of the nuclear deal argue that the protests show that it has worked unlike North Korea, Iran has no nuclear weapons to threaten the world, and the easing of most international economic sanctions since 2015 did not strengthen the cleric-ruled government. Advertisement Anti-government demonstrations are rare in Iran, where government security forces are widespread. In this case, economic resentment was the trigger for what was initially a scattered round of unauthorized protests in a country suffering high unemployment, rising prices and endemic corruption. But as the demonstrations spread, the message became more broadly political, according to videos shared on social media. Some featured what would previously have been unthinkable displays of defiance, such as tearing down posters of the countrys supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Trump and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley cited human rights considerations in backing the protest movement even as critics quickly noted that the Trump administration has voiced little support for human rights elsewhere. The USA is watching very closely for human rights violations! Trump tweeted Sunday. Haley, in a statement, said the Iranian government was being tested by its own citizens. Advertisement We pray that freedom and human rights will carry the day, she said. Trumps critics also pointed to the presidents inclusion of Iranian nationals in his travel ban, suggesting that his professed sympathy for ordinary Iranian citizens now taking to the streets has clear limits. And views are divided on whether Trumps embrace will help or hurt those challenging the clerics. Suzanne Maloney, deputy director of the foreign policy program at the Brookings Institution, said Trumps endorsement could appear a kiss of death, giving the government a convenient way to discredit the protests. Advertisement But writing on Twitter, Maloney also pointed to a compelling US interest in embracing popular efforts to curtail authoritarianism in the Middle East. Even some Trump allies, however, say his backing of the Iranian dissenters might not amount to much unless he articulates a more coherent policy toward Tehran than he has to date. President Trump is tweeting very sympathetically to the Iranian people, Sen. Lindsey Graham, (R-S.C.) said Sunday on CBS Face the Nation, but added: You cant just tweet here you have to lay out a plan. For its part, Iran, like Trump, is quick to fall back on past insults to galvanize national pride. Advertisement In comments published Sunday his first since the protests began President Hassan Rouhani made scathing reference to Trumps gibes at the U.N. General Assembly in September, when the president denounced Iran as a rogue nation. Trump shared video of his anti-Iran comments on Twitter this weekend. This gentleman who today sympathizes with our people a few months ago called us a terrorist nation, and from head to toe has been against Iran, Rouhani said. Trump is easy to demonize in Iran since he has cast his lot decisively with Israel and Saudi Arabia, Irans most dedicated foes in the region. Although there is no known U.S. involvement in the protests, Trumps tweets allowed Iranian officials to argue that the political unrest was fomented by outside forces. Our enemies, especially those who have no standing in their [own] countries and have not been elected by people, have claimed to be backing our people and our peoples rights in the past few days, said Irans interior minister, Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli, according to official media reports. Advertisement 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. And government rhetoric has sharpened, including an ominous warning Sunday from Fazli, who said on state television that lawbreakers would pay the price. Regardless of Trumps stance, some analysts suggested that internal dynamics, not presidential tweets, will determine whether the wave of unrest has already crested or will continue to gain strength. These protests are very unlikely to result in a revolutionary tipping point for Iran, said Cliff Kupchan, chairman of the Eurasia Group, a political risk consultancy. He noted that the demonstrations in 2009 were much larger and better organized than those now underway, and had more clearly defined goals. The Green Movement protests drew millions of people into the streets and lasted for six months. Advertisement But unrest is unpredictable, Kupchan wrote, and coming days could take unexpected turns. Staff writer King reported from Washington and staff writer Zavis from Beirut. Staff writer Tracy Wilkinson contributed reporting from Washington. laura.king@latimes.com @laurakingLAT Advertisement Alexandra.Zavis@latimes.com Get ready, California. What had been a behind-the-scenes dash for cash closely watched by few other than political observers is about to burst into public view. Voters this year will decide who will succeed Democrat Jerry Brown as the next governor and whether they will send U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein back to Washington. Before the June 5 primary, candidates will ramp up their campaigns with messages on television and stuffed into mailboxes. Heres a primer on the states two marquee races. The money Candidates spent the final days of 2017 dialing for dollars before the year-end fundraising deadline. Their hauls for the last six months of the year will be closely scrutinized once financial disclosure reports become public this month. These are the dollars that will fund the television ads, mailers, campaign offices and field staff that could prove crucial in determining which two candidates advance to the general election. In the governors race, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom has dominated fundraising to date, in part because he entered the contest nearly three years ago. State Treasurer John Chiang and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa have raised millions too and are hoping to reduce Newsoms gaping financial advantage. Former state schools chief Delaine Eastin, Assemblyman Travis Allen and businessman John Coxs reports will also be scrutinized to determine whether they have raised enough money to fund a statewide campaign. The race to become Californias next governor is already awash in cash Newsom leads the pack so far. Los Angeles Times Data Desk In the Senate race, its crucial for state Senate leader Kevin de Leon to demonstrate he can raise enough money if he wants his campaign against Feinstein to be taken seriously. She had nearly $4 million in the bank as of Sept. 30, before he announced his candidacy. Feinstein, first elected in 1992, has the support of the partys most powerful and moneyed interests, along with her own wealth to self-fund a campaign if necessary. Among the obstacles De Leon faces is whether he can convince donors to risk angering the veteran senator by contributing to his campaign. The financial disclosure reports will provide the first clear window into their financial standings. The field Both contests are uncertain until the field is set. And that means people are waiting for billionaire environmental activist Tom Steyer to make a decision. His entrance in either race would be an immediate game-changer because of his willingness and ability to self-fund a campaign. Steyer has flirted with running for statewide office multiple times but has always taken a pass and instead spent tens of millions of dollars on contests across the country. He has recently been preoccupied with a $20 million campaign calling for the impeachment of President Trump, an effort that helped him collect contact information on nearly 4 million people and that sparked rumors that he is considering a White House bid in 2020. Steyer recently said in an interview with C-SPAN that he is still weighing a potential run for office. Another question: Will a prominent Republican candidate enter either contest? The filing deadline is March 9. Follow California politics by signing up for our email newsletter Republican relevance The statewide elections will also be another measure of the dwindling power of the California Republican Party. The political home of Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon last saw a Republican elected statewide in 2006, and the partys prospects going into 2018 are not promising. Recent public polling in the governors race shows that the two main Republican candidates in the race Cox and Allen are splitting the GOP vote. If that happens, no Republican gubernatorial candidate will appear on the November ballot. In the Senate contest, no notable Republican candidate is even running. San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer could be the GOP's best shot at statewide office. Gregory Bull / Associated Press A Republican on the general election ballot would be a longshot, no doubt. Its the effects a GOP shutout might have on the rest of the races that the party is worried about. A Democrat-versus-Democrat campaign could dampen Republican voter turnout, hurting the partys chances of keeping control of the U.S. House of Representatives. Democrats are targeting several Republican members of Congress who represent California districts that voted for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential contest. Thats one reason top Republicans including House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy courted San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer widely viewed as the GOPs best bet for statewide office to run for governor. He declined, but some hope hell change his mind. Democratic divisions Democrats have overwhelming political power in the state, controlling every statewide office, strong majorities in both houses of the state Legislature and the majority of the congressional delegation. But there are deepening schisms between the liberal and the establishment wings of the party, first highlighted by the 2016 presidential primary between Clinton and Bernie Sanders. This fracture was on full display at the state party convention, and resulted in a bitter chairpersons race that still has nerves feeling frayed. Gilbert Feliciano, center, and other delegates who supported Kimberly Ellis chant in frustration over the California Democratic Party chair election results. Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times This divide could play a role in the gubernatorial and Senate contests. The winners of each will shape the partys future direction in California and the nation. There will be an early display of those divisions, as well as an early test of the campaigns organizing skills, as candidates seek the official Democratic endorsement at the state party convention February in San Diego. Eric Bauman, the state party chairman, has asked the candidates not to seek the partys endorsement to avoid causing tension and disunity. No one appears to be heeding his call, and campaigns to court individual delegates are well underway. Republican candidates will scramble for their state party endorsement in May. Support our journalism Please consider subscribing today to support stories like this one. Already a subscriber? Your support makes our work possible. Thank you. Get full access to our signature journalism for just 99 cents for the first four weeks. seema.mehta@latimes.com For the latest on national and California politics, follow @LATSeema on Twitter. 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 Wait did the president really say, Mission Accomplished? By Marc Olson Some are recalling the last time a president declared Mission accomplished, in May 2003 when George W. Bush was talking about Iraq. (Stephen Jaffe / AFP/Getty Images) President Trump on Saturday morning thanked his allies in a tweet that declared the airstrikes on Syria perfectly executed, but he might have wished hed stopped there. Instead, he ended his message with the phrase, Mission Accomplished! Thats a line that might have a previous president shaking his head. On May 1, 2003, President George W. Bush declared an end to major combat in Iraq under a Mission Accomplished banner aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln. That war, which began in March 2003, grew into a prolonged conflict that didnt end until 2011. In 2008, the White House said it had paid a price for the backdrop. A perfectly executed strike last night. Thank you to France and the United Kingdom for their wisdom and the power of their fine Military. Could not have had a better result. Mission Accomplished! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 14, 2018 Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Auditor says Pentagon is censoring key data on the war in Afghanistan By Shashank Bengali The Pentagon is blocking the release of data showing how much of Afghanistans territory lies outside government control, censoring a key metric used to gauge progress in the 16-year war, a watchdog agency said Tuesday. The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, an auditing agency established by Congress, said in its latest report that the Pentagon instructed it not to release unclassified data on how many districts and people are controlled or influenced by insurgent groups. This is the first time SIGAR has been specifically instructed not to release information marked unclassified to the American taxpayer, the head of the agency, John F. Sopko, wrote in a letter. Sopko also said the U.S.-led military coalition, for the first time since 2009, classified information about the size and attrition rates of the Afghan security forces, important indicators of progress in building up army and police forces on which the U.S. already has spent $70 billion since 2002. The decision to withhold more information from congressional oversight and the public comes amid growing violence in Afghanistan and an intensifying combat mission involving a greater number of American troops. Following a series of bombings in Kabul that left at least 136 people dead in 10 days, President Trump signaled on Monday that he was focused on trying to win the conflict militarily, saying, We dont want to talk with the Taliban. But data released by SIGAR since 2015 have shown how the insurgents have gained ground against Afghan security forces. In its previous quarterly report, the watchdog said that only 57% of Afghanistans 407 districts were under Afghan government control or influence as of August 2017, the lowest level of control since it began tracking the statistic in December 2015. The steady decline in government control should cause even more concern about its disappearance from public disclosure and discussion, Sopko wrote. The watchdog also accused the Pentagon of overstating the impact of its efforts to combat drug cultivation and trafficking, among the Talibans main sources of revenue. The Pentagon touted airstrikes that destroyed 25 drug labs in November and December, saying it eliminated nearly $100 million of Taliban revenue. The labs being destroyed are cheap and easy to replace, SIGAR said. According to some estimates, they only take three or four days to replace. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Women journalists shunted to rear for Pences visit to Western Wall By Noga Tarnopolsky The view from the womens section. (Noga Tarnopolsky / Los Angeles Times) Vice-President Mike Pences 48-hour visit to Israel stumbled into a public storm Tuesday when female reporters covering his final stop at Jerusalems Western Wall were penned behind four rows of their male colleagues. White House officials told stunned journalists that the arrangement emanated from a request made by the Western Wall rabbi, Shmuel Rabinowitz, and followed Western Wall rules. Some women journalists said they could not recall such treatment in the past. In a statement to Israels Channel 10 news, the Western Wall Heritage Foundation said it was exactly as it was during the visit of the U.S. president to the Western Wall last May. Later in the day, in a statement to the newspaper Haaretz, the foundation blamed the United States embassy in Tel Aviv and Israeli security officials for the segregation, and announced they would reexamine the way they handle such events. Women who covered previous VIP visits said the Pence arrangements were significantly more onerous than previous visits, when male and female journalists were separated but not offered substantially different work conditions. LIVE coverage of our male colleagues granted access to cover VP at Western Wall as we are penned into #PenceFence pic.twitter.com/k3svkxfQsa Noga Tarnopolsky (@NTarnopolsky) January 23, 2018 The arrangement reflected procedures at the Western Wall, Judaisms holiest site, where on regular days, men have access to two thirds of the area available for prayer. Tal Schneider, the diplomatic analyst for Globes, a financial newspaper, protested that the separation of men and women may be valid for the requirements of Orthodox prayer, but no one is praying here. We are here to work. I dont appreciate being restricted in my ability to work because I am a woman, she said. The discriminatory attitude towards women is infuriating and is unbefitting of a modern country. Yael Freidson, the Jerusalem affairs correspondent for Yediot Ahronot, Israels widest circulation newspaper, said she worried that her editors could choose male colleagues for the next assignment, knowing they would have better access. Before Pence arrived, journalists were herded onto a specially constructed platform in the middle of the Western Walls esplanade, with women guided to the right behind a white fence, and men, many carrying cameras, directed to the left, where they had more than double the space. Towards the end of the vice presidents 10-minute visit, male journalists were permitted into the VIP tent where he received a gift from Rabinowitz, while the women remained in their enclosure. None of the men publicly protested the treatment of their female colleagues. Israels Association of Women Journalists filed a formal complaint with Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, herself a woman. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Former Sheriff Joe Arpaio, after his pardon from Trump, says hell run for Senate in Arizona By Kurtis Lee (Mary Altaffer / Associated Press) (Mary Altaffer / Associated Press) Former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who last year was pardoned by President Trump in a case stemming from his enforcement tactics aimed at immigrants, announced Tuesday he will run for the open Senate seat in his home state. I am running for the U.S. Senate from the Great State of Arizona, for one unwavering reason: to support the agenda and policies of President Donald Trump in his mission to Make America Great Again, Arpaio, 85, said on Twitter. Hell enter a Republican primary for the seat being vacated by Republican Sen. Jeff Flake. Last summer, Trump pardoned Arpaio, who was convicted in July of criminal contempt for violating a federal court order to stop racially profiling Latinos. It was Arpaios roughly quarter-century as sheriff that gave him a national reputation for his tough treatment of people suspected of being in the country illegally. Repeated court rulings against his office for civil rights violations cost local taxpayers tens of millions of dollars. In the early 1990s, Arpaio directed construction of a tent city for immigration detainees, a measure he said was intended both to alleviate overcrowding and to underscore his aggressive enforcement measures. But it was open to the burning Arizona sun, and drew widespread criticism. After Trump entered the presidential race in July 2015, Arpaio invited him to Phoenix to talk about a crackdown on illegal immigration. He endorsed Trump just before the first votes in the Iowa caucuses in 2016 and frequently spoke out on behalf of Trumps campaign. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement President Trump ends controversial voter fraud commission By Kurtis Lee President Trump signed an executive order late Wednesday ending the voter fraud commission he launched last year as the panel faces a flurry of lawsuits and criticism from Democrats and Republicans alike. Trump signed the order disbanding the commission rather than engage in endless legal battles at taxpayer expense, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement. The Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity, created by executive order in May with the stated goal of restoring confidence and integrity in the electoral process, has faced a barrage of lawsuits in recent months over privacy concerns, as the commission sought personal data on voters across the country. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Congress returns to work with slimmer GOP majority to accomplish Trumps agenda By Lisa Mascaro Congress returns to work this week with unfinished business on spending, immigration and other crucial issues, but with an even narrower GOP majority that will make it tougher to move on President Trumps agenda. The House and Senate will convene Wednesday, swearing in the newly elected Democratic senator from Alabama, Doug Jones, and Minnesotas Tina Smith to replace a fellow Democrat, Sen. Al Franken, who is resigning as the latest high-profile public figure sidelined by allegations of sexual misconduct. The change gives Republicans only a one-seat margin in the Senate. Trump, fresh off passage of the GOP tax cuts bill, is pushing lawmakers to pivot quickly on his new year priorities of infrastructure investment and immigration, as well as his foreign policy agenda. But another legislative victory seems far off. Republicans have struggled to hold their majority together and Congress first must tackle critical stalled agenda items that leaders punted to 2018. President Trump and Republican lawmakers hold a rally at the White House after passage of the tax cut plan last month. (Michael Reynolds / European Pressphoto Agency) Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump threatens to cut off U.S. aid to Palestinians By Tracy Wilkinson (European Pressphoto Agency) President Trump on Tuesday angrily threatened to cut off U.S. aid to Palestinians as punishment for what he called their failure to show appreciation or respect to the United States. Writing on Twitter, the president compared the Palestinians to Pakistan, a nuclear-armed ally that abruptly drew his ire this week and a similar threat to drastically curtail aid. He accused the Palestinians of recalcitrance in what he described as their refusal to negotiate a peace deal with Israel. Palestinian officials have said they can no longer use Washington as a broker to restart peace talks with Israel following Trumps Dec. 6 decision to overturn decades of U.S. policy and recognize the disputed city of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and ultimately to move the U.S. Embassy there. The Palestinians also claim part of Jerusalem as the capital of an eventual independent state. Until now, the United States and most of the world agreed the citys political status was a matter to settle in final peace talks. The United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly condemned any effort to recognize Jerusalem as Israels capital, and the Palestinian leadership said it would not meet with Vice President Mike Pence, who had planned a trip to the region. That trip is on hold. [W]e pay the Palestinians HUNDRED [sic] OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS a year and get no appreciation or respect, Trump wrote on Twitter. [W]ith the Palestinians no longer willing to talk peace, why should we make any of these massive future payments to them? In response to Trumps tweet, Hanan Ashrawi, a senior Palestinian official, issued a statement saying: Palestinian rights are not for sale. By recognizing Occupied Jerusalem as Israels capital Donald Trump has not only violated international law, but he has also singlehandedly destroyed the very foundations of peace and condoned Israels illegal annexation of the city. We will not be blackmailed, she said. President Trump has sabotaged our search for peace, freedom and justice. Now he dares to blame the Palestinians for the consequences of his own irresponsible actions! The United States does not pay large amounts of money directly to the Palestinian Authority, the government that rules over parts of the Palestinian West Bank. Instead, most money goes to the U.N., refugee or aid agencies and even Israel to pay for roads, welfare, schools, security and other Palestinian projects. The U.S. ambassador to the U.N., Nikki Haley, said Tuesday that the administration was planning to cut off one of those organizations, the U.N. Relief and Works Agency, until the Palestinians return to the negotiating table. UNRWA, which receives around $300 million annually from the U.S., for years has been the lifeline to hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees living in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. It was not clear if Haley was threatening to cut all U.S. support for the agency. Special correspondent Noga Tarnopolsky in Jerusalem contributed to this report. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print The White House stops short of calling for government overthrow in Iran By Brian Bennett University students attend an anti-government protest at Tehran University on Dec. 30, 2017. (AP) President Trump wants Iran to give its citizens basic human rights and stop being a state sponsor of terror, his top spokeswoman said, but the White House stopped short of calling for a change of government in Tehran. If they want to do that through current leadership, if thats possible, OK, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters. Sanders praised the organic popular uprising, which she said the widespread protests in Iran represented. The protests grew out of years of years of mismanagement, corruption, and foreign adventurism have eroded the Iranian peoples trust in their leaders, she said. Earlier Tuesday, Trump called Irans government brutal and corrupt and wrote in a tweet: The people have little food, big inflation and no human rights. The U.S. is watching! Trump also blamed President Obama for foolishly giving Iran money that he said went to fund terrorism. The money he referred to were funds belonging to Iran that had been frozen by the U.S. and were released as part of the deal in 2015, which blocked Irans development of nuclear weapons. The people of Iran are finally acting against the brutal and corrupt Iranian regime. All of the money that President Obama so foolishly gave them went into terrorism and into their pockets. The people have little food, big inflation and no human rights. The U.S. is watching! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Retirement of Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch clears the way for a Mitt Romney revival By David Lauter (Romney family) The retirement of Utahs senior senator, Orrin G. Hatch, opens the way for a widely expected Senate bid by Mitt Romney, the Republicans 2012 presidential nominee and a frequent critic of President Trump. Although Romney previously served for two terms as governor of Massachusetts (and was raised in Michigan, where his father was governor and his mother ran for the Senate), he comes from a prominent Mormon family with strong ties to Utah. He also served as chief executive of the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics. Hes viewed as a strong candidate for the Senate seat. Romneys criticisms of Trump, however, could prompt a challenge in a Republican primary. Trump was widely reported to have tried to convince Hatch to run for a seventh term, in part to head off a Romney candidacy. Last month, Romney and Trump were on opposite sides of one of the biggest political fights of the fall the battle over the Senate seat from Alabama. The president strongly supported Roy Moore, the Republican candidate who had been accused of sexual misconduct by several women. Romney called Moore a stain on the GOP. Roy Moore in the US Senate would be a stain on the GOP and on the nation. Leigh Corfman and other victims are courageous heroes. No vote, no majority is worth losing our honor, our integrity. Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) December 4, 2017 On Tuesday, Romney tweeted praise for Hatch, but did not immediately reveal his own plans. I join the people of Utah in thanking my friend, Senator Orrin Hatch for his more than forty years of service to our great state and nation. Read my full statement: https://t.co/YwjUpjez5y Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) January 2, 2018 Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print U.S. calls on Iran to unblock social media sites amid protests By The Associated Press Anti-riot police prevent university students from joining other protesters in Tehran on Dec. 30. (Associated Press) The Trump administration is calling on Irans government to stop blocking Instagram and other popular social media sites as Iranians are demonstrating in the streets. Undersecretary of State Steve Goldstein says the U.S. wants Iran to open these sites. He says Instagram, Telegram and other platforms are legitimate avenues for communication. The United States is encouraging Iranians to use virtual private networks, known as VPNs. Those services create encrypted links between computers and can be used to access blocked websites. Goldstein says the U.S. is still communicating with Iranians in Persian through State Department accounts on Facebook, Twitter and other platforms. He says the U.S. wants to encourage the protesters to continue to fight for whats right. Goldstein says the U.S. has an obligation not to stand by. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump blasts Democrats in advance of immigration meeting By Brian Bennett (Brendan Smialowski / Agence-France Presse) The day before a meeting of administration officials and congressional leaders on outstanding legislative business, President Trump accused Democrats of doing nothing to hammer out an immigration deal to protect from deportation people brought to the country illegally as children. Democrats are doing nothing for DACA just interested in politics, Trump wrote in a Tweet on Tuesday morning, referring to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program by its acronym. Democrats are doing nothing for DACA - just interested in politics. DACA activists and Hispanics will go hard against Dems, will start falling in love with Republicans and their President! We are about RESULTS. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 2, 2018 House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer along with the Republican leaders, House Speaker Paul D. Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, are scheduled to meet on Wednesday at the Capitol with Trumps legislative director, Marc Short, and budget director, Mick Mulvaney. The White House on Tuesday said the meeting is to discuss separate spending caps on military and domestic programs. Yet the Democrats insist the discussion also must include a variety of legislative issues that Trump and Congress punted into the new year on immigration, the budget, healthcare and more. That stance reflects Democrats leverage: Republicans need Democratic votes to pass a government-funding bill and avert a federal shutdown when the current funding expires Jan. 19. Democrats especially want separate legislation replacing the Obama-era DACA program; Trump in September ordered a phase-out of the program, beginning March 6, and called on Congress to act before then on an alternative way to address the plight of the group. However, Trump has demanded that any alternative must be part of a package including both money for a border wall and immigration limits. Democrats are opposed. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Pakistan hits back after Trump accuses its leaders of lies and deceit By Aoun Sahi Pakistan lashed out Monday after President Trump accused its leaders of lies and deceit and suggested the United States would withdraw financial assistance to the nuclear-armed nation it once saw as a key ally against terrorism. U.S. Ambassador David Hale was summoned to the Foreign Ministry to discuss the presidents statement, U.S. Embassy spokesman Richard Snelsire said. Pakistan lodged a strongly worded protest, according to two foreign office officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. Pakistans prime minister, Shahid Abbasi, called a Cabinet meeting for Tuesday and a meeting of the National Security Committee on Wednesday to discuss Trumps New Years Day tweet. It was the presidents latest broadside against Pakistan after a speech in August in which he demanded its leaders crack down on the safe havens enjoyed by Taliban militants fighting U.S.-backed forces in neighboring Afghanistan. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump again cheers on Iran protests By Laura King President Trump expressed renewed support Sunday for protesters in Iran, declaring that people are finally getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism. In a tweet from his Florida estate, Mar-a-Lago, the president said the nationwide economic protests that began on Thursday and have taken on wider political overtones as they have grown in size --- were a signal that Iranians will not take it any longer. Big protests in Iran. The people are finally getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism. Looks like they will not take it any longer. The USA is watching very closely for human rights violations! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 31, 2017 The presidents earlier hailing of the protests drew condemnation from Irans government. A Foreign Ministry spokesman called his comments deceitful and opportunistic. Following an overnight report of the first two fatalities stemming from the protests, Trump raised some eyebrows by expressing concern over human rights violations as authorities move to crack down on the demonstrations. During his first year in office, the president has shown scant inclination to press foreign governments to respect the fundamental rights of their citizens. The USA is watching closely for human rights violations! Trump said in his tweet Sunday. Some domestic critics have pointed to the presidents inclusion of Iranian nationals in his travel ban, suggesting he was more interested in bashing the Tehran government than in supporting freedom of speech in Iran. Even some of the presidents allies said that supporting the protesters on social media did not amount to making policy. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said he had urged Trump to give a national address laying out his Iran strategy. President Trump is tweeting very sympathetically to the Iranian people, Graham said on CBS Face the Nation. But you just cant tweet here. You have to lay out a plan. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Australian diplomats tip a factor in FBIs Russia inquiry By Associated Press Australian High Commissioner Alexander Downer. (Alastair Grant / Associated Press) An Australian diplomats tip appears to have helped persuade the FBI to investigate Russian meddling in the U.S. election and possible coordination with the Trump campaign, the New York Times reported Saturday. Trump campaign advisor George Papadopoulos told the diplomat, Alexander Downer, during a meeting in London in May 2016 that Russia had thousands of emails that would embarrass Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, the report said. Downer, a former foreign minister, is Australias top diplomat in Britain. Australia passed the information on to the FBI after the Democratic emails were leaked, according to the Times, which cited four current and former U.S. and foreign officials with direct knowledge of the Australians role. The hacking and the revelation that a member of the Trump campaign may have had inside information about it were driving factors that led the FBI to open an investigation in July 2016, the newspaper said. White House lawyer Ty Cobb declined to comment, saying in a statement that the administration is continuing to cooperate with the investigation now led by special counsel Robert Mueller to help complete their inquiry expeditiously. Papadopoulos has pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI and is a cooperating witness. Court documents unsealed two months ago show he met in April 2016 with Joseph Mifsud, a professor in London who told him about Russias cache of emails. This was before the Democratic National Committee became aware of the scope of the intrusion into its email systems by hackers later linked to the Russian government. The Times said Papadopoulos shared this information with Downer, but it was unclear whether he also shared it with anyone in the Trump campaign. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump offers fresh support for protesters in Iran as demonstrations continue By Lisa Mascaro Oppressive regimes cannot endure forever, and the day will come when the Iranian people will face a choice. The world is watching! pic.twitter.com/kvv1uAqcZ9 Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 30, 2017 President Trump again offered support Saturday for anti-government protesters in Iran, where a third day of demonstrations, the largest in years, spilled across the country amid fears of a crackdown. Oppressive regimes cannot endure forever, and the day will come when the Iranian people will face a choice. The world is watching! Trump wrote on Twitter. Trump took a break from playing golf near his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida to tweet clips from his speech to the United Nations General Assembly in September when he called for Iranian democratic reforms. Iranian authorities warned of potential violence as the street demonstrations, which began over economic conditions, swelled into frustrations with the theocratic rule of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Trump has maintained a hawkish stance toward Iran, sharply criticizing the landmark nuclear disarmament accord that Tehran reached with then-President Obama and five other nations in 2015. In October, Trump declined to certify the accord to Congress although the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency says Iran is complying with it. Several conservative GOP senators signaled their support for Trumps position and backed the protesters in Iran. Others in Congress did not immediately respond, however, amid conflicting reports over who had organized the demonstrations. Even after the billions in sanctions relief they secured through the nuclear deal, the ayatollahs still cant provide for the basic needs of their own people, said Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), a Trump ally and opponent of the nuclear deal. We should support the Iranian people who are willing to risk their lives to speak out against it, he added. Trump initially tweeted his support on Friday night. White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders issued a statement at that time as protests spread. There are many reports of peaceful protests by Iranian citizens fed up with the regimes corruption and its squandering of the nations wealth to fund terrorism abroad, Sanders said. The Iranian government should respect their peoples rights, including their right to express themselves. The world is watching. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement When it comes to U.S.-Russia relations, it takes two to tango, Kremlin says By Sabra Ayres The deteriorating relationship between the United States and Russia is one of the biggest disappointments of 2017, Russian President Vladimir Putins spokesman told reporters today. Russia would like to rebuild relations between the two adversaries, but it takes two to tango, Dmitry Peskov said today during a conference call with the press. We want and are looking for good mutually beneficial relations based on mutual respect, mutual trust with all countries, primarily with European ones, including the United States, but it is necessary to dance tango, as they say. Peskov blamed the ongoing anti-Russian Russophobia in Washington for playing a major role in blocking the two countries from moving forward in their relationship. U.S. investigations into the Trump presidential campaigns alleged collusion with the Kremlin during the 2016 U.S. election and accusations that the Kremlin tried to interfere with the electoral process continue to cast a dark shadow over the relationship, he said. Peskov told reporters that Moscow was perplexed by the investigations. The Kremlin has continued to deny having any involvement with the Trump campaign or doing anything to interfere with the American election. This is definitely a U.S. domestic affair, but in this case it naturally hurts our bilateral relations, which is regrettable, Peskov said. Relations between the U.S. and Russia have been categorized as the worst theyve been since the end of the Cold War. This year, Washington and Moscow have engaged in a diplomatic tit-for-tat in which both sides have been forced to reduce diplomatic staff, embassy properties have been repossessed by the hosting countries and visa services have been interrupted. The U.S. diplomatic mission to Russia shrank from 1,200 personnel, including some Russian local staff, to just over 450 across all its three consulates and embassy in Moscow. In the U.S., Russia was forced to vacate its San Francisco consulate. Moscow has also blamed anti-Russian sentiments on the recent decision by the International Olympic Committee to ban Russian teams from wearing their tricolor uniforms or flags during the upcoming games in South Korea. The international body accused some of the Russian national teams of doping. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print U.S. and Turkey resume reciprocal issuing of visas but frictions remain By Tracy Wilkinson Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (Associated Press) The United States and Turkey began issuing reciprocal visas again on Thursday, more than two months after normal visa service was suspended in a dispute over the arrest of two U.S. diplomatic staffers in Istanbul the latest friction between the two nominal allies. The State Department said it was lifting the visa restrictions after it was assured by the Turkish government that U.S. Embassy employees would not be arrested when performing their official duties. But the Turkish Embassy in Washington denied assurances were offered concerning the ongoing judicial processes, and suggested that the arrests were legal and justified. It is inappropriate to misinform the Turkish and American public that such assurances were provided, the embassy said in a statement. The dispute has aggravated the already tense relationship between the United States and Turkey, which is a member of the NATO military alliance. The two countries have clashed over U.S. support for Kurdish rebels in Syria and over Turkeys demands that the U.S. extradite a Turkish cleric who lives in rural Pennsylvania. After a failed coup attempt killed more than 250 people in July 2016, Turkeys autocratic president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, launched a harsh crackdown on his political opponents, arresting or firing tens of thousands of teachers, police, journalists, military officers and others. Erdogan accused Fethullah Gulen, an Islamic educator and former political ally, of orchestrating the coup. Gulen, who has lived in a compound in the Pocono Mountains, has denied any involvement. The Justice Department has so far denied Turkeys repeated demands to extradite Gulen. Erdogan raised the issue again at the White House in May, but his visit ended in a public relations disaster when his security guards brutally beat peaceful protesters outside the Turkish ambassadors residence. Two Turkish employees of the U.S. Consulate in Istanbul were arrested this fall for alleged ties to the 2016 coup attempt. The U.S. responded by suspending most visa services at its missions in Turkey in October. The Turkish government reciprocated in November. State Department officials said they have repeatedly demanded more information about any formal charges against the two employees. They reiterated on Thursday that serious concerns about the allegations remained. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump: China caught RED HANDED allowing oil to reach North Korea By Brian Bennett (Andrew Harnik / Associated Press) President Trump isnt taking a holiday vacation from Twitter. In one of three tweets early on Thursday from his West Palm Beach golf club, he charged that China was caught RED HANDED allowing oil shipments to reach North Korean ports. Pronouncing himself very disappointed, Trump in effect was acknowledging the failure of his months-long effort to convince China to clamp down further on energy shipments going to the isolated country, which relies heavily on Beijing, as a way to pressure North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons program. Caught RED HANDED - very disappointed that China is allowing oil to go into North Korea. There will never be a friendly solution to the North Korea problem if this continues to happen! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 28, 2017 Trumps tweet came after a South Korean newspaper published what it said were U.S. spy satellite images of Chinese ships selling oil to North Korean ships. The United Nations Security Council, which includes China, has voted repeatedly to restrict fuel shipments to North Korea. Trump asked Chinese President Xi Jinping in November to cut off North Koreas oil supply entirely, the American ambassador to the U.N., Nikki R. Haley, said at the time. It is unclear if Trumps admonishment of China was based on news reports or classified information he received from U.S. intelligence officials. There was no daily intelligence briefing on Trumps public schedule Thursday. He is expected to return to Washington next week after spending the Christmas holiday and New Years Eve at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Fla. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print President Trump again falsely claims hes signed more bills than any president By Brian Bennett President Trump visits a firehouse in West Palm Beach, Fla., on Wednesday. (Nicholas Kamm / AFP) After another morning at his Florida golf club, President Trump visited firefighters and paramedics at a West Palm Beach firehouse and praised his own performance as president, including with a false boast. Trump touted his administrations work to roll back government regulations and cut taxes and claimed credit for the stock market hitting record highs. He also said hes signed more bills into law than any other president, which isnt true. We have signed more legislation than anybody, Trump said, standing in front of a rescue vehicle inside the fire station. We have more legislation passed, including the record was Harry Truman a long time ago, and we broke that record, so we got a lot done, Trump said. An analysis by GovTrack, a website that tracks bills in Congress, shows that Trump has signed the fewest bills into law at this point than any president in more than 60 years, back to Dwight D. Eisenhower. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trump administration urges Russia to reinstate monitors in Ukraine, lower violence By Tracy Wilkinson Sergei Lavrov (AFP/Getty Images) Secretary of State Rex Tillerson asked Russia on Wednesday to reinstate its military personnel at a monitoring station in eastern Ukraine intended to quell escalating bloodshed. In a telephone conversation with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, Tillerson also urged Russia to lower the level of violence and underscored the Trump administrations concern over increased fighting in Ukraine, the State Department said in a statement. Russia last week withdrew its monitors from the Joint Center on Coordination and Control, which is tasked with verifying a much-violated ceasefire between Ukrainian forces and Russia-backed separatists. Moscow cited what it called restrictions and provocations from Ukrainian authorities that made it impossible for the observers to do their jobs. Washington has accused the pro-Russia forces of being responsible for many of the truce violations. Late last week, the State Department also announced plans to provide Ukraine with lethal defensive weapons, including Javelin anti-tank missiles, a decision that angered Moscow. The State Department statement did not say whether the weapons deal came up in Tillersons conversation with Lavrov. The two also discussed North Korea, its destabilizing nuclear program and the need for a diplomatic solution to achieve a denuclearized Korean peninsula, the statement said. Russia has offered to serve as a mediator between Washington and Pyongyang, but direct talks do not seem likely at this point. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print U.S. sanctions two more North Korean officials for ballistic missile program By Tracy Wilkinson (Associated Press) The Trump administration announced sanctions Tuesday against two more North Korean officials for their alleged role in Pyongyangs expanding ballistic missiles program. The Treasury Department is targeting leaders of North Koreas ballistic missile programs, as part of our maximum pressure campaign to isolate [North Korea] and achieve a fully denuclearized Korean Peninsula, Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin said in a statement. The nuclear-armed country tested an intercontinental ballistic missile last month that U.S. officials said appeared capable of reaching New York or Washington, a significant milestone in the countrys growing arsenal. The Treasury Department identified the two North Korean officials as Kim Jong Sik, who reportedly is a key figure in the ballistic missile program and led efforts to switch missiles from liquid to solid fuel (which makes them easier to hide before launch), and Ri Pyong Chol, who was reported to be a key official in the development of intercontinental ballistic missiles. The sanctions block banks, companies and individuals from doing any business with the targeted officials. It also allows the U.S. government to freeze any American assets owned by the officials. On Friday, the United Nations Security Council unanimously voted to add more sanctions on North Korea, its third round this year. The new measures order North Koreans working abroad to return home within two years, and ban nearly 90% of refined petroleum exports to the country. In a statement published Sunday by North Koreas state-run KCNA news agency, the foreign ministry denounced the new U.N. sanctions as an act of war. We define this sanctions resolution rigged up by the US and its followers as a grave infringement upon the sovereignty of our Republic, as an act of war violating peace and stability in the Korean Peninsula and the region and categorically reject the resolution, it said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Salt Lake Tribune calls on Sen. Orrin Hatch to not seek reelection in scathing editorial Perhaps the most significant move of Hatchs career is the one that should, if there is any justice, end it. The last time the senator was up for reelection, in 2012, he promised that it would be his last campaign. That was enough for many likely successors, of both parties, to stand down, to let the elder statesman have his victory tour and to prepare to run for an open seat in 2018. Clearly, it was a lie. Read the editorial>> Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Christmas Eve, Trump on Twitter: New attacks on FBI official, decrying Fake News By Laura King (Associated Press) President Trump launched a Christmas Eve attack on FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, whom he accuses of favoritism toward his former opponent, Hillary Clinton, and also returned to a longtime favored theme, excoriating the news media for failing to sufficiently extol his accomplishments. .@FoxNews-FBIs Andrew McCabe, in addition to his wife getting all of this money from M (Clinton Puppet), he was using, allegedly, his FBI Official Email Account to promote her campaign. You obviously cannot do this. These were the people who were investigating Hillary Clinton. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 24, 2017 Thank you President TRUMP!! pic.twitter.com/LKdkT0FL99 oregon4TRUMP (@shawgerald4) December 23, 2017 The Fake News refuses to talk about how Big and how Strong our BASE is. They show Fake Polls just like they report Fake News. Despite only negative reporting, we are doing well - nobody is going to beat us. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 24, 2017 Trump, who is spending the holidays at his Florida resort, Mar-a-Lago, also sent Christmas greetings to deployed military personnel, praising them for success in the fight against terrorism. The early-morning swipe at McCabe followed a flurry of tweets attacking the deputy FBI chief on Saturday. McCabe, who has been a lightning rod for Republican attacks on the FBI, is expected to retire early in the new year. How can FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, the man in charge, along with leakin James Comey, of the Phony Hillary Clinton investigation (including her 33,000 illegally deleted emails) be given $700,000 for wifes campaign by Clinton Puppets during investigation? Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 23, 2017 FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe is racing the clock to retire with full benefits. 90 days to go?!!! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 23, 2017 Critics say the president and his allies are in the midst of a systematic campaign to denigrate the FBI and special counsel Robert S. Mueller III, who is looking into potential collusion by the Trump campaign in Russias attempts to sway the 2016 presidential election. In a pair of statements on Twitter, Trump again expressed scorn regarding news coverage of his administration. For months, the president has been particularly critical of reports regarding the Russia investigation and more recently has repeatedly complained he does not receive enough credit for a booming stock market. In his video conference message to troops overseas, the president made apparent reference to the fight against the militants of Islamic State, who over the last year have lost most of the territory they previously controlled in Iraq and Syria, including former strongholds in Mosul and Raqqah. Were winning, Trump told military personnel deployed in Qatar, Kuwait, Guantanamo Bay and aboard the guided missile destroyer Sampson. Reporters traveling with the president heard his address, but were ushered from the room before he took questions from the troops. The president often breaks with longtime custom and makes politically charged statements at events in which he addresses military personnel. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Trumps Wells Fargo tweet cited in court hearing as reason to remove Mulvaney as CFPB acting chief By Jim Puzzanghera A recent tweet by President Trump about possible penalties against Wells Fargo & Co. was cited during a court hearing Friday as a reason for removing White House official Mick Mulvaney as acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The attorney for Leandra English the bureaus deputy director who has said she is the rightful acting head said Trumps tweet showed he was trying to exercise improper influence over the independent consumer watchdog. I think that [tweet] shows you this isnt just some hypothetical concern, the attorney, Deepak Gupta, told Judge Timothy J. Kelly of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia during a nearly two-hour hearing. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump administration recognizes Honduran presidents reelection By Tracy Wilkinson Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez is shown during a trip to Texas a year and a half ago. (Associated Press) The Trump administration on Friday formally recognized the incumbent president of Honduras, conservative Juan Orlando Hernandez, as the winner of a bitterly contested presidential election held last month. In a statement, the State Department congratulated Hernandez while also acknowledging widespread irregularities in the Nov. 26 vote and calling for a robust national dialogue to overcome political discord in the Central American country, a close ally of the administration. The Organization of American States, which monitored the election, said it was so flawed that only a new round of voting could establish a fair and transparent outcome. But the U.S. rejected that determination. Uproar over the contest led to demonstrations in Honduras that left numerous civilians dead after state security forces opened fire on the protests. Activists and others voiced criticism Friday of the administrations decision. Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), a leading Democratic voice on Central American issues, said he was angry and deeply disturbed by the State Department decision. The recent elections in Honduras were deeply flawed, chaotic and marred by numerous irregularities, McGovern said. U.S.-Honduran cooperation on matters such as drug-trafficking, violence and immigration requires a credible, legitimate government that has the support of its people, in Honduras, McGovern said. Hernandezs victory also was controversial because it was the first time a sitting president was allowed to run for re-election, barred until now by the Honduran Constitution. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Senate Leader Mitch McConnell says fixing DACA is no emergency until March By Lisa Mascaro Amanda Bayer, left with banner, and Marisol Maqueda, right, join a rally in support of so-called Dreamers outside the White House. (Manuel Balce Ceneta / Associated Press) Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Friday hes committed to allowing a vote on a bill for so-called Dreamers in January, but sees no rush to resolve the deportation threat posed by President Trumps decision to end a program protecting immigrants brought to the country illegally as children. There isnt that much of an emergency there, he said. There is no emergency until March. Well keep talking about it. Trump called for phasing out by March the Obama-era program that allows the young immigrants, many of them longtime residents, to get two-year deferrals of any deportation threat so they can legally attend school or work. Beneficiaries must be vetted for security purposes. Trump told Congress to come up with a legislative alternative for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which President Obama created by executive order, to protect those currently eligible. A bipartisan Senate group has been working with the White House, but talks stalled this week amid administration demands for curbs on legal immigration flows in exchange for protecting the DACA recipients. Meanwhile, Dreamers and immigrant advocates stormed the Capitol in recent days pressing for the help promised by Trump and Democratic congressional leaders that failed to materialize in the years final legislation. Advocacy groups say more than 120 immigrants each day are falling out of compliance without DACA renewals, putting them at risk of deportation. The number that is projected to swell to more than 1,000 a day in March. Weve been gridlocked on this issue for years, McConnell said. We want to have a signature. We dont just want to spin our wheels and have nothing to show for it. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print President Trump signs tax bill By Noah Bierman (Alex Brandon / Associated Press) President Trump on Friday morning signed a sweeping tax-cut measure his first major legislative achievement before heading off for a Christmas vacation at his Mar-a-Lago property in Palm Beach, Fla. The president also privately signed a short-term spending bill to fund government operations through Jan. 19. Congress approved it Thursday, after Republican leaders were unable to bridge differences in their own party as well as with Democrats to get agreement on funding for the full fiscal year. The stopgap bill punts fights on immigration and other issues to January. The tax bill, approved earlier this week in Congress in largely party-line votes, slashes corporate tax rates from 35% to 21% and also includes a host of other provisions for individuals, all intended to boost the economy. Critics point to nonpartisan analyses showing that the package, including changes greatly reducing the number of estates subject to taxes, steers the bulk of tax benefits to top earners and the wealthy, including Trump, despite his repeated claims that hell take a hit. Trump signed the bill quietly Friday, but held a public ceremony with Republican lawmakers on Wednesday after the bills passage; he also tweeted about the measure extensively. He is expected to hold another public ceremony after the New Years holiday. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Pelosi urges Ryan to prevent Republicans from curtailing Houses Russia probe By Chris Megerian House Speaker Paul D. Ryan of Wisconsin greets House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California. (J. Scott Applewhite / Associated Press) House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi sent a letter to Speaker Paul D. Ryan on Friday urging him to ensure the Houses investigation into Russian interference with last years presidential campaign is not cut short. The American people deserve a comprehensive and fair investigation into Russias attacks, wrote Pelosi, of San Francisco, in her letter. Political haste must not cut short valid investigatory threads. The House Intelligence Committee has been probing the issue since March 1, and Democrats have repeatedly warned that Republicans are trying to wrap up its work prematurely. Pelosi said Ryan, a Republican from Wisconsin, should take urgent action to ensure this investigation can continue. AshLee Strong, a spokeswoman for Ryan, said Pelosi simply wants to see this investigation go on forever in order to suit her political agenda. Whether it concludes next month, next year, or in three years, she will say it is too soon, Strong said in a statement. She added, The investigation will conclude when the committee has reached a conclusion. The committees work is led by Rep. K. Michael Conaway (R-Texas). His spokeswoman, Emily Hytha, said he remains committed to conducting this investigation as thoroughly and expeditiously as possible. With more interviews scheduled, the investigation shows signs of extending into next year, Bloomberg reported Friday. BREAKING: Steve Bannon and former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski have been sent letters requesting they testify to House Intel panel in early January, per @HouseInSession Laura Litvan (@LauraLitvan) December 22, 2017 Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Congress votes to avert government shutdown, but Senate fails to pass disaster aid package By Lisa Mascaro ( (J. Scott Applewhite / Associated Press)) Congress approved a temporary spending bill to prevent a government shutdown, but failed to complete work on an $81-billion disaster aid package to help California, Gulf Coast states and Puerto Rico recover from wildfires and hurricanes, as lawmakers scrambled Thursday to wrap up business before a Christmas break. The stopgap measure continues federal operations for a few more weeks, setting up another deadline for Jan. 19. But it left undone a long list of priorities that members of both parties had hoped to finish this year. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Wells Fargo says raises were not linked to tax bill passage then backtracks By James Rufus Koren Wells Fargo & Co.s move to raise its minimum pay to $15 an hour was part of a long-term plan and not related to the passage of the Republican tax overhaul as the company implied, said a bank spokesman, who later backtracked and stated the hikes were a result of the bills approval. The bank was among several large corporations to publicly announce pay raises or new investments immediately following the final House vote in an apparent public relations offensive to boost the popularity of the tax bill The San Francisco bank had implied the direct linkage to the tax legislation in a news release Wednesday, shortly after Congress passed the tax overhaul, which slashes the corporate tax rate to 21% from 35% starting Jan. 1. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Obamacare signups beat expectations, despite Trump administrations opposition By Noam N. Levey President Trump with Seema Verma, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. (Evan Vucci / Associated Press) Despite Trump administration efforts to discourage people from signing up, the number of people enrolling for Affordable Care Act coverage nearly hit last years level, the government revealed Thursday. Exchange open enrollment for 2018 coverage ended w/ approx 8.8M people enrolling in coverage. Great job to the @CMSGov team for the work you did to make this the smoothest experience for consumers to date. We take pride in providing great customer service. Administrator Seema Verma (@SeemaCMS) December 21, 2017 The 8.8 million people who enrolled in the 36 states that use the federal governments healthcare.gov system significantly exceeded most forecasts. The Trump administration stopped most outreach and other efforts this year aimed at getting people to sign up. The president also repeatedly said publicly that Obamacare was dead. Open enrollment continues in California and several other states that run their own healthcare marketplaces. The figures from the federal government indicate that when those states wrap up for the year, the number of people covered by Obamacare will be nearly the same as in 2017. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement U.N. General Assembly overwhelmingly condemns U.S. policy change on Jerusalem despite Trumps threats By Tracy Wilkinson U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley. (Getty Images) The United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly voted Thursday to condemn President Trumps decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, despite Trumps threats to punish countries that voted against the U.S. position. The resolution passed in an emergency session at U.N. headquarters in New York with 128 in favor, nine opposed and 35 abstentions. The nonbinding resolution demands that Washington rescind its declaration, which included a plan to transfer the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in coming years. The resolution value is mostly symbolic, showing how isolated the U.S. is in the move. Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the U.N., warned this week that she would be taking names of countries that opposed the U.S., and Trump on Wednesday suggested he might cut U.S. aid to governments that voted in favor of the resolution. Let them vote against us, Trump said. Well save a lot. We dont care. The U.S. recognition of Jerusalem reversed decades of international consensus on the political status of the divided city. Palestinians claim East Jerusalem as their capital in a future independent state. Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki said the U.N. was facing an unprecedented test and that history would remember those who stand by what is right. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Democrats defend Robert Mueller, saying Russia investigation must be allowed to continue By Chris Megerian Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles) speaking during a committee hearing earlier this year. (Molly Riley / Associated Press) House Democrats said they will fight Republican attempts to discredit and undermine the work of special counsel Robert S. Mueller III, who is investigating whether President Trumps associates helped Russian meddling in last years election. There is an organized effort by Republicans, in concert with Fox News, to spin a false narrative and conjure up outrageous scenarios to accuse special counsel Mueller of being biased, Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles) said. Trump has said he has no plan to fire Mueller, but Democrats are alarmed by escalating criticism of the special counsels work. Why is the president afraid of the facts and the truth? Rep. Dan Kildee (D-Mich.) said. He added, No matter what the facts are, were satisfied if the investigation is complete. A letter of support signed by 171 Democratic members of Congress will be sent to Deputy Atty. Gen. Rod Rosenstein, who appointed Mueller, a former FBI director, and oversees his investigation. Rosenstein has defended Mueller in the face of Republican criticisms. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print U.S. blacklists Myanmar army general who it says oversaw atrocities against Rohingya Muslims By Shashank Bengali The Trump administration on Thursday blacklisted a Myanmar army general who it said oversaw human rights abuses committed by security forces against Rohingya Muslims. Imposing economic sanctions against the general, Maung Maung Soe, was the toughest action the United States has taken in response to a brutal army offensive that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has described as ethnic cleansing. In a statement, the Treasury Department said it had examined credible evidence of Maung Maung Soes activities, including allegations against Burmese security forces of extrajudicial killings, sexual violence and arbitrary arrest as well as the widespread burning of villages. The Rohingya are an ethnic and religious minority of about 1 million people in predominantly Buddhist Myanmar, also known as Burma. The United Nations says that more than 640,000 Rohingya have fled the country since August, after the army launched clearance operations in response to attacks carried out by a Rohingya insurgent group against security forces. Rohingya refugees in crowded camps in neighboring Bangladesh have described horrific violence by Myanmar forces, including mass rapes, summary executions and children being burned alive. The aid group Doctors Without Borders estimates that 6,700 people were killed in the first month of the operation. Myanmar authorities deny committing atrocities and say that only a few hundred fighters were killed. Maung Maung Soe was chief of the armys Western Command, which carried out the offensive. He was transferred from his position last month, according to news reports. He was one of 13 individuals worldwide who were blacklisted Thursday under a new U.S. law that gives the Treasury Department authority to target officials for human rights abuses and corruption. Others included former Gambian President Yahya Jammeh; Gulnara Karimova, daughter of the late Uzbekistan dictator Islam Karimov; and Artem Chaika, son of Russias prosecutor-general. Today, the United States is taking a strong stand against human rights abuse and corruption globally by shutting these bad actors out of the U.S. financial system, said Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin. The sanctions freeze any assets Maung Maung Soe holds in the United States and bars Americans from doing business with him. It is also a sign of how quickly U.S. relations with Myanmar have soured. Under the Obama administration, the United States forged closer ties with the former military dictatorship and eased economic and political sanctions as the country began implementing democratic reforms. But Myanmar, which does not regard the Rohingya as citizens, has lashed out at the international community over the current crisis. It has jailed journalists, blocked access to affected areas in the western state of Rakhine and this week barred a U.N. human rights investigator from entering the country. Rohingya activists said the U.S. action would not have much effect on a country that survived under economic sanctions for years. It is the whole military institution that has a policy to persecute these people, said Nay San Lwin, a Rohingya activist and blogger in Germany. According to the U.S.s own definition, the army is carrying out ethnic cleansing. They have a responsibility to protect these people. Sanctions on one person are really not enough. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Dreamers will have to wait until next year for Congress long-promised protections By Lisa Mascaro Amanda Bayer, left with banner, and Marisol Maqueda, right, join a rally in support of so-called Dreamers outside the White House. (Manuel Balce Ceneta / Associated Press)) A promised year-end deal to protect the young immigrants known as Dreamers from deportation collapsed Wednesday as Republicans in Congress fresh off passage of their tax plan prepared to punt nearly all remaining must-do agenda items into the new year. Congressional leaders still hope that before leaving town this week they can pass an $81-billion disaster relief package with recovery funds for California wildfires and Gulf Coast states hit during the devastating hurricane season. But passage even of that relatively popular measure remained in doubt as conservatives balked at the price tag. Rather than finish the year wrapping up the legislative agenda, the GOP majorities in the House and Senate struggled over their next steps. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Chants of protest drown out any caroling this holiday season at the Capitol By Lisa Mascaro U.S. Capitol Police arrest a man wearing a Santa Claus hat during a protest against the Republican tax bill. (Alex Edelman / AFP/Getty Image) Outside the U.S. Capitol, the lights on a towering Christmas tree are flipped on each evening, giving the Engelmann spruce a festive twinkle; inside the marble halls, wreaths and garlands decorate doorways and alcoves ahead of the holidays. But the spirit of the season has been punctuated by other sights: a Jumbotron parked across from the Capitol reflecting pool broadcasts images of young immigrants who face deportation; Little Lobbyists, children with complex medical needs, were featured in a recent news conference; protesters filed into the visitor galleries to shout against the Republican tax plan. While its beginning to look a lot like Christmas at the Capitol, its also shaping up to be a holiday season of protest. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Tax bill simplifies filing for some but complicates it for others and dont count on that postcard By Jim Puzzanghera A priority of the Republicans tax overhaul was simplification, and they drove home the point this fall with an omnipresent prop: a red-white-and-blue postcard. Were making things so simple that you can do your taxes on a form the size of a postcard, House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.) said last month, pulling one from his jacket pocket as he and Republican leaders unveiled their bill. They gave a couple of the cards to President Trump at a White House meeting a few hours later and flashed them often during news conferences and TV interviews in the coming days. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Top U.N. human rights official reportedly wont seek reelection (Getty Images) The top United Nations official for human rights, who has frequently criticized the Trump administration, has reportedly decided not to seek a second term, saying his work had become untenable. Zeid Raad Hussein, the U.N. high commissioner for human rights, notified his staff in an email that was obtained by several news outlets, including Agence France-Presse. Staying when his four-year term is up for renewal at the end of August might involve bending a knee in supplication, AFP quoted Husseins email as saying. Hussein is a Jordanian prince who has criticized, among other things, President Trumps attempts to ban visitors or refugees from six predominantly Muslim countries. The news comes a day before the U.N. General Assembly is expected to vote on a nonbinding resolution condemning the Trump administrations formal declaration of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, a decision that went against international consensus. Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the U.N., has warned she will be taking names of those who vote against the United States on Thursday. Trump echoed that sentiment Wednesday, voiced support for Haley and implying to reporters that he would consider cutting off U.S. aid to countries that vote against the U.S. Well, were watching those votes, Trump said. Let them vote against us. Well save a lot. We dont care. On Monday, the United States lost a Security Council vote 14-1 on a binding resolution that would have required Washington to rescind its declaration. Haley then vetoed the resolution. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Top Democrat warns Trump not to fire Mueller or interfere with his investigation By Chris Megerian (Shawn Thew / European Pressphoto Agency) Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, one of the top Democrats involved in the congressional inquiries into Russian interference in last years election, said Wednesday that any attempt by President Trump to interfere with the separate criminal investigation would be a gross abuse of power. Warner, who is vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, delivered his warning from the Senate floor as Republicans escalate their criticism of special counsel Robert S. Mueller III and his team of prosecutors and FBI agents. Some Democrats believe Trump is laying the groundwork to fire Mueller even though the president has publicly denied it. Mueller was appointed in May after Trump fired FBI Director James B. Comey. In the United States of America, no one, no one is above the law, not even the president, Warner said. Congress must make clear to the president that firing the special counsel or interfering with his investigation by issuing pardons of essential witnesses is unacceptable and would have immediate and significant consequences. Some Democrats say the White House may try to in effect short-circuit the Mueller investigation by replacing Deputy Atty. Gen. Rod Rosenstein, who is the only official empowered to fire Mueller. Rosenstein recently told Congress that the special counsel is acting appropriately and that he would not dismiss Mueller without just cause. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement We have essentially repealed Obamacare, Trump says after tax bill passes By Brian Bennett President Trump at a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday at the White House. (Chris Kleponis / Getty Images) President Trump is celebrating Republicans passage of the tax overhaul bill as a two-fer: On Wednesday, in addition to tax cuts, he checked off his promise to repeal Obamacare, pointing to a provision in the bill to end the penalty on Americans who dont get health insurance. We have essentially repealed Obamacare, Trump told reporters during a Cabinet meeting at the White House. Other provisions of the 2010 Affordable Care Act are still in place, and Trump and congressional Republicans failed completely on the replace half of their vow to repeal and replace the program. In Trumps view, however, stripping away the laws individual mandate to get insurance or else pay a tax penalty amounts to repeal of the whole law. Congressional analysts have said that millions of people would lose insurance as a result, either by choice or because they cannot afford it without subsidies, and that premiums would increase for others as younger, healthy people drop coverage. We will come up with something much better, Trump said, adding that block grants to states could be one approach. By his comments, Trump tacitly acknowledged that repeal of the mandate is likely the best he can do following Republicans failure this year to agree on a repeal-and-replace bill. Looking back on his first year, Trump also boasted of his administrations efforts against the Islamic State and increased immigration enforcement. He said he had not given up on funding a border wall or tightening immigration law to limit citizens ability to resettle foreign relatives in the country. He said he would very shortly visit the border with Mexico near San Diego to see wall prototypes that have been built. He didnt answer a reporters shouted question about how he would personally benefit from the tax bill. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print House gives final OK to GOP tax plan, sending it to Trump By Lisa Mascaro Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.), left, is with GOP leaders in the Capitol. (Michael Reynolds/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock) Congress gave final approval to the GOP tax plan Wednesday, 224-201, after the House took an unusual do-over vote to clear up differences with the Senate-passed bill. The $1.5-trillion package now heads to President Trump, who plans to sign it into law. The House had approved the tax bill on Tuesday but was forced to take another vote Wednesday because a couple of provisions in the version it approved were found to be in violation of Senate procedures. Those provisions were dropped before the Senate gave its approval early Wednesday. Critics complained the Republicans rushed to pass the sweeping tax plan to deliver Trump a year-end legislative victory, but supporters shrugged off the problems as minor. The tax plan dramatically cuts corporate rates and provides some individual rate reductions, overhauling the tax code for the first time in 30 years. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump administration effort to block immigrant from having an abortion fails By David Savage Scott Lloyd is director of the Office of Refugee Resettlement at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (Drew Angerer / Getty Images) President Trumps lawyers rushed to the Supreme Court and U.S. appeals court in Washington on Monday evening to file emergency appeals seeking to prevent an immigrant in detention, dubbed Jane Roe in court, from having an abortion. That set the stage for a legal showdown on whether the administration can block pregnant minors in custody from choosing to have an abortion. But the legal clash, which the administration has seemed eager to have, fizzled out Tuesday when the governments lawyers admitted the 17-year-old unaccompanied minor in their custody was actually 19. They said they had obtained her birth certificate and realized she was not a minor after all. As a result, Roe, who is 10 weeks pregnant, will no longer be held in a detention center for immigrant minors, and will not be subject to an administration policy that tries to prevent minors in immigration detention from having abortions. Administration lawyers told appeals court judges Tuesday night that Roe was being sent to a facility for adults and likely would be released until her immigration status can be resolved. In a brief order, the D.C. Circuit Court agreed to put the case on hold, but told government attorneys to confirm that she will be permitted to obtain an abortion. The administration had earlier tried to delay another young woman, referred to in court as Jane Poe, from having an abortion, but officials relented on Monday because she was 22 weeks pregnant and nearing the time limit for a legal abortion. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Senate panel rejects Trumps pick to lead Export-Import Bank, a leader in the effort to shut it down By Jim Puzzanghera A Senate committee on Tuesday rejected President Trumps nominee to lead the Export-Import Bank, extending the chaos at the embattled agency whose job is to help U.S. companies sell their goods abroad. Two Republicans joined all Democrats on the Senate Banking Committee in voting against former Rep. Scott Garrett (R-N.J.) to be the banks president. Garrett had been a vocal critic of the Ex-Im Bank and a leader of a conservative effort that shut the bank down for five months in 2015 by blocking its congressional authorization. He and other bank opponents branded the banks aid as crony capitalism. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Congress proposes $81-billion disaster aid package, including funds for California wildfires By Lisa Mascaro The Thomas fire rages near Ojai this month. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) Congress is set to consider an $81-billion disaster aid package that includes wildfire recovery money for California and other Western states as well as hurricane relief with a price tag reflecting a year of record-setting natural calamities. The legislation, the text of which was released late Monday, would provide almost twice as much as the $44 billion the White House sought last month to cover relief efforts along the Gulf Coast and in the Caribbean. Republican congressional leaders added more money after California lawmakers objected that the administration had failed to include help for areas damaged by wildfires and Democrats protested that the overall amount President Trump asked for was insufficient. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print White House blames North Korea for worldwide WannaCry cyber attack By Noah Bierman The Royal London Hospital, a victim of the unprecedented global cyberattack in May. (Niklas Hallen / AFP/Getty Images) The White House officially blamed North Korea on Tuesday for the cyberattack in May known as WannaCry that infected hundreds of thousands of computers in 150 countries, affecting healthcare, financial services and vital infrastructure. Thomas P. Bossert, assistant to the president for homeland security and counter-terrorism, noted in a briefing with reporters that the consequences were beyond economic. He warned that North Koreas malicious behavior is growing more egregious. Bossert did not specify what evidence American officials have to blame North Korea, citing security issues, but he cited the countrys prior attacks as revealing hallmarks of how Pyongyang and its network of hackers operates. He said other allied countries had joined the United States in making the determination. The administration did not announce any penalties on the regime, which is already subject to severe sanctions over its nuclear program. They want to hold the entire world at risk, Bossert said of North Koreas rulers, referring to the nations nuclear and missile provocations as well as its alleged cyberattack. Given its isolation and international sanctions, North Korea is desperate for funds. Bossert said the country did not appear to make much money on the ransom attack, as word spread that paying a ransom did not result in getting computers unlocked. Its primary goal, he said, was spreading chaos. Bossert and Jeanette Manfra, assistant secretary of homeland security for cybersecurity and communication, said the United States, through a combination of preparation and luck, escaped the worst of the attack, as a patch to the malware was found before U.S. companies and other interests were severely crippled. However, Manfra said, We cannot be complacent. Bossert added, Next time were not going to get so lucky. Manfra praised Microsoft and Facebook for their efforts to combat WannaCry and to block more recent attempts to hack U.S. systems. She and Bossert urged more cooperation and information-sharing from American and multinational companies, arguing a united front is vital to protecting against bad actors who do not differentiate between government and business. Bossert rejected criticism that the the Trump administration has more aggressively called out North Korean cyberattacks than it has Russias meddling in the 2016 election. He said the administration has continued the national emergency initiated by President Obama. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print GOP lures some mountain bike groups in its push to roll back protections for public land By Evan Halper When their vision of creating a scenic cycling trail through a protected alpine backcountry hit a snag, San Diego area mountain bikers turned to an unlikely ally: congressional Republicans aiming to dilute conservation laws. The frustrations of the San Diego cycling group and a handful of similar organizations are providing tailwind to the GOP movement to lift restrictions on the countrys most ecologically fragile and pristine landscapes, officially designated wilderness. Resentment of these cyclists over the longstanding ban on mechanized transportation in that fraction of the nations public lands presents a political opportunity for Republicans eager to drill fissures in the broad coalition of conservation-minded groups united against the GOP environmental agenda. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Vice president postpones Israel trip a second time in case his vote is needed to pass tax cut bill By Noah Bierman (Ethan Miller / Getty Images) Vice President Mike Pence is delaying his trip to Egypt and Israel for a second time in case he is needed to break a tie in the Senate for the tax bill that is expected to pass narrowly this week. Two White House officials confirmed the changed schedule, which they say is unrelated to to protests in the region over the administrations decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israels capital. Pence had initially been scheduled to leave last Saturday. Late last week, the White House moved the trip back a few days to Tuesday night, in case Pence was needed to break a Senate tie. But Monday, they decided to postpone the trip further, to January, given the possibility of a late Senate vote and the coming holidays. He wants to see it through the finish line, said a White House official, referring to the tax measure that is a centerpiece of the Republican legislative agenda. We dont want to leave anything to chance. The mid-January dates will allow Pence more breathing room to merge schedules with embassies and hotels, the official said. Trump still plans to address the Israeli Knesset, a high-profile venue to discuss the Jerusalem decision where it is most popular. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump judicial pick who drew ridicule at hearing withdraws By Associated Press A White House official says the Trump judicial nominee whose qualifications were questioned by a Republican senator has withdrawn his nomination. Matthew Petersen, who was nominated by President Trump to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, has been the subject of widespread ridicule since he was unable to define basic legal terms during his confirmation hearing Wednesday. A White House official says Petersen has withdrawn his nomination and that Trump has accepted the withdrawal. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the official was not authorized to discuss the development publicly. Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy pressed Petersen, a former chairman of the Federal Election Commission, who testified he had never tried a case, on his qualifications to the bench. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump says McCain will return to Washington if needed for tax vote By Laura King (Associated Press) President Trump said Sunday that Sen. John McCain, who is battling an aggressive form of brain cancer, was returning home to Arizona for the holidays but would come back to Washington if needed to cast a vote on the Republicans tax overhaul bill. The Arizona Republicans office announced last week that McCain was receiving treatment at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center outside Washington for complications from his cancer treatment. McCains daughter Meghan tweeted earlier Sunday that her 81-year-old father would be spending Christmas in Arizona. The Senate is expected to vote early this week on the tax cut legislation, but the GOP appeared to have secured sufficient support without McCains vote. John will come back if we need his vote, Trump told reporters as he returned from a weekend at the presidential retreat at Camp David. Hes going through a very tough time. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Putin calls Trump to thank him for U.S. help foiling terrorist strike By Laura King (Getty Images) Vladimir Putin phoned President Trump to thank him for what the Russian president said was CIA help in foiling a terrorist attack, the Kremlin said on Sunday. White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders confirmed the two leaders conversation to reporters. It was the second time that the two leaders had talked in four days; Trump called Putin on Thursday to thank the Russian leader for lauding the U.S. economy. Putin, in his annual year-end news conference, had praised Trump for a strong performance by the U.S. stock market. Perhaps ironically, given his credit to the CIAs recent help, Putin at that news event dismissed as hysteria the consensus among American intelligence agencies that Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential campaign. In reporting Putins call to Trump on Sunday, the official Russian news agency Tass said Putin thanked his American counterpart for information shared by the US Central Intelligence Agency that had helped break up a plot to set off explosives in St. Petersburgs landmark Kazan Cathedral and elsewhere in the city, which is Russias second-largest. Russian authorities last week had credited their countrys counter-intelligence service, the FSB, for foiling the attacks. They reported that seven people affiliated with Islamic State had been detained in St. Petersburg in connection with the plot. The FSB, the successor organization to the KGB, announced Friday that the group had planned to carry out the attacks on Saturday, and that one of those in custody had confessed to the cathedral bomb plot. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Mnuchin: Government shutdown unlikely but could happen By Laura King Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin said on Sunday that a government shutdown this week was unlikely but possible. A two-week stopgap spending bill passed by Congress earlier this month provided enough funding to keep the government running through Friday. A deadlock on another temporary funding measure would open the door to a possible shutdown. I cant rule it out, but I cant imagine it occurring, Mnuchin said on Fox News Sunday, suggesting everyone had an interest in avoiding the government grinding to a halt and federal workers going unpaid, especially in the holiday season. I would expect that both the House and Senate, Republicans and Democrats, understand if they cant agree on this, they need to have another short-term extension to move this to January, the Treasury secretary said. We cant have a government shutdown in front of Christmas. In May, irate over concessions made to Democrats in hammering out a spending measure, President Trump tweeted that a good shutdown might help matters. While both parties agree that a government shutdown involves a degree of disruption that is not beneficial to either side, shutdowns in 1995-96 and in 2013 mainly caused a backlash against Republicans. The latest funding measure is to be taken up after a vote on a massive GOP tax overhaul, expected by midweek. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Trump transition team says sensitive emails should not have been shared with Robert Mueller By Chris Megerian (J. Scott Applewhite / Associated Press) President Trumps transition team is crying foul over how special counsel Robert S. Mueller III obtained emails for his investigation into Russian meddling in last years campaign and possible Trump campaign complicity. Kory Langhofer, a lawyer for the transition team, sent a letter to Congress on Saturday saying there was an unauthorized disclosure of emails. While the Trump transition is long over, the transition team remains a nonprofit organization. Its emails were hosted by the General Services Administration, a federal agency. Mueller reportedly obtained the emails directly from the agency. There are attorney-client communications, Langhofer said in an interview. There are executive-privileged communications. He added, What were asking Congress to do is to take some legislative action to make sure this never happens again. Peter Carr, a spokesman for the special counsels office, defended the process for obtaining emails. When we have obtained emails in the course of our ongoing criminal investigation, we have secured either the account owners consent or appropriate criminal process, he said. The letter was first reported by Fox News. A request for comment from the General Services Administration was not immediately answered. This story has been updated with a comment from the special counsels office. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Virginia house arrest is ending for Paul Manafort By Chris Megerian (Mark Wilson / Getty Images) A federal judge agreed Friday to end Paul Manaforts house arrest in Virginia, allowing President Trumps former campaign manager to return to Florida while awaiting trial. The decision followed a dispute between Manaforts legal team and prosecutors working for special counsel Robert S. Mueller III, who accused Manafort of violating a court order restricting public statements about the case. Under the terms of the judges order, Manafort will be allowed to live at his home in Florida as long as he stays within Palm Beach and Broward counties and obeys a curfew from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. If he misses a court appearance, he would forfeit four properties valued at $10 million total. The deal, which includes GPS monitoring, is not as permissive as Manafort originally sought. He had asked to be able to travel freely among Florida, New York, Virginia and Washington. Manafort faces criminal charges of fraud, conspiracy and money laundering. He has pleaded not guilty. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print GOP negotiators enhance child tax credit to win over Sen. Rubio By Lisa Mascaro Republican negotiators slightly increased the refundable portion of the expanded child tax credit in their tax plan, raising it to $1,400 in hopes of winning back Sen. Marco Rubios (R-Fla.) support ahead of next weeks vote. Rubio announced Thursday he was withholding support after negotiators ignored his push to make the expanded tax credit, which increases from the current $1,000 to $2,000 in the proposed bill, fully refundable for lower- and moderate-income filers. The refundable portion in the original bill was $1,100. The Florida senator argued that was not enough to help working-class Americans, many of whom already view the GOP plan as tilted toward the wealthy. Rubios office was waiting to see the final text before commenting on whether the change was enough to win him over. We have not seen the bill text, and until we see if the percentage of the refundable credit is significantly higher, then our position remains the same, Rubios spokeswoman said. Negotiators meeting Friday before unveiling the bill said they thought they had the support they needed from Rubio and other holdouts. Im confident both chambers will pass it next week, said Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.). Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Sen. Marco Rubio opposes GOP tax bill, depriving leaders of crucial support By Lisa Mascaro Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) speaks to a reporter in Washington. (Alex Brandon / Associated Press) 20.94% Corp. rate to pay for tax cut for working family making $40k was anti-growth but 21% to cut tax for couples making $1million is fine? Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) December 12, 2017 Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) says he is currently opposed to the GOP tax plan because it fails to include his proposed enhancements to the child tax credit, leaving leaders without crucial support ahead of next weeks expected vote. Republicans can only lose two GOP senators from their slim 52-48 majority as they push the plan forward under special budget rules to prevent a Democratic filibuster. Vice President Mike Pence on Wednesday altered his planned Israel trip so he could be on hand, if needed, to cast a tie-breaking vote. Rubio, and GOP Sen. Mike Lee of Utah, have fought to increase the child tax credit, doubling it to $2,000 in the GOP plan, but they also want to increase its refundability. They argue it will lower taxes on middle-income families at a time when the tax plan is being criticized as tilted to the wealthy. Sen. Rubio has consistently communicated to the Senate tax negotiators that his vote on final passage would depend on whether the refundability of the Child Tax Credit was increased in a meaningful way, Rubios spokeswoman said. Lee stopped short of opposing the bill, but his spokesman said Wednesday he is undecided. GOP leaders, though, have said they believe they have the support for passage. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print White House gives Roy Moore a unsubtle shove: Time to concede By David Lauter (Alex Wong / Getty Images) The White House sent a clear signal Thursday to the defeated Republican candidate for Senate in Alabama: Its time to concede. Roy Moore refused to concede the race on Tuesday night when Doug Jones, the Democrat, was declared the winner. Election night results show Jones winning by about 1.5 percentage points, three times more than the states standard for a recount. Although a few absentee and provisional ballots remain to be counted, theres no indication they would change the result. On Wednesday, Moore notably did not call to congratulate Jones even as President Trump and other leading Republicans did. Instead, he released a video declaring the battle rages on. Asked at the daily news briefing whether the White House thinks Moore should concede today, Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said, It probably sounds like it maybe should have already taken place. Sanders also dismissed the idea, pushed by some Moore supporters, that Jones victory was tainted in some fashion. Asked if the Democrat had won fair and square, she said, I think the numbers reflect that. The states Republican senator, Richard Shelby, offered a similar comment in an interview with MSNBC in which he said he was willing to work with Jones. If I was 25,000 votes behind, its not going to change much, Shelby said. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print House Speaker Paul Ryan says hes not leaving anytime soon By Lisa Mascaro House Speaker Paul D. Ryan speaks earlier this year in Washington. House Speaker Paul D. Ryan shot down suggestions Thursday that he might soon be retiring. Stories often circulate that party leaders, especially the House speaker, are stepping aside. Ryans tenure has been as rocky as that of his predecessor, Rep. John Boehner, who abruptly resigned in 2015 amid GOP infighting. Asked Thursday if he would be leaving, Ryan answered a simple no, as he left his weekly press conference in the Capitol. Ryan, the Wisconsin Republican who reluctantly took over the speakers gavel after Boehners departure, had just finished talking up the GOP tax plan, which leaders hope to pass next week. He also outlined his sweeping agenda for his longtime goal of entitlement reform of welfare benefits next year. Two stories published Thursday suggested Ryan may soon be out. This is pure speculation, said spokeswoman AshLee Strong. As the speaker himself said today, hes not going anywhere anytime soon. Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print GOP leaders reach tax deal, cutting corporate rate to 21% and top individual rate to 37% By Lisa Mascaro Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, center, and other Republican lawmakers. (J. Scott Applewhite / Associated Press) Republican leaders on Wednesday agreed on a revised plan to cut taxes that would lower the corporate rate from 35% to 21% and drop the top individual rate for the richest Americans to 37%, according to GOP senators and others briefed on the deal. The tentative accord marked a significant step in the Republican push to have a tax bill on President Trumps desk by Christmas. Leaders did not release details of the compromise or the text of a final bill as negotiations continued. Its critically important for Congress to quickly pass these historic tax cuts, Trump said Wednesday, promising that Americans could begin to reap the benefits of the plan as early as February, if passed. Critics, however, said the latest changes particularly the lowering of the top individual rate from the current 39.6% only reaffirmed several independent analyses that show the bulk of the savings from the Republican plan would go to businesses and the wealthy. Read More Facebook Twitter Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Copy Link URL Copied! Print Advertisement Farenthold to retire from House amid harassment accusations By Associated Press Texas Republican Rep. Blake Farenthold wont seek reelection next year, two Republicans said Thursday, adding his name to the list of lawmakers leaving Congress amid sexual harassment allegations that have cost powerful men their jobs in politics, the arts and other fields. The accusations against Farenthold surfaced in 2014, In a spiraling probe of corruption at the top levels of Mexican law enforcement, authorities said Friday that the nations former anti-drug chief had accepted $450,000 to tip off traffickers. Noe Ramirez Mandujano, a veteran federal prosecutor who headed an elite organized crime unit known by its initials in Spanish, SIEDO, was arrested on suspicion of passing intelligence to drug gangsters based in the northwestern state of Sinaloa, Mexican Atty. Gen. Eduardo Medina Mora said. Ramirez, 47, who served for 20 months before quitting in July, is the highest-ranking official arrested as part of the governments investigation of drug traffickers infiltration of police agencies. The charges against him are the most serious against a Mexican anti-narcotics official since the countrys former drug czar was arrested in 1997 on charges of helping a Ciudad Juarez-based cartel. Six other officials and agents from SIEDO, a division of the attorney generals office that investigates drug smuggling, arms trafficking and other criminal activities, already face charges of leaking intelligence to the Sinaloa group. Medina Mora said a protected informant told authorities he had paid Ramirez a total of $450,000 as part of a monthly payoff scheme, in exchange for providing information about investigations and ongoing actions against the Sinaloa-based smugglers. The attorney general said that Ramirez voluntarily appeared before prosecutors to answer the accusations and that there was sufficient cause to detain him. Medina Mora did not specify what information Ramirez is suspected of passing to the gang. He said information was given to two Sinaloa factions: the Beltran Leyva brothers and Zambada brothers. The charges, if true, represent a major setback for President Felipe Calderons war on Mexican drug cartels, which has been a centerpiece of his 2-year-old administration. Mexico is awash in drug violence, with more than 4,000 dead this year, according to unofficial counts by the nations news media. The allegations put a new dent in the reputation of SIEDO, which U.S. officials had considered trustworthy. Further evidence of high-level cartel infiltration could leave U.S. agents more wary about sharing information with the agency. Ramirezs arrest, coming as part of a probe called Operation Cleanup, also will probably further undermine public confidence. Mexicans are increasingly weary of the killing and long ago became accustomed to corruption charges against top police officials. The offensive, which has sent 45,000 federal troops and 5,000 federal police officers into the streets, has yielded arrests of several high-profile trafficking figures and big seizures of drugs, cash and weapons. But the offensive has yet to crush any of the major drug groups. Moreover, Calderon administration officials in recent months have confronted an embarrassing string of arrests of ranking police officers and prosecutors assigned to the drug fight. This week, authorities announced they had detained Mexicos liaison to Interpol as part of the inquiry on leaks to cartels. He was the third top-level federal police commander ordered held in recent weeks. Calderon, who was traveling Friday in Chile, said he was determined to clean up his administration. The government of Mexico has a firm and determined commitment to fight against organized crime, and not only organized crime, but against the corruption that organized crime generates, he said. The first SIEDO arrests came in early August, just after Ramirez left the agencys top post in a shake-up over unsatisfactory results against kidnapping and drug trafficking. Officials said at the time that his resignation was not tied to the emerging investigation inside the organized crime unit. Ramirez was then assigned as Mexicos representative to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, based in Vienna. Last month, Medina Mora announced that as part of the infiltration probe, 35 officials and agents assigned to SIEDO had been arrested or fired. Among those arrested were a senior intelligence officer and the agencys general technical coordinator. Ellingwood is a Times staff writer. ken.ellingwood@latimes.com The death toll in five days of anti-government protests in Iran climbed Monday as plainclothes police officers kept a close watch over a tense capital and President Hassan Rouhani continued to appeal for calm. State media reported that one police officer was killed and three others wounded in a shooting in Najafabad, in central Iran, that was blamed on a person who wanted to create a disturbance. The killing brought to 13 the number of people killed since the unrest began Thursday, according to the Associated Press. Security officers chased groups of demonstrators after dark along side streets of central Tehran. Near Palestine Street, small clusters of protesters, outnumbered by anti-riot police and paramilitary forces, set trash bins ablaze and shouted, Death to the dictator! and I sacrifice my life for Iran! Few defied the heavy security presence to join them. Rouhani told a meeting of Iranian lawmakers that his government would take action against a small minority of demonstrators who he said had insulted the sanctity of the Islamic Revolution and damaged property. Advertisement But in an effort to assuage public anger, Rouhani acknowledged that some who took to the streets in the largest unauthorized demonstrations seen here in years were suffering economically and that their concerns should be heard. The enemy will not remain silent when faced with the Iranian nations progress and greatness, but there are also deceived people among the protesters who have rightful demands, the president said, according to state-run Press TV. Accounts posted on Iranian social media channels said police clashed with demonstrators in the southern town of Izeh who attempted to take over police and military installations, but state TV said security forces repelled the attacks. Two people were shot dead there on Sunday, lawmaker Hedayatollah Khademi told Iranian news agencies, but it was unclear whether the shots were fired by security forces or demonstrators. The semiofficial Iranian Students News Agency reported Monday that Izeh was quiet and tranquil now, and local officials are in control. Irans Interior Ministry said Rouhani had asked security forces not to repeat the same tragic mistakes of 2009, when authorities violently crushed an uprising that followed the disputed reelection of former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Although hundreds have been arrested since last week, and Iran has blocked access to the Instagram and Telegram social media apps to prevent protests from spreading, security forces have mostly avoided using deadly force to put down demonstrations. It was the second consecutive day that Rouhani a prime target of demonstrators frustrated with the two-term presidents failure to deliver on promises of economic and social reforms has broadcast a message of understanding via state media. Advertisement On Sunday, he was quoted as saying: Criticism and protest are the peoples rights, and they should lead to solutions to the countrys problems. But there was no immediate sign of how Rouhanis administration or the ruling Shiite Muslim theocracy would address the demands of a large and varied group of protesters who lack a coherent message or leader. The rallies that began Thursday in the city of Mashhad in anger over rising prices and persistent unemployment have since spread to more than 25 cities and taken aim at the entire ruling establishment. Protesters, including many young and working-class Iranians who are not part of the countrys mostly educated opposition movement, have called for the resignations of Rouhani and of the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. A Tehran police official said 90% of the protesters were younger than 25, according to Jamaran, a news agency close to the government. Advertisement A tall, broad-shouldered young protester standing in the subway station beneath Enghelab Square said that Irans security establishment had collaborated with Rouhanis hard-line opponents to start protests in Mashhad, but that the demonstrations are now out of their control. I dont know what will be the end of these cat-and-mouse chases, said the protester, who would give only his first name, Ali. But I know that if they calm down, which is possible, the hard-liners and President Rouhani will have to compromise on some social freedoms such as relaxing the Islamic dress code. But he said the anger among Iranians was so deep that on another occasion, under some other pretext, the riots will come back. Khamenei has been silent since the protests began, but the Monday editions of Kayhan, a daily newspaper that is the mouthpiece of the supreme leader, carried a front-page headline calling for a heavy crackdown against anti-establishment activists. Advertisement President Trump weighed in on the protests again on Twitter, saying: The great Iranian people have been repressed for many years. They are hungry for food & freedom. He also took aim again at the Obama administration for backing the 2015 nuclear deal, championed by Rouhani, that eased sanctions against Irans economy, but has failed to bring about a broad-based recovery. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also commented in support of the demonstrators, saying in a short statement on YouTube that the Iranian people deserve better than they have received under the current government. I wish the Iranian people success in their noble quest for freedom, he added. Special correspondent Mostaghim reported from Tehran and Times staff writer Bengali from Mumbai, India. shashank.bengali@latimes.com Advertisement Twitter: @SBengali ALSO: Iran is seeing the biggest antigovernment protests in years. Whats driving the unrest? Two killed in three days of stunning protests in Iran: What our correspondent saw there Advertisement Trumps backing of Iranian protesters could backfire as Tehran cracks down UPDATES: 7:15 p.m.: This story was updated to include the killing of a police officer and additional details. 1:30 p.m.: This article was updated with comments from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Advertisement 9:35 a.m.: This article was updated throughout with Times staff reporting and comments by President Hassan Rouhani. 2:35 a.m.: This article was updated with additional details throughout. This article was originally published at 2:15 a.m. In an escalation of tension with the Trump administration, the Palestinian Authority has temporarily recalled its envoy to Washington. The move Sunday came three weeks after President Trump angered Palestinians by declaring that the U.S. recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and would move its embassy there from Tel Aviv. For the record: An earlier version of this article omitted the first name of the Palestinian envoy, Husam Zomlot. The representative, Husam Zomlot, was ordered home to review the United Nations General Assembly decision to reject Trumps declaration, the Palestinian news agency WAFA reported. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas recalled Zomlot to discuss future steps, according to the foreign minister, Riyad Maliki, who said the diplomat was expected to return to Washington to resume his duties after the holidays. Advertisement Trump has said that a peace deal between Israelis and Palestinians which he called the ultimate deal is a top foreign policy priority. But his declaration has alienated Palestinians, whose leaders have never accepted Israeli rule over all of Jerusalem and insist that East Jerusalem will be the capital of any future Palestinian state. After the announcement, Abbas said he would not meet with U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, who was scheduled to visit the region but canceled his trip. The United States vetoed a resolution supported by the 14 other U.N. Security Council members that would have required Trump to rescind his declaration. Also on Sunday, the Palestinian Authority recalled its representative in Pakistan, Walid Abu Ali, after he was photographed at a Pakistani rally in solidarity with Jerusalem standing beside Hafiz Saeed, a terrorist wanted by both the United States and India for his involvement in 2006 and 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. India protested the envoys appearance with Saeed. Abu Ali appears to have been dismissed from his diplomatic post. The Palestinian Authority supports Indias war on terrorism, the government in Ramallah, West Bank, said in a statement. Tarnopolsky is a special correspondent. UPDATE: Bethlehem man was shot to death in Allentown, coroner says A shooting about 40 minutes into 2018 left one person dead and another critically injured in Allentown, authorities said. City police responded about 12:40 a.m. Monday to the report of gunfire at a home in the 1100 block of West Turner Street, according to police Capt. James Keiser and the Lehigh County Coroner's Office. No one was immediately in custody, and police had no description of anyone sought as of Monday morning, Keiser said. Investigators were questioning witnesses and following up on the incident, he said. The victims, both males, were taken to the hospital. One was pronounced dead at 1:06 a.m. at Lehigh Valley Hospital, Salisbury Township, the coroner's office said. The cause was gunshot wounds to the body, and the death was ruled a homicide, morgue manager Raymond Anthony said in a news release. The victim's identity was not immediately released pending notification of family, Anthony said. An autopsy was scheduled for Tuesday. Keiser said the other shooting victim remained in critical condition early Monday, the captain said. City police and the Lehigh County District Attorney's Office were investigating. Police asked anyone with information to call investigators at 610-437-7721. Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. When Peepsfest organizers dropped a 400-pound model of the popular marshmallow confection, they technically weren't ringing in the New Year. The grand gesture instead happened about 5:15 p.m. Sunday at the culmination of the two-day festival at Bethlehem's SteelStacks. The timing allowed the kids to be a part of the celebration, which mimics the midnight ball drop at New York City's Times Square. Just Born, the Bethlehem-based maker of Peeps, presented the festival, which has grown in recent years. Last year's installment attracted a record 13,500 guests. The Peep drop was just one of many activities held during the festival. Others included a 5K on Saturday, live music, dancing, Bethlehem mounted police demonstrations, food and arts and crafts competitions. Nick Falsone may be reached at nfalsone@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @nickfalsone. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. Dominque Bray and Chad Riddle's baby was due Jan. 26. The Wind Gap couple thought they were just going in for a checkup at St. Luke's University Hospital in Fountain Hill on New Year's Eve when they got the big news. "They were like your water broke so you're not going home," Bray said. Oakleigh Marie Riddle was born at 12:34 a.m. Monday, the Lehigh Valley's first baby of 2018. She was 6 pounds, 7 ounces and 18 inches long, and as of noon Monday had given the first-time parents plenty of time to adjust. "She's slept more than she's been awake, I think," Bray said. Chad Riddle and Dominique Bray, both of Wind Gap, welcomed Oakleigh Marie Riddle at 12:34 a.m. Monday, Jan. 1, 2018, at St. Luke's University Hospital, Fountain Hill, the Lehigh Valley's first baby of the new year. (Kurt Bresswein | For lehighvalleylive.com) Lehigh Valley Health Network saw its first baby of the new year at 2:03 a.m., following a late-2017 delivery at 11:30 p.m. Sunday, spokeswoman Ann Fatzinger said. Bray, 19, and Riddle, 21, are both graduates of Pen Argyl Area High School, classes of 2017 and 2015, respectively. Oakleigh Marie Riddle, the Lehigh Valley's first baby of 2018, was born to Dominique Bray and partner Chad Riddle, both of Wind Gap, at 12:34 a.m. Monday, Jan. 1, 2018, at St. Luke's University Hospital, Fountain Hill. She was 6 pounds, 7 ounces and 18 inches long. (Courtesy St.Luke's University Health Network | For lehighvalleylive.com) They came into St. Luke's with Oakleigh's name already picked out. In 2017, the top three most popular baby names born at St. Luke's facilities were, for girls, Emma, Ava and Ella and Liam, James and Lucas (tie) and Benjamin for boys, said Kira Bub, spokeswoman for the health network. The delivery went well, the couple said. "Everybody was so nice and they were very helpful for anything that we needed," Bray said. "It went very smooth. Nothing was like crazy. "Very smooth and very quick," Riddle said. The lifelong Slate Belt residents said they were looking forward to going home Tuesday to begin their new family life. Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. Looking to explore your options for tackling those New Year's fitness goals? The Greater Valley YMCA wants to help. All branches of the Greater Valley YMCA are holding open houses Saturday, Jan. 6. They're free and open to the public. Guests will receive a free, full-facility 7-day pass good at any of the YMCA group's branches. Locations and times are as follows: Allentown Branch, 425 S. 15th St,, Allentown, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Bethlehem Branch, 430 E. Broad St., Bethlehem, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Easton/Phillipsburg Branch, 1225 W. Lafayette St., Easton, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nazareth Branch, 33 S. Main St., Nazareth, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Slate Belt Branch, 315 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Pen Argyl, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Suburban North Branch, 880 Walnut St., Catasauqua, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Created in 2012, the Greater Valley YMCA is a six-facility YMCA association serving the Lehigh Valley region, including the counties of Northampton and Lehigh, plus Warren in New Jersey. The Y's mission is to put Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all. Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. After a baby shower 2 1/2 weeks earlier, the apartment was all set for Brittany Gruver and fiance Paul Lacey to welcome their son, just in time for the holidays. Their first child was due to be born by C-section at 6 a.m. Dec. 6. It was a little after 1 p.m. Dec. 5 inside their second-floor apartment at Washington Heights, 19 Nunn Ave. in Washington. Lacey was getting ready for work at Thomas & Betts Corp. in Hackettstown. Gruver's maternity leave had begun from RWJ Physician Enterprise Urgent Care. "And we were watching a movie and all of a sudden I saw smoke outside, and I didn't think anything of it because there's an apartment below it and then below him is the laundry room," Gruver said. "I simply thought it was a dryer vent." The building's smoke alarms began to sound, but that's a regular occurrence anytime someone burns a bag of popcorn, Gruver said: "Kind of like the boy who cried wolf." Then Lacey smelled smoke, real smoke, and told Gruver to get outside. She ran out in her pajamas, as the landlord was going around knocking, door to door, inside the complex. "Because like I said, no one ever pays those alarms any mind," said Gruver, who exited to black smoke billowing out of the laundry room. "I mean the smell was horrific, and then all of a sudden all these fire companies showed up." A boiler-room fire raced up through the apartment below Lacey and Gruver's and into their home, destroying or charring their belongings and those of their son. Firefighters helped Lacey salvage what they could after gaining control of the blaze. That night, the couple stayed in Phillipsburg with Lacey's brother and sister-in-law, Andrew Cook and Ashley George. The following morning, as scheduled, Austin Michael Lacey was born at 10 pounds, 5 ounces, and the family had a four-night hospital stay. Austin Michael Lacey was born at 10 pounds, 5 ounces Dec. 6, 2017. (Courtesy photo | For lehighvalleylive.com) "We thought about that the whole time: We're here, now what do we do afterward?" Gruver said. "The real blessing that came out of all of it, not only were we able to go in to the hospital the next morning and have a healthy, happy baby, was just the outpouring of support from people: friends, family and total strangers." Gruver's parents, Chris and Larry Gruver, drove up from their home in South Carolina and, after greeting their new grandson, went to work finding a new apartment for Brittany Gruver, Lacey and Austin. Lacey's brother put them up for two more weeks. Gruver also has family in Forks Township, her brother and sister-in-law, Matthew and Meghan Gruver, but they have three children already, Brittany Gruver said. "So to bring a newborn in there would have been mayhem," she said. Austin Michael Lacey is held by his father, Paul Lacey, alongside his mother, Brittany Gruver, at Christmas in 2017. He was born Dec. 6, the day after a fire raced through their Washington apartment. (Courtesy photo | For lehighvalleylive.com) Gruver's friend from work, Dana Boczon, started a gofundme.com drive, setting a $2,000 goal that was quickly met and bumped up to $3,000. Both Gruver and Lacey's workplaces began collecting for them, as word of their situation spread on Facebook. "If anyone can do anything to help, every little bit counts," Leigh wrote on gofundme. "I hope this can help them get back on their feet and hopefully make a difference for them being able to actually have a Christmas this year. Please help if you can! And if not, please share!!" Dec. 19, the family moved into their own apartment in Phillipsburg. When they finally got to unpack, the donations for Austin took up most of their closet space, and Gruver got to take stock of the generosity of all those who pitched in. "He had stuff in like six different places at all times," she said. "I didn't know, when people were asking, 'What does he need, what does he need?' I was like, I honestly have no idea because his stuff was all over the place. "Now I'm donating stuff. It was actually very heartwarming to see everyone kind of restore my faith in humanity a little bit, just to see how much people came together." Gruver and Lacey want everyone who helped to know how much it all meant to them. "I just really want to make sure how grateful people know that we are for coming out and helping us," she said. "We plan on paying it forward as well, so next time we see people in need, we're going to go in without ever thinking twice." They even had time to enjoy the holiday, Austin's first Christmas. "We had people fighting over us to come over for Christmas ... ," Gruver said, "but it was just nice to know when it was all over, when you're going home at night, you're going home to your home." Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. A book of evidence has been served on a Russian-national charged with numerous counts of sexual assault and rape. The 38-year-old man, who cannot be named, appeared before last weeks sitting of Portlaoise District Court, where he was charged with 17 counts of sexual assault, four counts of rape, and two charges under child pornography laws. The alleged offences happened in Laois and Tipperary, between 2012 and 2014. Detective Garda Brian Kennedy, who served the book of evidence on the accused, said there was no State objection to bail, on condition the accused surrender his passports, stay away from leisure centres and swimming pools, have no contact with the injured parties, sign on weekly at the garda station, and notify the gardai of any change of address. Det Kennedy said the State has the accuseds Irish and Ukranian passports. When the case first came before the court in November, Det Kennedy told the court that Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, had been informed of the charges. The accused has children, with whom he has no contact. Legal aid was assigned to Mr Barry Fitzgerald, with one junior and one senior counsel assigned. The accused was granted bail in his own bond of 200 and has been sent forward to the next sitting of the Central Criminal Court. October 2017 sadly began with the death of Portlaoise town's first ever official Mayor Joe 'The Hesh' McCormack on October 2. He filled the post with distinction in 2002/3. On Portlaoise Town Commission (later Town Council) for 21 years, he contested every local and general election from 1979 until the early 2000s. Cllr Padraig Fleming extended his sympathies to the family at the time. I was very sorry to hear of his passing. He was a man of strong opinions, and he worked hard for the people. He was a charismatic guy, a great speaker who was aware of all the big issues. He added great humour to his speeches with his turn of phrase. He had plenty to say, a bright intelligent man and a good public representative, Cllr Fleming said. Hurricane Ophelia struck the county on October 16 and its wrath was felt with the closure of many businesses in Laois due to the 80km/h winds. The damage caused to trees and debris was extensive and Laois County Council is still dealing with the aftermath of blocked rivers and broken trees. Laois County Council and An Garda Siochana Crisis Management Team issued a warning early on Monday, October 16 asking businesses in Laois to close their doors and let their staff go home early before Hurricane Ophelia set in in Laois around 1pm. Shortly after Ophelia. the shocking contents of a document was leaked to the Leinster Express which outlined a plan that could downgrade services at Portlaoise hospital, sending nearly 40,000 patients to Dublin or Offaly for care. The Chief Executive of the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group called managers of hospitals to a meeting to sign off on the contents of a strategic plan for hospitals in the region. Central to the implementation of its five year plan is the sacrificing of Portlaoise as a front line hospital. The people of Laois reacted and by the end of October over 300 people gathered at Midlands Park Hotel for a public meeting on how the plan could be stopped in its tracks. A new Portlaoise Hospital Action Committee was formed out of this meeting and it has worked tirelessly to bring the plan to a halt. October also saw a huge number of break-ins and burglaries across the county including twenty farm gates worth up to 4,000 stolen from Ballyragget on Friday, October 6. It was revealed in October that Laois County Council will buy the old County Hotel on Main Street, Portlaoise. Gardai have confirmed that the teenager who was injured in the car crash on the N7 last Thursday, December 28, has left hospital. Unlike his companions in the car which was stopped as part of a Garda enquiry into an alleged burglary in Athy, the teen was not arrested, and not being actively sought by Gardai, a spokesperson said. The 16 year old was being treated for a head injury in Tallaght Hospital and was thought to be in critical condition, but only three days later, on Sunday afternoon, he left the hosptial. A Garda spokesperson was unable to confirm whether the teen was discharged from hospital or he left of his own accord. Thats nothing to do with us, its a matter for the HSE. However, we do know that he left under his own steam. The crash occurred last Thursday, December 28. Gardai had received a report of a burglary at a house in Athy where the intruders were disturbed and fled from the scene in a waiting car when the occupants of the house returned home. During a follow up operation members of a Garda anti-burglary unit intercepted a car on the N7 Naas Road at approximately 3.45pm. The car initially stopped for Gardai but when approached took off a speed in the direction of Dublin. According to Gardai, moments later this car was involved in a collision with a second car at on the N7 at junction 8, Johnstown. While one of the young men, was injured in the collision and taken by ambulance to Tallaght Hospital, three other youths, all male and understood to be in their teens, were arrested during follow up searches near the crash site a short time later. They appeared before a special sitting of Naas District Court the following day. Kildare County Council is to investigate ways of enhancing safety near the Castlefen residential area in Sallins. Independent councillor Sorcha ONeill asked for KCC to carry out an assessment near the scene of the tragic road accident which claimed the life of Castlefen resident Dane Loakman in late November. Cllr ONeill has called for a pedestrian crossing with lights near Castlefen on the Clane Road. Cllr ONeill has welcomed the councils intention to relocate a bus stop to a nearby inlet. She said that the council has also committed to carrying out a needs assessment at the location, which will include a pedestrian count and traffic count. According to KCC a preliminary assessment of the area was carried out by the councils Technical Assessment and Advisory Group in October. KCC also pointed that the area is a 50kph zone and footpaths and public lighting are provided. There is a pedestrian crossing 150 metres to the south of Castlefen, at Castlesize as well as a signalised junction with pedestrian crossing facilities located 450 metres to the south, adjacent to the Lidl store. In addition KCC is working with the National Transport Authority and the Department of Education to discuss the Departments policy on the transportation of school children at this and other locations in the county. LIMERICKs most prolific abstract artist John Shinnors has been bestowed with honorary membership of the Limerick Art Society, as a marker of the organisations 75 years of existence. The 67-year-old city centre-based artist was awarded the honour for his contribution to Limericks arts and culture community, in absentia, at Istabraq Hall at City Hall. Limerick Art Society chairperson Eamonn McQuade said that Shinnors, who studied at Limerick School of Art and Design, is the most celebrated painter in the region at present. Perhaps, just as important, he is a great man to do presentations for schools and the society, where he comes in and demonstrates his art live to audiences, which is great. He is very quiet about his presentations but he is very good at doing it. I think he likes doing the presentations. He claims to be a landscape painter who has become more of an abstract painter over the years. Some of his early work is really nice, he told the Limerick Leader. Mr Shinnors, renowned for his abstract style, delivered the end-of-the-year artist workshop at Limerick City Gallery of Art, hosted by the society. Mr McQuade said that Shinnors unique workshop comprised a still life production of a fire extinguisher, the Spotted Dog pub mascot and half a pigs head. We had 10 workshops over the course of 2017, and this was the first time in a long time that the Limerick Art Society has had access to the gallery, although for years before, Limerick Art Society held exhibitions there, he explained. Also during the 75th anniversary celebrations, acclaimed Castleconnell painter Barbara Hartigan was awarded a silver medal for years of contribution to the society. He said a large number of LSAD students attend their events. It is terrific to have the students come along, adding that there is still huge potential to be unearthed in Limericks artistic sphere. But what is very heartening is that Limerick City and County Council has set up this strategic policy committee for arts and culture, which I think is a great thing to be happening. And I think what happened was the City of Culture activity, people felt it hadnt got enough engagement from the local arts and cultural community in that festival. And I think the new strategic policy committee will be excellent in moving that along. He also commended the Limerick Arts and Culture Exchange organisation that advocates for improved community engagement across a wide spectrum of the arts sector. Limerick hasnt done badly in the arts. But, in another sense, there is an awful lot of talent around that just needs a bit of encouragement and a base to expand on. THREE musical Limerick maestros have been donating their time and symphonies to the Mid-West branch of the Alzheimer Society of Ireland. Friends Jane Murphy and Ivan Thornbury, both from Thomondgate, linked up with Caherdavin man David Clampett to form a group. On a voluntary basis, they perform old-time songs for people suffering from Alzheimers, at the Alzheimer Society of Irelands day centre at Kilmurry Court, Garryowen each week. Jane Murphy, who is originally from the state of Alabama in the USA, said: We got together almost by chance. Dave started first, Ivan joined in. And then I moved in next door to Ivan. Ivan explained further: Then I heard her sing, and I figured we had to recruit her. The trio specialise in sea shantiz, and country music, and point to the Eagles as influences. David said: We do a variety of different things from modern to traditional. Anything the clients want hearing anything that helps them really. For us, its nice to give back something, particularly with us being at the age we are me in particular! I feel anything which helps in their own life is worthwhile. Its difficult for them, so if we can give a bit of relief and respite, it means a lot, David added. Collette Devlin, who manages the Alzheimer Day Care centre in the city, is really thankful for the tunes the trio bring. The great thing about this is for the clients here in particular, music is very key to them. In many ways, they remember a lot of songs from the past. As they do, it gives them great comfort to sing. What the musicians do not realise is how long this lasts. When they are here, we want to send them home happy. Music makes them happy. So when they get home, their relatives are not as stressed, not as anxious as their loved ones are coming home happy, she said. Among the clients, Mary, from the city said: Theyre just brilliant. Its a highlight of my week when they come. I look forward to it their music is wonderful. And fellow city man Christy added: I think they are absolutely brilliant. They all do different types of music for me. A bit of Elvis, a bit of the Beatles. Elvis is dead, but I enjoy the Eagles too. THEY like being active in Castleconnell at Christmas if it isnt a swim its a spinathon! On Saturday, December 23, Ahane Camogie Club players, members and supporters embarked on a 24-hour cycle but they didnt move much. Six stationary bikes were set up outside the Shannon Inn. From noon they pedalled to the metal to raise money for the club and the parishs Care of the Aged. Chairperson of Ahane Camogie Club, Tony Kenny said there was a great atmosphere in the village as locals and those home for Christmas popped in to give moral and financial support. Over 100 participants got in the saddle and they didnt have to count calories over Christmas! It went very well. It was a fantastic day. A lot of people commented to say that it was great to see something happening on the festive weekend, said Tony. Limericks Mr Motivator Richie Clifford got the ball rolling and then players took over. It started with the U-8s, 10s and 12s they did it from 12pm to 4pm. The U-14s did 4pm to 6pm. The minors and U-16s did 6pm to 8pm and then from 8pm to 8am the following morning it was our senior girls and senior management, parents and volunteers, who were willing to do it, said Tony. Some of their senior hurlers, including Niall and Ollie Moran cycled for a couple of hours. And former Munster and Irish rugby star Marcus Horan also helped them get over the 24 hour line. The church choir kept all in good spirits by singing carols. The six bikes were going more or less all the time from 12pm to midnight and then from there to 3am there were two bikes going. From three in the morning until noon the six bikes were going as well, said Tony, who credits George Lee with coming up with the idea. George also put his legs where his mouth is by pedalling at 5am. While all the money hasnt been counted yet Tony hopes that a sum of around 3,000 will be raised for the club and Care of the Aged, who came down to cheer them on. Meanwhile, the annual Bog Cup in memory of the late Shane Lee takes place in Aisling Annacotty on Saturday, December 30 from 10.30am to 2.30pm. A LIMERICK man has admitted viciously assaulting his former partner during a drunken brawl at a fast food restaurant in the city. The 38-year-old has pleaded guilty to assaulting the woman, causing her harm during an incident at Star House, Broad Street in the early hours of April 26, 2016. Garda Louise Jordan told Limerick Circuit Court the 34-year-old victim was previously granted a Barring Order but that she and her ex partner had been drinking together earlier in the night. She told John OSullivan BL, instructed by state solicitor Padraig Mawe, that following the incident at around 12.30am she went to her mothers home before making a complaint to gardai the following morning. CCTV footage from the premises was obtained during the garda investigation and stills from the footage were submitted during the sentencing hearing. Garda Jordan says the footage shows the pair engaging in what appears to be a verbal disagreement before the defendant grabs the woman by the hair and knocks her to the ground. Judge Tom ODonnell was told he kicked her a number of times while she was lying on the ground and that he can also be seen punching her repeatedly during the assault which lasts for around eight minutes. The camera doesn't lie, the assault was captured most graphically on video, said Mr OSullivan. Rebecca May Treacy BL said her client, who works full time in the construction industry had cooperated with gardai when questioned about the incident. She said he is a different man with alcohol on board and that there is not a day where he does not regret what happened. They had been out (together), a lot of alcohol has been consumed, she said adding that her client has taken various steps to get himself on a better path. She said he wished to unreservedly apologise for what he did and was not offering any excuse for his behaviour. He is mortified and truly ashamed of his actions, said Ms Treacy. In a written testimonial which was submitted to the court, the defendants employer stated he is a reliable, punctual and hard-working individual. Ms Treacy said her client is engaging with Saoirse and is attending a counseling and psychotherapy. Describing what happened as a savage assault, Judge ODonell said he wanted to consider the matter and did not want to rush to judgment. Adjourning the matter to March 20, next he warned he is keeping all his options open. Chinas retail sales of consumer goods went up 33.9 percent year on year in the first quarter of this year, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said Friday. The growth reversed from declines seen in the first quarter last year, when consumer spending was disrupted by the COVID-19 epidemic. Average Q1 growth for the past two years stood at 4.2 percent, the NBS said. In March, retail sales surged 34.2 percent year on year and was 12.9 percent higher from the 2019 level. The two-year average growth was 6.3 percent. Chinas fixed-asset investment (FAI) went up 25.6 percent year on year in the first quarter of 2021, data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed Friday. The FAI amounted to 9.6 trillion yuan (about 1.47 trillion U.S. dollars) in the first three months, according to the NBS. The double-digit growth was driven by a low base of comparison early last year when COVID-19 paralyzed economic activities in China. Compared with the 2019 level, FAI growth came in at 6 percent. Investment by the state sector went up 25.3 percent during the January-March period, while private-sector investment rose 26 percent. On a month-on-month basis, FAI rose 1.51 percent in March. The FAI includes capital spent on infrastructure, property, machinery and other physical assets. Chinas economy grew 18.3 percent year on year in the first quarter of 2021, as strong domestic and foreign demands powered recovery from a low base in early 2020 when COVID-19 stalled the worlds second largest economy. The gross domestic product (GDP) reached 24.93 trillion yuan (about 3.82 trillion U.S. dollars) in Q1, data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed Friday. The double-digit growth puts the average Q1 growth of 2020 and 2021 at 5 percent from the 2019 level. In the first three months, China saw a steady industrial production rebound, improvement in market sales, recovery in fixed-asset investment, and noticeable momentum in foreign trade of goods, according to the NBS. The Chinese economy registered a 6.8-percent contraction in the Q1 of 2020 due to the novel coronavirus. Thanks to resolute and effective virus control, the global growth engine regained its footing with a V-shaped comeback to attain three consecutive quarters of rebound last year (3.2 percent in Q2, 4.9 percent in Q3 and 6.5 percent in Q4). On Thu, Dec 14, 2017 at 8:54 pm, ww.presidencyoffice_buhari12@yahoo.com < ww.presidencyoffice_buhari12@yahoo.com > wrote: OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENCY FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA Aso Rock Villa presidential residence in the capital, Abuja Attention; Un p aid Fund Beneficiary Sir how can you behave this way? How can you send somebody to my office without proper notification at least by phone or email? You send Mr.Mohd Ramdzan bin Hashim from Malaysia the picture attached to come and pay the requested fee to release your fund. This is a fraudulent act which my government will not accept. May be in the past you have been dealing this ways but not any more. For your information I need to hear from you immediately to confirm actually that you send him or not for his arrest by tomorrow. Failure to hear from you, I am sorry I will not accept the fee. So contact me immediately as I have tried to reach you on phone but not getting through. I have approved us$1 0. 5 million dollars to be paid to you since the beginning of this year but you refused following my instructions because of your ugly experience in the past. NOTE; my government cannot afford to make any mistake or deceived. I am a Muslim man as such I do things accordingly. Contact me immediately by phone. Best regards MUHAMMADU BUHARI President, Federal Republic of Nigeria CALL +234-8151048743 On Fri, Dec 15, 2017 at 5:09 pm, ww.presidencyoffice_buhari12@yahoo.com < ww.presidencyoffice_buhari12@yahoo.com > wrote: OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENCY FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA Aso Rock Villa presidential residence in the capital, Abuja Attention; I received your message without your identification copy and banking details. You should have received your fund before now but the reason is that I have been sick and I went to United Kingdom for treatment. I am now back and the criminal that came as your next of kin to claim your fund will be put to jail if he came back Monday as I instructed him. You will now receive your approved fund directly from Nigeria bank. I have approved us$10.5 million dollars on your behalf before I went to United Kingdom for my medical treatment. Before we proceed I will like you to understand that you are dealing with the president and number one citizen of Nigeria as such I will never take orders from you rather you must follow my simple instructions. I was not here when this fund was allotted to you but now that I have approved your fund you should be happy and give me a chance. You will receive your fund by bank to bank transfer my brother but I will like you to follow international rules. The federal government of Nigeria will take care of your tax, vat and cost of transfer fees but you must settle the terrorist and money laundering clearance fees before the transfer. This is to avoid any stoppages after transfer. My country Nigeria is regarded as a terrorist and money laundering nation as such funds going out must obtain this clearance from the British and American office here in Nigeria. My brother I know you will find it difficult to pay the anti terrorist and money laundering fees upfront but frankly speaking you must if ever you wish to receive this approved fund. I will personally advise you to get it and I swear in the name of ALLAH you will receive your fund without any hitches. NOTE; my government cannot afford to make any mistake or deceived. I am a Muslim man as such I do things accordingly. Contact me immediately by phone. Here is the picture of the man. Best regards MUHAMMADU BUHARI President, Federal Republic of Nigeria CALL +234-8151048743 On Sat, Dec 16, 2017 at 12:21 am, ww.presidencyoffice_buhari12@yahoo.com < ww.presidencyoffice_buhari12@yahoo.com > wrote: OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENCY FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA Aso Rock Villa presidential residence in the capital, Abuja Attention; In my last message to you I made it clear to you that you are dealing with the president and number one citizen of Nigeria as such I will never take orders from you rather you must follow my simple instructions. I was not here when this fund was allotted to you but now that I have approved your fund you should be happy and give me a chance. I acknowledged the receipt of your message with your identification co p y but without your banking details and private p hone number since you cannot call me. You will receive your fund by bank to bank transfer my brother but I will like you to follow international rules. The federal government of Nigeria will take care of your tax, vat and cost of transfer fees but you must settle the terrorist and money laundering clearance fees before the transfer. The British and American anti terrorist and money laundering office here in Nigeria to let you know the costs. You should kindly bear with me as I will deliver on my promise in making sure you receive this approved amount us$1 0 .5 million dollars. You should only get anti terrorist and money laundering clearance which will be a big problem after transfer of your fund from. You should understand the terrorist organization going on all over the world and even in your country united states of America. Contact the British and American terrorist office with below info; update me after hearing from them. Dr. Edward James Head of operations,. British/ American terrorist and money laundering Office Park view Estate Ikoyi Lagos Tel; 234- 7016581916 Email. britishamerica.force@yahoo.com britishamerica.force@gmail.com NOTE; my government cannot afford to make any mistake or deceived. I am a Muslim man as such I do things accordingly. Contact me immediately by phone. Here is the picture of the man. Best regards MUHAMMADU BUHARI President, Federal Republic of Nigeria CALL +234-8151048743 On Sat, Dec 16, 2017 at 5:09 am, ww.presidencyoffice_buhari12@yahoo.com < ww.presidencyoffice_buhari12@yahoo.com > wrote: OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENCY FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA Aso Rock Villa presidential residence in the capital, Abuja Attention; In my last message to you I made it clear to you that you are dealing with the president and number one citizen of Nigeria as such I will never take orders from you rather you must follow my simple instructions. I was not here when this fund was allotted to you but now that I have approved your fund you should be happy and give me a chance. I acknowledged the receipt of your message and your apology accepted. You will never be deceived again provided you follow my instructions as the president of Nigeria. Report any message you received to me henceforth. It will only take you 72 hours to confirm your fund into your account as soon as you obtain anti terrorist and money laundering clearance certificate. I will personally give a p residential fiat order for your fund crediting with first bank of Nigeria. You should try and contact the anti terrorist office as I directed you below for the issuance fee. Contact the British and American terrorist office with below info; update me after hearing from them. Dr. Edward James Head of operations,. British/ American terrorist and money laundering Office Park view Estate Ikoyi Lagos Tel; 234- 7016581916 Email. britishamerica.force@yahoo.com britishamerica.force@gmail.com NOTE; my government cannot afford to make any mistake or deceived. I am a Muslim man as such I do things accordingly. Contact me immediately by phone. Here is the picture of the man. Best regards MUHAMMADU BUHARI President, Federal Republic of Nigeria CALL +234-8151048743 On Sun, Dec 17, 2017 at 9:11 pm, ww.presidencyoffice_buhari12@yahoo.com < ww.presidencyoffice_buhari12@yahoo.com > wrote: OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENCY FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA Aso Rock Villa presidential residence in the capital, Abuja Attention; In my last message to you I made it clear to you that you are dealing with the president and number one citizen of Nigeria as such I will never take orders from you rather you must follow my simple instructions. I was not here when this fund was allotted to you but now that I have approved your fund you should be happy and give me a chance. I AM CONTACTING YOU DIRECTLY AS AMERICAN CITIZEN. I am surprised that you have never contacted the anti terrorist office as I directed since last week. I hoe you are not being deceived by an impostor claiming to be a staff of UBA bank. I have contacted the bank executive foreign remittance director and he told such name does not exist in there bank. So you are dealing with a scammer. You should immediately contact the anti terrorist office to enable your fund hit your account in the next 72 hours. It will only take you 72 hours to confirm your fund into your account as soon as you obtain anti terrorist and money laundering clearance certificate. I will personally give a presidential fiat order for your fund crediting with first bank of Nigeria. You should try and contact the anti terrorist office as I directed you below for the issuance fee. Contact the British and American terrorist office with below info; update me after hearing from them. Dr. Edward James Head of operations,. British/ American terrorist and money laundering Office Park view Estate Ikoyi Lagos Tel; 234- 7016581916 Email. britishamerica.force@yahoo.com britishamerica.force@gmail.com . NOTE; my government cannot afford to make any mistake or deceived. I am a Muslim man as such I do things accordingly. Contact me immediately by phone. Best regards MUHAMMADU BUHARI President, Federal Republic of Nigeria CALL +234-8151048743 From: "ww.presidencyoffice_buhari12@yahoo.com" < ww.presidencyoffice_buhari12@yahoo.com > Sent: Monday, December 18, 2017 9:40 AM Subject: Re: OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENCY OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENCY FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA Aso Rock Villa presidential residence in the capital, Abuja Attention; In my last message to you I made it clear to you that you are dealing with the president and number one citizen of Nigeria as such I will never take orders from you rather you must follow my simple instructions. I was not here when this fund was allotted to you but now that I have approved your fund you should be happy and give me a chance. I know you will find it difficult to believe that I am the resident of Nigeria contacting you directly. My contact to you and others directly is from the meeting I had with resident trump and Theresa May of united kingdom. I am doing this to sto p any form of extortion from you as in the p ast, so kindly bear with me. On the other hand if you are comfortable communicating with me you let me know and I will sto p immediately but you will never receive your fund in this my government. I have forwarded my identification coy as a roof and for your verification's. NOTE; my government cannot afford to make any mistake or deceived. I am a Muslim man as such I do things accordingly. Contact me immediately by phone. Best regards MUHAMMADU BUHARI President, Federal Republic of Nigeria CALL +234-8151048743 ww.presidencyoffice_buhari12@yahoo.com ww.presidencyoffice_buhari12@yahoo.com > Date: Mon, Dec 18, 2017 at 4:14 PM Subject: Re: READ MY ANSWER CAREFULLY OK. OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENCY FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA Aso Rock Villa presidential residence in the capital, Abuja Attention; I received your message without your identification copy and banking details. You should have received your fund before now but the reason is that I have been sick and I went to United Kingdom for treatment. I am now back and the criminal that came as your next of kin to claim your fund will be put to jail if he came back Monday as I instructed him. You will now receive your approved fund directly from Nigeria bank. I have approved us$10.5 million dollars on your behalf before I went to united kingdom for my medical treatment. Before we proceed I will like you to understand that you are dealing with the president and number one citizen of Nigeria as such I will never take orders from you rather you must follow my simple instructions. I was not here when this fund was allotted to you but now that I have approved your fund you should be happy and give me a chance. You will receive your fund by bank to bank transfer my brother but I will like you to follow international rules. The federal government of Nigeria will take care of your tax, vat and cost of transfer fees but you must settle the terrorist and money laundering clearance fees before the transfer. This is to avoid any stoppages after transfer. My country Nigeria is regarded as a terrorist and money laundering nation as such funds going out must obtain this clearance from the British and American office here in Nigeria. My brother I know you will find it difficult to pay the anti terrorist and money laundering fees upfront but frankly speaking you must if ever you wish to receive this approved fund. I will personally advise you to get it and I swear in the name of ALLAH you will receive your fund without any hitches. NOTE; my government cannot afford to make any mistake or deceived. I am a Muslim man as such I do things accordingly. Contact me immediately by phone. Best regards MUHAMMADU BUHARI President, Federal Republic of Nigeria CALL +234-8151048743 From:Date: Mon, Dec 18, 2017 at 4:14 PMSubject: Re: READ MY ANSWER CAREFULLY OK. On Tue, Dec 19, 2017 at 9:07 am, GENERAL MUHAMMADU BUHARI,RTD,GCFR. < presidentofnigeriang58@gmail.com > wrote: PRESIDENCY FROM THE DESK OF GENERAL MUHAMMADU BUHARI,RTD.,GCFR. TEL 234-7017914789 EMAIL, presidentofnigeria58@gmail.com ATTENTION :Sir/Madam This is to bring to your notice that i have approved your payment of $32 million and you are advise to call me now on 234-7017914789 so that i will release your fund to you today Reconfirm your telephone number too or call me on 234-7017914789 CONGRATULATION IN ADVANCE Yours sincerely, GENERAL MUHAMMADU BUHARI,RTD.,GCFR. PRESIDENT OF NIGERIA DIRECT TELEPHONE 234-7017914789 NOTE :Please you are advise to stop any further dealing any other person or group of person because they are just taking advantage of you . If you received a similar letter, please ignore it. Do not answer it. If you do, you will end up on more of the mailing lists used by the criminals behind this fraud. Read more.... On Jan. 12, a woman from Kazakhstan wrote to a Russia-born lobbyist working out of President-elect Donald Trump's building, 40 Wall Street, in Manhattan. Public records don't show exactly what she wanted, but she thought the lobbyist could help her by talking to Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law. "Thank you very much for attention to my business proposals," she wrote in an email. "If you could assist me in promoting it here in US through Mr. Trump's son-in-law or somehow else I would be very grateful." It's just one tale from the Justice Department's FARA registry - a database where, under the Foreign Agents Registration Act of 1938, those working to influence the U.S. government on behalf of other nations must declare their intentions. Although FARA has seen fewer than 70 registrants each year since 2001, 101 entities have registered in 2017 - perhaps because special counsel Robert S. Mueller III's Russia probe has prompted more careful compliance with public disclosure standards. Of those, 61 registrants are in the District of Columbia, Maryland or Virginia. And if any dealings detailed in the registry seem shady, registrants say FARA exists to bring them into the light. A spokesman for the Justice Department said it was aware of the increase in FARA registrants, but declined to comment further. "Most of the people registered there are not nefarious at all," said Bruce Morrison, a lobbyist and former Democratic congressman from Connecticut. "We don't preclude foreign governments from asserting their interest in the United States. We just require that they tell us." Morrison is one of the D.C. region's most recent FARA registrants. His Bethesda lobbying firm, the Morrison Public Affairs Group, registered on Dec. 10, saying it would provide "political and policy consultation, representation to Congress and Executive Branch" for Ireland. A longtime champion of immigrants' rights, Morrison proposed a fee of $7,500 to Irish officials last month to "prepare draft legislative language for a provision to assist Irish undocumented in the U.S. to gain work and travel authorization," FARA documents show. "My judgment is I'm required to register, so I registered," Morrison said. "I'm not a scofflaw. I'm a former member of Congress. I take my lobbying registration requirements seriously." He added: "I'm not Paul Manafort" - a reference to the former Trump campaign manager charged with making false statements in his FARA registration. Others view FARA registration as superfluous and unnecessary. John Garziglia, owner of a Virginia-based radio frequency that broadcasts a Russian-funded radio station with offices blocks from the White House, stated his objections in a letter he included with the registration. The company "does not qualify for registration under [FARA], but is doing so at your direction," Garziglia, a communications lawyer, wrote the Justice Department on Nov. 15. "We do so because we have been directed to do so, not because it is required by the law." Uriel Rubinov, the Russian lobbyist working out of Trump's 40 Wall Street building, also criticized the registry. Rubinov, who emigrated to the United States as a refugee in 1988 at age 11, said he later became a citizen and had a career on Wall Street before founding a consulting company in 2011. He registered with FARA in April. His registration, which he said he didn't know would be made public, indicates he is "engaged to help Kazakhstan with their sovereign asset privatization efforts." Rubinov declined to discuss the plans. However, he argues that FARA foils intelligence-gathering because it forces potential sources to show their hands. "I'm a die-hard U.S. citizen," he said. "I'm all about America. I'm all about transparency - full disclosure. However, this whole FARA program is counterproductive to the U.S. government." He added: "If they want to gather intelligence, they should keep it confidential." Rubinov said he doesn't know Kushner and never approached him about Kazakhstan. In an email, Kushner attorney Abbe Lowell wrote: "There is no record or recollection that any contact, call or meeting ever occurred." Stephen Vladeck, a law professor at the University of Texas who teaches foreign relations law, said there is "a bit of a stigma" that comes with FARA registration, leading some who work for foreign governments to avoid registering. However, Vladeck said, FARA doesn't penalize activity by foreign agents. It just demands their activities be reported. "It's meant to say whatever you're doing, shady or otherwise, should be transparent," he said. Daniel Faraci, a lobbyist with Grassroots Political Consulting in the District, registered under FARA last month and represents the family of Khalifa Hifter, the head of Libya's army, amid that nation's civil war. In an interview, Faraci said that Hifter is working toward fighting Islamic militants and eliminating the slave trade so Libya will one day be ready for a presidential election. Faraci said he registered under FARA himself because "when you believe in what you're doing, a registration is just a registration." "I did not have any hesitation in contacting them," he said. "The client is fully on board with it. The client is just like me. . . . I would rather be overly cautious to make sure we're crossing every 't' and dotting every 'i.' " His patients called him Dr. Akoda. As an obstetrician-gynecologist at Prince George's Hospital Center, women trusted him to care for them in some of their most vulnerable moments. He gave them their annual checkups, treated their ailments and delivered their babies. But their faith in the doctor who had practiced for years at the hospital just outside of Washington, D.C., quickly vanished after federal authorities announced that Akoda was not the man he said he was. Akoda was actually Oluwafemi Charles Igberase, who used a fake Social Security number to obtain his medical license in Maryland. A federal investigation revealed his true identity and the fact that he had been using stolen Social Security numbers to advance his medical career and obtain professional certifications for at least 25 years. "I'm shook because of this," said one of Igberase's former patients, who said she feels betrayed. "This makes me even scared to go to the hospital. He could have put my son's life and my life in danger." The woman, who asked not to be identified due to the sensitive nature of her claims, is one of more than 100 patients who are part of a class-action lawsuit filed against Prince George's Hospital Center. The women said the hospital failed to perform a proper background check on Igberase and allowed an impostor to practice medicine at the facility for five years. Igberase was removed from the hospital in 2016 after he was indicted on federal fraud charges. In a statement to The Washington Post, the hospital said Igberase's conduct failed to meet its expectations regarding "sound moral character" but that his credentials and experience appeared valid. "We are exploring many aspects of this case, researching records, and evaluating processes and procedures upon which we rely to validate information," the statement from Prince George's Hospital Center said. "Several highly reliable agencies validated his credentials including the states in which he held medical licenses." Igberase, whose attorney did not respond to a request for comment, pleaded guilty in November 2016 to a federal fraud charge. He admitted to using four different Social Security numbers under three different names to apply for medical certifications, federal education loans for his children and his license to practice medicine. Authorities also found that Igberase had not only forged or altered his medical diploma, medical transcripts and letters of recommendation, but also had a false passport, visa, birth certificate and immigration documents. Jonathan Schochor, an attorney representing more than 100 plaintiffs in the class-action lawsuit, said the former patients were "shocked and betrayed" to learn of the fraud conviction. Patients in hospitals where births, surgeries, diagnoses and treatments occur expect a private safe haven, Schochor said. But the revelations that Igberase wasn't who he said he was created a breach of trust. "They've all said to us that they're worried for themselves and they're worried for their children," Schochor said. "Has he performed cesareans or surgeries that he shouldn't have? Has he performed or not performed tests that he shouldn't have?" Schochor said he doesn't understand how Prince George's Hospital Center missed so many red flags concerning Igberase. Igberase came to the United States in October 1991 on a nonimmigrant visa, according to federal court documents. He obtained fraudulent Social Security numbers and claimed someone else's identity a month later, as well as twice more in 1995 and 1998. In 1992 and 1993, he failed basic exams for the Foreign Medical Graduate Certification, required for people from other countries to enter medical education programs in the United States, the lawsuit asserts. He eventually met the requirements, but in 1995, the certifications were revoked because the committee discovered he had used different names and dates of birth to apply for the credentials, the lawsuit contends. About five years later, a medical center in New Jersey removed him from its residency program after learning he had used a false date of birth and Social Security number to apply as "Akoda," the lawsuit states, and in 2012, the federal government rejected his application for a Medicare claim after saying it had received someone else's Social Security number for the application. Schochor said a thorough background check would have uncovered the discrepancies in the doctor's history, names and Social Security numbers. "How in the dickens does a hospital permit that kind of a person to go ahead and practice at that institution as a credentialed OB/GYN for years?" Schochor asked. In a motion to dismiss claims, attorneys for the hospital's parent company, Dimensions Health Corporation, wrote in court filings that although the doctor who treated patients who are suing was not really named Akoda, he still was licensed to practice medicine in Maryland. "As Shakespeare wrote over 400 years ago, 'What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other word would smell as sweet,' " the lawyers for Dimensions wrote. "Whether the patients knew him as 'Akoda' or 'Igberase,' both names denote the exact same person, and that person was a licensed physician who was experienced and competent in the practice of obstetrics and gynecology." According to the hospital, "Akoda" was certified by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates; "applied to, was accepted, and successfully completed a four-year residency program at Howard University from 2007-2011"; "performed satisfactorily" on exams administered annually and nationally to obstetrics and gynecology residents; and had obtained medical licenses from Maryland and Virginia, which remained in good standing through the time of his work at the hospital. Prince George's Hospital Center said he was also board certified from the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology and was named "Resident of the Year" in his final year at Howard University. "We acknowledge the concerns expressed by some of his former patients," the hospital stated. "However, it remains a fact that Dr. Akoda was a trained, licensed, and qualified obstetrician and gynecologist during the entire period he had privileges to practice at our facility." But the former patients said if they can't trust that their doctors are who they say they are, how can they trust that they're getting the right medical care for themselves and their family. The woman who had her child delivered by Igberase five years ago said she discovered he was a fraud after her friend told her to turn on the news one day and she saw Igberase's face flashing on the television in a piece about his federal conviction - and immediately broke into tears. The woman, who had complications during her delivery and a very difficult labor, said she immediately began to question whether she received appropriate medical care, and she worried about her and her child's health. "I trusted him," the woman said in an interview. "This is something where you're dealing with lives, you're dealing with babies, you're dealing with personal areas." Now, she said, "I don't know who is this man that touched me in a private area and delivered my child." In spring 2016, Liza Goldberg asked scientists at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, if she could do research there. But there was a problem: She was 14, and the agency's internship program accepts students starting at 16. As luck would have it, two NASA satellite experts - David Lagomasino and Temilola Fatoyinbo - saw the request. It mentioned a tree study Goldberg had done that involved climate change and measuring the growth of maple seedlings in her backyard once a week for three years. The two NASA scientists were intrigued. "This girl sounds great," Lagomasino recalls saying. "We have some work to do, let's bring her in." Even at a large governmental organization, it turns out, there are ways around bureaucratic hurdles. Lagomasino and Fatoyinbo thought Goldberg could help them use satellite data to map mangroves - muddy, tangled-trunk forests that fringe the coastlines of dozens of tropical countries and as far north as St. Augustine, Florida. Mangroves are critical ecosystems: They store huge amounts of carbon and nurture fish and shrimp species that millions of people depend on for food. But much about them remains mysterious. Less than two years later, Goldberg has developed what might be the world's first satellite-based early warning system to determine where mangroves are threatened. The work incorporates data from four satellites on mangrove growth and loss, rainfall, agriculture, and urban growth. Green, yellow and red pixels on a Google Earth base map indicate threat levels ranging from low to high. Going from knowing almost nothing about satellite imagery to doing serious science at a world-renowned research facility has been a whirlwind for the sophomore at Atholton High School in Columbia, Maryland. "I still sort of can't believe I'm there," she said. Goldberg grew up in the suburbs between Washington and Baltimore. She recalls elementary school field trips to the Chesapeake Bay and labs on water quality testing and rearing horseshoe crabs as part of a gifted and talented program. Lagomasino and Fatoyinbo brought Goldberg on during the summer before she started high school. "I remember just really being in awe of the work they were doing," she said. Goldberg had seen mangroves only once before, during a trip to Fort Myers, Florida. Soon, she would see many more, at least on her computer screen. She spent much of that summer analyzing images taken by NASA's Landsat satellites of the African coastline and determining whether she was looking at mangroves, water or bare mud flats. She did 10,000 classifications in one week, she said. Her advisers soon realized she was ready for something a bit more creative. About that time, reports came in that nearly 30 square miles of mangrove forest had disappeared from a bay in Australia - one of the largest mangrove diebacks ever seen. "It was really crazy to be seeing mangroves in the news," Goldberg said. She also learned that half of the world's mangroves had disappeared, and that much of what remained was threatened by sea level rise and erosion and by farming, urban development and other human activities. She was shocked - and galvanized to do something. "I didn't want to just analyze past loss," she said. "I wanted to create some kind of solution." During the school year, Goldberg shifted to coming in once a week, on Friday afternoons. She read scientific papers on how to extract information on land cover from satellite data and learned to program in the JavaScript and Python languages. (She had studied coding and even taught it at a camp for elementary school girls, but her NASA work required her to take it to another level.) She took advantage of school breaks to put in extra hours at the lab. "I'll know it's spring break because Liza's here on a Tuesday morning," Fatoyinbo said. She also worked weekends and evenings, logging in from home to the Google servers that host her computer code. Pretty soon, she was writing her own code with only occasional help from Lagomasino. "I was really taken aback that she was working on a project of this scope," said Hana Rhee, an Atholton teacher whose computer science class Goldberg took as a freshman. With the early warning system, Goldberg's hard work is starting to pay off. Although a similar satellite-based warning system exists for tropical forests, the algorithm can't distinguish mangroves from nearby water, Lagomasino said, creating a need for a separate system for mangroves. By July, Goldberg had made enough progress that Lagomasino persuaded her to submit a proposal to speak at the American Geophysical Union's fall meeting in New Orleans. The annual conference - one of the world's largest science meetings - brings together more than 20,000 Earth and space scientists. Only roughly a third of attendees get to give talks. When she received word that she would be speaking, Goldberg said, "I screamed so loudly I probably woke up the entire neighborhood." She concedes that she was nervous when she stood up to present to a room full of scientists. "She impressed a whole lot of people," said Lawrence Friedl, the director of NASA's applied sciences program. "We joked up on stage - we were wondering whether she was in a master's or a PhD program at her school." How often do high school students speak at the scientific meeting? "I don't think I've seen it," Lagomasino said. Already, global conservation organizations are eager to use Goldberg's map to make their work more effective. It's more advanced than what her organization can produce, said Aurelie Shapiro, a mangrove researcher at the World Wildlife Fund's Berlin office. "There's an overload of data, and we just don't know how to use it all," she said. "Things like this NASA methodology can really help us whittle down what's important, what's happening and act on it." Jorge Ramos of Conservation International in Arlington said the system could help his organization and the communities it works with determine where to allocate resources for maximum benefit. "It would be interesting to see what areas we work in show up as really high risk," he said. Goldberg's next steps include incorporating additional data sources and making the warnings update in near real-time as satellite data stream in. She eventually plans to move the system to a public platform so a wider range of collaborators can access it. Now that she has just turned 16, she has finally joined NASA'S official internship program. In a few months when she gets her driver's license, she may start driving herself. In the future she hopes to travel to East Africa to work with some of Lagomasino and Fatoyinbo's collaborators. Longer-term, Goldberg envisions a career in science. "My mom always taught me that it's really important that you love your job, because that's what you do every day," she said. "And I love what I do at NASA." She's already thinking about colleges, with an eye toward ones that will allow her to do research her first year. But first, she needed to make up year-end exams she missed while in New Orleans - and go on another family vacation to Florida over the winter holiday. Seeing mangroves was a priority. As her father noted, Goldberg knows of a map that shows where to find them. Getty Images Two Houston men were arrested at an Illinois truck stop on New Year's Eve after authorities reported finding 1,000 pounds of marijuana in their vehicle. Muhammad Usama, 21, and Syed Ahmad, 43, were in an RV near a Loves Travel Stop in South Jacksonville around 10 a.m. when a drug dog detected something, according to a news release from the sheriff's office in Morgan County, Illinois ISTANBUL - Anti-government protests in Iran have turned increasingly violent with the deaths of 12 demonstrators and a police officer, raising the stakes as unrest on the streets has raged now for five days and confounded leaders who have struggled to respond. The protests have been stunning in their ferocity and geographic reach, spreading to far-flung towns and cities that are strongholds of the middle- and working-class. The demonstrators themselves appeared Monday to be leaderless, and their demands diffuse, ranging from better living conditions to more political freedoms and even an end to the Islamic Republic. Their chants and attacks on government buildings broke taboos in a system that brooks little dissent. The demonstrations were the boldest challenge to government authority since a pro-democracy revolt in 2009. The prospect of a harsher response from security forces, whose brutality is notorious, raised fears of further violence in a country buffeted by conflict elsewhere in the region. Iran has sent cash, weapons, and fighters to prop up proxies and allies from Syria to Lebanon and Gaza - and that, too, has become a focus of the protests. The country's expensive foreign policy adventures were scorned as some demonstrators chanted, "Leave Syria, think about us!" At least 10 people were killed overnight, in what state media said Monday were clashes between police and "armed protesters" who had attempted to infiltrate security outposts. The demonstrators were from provincial areas in the south and southwestern parts of the country, including both impoverished and oil-producing regions. One police officer was killed and three others wounded by a gunman in the city of Najafabad, about 200 miles south of Tehran, according to state media reports. Earlier, activists had said that two demonstrators were shot and killed Saturday during peaceful protests. Videos circulated online of protesters fleeing tear gas and water cannons, while others confronted police. On Monday, demonstrators again gathered in Tehran, as well as an array of provincial cities, including Kermanshah in the west and Shiraz in central Iran, according to reports on social media. They chanted "Death to the dictator!" - referring to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei - and called on security forces to join them. The unrest began Thursday in the northern city of Mashhad over price hikes and other economic woes. Iran's economy had been battered by years of U.S. and international sanctions, which isolated the Islamic Republic for its nuclear program. Many of those sanctions were lifted as part of a nuclear deal with world powers in 2015, but few Iranians have benefitted from the relief. In contrast to the 2009 uprising - which challenged the reelection of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and was driven primarily by Tehran's educated elite - the current protests have occurred throughout the country and in traditional government strongholds. Taibe Krakanovsky Goldberg, 95, passed away peacefully in her home on Friday, December 29, surrounded by her close friends and family. She was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother - and one of the last remaining Holocaust survivors in Laredo. Taibe was born in Konigsberg, Germany in 1922 as the middle child of three siblings and soon moved to Lithuania. As a teenager, Taibe and her family were forced into the Kovno Ghetto, where she witnessed her brother get shot by a Nazi simply because he did not salute. This tragic event transformed the young girl into a survivor. Taibe quickly learned how to escape the Ghetto and get food by trading her familys possessions. She was later transported by train with her family to the Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland, where she was separated from her mother and sister. She eventually escaped the camp and was admitted to a Red Cross hospital, where she remained until the war ended on March 10, 1945 - a date of liberation which she celebrated for the rest of her life. Upon returning to Lithuania after the war, Taibe found no surviving family but did reconnect with her soon-to-be husband, Lazar Goldberg. Taibe and Lazar spent two years together at a refugee camp in Santa Maria di Leuca, Italy where they married. The couple later emigrated to the United States and settled in Laredo, Texas where Lazar had three brothers, Nathan, Samuel, and Raul Goldberg. The two began their careers in Laredo as peddlers, and once they had saved enough by selling items door-to-door, they opened their first retail shop, La Garantia, downtown in the early 1950s - creating a thriving business that ultimately supported dozens of employees. Both Taibe and Lazar stood as pillars of Laredos local and Jewish communities. Taibe had two daughters, Elida Goldberg Katzman and Debbie Goldberg. She is also survived by 5 grandchildren (John, Alex, Tony, Adam, and Jacob), 6 great-grandchildren (Lindsay, Jonah, Cameron, Max, Evan, and Adelaide), and her younger sister, Yentale Shapiro. Most likely because of the atrocities they had witnessed during the war, Taibe and Lazar understood the power of family. Despite having been subjected to constant terror, pain, and personal loss throughout her life, Taibe responded not with bitterness and defeat, but rather by building a new, more beautiful life - one filled with love, support, strength, humanity, resilience, and honor. A consistent pattern of selfless love is what defined the Goldbergs' lives, and Taibe was the shepherd that kept our family, her flock, operating at the highest of levels. Her life was an inspirational example to all she met, and she will be missed by all who loved her. Special thanks to her loving and gracious caretakers, Juanita Sosa, Nancy Pinales, and Yolanda Patino. Thank you, too, to Julio Mendez and her wonderful and caring doctors, Dr. Dennis Cantu and Dr. Robert Hudson. A graveside funeral service will be held at the Laredo Jewish Cemetery on Sunday, December 31 at 12:00pm. If you would like to sign the guestbook or send private condolences, you may do so at www.hillsidefuneral.com. Arrangements are under the direction of Hillside Funeral Home, 310 Hillside Road. The beginning of the school year when you got to show off your new duds, new cars, new looks! Sports! Playing, cheering, watching high school athletics. The arts: Dramatic arts, musical groups and shows, graphic arts groups, debate, etc. The prom! No dancing the night away or punch bowl antics. The daily interactions. Just being with the group, hanging with friends and classmates. Access to college recruiters and advisors its harder to line up higher education. Walking onstage to get a diploma while all the family is watching with everyone elses family. Vote View Results A man who appeared before Longford District Court last week charged in connection with a serious assault on a woman outside the post office in Longford town during the summer, was ordered to pay 1,650 in compensation to the victim. The defendant was also ordered to engage with the Probation Service and stay out of trouble. James Donoghue (25), Oghil, Drumlish, Longford appeared before Judge Seamus Hughes charged with assaulting Alisha Nugent and causing her harm at An Post, Main Street, Longford on August 30, 2017. In her direct evidence to the court, Ms Nugent recalled the date of the incident. She said she had been standing inside the door of the post office with her two small children waiting for her boyfriend when Mr Donoghue came along and stabbed her. He had a knife and tried to cut me into the face with the knife, Ms Nugent told Judge Hughes, before pointing out that she subsequently tried to grab the knife, but the defendant overpowered her and went on to stab her in the head. He grabbed me and I fell down and he stabbed me three times on top of my head, she said. My boyfriend tried to intervene then, and I got up and ran into the post office. Meanwhile, the injured party told the court that she recalled blood everywhere and blood dripping down on me. My children were hysterical at this stage, but Mr Donoghue ran off, she continued. I have no idea why he did this to me. Ms Nugent then told Judge Hughes that she had been in a relationship with the defendants father and together the couple had one son who is now nine-years-old. The court heard that the couple eventually went their separate ways, but Mr Donoghues father took to the drink and subsequently died. Your Honour, I will leave this court here today and I will still be in fear of him, Ms Nugent continued. The defendants solicitor Frank Gearty then provided some background information to the court. He said that while his client was pleading guilty to the offence, there had been an incident back in 2011 where the defendant had been wrongly accused of taking a horse, and this had been a matter that played heavily on his mind over the years. All of those involved in this are related through marriage, etc, Mr Gearty added, before pointing out that the defendant had been diagnosed with a personality disorder and was completely intoxicated at the time of the offence before the court. He knows that he is very fortunate in that the poor victim in this case did not suffer more serious injuries. His father died prematurely as a result of drink. Meanwhile, the defendant addressed Judge Hughes directly. I was intoxicated that day; I saw her [Alisha Nugent] at the post office and I couldnt control myself, he added. My father would never have drank as much as he did if he hadnt been so hung up on Alisha; they broke up and he hit the hard stuff. In mitigation, Mr Gearty said his client had been engaging with an addiction counsellor in recent times and this proved very helpful to him. He has also brought 1,000 to court by means of compensation, the solicitor continued. Ms Nugent then said she didnt want the money. I dont want the money Your Honour, she fumed. I just want to walk the streets in peace with my little children. During his ruling on the matter Judge Hughes indicated that 650 which had been put up as bond money initially by the defendants mother also be released to Ms Nugent alongside the 1,000. I know Ms Nugent that you dont want the money but just take it as a means of compensation, added Judge Hughes, before addressing the defendant. Mr Donoghue, you do not go around stabbing the mother of children, the Judge fumed. I am not sending you to prison today but I am going to get a Probation Report to see what exactly is going on here. If there is any trouble between now and your next court appearance, report it to the Gardai, do you understand?. The matter was subsequently adjourned to allow the Probation Service time to compile a report for the Judge. Mr Donoghue will appear back at Longford District Court in January. At his inauguration on Monday, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh spoke firmly on an ambitious outline for his second term in office: rebuild public schools, place thousands of low-income residents in good jobs, expand targets for affordable and low-income homes. Walsh also announced a plan to end chronic homelessness in the city called "Boston's Way Home Fund." Boston built America's first public schools, Walsh said, and the first public park, and so on. "Now, let's be the first major city to come together and end chronic homelessness for good," he added. Boston's Way Home is a plan to privately raise $10 million to put toward "permanent supportive housing," 200 units to be exact, over the next four years. Partners Pine Street Inn and Bank of America donated $250,000 toward the initiative. The city says all money raised will go toward rent and support services for homeless people. The new fundraiser's website asks visitors to make tax-deductible donations "to improve the lives of men and women who are able to move off the streets, out of shelter and into the stability of supportive housing." Walsh also said the city intends to rebuild the bridge to Boston's Long Island. The island was connected to Quincy by way of Moon Island before the state condemned the bridge and tore it down in 2015. Long Island was home to a 450-bed homeless shelter program, a drug treatment program and other health housing. Those services were moved off the island when the bridge was demolished. "The closing of Long Island...brought homelessness out of the shadows," Walsh said at his inauguration. "People need a permanent home. They need housing first. That's the system we are moving toward." The idea to rebuild the Long Island Bridge is not new. As reported extensively by Commonwealth Magazine, there have been many financial woes surrounding construction. The estimated $80 million project demands joint funding from the state and city, and has been shelved across multiple mayoral terms. With a new bridge to the island will come something else Walsh said the city needs: "the long-term recovery campus we need to tackle the opioid crisis." The opioid crisis, Walsh said, is different from homelessness, and requires a separate response. You can watch the full video of Mayor Walsh's inauguration here. Flames continued to burn in the freezing cold in Roslindale Monday morning after a gas main caught fire the night before. Boston Firefighters and other authorities responded to a 10-inch gas main fire at Hyde Park Avenue on Sunday. National Grid was first to arrive to the scene around 6 p.m. on the New Year's Eve night. Responders stood in the frigid, below-freezing temperatures as the fire roared on. According to the Boston Fire Department, at least three workers were transported by Boston Emergency Medical Services for burn injuries. Multiple reports say a fourth worker was also injured while responding to the fire. Officials said they chose not to shut off the gas in the area because it would leave thousands of homes without heat. Commissioner @ChiefJoeFinn on scene at the gas leak/fire with National Grid officials pic.twitter.com/oILRXjmnao Boston Fire Dept. (@BostonFire) January 1, 2018 Shortly before midnight -- and the start of the new year -- Boston Fire said National Grid decided to "run a temporary by-pass line around the damaged pipe" to continue the flow of gas. The fire continued to burn on Monday morning. TOLLAND, CT - A Southbridge man who was shot at by a homeowner was arrested and charged with breaking into a house. Following an investigation into a housebreak that happened on Dec. 12, Connecticut State Police identified a suspect in the crime, received a warrant and arrested Dale Laliberte, 35, at his home at 25 Cohasse St. Laliberte, who was extradited to Connecticut on Friday, is being charged with third-degree burglary, third degree larceny and criminal mischief. He is being held on $250,000 cash or surety bond and is due to appear in Rockville Superior Court on Jan. 2, Connecticut State Police said. A homeowner arrived at his house on Peter Green Road at about 6:40 p.m. to find a truck parked in his driveway. The female passenger told him she was lost and the driver was asking directions from a neighbor, police said. While speaking to the woman, the homeowner heard a noise behind him and turned to see a man running toward him with something in his hand, police said. "The victim feared for his safety, pulled a handgun that he carries and fired at the male suspect. The suspect got into the pickup truck and fled," police said. The homeowner did not injure the man. He is legally licensed to carry the gun, police said. Police responded and found the sliding door in the back of the house smashed. After an investigation, officers identified the suspect as Laliberte, police said. SPRINGFIELD - Parish members reacted with shock, anger and sadness as the Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield announced Our Lady of the Rosary Church would close three months after the parish celebrated its 100th anniversary. Rev. Mitchell T. Rozanski, bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield, announced to parish members in a formal letter this weekend that the church would close Jan. 28 and the parish joined with Immaculate Conception Church in Indian Orchard. After careful consultation and prayerful reflection, and with a very heavy heart, I must inform you that Our Lady of the Rosary Parish will cease operations after the final Mass on Jan. 28. 2018," the letter said. During the Sunday morning Mass one person shouted "no" while the letter was read and others more quietly mumbled complaints about the decision. After the service, one young woman declared she was done with the Catholic church. Rozanski and Deacon Donald Philip said the church cannot be sustained under the current conditions. It is operating at a financial loss, there are serious maintenance problems and the financial future of the parish is uncertain at best. "I am sure for those who regularly attend Mass these findings of decreased attendance came as no great surprise. Of course such a decline also has a direct impact on the financial stability of your parish community. This is a scenario we have seen play out in a number of other parishes, where despite the dedicated efforts of parishioners, their beloved parishes were no longer able to be sustainable," Rozanski said. The church building, on Franklin Street, has been hit with a number of maintenance costs recently. Last year 900-square foot portion of the roof was damaged in a storm and had to be replaced and this month the steam pipe, which heats the church, were found to be leaking and causing damage, Philip said. Steam is piped from the heating system in the nearby school and through a tunnel located under the church. The problem is so severe the church is only running the heat on a limited basis, mostly before services and otherwise to keep the pipes from freezing, he said. The repairs are expensive and complex, Philip said. The underground tunnel where the pipe is located has a large amount of asbestos in it and contractors said they cannot do any work until it is removed, which will cost tens of thousands of dollars, Philip said. At the same time membership in the parish continues to decline and consequently the church has been collecting fewer donations, Rozanski said. The church receives some income from the Springfield Public Schools which rents the former parish school building for the Springfield Conservatory of the Arts School. But plans are in the works to move the school to the Masonic Temple on State Street, Rozanski said. "The rental of the school building helped to offset the decline in collections. But, as you know, that school is scheduled to be re-located in 2018, making any future rental revenue uncertain and further diminishing parish resources," Rozanski said in his letter. About 250 families, or 750 people, belong to the church, which is a dramatic decline from the time when 1,500 families belonged to Our Lady of the Rosary, Rev. Stanley Sokol, the parish priest said. When he was assigned to the parish 21 years ago, Sokol said he was told then the church was in decline but he said he understood the building was constructed with "sweat and blood" mainly of Polish immigrants and how important that is to their families. "My brothers and sisters it is sad news and painful, but as we understand and see from our bishop it looks like this is the way to go," he said. There are a number of reasons membership is decreasing. The church used to serve the neighborhood but many people have moved out and attend church closer to home. The church is an ethnically Polish one and used to draw recent immigrants as well but there are fewer people coming to Western Massachusetts from Poland, Sokol said. "These parishes were formed around a concentration of ethnic groups in tightly knit urban neighborhoods. These simply no longer exist as they once did, notably in the Liberty Heights neighborhood. What we know is that many former Our Lady of the Rosary parishioners have opted over the years to worship at parishes closer to where they live, said Mark E. Dupont, spokesman for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield. There is also an overall decline in the northeast in the number of people who attend church. Because of that the Roman Catholic Diocese in Springfield has closed at least 70 churches since 2000. Philip said all parishioners were informed of the budget problems in a November financial report that detailed the last 90 days of church operations. They were also told the total attendance at different Masses held over the weekend has declined from an average of 160 a year ago to 100 now. But one of the reasons for the recent drop in attendance is religion classes for children were moved to the Immaculate Conception Church in September, John Staszko, a church member, said. "We will still have our faith," said Staszko, of Springfield. He and his wife Judy Hojnowski-Staszko said they will continue to worship but will not automatically attend Immaculate Conception Church. Instead they will try others to see where they feel the most comfortable. "It is a business decision, not one about faith," Hojnowski-Staszko, of Springfield, said. Like members of many closed churches, she said five generations of her family have attended Our Lady of the Rosary Church and her great-grandparents and grandparents helped build the church. "It is one of the saddest days we have had," she said. She said she felt church officials could have been more open with the members about the decision to close. She learned the news from a fellow parishioner who attended the Saturday evening Mass where the first announcement was made. But Diocesan officials said they did they best they could to keep members apprised of the maintenance and financial problems. "This parish community was kept informed of the growing financial concerns at Our Lady of the Rosary, a situation which will only worsen once the city's rental of the school ends...There isn't enough in weekly collections to pay the everyday expenses, much less address facility repairs and upkeep," Dupont said. Church officials did meet with members of the Church Council in November to talk about the financial report, but Walter Wolan said he was frustrated with the results of the meeting. Wolan, a member of the Church Council, said members were given information about the problems but he felt there were no discussions about how to save the church. Members also have some questions about the budget and about a sizable donation that they understand was bequeathed to the church by a member who died, he said. Members are currently in "shell shock" and uncertain what to do now. They are not sure yet if they will appeal the decision as more than a dozen other parishes have done over the years, he said. There are also complaints they only have a short time to react to the news before the church shuts down, Wolan said. Philip said the church could have probably stayed open for a few months but officials did not want to have something catastrophic happen to the building and have members arrive for Mass to be faced with a yellow tape barrier to the doors because it is unsafe for them to enter. "These are wonderful people. It is a privilege to be with them. It is a sad time to be with them," Philip said. For now all parishioners' records will be transferred to Immaculate Conception Church. If a member selects a different church they can request their records be moved to their new place of worship, he said. Already the two churches are closely tied. Rev. Sokol was asked to serve as pastor for Immaculate Conception as well as Our Lady of the Rosary about five years ago and Philip serves as the financial director of both churches. While it is a sad decision to have to make, Philip said he has happy the parish was at least able to celebrate its centennial in October, which was important to people. The two have talked to parish members at Immaculate Conception about joining with members of Our Lady of the Rosary, he said. "We know our brothers and sisters are in a world of hurt and we will do the best to welcome them," he said. BELCHERTOWN -- A number of chickens and ducks perished in a New Year's Eve morning barn fire, fire officials said. Fire Chief Ted Brock told Western Mass News the barn was fully engulfed in flames and nearly burned to the ground when they arrived at 180 North St. location. Brock said the fire remains under investigation but is not considered suspicious. There were heat lamps and extension cords in the barn, he said. Pelham Deputy Fire Chief Richard Hall told the news station his department was called to the fire at about 5:45 a.m. They provided a tanker, he said. No injuries were reported. Western Mass News is television partner to The Republican and MassLive.com. GREENFIELD -- For 14 years, the hub of Franklin County was officially "The City known as the Town of Greenfield," and generally referred to as a town. Starting today, Greenfield will simply be known as a "city." The then-Town Council voted to update language in the municipal charter on Dec. 20. Mayor William Martin said the city has a lot on its plate in the coming year or two, according to the Greenfield Recorder. Plans include revitalizing Bank Row, regionalizing emergency dispatch, and building a new public safety complex, freeing up space for a new $20 million library at the current fire station site. The city will sell its police station on High Street. A new community center at a former elementary school is almost done, and a new downtown parking garage on Olive Street is slated to open in October. Martin said he wants the city to sell its transfer station and "get out of the trash business." He told the Recorder that the city is progressing in its effort to bring high-speed, wireless internet to every business and home. With four new "city councilors" set to take office, a progressive shift in the community's political dynamic is expected. Also in Greenfield, a long-simmering lawsuit over a proposed "big box" development is expected to be resolved. Seven residents appealed a decision by the Planning Board to grant a special permit for a 135,000-square-foot store on French King Highway, or Rt. 2. Local resident and national "sprawlbuster" consultant Al Norman, who has long led the charge against the rumored Walmart store, told The Recorder the case will go to trial before a single judge in May or June. As of the 2010 census, Greenfield had 17,456 residents. AGAWAM -- A New Year's Day structure fire on Federal Street has reportedly displaced 6 people. Western Mass News reported firefighters remained at the scene as of about 8:30 a.m. Temperatures were well below zero early Monday. The American Red Cross is aiding those displaced. Fire officials could be immediately reached for comment. Western Mass News is television partner to The Republican and MassLive.com. This is a developing story. Additional information will be posted as soon as it is available. SPRINGFIELD -- Orlando Ramos was unanimously re-elected by his City Council colleagues as its president on Monday, saying that the council and the city itself is made stronger by its rich diversity. "Diversity is a beautiful thing," Ramos said after being sworn in as president for a second consecutive one-year term. "Diversity is what makes this legislative body one of the strongest and most productive in the commonwealth. And, in the words of my colleague, Councilor (Kateri) Walsh, 'what makes Springfield a great place to live and work is our diversity.'" Ramos said he has had the privilege of serving beside Hispanic-American, African-American and Irish-American councilors. Walsh was unanimously elected vice-president, replacing Justin Hurst at the council's annual organizational meeting. The meeting is held on the first Monday of the year even when it falls on the New Year's Day holiday. Ramos also raised the topic of race in his prepared remarks, saying the topic can either divide or unite, and he hopes his words will unite. He said his proudest moment on the council in 2017 was on Aug. 21, when the body voted to support a resolution "denouncing bigotry, hatred and terror; and standing up for diversity and inclusion -- because that is what the Springfield City Council stands for." City Clerk Anthony Wilson gave the oath of office to the councilors including two newly elected members, Jesse Lederman and Timothy Ryan. Ryan previously served on the council from 1994 to 2004. Two of the 13 members were absent, Thomas Ashe and E. Henry Twiggs. Ramos said his priorities in 2018 will be to continue working on ways to improve police-community relations in Springfield by implementing some of the recommendations of the council's Police-Community Relations Committee. The committee recently issued a report of its findings and recommendations after a 10-month study and hearings across the city. Ramos said he also will continue to advocate for a stronger residency requirement for city employees in 2018. The effort to improve police-community relations and residency were also priorities of Ramos in 2017, and he said there was progress made on both fronts. In addition to the report by the Police-Community Relations Committee, the Springfield firefighters union advanced the issue of residency by accepting "the strongest residency language anywhere in the state," Ramos said. The contract requires all newly hired firefighters to live in Springfield for at least 10 years as a condition of employment. Another priority in 2017 was strengthening the Code Enforcement Department, which was accomplished by hiring an additional inspector and lawyer for code enforcement efforts, he said. Ramos said a new priority this year is to establish some dog parks in Springfield, saying he believes it be a great benefit to the city, its residents and pets. The annual organizational meeting was designed with a special focus on women, Ramos said. Hampden Superior Court Assistant Clerk Magistrate Cheryl Coakley-Rivera, who was the first Hispanic state representative in Massachusetts, gave the oath of office to Ramos as president, and the program also featured women for the opening and closing prayers. "God Bless America" was sung by Vanessa Ford, and Ramos' daughter, Ariana, led the Pledge of Allegiance. The first decision of the new year was deciding how to line up to enter the council chambers: either by height or by seating order. The line-up by seating order prevailed. SPRINGFIELD -- The School Committee has its annual organizational meeting on Tuesday at City Hall in which the board will formally welcome two new members and is expected to select a new vice-chairman. The meeting is open to the public and begins at 12:30 p.m., in Room 220 at City Hall. Veteran committee member Christopher Collins said Friday that he believes he has the support of most or all of his colleagues to become vice-chairman in 2018, replacing the 2017 vice-chairman, Peter Murphy. Mayor Domenic Sarno automatically serves as chairman, while the vice-chairman appoints all standing subcommittees and special committees and fills in as chairman when the mayor is absent. This will be the fourth time that Collins serves as vice-chairman. The new members of the School Committee are LaTonia Moonroe Naylor, elected in November to an at-large seat, and Maria Perez, elected to the District 1 seat composed of Wards 1 and 3. "I look forward to working with the two new members and having myself and the entire committee work very hard to get them up to speed and be active members," Collins said. The keynote speaker at Tuesday's meeting is Jake Oliveira, board director of National School Boards Association and past president of the Massachusetts Association of School Committees. All elected School Committee members will be sworn in by City Clerk Anthony Wilson, and the committee will be provided a review of ethics rules and regulations, the Open Meeting Law, and public documents. MANCHESTER, Conn. -- The victim of a Saturday restaurant shooting reportedly died of his injuries on New Year's Eve. The Hartford Courant reported the victim was 36-year-old Norris Jackson of East Hartford. He was pronounced dead at Hartford Hospital, police said. Capt. Christopher Davis said police are looking for two Manchester residents, James Goolsby, 28, and Leanne Robitaille, 23, in connection with the shooting. Police consider the suspects armed and dangerous. Officers responded to reports of a shooting at the Bonchon Chicken Restaurant at 1540 Pleasant Valley Rd. around 12:30 p.m. Jackson worked at the restaurant, the Courant reported. Davis said the shooting appears to have been an isolated incident. Those with information are asked to call detective Claire Hearn at 860-645-5549. WHATELY - A Greenfield man, seen by police driving at a high rate of speed on routes 5 and 10 on New Year's Eve, was later arrested after he crashed and fled on foot, police say. The incident began about 11:30 p.m. when Deerfield and Whately police officers saw the suspect speeding south in his BMW, according to a post on the department's Facebook page. Police attempted to stop the car but could not safely keep up without endangering the public. A short time later, police came up the BMW after it crashed on the southbound onramp to Interstate 91 in Hatfield. The operator fled on foot. A state police trooper with a K-9 participated in the search. The suspect was spotted by a Hatfield police officer on North Hatfield Road in that town at about 1 a.m. and was arrested with little resistance. He was charged by Whately police with drunken driving, operating to endanger and refusing to stop for police. He was released in lieu of $2,000 bail and is slated for arraignment later this week. Police, who could not immediately be reached for comment Monday, did not identify the suspect in the post. Punishing economic sanctions imposed by the United Nations against North Korea aren't worth the paper they are printed on if the rogue nation has help in getting around them. And that's exactly what appears to have been happening, as there's increasing evidence that China has been assisting its communist neighbor, helping it secure oil even as it aids it in exporting coal. The sanctions, of course, are meant to force North Korea to reconsider its nuclear ambitions and to end development and testing of the missiles it could use to deliver nuclear warheads across the globe. Nearly a year ago, as Donald Trump was preparing to assume the presidency, he appeared to believe that China would be able to solve the North Korea problem. Perhaps he thought China's president, Xi Jinping, had some kind of a magic wand. Or maybe he was just shockingly ignorant of the history of Northeast Asia. After all, following a meeting with Xi back in March, Trump falsely stated that the whole of the Korean peninsula had at one time been Chinese territory. Here's what Trump said: "[Xi] then went into the history of China and Korea. Not North Korea, Korea. And you know, you're talking about thousands of years ...and many wars. And Korea actually used to be a part of China." Maybe in Xi's dreams, and as he related things to Trump. But not in the real world. Not at all. Be that as it may, what matters right now is this: There's increasing evidence that China has been helping North Korea skirt U.N.-imposed sanctions intended to pressure Kim Jong Un, leader of the isolated and impoverished nation and grandson of North Korea's founder. According to a recent report in The Wall Street Journal, China has been working to block U.S. efforts to blacklist ships operating in violation of U.N.-imposed sanctions. There's evidence of China-based ships that have been helping transfer and deliver refined oil to North Korea. There's also photographic evidence of a ship having been loaded with coal in North Korea and later unloading it in Russia. Both would be clear violations of U.N. sanctions. But unless and until China works with, not against, international efforts to put the squeeze on Kim's regime, the sanctions will be little more than a very solid idea. What's behind President Donald Trump's beef with online retailing giant Amazon.com? As with anyone, or anything, that gets Trump's goat, there can be no way to know for certain. Perhaps it began with some slight, real or perceived. Or it may have started because the president wrongly believed that an anti-Amazon backlash was coming, and had hoped to get out in front before it picked up real steam. At the end of the day, it could all be about envy. After all, Amazon's founder and CEO, Jeffrey Bezos, is worth an estimated $99 billion, far eclipsing Trump's much-hyped and likely vastly overstated wealth. Whatever the cause, there can be no doubt that the president has an ongoing problem with Amazon. He ended 2017 with yet another anti-Amazon post on Twitter: Why is the United States Post Office, which is losing many billions of dollars a year, while charging Amazon and others so little to deliver their packages, making Amazon richer and the Post Office dumber and poorer? Should be charging MUCH MORE!" Bezos also happens to own The Washington Post. Trump has tried, with little success, to link the two, referring repeatedly to the "Amazon Washington Post." Whether you love Amazon, hate the Internet behemoth, or simply couldn't care less about its existence, anyone who is thinking clearly ought to be worried about the implications of a president of these United States being so consistently and so openly opposed to an American success story. Imagine another modern president -- someone who actually treated the office with the respect it deserves -- picking a fight with a specific American company. Ronald Reagan vs. Microsoft. George W. Bush taking on Google. Barack Obama duking it out with Apple. Such fights would have been inconceivable. (Harry Truman's 1952 battle with the nation's steelmakers doesn't count, as his ill-advised and ill-fated struggle was against an entire industry, not a specific company.) But Trump doesn't care a whit for the traditional ways of being president. He's mad at Amazon, and that's that. Whatever the president's problem with the Internet giant, it's a foolish and needless distraction. Trump would do well to set the matter aside in the new year. If he doesn't like Amazon, he can do as anyone else and choose to shop elsewhere. PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- President Donald Trump bid farewell to 2017 with a lavish party at his private club, before kicking off 2018 with angry tweets about Iran and Pakistan. On Twitter Monday, Trump attacked Pakistan, saying: "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!" 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 It was not immediately clear why the president decided to comment on Pakistan. The U.S. has long accused Istanbul of allowing militants to operate relatively freely in Pakistan's border regions to carry out operations in neighboring Afghanistan. In August, the United States said it would hold up $255 million in military assistance for Pakistan until it cracks down on extremists threatening Afghanistan. On Iran, Trump seemed to be responding to widespread anti-government protests there. He tweeted Monday that Iran is "failing at every level" and voiced support for the protesters, saying it is "TIME FOR CHANGE." Iran is failing at every level despite the terrible deal made with them by the Obama Administration. The great Iranian people have been repressed for many years. They are hungry for food & for freedom. Along with human rights, the wealth of Iran is being looted. TIME FOR CHANGE! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 1, 2018 While some Iranians have shared Trump's tweets, many there distrust him as he's refused to re-certify the nuclear deal and because his travel bans have blocked Iranians from getting U.S. visas. Heading into the party at Mar-a-Lago Sunday night, Trump predicted 2018 will be a "tremendous year." Trump said the stock market will continue to rise and that companies are going to continue to come into the U.S., at "a rapid clip." He also cited several accomplishments, including the tax overhaul, opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling, and repealing the individual mandate from the national health care law. Asked for his reaction to North Korea leader Kim Jon Un's remarks about having a nuclear button on his desk, Trump responded by saying, "We'll see." Guests gathered in the decorated ballroom included senior White House advisers Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, Trump's sons Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. Since taking office, Trump has made frequent visits to his for-profit properties. He has refused to divest from his real estate and hotel empire, drawing criticism from ethics experts. Earlier in the day, Trump capped 2017 with a video self-tribute touching on what he sees as the high points of his achievements and rhetoric from his first year in office. He gave a plug to American exceptionalism, too. In the video running 31/2 minutes, scenes of Trump with military personnel, Border Patrol agents and other world leaders are set to a stirring soundtrack as he declares of his country: "We gave birth to the modern world and we will shape tomorrow's world with the strength and skill of American hands." Trump cited his success in placing a justice on the Supreme Court, his efforts to cut regulations and his big win on overhauling taxes, which he falsely described as the "largest tax cut in the history of our country." Trump offered the video with a New Year's Eve message: "What a year it's been, and we're just getting started. Together, we are MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! Happy New Year!!" He later offered another Twitter message, loaded with his signature bombast: As our Country rapidly grows stronger and smarter, I want to wish all of my friends, supporters, enemies, haters, and even the very dishonest Fake News Media, a Happy and Healthy New Year. 2018 will be a great year for America! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 31, 2017 The White House said Trump been briefed on New Year's Eve security precautions around the country and will continue to monitor those efforts. Trump offered his condolences Sunday to the victims of a shooting in suburban Denver that killed one sheriff's deputy and wounded six other people, including four deputies. He tweeted: "We love our police and law enforcement - God Bless them all!" Another day of brutal cold is in the forecast on New Year's Day, with wind chill alerts issued across Massachusetts. Maps from the National Weather service show apparent temperatures ranged between -10 to -20 degrees around 7 a.m. Monday morning. A wind chill advisory was issued in all counties except Berkshire, where a more serious wind chill warning was issued. The weather service said the alerts would last until 10 a.m. on Monday. "Bitter cold weather" will continue Tuesday and Tuesday night, with "some moderation" from Wednesday into Thursday. Forecast maps now show similar apparent temperatures on Tuesday, and "moderate" temperatures between 10-20 degrees on Wednesday. The National Weather Service also predicts "a significant coastal storm" bringing snow to the eastern part of the state late Wednesday night into Thursday, but says it is still being tracked. Another frigid blast of cold air is expected to follow for Friday and into the weekend. If youre thinking about whats next for your career, consider taking the advice that Microsoft co-founder and self-described futurist Bill Gates has about the job market. Marguerite Ward, CNBC https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/careers/employment-trends/2017/12/31/bill-gates-says-people-these-3-skills-successful-future-job-market/989701001/ Women in Kind opened in August, part of a wave of spaces dedicated to needs of working women As co-working and shared office spaces have taken root and matured in Denver and other cities, more and more of them are specializing to set themselves apart. By Joe Rubino | [email protected] | The Denver Post "For small to medium to national organizations, for events and fundraisers of any size, in any format live, virtual or hybrid the platform is built for scale." When people ask Luke Evslin why he decided to live off the grid, he starts with the time he almost died. By Amelia Urry Welcome to Paradise: Batteries Now Included Its that time of year again whether youre ringing in 2018 with a sparkly dress and the perfect Instagram caption or staying in with a bottle of rose and your closest friends, the idea of starting on a clean slate is exciting. Although you dont need a new year to break your old habits, theres something inspiring about the clock striking 12 and the ball dropping in NYC. Aside from the usual promise of becoming healthier, here are 20 resolutions that will start the change youve been hoping for and prove the reasons why this is about to be the best year yet. Thanks to Pam for sharing. Mobile air dispensary services such as helicopters with equipment and doctors for medical emergencies may be a reality soon in remote and hilly areas of the Northeast region in India. The government has agreed to allocate Rs 80-Rs 100 crore for the proposed launch of two air dispensaries in the region. The sources said the two air dispensaries will operate from Shillong and Imphal for six states. The services will cater to six northeastern states, barring Assam. Medical air dispensaries can be used for trauma cases due to accidents, natural disasters and also act as air ambulances to shift patients from hospitals for specialized treatment. The project was stuck for some time following a tussle between the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Ministry. The Health Ministry had refused to run the initiative alone because it said it was not feasible. However, now it has been decided that the project will be a joint venture of the Health, DoNER and Civil Aviation ministries. The DoNER Ministry had stated that the initiative should come from the Health Ministry with the help of the Northeastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEGRIMS) in Shillong for medical, para medical assistance. However, in an inter ministerial meeting on May 5, 2017, it was finalised that the project would be a joint venture. For financial resources, the Health Ministry can seek the help of the DoNER Ministry while the Civil Aviation Ministry will provide the chopper and the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare will focus on providing the medics and para medics apart from setting up the medical units for emergency cases, the note reads. Apart from providing emergency medical help for trauma cases due to accidents, landslides, earthquakes and floods the helicopters will also act as air ambulances to shift patients to city hospitals for specialised treatment. According to official figures, the Northeast recorded over 3,000 deaths due to road accidents in 2016. Many lives were also lost in floods and landslides. Source: IANS The project report prepared by Pawan Hans estimates that Rs 1.87 crore cost per month will be incurred for the operation of two helicopters in the six states.The project was stuck for some time following a tussle between the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Ministry. The Health Ministry had refused to run the initiative alone because it said it was not feasible.However, now it has been decided that the project will be a joint venture of the Health, DoNER and Civil Aviation ministries.The DoNER Ministry had stated that the initiative should come from the Health Ministry with the help of the Northeastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEGRIMS) in Shillong for medical, para medical assistance.However, in an inter ministerial meeting on May 5, 2017, it was finalised that the project would be a joint venture.For financial resources, the Health Ministry can seek the help of the DoNER Ministry while the Civil Aviation Ministry will provide the chopper and the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare will focus on providing the medics and para medics apart from setting up the medical units for emergency cases, the note reads.Apart from providing emergency medical help for trauma cases due to accidents, landslides, earthquakes and floods the helicopters will also act as air ambulances to shift patients to city hospitals for specialised treatment.According to official figures, the Northeast recorded over 3,000 deaths due to road accidents in 2016. Many lives were also lost in floods and landslides.Source: IANS According to official documents, three central ministries have decided to rope in national helicopter carrier Pawan Hans for the services. "During the first meeting on the proposed scheme Pawan Hans was also present which appreciated the idea and were told to cater their services for the Mobile Air Ambulance Services," reads an official note on the project. Connecticut Audubon Society EcoTravel will again offer boat cruises on April 28, 2018 to search for Bald Eagle, Osprey, and other bird species migrating and nesting along the Connecticut River. Bald Eagle can be found along the lower river, a habitat that hosts a transient winter population as well as nesting residents. Naturalists are on board the vessel to share information about the Connecticut River, the birdlife, and natural history. The vessel has a heated cabin, restrooms, and three decks for optimal viewing. Tours are approximately 2.5 hours in length and depart at 10am and 2pm. Cruises depart from Eagle Landing State Park in Haddam, Connecticut. Appropriate for children eight years old and over. Food and drink available on board. Enjoy the beauty of the Connecticut River in spring. Fee: $40 for members and nonmembers. Reserve Now! Call us at 860-767-0660. To make a reservation online, go to the EcoTravel link at www.ctaudubon.org For Gift Certificates and phone reservations, please call us at 860-767-0660. Spaces fill up quickly. CRT invites art submissions for gallery show MIDDLETOWN Applications for submissions are being accepted until Jan. 11 for all forms of visual arts; from painting and photographs to sculptures, crafts and textiles. For 27 years, Community Renewal Team has hosted an Annual National Arts Program providing an opportunity for local artists to showcase their art within the community. Youth, teens, amateurs, intermediate and professionals from Middlesex and Hartford counties are invited to participate. All prizes are determined by a panel of judges with experience in the arts. A gallery display will be held at Capital Community College located at 950 Main Street in Hartford, CT from Jan. 19 Feb. 7. For more information or to become a volunteer for this event, call Ilana Bernstein at 860-560-5657 or by email bernsteini@crtct.org. C.A.R.E.S. group to meet in Southbury SOUTHBURY In response to the opioid crisis and sharp increase in cases of substance use disorder in Connecticut, the Community Addiction & Recovery Education & Support Group, (C.A.R.E.S.) is launching Southbury-Oxford C.A.R.E.S. its fifth Hope & Support Group beginning Wednesday, Jan. 10 from 7-9 p.m. at the United Church of Christ, 283 Main Street North, Southbury. C.A.R.E.S. provides free, weekly drop-in support groups for parents, families, and concerned individuals whose loved ones are using or abusing mind-altering substances. The family members of those afflicted with substance use disorder are often forgotten when a crisis strikes. Often the guilt and shame that accompanies this disease prevents people from reaching out and seeking help, said Donna DeLuca, C.A.R.E.S. co-founder and mother of two children who were once addicted, in a written statement. She and her son Matt, a young man in recovery from opioids, began C.A.R.E.S. in an effort to help others and to combat the stigma of addiction. He began a social media campaign called Everyone Knows Someone on Facebook and Instagram to give a raw, unfiltered perspective of addiction from those who have lived experience. C.A.R.E.S. has partnered with community advocates including the Southbury-Middlebury SMART Coalition and several concerned citizens of Oxford in bringing this much-needed support to the greater Southbury area. For more information about the C.A.R.E.S. organization and their other support group locations, or for immediate assistance call 855-406-0246 or visit www.thecaresgroup.org. WESU holding pledge drive MIDDLETOWN The annual WESU Fall Pledge Drive is well underway. As a community radio station, WESU offers a unique mix of talk and free form music programming that listeners are hard pressed to find elsewhere. The station depends on the community support to keep it this way. The service WESU provides is made possible by over 150 student and community volunteer broadcasters, two very part-time employees, and one full-time general manager. The stations lean budget is funded through financial support from Wesleyan University as well as listener and community support. Due to a failing 30 year old FM transmitter, WESU has had intermittent broadcast problems this fall, and has decided to purchase a new one. This purchase will pose a significant financial burden to the listener supported community radio station. During this season of giving, WESU needs to hear from new donors and is asking past supporters to consider increasing their contribution to help offset the cost of a new transmitter. To reach the goal of paying this seasons bills and making a large down payment on a new transmitter, WESU is depending on listeners to donate as soon as possible to help make the goal a reality before the end of this calendar year. Secure donations can be made online at www.wesufm.org/pledge or by sending a check or money order directly to WESU Radio, 45 Broad Street, 2nd Fl, Middletown, CT 06457, care of pledge drive. One Book on the Riverbend events planned PORTLAND The Portland Library, 20 Freestone Avenue, Portland, presents two special One Book on the Riverbend events in 2018. One Book on the Riverbend is composed of various organizations, schools, and public libraries of Cromwell, Portland and Middletown to promote literacy and community by the joy of sharing a good book. Members of the three communities join together to discuss their reading and viewing experience related to this book that combines history, sports, and is an uplifting story of human dreams and accomplishment. The One Book choice for 2018 is The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel Brown. Copies of the book and the Young Readers Adaptation by Gregory Mone are available now to borrow. Find the eBook on Overdrive. An audio edition also may also be borrowed. For more information on the program activities at all the communities visit online https://www.facebook.com/OneBookontheRiverbend/ To reach the Portland Library, call 860-342-6770 or visit www.portlandlibraryct.org On May 8 at 6:30 p.m., the Portland Library will present Boys of 36, a PBS documentary film about the 1936 Olympic crew team. On May 17 at 6 p.m. at the Waverly Senior Center, the library will host a book discussion for all ages, led by Marsha Bansavage, an educator and book discussion facilitator with more than 30 years of experience in the field. She is a popular discussion leader and affiliated with CT Humanities. AirAsia New Year Sales AirAsia is having New Year Sales. Travel from Kuala Lumpur to Maldives, Bali, Taipei, Jaipur at 50% discount. This promotion is available for booking from 1 8 January 2018 only. Travel from 1 January 2018 31 July 2018. Terms and conditions apply. 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Enjoy the New Year with up to 50% off your base fare! * Complete Online Survey and Get Paid in CASH Other Ongoing FREE Samples Giveaway Mayor Christopher Taylor poses for a portrait in front of his law office on Main Street in downtown Ann Arbor on Dec. 22, 2017. (Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News) By Ryan Stanton | ryanstanton@mlive.com Beginning to implement a $55-million urban trail plan and continuing to plan for a new Amtrak train station are just two of several city initiatives underway in Ann Arbor. Heading into 2018, Mayor Christopher Taylor sat down with The Ann Arbor News to talk about ongoing city issues and some of what residents can expect in the new year. Don't Edit A map of the city's Treeline urban trail route handed out at a community meeting in October 2017 and posted on the city's website. (City of Ann Arbor) $55M urban trail plan Ann Arbor News: Let's start with the fact that the City Council just adopted a $55 million plan for the proposed Treeline urban trail for pedestrians and cyclists, a project once known as the Allen Creek Greenway. What steps do you expect to see taken to begin implementing the Treeline vision in 2018 and how soon do you expect residents will see the actual trail start to take shape? Taylor: I expect that we'll be focused on fundraising and public-private partnership so we can develop it. I think that residents will start seeing I hope start seeing work on the trail done. In the medium term, I expect it'll be focused on the river and working those connections. It's a longterm project, but I think it's one that's ultimately achievable. Don't Edit This was identified in 2013 as the preferred option for tunneling under the railroad tracks between Depot Street and the Huron River in Ann Arbor. (OHM Advisors) Tunnel to riverfront Ann Arbor News: One of the pieces of the Treeline plan that's sort of an off-shoot from the main trail is a proposed tunnel under the railroad tracks between Depot Street and the Huron River, making it easier for pedestrians and cyclists to get between downtown/Kerrytown and the riverfront. Is that project still happening in 2018? Taylor: Ann Arbor has received grant monies and has set aside other funds to implement the Allen Creek berm-opening project. The project consists of both a drainage component and an active transportation component. We are working on finalizing construction plans for the project and are targeting February to submit final plans to MDOT for review and bidding. Staff is also working on securing the remaining easements necessary to construct the project. Construction is currently anticipated for the second half of 2018. Don't Edit A tax payment drop box outside Ann Arbor's city hall on Sept. 14, 2017. (Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News) Taxes in Ann Arbor Ann Arbor News: Are there any new tax proposals that might come forward in 2018? Taylor: Not that I'm aware of. Ann Arbor News: Is there any area of city service where you think an additional millage might be possible in the near future? Taylor: No. Ann Arbor News: What about a city income tax? Taylor: We certainly have not heard a groundswell of advocacy for an income tax or a groundswell of opposition against an income tax from the public. I haven't heard members of council advocating for it lately, so I don't expect it to be a front-burner conversation. Don't Edit An image from a September 2017 report showing a conceptual layout design for a new Amtrak train station and parking garage in Fuller Park in front of the University of Michigan medical center. This is the city's preferred option for a new train station. New train station Ann Arbor News: Millions of dollars have been spent coming up with a plan for a new Amtrak station in Fuller Park, a project with an estimated price tag north of $85 million. What movement do you expect on that project in 2018 and when will it go to voters? Taylor: First off, with respect to the price tag, I think it's important to consistently observe that that's the total project cost. That's not a city cost. It's anticipated that the federal government would pay 80 percent of that and that the balance would be matched by local partners, including, of course, the city. As to the timing, I would hope that we would have our final environmental assessment completed, that we would work through preliminary engineering and get a FONSI ("finding of no significant impact" clearance to proceed from the federal government) in 2018. When it goes to the voters, I'm not certain. Ann Arbor News: Amtrak ridership on the Detroit-Chicago line went up about 12 percent this past fiscal year, while the number of boardings and deboardings in Ann Arbor went up about 13 percent, from 127,219 to 144,125. That's a change in direction from the ridership dips seen in recent years. What do you make of the numbers and do you still have confidence in the projections the city is using that predict combined passenger and commuter rail ridership could reach nearly 1.5 million total passengers per year in Ann Arbor by 2040? Taylor: I think when rail service improves, ridership increases. People like taking the train. As to the particular 2040 figure, I'm uncertain as to whether that's going to be high or whether that's going to be low. What I do believe is that people in Ann Arbor want expanded rail service, that expanded rail service in the corridor would be a tremendous quality-of-life benefit for Ann Arborites, that commuter train service would be a tremendous quality-of-life benefit for Ann Arborites, and that neither is practical without a new train station. Ann Arbor News: Why is that? Why does having a new station make the difference? Taylor: Because the current station is inadequate to accommodate additional users, both from a pure passenger-service perspective and from a parking/last-mile-transit perspective. Don't Edit Don't Edit A trail-cam image provided by White Buffalo Inc. showing deer in Ann Arbor in February 2017. Deer management Ann Arbor News: The city is conducting its third-annual deer cull between Jan. 8 and Jan. 31, the most extensive cull yet. The city is spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on deer management. What are your feelings about the program at this point and do you expect there will be more culls in future years? Taylor: As you know, I voted against the cull, but I honor the fact that residents believe we have too many deer in our city. I, however, think the hundreds of thousands of dollars that we're spending is more cost than we get benefit. Further, I think that shooting and killing in our parks and our residential areas is inconsistent with the values of our city ultimately and it does harm to people's sense of home. Will we continue? You know, I dont see council changing its direction on the deer cull. It is staffs recommendation and expectation that we move from deer population reduction to a deer population management. I think what that means is that in future years well continue to have a cull, but it will be smaller. Don't Edit A rendering by Kohler Architecture Inc. showing the design of a new Ann Arbor Farmers Market building approved by the City Council on Aug. 5, 2016. Farmers market project Ann Arbor News: The city decided this past year not to move forward with plans for a four-season market building at the downtown farmers market, citing a $137,667 gap in funds needed for the $1.5 million project. Could the project come off the shelf in 2018? Taylor: Yes, it could. I think people were excited about the improvements to the market. A four-season space at the market would be, I think, a resident benefit. I look forward to doing what we can to make it happen. Ann Arbor News: Given that the city has tens of millions of dollars in cash reserves, why did a $137,667 funding gap put the brakes on the project? Taylor: I don't recollect, I'm afraid. Don't Edit A conceptual view from the west of the Core Spaces development project known as The Collective on 5th. The proposed building would include roughly 360 apartments, 131 hotel rooms, more than 20,000 square feet of office space, 3,375 square feet of ground-floor retail, and a 12,000-square-foot plaza along Fifth Avenue. (Courtesy of Myefski Architects) 17-story high-rise on Library Lot Ann Arbor News: The City Council approved the $10 million sale of the city-owned Library Lot on Fifth Avenue last April to a developer proposing a 17-story high-rise. Not much has happened since. Have you had any conversations with the developer to find out what's happening? Do you expect the project to move forward in 2018? Taylor: I have not had any material conversations and I expect it to move forward. I believe that building at that location will be a real benefit to the city. It's going to be a benefit to our downtown. It's going to increase vibrancy and activity in a dead zone. It's going to improve the user experience at the library. Don't Edit The vacant Y Lot next to the Blake Transit Center in downtown Ann Arbor on April 18, 2017. (Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News) Repurchasing the Y Lot Ann Arbor News: What about the empty Y Lot across the street? That was another lot the city sold to a developer for $5.25 million nearly four years ago and nothing has been built. What do you expect to happen there in 2018? Will the city exercise its option to repurchase the property from Dennis Dahlmann in April? Taylor: The deed authorizes the city to purchase the property from the current owner at $4.2 million. My expectation is that it will appraise at a figure that is substantially higher than that. I expect that we'll have conversations with the owner as to what happens next. I can't predict what eight of my (City Council) colleagues will do. Don't Edit Ann Arbor's city-owned 415 W. Washington St. property across from the YMCA on the west edge of downtown on Oct. 11, 2017. The city has let the property remain a heavily blighted and boarded-up eyesore for years. (Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News) Blighted city-owned property Ann Arbor News: The city-owned property with the blighted and boarded-up buildings at 415 W. Washington St., across from the YMCA, is another lot the city has for years considered positioning for redevelopment. Will anything happen with that site anytime soon and what is the current vision for it? Taylor: I very much hope so. I know that parcel plays an important role in the Treeline plan, both as an anchor location and potentially a maintenance-income-generating location. I don't know of any concrete plans at present, but it's certainly a parcel that we need to activate. It's not doing anybody any good at this point. Ann Arbor News: When you say it could help generate maintenance funds for the Treeline, how might that be structured? Through a land lease or partial sale of the property for new development? Taylor: TBD. I don't know of any concrete plan as of yet, but it's a large parcel in an important part of our community. It will certainly play an anchor role for the Treeline, but not for the parcel in its entirety. I would expect some of it to have income-generating elements to it in order to help support the maintenance of the trail. Don't Edit Don't Edit A ground-mounted solar array on the University of Michigan's North Campus on Fuller Road in Ann Arbor on Aug. 12, 2017. (Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News) Reducing city's carbon footprint Ann Arbor News: The city has talked about taking steps to reduce its carbon foot, possibly adding solar panels atop city buildings and parking garages, and buying electric vehicles for city employees. What actions do you expect the city to take on that front in 2018? Taylor: Council passed a number of policies with respect to improving the municipal organization's greenhouse-gas footprint. We have new green fleets policies, new green buildings policies. I expect that as we continue to replace vehicles, as we continue to build and improve structures, that we'll follow those policies and reduce our footprint. Don't Edit Construction continues on a new student apartment high-rise known as Hub Ann Arbor on Huron Street in downtown Ann Arbor on Dec. 19, 2017. (Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News) New development Ann Arbor News: The city has seen a significant amount of new development downtown in recent years, and some outside the downtown. There's been talk of taking another look at the city's zoning along commercial corridors outside of downtown and trying to encourage more dense, mixed-use, transit-oriented development along those corridors. Is that something you expect to see advance in 2018? And on a broader scale, what's your vision for Ann Arbor in terms of how you want to see it developed over time? Taylor: I expect us to take a close look at transit-oriented development. The ability of people to live near where they work is great for everyone. If we enable and encourage residential uses near commercial uses on transit corridors, that's development that satisfies housing demand, commercial demand, and does not adversely impact single-family neighborhoods. It's a social good, it's an economic good, and it's an environmental good. I like Ann Arbor the way it is, and its changing every day. I think we have a great thing going on here in our community. We are, I believe, going in the right direction. Were a community that strives to balance character and affordability and demand and vitality. We need to make sure that the development we have in our community is smart and sustainable and that it doesnt adversely impact residents quality of life. Change will come. We just need to make sure that its channeled, that its change that is good for us all today and tomorrow. Don't Edit Construction continues on new luxury apartments at The Yard at 615 S. Main St. in Ann Arbor on Dec. 19, 2017. One-bedroom apartments here are listed for $1,899 per month. Cost of living Ann Arbor News: Is there anything the city can do about the increasing cost of living in Ann Arbor? And is that something that's on the city's agenda for 2018 in any form? Taylor: We can have the most direct impact on cost of living with respect to affordable housing. The passing of the county's millage which we have committed to use in the neighborhood of $900,000 to $1 million a year for affordable housing with the use of $5 million from the proceeds of the Library Lot to go toward our affordable housing trust fund these monies are available for us to provide permanent, affordable housing in the city. The Housing Commission estimated that the $5 million from the Library Lot would enable us to leverage between 200 and 500 units of permanent, affordable housing in Ann Arbor. Committing to do this, committing to continue to use affordable housing trust fund monies to support affordable housing in the city, will improve affordability. The city has a limited set of tools with respect to affordability. We can work to provide affordable housing. We can make sure that housing supply is not artificially capped. And we can make sure that the services we provide using tax and revenue dollars are efficient and provide value for money. Affordability in Ann Arbor is a problem and we are doing everything we can to work on it. Don't Edit A map of the toxic plume of pollution known as the Gelman dioxane plume, which is spreading through Ann Arbor's groundwater toward the Huron River. Map created by Roger Rayle. Gelman dioxane plume Ann Arbor News: What do you expect to happen in 2018 with regard to the Gelman plume issue? Taylor: This matter is currently in litigation and we're going to continue forward with that litigation. I expect the (Michigan) Supreme Court to respond to the papers before it. We are going to continue to engage in conversations about how we can require the polluter to accelerate cleanup and improve monitoring. Don't Edit A bicycle parked along the sidewalk on Main Street in downtown Ann Arbor on Dec. 26, 2017. (Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News) Pedestrian and bicycle safety Ann Arbor News: Any major pedestrian and bicycle safety innovations coming in 2018? Taylor: We are going to continue to spend millions of dollars to improve pedestrian safety and bicycle safety throughout the city. This is a real focus for us. We will continue to improve crosswalks, fill sidewalk gaps, install streetlights and RRFBs. I think you'll also see more gateway treatments and speed feedback signs. [Editors note: The Federal Highway Administration is now prohibiting future installations of crosswalk signals known as RRFBs.] In Ann Arbor, we love walking, we love biking. We know that the roads are there for everyone, not just cars. We need to make sure our roads are in great shape. We're doing a lot with respect to improving our road infrastructure, working on an asset management system that over the next couple years is going to move our roads from 50 percent good and above to 80 percent good and above. This is something that residents demand and that we're delighted to provide. Don't Edit Don't Edit Mayor Christopher Taylor poses for a portrait in front of his law office on Main Street in downtown Ann Arbor on Dec. 22, 2017. (Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News) What else to expect Ann Arbor News: What else is coming in 2018 that Ann Arbor residents should expect? Taylor: One area of improvement last year that I think people started to recognize and I think will continue to appreciate next year is our fully funded urban forestry management plan. We have for years due to the Great Recession and emerald ash borer not been able to treat our trees in the manner that people expect. We have taken an inventory of every single one of our street trees that's in our database. We're putting trees on a (routine) pruning cycle and we're going to plant 1,000 trees a year. This is something that is going to make neighborhoods better and safer. People, I think, are really going to continue to see improvements in this area. We're going to see improvements in stormwater (management). We have increased funding there. Our stormwater system was built for a different weather environment and a different built environment and we are doing what we can to make sure the service that we provide is the service that residents expect. I think you'll, of course, also see action on some form of policing commission. After the Hillard Heintze report, I think that's going to be an excellent opportunity for residents and the police department to work together so that both residents and police can better understand each other and improve common transparency. Ann Arbor News: How quickly do you expect that commission to be up and running? Taylor: I don't know. I expect we'll have a proposal from the administrator in a fairly short timeframe. What council does with that, I do not know. Dan Weikel MUSKEGON, MI - The founding father of the USS LST 393 Veterans Museum in Muskegon is this year's recipient of the most prestigious award given by the nation's top historic ship organization. But all he wants to do is share the honor with the volunteers who have made the warship museum successful over the past 13 years, according to a news release. "It's a tremendous honor," said Dan Weikel when he was presented the large crystal-onyx award at the LST 393 museum board's annual year-end dinner. "But it belongs to all of you and all the other volunteers who have done such amazing work." In 2005, Weikel organized a group to lease a rusting freighter at the Mart Dock downtown Muskegon, and began the lengthy process of restoring it to its military heritage as the LST 393, according to the release. The landing ship tank was part of three invasions during World War II, including Omaha Beach and D-Day. Weikel, of North Muskegon, received the Historic Naval Ships Association's Casper J. Knight Jr. Award, given to individuals who contributed in a major way, usually over a considerable length of time, to the preservation and exhibition of historic naval ships, according to the release. (The award is named in honor of one of the founders of the Historic Naval Ships Association.) "It recognizes his vision as the founding father of USS LST 393 Veterans Museum and his tireless dedication to the vessel's restoration, befitting one of the country's most historic warships," said William Cogar, HNSA executive director, in a statement about Weikel receiving the award. Weikel formed the non-profit corporation, the volunteer group and found the sponsors necessary to start cleaning up the neglected ship, according to the release. The volunteers removed tons of refuse and discarded equipment from the ship. They un-welded the bow doors and dropped the ramp to landing position in 2007, 60 years after it was sealed. In 2015, the ship was returned to its original blue-gray color, "D-Day gray." The ship is open for tours from May to September. It features thousands of artifacts and themed exhibits that honor all the military services, veterans from eras back to the Spanish-American War; on board is a nationally recognized war dog memorial and hundreds of military uniforms and headgear. The ship was part of the celebration of war dog Cena's life when about 100 people, 30 Jeeps and about 35 American flags gathered there in honor of the four-legged Marine veteran in July. After a ride in a a last ride in a topless Jeep Wrangler, Cena's life was ended aboard the ship. He had terminal bone cancer. In August, the museum opened its war dog memorial, honoring Cena and other canines that served. The ship has also hosted UFC fights, yoga classes, Boy Scout sleepovers, reunions and its summer film festival, Movies on Deck. 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. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More One of Indias largest biscuit maker, Britannia Industries, has ventured into the chocolate wafers category by taking on the likes of Nestles KitKat and Cadburys Perk, according to a report published in The Economic Times. The maker of Good Day and Marie biscuit will sell chocolate wafers under the Pure Magic biscuit brand. Britannia VP marketing Ali Harris Shere told the financial daily that this marks our first time in the real chocolate space and we will retail the product accordingly, with the main focus on modern and e-commerce. The company launched the product in Bengaluru and now plans to take it pan-India. According to the research firm Nielsen, Britannia commands 30 percent market share in the Rs 27,000-crore biscuit category in which it competes with Parle and ITCs Sunfeast. The company which was founded in 1892 and has a presence in biscuits, breads, dairy, cakes and rusk categories entered into an exclusive tie-up with Amazon in 2014 to sell its product on the latter website such as Good Day Chunkies, a super-premium chocolate chip cookie. Britannia sales were impacted by the cash crunch led to demonetisation announced by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in November 2016 created partial slowdown in consumption of confectionery products as it is mostly driven by cash. Wild donkeys are seen in Karpasia peninsula in northern Cyprus August 3, 2017. Picture taken August 3, 2017.REUTERS/Yiannis Kourtoglou - RC1FA87C4EC0 China today slashed tariffs on the import of donkey hide as domestic supplies dwindled and the demand for the product soared for its medicinal value. The State Council, Chinas cabinet, said the tax has been lowered from 5 per cent to 2 percent, state-run news agency Xinhua reported. China's huge appetite for donkey hide and meat is a multibillion US dollar business and the demand has raised concerns in countries where many of the animals used for transport and farm work have reportedly been slaughtered or stolen and shipped to China. Gelatin from donkey hide, called ejiao, is used in traditional Chinese medicine to improve skin quality. Donkey meat is also a delicacy in some parts of the country. Sales of ejiao in China rose from 6.4 billion yuan in 2008 to 342.2 billion yuan in 2016, according to industry estimates. At the same time, the country's donkey population has fallen dramatically as farmers have replaced the animal with machinery. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, China had nearly 10 million donkeys in 1996 and nearly half that number by 2015. Recent reports said Pakistan is seeking to cash in on the rising demand in China for donkey hides. A donkey hide now fetches about 3,000 yuan (USD 460), about a third of the price of a carcass and up from 200 yuan in 2000, the Xinhua report said. Most of the world's 44 million or so donkeys are in Asia, North Africa, South America and some European countries. The eastern Chinese province of Shandong is a major province for ejiao production, importing hides from Peru, Mexico and Egypt. Meng Xianqing, senior executive at an ejiao manufacturing plant in Donge county, Shandong province, said the lower tariff was good news for the ejiao business. "To others it is just a few percentage points, but to us it is gold," Meng said. Tata Steel live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Tata Steel is committed to further growing its business in India and is hoping to work more closely with the government, a top official said today. The successful roll out of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) also had positive implications across the company's value chain in India, T V Narendran, CEO and Managing Director of Tata Steel, said in a message to employees on the last day of the year. 2017 saw a recovery in global steel demand, prices and trade leading to better-than-expected performance by Indias steel sector. The year not only saw India becoming the third largest steel producer in the world, it managed to successfully reverse the trend of increasing imports as it became a net exporter," he said. He added that the Centre's National Steel Policy 2017 has drawn the long-term road map for steel vision in India. "In Tata Steel, we are committed to further growing our business in India and we look forward to working closely with the government contributing positively to Indias economic growth," Narendran said. Following the successful ramp up of the 3 million tonne installed capacity at Kalinganagar, the Board has approved a further expansion to 8 million tonnes at an additional capital outlay of Rs 23,500 crore to be raised in a combination of equity and debt, he said. This will help the company in meeting Indias rising demand in automotive, general engineering and other valued-added segments, he said. Tata Steel is also hopeful that its plan for an equal joint venture with Thyssenkrupp AG will create Europes second largest steel maker, Narendran added. In Securities and Exchange Board of Indias (SEBI) last board meeting for 2017 on December 28, the market regulator has said that no entity can have stake in more than one mutual fund up to over 10 percent. One instance would be UTI Mutual Fund (MF) where State Bank of India (SBI), Bank of Baroda (BoB), Punjab National Bank (PNB), LIC, the sharehnolders, all have their own separate MF units. In an interview with CNBC-TV18, Leo Puri, Managing Director of UTI AMC shared his take on what is in-store for UTI MF in 2018. Cross holdings in AMCs have never been encouraged, he said. Speaking on UTIs listing, he said that the UTI AMC board has recommended to proceed down the path of listing. In 2008, Finance Ministry had given a formal approval for such a process to be initiated, but the markets were not supportive, he added. Will discuss listing at our next board meet in a couple of weeks, said Puri. Below is the transcript of the interview. Latha: Listing imminent? A: SEBIs guidelines merely formalise what is an existing position. Perhaps where moral suasion has not had the desired effect, they have converted that into a formal guideline. It has always been the case that cross holding is not something that is permitted or encouraged and indeed this in line with the broader view that our regulators have on the ownership and management of systemically important financial institutions. There is now both a global consensus and a consensus amongst Indian regulators that you need to have fit and proper widely held companies that are board managed without concentrated shareholding. Obviously cross holding in particular leads to a number of issues around conflict as regards to the way a company is governed, managed, CEOs are chosen, strategies are developed and has a risk of creating dysfunctionality to the cost of investors or depositors as the case maybe. So, you have to see this not as specifically a UTI related issue, although it impacts us, it is a progressive evolutionary step which takes something that was earlier in the realm of moral suasion into formal guideline and we welcome it. Latha: Has the finance ministry moved ahead on this because they would be privy to SEBI putting this rule out. Should we expect a listing fairly quickly for you and secondly would the valuations be comparable to the only one listed mutual fund? A: It is public knowledge that UTI AMC board and trustees have recommended that we proceed down the path of listing in part to address the issues of conflictive interest which SEBI has just underlined and also in order to ensure that our governance structure is secured for the future, that we are an independent board governed entity. So, that has always been our position, it has been our position for many years. In fact in 2008 the finance ministry had actually given a formal approval for such a process to be initiated although markets were not supportive. So, certainly it is the UTI AMCs view management and board view that the right way forward is to proceed with a listing. We will discuss this again in the light of SEBIs recent guidelines at our board meeting in a couple of weeks. The next step would be to also discuss with shareholders and the ministry of finance and form a quick consensus around the approach to be taken. So, if we do list, we believe we are highly valuable company that could release tremendous value for our shareholders. I see no reason why it will not be in line with the comparable listing that we have seen of Reliance Nippon and potentially HDFC Mutual Fund as well. Sonia: The listing process started a few years back but never took off because of different stances of the various promoters State Bank of India, Punjab National Bank, Bank of Baroda etc. Is everyone on the same page now? A: Majority of our shareholders have always been in favour of this. As I said this has given clear direction that is now provided and the move from mere moral suasion to a regulatory directive, I am pretty sure that we will be able to form a consensus on how we restructure our shareholding quite quickly. I think to the extent that if there are any differences in views, those can be accommodated as we construct the right format for a listing. Sonia: UTIs growth has lagged the industry a bit. If you take a four year view, the industry has grown to the tune of about 25-30 percent and UTI has been somewhere to the tune of 20-22 percent. What kind of growth can we expect now that things are moving towards listing? A: On the issue of industry growth, I will make two comments. One, if you look at where the growth has come in the last three years, essentially the four or five large bank owned AMCs have been driving distribution very heavily through their captive channels. It may not be widely known but between 70-95 percent of sales through the retail branches of the big five banks are essentially of their own mutual funds. So, you had a growth period in which captive distribution has come to the fore in a very strong way. It is of course not illegal in India where there is no requirement to have open architecture but nevertheless it does tell you something about how this industry has grown. A lot of this has been essentially convergence from fixed deposits where there is surplus liquidity with banks post demonetisation into equity funds or balanced funds. Sometimes with the risk of misspelling given that so called dividends are promised in this regard. So, not all of the growth that has happened in the last few years has necessarily been entirely healthy in the industry. If indeed we are going to be in an environment where banks driven captive distribution is important then that is another reason why UTI needs to have its independence, so that we can form our own alliances around distribution which today we are unable to do. We rely heavily on independent advisors which has been our history. Were we free of this shareholding structure we have, we could form our own alliances and move ahead. Secondly, what is often neglected is that UTI is much more than a mutual fund. We have in fact about Rs 3.5 lakh crore of assets under management, we are a leading pension manager where we have actually been the best pension managers this year as adjudged by EPF. We are a large manager of the NPS, we have one of the largest offshore businesses of nearly USD 4 billion as an asset manager as well and we have UTI Capital. So, overall if you look at our structure and our value, we are more than a mutual fund, we are a Rs 3.5 lakh crore asset management company and that is how we perceive ourselves. Latha: This quarter should we expect the listing? A: I think that would be a little ambitious. Certainly we will do our best to do it as quickly as possible. An apparent misunderstanding over a query regarding the status of a Mumbai-Delhi flight led to the arrest of a flyer, who has been booked for a hoax bomb call, police said today. The flyer later claimed he wanted to know the status of a 'Bom-Del' flight but was misunderstood by the telephone operator at the other end as him having said "bomb hai (there is a bomb)". Vinod Moorjani, the 45-year-old Indian-origin CEO of a US-based company, was arrested on Sunday for allegedly making a hoax bomb call at the Mumbai International Airport (MIAL) after apparently being miffed over flight delays, an official said. Moorjani was scheduled to travel from Mumbai to Delhi and take a connecting flight to Rome en route to Virginia along with his wife and children, the official said. Annoyed with the flight delays, Moorjani called a toll free number of MIAL and told the woman operator that a bomb exploded ('bomb fata hai') in flight, the official claimed. Before the operator could hear more from Moorjani, he hung up the call, after which the operator alerted her seniors, who informed the police, the official said. The Sahar police arrested Moorjani, who was spotted at a telephone booth in the CCTV footage of the airport, the official said. Moorjani made the call to disrupt the Delhi flight schedules so that he could get a late night flight to Rome from the New Delhi airport if his travel from Mumbai got delayed, he said. He was arrested and booked under IPC sections 506(II) (criminal intimidation), 505(I)(b) (intent to cause fear or alarm to public), the official said. Moorjani was produced in the Andheri Metropolitan Magistrate Court yesterday, which granted him bail on a sum of Rs 15,000 and a surety of the same amount. Court officials said when Moorjani was produced in the court, his lawyer argued that the accused had only enquired about the status of his flight which was misconstrued. According to the lawyer, Moorjani had asked the operator for 'Bom-Del status' and disconnected the call soon due to some disturbance in the telephone line. This, was misunderstood by the telephone operator as "bomb hai (there is a bomb)", the lawyer said. Representative image The Centre, state governments and industry representatives will meet on January 8 to discuss ways to boost the country's exports, a commerce ministry official said. The third meeting of the 'Council for Trade Development and Promotion' will be chaired by Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu. The council was constituted to promote India's overseas shipments. In its previous meeting in January last year, issues deliberated upon included improving export competitiveness and creating an environment conducive for promoting exports. They had also discussed about quality and standards of products. The council acts as a platform to develop partnership with states with an aim to boost international trade. The members of the council are trade/commerce ministers of states and Union Territories, besides 14 secretaries of the central government including commerce, revenue, shipping, civil aviation, agriculture, food processing and economic affairs, among others. The council also provides a platform to state governments and UTs for articulating their perspective on trade policy to help them develop and pursue export strategies in line with national foreign trade policy. Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) President Ganesh Kumar Gupta said they would raise the issues of GST refund and enhancing export-related infrastructure in states. "Small and medium exporters are facing several issues related to Goods and Services Tax (GST), that needs to be resolved. We would also seek greater support to improve infrastructure to increase competitiveness of our products in global markets," Gupta said. Another exporter Sharad Kumar Saraf, Chairman, Technocraft India, too stated that more support needs to be extended to boost outbound shipments. On December 5 last year, the government extended incentives to sectors such as leather and agriculture with an aim to boost outward shipments that were disrupted by implementation of GST. Reversing the decline seen in October last year, the country's total merchandise exports grew 30.55 per cent to USD 26.19 billion in November 2017. Cumulatively, the exports during April-November 2017-18 increased 12.01 per cent to USD 196.48 billion. Seventy years after independence, India is racing to connect thousands of villages with electricity as it looks to accelerate growth whose dividend are distributed to all. The new year will see the government accelerate efforts to achieve the mammoth task of reaching power to more than a quarter of a billion people who lack access to electricity. Year 2017 was an important year, when government unveiled Rs 16,320 crore Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana (SAUBHAGYA) in September to provide electricity connection to around 4 crore families in rural and urban areas by March 2019. However, the Power Ministry's internal target to achieve universal electrification under the Saubhagya scheme is December, 2018. Providing a connection would not help the poor people particularly in rural in view of their lower paying capacity and irregular incomes. In order to boost electricity consumption particularly in rural areas under the Saubhagya scheme, the government has planned installation of more and more pre-paid meters. Power Minister R K Singh on several occasions talked about the installation of pre-paid as well as smart metres in the coming days for online generation, service and payment of electricity bills without human interface. The objective of Saubhagya scheme is to provide last mile connectivity and electricity connections to all households in rural and urban areas. Under the scheme free of cost electricity connections to all remaining un-electrified households with at least one deprivation on the basis of SECC (Socio Economic Caste Economic) data in rural areas and economically poor households in urban areas would be given. The others families would be charged a sum of Rs 500 per household in ten equal instalments with the bill. Besides that families located in remote and inaccessible areas would be provided with Solar Photovoltaic (SPV) based standalone systems with LED lights, fan, power plug etc. The beneficiaries will be identified on the basis of socio economic conditions using SECC 2011 data. The effective implementation of UDAY scheme meant for revival of debt-laden discoms, would also make difference in 2018. "The distribution sector is set to attract the most attention, from household electrification to franchisee bids. We will see a new set of players entering. Unbundling of wires and supply can spur innovation in business models," Kameswara Rao Partner-energy & utilities PricewaterhouseCoopers said. He said, "There's a huge expectation that the government and utilities run a proper pipeline of bids. In its absence new capital and local supply chain can dry up." He is of the view that utilities facing the impact of competition and loss of commercial load are likely to get their act together by investing in technology and younger workforce. The Ujwal DISCOM Assurance Yojana (UDAY) for financial and operational turnaround of discoms was launched in November, 2015. The scheme aims to provide permanent solution to legacy of debts of approximately Rs 4.3 lakh crore and address potential future losses. The scheme also envisages reform measures in all sectors generation, transmission, distribution, coal, and energy efficiency. The scheme availability period expired on March 31, 2017. Nagaland, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Dadra & Nagar Haveli & Daman & Diu signed MoUs with the Government of India under UDAY Scheme on November 20, 2017. With this, 27 states and four UTs have joined UDAY till date. Under the Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY) projects worth Rs 42,565 crore have been sanctioned in 32 States/UTs. As on November 30, 2017, electrification in 1,24,219 villages and intensive electrification in 4,68,827 villages has been completed. Free electricity connections to 277.20 lakh BPL (below poverty line) households have been released. As many as 18,452 census villages in the country out of total inhabited villages of 5,97,644 as per census 2011 were reported un-electrified by the states on April 1, 2015. As on November 30, 2017, electrification in 15,183 villages has been completed and 1,052 villages have been reported un-inhabited. The remaining 2,217 villages are expected to be electrified by May 1, 2018. These 2,217 villages are located in Arunachal Pradesh (1,069), Assam (214), Bihar (111), Chhattisgarh (176), Jammu & Kashmir (99), Jharkhand (176), Karnataka (8), Madhya Pradesh (34), Manipur (54), Meghalaya 50), Mizoram (11), Odisha (182) and Uttarakhand (33). Simillary, IPDS (integrated power development scheme) aims to provide quality and reliable 24x7 power supply in the urban area. So far, projects worth Rs 26,910 crore covering 3,616 towns have been sanctioned. State utilities have awarded the works worth Rs 23,448 crore. The IT and technical intervention envisaged in IPDS scheme will not only ensure 24x7 power supply in urban area but will also help in improvement in billing and collection efficiency which will ultimately result in reduction in Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT&C or distribution) losses. Besides, the power ministry is about to bring hydro power policy which provides for incentives to the tune of Rs 16,000 crore for this segment. By Pranav Haldea The year 2017 witnessed a raising of Rs.1,61,116 crore through the public equity markets, which was 3.6 times, Rs.44,819 crore that was raised in the preceding year. This is the highest amount ever raised in a calendar year, with the previous highest being Rs. 97,746 crore in 2010. IPOs: The year 2017 was also the best year ever for the IPO market by far, the previous high being in 2010 when Rs. 37, 535 crore was raised, almost half the amount. As many as 36 main-board IPOs (previous year 26 IPOs for Rs.26,494 crore) came to the market collectively raising Rs.67,147 crore. A number of companies and amounts raised through main board IPOs in the last 5 years are given in the table below: The largest IPO was from General Insurance Corp. for Rs.11,257 crore. The average deal size was a high Rs. 1,865 crore. A notable feature of the year again was that several companies that hit the market had a prior PE/VC investment. This was true for 17 out of the 36 IPOs. Offers for sale by such PE/VC investors at Rs.10,221 crore accounted for 15 percent of the total IPO amount. Offers for sale by the promoters at Rs. 42,102 crore accounted for a further 63 percent of the IPO amount. Out of the 36 IPOs, 29 companies had anchor investors, which collectively subscribed to 29 percent of the total public issue amount. The domestic institutional investors played a significant role as anchor investors, with their subscription amounting to 13 percent of the amount, compared to 16 percent from FIIs. The overall response from the public to the mainboard IPOs of the year, according to PRIME, was also very good. While 17 IPOs received a mega response of more than 10 times (Salasar Techno Engineering at 270 times, followed by Astron Paper & Board Mill at 241 times, Capacit'e Infraprojects (130), CDSL (119), MAS Financial Services (91), Dixon Technologies (83), HUDCO (79), Cochin Shipyard (76), DMart (73), Godrej Agrovet (68), Reliance Nippon Mutual Fund (57), S.Chand (42), AU Small Finance Bank (38), BSE (36), Prataap Snacks (34), Shankara Building Products (29) and Music Broadcast (28), 6 other IPOs were oversubscribed by more than 3 times. The balance 13 IPOs were oversubscribed between 1 to 3 times. As far as retail investors are concerned, the year witnessed a very good response from them as well. The highest number of applications was received by Cochin Shipyard at 19.42 lakhs followed by HUDCO (18.74 lakhs), Dmart (17.40 lakhs), CDSL (17.29 lakhs) and Reliance Nippon Mutual Fund (15.60 lakhs). Response to IPOs was further buoyed by the strong listing performance of IPOs of the year. Of the 36 IPOs which got listed, 18 gave a return of over 10 percent (based on closing price on listing date). Salasar Techno Engineering gave a stupendous return of 152 percent followed by Astron Paper & Board Mill (139 percent), DMart (114), CDSL (76), Dixon Technologies (64) and AU Small Finance Bank (51). SME IPOs: The year, again, witnessed significant activity in the SME platform; there were as many as 133 SME IPOs, again the highest ever, which collected a total of Rs. 1,679 crore (previous year 67 IPOs for Rs. 537 crore). A number of SME IPOs and amounts raised in last 5 years are given in the table below: The largest SME IPO in the year, as per PRIME Database, was from Zota Health Care (Rs.56 crore). Fresh Capital: Of the total amount of Rs. 1,61,116 crore, the amount raised through fresh capital was Rs. 86,176 crore (53 percent); the remaining Rs. 74,940 crore being offered for sale. Divestments 2017 was the best year ever with Rs. 73,282 crore being raised by the Government. Public Offers (IPOs of HUDCO, Cochin Shipyard, GIC, New India Assurance and OFS of MOIL, BEL, NALCO, RCFL, NFL, HCL, NTPC, NLC) ) constituted a lions share of divestment proceeds at Rs. 33,418 crore (46 per cent) followed by ETFs at Rs. 23,000 crore (31 per cent), Block Deals (SUUTI sales of L&T and ITC) at Rs. 10,844 crore (15 per cent), Buybacks (NHPC, NLC, OIL, EIL, Bharat Dynamics) at Rs.5,627 crore (8 per cent) and sale of shares to employees Rs. 394 crore (1 percent). The target for fiscal 2017-18 appears very much within reach. Reduction in the Governments holding in 18 listed CPSEs to 75 per cent (which is also a mandatory SEBI requirement) alone can contribute to Rs. 27,520 crore. Further, the Government has also placed a roadmap for several unlisted profits making CPSEs to get listed in the next two financial years which includes several large companies from insurance and railways sector. Lastly, the Government has also already identified 34 CPSEs for a strategic sale. Outlook for 2018 The year 2018 looks even more promising. On the IPO front, already at the beginning of the year, there are 15 companies holding SEBI approval wanting to raise nearly Rs. 12,000 crore and another 10 companies wanting to raise nearly Rs. 19,000 crore awaiting SEBI approval. Many more filings are expected in the near future. The author is Managing Director of PRIME Database. The views and investment tips expressed by brokerage firms on Moneycontrol.com are his own and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions. Government bonds (G-Secs) ended mixed in a quiet trade due to alternate bouts of buying and selling. While the overnight call money rates finished lower due to lack of demand from borrowing banks amidst ample liquidity in the banking system. The 6.79 percent 10-year benchmark bond maturing in 2027 slipped to Rs 96.33 from Rs 96.38 previously, while its yield inched up to 7.34 percent from 7.33 percent. The 6.84 percent 10-year benchmark bond maturing in 2022 declined to Rs 98.78 from Rs 98.89 previously, while its yield edged up to 7.14 percent from 7.11 percent. The 7.16 percent 10-year benchmark bond maturing in 2023 fell to Rs 99.92 from Rs 100.00 previously, while its yield moved up to 7.18 percent from 7.16 percent. However, the 6.68 percent government security maturing in 2031, the 6.79 percent government security maturing in 2029 and the 7.35 percent government security maturing in 2024 were quoted higher to Rs 93.69, Rs 96.10 and Rs 100.21 respectively. The overnight call money rates finished lower at 5.90 percent from Last Friday's level 6.10 per cent. It resumed lower at 6.00 percent and moved in a range of 6.05 per cent and 5.75 percent. Meanwhile, Reserve Bank of India, under the Liquidity Adjustment Facility, purchased securities worth Rs 34.90 billion in 6-bids at the overnight repo operation at a fixed rate of 6.00 percent as on today, while its sold securities worth Rs 511.24 billion in 56-bids at the 2-days reverse repo auction at a fixed rate of 5.75 percent as on December 30. TORONTO, Dec. 31, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ThreeD Capital Inc. (the Company) (CSE:IDK), a Canadian-based venture capital firm focused on investments in promising, early stage companies with disruptive capabilities, today announced the addition of Frank Dumas, President and CEO of St-Georges Eco-Mining Corp (CSE:SX) to its Advisory Board. Mr. Dumas has over 15 years of experience in the financial industry, including consulting for foreign governments on international administration and strategic governance. He holds a Bachelors degree in International Relations and a Masters degree in Public Administration. He was the Founder and President of 701 Mining, which exited to Argex Titanium in 2008. Over the past couple of years at St-Georges Eco-Mining, Mr. Dumas has secured significant mineral rights in Iceland that control, directly or indirectly, through rights of first refusal, all of the active mineral tenures in Iceland. In addition, St-Georges is developing disruptive eco-mining processing solutions and is also developing mining & commodities industry related technology. Sheldon Inwentash, Chairman and CEO of ThreeD Capital stated "Frank brings significant experience in multiple areas of interest relevant to ThreeD Capital. His development of disruptive technologies and solutions at St. Georges demonstrates abilities that will add great value to our Advisory Board." Mr. Dumas stated It is a great honour to join ThreeD Capital as an Advisor. The Companys focus on disruptive technologies in the junior resources, artificial intelligence and blockchain sectors is consistent with my strengths and I look forward to helping the Company develop its investments. About ThreeD Capital Inc. ThreeD is a publicly-traded Canadian-based venture capital firm focused on opportunistic investments in companies in the junior resources, Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain sectors. ThreeD seeks to invest in early stage, promising companies where it may be the lead investor and can additionally provide investees with advisory services, mentoring and access to the Companys network in order to earn increases to the Companys equity stake. For further information: Gerry Feldman, CPA, CA Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary Feldman@threedcap.com Phone: 416-606-7655 live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More We place our Nifty target near 11,500 -11,900 by December 2018, said Prashanth Tapse, Associate Vice President (Research), Mehta Equities in an interview to Moneycontrols Sunil Shankar Matkar. He sees multiple events to trigger markets in 2018 including Budget, state elections and earnings. Here's an excerpt from that interview: 2017 has been a great year for Indian equities as the market grew by around 25 percent. Do you see same kind of rally in 2018 also and what is your Nifty target for December 2018? We expect the healthy run-up in the global equity markets, including India, seen this year to continue in 2018 with average of more than 18-20 percent return in India. This is all because domestic money dictating the growth trend and expect to continue going forward. Indian markets are much more in control of their own destiny wherein historically FIIs were the price/trend-setters. We see year 2018 has much more to say on election saga, usually the main reason for volatility. Barring to the election outcome the domestic inflow and government reforming action will keep markets on northward movement. On over basis market is bullish on the current government focused towards increase in spending. We see growth momentum improves in the year prior to the elections, a trend which is likely to play out in this cycle as well. Based on the facts and assumption we see Nifty target near 11,500 -11,900 on or before December 2018. What are the next key events (or themes) to watch out for the year 2018? Kindly explain events or themes in 100-150 words if possible. Will those events drive the market up or down? We see multiple events to trigger 2018 outlook likewise Budget, State Elections and earning hiccups. 1) Union Budget 2018 holds special significance being the first Budget to be presented in the post-GST era. While we expect it would be a POPULIST BUDGET ahead of a stream of assembly elections next year, the Budget may see more focus on common man dreamers Budget like common Mans Tax revision, high allocation to agriculture sector, spending more on infra capex development and emphasis on defence spending which will make generate energy for future growth. 2) Elections would be the key volatile theme for 2018, after Budget the battle starts from congress ruled Karnataka which will raise market sentiments and any outcome would only disturb short lived trends while strong confidence in equity performance will be overruled. 3) We expect solid earnings growth delivery in the next year and the following year and see that as a credible backdrop for India to continue to perform well. Earning performance will be supported by pick-up in investment and easing of financial conditions. The domestic liquidity supported markets in the year 2017. Will that liquidity support continue in 2018 as well or do you see some tapering of flows? What is your view on FIIs flow? Domestic money is dictating the growth trend and expects this to continue going forward. After Modi took charge since then the investor confidence indicator has only raised upwards. We are seeing a positive correlation between mutual fund equity inflows and stock market performance which was not the case a couple of years ago. The upsurge in mutual fund equity flows has given a new connotation to Indian equity markets. Considering the huge MF inflow on month-on-month basis which is supporting markets for any hiccups, we believe demonetisation, GST, digitalisation and the increasing preference for equity as an asset class have emerged as the mega trends in India. FIIs have deep pockets and they are bullish on Indian markets. They actually act based on the performance of the economy, corporate earnings and market momentum. We believe Indian story cant be ignored if they want to earn the best in asset class returns in next 2 years. India Inc raised over USD 11 billion through IPOs in 2017. Will 2018 be another golden year of IPOs? In the recent times, IPOs has been in high demand. 2017 was the golden year for all the companies which raised money through this route and a few of the IPOs have tripled investor wealth in 2017 alone. We expect the same trend to continue in 2018 as various government policies are favouring to facilitate businesses and creating opportunity to garner funds from the capital market by issuing shares. Also, a surge in the secondary market has encouraged many companies to go to public in search of better valuations. Undoubtedly, the IPO market has rewarded investors with healthy returns and is expected that it would continue to perform in 2018 as well. Everyone is saying corporate earnings were far better-than-expected in September quarter. Do you see December quarter earnings laying foundation stone of earnings recovery? Yes, September quarter earnings was far better-than-expected as market was anticipating the demonetization and GST effect to rerate earnings expectations. We see there is hope of a better second half earnings growth with low base created by demonetisation/GST action. Nevertheless, risks remain for expectations of a lower double digit earnings growth for FY18 as the same has been nearly flat in the first half and entire burden has now shifted to second half. On overall basis earnings growth will come from Q3, which will drive markets. The next big event the market will watch out for will be Union Budget. What are you key expectations from the last full-fledged Budget. After Gujarat elections there are as many as 8 state assembly elections lined up before general elections in the year 2019. Do you see a change in tactics of the Modi government or a policy shift in policy framework from reformist to populist? Budget 2018 would be the key game changer event to government keeping in mind the state elections and as well as the 2019 Lok Sabha election. Key expectations from POPULIST BUDGET would be more focused on creating employment and employment-related funding, rural population and farmers, capital expenditure on infrastructure as government next year will be on the momentum of infrastructure creation. After Gujarat elections saga, the government will be more alert in handing the forth coming elections. We expect this upcoming Budget will also keep elections in mind and tactically present some reforms or policy shift which would affect the election outcome. The BJP may be optimistic about its prospects in the Karnataka assembly elections after winning the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, hence we are highly optimistic on the Modi Govt to manage the elections and expect government would now be emboldened to go full throttle on making policy / reforms which are believed to be the bane of the Indian economy. Top five sectors which you think stand to gain the most from the upcoming Budget 2018? We believe this Budget, government with focus more on sectors which are the base of economic growth interns of employment, raising income levels, infrastructure and raising spending capex areas. Sectors we like are agriculture, defence, oil & gas, power and banking. These sectors are growing well and would continue to be on the growth trajectory. As we moved to 2018, what are your 5 best picks for 2018? Chennai Petroleum | CMP - Rs 421 | Target - Rs 600 | Upside 42.5% Chennai Petroleum Corporation (CPCL) is a subsidiary of Indian Oil Corporation and is one of the premier Public Sector Undertaking engaged in the business of crude oil refining and in the production of fuel products, lubricants and petrochemical feed stocks. Investment rationale: Resid upgradation project at Manali refinery expected to improve GRM Mega expansion on cards: New 9mntpa refinery at Cauvery Basin Refinery Building of Re gasification LNG terminal project Dharma Port Gas Facility Laid down a new 42inch diameter crude oil pipeline from Chennai Port Trust to Manali Refinery which will replace their existing 45 years old 30 inch crude oil pipeline. Zen Technologies | CMP - Rs 147 | Target - Rs 200 | Upside 36% Zen Technologies is a three decade old company involved in designing, developing and manufacturing of world class training solutions. It is a leader in providing training solutions that include defence simulators which primarily focuses on security forces including military, paramilitry, state police force etc. Investment rationale: Make in India program. Strong track record in winning bids. Defence sector offers good opportunity. Entry Barriers high for new players. Atul Auto : CMP - Rs 454 | Target - Rs 552 | Upside 21.6% Atul Auto (ATUL) is a five decade old three-wheeler manufacturer of auto rickshaws, pick-up vans and chassis of passenger vehicles based in Gujarat. ATUL continues to be number 1 player in Gujarat with 35 percent sales coming from the state. Currently, company has 320 touch points which includes 200 primary dealers and 120 sub-dealers. Investment rationale: Caters to diverse customer base in the CARGO & PASSENGER segment Scale of production rises, benefits of operating leverage would start kicking in as ATULs bargaining power with suppliers would rise. Increasing its distribution channels with the addition of 20-25 dealers by the end of FY (currently there are around 200 primary and 120 secondary dealers). Focus on export Market. Introduction of E-vehicle. Jain irrigation | CMP - Rs 126 | Target - Rs 160+ | Upside 27% Jain Irrigation Systems is a diversified entity with global presence and having 30 manufacturing bases spread over four continents. Products are supplied to 126 countries with able assistance from 6700 dealers and distributors worldwide and have reached over 4.5 million farmers. The Maharashtra-based Jain Irrigation makes micro- irrigation systems, PVC and HDPE pipes, plastic sheets and agro-processed products, among others. Investment rationale: The second largest Micro-Irrigation company in the world. Enlarged the company's credentials for upcoming agricultural and irrigation infrastructure upgrade in the country Successfully commissioned many micro- irrigation projects on turnkey basis in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh and others. The micro irrigation part where once again the government subsidies will help him to do much better Aditya Birla Capital | CMP - Rs 184 | Target - Rs 250 | Upside 36% Aditya Birla Capital Limited (ABCL) is amongst the largest financial services provider in India. It has got strong presence across protection, investment and savings business. Its presence includes in life insurance, asset management, private equity, corporate lending, structured finance, general insurance broking, wealth management, equity, currency and commodity broking, online personal finance management, housing finance, pension fund management and health insurance businesses. Investment rationale: Monetisation of its business One stop solution for all the money requirements of the people Banking on Banca tie-up for life insurance Volatility struck the Indian market on the first trading day of this calendar year as benchmark indices witnessed a sudden plunge in the final hour of trade. In the build-up to the ultimate hour, the market was trading largely flat through the day, with phases of mildly lower day of trade. Selling pressure among IT stocks, financials, auto and oil & gas, dragged the market, with Reliance Industries and HDFC being the top losers. In the financials space, HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank dragged the Nifty Bank by over 50 percent. In the broader market, midcaps gave up all gains. The index was outperforming benchmarks through the major part of the day. The selloff also stoked fears about a likely weakness in the market and is there more correction in store for the Street going ahead. Speaking on such moves in the market, Samir Arora of Helios Capital told CNBC-TV18 that 2-3 months every year correction is 6-8 percent in a month. This happened in 2016 three times, and twice in the year 2015. It didnt happen in the year 2017; so it must be coming. At the close of market hours, the Sensex was down 244.08 points or 0.72% at 33812.75, while the Nifty was down 95.20 points or 0.90% at 10435.50. The market breadth was narrow as 1665 shares advanced, against a decline of 1246 shares, while 746 shares were unchanged. Gold prices ruled flat at Rs 30,400 per ten gram on the first trading day of the year 2018 on scattered deals. However, silver rose by Rs 120 to Rs 40,100 per kg on increased offtake by industrial units and coin makers. Traders said limited deals from local jewellers mainly kept gold prices unaltered. The near absence of cues from global markets, which remained closed today on account of New Year Holiday, also influenced the sentiment here. In the national capital, gold of 99.9 and 99.5 per cent purity held steady at Rs 30,400 and Rs 30,250 per ten gram respectively. The precious metal had climbed Rs 175 in Saturday's trade. Among stocks, Phoenix Mills rose 6 percent intraday as it has acquired 22.67 percent stake in its subsidiary company. The stock was up 1 percent at the time of closing. Some of the PSU banks were in focus. Central Bank of India closed 2 percent higher after the bank said that its Board will consider fund raising on January 3. Meanwhile, Bank of India and Allahabad Bank ended around half a percent higher on the back of fundraising plans. Gayatri Projects touched 52-week high of Rs 234.50, rising 3.6 percent as it won order worth Rs 283 crore. SAIL also touched 52-week high today as the steel secretary is said to have highlighted the company's plan to cut down FY18 losses. The stock ended around 1 percent higher. Reliance Anil Ambani Group stocks were in focus on Monday. Barring Reliance Communications, all other stocks were in the green. Reliance Naval and Reliance Infrastructure gained 32 and 20 percent, while RCom was lower by 2 percent. Lastly, auto stocks took a beating, amid selling pressure, after companies reported their December sales figures. Bosch, Tata Motors, Exide, Eicher Motors and Bharat Forge fell over 1 percent on the NSE. 7. Cricket series unlikely till Pak stops terrorism: Swaraj to Parliamentary panel 22:09 After Trump tweet, Pakistan says made 'unmatched sacrifices' in war on terror: YoY at 3,606 units5. US has foolishly given $33 billion to Pakistan, got lies in return: Donald TrumpThat's all for today, readers. Thanks for staying on with our coverage of the day's action. Your enthusiasm encourages us to better our coverage every day. Do come back tomorrow for more news, views and insights. ANI tweeted the Government of Pakistan's replies to Donald Trump's first tweet of the year, who blamed the country for fooling the US over its foreign aid and its fight against terror "Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting has said that US should not put blames for its failure in Afghanistan on Pakistan. Pakistan has rendered unmatched sacrifices in the war against terrorism & there is no ambiguity about it: Government of Pakistan" "In a strong worded reaction to earlier US accusations&allegations the Pakistan Army spokesman, Major General Asif Ghafoor asserted that aid Pakistan received from the US was "reimbursement for support Islamabad gave to the coalition for its fight against Al Qaeda":Pakistan Govt" "Foreign Office had also warned against the malicious campaign being used to trivialize Pakistan's achievements in the war against terrorism. The foreign office said allies do not put each other on notice: Government of Pakistan" "Pak as anti-terror ally has given free to US: land&air communication, military bases&intel cooperation that decimated Al-Qaeda over last 16yrs,but they hv gvn us nothing but invective&mistrust.They overlook cross-border safe havens of terrorists who murder Pakistanis: Pak Def Min" 21:49 Crackdown on illegal structures continues post Mumbai pub fire Continuing its crackdown on unauthorised constructions for the fourth day on Monday after a blaze at an upscale pub in Mumbai killed 14 people, the civic body asked the owners of commercial establishments to assess, on their own, if their premises were compliant with all fire safety norms. The owners of commercial establishments must assess if they adhere to Fire Codified Requirements, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said, adding that those found not complying with the guidelines would face action. On December 29, a massive fire swirled over the terrace of '1 Above' pub at Kamala Mills compound, killing 14 people. 21:39 Centre to link all posts along Sino-India border by roads: Rajnath Singh The Centre has undertaken a special project to connect all the border posts along the Sino-India frontier with roads, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said today as he reviewed the operational preparedness of a forward ITBP unit here. Singh ringed in the new year with the troops of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) at this border post located at a height of 11,614 feet in Uttarakhand, where the mercury dropped to minus 20 degrees Celsius today. This was the first time a home minister or a senior Union minister paid a visit to this border post. The home minister also instructed the ITBP personnel, in the presence of the force's Director General (DG), R K Pachnanda, to find out ways to rotate the troops at such high-altitude posts in less than three months' time. Currently, the troops are rotated every three months. This would enhance the operational efficiency of the personnel and also reduce the instances of mountain-related sickness among them, he said. 21:35 Will ensure verification of citizens in Assam done with transparency: Congress The Congress said on Monday that it will work towards ensuring that the verification process of citizens in Assam is done with transparency and assured the people that it will "handhold" them so that not a single claim is left unaddressed. As the Registrar General of India issued the first draft list of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) for Assam last night, the Congress, which is in the opposition in the NDA- ruled state, said no family or section of people would be left out on account of verification of documents and asserted that it stands unequivocally with the people of Assam. Congress communications in-charge Randeep Surjewala said the NRC, in accordance with the directions of the Supreme Court, was published with the names of 1.9 crore people out of the 3.29 crore total applicants in Assam. 20:59 No charges on debit card transactions up to Rs 2,000: Finance Ministry Customers will not have to pay any transaction charges for payments through debit card, BHIM app and other payment made for up to Rs 2,000 from today onwards. Last month, Union Cabinet approved a proposal that government will bear the merchant discount rate (MDR) charges on transactions up to Rs 2,000 made through debit cards, BHIM UPI or Aadhaar-enabled payment systems to promote digital transactions. 20:29 IBBI registration must for asset valuations under IBC from April Professionals carrying out asset valuations under Companies Act and Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code will have to get themselves registered with Insolvency Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI) from April to conduct such activities, an official statement said today. 19:53 Government names Vijay Keshav Gokhale as India's Foreign Secretary. Current Foreign Secy S Jaishankar term ends on January 28. Gokhale, a 1981 batch officer of the Indian Foreign Service (IFS), was India's envoy to China. He is at present secretary (economic relations) in the Ministry of External Affairs. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved Gokhale's appointment to the post, said the order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training. Jaishankar was appointed foreign secretary on January 29, 2015, for two years. He was given a one-year extension in January last year. (PTI) 19:39 BREAKING | Pakistan calls for an emergency meet between Pakistan PM & Foreign Minister, after US President Trump's tweets Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif also tweeted, "We will respond to President Trump's tweet shortly Inshallah...will let the world know the truth..difference between facts & fiction.." 19:37 After Mumbai pub blaze, BMC chief promises crackdown on official-activist next Holding the nexus of a 'small percentage of corrupt officials' with 'professional complainants' responsible for flourishing of illegal eateries in the city, Mumbai municipal commissioner Ajoy Mehta today said he will take steps to rout the menace. "There is a very small percentage of corrupt officials. There are professional complainants, who together are trying to ensure that the permissions are given in a particular way or are subverted," Mehta told PTI in an interview. 19:11 Rupee kicks off 2018 with a bang, revisits 5-mth high Starting the New Year on a highly bullish note, the rupee surged ahead to close at a fresh five-month high of 63.68 a dollar, gaining 19 paise against its US counterpart. This is the highest closing for the home currency since August 8 last year when it had settled at 63.63. Continuing its winning streak, the rupee has strengthened by a solid 47 paise in last three sessions. (PTI) 18:33 New Year's eve: Over 2,000 cases of drunk driving registered in Hyderabad Altogether over 2,000 cases of drunk driving were registered on the New Year's eve here, officials said today. The cases were registered under the jurisdiction of Hyderabad, Cyberabad and Rachakonda police commissionarate, they said. (PTI) 17:54 US 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!: US President Donald Trump 17:39 WATCH: Rajinikanth announces launch of website 17:30 Rajinikanth announces new website for fans to register themselves 17:27 Coal Sector Output Down 0.2% % Vs 3.9% Rise (MoM); Crude Oil Output At 0.2% Vs 0.4% (MoM); Natural Gas Output At 2.4% Vs 2.8% (MoM); Petro Refinery Products Output At 8.2% Vs 7.5% (MoM); Fertiliser Output At 0.3% Vs 3% Decline (MoM); Steel Output At 16.6% Vs 8.4% (MoM); Cement Output At 17.3% Vs 2.7% Decline (MoM) Electricity Output At 1.9% Vs 2.1% (MoM) 17:13 Core sector data: November eight core Industrial growth at 6.8% vs 4.7 % (MoM) 17:09 Triple Talaq Bill to be tabled in Rajya Sabha on January 3: Govt sources (News 18) 17:03: Vidarbha beat Delhi by 9 wickets to win maiden Ranji Trophy 16:59 MRP, other details must for items sold online from today To protect online consumers, the Centre has made it mandatory from today for e-commerce firms to print not only the maximum retail price (MRP) on goods but also information like expiry date and customer care details. The consumer affairs ministry had made the amendments in this regard to the Legal Metrology (packaged commodities) Rules in June 2017. The companies were given a six-month deadline to comply with the new rule. 50bn Assocham India is likely to see mergers and acquisitions (M&A) worth $50 billion in 2018 on the back of plenty of stressed corporate assets on offer at tempting valuations, according to a report. The Assocham Year Ahead Outlook observed that India's M&A transactions witnessed a quantum jump of 170% in valuations and over 70% in the number of transactions in the year gone by on the basis of various estimates. "The M&A opportunities in 2018 would remain robust given the fact that lot more assets continue to remain under stress. Several big ticket projects referred to the NCLT (National Company Law Tribunal) under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code would see change in promoters in areas like real estate, steel etc," Assocham Secretary General DS Rawat said. 16:17 JSW JPVL's 500mw Bina Sajjan Jindal-led JSW Energy said its deal with Jaiprakash Power Ventures to acquire 500mw Bina thermal power plant is terminated following lapse of time for completion of the transaction on Sunday. "With the elapsing of the Long Stop Date, the proposed acquisition of the Bina project stands terminated," JSW Energy said in a BSE filing today. JSW Energy further said that the consummation of this transaction was subject to fulfilment of certain conditions precedent. 16:14 PNB Putting branch rationalisation plan on fast track, Punjab National Bank (PNB) has placed 300 branches under watch and asked them to either shape up within a year or face closure or merger. "That (rationalisation) exercise is going on. We have given notice to all loss-making branches that within one year they should turnaround otherwise we will look for options for their mergers or closure. We are working on 300 branches," PNB Managing Director Sunil Mehta told PTI in an interview. He, however, clarified that not all of them are loss-making, and some are marginally profit making. "So, we are working on all those plans. If they are able to turnaround it is okay otherwise we will have to close them down or merge," he said. 16:05 VECV Commercial vehicles maker VE Commercial Vehicles reported a 49.5% YoY increase in total sales at 6,087 units in December. The company, a joint venture between Volvo Group and Eicher Motors, had sold 4,071 units in December 2016, VECV said in a statement. The November sales figure includes 5,955 units of Eicher brand and 132 units of Volvo brand. 16:04 Atul Three-wheeler maker Atul Auto today a 13.07% YoY increase in sales at 2,890 units in December. The company had sold 2,556 units in the same month of last fiscal, Atul Auto said in a BSE filing. In April-December this fiscal, total sales stood at 31,120 units as against 30,410 units in the year-ago period, up 2.33% YoY, it added. 15:54 IndusInd 500m IndusInd Bank said it has raised $500m (about Rs 3,193.75 crore) term loan from overseas lending bodies to expand its business. The private sector bank has concluded the syndicated term loan facility from a group of overseas investors, it said in a regulatory filing. The fundraising, along with the funds raised during the ongoing financial year from multilateral institutions ADB and OPIC, will help the bank expand its lending to clients, it said. The tenor of the loan is for three years and will be used for general banking purposes, it added. 15:45 SCCL mtpa Singareni Collieries Company (SCCL), a state-owned miner, said it expects the coal production to touch 85 mtpa in the next five years as it plans to open up 12 new mines. According to a statement issued by SCCL, the miner transported 46.7 million tonne of coal as on December 2017 against 42.7 million tonne for the first nine months of the previous fiscal. The production was pegged at nearly 42 million tonne. He further expressed hope that the production and coal dispatches may touch 2.10 lakh tonne and 2.15 lakh tonne a day, respectively, during the next three months. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has hinted that any bilateral cricket series between India and Pakistan is unlikely unless Pakistan stops cross-border terrorism and firing. Swaraj said this to Parliament's consultative committee on external affairs during a meeting which was also attended by Minister of State for External Affairs MJ Akbar and Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar. During the meeting, Swaraj also said that she had met Pakistan's envoy to India and proposed to him that both countries release the prisoners who are above 70 years of age or women or of unsound mind as part of humanitarian aspect of the relationship, a member who was present in the meeting said. Responding to a query on India-Pakistan cricket series on a neutral venue, the external affairs minister hinted that it seemed unlikely until Pakistan stopped cross-border terrorism and firing, the member said. She clarified that terrorism and cricket can't go hand in hand, the member said. The Income Tax Department notified a new helpline number for taxpayers who e-file their returns and conduct other tax-related businesses online, reports PTI. The department issued an advisory and said: "Attention taxpayers: e-Filing help desk number has been changed. New Help desk number is: India Toll Free- 18001030025. Direct Number-+918046122000." Taxpayers use the e-filing portal of the department to file their income tax returns (ITRs) and perform other income tax related tasks on the web portal: https://www.incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in. "The new helpline numbers can be called in case of any trouble on the e-filing portal," a senior official said. The department has separate helpline numbers to take questions and queries on various other issues that a taxpayer faces. The government has procured 350.28 lakh tonne of rice in the current marketing season so far, according to official data. The rice procurement target for the current season (October-September) has been fixed at 375 lakh tonne. In the previous year, total rice procurement had surpassed the target at 381.06 lakh tonne. (PTI) The state-run bank has reduced the rate by 30 basis point to 8.65%. The new rate will be effective immediately. The bank has said that there will not be a major impact on NIMs, according to CNBC-TV18. It also retained the one-year MCLR at 7.95%, according to media reports. Bandhan Bank will offer about 119.3 million shares under its initial public offering, according to a public filing on Monday. The Kolkata-based bank, which is owned by Bandhan Financial Holdings, said the IPO will comprise a fresh issue of up to 97.7 million shares, while selling shareholders are offering up to 21.6 million shares, according to a Reuters report. Read the full story here. 14:09 NSAs National security advisors of India and Pakistan held a "secret" meeting in Thailand, a senior Pakistani official said. A Pakistan's national security division official said the meeting between Pakistan's National Security Advisor retired Lt Gen Nasser Khan Janjua and India's National Security Advisor Ajit Doval took place on December 27 in Thailand, The Indian Express has reported. "The meeting was good. Doval's tone and tenor was friendly and positive," the official who had been briefed about the meeting disclosed. He was told the meeting was useful and said it might help in restarting some sort of engagement at the diplomatic level as well, the report said. According to the Pakistani official, the meeting came after Indian death-row prisoner Kulbhushan Jadhav met with his family on December 25 in Islamabad. YoY Auto major Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) reported an 8% YoY increase in total sales at 39,200 units in December. It had sold 36,464 units in the same month previous year, M&M said in a statement. In the domestic market, sales were up 7% to 36,979 units last month compared to 34,411 units in December 2016. Exports also grew 8% to 2,221 units against 2,053 units in the year-ago month. Sales of passenger vehicles, including Scorpio, XUV500, Xylo, Bolero and Verito, were down 7% to 15,543 units compared to 16,799 units in December 2016. Commercial vehicle sales were up 24% at 17,542 units in December 2017 against 14,154 units in the year-ago period. Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu & Kashmir, ushered in the New Year under freezing conditions as the city recorded the coldest night of this winter with a minimum of minus 4.4 degrees Celsius. Srinagar city recorded the coldest night this season at -4.4 degrees Celsius, an official of the MET Department said. The earlier lowest this winter was -4.2 degrees Celsius recorded on 25 December. Leh in Ladakh region was the coldest recorded place in the state last night as the minimum temperature settled at -14.5 degrees Celsius, the official said. The cold wave continued in the rest of Kashmir with all weather stations recording temperatures several degrees below the freezing point. The official said the mercury in Qazigund in south Kashmir settled at a low of -3.4 degrees Celsius. YoY Farm equipment manufacturer Escorts Agri Machinery reported a 13.1% YoY increase in tractor sales at 3,606 units in December. The company had sold 3,187 units in December 2016. Domestic tractor sales during last month stood at 3,476 units as against 3,043 units in December 2016, up 14.2%, it said in a BSE filing. Exports last month declined 9.7% to 130 units compared to 144 units in December 2016. 13:26 Bandhan Bank has filed its draft red herring prospectus with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) for its proposed initial public offering of up to 119,280,494 equity shares. The price per equity share of face value Rs 10 is to be determined through a book building process. A total of 457 Indian prisoners, including 399 fishermen, are languishing in various Pakistani jails, according to a list the Pakistan government handed over to the Indian High Commission in Islamabad today, reports PTI. It further said that Pakistan will release 146 fishermen on January 8. 13:07 Rahul Congress President Rahul Gandhi welcomed the New Year in Goa along with his mother Sonia Gandhi, a senior party leader said. The newly appointed party president joined in the celebration with his mother, who earlier this month retired as the Congress president and is vacationing in the coastal state. "Rahul Gandhi joined his mother at a five-star hotel at Mobor in South Goa on Saturday. Both of them celebrated the New Year at the hotel," a senior Congress leader told PTI. "It was a private function so the party functionaries or other dignitaries were not allowed," he added. Sonia Gandhi has been in Goa since December 27 and was seen riding a bicycle at the beach resort last week. 12:37 Bajaj Promotors of the Bajaj Group have initiated the process of passing on their wealth to the younger generation as part of succession planning by realigning their ownership through the purchase and sale of stock in various listed group companies among themselves, reports The Economic Times. Trades took place last week among Madhur Bajaj and his wife Kumud; Nirav Bajaj, son of Niraj Bajaj; and Anant Bajaj, son of Bajaj Electricals Chairman Shekhar Bajaj. More such swaps are likely. "It is just a minor restructuring within the family. Not a single share has been sold outside the family nor purchased from outside the family," said Niraj Bajaj, who acts as treasurer of family wealth and is the youngest of the four promoters. "This is only one step. There will be some further transactions also. It is work in progress." Two managers of 1 Above lounge were arrested by Mumbai Police in connection with the Kamala Mills fire tragedy which claimed 14 lives, reports CNN-News18. They were charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder. Police claimed the managers, Kevin Bawa and Nitesh, fled from the spot on the night of the tragedy and failed to rescue the patrons. The arrests came a day after two relatives of 1 Above lounge owners Kripesh and Jigar Sanghvi were arrested and released on bail. The duo were accused of harbouring the wanted brothers. Police also alleged that they helped the Sanghvi brothers engage a lawyer, among other things. Punjab National Bank, Indias second-largest state-run lender, will be able to avoid massive losses after the government forced delinquent borrowers to repay loans or face liquidation proceedings under a new law, reports Bloomberg. The interest and bids received so far for assets put up for sale by Indias new bankruptcy court indicates that the bank may not have to take huge haircuts and cases will be resolved quickly, Sunil Mehta, Managing Director of the state-run bank, said. He did not give details. talaq Ishrat Jahan BJP Ishrat Jahan, one of the petitioners in the triple talaq case, has joined the BJP, the party's state unit general secretary Sayantan Basu said. "Ishrat Jahan joined the BJP at our Howrah office on Saturday," Basu told PTI. Sources said Ishrat was felicitated by the Howrah BJP unit on Saturday and inducted into the party. Basu said a state-level programme to felicitate her was yet to be organised. Ishrat was one of the five petitioners in the triple talaq case. Her husband had divorced her over the phone from Dubai in 2014 by uttering 'talaq' thrice. The controversial Islamic practice was struck down by the Supreme Court on August 22. YoY Hyundai Motor India (HMIL) reported a 10% YoY increase in total sales at 62,899 units in December. The company had sold 57,164 units in December 2016, HMIL said in a statement. Domestic sales of the company, however, rose marginally to 40,158 units last month as compared to 40,057 units in December 2016. Exports grew by 32.9% in December at 22,741 units as against 17,107 units in December 2016. For the calendar year 2017, the company posted domestic sales of 5,27,320 units, up 5.4% from 5,00,539 units in 2016. 11:25 Maruti YoY The country's largest car maker Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) reported a 10.3% YoY increase in total sales at 1,30,066 units in December 2017 compared to 1,17,908 units in the same month of 2016. The company's domestic sales stood at 1,19,286 units, up 12.1% YoY from 1,06,414 units in December 2016, MSI said in a statement. Sales of mini segment cars, including Alto and WagonR, witnessed a 2% rise to 32,146 units during the month under review from 31,527 units in December 2016. The auto major further said sales of the compact segment comprising Swift, Estilo, Dzire and Baleno jumped by 23.2% to 53,336 units last month as against 43,295 units in the year-ago month. MSI said sales of mid-sized sedan Ciaz declined by 35.8% YoY to 2,382 units during the month. Sales of utility vehicles, including Gypsy, Grand Vitara, Ertiga, S-Cross and compact SUV Vitara Brezza increased by 19.9% YoY to 19,276 units in December, from 16,072 units in the same month of 2016. Sales of vans - Omni and Eeco - increased by 23.8% to 11,420 units last month as against 9,224 units in the year-ago period. Exports in December were down 6.2% YoY to 10,780 units as compared with 11,494 units in the same month last year, MSI said. Bhushan Essar Bank of Baroda last week failed to sell bad loans amounting to Rs 2,300 crore due from Bhushan Steel and Essar Steel as the reserve price was above market rates and only overseas investors and private equity funds were allowed to bid, two senior bank executives told The Economic Times. "As many as 22 foreign and private investors had shown interest in the loan but did not seal the deal,'' bankers said, adding: This only shows that the reserve price is unrealistic." Of the assets, the Bhushan Steel dues amounted to Rs 1,300 crore loan while those of Essar Steel were Rs 1,000 crore. The bank had set the reserve price at 50% in cash for Bhushan Steel and 60% in cash for Essar Steel. Pope Francis in his year-end message said that 2017 had been marred by war, lies and injustice, and he urged people to take responsibility for their actions, reports Reuters. At his last public event of the year, an evening vespers service in St Peters Basilica, the pontiff said that humanity had wasted and wounded the year in many ways with works of death, with lies and injustices. While war was the most obvious sign of unrepentant and absurd pride, many other transgressions had caused human, social and environmental degradation. We must take responsibility for everything before God, our brothers and our creation, he said. While the pope did not mention any specific events from 2017, he had made his voice heard on many of the worlds biggest issues over the course of the year. 10:10 WhatsApp WhatsApp, a popular messaging service owned by Facebook, suffered a global outage for about an hour on Sunday before the problem was fixed, reports Reuters. WhatsApp users around the world experienced a brief outage today that has now been resolved, a WhatsApp spokeswoman said in an emailed statement. The cause of the outage, about an hour long, was not immediately known. In India, its biggest market with about 200 million of its billion-plus users, the app was down just a few minutes past midnight into the New Year. Users in other countries also complained of outages on social media. A gunman opened fire on sheriffs deputies at an apartment complex near Denver on Sunday, killing one officer before the suspect was shot and killed, the Douglas County Sheriffs Office told Reuters. Four other deputies and two civilians were shot and wounded by the suspect, identified as 37-year-old Matthew Riehl, who had had numerous run-ins with the law, according to Sheriff Tony Spurlock. It was not immediately clear why the incident had escalated, Spurlock said. All of them were shot very, very quickly and they all went down almost within seconds of each other, Spurlock said, calling it an ambush-type attack. President Donald Trump said on Twitter: My deepest condolences to the victims of the terrible shooting in Douglas County @dcsheriff, and their families. 09:52 Sensex Stock markets opened on a subdued note on the first trading day of 2018, with the benchmark BSE Sensex declining over 18 points in early trade on profit-booking after recent gains. The 30-share index, which had gained 208.80 points in the previous session, fell 18.19 points, or 0.05%, to 34,038.64 in early trade today. Technology, power and metal stocks were leading the fall in early trade. Major losers were Wipro, Hindustan Unilever, TCS, NTPC, HDFC, ICICI Bank, Hero MotoCorp and Bajaj Auto, falling up to 0.88%. However, L&T, SBI, Bharti Airtel, Tata Motors, ITC, Sun Pharma, Maruti Suzuki, Infosys and Asian Paint were trading in the positive zone. The broad-based NSE Nifty was down 12.70 points, or 0.12%, to 10,518. Traders said profit-booking emerged in stocks that logged gains recently in absence of cues from other Asian markets that were closed for public holiday today. The US Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 0.48% down on the final day of 2017 on Friday. Saudi Arabia was set to raise local gasoline prices on Monday, state news agency SPA reported. The initiative, aimed at more efficient energy use, coincides with an ambitious reform plan to boost sources of revenue and wean the worlds top crude exporter away from oil. It said Octane 91 will sell for 1.37 riyals a litre, up from 0.75 riyals, while Octane 95 will sell for 2.04 riyals a litre, up from 0.90 riyals. Diesel rates for trucks were left unchanged. The kingdom 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 released last month. rumours Jordans royal palace warned it would take legal measures against anyone spreading what it said were lies about the ruling family, just days after King Abdullah relieved his brothers from top army posts in a major shakeup, reports Reuters. The king, a staunch US ally, said on Tuesday that his brothers Prince Ali and Prince Faisal and his cousin Prince Talal - who all had high military ranks - would be retiring from the armed forces. He said the move was part of a reorganisation of the armed forces hierarchy and structure. Prince Faisal was head of the royal air force and deputy chief of staff, while Prince Ali had for years been in charge of the royal guards responsible for the kings protection. Talal Bin Mohammad, a Sandhurst graduate who was an officer in the elite special forces, was also sent into retirement. They were all given honorary promotions. A palace statement on Sunday said it would pursue legal measures against those who propagated lies and false claims in social media and online websites with the goal of driving a wedge between the royal family and ordinary Jordanians. These fabricated news circulated recently are aimed at undermining Jordan and its institutions, the statement said.09:18 A mega demolition drive by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation that destroyed illegal structures in about 100 restaurants and pubs following the fire at Kamala Mills in Mumbai took its toll on New Year Eve celebrations with hoteliers and restaurateurs saying business on the last day of the year had slumped by 40% to 50% as people cancelled their reservations and bookings increasingly as the day progressed, reports The Economic Times. "Most restaurants are saying business is about 40% less than last year. The spirits are low. Kamala Mills was Mumbai's finest restaurant hub and there is no water or electricity there because of the knee-jerk demolition drive," said Riyaaz Amlani, CEO of Impresario Entertainment and Hospitality and former president of the National Restaurant Association of India. "With water and electricity supplies cut off for multiple restaurants, they were not sure if they would be able to operate and people cancelled reservations." For the second consecutive day, operations at the Delhi airport have been suspended on Monday morning after the visibility level on the runways dropped below 50 metres, reports NDTV. Thick fog covered many parts of Delhi and the National Capital Region leading to slow moving traffic on Day 1 of 2018. Train services too have been severely hit in Delhi and several other parts of north India. 56 trains headed towards the capital are late and 20 have been rescheduled. 15 trains have been cancelled, said the Northern Railways. Five domestic flights and seven international flights in Delhi were delayed, according to news agency ANI. One flight has been cancelled. Kim Jong-Un urged North Korea to mass-produce nuclear warheads and missiles in a defiant New Year message suggesting he would continue to accelerate a rogue weapons programme that has stoked international tensions, reports AFP. Pyongyang dramatically ramped up its efforts to become a nuclear power in 2017, despite a raft of international sanctions and increasingly bellicose rhetoric from the United States. "We must mass-produce nuclear warheads and ballistic missiles and speed up their deployment," said Kim in his annual address to the nation, reiterating his claims that North Korea had achieved its goal of becoming a nuclear state. "(The North) can cope with any kind of nuclear threats from the US and has a strong nuclear deterrence that is able to prevent the US from playing with fire," Kim said today. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un says the United States should be aware that his country's nuclear forces are now a reality, not a threat, reports AP. Kim was speaking in his annual New Year's Day address. He said the country had achieved the historic feat of "completing" its nuclear forces and added that he has a "nuclear button" on his desk. The customary New Year's address was broadcast Monday morning on North Korean state television. The much-awaited first draft of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) was on Sunday published with the names of 1.9 crore people out of the 3.29 crore total applicants in Assam recognising them as legal citizens of India, reports PTI. The rest of the names are under various stages of verification, Registrar General of India Sailesh said at a press conference held at midnight where he made the draft public. "This is a part draft. It contains 1.9 crore persons, who have been verified till now. The rest of the names are under various stages of verification. As soon as the verification is done, we will come out with another draft," he said. NRC State Coordinator Prateek Hajela said those people whose names have been excluded in the first list need not worry. "It is a tedious process to verify the names. So there is a possibility that some names within a single family may not be there in the first draft," said Hajela. "There is no need to panic as rest of the documents are under verification," he said. Asked about the possible timeframe for the next draft, the RGI said it will be decided as per the guidelines of the Supreme Court - under whose monitoring the document is being prepared - in its next hearing in April. The entire process will be completed within 2018, Sailesh said. The application process started in May, 2015 and a total of 6.5 crore documents were received from 68.27 lakh families across Assam. 07:21 FPIs 900cr 51K Overseas investors have pulled out close to Rs 5,900 crore from domestic equities in December, with widening fiscal deficit and higher crude prices making market participants cautious on macro-economic front. In spite of December performance, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) ended 2017 with a net inflow of over Rs 51,000 crore. According to the depositories data, FPIs withdrew a net Rs 5,883 crore from equities during December. However, such investors had put in Rs 2,350 crore in the debt markets during the period under review. The outflow comes following an eight month high inflow of Rs 19,728 crore in November, mainly on account of the government's plan to recapitalise PSU banks and surge in India's ranking in the World Bank's Ease of Doing Business. This also marked the highest net investment by FPIs since March, when they had poured in Rs 30,906 crore in the equity market. Domestic mutual funds pumped in a staggering over Rs 1 lakh crore in the stock market during 2017. Mutual funds invested Rs 1.2 lakh crore in equities in 2017, much higher than over Rs 48,000 crore infused in 2016 and more than Rs 70,000 crore pumped in during 2015, latest data with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) showed. A Delhi-bound IndiGo flight from Goa, carrying 183 passengers and three infants on board, was forced to return and make an emergency landing at the Dabolim airport on Sunday, due to low oil pressure in one of its engines, a source told PTI. The flight - 6E 724 - which took off from the Dabolim airport for New Delhi at 5.50 pm, returned soon to the airport after its pilot reported the oil-pressure problem in one of the engines of the Airbus 320 aircraft, the source added. IndiGo confirmed the incident and said it had been reported to the aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). "IndiGo's Goa-Delhi flight was involved in an air turnback due to low oil pressure in engine two," the airline said in a statement. The aircraft was carrying 182 passengers and three infants on board, it added. 07:07 Rahul BJP non-utilisation Congress president Rahul Gandhi hit out at the BJP over its "empty promises" and targeted the Centre as only "seven per cent" of the funds meant for its Smart City project was used so far, reports PTI. He also said job creation should be the focus area of the government as China was "out-competing" India. "Dear Modi bhakts, Out of 9,860 crores for the Smart Cities only 7% has wbeen used. China is out competing us while your master gives us empty slogans. Please watch this video and advise him to focus on what matters- job creation for India #BJPEmptyPromises (sic)," the Congress leader said on Twitter. Rahul BJP-led Narendra Modi Along with the tweet, he also shared a video, showing how China was fast moving forward as far as technological advancements and job creation were concerned.Gandhi has been targeting thecentral government and Prime Ministerover the issues of job creation and lack of employment opportunities for the youth. SAIL Q4 | Profit at Rs 2,647.52 cr versus Rs 548 cr, revenue at Rs 16,172 cr versus Rs 18,492 cr YoY. (Image: PTI) Going by the buzz around SAIL, it appears that the steel makers Chairman and Managing Director PK Singh wants to end his stint on a high. After getting the oft-delayed JV with ArcelorMittal back on track in December 2017, Singh now has his sights on a few acquisitions to help SAIL reclaim its numero uno position in the industry. Media reports say the state-owned company is interested in buying Essar Steel and Bhushan Steel, the two troubled steelmakers which have been referred to the National Company Law Tribunal by its lenders. The buzz lifted SAILs scrip to a 52-week high of Rs 94.70 on Monday. For starters, the companys interest is obvious. Ever since the emergence of private steelmaker JSW Steel, and Tata Steel trimming its losses in Europe, SAIL has found itself overshadowed. At present, it lags JSW Steel, whose 18 million-ton-a-year capacity is just a shade higher than SAILs. But is it possible for the loss-making steel behemoth to steal a march on its financially sounder peers like JSW Steel and Tata Steel, both of whom are vying for either Essar Steel or Bhushan Steel? For a company that is struggling to stay afloat, even with government support, this might be a bit too ambitious, said an official from a private steelmaker. He didnt want to be identified. The odds are stacked against SAIL. Its present financial condition will not instill confidence among bankers looking to sell Essar Steel and Bhushan Steel. SAILs margins lag behind its immediate peers despite having access to captive mines As on March 2017, SAILs profit before depreciation, interest and taxes margin of 1.29 percent is way lower than JSW's 22.56 percent and Tata Steel's 25.6 per cent. Also, its heading towards another year-- the third consecutiveof losses. Last year, SAIL reported a net loss of Rs 2,833 crore. In comparison, Tata Steel and JSW Steel reported net profits of Rs 3,444 crore and Rs 3,576 crore, respectively. SAILs expansion plans have been delayed by almost a decade, resulting in huge debts. Steel Secretary Aruna Sharma minced no words in saying that SAIL needs to perform or perish, in an interview to a newswire last week. SAILs track record in handling partners also leaves much to be desired. Its project with POSCO has been a non-starter, and until recently, its venture with ArcelorMittal seemed to be going down the same lane. Almost all of its major ventures at home and abroad, including the huge investment to develop mines in Afghanistan, have flopped. Singh, whose stint gets over in June, would want to leave behind a legacy more enduring than those by his predecessors. A lifer in SAIL, Singh had shown gumption to bring about improvements in the companys plants that he managed. And the three initiatives to complete expansion projects, give form to the JV with ArcelorMittal and the acquisition of steel companies on the block will surely build his legacy. But history and SAILs financial ability are against him. rupee live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Shares of Bank of India added nearly 5 percent intraday Monday as it has received fund from government of India. The bank has received infusion of Rs 2257 crore from Government of India in the form of common equity tier- 1 capital, which is being kept as share application money and would be allotted after following due procedure/conditions for allotment. The share touched its 52-week high Rs 216.70 and 52-week low Rs 103.00 on 17 November, 2017 and 29 December, 2016, respectively. Currently, it is trading 20.37 percent below its 52-week high and 67.52 percent above its 52-week low. The share gained more than 63 percent in the last one year. Posted by Rakesh Patil Rajesh Agarwal of Aum Capital told CNBC-TV18, "I think Healthcare as a sector is going to do well in coming quarters. Not only quarters, but coming years I would say it would do well because of various reasons, because of the kind of focus medical insurance are giving towards educating people about medical insurance and that would give boost to organised healthcare players." "Secondly, there are various foreign tourist coming here for medical tourism like nearby countries from Bangladesh and all. As far as Fortis Healthcare is concerned this is a very sound company with 4000 beds operating in 14 state. Average revenue per bed is higher than other listed players. They are planning for a demerger of SRL which is again going to unlock value. They are into litigations and all that is the only reason which the stock is quoting at such kind of valuation, but for a long term player I think this is a good opportunity to accumulate." "If not in this I would say Narayana Hrudayalaya would be another stock where one can have a look on in if one is insisting on healthcare sector only. I would say hold on to your stock, if you have a lower risk appetite you can keep a stop loss of maybe 10 percent down from the current market price but for the longer term horizon I would say every fall should be taken as an opportunity to add to this stock," he added. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More Share price of Central Bank of India gained 10 percent intraday Monday as the board will consider fund raising on January 3. The company's board meeting will be held on January 3, 2018 to consider and approve raising of additional equity upto Rs 323 crore by issuance and allotment of equity shares of face value of Rs 10 each to President of India on preferential basis. This is subject to the approval of Reserve Bank of India, shareholders and other statutory authorities (if any). The capital raising committee of the board of directors may also decide to hold an extra-ordinary general meeting of shareholders on February 2, 2018. At 11:00 hrs Central Bank of India was quoting at Rs 74.45, up Rs 1.85, or 2.55 percent on the BSE. Posted by Rakesh Patil Mitessh Thakkar of mitesshthakkar.com told CNBC-TV18, "Fortis Healthcare is at least started some kind of a short-term uptrend. I would suggest a hold. Possibly keep a stoploss at about Rs 147-147.50 just below the support levels of Rs 148-150 and look for target for around Rs 176." At 14:59 hrs Fortis Healthcare was quoting at Rs 159.85, down Rs 0.45, or 0.28 percent. The share touched its 52-week high Rs 230.90 and 52-week low Rs 123.40 on 03 May, 2017 and 22 November, 2017, respectively. Currently, it is trading 30.77 percent below its 52-week high and 29.54 percent above its 52-week low. live bse live nse live Volume Todays L/H More The Nifty50 rose by about 29 percent in the year 2017 and if the momentum continues, the index is all set to climb Mount 11K in the year 2018, suggest experts. Will the history repeat in the year 2018? Well, the answer is a Yes as well as No. Yes, the momentum will continue. And, No because indices might not able to give a similar return of 29 percent in the year 2018. The Nifty clocked whopping gains of 29% in the calendar year 2017 and probably we can count on the fingers of our one hand such spectacular years in the history of Indian markets. It is still a buy on dips market and investors should use every dip to buy quality stocks. Undoubtedly, the year belongs to mighty bulls as we saw massive wealth creation right from the word go. There were a couple of hiccups during the year; but they eventually turned out to be whipsaws as the index kept on enjoying its Bull Run to eventually conclude the year at record highs, Sameet Chavan, Chief Analyst- Technical Derivatives, Angel Broking Pvt Ltd told Moneycontrol. If we look at it from a longer perspective then there is no second thought about the continuation of this Bull Run towards 11000 and beyond. But, we do not expect the journey to be as smooth as it has been throughout this year, he said. Any decent declines during the year remain to be a good buying opportunity for investors having longer-term horizon. On the downside, 10460 10426 are the levels to watch out for. There were many such occasion in the past since 1980 when the market has continued to deliver in the subsequent year even after clocking 25 percent plus kind of returns. But, analyst advises investors to remain stock specific and be contrarian in their approach. Adopting a contrarian strategy can be better for a bet for the year 2018 which should reward investors in case market turns out to be very volatile and turbulent, Mazhar Mohammad, Chief Strategist Technical Research & Trading Advisory, Chartviewindia.in told Moneycontrol. If we dissect the long-term trends then we will know that this market is staring at a critical resistance level placed around 10,650 and in need of a breakout, he said. Mohammad further added that for bigger up moves, the index needs to witness a sustainable breakout above the said level. In case such a breakout takes place, then bulls can easily take the indices to much higher levels and may even head towards 11,200 levels on the Nifty, he said. Here is a list of top 10 stocks which can give up to 70% in the next 12 months: Brokerage Firm: ICICIdirect Bharti Airtel: BUY| Target Rs688| Return 29% The stock recorded a multi-fold rally from March 2003 low of 16 to the December 2007 high of Rs592. The share price of Bharti Airtel retraced 61.8% Fibonacci level of entire four and half years dynamic up move. Since then it has been consolidating in a broader range of Rs216 452 for the past 10 years, advocating healthy price and time correction. The recent developments on price front indicate structural change as it is on the conclusion of the 10 years corrective phase and signal resumption of the primary uptrend. The breakout was supported by the strong volume of more than double of the 12 months average volume of 10 crore share per month signalling larger participation in the direction of the trend. As per change in polarity concept, the earlier swing high of 450 would act as an immediate support for the stock. The aforementioned technical evidence suggests that the stock is gearing up for the move to novel orbit. We expect the share price to surpass the lifetime high of a Rs592 level and head towards Rs688 levels in the long term as it is the measuring implication of range breakout (452-216=236 points) added to the breakout area of Rs452 project upside towards Rs688 (452+236=688). Axis Bank: BUY| Target Rs640| Return 14% The consolidation in the broad range of Rs547-480 of the last nine months is approaching maturity as the stock is at the cusp of a breakout from the recent consolidation pattern. We believe the current consolidation has approached maturity and the stock is likely to resume its prior uptrend. The share price of Axis Bank after the strong up move in the CY14 has been trading in a range in the last three years while consuming 33 months in retracing just 61.8% of the previous 13 months rally from Rs217 to Rs654 signalling a healthy consolidation and a robust price structure. The stock has major support around Rs485-490 range as it is a confluence of the long-term trendline support joining the lows since CY14 as can be seen in the adjacent chart and the base of the recent consolidation. We expect the share price to resolve higher from hereon and head towards Rs640 levels in the medium term as it is the 161.8% extension of the previous up move (Rs425-547) as projected from a recent trough of Rs448, which also coincides with the high of September 2016. Punjab National Bank: BUY| Target Rs230| Return 34% The share price of PNB is on the verge of the conclusion of correction in the secondary phase. The last seven years correction has been captured in a well-defined downward sloping channel formation, where the fall from December 2010 highs of Rs280 to lower high of December 2014 of Rs231. It correspondingly matches with lows of September 2013 of Rs80 followed by March 2016 low of Rs69. On the monthly chart is that the stock witnessed faster retracement where it retraced last six-month descent in solely one months up move. Another important observation is that the stock has recorded highest ever quarterly volumes since March 2004 along with robust price move, suggesting structural change is on cards in the stock and offers a fresh opportunity for investors to ride the next leg of up move. We expect the stock to find strong support in the region of 140 as it is the value area of key uptrend line connecting May 2016 and October 2017 swing lows. Based on the aforementioned technical observations, we expect the stock to enter into a sustainable uptrend and head towards the target of Rs230 being the price parity with the previous up move from Rs69 to Rs165 added to the recent trough of Rs129, project upside towards Rs225 which coincide with October 2017 peak of Rs231. Tata Chemicals: BUY| Target Rs878| Return 20% In the first quarter of CY17, Tata Chemical logged a resolute breakout from multi-year resistance trend line drawn adjoining June 1996 highs of Rs306 and subsequent highs of January 2008 of 431. After registering this breakout, share price retested the breakout level and sustained well above it for a couple of months. While analysing medium-term chart we observed conventional up move, as the price continues to form higher high along with strong momentum and the corrections are getting shallower, which resembles Flag breakout. A Flag is a bullish continuation pattern, suggesting that the stock is ready to make new highs. Correspondingly, the quarterly MACD (E-12/26/9) has rallied to highest reading as it continues to make rising peak and trough formation, complementing the price rallies. The volume behaviour also supports the positive bias in the stock. We believe the stock is attractively poised above the major breakout area and provides a good buying opportunity from a medium-term perspective. We expect the stock to head towards our target of Rs878 levels in the long term being the price parity of the previous major up move from Rs568 to Rs765 added to the recent trough of Rs681 projects upside towards Rs878. EIH: BUY| Target Rs183| Return 24% Post retracement of 50 percent of earlier major fall of January 2008 August 2013 the share price of EIH limited had been oscillating in a broader range of 91- 137 for more than two years. In the second quarter of CY17, stock logged a resolute breakout above the upper band of the range and has been consolidating above the breakout level in the last three months signaling strength in the breakout and provides fresh entry opportunity. The sharp rebound from the December 2016 low of Rs91 has seen the stock completely retrace its preceding 24 months down fall (Rs138 to Rs91) in just 5 months, thus confirming a faster retracement. Faster retracement of the last consolidation highlights the strong demand emerging at the major breakout level. The monthly momentum indicator MACD (E-12/26/9) found support from zero levels and now inching upward indicating strength in the current momentum. We believe the current consolidation above the breakout area of Rs138 is a positive sign confirming strength in the price breakout as the stock is building a higher base that will act as the launch pad for a further northward journey. We expect the stock to head towards Rs183 levels in the long term as it is the measuring implication of range breakout (Rs137-91=46 points) added to the breakout area of Rs137 project upside towards Rs183 (137+46=183). Analyst Name: Pragnesh Jain, Technical analyst, Systematix Shares Adani Enterprises Ltd: BUY| Target Rs261| Return 57% The stock formed a Cup & Handle breakout which is a continuation pattern. Formation of the pattern suggests that the stock is likely to continue its uptrend recorded in the year 2017. The pattern suggests that the stock has upside potential of over 60 percent from current levels. We see the stock hitting Rs261 in the next 12 months. Any dip towards Rs160 can be used as a buying opportunity. Investors can keep a stop loss below Rs140 on a closing basis. Tata Power Ltd: BUY| Target Rs135| Return 45% The stock witnessed a Triangle breakout on the monthly charts along with the recent upmove within an upward sloping channel suggest that the stock has potential to hit Rs120 followed by 135. Investors can use dips towards Rs85 as a buying opportunity with a stop loss firmly placed below Rs78 on closing basis. ABB India Ltd: BUY| Target Rs1900| Return 35% The stock has given a triangle breakout after making multiple bottoms near Rs1300 levels. Triangle breakout suggests that the stock has upside potential of Rs1700, followed by Rs1900 with a stop loss firmly placed below Rs1300. Elecon Engineering Ltd: BUY| Target Rs180| Return 76% The stock has been trading within a range since 2009. The range breakout at Rs101 along with a monthly, quarterly as well as yearly close above the breakout (on all major time frames) suggests that the stock has upside potential of Rs146 followed by 180. Investors can use dips towards Rs97 as a buying opportunity with a stop loss below Rs80. Hexaware Ltd: BUY| Target Rs430| Return 26% The stock formed a Pole & Flag breakout pattern which is a continuation pattern. A breakout above Rs345 levels will lead to the upside potential of Rs430 with a stop loss placed below Rs314. The views and investment tips expressed by brokerage firms on Moneycontrol.com are their own and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions. Representative Image Police have seized 539 cartons of India made foreign liquor from a truck in Vaishali district of Bihar and arrested eight persons who are part of a syndicate involved in smuggling alcohol in the state, police said on Monday. With prohibition in force in the state the Bihar police and excise officials have been on the look out to check smuggling of liquor from other states in view of the new year celebrations. Acting on a tip off, police late last night intercepted a truck coming from Gurdaspur in Punjab near Mansurpur village on NH 77 in Vaishali district and seized 4,744 litres of IMFL kept in 539 cartons, superintendent of police Rakesh Kumar said today. Police have also seized the truck, two vehicles, three mobile phones apart from Rs 6.97 lakh cash from the arrested, the SP said. Of the eight arrested persons, two hailed from Firozpur district of Punjab while six others, including a man and his son belonged to Vaishli district. Kumar said that the liquor smugglers had formed a syndicate through which they were carrying out their business of selling liquor in Vaishali, Muzaffarpur, Saran and Samastipur districts. The Bihar government enforced prohibition in the state in April 2016 under which sale, consumption, manufacturing, trading, storage, transportation, possession is banned. As per the new liquor law, the guilty could attract a minimum 10 years of jail term which may extend to imprisonment for life besides fine from Rs one lakh to Rs 10 lakh. TAMPA, Fla., Jan. 01, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hillsborough Community College (HCC) has hired CTI to facilitate a visioning and strategic planning process to map out the colleges future. The process is set to launch in January 2018 in Tampa. Because of the ever-changing educational landscape, HCC and CTI hope to develop a long-term strategy to accomplish the following: Identify trends and emerging educational methods and technologies. Identify labor market needs versus current HCC offerings. Develop a bold new vision and define college and community goals to achieve that vision. Using its exclusive Terrain-Based Strategy Mapping System, CTI will help HCC with assessing current and future conditions, identifying strategic growth opportunities and challenges, and creating a flexible and adoptable strategy map. The system also includes communication, operational alignment and accountability, execution and monitoring tools. As HCC prepares to enter our fifth decade of service to this community, it is important that we take time to reflect on what we have done well and build upon those strengths to move our college forward to ensure continued excellence in all that we do. We are excited about embarking on this journey and engaging our various constituencies to establish a shared vision for our next 50 years, said HCC President Dr. Ken Atwater. HCCs mission is to deliver teaching and learning opportunities that empower students to achieve their educational goals and become contributing members of the local community and a global society. CTIs experienced facilitators will lead the HCC team through a strategic and visioning process that will ensure HCCs continued success in the community it serves for the foreseeable future. CTI is a transformation company that partners with clients to achieve success through five foundational practices leadership, culture, strategy, innovation and performance. CTI customizes its engagements for the client's unique terrain resulting in significant, sustainable and measurable improvements. CTI specializes in partnering with health care, education and government industries. For more information contact: Julie Bedford, CTI 813.333.1401 jbedford@ctileadership.com Maternity The Centre is trying to make the maternity benefit programme, which has been marred by delay, 'fully functional' by February-end, a senior official said on Monday. The top economists of the country wrote to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley last month flagging the delay in the roll-out of the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), which promises pregnant and lactating mothers Rs 6,000 for the birth of the first living child. In his address to the nation on New Year's eve last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the pan-India expansion of the maternity benefit programme which was being implemented on a pilot basis across 53 districts. Secretary, Women and Child Development Ministry, R K Shrivastava, acknowledged that the implementation of the programme has been slow and attributed it to "initial hiccups" faced in executing a new scheme. "We are trying that the scheme becomes fully functional by February end. There has been some delay as there were initial hiccups and we were making efforts to streamline procedures," Shrivastava told PTI. "Now that the discipline of escrow account has been enforced, we hope the scheme will reach the people within the next two months," he said. The Centre had asked state governments to open an escrow account so that funds can be transferred there instead of the state treasury. The move will allow the Centre to ensure that states use the money for the scheme it is meant for instead of diverting it to another programme. "Many states have taken time to open an escrow account. For instance, Delhi opened it on November 28, while we asked them to do so on May 19," Shrivastava said. He said, so far, the benefits of the scheme have reached 10,000 women approximately. The total beneficiaries are estimated to be 51.6 lakh but only 2.1 lakh have been registered with the government as per official data. In May last year, the Union Cabinet had approved the scheme but restricted the benefit to the birth of the first child, down from two live births during the pilot project. Shrivastava explained that operationalising a new scheme like PMMVY involves several procedures which are time consuming. These procedures include preparing a master list of beneficiaries, getting those details whetted by Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), sharing information with the central government's Public Financial Management System, which sends information back to the state nodal agency. The senior official said states such as Tamil Nadu and Telangana have been late starters as they have their own schemes and wanted to continue running them with central funds. "We have told them to run those schemes separately," Shrivastava said. The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has favoured installation of body scanners at all airports -- both domestic as well as foreign -- to ensure enhanced security to lakhs of air travellers. The CISF, that guards 59 such civil facilities at present, is also aiming to introduce the tagless hand baggage regime of travel for the passengers to all the airports from the present 27. "CISF is of the view that installation of body scanners will definitely improve the efficiency of screeners as it identifies the spot which needs be physically checked," CISF spokesperson Assistant Inspector General (AIG) Hemendra Singh said. The paramilitary force had in October conducted trials of one such device at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport here. The system is used in many countries and entails frisking of an individual with the help of x-rays and similar technology. The officer said the airport security force is also "planning to implement the tagless system of hand baggage at all the airports with the help of the Bureau of Cvil Aviation Security (BCAS) and airport operators." According to latest CISF data for the year gone by, its officials detected a total of 96 cases where passengers, both Indians and foreigners, were apprehended by it for using fake/edited tickets to enter into airport terminals across the country. A maximum of these incidents (43) took place at the IGI airport this year, it said. It also detected 232 cases of arms and ammunition being carried by passengers up-till the terminal area. 29 such cases were detected at the IGI, the data said. It added that a total of 126 touts were also apprehended by it this year at these 59 airports. The force also handled lost or unattended gadgets, cash and other passenger belongings worth Rs 44.66 crore at these airports in 2017 which was later restored to them or handed over to the airport authorities. The spokesperson said the CISF has adopted a system of prompt grievance redressal of passengers. "As and when CISF receives any complaint regarding loss of property/article, either through e-mail or hard copy, all out efforts are made to provide necessary assistance or information to the passengers. "The complaints are enquired thoroughly with the help of CCTV recordings, statement of the personnel or staff on ground and outcome of the same is informed to the complainant," he said. He said the force has also established 'help desk counters' at all the 59 airports under its cover to facilitate senior citizens, needy passengers and women. "CISF personnel at help desk counters are helping passengers in their security related problems. These counters are also helping women travellers in making a safe exit from the airport in taxis or otherwise," Singh said. Doctors in Kerala joined the nationwide protest against various provisions in the Centre's proposed National Medical Commission Bill. As part of the stir, doctors belonging to the Indian Medical Association in all hospitals went on a 12-hour strike from 6 am to 6 pm, and the IMA is set to join the strike soon. The Kerala Government Medical Officers Association (KGMOA) extended its support to the protest by boycotting outpatient services at government hospitals. Doctors, however, said they would attend to emergency cases, during the protests. The doctors participating in the strikes say the Bill promotes crosspathy (those who have studied alternate medicine can practice allopathy), will be dominated by the government, and eases procedures for private medical colleges. One of the moves in the bill is to grant managements of private medical college the freedom to fix fees for 60-100 percent of the seats. Along with doctors, students also joined the protest, started at the Raj Bhavan. A bill to replace the apex medical education regulator - Medical Council of India (MCI) with a new body, to ensure transparency, was introduced in the Lok Sabha on December 29. (With inputs from PTI) The Union health ministry on Monday asked central government hospitals to take "necessary" steps to ensure healthcare and emergency services run smoothly in wake of an IMA call to suspend routine services for 12 hours on Tuesday.15 The Indian Medical Association has called for suspending routine services tomorrow to protest against a bill that seeks to replace the Medical Council of India (MCI) with a new body. The National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill was tabled in Parliament on Friday. It also proposes to allow practitioners of alternative medicines, such as homoeopathy and ayurveda, practice allopathy after completing a "bridge course". Healthcare services at many private hospitals in the country are expected to be hit due to the shutdown. The IMA has 2.77 lakh doctors as its members. "It has come to our notice that the IMA would be on one- day strike on Jan 2, 2018. Since, the strike may involve a large number of medical professionals, it is anticipated that there would be inconvenience to the patient care services in hospitals," the health ministry advisory said. "It is requested that all necessary measures may be taken to ensure that the patient healthcare and emergency services are run smoothly," it added. The advisory has been issued to AIIMS, Safdarjung Hospital and other such central government-run hospitals. The ministry has also sought a compliance report from hospitals. The IMA has strongly opposed the NMC bill, saying it will "cripple" the functioning of medical professionals by making them completely answerable to the bureaucracy and non-medical administrators. It has declared January 2 as "black day". "The NMC bill in the present form is not acceptable. This bill is anti-poor, anti-people, non-representative, undemocratic and anti-federal in character," newly-appointed IMA national president Dr Ravi Wankhedkar said. The Delhi Medical Association is supporting the IMA's protest and has called on private and corporate hospitals in the national capital to keep their OPD services closed. IMA members also held a meeting with the Union Health Minister JP Nadda and conveyed their concerns over the bill. Dr KK Aggarwal, former president of the IMA, said they have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the health minister, urging them to redraft the bill and modify some provisions to protect the interest of medical practitioners. Former Indian navy officer Kulbhushan Sudhir Jadhav's mother Avanti (C) and wife, Chetankul arrive to meet him at Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad, Pakistan December 25, 2017. REUTERS/Faisal Mahmood - RC17E6201140 BJP leader Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga has come up with a unique way to protest against the ill-treatment that was meted out to the wife and mother of Kulbhushan Jadhav in Pakistan. The spokesperson of BJPs Delhi unit launched a campaign called 'Juta Bhejo Pakistan' and ordered slippers online to be delivered to the Pakistani High Commission in Delhi. Pakistan wants our slippers, Let's Give them Slippers. I have ordered Slippers & sent to Pakistan High Commission. I request everyone to Order 1 Pair Slipper for Pakistan. After ordering Slippers tweet your order's screenshot with #JutaBhejoPakistan pic.twitter.com/VzhKvDLq82 Tajinder Bagga (@TajinderBagga) December 29, 2017 Bagga first tweeted about the unique mode of protest on his Twitter account. Pakistan wants our slippers, Let's Give them Slippers. I have ordered Slippers & sent to Pakistan High Commission. I request everyone to Order 1 Pair Slipper for Pakistan. After ordering Slippers tweet your order's screenshot with #JutaBhejoPakistan, he tweeted along with the screenshot of his order. The tweet garnered a good response and led to over 4000 retweets and close to 8000 likes in a short span. Many respondents have also posted screenshots of their slipper orders addressed to the High Commission. The large-scale response to the tweet points to the widespread anger in the country against the treatment that was meted out to the kins of Jadhav. The mother and wife who were granted permission to meet Jadhav were subjected to various forms of humiliation including verbal harassment by a section of Pakistani journalists. They were forced remove their mangalsutras and bindis among others. The footwear worn by his wife was also confiscated by the Pakistani authorities and were not returned. The Pakistani side had later claimed that they found something on the shoes that they had seized. External Minister Sushma Swaraj had lashed out against this mistreatment and accused Islamabad of turning the meeting into a propaganda exercise. She also told the parliament that by making them appear like widows Pakistan had violated the basic rights of the women. Three students were detained after an examination paper for the MBA course was 'leaked' through a popular social media platform here on Monday, an official said. An MBA student allegedly forwarded a question paper he was attempting in an examination hall to his friends outside through WhatsApp on Monday, prompting authorities to cancel the paper, the official said. Three students have been detained by police in connection with the incident which occurred at the examination centre at Vasantrao Naik college in the city, he said. The Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University has been conducting the examination for the MBA first term from December 26. An examination official said Shaikh Amjad Kaleem, who was attempting the question paper for Accounting for Managers, sent the image to his two friends outside the examination hall on a WhatsApp group titled "Future Managers". Passersby spotted the two youth solving the question paper while sitting under a tree on the college campus and alerted officials. It is not clear if the duo, who turned out to be friends of Shaikh, are students of the MBA course. Following the incident, the university cancelled today's paper and rescheduled it on January 3. "The three students would be debarred from attending exams for three years," a university official said. Authorities are examining how could Shaikh bring the mobile phone in the centre. No FIR has been registered in the case so far, police said. Kochi: A New year celebration Nanma 2018 at Puthukkalavattom in Kochi, India. (Image courtesy: PTI Pictures) Altogether over 2,000 cases of drunk driving were registered on the New Year's eve here, officials said on Monday. The cases were registered under the jurisdiction of Hyderabad, Cyberabad and Rachakonda police commissionerates, they said. Pradeep, a popular television anchor was among those booked for drunk driving, Hyderabad Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) P Papaiah said. "We have seized some of the vehicles and registered cases against the drivers. They will be given counselling," Papaiah told PTI. Another senior police official said 1,600 cases of drunk driving were registered under the Hyderabad police commissionarate. Cyberabad Police commissioner Sandeep Shandilya said 528 cases of drunk driving were registered in their jurisdiction and will be dealt as per the law. A senior official of Rachakonda Police said that they registered 234 cases of drunk driving last night. The Rachkonda Police is also inquiring into an incident in which some bikers allegedly created ruckus near a woman hostel under Saroornagar Police Station limits, the official added. People release balloons as they take part in a New Year countdown event in celebrations to ring in 2018 in Tokyo, Japan. (Reuters) Prime Minister Narendra Modi greets President Ram Nath Kovind on the occasion of New Year 2018 at Rashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi. (PTI) Trains run slowly as fog envelopes a railway track in New Delhi on Monday. Normal life was affected across North India with many trains and flights delayed due to cold weather and fog. (PTI) People warm themselves around a bonfire during a cold day in Patna on Monday. (PTI) President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump, and their son Barron arrive for a New Year's Eve gala at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach. (AP/PTI) North Korean leader Kim Jong Un delivers his New Year's speech at an undisclosed place in North Korea Monday. (AP/PTI) Fireworks explode during a pyrotechnic show to celebrate the new year in the coastal city of Valparaiso, Chile. (Reuters) The first sunrise of 2018 as seen from Bhayandar Chowpatti, in Mumbai on Monday. (PTI) India Pakistan National security advisors of India and Pakistan held a "secret" meeting in Thailand, a senior Pakistani official said today. A Pakistan's national security division official, on the condition of anonymity, said the meeting between Pakistan's National Security Advisor retired Lt Gen Nasser Khan Janjua and India's National Security Advisor Ajit Doval took place on December 27 in Thailand, The Dawn newspaper reported. "The meeting was good. Doval's tone and tenor was friendly and positive," the official who had been briefed about the meeting disclosed. He was told the meeting was useful and said it might help in restarting some sort of engagement at the diplomatic level as well, the report said. According to the Pakistani official, the meeting came after Indian death-row prisoner Kulbhushan Jadhav met with his family on December 25 in Islamabad. While Pakistan termed its decision to allow Jadhav's family to travel to Pakistan to meet him as humanitarian gesture, India has accused it of violating mutual understandings, asserting that the Indian national appeared coerced and under considerable stress during the tightly- controlled interaction. India also accused Pakistan of disregarding cultural and religious sensibilities of family members under the pretext of security. Jadhav, who was captured in March last year, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court for alleged spying, an accusation that India has dismissed as concocted. New Delhi says Jadhav was kidnapped in Iran where he had legitimate business interests, and brought to Pakistan. To save Jadhav, India moved the International Court of Justice, which ordered Pakistan in May to stay his execution. Jai Ram Thakur Reeling under a debt burden of Rs 46,500 crore, the hill state of Himachal Government is facing a serious financial crisis and bailing out the state is a big challenge, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said on Monday. The state government will soon seek a bailout package from the Centre, the newly elected Chief Minister said as he blamed the previous Congress regime of wasteful expenditure. "The financial situation is grim and the debt burden has risen to Rs 46,500 crore and steering the government out of this situation is a grave challenge," he told media persons in an informal chat. The government would prepare a bailout package and sent it to the Union Government and concerned officers have been asked to prepare detailed proposals, he said. The Chief Minister, however, made it clear that financial constraints would not come in the way of development, Thakur said adding that he has already spoken to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has assured that needful would be done in this regard. "The Prime Minister has asked me to send detailed proposals after consulting various departments for sanctioning funds," he said adding the borrowing limit of the government had also been exceeded. He said that era of wasteful expenditure has passed with the exit of the Congress government. Thakur alleged that the outgoing government indulged in reckless spending during past one year and made announcements of developmental works without completing the codal formalities and making budget provisions. The government made appointments and laid foundation stones of projects to derive electoral mileage and plunged the state into a financial mess, he added. Thakur the government would seek a special industrial package from the Centre as the package given by Atal Bihari Vajpayee government was curtailed and various incentives were withdrawn. He said that there was a vast potential for development of tourism and the government would improve connectivity and strengthen the infrastructure to exploit this potential. Replying to a question, he said that the government was exploring legal options to bail out the people affected by Nation Green Tribunal (NGT), banning constructions in core areas and restraining the government from regularising the illegal constructions. The Coming Conflict Between China and Japan By Jacob L. Shapiro It is easy to forget that as recently as the 19th century, China and Japan were provincial backwaters. So self-absorbed and technologically primitive were East Asias great powers that German philosopher Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel said, The extensive tract of eastern Asia is severed from the process of general historical development. His description seems laughable today. China and Japan are now the second- and third-largest economies in the world. Japans failed quest for regional domination during World War II and its subsequent economic reconstruction profoundly affected the world. Chinas unification under communism and its pursuit of regional power in the past decade have been no less significant. And yet, for all the strength and wealth Beijing and Tokyo accumulated, since 1800 neither has been powerful enough to claim dominance of the region. Since European and American steamships discovered their technological superiority relative to the local ships in the first half of the 19th century, Chinese and Japanese development has proceeded at the mercy of outside powers. Japan tried to break out, and came close to breaking out during World War II, but was ultimately thwarted by the United States. China, already anointed by many as the worlds great superpower, remains a country divided. The lavish wealth found in its coastal regions is noticeably, if not entirely, absent from the interior. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (L) shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping before the G-20 leaders family photo in Hangzhou on Sept. 4, 2016. GREG BAKER/AFP/Getty Images This state of affairs is beginning to change and the U.S.-North Korea stand-off over Pyongyangs pursuit of deliverable nuclear weapons shows just how much. The United States does not want North Korea a poor, totalitarian state of roughly 25 million malnourished and isolated people to acquire nuclear weapons capable of striking the U.S. mainland. The U.S. has threatened North Korea with all manner of retribution if Pyongyang continues its pursuit of these weapons, and yet North Korea remains undaunted. It is doing this not because Kim Jong Un is crazy. It is doing this because it figures it will be left standing, come what may. It may not be such a bad wager. From Kims point of view, there are only two ways to get North Korea to halt its development of nuclear missiles: The U.S. either destroys the regime or convinces it that continued tests would call into question its very survival. (For that to work, the regime would have to believe it could be destroyed.) The U.S. can rail all it wants in the U.N.; it will fall on deaf ears. The U.S. can try to assassinate Kim Jong Un; someone else will take his place. The U.S. can forbid China from fueling North Korea; the North Koreans dont use that much fuel anyway, and they have already demonstrated they will sacrifice much to defend their country. One Step Closer But can the U.S. take out the Kim regime, or at least make Pyongyang think it can? Its hard to say. There are only two ways to take out the regime. The first using the United States own vast nuclear arsenal would set a precedent on the use of weapons of mass destruction that Washington would rather not. The second a full-scale invasion and occupation of North Korea would strain even U.S. capabilities and wouldnt have the desired outcome. The U.S. might be able to defeat the North Koreans in the field, but as Vietnam and the Iraq War showed, defeating the enemy in battle is not the same thing as achieving victory. And there is, of course, the question of China, which came to Pyongyangs aid in 1950, the last time the U.S. fought on the Korean Peninsula, and might well again if the U.S. struck North Korea pre-emptively with massive force. (click to enlarge) Limited military strikes are another possibility. Politically attractive though they may be, they can only delay, not destroy, North Koreas nuclear program. And they would surely enhance Pyongyangs credibility. Every U.S. attack that doesnt succeed in knocking out the political leadership would be used as propaganda, spun in the North Korean countryside as a victory against the gangster-like U.S. imperialists. Thus is the extent, and limit, of American power. Around the world, the U.S. has been struggling to execute a foreign policy that does not rely on direct U.S. intervention. This is easier said than done, especially when the issue at stake is nuclear war. Analysts like me can scream until we are blue in the face that North Korea would never use its nuclear weapons because doing so would invite its own demise. But we are not the ones making the decision. We dont bear the burden of being wrong. That is the brilliance behind North Koreas strategy. The goal is to prod the U.S. to react to its behavior and then to use its reactions to shore up support. And the strategy is working. The U.S. has said time and again that it will not allow North Korea to have a nuclear weapon. If North Korea gets a nuclear weapon, then what good is a U.S. security guarantee? If the U.S. attacks North Korea without destroying the Kim regime and I believe it cant then North Korea can say it defeated the imperialists as it continues to pursue its current strategy. If the U.S. agrees to remove its forces from South Korea in exchange for North Koreas halting its testing, then North Korea is one step closer to its ultimate goal: unifying the Korean Peninsula under Pyongyangs rule. Doing, Not Saying In every scenario, the conclusion is the same: The United States alone cannot dictate terms in East Asia. It cannot bring North Korea to heel. It cannot make China do what China does not want to do. It cannot even persuade its ally, South Korea, to pretend that a pre-emptive military option is on the table. Japan looks at all the things the U.S. cannot do, and for the first time since 1945 it must ask itself a question that leads to a dark place: What does Japanese policy look like if Tokyo cannot rely on U.S. security guarantees? The North Korea crisis may not have created Washingtons predicament, but it exposed it in ways previously unseen, to Chinas benefit. The U.S. has shed blood and spent untold sums of money forging an alliance network in East Asia to prevent any country there from challenging its power. And so it is the regions great power, China, not North Korea, that is putting U.S. strategy to the test. Already an economic behemoth, China is rapidly developing its military capabilities. Its newly declared dictator-president, Xi Jinping, intends to preside over a massive transformation of the Chinese economy that, if successful, would make China more self-reliant and politically stable than at any point in the past four centuries. China still has a long way to go too long before it first loses its political stability, in our estimation but in the short term, Chinas power is growing. Chinese adventurism in the South and East China seas, its strategic investments around Asia, and the continued development of its navy all validate its growing power. (click to enlarge) Its ascendance will inevitably bring China into conflict with Japan. Such conflict is nothing new these civilizations have fought their fair share of wars. The brutality of the Japanese invasion of China in the 20th century an invasion for which Korea was a staging ground still lingers fresh in the memories of the Chinese and Korean people. But the conditions for conflict are different this time. For one thing, China and Japan are both powerful. In the early 20th century, Japan discovered the difficulties that many of Chinas would-be conquerors did when it attempted to take over the Middle Kingdom, but Japan was still by far the superior power. Its hard to say which is stronger today. China has a greater population, but Japan is more stable and boasts better military and technical capabilities. This has the makings of a balanced rivalry. China and Japan, moreover, are no longer worried about being subjugated. This may seem an obvious observation, but in fact it is the first time since the Industrial Revolution that both countries have been able to call their own shots. They came close a few times, of course. Japan nearly came to dominate the Pacific but was eventually subdued by the United States. China wanted to conquer Taiwan in a bid for complete unification, but the arrival of the U.S. 7th Fleet to the Taiwan Strait dashed the governments hopes. (click to enlarge) (click to enlarge) Now, the first signs of the coming Sino-Japanese competition for Asia are reaching the surface. Ignore the things Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Xi Jinping have said to each other recently their statements seek to obscure reality, not uncover it. Look instead at what they are doing. China is investing significant financial and political capital in the Philippines in an attempt to lure Manila away from the U.S. Japan is there with military aid and support, as well as economic incentives of its own. China sees strategic potential in cultivating a relationship with Myanmar, and Japan is there too, with promises of aid and investment without the kinds of strings China often attaches. Much has been made in the mainstream media about Chinas One Belt, One Road initiative, a testament to Beijings excellent PR skills. Less time has been spent examining Japans counters resuscitating the Trans-Pacific Partnership, pledging to invest more than $200 billion in African and Asian countries, and announcing various initiatives involving the Asian Development Bank, the Japan International Cooperation Agency and the Japan Infrastructure Initiative. China has bullied other powers out of the South China Sea, but Japan wont be bullied out of the East China Sea. Meanwhile, Japan advocates the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue a grouping of the U.S., Japan, India and Australia to keep Chinas power confined to its traditional terrestrial domain. The conflict will develop slowly. Its contours are just now taking shape. The United States wont simply disappear from Asia entirely Washington still has an important role to play, and how it manages the North Korea crisis will go a long way in defining the long-term regional balance of power. But over the next few years, the U.S. will begin to reach the limits of its powers, and as it does, it will pursue a new strategy that employs skillful manipulation of relationships instead of brute force. It will find that China and Japan are no longer severed from world history but shaping history on their own terms. The Trinamool Congress on Monday celebrated the 20th Foundation Day of the party across the state with Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee congratulating the grassroot workers for their tireless efforts in serving people. The CM also thanked the people of Bengal for supporting the party and believing in her. "On January 1, 1998 @AITCofficial was formed. My best wishes to all 'grassroots' workers of the party who work tirelessly for the people. Many thanks to every citizen for your blessings & support. Greetings to Maa, Mati, Manush ," Banerjee said in a tweet. TMC general secretary Subrata Bakshi said the party will continue its fight against the divisive politics of the BJP in the days to come. "As Mamata Banerjee is the only voice against the communal and divisive policies of the BJP, efforts are being made to corner us. But such efforts can't stop us In the days to come, the people of this state and the country will fight against the communal BJP under the leadership of Banerjee," Bakshi said. Echoing similar views, senior TMC leader Partha Chatterjee said the BJP won't be able to stop the party from raising its voice against anti-people policies. Banerjee had last week issued instructions to conduct various programmes today across the state to mark the occasion. The district leaders have arranged for flag-hoisting programmes and street corner meetings to discuss and highlight achievements of the party in the last six-and-a-half years. The TMC was founded by Banerjee on January 1, 1998, with an aim to oust the then Left Front regime from power. The party achieved its goal in May 2011 after forging an alliance with the Congress. rahul gandhi narendra modi 2017 was an action packed year on the political front with seven state elections. But this year will be no less as eight states will be going to polls, including Karnataka, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. Last year ended with political parties fighting for two states---Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh and in both states, BJP came out victorious but the formers poll results did give BJP a reason to introspect. Out of the eight states going for polls this year, BJP already has a ruling government in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Meghalaya. The party has said that it will leave no stone unturned to retain power in these states. Elections in the eight states will send 99 MPs (Member of Parliament) to the 17th Lok Sabha in 2019 elections. What are BJP's chances? In Meghalaya, Congress was in for a rude shock when five legislators sent their resignation to Mukul Sangma, reducing the partys MLAs (member of legislative assembly) to 24 from 60. Another state where BJP is trying to gain a strong foothold is Tripura. The state with the strength of seven legislators, six Trinamool Congress MLAs and one MLA from Congress, all set to give a tough fight to the Left Front government headed by Manik Sarkar. How is Congress placed? Things were not easy for BJP in Gujarat and the party failed to achieve the century mark. While exit polls predicted a landslide win for BJP, the party failed to get the desired result in PM Narendra Modi's home state. Some of the rural regions in Gujarat were not happy with BJP and that led to the party getting less number of seats. The loss was mainly due to agrarian crisis that helped Congress give a tough fight to BJP. And the same is likely to happen in Rajasthan as the incumbent Vasundhara Raje government has not endeared itself to the public in recent times. The state government had tabled a Bill in the Assembly that prohibits filing of corruption cases against officers and politicians unless the government gives its go-ahead. The last stroke by the Raje government has made her chances bleaker to get back in power. Congress is well positioned in Rajasthan as it not only has a history in the state with Ashok Gehlot, who had brought Congress leaders together in Gujarat, but the party also has youth leader Sachin Pilot to be the face of Rajasthan elections. While political analysts are questioning whether Congress Siddarmaiah will be able to steer the party back to power in Karnataka, BJP on the other hand has little or no chance to form a government in the state. Rahul Gandhi Congress president Rahul Gandhi hit out at the BJP over its "empty promises" and targeted the Centre as only "seven per cent" of the funds meant for its Smart City project was used so far. He also said job creation should be the focus area of the government as China was "out-competing" India. "Dear Modi bhakts, Out of 9,860 crores for the Smart Cities only 7% has been used. China is out competing us while your master gives us empty slogans. Please watch this video and advise him to focus on what matters- job creation for India #BJPEmptyPromises (sic)," the Congress leader said on Twitter. Along with the tweet, he also shared a video, showing how China was fast moving forward as far as technological advancements and job creation were concerned. Rahul Gandhi has been targeting the BJP-led central government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the issues of job creation and lack of employment opportunities for the youth. Howrah: Ishrat Jahan(C), one of the petitioner in the triple Talaq case joins the BJP at party office in Howrah district of West Bengal on Saturday. PTI Photo (PTI12_30_2017_000166B) Ishrat Jahan, one of the five petitioners in the Triple Talaq case, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday. Jahan was felicitated and inducted into the party by the partys unit general secretary Sayantan Basu in Kolkata. However, president of the state BJPs Mahila Morcha told The Hindu that Jahans induction into the saffron party was not a "sudden development" and the party was assisting her in her legal battle for a long time. The crusade against 'Triple Talaq' In 2014, Ishrat was divorced by her husband over the phone from Dubai by uttering 'talaq' thrice. Ishrat was one of the five petitioners in the Triple Talaq case that led to the Supreme Court striking down the controversial practice on August 22. Following the top court's judgement, the BJP-led Union government promised to bring in a law that would criminalise the practice of 'talaq-e-biddat'. On December 28, the Lok Sabha passed the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2017, which proposes to criminalise the practice. The Bill is now awaiting the Rajya Sabhas approval. Facing threats Following the apex court's verdict, Ishrat faced abuse and threats via letters, according to a report by Scroll. Ishrat's legal adviser Nazia Elahi Khan told the website, "Some of her neighbours and even her in-laws are accusing her of going against the interests of the community." Khan added that that Ishrats neighbours and even her in-laws in Kolkata's Howrah area were abused and threatened following the judgment. Seeking security, Ishrat later informed that copies of the threat letters were forwarded to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the Howrah City Police Commissionarate and the local Golabari police station. "I am being subjected to abuse ever since the judgement was passed. I am being accused of being a bad person. Does someone become a bad person if she speaks for her rights?," she said according to the news report. BJP The Bharatiya Janata Party exuded confidence in winning 120 of the 147 Assembly seats in Odisha in the elections to be held in 2019, the party's leader and Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said. Pradhan was speaking in Bargarh district where the saffron party had made arrangements in all the 270 booths in bypoll-bound Bijepur Assembly segment for people to listen to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Mann ki Baat' programme on All India Radio. We are confident that the BJP will win 120 seats in 2019 Assembly polls as people of Odisha want to get rid of Biju Janata Dal (BJD). We will form the next government in the state, Pradhan told reporters after the broadcast of "Mann ki Baat" programme. BJP President Amit Shah had earlier set a target of winning 120 seats in the next assembly polls in the state. Claiming that Modi's image and development agenda would bring victory of BJP in Odisha, Pradhan said the people of the state desperately want a political change as they were disillusioned with the misrule and corruption during BJD regime for the last 18 years. "The BJP's victory march would begin with the by-election in Bijepur assembly segment as people have confidence and faith in the leadership of the prime minister," the union minister said. The Bijepur assembly seat has remained vacant since August 22 this year following the death of sitting Congress MLA Subal Sahu. The bypoll schedule is yet to be announced. Countering the BJP leader's claim, BJD spokesperson Pratap Deb said Mann Ki Baat programme is held from time to time in which the prime minister peaks on various issues, but the state BJP unit has sought to create a hype about today's programme in Bijepur to mislead people. "The BJP's action showed its leaders were fearing defeat in the Bijepur bypoll," he said. Holding the nexus of a 'small percentage of corrupt officials' with 'professional complainants' responsible for flourishing of illegal eateries in the city, Mumbai municipal commissioner Ajoy Mehta today said he will take steps to rout the menace. "There is a very small percentage of corrupt officials. There are professional complainants, who together are trying to ensure that the permissions are given in a particular way or are subverted," Mehta told PTI in an interview. "We are now looking into this issue. We will break the back of this officials-activists nexus," Mehta said, speaking in the aftermath of the Kamala Mills compound pub fire that claimed 14 lives last week. "We will keep taking action till we break their backs," the senior IAS officer said, referring to the slew of demolitions of illegal constructions and alterations at over 350 establishments in the city as the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) continued to raze these structures at hotels and restaurants, after the blaze. "Just like in the nallah and road repair scam, where we found out who is the corrupt contractor, and who is the corrupt engineer and broke their backs, we will do the same here," Mehta said. "In the long term, we are looking at breaking the fire brigade into two parts, wherein the firefighting wing is separate and the fire permissions and compliance wing is separate," he said. The officer handling the issue of fire compliance will report directly to the ward officer, Mehta said. Technically, however, he will report to the chief fire officer, he added. Asked if the political masters (Shiv Sena and BJP) have been supportive of the latest demolition drive, Mehta said "As far as the political will is concerned, the law is very clear. As bureaucrats, we are supposed to follow the law." "Fortunately, in BMC and Mumbai, on the political side, we do not have a problem. The problem is with these professional complainants, who are not answerable to anyone," he said. "The political side is at least answerable to the people. But these people are not answerable to anybody," he said. Asked if the professional complainants he is referring to included RTI activists, Mehta said "We want to find out and act against people who misuse the law, whether it is RTI activists or any other people." "RTI Act was always an instrument for people's good and I believe that it is one of the best things that could have happened. But yes, there are people who misuse the law. And this is what I call a professional complainant," he said. "However, they put up the front of being very concerned about citizens," the civic chief said. Mehta said the time has also come for citizens to impose some self-discipline policy. "That is equally important. You can't always say that you will keep doing what is wrong provided it maximises your profit or enjoyment," he said. Asked about what caused the fire, Mehta said "We should await the probe report. Iran's army servicemen with the national flag attend the opening ceremony of the airborne platoon competition, part of the International Army Games 2017, in Guangshui, Hubei province, China, July 30, 2017. China Daily via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. CHINA OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN CHINA. - RTS19PSH Nikki Haley, the US ambassador to the United Nations, said today Iran's government is "being tested by its own citizens" after three days of protests against the clerical regime. "We pray that freedom and human rights will carry the day," she said in a statement. Haley's comments echoed those of US President Donald Trump, who earlier today said the United States was watching closely for human rights violations. "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," Trump tweeted. Over the past year, Trump has held out Iran as Washington's top adversary in the Middle East, disavowing a 2015 accord that curbed its nuclear program and accusing it of destabilizing activities in the region. At least two people have been killed and dozens arrested since protests broke out Thursday in the city of Masshad and spread to Tehran and other cities. Iran's Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli today warned that protesters will "pay the price" for disrupting order. Haley singled out Iran in a New Year's message that also denounced "oppressive governments" in North Korea, Venezuela and Cuba. "The long-repressed Iranian people are now finding their voice," she said. "The Iranian government is being tested by its own citizens. Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said today that government bodies must provide "space for criticism" as he sought to head off days of unrest, but warned protesters that violence was unacceptable. "Criticism is different to violence and destroying public property," he said in a cabinet meeting, according to the state broadcaster. "Government bodies should provide space for legal criticism and protest," Rouhani said in his first public comments since the protests began on Thursday. He also said US President Donald Trump had "no right" to sympathise with Iranian protesters who he has previously called terrorists. "This man who today in America wants to sympathise with our people has forgotten that a few months ago he called the nation of Iran terrorist," Rouhani told the cabinet meeting. "This person whose whole being is against the nation of Iran has no right to feel pity for the people of Iran. People visiting the India Gate in New Delhi on the first day of the New Year 2018 on Monday. (PTI) People fly lanterns at Borobudur temple during New Year celebrations in Magelang (REUTERS) Fireworks are seen during New Year celebrations in this photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in Pyongyang (REUTERS) Revellers take part in New Year celebrations at Times Square in New York City (REUTERS) Fireworks light up the Atomium building, a metal structure built in the form of a crystal of iron, as part of new year celebrations in Brussels, Belgium (REUTERS) People cheer as they release balloons during New Year celebrations outside a church in Ahmedabad, India. (REUTERS) Fireworks light the sky over the Arc de Triomphe on the Champs Elysees Avenue in Paris as revellers take part in New Year celebrations (REUTERS) People visiting the Golden Temple in Amritsar on the first day of the New Year 2018 on Monday. (PTI) Pakistan's Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif REUTERS/Faisal Mahmood (PAKISTAN - Tags: POLITICS HEADSHOT MILITARY) - GM1EA371BZN01 Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif today called on Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi after US President Donald Trump accused Islamabad of giving nothing to the US but "lies and deceit", a media report said. "The meeting held a detailed review of the Trump's statement," the Geo TV reported, citing its sources. It said the two leaders also discussed on the country's foreign policy. "We will respond to President Trump's tweet shortly inshallah...Will let the world know the truth..difference between facts & fiction..," Asif tweeted. In a scathing attack, Trump accused Pakistan of giving nothing to the US but "lies and deceit" in return for USD 33 billion aid and said Islamabad has provided "safe haven" to terrorists. "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 said in a strongly worded tweet. "They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!" Trump said in his first tweet of the year. This is the strongest attack that has come from the US president. His remarks came days after the New York Times reported that the US is considering withholding USD 225 million in aid to Pakistan reflecting its dissatisfaction with the latter's reluctance in the war against terrorism. 9 | Malaysia | Visa-free score: 159 A Pakistani lawmaker has a new fearan imaginary robo-cat Doraemon. The lawmaker has urged the government to ensure that the ban on Japanese cartoon Doraemon is implemented successfully. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) legislator Dr Murad Rass made this demand in the Punjab assembly citing the cartoon has negative impact on the society. He claimed that some TV channels and cable operators were flouting the ban and showing dramas and Doraemon cartoons. Children are an easy target of Doraemon cartoon. These cartoons are having a negative impact on the educational and physical well-being of children, a report in Hindustan Times quoted Rass. These dramas and cartoons are having a negative impact on Pakistani children. However, the real reason could be something entirely else. The lawmakers have been under the impression that the cartoon episodes are dubbed in the Indian language. The opposition member accused the authorities of playing a silent spectator. He added that cartoons should be produced at home and opportunities should be created. Incidentally, the cartoon was banned in the state on a resolution tabled by PTI lawmaker Malik Taimoor in 2016. The resolution has then said, "The language that is used in the cartoons is destroying our societal norms." Doraemon is about a robotic cat by the same name who is sent back in time by a Sewashi Nobi to help his great-great-grandfather Nobita with his problems in life. The robot has futuristic gadgets that tend to Nobita's day-to-day problems. Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif today called on Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi after US President Donald Trump accused Islamabad of giving nothing to the US but "lies and deceit", a media report said. "The meeting held a detailed review of the Trump's statement," the Geo TV reported, citing its sources. It said the two leaders also discussed on the country's foreign policy. "We will respond to President Trump's tweet shortly inshallah...Will let the world know the truth..difference between facts & fiction..," Asif tweeted. In a scathing attack, Trump accused Pakistan of giving nothing to the US but "lies and deceit" in return for USD 33 billion aid and said Islamabad has provided "safe haven" to terrorists. "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 said in a strongly worded tweet. "They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!" Trump said in his first tweet of the year. This is the strongest attack that has come from the US president. His remarks came days after the New York Times reported that the US is considering withholding USD 225 million in aid to Pakistan reflecting its dissatisfaction with the latter's reluctance in the war against terrorism. The northern hemisphere is experiencing extreme cold weather conditions since last week of December, with heavy snowfall and below average temperatures in many places. Many provinces of Canada, eastern and mid-western states of the United States of America and parts of Russia recorded some of the lowest temperatures in the history of the countries. Some parts of the country were found to be colder than Antarctica. The governments of the countries have issued travel advisories to the citizens due to the extreme weather conditions. Heavy snow and fog have affected the visibility and led to disruption in many air and road transportation facilities. In the East, it could be the COLDEST New Years Eve on record. Perhaps we could use a little bit of that good old Global Warming that our Country, but not other countries, was going to pay TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS to protect against. Bundle up! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 29, 2017 Using these extreme cold weather conditions as an opportunity, US President Donald Trump reiterated his scepticism about climate change in a tweet, which kicked up a storm on social media in form of a debate about climate change. The tweet got varied reactions from people across the world. Many scientists and environmentalists rebutted the tweet, saying global warming is not just about the planet growing hotter. People, in tweets, provided links to researches done by climate scientists of different countries, with data on climate change. They urged people to step away from the scepticism and look at what facts showed. Global warming is fake because it is cold where I am No one in the world is starving because I have food in my kitchen Poverty isn't real because I just got paid And around we go Forever. Shaena Montanari (@DrShaena) December 29, 2017 Far more record highs than record lows in 2017....Don't let a record winter cold snap fool you. #perspective pic.twitter.com/LCxFD8u2fI December 29, 2017 Narendra Modi The BJP today claimed that US President Donald Trump's tough message to Pakistan was a result of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's diplomacy and also took a dig at the Congress. "Congrats to POTUS for calling Terroristan's bluff & signalling resolve to end Pak's deceit. Dear RahulG, here are results of diplomacy of PM @narendramodi ji. When will you see Pak "drama" instead of targeting Indian army. Are you rushing Aiyers to hug and console Pak over the snub? (sic)," BJP spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao said in a tweet. His remarks came after Trump said Pakistan had given America nothing but lies and deceit and that it had provided a safe haven to terrorists. 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 In an ominous tweet posted today, Trump stated:"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!" the US president said in a strongly worded tweet. Pakistan's Foreign Minister Khwaja Asif has responded to the tweets saying "we will respond to president trump's tweet shortly inshallah...will let the world know the truth..difference between facts & fiction.." We will respond to President Trump's tweet shortly inshallah...Will let the world know the truth..difference between facts & fiction.. January 1, 2018 The country is reported to have called an emergency meeting between the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, after Trump's first tweet of the year. It was six hours past midnight, but the crowd inside the Berkeley Patients Group counted down the seconds. Happy new year, they yelled at precisely 6 a.m. Monday as a cashier rang up the cost of three joints, a $45.37 purchase representing one of the first recreational marijuana sales in the state. The moment marked the beginning of a new industry in California, one thats heavily regulated and taxed, with revenue reaching several billion dollars per year. The day has been long anticipated by cannabis advocates who pushed for voters to pass Proposition 64 in November 2016, largely decriminalizing marijuana and allowing for the commercial sale of products to adults 21 or older. Earlier, Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguin and Democratic state Sen. Nancy Skinner joined a couple of dozen people outside the Berkeley Patients Group waiting for the first sales. Im stoked about this historic moment, not just for Berkeley, but for the state of California. Arreguin said. This is a long time coming. The first buyers were Chris Conrad and Mikki Norris, longtime marijuana advocates who purchased the three joints as the crowd cheered. The couple had worked on the marijuana effort for more than two decades, pushed by their belief that its legalization is an issue that expands to social justice, civil rights and health care. When we started, George Bush the first was president, Norris, 65, said. Zero tolerance was the policy of this country. We waited a long time for this Conrad, 64, said. More for you News Some states put a THC limit on pot-smoking drivers -... The handful of shops making recreational sales Monday acquired both local and state licenses. They included Harborside, Purple Heart and Blum in Oakland; Berkeley Patients Group and Cannabis Buyers Club of Berkeley; 7 Stars Holistic Healing Center in Richmond; Mercy Wellness in Cotati; and Sparc and Solful in Sebastopol. Statewide, more than 400 shops have licenses to sell commercial cannabis. Dale Gieringer, director of California Norml, a cannabis advocacy group, postponed a winter vacation by one day to see legal sales commence. This marks the welcome end of a century of prohibition 104 years to be accurate, he said after watching the first sales at Harborside. Its wonderful that people arent being imprisoned for marijuana the way they used to be. At Purple Heart dispensary in Oakland, Keith Stephenson, chief executive and founder, watched a diverse array of people stream through the doors, including a well-coiffed senior citizen in a bright green windbreaker who was just ahead of a 20-something man in workout gear and a bike helmet. In the 11 years hes operated the dispensary, Stephenson has referred to the buyers as patients and had to correct himself a few times Monday morning as he got used to calling them customers. He recalled all the years he went to work wondering if he would get arrested for selling marijuana. This was the only job you could go to work and go to jail the same day, he said. But on Monday, Stephenson noted hes added four cash registers and is remodeling the interior of his business. Cannabis is bringing industry to Oakland, its bringing jobs, its bringing tourism, he said. Its an epic day. Stephenson predicted that Californias cannabis industry would reflect that states tastes, offering buyers artisanal products akin to cold-pressed olive oil or individualized drip coffee. Were willing to pay for quality, he said. We are epicureans. While Oakland and Berkeley were among the first to authorize recreational marijuana, additional locations are expected to open in coming days and weeks, including outlets in San Francisco, where in-fighting among the citys supervisors stalled recreational permits until Jan. 6. But many parts of the state are expected to bar the sales altogether, including Marin and San Mateo counties and the city of Walnut Creek. At some shops, the coming-out party featured live music, coffee and doughnuts, prizes for those first in line and speeches from supportive local politicians a far cry from the days when the cannabis trade operated in the shadows. I feel like its been a struggle and a fight, said Nicole Rice, 28, who was among the first in line at the Berkeley Patients Group, adding that it took years and voter persistence to pass the law. Its historic. Marijuana remains illegal by federal law. But several states, including Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Nevada and now California, have legalized both medicinal and recreational use. Since November 2016, California law has allowed adults 21 or older to possess and transport up to 1 ounce of cannabis flower, as well as up to 8 grams of extract or infused foods. Smoking in public is still prohibited. Medical marijuana will continue to be available through existing dispensaries to those with a valid ID and a doctors recommendation. But as of Monday morning, all customers buying cannabis products will pay a 15 percent state excise tax, which is expected to eventually bring in $1 billion or more a year for marijuana research, addiction prevention and boosted law enforcement, among other things. Recreational customers must pay sales tax as well, unlike those with a state-authorized medical identification card. In addition, cities can choose to impose local cannabis taxes. In Oakland, taxes for most customers will increase from 14.25 percent to 34.25 percent, according to Harborside officials. Long lines of customers were willing to pay up Monday. Anthony Moraga spent $120 on 3.5 grams of top-shelf buds, and another $32 in taxes, at Berkeley Patients Group. Its the first time we can come out in public, he said, paying taxes on our legal purchase. S.F. Chronicle staff writers Jenna Lyons and Rachel Swan contributed to this report. Jill Tucker and David Downs are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: jtucker@sfchronicle.com, ddowns@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JillTucker, @davidrdowns LITCHFIELD The longtime Possum Queen Festival is an annual rebirth for the town, Litchfield resident John Nova Sasky said. There are two big events in Litchfield each year. One is the Litchfield Road Race. The other is Possum Queen, which wakes up people for the winter, said Sasky, one of more than 200 visitors to the 28th annual event at the Litchfield Inn on Monday afternoon. The event raised approximately $60,000 via silent and live auctions as well as spontaneous cash donations from audience members during the shows, to go toward medical expenses for local residents in need. Sasky, who lost his leg to a MRSA infection recently, said his own insurance plan had fully covered his estimated $350,000 medical costs, but added, It is good that Possum Queen raises money for people in need. Co-organizer Bill Neller said between skits and overseeing the event: The day is pretty amazing. We have a smooth blending of auctions and the sketches this year. While a silent auction went on in one of the inns conference rooms, featuring items like a mink stole, a charcoal grill and utensils and a Torringtons Sanctuary Power Yoga five-class gift certificate, the Mattatuck Drum Band kicked off the festivities with percussive renditions of Yankee Doodle Dandy, Turkey in the Straw and The Battle Hymn of the Republic in the inns main ballroom. Father-and-son auctioneers Richard and Jarred Tanuis of RT & Sons Auctions took turns auctioning off various items donated by local businesses. The items included a popular set of awning; Elvis Presley memorabilia; a dinner party at the Inns Tavern Off the Green restaurant; a homemade Possum Queen cake and the Famous Possum Soup. Longtime local actors played members of the 1970s sitcoms Happy Days and Laverne & Shirley in various skits. Lesley Budny and Christy Concilio, both of Litchfield, played the titular 1970s TV sitcom characters from Laverne & Shirley. Ian Campbell played the character Mork from the 1970s TV sitcom Mork & Mindy. DJ Murphy played the Possum Queen. Local businesses and luminaries were poked fun at with good nature. Parody music, as well as alcohol, flowed freely during the contest, which pitted team-driven spoof skits against each other for the title of Possum Queen. Money was also raised by performers and audience members bribing the judges with donations that are then donated to local charities. This year looks great. There are tons of people here, co-organizer Brent Hawkins said between emceeing the event and colorful costume changes. Hawkins has said that he started the Possum Queen contest 28 years ago originally as a joke. He said he had been driving a beaten-up black truck for town business. Someone joked that all he needed to complete the vehicles look was a sign reading Possum Queen. The moniker stuck while Hawkins, dismayed at the areas scarcity of New Years Day activities. He began inviting friends and neighbors to the spontaneous event. Possum Queen started at the Litchfield restaurant The Village, eventually outgrowing the venues size. Possum Queen then transformed into a fundraiser (and an official 501c3 non-profit organization) that has since donated more than $300,000 to local charities. Bill Piermont of Waterbury, a drum major for the Mattatuck Drum Band, commented, Possum Queen is a very good event. Caroline Fugere of Stamford said she has volunteered for the Possum Queen event for about 10 years. I grew up here and lived here for 10 years, so I have always been involved, she said, adding she had won an auctioned $125 prize to act as Litchfields first selectman for a day. Christy Concilio, who had played Shirley from Laverne & Shirley (and whose husband Jon Concilio had played the sitcoms character Squiggy), said later during a break: I think Possum Queen is a phenomenal event. It is the best thing around. In an annual competition among area hospitals, Northeast Baptist Hospital wins. Little Sergio Marcel Gomez was born at 12:22 a.m. on Monday, becoming the first birth in San Antonio in 2018. RELATED: San Antonians brave frigid temperatures to welcome 2018 at Tricentennial kickoff Gomez weighed in at 7 pounds and 9 ounces and slept throughout a news conference marking his birth. It was the first child for Alicia Andrews, 26, and Sergio Gomez, 33. As parents of the first child born in the new year, they will go home with donated presents baby carrier, diapers, gift cards and more, including a $10,000 scholarship for Sergio at the University of the Incarnate Word. MStoeltje@express-news.net Thomas Smith Maldonado, an aspiring actor and pianist, was passionate about entertaining, whether it was playing one of his favorite melodies Ave Maria, or acting in community plays. He loved to raft and Rollerblade, and he participated in church events where he shared his spiritual testimony. Thomas would give you his last penny, he would give you the shirt off his back, and his empathy was like Ive never known. He was never judgmental, said his mother, Mary Bebe Maldonado. He had a heart of gold. Maldonado died Dec. 22 of a heart attack. He was 31. Adopted by Mary and Roland Maldonado of Pleasanton, his new parents made him aware of his adoption from the time he was able to understand. We adopted Tom when he was 3 months old. From his paperwork, we knew he had a sister. He knew about her since he was 8 years old, his mother said. More Information Thomas Smith Maldonado Born: Aug. 15, 1986, San Antonio Died: Dec. 22, 2017, San Antonio Preceded by: Grandparents, Smith and Joella Tausch; Grandparents, Reuben and Sarah Maldonado; uncle Sonny Tausch. Survived by: Mother, Mary "BeBe" Maldonado; father, Roland Maldonado; sister, Jessica Collins. Services: Visitation from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. with rosary beginning at 7p.m., Jan. 1, 2018, Porter Loring McCullough, 1101 McCullough Avenue, San Antonio; funeral service, Jan. 2, 2018, 11 a.m., City Church, 1123 E. Commerce St., San Antonio. See More Collapse At age 2, Maldonado was diagnosed with leukemia. After four years of chemotherapy, he remained in remission. He attended Pleasanton Independent School District schools, during which he fell in love with acting. My son started playing piano at 5 years old. He also began doing community plays when he was in third grade. His first play was Charlottes Web, said his mother. He was hooked. He signed up with a talent agency in sixth grade that found him small parts in commercials and films and work as an extra. He attended several talent expos and receieved acting awards for his community theater work, she said. While Maldonado grew up in the Catholic Church, he converted to Baptist after attending a church event. He was 10 years old and went to an Easter retreat with all his little Baptist friends, his mother said. When he came home, he was in tears, and something happened to him over there. He had been lead to Christ. In 2004, Maldonado graduated from high school and pursued a communications degree at Palo Alto College that he later put on hold to pursue more acting opportunities. He also began attending City Church, a non-denominational congregation. Eventually, he located his sister and traveled to California to meet her. They met on Laguna Beach, and he knew instantly it was his sister. She looks just like him with the red hair, his mother said. I didnt even know I had a brother until I was 23 years old, his sister Jessica Collins said. Were three years and two days apart in age, we both look alike, and we grew up very close to each other, and we didnt even know. A month later, Collins moved to San Antonio. They remained close. There are so many people messaging me and telling me how he helped them with recovery by taking them to AA meetings, helped people get off drugs and took people to church with him, Collins said. He had an awesome smile, great personality and was full of life. Im blessed that I had 11 years with him, she said. caleman@express-news.net 2-5 p.m. Wednesdays, VIAs Centro Plaza downtown San Antonio, 909 W. Houston St. Professional chefs and nutritionists prepare dishes and provide nutritional information. WIC food items sold. Vouchers for food stamps, Lone Star cards (SNAP), cash and credit cards accepted. PTSD Family Support Group 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Cibolo Grange Hall, 413 N. Main St., Cibolo. Dinner included. Contact: 210-390-8002. Universal City Toastmasters 6:30 p.m. Thursdays, VFW Building, 202 W. Aviation Blvd., Universal City. Improve speaking, listening and leadership skills. Contact: Don Brooks at 210-661-2103. PTSD Warrior Support Group 6:30 p.m. Thursdays, Cibolo Grange Hall, 413 N. Main St., Cibolo. Dinner included. Contact: 210-390-8002. Farmers Market and Craft Show 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Thursdays, Journey Fellowship Church parking lot, Interstate 35 North, Selma. Vendors sell vegetables, eggs, honey, nuts, plants, crafts and other items. Contact: Lance Tiner, 210-828-3053; Lance@4CityMarket.com Cibolo Grange Farmers & Artisans Market 3 to 7 p.m. Thursdays through December, Cibolo Grange Hall, 413 N. Main St., Cibolo. Locally sourced products include produce, meat and eggs, gourmet foods, personal care items, and home textiles and crafts. Contact: cibolograngemarket@yahoo.com Native Plant Society of Texas Guadalupe Chapter meeting 7 p.m., St. Johns Lutheran Church, FM 465, Marion. Patsy Inglet, certified Texas Master Naturalist and citizen scientist of the Cibolo Nature Center, will present a program on the relationship between native plants and native birds. Meetings are open to the public; visitors welcome. There is a plant/seed exchange and greeting at 6:30 p.m. For more information, directions to St Johns Lutheran Church, or membership applications go to: npsot.org/wp/guadalupe/ or the groups Facebook page: Guadalupe Chapter, Native Plant Society of Texas. New Life Cancer Support Team 7 p.m., Jan. 15, Fellowship Building, New Life Baptist Church, 101 North St., Converse. Contact: 210-658-1972. All branches of the San Antonio Public Library will be closed Jan. 15 in observance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. All branches will reopen with regular hours on Tuesday, Jan. 16. Coffee with Cops 8:30-10 a.m. Jan. 18, Nichas Comida Mexicana, 7929 Pat Booker Road, Live Oak. Join the Live Oak Police Department for an informal gathering to get to know the police officers working in your neighborhood. Menu prices apply. Contact: 210-945-1700. Unity mural workshop 4-5 p.m. Jan. 20, Semmes Library, 15060 Judson Road. Help create the librarys Unity mural in conjunction with this months book club theme. Contribute your part to his community project by tracing, cutting and gluing. All ages welcome. Contact: 210-207-9110. Compiled by Melissa Renteria Send event details and phone number to mrenteria@express-news.net. Deadline: 5 p.m. Thursday before publication. Converse City Council has approved the annexation of the Northampton subdivision through a municipal boundary adjustment agreement. The council voted 5-2 at its Dec. 19 meeting to add approximately 293 acres of land to the city as part of a land swap deal between Converse and San Antonio that was approved in March. The annexation will be conducted in two phases: Northamptons northeast tract, roughly 236 acres, on Dec. 31, and the Southeast tract, about 57 acres, on Jan. 31. With approximately 1,074 homes situated in the subdivision, the city will receive $859,000 in property tax revenue. Council members Deborah James and Joan Lindgren voted against the annexation. James opposed it because she said San Antonio City Council failed to release Northampton to Converse on Nov. 30 per an interlocal agreement and instead opted to combine that phase with the Gibbs-Sprawl annexation as part of one resolution. James said she would have voted for Northamptons annexation if two separate resolutions were created. I am not against Northamptons (annexation), said James. I am all for helping their (residents) out because they need it. Mayor Al Suarez disagreed with Jamess position because he said San Antonio approved the annexation. In other business, Converse City Council unanimously approved the appointment of Assistant City Manager Le Ann Piatt to interim city manager. She was set to take over the position Jan. 3. Outgoing City Manager Lanny Lambert announced his retirement at city councils Dec. 5 meeting. Piatt, who has served as assistant city manager for three years, said she will manage the progress of several city projects, such as the new city hall, animal care shelter, fire station and expanded public library in the interim. I am very appreciative that the council has put their faith and confidence in me to guide the city as it grows and expands, she said. Council also amended the citys Economic Development Corporations 2017-18 fiscal year budget to include its $1.4 million purchase of approximately 7 acres of land on 301 Center St. The purchase is part of a sales tax revenue bond that was approved in October to allow the corporation to pursue commercial development on the land, which was purchased Nov. 15. Kate Silvas, Converse EDC director, said several businesses have inquired about the land but declined to name specific suitors. On the way to buy discounted gift wrap in anticipation of Christmas 2018, I drove past un muchacho gordito doing push-ups in the concrete driveway of a neighborhood home. Hijole! I said out loud, noticing that it was about 40 degrees outside. One of the fellow bargain hunters in the car giggled nervously, while the other expressed concern for his knees considering he was wearing shorts and a windbreaker that seemed just the tiniest bit snug. It was cold outside. The sun decided to stay home all day, empijamado. There was a tiny breeze that blew past every few minutes, just to remind everybody that it is winter, even in South Texas. Yet there he was, surrounded by a deflated Frosty and unlit yard decorations, doing push-ups in the driveway. I dont know how long hed been out there. For all I know, he may have started doing push-ups the moment he heard a car coming around the corner. Why else would someone pick such a public workout spot, if not to impress passersby? I had no words. Why the driveway? Too much Christmas tiradero in the living room? Maybe. Was he avoiding house guests sticking around until after the New Year arrives? Perhaps. But why push-ups? Wouldnt one get a more calorie-burning, less ego-bruising workout with a brisk walk? Livestrong.com says that a man weighing 250 pounds doing push-ups at a moderate pace for five minutes burns around 48 calories. To put that in Christmas perspective, thats about one-fifth of one tamal. Quien sabe. Yet I applaud that, despite the weather, he was out there haciendo la lucha. The holidays bring so much happiness to ones table. Tamales, bunuelos, regalitos, fruitcake con montones de nuez there is so much good stuff everywhere you look that its easy to lose track of what you eat. Then theres the good times we spend with friends and family, all of which are punctuated with un drink aqui y un biscochito alla. Its not surprising that, before you know it, even your windbreaker starts to feel tight around the middle. And so, with frustration and a renewed commitment to a healthy lifestyle, we head out into the cold to lose some of our winter gains. In the process, we sometimes discover new habits, new flavors and new tricks to motivate ourselves into making resolutions that stick. Choices that make no sense to others make perfect sense to us. And over the course of many beginnings to the new year, we learn that renewal really is a personal thing. So I wish el chavo del driveway well with his push-ups al fresco. I hope by the time February rolls around, well all be more comfortable in our windbreakers. mariaanglinwrites@yahoo.com A man was found with a gunshot wound in his leg Monday morning at a West Side McDonald's. The wounded man went into the McDonald's in the 1100 block of Culebra Road around 3 a.m. and laid down behind the counter, startling employees, San Antonio police said. RELATED: Homeowner shoots man dead in home invasion near Leon Valley They notified authorities, who found the man and then transported him to University Hospital for treatment. Police said he was intoxicated and his story about how he got shot didn't make any sense. Text "NEWS" to 77453 for breaking news alerts from mySA.com Caleb Downs is a crime reporter for mySA.com. Read more of his stories here.| cdowns@mysa.com | Twitter: @calebjdowns I would like to share some recent correspondence with one of my daughters. Ahhh, the joy of simplicity! Organic intake. Open perspective. Positive expectations. Expanding awareness. Most importantly, love. Truly, we are an interesting part of our universe. John Kiser A mild offense? Re: Cake overreaction, Your Turn, Dec. 15: According to the letter writer, being refused service is just offensive and not a loss of rights. I wonder if the cake bakers could refuse to bake for women, blacks, Latinos, the elderly or the handicapped. Would they all just be offended and try another bakery, or is it only same-sex couples who dont have rights? Lloyd Mathews, Rockport A healing strategy As one of my high school teachers was fond of saying, I will listen to your explanation for what happened, but I will not consider it an excuse. So my explanation for the social climate in the early stages of what we call the sexual revolution of the 60s is a description but not an excuse for mens misbehavior. However, punishing people now for what they did 50 years ago is not constructive. Publishing a database of past offenders such as the website Rotten Apples shows how pervasive this behavior was, but it should not be used to boycott products and remove artists, politicians and heads of companies, which would affect many other people, in an effort to exact revenge, falling under the category of cutting off your nose to spite your face. Other criminals receive a chance to repent and redeem themselves, as Jarvis Moore did (A life redeemed after drugs, murder; Guilt over pain he inflicted propels him to save others, Josh Brodesky, Dec. 17). So many talented people, such as Bill Cosby, who have made valuable contributions, should have the option of admitting their errors and compensating victims through public apologies and efforts to fund programs promoting awareness and preventing sexual harassment. Virginia Castro, Blanco Day of reckoning Well, Congress and the president have a tax reform bill that will benefit those who really need a break the poor rich individuals already making a killing. What happened to the promises Donald Trump made to the average working stiff? Is their reward for supporting him a reduction of their benefits to please the wealthy? Ninety-nine percent may not have as much money as the top 1 percent, but, by God, we have way more votes. I urge the working class not to allow the alligators to further divide us. And I hope we finally come to our senses. We have more in common as a united working class than we realize. There will be a day of reckoning for the corrupt bunch that sold us out when their tax bill passed, but only if the forgotten 99 percent stick together and flex their muscles at the polls. J.J. Torres Demand tax returns Like perhaps the majority of Americans, I believe Donald Trump is lying about why he will not release his tax returns. He claims it is because he is being audited, but I think he is trying to hide the people or entities that have loaned him money Russian oligarchs? and how he will personally benefit from his tax cut. If he is under audit, I demand that he produce a letter from the IRS showing he is being audited and for which years. Trump demanded that President Barack Obama produce his birth certificate. I demand that Trump produce proof that he is under IRS audit. Ken Horn New Milford Public Library will hold its next poetry book club led by the towns poet laureate, James Scrimgeour, Jan. 25. The club will meet the third Thursday of each month at 6 p.m. at the Main Street library. Champaign, IL (61820) Today Light rain early...then remaining cloudy with showers overnight. Low 63F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Light rain early...then remaining cloudy with showers overnight. Low 63F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Mumbai: A late sell-off in auto, banking and IT shares pulled back the benchmark BSE Sensex from record high level to close down by 244 points, its biggest single loss in past one month, on the first trading day of 2018. Investors preferred to book profits at record highs amid concerns over fiscal slippages and rising crude oil prices and absence of cues from global markets which were closed for the New Year holiday. The benchmark Sensex touched a low of 33,766.15 before settling lower by 244.08 points, or 0.72 per cent, at 33,812.75. This is the biggest single-day fall since December 1 when the index had lost 316.41. The 30-share index had closed at an all-time high of 34,056.83 in the last session of 2017 on Friday. Also, the 50-share Nifty cracked below the 10,500-mark to hit a low of 10,423.10 before settling 95.15 points, or 0.90 per cent down at 10,435.55. Stocks opened on a weak note and remained range-bound for the better part of the day but an intense sell-off in the last hour of the trade dragged the key indices deep down, brokers said. Bouts of buying were, however, seen in capital goods, realty, healthcare and consumer durables stocks that capped the losses to some extent. In the Sensex kitty, TCS emerged as the top loser by falling 1.69 per cent, followed by IndusInd Bank 1.45 per cent and Hindustan Unilever 1.40 per cent. Other big losers include HDFC Ltd, Tata Steel, ONGC, Adani Ports, ICICI Bank, Reliance Industries, Asian Paint, HDFC Bank, SBI, Kotak Bank and Yes Bank, dropping by up to 1.35 per cent. Auto stocks such as Tata Motors, Bajaj Auto, M&M, Maruti Suzuki and Hero MotoCorp too came under pressure and lost up to 1.35 per cent after December sales data failed to cheer investors. Maruti reported a 10 per cent rise in December sales. "Despite positive auto sales numbers, market started-off the New Year on a cautious note. Lingering concern on fiscal slippages and a sharp up-move in crude prices dampened investor sentiments. Additionally, an expectation of weak monthly manufacturing data tomorrow is adding to the cautiousness," Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Financial Services Ltd, said. US oil prices had finished above USD 60 a barrel for the first time since June 2015 while Brent North Sea crude for March delivery rose to USD 66.87 a barrel on Friday. The BSE auto index fell 0.78 per cent, followed by bankex 0.75 per cent, teck 0.65 per cent, IT 0.55 per cent, metal 0.52 per cent, oil & gas 0.46 per cent, FMCG 0.29 per cent, PSU 0.15 per cent and infrastructure 0.13 per cent. The near-absence of overseas cues meant investors remained directionless, forcing to cut their positions, brokers said. In contrast, investors indulged in widening their portfolios in the second-line stocks which outperformed the key indices. Small-cap and mid-cap indices closed with gains of 0.26 per cent and 0.08 per cent, respectively. Globally, most stock markets, including those in Asia and Europe, were closed today. New Delhi: The year 2017 witnessed the Supreme Court of India rising to the occasion for according and protecting the rights of individuals. Two Constitution Bench rulings established privacy as a fundamental right and trashed triple talaq as a practice violating women's dignity. At the same time, the top court had a string of PILs, which did not bring any change in the system, but left the judges and lawyers smiling. Here is a look at 10 such PILs that were dismissed by the Supreme Court on their first day of hearing, but still had people talking about them: Pictorial Warning on Liquor Bottles The petitioner NGO sought pictorial health warnings on liquor bottles like the ones for cigarettes and other tobacco products. It cited a provision in the Constitution that prescribed a policy towards prohibition of alcohol. The court, however, was not impressed. It pointed out that the constitutional provision was not mandatory and thus basing the case on this argument showed lack of diligence and merit. Finally, the PIL was dismissed with a direction to the NGO to pay Rs 1 lakh in fine for "misuse of judicial process". Postpone Union Budget A lawyer moved the court for postponement of the Union Budget from February 1 due to Assembly elections in five states. He claimed Budget announcements could influence voters' minds. But the apex court junked the plea. "Under what legal provision must we allow your petition? How does it matter if the Budget is presented before polls? Theres no valid reason to say how Union Budget will influence voters, held the court. Ban on Burning of Effigies of Ravana on Dussehra Anand Prakash Sharma, a UP-based journalist and social activist, argued in Hindi that every year a huge amount of money is wasted on the burning of effigies. He added that burning of Ravanas effigy has not been mentioned in any religious or mythological book. People watch as effigies of demon king Ravana, his brother Kumbhkarana and son Meghnad are burnt during Vijayadashami in Amritsar on September 30, 2017. (REUTERS/Munish Sharma) "Have you read Article 25 of the Constitution? It says that everyone has the right to practise his/her religion," retorted the court. It dismissed the PIL, adding: "We have no jurisdiction to go into what is good or bad. We go into what is legal and what is illegal. You do what you feel is good for your faith and let others do what is good for their faith." Make Yoga Compulsory in Schools Two lawyers had requested the court to issue directions to the Centre and state governments to include Yoga in school curriculum. The PIL asked for framing of a national yoga policy and making it compulsory for students of Classes 1 to 8 across the country. But the court questioned if it was for the judiciary to now tell schools what to teach. Students practise yoga in the lawns of their school ahead of International Yoga Day in Chennai. (REUTERS) We have no authority to say what has to be taught in schools. It is none of our business. How can we direct that? What is to be taught in schools is not a fundamental right," held the court as it rejected the prayer. Declare Indus Waters Treaty Between India and Pakistan Unconstitutional The PIL claimed that the Indus Waters pact was not a treaty at all as the same was not signed in the name of the President of India. It was a tripartite agreement between three leaders and void ab initio (illegal at the outset) and hence cannot be acted upon, argued the petition. The court, however, declined to entertain the PIL, observing this treaty has held good for decades. This treaty is of 1960 and this treaty has held good for more than half a century, said the court. Policy on 'Vande Mataram' The court refused to entertain the plea on issuing separate guidelines for Vande Mataram. It noted there was no concept of a national song in law. We do not intend to enter into any debate as far as the national song is concerned... Be it clearly noted, Article 51A(a) of the Constitution (fundamental duties) does not refer to National Song. It only refers to National Flag and National Anthem, noted the court. Ban On a Book Criticising Caste System A petition sought a ban on a book written by writer and activist Professor Kancha Ilaiah Shepherd, called Samajika Smugglurlu Komatollu. The plea took strong exception to a particular chapter in a book titled Post-Hindu India called Hindutv-Mukt Bharat, which was critical about the caste system prevailing in India, especially in the Arya Vysya community. Dismissing the PIL, the top court took this as an opportunity to assert fundamental right to free speech. Any request for banning a book of the present nature has to be strictly scrutinised because every author or writer has a fundamental right to speak out ideas freely and express thoughts adequately. Curtailment of an individual writer/author's right to freedom of speech and expression should never be lightly viewed.... We do not think that it would be appropriate under Article 32 of the Constitution of India that this court should ban the book/books, the Supreme Court held. Ban Against MPs and MLAs to Practise as Lawyers Advocate Ashwini Upadhyay sought prohibition against lawmakers practising as lawyers in courts. Describing this as a conflict of interest, he said there are politicians who sign in at Parliament at 11 am and then come to court to appear for private clients. Upadhyay added the restriction imposed on public servants and judges against engaging in other professions should apply to lawmakers. The apex court found some merit in these arguments, but finally rejected the plea on the ground that such restrictions could come only by way of a law and legislation was not the job of the judiciary. Principally your arguments make sense, but how can we frame policy? If there is a law, we will support it, said the court. Stay Padmavati Release The PIL demanded a stay on the release of Bollywood movie Padmavati, alleging this would hurt religious sentiments and that the portrayal of the characters was defamatory as well as contemptuous. The court, however, noted that the Sanjay Leela Bhansali movie had not even been sent to the Censor Board for clearance so far. "We can't play Censor Board in a PIL. There is a statutory regime in place and we don't have to usurp power of that authority," said the court. A security guard walks past a poster of Bollywood movie 'Padmavati' outside a theatre in Mumbai on November 21, 2017. (REUTERS/ Danish Siddiqui) It also took umbrage at the comments made by some politicians on the release of the movie. "Those holding public offices should not comment on such issues... It is the prerogative of the Censor Board to review the film and make a decision on whether it is suitable for screening," maintained the apex court. Set Minimum Educational Qualification to be Legislator This PIL asked for a direction to the central government to lay down minimum educational qualification for being an MP or an MLA. Since the people's representatives are required to deal with a lot of papers, the petition said minimum educational qualification could ascertain better application of mind by legislators instead of reliance on bureaucrats. But the top court referred to provisions in the Representation of Peoples Act, incorporating criteria for being a lawmaker. The Supreme Court dismissed the PIL, stating that it would not be within the domain of the court to direct Parliament for amending a law to usher in a specific change. New Delhi: Healthcare services at many private hospitals in the country are likely to be hit on Tuesday as the Indian Medical Association has called for suspending routine services for 12 hours to protest a Bill seeking to replace the Medical Council of India (MCI) with a new body and also proposes allowing practitioners of alternative medicines practise allopathy after completing a "bridge course". Services at outpatient departments (OPDs) of many private hospitals may be hit by the protest, but emergency and critical services will remain open. Union Health Minister J P Nadda had a meeting with the members of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) where the latter conveyed their concerns over the Bill. A senior health ministry official, however, said the Bill is slated to come up for discussion in Parliament on Tuesday and the House will decide over it. "We heard them out, but nothing can be done now as the Bill has been tabled in Parliament. A discussion over it will be held tomorrow and the House will decide," he said. The National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill, which was tabled in Parliament on Friday, seeks to replace the MCI and also proposes allowing practitioners of alternative medicines, such as homoeopathy and ayurveda, practise allopathy after completing a "bridge course". The IMA, which has been strongly opposing the NMC bill saying it will "cripple" the functioning of medical professionals by making them completely answerable to the bureaucracy and non-medical administrators, has declared tomorrow a "Black Day". "The NMC Bill in the present form is not acceptable. This Bill is anti-poor, anti-people, non-representative, undemocratic and anti-federal in character. The IMA headquarter hereby declares closure of all routine services for 12 hours from 6 AM to 6 PM tomorrow across the country," newly-appointed IMA national president Dr Ravi Wankhedkar said. He said, "We were left with no option but to take the issues to our patients and the people. We have received tremendous response and all the IMA members will follow our call." The IMA has 2.77 lakh doctors as its members. The Delhi Medical Association (DMA) is supporting the IMAs protest and has called upon all private and corporate hospitals in the national capital to keep their OPD services closed. Dr K K Aggarwal, the former president of the IMA, said they have already written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Union health minister urging them to redraft the Bill and rectify some of its provisions to protect the interest of medical practitioners. He claimed that the provision in the Bill which allows AYUSH graduates to practise modern medicine after completing a bridge course will promote quackery. The NMC bill proposes replacing the Medical Council of India with a new body and "possibly" Section 15 of the IMC Act, which says that the basic qualification to practise modern medicine is MBBS, Dr Aggarwal said. "It (the bill) takes away the right of every doctor in India to elect their medical council," he said. "The MCI is a representative body of medical professionals in India. Any registered medical practitioner in the country can contest the election and every qualified doctor can vote. "Abolishing a democratic institution and replacing it with a body in which a majority is nominated by the government, is certainly a retrograde step," Dr Aggarwal said. He further said the Bill, in its current form, allows private medical colleges to charge at will, nullifying whatever solace the NEET brought. Dr Wankhedkar said, "The Bill purported to eradicate corruption is designed to open the floodgates of corruption. A Bill to regulate the medical education and medical practice without the concurrence of the medical profession will be a disaster." Clause 49 of the Bill calls for a joint sitting of the National Medical Commission, the Central Council of Homoeopathy and the Central Council of Indian Medicine at least once a year "to enhance the interface between homoeopathy, Indian Systems of Medicine and modern systems of medicine". The Bill proposes constitution of four autonomous boards entrusted with conducting undergraduate and postgraduate education, assessment and rating of medical institutions and registration of practitioners under the National Medical Commission. The commission will have a government-nominated chairman and members, and the board members will be selected by a search committee under the Cabinet Secretary, it says. New Delhi: Ishrat Jahan, the triple talaq crusader who joined the BJP on Sunday, said she has entered politics to now fight evils like dowry and domestic violence, and take up issues like education of the girl child. Jahan, one of the five petitioners in the case against instant triple talaq, had faced boycott from her community after the Supreme Court verdict, but that has not stopped her from continuing her fight. She said she would use the platform to work for all women, and not just Muslim women. Her decision to join the BJP has also ruffled some feathers in Bengal, but she told News18.com that her mind was made after Prime Minister Narendra Modi took steps to uplift Muslim women. The Bill that criminalizes instant triple talaq has been passed in the Lok Sabha in the Winter Session. "He showed the resolve to solve our problems, she said. I am in Bengal, a state run by a woman. Despite the fact that our CM is a woman, nothing has been done for gender justice in my case and in the fight of Muslim women. I was fighting alone, there was no cooperation from any corner or from political parties, she said. Even if women wanted to support her, she said they were under pressure from patriarchy to not come out in my support. Thanking PM Modi for standing up for the rights of Muslim women, she said, My husband and I separated in 2014, and then, one day he divorced me by sending a message. From then, my battle started. I was alone like many other Muslim women who were divorced like this. In such a scenario, the woman is always considered at fault. But we found support in the leadership. Her husband had divorced her over the phone from Dubai in 2015 by instant oral triple talaq. The practice was struck down by the Supreme Court on August 22. If a strict law had been made at the time of Shah Bano so many Muslim women would not have suffered. The All India Muslim Law Board knew all the way that this practice is not in line with the Quran yet they did not stop it. Lot of time has gone waste and the condition of Muslim women was deplorable, she said. Lethpora: What has rarely been seen in Kashmir, a group of Kashmiri militants launched a fidayeen attack on Sunday, killing five CRPF personnel. This could might as well be the start of a dangerous new wave of insurgency in Kashmir where terrorist organisations recruit locals to carry out such attacks. Kashmiri militants have seldom posed as fidayeens though on a few occasions they have carried out suicide attacks, including one with a human bomb just outside the main entrance of the Army headquarters in Srinagar. Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba architects of fidayeen attacks appoint Pakistani militants to carry out such deadly strikes because they are better equipped for the job with rigorous training and judicious use of ammunition. However, in a major departure, it looks like Jaish has laid their trust on the local cadre. The two militants who were shot dead on Sunday were allegedly very active in this area where they carried out the attack. The Jaish has claimed responsibility for the Lethpora strike and said the cadre won't be deterred by the Indian Armys all out operation and would rather intensify their onslaught. Sunday's attack was deadly and unusual in every sense despite security forces being put on maximum alert following an input about possible fidayeen attacks on New Year's Eve and the Srinagar-Jammu highway having a constant security deployment. The fidayeens this time around comprised Kashmiri operatives who are seldom drafted for the sneak-in and strike missions like the ones in Uri, Pathankot or Nagrota. Both Jaish and Lashkar usually trusts Pakistanis cadres to mount such suicide attacks. Two of the three militants killed in Sundays attack at the CRPF training centre in Lethpora on the Srinagar-Jammu highway are young Kashmiris. One of them has been identified as Fardeen Khanday (17), who till three months back studied at a local school at Tral hometown of slain Hizbul Mujahideen leader Burhan Wani. Son of a policeman, Fardeen fled to join militants and was killed in the encounter on Sunday. Hours after he was killed in the gunbattle, a video has surfaced in Kashmir showing slain Kashmiri youth Fardeen asking other Kashmiris to join the fight against Indian aggression. The video was allegedly shot moments before the attack. Asking the Kashmiri youth to join him, Fardeen said that there is no freedom without sacrifice. In the video he claims that Jaish attacks have unnerved the forces and that Jaish will continue to launch more attacks like Nagrota, Pathankot and Tangdhar. The other militant was Manzoor Baba (22), who hailed from Drubgam area of Pulwama district. A driver by profession, he had become a militant only two months ago. His name was in circulation last month when his family made a fervent appeal to him to return home. He, however, did not heed to his mother's plea. There has been no firing since Sunday evening at the Lethpora CRPF training ground with sources reporting that a third fidayeen might still be lurking in the sprawling campus. On Sunday, Jammu & Kashmir DGP SP Vaid told News18 that the third militant was traced to 185 CRPF camp, but he remained elusive even 34 hours into the prolonged gunbattle. Sources say the third fidayeen may also turn out to be a local. This could, for the first time, be an all-Kashmiri fidayeen attack on a high-value target. The two slain Kashmiri youths launched the attack on the CRPF camp around 2:30 am by firing indiscriminately and lobbing grenades from the UBGL inside the camp taking the forces by surprise. "All the attackers later entered the training centre of CRPF 185 battalion and engaged the troops in a gun battle,'' a CRPF spokesman told News18. In the first exchange of gunfight, three CRPF men were injured with one of them later succumbing to injuries. Constable Sharief-ud-din Ganaie of Chadoora Budgam died after being shot on the chest. He was later taken to 92 Base Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. In the daylong gunbattle, four other CRPF jawans, too, lost their lives while three others were injured. Mumbai: The fire tragedy in Lower Parels Kamala Mills Compound claimed the lives of at least 14 people and left 21 injured. Had it not been for bravehearts like policeman Sudarshan Shinde, who risked his life to help others out, the toll could have been much higher. A photo of the policeman, carrying an injured person on his shoulders has gone viral. Talking to News18, Shinde recalls the night and says, There was thick smoke there when I reached the spot. I wanted to help the fire brigade and ran up the stairs. All of us were only thinking about saving the people. We could not carry stretchers up the stairs so I brought a few of the injured down on my shoulder," said the policeman attached to the Worli police station. For his immense bravery in the line of duty, Shinde will be felicitated by the Mayor of Mumbai on Monday evening. The fire broke out around 12:30 am on the top floor of a four-storied building on Senapati Bapat Marg, a commercial hub of the city. The massive fire quickly engulfed the entire building after it started at '1 Above', a rooftop pub and raged for several hours before it could be brought under control. Two managers of the pub, Kevin Baba (35) and Lisbon Lopes (34), were arrested by a police team from the NM Joshi Marg police station on Monday. Police had on Sunday arrested two persons for allegedly sheltering the owners of 1 Above pub, who were booked following the devastating fire at the Kamala Mills compound, which had claimed 14 lives on Friday. Rakesh Sanghvi and Aditya Sanghvi were subsequently produced in a court, which released them on bail bonds of Rs 25,000 each, a senior police official said. After the fire tragedy at the pub, the police had lodged cases against its owners, Hitesh Sanghvi and Jigar Sanghvi, another co-owner Abhijeet Mankar and others for various offences, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder. None of the accused has been arrested as yet. Mumbai: Two managers of Mumbais 1 Above pub were arrested on Monday, three days a massive fire at the popular joint claimed 14 lives. Kevin Baba (35) and Lisbon Lopes (34), who were employed by the pub at the Kamala Mills compound in Lower Parel area, were arrested by a police team from the NM Joshi Marg police station. They were present in the pub when the blaze occurred in the early hours of December 29, but fled without helping the guests, PTI quoted a police official as saying. "We have arrested both the managers," senior police inspector Ahmad Pathan told PTI. Baba and Lopes were booked under IPC sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 337 (causing hurt by an act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention), the police said. Police had on Sunday arrested two persons for allegedly sheltering the owners of 1 Above pub, who were booked following the devastating fire at the Kamala Mills compound, which had claimed 14 lives on Friday. Rakesh Sanghvi and Aditya Sanghvi were subsequently produced in a court, which released them on bail bonds of Rs 25,000 each, a senior police official said. After the fire tragedy at the pub, the police had lodged cases against its owners, Hitesh Sanghvi and Jigar Sanghvi, another co-owner Abhijeet Mankar and others for various offences, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder. None of the accused has been arrested as yet. New Delhi: A bill that seeks to replace the apex medical education regulator, the Medical Council of India (MCI), with a new body, has "many problematic" provisions, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has said and demanded that the bill be referred to a parliamentary standing committee. The National Medical Commission Bill 2017, which seeks to replace MCI with a new body, to ensure transparency, was introduced in the Lok Sabha recently. The senior Congress leader has demanded that the bill be referred to a standing committee for examination in letters to both Union Health Minister JP Nadda as well as to Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu. Ramesh has urged the Centre not to "hurry" with the important legislation while noting that waiting another three-four months will not be "disastrous" and can improve the bill substantially. In his letter to Nadda, Ramesh said that although he appreciates that the minister has incorporated the spirit of the Standing Committee report on Medical Council of India, but there are far too "many problematic" provisions in the bill which "go against" the committee report, making him "deeply uncomfortable". "I still feel, you should refer the Bill to the Standing Committee and ask it to submit its report by the end of the 2018 Budget session. I humbly request you not to stand on prestige and do so," Ramesh said. "The Bill has been selective in its borrowing from the Standing Committee report. To say that it is based on the Standing Committee report and therefore needs no further examination by the Standing Committee is simply not true," he wrote. Congress members had in the House protested the introduction of the Bill by Nadda, demanding that it be sent to the parliamentary standing committee for thorough scrutiny. "Please do not hurry with this very important legislation in this manner. Another three-four months will not be disastrous for you. We can improve the Bill substantially," Ramesh said in his letter to Nadda. In his letter to the vice president, Ramesh expressed his "deep sense of anguish" that the NMC Bill will not be sent to the Standing Committee headed by Ram Gopal Yadav for detailed examination. Ramesh is also a member of this committee. In March 2016, the Standing Committee presented its 92nd report on the MCI in which it had made a large number of recommendations. "On the grounds that the Standing Committee had submitted this report, the Government is taking the view that the Bill need not go back to the Standing Committee. This is a fallacious argument," Ramesh said in his letter to Naidu. "First, the Standing Committee never examined the Bill. Second, many of the provisions of the Bill go against the recommendations of the Standing Committee," he wrote. Nadda had said in the House had that the bill incorporates suggestions made by the standing committee. "I am not saying that the Standing Committee is the repository of all wisdom. All I am saying is that it should be given an opportunity of examining a very important and far- reaching piece of legislation," Ramesh said in the letter. "Give it time, deadline by all means but do not stifle by preventing it fulfil its main objective -- which is the examination of Bills. I have appealed to my good friend Naddaji. I am appealing to you as the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha," he wrote. Clause 49 of the Bill calls for a joint sitting of the National Medical Commission, the Central Council of Homoeopathy and the Central Council of Indian Medicine at least once a year "to enhance the interface between homoeopathy, Indian Systems of Medicine and modern systems of medicine", a point, reports have suggested to be as controversial. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) too has strongly opposed the bill and has appealed to the prime minister to revise it in the larger interest of the medical profession. According to the IMA, the NMC will "cripple" the functioning of the medical profession by making it completely answerable to the bureaucracy and non-medical administrators. Patna: A mound spotted by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar at a village in Sheikhpura district has yielded potsherds, perhaps dating back to 1000 BC. Potsherds are pieces of broken ceramic pot or other earthenware that have archaeological significance. "We visited the site yesterday (Sunday) and were thrilled to discover a number of potsherds which give a hint about the antiquity of the mound," Executive Director of the KP Jayaswal Research Institute, Bijoy Kumar Chaudhary, said. The state-run institute, located in the Patna Museum building, researches in the field of history and archaeology. "Black slip wares and black and red wares found at the site appear to be of a period around 1000 BC. We also found some red furnished ware that could date back to the Neolithic period," Chaudhary told PTI. A team of archaeologists conducted preliminary explorations at Pharpar village in Ariyari block after getting a call from Chief Secretary Anjani Kumar Singh. The chief secretary, who was accompanying the Chief Minister during his visit to the village on Friday, telephoned Chaudhary after Kumar noticed the mound and observed that it looked like a site of historical and archaeological importance, he said. The village is about 120 km from the state capital. The archaeologists also found some fragmented sculptures of Buddha, Lord Vishnu and some female deities. "Fragmented sculptures had been found in the village earlier also when our institute was carrying out state-wide explorations. But the mound was overlooked at that time," Chaudhary said. Preliminary exploration have established the archaeological significance of the spot, he said. "We now plan to conduct a comprehensive exploration which may yield many more artefacts and shed light on the historical significance of the obscure spot," Chaudhary said. The spot was noticed by the Chief Minister on Friday when he was there on his 'Vikas Samiksha Yatra' to take stock of the development work carried out by his government. Nitish Kumar is known for his interest in archaeology. At his instance, a "Bihar museum" has been set up in the state capital, which was inaugurated a couple of months ago while museums across the state are being given a face-lift. After the ancient Nalanda University got the UNESCO World Heritage status in 2016, Kumar is now making efforts to get the same tag for the cyclopean wall at Rajgir. A cyclopean wall is constructed without mortar, using enormous blocks of stone. Hyderabad: The Telangana government ushered in the New Year on Monday by gifting farmers 24-hour free power supply for agricultural purposes. Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao described the initiative as a "wonderful victory", according to an official statement. "With 24-hour quality, uninterrupted and free power to the farm sector, Telangana will go down in the history as the first state in the country which is supplying round-the-clock power to all sectors," he said. "Though it was not mentioned in the Telangana Rashtra Samitis manifesto (during the Assembly elections in 2014) nor it ever made any promise, keeping in view the untold misery of the farmers, it was decided to supply 24-hour free power," the chief minister said. Though round-the-clock power is provided in some other states as well, it is charged. Except Telangana, no other state in the country is giving 24-hour free power supply to the farm sector, he said. Rao congratulated all the officials concerned and said everyone in the country was looking up to Telangana for the "revolutionary" changes that took place in the power sector. The chief minister today held a meeting with TS Genco, Transco CMD D Prabhakar Rao and other senior officials of power utilities in the backdrop of launching the 24-hour supply to the farm sector. As many as 23 lakh agricultural pump sets would be provided free power from December 31 midnight, the government had said last month. The initiative would push the overall power demand to 11,000 MW by March this year. "By spending Rs 12,610 crore in setting up new power lines, transformers and sub-stations, the state power utilities have made elaborate arrangements for power supply," the government had earlier said. The installed power capacity has grown from 6,573 MW as on June 2, 2014 to 14,913 MW as on today with an "ultimate capacity of 28,000 MW in the near future", the government said. Meanwhile, state-owned Singareni Collieries Company said in the wake of the governments decision to supply 24-hour free power to agricultural pump sets in the state, the PSU is geared up to supply coal to all the power plants which have tie-ups with it for fuel supply. At the start of the last week of December 2017, an alert was sounded throughout Kashmir about a possible Fidayeen attack on New Years Eve along the Srinagar-Jammu highway. Days later, as feared by the security agencies, militants from the Jaish-e-Mohammad managed to sneak into a CRPF camp inside Jammu and Kashmir Polices Commando Training Centre (CTC) in Lethpora, Pulwama. In a 36-hour fierce gunbattle that started on the night of December 30, five CRPF personnel and two Jaish militants were killed. Earlier this year, different militants groups operating in Kashmir targeted the highway stretch frequently. This time, however, heavy security was deployed along the stretch after the input. In a press statement on Sunday, Director General of Police (DGP) SP Vaid acknowledged that there were prior inputs regarding the attack. There was an input in the last two to three days. The militants were trying. They probably could not get a place and time earlier. So they struck last night, Vaid said at a press briefing in Srinagar. Speaking to News18, a senior police officer who deals with counter-insurgency operations in South Kashmir confirmed the intel of a possible Fidayeen attack. "At least 12 hours before the attack, Jammu Kashmir police shared specific Intel about two Jaish militants who could attack the training," the officer said on condition of anonymity. The Local Fidayeen Apart from the grave security lapse, what also makes this daring pre-dawn attack by the Jaish all the more serious is that this was the first Fidayeen attack carried out by local militants in the recent history of militancy in Kashmir. The militants were identified as Manzoor Ahmad Baba of Drubgam Pulwama and Fardeen Ahmad Khanday of Nazneen Pora, Tral. Fardeen was the son of a police constable. Hours after the gunbattle, a video surfaced in Kashmir showing Fardeen, with a huge cache of ammunition in front of him, asking other Kashmiris to join the fight against Indian aggression. By the time this video reaches you, Ill be in heaven, Fardeen said in the video, thus making his plans clear. The video was allegedly shot moments before the attack. In the video, Fardeen also referred to Afaq and Bilal two Jaish militants who had carried out two different suicide attacks in early 2000. While Bilal was a British Muslim student, Afaq Shah was a local. Bilal had staged a car bomb explosion at an army unit in Srinagar on Christmas Day in 2000, killing 11 people, including five soldiers. Hailing from Srinagar's Khaniyar locality, Afaq had driven a stolen red Maruti laden with explosives to the high-security barrier of the Badami Bagh Cantonment in Srinagar on December 27, 2000, and blown the vehicle up with him still in it. Eleven personnel had died in the attack. Apart from Afaq, Mohammad Aslam, a J&K SPO (Special Protection Officer), was one of three other Fidayeen who attacked the Special Operation Group (SOG) complex in Srinagar on December 27, 2000, in which 11 personnel died. An SPO who deserted the ranks, Aslam came back to attack the very force he had been part of. The Rise of Afzal Guru Squad Saturday nights attack was not the first Fidayeen strike carried out in Kashmir this year. There were two others before this one. On August 26, militants stormed the District Police Lines in Pulwama, killing 10 people four policemen, four CRPF personnel and two militants. On October 3, militants stormed a BSF base at Srinagar airport, killing one jawan and injuring three. Two militants were also killed in the attack. The Afzal Guru Squad of the Jaish-e-Mohammad outfit carried out both Fidayeen attacks. Barely 90 Days Into the Fold Another important detail of Saturdays attack is that both Fardeen and Manzoor were recruited into militancy barely 90 days ago. Sixteen-year-old Fardeen Ahmad Khanday was a Class 10 student and became a militant three months ago. The other one was Manzoor Baba (22), who hailed from Drubgam area of Pulwama district. A driver by profession, he had become a militant just two months ago. Hours after the gunbattle, Jaish-e-Mohammad claimed responsibility for the attack, threatening that such attacks will continue till the last Indian soldier leaves Kashmir. Blood of martyrs is yielding results, local news agency GNS quoted this Jaish statement. How Well Did Operation All Out Fare? The security failure despite intelligence of such an attack also puts a question mark over claims by security agencies in Kashmir on Operation All Out. The announcement of Operation All Out by the Army in June 2017 has so far resulted in the killing of 219 militants, the highest in the last eight years. Among the 219 militants, 84 were local militants who were from different parts of the Valley. While many security officials are claiming the operation to be a huge success, what could be a major worry for security forces is that the year also witnessed the killing of 124 armed forces personnel, which makes the ratio of militant to armed forces killings 2:1. The Jammu & Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS) in its annual report said: The comparison between militant and armed forces killings in last four years reveals that while 560 militants have been killed in the given period, the armed forces have lost 364 personnel to militant violence. The ratio of militant-armed forces killings has been close to 2:1 for the last four years. Kolkata: Ishrat Jahan, one of the petitioners in the triple talaq case, has joined the BJP, the party's state unit general secretary Sayantan Basu said on Sunday. "Ishrat Jahan joined the BJP at our Howrah office yesterday (Friday)," Basu told PTI. Sources said Ishrat was felicitated by the Howrah BJP unit on Friday and inducted into the party. Basu said a state-level programme to felicitate her was yet to be organised. Ishrat was one of the five petitioners in the triple talaq case. Her husband had divorced her over the phone from Dubai in 2014 by uttering 'talaq' thrice. The controversial Islamic practice was struck down by the Supreme Court on August 22. West Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh, who is touring various districts in the state, said he had also come to know from party sources that Ishrat had joined the BJP in Howrah. Repeated calls to Ishrat for a reaction went unanswered. New Delhi: The entire Nagaland has been declared as "disturbed area" for six more months, till June-end, under the controversial AFSPA, which empowers security forces to conduct operations anywhere and arrest anyone without any prior notice. In a gazette notification, the Union Home Ministry said it is of the opinion that the area comprising the whole of Nagaland is in such a "disturbed and dangerous condition" that use of armed forces in aid of the civil power is necessary. "Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (No. 28 of 1958), the central government hereby declares that whole of the said state to be a 'disturbed area' for a period of six months with effect from December 30, 2017 for the purpose of that Act," the notification said. A home ministry official said the decision to continue the declaration of Nagaland as "disturbed area" has been taken as killings, loot and extortion have been going in various parts of the state which necessitated the action for the convenience of the security forces operating there. There have been demands from various organisations in the northeast as well as in Jammu and Kashmir for repealing the controversial Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), which, they say, gives "sweeping powers" to security forces. The AFSPA has been in force in Nagaland for several decades. It has not been withdrawn even after a framework agreement was signed on August 3, 2015 by Naga insurgent group NSCN-IM general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah and the government's interlocutor R N Ravi in presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The framework agreement came after over 80 rounds of negotiations spanning 18 years with the first breakthrough in 1997 when the ceasefire agreement was sealed after decades of insurgency in Nagaland. Kolkata: With the midnight announcement of the first draft of National Register of Citizens (NRC) declaring 1.9 crore Assam residents as legal, fate hangs in balance for the other 1.39 crore. With a massive amount of data yet to be verified, the other half of the population will keep biting their nails till the next announcement expected within 2018. "This is a part draft. It contains the names of 1.9 crore persons who have been verified till now. The rest of the names are at various stages of verification. As soon as the verification is done, we will come out with another draft," said Registrar General of India, Sailesh. Heavy security deployment was seen across Assam in anticipation of a backlash. The Supreme Court had ordered the Assam government to complete the first round of tabulation and come up with a list by December 31. WHAT IS NRC? The National Register of Citizens (NRC) was largely devised to recognize the Indian citizens in Assam and identify illegal immigrants who have infiltrated the state from Bangladesh. The porous border between Assam and Bangladesh has led to a major problem of illegal immigration that was even taken up as an election issue in the last Assembly elections. According to the natives of Assam, the Bangladeshi immigrants who migrate illegally, looking for greener pastures, better life and employment have led to unemployment among the locals. There have been several protests by many indigenous groups in Assam who feel they have been wrongfully denied jobs. With the NRC, immigrants who can prove that they had entered Assam before 1971 during the liberation of Bangladesh from Pakistan will be considered Indian citizens. Others will have to show that they have ascendants in Assam who have lived here even before 1971 and can make it to the NRC. WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? Apart from validating ones Indian citizenship in the north eastern state, the NRC could also boost one's hope for better employment opportunities. As illegal immigrants could risk losing their jobs and employers would also face some backlash, companies are likely to prefer those with an NRC registration for employment. Those who could possibly be branded as illegal immigrant would also have to face their own challenges. With limited options left for this left-out group of minorities, they would have very few options left with them. This could further lead to clashes between opposing groups that the central and state security forces might find difficult to handle. Moreover, the onus would also lie with the Bangladeshi government. Will the neighbours step-up to protect the people of their origin or will they be left to fend for themselves, is a matter that only time can tell. The unusual and very efficient whistle language used as a means of communication by villagers in remote northern Turkey entered the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. UNESCO has accepted the "bird language" of Black Sea villagers as an endangered part of world heritage in need of urgent protection, Xinhua news agency reported on Sunday. Around 10,000 people, mostly in the district of Canakci in Giresun province, still use the highly-developed and high pitch system of whistling to communicate in the rugged terrain where most of the times they cannot see each other. This form of communication which dates to some 500 years ago, during the Ottoman Empire, was widespread across the Black Sea regions, but 50 years ago it suffered the impact of the progression of technology and nowadays the ever rapid growing of cellular mobile systems has put this cultural heritage under serious threat. For centuries, the language has been passed on from grandparent to parent, from parent to child. Now, though, many of its most proficient speakers who use their tongue, teeth and fingers, are aging and becoming physically weak. Young people are no longer interested in either learning the language, nor in finding ways to update its vocabulary with new words, and in a few generations it may be gone for good. "The mobile phones have had a certain impact on our whistle tradition here, but we are trying to keep our culture alive," said the Muhtar, the elected headman of Kuskoy (literally translated as "bird village"). This village of some 400 people where tea and hazelnuts are cultivated is located in the heart of the "whistle country" and more than 80 per cent of its inhabitants practice this incredible method of communication. "We are very satisfied that our bird language is now a part of the world culture heritage, it was a dream come true because we think that it will also inspire others," said the Muhtar, adding that Kuskoy is making efforts to keep the practice alive through its annual Bird Language Festival. District authorities have started teaching the language at the primary school level since 2014. According to experts, whistle languages have existed through the ages across the world like in Spain's Canary Islands, in Mexico or in Greek villages, but the Turkish one seems to be the most high-pitched and lexical extended, with more than 400 words and phrases. Director Shekhar Kapur thinks big, his cinema is either some kind of grandiose affair or made of the kind that punches you hard. His 1994 Bandit Queen on the life of one of India's most notorious dacoits, Phoolan Devi, drew eyeballs not only for its bold content, but also for a nude shot of actress Seema Biswas, who played the outlaw. His later films, including one on Queen Elizabeth, were also hugely popular as was the Anil Kapoor-starrer, Mr India, and Masoom with Shabana Azmi and Naseeruddin Shah. Kapur is now all set to helm a biopic on the legendary martial arts exponent, Bruce Lee, and will title it Little Dragon. He told the media in Singapore recently, We are still getting the script of 'Little Dragon' ready. We have done all the prep. We took a hiatus to reconsider the script a little bit...It is a very important project. As it turns out it is important not only for the rest of the world, but increasingly important for China since they are now saying that Bruce Lee is a Chinese hero." I wasnt expecting the project to get that amount of attention, said Kapur. Its about his early life, from birth till he left Hong Kong. Bruce Lee is one of the most significant philosophers of our time. For me what is fascinating is how did the most-known martial artist of the world become a really accepted philosopher. How he brought this whole idea of not fighting in fighting. Him saying when you fight, you are like two lovers, it is the most intimate thing you can do. Lee has had a fascinating life in which he explored among other aspects the tenets of Indian as well as Chinese philosophy. What to me appears a little perturbing is that Kapur is yet to find an actor to play the protagonist. And I only hope that like one other supremely significant project of Kapur, Paani, Little Dragon does not run into a storm. Many years ago, he came to the Cannes Film Festival and launched the movie project, and told me that it would be all about water wars, which the world was going to witness. In these wars, Kapur had planned to weave in a love story between two very different kinds of people a boy from a world that was in the midst of a drought and a girl from a land where water was aplenty. But somehow, Paani never got off the drawing board. One actor after another walked in and walked out, and this included Hrithik Roshan (who found Ashutosh Gowariker's Mohenjo Daro more lucrative) and Sushant Singh Rajput. In fact, Cannes has been unlucky for some Indians. Madhur Bhandarkar flew into the French Riviera some years ago with Aishwarya Rai, called the media and announced that she would be his Heroine. A few weeks later, Rai walked out of the film, because she said she was pregnant. Bhandarkar was shattered, but finally found his star in Kareena Kapoor. Last year at Cannes, the Sangamithra team from Tamil Nadu arrived at Cannes with Jayam Ravi, Arya, Shruti Haasan, A R Rahman and director C Sundar. They also co-sponsored Cannes' opening night party, but Shruti returned to Chennai and said she would not be a part of the movie, because she was not given a bound script! Last year, Nandita Das was also at Cannes with a trailer of her Manto, the radical Pakistani thinker and writer, and she had her lead actor, Nawazuddin Siddiqui with her. The trailer looked quite impressive, and Siddiqui seemed so much like Manto himself. One hopes Das will be able to get her work to screen at Cannes this May. Hopefully, her launch will not be jinxed like that of the others who had trooped into Cannes to find disappointment awaiting them back home. (Gautaman Bhaskaran is an author, commentator and movie critic) Shivpuri: Comparisons between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress President Rahul Gandhi would be as good as comparing moustache hair with tail hair. This is what Union minister and BJP leader Narendra Singh Tomar said on Monday, taking his attack on the opposition leader to a whole new extent. The rather unusual remark came from Tomar while he was addressing a public rally in Shivpuri where the Kolaras assembly constituency will have a by-election soon. Narendra Modi Ji aur Congress ke neta mein jo antar hai wo itni doori ka hai jitna antar mooch ke baal aur pooch ke baal mein hota hai. (The difference between PM Narendra Modi and leaders of Congress is as good as the difference between hair of the moustache and that of the tail, Tomar told a cheerful audience. A video of this December 30 public rally at Kolaras has gone viral on social media platforms. Commenting on BJPs victory in Gujarat, Tomar claimed that the Congress went to polls in Gujarat with three youths, and still lost it. Interestingly, having lost the Chitrakoot Assembly by-election recently to Congress, BJP is Madhya Pradesh is going all guns blazing against the opposition party to wrest the Congress-occupied seats of Mungaoli and Kolaras in the upcoming bypolls. Bengaluru: Rajinikanth has finally taken the plunge. He will be launching his own political outfit on the day of Pongal festival. The moment Thalaiva declared that he will don the hat of a politician, the people were quick to draw comparisons between him and MG Ramachandran, the Tamil cinema icon. Some are even predicting that Rajini will be the next MGR of TN politics. It is true that if there has been one cine-star to capture the public imagination on the silver screen after MGR, it is undoubtedly Rajinikanth. But politics is another ball game. And Dravidian politics by any stretch of imagination is no soft-ball. It is a fact that both MGR and Rajinikanth are outsiders to Tamil Nadu. MGR was a Malayali born in Sri Lanka and Rajinikanth is a Maratha from Karnataka. Both are from humble backgrounds and reached the pinnacle of success on their own outside their territory. Rajinikanth fans would want him to see their hero as the chief minister of Tamil Nadu. For those making comparisons, it is imperative to look at MGRs journey of 25 years to emerge as the leader. Success did not come to MGR overnight. Not many are aware of the fact that he was an active member of the Congress party till 1953. He was a great admirer of Gandhi-Nehru and Patel. He used to wear Khadi . Only in 1953 he joined the DMK. He was impressed by CN Annadurai and decided to back the Dravida cause. His unparalleled popularity as a film star added glamour to rationalist and revolutionary Dravida movement. Like any other top leader of the DMK, MGR also struggled to make it a big. He had to wait for 10 years to enter the electoral politics. It was in 1962 that MGR was elected to Tamil Nadu Legislative Council as an MLC. At the age of 50, in 1967, he was elected to the TN Assembly as an MLA. After his mentor Annadurais death in 1969, his friend and colleague M Karunanidhi became the CM and MGR became DMKs treasurer. A major showdown with Karunanidhi forced MGR to quit DMK to form his own party AIADMK in 1972. Only in 1977 he became the CM. It clearly shows that he rose through the ranks and was not just a film actor who occupied the throne of CM overnight. He had spent ten years in the legislature as an MLC and MLA. It had helped him to understand the nuances of politics and governance. Rajinikanth, on the contrary, has not had any legislative experience. He has held no government posts. He has always stayed away from active politics, though he occasionally made politically significant statements either backing someone or targeting someone in the last 20 years. It would be a tad too early to compare him to MGR. Perhaps vacuum created by former CM Jayalalithas death last year is being seen as a great disruptor in the state politics to give space to new aspiring players. In a brilliant book MGR A Life author R Kannan writes about the evolution of MGR as a politician in great detail. Whoever reads that will mark out the dissimilarities in the two personalities. Star value alone did not make MGR the darling of Tamil masses. He was also an able administrator and a compassionate ruler. MGR, for instance, is credited with conceptualising and implementing the mid-day meal scheme which was later emulated by other states and the centre. The one superstar who can be Rajinikanths role model is actually NT Ramarao or NTR, the Telugu cinema icon from the neighbouring state. NTR was just a film actor like Rajinikanth. He was not a part of any popular movement in Andhra Pradesh and he had largely confined himself to acting. Only in 1982, after the then Congress CM of AP T Anjaiah was humiliated by AICC general secretary Rajiv Gandhi at Hyderabad airport, NTR plunged into politics to restore the pride of Telugu people. Proving all his detractors and critics wrong NTR became the CM in less than nine months after founding the TDP. There was a political vaccum in AP and the public was upset over the shoddy treatment of their leaders by the Congress party high command in New Delhi. They backed NTR and TDP came to power dislodging the Congress in 1983 Assembly polls. NTR carefully blended a heady dose of his stardom with Kamma sub-nationalism to emerge as the main opposition party in the 1984 Lok Sabha elections when Congress won two-thirds majority post Indira Gandhis assassination. It is true that there is now a political vaccum in TN. But Tamil pride is still a major issue in the state. The huge victory of TTV Dinakaran in RK Nagar by-poll last week seems to have proved that point. In that case how much pro-BJP leanings would politically help Rajinikanth is the moot question. Many people are upset over EPS-OPS combines total surrender to BJP bosses in New Delhi. If Rajinikanths promised third alternative stays clear of BJP and follows Tamil centric formula he may still have a chance. If he goes with BJP, he may find it difficult to establish himself as the main challenger to two Dravida parties the ruling AIADMK (including Dinakaran supporters) and DMK. Unlike MGR, Rajinikanth has not spent much time in the heat and dust of politics. If we go by political murmurs in Chennai, his political guides themselves have no experience in real politics and they have never been in the election arena. If the current EPS-OPS combine wont collapse anytime soon, Rajinikanths popularity will be put to test only in the 2019 Parliament polls. Three questions need answers. Post the Gujarat elections, is the Congress' existential crisis over? Is the Congress changing its ideological position to face the BJP's merciless electoral machine? And finally what strategy will it acquire to deal with its potential non-BJP allies? A few might be disappointed that I did not ask the most expected question is Rahul Gandhi ready to lead the Congress? With his spirited assault and witty attacks on (PM Narendra) Modi during the Gujarat elections, that debate should now end. Rahul is now officially the president of the party and Sonia has retired. The Rahul era has started for the Congress, but will he lead the country is the question. Since meeting the most humiliating defeat in its history, the Congress had gone into a shell. It had lost the will to fight. Rahul was seen as a reluctant warrior who had been thrust onto the battlefield against his own will. It was at a time when he was faced with the most battle-hardened opponent in history who wanted to win at any cost, whose desire to win knows no boundaries, who is ruthless to the core and who can scale any height, stoop to any abyss to come out victorious. Rahul was up against Modi. And he was seen to have lost the battle before it had even begun. The Gujarat elections have changed this perception. Rahul is no longer the reluctant warrior and Modi is not the invincible General. The Congress went through an existential crisis, but it was not due to the (non) numbers in the Lok Sabha. It was because of the unwillingness of its leaders to attack the opponent. Rahul had definitely crossed that roadblock. Gujarat witnessed a new Rahul. He was relentlessly aggressive and was attacking from the word go. Modi was defensive and was trapped in his own den. It was a different Rahul. It is to Modi's credit that he survived a definite Waterloo though he came out wounded and scarred. Despite the loss, Rahul was the man of the match. And Congress seems to be out of the existential crisis. Rahul has shown the resilience. Realising the Congress's weakness and mapping the strength of the BJP, he made ideological and strategic adjustments. Congress's biggest weakness was Nehruvian secularism, contextualised by the Partition of the India, bloodbath on both sides and unprecedented human migration. This secularism was tilted towards minorities due to historical reasons, but with the passage of time it should have changed. The Congress did not make any effort to bring in any change. The BJP successfully portrayed the Congress as a Muslim party and managed to provoke a section of Hindus to galvanise against Muslims. Rahul in his entire campaign did not talk about Muslims. He focused on Hindus, visited temple after temple and did not hesitate in projecting himself as a practising Hindu. It was not a minor tweaking but passed through many histories. It's a major turnaround in the history of the Congress and results were immediate for all to see. The Congress had finally adopted the VN Gadgil approach that in a country where 80% of the population is that of Hindus, the Congress can't afford to leave that population for 20% minorities. And for this approach to be adopted the likes of Digvijaya Singh had to go into oblivion. The Congress has also shown the resilience to forge alliances. In Gujarat, other political parties are not very substantial but in last few years a few caste leaders have emerged. Rahul stitched together a working alliance. The Congress left seats for Hardik Patel, admitted Alpesh Thakore in its fold and electorally supported Jignesh Mewani. It has to be understood in the context that Congress was once a colossus. It had an overwhelming presence across India. It used to think itself as a natural party of governance. The Congress was not used to working in an alliance. It always preferred a majority government. In 1991, the Congress, under Narasimha Rao, led a minority government for the first time. Manmohan Singh was the second Congress PM to lead a coalition government, 2004 to 2014. But there is a difference. None of them belonged to Nehru-Gandhi family. Rahul is the first from the family who is faced with a situation in which he has no alternative but to stitch coalitions. He has to imbibe coalition dharma in his nature and practise it. Therefore, creating a successful alliance with these caste leaders is remarkable. It's second major turnaround in the Congress understanding. This understanding will help him understand future allies before and after parliamentary elections in 2019. If Rahul wants to seek the revenge for the 2014 humiliation then he has to form a formidable combination of smaller parties. He has to cobble together a non-BJP alliance. But there is a problem. Congress doesnt have numbers. It is left with very few state governments also. It seems to be a weak political force. Politics is ruthless. Alliances mean hard bargaining. Every player wants its pound of flesh. Nobody wants to give an inch. So the Congress has to do two things. One, given the situation the Congress is stuck with its numbers in Lola Sabha, it can't increase its seats before parliamentary election so it has to definitely create an image of being much stronger than it is. It has to project that it might have 44 MPs in Lok Sabha but among the non-BJP conglomerate it is the only party which can boast of an all India presence. To cultivate that image Rahul and his team have to be seen to be more assertive, more aggressive and more combative. After the Gujarat elections the Congress has shown the same combativeness in Parliament too. On the issue of Manmohan Singh being branded an anti-national by PM Modi, the Congress forced the BJP to clarify its position. Arun Jaitley had to say that the PM in his speeches did not question nor meant to question the commitment to this nation of either former PM Manmohan Singh or former VP Hamid Ansari. Then it further forced central minister Anant Hegde to apologise on his statement about secularism and change of constitution. This has reinforced its position vis-a-vis the BJP as the principal opposition party. Secondly, in 2018 four big states Karnataka, MP, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh will go to polls. It has to win Karnataka, has to snatch at least one state out of three BJP ruled ones. It has best chances in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. If it loses Karnataka then serious question marks will be raised about its endurance and if it wins two or three among the four states then the Congress will go to parliamentary elections with a higher chance of success and more confidence. Then the Congress will have the aura to attract non-BJP allies and dictate its terms for seat adjustment. In this context, I won't be surprised if the Congress moves slowly towards alliance making. (The author is a member of the Political Affairs Committee of Aam Aadmi Party. Views are personal.) Chennai: While many were taking the opportunity to welcome superstar Rajinikanth into politics, Tamil Nadu BJP president Tamilisai Soundararajan told the media that the actor's proposed party will be an NDA ally in 2019. The superstar had said that he will take a call on the Lok Sabha polls "when the time comes". On Sunday, the state BJP chief had also congratulated Rajinikanth for his entry into politics and wrote, "Welcome actor Rajinikanths political entry with motto of corruption free good governance which is the sole aim of BJP (sic)." Rajinikanth on Sunday had announced his much-speculated entry into politics claiming he would launch a party before the next state Assembly polls. "I am joining politics and it is for sure," said the actor clad in a spotless white kurta and sporting a grey beard. Batting for honesty in politics and good governance, he said, "everything needs to be changed" and declared that "spiritual politics" needs to be ushered in, sans shades of any caste or religion with transparency. "This is my motto and desire," he said and appealed to people to support him in his venture adding it was not possible to do it alone. During the era of kings, they plundered the countries of their enemies. However, in democracy, parties are plundering their own people and such a system needs to be changed democratically, he said. Wishes poured in for the actor from fellow actors and politicians soon after his announcement. Taking to Twitter, Rajinikanths cinema and perhaps political rival soon, Kamal Haasan, said, I congratulate my brother Rajini for his social consciousness and his political entry. Welcome welcome (sic). The ruling AIADMK was more cautious in its reaction, questioning the actor on his political blueprint. Party leader Maitreyan even called him a seasoned politician. Anybody is free to enter politics. Rajinikanth is a seasoned politician. But he will have to spell out his political blueprint. TTV Dinakaran, who heads the other warring faction of the AIADMK, had dismissed Rajinikanth as a player in Tamil Nadu on the eve of the actors announcement. After the announcement, however, he said he was happy to see the actor enter politics. DMK Working President MK Stalin simply congratulated and welcomed Rajinikanth into politics. A high-altitude balloon, that was launched by Google to provide high-speed internet in the remote parts of the earth under "Project Loon", has crashed in a Kenya farm, a media report said on Saturday. The balloon, a part of a 10-balloon batch, was deployed for testing in Nakuru, Nanyuki, Nyeri and Marsabit in July 2017. It crashed at Nthambiro in Meru on Friday night, media reported. Some residents complained of headaches after they gathered around the device to get its glimpse. "The device from project loon indicates it fell after its expiry period of six months. No one is yet to claim the device," Igembe South OCPD Jane Nyakeruma was quoted as saying. Earlier this year, Google announced that it was "years closer" to deliver internet to remote parts of the world using high-flying balloons. Researchers at Google's Project Loon -- part of the company's X research lab -- said it was now able to use machine learning to predict weather systems, meaning the firm has a greater control over where its balloons go, making it possible to focus on a specific region, rather than circumnavigating the globe, BBC reported. Under the project, the firm suspended a network of huge balloons that beam down connectivity. The balloons float in the stratosphere around 11 miles high. By raising or lowering altitude, the balloons can be caught in different weather streams, changing direction. Watch: Tech and Auto Show Ep 25 | Honor 7X, Honor View 10, Hyundai Weekender & More India will launch 31 satellites, including the earth observation spacecraft Cartosat on January 10, from its spaceport at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh, an official said on Saturday. "We have tentatively scheduled the rocket launch at 9.30 a.m. to carry Cartosat and other satellites, including 28 from the US and five other countries in a single mission," Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Director Devi Prasad Karnik told IANS here. The first space mission in 2018 onboard the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C40) comes four months after a similar rocket failed to deliver the country's eighth navigation satellite in the earth's lower orbit on August 31. "The sixth Cartosat in the second series and other satellites are integrated with the rocket at the spaceport. The mission launch board will decide the rocket's lift-off time for the reverse countdown two days ahead," said Karnik. The mission's payload will also include one each nano and microsatellite from India, besides Cartosat-2. As an observational satellite, Cartosat will beam high-quality images for cartographic, urban and rural applications, coastal land use and regulation and utility management like road network monitoring. The previous two satellites in the Cartosat-2 series were launched on June 23 and February 15, from the spaceport on the east coast, about 90km up Chennai. As a follow-on mission, Cartosat will also relay high-resolution scene-specific spot imageries with data from its panchromatic and multi-spectral cameras operating in time delay integration mode. The space scientists are taking special measures to ensure the 44.4-metre rocket will sling the 720kg Cartosat and other satellites one-after-one into their intended orbits. "The August 31 mission suffered a setback when the 320-tonne workhorse launcher (PSLV-C39) did not separate the heat shield to deliver the spare satellite in the Indian Remote Navigation Satellite Series (IRNSS-H) from its cone-shaped top-end," recalled another official. To make up for the lost time when launches were held up for four months pending an inquiry into the August 31 mission failure, the space agency plans to have at least one launch a month in 2018. "We have lined up five-six launches in the first half of next year, including two for deploying GSAT-6A and GSAT-29 advanced communication satellites in the geosynchronous orbit (36,000km above the earth)," asserted the official. The space agency will also launch its second lunar mission (Chandrayaan-2) to the moon, with an orbiter, lander and rover for the first time. The 3,290 kg Chndrayaan-2 will orbit around the moon and study its lunar conditions to collect data on its topography, mineralogy, exosphere and the "presence" of water ice and hydroxyl. On reaching the 100 km lunar orbit, the lander with the six-wheeled rover will separate from the spacecraft and descend slowly to soft land on the lunar surface at a designated spot. "The rover will move around the landing site in a semi-autonomous mode as per the ground commands while its instruments will observe the lunar surface and transmit the data for analysis of its soil," added the official. Watch: Tech and Auto Show Ep 25 | Honor 7X, Honor View 10, Hyundai Weekender & More Washington: US President Donald Trump tweeted right to the end of 2017 Sunday, boasting of his accomplishments in his turbulent first year in office and throwing down the gauntlet for the US midterm elections. He highlighted his tax cut and a surging stock market in a series of New Year's Eve tweets that seemed to set the table for next year's fight for control of the US Congress. "Why would smart voters want to put Democrats in Congress in 2018 Election when their policies will totally kill the great wealth created during the months since the Election," he said. "People are much better off now not to mention ISIS, VA, Judges, Strong Border, 2nd A, Tax Cuts & more?" "2nd A" appears to refer to the constitutional right under the Second Amendment to keep and bear arms though it was unclear what action, if any, Trump has taken in that regard. LOW RATINGS Trump is ringing in the New Year at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida before returning to Washington. "As our Country rapidly grows stronger and smarter, I want to wish all of my friends, supporters, enemies, haters, and even the very dishonest Fake News Media, a Happy and Healthy New Year," he tweeted, repeating his often-used term for well-established news outlets which have issued investigative reports that cast him in a negative light. "2018 will be a great year for America!" Trump said. He goes into 2018 with the lowest approval ratings of any modern first-year US president, after a year during which he shattered political expectations, strained long-standing alliances and courted controversy on race and immigration. In a tweet late Thursday, Trump addressed criticism of his often incendiary use of social media. "I use Social Media not because I like to, but because it is the only way to fight a VERY dishonest and unfair 'press,' now often referred to as Fake News Media. "Phony and non-existent 'sources' are being used more often than ever. Many stories & reports a pure fiction!" Still continuing is a deepening federal probe into whether Trump campaign aides and associates colluded with a covert Russian effort to sway the 2016 US presidential election in the Republican's favour. But Trump, who told The New York Times this week that the investigation makes "the country look very bad," stuck to the good economic news on Sunday. "If the Dems (Crooked Hillary) got elected, your stocks would be down 50% from values on Election Day. Now they have a great future - and just beginning!" he tweeted, referring to his defeated Democratic challenger Hillary Clinton. Despite passage of a major tax overhaul before Christmas and stock markets ending the year at record highs, Republicans have proved vulnerable in recent elections. Republicans now hold a slender one-seat majority in the US Senate after a Trump-endorsed candidate -- accused of preying on teenage girls -- lost a special election in traditionally Republican Alabama. A poll average compiled by website RealClearPolitics.com finds that 55.6 percent of Americans disapprove of Trump's performance in office and 40 percent approve. That represents a notable deterioration on both measures since he took office in January, after a divisive campaign that featured attacks on immigration and free trade deals, and in which he promised to bring back jobs to depressed parts of the country. The US economy is growing at 3.2 percent and unemployment is at a two decade low of 4.1 percent. In his most significant legislative victory to date, Trump succeeded in slashing corporate tax rates from a top rate of 35 to 21 percent, but at an expected cost of soaring federal deficits. 'CLOSER' TO WAR Internationally, nerves have been set on edge and some have questioned Trump's global leadership. Former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Mike Mullen, said Sunday that Trump's unpredictability and the disruptive nature of his presidency have created "an incredibly dangerous climate." "We're actually closer, in my view, to a nuclear war with North Korea and in that region than we have ever been," he said on ABC's "This Week." "I don't see the opportunities to solve this diplomatically at this particular point," he said. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a foreign policy hawk who has grown close to Trump, called 2018 "a year of opportunity and extreme danger." "We've got a chance here to deliver some fatal blows to really bad actors in 2018. But if we blink, God help us all," he said on CBS's "Face the Nation." Seoul: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said Monday the United States should be aware that his country's nuclear forces are now a reality, not a threat. But he also struck a conciliatory tone in his New Year's address, wishing success for the Winter Olympics set to begin in the South in February and suggesting the North may send a delegation to participate. Kim, wearing a Western-style grey suit and tie, said in his customary annual address his country had achieved the historic feat of "completing" its nuclear forces and added he has a nuclear button on his desk. "The U.S. should know that the button for nuclear weapons is on my table," he said during the speech, as provisionally translated by the AP. The official transcript of his address was expected to be released shortly. "The entire area of the U.S. mainland is within our nuclear strike range. ... The United States can never start a war against me and our country." Kim also called for improved relations with the South, an idea mentioned in speeches more often than it is met. He said the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics would be a good opportunity to showcase the status of the Korean nation. He said the North and South could meet urgently to discuss the North sending a delegation. "The Winter Olympic games that will be held soon in the South will be a good opportunity to display the status of the Korean nation and we sincerely wish that the event will be held with good results," he said. The New Year's address is an annual event in the North and is watched closely for indications of the direction and priorities Kim may adopt in the year ahead. This year's speech was seen as particularly important because of the high tensions over Pyongyang's frequent missile launches and its nuclear test in 2017. The tests were the focus of fiery verbal exchanges between the North and U.S. President Donald Trump, who has derisively called Kim, "little rocket man." Kim also stressed North Korea's economic achievements during the speech and noted the importance of improving the nation's standard of living. Islamabad: Pakistan government plans to seize control of organisations and financial assets linked to 26/11 attacks mastermind Hafiz Saeed, Reuters reported on Monday. The government detailed its plans in a secret order to various provincial and federal departments on December 19, three officials told Reuters. These officials attended one of several high-level meeting discussing the crackdown. Marked "secret", a December 19 document from the finance ministry directed law enforcement and governments in Pakistan's five provinces to submit an action plan by December 28 for a "takeover" of Saeed's Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) and the Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation. The United States has labelled JuD and FIF "terrorist fronts" for Lashkar-e-Taiba, the terror group Saeed founded in 1987 and which India and the United States blame for the 2008 attacks in Mumbai that killed 166 people. In Pakistan, however, these outfits operate under the guise of charities. The Donald Trump administration has openly called out Pakistan for its inaction against terror groups operating on its soil. On December 30, the New York Times had reported that the US was planning to withhold $255 million in aid to Pakistan, reflecting its dissatisfaction with Islamabad's inaction on terrorism. "Senior administration officials met this month to decide what to do about the money, and American officials said a final decision could be made in the coming weeks," the daily said. Saeed has denied involvement in the attacks and a Pakistani court saw insufficient evidence to convict him, which means he continues to roam free in Pakistan. The December 19 document, which refers to "Financial Action Task Force (FATF) issues", names only Saeed's two charities and "actions to be taken" against them. The FATF, which is an international body that combats money laundering and terrorist financing, has warned Pakistan that it faces inclusion on a watchlist for failing to crack down on financing terrorism. Asked about a crackdown on JuD and FIF, Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal, who co-chaired one of the meetings on the plan, responded only generally, saying he has ordered authorities "to choke the fundraising of all proscribed outfits in Pakistan". In a written reply to Reuters, he also said Pakistan wasn't taking action under US pressure. "We're not pleasing anyone. We're working as a responsible nation to fulfill our obligations to our people and the international community." Spokesmen for the JuD and FIF both said they could not comment until they receive official notifications of the government's plans. "We dont have any intimation about any crackdown so far," FIF spokesman Salman Shahid told Reuters. "No one has asked us about our work or assets." Saeed could not be reached for comment, Reuters reported. He has frequently denied having ties to militants and claims the charitable organisations he founded and controls have no terrorism ties. FIRST MAJOR MOVE If the government follows through with the plan, it would mark the first time Pakistan has made a major move against Saeed's network. The JuD and FIF alone have about 50,000 volunteers and hundreds of other paid workers, according to two counter-terrorism officials. Participants at the meeting raised the possibility that the government's failure to act against the charities could lead to UN sanctions, one of the three officials said. A UN Security Council team is due to visit Pakistan in late January to review progress against UN-designated "terrorist" groups. "Any adverse comments or action suggested by the team can have far-reaching implications for Pakistan," the official said. The December 19 document gave few details about how the state would take over Saeed's groups, pending the plans submitted by the provincial governments. It says law enforcement agencies will coordinate with Pakistan's intelligence agencies to identify the assets of the two groups and examine how they raise money. The document also directs that the name of JuD's 200-acre headquarters, Markaz-e-Taiba, near Lahore be changed to something else "to make it known that the Government of "Punjab (province) solely manages and operates the Markaz(headquarters)". The move to seize the organisations could spark some concern from Pakistans powerful military, which has proposed plans to steer Saeed and the JuD into mainstream politics. The military did not respond to a request for comment, Reuters said. In August, JuD officials formed a new political party, the Milli Muslim League, and backed candidates who fared relatively strongly in two key parliamentary by-elections. The JuD offers vocal support to militants and terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir, calling for Pakistan to retake the Indian state. Nuclear-armed India and Pakistan have fought two wars over Kashmir. Washington, which has offered a $10 million reward for information leading to Saeed's conviction over the Mumbai attacks, warned Islamabad of repercussions after a Pakistani court in late November released him from house arrest. Punjab's provincial government had put Saeed under house arrest for 10 months this year for violating anti-terrorism laws. Beirut: Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Monday issued a decree appointing new ministers for defence, industry and information, state television reported. He appointed General Ali Abdullah Ayoub as defence minister, Mohammed Mazen Ali Yousef as industry minister and Imad Abullah Sarah as information minister, state television reported, citing the decree. Ayoub, who was previously chief of staff in the army, is a member of Assad's Alawite sect, an offshoot of Shi'ite Islam. He replaces Fahad Jassim al-Freij. The new information minister, Sarah, was previously the head of Syria radio and television. Changes of senior ministers are not unusual in Syria. The shake-up of senior military positions comes after a year of battlefield victories against anti-Assad rebels and Islamic State. Assad now appears militarily unassailable, but relies heavily on his allies Russia and Iran, as well as regional militias backed by Iran. Some important parts of Syria remain out of his hands and the economy has been crippled by sanctions. Russia is pushing a diplomatic track to seek a political settlement to the war. Pigeons are released during the first flag raising ceremony of the year with the Guard of Honor of the Chinese People's Liberation Army taking over the ceremonial duty from the Paramilitary police in Beijing, China. (Image: AP) Maurizio Palmulli, of Italy, dives into the Tiber river from the 18 meters (59 feet) high Cavour Bridge in Rome. It is a tradition that is dedicated to Rome and a New Year greeting to all the Roman people (Image: AP) A Chinese flag is seen as Liu Wanyong performs on his invention, an improvised bicycle which is held afloat by plastic tubes, in Zhenning. Liu is a grassroots inventor who mostly creates things that are related to the traditional village lives of the ethnic minority people in Guizhou. (Image: Reuters) The happiness of their wedding day belies the uncertainty that Saddam and Shofika feel about their future in the overcrowded refugee camp. We will wait to have children," Saddam said. "We need to know whether we are staying here or going back to Myanmar first. I would only return if we are given Myanmar nationality." (Image: Reuters) An Indian family wave towards the sun as they watch the last sunset of 2017 in Hyderabad. (Image: AP) OPERATION Restore Legacy which ushered in the new dispensation led by President Emmerson Mnangagwa was a necessary operation, which came as a gift from God, national and church leaders have said. Speaking at the National Thanksgiving and Dedication Service held in honour of President Mnangagwa in Bulawayo yesterday, church leaders said the new President came through the Grace of God to restore peace in the country The service, which was also attended by Vice President Kembo Mohadi, several Government officials and thousands of people from different churches, was held at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair Grounds under the theme: God has given Zimbabwe the answer of peace. Faith for the Nation chairman, Apostle Andrew Wutawunashe, told thousands of delegates who attended the service that churches appreciate the role played by President Mnangagwa to facilitate the transition. The transition of power was smooth and it was through the Grace of God. We believe that Operation Restore legacy was a necessary exercise and it came as an answer to our prayers to bring peace into the country. We appreciate the role played by President Mnangagwa, the war veterans, the army and the rest of the Zimbabweans during this transition period. We also want to commend the First Lady Amai Auxillia Mnangagwa for her courage throughout the process, said Apostle Wutawunashe. The same sentiments also came from leaders from the Catholic Church, Zimbabwe Council of Churches, and Federation of Indigenous Churches in Zimbabwe, Ministers Fraternal, Apostolic Churches and the Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe War Veterans Association secretary general Cde Victor Matemadanda said he was overjoyed to be part of yesterdays gathering after a successful transition. Im glad that the church is taking a leading role in the restoration of our country. Its clear that God had a plan to restore the country through President Mnangagwa and I want to commend the church for continuously praying for the new leadership, said Cde Matemadanda. He encouraged Zimbabweans to work together towards the revival of the countrys economy, saying it would take time for the country to be back on its feet. Lets not expect instant change. Lets be patient and work hard towards the revival of the economy. Its also important for all of us to rally behind the President. As war veterans we support our leader and Government and well fight against violence, said Cde Matemadanda. President of the Zimbabwe Council of Chiefs, Chief Fortune Charumbira commended the churches for coming together to organise yesterdays event and encouraged all Zimbabweans to continue praying for the President and the nation. He commended President Mnangagwas resilience, adding that chiefs council would continue giving him all the support he needs in maintaining peace in the country and reviving the economy. Different church music groups kept delegates on their feet as speakers continued to pledge their support for the President. The ZCC brass band stole the show with their energetic moves as they played the famous Kutonga Kwaro hit song by Jah Prayzah. The bands performance prompted President Mnangagwa and the First Lady to stand up and dance to the music as everybody exhibited love and support to the First Family. Chronicle (Newser) At least 12 people have been killed in the ongoing protests in Iran, and armed protesters have tried to take over police stations and military bases, state TV reported Monday. The protests began Thursday in Mashhad over economic issues and have since expanded to several cities, with some protesters chanting against the government and the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the AP reports. Hundreds of people have been arrested. The state TV report said 10 were killed during clashes Sunday night, including six in the western town of Tuyserkan, 185 miles southwest of Tehran. Two demonstrators were killed during a protest in western Iran late Saturday. story continues below "Some armed protesters tried to take over some police stations and military bases but faced serious resistance from security forces," state TV reported. State TV aired images of burning buildings, as well as an ambulance crew trying to aid a wounded person amid a crowd of shouting people. It also showed a firetruck that appeared to have been attacked and burned. On Sunday, Iran blocked access to Instagram and the popular messaging app Telegram used by activists to organize. President Hassan Rouhani acknowledged the public's anger over the Islamic Republic's flagging economy, though he and others warned that the government wouldn't hesitate to crack down on those it considers lawbreakers. (President Trump has warned that the "world is watching.") (Newser) Call it the tamer (and more romantic) version of the Mile High Club, before the plane even left the ground. The Independent reports on an airline pilot who decided to surprise his flight attendant girlfriend, who works with him, two days before Christmas. As Jon Emerson, 24, gave passengers weather, altitude, and turbulence details before their SkyWest flight took off from Detroit to Oklahoma City, he suddenly changed the subject. He introduced 23-year-old Lauren Gibbs as his girlfriend, and also as "one of our very best flight attendants," then said he wanted her to not only remember this day as their anniversary, but also as a "day to be known for the rest of our lives." story continues below In a video Gibbs posted to her Facebook page, Emerson can then be seen whipping out a ring box and getting down on one knee in front of Gibbs to offer his marriage proposal amid clapping and cheers from the flight's passengers. (Emerson headed back to the PA system to note, "She said yes" for those who couldn't hear in the back.) "I got to say the easiest YES of my life to my best friend!" Gibbs writes in her post. "It still feels like a dream and I cannot explain how blessed I am to spend forever with Jon." She included the hashtag #LaurenLandedEmerson, then added a bit of news about the venue for their nuptials: "Sorry to disappoint, but the wedding will not be on a plane!" (Another holiday season proposal, this one in subzero temperatures.) (Newser) While crowds braved the bitter cold in Times Square for New Year's Eve, Maria Menounos warmed hearts with a surprise live event: marrying her longtime beau. EW.com reports that shortly before midnight, Menounos, who was co-hosting Fox News' New Year's Eve broadcast from New York City with Steve Harvey, wed Keven Undergaro, whom she's been with for 20 years. The on-air nuptials were supposedly the brainchild of a Fox producer just a couple of weeks ago, and People notes Menounos' scramble to find a stunning dress that could also withstand what was likely going to be frigid New Year's Eve temps. story continues below "I quickly went onto Pinterest and started looking at wedding gowns," Menounos says. "I've never really been that girl that's done that." Her final selection was a Pronovias strapless lace "Randala" gown with a matching detachable coat to protect her against the cold. "The cameraman, who doesn't even know me, cried" when he saw her in the dress, she says. Undergaro had proposed to her live in March 2016 on Howard Stern's radio show. In attendance at the wedding, which was officiated by Harvey: Menounos' father and mother, the latter still battling stage 4 brain cancer. "Seeing my parents happy means everything!" Menounos posted on Instagram. (Menounos found out she had her own brain tumor last year.) (Newser) Jan. 1 isn't just New Year's Day for the Roman Catholic Church. It's also the World Day of Peace, and Pope Francis used the occasion Monday to remind 40,000 congregants at St. Peter's Square about the plight of one of the world's "weakest and most needy" populations, per Reuters and CNN. "Please do not extinguish the hope in their hearts," the pontiff said of migrants and refugees looking for safe havens, adding "for this peace, to which everyone has a right, many of them are willing to risk their lives in a journey which is often long and dangerous." In an earlier Mass, per the Washington Post, Francis recommended dumping the "useless baggage" of life and reflecting more on God, which will help stop "our freedom from being corroded by the banality of consumerism, the blare of commercials, the stream of empty words, and the overpowering waves of empty chatter and loud shouting." story continues below Francis also issued a warning in recent days on the perils of nuclear war, via a photo showing a Japanese boy in 1945 carrying his dead brother on his back shortly after the Nagasaki bombing, the Independent reports. The Vatican press office started sending around cards featuring the image by Marine photographer Joe O'Donnell, with the Francis-added words "the fruits of war" on the back. The caption under the photo reads: "The young boy's sadness is expressed only in his gesture of biting his lips which are oozing blood." A Vatican analyst says this latest correspondence out of Rome is "consistent with Francis' effort to speak out against what he describes as a 'Third World War' today, being fought in piecemeal fashion in various parts of the world." (Read more Pope Francis stories.) Thane: The Thane rural police raided a resort in Shahpur area of the district late on Sunday night as the owners hadn't taken permission for organising a New Year party. Liquor and hookah were on offer at the party. Large quantities of alcohol and hookah tobacco were seized and some persons were detained, said additional superintendent of police Prashant Kadam. The resort is located at Sakroli village. Police and civic authorities in Mumbai and neighbouring Thane have launched a crackdown on illegal alterations and events at hotels, pubs and eateries following the fire at a pub in central Mumbai on Friday which claimed 14 lives. Mumbai: Police on Monday arrested two managers of the upscale 1 Above pub, where a fire claimed 14 lives last week, over allegations that they fled without helping the guests and have been charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder. The arrests took place even as the city civic body continued its crackdown on illegal constructions at hotels, restaurants and commercial establishments for the fourth day today. The massive fire that swept through the pub located at the Kamala Mills compound in Lower Parel area here on December 29 also left 21 injured. Gibson Lopez (34) and Kevin Bawa (35) were arrested by a team of sleuths from the N M Joshi Marg police station, a police official said. Both Lopez and Bawa were working as managers at the pub. They were present in the pub when the blaze occurred in the early hours of December 29, the official said and alleged that they fled without helping the guests. We have arrested both the managers, senior police inspector Ahmad Pathan told PTI. They have been booked under IPC sections 304 ( culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 337 (causing hurt by an act endangering life or personal safety of others), 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 34 (acts are done by several persons in furtherance of common intention), he said. The punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder may extend up to 10 years or be a life term. The two were produced in a local court, which remanded them in police custody till January 9. Also Read | Mumbai: 14 killed in tragic Kamala Mills fire, CM Fadnavis orders probe, says guilty won't be spared However, the main accused of the casethe pub owners are still at large. Police have sent their teams to various places in Maharashtra and also outside the state to nab the main accused, he said. Police had booked the pub owners, Hitesh Sanghvi and Jigar Sanghvi, co-owner Abhijeet Manka and others on various charges, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder. According to the official, police also have issued a lookout notice against the main accused. The police on Sunday arrested two persons for allegedly providing shelter to the pub owners. Sanghvi brothers uncle Rakesh Sanghvi and cousin Aditya Sanghvi were arrested while a search was on for another relative Mahendra Sanghvi, according to Avinash Shingthe, senior police inspector, Byculla. Rakesh and Aditya were produced later before a court in Bhoiwada which granted them bail on a bond of Rs 25,000 each. On the directions of Brihanmumbai Municipal Commissioner Ajoy Mehta, illegal alterations and constructions were being razed in the Todi Mill and Raghuvanshi Mills areas since this morning, a senior civic official said. In the last three days, several structures were razed in the Kamala Mills compound area, he said, adding demolition drives would be conducted regularly to keep a check on unauthorized constructions. The BMC demolished illegal constructions and alterations at over 355 establishments in the city till Sunday. Also Read | Kamala Mills fire: Candlelight march organised for the victims Civic officials inspected 615 establishments and initiated action against 355 hotels, restaurants and pubs for the illegalities till yesterday, it said. Besides, 426 LPG cylinders were seized from various eateries for violation of norms related to their use and storage or construction of kitchens among other reasons, a release from the BMC on Sunday said. The BMC also asked owners of commercial establishments to assess, on their own, if their premises followed all norms related to fire safety. New Delhi: Its always a treat for fans when Amitabh Bachchan shares a picture on social media. Fans eagerly wait for the Big B to post photos of his loved ones. The Deewar actor, who is known for his acting prowess, shared a vintage photo of his family on Instagram. Bollywoods Shahenshah gave a major throwback to Abhishek and Shwetas childhood and mentioned how time flies so soon. Fans cant stop gushing over the picture and express their fondness for it. Seeing the entire Bachchan family together in one frame is an amazing sight for fans, isnt it? Check out the picture right here. If this was not enough, Big B shared another picture, this time with wife Jaya Bachchan. What caught the attention was the cute caption which read, "May the days ahead be filled with laughter and smiles of the near and dear. The Abhimaan actors can be seen laughing while having a conversation. The Agneepath actors New Year wish was enough to bring a smile on the fans' faces. The veteran Bollywood actor recently got back from Thailand where he was shooting for the upcoming film Thugs of Hindustan. The Yash Raj production, which also stars Aamir Khan and Katrina Kaif, will release on November 7, 2018. Big B revealed on his blog that he was suffering from an unbearable pain in his left shoulder due to an old shoulder injury. The Senior Bachchan sported a sling during Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharmas reception in Mumbai. We wish for a speedy recovery for our favourite actor! For all the Latest Entertainment News, Bollywood News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The contentious bill that criminalises instant Triple Talaq among Muslims, already passed by the Lok Sabha, is set to be introduced in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. The bill, which makes instant triple talaq illegal with up to three years in jail for the husband, was passed by the Lower House last week. The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill is listed for introduction in the Rajya Sabha by Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on January 2, according to the list of business of the Upper House. This bill gives power to the victim to approach a magistrate seeking subsistence allowance for herself and minor children in the case of instant triple talaq or talaq-e-biddat. A victim can also seek the custody of her minor children from the magistrate. Under the law, instant triple talaq in any form spoken, in writing or by electronic means such as email, SMS and WhatsAppwould be illegal and void. Meanwhile, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has claimed that various Muslim bodies in the country would move the Supreme Court if the bill is also passed by the Rajya Sabha. The bill could get stalled in the Rajya Sabha where government lacks a majority and it may be referred to a parliamentary committee for its review. Congress to consult other Opposition parties before taking decision on Triple Talaq bill The Congress would consult a larger opposition before finalising its stand on the contentious bill which proposed to ban instant Triple Talaq and make the practice a cognizable offence, party sources said on Monday. According to the sources, Leader of Opposition in the Upper House Ghulam Nabi Azad has convened a meeting of the leaders of his party (Congress) as well as other parties in his Parliament chamber on Tuesday, before the bill is taken up. The sources added that while the Congress was in favour of the bill as it proposed to ban instant Triple Talaq, whether it would press for sending it to the Select Committee, as has been the practice in the Rajya Sabha, would only be seen on Tuesday. The party might press for amendments in the bill, including a clause for maintenance to the Muslim women and making it mandatory for the man to prove that triple talaq had not been invoked, the sources said. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi : Soon after Donald Trumps Pakistan bashing, Indias ruling party BJP on Monday quickly took the credit and claimed that US Presidents tough message to Islamabad was a result of Prime Minister Narendra Modis diplomacy. Congratulating the President of the United States (POTUS) for his tough remark, BJP spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao also took a dig at Congress President Rahul Gandhi for mocking Modis hug-diplomacy. Congrats to POTUS for calling Terroristans bluff & signalling resolve to end Paks deceit. Dear RahulG, here are results of diplomacy of PM @narendramodi ji. When will you see Pak drama instead of targeting Indian Army. Are you rushing Aiyers to hug and console Pak over the snub? (sic), BJP spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao said in a tweet. MoS, PMO Jitendra Singh said, "We can reasonably argue that Trump administration's decision today has abundantly vindicated India's stand as far as terror is concerned and as far as Pakistan's role in perpetrating terror is concerned." The remarks from BJP leaders came after Trump said Pakistan had given America nothing but lies and deceit and that it had provided a safe haven to terrorists. Also Read | Donald Trump raps Pakistan for being safe haven to terrorists 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! the US president said in a strongly worded tweet. Earlier in December last year, Trump had said the Pakistan took tremendous advantage of the U.S. over the years, but the two countries are now starting to have a real relationship. On his statement, Rahul Gandhi had taken a swipe at PM Modi saying that the US president needs another hug. The Congress leaders remarks were in reference to the visible bonhomie between Trump and Modi with the two leaders exchanging hugs during the Prime Ministers last visit to the US. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The Union health ministry on Monday asked central government hospitals to take necessary steps to ensure healthcare and emergency services run smoothly in wake of an IMA call to suspend routine services for 12 hours on Tuesday. The Indian Medical Association has called for suspending routine services tomorrow to protest against a bill that seeks to replace the Medical Council of India (MCI) with a new body. The National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill was tabled in Parliament on Friday> It also proposes to allow practitioners of alternative medicines, such as homoeopathy and Ayurveda, practice allopathy after completing a bridge course. Healthcare services at many private hospitals in the country are expected to be hit due to the shutdown. The IMA has 2.77 lakh doctors as its members. It has come to our notice that the IMA would be on one- day strike on Jan 2, 2018. Since the strike may involve a large number of medical professionals, it is anticipated that there would be an inconvenience to the patient care services in hospitals, the health ministry advisory said. Also Read: 12 killed in Iran protests, security personnel attacked, says Iran state TV It is requested that all necessary measures may be taken to ensure that the patient healthcare and emergency services are run smoothly, it added. The advisory has been issued to AIIMS, Safdarjung Hospital and other such central government-run hospitals. The ministry has also sought a compliance report from hospitals. The IMA has strongly opposed the NMC bill, saying it will cripple the functioning of medical professionals by making them completely answerable to the bureaucracy and non-medical administrators. It has declared January 2 as black day. The NMC bill in the present form is not acceptable. This bill is anti-poor, anti-people, non-representative, undemocratic and anti-federal in character, newly-appointed IMA national president Dr Ravi Wankhedkar said. The Delhi Medical Association is supporting the IMAs protest and has called on private and corporate hospitals in the national capital to keep their OPD services closed. Also Read: Resume work tomorrow or face action: Rajasthan government to striking docs IMA members also held a meeting with the Union Health Minister J P Nadda and conveyed their concerns over the bill. Dr K K Aggarwal, former president of the IMA, said they have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the health minister, urging them to redraft the bill and modify some provisions to protect the interest of medical practitioners. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Thiruvananthapuram: The CPI(M)-led LDF government in Kerala on Sunday said the number of cases connected with political violence has come down in 2017, a claim disputed by opposition Congress and BJP in the state. Quoting statistics, a statement from the office of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said cases connected with political clashes in 2017 was 1,463 which was 211 lesser than the previous year. This was following effective administrative and political steps taken by the government along with peace initiatives of Chief Minister, the statement said. Slamming the government on the issue, opposition leader in the Kerala assembly Ramesh Chennithala said the statistics put out by the government was to mislead the people. "Political clashes and murders were much more than the figures given by the government", he said. There was a total breakdown of law and order in the state, he alleged and said "police in the state has become a mere spectator." "The police were also not given freedom to function due to political interference," he said. Chennithala said that a total of 20 political killings have occurred during the year. Countering the government position, BJP state president Kummanam Rajasekharan said it was not based on statistics one should evaluate the law and order situation. "The number of political killings was more during the year than last year. A total of 13 BJP-RSS workers were killed in the attack by CPI(M) during the year," Rajasekharan told PTI. As per National Crime Bureau statistics, the overall crime rate in the state was higher compared to other states during the year, he said, adding, "The law and order was at its worst in the year." "The intensity of the crime has also gone up during the year," he claimed. Rajasekharan alleged that even after peace conference by the Chief Minister, BJP-RSS workers were targeted by ruling CPI(M) workers. A total number of 1,463 cases of political violence were reported till December 30 this year and it was 1,674 cases in 2016, the statement from CMO said. Also Read: Kerala cabinet decides to implement reservation for economically backward from forward communities It said that political violence in Kannur, which has a history of repeated clashes between workers of CPI(M) and BJP-RSS has also come down. In 2016 a total of 363 cases were registered in Kannur, while the number of cases have gone down to 271 this year, the statement said. It claimed the political clashes decreased due to the administrative and political steps taken by the government. Also Read| Solar scam: Kerala govt orders vigilance probe against former CM Oommen Chandy It was also the result of peace effort initiated by the Chief Minister, the statement said. The BJP's state unit took out a Jana Raksha Yatra against the increase in the alleged attacks by CPI(M) workers on its cadres after the LDF government came to power in 2016. BJP National President Amit Shah had attended the Yatra and had alleged that whenever CPI(M) came to power in the state, political attacks against BJP-RSS activists went up. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday greeted the nation on the occasion of new year. "Happy New Year to everybody. May 2018 bring laughter, friendship and prosperity to all our families, to our country, and to our unique and beautiful planet #PresidentKovind," Kovind said in a tweet. Modi also extended his New Year greetings to the nation. "Wishing you all a happy 2018! I pray that this year brings joy, prosperity and good health in everyone's lives," he said in a tweet. Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu also wished prosperity and happiness to the citizens of India. I convey my warm greetings and best wishes to all our citizens on the advent of Year 2018 and let us collectively resolve to dedicate ourselves towards building a peaceful, prosperous and harmonious society, he added. Congress President Rahul Gandhi also wished a prosperous new year for everyone. A day before the new year day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation in his monthly radio programme Man ki Baat. Nothing is impossible for those filled with enthusiasm and positivity. Now, we must move from Positive India to Progressive India, he said. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: An atypical study led by a group of astronauts from the International Space Station (ISS) for the first time has identified microbes in space without having to samples back to Earth for tests. The invention will further help in diagnosing and treating astronaut ailments in real time, as well as assisting in the identification of DNA-based life on other planets. It is also expected to benefit several other experiments aboard the orbiting laboratory. Identifying microbes involves isolating the DNA of samples, and then amplifying or making many copies of that DNA that can then be sequenced, or identified. The investigation was broken into two parts: the collection of the microbial samples and amplification by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), then sequencing and identification of the microbes. NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson conducted the experiment aboard the orbiting laboratory, with NASA microbiologist and the projects Principal Investigator Sarah Wallace and her team watching and guiding her from the US. Also Read: Giant Pacific Octopus discovered by scientists off the coast of Alaska As part of regular microbial monitoring, Petri plates were touched to various surfaces of the space station.Working within the Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) about a week later, Whitson transferred cells from growing bacterial colonies on those plates into miniature test tubes, something that had never been done before in space. Once the cells were successfully collected, it was time to isolate the DNA and prepare it for sequencing, enabling the identification of the unknown organisms - another first for space microbiology. The MinION device was used to sequence the amplified DNA. The data were downlinked to the team in Houston for analysis and identification. Talking about their latest findings Aaron Burton, NASA biochemist said, "Once we actually got the data on the ground we were able to turn it around and start analysing it." The samples were returned to Earth soon after. Biochemical and sequencing tests were completed in ground labs to confirm the findings from the space station. Also Read: 150 million-year-old fossilized remains of sea reptile discovered in Antarctica: Scientists Researchers ran tests multiple times to confirm accuracy. Each time, the results were exactly the same on the ground as in orbit. (With PTI inputs) For all the Latest Science News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: A sheriff's deputy was killed and six others wounded as a Gunman went bizarre opening indiscriminate fire in what police called a "domestic disturbance" in aresidential suburb near Denver, Colorado. The lone suspect was "shot & believed to be dead" after the standoff at the Copper Canyon apartment complex in Highlands Ranch, 20 kilometers south of Denver, the Douglas County sheriff's office tweeted. Details of the incident were not immediately clear. The wounded were taken to two area hospitals, at least three of them with noncritical injuries, the Denver Post reported. Deputies had responded to an early-morning call of a disturbance when shots were fired from the building. Police quickly dispatched a heavily armed SWAT team as well as a bomb-squad truck, though there was no immediate word of any explosives being found. Police from five jurisdictions, including Colorado state police, were placed on alert. As the incident unfurled, the sheriff's office advised local residents to take cover in place and stay away from windows. The toll among deputies today appeared to be one of the highest in a police-involved shooting since five officers in Dallas, Texas were shot to death and several others injured in July 2016 by a man angered by police shootings of black men. The area near today's shooting has been scarred by dramatic mass shootings in recent years, including the Columbine school shooting in 1999, which left 15 people dead, and the 2012 shooting at a movie theater in Aurora that claimed 12 lives. Both are within a half-hour's drive of Highlands Park. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Washington: President Donald Trump on Monday tore into Pakistan accusing it 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 thinking of American leaders as fools. In his strongest attack against Pakistan yet, Trump in his first tweet of the year on New Years day also appeared to suggest he could cut off foreign aid to Pakistan. 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 said in the strongly worded tweet. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more! Trump said. 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 His remarks come days after the New York Times reported that the US is considering withholding USD 225 million in aid to Pakistan reflecting its dissatisfaction with the latters reluctance in the war against terrorism. Shortly after Trumps attack, Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif called on Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, a Pakistani media report said. The meeting held a detailed review of the Trumps statement, the Geo TV reported, citing its sources. It said the two leaders also discussed on the countrys foreign policy. We will respond to President Trumps tweet shortly inshallah...Will let the world know the truth..difference between facts & fiction.., Asif tweeted. Also Read | Pakistan hits back at Donald Trump, says don't blame us for your failure in Afghanistan In November, the US had strongly condemned release of the Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed by Pakistan and had demanded his immediate re-arrest and prosecution, warning that there would be repercussions for bilateral ties if Islamabad fails to take decisive action against the JuD chief. Saeed, who carries a USD 10 million American bounty on his head for terror activities, walked free after the Pakistan government decided against detaining him further in any other case. In his new South Asia Policy in August, Trump had called for tougher measure against Pakistan if it fails to cooperate with the US in its fight against terrorism. We can no longer be silent about Pakistan being safe havens for terrorist organisations, the Taliban, and other groups that pose a threat to the region and beyond. Pakistan has much to gain from partnering with our effort in Afghanistan. It has much to lose by continuing to harbour criminals and terrorists, Trump had said in his South Asia Policy speech. Noting that in the past, Pakistan has been a valued partner, Trump had accused it of providing shelter to the same organisations that try every single day to kill Americans. We have been paying Pakistan billions and billions of dollars at the same time they are housing the very terrorists that we are fighting. But that will have to change, and that will change immediately, Trump had said. Also Read | BJP credits Modis diplomacy for Trumps Pak bashing, takes dig at Rahul Gandhi No partnership can survive a countrys harbouring of militants and terrorists who target US service members and officials. It is time for Pakistan to demonstrate its commitment to civilisation, order, and to peace, he had said. Pakistan has repeatedly denied that there are any terrorist safe havens inside its territory. Both its officials in Islamabad and inside the United Nations in New York assert that there are no terrorist safe havens. However, the top American leadership insists that there has been no change in Pakistani behaviour on this front that that it is fast running out of patience. In December, the Pentagon warned Pakistan of unilateral action if Islamabad did not act. In a surprise visit to Afghanistan before Christmas, US Vice President Mike Pence had issued a stern warning to Pakistan, for which using non-state actors against its two neighbours - India and Afghanistan - has been part of its national security policy. For too long Pakistan has provided safe haven to the Taliban and many terrorist organisations, but those days are over, Pence told American troops at the Bagram airbase in Afghanistan where he made an unannounced trip on December 21. President Trump has put Pakistan on notice, he had said. Afghanistans Ambassador to the US Hamdullah Mohib welcomed Trumps tweet. A promising message to Afghans who have suffered at the hands of terrorists based in Pakistan for far too long, Mohib tweeted. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Islamabad: National security advisors of India and Pakistan held a secret meeting in Thailand where the tone and tenor of Indias NSA Ajit Doval was friendly and positive, a senior Pakistani official said on Friday. A Pakistans national security division official, on the condition of anonymity, said the meeting between Pakistans NSA retired Lt Gen Nasser Khan Janjua and Doval took place on December 27 in Thailand, The Dawn newspaper reported. The meeting was good. Dovals tone and tenor was friendly and positive, the official disclosed. The official maintained that he was briefed about the Indo-Pak meeting. He was told that the meeting was useful. The report also quoted the official as saying that the interaction might help in restarting some sort of engagement at the diplomatic level as well. However, there was no word -officially or unofficially - from the India side. The meeting, which appeared to be pre-decided, came two days after Indian death-row prisoner Kulbhushan Jadhav met with his family on December 25 in Islamabad. The Jadhav-family meeting became latest flashpoint in already strained Indo-Pak relations with Pakistan terming its decision to allow Jadhavs family to travel to Pakistan to meet him as humanitarian gesture and India accusing it of violating mutual understandings. New Delhi also hit out at Pakistan, asserting that the Indian national appeared coerced and under considerable stress during the tightly-controlled interaction and also accused Pakistan of disregarding cultural and religious sensibilities of family members under the pretext of security. Jadhav, who was captured in March last year, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court for alleged spying, an accusation that India has dismissed as concocted. New Delhi says Jadhav was kidnapped in Iran where he had legitimate business interests, and brought to Pakistan. To save Jadhav, India moved the International Court of Justice, which ordered Pakistan in May to stay his execution. It was not the first meeting between the two NSAs in a third country. In December 2015 also, the two NSAs, along with the two foreign secretaries, had met in Bangkok, which was not revealed from both the countries till after the meeting. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Seoul : North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un said he was always within reach of the nuclear button in a defiant New Year message after months of escalating tensions over his countrys weapons programme. Read: Colorado Shooting: Gunman kills deputy sheriff, wounds six others in bizarre incident termed as 'domestic disturbance' by police The nuclear button is always on my table. This is not blackmail but reality, said Kim, reiterating his claims that North Korea was a nuclear state. Read: World welcomes 2018, says goodbye to 2017 For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The Securities & Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) on Monday barred 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks master mind Hafiz Saeeds Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), the charity wing of banned outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba from collecting donations, Pakistani media reported. "The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan hereby prohibits all companies from donating cash to the entities and individuals listed under the UNSC sanctions committee's consolidated list," Dawn News quoted a SECP statement as saying. Apart from JuD, other terrorist organisations named in the list of banned outfits by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) were also prohibited from collecting cash. The SECP notification also warned that non-compliance with the said ruling could result in a hefty monetary fine. The Government of Pakistan has already prescribed a penalty of up to Rs 10 million for non-compliance on the sanctions regime being implemented, it said. The unexpected move from Pakistan came soon after Reuters reported that the government of Pakistan is planning to take control of Hafiz Saeeds so called charities and financial assets. Responding to reports that the government is planning on seizing their assets, JuD and FIF said they will take the matter to the court. There are clear rulings of the Lahore High Court and Supreme Court that JuD is free to continue its welfare activities in Pakistan, JuD spokesperson Yahya Mujahid said in a statement. The government still pulls such stunts for the appeasement of India, he claimed. Also Remember | Donald Trump raps Pakistan for being safe haven to terrorists, says it has only given lies and deceit to US On December 19, the Pakistan government had issued a secret order to the States asking them to submit an action plan by December 28 to take over Saeeds Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) and the Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation (FIF). The JuD and FIF have been labelled as terrorist fronts for Lashkar-e-Taiba by the United States and their owner Hafiz Saeed is Indias most wanted terrorist who was the mastermind of deadly 2008 Mumbai attacks. (PTI Inputs) For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Hitting back at the US President Donald Trump, Pakistan on Monday said that America should not blame Islamabad for its failure in Afghanistan. Earlier in the day, Donald Trump had accused Pakistan of being a safe haven to the terrorists America hunts in Afghanistan. Trump, in his New Year day tweet said, US 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! Reacting to Trumps accusations, Pakistan government said the US should not put blames for its failure in Afghanistan on Pakistan. Pakistan has rendered unmatched sacrifices in the war against terrorism & there is no ambiguity about it. Also Read | Trump raps 'terrorists safe haven' Pak, hints at scraping annual aide Pak as anti-terror ally has given free to US: Land&air communication, military bases&intel cooperation that decimated Al-Qaeda over last 16yrs, but they have given us nothing but invective & mistrust. They overlook cross-border safe havens of terrorists who murder Pakistanis, the Defence Ministry of Pakistan said. Pakistan has summoned the US ambassador over President Donald Trump's tweet and registered protest, local media reported. Pak Army also reacted strongly against the accusations of Donald Trump and said, the annual aide Pakistan received from the US was "reimbursement for support Islamabad gave to the coalition for its fight against Al Qaeda." For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. NEW HAVEN Shauna Scott along with a crowd of 50 gathered on the icy shores of Long Island Sound Monday, slipping and screaming expletives about the cold weather, as they darted into the frigid water and came running out just as quickly. With single-digit temperatures and uneven patches of ice, Scott, who is originally from North Haven, but came all the way from London to participate in this years annual Plunge for Parks winter festival, stayed bundled up like many others until the last minute possible before changing into her ringmaster costume. Scott first came across First Day New Haven three years ago while reading the newspaper and thought, OK, Im going to do it. Im going to set a resolution and Im just going to do it. That first year she braved the chilly waters by herself, with two of her cousins joining her the next year and even managing to rope in her London-bound boyfriend David Robinson this year. She said the plunge has become a family tradition, with all of them dressing up a members of the circus this year. Scott said the inspiration for their online-ordered costumes came from Robinsons handlebar mustache which took him four months to grow. Despite some reservations, Robinson, who was a strongman, explained theres no backing out as they traveled over 3,000 miles to be here. Weve got to do it, he said, adding that he hopes he returns home with all of his toes and fingers. While Scott and Robinson were fortunate enough to be with friends and family, Chris Pettker, of New Haven, was flying solo this year at Lighthouse Point Park as his family opted for the warmth of indoors. I thought many times, maybe I shouldnt be doing it. This is definitely the coldest year its been, he said. But, its a ritual I do every year. I started about 10 years ago. I saw people were doing it...Its pretty invigorating. The rest of the year doesnt feel as cold after youve done this. Even though he was looking forward to diving into the water, Pettker said he was more excited for the hot tub after, calling it the best part. Despite the general consensus this was the coldest plunge yet, with water temperatures around 34 degrees, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Marge Ottenbreit, president of the Elm City Parks Conservancy, was surprised by the larger than anticipated turnout. I said, Were going to do it, and whoever shows, shows up. I didnt think wed have this many, but we do. There are a lot of people going in. I guess people had nothing else to do, Ottenbreit said with a laugh. The plunge, organized by ECPC, raises money for the citys local parks. Participants are sponsored by family and friends, with the money they raise going toward their favorite local park. As Ottenbreit explained, if people want to have host an event like a concert, cleanup, art festival or barbecue in a specific park, they then have the money to do so. Ottenbreit said the event usually raises between $4,000 to $6,000. While she isnt sure how much money was raised this year, she believes it will be over $3,000. Ottenrbreit said she even had several sleepless nights about whether to cancel the event which has only been done once before during Superstorm Sandy, and even then around 60 people still came out and went in anyway, on their own, for no reason, with nobody else. While Ottenbreit was skeptical about children participating this year because of the biting weather, 13-year-old Sophia Melillo, of North Haven, didnt really have any worries about braving the elements. When asked why she was participating due to the chilly temperatures, she simply answered, Why not? One individual who almost didnt make it was 66-year-old George Thomson, of North Haven. He had planned on bailing due to the freezing temperatures, but after some coaxing from his cousins, he jumped in his car and arrived just in time. Having participated in this event about five times before, he ultimately decided to give it shot. Just close off your mind, run and jump. When the shock comes, get up and get back out, Thomson said of the experience. Actually, it feels warm when the wind hits you. While Thomson decided to head home right away, many of people who endured the frigid waters ran straight to the hot tubs afterward, like Loren Lawrence, 54, of New Haven, who was one of the only people to put her bathing suit on beforehand. While she had mittens on her hands and was jumping around, trying to stay warm, Lawrence explained it was part of her strategy so the cold wouldnt be as much of a shock to her system. Even though the water was freezing and she slipped on the ice, Lawrence still said, its a great thing to do to start the new year. It really is. jessica.lerner@hearstmediact.com; @jesslerner on Twitter WOODBRIDGE The long, frigid sidewalk path to the swimming pool at the JCC of Greater New Haven was dotted with ice-melting crystals Sunday, but the scene inside played out like a hot summers day. It was a New Years Eve Beach Party, for all ages members and nonmembers that included swimming, crafts, snacks and playscape fun. Beach balls flew, colorful pool noodles popped out of the water everywhere and the only sign of winter once inside was the trail of muddy beach towels from the outside entrance to the tile floor. Betsy Barbieri, of Oregon, who has three boys ages 6, 4, and 2, was visiting family and said if not for the pool party, Wed be stuck inside at my parents house, in Milford. I think its a great event to showcase the JCC and show the community what it has to offer, Barbieri said. The kids were really excited about it. Dad Spencer Maheu, of Woodbridge, was there on the sidelines as his daughter, Isabella Maheu, 8, a student at Beecher Road Elementary School, delighted in her pool time. I think its awesome, he said. Most New Years Eve events are focused around adults. Its nice to do something. Around kid. Dad Charles Rosenay, of Orange, a JCC member, seemed amused as his sons, ages 11 and 12, tossed beach balls at him on the sidelines. Richard Kayne, of Woodbridge, and his grandchildren, Willa, 5 and Truman, 8, who live in Brooklyn, spent time doing crafts before heading to the pool. There are no beach parties in Brooklyn today not that we know of, said Kayne, who wore a penguin hat. Were just excited to come in from outside and play and swim when its freezing. Debbie Brander, JCC Director of Membership and Community Engagement, said there were about 100 registered for the event, but they were also taking walk-ins. The beach party was open to the greater community, not just members. She said it was a nice way to show the JCC to the community it was a first time in the building for many and for camp families and members to reconnect. Its cozy in here, she said. The JCC has a new thrust on gaining members from the community, as it renovates in reinvents itself following a fire Dec. 5, 2016, that started in a downstairs sauna and has been ruled accidental. The four-alarm fire caused more than $2.4 million in damage, including heavy fire, smoke and water damage on the first floor and major smoke damage throughout the rest of the 106,000-square-foot building at 360 Amity Road. The pool was one of the first sections of the JCC to reopen, and the entire facility is slated for a grand opening March 18. NEW HAVEN Lou and Jen Altschuler just had to come. They were among the hundreds who showed up at Sallys Apizza throughout the holiday week, not an unusual sight, but there was more urgency to it this time. We just had to go before it changes hands, Lou Altschuler said as the Durham couple took a break from eating. There were a few slices of sausage pizza still on the tray. Jen had a pie with mozzarella. Declaring himself a pizza aficionado, Lou said when they visit any other pizza place, they have a rating system. Not Sallys, but good. Close, but nothing like Sallys, he said. Nothing is this. It is just perfect the way it is, Lou said pointing to the almost empty tray. A quirky space, the restaurant doesnt appear to have seen many changes in its eight-decade history. They havent spent a dollar in a hundred years, and it doesnt matter, Lou Altschuler said. You dont even get a plate, Jen said. And nobody cares, Lou added. Lineage Properties LLC, a company registered in Delaware, closed on the deal for the Wooster Street property and business in early December, but the attorneys have put a gag order on who the new owners are until sometime this month. Sallys is well-known and Jen Altschuler, in a small way, added to that. When she did marketing for Starter sportsware apparel in the 1990s, she had to take honorees out to dinner. Sprinter Florence Griffith Joyner, the three-time Olympic winner, was one of them. For years they would freeze pizzas and send them to her home in Mission Viejo, Calif., and Sallys was a definite stop when she was here. The iconic pizzeria was started in 1938 by Salvatore Sally Consiglio and his wife, Florence Flo Consiglio, and was left to their children, Bobby, Rick and Ruth Consiglio when Flo died in 2012. Informal offers started coming in soon after, but lawsuits have held up a sale since 2015 when one proposed deal was rejected. Now the brothers said they will continue as managers, rather than owners, with all the headaches that entails. Sallys will close for about two weeks this month for repairs to the brick oven. Bobby Consiglio said if they are going to be closed longer, they will put a notice on their website. Throughout the day, from Thurday through Saturday, in the dozen booths, about 60 people were crammed in at a time, as others bunched together near the door, out of the 15 degree cold, waiting for a table to open up. Asked how many pizzas they sold in a night during this holiday rush, Bobby Consiglio said: I dont know. Your guess is as good as mine. Bobby, 68, said there might be two smalls ordered at a table, but they will also have five large to go. He said he has never wanted to know, night after night, because I might have been gone years ago. That is something neither of us wants to know, because it would make us tired, Rick Consiglio said. Just say a lot, Rick, 66, advised. Just say a hell of a ... lot, his older brother added. The brothers take turns overseeing the kitchen, where three workers Enrique The Baker Vega, Sam The Whip Cotto and Gilberto Rodriguez-Morel turn out the pizzas, while the other brother sits at the booth in the back keeping track of the orders. Michael Shanahan, who grew up in Westville across the street from the Consiglios and has been there since 1965, works both the kitchen and dining area. Michael, I need olives ASAP, shouts Cotto, over the din in the small space with its coal-fired oven. Enrique, watch behind you. There is one coming this way, he says as one pie goes into the oven and another comes out. It is controlled chaos as they move around each other across a floor covered with flour and cornmeal. Family and friends, who come by to help out, like David Eder, fill out the staff in addition to waiter Lorenzo Lawlor who works the weekends, and the newest addition, Jerardo Gomez, 16, a junior at Wilbur Cross High School. Jerardo said the Consiglios wanted to bring back Sal and Flos practice of helping young teens by letting them work there part time. He was chosen out of five candidates. Rick Consiglio said when friends step in to help, it makes it easier on the regular crew. The walls are covered with photos of visiting celebrities, newspaper clippings and family memorabilia of Sal and Flo. Rick Consiglio said the new owners want to basically keep it the same, while updating things like the bathrooms. Most of those ordering at Sallys in the last few days were longtime customers with multiple generations in tow. One of them was U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., who was there with her husband, Stanley Greenberg, their children and grandchildren. A classic tomato pie with grated cheese was among the choices at their booth, which was augmented by an additional table and chairs to seat the large party. At a booth nearby, Angelo Cocco, 76, of Bridgeport, said he has been coming there since he was 8 years old. My parents would bring me up here every Sunday for pizza. My dad would drive on U.S. 1. That was before the turnpike was built. I have fond memories of Sal and Flo two of the kindest people I have ever met. They loved their customers, he said. This is the best pizza in the world. The Greenberg family, a group of about 14, were trading slices across the aisle as the meal was drawing to a close. Anybody want any clam? one of them asked. Art Greenberg, 95, the patriarch, said he has been coming there since 1940 and would bring his sons, Larry Greenberg and Allen Greenberg, most Sunday nights. They were there celebrating Gail Greenbergs birthday and Art would likely come back for his 96th birthday in March. Ellen Greenberg keeps a photo of her daughter, Allison Greenberg, now 23, on her phone. It shows her at 2 months old wearing a T-shirt a friend gave them that has a picture of the Sallys emblem on the pizza box. Many of Sallys customers are Yale University students or alumni who make a point of stopping by when they come through New Haven. Cara Latham and her husband Ted Latham brought their four children, and an international student who is staying with them, as they were driving home to Philadelphia. We used to come as often as we could. It hasnt changed at all, said Cara Latham, who was at Yales Music School from 1994 to 1996 earning a masters degree. From 1992 to 2000, Ted Latham got three degrees, including a doctorate in music theory. We were hoping the stars would align and we would actually be able to get in, Cara Latham said. Bernie Levine, 92, affectionally known to the Consiglios as Uncle Bernie, has been eating at Sallys since he was a teenager and always gets the classic tomato sauce with parmesan cheese. Its automatic, he says. As soon as they see him, the order goes in the oven. His son, Ron Levine, and daughter-in-law Beth Zonis, who are from Massachusetts, take him there when they travel from Lexington. The Hedman family, who come from Shelton, Orange and Trumbull, were entertaining their relatives the Brantleys from Roswell, Ga. They spent an hour outside before getting in and were then waiting for their pizzas. Its a wait, but its worth it, Bob Hedway Sr. said. They gave a shout-out to Lorenzo Lawlor. Lorenzo has to stay. Lorenzo is the best. He makes it all work, Bob Hedman said. The Altschulers expressed the sentiment of the room. Hopefully the pizza stays the same. You go there and you look at this place and you say, what is this? You forget about the bathrooms, you forget everything when the pizza comes, Lou Altschuler said. Thats all that is important. Editors note: This story has been updated to correct Beth Zonis name. Founder and Senior Pastor of the Omega Fire Ministry, Auchi, Apostle Johnson Suleiman, has released 50 shocking prophecies for the year 201... Founder and Senior Pastor of the Omega Fire Ministry, Auchi, Apostle Johnson Suleiman, has released 50 shocking prophecies for the year 2018. He talked about the sacked President of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe, Nigerian economy and series of bombing in the country. Apostle Suleman also prophesied about manhunt for the governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose and killing of political enemies by the current political leaders. Read Apostle Sulemans prophesies: 1. Economy to get better in Nigeria in 2018 2. Year of serial bombings in Nigeria 3. Imo State Governor to make governorship a family affair 4. Donald Trumps health needs attention 5. A new strategies of killing perceived political enemies in Nigeria will arise 6. Wildfire outbreak in an American state 7. Manhunt for Ekiti state Governor by the Federal Government of Nigeria 8. Government of Nigeria to disobey court orders 9. God says Let Sambo Dasuki go 10.President Buhari to be flown abroad on emergency 11. A former Nigerian military President laid to rest 12. Many bloggers to be arrested and jailed 13. Bola Tinubu to have public showdown with President Buhari 14. Robert Mugabe, former president of Zimbabwe, rest in peace 15. Political blackmail to be on the rise 16. I saw two great northern kings in open conflict 17. Church buildings collapse, tears, tears 18. EFCC boss to have major setback 19. Nollywood, new stars to take over 20. 2018 budget, Senate and presidency lockjam 21. NAFDAC to pray against fire disaster 22. Senate President To Be harassed embarrassed. Many publications and threatened arrest. 23. DSS boss, to attend to his health 24. Fresh charges against Abubakar Atiku and friends to be embarrassed 25. I saw major bombings in Egypt 26. Attempt on the life of Chief Femi Fani Kayodes wife 27. South African Jacob Zuma to be humiliated 28. Atikus men will betray him 29. U.K bombings, biggest in history 30. Channels TV in court crisis 31. America, Canada, Asia, to experience hurricanes. 32. Ibe Kachikwu to be removed and replaced 33. NTA to pray against losing a top boss 34. Shoprite Lagos to beef up securities, I see a major raid. 35. I see Fulani herdsmen entering Lagos and Rivers State massively 36. Oh America, I see war in 2018 37. Lets pray against train accident. I saw a train going out of the rail 38. I saw the naira gaining relevance 39. I see a new political party that will divide APC and PDP 40. 2019, power will not move from the North 41. I see serious politics against Osibanjo 42. Nigeria pray against air crash 43. I saw a young Nigerian musician experiencing major media attack sponsored by a fellow musician of same genre 44. Kardashian family, topsy-they in 2018 45. I see some Nollywood stars permanently leaving Nigeria for better opportunities 46. 2018, the year of the Army. So much military presence and control 47. Good luck Jonathan should pray not to be bereaved 48. Nnamdi Kanu to be embarrassed both locally and internationally 49. God will give people good health and there will be cure to incurable diseases BY ARIYO-DARE ATOYE Dear Mr. President, Your Excellency, may the Almighty God, the creator of heaven and earth, the merciful Lo... BY ARIYO-DARE ATOYE Dear Mr. President, Your Excellency, may the Almighty God, the creator of heaven and earth, the merciful Lord who granted you the grace to survive your undisclosed ailment in 2017, also heal your son, Mr. Yusuf from the injuries he sustained from a motorbike accident a few days ago. I join other Nigerians to pray for strength for the family and a speedy and full recovery for him. It is my hope that Yusuf will subsequently find it worthy to join the rank of those of us who are relentlessly advocating for a Nigeria that works, rule of law and good governance, so that our public health system, public education, public infrastructure can work to the fullest in our lifetime and serve the common good of all. You will recall on January 1 2017, I wrote a similar Open Letter to you, where I drew your attention to the degree of hopelessness in your in-the-shock statement of December 25, 2016 when you received, in the Villa, some senior citizens residing in the Federal Capital Territory, who had come to greet you then. While I fell short of saying the demand of office had taken a toll on your health, as it could be seen from your countenance then, however, I made it very clear you have been overwhelmed by the enormous burden of leadership and responsibilities, and in addition to the obvious factor of old age and the sophistication of handling democratic governance, which is different from your known military style that is not in tune with current global trends. I thank the gracious Lord, you were able to pull through your sickness. On this note, I like to reiterate the obvious sir, it has become very glaring that you no longer have the sense of urgency, tact, political will and apposite leadership competence to grapple with the full attention and rigour that come with the high demands of office. I know that your aides and team are trying cover up glaring inefficiencies, but the challenges are not by any means decreasing, while the process of addressing them meaningfully and substantially, have become very difficult. This is not in anyway a disparagement, far from it. Our nation is in a precarious state, it is sitting on a tinderbox and, more than ever before we are in a dire strait under an ominous cloud of social implosion. Nigeria is in critical need of leadership that works- full circle for 24-7/365 days. One great legacy your victory on March 28, 2015 has cemented in the annals of our democracy is an encouraging fact that an incumbent can be defeated, regardless of the imperfection of that election. You will readily admit that God has been very kind to you, even in old age, granting you the grace to preside over a nation of his people. Nigeria is a special country, blessed beyond measure, unique to the universe, sadly and badly mismanaged beyond imagination, but certainly not beyond redemption. We need a new leadership perspective, new thinking and new opportunities, I therefore urge you to toe the path of Nelson Mandela and preside over a historic transition for 2019. There is no gainsaying the soul may be willing to do some remarkable things, but obviously sir, the flesh has become very weak. Do not allow Nigeria to sink further. We need a new leader in 2019. Mr. President, today is not better than yesterday. The situation in Nigeria is such that in February next year (2018) it will overtake India as having the most people living in extreme poverty in the world, at 82 million, some global bodies have predicted. Unfortunately you have failed to defend the downtrodden from the sapping grips of ravenous political elites. It is not enough to tell Nigerians, especially your supporters to tarry in long-sufferings and sacrifices, and remain steadfast when the State House under your watch has become one of the most expensive in the world with a proposed budget of 11.5 billion for 2018. It appears your known austere lifestyle has given way to opulence. Yet unemployment rate has risen to 18.8 percent in the third quarter of 2017, with no respite for fourth quarter because there is no sense of urgency to address it. There is an urgent need for you to quickly address the inter-agencies rivalry that has dogged your administration and grossly exposed your government as inept and incapable of putting its own house in order and solving problems. Charity they say begins at home. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Department of State Security (DSS) are intractably at daggers drawn and the situation is worsening. There is a need to set up an independent investigation comprising of patriotic and decent prosecutors to look into all manner of allegations flying around against agencies and individuals under your watch. This is arguably the only option left to regain the trust of Nigerians in the failing fight against corruption. It is important we continue to commend and encourage our security agencies fighting very hard to destroy the monster of terrorism and general insecurity in the country. Unfortunately, the foundation to the criticisms they face today was laid by you and your party in opposition- when it was desperately seeking for power. Caution was thrown to the wind. There is a video of you Mr. President in circulation, where you criticised the last administration for seeking a $1 billion loan to fight boko haram. You described it as too much to fight a rag-tag terrorists. It appears everything you once criticised or denied has come back to hunt your government, including the vexed issue of subsidy on fuel price. Sir, concerning the fight against terrorism, please find time to read and do an independent research. Overcoming terrorism requires more than using weapons. According to a counter-terrorism expert, Benjamin Kuipers: Its tempting to think that a war against terrorism can be won by killing all the terrorists. In the real world, this naive plan doesnt work. A serious attempt to find and kill all the terrorists also sweeps up many ordinary people, and some of them and their relatives become new terrorists, creating more terrorists than were destroyed. The harder the authorities pursue this strategy, the more it looks like genocide, and the more effectively they recruit new terrorists. The nationwide reactions to the uninspired bid by your aides to needlessly resell you to Nigerians via a recent documentary The Human Side of Buhari, have shown clearly that your government is certainly not getting many things right. Aside the fact that the less-than-impressive video flopped in context, content and timing, it has further opened up your Presidency to unnecessary criticisms. I also think there is an urgent need for you to rein in on your aides to stop comparing you with God in any form. It is a quick path to a fall, because no man is God. You need a real Public Relations expert to guide the management of your perception henceforth. The messaging, imagery and villa-relationship must be pro-people and devoid of arrogance and flippancy. The verdict of a renown Policy Analyst Opeyemi Agbaje, in a recent Business Day publication reflected the dominant thinking in the country: In short, governance is collapsing or has collapsed in Nigeria under Buhari! It boils down to Buharis capacity or lack thereof for governance and his deficiencies-economic, administrative, political and his acute provincialism and sectarian worldview, and his lack of a modern, progressive vision for Nigeria. Just as I put it last year, I urge you to deeply reflect on this open letter in good faith and see it as a genuine expression of my concern irrespective of my leaning or standing as an ordinary Nigerian who daily yearns for a better nation. Governance is at the lowest ebb in my country and we have to adopt the principle of collective sacrifices, no matter the personal cost and pains to individuals in leadership positions. Sir, all I seek is a courageous, God-fearing, competent, knowledgeable and wise leadership who can assemble the best of the North and the best of the South to solve our problems. It does not matter to me if he is a Christian or a Muslim, North or South. A merit based-system that will search out raw hidden talents and bring back our human resources scattered abroad back home, to work together for the development and prosperity of Nigeria. This is all that I seek. Sir, I hope you will be quick to review the latest board appointments, which have attracted wide criticisms. We cant have the dead competing with what is not enough for the living. I also fear a massive disruption in governments activities this year because, a good number of these appointees would only be resuming to hustle for money to contest the 2019 elections. The appointments came rather too late. Mr. President, I do not know how you will cope with your anti-corruption fight, because there will be plenty of scandals in 2018 by desperate politicians (board members). It will be tough. I leave you with this quote from the real leader of the Talakawas in Nigeria, Alhaji Balarabe Musa: The way forward is the complete change of the socio-economic system and the leadership produced by it. Believe me, since we have reached the end of the road, there is no need pretending. We have to go to the ultimate, a revolutionary upsurge either in a legal sense or social revolution. Happy New Year sir. The Nigeria Labour Congress, on Sunday, described 2017 as a very difficult year for Nigerians, noting that the All Progressives Congress ... The Nigeria Labour Congress, on Sunday, described 2017 as a very difficult year for Nigerians, noting that the All Progressives Congress government ruined Nigerians and pushed more workers into poverty and wretchedness.It stated that the deplorable economic conditions in 2017 were captured by the statistics recently released by the National Bureau of Statistics which indicated that over four million Nigerians lost their jobs in 2017.Also, the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria said millions of Nigerian workers lost their jobs, while many others committed suicide due to the untold hardship witnessed across the country in 2017.The NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, who said this in his New Year message in Abuja on Sunday, noted that the government failed to fulfil its promise of creating three million jobs annually.He stated that the APC government had chastised and ruined Nigerians through its policies, noting that workers were the most affected by the despondent economy.Wabba added, Rather than work to create jobs and improve the conditions of workers and Nigerians in general, leading elements in the ruling APC government, like Governor Nasir el-Rufai (Kaduna state), have been taking measures to further chastise and ruin Nigerians by throwing tens of thousands of workers into the already saturated unemployment market and wretchedness.The NLC complained that despite the huge revenue states had received from the Paris Club loan refunds and other interventions to clear arrears of salaries and pensions, states like Kogi, Osun, Benue, Ekiti, Bayelsa and several others entered 2018 with huge arrears spanning up to 10 or more months of wages and pensions.It vowed to mobilise workers for the full payment of the outstanding salaries and pensions in the New Year.The NLC added that as the 2019 general elections approached, workers would not forget governors who refused to pay their earned entitlements while paying themselves, their political appointees and cronies huge packages.Wabba also bemoaned the suffering Nigerians were subjected to due to the fuel scarcity in the country, noting that the energy crisis occurred in spite of repeated assurances and claims that the complete removal of subsidy on petroleum products would end scarcity of petroleum products.The NLC President frowned on the buck-passing between the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and the petroleum marketers, stressing that the scarcity was caused by the refusal of the government to refine crude oil locally.He argued that Nigeria was the only major producer of crude oil that depended on importation of refined products.For us in the Congress and for majority of working people in Nigeria, the hope placed on the capacity of President Buhari to bring about positive change is being undermined by his governments inability to address the infrastructural deficit and other related problems in the oil industry, such as making our existing refineries work at optimal capacity by refining products for domestic consumption, Wabba stated.Commenting on the new minimum wage, he expressed the hope that upon completion of negotiations, the National Assembly would give the executive bill that will emerge, an accelerated passage for the new national minimum wage to become a reality before the end of the 3rd quarter of 2018.The NLC called on the National Assembly and state Houses of Assembly to ensure that payment of primary school teachers salaries was put on first line charge of the Federation Account to assuage the fears of all stakeholders in the local government system.As we move into 2018, our expectation is that the executive arm of government will push for the implementation of key anti-corruption protocols and good governance principles in our public and private institutions, it said.The union admonished the government to address the security challenges posed by Boko Haram insurgents and Fulani herdsmen, which it said posed significant threats to peaceful co-existence in many states of the federation.Workers committed suicide, million lost jobs TUCIn its own assessment, the TUC said Nigerians were subjected to various dehumanising conditions in 2017, adding that in the midst of the gruelling fuel scarcity, many workers were owed up to six-month salaries while pensions remained unpaid.The union, in a statement by its President, Bobboi Kaigama, and Secretary-General, Musa-Lawal Ozigi, said, The TUC states here unequivocally that Nigerian workers have not only lost their jobs in millions but many even committed suicide when they could no longer fend for their families.It is no news that pensioners (our senior servants), who served this country meritoriously, die on a daily basis, even at verification locations throughout the country.Though their pension is not paid yet, they are burdened to feed their graduate children who are yet to get jobs five years after graduation.This is not the best of times in our country as Nigerians are subjected to various dehumanising conditions. How do we explain that in the midst of the gruelling fuel scarcity, many workers are still being owed up to six months salaries?The TUC alleged that some state governors had diverted the bailouts released to them by the Federal Government to enable them to pay workers backlogs of salaries.It added, Bailouts were given but unfortunately diverted by governors and the Federal Government seems not to be doing anything about it. Those governors involved in such irresponsible act should be brought to book. There is no milk of kindness left in our leaders anymore.Families die on our roads, yet, they tell us our roads are not as bad as some Nigerians claim. It is only in Nigeria people pay for services that they did not use. The power sector is a case in point. If things remain like this, the congress may have no option than to hit the street.The union said it was worried by the astronomic rate factories closed shop in Nigeria and the billions spent on medical tourism.It said Nigerians were brought back from Libya lame, blind, abused, adding that Nigerian leaders, who had failed to provide the basic things of life, must be blamed for this.The TUC stated that the National Minimum Wage Committee, set up by the Federal Government, should conclude everything concerning the new wage on or before the end of the second quarter of 2018.It said all state governments should pay the outstanding salaries and allowances to workers before the end of the first quarter in 2018.All corrupt political officials should face the music, irrespective of their political affiliations. No more soft landing for any body found to have looted the country. Congress can no longer accommodate this perennial fuel scarcity, especially during the Yuletide or any other time. If it happens, we will direct and mobilise our members all over the country to abandon their cars on major roads, the TUC stated.Buhari administration is not asleep APCBut in his New Year message, the National Chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, said the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration was not asleep.He said the administration was doing all within its power to deliver on the promises made to Nigerians in 2015.He described 2017 as an eventful, but challenging year for many Nigerians.While expressing gratitude to Nigerians for their continuous support and prayers for the Buhari-led APC administration, he urged them to look to the New Year with renewed optimism and vigour.He expressed confidence that brighter days were ahead.Odigie-Oyegun stated, Indeed, the collective task before us is converting our countrys potential derived from size, demography, human and natural resources to greatness.While the task may seem onerous, it is achievable. With the right ethics, morality, attitudes and priorities, we will get out of our current societal morass that has found expression in our economic challenges, bad politics, ethno-religious divisions and other negative aspects of our national life, sooner than sceptics believe is possible.The APC chairman said the party was aware of the hardships faced by Nigerians.Odigie-Oyegun added, We are acutely aware of our current national challenges, particularly the economy.However, we assure Nigerians that the administration is not asleep, but working assiduously to address these challenges and meet the expectations of Nigerians.We remain focused and solidly committed to delivering on our partys 2015 election promises which were largely hinged on curbing corruption, restoring the economy and the security of the nation.The party chairman noted that Nigerians could only downplay the ramifications of corruption to our peril.He said, Corruption has, for long, enabled its perpetrators to divert resources for delivering development to the citizenry and as a result bred discontent, which religious bigots and ethnic jingoists take advantage of to create insecurity and other societal malaise.Therefore, the solution is the enthronement and entrenchment of quality and accountable leadership in governance.NLC needs to look at the brighter side-APCReacting to NLCs criticism, the National Vice-Chairman, (South-South) of the APC, Hilliard Eta, asked the NLC to look at the brighter side of governments efforts instead of making unverified claims.Eta was reacting to claims by the labour union that the APC-led administration pushed more workers into poverty in 2017.He spoke in a telephone interview with one of our correspondents in Abuja, on Sunday.According to him, it will be difficult for the NLC to substantiate its claims because it did not make public any data of a research it conducted to arrive at its conclusion.Eta said, Unfortunately, the NLC has not provided us with the data of a research it carried out to support the claim it has made.We can only say that there is a revolution in the agricultural sector and it is better for Nigerians to look at such a sector for job opportunities than to depend on white collar jobs.Opportunities have opened up to Nigerians in the agricultural sector and in Small and Medium Scale Enterprises. Nigerians should begin to be more creative.The party chieftain added, I personally think Nigerians should begin to emphasise less on going to China to import finished consumables instead of working on our home made goods which will create more job opportunities for Nigerians.Nevertheless, I am confident that the benefits of the policies of this administration will begin to bear the kind of fruit that will prove our critics wrong.Attempts to get a reaction from the partys National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, were unsuccessful.Calls to his mobile indicated that the phone was switched off at the time of the call.Similar calls to the telephone of Odigie-Oyegun were neither picked nor returned as of the time of filing this report. Fiery Enugu priest, the Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka has warned President Muhammadu Buhari not to contemplate seeking for a second tenure in 2019. ... Fiery Enugu priest, the Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka has warned President Muhammadu Buhari not to contemplate seeking for a second tenure in 2019. Mbaka, the spiritual director, Adoration Ministry, Enugu, Nigeria, said Buhari would be totally disgraced if he takes a shot at the presidency after his current tenure. He spoke before thousands of worshippers in a New Year Message he delivered early Monday morning. At the same pulpit three years ago, he had prophesied that then President Goodluck Jonathan would be defeated in the 2015 election. The full transcript of the message reads: I had wanted to pray for you and go because I dont want anybody to attack me; I dont want the Bishop to invite me; I dont want politicians to attack me anywhere. But God forced me, you must say it. Listen to me. 2017 became one of the most horrible years in this country and that is the message. The Lord says, Nigerians, he says, captive Nigerians, you will be speedily rescued; Nigerians, things are very very difficult, hard and tough nowadays; the hardship is not from God, they are man made; the wicked cabals and satanic agents in this country have wickedly kidnapped the goodwill and good intentions of Mr. President, Muhammadu Buhari; his good intentions have been kidnapped; President Buhari must wake up and sit up immediately orheaven demands him, heaven demands Buhari, our President to change all those who are holding and caging him in captivity; if he will not change them, he will be changed; Mr. President wake up; sit up; God said you are toying with the privilege given to you; there is no time; Nigerians are dying in your hand; people are not happy with your system. Change or you will be changed; God said that Buhari is in trouble; Buhari is hypnotized; Buhair is in a horrible bondage; Buharis mantra has been canibalized. Unless President Buhari quickly and strategically, positions the right people and changes the former ones he inaugurated by him, the wind of change that he himself inaugurated will blow him away shamefully. The wind will be too strong that Mr. President and the cabal will be blown out of office shamefully. The wind will be irresistible for it will come like a hurricane. Buhari can handle this problem but number one, his office, if he is not careful, another will take. Number 2, if he is doesnt want to move Nigeria forward, God says He himself will plan a strategy of moving Nigeria forward. His pattern of embattling corruption is not just archaic, barbaric but is witch-hunting, terribly selective. Mr. Buhari as the President, why should you be picking and choosing those that you and your so-called EFCC man would want to arrest, so that your party becomes a hideout for criminals, so that any person who does not want to be arrested will become an APC person? Is that corruption on itself? Change or you will be changed, after all you are the one who introduced change as your mantra. Nigerian economy is in shambles and Nigerians are in sorrow. NIgeria is not just passing through an economic depression but also it is a time of economic repression and compression. Very soon, Nigerians will know that the country is in terrible mess. The cabals have messed up the President and confused him. So, Mr. President, you are to be blamed, not your cabals. You have your brooms, but the cabals have their bags; either you sweep them away or they throw you into the bag. Heaven cried that your methodology is not just archaic but too sluggish., very slow. The situation in Nigeria needs speed but you are too dull. Your change mantra is questionable; you are to change your change or you will be disgraced out of office. Your agriculture scheme has an anti-agenda that is cancerous. Why should be talking about agriculture and you leave the Fulani herdsmen? Farmers dont have hope; dont you hear what is happening in the country? Cant you use your presidential mandate and help the less privileged? The spirit of God says that Mr. President is just president in the mouth; he is not the real president per say; he is a pseudo president, people are running the government the way they like and giving him to articles to sign; Mr. President doesnt know what is happening in his government, what a pity. But no matter what is happening, God assured us that Nigerians and Nigeria are not just in His hands but in his heart and his eyes. Mr president tried his best to war against insurgency, he tried to stop excessive spending, living in opulence, he is an expert in stopping opulent life, swindling of government property but the way he is going after it, he is too slow. God loves him and gave him the mandate, he wanted to fight corruption but corruption is fighting him back, so that anyone who wants to perform corruption in a very smart way, will run into APC. Mr President wake up, save destiny and save your integrity. God said that the sitting President is not the one Nigerians trusted, wake up. There are areas the President started doing well before he became sick; anybody can become sick, dont rejoice because Mr. President is sick; we prayed and God granted him healing but you know that age is not on his side. Even if you are healthy but you are not strong, there will be problem. So, Mr. President, as I was waiting on the Lord, Im asked to advise you, dont come out for 2nd tenure, after this, retire, peacefully. Mr. President you are the cause of your own problem. God gave you an adviser, a wonderful mentor, a visionist, a matriarch, in the person of your wife, Aisha, but you dont want to listen to her, that woman is heartbroken, because she understood that you are not yourself. Come back to yourself or you will cry by the time you will be sent out of office. So, those who are encouraging you to come out and run again, they want to disgrace you shamefully and publicly. We keep on praying for your quick recovery but you know when the President is sick and age is not on his side, the message came, that is why the government schools are sick, the government hospitals are sick, the government roads are sick; power, electricity, sick, the economy is sick; unemployment becomes the order of the day, our graduates, our youths are living in abject poverty and hopelessness, the countrymen are sick, hunger is ravaging ravaging the people of God; investors have no more confidence in Nigeria. The agro-vision has become a mere illusion; even to take loan for farm has become the favour of the rich, so that as you keep on fighting corruption, many who are around you are incubating and manuring corruption. Business men are confused; because they dont know to do as a result of the unstable economy. Some of us may begin to ask, but why did God choose Buhari at all? God has His reasons; when he chose Saul, He had His reasons, but at a time he rejected Saul, that is God for you. Jesus chose Judas, in His divinity he chose Judas as an Apostle, the same Judas betrayed Him and Judas office another took; you can see the message is not sweet. The same God chose Jonathan, Goodluck, during the oil boom, had Jonathan invested well, then Nigerians wont be suffering what we are suffering now; even in his hometown Otuoke, go to Niger Delta, there was no impact of governance, nothing. Thats why God pushed him out. Mr. President, if you dont want to be pushed out, you have to wake up. So, God who chose Buhari, it is for a purpose. At a particular time in the life of Jonah, the whale swallowed him; at time Jonah could not prophesy, he could not do his prophetic duty again; that is how Buharis vision was swallowed. And then what shall be done. God doesnt make mistake. When God said Buhari will become the President, he became the president; when God decided to put Adam and Eve in paradise, he loved them, but at a time, the same God chased them out. So, the cabal thing, Mr. President Nigerians are getting disappointed in you; I was thinking of the kind of prayer we are going to share, because this year is a year of primary for all the parties. Some will start this year, I am not talking about PDP or APC, Im praying God to give us a man after His heart. Now, it is the turn of the Northerners, the Northerners will complete their eight years. If mr president, Buhari will not continue, if you go to Gombe, go to Gombe, it was a rural state, the present Governor there, Ibrahim Hassan, has turned that place into almost an ultra modern city and that man was a former accountant general of the country. If you go to Gombe, you wont know Gombe again; why cant such a person come out; I dont know the party he is in; and he is still a young man; in his early 50s, whether in PDP or APC I dont know but whoever is doing that kind of magic in Gombe can handle Nigeria. A man who did Phd in accountancy, chartered in marketing, chartered in accountancy, a lot of things, a guru, we need somebody with such aura. And the Gombe people will tell you, he does not discriminate between Muslims and Christians, he is shielding even Christians there. Some pastors he gave them land, gave land for churches. I am not campaigning for him, but I am talking about somebody who can lead us forward, somebody with vision, with agenda, to change Nigeria is not difficult; wherever such a person is, let his party make him available for Nigerians to see it. Before it will be the turn of the Igbos, it is not yet our turn, it will soon be our turn, when it is our turn, all of us will talk about it. Therefore my people, we are talking about value chain economy; healthy economy; security in the country, employment, educational system that is working, then God disclosed a time when most of our run-away Nigerians started coming home. A time is coming when Nigerian is going to be a country that is worthy for investment, investors will come from the North, South and East, from foreign countries to invest in Nigeria; at that time, the people can see that the government of Nigeria and the pattern of governance is our problem. God has given Nigerians everything and He says, Nigerians be patient with me. It will not take time I will begin to deal wickedly to those who are dealing wickedly to you people. Those who are punishing you, I will punish. In Nigeria today, there is the hidden tribal religious and interdenominational wars that are looming. God is promising that He will send a credible President that will handle the unity of the country not by shooting anybody but by preventing the occurrence; even if the person is in a no party; whether the person is in PDP, PDP is not bad; it is the same people that go to APC: drop their umbrella and pick broom, but instead of using the broom to sweep away corruption, they are using it to sweep money into their pockets. So, those who love Mr. President dont be angry; from the same pulpit where his dynasty was prophesied, the wind is blowing again. When God says, His office let another take, then Nigeria will move forward, and corruption will be adequately embattled in the proper sense, then he economy will improve and Nigerians will rejoice. Femi Fani-Kayode, former Aviation Minister, on Monday said President Muhammadu Buhari will do nothing over the killing of a traditional rul... Femi Fani-Kayode, former Aviation Minister, on Monday said President Muhammadu Buhari will do nothing over the killing of a traditional ruler allegedly by Fulani herdsmen. He said this in reaction to the murder of the Etum Numana and his pregnant wife at their home in Sanga, Southern Kaduna in the early hours of Monday. In a tweet, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, chieftain wrote, Fulani herdsmen killed a traditional ruler, the Etum Numana, and his pregnant wife at their home in Sanga in southern Kaduna today. They stormed his home, killed him and his wife, wounded his son, burnt down his palace and burnt his cars. President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, blamed the current fuel scarcity ravaging the nation on blackmailers, who, according to him, instead of showing love, companionship and charity chose this period to inflict severe hardship on us all by creating unnecessary fuel scarcity across the country.President Buhari also said the unstable economic policies of past administrations were responsible for the economic recession that brought untold hardship on Nigerians.He said those behind the fuel scarcity during the Christmas festival that made many Nigerians to be stranded will be fished out and punished adequately.Meantime, the President has warned that as the electioneering season approaches, politicians must avoid exploiting ethnicity and religion by linking ethnicity with religion and religion with politics.President Buhari in his New Year Message, also assured that about 25 Federal highways will be getting attention as N100 billion from SUKUK facility has been set aside to fund the roads that cut across the six-geopolitical zones of the country with equal amount.On the clamour for restructuring, the President noted that there was no human law that was perfect and that any structure the country will develop must periodically be perfected according to changing circumstances and the countrys socio-economic developments. A former Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriation, Senator Iyiola Omisore, has described the N173.980bn 2018 appropriation bill, which Governor Rauf Aregbesola has presented to the state House of Assembly, as a ruse.Omisore, a former deputy governor of the state, said this in an interview with journalists in Osogbo on Sunday while distributing food items to some widows and pensioners in the state.The former governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party said the budget had no clear means of financing it, saying it was a bogus estimates.According to him, the hardship imposed on the people by the All Progressives Congress government will be over in 2018, saying the PDP will immediately find solutions to all the problems confronting the people.Omisore said, For a state that announced it could only implement only 50 per cent of the 2017 budget, this is another bogus estimates with no clear means of financing it, it is nothing but a ruse.What is the big deal in Osuns 2018 budget when the cost of uncompleted projects in the state is as huge as N500bn? How relevant are these budgets to the well-being of the Osun people?Answers to all these budgets are evident on the faces of Osun people. There is hunger in the land. Pensions and salaries are not being paid. But all these will be addressed when we make the right choice through our votes in 2018 and 2019.He said Nigerians had seen the best of the ruling APC in the state and at the federal level, stressing that the best of the current ruling government had plunged the people into abject penury. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has told the Federal High Court in Lagos that former First Lady Patience Jonathan cou... The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has told the Federal High Court in Lagos that former First Lady Patience Jonathan could not have genuinely earned the $15.5million which she claims ownership of.In its defence to her suit challenging the freezing of her accounts, the commission argued that Mrs Jonathan does not run any business from which she could have earned such huge sums.EFCC said its investigations showed that the money was allegedly stolen from the Federal Government and its agencies, and that it does not belong to the former First Lady.There is no way the plaintiff (Mrs Jonathan) could have genuinely earned the monies. She is the wife of the former president, a civil servant and a retired permanent secretary in Bayelsa State.She does not run any profit and interest yielding business venture to generate such money.Investigation conducted by the first defendant (EFCC) revealed that the plaintiff is not the owner of the funds in the accounts of the third to fifth defendants (companies), which funds were discovered to be proceeds of fraudulent activities of Waripamo-Owei Emmanuel Dudafa, EFCC said.Mrs Jonathan sued the EFCC, Skye Bank Plc and three companies Pluto Property and Investment Company Ltd, Seagate Property Development and Investment Company Ltd and Trans Ocean Property and Investment Company Ltd.She is praying for an order restraining the defendants from tampering with her funds in the companies accounts domiciled in Skye Bank.She asked for an order of interlocutory injunction restraining the EFCC from transferring the funds to the Federal Governments Treasury Single Account (TSA).Mrs Jonanthan said the funds in the companies accounts belonged to her, but she had been unable to operate the account after EFCC placed a no debit order on the accounts.The former first lady said representatives of the companies, who pleaded guilty to laundering the money, were unknown to her; nor were they authorised to represent them.The plaintiff/applicant is the lawful owner of her hard earned funds, she said, adding that her ownership of the money has not been controverted by a third party.Mrs Jonathan said she sought the assistance of Dudafa, former Special Adviser on Domestic Affairs to ex-President Jonathan, to open some accounts in her name.She said she was issued with four ATM cards after the accounts were opened.According to her, she protested the fact that three of the four accounts bore the names of companies she had no connection with.The bank, she said, promised to rectify the issue. She continued to operate the accounts pending when changes would be effected, according to the former First Lady.Mrs Jonathan said she went abroad in July 2016 for a medical check-up and discovered that she could not make payments from the accounts due to the no debit order.The former First Lady, in her written address, accused EFCC making moves to take her money from her through an order of forfeiture.She said the moves included the procurement of some unknown persons who pleaded guilty to a charge and were convicted on November 2, 2016.In urging the court to lift the no-debit order and grant her access to her accounts, Mrs Jonathan said she needs her money to able to cater to her health.But, EFCC, in its statement of defence, said its investigations revealed that between 2013 and 2015, huge sums of money were stolen from the Federal Government of Nigeria and its agencies.The agencies, it said, were the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), etc.EFCC said some of the funds were converted to dollars and converted to the use of Dudafa.The commission said between February 21, 2014 and April 19, 2016, Pluto Property fraudulently received and retained $3,096,377.38.The sum, EFCC said, was deposited by State House domestic stewards, Festus Iyoha and Peter Arivin, using fictitious names on the instruction of Dudafa.The commission said between November 14, 2013 and June 27, 2016, Seagate Properties received $3,624,998.78; while Trans Ocean received $3,765,711.87, which are suspected to be proceeds of crime.Another company, Globus Integrated Services Limited, was said to have received a whopping sum of $5,119,021.45 in its account.EFCC said after it charged the companies, their representatives pleaded guilty to retaining $15,591,700.It insisted that after analysing the companies accounts, it is crystal clear that the plaintiff was neither a director nor a shareholder.The commission said it was Dudafa who allegedly procured the domestic stewards in the State House Abuja to deposit the monies in an attempt to disguise the proceeds of crime using fictitious names.EFCC said it obtained a valid court order to freeze the accounts, and that it did not need to inform Mrs Jonathan before doing so as the funds in the said accounts do not belong to her.It added that the firmer First Lady was not entitled to any reliefs, and that her case is frivolous, spurious, speculative, vexatious and an abuse of court process and should be dismissed with substantial cost.Justice Mohammed Idris had ordered parties to file pleadings in the case, indicating that witnesses, including Mrs Jonathan, may testify to justify the moneys ownership.The case will be heard on January 19. A 65-year-old man was hospitalized and a family with four children escaped a fire that ripped through a house in Millville on New Year's Eve. Millville Fire Department Chief Michael Lippincott said that crews were sent to a house on the 1700 block of East Broad Street at 8:31 p.m. Sunday. Lippincott said firefighters found heavy fire coming from one side of the house and extending to the basement when they arrived. The crew was met by a woman and four children who had escaped the blaze. The told firefighters that a 65-year-old man was still trapped inside the house. The firefighters found the man and pulled him from the house. He was taken to Inspira Medical Center in Vineland by Inspira EMS based in Millville and later flown by helicopter to Crozer Chester Medical Center Burn Center. Lippincott said the man was not burned, but was suffering from severe smoke inhalation. Lippincott said fire crews battled the blaze for more than four hours. The cause of the fire is under investigation. According to the South Jersey Red Cross's Twitter page, the organization's volunteers were assisting the family with temporary lodging, food and clothing. Chris Franklin can be reached at cfranklin@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @cfranklinnews. Find NJ.com on Facebook JERSEY CITY -- Police are asking for help locating a 28-year-old woman whose family has been unable to locate for more than a week. Carina Mitchell, of Summit Avenue, was last seen at about 5:45 a.m. on Christmas morning. She was wearing a blue coat with fur around the hood, a burgundy sweater, blue jeans, and black and white sneakers, police said. Mitchell's family said she frequents the Bushwick section of Brooklyn. They are concerned for her well being and are asking for the public's help bringing her home safely. Anyone with any information about Mitchell's disappearance is asked to call the Jersey City Police Department's Missing Persons Unit at 201-547-5427. Caitlin Mota may be reached at cmota@jjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter @caitlin_mota. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook. HOBOKEN -- Ravi Bhalla's first action after becoming Hoboken's mayor today was to sign an executive order designating Mile Square City as "fair and welcoming," an order Bhalla said sends an "unmistakable message" that the city is friendly to immigrants of all stripes. The 12-page order, a direct shot at President Trump's administration, says no city employee can ask any individual about their citizenship or immigration status; bars federal immigration agents from accessing municipal facilities or databases; establishes a Fair and Welcoming City Commission that will focus on immigrant issues; and more. "The Hoboken we know and love was built by immigrants and today is sustained by immigrants," Bhalla, 43, said in a statement. "This first executive order is a reflection of our quintessential American values and sends an unmistakable message that Hoboken is a place that welcomes all who are ready, willing and able to contribute to our great city." The order also requires the city to keep track of records related to immigration-related requests made by federal officials, including the number of immigration detainer requests or administrative warrants received by Hoboken. Bhalla signed the order today surrounded by local officials, including Hoboken Police Chief Ken Ferrante, who will issue a police directive to implement the policies set forth in the order. Amol Sinha, executive director of the New Jersey chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, told The Jersey Journal it is "extremely significant" that Bhalla's executive order is his first action as mayor. "It allows Hoboken to live up to its potential of being a truly welcoming city," Sinha said. Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop signed a similar order last year. Trump has criticized cities that offer to shield immigrant residents from federal immigrant officials, most recently in a December radio address citing the killing of a woman shot to death in San Francisco pier in 2015. An undocumented immigrant charged in the case was acquitted of murder and manslaughter on Nov. 30. "Yet one more reason Americans are so upset by sanctuary cities and open border politicians who shield criminal aliens from federal law enforcement and all of the problems involved with the whole concept of a sanctuary city," Trump said. "They're no good." Terrence T. McDonald may be reached at tmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @terrencemcd. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook. Jersey City is ready to file its lawsuit in the hope of blocking a proposed "Millionaire's Marina'' at Liberty State Park. Mayor Steve Fulop, who will be sworn in to his second term this evening, is to discuss the suit in a news conference tomorrow afternoon, his office said. In December, Fulop's administration hired law firm Riker Danzig, Scherer, Hyland, & Perretti to explore legal options for preventing the marina to be built at the southern end of the park, which is mostly used for passive recreation and has stunning views of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and all the way out to the Verrazano Narrows Bridge. Fulop is expected to be joined at the City Hall news conference by representatives of the Friends of Liberty State Park, the New York/New Jersey Baykeeper, the New Jersey Sierra Club, the Hackensack Riverkeeper and New Jersey Audubon, all of whom have come out against the idea. Last week, the controversial plan took a step forward when Texas marina company Suntex and the state Department of Environmental Protection, which oversees the park, agreed on the terms of a new lease that would allow the company to expand its current marina at the park's north end and build a new one on the park's south end. The DEP has argued that the marina expansion is necessary to pay for bulkhead repair on the north end of the park that the state estimates could cost as much as $43 million. The tentative agreement requires Suntex to pay reduced rent to the state in exchange for paying up to $25 million for the bulkhead repair. The next step in the process is a public information session Suntex must host at Liberty State Park this month. A 27-year-old Asbury Park man was stabbed to death on New Year's Eve and authorities are seeking another man for questioning in the killing, prosecutors said Monday. The stabbing at a Sewall Avenue apartment was reported at 11:05 p.m. and the man was pronounced dead at Jersey Shore University Medical Center less than 30 minutes later, according to the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office. The man's name was not released. Authorities are seeking Fabian Vazquez-Quiroz for questioning in the incident. "The subject is only wanted for questioning and no charges are pending," the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office said. Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Patrick Petruzziello of the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office at 800-533-7443 or Detective Sgt. Daniel Kowsaluk of the Asbury Park Police Department at 732-774-1300. Information may be shared anonymously by calling the Monmouth County Crime Stoppers confidential telephone tip-line, 1-800-671-4400; texting "MONMOUTH" plus their tip to 274637; or, emailing a tip via the website at www.monmouthcountycrimestoppers.com. Allison Pries may be reached at apries@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @AllisonPries. Find NJ.com on Facebook. As southeast Louisiana prepares for an "arctic blast" of below-freezing temperatures to kick off 2018, there's one more thing to be concerned about after bringing plants inside, checking on elderly or sick friends and family-members and letting your pets spend the night indoors: Driving. That's right: With misty, gray skies giving way to freezing cold, drivers should be wary as they get behind the wheel. The Louisiana State Police and the Department of Transportation and Development shared a list of cold-weather driving recommendations. Among the suggestions: Don't use cruise control, and allow more space for stopping between you and any vehicle in front of you. See the list of suggestions below, and get more information from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration by clicking here. On New Year's Eve in 2016, Don Lemon downed shots, got his ear pierced, partied at the Spotted Cat and talked about his readiness for a real relationship in the coming year. So color us excited when we heard the CNN anchor got re-hired for another all-nighter gig to ring in 2018. It wasn't yet 9 p.m. in New Orleans, but Lemon had already ticked off a few boxes for another raging good time. Cruise along in a pedicab on Frenchmen Street? Check. Visit the Spotted Cat? Check! Suck the head of a boiled crawfish handed over by a stranger? Check-check! Chug beer on live TV? Check-plus! Followers of the New Year's Eve coverage, which airs on CNN, posted on Twitter their enjoyment at watching Lemon's antics using the hashtag #DrunkDonLemon. With a few hours still to go 'til midnight, it just might get more use yet. And we're gleefully grabbing the popcorn. Note: This story has been updated with channel information. Banned performing elephants are featured in popular musical film "The Greatest Showman" SPRINGFIELD - Effective January 1, 2018, elephants are not allowed to be in circuses or traveling shows throughout Illinois - making it the first state in the nation with such restrictions on the use of wild animals. Ironically, the law goes into effect in a state with a legislature controlled by donkey-mascot Democrats since the 1990s at a time when one of the hottest movies in theaters - The Greatest Showman - features performing circus elephants. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) applauded Illinois' progressive new law while it called for moviegoers to avoid The Greatest Showman because it celebrates P.T. Barnum, who used elephants and lions in his traveling show. PONTIAC - Illinois' 16th CD 2017 GOP primary race whittled down to between just two Republicans when one candidate withdrew his name last Friday after his petitions were challenged. Only the names of incumbent Adam Kinzinger and James Marter will appear in the March 20th GOP primary for the district. Candidate Jaye DeBates' petitions fell short after GOP candidate Marter's campaign found numerous invalidating discrepancies and filed complaints with the Illinois State Board of Elections. Illinois voters deserve election and ballot integrity in the election process. Marter said in a statement. There were significant shortcomings, some more serious than others. It is ultimately up to the ISBOE to determine whether each objection is sustained or overruled. President Yoweri Museveni has hailed parliament for passing the controversial age limit bill on December 20, saying in doing so, the MPs had saved Ugandans from "the more complicated paths" that would have been required. Without specifying these "complicated paths", Museveni, in his New Year's address forced upon broadcasters on Sunday, suggested that had parliament not passed the age limit bill, "more complicated paths" would have been required as "the destiny of Africa can't be under-cooked or be badly cooked." Uganda has never had a peaceful transfer of power since independence in 1962, with presidents having to shoot their way to power. Without the constitutional amendment that removes the requirement for presidential candidates to be under 75 years of age, Museveni would have been ineligible to contest for the presidency in 2021 after the expiry of his current term. "I want to salute the 317 MPs who defied intimidation, malignment and blackmail and opted for a flexible Constitution to deal with the destiny issues of Africa instead of maintaining Uganda on the path of unimaginative, non-ideological, neo-colonial status quo. By so doing, they enabled us to avoid the more complicated paths that would have been required. We cannot kukonesa (under-cook or badly cook) the destiny of Africa." he said. President Museveni addressing the nation A total of 317 MPs last month passed the age limit bill which lifted the upper 75-year age cap and also lowered the 35-year lower cap to 18 years for those contesting for presidency. 97 MPs voted against the bill while two abstained. The MPs, mainly ruling party MPs, voted to remove the upper age limit and also extended their term of office by an extra two years claiming the five years are not enough for service delivery in their constituencies. The 317 MPs have played a crucial role at this historical junction (masanganzira) just like the 28 cadres of Montepuez, Mozambique played in the formation of the Fronasa army, the 43 fighters with 27 rifles played when they attacked Kabamba and the 232 MPs of the 7th parliament played in opening up the term limits that have enabled Uganda to cover more ground," Museveni added. Museveni also hit back at his critics who accuse him of being greedy for power and selfish by hanging unto the presidency of the country. Now into his fifth term of office, the recent constitutional amendment to lift the age limits was seen by many analysts as Museveni's latest move to circumvent the only remaining legal barrier to what some call his life-presidency. Museveni said he is not greedy for the presidency as some suggest because he gets no material benefits for being president of Uganda. He said his, is more of greed for sacrifice rather than greed for power. I heard some people talking of greedy politicians. Greedy for what? What material benefit do I get from being involved in government? In the last 52 years, I have either been working for no pay or for little pay. May be those people talking mean greedy for sacrifice, he said. On the perceived life-presidency project, Museveni said those accusing him of harbouring such a scheme, are either uninformed or enemies of progress for Uganda and Africa. Those liars who talk about life-presidency of Museveni should be exposed for what they say. They are either un-informed individuals talking about things they do not know or evil schemers who do not want Uganda and Africa to succeed. When Mwalimu [Julius Nyerere] was advocating for the East African federation, some would malign him saying that he was ambitious and he wanted to dominate East Africa. Mwalimu is now long dead. What would have happened if the other leaders had gone along with his vision? Whom would have East Africa benefited? Obviously, we who are here and the future generations, said Museveni. BETRAYING CLERGY, MEDIA As expected, Museveni did not spare the media and clergy, whom, he accused of working with the groups they 'fancy' to make them get political power instead of working for the independence of Africa. The real democracy we fought for provides that: all power belongs to the people, they are the ones to decide their destiny through universal suffrage at regular intervals or through their elected representatives. Some of the elements, however, mainly working with foreigners, try to impose pseudo-democracy where the power of the people is constrained by term limits, age-limits, even educational qualifications, Museveni said. Museveni accused the clergy of playing the know-it-all role, speaking authoritatively almost on everything. The clergy have been critical of parliament for passing the age limit bill. Even in their Christmas prayers and messages, many of them accused the MPs who passed the bill of being greedy and short-sighted. They asked Museveni not to assent to the bill. Some of our religious people are so full of arrogance. They talk most authoritatively on all and everything even when they have not bothered to find out the truth. This is assuming they do not have evil intentions which would be worse. That would make them into the Kayaffas, the Chief Priest, that betrayed Jesus. This is in the Book of Matthew Chapter 26:5775. It says: And those who had laid hold of Jesus led him away to Caiphas the High Priest where the Scribes and elders were assembled. Now the Chief Priests, the elders and the Council sought false testimony against Jesus to put him to death he said. Museveni accused the media of being the devil that is holding back the continent by harbouring non-African interests. He particularly accused New Vision CEO Robert Kabushenga of using the state media to specialise in writing trivialities. "The Monitor [news] paper is always working for non-African interests. Nevertheless, recently, Mr. Kabushenga was persuaded to publish, in his Christmas paper, the Uganda Argus of the 6th of June, 1963. I will never forget that issue of the 6th of June, 1963. I was in S3 at Ntare but already very much involved in politics. I had never been so happy nor have I been so happy since as I was happy on that day and for some months afterwards", he said. "The headlines on the front page of the paper, with the pictures of Mzee Kenyatta, Mwalimu Nyerere and Mzee Obote, shouted: Federation This Year, Top-level talks end in Nairobi. Ugandans this is the Photostat copy of that happy newspaper issue. Has any of our media houses that are supposed to inform, educate, entertain, ever mentioned this to you? After a few months the devil that is always the enemy of Africa had killed this effort. "Had this effort succeeded, East Africa would possibly today be where India is. Certainly, there would have been no Idi Amin, the genocide in Rwanda would never have been allowed to take place, the endemic problems of Burundi would have been contained, the problem of South Sudan would have been easier to solve and even the problem of Somalia would have been solved." Read Museveni's full statement here Imagine if your local school district promised its teachers generous raises well in excess of what its property tax revenue could fund. Knowing that theyd all get voted out of office if they raised tax rates, the school board decided instead to fund it with a bond issue, coming due a generation or two in the future, after theyre all retired and living in Florida. Thats absurd, you say? Government bonds are only for infrastructure-type uses, say, building a new school thatll be around for generations to come, you say? But thats exactly what happens when schools, or state or local governments in general, promise teachers and other government workers pensions that are unfunded. Thats also the case when pensions are underfunded, or when theyre deemed fully funded only according to a optimistic projection, or when theyre well-funded in principle but can be gamed by local governments or employees, or, really, any time the government is on the hook to make up for investment losses, longer-than-forecast life expectancy, and so on. Weve all seen reports about the tremendous impact that pension contributions are having on state and local budgets. Every property tax bill informs us of the portion of our taxes that are going just to pay for pensions, to make up for failure to fund pensions in prior years. Earlier this year, prior to the state education funding deal, Forrest Claypool and the Chicago Public Schools even filed a lawsuit seeking pension bailout money from the state. At the same time, pro-state-pension groups are organizing in defense of defined benefit pensions for state and local pensions. They provide good value for the money, they write, because a defined benefit pension is, on average, less costly to provide than a defined contribution (e.g., 401(k)) contribution that produces the same level of retirement income. A website called ProtectPensions.org, sponsored by the National Public Pension Coalition, makes the pitch that pensions are cost-efficient and provide a dignified retirement for nurses, firefighters, teachers and librarians in a way that 401(k) plans couldnt. The National Institute on Retirement Security produced a report, Win-Win: Pensions Efficiently Serve American Schools and Teachers, which, as its title suggests, defends traditional pensions for teachers, as a win for the teachers and the schools both, because they encourage teachers to stay on the job. And Americans have become accustomed to the idea that teachers and state workers accept lower pay than they otherwise would, because its made up for a more generous retirement benefit than the rest of us receive. But thats missing the point. Eliminating defined benefit pensions for public workers, pensions in which the state itself is on the hook for future benefit payments, is a matter of good governance. Its a matter of Illinoisians paying for what they purchase, in this case, the work of the employees, now, rather than borrowing and leaving the bill for their children and grandchildren. And its key for eliminating opportunities for legislators, local school boards, and everyone in-between to game the system by deferring contributions, finding loopholes to grow pension benefits, and the like. I am not saying that Illinois should eliminate benefits that workers have already earned. But the legislature should give us the ability to vote on whether to amend the constitution to eliminate the guarantee that state and local workers, even 20 year olds who have just been hired, are guaranteed the same generous pension formula that is in existence upon their hire, all the way to retirement age. And its one thing for teachers and other state workers to have reasonable and appropriate retirement benefits; its quite another to have far more generous provisions, including very generous early retirement benefits, than the rest of us. (Note: the above was an article that I had originally intended to submit for publication; hence, the brevity and general lack of links.) Image: Illinois state capitol; https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Illinoiscapitol2.jpg Something that the Pope said about translations of the Lords Prayer has made the news recently, and connects (albeit indirectly) with a subject that I was already planning to blog about. One of my older posts that continues to generate interest and discussion is a blog post about Neil Douglas-Klotzs so-called Original Aramaic Lords Prayer, which in fact offers words that cannot be called a translation of the Lords Prayer as we find it in Aramaic or any other language. It scarcely qualifies as a paraphrase. It is rather a new prayer that is based very, very loosely on the Lords Prayer. Although sticking slightly closer to the original, John Shores New Age Translation of the Lords Prayer is also a radical rewriting rather than a translation. Here is what he wrote: Our genderless spirit guide who art in everything, honored be thy names. Thy new age come, thy will be manifested, on this and on all cosmic planes. Break with us our daily gluten-free unleavened bread, and forgive us our bad karma, as we forgive those who project their bad karma onto us. Lead us not into negative vibrations, but deliver us from organized religion. For ours is the harmonic unity, the empowerment, and the glory, forever and ever. Namaste. Personally, this does not seem at all appealing to me even as a completely new prayer. And at moments it seems to be intended as parody rather than as something that one could take seriously, much less actually pray. But the most important point that needs to be made is that the question of whether words resonate with you or are meaningful to you personally has no bearing on the question of whether those words accurately translate words in another language. The two are separate questions. Sorry if my comments on it lead you into negative vibrations. Much preferable is Charles Allens offering of the prayer as he hears it, being honest that what he has come up with is not a translation, but the way he would put it if he crafted the prayer today, and thus what he has in mind when he prays the ancient version as part of Christian liturgy. The Lords Prayer As I Hear It All-embracing Love, in, among and beyond us all, defy us when we invoke your name to serve our own ends. Open us and our world to the new life you are bringing, and sustain us through our daily cares. Bring peace to our conflicts with you, with others, with ourselves, and shine through our fears of failure and death. For our life together dwells always in the radiance of your empowering. Let it be. Of related interest, see Daniel Wallace on translation and interpretation, my post about a psalm misidentified as the Aramaic Lords Prayer, and Jeffrey Gibsons book on the subject, The Disciples Prayer. Does anyone happen to know how the Lord Prayer is rendered in David Bentley Harts translation? Slightly more distantly related are a couple of open access journals that will allow you to read about Bible translation in other languages Spanish and French. And CSTT and Gender is in English but comes from Helsinki and so includes contributions from scholars for whom English is not their native language. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Sunday joined congregants of the Accra Ridge Church for the Watch-Night Service to usher in Year 2018. He was accompanied by his wife Rebecca, senior government officials and some family members to the service that was marked with poignant evocation of hymns, dancing, thanksgiving, and intercessory prayers for Ghana, the Government, the Church, the sick and afflicted, and the New Year. The Very Rev. Emmanuel Aryee, the Minister of the Ridge Church, in a sermon on the theme: "Holding On To The End," called on the congregants and Ghanaians in general to stay focused in all their endeavours in the New Year. Referencing a chapter in the Book of Ecclesiastics that states; "The end of a matter is better than its beginning and patience is better than pride," he said it was important that one stayed on cause and not lose steam and rise to the finishing line even when inspiration waned. Very Rev. Aryee admonished Ghanaians not to be proud when they are successful but wait patiently on the Lord in humility to lift them to greater heights. "When someone is failing the temptation is patience and when someone is succeeding his temptation is pride...when failing we should have patience and when succeeding we should eschew pride," he said. "We should not be great in our own eyes when we are succeeding... We should make room for God in all that we do. Let us fulfill Gods words and do the right thing," he said. The Very Rev. Aryee prayed for Ghanaians to increase in fruitfulness and become more productive, and to remain hopeful and optimistic in the New Year. 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 Mr Nurideen Iddrisu, an activist of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has announced his intention to contest the presidential candidature of the party when nominations are opened. Mr Iddrisu, who is a native of Wa, has held some consultations with elders and regional executives of the party to inform them of his intention to lead the NDC in the 2020 general elections. He has also visited all the constituencies in the Upper West Region and interacted with the executives, urging them to unite the ranks of the party and position it to win back power in the 2020 elections. The NDC Activist announced his intention at a press soiree organized for journalists in Wa on Friday and pleaded with members of the party to forgive one another and to unite as one great family. Mr Iddrisu is also in the region to support in the reorganisation efforts of the NDC and urged members of the party to co-operate with the various executives to accomplish the task of healing and uniting the NDC for victory. The activist is a banker, a businessman and politician who in 2010 contested the Deputy National Organiser position of the party. His vision is to see a nation in which all citizens would be empowered through education, good health and jobs while his mission is to lead a planned and sustained investment in people and infrastructure for rapid creation of a sustainable economic development and empowered citizens. 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 President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has commiserated with the families of Ghanaian nationals who lost their lives in Bronx apartment fire disaster in New York on Thursday 28 December 2017. Nana Akufo-Addo in a tweet said his government will come to the aid of the affected families. His tweet read: My deepest condolences to the families of the Ghanaian nationals, who tragically lost their lives in Saturday's Bronx apartment fire disaster in New York. Gov't, through our Mission in Washington, is coming to the aid of the affected families. May their souls rest in peace!! Twelve people died in the fire, which fire officials said was caused by a child playing with a stove. The Ghanaians living in the five-story building in the Belmont section who lost their lives have been identified as 17-year-old Hannah Donkor, 28-year-old Emmanuel Mensah, 48-year-old Gabriel Yaw Sarkodie, 49-year-old Solomon Donkor, 54-year-old Justice Opoku and William Donkor (age unknown). Mr Emmanuel Mensah was a private in the army who died in the fire while rescuing his neighbours. According to reports, he rescued four people but died in his attempt to rescue the fifth person. Officials said this is the worst fire tragedy in New York City in at least 25 years. Source: Ghana Web 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 June 4th as well as 31st December revolutionaries marked the watershed that would propel Flright Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings from political obscurity to the apex of our political dispensation. The demands of the time, according to people who believed in the ideologies Rawlings used to propagate, were that those actions should be staged to defeat the rots and the ills which had defined the governance system at the time. Emphasis must be placed on the fact that those days were integrated into our national calender as they became active members of our statutory holidays. Many, over the period, ferociously kicked against the phenomenon, and would disavow recognizing those dates as pertinent to our political environment. These agitated and discrepant opinions proved abortive as their concerns were disdainfully treated. The Kufour administration would outlaw these days as national holidays, sending wild jubilations across the land. In 2008, the NPP lost power, ushering in the soft-spoken Mills with his communications expert veep, John Mahama, and the duo would continue to uphold the dictates of the Constitution that had bastardized those revolutionary days as national holidays. Former President Jerry John Rawlings had expressed disgust at the manner in which Mills and Mahama were mistreating him, the days and the ideals which were their accompaniments. Never did Mills nor Mahama partake in the events which were organized to commemorate the two days. Their ministers and appointees were barred from making appearances at the events. Mahama ascended the throne when death laid its icily cold hands on Mills, and he was expected to chart a new path. Rawlings and his charges had hoped in vain as Mahama would not depart substantially from the policy adopted by Mills. Jerry John Rawlings' continuous cries over the matter fell on deaf ears, and would later become the enzyme upon which he was described in unprintable adjectives. The barking dog, according to Asiedu Nketia, had been tamed and caged, with no hope of ever regaining control of the party. His founder status had been whisked away from him. The NDC crushed to a humiliating defeat, and the Kwesi Botchwey Committee was instituted to collate views from party members on what the causal factors of their defeat were. The report was submitted with series of recommendations. The party was advised to unite its rank and file and to ensure that the top echelon got solidified. Unity walks were organized, and to the dismay of many political analysts, they were held without the founder of the party. Mahama clearly bore grudges against Rawlings for sitting on the fence while he was losing the 2016 elections. The 31st December Revolution was commemorated in Ho, and for some grotesque reasons, Mahama and some of his appointees who rained insults on Rawlings in the past appeared at the function. What Mahama considered to be unlawful as veep and president now finds favour in his eyes! Per this neanderthal behaviour of Mahama, an act which is unlawful as President suddenly becomes lawful as long as one is not in the driving seat! Is it not hypocritical for Mahama to treat 31st December as some form of unwholesome food item while in office but to hail the same food when power has eluded him? He believes, somehow that Rawlings would swallow his pretentious disposition hook, line and sinker and allow him free access into his heart. Once upon a time, young John Dramani Mahama meekly wormed himself into the world of the Rawlingses, got embraced, but later turned their whole world upside down. Mahama is only trying to snake his way back into the broken hearts of the Rawlingses. Source: ghananewsreporters.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 burnt wreckage of a Nature Air plane is seen in a wooded area in Corozalito de Nandayure, near Punta Islita, Guanacaste province, Costa Rica, Monday, Jan. 1, 2018. Costa Rican investigators are looking into what caused the charter aircraft to crash Sunday shortly after takeoff, killing several, including families from New York and Florida. (AP Photo/Berny Araya) (EDS: Adds Pak embassy statement) Chandigarh/New Delhi, Jan 1 (PTI) A 12-year-old deaf-mute Pakistani boy, who had strayed into the Indian territory about seven months ago, was repatriated today, according to the Pakistani embassy in New Delhi and a senior Indian official. Hasnain was kept in an observation home in Punjabs Faridkot district after he had inadvertently crossed over to the Indian side of the border in May 2017. A Rs 20 Pakistani currency note was recovered from him. He was repatriated through the Attari-Wagah Border. The Pakistan High Commission said in a statement that the boy was handed over in presence of its officials. Faridkots Deputy Commissioner Rajeev Prashar told PTI over phone earlier in the day that the boy was handed over to Pakistani authorities at the Joint Check Post at the border. "The boy was lodged in a juvenile-cum-observation home in Faridkot. We received a communication from the Ministry of External Affairs after which he was sent under a police escort from Faridkot to Attari," Prashar said. The Pakistan High Commission said it got consular access to Hasnain on November 21. "During the consular access, the child communicated in sign language that he is from Pakistan. He recognised Pakistani currency and picture of Quiad-e-Azam immediately. He drew the Pakistani flag on his house. He was able to write a few words in Urdu," the statement said. Recently, a competent court had ordered his release, Deputy Commissioner Prashar said, adding his repatriation process was speeded up after he was identified recently. The high commission statement said it remained in "constant contact with the relevant Indian and Pakistani authorities for the completion of all procedural and logistical requirements for the earliest repatriation of Hasnain and his reunion with the family." PTI SUN/KND ABH Frank Moran (center) outside Camden City Hall last March when Mayor Dana Redd (right) announced she would not seek a third term. Moran, the longtime president of city council, was elected mayor last November and takes office Jan. 1. Read more The first time I met Francisco "Frank" Moran, he was a young, married, blue-collar dad buying a new townhouse in an East Camden development I was writing about. It was 1990 and Moran, a Woodrow Wilson High School graduate in his early 20s, had recently gotten hired by the city's Public Works Department. The earnest and ambitious young Democrat went on to be elected to the party's county committee and, in 1997, to the City Council, where he has served as president for the last eight years. And on Jan. 1, Moran the longtime director of Camden County Parks is to be sworn in as the 48th mayor of Camden. "I want to offer the people of Camden a heartfelt thank-you from a kid who was born and raised in the city and knows nothing but the city," he said during an interview last week. "They can rest assured that Frank Moran will be in the community. I will be active. My administration will be hands-on, and face-to-face with the community." An energetic and enthusiastic fellow, Moran described himself as the personification, or the "face," of Camden, and as an example for today's city kids to follow. He will be the second Latino to hold the office in a city where Hispanics make up about half of the population of 74,000. "I'm honored and blessed to be where I am," Moran, 49, said. "When I became an employee of the city, I cut grass in the parks and ran the North Camden pool for three summers. Whatever I did, I gave it my all. I feel I am better prepared for this job simply because of my journey in life coming up through the ranks." Moran said he has not yet made decisions about appointments, beyond those in the mayor's office itself; Angela Johnston, a customer service representative in the city council office, will become his chief of staff. But the mayor-elect said a "forensic audit" and other assessments of the "strengths and weaknesses" of the Camden Redevelopment Agency are needed. He noted that there are public-private agencies, such as the Cooper's Ferry Partnership, doing rather similar work in Camden, and added that he wants the city to begin "liquidating the exorbitant amount" of residential and other properties it owns. And while Moran hailed the spectacular abundance of development projects sparked by the state's Economic Opportunity Act its incentives have lured companies such as Subaru, American Water, the 76ers, and Holtec International to the city he also said he is concerned that about 60 percent of all real estate in cash-starved Camden is tax-exempt. "We need more development on the commercial side," he said. A father of two grown children and grandfather of two, Moran grew up the youngest of seven siblings on River Road in the city's Cramer Hill section. He played shortstop for a Little League team named the Wildcats and explored the wilderness of the Harrison Avenue landfill, which he and other local kids called "The Dumps." Part of the site is now home to the magnificent Salvation Army Kroc Center, while an adjacent portion of this long-abandoned landfill will become a waterfront park. Moran attended the announcement of a $25 million state grant for the project earlier in December and told me he sees it as yet another building block in the city's reconstruction. "I'm a public works guy," Moran said. "I know infrastructure." Accurately describing some of Camden's residential streets as like "a roller coaster," he noted that the city has been buying equipment to enable it to do some milling and repaving projects in-house. "We have roads that haven't been touched in 50 years," he said. Moran's proposed 21st Century Infrastructure Plan, developed with input from the Camden County Municipal Utilities Authority and other agencies, would necessitate issuing bonds to pay for perhaps $15 million in additional roadwork. Some $21 million in federal and state grants for extensive "complete streets" improvements, including bike lanes, in North Camden already has been secured. The municipal budget's structural deficit a fact of fiscal life for decades means Camden must partner with agencies and entities outside City Hall, Moran said. As for his own relationship with the partner of all partners, Cooper Health System board chairman and Democratic Party power broker George E. Norcross 3d a force largely seen as responsible for, if not controlling, the city's trajectory the mayor-elect said this: "Let me tell you that I am part of an organization that has been an amazing organization, and nothing but [amazing]. "Camden is seeing the most development in its history because we have a team," he added. "I call George Norcross a friend. I call Congressman [Donald] Norcross a friend. "Frank Moran is a fighter for the people of Camden. Everything I can get for Camden, I will get. I will do that with George Norcross, I will do that with the county freeholders, with [Gov.-elect] Phil Murphy. I will do that if President Trump comes to Camden." I'd like a front-row seat for that one. But in the meantime, I'll just wish the new mayor the best of luck. Map of Pennsylvania's Rapid Bridge Replacement Project. All 558 bridges were to be "substantially completed" by the end of 2017, but around 168 are still in the planning stage. Read more Delays and higher-than-expected costs have dragged on in the taxpayer-funded, investor-financed Pennsylvania Rapid Bridge Replacement Project. The bridge program was planned by the Assembly with input from a long list of investment bankers, Wall Street and international investors, and Pennsylvania lawyers and financial advisers, and rolled out by Gov. Tom Corbett's administration in early 2015. It was supposed to have "substantially completed" 558 replacement bridges carrying state roads across Pennsylvania creeks as of Sunday. About 390 of the bridges are open, according to the partnership, and 284 of those have been approved for long-term maintenance payments over the next 25 years by Walsh Infrastructure Management, an affiliate of construction partner and investor Walsh Construction Co. of Chicago. That leaves 168 bridges, or 30 percent of the total, unbuilt after the target date. Locally, those include the Lincoln Highway bridge over Queen Anne Creek in Falls Township, the Wynnewood Road bridge over Indian Creek in Narberth, the Route 420 bridge over Stoney Creek in Ridley Township, and others that are supposed to be done in 2018. Now slated for early 2019 are spans including a Philmont Avenue bridge in Lower Moreland. (Update Jan. 2, 2018: Walsh spokesman Rory McGlasson tells me the company hopes to speed up the Philmont Ave. bridge and get it done this year.) The work was budgeted at $899 million, plus financing, consultant, and maintenance fees that raised the total to $1.12 billion. In 2015, Pennsylvania sold more than $700 million in tax-protected Private Activity Bonds to fund the bridges, and pledged an additional $225 million from PennDot funds. Those bonds tend to cost more than plain-vanilla state bonds. When I asked PennDot officials about the extra expense in 2014, they assured me they would save so much time doing the job this way, instead of bidding the bridges one by one or in small clusters and funding with low-cost state bonds, that the convenience was worth any higher interest expense, as I wrote at the time. Investors led by Plenary Group of Australia, Wall Street investment banks J.P. Morgan Securities and Wells Fargo Securities, accountant KPMG, Philadelphia-based bond-advisory firm Public Financial Management, lawyers Ballard Spahr and Allen & Overy, and other Wall Street and Pennsylvania professionals were paid to speed the job along under the leadership of Walsh and California-based Granite Construction Co. The Rapid Bridge Replacement Project was hailed by proponents as an innovative way to build a lot of bridges fast. So why are so many of the bridges still not built? As it turns out, whatever the financing speed or mass-design efficiencies, each bridge is still a local project. "As we went through it, there were all kinds of scheduling issues, things like coordinating with utilities to move utility lines, getting environmental permits. We had to adjust the contract to reflect that the schedule was slipping somewhat," said Rich Kirkpatrick, spokesman for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Along with the delays, PennDot has had to take on $43 million in additional costs for the bridge replacement, Kirkpatrick added. "That came out of the Motor License Fund," he told me. That fund, which is supposed to finance road repairs, has also been used for decades to fund state police service to towns that don't pay for their own. The Walsh firm is a partner in another large Pennsylvania project, the $400 million Phoenix state prison in Montgomery County, which is going into its third year of completion delays amid a multimillion-dollar fee dispute with the state Department of General Services. DGS says those builders are contractually obligated to pay for their delays. Officials of bridge team Plenary Walsh Keystone Partners, who issued a short written annual update on construction progress Thursday, weren't available when I called them Friday seeking answers to some of the questions PennDot couldn't immediately address. "We have a lot to be proud of on this historic project," Ed Dice, head of delivery for the construction group, said in the statement. Plenary Walsh "demonstrated its ongoing commitment to excellence this past year," he added, using more than 500 subcontractors to complete 218 of the bridges, with the rest still on the planning boards. Douglas Leach, a graduate and now a teacher at Lincoln High School, holds a tombstone for the SRC as they rally outside the School District of Philadelphia Building on Nov. 16, 2017. The School Reform Commission took a historic vote to self-destruct. What happens next is something Philadelphians should pay close attention to in 2018. Read more The city's list of hot-button issues for 2018 may look very much like the list for 2017 and 2007, and even 1997. But that's the thing about big cities: problems are complex, ingrained, and rarely fully solved. Rather, they change and evolve enough to constantly demand new solutions. Philadelphia schools are a perfect example of this. The perennial crises that dog the city's public schools have taken a more positive shape for next year, with the dissolution of the School Reform Commission and with it, the ruling that the district is no longer distressed. Creating the right members of a local governance board will require finesse. Mayor Kenney pushed for this, and knows it makes him accountable for the city's schools. It also makes him prey to exaggerated expectations of what a local board can actually do without any more money to do it. Other issues include: Affordable housing. Councilwoman Maria Quinones-Sanchez sparked debate by introducing an affordable housing bill that would require developers to include below-market-rate units in residential developments. Housing advocates supported the bill, developers didn't. It's now on hold, underscoring the fact that the issue is complicated. Much of the city's housing stock is old, deteriorating, and dangerous. The most affordable house may be the one someone is already living in. But that doesn't mean it's always the safest or healthiest. Homicides. It's alarming that while crime rates are dropping across the country, the city's homicide count has passed the 300 mark for the first time since 2012. As bedeviling as the problem and its underlying causes are, Police Commissioner Richard Ross and Kenney need to declare this as a priority, and fix what can be fixed, like the number of police officers on the streets. (Ross says he has 400 fewer than he needs.) New district attorney. Larry Krasner, the defense attorney who spent 30 years working on high-profile civil rights cases, now crosses over to the prosecutorial side as Philadelphia's new district attorney. The question for most is: Will the disruption he has promised throughout his campaign be to the detriment of the office, or its salvation? He is likely to make his mark on the city's high rates of incarceration; he also needs to try to make a difference in the ongoing plagues of gun violence and opioids. 2018 midterm elections. In a tradition dating back eight decades, the party that holds power in the White House tends to lose seats in the election that occurs halfway through a president's term. President Trump may be facing the mother of all midterms, a national backlash to a presidency mired in controversy and scandal. That could mean serious trouble for U.S. Reps. Patrick Meehan, Ryan Costello, and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, who represent the Pennsylvania suburbs surrounding Philadelphia. Amazon. Philadelphia hopes to stand out among the 238 entrants that pitched themselves in October as the best location for Amazon's second corporate campus, also known as HQ2. Now all the city can do is wait to see if the retailer chooses us for an expansion that could employ 50,000 people. For now, hum along to the song "I Feel Pretty" and hope for the best. Members of the Hegeman String Band dance in very uncomfortable temperatures during a Sunday rehearsal on Snyder Street. Read more The Hegeman String Band's theme for the 2018 Mummers Parade a mime-based performance they're calling "Shhhhhh!!!!!!" turned out to be prescient. At a Sunday morning rehearsal, the band's 35 saxophone players could only pantomime playing their instruments as they practiced drilling in formation around a South Philadelphia parking lot. Don Morrissey, 67, the band's music director, said the 17-degree chill was just too cold to play. At a Thursday night rehearsal, several of the players' saxophones had frozen up, tearing pads off of the keys and requiring last-minute replacements. "Our biggest problem, and every other band's, is trying to keep the saxophones able to play. Once you get down around 25 degrees or so, it gets tougher," he said. "A couple of us had some problems a few nights ago. I don't want to take a chance on that today." Morrissey, of South Philadelphia, has been strutting for 51 years, but believes Monday's anticipated cold and wind will bring the worst conditions he's faced on Broad Street. Temperatures were expected to be a brisk 12 degrees but will feel even colder when the parade begins at 9 a.m., but organizers opted to press on with the 117-year-old tradition anyway. According to Morrissey, the String Band Association had voted against going ahead with the parade. He said that he, personally, was concerned about members' health. But, he said, "We're only one vote. We got outvoted." Backup procedures, however, are in place. Hegeman has warming buses and will make use of city-provided warming tents. They're contemplating hooking up a hair dryer in the lead car to warm up instruments, as needed. And they're hoping they'll have a chance to tune up right before getting in front of the judges. John Baron, the club captain, called everyone in for a pep talk. "Maybe we should have done a sunny Florida theme," he conceded, but urged them to carry on. "The quality of the music will be affected, but what cannot be affected is the performance." Fortunately, members have their own ways of warming up. Sara Ropski, 20, who has been playing saxophone with Hegeman since she was 12, dropped to the ground and did a few push-ups. "At least my arms are warmer," she said. Her preparations included obtaining hand warmers and latex-lined gloves at the suggestion of her father, who is also a Mummer. Tim Stein, 51, said his plan was even simpler than that: "Just a lot of layers and a lot of prayers." A few blocks away, members of Golden Sunrise, the last Fancy Club remaining in the parade, were wheeling a colorful sequined lobster out of their clubhouse. The captain's theme this year is a pirate ship, with a gold-glitter-covered steering wheel up front, and a tiki bar in the back. "It's a fitting day for it," club captain Mike Rubillo, 41, said dryly as the wind whipped through the old garage where club members were using a pulley to lower props from a second-floor space down to street level. Club president Jack Cohen, 56, said that out of particular concern for participants in the juvenile division, the club rented two buses where performers can stay warm. The youngest is just 3 years old. Those precautions cost a few thousand dollars, but postponing to next weekend would have been even more expensive, he said and the forecast didn't look much better. The club also made preparations to deal with the wind, including extra ties to secure the elaborate, sequined props and feathered back pieces that accompany some costumes. "The wind chill is supposed to be minus-1 degree when we step off. But we've taken steps to make sure our members are safe," he said. "We're going to be all set to go at 9 a.m. tomorrow, to make the city proud." Across the city, residents were buying up chemical hand warmers, gloves and scarves all weekend. By Sunday, the CVS at 23rd and South Streets was sold out of hand warmers. At Walgreen's on Chestnut and Broad Streets, only gloves remained selling for $15.99 a pair. Walking through Rittenhouse Square, one past member of the Froggy Carr, a wench brigade, said aiming to stay warm on New Year's Day has prompted many male Mummers to wear pantyhose underneath their costumes over the years. "Guys in the Mummers have been doing that since the '50s," he said, declining to give his name. "You grab whatever your wife's got and wear those. Besides, you're so worked up from the adrenaline and the excitement of the day, you don't really feel the cold." For those who just can't bear the idea of hours outside on Broad Street on Monday, the Kimmel Center and the High School for Creative and Performing Arts will be open to provide relief from the cold. There is another option: staying home and watching the parade live on PHL17. Staff writer Erin Arvedlund contributed to this article. Police investigate the scene at 107 E. Narberth Terrace in Collingswood, NJ on December 30, 2017. Just after 5pm, Breaking News Network reported a multiple stabbing with 2 victims DOA and another with multiple stab wounds to the face and neck. Read more Camden County prosecutors on Sunday charged a South Jersey man with murder in the stabbing deaths of two women, reportedly sisters, at a home in Collingswood on Saturday. Mark Lyczak, 44, who has addresses in Medford and Cherry Hill, according to public documents, was also charged with attempting to kill a third woman at the Collingswood home. Around 5 p.m. Saturday, Collingswood police responded to neighbors' 911 calls reporting screams coming from a residence on the 100 block of East Narberth Terrace. Colleen Brownell, 48, and Alysia McCloskey, 41, were pronounced dead at the scene, which property records indicate was McCloskey's home. The third stabbing victim, a 45-year-old woman whose identity police did not disclose, was taken to a local hospital, where she remained Sunday. Lyczak, who was still at the McCloskey residence when police arrived, had had a relationship with Brownell, according to a source familiar with the investigation who did not want to be identified because he did not have authority to talk about it. NJPen.com reported that Brownell and McCloskey were sisters and that Brownell had moved in with McCloskey to get away from Lyczak. He was arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of first-degree attempted murder, according to a statement issued by Camden County Prosecutor Mary Eva Colalillo. Lyczak was taken to the Camden County Correctional Facility, pending a pretrial detention hearing. The court could order him detained or released with conditions, Colalillo's statement said. Lyczak has prior criminal convictions, including for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in 1994 and for another undated assault, both in New Jersey, according to public records. Mark "The AME" Tyler and Denise "The Writer" Clay issued statements stating they will miss their role as hosts of "Wake Up with WURD." Read more Two morning show hosts for WURD, the African American talk radio station in Philadelphia, announced their departures Saturday. Mark "the AME" Kelly Tyler and Denise "the Writer" Clay issued statements saying they will miss their role as hosts of Wake Up With WURD, which aired Monday through Friday from 7 to 10 a.m. The two expect to be "back on the air in a new venue in the very near future," their statements indicated. Efforts to reach the station for comment were not immediately successful. "It is with mixed emotions that I have decided to leave WURD Radio as host of Wake Up With WURD," said Tyler. "I started at WURD almost three years ago as a volunteer host of a new show, Urban Insight. What began as a one-hour program quickly grew to a two-hour show and attracted a dedicated following each Friday evening." Both Tyler and Clay thanked the Lomax family, owner of the station. "Being on Wake Up gave me the chance to interact with listeners (and Facebook live viewers) around the world as well as the city's activist community," wrote Clay. "Radio is my first love, and I've always believed that it's the best place to tell the stories of people of color and other marginalized communities." In October, host Solomon Jones, who writes a weekly column for the Inquirer and Daily News, left the station after three years. Jones, an ordained minister, moved to Praise 107.9, according to the Philadelphia Tribune. This photo released by Costa Ricas Public Safety Ministry shows people standing at the site of a plane crash near in Punta Islita, Guanacaste, Costa Rica, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017. A government statement says there were 10 foreigners and two Costa Rican crew members aboard the plane belonging to Nature Air, which had taken off nearby. Read more Former Montgomery County residents along with a University of Pennsylvania student and his family were among the 12 killed in a fiery plane crash in Costa Rica Sunday. A total of 10 Americans and two local crew members were aboard the single-propeller Cessna 208 operated by Nature Air, a regional airline in Costa Rica, according to government reports. The plane crashed in the Guanacaste area shortly after takeoff, according to Costa Rica's Ministry of Public Safety. William Steinberg, an 18-year-old freshman at Penn, along with his parents and two brothers from Scarsdale, N.Y., were traveling on a family trip, the university said. "All of us, as Penn family members, are thinking of William's family members and friends as they move through this terrible loss," Valarie Swain-Cade McCoullum, Penn's vice provost for university life, said in a message to the undergraduate community Tuesday. "Our hearts are full, and we give them our deepest sympathy." Steinberg had participated in PennQuest, an outdoors experience for first-year students, and was also involved with the Seeds of Peace organization, the school said. An on-campus remembrance is being planned for next week. "Will was strong, empathetic, and believed in the beauty in the world and humankind," his aunt, Tammy Steinberg Jacobson, said in a statement released by Penn. The University of Pennsylvania's Class Board 2021 shared its condolences in a Facebook post Monday. "We are very shocked and saddened to hear about the death of William Steinberg and his family," the message read. "We still cannot believe that they died so unexpectedly. Many of us knew Will very closely, he was such a wonderful person who blessed Penn with his amazing smile everyday. Together we mourn the death of a friend, a peer, and a promising scholar who would have went on to change the world." Former Montgomery County residents Leslie Levin Weiss, 50, and her husband Mitchell Weiss, 52, were also among those killed, according to a government agency and news reports from the Central America country. Also listed among the dead were Hannah Mae Weiss, 19, and Ari Moses Weiss, 16. It was not immediately clear whether they are children of Leslie and Mitchell Weiss. Records show Hannah Weiss sharing their address in Florida. Leslie and Mitchell Weiss left the Philadelphia area around 2005, relocating to Belleair, Fla., according to public records. They were both licensed as practicing physicians affiliated with local hospitals. The couple had previously lived in Plymouth Meeting and Lafayette Hill. Costa Rican President Luis Guillermo Solis Rivera posted his condolences to Facebook. Authorities said it only had a list of the plane's passengers and were awaiting official confirmation of their identities, according to the Associated Press. Philadelphias tax on soda and other sweetened beverages has now been in effect for a full year. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File) Read more Soda prices have gone up in Philadelphia. And so has the number of children attending pre-K. While those are among the things that have changed in the first year of Philadelphia's tax on soda and other sweetened beverages, there has been one constant: The tax remains controversial, and advocates on both sides are working hard and spending money to support or fight it. The 1.5 cents-an-ounce tax went into effect Jan. 1, 2017, and raised $72.3 million in its first 11 months. But is the tax successful? And is it here to stay? The answers to those questions depend on whom you ask. City officials have defended the tax as a means of funding pre-K, community schools, and improvements to parks, libraries, and recreation centers. But the beverage industry has poured resources into opposing the tax through advertisements and legal challenges, and business owners say the tax has hurt them and led to layoffs. Both sides are still waiting to hear whether the Pennsylvania Supreme Court will consider the legality of the tax. And because Philadelphia is the first major U.S. city to pass the tax, others are watching. Cook County, Illinois, which includes Chicago, passed and then repealed its own version of the tax last year. Seattle passed a tax that takes effect New Year's Day. Other cities, including Oakland, Calif., and Boulder, Colo., have also imposed taxes on soda. Although the tax in Philadelphia is levied on beverage distribution, in many stores it has been passed on to consumers. Mayor Kenney's office said last week that the tax raised $5.9 million for beverages distributed in November. That amount falls short of the $7.7 million monthly average needed for the city to hit its $92 million projection of fiscal year 2018 revenue. The total amount raised in the first year will not be available until January, when the city collects taxes on beverages distributed in December. "We're very pleased with the first year of the tax," Lauren Hitt, a spokeswoman for Mayor Kenney, said Friday, noting that the tax is paying for programs "that we wouldn't have otherwise been able to fund." The tax has created free pre-K space for 2,000 Philadelphia children, and in November the city released a list of 60 parks, recreation centers, and libraries that will be the first to have upgrades under Kenney's $500 million Rebuild project. But it will not take out a construction bond while the beverage tax is in legal limbo. Meanwhile, the Ax the Bev Tax Coalition, which is funded by the American Beverage Association, issued a news release Friday decrying the tax and calling for its repeal. The release, marking the one-year anniversary of the tax, repeated claims from business owners that jobs have been lost due to the tax. Jeff Brown, who owns ShopRite and Fresh Grocer stores in the city, said four of his seven stores are no longer profitable, and claims that more than 200 jobs have been eliminated at his stores. Local bottlers have eliminated more than 150 jobs, the coalition said. "The tax has driven a stake through the heart of an industry that provided hundreds of family-sustaining blue-collar jobs in manufacturing," Danny Grace, secretary-treasurer of Teamsters Local 830, said in the news release. Economists and researchers some financed by supporters or opponents of the tax have also provided their own analyses of the tax and its impact. But one thing is clear: The tax will continue into 2018, and so will the debate. The involvement of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) in the attack on the CRPF camp in Pulwama district of south Kashmir was confirmed on Monday with the terror outfit releasing a video of the youngest attacker urging the Kashmiri youth to join jihad against India. Five paramilitary personnel were killed when three JeM members stormed the CRPF camp-located in Lethpora village-with Kalashnikovs and grenades around 2 am on Sunday despite specific intelligence inputs by the J&K Police 12 hours before that the site could be attacked. The three JeM fidayeen members were finally killed in the ensuing gunfight. A chilling fact emerged that the youngest attacker, Fardeen Ahmad Khandey's father Ghulam Mohammad Khandey is a cop. The JeM video shows the 16-year-old exhorting the youth to join the 'fight against India because infidels [India] have occupied Kashmir and the modesty of women is at stake.' With two Kalashnikovs behind him and another in front, grenades displayed and a pistol in his lap, Fardeen dubs the government's reasoning that unemployment in the state has triggered militancy as mere propaganda. ''The rise of militancy is a "reaction to India's occupation", he says.Fardeen also praises the JeM in the video, recorded moments before he attacked the CRPF camp. "It is not possible to stop Jaish-e-Mohammad," he says after mentioning the Pathankot and other attacks carried by the outfit. He also praises JeM founder and leader Maulana Masood Azhar and Afzal Guru for their role in the Parliament attack in 2011. CRPF Special DG (J&K zone) S N Srivastava has said that the attack was 'contained because our men were ready,' but the J&K Police had warned of an attack merely 12 hours ago. The search operation in the area is still going on. "We want to be doubly sure before we call off the operation. Two of the militants killed yesterday are from this region and the third is a foreign militant," he said. With inputs from Ashraf Wani June Ruffenach (center), 15, with Santinos Dragons, a social club for kids with autism and a range of intellectual and behavioral disabilities, rehearses in the old Forman Mills store in South Philly. Read more The scene inside the vacant South Philadelphia Forman Mills on Sunday afternoon was not your average Mummers practice: Teens with feather-tipped parasols chased one another around the echoing room, dishing out tickles and eliciting giggles and shrieks in return. Hugs were vigorous and frequent. Order was attained only grudgingly, as Lisa Stagliano clapped her hands and told the kids, "This is what being a Mummer is all about practicing until we get a good performance." But the truth is, whatever happens on Monday will feel like a win for Santino's Dragons, a new concept for Philadelphia's 117-year-old New Year's Day parade. It's a New Year's association composed of kids and teens with autism, Down syndrome, and other developmental disorders, led by Santino Stagliano, who is 13 years old, autistic and more or less unstoppable. "It's amazing to watch these kids overcome all their obstacles: They can't be around loud noises. They can't stand big crowds. They usually like to be alone," said Rhoda Burke of South Philadelphia, whose 17-year-old son, Kevin Domard, is autistic. Yet, somehow, among the sequins and strutting of the Mummers, they seem to blossom. "It's a statement to the world: Accept our kids for who they are. Welcome them into your world; there's no limitation on what they can do." This unlikely New Year's association was born of a field trip organized by Santino's Dragons, a nonprofit social club for kids with developmental challenges. The Staglianos Santino and his parents, Lisa and Mario started the organization about three years ago, in part using revenue from T-shirts and hats featuring dragons Santino loved to draw as a way of coping with the frustrations of life with autism. For many of the kids involved, the club's arts-and-crafts classes, annual proms and Christmas parties and monthly outings have been transformative. "When Christopher used to go to the playground, the other kids would all leave. Now, you should see him at prom," said Denise Sferra, before pulling up photos on her phone of her nephew, Christopher Sferra, 18, in a dapper tuxedo with a blue bow tie. In the pictures, Christopher is slow-dancing with a date in a pretty blue gown, perhaps a little too close together for Denise Sferra's taste. Last year, Santino's Dragons took a field trip to see the Fancy Brigades perform at the Convention Center, and were invited to go onstage with them. Christopher's dancing, in particular, brought the house down. "I literally had to drag him offstage," Lisa Stagliano said. "As I brought him back off the stands to his mother, she had tears in her eyes. She said, 'Oh, I wish he could be a Mummer!' Later, Santino and I were talking, and we said, 'Why couldn't he?' That's what inspired us.'" It turned out to be easier than they imagined. The Murray Comic Club invited the kids to march under its umbrella. A neighbor of Stagliano's volunteered to make an elaborate, purple dragon-head float. Other Mummers groups donated space for the kids to rehearse, and raised money to help cover the cost of a special bus for the kids by performing around South Philadelphia. Miriam Marin, whose daughter, Jasmin, is 14 and has Down syndrome, made all 23 costumes 19 for kids, and four for adults to help keep the kids on their marks according to Santino's specifications and preferred red-and-orange color scheme. Marin, a seamstress, was happy to do it, given how much Santino's Dragons has done for Jasmin. "In South Philadelphia, we didn't have nothing for special-needs children," she said. "Before, she didn't like a lot of people and loud noises. But since she's been with Santino, she's been doing good. The fears she had before don't bother her anymore. She has friendships." Not everyone loved the idea right away. Lynn Ruffenach lived most of her life on Second Street, and has photographs of her father and grandfather as wenches going back to the 1930s. "Back then, it would have been unspeakable for a woman to go out in the parade," said Ruffenach, whose daughter June, 15, has Down syndrome. "I'm from a long family of just males in the parade, so I thought, 'No, we're not going to do it.' But then my daughter wanted to, so it changed my perspective." So, at the final rehearsal Sunday, June brandished her parasol, Santino climbed up onto the float, and Christopher Sferra, who has autism, Down syndrome and an unwavering love of WWE wrestling, practiced his starring role, leading the performance in a gymnastic dragonesque fight scene before the rest of the group joins in an exuberant strut. That battle scene was going to be Santino's job, but at the last minute the Staglianos decided that Sferra was the one who deserved it. Mario Stagliano, standing off to one side, watched with tears in his eyes. "This is just amazing stuff," he said. "They feel so accepted." Lisa Stagliano said because it was the group's first year, parade rules limited them to a few dozen performers. "We had hundreds of kids with disabilities who reached out and wanted to be a part of it," she said. "We're hoping next year, we can open it up to anybody who ever wanted to be a Mummer, but didn't think they could." As a Camden resident, educator, and parent of a child who has attended Camden public schools since pre-kindergarten she's in ninth grade now I know public schools are the heart of our communities. They are much more than places to learn reading, writing, and arithmetic. Our schools are places where neighborhood children build lifelong relationships. They're also community centers where parents and neighbors come together to help communities grow and find fellowship. Public schools are spaces where families invest time and hard-earned tax dollars, because schools hold our most precious commodity our children and their future. Camden public schools have been a symbol of pride, stability and hope for generations of Camden students and their families. Unfortunately, local and state politics are making it more difficult to serve our community's students as predatory legislation, policies, and politics continue to target our public schools for closure. The Urban Hope Act of 2012 was a law passed several years ago that resulted in the establishing of Renaissance schools in Camden. Despite their flowery title, Renaissance schools are more commonly referred to in other areas, and other states, as managed takeover schools. Renaissance schools are like charter schools in many ways, except that Renaissance schools in Camden, unlike charters, got the bulk of their schools and students through District Superintendent Paymon Rouhanifard's simply giving away our district public school buildings, and their students, to Renaissance school providers. Since 2012, Renaissance schools have been responsible for eight public school closures and takeovers. Now, once again, in Gov. Christie's last week in office, the Legislature is attempting to expand Renaissance schools without regard for their predatory impact on our district's schools and our students. The pending re-introduction of New Jersey Senate Bill S-3309, sponsored by Nilsa Cruz-Perez, would further expand the Renaissance school footprint here in Camden, and further drain district resources from students and communities. S-3309 seeks to expand the definition of an "urban campus area" allowing these takeover schools to grow way beyond the Urban Hope Act's original intent, covering most of our nine-square mile city. It provides fewer rules governing the types of facilities that may be "Renaissance school projects," making it easier for these schools to push out traditional schools. The original law said that a Renaissance school project had to begin with the construction of a brand new building; it was later amended to allow for a "substantially reconstructed building." But If the proposed amendments in S-3309 pass, the Urban Hope Act would allow Renaissance schools to expand into any school building as long as it was newly renovated or constructed within five years before the CMO takes over. In essence, these new amendments target the newer public school buildings in Camden, as well as absolving Renaissance schools from their responsibility to build a new, or substantially renovate facilities, and can simply operate out of any building the district superintendent hands over to them; including neighborhood schools. In all, this legislation would result in nothing more than a land grab. To add insult to injury, the tax breaks given to the companies moving into Camden keep the big dollars going exclusively to the Renaissance schools. Meanwhile, the tax base our traditional schools depend upon is becoming nonexistent. This is no accident. It is a deliberate, sustained political attack on our system of public schools and our students. Renaissance school expansion should not be allowed at the expense of our traditional public schools. It is a disservice to both students and families to treat our traditional schools as if they are the problem and Renaissance schools as the solution to the challenges of public education especially during a time when our public-school enrollment is rising. This year, our public schools are serving more students than our district analysts projected this time last year. Fact is, that of the 3,800 students enrolled in Renaissance schools, most students were simply turned over along with their buildings, not parents withdrawing their child from public school in one location to attend a Renaissance school at separate location. The parental demand for Renaissance schools is below what lawmakers anticipated, while residents' demand and belief in their public schools continues to rise. Every child in Camden deserves access to a great education whether it takes place in a public, charter, parochial, technical, or an existing Renaissance school. To make that happen, we need a true investment in our public schools. We need continued community and parental support. We need all stakeholders to make a firm commitment to the preservation and support for Camden's Public Schools for its children, its educators, and the Camden community. We cannot allow financial and political interests driving S-3309 to prey on children's public education in Camden City. Keith E. Benson is the president of the Camden Education Association. Decades ago, Richfield police took a risk, becoming one of the first five law enforcement agencies in Minnesota to assign officers to 12-hour shifts. With the lengthy shifts came impressive payoffs a calendar filled with more time off, including three- or four-day breaks to catch up on sleep, help out at home, or socialize, reports the Star Tribune. "We've been doing it for 25 years now," said Deputy Chief Mike Koob of the Richfield Police Department. "I think we'd have a revolt if we ever went back." Over the past 10 to 15 years, other Minnesota police departments slowly began making the switch to longer shifts over fewer days. Inver Grove Heights, Blaine, Lakeville and Ramsey police went to 12-hour shifts in the past six years. Hastings cops will do so next year. "It's becoming more commonplace in law enforcement," said Lt. Brian Tholen of the Edina Police Department. "It's nice to have the time for officers to go home and spend quality time with their family." Most police officials say the officers prefer the arrangement over a conventional eight-hour day, citing improved mental health, increased productivity, and more coverage during peak times. But not everyone is a fan. Lurking behind its appeal are worries about fatigue, which some studies and sleep experts say could hamper judgment or lead to accidents in a profession with high stakes. The Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association and Law Enforcement Labor Services Minnesota's largest police union have taken no position on the issue. Schedules don't usually affect contract negotiations, union officials said. 3.8k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard Donald Trump reminded the nation why he is the least popular first-year president in history by releasing hate-filled message wishing the country a happy new year. Trump tweeted: As our Country rapidly grows stronger and smarter, I want to wish all of my friends, supporters, enemies, haters, and even the very dishonest Fake News Media, a Happy and Healthy New Year. 2018 will be a great year for America! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 31, 2017 The message above was not fit to come from a president. Former President Barack Obamas New Years message is what the country should demand from the Commander In Chief: Trump is unable to do anything but divide people, and appeal to their worst instincts. Obama reminded the nation of what is great about America. Trump used his platform to stomp his feet and rage at enemies real and imagined. Donald Trump is obsessed with Obama. He is lost in the shadow of the former president, A great president was followed by a weak man who isnt emotionally or intellectually up to the task of being president. Trump is lashing out because he is failing, while Obamas tweet is a reminder that voters will have a chance to begin to right the wrong that is the Trump presidency in less than two years. Happy New Year, and reminder that each day of Donald Trumps presidency is one less day that he has in office. As President Trumps first year in office draws to a close, even the Democrats have been forced to admit that he has accomplished quite a lot. While it pains Democrats to acknowledge Trumps successes, those successes probably pose more of an existential crisis for the Never Trumpers. They, too, have had to re-examine their premises in light of the presidents track record through (almost) one year. From InstaPundit: BRET STEPHENS IN THE NYT: I admit it gives me pause. I agree with every one of the policy decisions mentioned above. But I still wish Hillary Clinton were president. How does that make sense? And this: Lets go back to Never Trumper Bret Stephens. He does a pretty good job of itemizing the administrations successes, from a conservative point of view: Tax cuts. Deregulation. More for the military; less for the United Nations. The Islamic State crushed in its heartland. Assad hit with cruise missiles. Troops to Afghanistan. Arms for Ukraine. A tougher approach to North Korea. Jerusalem recognized as Israels capital. The Iran deal decertified. Title IX kangaroo courts on campus condemned. Yes to Keystone. No to Paris. Wall Street roaring and consumer confidence high. And, of course, Neil Gorsuch on the Supreme Court. What, for a conservative, is there to dislike about this policy record as the Trump administration rounds out its first year in office? Thats the question I keep hearing from old friends on the right who voted with misgiving for Donald Trump last year and now find reasons to like him. I admit it gives me pause. I agree with every one of the policy decisions mentioned above. But I still wish Hillary Clinton were president. How does that make sense? Stephens goes on to explain why he is still a Never Trumper. I agree that from a particular point of view, a conservative can rationally be a Never Trumper. It requires a belief that the tone of our politics is important, and that the president contributes greatly toward setting that tone. I am fine with those views. But it requires something more: a belief that the tone (or style) issue is so important that it outweighs all of the policy fronts on which the Trump administration has moved the conservative ball forward. To come to this conclusion requires, I think, a certain disconnection from reality. The Never Trumper cannot take seriously the possibility that North Korea might drop a nuclear bomb on San Francisco. He cannot find much to worry about in Irans potential domination over the Middle East. He must be blind to the critical difference between 1.5% economic growth and 3% economic growth, not to the nations elites, who will be fine either way, but to the middle class. He must fail to apprehend the dire threat to the rule of law posed by politicians, professors andmost importantjudges who despise the Constitution and believe that law is merely another avenue for the exercise of power. The list goes on. In short, Never Trumpism can make sense only if you dont take seriously the importance of the issues with which the president grapples, and on which President Trump has made, I think, remarkable progress in the last 11 months. If the outside world had no meaning, and the pages of the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post encompassed the only, or even the most salient, political reality, then it probably would be reasonable to wish that Hillary Clinton were president. How much simpler things would be! But for those who take seriously the world that exists outside of newspaper op-ed pages, it is a very good thing that Donald Trump is our president. It is time for the Never Trumpers to gain a sense of perspective, to throw in the towel, and to acknowledge reality. When anti-regime protesters become deadly serious, the questions become: (1) Is the regime willing to shoot them en masse and, if so, (2) will its forces do so. If the answer to either question is no, expect the regime to become the former regime. Regimes typically are willing to shoot protesters if they deem it necessary. However, there are exceptions, for example when the foreign power that supports the regime wont back such measures (e.g., the U.S. with Iran in 1979 and the Soviet Union with East Germany in 1989). Im pretty sure the Iranian regime is willing to shoot protesters en masse, if it comes to that. And this regime is not beholden to or constrained by any foreign power. Are Iranian forces willing to shoot protesters en masse? Will they have to, or will the protesters back down after a few are killed? I dont think anyone knows the answers. Amir Teheri says that, so far, more and more security units refuse to attack protesters as they did in 2009. Thus, the mullahs might find it hard to persuade their gunmen to kill unarmed protesters as before. The key word here is might. But there is a positive development in Iran that wasnt present during the 2009 protests. The Iranian president, Rouhani, granted opponents of the regime permission to protest, as long as they do so peacefully. He said: People are completely free in criticising [the government] or protesting, [but] criticism is different from violence and destroying property . . . The government will definitely not tolerate any destruction of public property or social order. If there is insecurity, can jobs be created? Will peoples economic situation improve? Rouhani added: People are not only criticising [the government for] the economic situation. People have something to say about corruption and transparency. People want to know what is going on in the lawmaking, judicial and other sectors. I dont believe Rouhani sets policy for the regime or that hes going to play Gorbachevs role here. However, it may be that expressions like these from the landslide winner of last Mays election will have an impact on how far some of the regimes forces are willing to go to suppress protests. Again, if it comes to that. In any case, I agree with Fred Fleitz that this particular set of protests might die out, but they are part of what Iran expert Michael Ledeen has long predicted: an irreversible trend moving toward the day when the Iranian people topples a regime it despises. We spent the weekend in my home town in South Dakota, visiting my 96-year-old father. This is what greeted us yesterday morning: Now, thats cold! It was cold across much of the U.S., leading President Trump to tweet this on Thursday: In the East, it could be the COLDEST New Years Eve on record. Perhaps we could use a little bit of that good old Global Warming that our Country, but not other countries, was going to pay TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS to protect against. Bundle up! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 29, 2017 Thats an innocent observation; no doubt millions of Americans made some comment about global warming when they woke up to bone-chilling cold over the last few days. But for the liberal media, Trumps mild joke was heresy that needed to be stamped out. Thus, PBS headlined pretentiously: Fact-checking Trumps tweet about cold weather and climate change. PBSs interview was with a professor of geosciences and international affairs at Princeton: PBS: Let me just remind folks what the president said on Twitter last night after noting the record forecast or the forecast for record cold on New Years Eve on the East Coast. He said, perhaps we could use a little bit of that good old global warming that our country, but not other countries was going to pay trillions of dollars to protect against. Bundle up. Lets take that in two parts. First of all, is he confusing climate and weather? Michael Oppenheimer: Its impossible to say what was in the presidents mind, but he probably was trying to confuse other people about the reality of climate change. This cold snap is weather. Weather is what you experience day to day. Climate is the long-term average of weather over periods of years, decades, centuries or even longer. Sure. On the other hand, whenever it gets hot, or dry, or wet, or windy, alarmists tell us its another sign of global warming. How does that work? PBS helpfully explains: PBS: So, given that distinction, do scientists see a connection between climate change and episodes of extreme weather? Michael Oppenheimer: Yes, some episodes of extreme weather can be tied directly to the buildup of the greenhouse gases caused by human activity. For instance, the incidents of extreme heat has increased and episodes of heat waves are increasing faster these days than they would without the buildup of greenhouse gases. And that connection has been made clearly. Actually, it hasnt been. But you see how that works. Hot weather = evidence of catastrophic anthropogenic climate change. Cold weather = evidence of lack of catastrophic anthropogenic climate change. How about the economic consequences of the Paris agreement? More heresy! PBS: Lets take the second part of what he said. He said that the United States, but not other countries, was going to pay trillions of dollars to protect against climate change. I presume hes talking about the requirements of the Paris accord. Is that true, what he said? Michael Oppenheimer: Thats a complete fabrication. For instance, the cost of the U.S. proposal to cut its emissions by 26 percent to 28 percent, that reduction would have been obtained by and large by reductions in the power sector, the so-called Clean Power Plan, electricity production. And those would have cost a few billion dollars, not a few trillion dollars. PBSs expert is dead wrong. The Clean Power Plan related only to the power production sector, and would have (granted all of the Obama administrations dubious assumptions) contributed only a fraction of the CO2 reduction necessary to comply with the Paris agreement. A more realistic assessment of the impact of the Paris deal on the U.S. economy, not just the immediate cost of implementing the Clean Power Act, is in line with Trumps tweet. Christine Harbin explains at the Washington Examiner: Sticking with the deal could have cost 2.7 million lost jobs by 2025, according to a National Economic Research Associates study. And the effects would be widespread, including a loss of 440,000 manufacturing jobs, according to NERAs numbers. Meanwhile, according to proponents own data, the agreement would have no discernible effect on global temperatures. And the longer the agreement ran, the worse it would get, according to NERAs data. By 2040, production (and thus employment) would be decimated in a host of industries, including a 38 percent cut in iron and steel, 31 percent in natural gas, and 86 percent for coal. At that point, the total economic cost to the U.S. would approach $3 trillion in lost gross domestic product and 6.5 million industrial jobs. It is hard to get a lot of nuance into a tweet, but once again, Trump was essentially correct and his dogmatic fact checkers were about as wrong as wrong can be. As Trump himself explained on Saturday: I use Social Media not because I like to, but because it is the only way to fight a VERY dishonest and unfair press, now often referred to as Fake News Media. Phony and non-existent sources are being used more often than ever. Many stories & reports a pure fiction! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 30, 2017 Hyderabad, Jan 1 (PTI) The Telangana government ushered in the New Year today by gifting the farmers 24-hour free power supply for agricultural purposes. "Telangana - the only state in the country to achieve this distinction in power sector to end the despair of farmers," the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) government said today in newspaper advertisements about the previously announced plans. As many as 23 lakh agricultural pump sets would be provided free power from December 31 midnight, the government had said last month. The initiative would push the overall power demand to 11,000 MW by March this year. "By spending Rs 12,610 crore in setting up new power lines, transformers and sub-stations, the state power utilities have made elaborate arrangements for power supply," the government had earlier said. In the advertisements published today, the government said at the time of the formation of Telangana (in June 2014), the state had to confront severe power crisis, two-day power holiday to industry, six to eight hours cut to all categories of consumers and an erratic six-hour supply to farmers. "During the last three-and-a-half years, the power sector has crossed several milestones and achieved tremendous success in generation, transmission and distribution," it said. The installed power capacity has grown from 6,573 MW as on June 2, 2014 to 14,913 MW as on today with an "ultimate capacity of 28,000 MW in the near future", the government said. PTI RS GK ANU In the voice of her intriguing narrator in Middlemarch, George Eliot observes: Among all forms of mistake, prophecy is the most gratuitous. It is an insight from which we can learn a lot. Mistake comes in many forms, both gratuitous and otherwise somehow inherent in human nature. Of the gratuitous forms, prediction takes the cake. I think the last time I offered up a full set of predictions for the new year was 2012. My success rate on that occasion may be represented by numbers 8 and 9 of 10: 8. President Obama will not be reelected to a second term. 9. The Supreme Court will not save us from Obamacare. If we are to be saved, our elected representatives will have to do it. I may have suspended my aversion to predictions to, ah, suggest a few times in 2016 that Donald Trump would not prevail against Madam Hillary in the presidential election. Recalling my certainty on that point has prompted me to revisit the wisdom of George Eliots Middlemarch narrator. Having done so, however, I note prediction number 4 in Professor Stephen Carters set of 13 things to look forward to (or fear) in 2018. (Professor Carter looked back on his 2017 predictions here.) In his fourth prediction Professor Carter foresees: Senator Al Franken, Democrat of Minnesota, will return from the holiday recess to say that he has been talking to his constituents and that they do not want him to resign from office. He will announce he has therefore decided to stay. Republican leaders will claim that Franken never intended to leave, and that the Democratic indignation over his behavior was really just a cover to allow them to condemn Republican Roy Moore in the Alabama special Senate election without seeming unprincipled. They might have a point. On the other hand, the allegations against Moore were a lot worse. (Im not excusing Franken; I still think he should go; I just dont think he will.) Subjecting Frankens resignation statement on the floor of the Senate to a close reading, Steve Hayward noted the Franken hedge. By contrast, even before he announced his resignation, I thought that Franken had become expendable and that, as far as Democrats were concerned, it was time for Franken to go. I thought he would go and therefore took his resignation statement at face value. I do not like Franken as a man or a politician. Just before his troubles began, I declared him The unfunniest senator. To say the least, I disapprove of his job performance. Yet I regret his departure from office. He is leaving solely at the behest of his Democratic colleagues. If Minnesota had a Republican governor, they would have put up with him. Indeed, I think they deserve him. Moreover, Minnesotans returned Franken to office by a substantial majority in 2014. Almost all of the alleged conduct occurred before Franken was elected in 2008 (as determined in the recount proceedings). Professor Carter notes that Minnesotans support Frankens continuation in office. As Ed Koch put it: The people have spokenand they must be punished. This is not to say that I doubted Frankens accusers. I didnt and dont. I believe them. The one who got the ball rolling delivered the ocular proof of his misconduct. When other accusers emerged, Frankens interview with local CBS affiliate anchor/reporter Esme Murphy demonstrated Frankens inability to defend himself from the charges against him. I commented on Murphys interview and posted the video in Franken: Just very, very sorry. I have changed my mind a time or two about what should happen to Franken as events played out. I have been turned off by the politics of his leaving office and the appointment of his successor Lieutenant Governor and left-wing flake Tina Smith by Governor Mark Dayton. Its all too convenient. Frankens sanction in due course by the Senate and/or his rebuke by the voters in 2020 should have sufficed. In the meantime, Frankens public humiliation and shaming have been (or would have been) fitting. Professor Carter to the contrary notwithstanding, my 2018 prediction is that Franken will resign from office tomorrow as promised. I think that Professor Carter and others who have foreseen Frankens retraction of his announced intent to resign dont understand the Minnesota scene. We arent that cynical. Franken would take it back if he could but he cant. Hes outta here (though hell be back). Thats my prediction. Whatever the case, it wont take long to learn the outcome. I join Professor Carter in his closing wish for 2018: As for our everyday lives, I hope that in the year to come every one of us, whether #maga or #nevertrump or in between, will find ways to remain respectful of others across our myriad differences, and will search unceasingly for the truth and beauty and grace to be found amidst the clamor and clutter. Amen. In July, President Andrzej Duda will represent Poland at the NATO summit in Brussels, where he is to talk about military aspects of security President Andrzej Duda will deliver a "powerful and important speech" outlining his foreign policy objectives on January 11, during a meeting with foreign ambassadors at the Presidential Palace, Krzysztof Szczerski, key aide to the Polish president said on Sunday. The presidential minister said that Andrzej Duda's international activities in 2018 will focus on Poland's membership of the UN Security Council, economic diplomacy, security issues, as well as meetings with the Polish diaspora as part of celebrating the centenary of Polish independence. In the foreign policy speech, the president will present his opinion on Poland's position in the European Union and the country's upcoming role as a non-permanent member of the UNSC, among other issues, added Minister Szczerski, who is the Polish president's chief of staff and his foreign policy adviser. The presidential aide announced that President Duda plans to address the UN forum three times in 2018. In mid-January, President Duda is scheduled to take part in the first meeting of the UN Security Council after the beginning of Poland's term as a non-permanent member, Krzysztof Szczerski said. In May, during the Polish presidency, the president will lead the Security Council's meeting at which he will present Poland's initiative to be taken up by the Council, according to the presidential aide. The president is also to deliver a speech during the United Nations General Assembly's September session. In July, President Andrzej Duda will represent Poland at the NATO summit in Brussels, where he is to talk about military aspects of security. "We are counting on the reinforcement of the Warsaw NATO summit's decision in terms of defence and deterrence, but also NATO's ability to mobilise forces in the event of conflict", presidential minister said. The centenary of Poland's regaining independence will be another important aspect of President Duda's international activities, Minister Szczerski said. "This coming year, the president wants to devote a lot of attention to Poles scattered around the world and visit them in various places around the globe," said the minister. Andrzej Duda's foreign policy in 2018 will also focus on economic diplomacy. At the beginning of the year, the president will attend the World Economic Forum in Davos and take part in a panel on Central Europe's development and significance for the whole of Europe. According to Krzysztof Szczerski, the biggest international event in Poland next year will be the meeting of NATO's Eastern Flank countries in Warsaw, the so-called Bucharest Nine, to take place in June and be combined with the joint, international celebrations of the 100th anniversary of Polish independence. (PAP) London, Jan 2(PTI) Four people have been stabbed to death in London during a string of unrelated killings in London during a 24-hour period, police said today. The male victims - a 17-year-old, an 18-year-old and a 20-year-old on New Years Eve, and a 20-year-old - all died yesterday due to their injuries, Scotland Yard confirmed. Sundays stabbings took place in various locations across London - at 11.30am in Larmans Road, Enfield, 7.35pm at Memorial Avenue in West Ham, and 10.40pm in Norwood Road in Tulse Hill. A fifth man is in critical condition after the New Years Day incident which occurred at Bartholomew Court in Londons Old Street. Five men have been arrested in connection with one of the deaths, the Metropolitan Police said. Met Commander Neil Jerome said the incidents were not connected, adding most of the people cooperated with police in London to ensure safe New Years Eve celebrations. "However, there were small groups who chose to engage in disorder and violence, and whose actions have had utterly tragic consequences," said Jerome. "It is heart-breaking that, at a time when so many of us are contemplating what lies ahead in 2018, four families are dealing with the grief of losing a loved one to senseless violence and the callous use of knives as lethal weapons," he said. Police will work tirelessly to bring to justice those responsible for the attacks, Jerome said. PTI HSR CHT HSINCHU, Taiwan and WUHAN, China, Jan. 1, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- JHL Biotech announced that Rong Chen has been appointed Chief Medical Officer effective January 1. As CMO, Dr. Chen will oversee JHL's medical and clinical development work as part of its mission to make world-class biopharmaceuticals affordable and available to more patients. Dr. Chen joins the company from his previous role as Chief Medical Officer at Phagelux, a biologics company in Shanghai. "We are excited to welcome Dr. Chen to JHL Biotech. His deep experience in leading medical affairs and clinical development at biopharmaceutical companies will help further our mission to make biologics affordable to more people throughout the world," said Racho Jordanov, CEO, JHL Biotech. "Dr. Chen is an expert in medical affairs and clinical research with comprehensive knowledge and experience in regulatory affairs. He will have a vital role in shaping JHL's future and will guide our medical, clinical, and regulatory work." Prior to Phagelux, Dr. Chen was Chief Medical Officer at CASI Pharmaceuticals, Vice President and Head of Regulatory Excellence for China/HK area at GlaxoSmithKline, Medical Director for the Asia Pacific region at Beyer Schering Pharma, and Medical Director for China at Sanofi. He also previously held several clinical and research positions in Australia. "JHL Biotech is a company creating new space in the biologics market and by doing so, more patients will have access to affordable medicines," said Dr. Chen. "I look forward to being part of this experienced team and leading medical affairs and clinical development for JHL." Dr. Chen received his PhD from the Royal Adelaide Hospital, University of Adelaide in Australia and both his bachelor's and master's in medicine from Shandong Medical University in China. Media Contact: Jill Liu, [email protected], phone: +886 3-658-3899 Amber Chen, [email protected], phone: +886 3-658-3899 About JHL Biotech JHL Biotech Inc. (Stock Code: 6540.TWO) is a biopharmaceutical startup founded by a group of industry veterans with deep experience in pharmaceutical development and operations. JHL is backed by premier financial firms, including Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Sequoia Capital, Biomark Capital, Milestone Capital, Fidelity, and the China Development Industrial Bank. JHL Biotech's mission is to provide the world with low-cost medicines of exceptional quality. JHL is focused on research and development of new protein-based therapies and biosimilars. JHL Biotech has two world-class facilities built in accordance with United States, European Union, and ICH cGMP regulations and standards. For more information, please visit www.jhlbiotech.com. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/333015/jhl_Logo.jpg Related Links http://www.jhlbiotech.com SOURCE JHL Biotech, Inc. Africa's largest philanthropy supporting entrepreneurship - The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) is now accepting applications for business ideas that can transform Africa. To apply, complete the online application at application.tonyelumelufoundation.org. The deadline is midnight (WAT) on 1 March 2018. (Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/622651/Tony_Elumelu_Foundation.jpg ) The Programme provides critical tools for business success, including: Training: 12 weeks of intensive online training which guides creating and managing a business Mentoring: A world-class mentor to guide during the early transformation stages of the business Funding: $5,000* in seed capital to prove the concept, plus access to further funding Network: Access to the largest network of African start-ups and TEF's own global contacts The Programme, in its 4th cycle, is TEF's 10-year, $100 million commitment to identify, train, mentor and fund 10,000 African entrepreneurs by 2024. TEF Founder, serial entrepreneur and philanthropist Tony O. Elumelu, CON said: "When we launched the TEF Programme and committed $100 million, I knew we would create impact, but I never imagined it would be of this magnitude. We've unleashed a movement of African entrepreneurs -- a force so strong, I am confident they will collectively transform Africa. We need Africa's best and brightest to grow their businesses and build our continent." 1,000 entrepreneurs will be selected based on the viability of their idea, including: market opportunity; financial understanding; scalability; leadership and entrepreneurial skills. Eligibility: 1. The business must be based in Africa 2. The business must be for profit 3. The business must be 0-3 years old 4. Applicants must be at least 18 and a legal resident or citizen of an African country CEO of the Foundation, Parminder Vir OBE said: "We encourage women, French and Portuguese speakers to apply. Our 3,000 alumni are already growing their businesses and improving lives. If you have a transformational business or an idea, we have an opportunity for you." * $5,000 seed capital is paid based on the official Central Bank of Nigeria naira equivalent value at the date of selection for the programme. About The Tony Elumelu Foundation The Foundation's long-term investment in empowering African entrepreneurs is emblematic of Tony Elumelu's philosophy of Africapitalism, which positions Africa's private sector, and most importantly entrepreneurs, as the catalyst for the social and economic development of the continent. www.tonyelumelufoundation.org SOURCE Tony Elumelu Foundation New Delhi : Mumbai, 26 Dec (IANS) Essar Oilfields Services (India) Ltd (EOSIL) on Tuesday announced that it has started work on a contract awarded by hydrocarbons explorer Mercator Petroleum to drill two firm oil wells plus one optional oil well in Gujarat's Cambay Basin. An EOSIL release here said that with the company commencing a few other drilling contracts during the current fiscal, EOSIL is expecting to clock revenues of $48 million in this fiscal. "EOSIL today announced that it has commenced a contract awarded by Mercator Petroleum to drill two firm oil wells plus one optional oil well in the Cambay Basin," the statement said. "With the company commencing a few other drilling contracts in this fiscal, EOSIL is expecting to clock revenues of $48 million in this fiscal," it added. Mercator Petroleum owns two oil and gas blocks in the Cambay basin and also operates offshore oil blocks. According to the company, the newest land rig in company's fleet, the 'Essar Rig MR01 (1000 HP) has started drilling the first well for Mercator'. "A trailer-mounted mechanical rig that is capable of drilling up to a depth of 11,000 ft, it has proved to be an outstanding performer during its six exploratory well contracts with Bharat Petro Resources." "This contract bears testimony to Essar's 25-year expertise in the contract drilling business that is backed by world-class assets," EOSIL Chief Executive Rajeev Nayyer said. In addition to its 15 land rigs, EOSIL also operates an offshore rig that is semi-submersible and capable of drilling in water depths of up to 1,600 feet and drilling depths of up to 25,000 feet, which is currently deployed on a three-year contract with state-run explorer ONGC, the statement added. Lima, Dec 27 : The repercussions of Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski's Christmas Eve pardon for disgraced former head of state Alberto Fujimori continued to be felt as allies distanced themselves from the incumbent, and human rights organisations explored ways to send Fujimori back to prison. Roger Rodriguez, the head of the human rights division of the Justice Ministry, along with two members of Peru's High-Level Commission on Peace, Reparation and Reconciliation, Daniel Sanchez and Katherine Valenzuela, announced their resignation on Tuesday, Efe news reported. Their resignation letters were published in Lima daily La Republica. Fujimori "did not qualify for the granting of a humanitarian pardon", Rodriguez wrote, while Sanchez said he would find it "shameful" to represent the government in discussions with victims of Fujimori, who was sentenced to 25 years behind bars for massacres and other crimes committed during his 1990-2000 tenure. Lawmaker Alberto de Belaunde also resigned from Kuczynski's PPK party and two other members, Vicente Zeballos and Gino Costa, are expected to follow suit in the coming days amid continuing street protests over the pardon. On another front, the human rights organisation Aprodeh asked the Inter-American Court of Human Rights to order the Peruvian government to provide information on the pardon and to hold a public hearing on the matter. Kuczynski signed the pardon just three days after he avoided impeachment due to the votes of 10 opposition lawmakers led by Fujimori's son Kenji, prompting many to suspect that political machinations were at work in the decision. Kuczynski became President by defeating Keiko Fujimori -- Kenji's older sister -- in a 2016 runoff. During the campaign, he vowed not to pardon Alberto Fujimori. The Commission on Presidential Clemency concluded that Fujimori was suffering from a "progressive, degenerative and incurable disease" likely to be aggravated by the conditions in prison. But according to legislator Indira Huilca, Fujimori enjoyed comfortable conditions in prison. New Delhi, Dec 27 : Global terror network Al Qaeda that formally announced its affiliate in Jammu and Kashmir earlier this year has said targeting Indian cities and sidelining Pakistan and its army were key to jihadi success in the state. In a video interview with Al Qaeda's mouthpiece, released on jihadi online networks, Usama Mehmood, spokesman Al Qaeda in Indian Sub-continent, said there could be no easy solution to the Kashmir issue which needs "blood and sweat" of Muslims. Mehmood, in the 42-minute video recorded in Urdu, said it was necessary for "the jihadi movement to strengthen and expand its activities in the region and target Indian interests. "India has protected itself by deploying 600,000 troops in a small place like Kashmir. We will target it and its interests in Kolkata, Bangalore and New Delhi, it will come to its senses, its atrocities will be controlled and its grip on Kashmir will weaken by the will of Allah," said the group's second-in-command in the sub-continent. This is the first detailed Al Qaeda talk on its activities in Kashmir since July 27 this year when the group announced it was establishing an affiliate in Jammu and Kashmir called Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind, headed by the 23-year-old former Kashmir commander of the pro-Pakistan Hizbul Mujahideen, Zakir Musa. The Al Qaeda announcement was promptly rejected by militant groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad and Hizbul Mujahideen. Even the Hurriyat Conference dismissed it, saying the Kashmir issue was political and had nothing to do with global Islamist jihad even as the longstanding militant outfits also espouse an Islamist outlook for Kashmir. Mehmood called on all Muslims in the sub-continental region, including from India, to "stand behind the Kashmiri people and perform their duties for jihad in Kashmir". "It is imperative to wage jihad against India. It can only happen when jihadi activities are strengthened in the entire region. "We should help our Kashmiri brothers first, defend our jihad from apostatic forces like Pakistan Army and its policies and then expand the jihadi activities," he said, terming the Pakistan Army "an obstacle in the path of victory, is an enemy of the sharia and a slave of global infidels". "It fights only for its salary, personal aggrandisement and plots of land. It is the same army that spills the blood of the mujahideen for American dollars." Citing Al Qaeda's attacks against the US within and outside America, he said: "Look at America. Securing itself has become difficult for America throughout the world. We will make it difficult for the Indian Army and Indian government the same way and make its peaceful world a war zone." The video also shows clips of slain Al Qaeda military commander Illyas Kashmiri and frequently cites quotes from the book of Afzal Guru, who was hanged for his involvement in the 2001 Parliament attack. Havana, Dec 29 : A new US cruise has docked here in a bid to promote Cuba as one of its most important destinations in the Caribbean despite a serious setback in bilateral ties. The ship "Veendam" of Holland America Line, one of US firm Carnival Corporation's brands, arrived in the Cuban capital on Thursday with more than 1,600 passengers on board, reports Xinhua news agency. The ship plans to continue its sail to the southern Cuban city of Cienfuegos where travellers will engage in cultural and educational activities. At the inaugural ceremony, Holland America Line President Orlando Ashford said the ocean unites the two peoples and Carnival will continue to bet on the island as one of the most important destinations worldwide. After 37 years, said Ashford, the Carnival brand returns to Cuba, a place that offers warmth and hospitality to cruise line guests. Cuba has experienced an exponential growth of visitors by cruises since the opening of this type of trips, receiving 380,000 people for this modality until November of this year. According to official figures, 579,288 Americans visited Cuba between January and November 2017, registering a 248.7 per cent increase compared with the previous year. However, there has been a substantial reduction in American travellers in recent weeks due to the prohibitions by the USs and a travel warning issued in September by the State Department that recommended Americans not visit the island. Bengaluru, Dec 29 : In a one of its kind effort to celebrate a girl child, the first female baby born in the New Year at a civic hospital in the city will be given free education till under-graduation, Bengaluru Mayor R. Sampath Raj said on Friday. "The first girl child born in the New Year (January 1) through a normal delivery at any civic hospital in the city would get free education up to degree level in a college so that girls are not considered a burden," Raj told IANS here. The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) would deposit Rs five-lakh in a joint bank account of its Commissioner and the first girl child, and the interest on it would be used for her education. "Pregnant women who go to civic hospitals for delivery are from poor families and unfortunately think a girl child is a burden for them to bring up," Raj said. Health officials at the civic hospitals would record the timings of female babies born after December 31 midnight and in the first hour or early hours of January 1 to ascertain the winner. "Since a Caesarean-section birth can be induced any time, civic doctors have decided to reward only the girl child born through natural process," said Raj. About 32 health centres in the city are run by the civic body out of which 26 have maternity wards. Lucknow, Dec 30 : Heavy fog continued to disrupt air, rail and vehicular traffic in most parts of Uttar Pradesh for the second consecutive day on Saturday, slowing down normal life as the cold wave intensified. Visibility dropped to one metre on many state and national highways, leading to several pile ups and accidents. Six persons of a family, including an infant, were killed on the Lucknow-Agra Expressway late on Friday when a speeding truck on the wrong side rammed into their car. Despite police orders, heavy vehicles continued to ply on the expressway, endangering commuters lives. All schools upto Class 8 have been closed till January 4, following the the state government's order. Timing of senior classes has also been changed to later in the day. The Regional Met Office has predicted foggy days to hold ground for the next few days. Vehicular traffic has been hit by the poor visibility and the rail traffic has been completely disrupted. More than 190 trains were running late on the Northern (NR), North Eastern (NER) and the North Central Railways (NCR) divisions. Major trains that were running behind schedule included Lucknow-Chandigarh Express, Vaisahali Superfast to New Delhi, Lucknow Mail, Padmawat Express, Sabarmati Express and Shatabdi Express between Lucknow and New Delhi. The humidity levels have been 100 per cent in the past 24-hours in eastern and central parts of Uttar Pradesh while the western parts are going dry. The maximum temperature in major cities of the state was hovering around 18 degrees Celsius, adding to the winter bite. The cold wave was likely to intensify in the coming days and relief in the form of sunny days would come only in the New Year, weatherman said. Srinagar, Dec 31 : One Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) trooper was killed and three others injured on Sunday after militants attacked a training camp near the Srinagar-Jammu highway, authorities said. The Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) militant outfit has claimed responsibility for the attack on the 185 battalion CRPF training camp in Pulwama district's Lethpora area. Heavily armed militants entered the camp at around 2.10 a.m., after hurling grenades and resorting to gunfire. "One CRPF trooper succumbed to injuries sustained in the gunfight with the militants. Three other injured troopers are undergoing treatment at a base hospital in Srinagar. Security forces including Rashtriya Rifles, CRPF and state police have surrounded the camp," a police official said. "Two militants are inside the camp and efforts are on to evacuate CRPF personnel." As a precautionary measure, authorities have suspected internet facility in the district. Beijing, Dec 31 : Beijing has set up more than 112,600 electric vehicle charging points, according to official figures. The Chinese capital has also launched a smartphone app so that drivers of electric or hybrid cars can locate the nearest charging points, reports Efe news. The charging stations are an increasingly common sight on the streets of Beijing, although they are frequently occupied by conventional vehicles due to lack of parking spaces. Beijing also has more and more electric municipal vehicles, from urban transport buses to garbage trucks. One of the targets in the 13th five-year plan (2016-2020) is to create a national charging point network for a fleet of 5 million electric vehicles. China is to require that 10 per cent of the vehicles manufacturers sell on the domestic market be electric or hybrid from 2019, a figure that will increase to 12 per cent by 2020. The number is set to be revised in 2021. The government said in September that it was proposing a ban on the sale of vehicles powered by fossil fuels in future, although it did not specify a date. In the first 11 months of the year, sales of electric and hybrid cars in China reached 609,000 units, 51.4 per cent more than in the same period in 2016, thanks to government subsidies for the purchase of cars equipped with these propulsion methods. Washington, Jan 1 (PTI) Developing alternatives to antibiotics for small infections could prevent bacteria from developing drug-resistance and help humans win the battle against superbugs, scientists say. It has been widely reported that bacteria will evolve to render antibiotics mostly ineffective by mid-century, and current strategies to make up for the projected shortfalls have not worked. Doctors are often quick to prescribe strong antibiotics for mild infections, helping bacteria evolve resistance to even the most potent drugs. One possible problem is that drug development strategies have focused on replacing antibiotics in extreme infections, such as sepsis, where every minute without an effective drug increases the risk of death. However, the evolutionary process that brings forth antibiotic resistance does not happen nearly as often in those big infections as it does in the multitude of small ones like sinusitis, tonsillitis, bronchitis, and bladder infections, according to researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology in the US. "Antibiotic prescriptions against those smaller ailments account for about 90 percent of antibiotic use, and so are likely to be the major driver of resistance evolution," said Sam Brown, an associate professor at Georgia Tech. Bacteria that survive these many small battles against antibiotics grow in strength and numbers to become formidable armies in big infections, like those that strike after surgery. For example, E coli is widespread in the human gut. While some strains secrete enzymes that thwart antibiotics, others do not. A broad-spectrum antibiotic can kill off more of the vulnerable, less dangerous bacteria, leaving the more dangerous and robust bacteria to propagate. Often, superbugs have made their way into hospitals in someones intestines, where they had evolved high resistance through years of occasional treatment with antibiotics for small infections. Then those bacteria have infected patients with weak immune systems. Furious infections have ensued, essentially invulnerable to antibiotics, followed by sepsis and death. Drug developers facing dwindling antibiotic effectiveness against evolved bacteria have looked for multiple alternate treatments. The focus has often been to find some new class of drug that works as well as or better than antibiotics, but so far, nothing has, Brown said. The researchers proposed a different approach. Developing non-antibiotic therapies for strep throat, bladder infections, and bronchitis could prove easier, thus encouraging pharmaceutical investment and research. If doctors had enough alternatives to antibiotics for the multitude of small infections they treat, they could help preserve antibiotic effectiveness longer for the far less common but much more deadly infections, for which they are most needed. PTI MHN SAR MHN Srinagar, Dec 31 : Four CRPF troopers and two militants were killed in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district on Sunday after guerrillas attacked a CRPF training centre, police officials said. Heavily-armed militants stealthily entered the camp in Lathpora area about two hours after midnight, hurling grenades and resorting to indiscriminate gunfire. "Four CRPF jawans were martyred in the operation that lasted for nearly 12 hours," a police officer said. After barging in, the two militants secured positions in the CRPF camp located on the Srinagar-Jammu highway until they were killed. The Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) claimed responsibility for the daring attack on the 185 Battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force. "Security forces including Rashtriya Rifles, CRPF and state police jointly carried out an operation to flush out the militants," the official said. As a precaution, authorities suspected Internet facility in Pulwama district. Traffic on the Srinagar-Jammu highway was halted for some time during the counter-insurgency operations. Washington, Jan 1 : US President Donald Trump has said his government is on the alert for any human rights violations that could occur within the context of protests in Iran. "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," said Trump on Twitter on Sunday, Efe news reported. "The USA is watching very closely for human rights violations!" he added. Thousands of people have taken to the streets in different Iranian cities since Thursday (December 28) to protest the economic policy of the Hassan Rouhani government, the cost of living and corruption. Trump had warned on Saturday that the world "is watching" what is happening in Iran, noting that "Oppressive regimes cannot endure forever, and the day will come when the Iranian people will face a choice." On Friday, Trump had also blamed the protests in Iran on "Iranian citizens fed up with regime's corruption and its squandering of the nation's wealth to fund terrorism abroad." "Iranian government should respect their people's rights, including right to express themselves," he had tweeted. The Iranian government on Saturday called upon its citizens not to participate in unauthorized demonstrations, which are proceeding amid heightened security and in which two people have died. Tehran, Jan 1 : Iranians are free to protest against the government but must not jeopardise security, President Hassan Rouhani has said after four days of demonstrations. Speaking at a cabinet session, he acknowledged that there were problems that needed to be solved but warned that violence would not be tolerated, BBC reported on Sunday. The protests have been the biggest show of dissent since huge rallies in 2009. There have been clashes in several cities, and Iran has restricted social networks used to organise protests. The "temporary" restrictions on the apps Telegram and Instagram were imposed to "maintain tranquillity", state news agency Irib reports. The protests began in the north-east as an outcry against economic hardship and rising prices, but turned political in many places, with slogans chanted against Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Rouhani and Iran's interventionist foreign policy in the region. In his latest tweet on the issue, US President Donald Trump said that Iranians were "finally getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism". In his first public comments, Rouhani criticised Trump. "This gentleman in America, who is now trying to sympathise with our nation, appears to have forgotten that he called the Iranian nation terrorists several months ago," he was reported to have said. "This man, who is an enemy of the Iranian nation from the top of his head to his very toes, has no right to sympathise with Iranians," he added. The Iranian president said that Iranian citizens were "completely free to express their criticism of the government or stage protests... in a way that would lead to the improvement of the country's conditions". He acknowledged grievances over the economic situation, a lack of transparency and corruption but defended his record. Rouhani added that expressing criticism was completely different from being violent or destroying public property. Violence flared in many places on Saturday, and videos posted online suggest demonstrations have continued in a dozen or more cities on Sunday. Small crowds have gathered in the capital Tehran chanting "death to the dictator" and police have used water cannon to disperse protesters at a major intersection -- as captured in a video obtained by BBC Persian. Paris, Jan 1 : French President Emmanuel Macron, in his New Year speech, urged the citizens of his country to end "irreconcilable divisions" in 2018 and vowed to continue the "profound transformations" that he launched in 2017. "At the national level, the year 2018 will be about the cohesion of the nation," said Macron in the video clip filmed at the Elysee Palace on Sunday, sitting in front of the French and the European flags, Xinhua news agency reported. "We have been divided for too long and too often. Debates are necessary but irreconcilable divisions undermine our country," he said. "By your choices, throughout the year of 2017 you have allowed an in-depth transformation of our country to happen," said the President. "I will continue to do what you elected me for: not to adapt France to the rest of the world, but to allow our country to be what it is." The transformations initiated in 2017, including those in education and employment, "will continue with the same force in 2018", he assured the citizens, adding that he "will not stop acting" despite the "discordant voices". As for the European project, Macron reaffirmed that he was "committed to Europe", and deeply believed that "Europe is good for France". He called upon his fellow French to participate in citizen consultations in order to make Europe "more sovereign, more united and more democratic". "I need your determination for a 'European leap,' and to not yield to nationalists or skeptics," he stressed. Macron also vowed to fight relentlessly against terrorism in 2018 in the Middle East, Africa and the French territory. Lagos, Jan 1 : At least 20 people have been killed in two road accidents in Nigeria's Jigawa and Ogun states, officials said. Abdu Jinjiri, Jigawa's police spokesperson told reporters on Sunday in Dutse, the state capital, that 15 people, including two children, died in an accident involving a bus and a truck along Gujungu-Gumel road in Kaugama area of the state on Saturday evening, Xinhua reported. "A seven passengers-capacity vehicle overloaded with 14 passengers rammed into a truck coming from the opposite direction on Gujungu-Gumel road," he said. In Ogun state, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) said five persons died and 13 others injured in an accident on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway on Sunday. Clement Oladele, Ogun Sector Commander of FRSC, said two vehicles and 18 people were involved in the accident. Road accidents take place frequently in Nigeria due to reckless driving, bad road conditions and overloading. Bujumbura, Jan 1 : Burundian President Pierre Nkurunziza has pardoned over 2,000 inmates and called on the citizens to be more patriotic. "Over 2,000 inmates are going to be released from various prisons in 2018. We urge them to avoid committing again offences that may return them to prison," said Nkurunziza in a new year message to the nation on Sunday, Xinhua news agency reported. The presidential pardon comes in the context of consolidating peace and cohesion in the central African nation, said the President, adding that the pardon targets pregnant and breastfeeding inmates and those whose jail term is less than five years and. Inmates with physical disabilities and those who have spent half of their jail term will also be pardoned, he said. At least 2,576 inmates had benefited from the presidential pardon in 2017, according to him. He also urged Burundian citizens to financially contribute to the country's 2020 elections and to massively participate in the referendum of the national constitution to be held in May 2018. Nkurunziza also said Burundi's energy crisis has been solved by the use of thermal energy of 30 megawatts, adding that the construction of hydropower dams is underway to produce more energy. Plans for 2018 include consolidating peace and security, fighting terrorism and continuing the repatriation of Burundian citizens living in exile, he further said. New Delhi, Jan 1 : Automobile major Maruti Suzuki India on Monday reported a 10.3 per cent rise in its monthly sales for December. According to the company, its total sales including exports during the month under review rose to 130,066 units from 117,908 units sold during the corresponding month of 2016. "Maruti Suzuki India Limited, leader in passenger vehicles, sold a total of 130,066 units in December 2017, growing 10.3 per cent over the same period of last fiscal," the auto major said in a statement. "This includes 119,286 units in domestic market and 10,780 units of exports. The company had sold a total of 117,908 units in December 2016." The company's December domestic sales edged higher by 12.1 per cent to 119,286 units from 106,414 units. However, exports dipped by 6.2 per cent, with 10,780 units that were shipped out during last month, up from 11,494 units sold abroad in December 2016. Agartala, Jan 1 : Security along Tripura's inter-state borders with Assam and Mizoram and international boundaries with Bangladesh has been tightened in view of publication of a part draft of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and ensuing assembly polls, officials said here on Monday. "We have deployed additional security forces along Tripura's inter-state borders with Assam and Mizoram. Border Security Force (BSF) also further strengthened their vigil along the India-Bangladesh borders with Tripura," a top police officer said. He said that to thwart any adverse eventuality, all the borders were guarded round-the-clock specially in the odd hours after the publication of part draft NRC in Assam on Sunday mid-night. "The Election Commission also earlier asked the BSF and the state government to seal the international and inter-state borders in view of the ensuing assembly elections in February," the officer said, refusing to be named. According to the officer, surveillance in Tripura's two check posts along southern Assam was also enhanced through various means. He said that the Union Home Ministry also asked all the Northeastern states and airport authorities in the region to intensify the security in view of Republic Day celebrations. Tripura has 856 km international borders with Bangladesh and 109 km and 53 km inter-state borders with Mizoram and and Assam, respectively. Except for some 20 km, most of the 856-km long borders with Bangladesh are fenced. According to an official of the state's Elections Department, the Election Commission would likely announce the assembly polls in Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland next week and the elections in these states were likely to be held in third week of February. Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland all have 60-seat assemblies. Islamabad, Jan 1 : Pakistan on Monday handed over a list of 457 Indian prisoners languishing in its jails to the Indian High Commission here. This is in line with the provisions of the Consular Access Agreement the two countries signed on May 21, 2008, under which they are required to exchange such lists twice a year, on January 1 and July 1. The Indian government too will hand over a list of Pakistani prisoners to the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi, a Foreign Office statement said. New Delhi : Three unrelated developments in December provide some useful indicators about the security and strategic outlook for India in 2018. The first, which is most recent, is the killing of four Indian army personnel, including a major, in the Rajouri sector of Jammu and Kashmir in the run-up to Christmas in end-December and the retaliatory action in the Rakh Chikri sector of Poonch that resulted in the death of three Pakistani soldiers. Clearly, the Line of Control (LoC) -- dividing Kashmir between India and Pakistan -- will become even more animated in 2018 and a new normal has been established with the kind of assertive military retribution that both India and Pakistan have internalised. The second development relates to the China factor in the larger Indian calculus and how this will play out in the new year. While 2017 was punctuated by the Doklam military standoff and the Indian position on the OBOR (One Belt One Road ), now referred to as the BRI (Belt Road Initiative), a little ASEAN-related nugget offers some interesting extrapolation. At a CSCAP (Council for Security Cooperation in Asia-Pacific) meeting in December in Thailand, an ASEAN delegate referred to China as an "erupting power" and was duly chastised by the Beijing representative. The unease in ASEAN over China's intimidating economic-trade embrace is palpable and the recent Australia-China discord over Beijing's covert attempt to shape local Australian politics has raised deep anxiety in the smaller countries. It may be recalled that Singapore took an unusually strong stand in terminating the services of a high profile academic of Chinese origin earlier in 2017 over similar charges. The third development, which is at the larger global strategic level but of relevance to India, is the release of the US National Security Strategy by the Trump administration in December. In a return to some of the language used during the Cold War, the US under President Trump has identified both Russia and China as revisionist powers that are seeking to undermine US "prosperity and security". India, on the other hand, has been referred to as a "leading global power" and the broad correspondence between the world's oldest and largest democracies points to a certain strategic empathy between Washington and Delhi. This preliminary rapprochement between the US and India is not in itself new and goes back to the Clinton-Vajpayee period of the bilateral relationship. What was not as evident was the degree to which the Trump team would allow for the continuity in the relationship that was nurtured over the last 16 years in the Bush-Obama years. The Trump document reiterates that the contour of the bilateral will essentially be the same -- though the transactional element will be more visible. India's more complex strategic challenge will be to harmonise its relations with the three major power nodes -- Washington, Moscow and Beijing -- in such a manner that no single bilateral lurches into a brittle, impulsive binary that pits the democracies against the authoritarian duo of China and Russia. Moscow has a special status in the Indian strategic framework and this is a relationship that needs to be firewalled from contemporary dissonances -- be it in relation to Pakistan or Afghanistan. Tokyo is a new partner -- albeit hesitant -- but the potential for security and strategic coordination is visible. Despite the positive tenor in the India-US relationship and the endorsement in the Trump security framework, there is an inherent glass ceiling, given the divergences that obtain in relation to Pakistan and Iran. Both are perceived to be state sponsors of terrorism -- the former by India and the latter by the US, with little possibility of arriving at a modus vivendi. The immediate neighbourhood that includes Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Maldives pose distinctive bilateral challenges-cum-opportunities and here again the Chinese shadow looms large. Finding the right mix of firmness and flexibility in embedding the Indian security and strategic objectives in a larger collective will be the challenge of 2018 for the Modi team. (C. Uday Bhaskar is Director, Society for Policy Studies. He can be contacted at cudayb@gmail.com. The article is in special arrangement with South Asia Monitor) Dhaka, Jan 1 (PTI) Bangladesh will build two new air bases to strengthen its Air Force, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has announced. The two new air bases will be set up in Barisal and Sylhet. "In terms of technology and strategy, Bangladesh Air Force will be established as a most modern, professional and all-round air force at home and abroad soon,? Hasina said yesterday. "I believe that these activities will further strengthen the force and increase its capability,? she was quoted as saying by Dhaka Tribune. The prime minister was addressing the President Parade of the 74 Bangladesh Air Force Academy (BAFA) Course and Direct Entry 2017 Course of Bangladesh Air Force Officer at BAF Academy Parade Ground in Jessore. Multirole combat aircraft, modern basic training helicopters, jet trainer aircraft, simulators, unmanned aerial vehicle systems, long and short range air defence RADAR and medium range surface to air missiles will be added to the air force, she said. "Besides, the organogram of the air bases and headquarters was approved,? she said. Earlier, the premier reviewed the parade and handed out trophies, certificates and flying badges among the flight cadets. Speaking on the occasion, Hasina asked the Bangladesh Air Force members to be ready to play a role in any need of the country alongside safeguarding Bangladesh?s independence and sovereignty. "I hope that you will always remain vigilant in to keeping Bangladesh?s air space free by being imbued with the spirit of the great Liberation War and true patriotism as well as remaining respectful to holy constitution,? she said. PTI PMS Kochi, Jan 1 : With the Malayalam actress abduction case trial set to commence, one of the accused, actor Dileep, is set to move the court against the police for failing to provide crucial documents for his counsel's perusal. Dileep's counsel has been asking for a copy of the visuals of the actress being harassed while she was taken around in a vehicle in Kochi for around two hours before she was dumped near the home of a popular director. When the demand was first raised, a lower court had allowed for the actor and his counsel to take a look at it in the presence of the court. However, now he wished to have a copy of it, which the police was not willing to give. His counsel had also asked for certain other documents pertaining to the case, which was not handed over and this would also be pointed out in the petition. According to the police, these were all vital evidences in the case and the privacy of the victim was also to be taken into consideration, hence they were unwilling to part with it. The abduction incident took place in February 2017 while the actress was on her way to Kochi from her house. The gang of criminals was led by Pulsar Suni, who was named the prime accused. The trial court in December accepted the chargesheet that names a total of 12 persons, including Dileep's former wife Manju Warrier, who is a key witness. The 650-page chargesheet included secret depositions. Among the list of witnesses, around 50 were from the film industry. Dileep was arrested on July 10, 2017 and after 85 days in jail, he got conditional bail. Islamabad, Jan 1 : Ousted Pakistan Prime Mminister Nawaz Sharifs daughter, Maryam Nawaz, has rubbished rumours of her fathers self-exile, describing it as a "self-created lie". In a tweet on Sunday, Maryam stated that exile will be the fate of military dictators and non-democratic characters, not of representatives elected by the people. A spokesperson of Nawaz Sharif also called news report published in national and international press as "speculative" that Sharif was negotiating a deal with Saudi Arabia to avoid facing an accountability court back home. The spokesperson said Sharif was visiting Saudi Arabia due to his long-standing relations with the royal family and in his capacity as the head of the ruling party, a press release issued on Sunday said. "He has always utilised these relations for national interest and never for his personal benefits," it said. The spokesperson expressed disappointment and surprise that the story was published "in violation of established norms and ethics" without taking the version of all concerned. He advised media organisations to approach him before filing a story. Tehran, Jan 1 : Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has bashed his US counterpart Donald Trump for "sympathising" with anti-government protesters even as Tehran curbed the social media amid intensifying demonstrations over corruption. In his first public comments since the wave of anti-government protests began on Thursday, The Irnanian leader said people were free to criticise the government but their protests should not lead to violence, the state-run IRNA reported. The authorties in Iran have now blocked access to Instagram and the popular Telegram messaging app used by activists to organise and publicise the protests. President Trump has regularly been tweeting his support for protesters in Iran, most recently saying: "The people are finally getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism." Trump tweeted on Sunday that it looks like the Iranians "will not take it any longer". But Rouhani hit back saying: "This man in America who is sympathising with our people has forgotten that he called the Iranian nation terrorists a few months ago. This man who is against the Iranian nation to his core has no right to sympathise with Iranians. President Rouhani's comments came as a security deputy for Tehran's governor said that 200 people had been arrested after protests on Saturday night including 40 "leaders". A fourth day of demonstrations saw crowds take to the streets to light fires on the streets and shout "death to the dictator" with water cannon used on a crowd in Tehran. The Iranian President said: "People are absolutely free to criticise the government and protest but their protests should be in such a way as to improve the situation in the country and their life. "Criticism is different from violence and damaging public properties. Resolving the problems is not easy and would take time. The government and people should help each other to resolve the issues." The demonstrations were fanned in part by messages sent on the Telegram messaging app, which authorities blocked Sunday along with the photo-sharing app Instagram, which is owned by tech giant Facebook. Telegram in particular is very popular in Iran, with more than 50 per cent of the country's 80 million population said to be active on the app. Iran state TV website reported the decision citing an anonymous source who said it was "in line with maintaining peace and security of the citizens." Also weighing in on the unfolding crisis was Nikki Haley, America's envoy at the UN, who said the country is "being tested by its own citizens". "We pray that freedom and human rights will carry the day," she said in a statement. Haley's comments echoed those of US President Donald Trump, who earlier on Sunday said the US was watching closely for human rights violations. "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," Trump tweeted. Iran has promised to use an "iron fist" to crush dissent, raising fears of widespread bloodshed after two activists were shot dead in the city of Dorud overnight. The government has confirmed the deaths, but said the men were killed by "foreign agents" and not the security forces. Beijing, Jan 1 : China has established an underwater surveillance network which will help its navy track target vessels more accurately and give it a cutting edge in the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea, reports on Monday said. Experts believe the technology will "tip the scales in China's favour" in the disputed South China Sea and the Indian Ocean, where India currently "holds sway". According to the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post, the system collects information about the underwater environment, particularly water temperature and salinity, which the navy can then use to more accurately track target vessels as well as improve navigation and positioning. China is flexing its muscles in the world's seas by claiming the world's busiest sea routes and establishing foreign naval bases. Although the Chinese navy is still no match for the US, its forays in the world's sea routes and growing assertiveness has worried Washington, Tokyo, Canberra and New Delhi. "The project, led by the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), is part of an unprecedented military expansion fuelled by Beijing's desire to challenge the United States in the world's oceans," the Post report said. Yu Yongqiang, a member of the expert panel overseeing China's global underwater surveillance network, said Beijing has to deal with unfriendly littoral states in the South China Sea while it faces India, which is tightening its grip over the Indian Ocean due to China's growing presence in the region. "Our system can help tip the balance of power in these regions in China's favour," Yu was quoted as saying by the Post. Beijing claims 90 percent of the energy-rich South China Sea through which trade worth $5 trillion passes annually. Its claims are contested by Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, the Philippines and Vietnam. It challenges India in the Indian Ocean, another major sea trade route. Last year, Beijing established its first foreign military naval base in Djibouti in the Horn of Africa. The report said the technology will also gather information along the planned maritime route of China's ambitious Belt and Road projects that envisages linking Asia, Africa and Europe through a network of shipping lanes, ports, highways and railways. The system is based on a network of platforms -- buoys, surface vessels, satellites and underwater gliders -- that gather data from the South China Sea, and the Western Pacific and Indian oceans. That information is then streamed to three intelligence centres -- in the Paracel Islands in the South China Sea, the southern province of Guangdong, and a joint facility in South Asia -- where it is processed and analysed. Hyderabad, Jan 1 : MIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday rejected claims by Prime Minister Narendra Modi that he had facilitated Muslim women's travel for Haj without 'Mahram'. The Hyderabad MP said that a regulation by Haj authorities of Saudi Arabia was in force for many years which allow women above the age of 45 years to perform Haj without a 'Mahram' if they travel with a group. He told reporters here that women above 45 years of age from Indonesia, Malaysia and several other countries had been performing Haj under this Saudi regulation. 'Mahram' is a male relative of a woman with whom she is permanently forbidden to marry by Islam. Modi in his 'Mann Ki Baat' speech on Sunday had said that his government had removed the restriction which allows Muslim women to perform Hajj only in the company of 'Maharam'. He had stated that injustice was done to women for decades. "It has become the habit of the Prime Minister to claim credit for everything. If tomorrow women in Saudi Arabia are allowed to drive, he will claim credit for the same," he said. The MP said if Modi had so much concern for Muslim women, he should do justice to Zakia Jafri, widow of former MP Ehsan Jafri who was killed in the 2002 Gujarat riots. "This is all tokenism. If Modi is really concerned about Muslim women, he should provide 7 percent reservation for them in education. He has two-third majority in Parliament and he can bulldoze a bill in this regard," the MP said On the passing of a bill in Lok Sabha over triple talaq, the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) President said that if it became a legislation, it would be the biggest injustice to Muslim women. He argued that since marriage in Islam was a civil contract, there could be no penal provision. He also pointed out that the Supreme Court in its order on the issue did not ask the government to bring a criminal law. "The government is saying that Muslim countries have banned triple talaq but the fact is that there is no penal provision in any Muslim country." Owaisi alleged that the real objective of the government was to do away with all forms of talaq and snatch Sharia from Muslims. The MP said abandonment of married women was a bigger problem than divorce. "The rate of abandonment is twice the rate of divorce. There are 24 lakh abandoned women and they include 20 lakh Hindu women, two lakh Muslim and 90,000 Christian women," he said. "The married women should get their right to live with their husbands whether they are in Gujarat or in Delhi," he said. Vijayawada, Jan 1 : People in the Telugu states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana thronged temples to seek divine blessings on Monday to mark the beginning of 2018. Temples in Andhra Pradesh largely followed the direction of the authorities not to decorate the temples as celebrating New Year is not part of 'Indian Vedic culture'. Thousands queued up at the famous Lord Venkateswara temple at Tirumala in Andhra Pradesh on New Year. The Kanaka Durga temple (Vijayawada) and Lord Mallikarjuna Swamy temple (Srisailam) also witnessed huge rush. Men, women and children lined up since early morning at temples in Chittoor, Kurnool, Visakhapatnam, Vijayanagaram and other places. Yadadri, Vemulawada and other major temples in Telangana also witnessed huge throng of devotees. The priests conducted special prayers on the occasion to bless the devotees. The Endowment Department of Andhra Pradesh had asked temples not to celebrate New Year saying it was not part of Indian Vedic culture. In a circular sent to all temples, the department had asked the temples not to have specially decorate the temples. The temples were directed not to create festive atmosphere. It voiced concern that lakhs of rupees were being spent on decorating temples ignoring Indian culture. However, some temples still went ahead decorating their premises with flowers. A group of priests from Tirumala temple blessed Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on New Year at his residence in Vijayawada. Chanting Vedic hymns, the priests prayed for his well being and success in 2018. Naidu's cabinet colleagues, leaders of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and officials met Naidu and greeted him. In Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan and his wife Vimala Narasimhan received greetings from people at Raj Bhavan. Senior officials, prominent citizens, students and people from various walks of life met the couple and conveyed New Year greetings. Prominent personalities and senior civil and police officials met Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and conveyed their wishes. Jaipur, Jan 1 : Independent MLA Rajkumar Sharma on Monday submitted his resignation to Rajasthan Assembly Speaker Kailash Meghwal to protest against the BJP government's "apathetic attitude" in handling the doctors' strike which claimed several lives in the state. The strike by government doctors in Rajasthan ended last Wednesday. However, during the strike period, both in November and December, several patients are reported to have died due to the absence of doctors. Sharma told the media that he was upset over the entire issue. "The doctors were cooperating with the state government. However, the government, in a vindictive action transferred 12 doctors which instigated them to go on strike. Later on, the way the government handled the strike made me all the more upset. And hence I decided to tender my resignation." Rajkumar Sharma is MLA from Nawalgarh. After the doctors' strike was called off after reaching a consensus with the Vasundhara Raje government, Sharma declared he would resign over the entire issue. "I am surprised why there has been no responsibility fixed during the prolonged strike called by doctors in November and December which claimed a lot of lives," he said. Sharma went to the Assembly on Friday to tender his resignation to Meghwal. However, he had to return as the latter was not present that day. Meanwhile, Meghwal has assured him that the issues he has raised will be communicated and discussed with the government. Sharma has been former MoS for Health. In 2008, he had won the assembly election as a BSP candidate and has also supported the Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government. He won the 2013 assembly election as an independent. Washington, Jan 1 : President Donald Trump began the New Year on Monday with a stinging attack on long-standing ally Pakistan, saying it will get no more US aid as it was giving "safe haven to terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan". "The US 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," Trump tweeted in his strongest denunciation of Islamabad. "They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!" he added. The Pakistan government vowed to respond soon. "We will respond to Trump's tweet shortly Insha Allah... Will let the world know the truth... Difference between facts and fiction," tweeted Foreign Minister Khwaja M. Asif. Trump's announcement follows an increasingly tense back-and-forth between Washington and Islamabad after the US President unveiled his administration's National Security Strategy. He had then reminded Pakistan about its obligation towards helping the US because it got "massive payments" from Washington every year. "We have made it clear to Pakistan that while we desire continued partnership, we must see decisive action against terrorist groups operating on their territory," Trump had said. "They have to help." Pakistan is also accused by Afghanistan and India of harbouring terrorists ranged against the two countries. Islamabad routinely denies such charges. Shenzhen, Jan 1 : Maria Sharapova and top-ranked Simona Halep opened the 2018 season on a victorious note scoring straight-set wins at the Shenzhen Open on Monday. Russian ace Sharapova eased to a 6-3, 6-0 win over Mihaela Buzarnescu of Romania with a powerful forehand winner, while Romanian Halep advanced into the next round after a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Nicole Gibbs of the US, reports Xinhua news agency. "It's my first victory this year as No.1 in the world, so I'm just happy and enjoying the time," said Halep, who will play China's Duan Yingying in the next round. Sharapova suffered from a slow start but recovered quickly to dominate her match. "It's always nice to start off the year with a victory. Overall I thought, besides a few breaks in the beginning, I really stepped up and finished the match off well," Sharapova said. Sharapova will play 2017 Shenzhen finalist Alison Riske of the US in the next round. Mumbai, Jan 1 : A Mumbai magistrate on Monday granted police custody till January 9 two two managers of a pub who were nabbed in connection with the December 29 blaze in the Kamala Mills Compound which killed 14 and injured another 55 here. Late on Sunday night, police detained the two managers of 1Above pub, Kevin Bawa, 35, and Lisbon Lopez, 34, and then arrested them early on Monday. The two have been booked under the stringent IPC Section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), Section 337 (causing hurt by endangering life or personal safety) and Section 34 (acts done by several in furtherance of common intention). According to investigators, Bawa and Lopez allegedly fled from the spot after the fire broke out, instead of guiding the panic-stricken patrons to safety or emergency exits, which could have prevented or reduced the number of casualties. Their arrests came hours after the police on Sunday nabbed two relatives of the absconding owners of 1Above pub for allegedly giving shelter to them and preventing their arrest. They are Rakesh Sanghvi, 46, and his son Aditya, 26, who were later released on bail of Rs 25,000 each by a magistrate. Rakesh Sanghvi is the uncle of Kripesh Sanghvi and Jigar Sanghvi, the owner-partners of 1Above pub. Police are on the lookout for other partner-owners and associated. Hours after the fire on Friday, Mumbai Police filed complaints against the owners of The Mojo Bistro and 1Above charging them under various sections of the Indian Penal Code. According to Additional Police Commissioner (Central) S. Jaykumar, Rakesh Sanghvi and son Aditya live on the 16th floor of the same building in which the wanted Kripesh owns a flat and were arrested for giving him shelter after the fire tragedy. Priyank Sharma is out of Bigg Boss 11 house. The reality TV star who has been part of Roadies Rising and Splitsvilla X had a very interesting journey in the Bigg Boss house. When he entered the show, he was touted to be one of the strongest players. However, he was asked to leave in the very first week, when he got physical with rapper Akash Dadlani. But, he got another chance and re-entered the house as a wild card entrant. In an exclusive conversation with India Today Online, Priyank talks about his roller-coaster journey inside the house and his take away from the show. Excerpts: Only you and Luv were nominated this week. Were you expecting your eviction or was it shocking for you? It's not shocking or surprising but an unpredictable show. Anything can happen. Hiten bhaiya and Sapna's ouster was equally surprising so was my first week eviction. So, it's very unpredictable. That's a better word to use. It's more of unpredictable. Luv Tyagi yet again was saved from eviction. What do you think is working in his favour? I don't know. It's actually a question mark for Luv also. It's just not for me or Salman bhai but it's a question for him as well. Woh khud keh raha hai, "Bhai main phir se bach gaya." Your graph on the show has been full of ups and down. What were your thoughts while re-entering the house? Actually, I never had thoughts about it. I didn't have any strategy. It's Bigg Boss, a 105 days show. I don't think you can live over here with strategies and everything. It's not possible. If you play with a strategy there, Bigg Boss is smarter. He puts you in situations where your strategies will fail. There was no strategy for me. How was journey inside the house? My journey was more of a roller-coaster ride. When I came back in the house, a lot of expectations were there, there was a lot of pressure at the same time. But, there was a point where I actually went down because of a few mistakes I committed. Because of that I went into a really low phase. I was like I am not like that so why is it happening to me. I used to think that it's over for me but, that time was the time when I actually fought back and told myself that it's not over. After that, slowly and steadily since last 3-4 week it became better and the graph went up. I must say, I am really satisfied because of my graph (in the house), that went up and down. My journey was actually interesting and very beautiful also. After Hiten's eviction, you were back to being friends with Vikas. What was the reason behind the sudden change of heart? If you might have noticed, my relation with Vikas has been fight, love, fight, love. You can't say because Hiten went our relationship got better because of that. I should not be saying that because I got evicted from the house because I took a stand for Vikas. And again I took a stand when I though that Akash and Shilpa ji was poking him. It has been on and off and he is a great friend of mine. If you are friends you can fight. It's a game show and you are competing after all. We both have strong point of view. He is a strong headed man, I am a strong headed man. Our point of views clash but it will never affect our friendship. But it was Vikas, who questioned your character and called you a womaniser on the show and he said that it was your pattern in every show to get close to a girl. Yes. Woh mazaak karta rehta hai. Woh pagal hai is maamle mei. Woh kuchh bhi bol deta hai. Hum gusse mein kuch bhi bol dete hai ek dusre ko. But, yes it's all a part of show. He might have felt so but I tried to explain it to him. Ben (Benafsha Soonawalla) was a great friend and it has never been a pattern for me. When Ben left, my game was still on. The phase was a little low. When anyone spoke about Ben or any other girl, I took it up for them. I was not with Hina for the last couple of weeks. When I felt that she is really wrong, I took a stand for Vikas. If you sum up my entire journey I have taken a stand where I was supposed to. Do you think this season is a season of bullies? True. But see it's a part (of the show). Bullying keeps happening...even in our lives. But in this season, I felt a lot of people, during the initial weeks and during the mid season acted like bullies. I would say a yes to that, that this season was of bullies. Who do you think will win the show? I am playing very safe now. I think Vikas, Hina and Shilpa will go till top three. What will you miss the most about the Bigg Boss house? Oh my god! I will miss the voice of Bigg Boss, Salman Bhai...everything I think. Wearing the mic, getting up in the morning and dancing like crazy people. You all must be thinking ki yeh saare pagalkhaane se aye hai, subah uthke kaun naachta hai.' But that's the vibe of the house. I will miss everything but especially the voice of Bigg Boss for sure. The most memorable moment spent in the house? I still remember the moment I met my mom in the house. I think nothing is better than that. I was desperately waiting for this thing to happen. It finally happened and was the best thing to have happened. You must be disappointed that no one from your family visited during the Statue task? Of course. Everyone's family members came and motivated them but I was the only one who was not motivated but rather got demotivated. The motivation was not there when I needed the most. Especially when you see other people's moms coming I felt why my mom didn't come. Why is this happening to me? Why all these things are turning against me? But I still tried to be positive. We felt you were an easy target for Vikas. What are your thoughts? Honestly speaking, when I am angry I tend to take it out on my friends. Here I used to vent out my anger on Hina and Vikas. It happens, when we love someone very much, we don't think twice before venting out our anger on them. So, this is something that has happened with all of us in the house. Future plans? One web series is there and there are a lot of other things in the pipeline. But right now I am just out of the house. I am relaxing. 2017 has been an amazing year for me. How would you sum up the year 2017 for you I would just like to say, a boy was very ordinary 7-8 months back. He started his journey from Roadies to Splitsvilla and then Bigg Boss. He did not win any of shows but definitely won a lot of hearts and that was more important for me. I think I am already a winner. Guwahati/Kohima, Jan 1 : Nagaland Chief Minister T.R. Zeliang on Monday called on his Assam counterpart Sarbananda Sonowal in Guwahati and discussed formulation of a common strategy for improvement of connectivity. The meeting comes in the wake of the recent review meeting with Chief Ministers and Public Works Department ministers of northeastern states chaired by Union Minister of Road Transport, Highways and Shipping, Nitin Gadkari on roads and infrastructure in the region. Zeliang's Press Secretary, Azeu Namcyn Hau said that the discussion also covered issues related to New Industrial Policy for the northeast region in line with 'Act East' policy and means to meet mounting employment problem in the region. He said the discussion concluded that unemployment would go out of hand unless a joint approach to facilitate youth upliftment was initiated. Hau said both Chief Ministers agreed to have a consultative meet with their other regional counterparts to formulate such common policies in the near future. Jaipur, Jan 1 : The first day of the year was run in with violent protests and tension in Bundi, Rajasthan, with a police lathicharge on protesters who wanted to perform pooja at a disputed site in the town. In the wake of a call given by the Hindu Mahasabha members to perform pooja on January 1 at Maandhata Balaji Temple in Bundi, a heavy police force was deployed in each and every corner of the city to avert any untoward incident in the city. Bundi's district magistrate and collector Shivangi Swarnkar had imposed Section 144 from 8 p.m. on Saturday night till the next order to maintain peace in the town. Internet was also suspended, to prevent organisations from spreading provocative messages and material on social media and other sites. Members of the Hindu Mahasabha declared they would take out a massive march to the disputed site and perform pooja there. The police tried to stop the protesters, and had to resort to lathicharge when they could not be controlled. A few protesters were injured and taken to hospital. Talking to IANS, a senior official said that the entire Bundi police force was on the ground to maintain peace and harmony. He said the situation was tense and police was on its toes. The administration has sought the help of drones for surveillance of the sensitive areas of the town. New Delhi, Jan 1 : The Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Monday called for a 12-hour shutdown of all private hospitals in the country on Tuesday to protest the "anti-people and anti-patient" National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill, 2017, that seeks to replace the Medical Council of India (MCI). The IMA has 2.77 lakh members, which includes Corporate Hospitals, Poly clinics and Nursing homes, across the country. The demand comes after a delegation of the IMA led by President K.K. Aggarwal and its national president Ravi Wankhede met Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare J.P Nadda, seeking strict amendments in the Bill that was tabled in the Lok Sabha on Friday. "IMA strongly opposes this Bill and has no option but to take the issues to our patients and the people. We have called for 12-hour shutdown of our member hospitals and health institutions tomorrow (January 2) during which the routine medical services like OPD and elective surgeries across the country will be withdrawn between 6 a.m.-6 p.m.," Wankhede told IANS. Asked about the response from the member hospitals on the call for shutdown, Wankhede said: "We have received tremendous response and all of the IMA member hospitals will follow our call." IMA, which is not a statutory body, has been opposing the Bill to set up the NMC ever since it received the union cabinet clearance earlier last month, and has demanded amendments in it. Terming the Bill as "anti-people and anti-patient", the association in a statement has stated that the Bill purported to eradicate corruption is "designed to open the floodgates of corruption". "NMC is an anti-poor bill with pro-private management clauses. A bill to regulate the medical education and medical practice without the concurrence of the medical profession will be a disaster," said a statement from the association, issued after the delegation met the Union Health Minister. The bill also has provisions for granting permission to the doctors under Indian systems of medicine, including Ayurveda, to be allowed to practice allopathy after clearing a bridge course. "Unscientific mixing of systems and empowering of other practitioners through bridge courses will only pave the way for substandard doctors and substandard medical practice. This will seriously impact patient care and patient safety," said the association in the statement. It added: "If these practitioners are proposed to be posted in villages, then there is a serious case of discrimination dividing the urban and rural people. Indian doctors with their pristine recognition in international arena will lose their stature and demand." IMA has four demands -- One elected representative in NMC from the Registered Medical Graduates of every state and no separate registration for AYUSH. "The minimum qualification to practice modern medicine shall remain MBBS. No bridge courses to MBBS. No Joint Council meetings to formulate them. IMA will facilitate the deployment of 65,000 fresh MBBS graduates graduating every year in Rural Health Services with appropriate working conditions and incentives," said the statement. "No licentiate exam after final MBBS examination. IMA proposes common All India Final MBBS examination. Legitimate inspection and appropriate regulation on starting and running a Medical College. 85 per cent Government fixed fees in private Medical Colleges," said the statement. New Delhi, Jan 1 : The government and the opposition seem headed for a face-off in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday when the bill to criminalise triple talaq is taken up for consideration with non-BJP parties keen on referring it to a Select Committee for detailed scrutiny. The opposition parties are slated to meet on Tuesday morning to decide their course of action on the bill which was passed on Thursday by the Lok Sabha, where the government has a clear majority. The government lacks a majority in the upper house and is making efforts for the bill's smooth passage by reaching out to some opposition parties. The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2017 has been listed for consideration and passage in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, when the house meets after a three-day break. The Congress and some other parties demanded in the Lok Sabha that the bill should be sent to the Standing Committee but the government rejected the demand. The amendments to the bill moved by the opposition too were rejected. Opposition sources said several parties favoured sending the bill to a Select Committee of the upper house. There is also a view in the Congress that the party should press for making the offence by husband bailable even if the penal provisions were not diluted or done away with. CPI-M General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said his party opposed triple talaq but the bill was introducing a criminal aspect to it. "We have been against the practice of arbitrary triple talaq and want it to go. But marriage is a civil contract (among Muslims) and the new law is introducing a criminal aspect to it which is wrong," he said. "The BJP has brought this bill in a hurry to get political mileage and cause communal polarisation," he added. Lucknow, Jan 1 : The 11 Gorkha Rifles Regimental Centre (11 GRRC) celebrated its 71st Raising Day at the Lucknow Cantonment on Monday, an official spokesman said. The celebration began with the hoisting of the regimental flag by Brigadier Pankaj Singh, Commandant, 11 Gorkha Rifles Regimental Centre, at the Quarter Guard on the centre's premises. This was followed by wreath laying at the War Memorial. All officers, junior commissioned officers (JCOs) and other ranks of the centre attended the ceremony. The Last Post was sounded after the wreath laying, followed by two minutes' silence for the peace of the departed souls. At the regimental temple, prayers were offered for the well-being of the regiment, personnel and their families, followed by Special Sainik Sammelan. Barakhana and Pagalgymkhana were also organised, in which all serving and retired Officers, JCOs, other ranks and their families, residing in Lucknow, participated. The 11 Gorkha Rifles was raised after Independence on January 1, 1948, at Palampur in Kangra valley of Himachal Pradesh. For the last 70 years, the units and personnel of the regiment, no matter where the battle field, have lived up to the call of duty both in war and peace to ensure its motto of "Yatraham Vijaystatra" (We, the Metaphor for Victory), according to an official. This regiment has an impressive tally of gallantry awards and decorations, which includes one Param Vir Chakra, the highest gallantry award, awarded to Captain Manoj Pandey (Posthumously) during the 1999 Kargil Operation, four Ashok Chakras, 14 Param Vishist Seva Medals, two Mahavir Chakras, three Kirti Chakras, two Uttam Yudh Seva Medals, 19 Ati Vishist Seva Medals, 14 Vir Chakras, 13 Shaurya Chakras, four Yudh Seva Medals, one Uttam Jeewan Raksha Padak, 89 Sena Medals, 31 Vishist Seva Medals and 31 Mentions-in-Dispatch. The 11 Gorkha Regiment has also been awarded three "Battle Honours" and four "Theatre Honours", three "Chief of Army Staff Unit Citations" and eight "General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Unit Citations". New Delhi, Jan 1 : As many as 1,752 cases were registered for drunken driving in the national capital during New Year celebrations, police said on Monday. "This is the total number of offenders caught before and after midnight," Deependra Pathak, the Special Commissioner of Police, told the media. Pathak said "high-degree of safety and security" was ensured with thousands of police personnel deployed in different areas across the city. He said 16,720 challans were issued for all kinds of traffic violations, from Sunday afternoon to late at night. A total of 3,665 people were prosecuted for driving without helmet. There were 1,125 cases of one-way road violation, 507 cases of "dangerous" driving and 193 cases of over-speeding. Chandigarh, Jan 1 : A hearing and speech impaired 12-year-old boy from Pakistan, arrested for accidentally straying into the Indian territory in May last year, was on Monday handed over to Pakistani authorities, officials said. "The Ministry of External Affairs on Monday allowed the repatriation of Hasnain. Accordingly, he was handed over to Pakistani authorities at the Attari border," Faridkot Deputy Commissioner Rajiv Prashar told IANS. The Border Security Force (BSF) personnel detained the boy when he inadvertently crossed over to the Indian side in the Ferozepur sector of Punjab on May 1, 2017. Prashar said the boy had been lodged in the observation home since May last year. His identity was revealed from a Pakistani Rs 20 denomination note recovered from his pocket. The Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi had confirmed that his father Javed Iqbal was a resident of Lahore in Pakistan. His case came to light on December 2 when a tweet by a Pakistani journalist Mehr Tarar highlighted his plight. Washington, Jan 1 : US-Pakistan relations took a major blow on Monday when President Donald Trump halted all aid to Islamabad after accusing it of lying and giving "safe haven to terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan". Pakistan, a close ally of the US for 70 long years, vowed to respond soon and tell the world "the truth... (the) difference between facts and fiction". In an announcement which many saw it coming, Trump began the New Year with a stinging attack on Pakistan, saying it would get no more US aid as it was harbouring terrorists the US was fighting in Afghanistan. "The US 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," he tweeted in his strongest denunciation of Islamabad. "They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!" he added. Foreign Minister Khawaja M. Asif said in Pakistan's first reaction: "We will respond to Trump's tweet shortly Insha Allah... Will let the world know the truth... Difference between facts and fiction." There was no immediate reaction in Kabul and New Delhi which have repeatedly accused Islamabad of harbouring and arming terrorists ranged against the two countries. Pakistan routinely denies such accusations, charging instead India and Afghanistan with trying to destabilize it. Trump's announcement followed an increasingly tense back-and-forth between Washington and Islamabad after the US President unveiled his administration's National Security Strategy that showed Pakistan in poor light. He had then reminded Pakistan about its obligation towards helping the US because it got "massive payments" from Washington every year. "We have made it clear to Pakistan that while we desire continued partnership, we must see decisive action against terrorist groups operating on their territory," Trump had said. "They have to help." The Trump administration had on December 30 said that it was considering to withhold $255 million aid to Pakistan. A Pentagon report to the US Congress of December 17 had warned that Washington would take unilateral steps in areas of divergence with Pakistan while expanding cooperation between the two countries where their interests converged. US Vice President Mike Pence then "put Pakistan on notice" in the harshest US condemnation of Islamabad since the two countries came together during Afghan war 16 years ago. Army spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor last week asserted that the aid Pakistan received from the US was "reimbursement for support we gave ... for its fight against Al Qaeda. Had we not supported the US and Afghanistan, they would never have been able to defeat Al Qaeda". The US did not contemplate stopping all aid to Pakistan even after US commandos raided the hideout of fugitive Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden near Rawalpindi, killed him and flew back with his body. Pakistani officials then said they had no idea bin Laden was in Pakistan. Mumbai, Jan 1 : The BrihanMumbai Municipal (BMC)'s bulldozer run - in wake of the December 29 pub fire which left 14 dead and 55 injured - continued for the fourth consecutive day on Monday with scores of illegal constructions demolished across the city. BMC teams on Monday inspected 134 establishments and carried out demolitions of various illegalities in three wards in the city, in what has been termed as the biggest demolition drive in Mumbai in recent decades. According to a BMC spokesperson, the civic body swooped on Sholay Hookah Parlour and seized 50 hookahs, besides demolishing unauthorized constructions in other eateries including the Zam Zam Hotel and King Kebabs. The BMC also seized 51 gas cylinders that were being used illegally in various locations as part of the fire safety drive. It also issued an appeal to all establishments to implement the Fire Codified Requirements make themselves fire safety compliant within 15 days, failing which it warned of non-compliance action against them The civic body also sought to know if there were irregularities were detected and whether they were brought to the notice of the departments concerned and whether there were outside complaints which were ignored. In such cases, the BMC has ordered all the seven zones in the city to forward the names of such errant officials and outsiders who had lodged complaints, to Municipal Commissioner Ajoy Mehta. It has also ordered all establishments to remove or demolish all unauthosed constructions on their premises within 15 days after which the civic body will taken remedial action on its own. The implications of the Mumbai tragedy were felt even in Navi Mumbai where police have banned all hotels not having valid licences and no objection certificate from the fire department from functioning with effect from Monday. Those bars and hotels whose licences, NOCs and other permissions expired on midnight of December 31, 2017, have been banned till they renew all their above documents, said a statement by Police Commissioner Hemant Nagrale. For the first time since the 26/11, 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, the country's commercial capital recorded the most subdued New Year Eve celebrations on Sunday. Most Mumbaikars voluntarily stayed away from routine New Year Eve outings or dinners, followed by the midnight celebrations to ring in the New Year, and preferred to celebrate at home. According to various estimates by industry players, hotels, restaurants, resorts, private parties, etc fell by a drastic 40-50 percent this year, making it almost on par with the situation witnessed on December 31, 2008, barely two months after the terror strikes in the city. The losses accrued from this on account of food, beverages, liquor, special decorations, appointments of extra hands to cater to the festive season, are still being calculated. Besides the hotel and restaurant industry, the transport industry was also hit due to cancellations in local bookings, though there was a normal demand to hire vehicles hired for destinations like the hillstations of Jawahar, Matheran, Mahabaleshwar, Panchgani, many popular beach resorts in the Konkan and certain other locations. The fire-crackers industry was also badly hit with over 40 percent drop in sales, according to Minesh Mehta, Secretary of Mumbai-Thane District Fireworks Dealers Welfare Association. Mumbai, Jan 1 : In a New Year Day tragedy, three contract workers of the BMC were killed when the front portion of a massive crane crashed on them in Powai area here on Monday evening, officials said. According to the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) Disaster Control, the incident occurred around 6.00 p.m. when the labourers were digging a pit for a sewerage line near the IIT-Bombay main gate. "The front portion of the crane, or bucket, broke and fell on the labourers working there for the sewage lines. While three succumbed instantly, two other injured labourers have been admitted to the Rajawadi Hospital," said the official. Due to the heavy fog and cold classes have been suspended in parts of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. The DM Gautam Buddha Nagar has written to all schools in Noida to suspend classes due to heavy fog that has engulfed North India on January 1, 2018. According to the notice, classes for students till Class 8 have been suspended from January 2-4 for all schools in Noida. The district authorities in Patna have issued a similar order, suspending classes for students till Class 8. In view of the prevalent weather condition, Patna District Magistrate Sanjay Kumar Agarwal suspended academic activities till Class VIII up to January 6, PTI reported. The DM has also ordered schools to begin classes from 9:30 AM when they reopen on January 6. Many parts of North India woke up to dense fog on the first day of New Year. Dense fog and low visibility marred flight and train schedules. Road travel was quite risky with visibility reduced to less than 100 meters in some areas. New Delhi, Jan 1 : Vijay Gokhale, who as envoy in Beijing played a key role in the resolution of the Doklam stand-off with China, was on Monday named the new Foreign Secretary to replace S. Jaishankar who retires this month. The appointment of Gokhale, currently Secretary (Economic Relations), was cleared by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, an official statement said. The 1981-batch Indian Foreign Service officer is widely believed to have played a key role as then Indian ambassador to China when he led the negotiations to resolve the over 70-day Doklam crisis. Gokhale along with Jaishankar led India's diplomatic outreach to the US and Japan in explaining to them New Delhi's stand on the issue and winning their support that built up the pressure on China. Gokhale has served Indian embassies in Germany and Malaysia and missions in Hong Kong, Hanoi and New York. He will take over from Jaishankar who was appointed Foreign Secretary on January 29, 2015, for two years and given a one-year extension in January last year. Jaishankar retires on January 28. Bengaluru, Jan 1 : Much-troubled software major Infosys begins the New Year with its newly appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Salil S. Parekh joining on Tuesday ahead of its third quarter results on January 12. "As per plan and the Board's decision on December 2, Parekh joins us as the new CEO and Managing Director on January 2," a company spokesperson told IANS on Monday. The Board appointed Parekh, 53, as CEO and MD for five years (till December 31, 2022). He will be the second non-founder executive of the $10-billion firm after the exit of the first non-promoter CEO Vishal Sikka in August following a spat with its co-founders over governance issues. A software industry veteran, Parekh was an executive board member of the Paris-based global consulting, technology and IT firm Capgemini. He was the top choice for the executive post of the company's nomination and remuneration committee, headed by its Independent Director Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, who had termed him the "top choice from a pool of highly qualified candidates" and the "right person to lead Infosys". The company, however, has not disclosed details of Parekh's annual compensation, including perks and stock options, if any, so far. As Parekh takes over, interim CEO and MD U.B. Pravin Rao will revert to his post as Chief Operating Officer but continue as Director. Parekh has Masters degrees in computer science and mechanical engineering from Cornell University in the US and a B. Tech degree in aeronautical engineering from IIT-Bombay. He joined Capgemini in 2000 when it acquired the consulting division of Ernst & Young (E&Y), the London-based global accounting firm, and occupied leadership positions in the group during his 17-year-long stint. Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani, who returned as non-executive Chairman on August 18, said Parekh with "three decades of global experience in the IT services industry", and "track record of executing business turnarounds and managing very successful acquisitions" was "the right person to lead the company at a transformative time in the industry". The full-time CEO post has been vacant since Sikka had quit, stating that he could not continue to work amid "malicious personal attacks". The company's previous Board blamed mainly co-founder N.R. Narayana Murthy for his dramatic resignation. Washington, Jan 2 : US President Donald Trump has said it is time for change in Iran following anti-government protests that have left at least 12 people dead. "Iran is failing at every level despite the terrible deal made with them by the Obama Administration," Trump said on Monday in a tweet, The Hill reported. "The great Iranian people have been repressed for many years. They are hungry for food & for freedom. Along with human rights, the wealth of Iran is being looted," he added. "TIME FOR CHANGE!" Lawmakers and former government officials have praised Trump for his approach to the protests in Iran. The President has tweeted several times about the protests in recent days. "The people are finally getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism," Trump said on Sunday. "Looks like they will not take it any longer. The USA is watching very closely for human rights violations!" Iran's government, however, had slammed Trump on Saturday for tweeting his support for Iranian protesters, calling a tweet in support of protesters "deceitful". The protests were initially focused last week on high food prices, corruption and the cost of Iran's participation in the Syrian and Yemeni wars. However, slogans have become more specifically anti-clerical as the demonstrations have progressed, calling for an end to theocratic rule. Novogradac & Company LLP, a national accounting and consulting firm, elevates George Barlow and Rob Bryant of the Dover, Ohio, office; Tina Matzen of the St. Louis office; and Lindsey Sutton of the Austin, Texas, office to principal. The firm, which specializes in affordable housing, community development, historic preservation and renewable energy tax credits and other areas, has 32 principals in more than 25 offices nationwide. My partners and I are pleased to announce that George, Lindsey, Rob and Tina have been promoted to principal, said Michael Novogradac, the firms managing partner. Their hard work and dedication has allowed the firm to better serve its expanding client base. Mr. Barlow specializes in new markets tax credits (NMTCs), historic tax credits (HTCs) and renewable energy tax credits (RETCs). Mr. Barlow has consulted on more than 250 tax credit transactions with cumulative development financing exceeding $3.4 billion. He works with real estate developers, community development entities (CDEs), syndicators, lenders and investors on the structuring, financing and syndication of NMTC, HTC and RETC transactions. He also advises on tax and regulatory matters in addition to providing traditional audit and tax services. Mr. Barlow earned a bachelors degree in accounting and masters degree in accounting from Kent State University. He is licensed as a certified public accountant in Ohio. Mr. Bryant specializes in consulting services for NMTC, RETC and HTC transactions. Mr. Bryant has provided consulting and financial modeling services for more than 350 transactions, exceeding $8 billion in NMTC allocation, including numerous twinned structures using HTCs and RETCs and stacked structures combining state and federal NMTCs. He also has experience with financial statement audits, tax return preparation, final cost certification audits and transaction document review services. He earned a bachelors degree in accounting from Kent State University. He is licensed as a certified public accountant in Ohio. Ms. Matzen specializes in real estate accounting and auditing with an emphasis in the new markets, historic and affordable housing industries. Ms. Matzen is also an active member of the firms quality control team. Before joining Novogradac & Company LLP in 2012, she worked in public accounting for more than 10 years, serving closely held companies in a broad range of industries including real estate, construction and service. She received a bachelors degree in accounting and a masters degree in accounting from Truman State University and is licensed as a CPA in Missouri. Ms. Sutton works with the firms Government Consulting and Valuation Advisory Services (GoVal) group. Ms. Sutton has professional experience and extensive knowledge in market analysis and valuation of multifamily properties in the affordable housing industry. She has performed various types of multifamily analyses, feasibility studies, rent comparability studies, partnership valuations and appraisals for residential and commercial developments funded by LIHTCs and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), as well as the U.S Department of Agricultural Rural Development. She also specializes in consulting for syndicators, developers and lending agencies. Additionally, Ms. Sutton has extensive knowledge of the HUD Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program and has provided appraisal and other various consulting services under this program. Ms. Sutton received her bachelors degree in finance from Texas State University. She is a certified general appraiser and is a candidate for designation. Novogradac & Company LLP is a national certified public accounting and consulting firm headquartered in San Francisco with offices in San Rafael, Walnut Creek and Long Beach, Calif.; Dover, Columbus and Cleveland, Ohio; Austin, Dallas and El Paso, Texas; Toms River and Iselin, N.J.; St. Louis; Boston; New York; Chicago; Portland, Ore.; Naples, Fla.; Raleigh, N.C.; and the greater metropolitan areas of Philadelphia; Washington, D.C.; Atlanta; Detroit; Kansas City, Mo, and Seattle. Specialty practice areas include tax, audit and consulting services for tax-credit-assisted affordable housing, community revitalization, rehabilitation of historic properties and renewable energy. Other areas of expertise include business valuation, preparation of market studies, appraisals and other analyses of multifamily housing investments and renewable energy tax credit developments. The firm takes care to understand fully the nature of its clients businesses and can provide tax and accounting advice as needed throughout the assignment. For additional information on Novogradacs personnel and areas of expertise, visit http://www.novoco.com or call (415) 356-8000. Novogradac & Company LLP, a national accounting and consulting firm, welcomes to the partnership David Boisture of the metro Washington, D.C., office; Chad Durden of the Atlanta office; Tiffany French of the Austin, Texas, office; and Joseph Petrullo of the Dover, Ohio, office. The firm, which specializes in affordable housing, community development, historic preservation and renewable energy tax credits and other areas, has 59 partners in more than 25 offices nationwide. I am pleased to announce that Chad, David, Joseph and Tiffany have been promoted to partner, said Michael Novogradac, the firms managing partner. Their dedication to our clients and leadership in their respective areas of practice allows Novogradac & Company to continue to be at the forefront of the tax credit, accounting and valuation industries. Mr. Boisture is a partner in the firms Government Consulting and Valuation Advisory Services (GoVal) group. Mr. Boisture has performed or assisted in the preparation of market analyses, feasibility studies, rent comparability studies and appraisals for a variety of residential and commercial property types, including office, retail, industrial and a variety of special uses. He has also prepared valuations for solar panels, wind turbines and other renewable energy installations in connection with financing and structuring analyses performed by various clients. Additionally, he has assisted in the analysis of investment tax credit financial structures. Mr. Boisture has a bachelors degree from Frostburg State University and a masters degree in public administration from Ohio University. Additionally, Mr. Boisture is an accredited member of the American Society of Appraisers and a LEED Green Associate. Mr. Durden has extensive experience providing financial consulting and structuring advice to developers of renewable energy projects with a focus on forecast modeling, as well as significant experience in research and consulting for historic tax credit (HTC) developments. He also provides real estate partnership audit, tax and consulting services and has worked extensively with equity sponsors, specializing in low-income housing tax credits (LIHTCs). Mr. Durden is also a regular contributor to the Novogradac Journal of Tax Credits and a presenter at the firms renewable energy finance conferences. He received a bachelors degree in business administration with a concentration in accounting from the University of Memphis and is licensed as a certified public accountant in Georgia. Ms. French specializes in affordable housing and provides audit, tax and consulting services for affordable housing owners and developers. She has extensive experience in the LIHTC and tax-exempt bond financed transactions, including those subject to the auditing requirements of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Her consulting experience includes the preparation of LIHTC cost certifications, as well as mortgagers and contractors cost certifications for HUD. She received a bachelors degree in business administration with a concentration in accounting from Texas State University and is licensed as a certified public accountant in Texas. Mr. Petrullo works extensively with equity sponsors and specializes in equity fund audit and tax consulting. Mr. Petrullo also has significant experience working with real estate developers, specializing in LIHTC consulting and financial modeling. He has specialized competencies in conducting HUD Multifamily Accelerated Processing and Healthcare Quality Control and Construction Loan Administration reviews, as well as experience with LIHTC property compliance. Mr. Petrullo received his bachelors degree in business administration with a concentration in management and quantitative analysis from Mount Union College. He is licensed in Ohio as a certified public accountant. Novogradac & Company LLP is a national certified public accounting and consulting firm headquartered in San Francisco with offices in San Rafael, Walnut Creek and Long Beach, Calif.; Dover, Columbus and Cleveland, Ohio; Austin, Dallas and El Paso, Texas; Toms River and Iselin, N.J.; St. Louis; Boston; New York; Chicago; Portland, Ore.; Naples, Fla.; Raleigh, N.C.; and the greater metropolitan areas of Philadelphia; Washington, D.C.; Atlanta; Detroit; Kansas City, Mo.; and Seattle. Specialty practice areas include tax, audit and consulting services for tax-credit-assisted affordable housing, community revitalization, rehabilitation of historic properties and renewable energy. Other areas of expertise include business valuation, preparation of market studies, appraisals and other analyses of multifamily housing investments and renewable energy tax credit developments. The firm takes care to understand fully the nature of its clients businesses and can provide tax and accounting advice as needed throughout the assignment. For additional information on Novogradacs personnel and areas of expertise, visit http://www.novoco.com or call (415) 356-8000. Azores Airlines just made travel to Europe more affordable with a Winter Flash Sale, so if a trip was a new years resolution, you are in luck! Ticket prices are on sale from January 1 to the 22nd, for travel valid from February 2 to April 18, 2018. All flights are from Boston Logan Airport. As for prices, a round trip to Sao Miguel in the Azores is as low as $480 round trip, and Lisbon or Porto can be yours for just $596, round trip. In fact, the sale allows for travel to any island in the Azores for just $570 you pick the island. Sunny Madeira is just $550 roundtrip, and Cape Verde is only $610. Lastly, the beaches of Gran Canaria are just $610 roundtrip. There are some black out dares, such as holidays and Carnival, and pricing is subject to normal availability. But think of the possibilities: Outdoors adventure in the volcanic Azores, just 4 hours from Boston. The fun and culture of Lisbon and Porto. Or the sun and warmth of Madeira, Cape Verde or the Canaries. Azores Airlines has regular service between Boston the Azores as well as mainland Portugal with seasonal service from Providence and Oakland. Azores Airlines, part of the SATA Group, has connected New England with the Azores and mainland Portugal for more than 35 years. For more information about booking flights visit http://www.azoresairlines.pt/usa or call 800-762-9995. FCVB purchased the bank building in December 2016, developed the reuse plans throughout 2017, and will open the 11/30 Welcome Center and new home of the Franklin County Visitors Bureau in fall 2018. As 2017 slips into the past, Franklin County Visitors Bureau (FCVB) looks ahead to a transformative 2018. In 2017, FCVB celebrated the tenth anniversary of ExploreFranklinCountyPA.com and the Franklin County Visitors Guide, the two cornerstones of promoting what to see and do, where to dine, and where to stay in Franklin County PA. In 2018, promotion will take another step forward as FCVB begins renovations of the 1865 bank building at 15 South Main Street. The building, formerly the National Bank of Chambersburg and later the National Valley Bank and Trust Company, is the next cornerstone in the FCVB mission to make the public aware of Franklin County as a destination. FCVB purchased the bank building in December 2016, developed the reuse plans throughout 2017, and will open the 11/30 Welcome Center and new home of the Franklin County Visitors Bureau in fall 2018. The 11/30 Center derives its names from the intersection of Route 11, one of the oldest north-south arteries, and Route 30the oldest east-west American road. The 11/30 Centers location, on the southwest quadrant of the Chambersburg diamond, gives a fertile vantage point of centuries of history, culture, and commerce. The 11/30 Center along with the Franklin County Courthouse, Memorial Square, Memorial Fountain, and the Chambersburg Heritage Center are at the heart of the Chambersburg Historic District. With the opening of FCVBs 11/30 Center, FCVB will continue telling stories of history and humanity and the sharing the countys bounty of healthy fresh foods, outdoor recreation and inspiring art and architecture. The opening exhibits of the 11/30 Center will feature: Franklin County Bridges, including both wooden-trussed, covered bridges and stone arch bridges A Tribute to World War I, using the letters and local story of a Chambersburg solder Franklin Fresh, highlighting Franklin County as a leading producer of apples, vegetables, peaches, and milk in Pennsylvanias breadbasket On the Move, showcasing the many ways to enjoy outdoor recreation and beauty across the county with featured destinations for hiking, biking, walking, skiing, golfing, fishing and birding. Artisans at Work, spotlighting the inspiration of Franklin County and the prolific multi-media art forms and performances it helps create. In addition to rotating exhibits, the 11/30 Center will feature a catalog of itineraries for visitors to explore Franklin County. New itineraries will be added each month. Videos to showcase the countys history, beauty, and culture will be shown daily in one of the banks repurposed vaults. Children will enjoy hands-on activities and interactive technologies as they learn and plan how to explore Franklin County. Each month will also include public presentations and activities and bus tours of Franklin County, the South Mountain region, and adjoining areas, offered at no-to-minimum charge. The Franklin County Visitors Bureau invites all to explore history, arts and architecture, recreation, natural beauty, fresh foods and the warm hospitality of communities like Chambersburg, Greencastle, Mercersburg, Shippensburg, and Waynesboro. Franklin County PA is located just north of the Mason Dixon Line and is an easy drive to Washington DC, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh. Discover more. Plan a visit soon at ExploreFranklinCountyPA.com or by contacting 866.646.8060. Bhubaneswar, Jan 1 (PTI) Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik was among lakhs of devotees, who offered prayers at Sri Jagannath Temple at Puri on the occasion of the New Years Day today. Revenue & Disaster Management Minister Maheswar Mohanty and Bhubaneswar MP Prasanna Patasani accompanied the Chief Minister during his prayers at the temple. After having darshan of the Lord in the 12th century shrine, Patnaik came out waving to the people waiting outside to greet him. "I prayed to Lord Jagannath for the well-being, peace and prosperity of the people of Odisha," Patnaik told reporters. Though there was heavy rush at the temple, there had been no special arrangement for the chief minister. "We took the chief minister via a separate way to the temple keeping an eye that common devotees do not suffer," said Sri Jagannath Temple chief administrator P K Jena. Jena said the temple was opened to devotees at about 1.45 a m today for smooth darshan as over 5 lakh people thronged the temple. PTI AAM NN Subway has fallen behind on food industry trends and it could be killing the chain. The sandwich chain's US store count dropped by more than 900 in 2017, almost three times as many locations as closed the year before. National sales declined across the US in 2017, people with knowledge of the situation told Business Insider. Multiple franchisees told Business Insider that they expect the number of closures to grow in 2018, with one franchisee saying that the company's store count could drop by the thousands. Another said that up to one-third of Subway locations in the US aren't profitable. "I can tell you that a large majority of the stores around here are for sale, even one of ours," one Subway manager said. "But no one is buying because of the high cost of the remodel coming up. Even the owners know that Subway is dying." After Business Insider published an article about Subway's closures last week, we received dozens of emails from customers, franchisees, and workers expressing concern and disappointment over Subway's food quality and freshness. Here's what insiders say Subway needs to fix on its menu if it wants to survive. "By the end of the week ... the lettuce is just a massive problem," one franchisee said. After just a few days, it begins to taste like "shredded paper," she said. Previously, the franchisee who owns two locations and has been a franchisee for decades ordered local produce to stock restaurants. The company, she said, forced her to stop doing so. "I have voiced my concerns for years regarding the need for daily produce deliveries into our stores ... I want to pay more for a better tasting lettuce and I have been shut down," she said. "Today's consumer is extremely sensitive to preservatives and desire cleaner labels." Some franchisees who spoke with Business Insider said that weekly or bi-weekly deliveries were a non-issue, and that produce keeps for at least a week. Any problems are what people could expect from any national chain a few shipments of less-than-stellar vegetables are just part of doing business, they said. The plague of mushy and rotten vegetables But, other workers, customers, and franchisees disagreed. "About half of the vegetables we used were far from fresh. I've personally tasted the ingredients by themselves and they DO NOT taste how you'd normally expect them to," Jessica Gunn, who recently quit a job working at a Subway location in Merced, California, said. Another employee, from Southeastern Pennsylvania, said, "A lot of the lettuce we receive is often near-expiry and is already turning brown even though the bags are vacuum sealed. The same goes for tomatoes. Often they are delivered and within a week are mushy and rotting." In a statement to Business Insider, Subway said that it works with more than 100 family farms and suppliers in the US to help make sure its restaurants have fresh produce. But, the company would not say whether or not produce shipments were only delivered once or twice a week. "Our stringent food quality standards ensure the freshest products from farm to sandwich. Franchisees decide when to schedule their orders to make sure they always have fresh produce in [the] restaurant," Dennis Clabby, executive vice president of Subway's independent purchasing cooperative, said in a statement to Business Insider. Franchisees and workers who oppose Subway's policy, however, say that there is little freedom in scheduling. And, when it comes to using local suppliers, they say they have few options with the potential threat of having their franchise taken away hanging over their heads. According to a manager from Illinois, a franchisee who used local suppliers instead of going through distributors lost his stores after his practices were discovered. "The bread and condiments are of cheaper quality, and they just don't allow local farmers produce in the summer," Scott Godwin, who owned three Subway locations in Virginia until the early 1990s, told Business Insider of the changes that have been made since he cut ties with the chain. Godwin continued: "Quality goes down in favor of profits. It's called selfishness." Changing trends turned Subways advantage into a problem The rise of super-fresh, super-local restaurants and chains has complicated Subway's produce problems. For example, Sweetgreen, a growing salad chain, has locally and regionally sourced fruits and vegetables delivered to locations every day. "Today, people are ever more educated on nutrition, food sourcing, and ethical holistic business models," Sara Bamossy, the chief strategy officer at ad agency Pitch, told Business Insider. "To create (or to rekindle) loyalty and sales, it is not enough to label something as 'natural' and its not enough to be affordably priced." Subway essentially paved the way for a wave of "fresh" chains to succeed. Now, thanks in part to Subway's influence, customers expect more from restaurants, turning the chain's advantage into a huge burden. "Subway needs to get back in touch with their roots freshly baked bread and fresh ingredients assembled with care," said Travis York, the CEO of the creative agency GYK Antler. "These offerings are not only genuine but also different from the competition." He added: "They can't just toss a bunch of stuff on random bread products and expect it to impress an increasingly discerning public." Subway has had some major PR problems that have highlighted its failure to meet customers' increasingly strict demands for fresh food. The first was in 2014, when a food blogger started a petition for Subway to remove azodicarbonamide from its bread. Azodicarbonamide was targeted as an ingredient used in yoga mats. While Subway quickly pledged to remove the ingredient which has not been found to be unsafe the incident remained fresh in people's minds, as evidenced by the more than half a dozen emails Business Insider received in the last week about the issue. "We were one of the first restaurant chains to completely remove azodicarbonamide from our bread more than three years ago," a Subway representative said in a statement to Business Insider. A similar scandal occurred earlier this year, when a CBC Marketplace investigation found that the chicken in Subway's chicken sandwiches were roughly half meat, half soy. Subway vehemently denied the claim. "The allegation that our chicken is only 50% chicken is 100% wrong," CEO Suzanne Greco said in a statement. However, many customers remained skeptical. Again, half a dozen customers reached out to Business Insider to say that the study contributed to them ditching the chain. In neither instance was there any evidence that Subway was selling food that was dangerous for customers to eat, or even necessarily unhealthy. However, in both cases, the scandals added to the perception that Subway wasn't serving "real" or "fresh" food driving customers away. A Subway representative said these are "old issues, and there is no evidence that any one of these have had a long-term impact on sales." Menu problems are just the tip of the iceberg Subway insiders said that issues with the menu is just the beginning of problems at the chain. Many say the chain expanded too aggressively, causing chains to cannibalize each other's business. Some franchisees say the chain's deep discounts, including but certainly not limited to an upcoming $4.99 footlong deal, are making it nearly impossible to be profitable. Spokesperson Jared Fogle is serving a nearly 16-year sentence on counts related to child porn and sex with minors. But, for customers, the menu is typically the biggest factor and it's creating the biggest problems. Business Insider received more than 100 emails from customers over the last week, detailing exactly what was wrong with Subway. And, the issue that customers kept coming back to was simply the quality of the sandwich. "The freshness is just not there anymore," Daniel Stielper of Essex, Maryland, said in an email. "The 'veggies' look soft and wilted and the meats and cheeses look old and waxy. As an Army veteran, I have seen better food in the mess halls and out in the field." Stielper continued: "Subway has hit its peak and is now going the way of Blockbuster. It had its time and that time is gone." Anuoluwapo Joshua is alleged to have stolen 3-year-old Akamaka Patience Francis, at the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Camp in July 2017 during the monthly Holy Ghost Congress of the church to present to the man who kept asking about the baby she had claimed to have given birth to. Public relations officer of the Ogun state police command, Abimbola Oyeyemi said in a statement that, a report of the missing child had been lodged with the service since July 2017, but all efforts to find her proved futile, until the baby was spotted on the 29th of December inside the Youth Center at Redemption Camp during childrens end of the year party. The statement further explained that On receiving the information, the DPO of Redeemed Division, SP Olaiya Martins, led detectives to the Center where they waited until the end of the programme, when the suspect came out to pick the child and was promptly arrested. She has since confessed to the crime. She said she lured the child out of her parents sight and took her to Ofada area in Obafemi-Owode local government area of Ogun State, where she has been taking care of the child since then. Investigation further revealed that the suspect had earlier got pregnant for someone in Lagos but travelled to the North where she claimed she had delivered a baby girl. But when she came back from the North, she didnt come with the baby which made the man who impregnated her to put pressure on her to bring his child to him. READ ALSO: Man arrested and charged after punching ATM machine for giving him too much money She later informed her relatives that she was going to Nasarawa State to bring the child, but went to the RCCG Camp where she stayed for some days before succeeding in stealing the child which she presented to her relatives as her daughter, police said. The suspect who was arrested on Friday, December 29, 2017, reportedly carried out the abduction in July 2017. According to Punch News, Patience's mother discovered that she was missing after returning from an errand. Since this period, there have been futile efforts to recover the little girl until recently. This was confirmed by Mr. Abimbola Oyeyemi, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for Ogun State, who mentioned that the suspect was apprehended at the youth center of the church camp ground located along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. Luck ran against the suspect on December 29 when the child was sighted inside the Youth centre at the Redemption Camp during the childrens end of the year party, organised by the RCCG. The Divisional Police Officer, Redemption Camp Division, Olaiya Martins, led detectives to the centre where they waited until the end of the programme. As soon as the suspect came out to pick the child, she was promptly arrested. She admitted that she lured the child out of her parents sight and took her to Ofada, where she has been taking care of the child since then. Investigation further revealed that the suspect had earlier got pregnant for somebody in Lagos, but travelled to the North where she claimed she had been delivered of a baby girl. But when she returned from the North, she did not return with the baby. This made the man who impregnated her to put pressure on her to bring his child. She informed her relatives that she was travelling to Nasarawa State to bring the child, but went to the Redemption Camp where she stayed for some days before stealing the child which she presented to her relations as her daughter," the PPRO said in a report filed by Punch. The rate of kidnapping in Nigeria Kidnapping has been one of the major headaches in a Nigerian society known for a wide practice of ritual killings. Kidnappers engage in the activity with an intention to receive a ransom from the family of their victims. The story of notorious abductor, Chukwudidumeme Onuamadike, 36, also known as Evans is the most recent in a list of high profile cases. His arrest uncovered a chain of criminal activities that have seen to deaths and forced payment of money. ALSO READ: Kidnap kingpin who collected ransom in Dollars arrested During an interrogation conducted by the police, he confessed to be responsible for notable abductions in places likeLagos, Port-Harcourt, Onitsha and Aba. A majority of his victims were wealthy people who originated from the eastern and Southern part of Nigeria. Evans once attempted the capture of Chief Vincent Obianodo, the owner of the Young Shall Grow Motors which saw the deaths of the latter's driver and some policemen. Speaking at the 36th anniversary of the 31st December 1981 revolution in Ho on Sunday, Mr Rawlings said: One cannot also overlook reports of official indiscretion in the cash for dinner seats affair. I expect the executive to similarly respond appropriately to the reported inflated budgetary allocations by a particular ministry, which has elicited some negative responses from the general public. Left unattended to these acts can lead to the escalation of corruption in our country. "I am determined to do everything possible to strengthen our unity, regain our cohesion," he said. "Cohesion is my ambition for Gabon". "I intend to implement radical change in governance, which will be based on a fundamentally different approach," he added, describing measures of "immediate impact" he wants to put forward. Some of them include a temporary exemption from social security contributions for all net job creation, free delivery fees, building wells with water pumps in villages and improving education conditions. Gabon has large oil, mineral and tropical timber resources, and its per-capita national income is four times greater than that of most sub-Saharan nations. But about a third of its population of 1.8 million still live below the poverty line -- the result, say specialists, of inequality, poor governance and corruption. Bongo has ruled the country of some two million since his father Omar Bongo, who took office in 1967, died in 2009 after 41 years in power. But the country has been in crisis since August 2016, following Bongo's re-election in which he defeated opposition leader Jean Ping by just a few thousand votes. Ping, a 74-year-old career diplomat, accused the administration of electoral fraud and maintains he was the winner of the poll, in defiance of Gabon's Constitutional Court, which upheld Bongo's victory. Violence broke out days after the vote, and opposition figures say more than 50 people were killed in clashes. The official toll was only three dead. Bongo insisted Sunday that "legislative elections will be organised" -- they are due before the end of April 2018 -- because "in a democracy, competition takes place not in the streets, but at the ballot box, of which we must always respect the verdict". Kochi, Jan 1 (PTI) Cocaine worth Rs 25 crore in the international market was today seized from a Philippine woman at the International Airport here, the biggest such seizure in the state. Around 4.8 kg cocaine was recovered from the woman by a team from the Narcotics Control Bureau, Cochin sub-zone, on New Year day, an NCB release said. NCB superintendent, Cochin sub-zone, Venugopal G Kurup said 36-year-old Jhonna was travelling from Sao Paulo to Addis Ababa and from there to Kochi via Muscat. She was apprehended at Cochin International Airport (CIAL). The release said the cocaine was found hidden in a wrapped trolley bag. This turned out to be the biggest ever seizure of cocaine from Kerala, it said. When contacted, Kochi Customs Commissioner Sumit Kumar said NCB Kochi unit was questioning the woman passenger who landed from Muscat, Oman. She has been detained, officials said. The NCB last month had arrested a Venezuelan with one kg cocaine. A Paraguayan national with 3.6 kg of cocaine in his possession was arrested in November. Both passengers had landed at CIAL. PTI TGB BN These revelations from God also concern N-Power, treasury looters, APC, Ahmed Bolaji Tinubu, Vice President Prof. Osinbajo, Governor Ambode, PDP, Osinbajo and the 2019 election in general. Here is what these various pastors and prophets have to say about the new year. Fr. Ejike Mbaka The Spiritual Director, Adoration Ministry, Enugu Nigeria, has a warning for President Muhammadu Buhari concerning the 2019 elections. He shared this earlier today while delivering his New Year Message, according to Naija News. Here is an excerpt from Rev Mbakas 2018 prophecy: The Lord says, Nigerians, he says, captive Nigerians, you will be speedily rescued; Nigerians, things are very very difficult, hard and tough nowadays; the hardship is not from God, they are man-made; the wicked cabals and satanic agents in this country have wickedly kidnapped the goodwill and good intentions of Mr. President, Muhammadu Buhari; his good intentions have been kidnapped; President Buhari must wake up and sit up immediately orheaven demands him, heaven demands Buhari, our President to change all those who are holding and caging him in captivity; if he will not change them, he will be changed; Mr. President wake up; sit up; God said you are toying with the privilege given to you; there is no time; Nigerians are dying in your hand; people are not happy with your system. Change or you will be changed So, Mr. President, as I was waiting on the Lord, Im asked to advise you, dont come out for 2nd tenure, after this, retire, peacefully. Mr. President, you are the cause of your own problem. God gave you an adviser, a wonderful mentor, a visionist, a matriarch, in the person of your wife, Aisha, but you dont want to listen to her, that woman is heartbroken because she understood that you are not yourself. Come back to yourself or you will cry by the time you will be sent out of office. So, those who are encouraging you to come out and run again, they want to disgrace you shamefully and publicly. A time is coming when Nigerian is going to be a country that is worthy for investment, investors will come from the North, South, and East, from foreign countries to invest in Nigeria; at that time, the people can see that the government of Nigeria and the pattern of governance is our problem. God has given Nigerians everything and He says, Nigerians be patient with me. It will not take time I will begin to deal wickedly to those who are dealing wickedly to you people. Those who are punishing you, I will punish. Many families will be visited by the spirit of death, so the people of God are encouraged to soak themselves in the blood of Jesus Christ. The secret of victory over this spirit of death is continuous indwelling in the blood of the lamb. Pastor Paul Enenche The minister of Dunamis International Gospel Centre (DIGC), Abuja, has also shared his prophecy for the new year. During the new year cross overservice in his church, he said he sees 2018 as the year of open doors, a new beginning for Nigeria. He added that God is going to take his revenge on the wicked. In his words, There shall be a drastic shift in dimension in all realms in an unpredictable manner. Prophet Samuel Oyadara The founder and general overseer of Christ for All Peoples Church, Ojoo, Lagos State, has shared his insights for 2018. He shared them with Tribune. He said, God is warning Obasanjo to repent before he dies. Osinbajo needs to pray hard to escape plan of the enemies. Tinubu should pray against assassination. What Atiku Abubakar must do if he wants to rule Nigeria is that he would need to conquer his strong political enemies through serious prayers. I saw PDP umbrella rising up. Prophet Oyadara added that a former president is going to be sick this year and that God had not anointed a presidential candidate for 2019. Prophet Williams Nkang The Spiritual Leader of Gods Mind City Church in Abuja has also announced his prophecy for this new year. Daily Post reports that God told him that many corrupt politicians will die, adding that Nigeria should expect peace and tranquility in 2018. In his words, The Lord told me to warn treasury looters that some of them will join their ancestors in mysterious ways in 2018 unless they come clean before all Nigerians and retrace their steps, because God himself has promised to personally fight corruption on behalf of the poor masses who groan in pain as a result of the menace. The Lord told me: I am releasing my angels of death to go after those who plunder and loot the commonwealth of my people. He told me that Nigerians will witness great prosperity in 2018; the country will enjoy a bountiful harvest. I saw it; I say what has been revealed to me. The nations investment in agriculture and other social investment programmes such as NPower and YouWin will yield life-transforming results. Forget about rumors of an imminent increase in pump price of petrol, the economy wont slip into another recession. The Lord has also told me to tell the whole world that though political tensions will be experienced within certain circles in the country ahead of the 2019 general elections, Nigeria will enjoy relative peace and tranquility. President Muhammadu Buhari must rise to the mandate of his office and provide the nation with quality leadership. If Buhari fails to rise to the occasion, the nation will be derailed from the path of blessings which God has prepared for it in 2018. Primate Belonwu Ezeanyaeche The cleric of White Holy Sword of Light Church, Abuja has also heard from God. Speaking with Independent, he said, What I am saying is what God had revealed to me about this country and about Buhari and what Nigeria is going to be. Everything is working according to Gods plan. God brought this man in to strengthen issues. Atiku defeating Buhari in an election is like having a camel passing through the eye of a needle. It cannot be possible. He cannot. Atiku has lost the key to the presidency since 2006. There is no way he can be the president of Nigeria, even if he contests for 10, 20 times, he will not be the president of this country." God revealed it to me. In 2006, I warned him. You finished the 8 years as a Vice President, stay away let another person contribute his quota. But he hardened his heart and that was when God took away that blessing from him. So whether he contests against Buhari or he contests against another person, Atiku will not be the president of this country because God has taken the key from him. Atiku is not going anywhere. God revealed to me that Buhari will rule this country for 8 years and there will be an attempt to eliminate him and that has already happened. God saved him because he has to fulfill his mandate. So anybody that will come after Buhari will have to wait till he finishes the work God wanted him to do. I want Nigerians to be very watchful or very careful because the man that will succeed Buhari will be more decisive than Buhari and Nigerians will cry for the return of Buhari. Nigerians will clamor for Buhari to come back to power. Buhari is very soft compared to the man that will come after him. APC will still be in power. I am telling you is what God revealed to me. You can hardly know that Buhari is a military general because of his humility, his courage and the way he relates with people. He is different from someone who would promise what he cant fulfill. Buhari is a silent achiever. Speaking during a media briefing in Ilorin on Monday, January 1, 2018, the Registrar announced that 1.7 million candidates sat for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination in 2017. After deducting its expenses, Oloyede further announced that JAMB remitted N 7.8 billion to the Federal Government coffers from the sales of examination forms for the 2017 UTME. The Registrar added that it was possible for JAMB to remit such amount because the Board blocked loopholes and checked wastages. ALSO READ: How to register for 2018 UTME However reacting to the insinuation that the Board increased examination fee to generate more income last year, Oloyede said JAMB only reduced the amount payable for the examination. He added that the agency also reduced the amount paid for exam by foreign applicants. JAMB to conduct mock exams for UTME candidates this month Meanwhile, the exam body has also announced its readiness to conduct optional mock examination for UTME candidates in January. The board made the announcement in a statement signed by its Head of Media, Mr Fabian Benjamin on Sunday in Abuja. ALSO READ:5 reasons you should not attend a private university The statement reads, in part: As we prepare for the 2018 examinations, beginning with the optional mock, we urge candidates to register on time, make clear their choices of institutions, disciplines and examination centres in the process. Candidates must note that their first choice can be a College of Education, a university, an Innovation Enterprise Institution, a polytechnic or a monotechnic. Others include, the Nigerian Defence Academy or the Police Academy. We will conduct a better examination, ensure more transparent admission and make more remittances to the government. Looking back at the success JAMB recorded during the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME in 2017, the exam body says it conducted one of the most transparent examinations. ALSO READ:5 mistakes that can stop you from graduating with a first class degree In 2017, the board conducted one of the most transparent, inclusive and acceptable examinations with the least incidence of malpractices. We invested significantly in the development of intellectual structures, examination infrastructure and human resources. This will propel more development in 2018 and put the board in the position to compete favourably with any public institution; globally, be it an examination body or service agency Kano candidates' refusal to register for 2018 UTME Meanwhile, JAMB Registrar, Prof Is-haq Oloyede recently expressed worries as many candidates in Kano refuse to come out to register for the 2018 UTME. A romantic comedy from EbonyLife Films, the movie is directed by Ishaya Bako, who directed the Africa Magic Viewers Choice Award winning film, "Road to Yesterday." "The Royal Hibiscus Hotel" stars Zainab Balogun, Deyemi Okanlawon, Kenneth Okolie, Akah Nnani, Kemi Lala Akindoju among others. ALSO READ: 5 MOST ANTICIPATED MOVIES OF 2018 The movie is about a Nigerian couple who run a charming, but run-down, boutique hotel in a little town in Nigeria. In desperation, the husband Segun decides to sell the hotel without his wifes knowledge, as a way of settling all their debts. Their daughter is living in London, working a dead-end job while trying to open her own restaurant. When she decides to return to Nigeria for a vacation, Mom and Dad are elated for different reasons. Dad wants her to sign the papers to sell the hotel she is destined to inherit, while Mom cant wait to marry her off to a charming property developer, Deji. ALSO READ: MO ABUDU IS READY TO MAKE DIRECTORIAL DEBUT When daughter meets Deji by accident, she has no idea that he has made the deal to buy the hotel. Just as she is finally falling for Deji, despite much resistance, she learns the truth and is devastated. Determined to save the hotel from being replaced by a shopping mall, she sets up an amazing fundraiser; but it is not enough. With just hours to go, an anonymous donor steps in and saves the hotel from demolition. Surprisingly, her saviour is Deji, who proves that love always finds a way. A bus returning from Ibadan railed off its lane and rammed into a static truck parked by the road side, the FRSC representative told the News Agency of Nigeria in an interview. The corpses of the victims had been deposited at the mortuary in Ipara General Hospital, while the survivors are also receiving treatment at Sagamu and Victory Hospital, Ogere," disclosed Oladele. This is not voodoo In a Nigerian society that values myths and spiritual mystery, the accident can be easily attributed to an evil attack from one's enemies based on its simplicity regardless caused the loss of lives on the eve of the year 2018. Some may even argue that those who died had reached the end of their sojourn on earth, but it is basically a lack of zeal to enforce road safety guidelines. In view of state of the economy, a lot of people, based on an intention to conserve money may possibly delay a car servicing in order to meet other financial obligations. A certain Mr. X had not serviced his vehicle since the last quarter of a previous year. Who knows if he will be struggling with a faulty car steering when a petrol tank is lying by the edge of the road? A possibility of this abounds on Nigerian roads which have seen quite a lot of deaths due to poor driving etiquette, ignorance and infrastructural short-sightedness, to be blamed on the past governments. The aggression observed on roads have raised questions regarding the mental health of Nigerians who have endured prolonged sufferings due to the failings of their leaders. Their impatience has manifested in driving as seen in some motorists who are often in a hurry and never shy when it concerns a quest to beat the red light. Perhaps, a mental health test should be insisted upon when accepting an application for a driver's license. This is because it has become of the utmost importance to inquire about the sanity of road users. The driving culture in Nigeria needs a total revamp. No more should the system permit lawlessness from individuals. A maintenance of law and order is a major yard in managing human behaviour in the present modern world. Ensuring the availability of incorruptible officers is also of high importance. The Nigerian Police Force is currently facing intense criticism from the public due to the conduct of its personnel especially members of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) who have been accusing of robbery as well as murder. Road users in Nigeria need to know that they will not get away with an offence if found culpable. Knowing this will instill good behaviour due to a fear of consequence. With the current exploits of Governor Rotimi Ambode in respect to expanding road connectivity, maybe Nigeria is just starting to feel modern. 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! Amongst those who have openly criticised the president is the Arewa Consultative Forum, a former Minister of Education, Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili, as well as some other notable Nigerians. Sagay has however revealed that the fuss over the issue is needless. He said this during a telephone interview with Punch correspondents. The senior advocate also stated that the list was compiled over a year ago and there had been no way the President would have known that eight persons out of the 1,467 on the list were dead. This list has been under preparation for over two years. There were recommendations from governors, ministers and other important members of the APC. And that list has about 1, 500 persons. So, can any normal person be surprised that about six people have died out of almost 2,000 in two years? Also, was the Presidency supposed to have visited the homes of each of the appointees to know if they were still alive? The outrage is unreasonable and needless. Even as we speak, how do you know that one or two persons have not died since their appointments were announced? Do we control life? The impression that I have is that the Nigerian elite has a Lilliputian mind. For me, the whole episode shows the stupidity of those who were outraged. I think it is evidence of idleness of mind. Oyegun stated in Abuja in his New Year message. He said, "Indeed, the collective task before us is converting our countrys potential derived from size, demography, human and natural resources to greatness. "While the task may seem onerous, it is achievable. With the right ethics, morality, attitudes and priorities, we will get out of our current societal morass that has found expression in our economic challenges, bad politics, ethno-religious divisions and other negative aspects of our national life, sooner than sceptics believe is possible." ALSO READ: APC caucus pass vote of confidence on Oyegun The APC chairman said the party was aware of the hardships faced by Nigerians. He said, "We are acutely aware of our current national challenges, particularly the economy. "However, we assure Nigerians that the administration is not asleep, but working assiduously to address these challenges and meet the expectations of Nigerians. "We remain focused and solidly committed to delivering on our partys 2015 election promises which were largely hinged on curbing corruption, restoring the economy and the security of the nation." On corruption, Oyegun said; "Corruption has, for long, enabled its perpetrators to divert resources for delivering development to the citizenry and as a result bred discontent, which religious bigots and ethnic jingoists take advantage of to create insecurity and other societal malaise. "Therefore, the solution is the enthronement and entrenchment of quality and accountable leadership in governance." A number of issues continue to plague Nigerians, and these issues were especially heightened during the festive period. Inflict severe hardship on us all by creating unnecessary fuel scarcity across the country In his speech, Buhari acknowledged the problems faced by commuters wishing to embark on journeys across the country, but were unable to, owing to exorbitant transport fares. The president noted that he is committed to getting to the root of the fuel scarcity problem, and bring all those responsible to account. New year, Same old problems Buhari emphasized the change agenda of the APC-led government, insisting as we may have become tired of hearing, that we as Nigerians must change our ways in order to progress. He reiterated familiar problems that were the fulcrum of his emergence as President. Power was a major talking point, as was the Infrastructural deficit and transport. The President highlighted the fact that on December 8th, power generation reached 5155MW delivered, the highest ever recorded in Nigeria. As has become characteristic, the President also outlined the targets in major sectors, most notably power generation. The Katsina Power Project has a target to produce 10MW using wind energy, to be completed later in 2018. The oft-mentioned Mambilla Power Project which will provide 3050 megawatts of power is to be completed in 2018. Transmission of all 7,000 MW generated is now possible, according to Mr President. One statement of Mr President that does stick out in his New Years address is: The days of business as usual are numbered. While it may be perceived as another glimpse of his messianic complex, this is a subtle shift in the rigid integrity of president Buhari. His initial statements when he assumed office were that the days of business as usual are over. But not much has changed in that regard since he took power and it could indicate that tackling the cabals, oligarchs and corrupt systems is a lot more difficult than Mai Gaskiya had initially anticipated. It should be noted that this is unarguably Buharis most articulate and flexible speech yet. But all of that will probably not be remembered because yet again, the inflexibility and inability to show empathy that has distanced many Nigerians from his administration reared its ugly head again. Nigerians deserve more than this lack of empathy Some way through his monologue, Buhari called on enterprising Nigerians to create opportunities for themselves, and not just wait for jobs to come from the government or private sector. While this is sound advice, and indeed true, it should not come from the mouth of the president, especially in an economic situation like Nigerias. Creating opportunities costs money, and in a situation where people can hardly feed themselves, President Buharis comments read as being elitist and arrogant. It is interesting that Buhari continues to seek patience from Nigerians, noting the harsh situation he met the country in, but at the same time expects Nigerians to not wait for jobs and make opportunities for themselves. ALSO READ: President Buhari says Nigerians are impatient as a people His statement, Nigerians can be very impatient coupled with the look of scorn and disappointment on his face are unbecoming of a leader and completely disrespectful to the Nigerian people. It is made worse by the fact that Nigerians have developed a strong tolerance for bad leadership, yet the continued patience we have with the Buhari admin is absurdly taken for granted. There were many highlights in Buharis New Years address. For starters it was longer and more detailed than we are accustomed to expect from our laconic president. A lot of projects and work is going on and we are expected to yield fruits from the Change administration soon. Has Buhari bitten off more than he can chew? Despite governments best efforts (interpret this however you wish) at ensuring ample supply of petroleum products, certain vested interests continue to exploit festive periods to apply the laws of economics. It was important Buhari acknowledge this issue that has caused untold hardship to Nigerians, and the coming weeks will show what steps will be taken to remedy this issue. Security did not enjoy as much attention in this address when compared with other issues. Though Buhari maintained that security of lives and property was a paramount concern for his government, he made sure to focus on infrastructural development. It seems to indicate an understanding that the people want to see tangible progress in other facets of Nigerian society, and that this new focus is necessary for economic growth and better standard of living. Though President Buhari gave one of his best addresses to the nation, and seems (at least physically) to be in good health, he still is unable to seem truly empathetic. His saviour complex makes his addresses sound more like a call to war, than the inspiring words of a leader urging on the greatest nation in the world into a prosperous new year. It is also unacceptable that we have to wait for special occasions to hear from our president, or read letters hes written to us in foreign newspapers and magazines like a soldier writing to his wife while at war. Buhari and his media team really need to do better in articulating their vision and actions to the average Nigerian. Though Buhari avoided addressing the SARS issue and the recent, monumental appointment gaffe, his team will need to address these issues in a competent manner. If for nothing else, it will be because they are important to the people and will determine how much confidence people have in Buhari and his administration. (EDS: Adds BMC official quotes, other details) Mumbai, Jan 1 (PTI) Continuing its crackdown on unauthorised constructions for the fourth day today after a blaze at an upscale pub in Mumbai killed 14 people, the civic body asked the owners of commercial establishments to assess, on their own, if their premises were compliant with all fire safety norms. The owners of commercial establishments must assess if they adhere to Fire Codified Requirements, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said, adding that those found not complying with the guidelines would face action. On December 29, a massive fire swirled over the terrace of 1 Above pub at Kamala Mills compound, killing 14 people. The BMC has initiated a drive to demolish illegal constructions at hotels and pubs following the tragedy. The Mumbai fire department was planning to install a new software to monitor compliance of the fire safety rules, a senior civic body official told PTI. "We are in the last stage of introducing a new software which will pick defaulters from the database. The database will comprise fire compliance details of lakhs of commercial and big residential establishments. The software will send alerts not only to us but also to owners (about non- compliance)," the official said. Municipal Commissioner Ajoy Mehta asked seven zonal deputy municipal commissioners to find out why action had not been taken against illegal constructions at commercial structures. A BMC official said Mehta expressed anger over the corporations failure to take prompt action. Since December 29, BMC officials have inspected 615 establishments and demolished illegal constructions at 355 hotels and pubs till yesterday, according its spokesperson. More than 420 LPG cylinders were seized from various eateries for violation of norms related to their use and storage, a release from the BMC said yesterday. The demolition drive was being carried out in Todi Mill and Raghuvanshi Mill areas today, another BMC official said. PTI APM GK KRK ABH According to a report by Channels Television, the fire started around the early hours of January 1, 2018 while Nigerians were celebrating the dawn of a new year. Even though there's no official cause given for the fire yet, eyewitnesses blamed it on high voltage. They also claim that the state's fire service was alerted to the fire but couldn't properly attend to it because they complained about lacking the tools to help extinguish the fire. Goods and properties worth millions were lost to the tragedy as many failed to salvage anything from the wreckage while other traders scrambled to salvage as much as they could. Watt Market fire Earlier in November 2017, Cross River State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) confirmed the destruction of over 50 shops after a fire incident at the Yoruba section of Watt Market in Calabar. In a statement signed by the governor's Chief Press Secretary, Abdulwahaab Oba, he described the dastardly attack as criminal, satanic and alien to the state. Governor Ahmed, who commended those who made efforts to protect some of the victims regardless of their religious inclination, called on security agencies to immediately launch an investigation into the incident and unravel the perpetrators of the unholy act with a view to bringing the culprits to book. According to the governor, "Peace is sine qua non for the development of any society and the government will not tolerate any act capable of breaching peace, unity and tranquility of the state." The governor called on the people of the state to imbibe the spirit of tolerance and harmonious relationship for sustenance of growth and economic development in the state. Others are two Wing Commanders and two Squadron Leaders. The Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF Headquarters, AVM Olatokunbo Adesanya, announced this in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday, December 31, 2017. Adesanya explained that the postings and redeployment came as a result of the recent promotion of senior NAF officers to the next higher ranks. He explained further that though a routine exercise, it was aimed at ensuring that NAF was effectively manned for operational efficiency and effectiveness. He said, "Prominent among those affected by the new postings are: AVM who is now the Commandant of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, Zaria, Kaduna State. "As well as AVM , who has been appointed as the Director Manning /Establishments at the Defence Headquarters." In addition, AVM Bello Garba has been redeployed as the Chief of Logistics at Headquarters NAF and AVM Mahmoud Ahmed has taken over as Chief of Administration, also at HQ NAF. Other appointments include: AVM Mohammed Suleiman as the Senior Air Staff Officer (SASO) at Headquarters Tactical Air Command, Makurdi, AVM Samuel Babalola as the Director of Personnel Management at HQ NAF. As well as AVM Tunde Awoyoola as Deputy Chief of Defence Space Agency and AVM Haruna Mohammed as Commandant Air Traffic Services Training Centre, AVM Sambo Usman as Group Managing Director of NAF Holding Company. Others are: AVM Remigus Ekeh appointed as the Director of Evaluation at HQ NAF while AVM Paul Dimfwina as Coordinator, Project Implementation and Monitoring Committee at HQ NAF. Furthermore, AVM Ibukun Ojeyemi now the SASO at Headquarters Air Training Command, Kaduna State. while AVM Frank Oparah had been appointed as Director of Research at Defence Headquarters. Also appointed are: AVM Peter Uzezi as Director, Earth Observation at Defence Space Agency, AVM Olusegun Philips as Director of Museum and Archives at HQ NAF, AVM Chinwendu Onyike as Director, Technical Services at Defence Intelligence Agency. As well as AVM Emmanuel Wonah as SASO, Headquarters Logistics Command, Ikeja, Lagos State, AVM Abubakar Liman had been appointed as SASO, Headquarters Special Operations Command, Bauchi State. AVM Mahmud Madi as Director of Launch Services and Space Operations at Defence Space Agency and Air Commodore Noah Oyibo as SASO, Headquarters Ground Training Command, Enugu State. Meanwhile, Air Commodore Cosmas Ozouggwu wa s to take over as Director of Production at HQ NAF while Air Commodore David Aluku became the Director of Civil Military Relations also at HQ NAF. According to Adesanya, the new posting also brought about changes at the Unit level. Some of the new Commanders and Commandants were Air Commodores. They are: Edward Adedokun, who was appointed as Commandant NAF Institute of Safety, Kaduna State, and Air Commodore Paul Masiyer, as Commandant Military Training Centre, Kaduna State. ALSO READ: NAF names building after soldier who died fighting terrorists In addition, Air Commodore Moses Onilede was to take over as Commander 631 Aircraft Maintenance Depot, Ikeja, State. while Air Commodore Elijah Ebiowe was appointed as Commander 115 Special Operations Group, Port Harcourt. "The newly posted and redeployed senior officers were expected to take over their new offices not later than Jan.2, 2018. "The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, had directed the newly appointed commanders of NAF field units to attend a workshop being organised at HQ NAF on Jan. 3, 2018 for commanders", the NAF spokesman added. Adesanya said Command appointments in NAF came with a lot of responsibilities, including the management of human and material resources. Akeredolu made the call in a new year message issued by his by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Segun Ajiboye, on Monday in Akure. He also called on Nigerians to rededicate themselves to the service and development of the country. He said rather than seeking unnecessary agitations that could create mistrust among the people, Nigerians should continue to live together and shun divisive tendencies. He entitled the statement: Blame Passing, Social Media Automated Mumus- The New Year Gift to a Nation. Soyinka cited a Daily Times news clipping from June, 1977, where a then President General Buhari, who was then Minister of Petroleum and Natural Resources, was quoted to have said, Fuel crisis may be over next year. Speaking about this, he said: It captures the unenviable enigma that is the Nigerian nation. Same old, same old He added that: When many of us are blissfully departed, an updated rendition of this same clipping- with a change of cast here and there- will undoubtedly be reproduced in the media, with the same alibis, the same in-built panacea of blame passing. Soyinka then narrated his ordeal at various filling stations saying: I recently ran the gauntlet of petroleum queues through three conveniently situated cities Lagos, Abeokuta and Ibadan deliberately, this Friday. Even with unorthodox aids of passage, this was no task for the faint-hearted. He frankly added: I suspect that this government has permitted itself to be fooled by the peace of those empty streets, but also by the orderly, patient, long-suffering queues that are admittedly prevalent in the city centres. He however declared that the current affliction must be remedied, and fast, in order to solve a shortage that virtually paralysed the nation. Villagers fled gunfire and machete attacks to arrive in the small town of Paoua, where some 11,000 people have already sought refuge since fighting erupted in the region in November. "There are clashes at almost every point all around Paoua. We have seen hundreds of people flee their villages to take refuge in Paoua" since Wednesday, said Jean Hospital, MSF's project coordinator in the region. "We received civilians who were directly targeted by gunfire or were attacked with machetes, while others are collateral victims of the clashes," he added. Rival armed groups the National Movement for the Liberation of the Central African Republic (MNLC) and Revolution and Justice (RJ) began fighting on the outskirts of Paoua on Wednesday, following renewed violence in the region since November, sources said. 'We risk being raped' "The RJ told the population to flee and leave the roads open in case of an attack," pastor Roy-Rodrigue Doutoumbaye told AFP on Wednesday at Paoua Hospital, where he accompanied a loved one shot in the head. "They really wanted to kill me but because I had 110,000 francs (190 euros) on me they took the money and left me alive," 52-year-old Jope, who suffers from tuberculosis, told AFP. "If we stay alone in the city we risk being raped. Our husbands have left to take care of the crops," said Marie-Angele Dembaye, as she travelled to Paoua, adding that armed men began looking for women. "The situation will become complicated very quickly because these people do not have any family to welcome them to Paoua," said MSF coordinator Hospital added. According to the latest reports from the UN and the Red Cross, there were already between 15,000 and 17,000 displaced people in Paoua by mid-December. Mired in poverty but rich in minerals, the former French colony has been battered by a three-year conflict between rival militias that began after then-president Francois Bozize was overthrown. Thousands of people have been killed in the fighting. According to the UN, more than a million people have fled their homes and 2.4 million people -- more than half of the Central African population -- are in need of emergency food aid. Some officers fired shots in the air in the capital Kinshasa as church and opposition groups defied a ban by authorities to push ahead with the demonstrations. The protesters were demanding that Kabila promise he will not seek to further extend his time in power in Democratic Republic of Congo, a mostly Catholic former Belgian colony. Kabila has been in power since 2001. Elections to replace him have been delayed and are currently set for December 2018. Impatience boiled over on Sunday, with all the vast central African country's main opposition and civil society groups joining in the call for peaceful protests. Soldiers storm church A churchgoer who asked not to be named told AFP that officers dispersed worshippers from a mass in the parish of St. Michael's in central Kinshasa on Sunday morning. "While we were praying, the soldiers and the police entered the church compound and fired tear gas at the church," he said. Another parishioner who identified herself as Chantal said: "People fell, first-aiders are resuscitating old ladies who have fallen" -- but added that the priest carried on saying mass. Officers later detained 12 altar boys dressed in their liturgical robes outside one church as they led a protest march. Earlier at the Notre-Dame of Congo Cathedral in Gombe, north Kinshasa, security forces also fired tear gas as opposition leader Felix Tshisekedi arrived, AFP journalists saw. The parish priest asked worshippers to "return to their homes in peace because there is a heavy presence of soldiers and police ready to fire". In Kinshasa, Catholics of the "Lay Coordinating Committee" had invited worshippers to walk, holding bibles, rosaries and crucifixes, after mass on Sunday. They want Kabila, 46, to declare publicly that he will not run for another term as president. Elections delayed The vast, mineral-rich country has not had a peaceful transition of power since independence from Belgium in 1960. Kabila succeeded his assassinated father Laurent Kabila in 2001. He refused to step down at the end of his second and final term in December 2016. That refusal led to protests and a bloody crackdown. Elections had been due to take place by the end of this year under a church-mediated deal. The delayed poll is now scheduled for December 23 next year. Congolese authorities cut off internet access "for reasons of state security" before the planned march on Sunday. The army and the police deployed in large numbers at churches across Kinshasa, the capital of around 10 million people. Security forces also set up roadblocks in several parts of the city. The army and the police were stopping and searching vehicles. Government alleges 'insurrection' plan Government spokesman Lambert Mende alleged in televised comments that "weapons of war have been distributed" by opponents of the government. "These destabilising acts of agitation aim to create an atmosphere of insurrection which would enable them to seize power in our country by undemocratic means," he said, citing a government report. Kabila has yet to speak publicly about the latest round of protests. Ambassador Walid Abu Ali came under fire for attending Friday's rally in Rawalpindi in protest at the US decision to move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. The rally was organised by the Defence of Pakistan Council, an alliance of Islamist groups including Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) headed by Hafiz Saeed. Jamaat-ud-Dawa is believed to be a front for Lashkar-e-Taiba, a militant group that battles Indian troops in disputed Kashmir and was blamed for the Mumbai attacks which killed 166 people. The Palestinian foreign ministry said in a statement the envoy's attendance at the mass rally "in the presence of individuals accused of supporting terrorism is an unintended mistake, but not justified". Accordingly, it said the ambassador was being recalled immediately. Pakistan foreign ministry spokesman Mohammad Faisal said the rally was attended by thousands of people from all walks of life and more than 50 speakers addressed the meeting, including Saeed. India's foreign ministry said it had told the Palestinians that their ambassador's association with "terrorist Hafiz Saeed, who is proscribed by the United Nations... is unacceptable". It said in a statement the Palestinian side had expressed "deep regrets" over the incident and "will not engage with those who commit acts of terror against India". Jamaat-ud-Dawa is listed by the UN as a terrorist group and Saeed has a $10 million bounty on his head. He was held under house arrest from January to November following a Pakistani government crackdown. Saeed denies involvement in the Mumbai attacks and Pakistan says there is not enough evidence to charge him. Islamabad denies US accusations that it harbours militants. Six Americans were among 166 people killed during the three-day siege in Mumbai, when gunmen who arrived by sea sparked battles with Indian commandos. The drama brought nuclear-armed India and Pakistan to the brink of war. "People of Izeh, like some other cities, held a protest against economic problems and unfortunately it led to the killing of two people and injuries to some others," the area's MP, Hedayatollah Khademi, told the ILNA news agency. "I do not know yet whether last night's shooting was by the protesters or by police," he added. Khademi said people in Izeh, a town of around 200,000 people, had broken the windows of banks as protests continued until around midnight (2030 GMT). "That's why police intervened to restore peace and order," he told ILNA. "The governor said it (the gunfire) was unlikely to be by police as they were not supposed to open fire," he said in a separate interview with the reformist Etamad newspaper. The deaths follow a report by the state broadcaster that two people died in the western town of Dorud overnight when they were hit by a fire engine stolen by protesters. Delhi Crime Branch has arrested a criminal Dhiresh Narayan, who was the prime accused in the murder case of 22-year-old Javed Ansari. On September 11, Javed Ansari's body was found dumped in the fields of Siraspur village, Delhi. His head had been chopped off. Delhi Police had since started a search for the accused(s). Dhiresh was arrested by the Delhi Police on January 1 from Mukarba Chowk in North Delhi where he was waiting at a bus stop to board a bus to Punjab. After interrogation, Dhiresh confessed to have killed Javed. Dhiresh told the police that Javed was in an alleged relationship with his wife. Dhiresh confronted Javed about the same and Javed promised to stay away from Dhiresh's wife. However, Dhiresh felt that nothing has changed and thus planned to take revenge from Javed. He got his friends- Suman, Rahul, Gulab Singh and a juvenile- to help him. Dhiresh lured Javed to an isolated spot in Siraspur village, where the five accused beat him up and Dhiresh cut his head with a flat blade that's used to cut wood. Dhiresh, then, carried Javed's head and threw it in another field at some distance. All five persons fled the spot. Rahul, Gulab Singh and the juvenile had already been apprehended by the police but Dhiresh and Suman were absconding since. The police had also announced a bounty of Rs 20,000 for Dhiresh and Suman. While Dhiresh has been nabbed, Suman is still on the run. Property details: Begin investing in affordable land!! The housing market is forecast to accelerate! Get your parcel of land now! they are not making any more of it. Greenville MSRESIDENTIAL BUILDING LOTWALK TO WATERHIGHEST BIDDER WILL OWN PROPERTY The Washington County Area offers many amenities: Half Mile to Casino, Also Near Airport Half Mile to Lake Ferguson 3 Miles to Mississippi River THEY ARE NOT MAKING ANY MORE LAND!!! Property Address: 463 N Delesseps Greenville MS 38701APN: 10590270000 PPIN 10864T... Price: $ 255 Seller State of Residence: California Property Address: 463 N Delesseps State/Province: Mississippi City: Greenville Type: Homesite, Lot Zoning: Residential Zip/Postal Code: 38701 Location: 387**, Greenville, Mississippi You will be redirected to eBay Nearby 38701 Property details: ATTENTION! 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Users on Glocktalk and M4Carbine.net forums today discovered and shared a URL that was used as a landing page to announce the Glock's 45ACP G41 a couple years ago. The URL, http://g41.glock.us, appears to have been re-used to host a sandboxed website and landing page for the release of a new Glock pistol, the Glock 19X. Sometime within the last 24 hours, the site was updated and now hosts information about the company's 30th Anniversary G17 Gen4 pistol. A page that gave details about the pistol and displayed a Glock promotional video that was hosted by Youtube was shared. The video was shared more than 1,700 times on Facebook before being pulled. This in addition to an unknown number of posts on other sites that provided direct links to the page. While the link redirects and the Youtube video itself has been pulled, forum members posted screenshots of the information. [This Buyer's Guide originally appeared in Concealment 2] Photos by Mike Searson and Shinnosuke Tanaka Old Doesn't Mean Obsolete. Don't Write Off the Six-Shooter as a Viable CCW Option. When selecting a handgun for concealed carry, the most common choices that spring to mind are either a compact single-stack .45 ACP, a subcompact polymer .380 ACP, a striker-fired 9mm, or a snub-nosed revolver. Wait a minute a snub-nosed revolver? Do we mean a wheel gun? A six-shooter, like they used during the Gold Rush of 1849 or in Tombstone at the O.K. Corral? Not exactly, but if youre a shooter who was raised on Glocks and SIGs, you may need to acquaint yourself with this other concealed-carry option that never seems to go away despite advancements in firearms technology. The appeal of revolvers lies in their lightweight construction, ease of use, reliability, and ease of concealment. Each of these factors plays a crucial role in any plan for carrying a handgun covertly, and perhaps explains why the six-shooter is enjoying something of a renaissance. Or perhaps it never really went away. HISTORY The revolver is one of the oldest modern handguns and dates back to the mid-19th century. It has been declared obsolete many times over throughout much of the 20th century since the advent of semiautomatic pistols. However, revolvers have been making a strong comeback in recent years. Not as side-arms for law enforcement officers or the military, but as a viable option for a primary concealed-carry weapon (CCW) or as a backup in case the primary arm should fail. First developed by Samuel Colt in the 1830s, the earliest revolvers were front-loading black powder types. Colt scoffed at the mention of loading metallic cartridges in his firearms, but an upstart company from Massachusetts headed by Hiram Smith and Daniel Wesson picked up the ball and ran with it. Smith & Wesson has led the way in revolver development going back as far as 1857. The company was responsible for the first cartridge revolver, the first double-action revolver, and the first swing-out cylinder and blazed the magnum handgun trail since the introduction of the .357 magnum in 1935. Smith & Wesson has also heeded the call for producing lighter-weight handguns since its introduction of the aluminum-framed Aircrew model in the 1940s. Since then, Smith & Wesson has taken advantage of new materials such as titanium, scandium, and now polymer frames in building its guns. The difference being that a lighter revolver will more likely be carried than a heavier one. THE REVOLVER ADVANTAGE They may lack the capacity and quick-reload option of a semiautomatic pistol, but they have other traits that stand above the rest when it comes to a CCW plan. Revolvers have long been praised for their ease of use. Although revolver virtuoso Ed McGivern famously said in the 1930s that a double-action revolver was the hardest firearm to learn how to shoot well, there is nothing simpler than picking up a double-action revolver and squeezing the trigger. There are no safety levers, de-cockers, or slides to rack in order to make a revolver ready to shoot. It is in this regard that the revolver can excel for a new and inexperienced shooter in a life-or-death situation. Most revolvers can also remain loaded for years at a time, without being concerned about weak magazine or recoil springs. Ease of concealment goes back to the size of the revolver. In this case, were not talking about the gargantuan N and X frames of Smith & Wesson or the massive Ruger Super Redhawk, but rather the J-frames of Smith & Wesson, the discontinued D-frames of Colt, and the LCR made by Ruger. Revolvers of these types can easily be concealed in a pocket (although thats not a recommended practice without a good pocket holster) or a waistband with a suitable holster. The grip profile is smaller, the frame is typically narrower, and when coupled with a bobbed or concealed hammer the draw from the pocket can be quicker than most semi-autos. Some shooters arent physically capable of racking the slide of a pistol under pressure. We dont just mean the elderly or infirm, but someone who has been injured in the course of an altercation may find it easier to get a revolver into action if one of their hands has been injured as opposed to making ready a semi-auto pistol. THE DOWNSIDES The snub-nose revolver is not without its shortcomings, either. Limited capacity is the obvious one. Most in this category are limited to five or six rounds. There are old adages about that (If you cant do it with five, you wont do it at all), but the reality is that the days of the lone assailant may be in the past. When defending your life from a gang of thugs, you may need more than six rounds. Even when coupled with a speed loader or moon clips, revolvers are slow to reload. The action must be opened and the empties dropped loose, then live rounds must be inserted. If youre still living with a pre-1960s frame of mind, this is one at a time. Speed strips and M-16 stripper clips are good for holding rounds in place in a pocket or dump pouch, but the speed loader is king here. Revolver prices, particularly police trade-ins, used to run on the low end. However, as their manufacture declined, their demand seemed to go up. While deals can be had if you look, the glory days of picking up a barely used wheel gun for under $200 are a thing of the past. Likewise, ammunition has considerably risen in price. Luckily, straight-wall revolver cartridges are the easiest to reload, providing practical savings. TEST TIME The three biggest revolver manufacturers (Ruger, Smith & Wesson, and Taurus) have been backordered for six months or longer on all of their products, with Taurus citing a revolver as their hottest seller for four years in a row (Taurus was so backordered that it couldnt directly supply us with a test revolver to meet our deadline for this article). These arent firearms made for competition, police/military contacts, or collectors, but working guns used for concealed carry by thousands of gun owners daily. We sampled some of the more popular offerings. The S&W 642 and Charter Bulldog were personally owned pieces by the author and photographer, the Taurus was a loaner from a local range, and the others were directly provided by the manufacturers. Read on to find out how they fared, and if one of these might fit in your personal wheelhouse. Although most revolvers will chamber and tolerate almost any load that they were designed for, the snubbies deserve special attention. These lighter-weight examples may have what feels like a sharp recoil impulse, but this can be tamed down by building a resistance. Start with light target loads and work your way up. Most of our examples rely on fixed sights for simplicitys sake, and as a result a shooter may have to experiment with different loads to find the one that hits the sweet spot; in this case that means hitting the 10-ring on your target consistently. Dont make the mistake of firing only light loads at the range and relying on Megalithic Exploding Star Crusher +P+ Man Killers as your defensive load. When you work up to your ideal load, incorporate it into your defensive shooting exercises. Harsher rounds loaded in lighter-weight frames will take a toll on guns after a while and reduce their service life. It may not be the first round or the 100th round, but eventually the pressure in that cylinder will decide that the path of least resistance is through the cylinder wall, and it will shatter along with the top strap. This doesnt happen only with old relics or police trade-ins. The author personally witnessed this occurrence with five brand-new Smith & Wesson J-frames chambered in .357 Magnum within a month of their release back in the 1990s. Unless youre shooting a massive S&W N-Frame or a Ruger chambered in .357 Magnum, keep the Magnum loads to a minimum and stick with the +P loads. Shooters of older .38 Special revolvers made prior to the 1980s need to heed this warning with regard to +P ammunition, as those old guns were not built for that power level. >>>>Charter Arms Bulldog The Bulldog is a great concept. A five-shot revolver chambered in the mighty .44 Special with a short barrel. Its relatively lightweight and has a good feel in hand. Unfortunately, it falls flat in execution with poorly made components and shoddy workmanship. These revolvers have a tendency to break down quickly, partially due to the harshness of the .44 Special round and partially due to the manufacturing process. Likewise, theres a shortage of qualified gunsmiths who will work on them. If you have a good one that runs well, treasure it. >>>>Chiappa Rhino We were ready to hate this one. It lacks the sleek curves of a classic snubby, and the barrel and firing pin are upside down compared to a traditional revolver. Yet, someone knew what they were doing, as it transmits the recoil to the center of the shooting hand and the rubber grip absorbs the brunt of this. Another innovation is the flattened cylinder, which is more hexagonal as opposed to round in shape. This makes the surface area of the revolver flatter than most and aids in concealment. Of all the models we tested, this was hands down the most pleasant to shoot. Its not for everyone, but if you are new to the revolver game, it may be a good one to start out with in spite of the price tag. >>>>Ruger LCR We were a bit hesitant to try this model due to the plastic frame, but one thing reassured us: Rugers logo etched on the side plate. The company has been making quality arms for more than 65 years and has earned a reputation for making strong revolvers. The LCR is no exception. The LCR incorporates a friction-reducing cam to provide a smooth and easy trigger pull. The Hogue grips and shock-absorbing properties of the polymer frame make this 13-ounce wheel gun surprisingly pleasant to shoot. >>>>Smith & Wesson 642 The Model 36 was the first of this breed, followed by the first all stainless steel model in 1960, known as the Model 60 or Chiefs Special. Since then, S&W has produced these revolvers with frames of scandium, aluminum, titanium, and polymer for true lightweight carry pieces. Their Model 40 included a grip safety as an extra precaution, and their Model 49 featured a concealed hammer. The evolution of this in modern terms includes the 442 and 642, which have hammers completely shielded from external use. The Models 442 and 642 represent some of the finest double-action snubbies available today. Recoil may seem a bit harsh at first, due to the bodys light weight. The frames do take a noticeable beating after daily use that is, unfortunately, not fixable. >>>>Rossi R3520 Inexpensive does not necessarily mean cheap quality. Rossi of Brazil turns out a fantastic little five-shot revolver in high-polish stainless steel that resembles the nickel finish of higher-end revolvers from yesteryear. The oversized factory grip makes it easy to shoot, and it was one of the more accurate handguns in our lineup despite its relatively low price. This is a bit on the larger or heavier side for our purposes, but it deserves special mention. The Ruger SP-101 weighs twice as much as the LCR, but the size means a diminished recoil impulse from shooting. Chambered in .357 Magnum, the SP-101 is comfortable to shoot when compared to the other snubbies. The larger grip makes it a bit harder to conceal, but it can be done with the right holster and wardrobe. Older SP-101s were intended for use with only 125-grain bullets in the .357 Magnum, due to the size constraints they placed on this model those barrels are marked accordingly. Newer versions, on the other hand, will take the longer cartridges if thats what works better for you as a shooter. We were surprised to see some of the newer revolvers outperforming our personally owned revolvers and perceive it to be new innovations and improvements on the part of the manufacturers to make the handguns that shooters want. If a concealed-carry gun is accurate, reliable, and pleasant to shoot, itll naturally see more carry time. They may be considered by some to be a more elegant weapon for a more civilized age, but revolvers are definitely more effective today than when they first cleared leather in the 19th century. >>>>Taurus Model 85 As competently as the Rossi performed (see our thoughts on the R3520), its parent company did not fare as well. While our test sample was a loaner from Reno Guns & Range, it was a recent addition at this new range, so its not as if we used a beater to throw a curve ball into the mix. The trigger stacked and was simply not as refined as the others. One of the chambers in the cylinder consistently felt tight, and we had a few rounds keyhole on the target. Were certain a trip to the factory may remedy this, and fortunately Taurus offers one of the best warranties and costumer service in the industry. London, Jan 1 (PTI) A drug created to treat type 2 diabetes could be used to fight Alzheimers disease, say scientists who found that the medicine significantly reversed memory loss in mice. The research, published in the journal Brain Research, could bring substantial improvements in the treatment of Alzheimers disease through the use of a drug originally created to treat type 2 diabetes. The treatment "holds clear promise of being developed into a new treatment for chronic neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimers disease," said Professor Christian Holscher from Lancaster University in the UK. Alzheimers disease is the most common cause of dementia and the numbers are expected to rise to two million people in the UK by 2051 according to Alzheimers Society, who part- funded the research. Although the benefits of these triple agonist drugs have so far only been found in mice, other studies with existing diabetes drugs such as liraglutide have shown real promise for people with Alzheimers, so further development of this work is crucial. This is the first time that a triple receptor drug has been used which acts in multiple ways to protect the brain from degeneration. It combines GLP-1, GIP and Glucagon which are all growth factors. Problems with growth factor signalling have been shown to be impaired in the brains of Alzheimers patients. The study used APP/PS1 mice, which are transgenic mice that express human mutated genes that cause Alzheimers. Those genes have been found in people who have a form of Alzheimers that can be inherited. Aged transgenic mice in the advanced stages of neurodegeneration were treated. In a maze test, learning and memory formation were much improved by the drug which also enhanced levels of a brain growth factor which protects nerve cell functioning. It also reduced the amount of amyloid plaques in the brain linked with Alzheimers, chronic inflammation and oxidative stress. The drug also slowed down the rate of nerve cell loss. "These very promising outcomes demonstrate the efficacy of these novel multiple receptor drugs that originally were developed to treat type 2 diabetes but have shown consistent neuro- protective effects in several studies," said Holscher. "Clinical studies with an older version of this drug type already showed very promising results in people with Alzheimers disease or with mood disorders," he said. "Here we show that a novel triple receptor drug shows promise as a potential treatment for Alzheimers but further dose-response tests and direct comparisons with other drugs have to be conducted in order to evaluate if this new drugs is superior to previous ones," he added. Type 2 diabetes is a risk factor for Alzheimers and has been implicated in the progression of the disease. Insulin desensitisation has also been observed in the Alzheimers disease brain. The desensitisation could play a role in the development of neurodegenerative disorders as insulin is a growth factor with neuroprotective properties. PTI MHN SAR MHN 'China's growing nexus with Pakistan and the two countries' unresolved territorial disputes with India continue to pose a formidable national security threat to India,' says Brigadier Gurmeet Kanwal (retd). IMAGE: Soldiers at an encounter with Lashkar-e-Tayiba terrorists in Kashmir, June 16, 2017. The soldiers were simultaneously battling stone pelters trying to distract the army and let the terrorists escape. Photograph: Umar Ganie for Rediff.com The polycentric new world order, which was gradually emerging since the end of the Cold War, has begun to fray at the edges. The primary causes for this condition are the growing friction among the major powers, the triumphant rise of ultra-right wing political parties, dilution in the forces of globalisation and free market economies and the international community's inability to comprehensively defeat the forces of radical extremism. North Korea's continuing nuclear warhead and ballistic missile tests in 2017 -- in flagrant violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions -- and US President Donald J Trump's threat to unleash 'fire and fury' like the world has never seen, have brought the Korean peninsula to the brink of war. Though the probability of nuclear exchanges is low, the possibility of conventional conflict cannot be wished away. In West Asia, while the progress made in liberating ISIS-controlled areas in Iraq and Syria has forced the Islamic caliphate to retreat geographically, its virulent ideology continues to flourish unabated. In fact, a cyber caliphate is emerging gradually. It is potentially more dangerous than its geographical counterpart due to the ability of a handful of the faithful to radicalise large sections of vulnerable youth using the Internet. In Southern Asia, the tenuous security environment in Afghanistan and along the Af-Pak border is the greatest cause of instability. The strategic stalemate between the Afghan government and the remnants of NATO forces on one side and the Taliban and Pakistan-sponsored terrorist organisations like the Haqqani network on the other, is likely to endure. The Taliban now control 50 per cent of rural areas in Afghanistan. President Trump has reversed his predecessor's decision to draw down the number of US forces and eventually pull out of Afghanistan. He has decided to continue operations till al Qaeda is finally defeated. He has also called on Pakistan to stop playing double games and to eliminate the anti-Afghan Taliban from its soil. 2018 is likely to witness more drone strikes inside Pakistan and perhaps even special forces raids and air-to-ground strikes to destroy terrorist hideouts. China's growing nexus with Pakistan and the two countries' unresolved territorial disputes with India continue to pose a formidable national security threat to India. In the year gone by, the intensity of this threat did not diminish as has been the case since the Kargil conflict of 1999. In fact, the Doklam standoff near the India (Sikkim)-Tibet (China)-Bhutan trijunction in June-August 2017, further vitiated the security environment. Despite misgivings in both countries, the China-Pakistan economic corridor (CPEC) has begun to take shape. Passing through Gilgit-Baltistan in Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), the CPEC will link Xingjian province in China with Gwadar on the Makran coast west of Karachi. Though Pakistan is raising a division of approximately 12,000 personnel to provide security for the CPEC against terrorist attacks, eventually Chinese soldiers are bound to be inducted for this purpose like in Gilgit-Baltistan. Large-scale PLA presence in Pakistan will further destabilise the region. Surprisingly from India's point of view, India's long-time strategic partner Russia has expressed its support for the CPEC -- denied later in a Facebook post. Russia also held a low-level military exercise with Pakistan and has offered to sell arms to the country. These developments are detrimental to India interests and could to some extent be attributed to the previous US administration's anti-Russia policies. These policies have driven Russia closer to China. The nuclear deal that Iran signed with the US has held for over a year despite strong opposition from several regional neighbours of Iran like Israel and Saudi Arabia. Arguably, getting Iran to give up its ambition to acquire nuclear weapons was the most significant foreign policy achievement of the US since the Camp David accords of 1978. It is not yet clear whether the nuclear deal will survive the advent of the Trump administration. He has not yet unilaterally abrogated the agreement. If either signatory walks out, the world is likely to soon witness the arrival of another nuclear power -- with attendant negative consequences. A nuclear-armed Iran is unlikely to be acceptable to the Trump administration or Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu or to the Saudis. Forgotten in the shadow of the conflict in Syria and Iraq is the civil war in Yemen. The Houthis and their allies, who seized Sanaa in September 2014, are locked in a bitter fight with a Saudi-led coalition comprising mainly Arab nations from the Gulf. The Saudis accuse the Houthis of having fired two Iran-supplied ballistic missiles into Saudi Arabia and claim to have intercepted both successfully. General Raheel Sharif, the former Pakistan army chief, heads the Saudi-led 34-nation coalition assembled to fight Islamist terrorist groups. Closer home, of the almost one million Rohingya Muslims who have for long been residing in Rakhine province in Myanmar, over 600,000 fled their homes due to alleged repression by the army. They have streamed across the open border into Bangladesh. Many of them have been attempting to sneak into India. If arrangements are made to get Myanmar to take them back soon, malnutrition and disease prevailing in the refugee camps in Bangladesh could escalate to insurgency. India's red lines were repeatedly crossed by violation of the mutually agreed cease-fire of November 2003 by the Pakistan army. There was also a major increase in infiltration attempts across the LoC and increase in the incidents of violence in J&K during 2017. India continued its post-surgical strikes policy of tactical assertiveness under the umbrella of strategic restraint and dominated the LoC aggressively. Almost 200 Pakistan-sponsored terrorists were killed during the year. Internal instability continues to haunt the government of Pakistan and its army. Three years after it was launched, Operation Zarb-e-Azb in Khyber-Pakhtoonkhwa is still to be concluded successfully. A low-grade insurgency in Balochistan, unrest in Sind and Gilgit-Baltistan, creeping Talibanisation, ethnic tensions and a weak economy are a potent mix that could lead to an implosion. Adding fuel to the fire are the army's clumsy attempts to 'mainstream' the Hafiz Saeed-led Lashkar-e-Tayiba to fight the 2018 elections as a registered political party. In October-November 2017, the army allowed the Tehreek-e-Labaik, a hardline militant Islamist group, to blockade the road from Rawalpindi to Islamabad, Pakistan's capital, despite requests from the government to throw them out. Clearly, the army continues to undermine the functioning of Pakistan's duly-elected civilian government. Varying degrees of turmoil in other countries around India, including Bangladesh, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal and Sri Lanka added to regional instability. Narco-terrorism, the proliferation of small arms, the circulation of fake currency notes, trans-border money laundering and the availability of sanctuaries for insurgents, often aided and abetted by neighbouring States, enable non-State entities to challenge duly elected governments. The insurgent movements in India's north-eastern states are an example of this phenomenon. The prevalence of volatility in the region leads to the inevitable conclusion that Southern Asia will continue to remain unstable for some more time to come. The countries of the region must come together in their own interest and agree to systematically plug the loopholes that enable cross-border insurgent movements to flourish. Sadly, there is too much mistrust among the neighbours. Also, with SAARC having become almost completely defunct, nor is a viable platform available to enable the conduct of long and hard negotiations that would be required. Brigadier Gurmeet Kanwal (retd) is Distinguished Fellow, Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses, New Delhi. Pradipta Tapadar Kolkata, Jan 1 (PTI)Attempts made to "fabricate and distort history" is a terror of a different nature, general president of Indian History Congress K M Shrimali said, expressing concern over the shrinking space for reason and debate in the country. The sole agenda behind RSS-BJP trying to rewrite history is to create a Hindu nation, where minorities are treated as second-class citizens, he said. "It is matter of concern that the space for reason and debate is shrinking in India. We have never witnessed such a disturbing trend. Those with little knowledge about history are trying to fabricate and thrust their idea. It is a terror of a different nature," the former history professor of Delhi University told PTI. The RSS and the BJP are determined to divide the nation on religious grounds, Shrimali said, adding that history is a discipline of reason and cannot be written with fabricated truths, imagination or myth-making. Reason and debate have become the biggest casualties in the Sangh Parivars interpretation of history, the former professor rued. "There are ways of understanding mythology... Not everything which is part of mythology is history... But you dont enter into arguments, you try to bully people. Thats not the way to write history," he said. The historian also explained that Hindutva and Hinduism are different concepts with the former being a political ideology. Shrimali said Hindutva is being used as a tool to access power. The uproar over Ayodha temple and the film, Padamavati, is aimed at consolidation of Hindu votes. Reacting to a RSS-BJP criticism that a distorted version of history is being taught in India by the "Left and liberal historians", Shrimali said historians dont need to take lessons on nationalism from those "who had surrendered before the British during the independence movement". He also said that the party in power is trying to obliterate the contributions and legacies of the Mughal Empire. He, however, expressed confidence on the "functioning of the minds" of Indian people in their attempts to resist fabricated history. Shrimalis view found resonance in eminent historian Irfan Habib, who said history depends on "events of facts" and any attempt to invent facts will be treated as fiction. Slamming the rising political intolerance and the recent killings of rationalists Narendra Dabholkar, Govind Pansare, M M Kalburgi, Habib said an atmosphere of fear is prevailing in the country, where these murders are grisly reminders of an ongoing campaign against the freedom of thought, speech and expressions. PTI PNT RMS Pakistan's financial regulatory body on Monday banned Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed-led Jamaat-ud Dawah and Falah-i-Insaniat Foundation from collecting donations, according to a media report. The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan prohibited the collection of donations by the JuD, the front organisation of banned outfit Lashkar-e-Tayiba, as well as several other such organisations named in a list of banned outfits by the UN Security Council, the Dawn reported. "The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan hereby prohibits all companies from donating cash to the entities and individuals listed under the UNSC sanctions committee's consolidated list," read a notification issued by the commission. In addition to JuD, the list also includes LeT itself, the Falah-i-Insaniat Foundation (FIF), the Paasban-i-Ahle-Hadith and Pasban-i-Kashmir, among others, the paper said. The SECP notification further warned that non-compliance with the said ruling could result in a hefty monetary fine. "The government of Pakistan has already prescribed a penalty of up to Rs 10 million for non-compliance on the sanctions regime being implemented," it said. In January 2017, the Pakistan government had launched a crackdown against JuD, placing Saeed under house arrest. However, Saeed was released in November after the Lahore high court refused to extend the period of his confinement. Responding to reports that the government is planning on seizing their assets, JuD and FIF said they will take the matter to the court, the paper said. "There are clear rulings of the Lahore High Court and Supreme Court that JuD is free to continue its welfare activities in Pakistan," JuD spokesperson Yahya Mujahid was quoted as saying by the paper. "The government still pulls such stunts for the appeasement of India," he claimed. The JuD is believed to be the front organisation for the LeT which is responsible for carrying out the Mumbai attack. It has been declared as a foreign terrorist organisation by the United States in June 2014. From spectacular fireworks in Hong Kong and Australia to a huge LED light show at the world's tallest building in Dubai, a look at how revellers around the world ringed in 2018. Revelers gather in Times Square for the New Year's Eve celebrations in Manhattan, New York. Photograph: Amr Alfiky/Reuters Fireworks light the sky over the Arc de Triomphe on the Champs Elysees Avenue in Paris as revellers take part in New Year celebrations. Photograph: Philippe Wojazer/Reuters Fireworks explode behind the Elizabeth Tower, commonly known as Big Ben, to ring in the new year. Photograph: Toby Melville/Reuters Fireworks explode in front of the skyline with the financial district during New Year's eve celebrations in Frankfurt, Germany. Photograph: Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters People pose for a picture in Times Square ahead of the New Year's Eve celebrations in Manhattan, New York. Photograph: Amr Alfiky/Reuters Photograph: Hannibal Hanschke/Reuters Fireworks explode over the Quadriga sculpture atop the Brandenburg gate in Berlin,Germany. People dance during the New Year's celebrations on a beach in Mumbai. Photograph: Danish Siddiqui/Reuters People fly lanterns at Borobudur temple during New Year celebrations in Magelang, Indonesia. Photograph: Antara Foto/Anis Efizudin/Reuters Burj Khalifa is lit up during the new year celebrations in Dubai. Photograph: Satish Kumar/Reuters Performers play drum music during a countdown event celebrating the new year at Yongdingmen Gate in Beijing, China. Photograph: Jason Lee/Reuters Schoolchildren hold balloons as they pose during celebrations to welcome the New Year at their school in Ahmedabad. Photograph: Amit Dave/Reuters Fireworks explode near the Sydney Opera House as part of new year celebrations on Sydney Harbour, Australia. Photograph: David Gray/Reuters The counter-operation launched by security forces against the terrorists who attacked a Central Reserve Police Force camp in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir ended on Monday following the recovery of the body of another terrorist, the police said. Finally, the operation has concluded with the recovery of the body of the third terrorist, Director General of Police S P Vaid said. The bodies of two terrorists had been recovered on Sunday. The two ultras whose bodies were recovered on Sunday were Manzoor Ahmad Baba from Drubgam (Pulwama) and Fardeen Ahmad Khanday from Nazeempora (Tral). Khanday was the son a serving policeman. CRPF, meanwhile, said the search operation is still underway in the area to be doubly sure before calling it off. "The search operation is still going on. We want to be doubly sure before we call off the operation," CRPF Special DG (Jammu and Kashmir zone) S N Srivastava said during a media briefing. He said one more terrorist killed on Monday was 'a foreign militant'. In a pre-dawn strike, five CRPF men were killed while three others injured when heavily armed terrorists stormed the camp of the paramilitary force at Lethpora in Pulwama district on Sunday. The attack was claimed by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed. Meanwhile, the Himachal Pradesh government on Monday gave an ex gratia relief of Rs 20 lakh to the family of Inspector Kuldeep Roy of the 185 Battalion of the CRPF, who was killed in the attack. Roy hailed from Tikkar Khatriyan village of Hamirpur district. Governor Acharya Devvrat and Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur have expressed grief over the death of Roy and expressed sympathies with the bereaved family and prayed for peace to the departed soul. Thakur said the brave soldiers of the state lead from the front to safeguard the country. The supreme sacrifice by the martyrs would always be remembered by the country, he said. Army pays tribute to jawan killed in Pak shelling in Rajouri The Army on Monday bid farewell to Sepoy Jagsir Singh who was killed in Sunday's ceasefire violation in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir. A wreath laying ceremony was organised in honour of the soldier, who laid down his life guarding the nation's frontiers while serving at the Line of Control in Nowshera sector, a defence spokesman said. A military send off was organised, wherein, General Officer Commanding, among other military dignitaries, laid wreaths on behalf of Lt Gen D Anbu, Army Commander, Northern Command and Lt Gen Saranjeet Singh, GOC, White Knight Corps. Singh, 32, hailed from Lohgarh Thakhran Wala village in Firozepur district of Punjab. He is survived by his wife Mohinder Pall Kaur, two daughters and one son. "He was a dedicated, brave and sincere soldier and a thorough professional. The nation will remain indebted to him for the supreme sacrifice and devotion to duty. He will continue to motivate the future generations," the spokesman said. IMAGE: Army personnel move towards the CRPF training camp during the second day of the encounter with the fidayeen attackers, at Lethpora in Pulwama district of south Kashmir on Monday. Photograph: PTI Photo Taking one step further towards launching a party, top actor Rajinikanth on Monday launched an android mobile application and web page to enable people to become members of his fans association which could be later transformed into a political outfit. A day after declaring his political entry, the actor launched a mobile app 'Rajini Mandram', now available in Google playstore alongside a twitter account '@officialairrm', and a dedicated web page www.rajinimandram.org. The initiative is to enable his fans and the general public to become members of his 'Akila Indiya Rajinikanth Rasigar Mandram' (All India Rajinikanth Fans Association). In a brief one minute video clip, Rajinikanth thanked all those who welcomed his political plunge. He appealed to his fans and general public 'desiring a good political change in Tamil Nadu', to become members of the association. "Let us all together usher in a good change in Tamil Nadu," he said. The actor had said yesterday that after strengthening the various fan clubs by bringing in the general public, the association could be transformed into a political party ahead of the next assembly polls. For enrolling as members, fans or members of the public should register their name and voter ID number either through the mobile app or the web page. Both the mobile app and webpage featured a message from Rajinikanth found in the clip. The app, web page and the official letter head of the 'mandram' which carried the actor's audio-visual message in print featured prominently the association's logo. The logo is a 'baba mudra' against a blue backdrop encircled by a serpent in black. The mudra has significance in yoga and it features the ring and middle fingers held by the thumb even as the little and index fingers are in an upright position. In Hindu spiritual tradition, the serpent is a symbol representing awakened consciousness through yogic pursuits. 'Truthfulness, hardwork, growth', and 'think good, speak good, do good and only good will happen', are the slogans featured on the letter head, app and web page. The charismatic actor has said this will be the guiding line for his proposed party. By launching the app, Rajinikanth has gone one step ahead of his fellow-actor Kamal Haasan. Amid expectations of Haasan's political entry, on November seven his birthday last year, he had said "#KH", an app, will serve as a 'digital platform' and 'whistleblower.' He had said it was being tested and he could give a complete picture on it by January. Haasan had hit out at the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam regime over alleged corruption drawing the ire of ministers. Photograph: R Senthil Kumar/PTI Photo Triple talaq petitioner Ishrat Jahan has joined the Bharatiya Janata Party. As per the reports, Ishrat was felicitated by the Howrah BJP unit on Saturday and inducted into the party. Ishrat, who was divorced by her husband over the phone from Dubai in 2014 by uttering 'talaq' thrice, was one of the petitioners in the triple talaq case. The Supreme Court struck down triple talaq and declared the Islamic practice unconstitutional in a 3-2 majority verdict on August 22 last year. The Lok Sabha on Thursday passed the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriages) Bill 2017 making instant triple talaq illegal with up to three years in jail for the husband. After joining the BJP, Ishrat said that she would work for women's right in the future. "I was a victim of triple talaq. From lower court to upper court, I approached everywhere. Finally, I got the justice. I am very happy that [Prime Minister Narendra] Modi ji introduced the triple talaq bill. This is why I have joined BJP. I will work for the women's right in the future," she said. She further said that she never got any support from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Banerjee in her fight against the triple talaq. "Mamta ji, being a woman, should support me but I never got any help or support from her," she added. Photograph: ANI 'I fight for anyone who is poor, marginalised or victimised.' 'If a Dalit factory owner is inflicting atrocities on his Brahmin worker, then I will fight for the poor Brahmin,' Jignesh Mevani tells Sohini Das. IMAGE: Newly-elected Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mevani is felicitated in Ahmedabad. Photograph: PTI Photo "I went to Vadgam with just Rs 8,000 in my pocket," says Jignesh Mevani, triumphant after a huge victory in Vadgam constituency in north Gujarat. He smiles proudly as he announces himself to be the poorest member of the legislative assembly in Gujarat. "I have not earned anything in the last eight to nine years. I do not even have Rs 50,000 to call my own. The Rs 10 lakh net worth shown in the affidavit is also thanks to an insurance policy that my father bought," he says, pointing to the elderly man sitting right behind him. Natubhai Mevani grins widely with pride. He campaigned in 40 villages for his son. Jignesh says his campaign must have been the most frugal of all. "People came forward with contributions to keep the show going, as though they were all joining a movement," he says. "They know I am a credible person, with no vested interests." He feels it is this image of his that 'clicked' with voters in Vadgam, one of the dozen constituencies reserved for members of the scheduled caste community in Gujarat. Sitting in the courtyard of his parental house in Meghaninagar, a Dalit-dominated locality that is part of the 'Old City' on the eastern fringes of Ahmedabad, Jignesh looks much younger than 37. He is wearing a white kurta over a pair of jeans. The courtyard is full of villagers, among them his friends and co-workers who have come to congratulate him on his win. Jignesh knows everyone by name; he hugs them, poses for pictures with anyone who asks him to, addresses the elders as 'kaka'. An elderly man, sporting a white kediyu (traditional Gujarati dhoti-kurta), smiles through his wrinkled face, "He (Jignesh) has no airs about him. He treats everyone like a partner in his movement. Achha bachcha hai (he's a good kid)." At H K Arts College, off Ashram Road in central Ahmedabad, a group of students is busy poring over notes right before the exams. The bunch looks up as I mention Mevani's name. They are aware of the bright alumnus of this college. "Yes, Jigneshbhai has won. Good news. He was from HK. We haven't met him though; he rarely visits here," says one. Do they follow politics actively? Not really, they reply. Sanjay Bhave, a professor who teaches English literature at the college, rues the fact that few of his current students seem passionate about politics. "On the day the results of the assembly elections were declared, we kept looking to the television screens in the staff room or checking for updates on our phones. I didn't see the same enthusiasm amongst the students," he says. Bhave, who is also a columnist and activist, has been a serious influence on young Mevani. Jignesh has, on several occasions, acknowledged his teacher's contribution in shaping his worldview. In fact, he called Bhave up immediately after winning the election. Jignesh was always passionate about social causes, his teachers recall. "I remember the day the Gulberg Society massacre happened in 2002. A seriously shaken Mevani had called me in the morning and said, 'Bad things are happening'. That was the first time I realised how sensitive he was to these issues," Bhave recalls. Subhash Brahmbhatt, principal of H K Arts College, says the culture of encouraging dialogue on campus is the reason why social activists such as Mevani have emerged from the college. It is no coincidence, he says, that Alpesh Thakor, the face of the other backward castes movement, too, studied at this college. Jignesh Mevani's rise is significant in Gujarat politics -- and perhaps in national politics too. His movement raised some very pertinent questions and changed the discourse in contemporary Dalit politics. A lawyer and journalist, he argued that land earmarked for Dalits is never actually transferred to them. Almost as a war cry, he raised this slogan for Dalit rights: "You can keep the cow's tail. But give us our land!" (The symbolism owes to a Hindu story where the cow is used to assist people to the afterlife, with its tail being used like a rope as a guide.) There are two provisions for allotting land in the state: The Land Ceiling Act (where surplus land is taken from feudal landlords and distributed among the landless) and the Agricultural Land Ceiling Act (distribution of waste land amongst the landless). In Gujarat, Jignesh says land has been allotted to Dalits under these provisions only on paper. He now aims to take up this issue in the Vidhan Sabha where he is sure to ruffle some feathers, especially of right-wing leaders. Around 56,873 acres of land, he says, have not been handed over to its rightful owners. "I am in talks with a very senior lawyer in the Supreme Court," he says. "He has agreed to fight the case for free. A PIL (public interest litigation) was also filed in the Gujarat high court. While they will fight the battle in courts, I will take the fight to the streets," he says. This is foremost on his agenda upon assuming office. It is his 'training' by the late Chunibhai Vaidya (Chunikaka to everyone), a respected farmers rights activist, and the late Mukul Sinha, a lawyer, that helped him get into 'issue-based' politics. Little wonder that the parties opposed to the Bharatiya Janata Party rallied behind him in this election. "The Congress cadre was working for me on the ground. The Aam Aadmi Party's team was there to help, along with sympathisers such as the Bahujan Samaj Party as well as an MLA from CPI-ML (Communist Party of India-Marxist-Leninist), who campaigned for me," says a grateful Jignesh. Yogendra Yadav, psephologist and founder of the Swaraj Abhiyan, as well as the Communist Party of India's Milind Ranade, were in Vadgam to campaign for him. Rahul Gandhi, too, sought votes for him: 'This time, vote for the sewing machine (Jignesh's poll symbol),' Gandhi had said. Jignesh agrees that he does have ideological differences with some of the parties that supported him, but emphasises the fact that they made common cause with the need to stand against the 'fascist threat'. How does he feel about being branded a Dalit leader? Is he comfortable with the tag? 'No,' he says. "I fight for anyone who is poor, marginalised or victimised. If a Dalit factory owner is inflicting atrocities on his Brahmin worker, then I will fight for the poor Brahmin." In Vadgam, he says he got more than 50,000 Muslim votes and that 250 women 'observed roza' (fasted) to pray for his victory. Where does he see himself in five years? "We will build a very robust Dalit movement. I will fight for Muslims and tribals. We will build a strong trade union..." His list is long. With intelligence inputs of a potential threat to his life, Jignesh Mevani has been allotted a police escort. But his family is not particularly worried. "He is fighting honestly," says his father. "I am not afraid of the outcome." Nor is Jignesh Mevani -- he is too busy fighting the good fight. For Pakistan it was the rudest New Year's Day possible. Donald Trump, the president of a country Islamabad believes is its patron if not a close ally, told Pakistan in no uncertain terms that he was considering stopping the flow of US dollars to the country, dollars Islamabad relies on. The reason for Trump's sudden outburst? "Lies & deceit". "The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years," US President Donald Trump declared on his favourite medium - Twitter - shortly after dawn broke in America on New Year's Day. While Washington has been helping Pakistan, Islamabad has given "nothing but lies & deceit" in return, Trump continued before adding what has been a recurring American complaint for a while now: "They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help." 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 "No more!" Trump ended his tweet. This was the most serious indication from the one-year-old Trump administration that it was considering taking major action to punish Pakistan for - what American officials have termed - its double-speak on fighting terrorism. What is most interesting about today's development is that it comes barely three months after Trump, known to talk foreign policy on Twitter, had said the US was starting to develop a "much better relationship with Pakistan and its leaders". That tweet, sent on October 14, must be seen in context. It came against the backdrop of Pakistani security forces rescuing an American woman and her family, who were under the captivity of the Haqqani Network, a militant group said to have links to the Taliban. Regardless of the context, Trump's October 14 tweet did not go unnoticed in India. Rahul Gandhi, who was then the Congress vice-president and preparing to give PM Narendra Modi a tough fight in the Gujarat election, highlighted it in on Twitter with a sarcastic post. Modi ji quick; looks like President Trump needs another hug pic.twitter.com/B4001yw5rg - Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) October 15, 2017 "Modi ji quick; looks like President Trump needs another hug," Gandhi tweeted, referring to the many times PM Modi and President Trump were photographed hugging each other during the Indian prime minister's visit to Washington, DC, earlier this year. While Donald Trump may have changed his tone on Pakistan, what has remained constant is his administration slowly and steadily turning the screws on Islamabad in an attempt to get it to be more transparent and committed in the fight against terrorism. Notably, despite providing Islamabad with financial aid, the US has refused to take Pakistan off its list of terror safe havens. Washington also has repeatedly warned Islamabad that its patience was wearing thin, warnings that were issued multiple times last year. During PM Modi's US trip in June, the Indian prime minister and the US president issued a joint statement targeted at Pakistan. Then in August, Trump, while unveiling his Afghanistan policy, said his country could not remain silent about "Pakistan's safe havens to terrorist organisations." Just two months later, Trump's defence secretary (the equivalent of the Indian defence minister) James Mattis confirmed to his country's legislators that the US government was close to losing its patience with Pakistan. The Trump administration, Mattis said, would try to work with Pakistan "one more time" and warned Islamabad of "diplomatic" and "economic" isolation if it did not mend its ways. Trump's tweet, then, did not come as a surprise, even if some may have been taken aback by the timing and the medium chosen to deliver the message. WATCH | PM Modi, President Trump address joint conference, speak about terrorism Read Aloud Day We would like to extend a huge thank you to the Draper Fund, a fund of the Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation, for sponsoring this years Read Aloud Day. Without the support of our sponsor, we would not be able to purchase the beautiful library quality books for the 26 elementary schools who participate. The 2018 Read Aloud Day will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 14. For the 27th year, were asking volunteers from the community to take an hour of their day to read to students in our local elementary schools. If you would like to read, email Lauren@nwctchamberofcommerce.org with your school and teacher/grade preference, if any. If you would like to preview your book prior to Read Aloud Day, you can do so at the Chamber office any time after Feb.1st during normal business hours. Young Professionals Organization Are you a Young Professionals working or residing in Litchfield County between the ages of 21-39? Do you have employees who fit that criteria? Were looking for young professionals to join our newly formed YPO sub-committees: Community Engagement, Professional Development, and Networking/Social. The groups will start meeting this month to begin planning events for 2018. If you or your employees are interested in joining, please contact Lauren Zordan at lauren@nwctchamberofcommerce.org. Sponsored by Conquest, the mission of the Young Professionals Organization is to attract and retain young professionals throughout Northwest Connecticut by networking, community involvement and professional development. Free Mental Health First Aid Training The Chamber is pleased to be partnering with Mental Health Connecticut to offer a Free Mental Health First Aid Training course on Feb. 7, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Chamber office. This is your opportunity to understand mental illness, support timely intervention and save a life. Mental Health First Aid is an 8-hour training to teach participants how to help someone who is developing a mental health problem or experiencing a mental health crisis. The evidence behind the program demonstrates that it helps trainees identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illness and substance use disorder. Like CPR, Mental Health First Aid prepares participants to interact with a person in crisis and connect the person with help. First Aiders do not take on the role of professionals - they do not diagnose or provide any counseling or therapy. Instead, the program offers tools and answers questions like what do I do and where can someone find help? To register, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/friday-february-9-2018-800am-500pm-torrington-ct-registration-41253050986. Community Forum: The Reality of Opioid Abuse The Town of Burlington and the Burlington Community Fund will present a Community Forum titled The Reality of Opioid Abuse on Jan. 10 at 7 p.m. at Lewis Mills High School Auditorium. The forum is sponsored by McCall Center for Behavioral Health, dmhas, and Region 10 Coalition to Stop Underage Drinking. All community members are welcome to attend this important forum to learn more about the reality of opioid abuse and its effects on our community. A panel discussion and audience Q&A will be led by Tom Farrey of the Aspen Institute. Panelists include representatives from the McCall Center for Behavioral Health, State Police, BVFD-EMT, and counseling centers. In addition, resources will be on site to help community members who may be affected by this crisis. Check out our website at www.nwctchamberofcommerce.org for more Chamber happenings. *This institution is an equal opportunity provider* This story has expired This story has expired. Click here for IndiaToday.ins complete coverage of the coronavirus pandemic. Hundreds of police officers muster in Yanjiao outside Beijing in late 2017 to prepare for new mass evictions of migrant workers. Authorities in the Chinese capital have issued an eviction order to a Beijing artist released on bail after documenting a street protest by migrant workers against mass forced evictions, RFA has learned. Hua Yong, who had been criminally detained on suspicion of disturbing public order and traffic, and is now out on bail, was detained as he filmed a protest that blocked a major highway in Beijing's Xinjian village on Dec. 7. Hua, a resident of Beijing's Songzhuang Artists' Village, had reported for several weeks on the authorities' bid to rid the city of its low-income, migrant population in the wake of a fatal fire in Daxing district last month. Now, he has been ordered to leave his rented studio in the village, his friend Li Feng told RFA on Monday. "They told the Songhua Artists' Village leadership to evict him; they aren't allowing him to live there any more," Li said. "If he stays at my place, the village committee will cut off our water and electricity." "I went with Hua Yong to meet with the village party secretary, who said he was only telling Hua Yong to leave because of pressure [from higher up]," he said. "He also called up the local police station, who told him that ... Hua Yong is technically a free man, but if 'the peasants' want him to leave, that's not the business of the police station." Mass forced evictions continue Hua Yong said he has also been told to leave Li Feng's place, where he is currently staying. "It's my landlord who has said I can't stay at Li Feng's," Hua said. "I need to be in Beijing right now for my work, which is painting." "I have lived here for 10 years, and this has left me at a total loss," he said. "I really don't know what to do or where to go next." Repeated calls to the Songzhuang township government offices and branch committee of the ruling Chinese Communist Party rang unanswered on Monday. Meanwhile, authorities in Beijing and neighboring Hebei continued the mass forced evictions of low-income migrants, sources told RFA. "The Beijing police have been dispatched in large numbers, as well as urban management officials and ambulance teams, and they are using force," a Beijing resident told RFA. "It's the Beijing municipal government that is forcibly removing people ... they have sent out more than 200 people." The migrants are currently being removed from a village on the outskirts of Sanhe city in neighboring Hebei province, the source said. "They are ready to beat people up, everything," the source said. "That's why they brought medical personnel along too." 'Where can they go?' The move, ordered last week, came as a bid to get landlords to evict migrants of their own accord failed to take shape. "They're not going to do that, are they?" the source said. "There are so many poor people living in the Beijing suburbs; where can they go? They can't afford an apartment in a tower block." Activists estimate that at least 100,000 people have been forced out of the city with little advanced warning in sub-zero temperatures, in city-wide mass forced evictions implemented after a fatal fire in the city's Daxing district in November. But official statistics are unavailable, and the true figure may be much higher, as Beijing seeks to cap its population at 23 million by 2020 and demolish 40 million square meters of "illegal structures." China's migrant population, drawn to cities and pushed out of poorer areas by mass layoffs and rural land grabs since the 1990s, has risen in recent years to more than 200 million, nearly one-fifth of the population. The resident population of Beijing has swelled by 59 percent since the start of the century, with an increase of 56 percent reported by neighboring Tianjin and a 50 percent rise in Shanghai. The majority of migrants hail from the central provinces of Henan, Anhui and Hunan, while their top destinations are the rich coastal provinces of Guangdong, Zhejiang and Jiangsu, according to a map published last year by the search engine and online encyclopedia Baidu. Reported by Wong Siu-san and Dai Weisen for RFA's Cantonese Service, and by Gao Feng for the Mandarin Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. Civil Human Rights Front stage a rally under the theme "Protect Hong Kong" to protest recent Chinese intervention in decision-making by the local government, Jan. 1, 2018. Thousands of people took to the streets of Hong Kong on Monday in protest over a recent decision from Beijing that many say has made a nonsense of the city's planned autonomy, and the disqualification of six directly elected pro-democracy lawmakers. Carrying banners that read "Protect Hong Kong!" the protesters marched through the downtown area to Civic Square, a controversial space only recently reopened in the wake of the 2014 pro-democracy movement. "We are here to tell the government that we will not give up," Joshua Wong, a former student leader of the 2014 Occupy Central movement, told the crowd. "We encountered many difficulties last year, including some of us being sued and jailed, but we will stand with Hong Kong people. We will fight for the rule of law, fight for Hong Kong, fight for the future, fight for the next generations," said Wong, who was sentenced to jail for the storming of Civic Square last August, and who is currently on bail pending appeal. Last week, Beijing's rubber-stamp parliament, the National People's Congress (NPC), said it would extend Beijing's authority to part of a high-speed railway station linking the former British colony to the rest of China's high-speed rail network. But critics say the move, which is intended to enable a streamlined entry and exit process for passengers, makes a mockery of the city's status as a separate immigration, policing, and customs jurisdiction. A protester surnamed Wong told RFA that the NPC's decision had overridden agreements made ahead of the 1997 handover to Chinese rule. "I don't think that the one country, two systems arrangement can be saved now," Wong said. "Various comments [coming out of Beijing] have made it clear that the national constitution overrides [Hong Kong's mini-constitution,] the Basic Law." "We haven't even gotten halfway through the 50 year-period during which nothing was supposed to change in Hong Kong, and we're already seen it turn into one country, one system," he said. 'Step after step of encroachment' A second protester surnamed Leung said she felt she had to turn out to show the city's government the depth of public anger at recent developments in Hong Kong. "We feel very angry at the interference that Hong Kong is currently getting from Beijing, including the co-location checkpoint arrangement and the way their word is law with no regard for the rule of law," Leung said. "Now we are seeing step after step of encroachment on Hong Kong's autonomy, and this protest is to show the mainland and Hong Kong governments how unhappy we are about that," she said. The city's legal profession and pro-democracy politicians have also slammed the "co-location" arrangement as unconstitutional, but pro-Beijing politicians and government officials have said the decision will stand, and that new laws will be tabled this month in the Legislative Council (LegCo) to implement the ruling. Recent high-profile interventions by the NPC have also triggered a series of court decisions resulting in the loss of six pro-democracy seats in LegCo, meaning that the plan is unlikely to meet with effective opposition once tabled. Protest leader and Civil Human Rights Front convenor Sammy Ip said the theme "Protect Hong Kong" had been chosen to reflect concerns that the city's traditional freedoms and promised autonomy are being eroded by the ruling Chinese Communist Party. "The co-location checkpoint, the stripping of legislative office, political suppression [are all of concern]," Ip said. "The people of Hong Kong probably thought that the lawmakers they voted for would be the ones to deal with these issues, but now those LegCo members can't hold their positions." Ip said NPC standing committee deputy chairman Li Fei, who announced that the decision is Beijing's final word on the controversy, had managed to "override the Basic Law," the city's mini-constitution, with a single blow. "This should be reminder to the people of Hong Kong," he said. "You may think that such things aren't so close to home, but you could find one day, when you come to go through that checkpoint, that you have lost some of your rights." Reported by Lam Kwok-lap for RFA's Cantonese Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. Every year, the food scene is hit by a number of trends that change the way we eat. These trends are sometimes too weird for words--especially when parts of the world go crazy over cheese tea or cotton candy. But some of these trends are just perfect. They are health-conscious, celebrate farmers and producers, and they always manage to look just so yummy on the plates! 2018 promises to be another year like that. The thing to note is that people across the world now want gourmet food to be healthy and Instagrammable. Everybody is thinking about their guts and their waistlines, and so should you. But this does not mean any foodie has to compromise on taste. The world is full of innovative chefs, and they'll ensure that. Also Read: Year-ender 2017: 14 food and drink trends that rocked the year Here are some of the positive food trends that will hit the market in a big way in 2018. Take a look, and get your forks and spoons ready. 1. Plant-based dishes Zucchini pastas and zoodles have already arrived, to the extreme pleasure of Indian vegetarians, vegans and health freaks. 2018 promises to deliver more on the plant-based dishes category. Plant-based dairy will also expand, and you'll be able to actually give veganism a shot if you want. Zoodles will continue to thrive in 2018. Image for representative purpose. Picture courtesy: Pinterest Zoodles will continue to thrive in 2018. Image for representative purpose. Picture courtesy: Pinterest 2. Mushrooms The world has finally realised that mushrooms are one of the best ingredients, ever. They're versatile and full of nutrients that improve everything from your immunity to sex drive. Don't be surprised if you find more mushroom dishes on restaurant menus. Just lap it up, and enjoy the benefits. Mushrooms are a must-have now. Image for representative purpose. Picture courtesy: Pinterest Mushrooms are a must-have now. Image for representative purpose. Picture courtesy: Pinterest 3. Shell-less Tacos Gone are the days when eating tacos and wraps meant loading up on carbs. Shell-less tacos are here! Whether they're simply lettuce, kale or spinach shells, or ones made with gluten-free flours, tacos will get a healthy revamp this year. Taco Bell in India has already launched a chicken-shell taco, and we're sure other taco places will follow as well. Taco shells will now get a healthier makeover. Image for representative purpose. Picture courtesy: Pinterest Taco shells will now get a healthier makeover. Image for representative purpose. Picture courtesy: Pinterest 4. Superfood powders They're healthy, and they're super-easy to add to any dish you might be eating. Turmeric and matcha powders have already made it big all over the world. 2018 will see more additions to superfood powders in supermarket aisles. You'll soon be grabbing flaxseed, chia and cacao powders to add to your healthy shakes and salads. Superfood powders will be more easily available. Image for representative purpose. Picture courtesy: Pinterest Superfood powders will be more easily available. Image for representative purpose. Picture courtesy: Pinterest Also Read: Looking ahead: 4 sleeping habits you must change in 2018 5. Root-to-stem cooking As the food crisis across the world intensifies, innovative chefs and cooks will continue their drive to stop food waste by using every bit of a veggie. Don't be surprised if you see dishes that have watermelon rinds or cauliflower and broccoli stems on restaurant menus. Eat up, and be a part of the movement to stop food waste. Chefs will try harder to not waste any bit of veggies. Image for representative purpose. Picture courtesy: Pinterest Chefs will try harder to not waste any bit of veggies. Image for representative purpose. Picture courtesy: Pinterest 6. Poke bowls Poke bowls are basically Japanese one-bowl dishes, and they're extremely balanced on the nutrition and flavour fronts. Poke bowls have already arrived in India, especially thanks to Guppy in Delhi. 2018 will see more restaurants and eateries offering this one-bowl wonder on their menus. Poke bowls will become more popular in India. Image for representative purpose. Picture courtesy: Pinterest Poke bowls will become more popular in India. Image for representative purpose. Picture courtesy: Pinterest 7. Regional Cuisines With almost all our celebrity chefs, from Vikas Khanna to Kunal Kapur, travelling through India to explore unknown flavours, regional cuisines will get more of a boost in 2018. You can expect more restaurants focusing on cuisines from the Northeast and the tribal belt of India, and even specialty restaurants that serve the foods from Odisha, Chhatisgarh and Himachal Pradesh (to name a few). Regional delicacies, like Chhena Poda from Odisha, will be celebrated. Image for representative purpose. Picture courtesy: Pinterest Regional delicacies, like Chhena Poda from Odisha, will be celebrated. Image for representative purpose. Picture courtesy: Pinterest To ring in the new year with a festive and healthy Beetroot Halwa, click here: regionalism, illiteracy Lucknow, Dec 30 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath today said freedom fighters had dreamt of a free India -- bereft of casteism, regionalism and illiteracy. "The dream of the freedom fighters and great men of a free India was that of a country without casteism, regionalism or illiteracy...where there would be freedom to take decisions, but within the framework of the Constitution," he said during his address at a function on freedom fighter Bal Gangadhar Tilak here. The chief minister said those communities, which failed to preserve their history, would also not be able to defend their geography. Lauding the role of Tilak and his slogan -- "Swaraj mera janmsiddh adhikar hai aur main ise lekar rahoonga" (freedom is my birthright and I will achieve it) -- he said great men took up challenges and provided a direction to the society through their struggles. Stressing that the function was important as it was organised on the lines of Prime Minister Narendra Modis "Ek Bharat, Shreshta Bharat" resolution, the chief minister said a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra today for strengthening the cultural ties between the two states. Adityanath also lauded a young Muslim girl from Meerut, who made her mark in Bhagavad Gita recital, saying, "She has opened the eyes of those who create divisions in the society." Speaking on the occasion, Governor Ram Naik said Tilak had connected the people of the country and that he had organised Ganesh Mahotsav and Shivaji Jayanti in Mumbai for the purpose. "There is a long association between the people of Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra...Mumbai became the economic capital of the country also because of the labour of the people of Uttar Pradesh," he added. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who was present on the occasion, stressed on inculcating the spirit of nationalism in the youth, besides making them self-sufficient. The new generation needed to be made aware of the sacrifices made by the freedom fighters, Fadnavis said. Referring to the MoU, he said the people of Uttar Pradesh had an important contribution in the development of Maharashtra and hoped that the pact would ensure a cultural exchange between the two states in the future. Earlier, a 30-year-old man, identified as Shyamji Mishra of Sonebhadra district, tried to jump in front of Adityanaths cavalcade as it arrived at the venue of the function. He was overpowered by the security personnel and taken to a police station. Mishra told the police that he took the step to draw the chief ministers attention towards the illegal mining going on in the state. PTI SAB RC Did Bengaluru see a repeat of last year's alleged New Year's Eve molestation on Brigade Road and MG Road? Reports of a women seen crying exactly a year later at the very same spot did the rounds today morning, sparking speculation that the city had seen another incident of molestation on New Year's Eve. However, there was no confirmation whether such an episode had taken place. As of last updating this report, there was no complaint or First Information Report alleging that a girl had been molested in Bengaluru as the city brought in the New Year. Sources within the city's police department also said that they had examined CCTV footage from Brigade Road and MG Road and had not found anything incriminating. Bengaluru Police was on high alert last night as the city prepared to bid 2017 adieu. As many as 15,000 policemen and women were out on the streets as the cops looked to avoid a repeat of last year where a large number of women were molested and harassed round the city's upscale MG Road and Brigade Road on New Year's Eve last year. Police officials had promised they would take strict action against any revelers "creating nuisance" in pubs, bars and restaurants, and on the streets. Cops also installed extra CCTV cameras in MG Road, Brigade Road and Church Street, and used drones to keep a watch over the New Year's celebration in Bengaluru. Visuals of people celebrating #newyear2018 on Bengaluru's MG Road pic.twitter.com/Nwpd9ebdsB - ANI (@ANI) December 31, 2017 This time last year had seen horror reports of girls being pawed, groped and abused coming out of Bengaluru. The alleged molestation took place on MG Road and Brigade Road, and cops had to resort to lathi-charge to control the crowds. The days after were equally controversial with police officials saying they had not found any evidence of the reported molestation. (With inputs from Nagarjun Dwarkanath in Bengaluru) WATCH | Bengaluru mass molestation: Victim recounts ordeal attack Shimla, Jan 1 (PTI) The Himachal Pradesh government today gave an ex-gratia relief of Rs 20 lakh to the family of Inspector Kuldeep Roy of the 185 Battalion of the CRPF, who was killed in a suicide attack by militants in Pulwama district of south Kashmir yesterday. Roy hailed from Tikkar Khatriyan village of Hamirpur district. Governor Acharya Devvrat and Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur have expressed grief over the death of Roy and expressed sympathies with the bereaved family and prayed for peace to the departed soul. Thakur said the brave soldiers of the state lead from the front to safeguard the country. The supreme sacrifice by the martyrs would always be remembered by the country, he said. Three militants in the early hours yesterday stormed a CRPF camp in the Lethpora area of Pulwama and killed five personnel while injuring three others. In response, all three militants were gunned down by the security forces. Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed claimed responsibility for the attack. PTI PCL AQS AQS Compass Group Plc Chief Executive Officer Richard Cousins and five others, including his family members, were killed in Australia on New Year's Eve when their sightseeing seaplane crashed into Sydney river. Bloomberg reported, citing an emailed statement, that Dominic Blakemore, formerly the company's chief operating officer for Europe, will succeed Cousins, aged 58, effective today. Cousins was due to step down as CEO with effect from March 31. The world's biggest catering firm and food services giant in September had appointed Blakemore to succeed Cousins as CEO from April 1. Cousins led Compass over the past 11 years. Harvard Business Review reportedly had named Cousins as one of the world's best-performing CEOs. As per a statement from the police, the chartered flight plunged into the Hawkesbury River, killing all six people on board, including the pilot. Cousins died along with sons William, 25, and Edward, 23, his fiancee Emma Bowden, 48, and her 11-year-old daughter, Heather. The 44-year-old pilot, Gareth Morgan, was also killed. Paul Walsh, chairman of Compass said, "The thoughts of everyone at Compass are with Richard's family and friends, and we extend our deepest sympathies to them .Richard was known and respected for his great humanity and a no-nonsense style that transformed Compass into one of Britain's leading companies." Police is said to be working with the Australian Transport Safety Bureau and a probe has begun to determine the cause of the crash. Sydney Seaplanes, which runs the Seaplane flights, said it suspended operations until further notice. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News New Delhi, Jan 1 (PTI) The Union health ministry today asked central government hospitals to take "necessary" steps to ensure healthcare and emergency services run smoothly in wake of an IMA call to suspend routine services for 12 hours tomorrow. The Indian Medical Association has called for suspending routine services tomorrow to protest against a bill that seeks to replace the Medical Council of India (MCI) with a new body. The National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill was tabled in Parliament on Friday> It also proposes to allow practitioners of alternative medicines, such as homoeopathy and ayurveda, practice allopathy after completing a "bridge course". Healthcare services at many private hospitals in the country are expected to be hit due to the shutdown. The IMA has 2.77 lakh doctors as its members. "It has come to our notice that the IMA would be on one- day strike on Jan 2, 2018. Since, the strike may involve a large number of medical professionals, it is anticipated that there would be inconvenience to the patient care services in hospitals," the health ministry advisory said. "It is requested that all necessary measures may be taken to ensure that the patient healthcare and emergency services are run smoothly," it added. The advisory has been issued to AIIMS, Safdarjung Hospital and other such central government-run hospitals. The ministry has also sought a compliance report from hospitals. The IMA has strongly opposed the NMC bill, saying it will "cripple" the functioning of medical professionals by making them completely answerable to the bureaucracy and non-medical administrators. It has declared January 2 as "black day". "The NMC bill in the present form is not acceptable. This bill is anti-poor, anti-people, non-representative, undemocratic and anti-federal in character," newly-appointed IMA national president Dr Ravi Wankhedkar said. The Delhi Medical Association is supporting the IMAs protest and has called on private and corporate hospitals in the national capital to keep their OPD services closed. IMA members also held a meeting with the Union Health Minister J P Nadda and conveyed their concerns over the bill. Dr K K Aggarwal, former president of the IMA, said they have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the health minister, urging them to redraft the bill and modify some provisions to protect the interest of medical practitioners. PTI PLB VIT ABH SNc Channels: Search About Salem-News.com Jan-01-2018 13:45 TweetFollow @OregonNews Oregon Coast: Highest Tides of the Year Are Upon Us Ready? The last round of "King Tides" is January 2-4 Yaquina Jetty. Taken 11/16/16 by Keith Nelson. Winner of the 16/17 Peoples Choice Award for Best King Tides Photo. (NEHALEM, Ore.) - Get your cameras ready! Oregonians have a great opportunity to capture the last round of king tides, the highest high tides of the year, on January 2-4, 2018. Residents and visitors to Oregons coast are invited to capture these high water events in photos. The Oregon King Tides Photo Project is part of a worldwide initiative; anyone with a camera can help document the extent of the extreme high tides, and help us catch a glimpse of what sea level rise will look like in our region. Everyone is welcome to participate, just pick a place, snap a photo and share it online. The King Tide Project is sponsored by the Oregon Coastal Management Program, the CoastWatch Program of the Oregon Shores Conservation Coalition, the Oregon Chapters of Surfrider Foundation, and the Haystack Rock Awareness Program. These groups have been spearheading the king tides photo project in Oregon since the winter of 2010/2011. The term king tide describes a high tide event when the sun, moon, and earth are in alignment, causing greater than usual gravitational pull on the tides. When king tides occur during intense rain or storm events, the water level rise can cause flooding, erosion, and other impacts to infrastructure and property. King Tide events give us the opportunity to peek into the future and see what the impacts of sea level rise could look like in our coastal communities. Even a small increase in sea level could escalate the impacts of winter storms along the Oregon coast, intensify chronic hazards like erosion and flooding, and reduce the width of the public beach. Photographing king tides is an effective way to help coastal communities identify areas prone to flooding, expose potential impacts of sea level rise, and start planning for the future. Helpful king tide photos show water levels adjacent to a fixed feature like a piling, seawall or bridge abutment. Including fixed features allows actual water levels to be documented and tracked over time. Good photos also must include the location, the date and time of the photo, and the viewers direction for each picture. Two photos taken from the same spot, one during the king tide and the other at a typical high tide are also very effective in highlighting these high water events. Find tide tables for your area and instructions for how to take and upload photos on the King Tides website: www.oregonkingtides.net. Whenever you are on the Oregon Coast it is imperative that you keep an eye on the ocean at all times. Never put yourself in danger. Be very cautious of rising water, eroding shorelines, flooded roadways, and high winds during any extreme high tide events. Upcoming Events: Tuesday, January 2, 2018 at 11am King Tides Photo Meet-Up River Roasters Coffee, Florence OR King Tides Photo Meet-Up River Roasters Coffee, Florence OR Thursday, January 4, 2018 at 12pm King Tides Photo Meet-Up Seaworthy Coffee and Gifts, Netarts OR King Tides Photo Meet-Up Seaworthy Coffee and Gifts, Netarts OR Sunday, January 14, 2018 at 5pm End-of-Season Wrap-Up Party, North Coast Public Coast Brewing, Cannon Beach OR End-of-Season Wrap-Up Party, North Coast Public Coast Brewing, Cannon Beach OR Friday, January 19, 2018 at 5:30pm End-of-Season Wrap-Up Party, Central Coast Rogue Brewery, Newport OR End-of-Season Wrap-Up Party, Central Coast Rogue Brewery, Newport OR Monday, February 5, 2018 at 6pm End-of-Season Wrap-Up Party, South Coast 7 Devils Brewing, Coos Bay OR These events are free and open to all. There will be guest speakers at each of the wrap-up events to discuss current research related to climate change on the Oregon coast. Facebook page: www.facebook.com/orkingtide/ For more information about the project, contact Bri Goodwin, Surfrider Foundations Oregon Field Manager, (541) 655-0236, bgoodwin@surfrider.org; or Fawn Custer, CoastWatch Volunteer Coordinator, at (541) 270-0027, fawn@oregonshores.org. Source: The Surfrider Foundation _________________________________________ Oregon | Environment | Tourism | Education | Most Commented on Articles for January 1, 2018 | Articles for January 2, 2018 Welcome to the Smithsonian of Stones. Near Legoland in Carlsbad, another realm of fantasy and wonder aims at a more mature and often more wealthy audience. This is the world headquarters of the Gemological Institute of America, a 35-acre gated compound holding a kings ransom of diamonds, rubies, emeralds, sapphires and other precious sparklers. The bling isnt here to dazzle customers, as the institute doesnt sell jewels. Instead, it trains industry professionals and studies jewels. The institutes labs are renowned for assessing diamonds, evaluating everything from the Hope Diamond to specks that weigh less (but are worth far more) than a paperclip. The GIA is so successful because they are a total and complete and impartial tester of jewels, said Jim Jessop, president of Jessops, the 125-year-old San Diego dealer in diamonds and jewelry. They give the consumer the assurance that what they are told they are buying is indeed what they are buying. Advertisement Success didnt come overnight, or without the occasional hiccup or scandal. But entering its 87th year, the GIA is a central player in a glittering international trade. They have millions of dollars a day in jewels moving in and out of that building, just for grading, Jessop said. When you hear of a diamond selling for $40 million, that diamond will come with a GIA grading document. The 4Cs GIA rhymes with CIA, and security at the headquarters would make Langley proud. The institute is open to the public, but not to passers-by. Reservations are required at least 24 hours in advance. At the parking lot entrance, a guard checks names off a list. Once inside the main building, another guard consults another list, then snaps a photo for the visitors personalized pass. Employees undergo even tighter security measures. Diamond graders work behind man trap doors the door ahead of you is locked until the door behind you closes and are monitored by cameras. Yet the institute maintains a warm, colorful vibe. A rotunda displays rotating exhibits (the current Centuries of Opulence: Jewels of India showcases 50 pieces that span 300 years). One hallway is lined with the work of former GIA photographer Bill Atkinson, whose magnified views of opals and jaspers mimic Georgia OKeeffe and Jackson Pollock canvases. A petting zoo of white and rose quartz from Brazil and gold marcasite from China borders the cafeteria, which feeds visitors, employees and students who enroll in the GIAs courses. Advertisement We have been described by some as the Harvard of gemology, said Stephen Morisseau, director of corporate communications. Were more modest, but I think what makes the GIA unique is that we do research, education, laboratory services and instrument development. The range of services and holdings is staggering. Lets say you need the 16th century Spanish goldsmith Juan de Arfe y Villafanes treatise, Quilatador de la plata, oro y piedras. A first edition is here in the Richard T. Liddicoat Gemological Library, the worlds largest trove of materials on precious stones. The library is one of the core intellectual components of the GIA, said Robert Weldon, a former GIA student who became the librarys director in August. Or perhaps you are in the market for the De Beers Centenary Diamond, the 273.85 carat gem that has been insured for $100 million. Advertisement Before making this purchase, the institute recommends obtaining a written analysis, such as the GIA Diamond Grading Report. This expert, independent assessment notes the stones 4Cs color, cut, clarity and carat weight. These now-traditional standards were created here. We also developed the jewelers loupe yes, the one you see in the movies, Morisseau said. Protecting privacy The GIA makes money, but not a profit. A nonprofit organization, it had expenses of $193 million in 2015, the last year for which a full accounting is available. Those expenses included an $81 million payroll for the GIAs 3,000-plus employees. Susan Jacques, the CEO, pulled down $632,000 that year. Advertisement Anything we are not using to pay our expenses goes back into our research, Morisseau said. Thats a fair chunk of change. Total revenues in 2015 were $207 million. This global enterprise the GIA has offices, labs and classrooms in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and North America had humble beginnings. In 1927, Robert M. Shipley divorced his wife, left his Kansas jewelry store and moved to Europe. There, he took courses offered by Britains National Association of Goldsmiths. After two years, Shipley returned to the U.S. with ideas on how to modernize the gem trade. A friend, San Diegos Armand Jessop Jim Jessops great uncle suggested that Shipley share his views in a series of public talks. Advertisement From those lectures, he developed a course, Morisseau said. That became a correspondence course and that became the foundation of the GIA. In 1931, Shipley and his second wife, Beatrice, launched the GIA from their Los Angeles apartment. With the country mired in the Depression, it seemed a bad time to start a new enterprise dedicated to a luxury item. But Shipley figured otherwise. The one thing that would give jewelers an advantage in being able to sell jewelry at this hard time was education, said Weldon, the GIAs library director. The institute soon outgrew its founders apartment. The GIA moved to Santa Monica and then, in the mid-1990s, Carlsbad. Advertisement The institutes reputation took a hit in 2005, when several employees in the GIAs New York laboratory were fired after a four-month internal investigation into allegations that staffers took bribes to inflate the values of diamonds sold to Saudi royalty. It was a real shock and a tremendous scandal, said Jim Jessop. But the GIA took action, immediately and very harshly. The employees were sued. New security checks were instituted. Although the GIAs then-president was not implicated, he was forced out of office. Before and after this, Jessop said, theyve had a tremendous track record. Advertisement In 2013, 14 and 15 the institute was selected as one of the worlds most ethical companies by the Ethisphere Institute. Trust is crucial in this business, as is discretion. While the GIA is always grading stones its laboratories collect more than $140 million a year in fees it never reveals those gems ownership or reported value. Not even to the diamond graders. No one involved in the grading process knows who the gem belongs to, Morisseau said. We take our clients information and their desire to protect the privacy of that information very, very seriously. Advertisement Sounds like the CIA. While some drug laws are changing witness Mondays legalization of marijuana across California attitudes toward habitual drug users are not, argues Gretchen Burns Bergman. The war on drugs is really a war on our own families, said Bergman, a Del Mar resident and co-founder of A New PATH (Parents for Addiction Treatment and Healing). We need a therapeutic, rather than a punitive, approach to drug treatment. The organization has launched #momsresolution campaign for 2018, a social media blitz to spread the word on the groups goals. Advertisement These include urging all 50 states to allow over-the-counter sales of Naloxone, a medication that can reverse overdoses; legalize clean needle exchange programs; and reorient zero tolerance programs in schools and offices away from punishment and toward treatment. Zero tolerance should be that we provide services and find out the root causes of this rather than kicking someone out, Bergman said. That becomes a pipeline to prison. She speaks from painful experience. Although raised in an affluent area, two of her sons fell into heroin addiction, one after being arrested for possessing marijuana. He actually learned to inject heroin behind bars, Bergman said. Last October, a White House-appointed commission on the opioid crisis echoed some of Bergmans points, urging a national system of drug courts that would send addicts into treatment instead of jail. President Trump ordered federal agencies to help localities battle the worst drug crisis in American history. Bergman, though, noted that the White House provided no new funding to help the estimated 21 million Americans with substance abuse problems. The #momsresolution campaign reaches far beyond A New PATHs San Diego base its now in 32 states and six countries. Conference calls, newsletters and email are used to share strategies. As we see the laws change, Bergman said, people are realizing that mass arrests and mass incarceration are not working. Advertisement Two men have been arrested on suspicion of fatally stabbing a 21-year-old Camp Pendleton Marine during a fight in the Gaslamp Quarter, police said Sunday. Officers arrested Jose Oscar Esqueda, 30, and Jeff Shai Holliday, 24, about 11 p.m. Saturday, said San Diego police Lt. Todd Griffin. The men are suspected of killiing Ryan Evan Harris, who is from Northern California, during a fight that broke out on Island Avenue near J Street early Friday. Officers found Harris on the sidewalk with apparent stab wounds to his upper torso, Griffin said. He died before he could be transported to a hospital. Advertisement A short time later, police responded to a second stabbing victim about a block away on J Street, Griffin said. Investigators believe the man was also injured in the brawl. He was taken to a local hospital with serious but not life-threatening stab wounds to his back and chest, Griffin said. His identity was not immediately released. Esqueda was booked in to jail on suspicion of murder, attempted murder, and two counts of assault with a deadly weapon. Holliday was booked in to county jail on suspicion of murder, assault with a deadly weapon, battery, and a probation violation. lyndsay.winkley@sduniontribune.com UPDATES: 5:20 p.m.: This article was updated with new information from police. This article was originally posted at 2:25 p.m. As 2017 drew to a close, so did the distinguished career of David J. Danielsen, a longtime San Diego Superior Court judge widely admired for his handling of criminal cases and his leadership in some of the courts most challenging times. Danielsen, 65, ended his 27 years on the bench quietly Friday. During his time as a judge, he presided over high profile cases including that of John Albert Gardner III, who sexually assaulted and killed two North County teenagers and led the court through a budget crisis and legislative upheavals that tested his mettle. And through it all, friends and colleagues say, Danielsen stuck to his core mission: justice for criminal defendants and their victims. What distinguished him was his ability to step back and look at the entire criminal justice system and ask, How do we make this system better? How do we reduce recidivism? How do we put peoples lives back on track without having them re-victimize the community through criminal conduct? District Attorney Summer Stephan said in a phone interview Friday. Advertisement When you look at each case as having a face and a name and a person, that is what allows us to do a good job, she continued. And thats something Judge Danielsen has never lost sight of. Danielsen was born in California and grew up in Los Angeles. He earned his bachelors degree from Dartmouth College in New Hampshire in 1973, then his law degree from the University of San Diego in 1977. He worked as a civil lawyer until 1990, when he took a judicial position in San Diego Municipal Court. In 1995, he began serving as a judge in San Diego Superior Court, where he stayed until his retirement last week. Over the years, Danielsen served the Superior Court in various judicial positions, including two terms as criminal supervising judge and a stint as assistant presiding judge. In 2014 and 2015, he was presiding judge, at the helm of the courts 128 judicial officers and 1,217 employees. Danielsen said in an interview that he decided it was time to scale back his service to the court, and that he planned to spend more time with his family. He will return to the bench on occasion as an assigned judge to preside over individual cases as needed. He also plans to explore other interests, including possibly teaching at a law school. One of the more memorable high-profile cases Danielsen handled during his tenure was the double-murder case against John Albert Gardner III, who was charged in April 2010 with killing Chelsea King, 17, of Poway and Amber Dubois, 14, of Escondido. The case wrested the publics attention locally and nationally. Gardners case never went to trial. In exchange for avoiding the death penalty, Gardner pleaded guilty in May 2010 to charges of rape and murder, as well as a charge of assault with intent to commit rape for an attack on Candice Moncayo, a young woman who was able to fight him off and escape. He also agreed as part of the plea deal to show authorities where he buried Dubois, who had been missing since February 2009. At an emotional hearing, during which Gardner let slip a brief flash of anger when Moncayo referenced striking him in the nose, Danielsen sentenced Gardner to two consecutive terms of life in prison without the possibility of parole, and another life term for the attack on Moncayo. Advertisement Danielsen said he approved the plea agreement, but was not involved in reaching it. In typical matter-of-fact fashion, the judge said sentencing Gardner to live the rest of his life in prison was not among the most difficult decisions of his career. That was one of those cases, where the result, especially in allowing finality for the families, allowing the Dubois family to actually know what happened to their daughter it was just compelling good sense to resolve it that way, Danielsen said last week. He faced more challenging choices when it came to scaling back services in response to a massive budget crisis after a decade of state funding cuts that slashed $30 million from the courts annual budget taking it from about $200 million in 2008 to about $171 million in 2017, despite increasing expenses. To make ends meet, the court scaled back and consolidated services, cut staff, closed courtrooms and temporarily reduced the hours of operation in its business offices. Advertisement The cuts pained Danielsen, who held top judicial positions from 2012 through 2016, because meeting the courts constitutional duties, such as speedy trials for criminal defendants, meant cutting discretionary but important services. For example, no longer providing court reporters in family courts means some parties will not have transcripts to appeal what can be life-changing rulings. This term is so repulsive to me, but weve had to ration justice, Danielsen said. At the same time, the court has had to comply with legislative changes that stressed its resources, including Proposition 47, which downgraded certain felony offenses to misdemeanors, including simple drug possession and some property crimes. San Diego Superior Court Presiding Judge Jeffrey Barton said Danielsen developed a model that enabled the court to process tens of thousands of petitions from people who wanted their felony convictions reduced under Proposition 47, The day after the law was passed by voters in 2014, Danielsen was ready with a plan to handle the influx of requests from people wanting their convictions reduced. Advertisement The plan he rolled out was seamless, Barton said. Within two years, the court had granted more than 20,500 petitions for reductions. Danielsens tireless work, dogged persistence and can-do attitude had a lot to do with the courts success in difficult circumstances, colleagues said. Stephen Cline, a criminal defense lawyer who has known Danielsen for decades, said the judge had little patience for attorneys who cut corners in upholding their duties to clients, and he came down hard on those who ventured into his courtroom unprepared. Advertisement You didnt show up late, you didnt show up with excuses, you didnt show up unprepared, Cline said. And there was a price to pay for any of those mistakes. He did not favor anyone in that regard. Everyone was equally punished if they lacked in their duties. And, ever fair, Danielsen held himself to the same high standards, Cline said. Where some judges might not be willing to risk giving a defendant a chance to change in lieu of prison, Danielsen would sometimes tell defendants that they were in a hole they had created for themselves, but they had not fallen so far that they could never get out. He would then say, Im going to offer you a rope. Youre either going to pull yourself up or wrap it around your neck and finish the fall, Cline recalled. Some of the defendants who accepted opportunities to change their lives with, for example, drug treatment programs in lieu of prison, have kept in touch with Danielsen over the years, the judge said Friday. Advertisement One defendant, a woman Danielsen declined to name, was struggling with a serious drug problem and was facing significant prison time. He allowed the woman to avoid prison on the condition that she follow his orders for recovery programs, job training and monitoring. The road to recovery wasnt easy and there were setbacks that landed her in custody, but the defendant kept trying until she got healthy and found a job, Danielsen said. Later, her son got into trouble and she told Danielsen she was tempted to use, he said. But she didnt. The judge paused when telling the story, tears beginning to fill his eyes. Then he said, his voice cracking slightly: She said she didnt want to disappoint me. And she hasnt, he said. There have been times when defendants have told Danielsen that finding themselves in his courtroom saved them. But the judge says thats not the case. Advertisement The truth, he said, is that court offered them an opportunity to earn a better life. They saved themselves, he said. Staff writer Dana Littlefield contributed to this report. 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 morgan.cook@sduniontribune.com One of two men who crafted a $3.3 million investment scam around an innovative medical syringe was sentenced to prison last month for more than 35 years. He could get out in five. That disparity is created by Proposition 57, approved by California voters last year to reduce the state prison population and give nonviolent offenders an early second chance to mend their ways. The law, among other provisions, gives the state Board of Parole Hearings greater power in deciding when a non-violent inmate may be eligible for parole. Advertisement So far, the board has reviewed the cases of thousands of eligible inmates and granted parole for more than 600, including about 70 who were sentenced in San Diego County. Among them were people convicted of burglary, drug crimes, vehicle theft, grand theft, elder abuse, vandalism and other crimes. People who are sentenced to long terms are being released significantly earlier than they would have been before Proposition 57, said David Greenberg, a chief deputy in the San Diego District Attorneys Office. That fact is seen as a good thing by criminal defense attorneys, including San Diego lawyer Michael Crowley. Weve gone way overboard in warehousing people, Crowley said. The pendulum is swinging back. The initiative was backed by Gov. Jerry Brown who is under federal court order to lower the inmate population. That has been accomplished to a large degree by allowing some lower-level offenders to serve their sentences in county jail instead of state prison. Proposition 57 went further, expanding the credits inmates earn that shave months off their prison terms. Advertisement Good behavior, earning a high school or college diploma and completing a variety of self-improvement courses such as anger management or substance abuse all go toward earning credits. When nonviolent inmates are evaluated for early parole, the state board considers their behavior in prison, participation in programs and education, as well as their criminal history and whether they would pose an unreasonable risk to public safety. If they meet all the criteria in a positive way, they could get out after serving the entire sentence that was imposed for their most serious crime, called the base term. As an example, if someone was sentenced to six years for burglary as the base term, plus additional years for related crimes such as possession of stolen goods or conspiracy and for having prior convictions, he or she could be granted parole after serving just the first six years. Advertisement I dont think voters thought people who receive a significant amount of time for crimes such as residential burglary and assault, who had prior crimes of violence in their history, would benefit from this initiative, Greenberg said. Tying early parole to the base term is how Matthew Mazur could get out of prison after serving five years of his sentence of 35 years, 8 months for duping investors into thinking his SafeSnap syringe would be mass-produced by U.S. Medical Instruments Inc. I personally will be arguing against it, said Deputy District Attorney Hector Jimenez when Mazur was sentenced Dec. 15. Jimenez prosecuted Mazur and co-defendant Carlos Manjarrez and opposes early parole in the case. After a jury in November convicted Mazur of 36 counts including grand theft, theft from an elder and securities fraud, a judge chose one count and imposed the maximum five-year term. The judge ordered sentences for most of the other crimes to run consecutively, piling on the time. Advertisement Manjarrez was convicted of 31 similar charges but will be sentenced at a later date. The state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation has been keeping track of how many of its roughly 130,000 inmates have been referred to the parole board for early release under Proposition 57 since July. It took the agency six months to solicit public comments and draft the regulations for granting early parole. Between July 1 and Nov. 30, the parole board reviewed cases for 3,327 inmates. The board approved early parole for 617 of those, and denied parole for 2,710, according to the states latest monthly report. Greenberg has been compiling similar figures for San Diego County cases. Advertisement As of the end of December, Greenbergs office has received notice that 372 inmates prosecuted in San Diego County were eligible for early release. Parole was granted to 71 of them, and denied to 301. The state sends prosecutors emailed notice each time an inmate is referred for early parole consideration. Prosecutors and any victims who care to comment have 30 days to reply with a letter opposing the parole. A prisoner can appeal if denied parole, but prosecutors cant appeal if the parole is granted, under terms of Proposition 57. Crowley said the parole board is not known for handing out early releases easily. Advertisement Proposition 57 allows the parole board to take a look at whether thats appropriate, Crowley said. Its left to the professionals to determine. Greenberg noted that part of the debate over the new law is about who should decide how long a criminal stays in custody the judges or the parole board. Also controversial is the state Penal Code that defines what offenses are deemed violent. Among crimes not on that list and therefore possibly viewed as nonviolent are assault with force, rape of an unconscious person, battery with serious injury, some domestic violence, some child abuse and exploding a destructive device with intent to commit injury. Crowley said the prison officials know whether an inmate has worked toward rehabilitation or not, and whether they deserve to serve out extra sentencing enhancements for prior convictions, use of a weapon or criminal gang activity. Advertisement If a person is a model prisoner, it gives the board more power to say, No, these enhancements are not needed, said Crowley He called enhancements something prosecutors often use as a sledgehammer on the heads of our clients as were trying to settle a case. Prosecutors and judges are mindful of Proposition 57 early parole releases and earned credits when they negotiate sentences now, Greenberg said. It is another factor to consider in determining what the appropriate sentence should be, he said. The base term has a lot more significance than it did before. Advertisement However, judges cant just impose the highest sentence to keep the offender in prison as long as possible without considering a range of factors. Judges must balance the circumstances of the case such as whether the defendant has a past criminal history, used violence, inflicted significant harm on the victims or pleaded guilty early in the court process. Every case and every defendant is handled individually, Greenberg said. He said that because the early parole releases began just six months ago, its too early to tell whether it is working out for the best. Well see what the folks do who got out early, see how well they behave. Im concerned that some folks who get early release due to Prop. 57 will victimize people again, Greenberg said. Advertisement He said the only offenders sent to prison in the past several years rather than local jail or a diversionary program are those convicted of serious crimes or have prior convictions known as strikes. Most people in prison are not career criminals, Crowley countered. I dont see Proposition 57 allowing violent people back on the streets to victimize the community. It brings rationality to the system. Advertisement pauline.repard@sduniontribune Twitter: @pdrepard San Diegos legal pot shops were nearly overrun by customers on New Years Day as thousands turned out for the historic start of recreational marijuana sales in California. Nervous retailers thought that consumer demand might be soft because medical marijuana has long been available, and its easy to get. But before dawn on Monday, lines began to form outside stores like Urbn Leaf in Bay Park and Torrey Holistics in Sorrento Valley. And they only grew longer. By sunset, 170 people were still lined up at Urbn Leaf, which had already served more than 800 customers, roughly triple its normal business. Advertisement Everyone from older people in leisure suits to a young guy in pajamas showed up, waiting upwards of an hour in line to buy such things as slim, pre-rolled joints to packaged buds to creams, drinks and foods that had been infused with marijuana. Theyre coming in droves, said Will Senn, co-founder of Urbn Leaf, which has a second store in Golden Hill. I really underestimated what would happen. Senn whipped up some of the demand, busing in customers from a bar in Pacific Beach. He also used 27 drivers to make deliveries throughout San Diego, which is currently the only part of the county where recreational cannabis can be sold. We can deliver marijuana in 20 minutes; its like pizza, said Senn, who has doubled his workforce in Bay Park in recent weeks. Torrey Holistics in Sorrento Valley also was thrumming. It served more than 500 people through noon and had another 150 standing in line, waiting to get into its small shop, which was filled with customers. Were celebrating by holding raffles and live music, said Ruthie Edison, the stores marketing director. People are being very patient. On the first day of recreational marijuana sales in San Diego one location, Urbn Leaf served as many 150 customers by 9am. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / Union-Tribune ) The citys southernmost retailer, a small shop in Otay Mesa known as A Green Alternative, served about 80 people by noon, matching its daily tally. Workers said demand was overwhelming all day. Advertisement Ive noticed a lot of customers wearing sunglasses; theres still a stigma when it comes to marijuana, said Zach Lazarus, the stores co-founder. But thats going to fade away. California has been both a leader and a lagger when it come to cannabis. In 1996, it became the first state to approve medical marijuana, legislation that has since spread to almost 30 other states. But California trailed other states in approving recreational marijuana, which is also known as adult use cannabis. Advertisement Things changed in November 2016 when voters approved Proposition 64, which made it legal for people to possess marijuana, and to grow a small amount. The law also made it legal to sell adult use weed in licensed shops. It took the state and participating communities more than a year to set regulations and issue licenses. More than 70 percent of the states counties and cities opted out of the program, banning the sale or cultivation, or both, of marijuana. But many cities particularly San Diego embraced the opportunity, hoping to raise millions of dollars in tax revenue. San Diego lawmakers created a supply chain for the cultivation, manufacture, testing and sale of cannabis, and cleared the way for at least 17 stores to sell recreational pot. About one dozen of those stores were in operation on Monday, and they didnt have to wait around for customers to show up. Advertisement At 6:30 a.m., Richard Gold of Lemon Grove stood in the dark, and lingering fog, waiting for the 7 a.m. opening of A Green Alternative. This is historic, and I wanted to be the first person in line, he said. Wanting to be the very first customer in line, Richard Gold arrived early at the Green Alternative where he was assisted by John Tavernier. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / Union-Tribune ) Ive been smoking marijuana for 55 years. It is a good way to stay calm. I believe that this should be legal across the country. Advertisement Gold was followed into the store by Karla Cendejas of Chula Vista, who said, Weed is my thing and I didnt want to miss this. Its really exciting. At Urbn Leaf in Bay Park, Danielle Shea of Pittsfield, Mass., stood patiently in line, amused by the mash of people surrounding her. Im on vacation and we dont have this sort of thing yet in Massachusetts, so I came here, Shea said. Its so beautiful to see this room filled with happy, chill people. A few feet away, Nick Marquez of Linda Vista picked up a bag of pre-rolled joints and headed for the door, smiling. Advertisement Marijuana doesnt have the same stigma that it used to have, back when it was associated with things like cocaine, Marquez said. And its definitely better than drinking, which is bad for you. Drinking makes you do stupid things. For a list of dispensaries, please see: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/pac-legal-recreational-cannabis-dispensaries-20171228-story.html Advertisement Science Playlist On Now In a first, scientists rid human embryos of a potentially fatal gene mutation by editing their DNA On Now Space station flyovers visible from San Diego this week 0:55 On Now UCSD's 'ghost drivers' begin testing people's reaction seemingly empty cars 1:29 On Now 10 interesting facts about Mars On Now Kids can add years to your life On Now LA 90: SpaceX launches recycled rocket On Now Big passions, big giving: Malin Burnham 2:30 On Now Big passions, big giving: Darlene Shiley 2:40 On Now Big passions, big giving: Joan and Irwin Jacobs 2:45 On Now Ocean temperatures warming at rapid rate, study finds Twitter: @grobbins Advertisement gary.robbins@sduniontribune.com (Eds: Updating with repatriation of juvenile) New Delhi/Islamabad, Jan 1 (PTI) India awaits consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav and other Indian nationals in Pakistans custody, the external affairs ministry said today, as it exchanged with Islamabad the list of civilian prisoners and fishermen lodged in each others jails. "Lists of 250 civilian prisoners and 94 fishermen were handed over to Pakistan," it said. A list of 54 Pakistani civilian prisoners and 4 fishermen, who have completed their sentence and whose nationality confirmation is awaited from Pakistan, was also handed over and Pakistan was asked to expedite the confirmation, the ministry said. Asserting that it remains committed to addressing humanitarian matters, including those pertaining to prisoners and fishermen in each others country, the ministry said the government has repeatedly emphasised the need for early release and repatriation of civilian prisoners, missing Indian defence personnel and fishermen along with their boats. "We also await consular access to those Indian nationals in Pakistans custody for whom it has so far not been provided, including Kulbhushan Jadhav and Hamid Nehal Ansari," the ministry asserted. Pakistan has also shared a list of 58 civilian prisoners and 399 fishermen in its custody, who are Indians or believed to be Indians, it said. The ministry said the list was exchanged between the two countries through diplomatic channels simultaneously at New Delhi and Islamabad. It was done as part of the 2008 Agreement on Consular Access between India and Pakistan. The ministry also informed that a juvenile named Hasnain, whose nationality was verified by Pakistan, was repatriated today through the Attari/Wagah border. He had inadvertently crossed the border in May last year. He was handed over to Pakistani authorities in the presence of Pakistan High Commission officials. The Pakistan Foreign Office also issued a press release regarding the exchange of lists and said that Pakistan will release 146 fishermen on January 8. The exchange of the lists of prisoners comes days after Indian death-row prisoner Jadhav met his family on December 25 in Islamabad. The Jadhav-family meeting became the latest flashpoint in the already strained Indo-Pak relations with Pakistan terming its decision to allow Jadhavs family to travel to Pakistan to meet him a humanitarian gesture and India accusing it of violating mutual understanding. There was no consular access granted during Jadhavs meeting with his wife and mother and instead Deputy High Commissioner J P Singh, who accompanied the two women, was initially separated from them. They were taken to the meeting without informing Singh, and the meeting was started without him, the ministry had said in a statement earlier. Singh could join only after pressing the matter with officials, but was still kept behind an additional partition that did not allow him access to the meeting as agreed. PTI PYK SH ASK ASK A U.S. Border Patrol agent was hospitalized after being hit with a rock while patrolling the border on his all-terrain vehicle Saturday night, a federal official said. The agent was traveling about 20 mph in southwest Otay Mesa about 8:40 p.m. when the grapefruit-sized rock struck him in the chest and he crashed, said Supervisory Border Patrol Agent Michael Scappechio. The injured agent pushed the vehicle off and called for help. When other agents arrived, they spotted a group of people south of the border fence that they suspected were trying to enter the country illegally, Scappechio said. The agents used tear gas to disperse the group and informed authorities in Mexico, who assisted in the process. Advertisement The injured agent was moved to a safe location and then taken to a hospital. He was held overnight and released late Sunday morning with severe bruises to his chest. He is currently on administrative leave. Border Patrol Agent Eduardo Olmos said no one was able to describe the person who threw the rock, but that investigators are working with authorities in Mexico to locate the assailant. He added that the last 24 hours have been particularly busy along the border. In the area where the assault occurred, agents discovered seven places where the border fence had been breached. More than 100 arrests were made, he said. This is an all-too-common occurrence. Chief Patrol Agent Rodney Scott said in a statement. The safety and well-being of our agents remains our top priority, and we will work diligently with our law enforcement partners to bring the assailant to justice. Advertisement Twitter: @LAWinkley (619) 293-1546 lyndsay.winkley@sduniontribune.com It was ideal sleeping weather when Liz Foster got in her car around 8 a.m. on New Years Day. A dense fog covered much of downtown and most of the 33-year-olds neighbors were sleeping off the previous nights activities. But Foster and around 300 others were up early to take their first dip of the year in the Pacific Ocean. While most people have hangovers, were out here swimming, she said while wearing a wetsuit and standing near the beach. For roughly 30 years, people have been running into the water at La Jolla on Jan. 1, called a polar bear plunge, to kick off the new year. Organizers from the La Jolla Cove Swim Club say the first couple of years drew about 30 participants to the event, but it has averaged around 300 people in recent years. Advertisement Many participants have made the swim part of their annual tradition. Unlike extreme polar bear swims in Atlantic City and Boston with temperatures in the teens, it was 59 degrees outside in La Jolla and the water was around the same temperature when swimmers took the plunge at 10 a.m. The fog that covered much of the region early in the morning had long burned off. After a group picture on the beach, some swimmers ran full speed into the water while others took a cautious approach. Most participants headed toward a white buoy about 25 yards from the shore. Some just put their feet in and others did long-distance swims with friends. Many swimmers said jumping into the cold water was symbolic of new beginnings. I feel like it is starting out the year right, Danielle DeBeliso, 28, of Chicago, who was in town visiting family. It was very refreshing. 1 / 17 Swimmers gather for a group photo. (Alejandro Tamayo / The San Diego Union Tribune) 2 / 17 The Rogers Family, Jason with 8 weeks old Alexander and mom Chelsey. (Alejandro Tamayo / The San Diego Union Tribune) 3 / 17 Swimmers walking into the Pacific Ocean at La Jolla Shores. (Alejandro Tamayo / The San Diego Union Tribune) 4 / 17 Dominique Smith holds his 8 year old son Nixons hand as they enter the water. (Alejandro Tamayo / The San Diego Union Tribune) 5 / 17 Brad Michaels plunge in to the Pacific in his suit. (Alejandro Tamayo / The San Diego Union Tribune) 6 / 17 Swimmers diving into the Pacific Ocean at La Jolla Shores. (Alejandro Tamayo / The San Diego Union Tribune) 7 / 17 Swimmers running into the Pacific Ocean at La Jolla Shores. (Alejandro Tamayo / The San Diego Union Tribune) 8 / 17 Rom Edwin in his Aquaman outfit comes out of the water. (Alejandro Tamayo / The San Diego Union Tribune) 9 / 17 Prior to entering the water swimmers gather for a group photo. (Alejandro Tamayo / The San Diego Union Tribune) 10 / 17 Swimmers take a group shot. (Alejandro Tamayo / The San Diego Union Tribune) 11 / 17 In the middle David Haze comes out of the water. (Alejandro Tamayo / The San Diego Union Tribune) 12 / 17 Swimmers walking into the Pacific Ocean at La Jolla Shores. (Alejandro Tamayo / The San Diego Union Tribune) 13 / 17 John Gastaldo coming out of the water. (Alejandro Tamayo / The San Diego Union Tribune) 14 / 17 The La Jolla Cove Swim Club hold its annual Polar Bear Plunge and Chili Social, with swimmers diving into the Pacific Ocean at La Jolla Shores. (Alejandro Tamayo / The San Diego Union Tribune) 15 / 17 Hundreds of swimmers participated in the event. (Alejandro Tamayo / The San Diego Union Tribune) 16 / 17 Hailey Greenfield coming out of the water. (Alejandro Tamayo / The San Diego Union Tribune) 17 / 17 Many come out to La Jolla Shores. (Alejandro Tamayo / The San Diego Union Tribune) One of the more senior swimmers was 79-year-old Dorsey Cullen of San Carlos, who has been doing the polar bear event for eight years. He found the swim club as part of an effort to get healthier following a heart transplant and other major health problems, including the amputation of the toes on both of his feet. He said the cold waters are good for his ticker. My heart is just boom, he said. Advertisement The youngest participant was likely two-month-old Alexander Rogers of Mira Mesa, who was wearing a polar bear onesie. His mother, Chelsey Rogers, swam in the event last year with her husband and said it was time to dip her sons feet in the water. We love swimming, she said, and he hasnt been in the ocean yet. Friends Ginger Webb, 10, and Layla Romney, 8, were participating in the swim for the first time after Gingers mom said it was good luck. Both went without wetsuits, saying that others who were wearing them were probably overreacting. It was warm when I was swimming, Layla said on the beach after the plunge, but now Im freezing. Advertisement Many annual polar bear swims across North America had to be canceled because of frigid temperatures. Two plunges were canceled in New Jersey because temperatures were expected to be below freezing, according to NJ.com; The Toronto Polar Bear Dip was canceled for the first time in 13 years because of too much ice at the swimming spot, the Toronto Star reported; and a Chicago polar plunge organized by American Greyhound was canceled after it was deemed too dangerous as temperatures were below zero, according to The Associated Press. San Diego, California, USA, December 28th. 2017. | Prior to entering the water swimmers gather for a group photo. | Alejandro Tamayo The San Diego Union Tribune 2018 (Alejandro Tamayo / The San Diego Union Tribune ) Advertisement Business phillip.molnar@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1891 Twitter: @phillipmolnar Advertisement ALSO Dense fog could develop along coast early on New Years Eve It turns out there may be a good reason to distrust that insufferable guy whos always bragging about the prestigious school he attended. A San Diego State University professors recently released research paper finds people with high opinions of themselves have a different perception of ethics than others. Theyre more likely to be OK with taking office supplies, borrowing from the cash register without asking and writing off personal dinners as company expenses, SDSU professor Valerie Alexandra found. Theres a lot of conversation about how our societies are becoming more cynical, said Alexandra, an assistant professor of management at the Fowler College of Business at SDSU. People who are cynical have negative attitudes toward other people. Theyre frustrated with social institutions, and so I looked at these beliefs and found those people who believe in social cynicism also support social inequality. Social cynicism, she said, is a belief that people and institutions are not trustworthy, and that showing goodwill and kindness toward others often is ineffective. They also tend to view the world as malevolent and others as opportunistic and exploitative, she said. Her findings were published in December in the Journal of Business Ethics as part of a paper she wrote with researchers from Portugal and Russia, her native country. Hundreds of students and business professionals from the three countries participated in the study, and their views of themselves and their perceptions of unethical behavior were measured by how they responded to terms such as Some people are more worthy than others and To get ahead in life, it is sometimes necessary to step on others. The responses reflect how people from certain groups have a perceived superiority over other groups, or what sociologist refer to as social dominance. For example, someone may be a graduate of a particular university, and they believe theirs is so much better than all others and are less likely to engage with people of other universities, she said. A similar bias could apply to ethnicity, race, gender and other groups, she continued. An earlier study had found that Russians are more cynical than people in the U.S. or Portugal, so Alexandra said she and the other researchers expected nationalities to play a role in peoples view of ethical behavior. But thats not what we found, she said. We found it doesnt matter which country youre in. Your relationship with social cynicism and unethical behavior is going to be the same, no matter what country youre in. The finding could explain in part why the United States, not considered as corrupt as Russia, still could produce Enron, Tyco and scandals involving wealthy and highly educated people, she said. A lot of this happens on an individual level, she said about white-collar criminal behavior such as bribing government officials or over-charging customers to earn higher bonuses. While the research findings might be discouraging, Alexandra said there also could be a lesson in how to improve business ethics and society itself. Alexandra noted that previous studies have shown students studying psychology or social work do not have a strong sense of social dominance as economic or business students. The question is, why? Alexandra said. Its not that we dont ask that question, but its not our first priority. How do we create a greater feeling of social responsibility with business students and among people who are more likely to become more socially dominant? Alexandra suggested that business schools make empathy part of what students learn. She also suggested businesses hire people who are less cynical and less socially dominant, which may lead to fewer scandals down the road. Voters also should consider the same lessons when selecting their leaders, she said. If were going to close our eyes to social dominance, we might we as well close our eyes to unethical behavior, she said. 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 India and Pakistan today exchanged, through diplomatic channels simultaneously at New Delhi and Islamabad, the list of nuclear installations and facilities under a three-decade old bilateral pact. According to an external affairs ministry release, the two sides exchanged the list under the Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear installations between India and Pakistan. The agreement, which was signed on December 31, 1988, and entered into force on January 27, 1991, provides that the two countries inform each other of nuclear installations and facilities to be covered under the pact on the first of January of every calendar year. This is the twenty seventh consecutive exchange of such a list between the two countries, the first one having taken place on January 1, 1992. WATCH | Trump won't tolerate two-faced relation with Pakistan: Shalabh Kumar at India Today Conclave 2017 An American officer in Vietnam shared the story of a remote village of refugees that was defying the communist forces surrounding it in 1961. Weekly Newsletter The best of The Saturday Evening Post in your inbox! Join This article and other features about America in Vietnam can be found in the Posts Special Collectors Edition, The Heroes of Vietnam. This edition can be ordered here. When I arrived, members of the small self-defense corps, which protects Binh Hung from the guerrilla raiders, were drawn up smartly in military formation. I was startled and deeply touched. Many of them raised their hands in a familiar three-fingered salute. They were former Boy Scouts, and it was the only military gesture they knew. Something else about them was far more impressive. These volunteer soldiers were cheerful, despite the certain knowledge that before another year is out, two-thirds of them probably will be killed in action. The leader of Binh Hung village is the Rev. Augustine Nguyen Lac Hoa, a stocky, bespectacled Catholic priest who was once a lieutenant colonel in the Chinese Nationalist Army. He led the group originally 375 settlers out of South China, into Cambodia, and finally to the mud flats and mangrove swamps of South Vietnam, where their settlement has more than tripled in size. When I asked Father Hoa why his self-defense soldiers volunteered for so bleak a life and almost certain death, he smiled warmly and replied, Man was born to do something. Vietnamese authorities recently estimated that 500 loyal villagers are killed every month in the fight against these guerrillas. But they say guerrilla casualties are even higher. If other villages are as resourceful as Binh Hung, this is probably true. For three months in 1959, Binh Hung was peaceful. Then the Viet Cong guerrillas attacked. Lacking weapons, the settlers fought back with Boy Scout staves and knives. It seems almost incredible, but when the Viet Cong struck, the weapon-poor villagers promptly counterattacked. They had to close with the enemy quickly to make their knives and staves effective. The Binh Hung villagers lost a few men, but they captured several American-made M-l rifles and a Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) from the guerrillas. From that time on, the attacks were incessant. Father Hoa knew that knives and staves supplemented by a few rifles and a BAR were no match for guerrilla firepower. He appealed to President Ngo inh Diem and got funds $12 per month per man and a scattering of weapons for a 300-man self-defense force. The weapons, some of them predating World War I and as varied as the armies of the world, were left over from stockpiles taken from the Binh Xuyen, a private army of racketeers and adventurers which the government disarmed in 1955. Father Hoa would have liked American weapons, but United States military aid cannot be given legally to such an irregular force. Father Hoa searched throughout free Vietnam for experienced guerrilla fighters. He promised them a life of hardship with frequent combat, little pay, and probable death. Gradually he recruited 300. Officers and men received the same pay. When I visited Binh Hung, the force had grown to 340 regulars and 80 recruits in training. Father Hoa pays the extra 40 regulars out of his own pocket. The 80 recruits get nothing, only food from the village. Although they get virtually nothing in return for defending Binh Hung, the corpsmen are tough and canny fighters. And they make the most of their limited weapons. The heaviest of these are two mortars, a 60 mm and an 81 mm, which have been calibrated to zero-in all the approaches an attacker can use against the village. The villagers rarely wait patiently to be attacked. Self-defense soldiers move out into the surrounding area to strike the guerrillas when Viet Cong troop concentrations are discovered. Patrols push out daily in search of the communist forces. Although one thinks of remote villagers in a primitive land as dwelling behind a natural curtain of ignorance, the self-defense troopers are remarkably well informed. A flow of information comes to them from daily Voice of America broadcasts and from the Free Pacific Press, which beams Vietnamese-language broadcasts and publishes newspapers and magazines in English, Chinese, and Vietnamese from Cho Lon. The troops spend two hours every day discussing the meaning of the news. Afterward there is a lively discussion of a single political subject. Two months before my visit, the troops started talking about What Freedom Means to Me. They were still going strong on the subject when I left. The light in their eyes when they talked about freedom showed that it was not mere oratory. Freedom is precious to them, a personal thing. This apparently is what gives them confidence that they will defeat the Viet Cong guerrillas, and a greater confidence that free men everywhere will win out against communism. Repeatedly they asked me for assurance that the United States would stand firm in its policy in Asia, and particularly in Laos. When I was preparing to leave Binh Hung, these same grinning soldiers clustered around the village helicopter landing pad to say goodbye. They predicted that, with the dry season starting, the Viet Cong guerrillas would be able to move about more freely. It will really be war now, one of them said. We shook hands in parting. Next year, said one of the smiling troopers, you will see somebody else here. Two hundred of us will be dead then. They drew up in a smart military formation as the helicopters blades started rotating. Then they saluted. It was the three-fingered Boy Scout salute again! Postscript: A year later, the Post sent journalist Don Schanche to Binh Hung to find out what happened to those determined warriors. In the year since the American officers visit, they had lost not 200 men, but 8. They counted 500 V.C. dead. Schanche concluded that the Binh Hung soldiers had all but eliminated the Viet Cong menace in their area. One of the locals is quoted as saying his village was now the safest place in Vietnam. The Report the President Wanted Published, May 20, 1961 A triple receptor drug originally created to treat type 2 diabetes could be used to treat Alzheimers disease after researchers from China and the United Kingdom found it significantly reversed memory loss in mice. The research appears in the journal Brain Research. The novel treatment holds clear promise of being developed into a new treatment for chronic neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimers disease, said co-author Professor Christian Holscher, from Lancaster University. This is the first time that a triple receptor drug has been used which acts in multiple ways to protect the brain from degeneration. It combines glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), and glucagon, which are all growth factors. With no new treatments in nearly 15 years, we need to find new ways of tackling Alzheimers, added Dr. Doug Brown, Director of Research and Development at Alzheimers Society, who was not involved in the study. Its imperative that we explore whether drugs developed to treat other conditions can benefit people with Alzheimers and other forms of dementia. This approach to research could make it much quicker to get promising new drugs to the people who need them. Although the benefits of these triple agonist drugs have so far only been found in mice, other studies with existing diabetes drugs such as liraglutide have shown real promise for people with Alzheimers, so further development of this work is crucial. Professor Holscher and his colleagues from Shanxi Medical University and Shaoyang University used APP/PS1 mice, which are transgenic mice that express human mutated genes that cause Alzheimers. Aged transgenic mice in the advanced stages of neurodegeneration were treated. In a maze test, learning and memory formation were much improved by the drug which also: (i) enhanced levels of a brain growth factor which protects nerve cell functioning; (ii) reduced the amount of amyloid plaques in the brain linked with Alzheimers; (iii) reduced both chronic inflammation and oxidative stress; (iv) slowed down the rate of nerve cell loss. These very promising outcomes demonstrate the efficacy of these novel multiple receptor drugs that originally were developed to treat type 2 diabetes but have shown consistent neuroprotective effects in several studies, Professor Holscher said. Clinical studies with an older version of this drug type already showed very promising results in people with Alzheimers disease or with mood disorders. Here we show that a novel triple receptor drug shows promise as a potential treatment for Alzheimers but further dose-response tests and direct comparisons with other drugs have to be conducted in order to evaluate if this new drugs is superior to previous ones. _____ Jingjing Tai et al. 2018. Neuroprotective effects of a triple GLP-1/GIP/glucagon receptor agonist in the APP/PS1 transgenic mouse model of Alzheimers disease. Brain Research 1678: 64-74; doi: 10.1016/j.brainres.2017.10.012 In a bid to maintain force levels and enhance firepower, the Indian Air Force (IAF) is pushing its plans to upgrade the capabilities of the Jaguar deep penetration strike aircraft by equipping them with new engines under a deal worth over Rs 5,000 crore, which has been stuck for more than six years now. The deal would be crucial for the IAF to maintain its standards in the coming decade as the squadron strength would be going down due to indecision by the UPA from 2004-2014 in procuring any fighter plane for the service. The IAF's sanctioned strength of fighter aircraft squadrons is 42, but it has been operating at a much lower strength due to delays in acquisition of replacements for MiG 21s and delays in deciding on the new fleet of multirole combat aircraft. It has 32 squadrons at present. The IAF has five squadrons of Jaguar planes, which have to be maintained by equipping them with new engines from American firm Honeywell to maintain the present force-levels. "The stuck project is being revived and pushed by the Air Force. A number of sticky issues with Honeywell have been sorted out and it is expected that there will be some movement forward in the deal in the coming times," a senior government official said. As per the programme, the Indian Air Force will re-engine around 100 of its Jaguar planes deployed in Jamnagar, Gorakhpur and Ambala with Honeywell power plants. The Jaguars are currently powered by Rolls-Royce Adour 804/811 engines which are to be replaced with Honeywell's F-125N engine. The new engines are supposed to provide almost 1.5 times the power the existing engines provide to the aircraft. On December 19, 2011, the UPA government had stated in the Parliament that the Jaguar upgrade would be completed by December 2017, but that deadline expired on Sunday and still, no decision could be taken on the issue. IAF officials said though the planes are almost three decades old, but there is still plenty of life left in them and they will help India maintain force levels in critical times. As per IAF projections, it would have air superior Su-30MKI as its main work horse in the coming years. The Force will have 13 squadrons of these planes while it would be retiring its MiG 21s and Mig 27s in the next few years. "If upgraded and re-engined, the Jaguar can serve as a potent fighter while the government can go on deciding on new aircraft to be procured for the air force," a source said. Recently, MoS for defence Subhash Bhamre said in the Parliament, "The IAF will have 32 fighter squadrons and 39 helicopter units by 2020." The Air Force currently possesses 32 squadrons but, as the minister put it, "Three squadrons of MiG-21 aircraft will be phased out by 2020." By Gurdip Singh Singapore, Jan 1 (PTI) An Indian-origin man in Singapore was today charged with fatally stabbing his wife using a knife with a 10cm-long blade. Jayselan N Chandrasegar, 29, used the knife which is likely to cause death to stab Mayuri Krishnakumar, 26, twice in her abdomen and twice on her lower back, according to the court documents. He allegedly stabbed Mayuri twice in her abdomen and twice on her lower back, causing her to suffer punctured wounds, Channel News Asia reported. Jayselan, however, alleged that he did not stab his wife more than twice. "Mayuri is my wife. For the mistake that she did, I admit that what I did to her was wrong. I only stabbed her twice, (and) not more than that, Jayselan told the court through a Tamil interpreter. "I did not think that I would do such a thing to my wife. I have a child at home. I couldnt take it that she did this to me and my child," he said. The incident, which was captured on video by a bystander and shared on social media, happened took place on December 30. Jayselan was arrested shortly after by the police. According to report, Mayuri had just parted ways with her husband and was taking a walk with another person when the incident occurred. The court heard that Jayselan had been suffering from depression and was a former patient at Institute of Mental Health (IMH). He was heard shouting vulgarities in the court, the report said. Jayselan will be remanded at IMH for psychiatric evaluation for two weeks and will return to court on January 15. If convicted, he may be jailed for life or up to 15 years. He is also liable to a fine or caning. PTI GS MRJ MVV Sen. Bam congratulates UNIFAST, CHED for crafting IRR on free tertiary education We laud the Unified Student Financial Assistance for Tertiary Education (UNIFAST), led by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) with education stakeholders, for crafting the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) for Republic Act No. 10931 or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act, of which I am a principal sponsor and co-author in the Senate. This ensures that Filipino students will enjoy free education in state universities and colleges, CHED-accredited local universities and colleges and TESDA-accredited technical-vocational institutions. This would also give support to underprivileged students in private colleges and universities through a Tertiary Education Subsidy and a Student Loan Program. CHED-UNIFAST should make sure that the intent of the law to cover the second semester of Academic Year 2017-2018 is reflected in the IRR. I am hoping that the CHED will iron out this issue at the soonest possible time so our Filipino students won't have to wait until the next school year to benefit from this landmark legislation. It wasnt 2017s fault, but a lot of people on Sunday were ready for it to scram. They filled up Embarcadero Plaza in San Francisco, where the bidding of good riddance to old years takes place. Thats what was happening on Sunday. An estimated 200,000 people were expected for the midnight fireworks, because 2018 comes along only once. The wrinkle in time between Sunday and Monday is when it does, at least this year. 2018 will be good, I hope, said Michael Czerny, a visitor from Singapore, as he prepared to strap a pair of ice skates on his feet for the last time of the year. We all need hope. 2017 was pretty OK but we can do better. The things that bothered folks in 2017 fires, climate change, the president will still be around in 2018, people in the giant plaza acknowledged. But turning a calendar page on all that just feels good. The resolutions flowed like IPA. Less smoking and drinking, thats mine, said skateboarder Landro Alferez, who had just executed a nose grind in the plaza. He was among two dozen skateboarders doing flips, jumps and spins for the benefit of the tourists. Next year, maybe Ill be able to do a tail grab and a nose grind at the same time, Alferez said. Theres no limit to what you can do in a new year. Ice skater Stacy Johnson said she had resolved to drink more water. Eight glasses a day, she said. Its supposed to get the toxins out. Early in the evening, with the libations yet to take effect, the gathering crowd was in a tranquil mood. Cops were out in numbers, walking around and making sure that whatever was being carried in paper bags was OK, penal codewise. Restaurants were texting last-minute cancellation alerts to their wait lists. Servers, bartenders, cooks and Lyft drivers were girding up for a long and lucrative night. Officer Martin Covarrubias said it was a nice crowd and that there were still parking places to be had, though not many. He spent his last $20 bill of 2017 on a necklace from vendor Jonathan Guilliams, who carved SFPD into a quarter with a jewelers saw. Guilliams said he was nearly all out of quarters for 2017, and was expecting a new shipment. When you carve two dozen quarters a day, Guilliams said, you go through a lot of quarters. Hes just ordered $500 worth of shiny 2018 quarters from the mint, which he said should hold him for the first six months of the new year. Nearby, Walter Molina and Bo Bixler were playing their last game of chess of 2017, on a folding table in the plaza. Bixler lost a rook to a dumb move. Thats the last time Im doing that, he said, this year. A big sign urged revelers to text NYESF17 to 888777, to receive police safety alerts. To those who did, the message came back that there werent any alerts. Sending a text cost a dime or so, which is cheap for good news. The plaza was ready for a long evening of fireworks, fun seekers and festivities. Police barricades were ready for deployment and the outhouses were already in place 23 to the south of the Ferry Building and 12 to the north. Revelers were saying goodbye to 2017 all over the Bay Area throughout the day. Before noon at Oaklands Chabot Space and Science Center, a crowd of little kids was getting antsy and gazing skyward. Like most club-goers on New Years Eve, they had endured a long line to enter the cordoned-off area. Sparkly hats and flashing shoes were in abundance. For 18 years, the center has held a daytime balloon drop for children, said Liz Austerman, director of visitor experience. This year, in fact, there were three drops: celebrating the new year in Karachi (11 a.m.), Nairobi (1 p.m.) and London (4 p.m.), each release aimed at older and older children. The rest of the Bay Area was welcome to prepare for wild revelry, Austerman said. Ours is the most magical, she said. Standing on the periphery of the crowd, Allison Duffy of Lafayette waved at her husband, who had sneaked inside the ring with the couples 1-year-old and 4-year-old. Was her oldest psyched to watch 2017 graduate to 2018? Hes still working on Monday through Friday, she said. This was the Duffys big outing for the day. Other parents claimed more ambitious plans: drinks and a concert at Yoshis, a birthday party for adults, staying up until midnight. As the clock struck 11 a.m., hundreds of balloons spilled down to a soundtrack of chiming clocks (Pink Floyds Time). Adults cheered. Hundreds of tiny hands waved around in the air, grasping wildly, as if the crowd had morphed into a balloon-eating sea anemone. 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. With every hour across the region, the celebrations escalated. At noon in downtown Novato, children wearing plastic hard hats stood under a crane that loosed 18,000 bouncy balls into the crowd. In Golden Gate Park, the Sunday roller disco party coalesced at its regular afternoon time, but prepared to migrate over to the waterfront in the early evening. The healthier-minded dashed out for New Years Eve bike rides, hikes, meditations and runs. At five minutes before the dawn of 2018 in Dubai, or noon Pacific time Gengo Akiba of Oaklands Kojin-an Temple and Zenshu-ji Temple in Los Angeles led two other Buddhist priests to the 485-year-old temple bell hanging in the Asian Art Museums Samsung Hall in San Francisco. They had chanted the Heart Sutra and lit incense. Now, for the 32nd year, they were kicking off the museums annual New Years Eve bell-ringing ceremony, reminiscent of Japanese Joya No Kane celebrations. The priests clutched at a log suspended from the ceiling by an elaborate lattice of ropes and swung it, like a battering ram, into the massive bell. The sound, deep and tinged with melancholy, gushed up to the ceiling and cascaded down onto the hundreds of onlookers, causing spines and skulls to hum in sympathy. Small groups, each of whom had scored a ticket to ring the bell one time, approached the bell in turn, smiled for a photo, and repeated the act. In all, the bell would be struck 108 times, each ring dispelling darkness and evil thoughts. As their own strike still vibrated in the air, Jeanelle Chang and Angela Pang made their way out through the crowd. Chang had worked at the Asian Art Museum six years ago, and so when she returned from Chicago for a visit with Pang, she brought her friend to the ceremony. Its a great way to end a year and start a new year, Pang said. 2017 was a very challenging year, Chang added. Im looking forward to a better 2018. Later on, the two planned to celebrate the new year with another tradition of theirs: bacon-wrapped hot dogs in the Mission. It was six hours past midnight, but the crowd inside the Berkeley Patients Group counted down the seconds. Happy new year, they yelled at precisely 6 a.m. Monday as a cashier rang up the cost of three joints, a $45.37 purchase representing one of the first recreational marijuana sales in the state. The moment marked the beginning of a new industry in California, one thats heavily regulated and taxed, with revenue reaching several billion dollars per year. The day has been long anticipated by cannabis advocates who pushed for voters to pass Proposition 64 in November 2016, largely decriminalizing marijuana and allowing for the commercial sale of products to adults 21 or older. Earlier, Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguin and Democratic state Sen. Nancy Skinner joined a couple of dozen people outside the Berkeley Patients Group waiting for the first sales. Im stoked about this historic moment, not just for Berkeley, but for the state of California. Arreguin said. This is a long time coming. Now Playing: The sale of recreational marijuana becomes legal in California Video: San Francisco Chronicle The first buyers were Chris Conrad and Mikki Norris, longtime marijuana advocates who purchased the three joints as the crowd cheered. The couple had worked on the marijuana effort for more than two decades, pushed by their belief that its legalization is an issue that expands to social justice, civil rights and health care. When we started, George Bush the first was president, Norris, 65, said. Zero tolerance was the policy of this country. We waited a long time for this Conrad, 64, said. More for you Bay Area Some states put a THC limit on pot-smoking drivers -... The handful of shops making recreational sales Monday acquired both local and state licenses. They included Harborside, Purple Heart and Blum in Oakland; Berkeley Patients Group and Cannabis Buyers Club of Berkeley; 7 Stars Holistic Healing Center in Richmond; Mercy Wellness in Cotati; and Sparc and Solful in Sebastopol. Statewide, more than 400 shops have licenses to sell commercial cannabis. Dale Gieringer, director of California Norml, a cannabis advocacy group, postponed a winter vacation by one day to see legal sales commence. This marks the welcome end of a century of prohibition 104 years to be accurate, he said after watching the first sales at Harborside. Its wonderful that people arent being imprisoned for marijuana the way they used to be. At Purple Heart dispensary in Oakland, Keith Stephenson, chief executive and founder, watched a diverse array of people stream through the doors, including a well-coiffed senior citizen in a bright green windbreaker who was just ahead of a 20-something man in workout gear and a bike helmet. In the 11 years hes operated the dispensary, Stephenson has referred to the buyers as patients and had to correct himself a few times Monday morning as he got used to calling them customers. He recalled all the years he went to work wondering if he would get arrested for selling marijuana. This was the only job you could go to work and go to jail the same day, he said. But on Monday, Stephenson noted hes added four cash registers and is remodeling the interior of his business. Cannabis is bringing industry to Oakland, its bringing jobs, its bringing tourism, he said. Its an epic day. Stephenson predicted that Californias cannabis industry would reflect that states tastes, offering buyers artisanal products akin to cold-pressed olive oil or individualized drip coffee. Were willing to pay for quality, he said. We are epicureans. While Oakland and Berkeley were among the first to authorize recreational marijuana, additional locations are expected to open in coming days and weeks, including outlets in San Francisco, where in-fighting among the citys supervisors stalled recreational permits until Jan. 6. But many parts of the state are expected to bar the sales altogether, including Marin and San Mateo counties and the city of Walnut Creek. At some shops, the coming-out party featured live music, coffee and doughnuts, prizes for those first in line and speeches from supportive local politicians a far cry from the days when the cannabis trade operated in the shadows. I feel like its been a struggle and a fight, said Nicole Rice, 28, who was among the first in line at the Berkeley Patients Group, adding that it took years and voter persistence to pass the law. Its historic. 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. Marijuana remains illegal by federal law. But several states, including Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Nevada and now California, have legalized both medicinal and recreational use. Since November 2016, California law has allowed adults 21 or older to possess and transport up to 1 ounce of cannabis flower, as well as up to 8 grams of extract or infused foods. Smoking in public is still prohibited. Medical marijuana will continue to be available through existing dispensaries to those with a valid ID and a doctors recommendation. But as of Monday morning, all customers buying cannabis products will pay a 15 percent state excise tax, which is expected to eventually bring in $1 billion or more a year for marijuana research, addiction prevention and boosted law enforcement, among other things. Recreational customers must pay sales tax as well, unlike those with a state-authorized medical identification card. In addition, cities can choose to impose local cannabis taxes. In Oakland, taxes for most customers will increase from 14.25 percent to 34.25 percent, according to Harborside officials. Long lines of customers were willing to pay up Monday. Anthony Moraga spent $120 on 3.5 grams of top-shelf buds, and another $32 in taxes, at Berkeley Patients Group. Its the first time we can come out in public, he said, paying taxes on our legal purchase. S.F. Chronicle staff writers Jenna Lyons and Rachel Swan contributed to this report. Jill Tucker and David Downs are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: jtucker@sfchronicle.com, ddowns@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JillTucker, @davidrdowns "friendly" By Sajjad Hussain Islamabad, Jan 1 (PTI) National security advisors of India and Pakistan held a "secret" meeting in Thailand where the tone and tenor of Indias NSA Ajit Doval was "friendly and positive", a senior Pakistani official said today. A Pakistans national security division official, on the condition of anonymity, said the meeting between Pakistans NSA retired Lt Gen Nasser Khan Janjua and Doval took place on December 27 in Thailand, The Dawn newspaper reported. "The meeting was good. Dovals tone and tenor was friendly and positive," the official disclosed. The official maintained that he was briefed about the Indo-Pak meeting. He was told that the meeting was "useful". The report also quoted the official as saying that the interaction might help in restarting some sort of engagement at the diplomatic level as well. However, there was no word -officially or unofficially - from the India side. The meeting, which appeared to be pre-decided, came two days after Indian death-row prisoner Kulbhushan Jadhav met with his family on December 25 in Islamabad. The Jadhav-family meeting became latest flashpoint in already strained Indo-Pak relations with Pakistan terming its decision to allow Jadhavs family to travel to Pakistan to meet him as humanitarian gesture and India accusing it of violating mutual understandings. New Delhi also hit out at Pakistan, asserting that the Indian national appeared coerced and under considerable stress during the tightly-controlled interaction and also accused Pakistan of disregarding cultural and religious sensibilities of family members under the pretext of security. Jadhav, who was captured in March last year, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court for alleged spying, an accusation that India has dismissed as concocted. New Delhi says Jadhav was kidnapped in Iran where he had legitimate business interests, and brought to Pakistan. To save Jadhav, India moved the International Court of Justice, which ordered Pakistan in May to stay his execution. It was not the first meeting between the two NSAs in a third country. In December 2015 also, the two NSAs, along with the two foreign secretaries, had met in Bangkok, which was not revealed from both the countries till after the meeting. PTI SH UZM PYK UZM I spent nearly two years reporting on wildfire alongside one the most highly experienced fire crews in the country in my hometown, Boulder, Colo. I learned when fire endangers lives it needs to be crushed as quickly as possible. But the right kind of fire is natural and often essential to healthy forests and watersheds; it is a force we cannot and, ultimately, do not want to eradicate. So what do we do to balance the needs of people and ecosystems? One member of the crew I spent so much time with in Boulder put it this way: If we want to live in paradise, were going to have to work for it. We need to focus on large-scale forest restoration, fire funding and human adaptation. Restoring forests to mitigate fire effects will require a shift in the way we pay for large wildfires. We must also safeguard our own properties and patches of earth as well as create commonsense zoning and building regulations that will limit the number of vulnerable structures in fire-prone areas. And we have to recognize the role of climate change, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, to minimize unstoppable blazes like the record-breaking Thomas Fire, which has blackened 281,893 acres in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, making it the largest fire in California history. While visiting fire-ravaged Ventura County last month, Gov. Jerry Brown warned recent blazes may indicate a new normal. Were facing a new reality in this state where fires threaten peoples lives, their property, their neighborhoods and, of course, billions and billions of dollars, he said. The loss of lives, homes, businesses, infrastructure and forests in California in recent months has been devastating, and worthy of awe and analysis. The exhaustion of firefighters and homeowners is intense and the threat is ongoing. Still, the governors comments left many of us who know a thing or two about fire scratching our heads. Wildfires of this magnitude may not have played out precisely in this way before, but they are far from unknown. What California is seeing this year isnt a new reality, as the governor described it, but rather the next tick in an upward trend. Huge, destructive, wind-driven fires enabled by high temperatures, low humidity and abundant fuel are now par for the course in the West. The phenomenon of the so-called megafire (a blaze that burns more than 100,000 acres) was virtually unseen, at least in modern history, before 1995, but most western states have experienced their worst wildfires on record since then. Since 2005, there have been roughly 10 megafires per year, transforming the landscape of the American West. Also consistent are the top three reasons fires are getting bigger, more extreme and more costly: 1 Fire dollars are being spent mainly on suppression, depriving of funds for critical treatments such as selective forest thinning and prescribed burns. 2 The wildland-urban interface problem, as fire experts refer to it, has been compounding for decades in most western states. There are now more people living in the danger zones than ever before, increasing the chances fire will impact people, and vice versa. 3 Researchers have already drawn a strong link between human-induced climate change and fire. Brown was right to suggest that climate change could lead to more blazes like the Thomas Fire. In general, temperatures are rising and moisture levels are dropping. Snowpack melts earlier, spring comes prematurely and dry time for forests is lengthening. The fire season is roughly 78 days longer than it was 30 years ago. This era of climate-enabled fire puts all of us in wildfire country, and beyond, in a dangerous spot. But this moment is not without opportunity. Time and again, I heard some version of this truth: Wildfire is not a forest problem but a human one. Preserving life, livelihoods, homes and wildlands in an era of large, complex fires will take more than just Pulaski fire-fighting hand tools, dollars and wishful thinking. Only when we assume individual responsibility for our fate will we determine, in part, what relationship we will have with wildfire. Heather Hansen is a journalist and the author of the forthcoming Wildfire: On the Front Lines With Station 8 (Mountaineers Books). It wasnt 2017s fault, but a lot of people on Sunday were ready for it to scram. They filled up Embarcadero Plaza in San Francisco, where the bidding of good riddance to old years takes place. Thats what was happening on Sunday. An estimated 200,000 people were expected for the midnight fireworks, because 2018 comes along only once. The wrinkle in time between Sunday and Monday is when it does, at least this year. 2018 will be good, I hope, said Michael Czerny, a visitor from Singapore, as he prepared to strap a pair of ice skates on his feet for the last time of the year. We all need hope. 2017 was pretty OK but we can do better. The things that bothered folks in 2017 fires, climate change, the president will still be around in 2018, people in the giant plaza acknowledged. But turning a calendar page on all that just feels good. The resolutions flowed like IPA. Less smoking and drinking, thats mine, said skateboarder Landro Alferez, who had just executed a nose grind in the plaza. He was among two dozen skateboarders doing flips, jumps and spins for the benefit of the tourists. Next year, maybe Ill be able to do a tail grab and a nose grind at the same time, Alferez said. Theres no limit to what you can do in a new year. Ice skater Stacy Johnson said she had resolved to drink more water. Eight glasses a day, she said. Its supposed to get the toxins out. Early in the evening, with the libations yet to take effect, the gathering crowd was in a tranquil mood. Cops were out in numbers, walking around and making sure that whatever was being carried in paper bags was OK, penal codewise. Restaurants were texting last-minute cancellation alerts to their wait lists. Servers, bartenders, cooks and Lyft drivers were girding up for a long and lucrative night. Officer Martin Covarrubias said it was a nice crowd and that there were still parking places to be had, though not many. He spent his last $20 bill of 2017 on a necklace from vendor Jonathan Guilliams, who carved SFPD into a quarter with a jewelers saw. Guilliams said he was nearly all out of quarters for 2017, and was expecting a new shipment. When you carve two dozen quarters a day, Guilliams said, you go through a lot of quarters. Hes just ordered $500 worth of shiny 2018 quarters from the mint, which he said should hold him for the first six months of the new year. Nearby, Walter Molina and Bo Bixler were playing their last game of chess of 2017, on a folding table in the plaza. Bixler lost a rook to a dumb move. Thats the last time Im doing that, he said, this year. A big sign urged revelers to text NYESF17 to 888777, to receive police safety alerts. To those who did, the message came back that there werent any alerts. Sending a text cost a dime or so, which is cheap for good news. The plaza was ready for a long evening of fireworks, fun seekers and festivities. Police barricades were ready for deployment and the outhouses were already in place 23 to the south of the Ferry Building and 12 to the north. Revelers were saying goodbye to 2017 all over the Bay Area throughout the day. Before noon at Oaklands Chabot Space and Science Center, a crowd of little kids was getting antsy and gazing skyward. Like most club-goers on New Years Eve, they had endured a long line to enter the cordoned-off area. Sparkly hats and flashing shoes were in abundance. For 18 years, the center has held a daytime balloon drop for children, said Liz Austerman, director of visitor experience. This year, in fact, there were three drops: celebrating the new year in Karachi (11 a.m.), Nairobi (1 p.m.) and London (4 p.m.), each release aimed at older and older children. The rest of the Bay Area was welcome to prepare for wild revelry, Austerman said. Ours is the most magical, she said. Standing on the periphery of the crowd, Allison Duffy of Lafayette waved at her husband, who had sneaked inside the ring with the couples 1-year-old and 4-year-old. Was her oldest psyched to watch 2017 graduate to 2018? Hes still working on Monday through Friday, she said. This was the Duffys big outing for the day. Other parents claimed more ambitious plans: drinks and a concert at Yoshis, a birthday party for adults, staying up until midnight. As the clock struck 11 a.m., hundreds of balloons spilled down to a soundtrack of chiming clocks (Pink Floyds Time). Adults cheered. Hundreds of tiny hands waved around in the air, grasping wildly, as if the crowd had morphed into a balloon-eating sea anemone. With every hour across the region, the celebrations escalated. At noon in downtown Novato, children wearing plastic hard hats stood under a crane that loosed 18,000 bouncy balls into the crowd. In Golden Gate Park, the Sunday roller disco party coalesced at its regular afternoon time, but prepared to migrate over to the waterfront in the early evening. The healthier-minded dashed out for New Years Eve bike rides, hikes, meditations and runs. At five minutes before the dawn of 2018 in Dubai, or noon Pacific time Gengo Akiba of Oaklands Kojin-an Temple and Zenshu-ji Temple in Los Angeles led two other Buddhist priests to the 485-year-old temple bell hanging in the Asian Art Museums Samsung Hall in San Francisco. They had chanted the Heart Sutra and lit incense. Now, for the 32nd year, they were kicking off the museums annual New Years Eve bell-ringing ceremony, reminiscent of Japanese Joya No Kane celebrations. The priests clutched at a log suspended from the ceiling by an elaborate lattice of ropes and swung it, like a battering ram, into the massive bell. The sound, deep and tinged with melancholy, gushed up to the ceiling and cascaded down onto the hundreds of onlookers, causing spines and skulls to hum in sympathy. Small groups, each of whom had scored a ticket to ring the bell one time, approached the bell in turn, smiled for a photo, and repeated the act. In all, the bell would be struck 108 times, each ring dispelling darkness and evil thoughts. As their own strike still vibrated in the air, Jeanelle Chang and Angela Pang made their way out through the crowd. Chang had worked at the Asian Art Museum six years ago, and so when she returned from Chicago for a visit with Pang, she brought her friend to the ceremony. Its a great way to end a year and start a new year, Pang said. 2017 was a very challenging year, Chang added. Im looking forward to a better 2018. Later on, the two planned to celebrate the new year with another tradition of theirs: bacon-wrapped hot dogs in the Mission. A woman was killed in a hit-and-run on an Oakland street in the early morning hours of New Years Day, police said. The car struck the woman about 5 a.m. at 98th Avenue and Sunnyside Street, said Oakland Police Officer Alonzo Weatherly. Police did not release additional information on the incident. "Life imitates art" goes the old saying a statement that hardly applies to the palatial residences of movie and television characters. Take Donald Sutherland's house in the classic 1978 "Invasion of the Body Snatchers." Sutherland, a health inspector, resides in a swanky 4-bedroom Telegraph Hill home that today would cost $4.52 million to purchase or $8,000 a month to rent, according to Zillow. Health inspectors in San Francisco earn an average of $64,659, according to Salary.com, which works out to $5,388.25 a month. The odds of Sutherland's character being able to afford such an abode in real life are slim, although perhaps he got a discount after stumbling upon clones spawning in his backyard. The mansion the orphans in "Party of Five" call home is an even greater stretch. Zillow estimates the home to cost $13.2 million. Seeing as the family's sole source of income is a restaurant upscale eatery Salinger's they'd have to sell a lot of roast beef to afford that mortgage. When it comes to the San Franciscan houses in classic cinema, fantasy reigns over reality. We tracked down some of the most famous houses from movies and television and calculated what they really would cost, using Zillow's price estimates. See the homes in the above gallery. PALM BEACH, Fla. The glamour of his holiday break behind him, President Trump is returning to Washington to face a hefty legislative to-do list, critical midterm elections and perilous threats abroad. Trump is starting his second year in office after a lengthy sojourn at his private Palm Beach club, capped by a New Years Eve bash. The president is hoping for more legislative achievements after his pre-Christmas success on taxes. He plans to host Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wisconsin at Camp David next weekend to map out the 2018 legislative agenda. Republicans are eager to make progress before attention shifts to the midterm elections. The GOP wants to hold House and Senate majorities in 2018, but must contend with Trumps historic unpopularity and some recent Democratic wins. The president concluded 2017 with his first major legislative achievement a law to cut taxes, beginning this year, for corporations and individuals at an estimated cost of $1.5 trillion added to the national debt over 10 years. The tax overhaul also will end the requirement, in 2019, that all Americans buy health insurance or pay a fine. That is a key component of the Obama-era health law that that Republicans have been unable to repeal; other features of the law remain intact. The White House has said Trump will come forward with his long-awaited infrastructure plan in January. Trump also has said he wants to overhaul welfare and recently predicted Democrats and Republicans will eventually come together to develop a new health care plan. Ryan has talked about overhauling Medicaid and Medicare and other safety-net programs, but McConnell has signaled an unwillingness to go that route unless theres Democratic support for any changes. Republicans will have just a 51-49 Senate majority well shy of the 60 votes needed to pass most bills giving leverage to Democrats. Congress also has to deal with a backlog from 2017. It must agree on a spending bill by Jan. 19 to avert a partial government shutdown. Lawmakers also have unfinished business on additional aid for hurricane victims, lifting the debt ceiling, extending a childrens health insurance program and extending protections for immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children. Trump has said he wants money for a border wall in exchange for protecting those immigrants. The Democrats have been told, and fully understand, that there can be no DACA without the desperately needed WALL at the Southern Border and an END to the horrible Chain Migration & ridiculous Lottery System of Immigration etc., Trump said Thursday on Twitter. Chain migration refers to the policy that allows naturalized immigrants to petition for relatives to come to the United States. A big unknown is whether the shortened timeline will prove an asset or a hindrance in addressing all the issues before Congress. Some of these things theyre talking about are huge, contentious issues, said Jane Calderwood, who served as chief of staff for former-Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine. I cant imagine its doable, and certainly not doable in a thoughtful way. Jim Manley, who served as an aide to ex-Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said, Im not sure Ive seen anything like it ... where so much high-profile stuff has to be done right out of the gate. The Washington Post contributed to this report. Catherine Lucey is an Associated Press writer. Ishrat Jahan denied being the new face of minorities for the BJP in West Bengal. (Photo: PTI) Ishrat Jahan, one of the five feisty women who gave the battle cry against Muslim men divorcing their wives at will by merely saying 'talaq' thrice, has blasted the Mamata Banerjee government for its "callousness" towards her case, and denied being used as a political pawn by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). A day after joining the saffron party, Ishrat told India Today in an exclusive interview that Mamta- despite being a woman- never helped her during the long fight after she was divorced by her husband over phone from Dubai in 2014. "In those three years of struggle, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) never helped me; I was helpless and struggled to get justice," Ishrat, a Howrah resident, said when asked if she is irked by the state government. She also questioned Mamata's "silence" on the issue of triple talaq. "She has stood by women earlier. But why was she silent in my case and on the issue of triple talaq?" The TMC has dubbed her joining the BJP as a stunt. "Now, several political parties will says that I am being used as a political stunt, which is not the case," Ishrat shot back. The BJP views the New Year's West Bengal panchayat polls as the quarter-final before the Assembly election in 2021. Minister of co-operation Arup Roy denied having any reservations on Ishrat joining the BJP. "We have nothing to do with it; the TMC is not affected by such incidents." However, CPI (M) leader Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya questioned Ishrat's decision to join the BJP. "The cause for which Ishrat Jahan fought and became famous will ultimately be defeated because the BJP's policies are against the basic principles of secularism. Ishrat, like any other person who has an independent voice, will feel that the BJP is not her party," he said. Was she waiting for the passage of the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill in Lok Sabha so that she could join the BJP? "No, not at all. I felt I should join the BJP because it supported me in my fight," she said. Ishrat also denied being the new face of minorities for the BJP in West Bengal. "No, PM Modi believes in sabka saath, sabka vikas (collective efforts, inclusive growth), not in Hindu-Muslin divide. I will work for the party." On her role in the saffron party, Ishrat said that she will "work for betterment of women irrespective of their religion. "I do not want another Ishrat to feel the pain I have gone through." Ishrat was full of praises for PM Narendra Modi. "I fought for three years approaching the lower court and the Supreme Court (SC). The Supreme Court delivered justice to me by ruling that triple talaq is unconstitutional and PM Modi made it a law. I respect Modi. Future generations of women should not suffer." BJP national secretary Rahul Sinha vociferously defended Ishrat's decision to join the BJP. "These Muslim women support the BJP because PM Modi fought for their rights. No other party supported them in their fight for rights." ALSO WATCH | Ishrat Jahan: I am disappointed with Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee BERKELEY (BCN) A man was jailed on suspicion of battering a BART passenger at the North Berkeley station Saturday afternoon, police said. Danny Angelo Rodriguez, 37, of San Francisco, was taken into custody around 1 p.m., BART police said. A prohibition order was issued for Rodriguez and he was booked into Santa Rita Jail, according to BART police. Prohibition orders ban offenders from the BART system for 30 days to a year. Assembly Bill 716, which went into effect in 2013, allows BART to enforce prohibition orders for serious crimes such as violence against passengers or employees. Hours before New Year's eve, three heavily armed Jaish terrorists attacked CRPF training camp in Awantipora. One of them identified as 16-year-old Fardeen Ahmad Khanday, son of police constable Ghulam Mohammad khandey reportedly posted in Srinagar in J-K police. Ghulam Mohammad Khandey was until a few months ago deployed in the escort vehicle of then IG Kashmir Muneer Khan. Khan, who was recently promoted to the rank of ADG, said, "The cop was removed from escort and posted elsewhere when we found his boy had joined militant rank." The move was decided upon to avoid controversy. Khan called this an aberration as one out of several hundreds may turn out to be a militant. Khanday was a class X student and became a militant three months ago. He was among two of the militants killed on Sunday. Khanday was a resident of Tral, hometown of poster boy for Hizbul mujahideen, Burhan Wani. The other fidayeen was identified as 22-year-old Manzoor Baba Drubgam also in south kashmir Pulwama district. The third terrorist continued to engage with security forces until the last reports came in. J-K senior cops admit this is a dangerous trend even though they have attempted to reach out to local youth including those who want to surrender. "3 CRPF boys received bullet injuries. Two of them are stable, one has martyred. Terrorists will be neutralised very soon," says SP Vaid, J&K DGP on #Pulwama attack pic.twitter.com/UXVkUjM1TK - ANI (@ANI) December 31, 2017 A source said the fact that one of the militants was one of their own came as a shock. HE said that this needed to be addressed and could be security forces' new worry. Local militants joining hands with Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) to launch fidayeen has traditionally been the handiwork of hard Pakistani terrorist operatives. This is also a concern as the trend makes a comeback after 15 years when local militants have become Fidayeen. The last case was in 2003 when a local militant was part of a fidayeen squad that killed five CRPF personnel. Sources said the operations would continue for the night but any searches will happen only on Monday morning at day break. Forces believe that a local worker in at CRPF camp might have given out details which led to the breach in what is suspected to be a poorly-guarded camp with broken walls at various fronts. The security concern was shared several times by J-K police even as National Security Guard (NSG) personnel, who camped at Lethapora for months, left just two weeks ago. "The camp has been on the terror radar. Despite warnings to the CRPF, security was not enhanced leading to several casualties," a source who was in the camp till sometime ago told India today. The security forces and CRPF were in general aware of an impending attack after JEM's top commander Noor Mohammed Tantray was killed by security forces earlier this week, which is possibly why the terror module carried out a revenge attack. Tantray, alias Trali, was the main man behind recruiting locals into Jaish, a task which he became adept at. A senior source told India today "At 1pm on Saturday , Jammu Kashmir police shared specific intel. Two JeM terrorists would attack a group training centre in Lethapora within 24 hours. The attack happened in 13 hours." The first burst of fire came shortly after 2am. A terrorist opened fire indiscriminately, killing one CRPF personnel. Constable Sirajuddin Soz of Budgam aimed at the terrorist from a residential complex but was killed minutes later after he attempted to leave the building. He was shot just as he was coming out to join other troopers. Soz was in type 2 quarters of block number 3 where the terrorists were holed up. The attack happened in the under-construction CRPF camp spread across 200 acres. The sentry guards were on high alert. The second in command (2IC)and the assistant 2IC were on patrol when the terrorist barged in. Three CRPF personnel were injured. The gunmen lobbed Under Barrel Rocket Launcher UBGL grenades and fired automatic weapons outside the CRPF camp, sources said. Heavy police reinforcement was rushed to the spot. Sources said the suicide attack was specifically targeted at the 185 battalion of CRPF in Lethapora, Awantipora in Pulwama district. While some within the forces hinted at a security lapse, this could have also been a failure to foil an attack despite specific intel info form CRPF Director General (DG) RR Bhatnagar was quick to come to the defence of his men. "The terrorists were engaged immediately by our troops and were holed up in one building. The families and civilians were evacuated," a source said. Sources told India Today that the main building consists of 3 blocks with 4 floors each. The CRPF cleared each block. Block 1 was used as accommodation for families of officers while the second was the main office including CO and 2IC offices. Number 3 was targeted by militants, which was the CRPF block. There is a hospital on the ground floor, and a control room in the first floor where 4 troopers on duty were trapped. IG Muneer Khan said "Two of the jawans have been safely evacuated while the process of extricating others is on." Khan further said "Though terrorist managed to barge in, they could not do the full scale damage they intended to do." Jammu, Jan 1 (PTI) Jammu frontier of the Border Security Force (BSF) today celebrated its 38th raising day, reaffirming its commitment to uphold peace and tranquillity along the border besides extending all help and cooperation to the local people for their well being. BSF Inspector General, Jammu Frontier, Ram Awtar conveyed his best wishes to all the "Seema Prahari" serving along the Jammu frontier. "Inspite of heavy operational commitment throughout the year on International Borders with Pakistan, Jammu Frontier BSF has achieved highest standard in various fields in the force in the pursuance of excellence," Awtar said addressing the officers, subordinate officers and jawans at Paloura headquarters here. The frontier was raised on January 1, 1981 after bi- bifurcating the erstwhile North Western frontier under the command of the then Inspector General, Jammu, W G J Mudaliar. Awtar remembered all the "Praharis" who made the supreme sacrifice of their lives while defending the borders along the Jammu Frontier. He also congratulated all the personnel of the frontier who have brought laurels to the force. PTI TAS KIS The third accused arrested for harbouring offenders wanted in the Kamala Mills fire incident was produced in the Sewri court on Monday. Mahendra Sanghvi was arrested by the Byculla police under IPC Section 216, for shielding the wanted accused Jigar and Kripesh Zaveri, owners of the 1Above pub where fire claimed 14 lives last Friday. The Zaveri brothers have been on the run since the incident and are wanted by the NM Joshi Marg police on charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder alongwith their third Pune-based partner Abhijit Manka. Mahendra was apprehended a day after the arrest of his son Aditya and Rakesh under the charges of shielding the accused Jigar and Kripesh. Mahendra's lawyer told that the case registered against his client was a bailable offence and two other accused in the similar case were released on bail. The judge granted bail to Mahendra on a surety of Rs 10,000. Family members of Mahendra alleged that they were being harassed by the police which have turned a blind eye on the actual culprits. ALSO WATCH | Over a dozen people killed in major fire in Mumbai's Kamala Mills JERUSALEM The ruling Likud Partys central committee has unanimously endorsed a resolution calling for the annexation of West Bank settlements, sending a tough message to the Palestinians in the wake of President Trumps recognition of Israels capital. The decision Sunday night marked the latest step by Likud to distance itself from the internationally backed idea of establishing an independent Palestinian state as part of a future peace deal. The Palestinians condemned the decision and accused Trump of emboldening the Likud party. The central committee is only an advisory body, and Sundays vote did not reflect an official policy change. But its decisions reflect the prevailing opinions in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus party. Several leading politicians, including senior members of Netanyahus Cabinet, joined the vote to impose Israeli law on all liberated areas of settlement in Judea and Samaria. Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan said the Likud party was responsible for annexing Jerusalem and the Golan Heights in the 1980s, and it would do so with West Bank settlements as well. Our right to the land of Israel begins with Judea and Samaria, he said. Two states for two peoples is a concept that has disappeared from the world, Science Minister Ofir Akunis was quoted as saying by the Haaretz daily. And to my joy, U.S. President Trump is sitting in the White House and does not accept this mistaken concept. Trump has said he hopes to broker what he calls the ultimate deal between Israel and the Palestinians, and he has appointed a high-level team, headed by his son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner, to come up with a peace plan. But after nearly a year on the job, they still have not offered a proposal. In a departure from his predecessors, Trump last month said he was upending decades of U.S. policy and recognizing Jerusalem as Israels capital. While Trump said his decision was not meant to prejudge negotiations on the citys final borders, it infuriated the Palestinians, who accused him of siding with Israel. The Palestinians seek Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem, home to key holy sites, as their capital, and the international community has long said that the citys fate should be decided through negotiations. Trump also has softened his predecessors support for the establishment of a Palestinian state alongside Israel, saying instead that he would support a two-state solution only if both sides agree to it. Netanyahus coalition is dominated by opponents to Palestinian statehood, and since Trumps election, Netanyahu has stopped talking about a two-state solution. Most of the international community considers Israels West Bank settlements, built on land captured in the 1967 Mideast war and claimed by the Palestinians for their future state, illegal. Ilan Ben Zion is an Associated Press writer. 1 Afghanistan assault: A bombing targeted the funeral of a local official in eastern Afghanistan on Sunday, killing at least 17 people, officials said. A spokesman for the governor of Nangarhar province said a rickshaw rigged with explosives detonated among people gathered in the provincial capital, Jalalabad, to mourn a former district chief. At least 13 other people were wounded. No group immediately claimed the attack, and the Taliban denied any involvement. An Islamic State affiliate is active in the province and has targeted officials and security forces in the past. 2 Deadly wreck: A collision between a truck and a bus in western Kenya has killed at least 36 people, police said Sunday. Rift Valley Traffic Commandant Zero Arome said the accident involved a bus heading to Nairobi from Busia County and a truck heading from Nakuru County to Eldoret town. Arome said the buss brakes are suspected to have failed. 3 North Korea sanctions: South Korean authorities have seized a Panama-flagged oil tanker suspected of evading international sanctions by trading with North Korea, officials said Sunday. South Koreas Foreign Ministry said the tanker and its crew members were being held at Pyeongtaek-Dangjin port on the countrys west coast amid an inspection over supposed North Korea-related activity. The announcement comes days after South Korea said it was holding a Hong Kong-flagged ship and crew members over transferring petroleum products to a North Korean vessel in international waters in October. North Korea has come under heavy sanctions imposed by the U.N. Security Council over its efforts to expand its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile program. 4 Plane crash: A plane carrying 10 U.S. citizens and two local crewmembers crashed in Costa Rica on Sunday, killing all aboard, officials said. At a news conference, Enio Cubillo, director of Costa Rica Civil Aviation, said the Nature Air charter flight took off from Punta Islita and was headed for the capital of San Jose when it crashed in Guanacaste. A family in the suburbs of New York City said five of the dead Americans were relatives on vacation. They identified them as Bruce and Irene Steinberg and their sons, Matthew, William and Zachary, all of Scarsdale. The cause of the crash is under investigation. 5 Nigeria insurgency: The Adamawa State chapter of Nigerias Muslim Council says at least 5,247 Muslims have been killed in the past four years in the northern state because of Boko Haram. A report presented Sunday adds that more than 5,100 Muslims in the state have been injured since 2013. The report was presented to the Adamawa governor, calling for more support for victims and reconstruction of places of worship and schools. It also recommends increasing security. The Islamic extremists have killed more than 20,000 people in an eight-year insurgency. 6 Mexico crash: Five people visiting from the United States were among 10 people killed in a fiery car crash on a coastal highway in southern Mexico. Guerrero state security spokesman Roberto Alvarez Heredia said Sunday that the crash late Friday also left two U.S. residents hospitalized. A van carrying the family from Washington state collided with a motorcycle and another car. All of the vehicles caught fire. Two people riding the motorcycle died as well as the driver of the other car. Seven people inside the van were killed. The van was headed to Acapulco when the crash occurred in Tecpan de Galeana. Chronicle News Services SEOUL Beyond a New Years declaration by North Koreas leader, Kim Jong Un, that he would move to the mass-production of nuclear weapons and intercontinental missiles in 2018 lies a canny new strategy to initiate direct talks with South Korea in the hope of driving a wedge into its seven-decade alliance with the United States. Kim, perhaps sensing the tension between President Trump and President Moon Jae-in of South Korea, called for an urgent dialogue between the two Koreas before the opening of the Winter Olympics in the South next month. A day later, the South offered to hold such talks next Tuesday. The strained relationship between the allies has been playing out for months, as Moon, a liberal, argued for economic and diplomatic openings with the North, even as Trump has worked hard to squeeze the North with increasingly punishing sanctions. Moon also angered Trump and his aides in recent months by suggesting he holds what he called a veto over any U.S. preemptive military action against the Norths nuclear program. Until now, Kim has largely ignored Moon, whom the North Korean media have portrayed as a spineless lackey of the United States. But the dramatic shift in tone and policy, toward bilateral talks between the two Koreas, suggests that Kim sees an opportunity to develop and accentuate the split between Moon and Trump, betting that the United States will be unable to mount greater pressure on the North if it does not have South Korean acquiescence. The gambit may work. Hours after Kims speech, Moons office welcomed the Norths proposal, in a way that could further aggravate tensions with the United States. We have already expressed our willingness to engage in a dialogue with North Korea at any time, in any place and in any format, as long as both sides can discuss restoring their relations and peace on the Korean Peninsula, said a presidential spokesman, Park Soo-hyun. Later Tuesday, South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon said the South had proposed that the two Koreas meet next Tuesday at the border village of Panmunjom to discuss Olympic cooperation and how to improve ties. The initial statement emphasized the roles of the two Koreas in resolving the nuclear crisis. Trump, in contrast, has pursued a tougher approach, saying there can be no talks without signs that the North is giving up its nuclear and missile testing, and without an understanding that the ultimate goal of any negotiations is a complete, verifiable dismantlement of the Norths nuclear capability. The timing of this overture, combined with his newly declared capability to strike the United States, is shifting the calculus, said Robert Litwak, author of Preventing North Koreas Nuclear Breakout and a scholar at the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars. Kim sees a rare chance here to take the side of the South Koreans, against President Trump. Kim may be partly motivated by an intense need to roll back sanctions that, by all accounts, have begun to bite. As part of the overture, Kim also agreed to a request by Moon to send a North Korean delegation to the Winter Olympics. The South Korean president is betting that the North is far less likely to disrupt the Olympics, with missile launchings or an act of terrorism, if North Korean athletes are competing. The diplomatic tug-of-war comes amid a backdrop of increasing fears over North Koreas nuclear arsenal. Over the past year, the North made such fast technological advances that it says it can now strike the East Coast of the United States with a missile. The North has yet to demonstrate a key component of its nuclear threat the ability to build a warhead that can withstand the heat and stresses of re-entering the atmosphere but there is little dispute that it is getting much closer to such a capability. The threat is considered strong enough by the administration that Trump has hinted at the possibility of a preemptive strike as a last resort. That type of thinking as well as fiery rhetoric from both Trump and Kim has shaken South Korea, which would be expected to be on the front line of a war. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Choe Sang-Hun and David E. Sanger are New York Times writers. Television actress and former Bigg Boss contestant Kishwer Merchantt welcomed 2018 in style. Kishwer, who is in Sri Lanka, is soaking up the sun and sand and water to the fullest. She posted a picture of in a white bikini and wrote, "Tota in Bentota". She is having a gala time with her husband Suyyash Rai. Suyyash and Kishwer met for the first time on the sets of Pyaar Ki Ek Kahaani. They got married in January last year. Tota in Bentota ?? pic.twitter.com/lmDQ4vNybb - Kishwer M Rai (@KishwerM) December 31, 2017 Happy 2018 everyone .. be rich in happiness and love always ?? - Kishwer M Rai (@KishwerM) December 31, 2017 Taking one step at a time ?? pic.twitter.com/mImWzm0t1j - Kishwer M Rai (@KishwerM) December 30, 2017 Victoria Priola | vpriola@siadvance.com The Stories of Staten STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.-- Looking back on our 2017 archives, all I could think was "Dang, we covered a ton of TV and movie premieres." What can we say? Staten Island is pretty cool and most local-grown creative minds want to find a way show it off. Can't blame 'em. So, I think it's time we celebrate them. Whether it be a short film, a web series or a full-length feature, there are scores of new -- and veteran! -- storytellers to look out for this upcoming year. From the looks of it, 2018 will be the year you can sit back and enjoy the show. FYI: Yes, we know there is a world outside of Staten Island. Which is why we're also highlighting those who crossed the bridge, took a plane and explored outside their hometown. Keep scrolling to see who and what local storytellers have in store for Staten Islanders this year. Don't Edit Victoria Priola | vpriola@siadvance.com Don Arangio Don Arangio grew up in New Dorp but now spends his days in sunny Los Angeles. Even though he's a California guy now, he still has a soft spot for Staten Island. Arangio says he stays in a cozy St. George apartment while traveling back and forth for work. Recently, Arangio landed the role of executive producer and director of photography on a feature-length documentary called "Zulu Radio," that will partially take place in Nongoma, South Africa. In the meantime, he's preparing to shoot and direct a short film called "Self-Help." Both projects are estimated to be available in 2018. (Photo by Dave Giordano) Don't Edit Throwback to '10 AM' Well, thats one way to take your coffee. This four-minute flick -- dubbed "10 AM" -- was a collab project made by Don Arangio and Derek Johnston, who plays the frazzled commuter. Arangio says this was meant to be a funny and spontaneous snapshot of what its like to commute from St. George. "This was just made for Staten Island, not for Brooklyn, not for Queens or Manhattan or California," Arangio told SILive in March 2015. "The (St. George) neighborhood has been my inspiration and has touched me in my daily life." Don't Edit Now, Arangio is back in action... ...with a ton of celebrity-filled clips to boot. Hey, he has come a long way since graduating St. Joseph by The Sea and The College of Staten Island. Check out DonArangio.com for updates on future projects and more. Don't Edit SUPOT - Official Trailer from Phil Giordano on Vimeo. Phil Giordano After being placed on the wait list for New York University, former Oakwood resident Phil Giordano decided to pack his bags and attend NYU'S Tisch School of the Arts Asia in Singapore. Quite a big move for a native New Yorker, no? In Giordano's case, relocation paid off. "I knew I didn't want to do one of those 'white guys to go Asia' movies," Giordano told SILive. "I wanted to make a film from the perspective of a child in the culture." That's when Giordano found the inspiration for his haunting thesis film "SUPOT." Translated, Supot means someone who is uncircumcised. His 12-and-a-half-minute film is about the fear and anxiety a young boy faces when it's his time to become a man. Now, this short film has a long list of awards and film festival nominations including Grand Jury Prize Winner of the 2016 New York Screenplay Contest, Winner of the 2017 Hollywood Foreign Press Award and semi-finalist in the 2016 SHOWTIME Tony Cox Screenwriting Competition. Visit PhilipGiordano.com for all updates. Don't Edit Don't Edit Staten Island at Sundance 2018 Yep, Staten Island has its hands in the indie film market this year. "The Kindergarten Teacher" -- directed by screenwriter Sara Colangelo -- was selected to participate in the US Dramatic Competition at Sundance 2018. The movie details the bond between a Staten Island teacher and her particularly gifted student. Here's the official description: "Lisa Spinelli is a Staten Island teacher who is unusually devoted to her students. When she discovers one of her five-year-olds is a prodigy, she becomes fascinated with the boy, ultimately risking her family and freedom to nurture his talent." The cast includes Maggie Gyllenhaal, Parker Sevak, Rosa Salazar, Anna Barynishikov, Michael Chernus, Gael Garcia Bernal; along with Producers Celine Rattray, Trudie Styler, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Osnat Handelsman-Keren and Talia Kleinhendler. "The Kindergarten Teacher" is based on an acclaimed Israeli film by Nadav Lapid, whose trailer you can watch above. Director and screenwriter Reinaldo Marcus Green -- who is an S.I native off-screen -- is competing in the same category this year, with his film "Monsters and Men." Here's the description: "This interwoven narrative explores the aftermath of a police killing of a black man. The film is told through the eyes of the bystander who filmed the act, an African-American police officer and a high-school baseball phenom inspired to take a stand." The cast includes John David Washington, Anthony Ramos, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Chante Adams, Nicole Beharie, Rob Morgan; along with Producers Elizabeth Lodge Stepp, Josh Penn, Eddie Vaisman, Julia Lebedev, Luca Borghese. Don't Edit Don't Edit Victoria Priola | vpriola@siadvance.com Fuzz On The Lens Productions Fuzz On The Lens Productions was once the pipe-dream of Steven Della Salla, Michael and Jason Leavy. Now, they are founders of a collective -- who have recruited Fuzz members Johnny Collins, Kyle Mullins, Robert Privitera, Andrew Johansen, and Sean Imbraguglio. The company has been involved in projects with a long-list of Staten Island talent including comedian Vic Dibitetto and musician Brielle Von Hugel. Founded in 2010, the group of Staten Island based creative minds led with a mission to "entertain as many people as possible." And that they've done. It's been a long time since they've pulled their Staten Island clown schemes around the borough, that was actually a campaign to raise money for their feature "Abnormal Attraction" starring Malcolm McDowell, Gilbert Gottfried, academy award nominee Bruce Davision, Melanie Iglesias, Leslie Easterbrook, and Jim Hanks, brother of legendary actor Tom Hanks. The film is set to debut to the public in 2018. Keep updated on all things Fuzz by visiting FuzzOnTheLens.com. Don't Edit Behind the 'Abnormal' scenes Don't Edit Victoria Priola | vpriola@siadvance.com Matt Provenzano Matt Provenzano of South Beach has been busy this year, as well. From premiering his feature film "Martini Shot!" at the Atrium to being the Director of Photography for Michael Robert Anderson's short film "Major Key," Provenzano has kept himself busy behind the camera. This College of Staten Island graduate has been involved in many projects with local organizations like Richmond City Media and Fuzz on the Lens. He, along with Michael Robert Anderson, spearheaded the local media group, Purple Cloud. To him, maintaining the Staten Island arts community is team effort. "A lot of what we try to do by telling stories is put Staten Island on the map -- to bring attention to the 'forgotten borough,' our home," said Provenzano. "I feel, in recent years, that effort has only gotten bigger and better." "Staten Island filmmakers are stronger," said Provenzano. "We're not going anywhere until Staten Island gets the recognition it deserves." Visit MatthewProvenzano.com for updates on future projects. Don't Edit Don't Edit Want to see Matt in action? Check out "Martini Shot!" on YouTube. Here's a synopsis: Ryan Wise is a young amateur filmmaker who's big dream was to make it as a director. With the help of his brother Rob, along with a cast of less-than talented people, Ryan sets out to make his new movie. This becomes a challenge when every odd is stacked up against him. Everything that can go wrong, does. Will Ryan come out on top? Don't Edit Victoria Priola | vpriola@siadvance.com Michael Robert Anderson Midland Beach filmmaker and actor Michael Robert Anderson's short film "Major Key" gained tons of traction on Staten Island towards the end of 2017. The film premiered at Atrium Stadium Cinemas in Eltingville, attracting nearly 200 audience members. "Major Key" is set during the height of WWII in a German village. A group of soldiers in hiding are taken in by a German family, where a story of forbidden love is stitched together by a shared love for jazz music. The daughter in the German family -- played by actress Sabrina Matarazzo of New Jersey -- is a jazz musician who sparks the interest of a singing soldier. Even with a slight language barrier, their love for a good tune brings them together. The title "Major Key" is meant to be a play on military and music terms. Don't Edit Alas, there is no hope in seeing 'Major Key' online anytime soon. But here is a trailer to keep you on your toes until late 2018, when Anderson says the film "might" surface on the web. "Major Key" features the talent of Michael Robert Anderson, Sabrina Matarazzo, Jim Walsh, Michael Maugeri, Brett Lawlor, Zachary Urcinoli, Charles Sullivan, Zenon Zeleniuch and Frank West. Visit PurpleCloudNY.com for all updates. Don't Edit Pipsqueak and Stretch Michael Robert Anderson of Midland Beach and Matt Provenzano of South Beach are here to "solve your problems" and make you laugh. Don't Edit Richmond City Media Richmond City Media, a Staten Island based creative collective, has a few projects lined up for 2018. First up, "The Letter J," a film by Flavia DiBartolo and directed by Melissa Pellicano. This film revolves around the trial and error of dating for Scarlett, a Staten Island girl who can't seem to find the right guy. Don't Edit Don't Edit Also in the works for 2018... This creepy clip is a teaser to an upcoming short film directed by Melissa Pellicano and Director of Photography Steven Gatti. Here's the rundown: "The Nothing" essentially encompasses a fear of the dark, playing on your imagination and preys on the mindfulness of being alone, even in the safest of places. In this case, it's the house you grew up in. More information on this project -- and all others Richmond City Media has their hand in -- is available at RichmondCityMedia.com. Don't Edit Victoria Priola | vpriola@siadvance.com Joseph Ralko Joseph Ralko of Tottenville is the writer and director of a two-season web series that plays up Staten Island's "mob mentality" -- dubbed "Lorraine Russo's Family Diaries." The series documents Lorraine, played by Lydia Fiore, and her experience trying to get on a reality television show to support her two children, Danny and Victoria, played by Matthew Ciaccio and Stephanie Garcia, while her husband Michael is in prison. The Tottenville High School alumni says the show is filmed partially in Staten Island and Manalapan, New Jersey. Tottenville High School and the Franklin D. Roosevelt Boardwalk are some of the local spots featured on the show. "The message behind the show is that; Yes, the Staten Island stereotypes are there but [Lorraine's] family are human, too," said Ralko, who graduated the School of Visual Arts in 2016 and currently lives in Manhattan. "They're no different than anyone else. Anyone from Staten Island, or anywhere else, can relate to them." The series has over 300 subscribers and racked up 1,600 views on the first episode. Staten Island spots like the Franklin D. Roosevelt Boardwalk and Tottenville High School are featured throughout the show. Don't Edit The show is on its second season. Yep, this series is going international. "Lorraine Russo's Family Diaries" won Best Comedy Web Series in the Oniros Film Festival in Italy. For more information and updates on the web series, like the "Lorraine Russo's Family Diaries" Facebook page and YouTube channel. Don't Edit SIXTOOMANY Productions presents 'The Damaged' This eery intro is the first look of "The Damaged," a feature film directed and written by Staten Island natives Rob Cuollo and Vincent Cotroneo; Joseph Ralko is the producer. Here's the description: After six months, ex-gang member Hunter Miles is released from prison and his main goal is to reconnect with his dysfunctional family. But his world begins to crumble when the gang he was involved with comes back into his life with a vengeful agenda. The cast includes Cody Alvord, Michael Gentile, Tim Whalen along with Staten Island actors Jim Walsh and Priscilla Anselmo. The film is currently in post-production and set to debut in Spring 2018. For more information, follow "The Damaged" on Facebook and Instagram. Don't Edit Victoria Priola | vpriola@siadvance.com Super Secret Show: Manny Rondon, Joon Chung and Mike Bryk. Super Secret Show, a collaboration project from Mike Bryk of Dongan Hills, Joon Chung of New Springville and Manny Rondon of Mariners Harbor, hosted bi-weekly comedy and storytelling shows at Staten Island Arts in Stapleton the first and third week of every month. But before they snagged their SI Arts residency, Super Secret Show started as a way for friends to get together and share some laughs. "Katie Ballou graciously offered up her living room, and that was the first rendition of Super Secret Show which was about having good comedy in an intimate venue," Super Secret Show starters said. "Since seating was limited it had to be invite only, so that gave it some unintentional mystique." Since then, the "Secret" has gotten out and hundreds of Staten Islanders want in. "So far, every show we've had at Urby's has been filled with friends and people we don't even know. Knock on wood that people keep coming out," Chung said. "We're hoping to get the word out to any comedy geeks and lovers all over Staten Island about the show. It really has a little something for everyone." If you loved them in 2017, get ready for 2018. Super Secret Show's live shows are set to return as of January 2018. Dates, times and more information will be available on Super Secret Show's Instagram and Facebook. Don't Edit Don't Edit Michael Maugeri Michael Maugeri, a Moore Catholic School graduate, is set to release his film "Beyond Kepler" this year. Here's the description: When Will Montgomery suffers the loss of his father, A NASA Scientist and Pilot, he makes it his mission to prove his father's theory of navigating black holes in order to reach other habitable planets. Not only did he direct this flick, but he is one of the main stars as well. Maugeri plays the role of Will Montgomery. The "Kepler" cast also includes Danielle Williams, Jack Mulcahy, Ron Rogell, Michael Robert Anderson, Sabrina Matarazzo, Lauren McCann, Alex Sapozhnik, Naveen Uta, Matty Oaks, Bryan Williams and Jim Walsh. The film is set to hit the festival circuit in 2018. More information is available at MichaelMaugeri.com. Don't Edit Joshua Zeman Great Kills native Joshua Zeman tells tragic tales in a series documenting a cold-case serial killer in Gilgo Beach, Long Island, called Killing Season. Here's an IMBD summary:"The Killing Season" from Executive Producer Alex Gibney follows documentarians, Joshua Zeman (Cropsey) and Rachel Mills as they investigate one of the most bizarre unsolved serial killer cases of our time -- ten dead sex workers discovered on Gilgo Beach, Long Island. Authorities believe these killings are the work of the Long Island Serial Killer, who after five years remains at large. Forging relationships with cyber-sleuths, journalists and victim's families, Zeman and Mills uncover connections that suggest Long Island is just the beginning. The series is available on Amazon Video now. Don't Edit 'Cropsey' Here's the description: Growing up on Staten Island, filmmakers Joshua Zeman and Barbara Brancaccio had often heard the legend of Cropsey. For the kids in their neighborhood, Cropsey was the escaped mental patient who lived in the old, abandoned Willowbrook Mental Institution and would come out at night to snatch children off the streets. Later, as teenagers, the filmmakers assumed Cropsey was just an urban legend: a cautionary tale used to keep them out of those abandoned buildings. That all changed in the summer of 1987 when 12-year-old Jennifer Schweiger disappeared from their community. Now as adults Joshua and Barbara have returned to Staten Island to create "Cropsey," a feature documentary that delves into the mystery behind Jennifer and four additional missing children. The film also investigates Andre Rand, the real-life boogeyman linked to their disappearances. Don't Edit Victoria Priola | vpriola@siadvance.com Four 'Impractical' storytellers... In June 2018, The Staten Island Museum will dedicate an entire exhibit to four local storytellers whose friendly -- and sometimes intense -- pranks landed them on this list, The Impractical Jokers. Comedians and lifelong friends Sal Vulcano, Brian "Q" Quinn, Joe Gatto, and James "Murr" Murray from Staten Island compete to embarrass each other amongst the general public with a series of hilarious and outrageous dares and punishments. This satire squad returns to their hometown with this original exhibition that will explore the "Jokers'" journey from the halls of Monsignor Farrell High School, to regional college tours, a hit television show and sold out performances at Madison Square Garden. Staten Island Museum President & CEO Janice Monger shared her thoughts on the upcoming exhibit: "The Staten Island Museum is excited to showcase the Impractical Jokers and how, through commitment and comedy, they built longstanding friendships into a Staten Island success story. The exhibition will explore their roots and highlight the creativity of the Jokers' humor, and be a really fun and surprising experience in the Museum." Details on the exhibit are under wraps but if it's anything like their TruTV show, it'll be worth seeing. Don't Edit Victoria Priola | vpriola@siadvance.com Thomas Della Bella Thomas Della Bella, a Prince's Bay native turned L.A filmmaker, is the mind behind the successful horror flick "The Remains" that dropped in 2016. He graduated St. Joseph by the Sea and went to St. John's in Queens to study criminal justice. After taking an elective film course, he quickly found his passion for being behind the camera. Don't Edit Don't Edit A chart-topping thriller Check out ThomasDellaBella.com to find out how you can see "The Remains." Don't Edit Victoria Priola | vpriola@siadvance.com Did someone say virtual reality? Yep, nothing says "Welcome to 2018" like virtual reality. Last summer, Staten Island got a taste of high-tech entertainment at The Future of Storytelling (FoST) Festival at Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden in Livingston. The three-day festival showed off everything from "Mosaic, "an app that shows a film from multiple perspectives to Yoko Ono and John Lennon's bed-in protest from the perspective of, you guessed it, Yoko Ono and John Lennon. Mumbai, Jan 1 (PTI) The number of cases of drunk driving on New Years eve in neighbouring Thane surpassed the number of such cases even in Mumbai this time, officials said. Thane police caught 1,366 persons for drunk driving on December 31, highest across the state, said a senior police officer. Pune stood second. As many as 1,l44 persons were caught while driving in inebriated condition, said Ashok Morale, DCP (Traffic). Thane police started a rigorous checking of drivers from December 29, and in the last three days they caught 1,900 drunk drivers and collected a fine of Rs 28 lakh, said Amit Kale, Deputy Commissioner (Traffic) of Thane police. In Mumbai, 615 persons were caught for drunk driving on December 31, said Amitesh Kumar, Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic). Besides, cases for violation of other traffic rules were lodged against 11,600 persons. In neighbouring Navi Mumbai, police caught 424 persons for drunk driving yesterday, an official statement said. In Nagpur, 781 persons were booked for drunk driving, the city police said. PTI DC KRK STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Though it may seem contradictory, some Tottenville residents are protesting a state-run project that aims to protect their homes from future hurricanes and storms. A significant number of those who live along the beach area are concerned about the proposals outlined in the Tottenville Shoreline Protection Project, a Hurricane Sandy resiliency project managed by the Governor's Office of Storm Recovery (GOSR) designed to protect Staten Island's South Shore. The $9.3 million state project will stretch from approximately Carteret Street to Page Avenue, and consists of various onshore coastal protection features, including an earthen berm, stone core sand-capped dunes, an eco-revetment, and a raised pathway. Though they welcome protection along the coast, some residents disagree with the state regarding the methods being put in place to protect their homes -- especially the raised pathway. A GATEWAY FOR STRANGERS? They worry that the pathway -- which would be built on city Parks Department property and run from Brighton Street to Page Avenue, approximately -- will bring strangers into their backyards and potential crime into the area. Some have formed what they call the "Tottenville Residence Group," which is made up of homeowners along the shoreline from Sprague Avenue to Page Avenue. The group has created a petition that has garnered more than 100 signatures and was sent to the GOSR, according to member Goodwin (Goody) Halvorsen. "[There will be] no protection at night; no buffer zone," said Halvorsen, who has a 10 year-old-daughter. "They're going to put strangers in our backyards all day and all night." While some homes along the beach may be 250 feet back from the line dividing the homeowners' property with the Parks Department property, the back doors of other homes are just 40 or 50 feet from where the pathway is proposed, according to a homeowner and member of the Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC), an advisory council created for the project. DESIGNED TO PROTECT However, Jim Pistilli, co-chair of CAC and president of the Tottenville Civic Association, said the pathway is raised to protect homeowners from storm surge -- and thus is necessary. Halvorsen said that groups of teenagers often party, drink and have bonfires on the beach until 4 or 5 in the morning. He worries that creating the path on the embankment will bring them up off the beach and into the yards of the nearby homes. "I have nothing against people using the beach during the daytime, going fishing, swimming. I would love to see all that come back, trust me. If somebody needed a fishing pole, I would offer them a fishing pole. I don't have a problem with that," Halvorsen said. "[But] especially after hours, when the park's closed, it's a free for all." NYPD, BORELLI WEIGH IN At an April CAC meeting for the project, NYPD officers from the 123rd Precinct were present to address residents' concerns. "The GOSR and the NYC Dept. of Parks have worked with the NYPD to understand any public safety issues in this area. The NYPD has assured us that this area has historically had a very low crime rate and that the NYPD will continue to patrol this area at a level that will ensure a continuation of that record," a spokesperson for the GOSR said. "There is no expectation that this project would change the character of the area in a way that would threaten public safety." Councilman Joseph Borelli (R-South Shore) said he believes that creating a pathway would make it easier for the NYPD to access the area and better patrol it. He added that the homeowners along the beach don't have private beach access, and the land where the path will be is public property. "It has been a public park for 50 years," he explained. The land was purchased by the city in the 1970s, and later became part of Conference House Park. "The pathway will run alongside or on top of all the features of the shoreline treatments and allow users of the park uninterrupted access throughout its length to enjoy the beauty of this public facility," the GOSR spokesperson said. WHAT IS THE PURPOSE? However, Ayman Farid, a homeowner on the shore of Tottenville and a member of the CAC, questions the purpose of the pathway. Originally, it would have connected a "water hub" building, which would serve as an educational area, to the Conference House. Yet, after hearing concerns from residents, the GOSR agreed to move the "water hub" to another location. But a spokesperson for the GOSR explained that the path will "provide continuous public shoreline access along Conference House Park, and allow the park visitors to fully appreciate the restored beach and visually connect to the breakwater and their environmental benefits." PROPER UPKEEP Yet, there are concerns that the Parks Department will not upkeep the pathway -- as some residents complain that the beach is not maintained properly. "I will tell you out right my major concern with the project, will Parks have the resources to maintain it?" Pistilli asked. However, a spokeswoman for the city Parks Department said that the new pathway would actually make it easier to access areas of the beach that are currently hard to get to -- and thus hard to maintain. "The proposed path along the shoreline protection area will allow for increased access for maintenance and safety patrols," the spokeswoman explained. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - It was all glamor and good cheer as revelers welcomed 2018 at the New Year's Eve Gala, held in Nicotra's Ballroom at Hilton Garden Inn, Bloomfield. The temperature outside was below freezing with wind chills creating a real-feel near zero. However, inside the mood was hot and celebratory. Nearly 500 people gathered at the Hilton to toast the end of 2017, and to ring in the New Year. "This is my year," said an elated Christine Gary, a native Staten Islander, who is presently living in Walden, NY. "I can retire (New York State Corrections) and move onto an easy life," Ms. Gary said. "No more bosses, no more time frames to keep, and more holiday traveling. The party is jumping and the people seem nice so I'm going to party tonight." Staten Island revelers welcome 2018 in Nicotra's Ballroom 78 Gallery: Staten Island revelers welcome 2018 in Nicotra's Ballroom Check out the photos of the celebration above, and share in the spirit of the New Year by posting your resolutions in the comments. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Every year on the third Saturday of December, teams of Staten Island birders get together to take count of all the birds present on the Island. Each team is assigned to a particular area where they spend most of the day observing the species present and counting their numbers. Many teams begin shortly after midnight to find owls and other night birds. Team size consists of two to five people. This year, on Saturday, Dec. 16, 48 participants in 13 teams scoured the borough's woodlands, fields, shorelines and skies for bird life. In addition, three more participants reported observations from bird feeders at various places around the Island. This year's count yielded a total of 25,765 individual birds representing 110 different species. Canada geese came in with the highest count for the day with a total of 7,125 individuals observed. This wasn't just the high count for a species this year, it was also the highest count ever for Canada geese. Other shore birds that were observed in high numbers this year included Herring gulls, ring-billed gulls and Brant geese. Inland, the invasive rock pigeons, European starlings and house sparrows were the most common species once again. Some species were observed in their highest numbers yet compared to past years. Species with new high counts included both black vultures and turkey vultures, snow geese, mute swans, gadwalls, merlins, peregrine falcons, and boat-tailed grackles. With the exception of the mute swans, these are all native birds that are good to see in higher numbers. Six bald eagles were also observed during the count. While this is not a new high -- a dozen were seen last year -- it is good to note that our national bird has been consistently observed here during the Christmas bird count for the past three years. The yellow-throated warbler as well as the black-and-white warbler were new additions to the local list this year. The common raven is another recent addition that was first observed during the Christmas bird count in 2015. Although it was not seen on the day of the count, a snowy owl had been observed on the Island earlier in the week. It remains to be seen how long it will stay around. Nationwide event This isn't just a local event. Between mid-December and early January, birders across the nation are holding similar bird counts. Locally, the official count is coordinated by Cliff Hagen, president of Protectors on Pine Oak Woods. This year, the pre-count meeting and the roundup afterward were held at the College of Staten Island. Over a century old The first nationwide Christmas Bird Count was held in 1900 during the early years of the National Audubon Society. Frank M. Chapman, an officer at Audubon, proposed holding an annual "bird census" for the purpose of tracking the changes in population size and distribution of American birds. Chapman's proposition was a conservationist's answer of the traditional "side hunts" competitions held by hunters of the time in which they sought to shoot as many birds as possible. In the early 1900s there were a number of species threatened with extinction due to over-hunting. Only 27 people participated in the first bird count that covered 25 locations between Toronto, Canada, and Pacific Grove, Calif. Today, there are thousands of participants in just about every area of North America. Data has been useful The data collected nationwide during the Christmas bird count is organized by the National Audubon Society and made available to conservation biologists, researchers and wildlife organizations. Used in conjunction with data from other surveys done during other seasons, researchers are able to follow the changes in the size and range of the bird populations across the continent. Audubon's 2014 Climate Change Report, which studied the ways that climate change could affect the populations of 588 species of birds in North America, is one example of the ways in which data from these bird counts is used. The report predicts that more than half the species studied will be threatened, with 314 species facing at least a 50 percent reduction in the size of their range. A review of data in the 2007 Audubon's Common Birds in Decline Report has already shown that the populations of many of the commonly recognized species have been significantly reduced over the last four decades. By clicking Agree, you consent to Slates Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and the use of technologies such as cookies by Slate and our partners to deliver relevant advertising on our iOS app to personalize content and perform site analytics. Please see our Privacy Policy for more information about our use of data, your rights, and how to withdraw consent. Agree Best Canadian Blog 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 About Kate Why this blog? Until this moment I have been forced to listen while media and politicians alike have told me "what Canadians think". In all that time they never once asked. This is just the voice of an ordinary Canadian yelling back at the radio - "You don't speak for me." 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(.mwv Video) Abuse Ruins Life Of Girl Trudeaupiate Kleptocrat Jeans Child Labour I Concede Small Dead Feminist Protein Hoser: THK Interview The Werewolf Extinction Dear Laura (VRWC) We Wait Blogging The Oscars Jackson Converts To Islam Just Shut The HELL Up Manipulating Condi Gay Equality Rights If the Keating government had listened to the Finance Department more than 20 years ago, Canberra would have no National Museum today. The Labor government ignored a recommendation made in cabinet papers from 1994-95 to abolish the national institution, now a popular tourism drawcard for the capital and the home of recent blockbuster exhibitions. The Finance Department called for the Keating government to abolish the National Museum of Australia. Credit:Katherine Griffiths While the museum welcomed more than 630,000 people to its permanent galleries last year, cabinet documents released on Monday by the National Archives of Australia show that questions about its purpose prompted internal calls for either its closure or a radical overhaul during the Keating years. Revelations that bikie-related violence in Canberra extends well beyond the high-profile shootings, home invasions and assaults that have erupted in its suburbs show the true scale of the capital's struggle with a growing scourge. Episodes that have left one person knee-capped and the front doors of homes pocked with bullet holes in 2017 were enough cause for alarm, but documents seen by Fairfax Media show the city's bikie crime drew police into 30 investigations between November 2016 and May last year. They show ACT Policing's response to the problem at a time the territory lacked some of the legislation designed to make business hard for outlaw motorcycle clubs in other states, and at the beginning of a political row over the best way to handle their growing presence in Canberra. Open gang warfare and public violence has escalated later in the capital than interstate, although the number of bikies in Canberra has remained steady and much of the violence related to a turf war that flared up with an internal schism inside one of the city's main clubs. Hyderabad, Jan 1 (PTI) All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi today dismissed Prime Minister Narendra Modis claim that it was his government, which had made it possible for the Muslim women to perform Haj without being accompanied by a male guardian. "This regulation (enabling Muslim women above 45 years of age to perform the pilgrimage without a male guardian) was passed by the Saudi Haj authorities many years ago," the Hyderabad MP told reporters here. "Women over 45 can go for Haj in groups. Women from Malaysia, Indonesia and the Arab countries have been going for Haj. The prime minister wants to take credit on every issue," Owaisi said. In his "Mann ki Baat" radio address, Modi had yesterday said his government had removed the restriction that a woman Haj pilgrim must be accompanied by a male guardian ("mahram"), following which hundreds of women had applied for travelling alone for the pilgrimage. According to the Ministry of Minority Affairs, Muslim women above 45 years of age will now be allowed to go on the pilgrimage, without a "mahram", in a group of at least four. "It is gods grace that Taj Mahal and Charminar were already built, otherwise he (Modi) would have claimed that he had constructed them," Owaisi said. If the prime minister was so concerned about Muslim women, he should ensure justice for Zakia Jafri, the widow of former Congress MP Ehsan Jafri, who had lost his life in the 2002 Gujarat riots, he added. "The main problem concerning the Muslim women is education and livelihood. You (Modi) can give a seven-per cent reservation to the Muslim women in education. You have a two- thirds majority. You can bulldoze (the opposition) and bring a legislation to give a seven-per cent reservation to the Muslim women," Owaisi said. The AIMIM leader also pointed out that Modi and the BJP had not fielded a single Muslim candidate in the recently-held Gujarat Assembly polls. On the issue of instant triple talaq, Owaisi said his request to the prime minister was to enact a law, giving "24 lakh women of the country", who were thrown out of their matrimonial homes, the right to live with their husbands. PTI GDK KRK RC The Australian wine and beer industries were both developed with the aim of limiting alcohol abuse. You may see the flaw in this logic, but, at the time, no one else did. Here's the theory: in early Sydney, the real villain was rum (a hold-all term for any hard liquor) and if you could just replace the spirits with something lighter, all would be calm and peaceful. The beer in history: cricket fans at the Sydney Cricket Ground during a tour match between England and an Australian XI on November 24, 1936. Credit:The beer in our history: cricket fans at the SCG during a 1936 test between England and Australia As a result, the first Australian brewery opened in Parramatta on September 16, 1804 all funds provided by the colonial administration. The aim was to flood the colony with so much beer that people would become sober. When this didn't work out, extensive vineyards were planted with the same lofty ambition. Some 214 years later, the expected result is yet to occur, yet you never know. Over the weekend, the Falls Music and Arts Festival, held in Marion Bay, Tasmania, received two complaints of sexual assault. The first, which allegedly occurred during a band's performance on Friday was reported to police. The second allegedly occurred at a "camping area". Both incidents are currently being investigated, with police setting up more security cameras in mosh pits. These complaints come on the heels of an open letter to the Australian Music Industry, signed by over 400 people last month, in an attempt to raise awareness about sexual harassment and assault in the industry. The #meNOmore campaign has been signed by notable artists, such as Missy Higgins, and was inspired by the #metoo campaign which went viral.. Music festivals are, overwhelmingly, not female-friendly places. Credit:Alexey Klementiev(kuzmafoto.com) Even though this campaign is for women working in the industry, music festivals are notorious for sexual assault, and until measures are taken to make these spaces safer for women, I will not be attending them. Each year, stories are shared by women who have experienced sexual harassment or assault at Australian music festivals. Earlier this year, a popular music festival in Sweden was cancelled for 2018 due to the reporting of 27 sexual assaults. That decision was based only on the assaults that were reported, not even encompassing the unreported assaults, or the casual objectification and harassment of women as they dance in mosh pits. Last year at Australian music festival Falls, there were 5 reports of sexual assault to police, and at Victoria's Rainbow Serpent Festival, there were two reports of sexual assault. Again, these are only those that went reported. Intrepid Chinese tourists are eschewing the traditional package tour and hitting the bitumen, according to figures showing a sharp rise in those opting for a caravan or camping trip around Australia. Data by Tourism Research Australia shows a 112 per cent growth in Chinese caravan or camping visitor nights in the year to September 2017, as more opt to organise their own travel. Chinese tourists are taking caravan and camping trips in growing numbers. Credit:Simon O'Dwyer While the total number of Chinese caravanners and campers remains small compared to traditional European markets, industry observers say more Chinese are seeking cheaper self-drive holidays as the Chinese economy slows and people feel less wealthy. Visitor arrivals from China grew by 12 per cent in the period, to 1.2 million people. But total Chinese tourist spending fell 4 per cent to $3.1 billion, which was attributed to a 10 per cent decline in group tour visitors. Cabinet established an inquiry into the Australian Secret Intelligence Service in February 1994 amid mounting concerns that as the then Minister for Foreign Affairs, Gareth Evans later conceded its "internal culture places a high premium on secrecy and loyalty", valuing neither accountability nor accuracy as much as it might. "Community perceptions about reduced security risks" also needed to be addressed. The then Minister for Foreign Affairs Gareth Evans. Credit:Vince Caligiuri The report of the inquiry, released in May 1995, followed through with the proposition first put to cabinet that legislative charter rather than executive direction was a better model for a reformed organisation. The government decided to be more open about ASIS. The Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs, Nick Bolkus, gained cabinet support for stopping repeat applications for refugee status to stop the removal of non-citizens and circumvent immigration requirements. He told cabinet in December 1994 that the previous year, 1631 people had application for refugee status granted while 11,121 were rejected and the ill-founded applications were clogging up the system, preventing genuine refugees being dealt with expeditiously. Minister Nick Bolkus wanted to stop repeat applications for refugee status. Credit:Scanned from original Good Weekend story Mr Bolkus, in a censored report, said 34 per cent of boat arrivals lodged repeat applications. Cabinet agreed to amend the Migration Act 1959 to place a complete bar on repeat applications for protection visas. Mr Bolkus noted such legislation would be criticised by refugee interest groups for putting Australia in breach of international obligations with regard to refoulement. But good international citizenship had many dimensions: the government increased its humanitarian aid to United Nations operations in Rwanda in July 1994 by an additional $6.5 million. Ministers were advised that the medical assistance provided with those funds would focus on supporting other UN contingents rather than serving refugee centres: there might be questions on this focus, given that "the atrocities of recent weeks" had only made the plight of refugees more urgent. In agreeing to provide peacekeeping support to monitor a ceasefire in Bougainville, ministers also agreed that public presentations should make clear that Australia assumed no responsibility for the outcome of negotiations which were judged to have a limited likelihood of success given local turmoil and continuing political instability in Papua New Guinea. Conversely, while the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces were judged to suffer from a range of weaknesses from poor training to endemic corruption Australia should at least provide defence assistance to a government emerging from "decades of horrendous violence". South Australia's Woomera Rocket Range had been lying idle for some 20 years until the Keating government decided to join the space race, hitching its star to German know-how and finance. In July 1994, cabinet gave the go-ahead to an agreement between Australia and West Germany for the recovery of a space capsule in the desert. Relaunch: The Keating government hoped to revive Woomera's career as a space race town. The small, Russian-built spacecraft housed "Express", a project involving German and Japanese re-entry and micro-gravity experiments. It would involve the first planned southern hemisphere re-entry of a space capsule. It would also have been the first time a civilian capsule had been launched in one country to land and be recovered in another. What started as a tongue-in-cheek last-minute Christmas gift has become an international sensation. Graeme Woller and wife Juliet initially agreed not to buy each other presents because they had bought an expensive tent recently. Graeme and Juliet Woller with the beetroot. Credit:Graeme Woller However, Juliet saw a book which she knew Graeme would like and bought it as a Christmas present for him. She told him on Friday three days before Christmas. He then decided to buy Juliet a present but he got sidetracked visiting people until remembering in the supermarket at 8.50pm on Christmas Eve. A baby girl has been burned after a tray of lit candles fell on her at a home in Sydney's south-west overnight. The 11-month-old baby was in her mother's arms at a home in Minto when the candles tipped towards her, pouring wax over the pair, police said. The baby suffered burns to her face, arms and legs. Her 28-year-old mother was burned on her face, and suffered minor burns to her hands and feet. The baby's 35-year-old father also sustained minor burns to his hands and feet. Police were first on the scene and performed first aid until paramedics arrived and took the baby girl to The Children's Hospital Westmead. When the French announced they were resuming nuclear tests in the Pacific in the winter of 1995, the Herald's David Dale and Malcolm Knox went to war. They asked in the Stay in Touch column "Pourquoi les Francais sont des connards?" and then preceded to skewer French problems in two world wars ('they rolled belly-up and waited for the Australians to save them") and their renowned mistreatment of geese and frogs. A protest in Sydney against French nuclear tests in the Pacific. The late satirist Bob Ellis also joined the fray, attacking "the perfidious Frogs" as "a dense and arrogant people ... soused on rough red wine from the age of three" and addicted to "snails, adultery and academic fashion". Meanwhile, in the more considered surrounds of the Keating cabinet, the 1985 sinking of the Greenpeace vessel Rainbow Warrior by French operatives, union outrage, peacenik panic and maintenance of uranium exports shaped Australia's response to Paris' decision to start letting off bombs as far away as possible from La Belle France. Paul Keating's espousal of an Australian republic is perhaps one of the enduring big issue policies of his prime ministership. In May 1993 the Republic Advisory Committee was established chaired by Malcolm Turnbull and cabinet was regularly updated on progress to remodel the system of government. Paul and Anita Keating launching the 1994 International Year of the Family, at Bankstown Town Hall in 1983. Credit:Robert Pearce/Fairfax Media A year later, ministers recommended that while the committee's deliberations might be informed by the findings of a "civic experts group" which would advise on a public education program to boost understanding of Australian parliamentary democracy these roles should not be conflated. Nicholas Brown, professor in the school of history, College of Arts and Social Sciences, at the Australian National University, said it was evident that the government's preferences on the central question of the appointment (and removal) of a republic's head of state did not match majority public sentiment, nor always the thinking of the committee itself. from that of a tail: Tomar Shivpuri (MP), Jan 1 (PTI) Invoking a rustic Hindi phrase, Union minister Narendra Singh Tomar has said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress leaders were as different as the hair of a moustache and that of a tail. He was addressing BJP workers at Kolaras in this district two days ago. Talking about the challenge posed by the opposition party in Gujarat with the help of Hardik Patel and others, Tomar said, "The difference between the prime minister and Congress leaders is akin to the difference between the hair of moustache and hair of tail. (Pradhan Mantri aur Congress netaon-ke beech moonch aur poonch ke baal jaisa antar hai). The Congress would not be able to bridge this gap." When contacted, the Union minister told PTI today, "I havent named any (Congress) leader. I was referring to the difference between the personalities of Modi and Congress leaders." In his address to BJP workers, Tomar also dubbed the Congress as the party of a single family. "The members of (only) one family can become the president of the party but in BJP, a person from a tea sellers family can become the prime minister. This doesnt mean there are no capable leaders in the Congress, but they dont get the opportunity due to its dynastic politics," Tomar said. Results in Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat Assembly elections showed that people were with Modi, he said. Tomar described senior Congress leader from the state Jyotiraditya Scindia as a "tourist Parliamentarian" who arrives as a tourist and returns after performing Bhumi Pujan ceremony for projects. The Congress MP, however, doesnt tell people which government funded these projects, the Union minister added. Later, speaking to reporters after the BJP workers gathering, Tomar said there was no anti-incumbency in Madhya Pradesh, and the BJP would retain power in the state. He expressed confidence about the saffron partys victory in the upcoming by-polls to Kolaras and Mungaoli Assembly seats. By-elections to Kolaras and Mungaoli were necessitated by the demise of sitting Congress MLAs Ram Singh Yadav and Mahendra Singh Kalukheda, respectively. PTI CORR ADU MAS KRK ADS A family of five on holiday from the UK and an experienced pilot have been named as the victims of a seaplane crash at the Hawkesbury River on New Year's Eve. Police have named the victims as Gareth Morgan, a 44-year-old experienced seaplane pilot; Emma Bowden, aged 48 and her daughter Heather Bowden, aged 11; Ms Bowden's fiance Richard Cousins, 58, and his sons Edward and William Cousins, aged 23 and 25 respectively. Mr Cousins was the chief executive of one of the world's largest catering companies, the Compass Group. In 2017, he was ranked number 11 of the 100 best performing chief executive officers in the world by Harvard Business Review. He was due to retire this year. In a statement, the company's chairman Paul Walsh said it had been a privilege to work with him. This summer, as you wave flies away from your face for what feels like the thousandth time, console yourself with this thought: without them, we'd probably be up to our necks in poo. Flies are a vital attendee at any good Australian Christmas. Their buzz is the symphony of our summer. Their coming is met with an "Australian salute". They always RSVP promptly to barbecues. They are really annoying. A pinned Australian sheep blowfly, Lucilia cuprina, from the Australian National Insect Collection at CSIRO Entomology. Credit:David McClenaghan / CSIRO But to the scientists who spend their lives studying them, a group bigger than you think, they are simply amazing. "And there are many beautiful ones. Even the blowfly it's metallic green, it's shiny," says Dr Christine Lambkin, curator of entomology at the Queensland Museum. A wild party at an Airbnb property in Attunga Grove in Werribbee erupted in a brawl with hundreds of rocks being thrown. Credit:Jason South "It's not about them wanting to be gangsters. It's about them being disengaged and disadvantaged. "They are damaging the African name, and we are trying to lift it up." An Airbnb property in Attunga Grove, Werribee was damaged when a wild party was held there. Credit:Jason South It is difficult to quantify whether youths with African heritage who commit crimes are increasingly from a smaller group of repeat offenders, as suspected by the community leaders. But Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Andrew Crisp said on Monday that while the number of youth offenders in the state had fallen, those offenders were committing more crime, and more serious crimes, seemingly underlining their concerns. The offences that prompted the latest youth crime firestorm - a riotous houseparty and other incidents at Airbnb rented properties, an alleged assault on a police officer, a wild brawl and robberies in St Kilda, and the trashing of a community centre - are not as serious as the carjackings, jewellery store thefts, and aggravated burglaries that peppered the past two years. Nevertheless, Mr Turnbull said on Monday that they represented the "failure" of the Andrews Government. He was speaking after reports federal cabinet ministers representing Victoria had approached him about the issue. "We are very concerned at the growing gang violence and lawlessness in Victoria, in particular in Melbourne," he said. It is not the first time he has voiced his concerns about "gang violence" in Victoria. In June, Mr Turnbull travelled to Melbourne to announce one extra intelligence officer for the national anti-gang taskforce. Victorian Attorney-General Martin Pakula tweeted that Mr Turnbull's latest intrusion was pathetic and a joke, and chastised him for previous "pot shots" at Labor state governments in Western Australia (regarding shark numbers) and South Australia (energy). Minister for Trade and Investment Philip Dalidakis said the state government would work closely with police on the issue, but would ignore a "bloke who can't even put on a life vest when he is on a boat in Sydney Harbour", referring to a recent fine Mr Turnbull received for not wearing the vest. "If Malcolm Turnbull wants to flap his gums, then of course nothing will be achieved," Mr Dalidakis said. Mr Crisp did not wish to comment on the political wranglings, but defended the force's record on youth crime. "We are well and truly on top of what is happening in this state around youth crime," he said. He said that while those who commit "high-harm" crimes such as home invasions, armed robberies, serious assaults and carjackings should spend time in prison, it was clear police had to be smarter about solving the problem. "We don't want to be locking up young people, we want to be proactive, we want to prevent crime before it happens," he said. Sentences for young men with Sudanese or South Sudanese heritage handed down in the County Court in the past year underline the concerns of community leaders that many are committing crimes within days of being released from prison. But others sentenced for serious offences also were found to have no criminal record. One 20-year-old born in South Sudan who punched a man and then stomped on his head in March had 20 prior convictions dating back four years. But another 20-year-old born in Sudan who stole about $525,000 during a jewellery store robbery in Canterbury, that he committed with at least four other men last January, had no criminal record. The remarks of Judge Jane Campton in sentencing a man in September to two years and nine months jail for two attempted armed robberies neatly outlined the despair at the plight of many young African men. The 22-year-old was born in a Kenyan refugee camp to Sudanese parents, the second-eldest of six children. His first offences were committed as a 16-year-old. "I really do not know what to say to you...do you want to spend the rest of your life in jail?," Ms Campton asked the man. After he responded 'no', she asked what was going on in his life. "It's - it's a struggle because, um, there's - it's just a struggle for me," he responded. "Just being a black - black, um, man and yeah, it's just a struggle. It's hard but, um, I'm still young, um." Ms Campton implored him to take the opportunities he had been given, and stay away from alcohol. "I mean, I don't want to keep sending you to jail.It doesn't give me any pleasure, I promise you, doing it. A man was killed after he was hit by lightning during a family walk along a popular track in central Australia on New Year's Day. Northern Territory Police said a man was walking along the Rims track at Kings Canyon about 5pm on Monday while a thunderstorm hit the region, prompting flash flooding and lightning. The man was killed by lightning at Kings Canyon. The 35-year-old man was with his family of five when he was hit by lightning and fell to the ground. Territory Duty Superintendent Vicki Koum told ABC Radio that both rangers and paramedics responded but the man couldn't be revived. An inmate at a maximum-security prison in Melbourne was stabbed and killed on Monday night. A Victoria Police spokeswoman confirmed police were called to the Port Phillip Prison shortly before 7pm. Paramedics worked on the 23-year-old man for some time but he died at the scene. Police detained a number of people and investigations were ongoing, the spokeswoman said. A 26-year-old man has been arrested in Victoria and extradited back to WA over the weekend to face charges in relation to a 32 kilogram methamphetamine stash and suspected drug syndicate uncovered by WA Police last year. Back in November, WA Police launched a series of raids in City Beach, West Leederville, Gnangara, Applecross, Madeley, Dayton and Ascot and uncovered more than 30 kilograms of methamphetamine, several firearms and more than $800,000 cash. The sting's results back in November. Credit:Phil Hickey A 27-year-old man who died in custody after a raid on a home in Ascot, and it's understood the street value of the methamphetamine seized by police would have been around $33 million. Organised Crime Squad detectives have already charged three people over the massive haul of drugs, and the 26-year-old Gnangara man is the latest person to be charged in relation to the sting. While swimming pools and festive food are some of West Aussie's favourite ways to spend the holidays, Perth vets are warning locals to keep an eye on their furry friend this summer. Murdoch University's Animal Hospital veterinary supervisor Jill Griffiths said heat stroke, snakebites and sunburn, swimming and leftover Christmas food could put pets in harms way over the festive season. Warm weather is on its way this week in Perth. Credit:Jason South "Chocolate... is probably one of the most common causes of admission to the Animal Hospital in the summer months," Dr Griffiths said. "[And] now well and truly out of hibernation, venomous snakes are also increasingly coming into contact with people and their pets. Ouagadougou: Burkina Faso's President Blaise Compaore has been toppled as the army took power after protesters set parliament ablaze in a popular uprising against the veteran leader's 27-year rule. The demonstrators earlier on Thursday forced the government to scrap a vote on controversial plans to allow Mr Compaore to extend his reign, with tens of thousands of people joining a mass rally in the capital Ouagadougou calling for him to go. Hundreds of people stormed parliament and other public buildings including the national television headquarters, ransacking offices and setting fire to cars, despite a heavy police and army presence across the capital. The army, in a hastily arranged press conference, announced it was seizing power and pledged to restore constitutional order within 12 months. It imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew and announced the dissolution of Mr Compaore's government and the national assembly, and the creation of a transitional body to run the country. Bangkok: A Chinese Communist Party-owned newspaper has published an article warning that Australia's "interference" in the flashpoint waters of the South China Sea may prompt China to "adopt strong countermeasures which will seriously impact Australian economic development". Zhang Ye, a researcher at the Chinese Naval Research Institute in Beijing, wrote in the hawkish Global Times that Australia's "kissing up to the United States" will "poison its relations with China and shake up [the] foundation for its strategic balance between China and the US". "Australia has changed its policy considerably. Its bigoted actions have jeopardised not only China's national interests but also Australian long-term interests, bringing Canberra's structural contradictions and strategic dilemma to a worse level," Zhang wrote. The comments come two weeks after China's top naval commander formally rebuked Australia's Chief of Navy, Tim Barrett, over Australia's policy on the waterways, where China and five other countries have overlapping territorial claims. Berlin: German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she'll team up with France to hold the European Union together and pledged to form her next government "without delay". In a New Year's Eve speech to the nation, Merkel outlined a vision for her fourth term that includes an alliance with French President Emmanuel Macron to strengthen Europe's economic clout and control migration, while upholding values of tolerance and pluralism within the EU and abroad. "Twenty-seven countries in Europe must be impelled more strongly than ever to remain a community," Merkel said on Sunday. "That will be the decisive question of the next few years. Germany and France want to work together to make it succeed." Merkel's effort to combine the strengths of the eurozone's two biggest economies has been hamstrung by Germany's longest post-election party deadlock since World War II, which has left her a caretaker chancellor since September. Exploratory talks on renewing her coalition with the Social Democratic Party begin January. 7. Season's densest fog hits Delhi-NCR on New Year, flights and trains affected Air Quality Index readings put areas like Shadipur and Dwarka in the 'Hazardous' and 'Very Unhealthy' categories. North Korea's Kim Jong Un says has nuclear button on desk, ready to use; open to dialogue with South Korea South Korean President Moon Jae-in has said North Korea's participation will ensure safety of the Pyeongchang Olympics. Padmavati row: Former royal family member writes to Smriti Irani, hits out at Prasoon Joshi Mahendra Singh Mewar has written a letter to Smriti Irani, hitting out at CBFC chairperson Prasoon Joshi for giving approval to the movie Padmavati. Premier League: Arsenal concede late to draw vs West Brom in Arsene Wenger's 811th game With the 1-1 draw against West Brom, Arsenal head into the new year in fifth place, three points off the Champions League qualification positions. Kiwis will do anything to drink at the beach, it seems. This group of New Year's Eve revellers got busy at low tide on Sunday and spent the early afternoon building a sandcastle in the middle of the Tairua estuary, a holidaymaker, who asked not to be named, said. Kiwis drinking in "international waters" on New Year's Eve at Tairua. Credit:Facebook A Coromandel-wide liquor ban is in place over the New Year period, which means no alcohol in public places, including beaches across the region on New Zealand's north island. Once the crew's creation was complete, they installed a wooden picnic table and chilly bin. PHILIPSBURG:--- Leader of the One St. Maarten People Party Lenny Priest, says he will be contesting the coming elections on the ballot of the National Alliance. Priest has over the years been very vocal about issues he deems pertinent to the St. Maarten community including the introduction of a loan guarantee program for local entrepreneurs which would allow them the funds for start-up while stimulating the economy and a scheme to help low-income families own their own homes. If ever there was a time to put our differences aside and work together in the interest of rebuilding our island home it is now and I am dedicated to working with all who have the same goal and are willing to put egos and personal interests aside to do what is best for St. Maarten and her people. One of the issues bemoaned by the people over the past few election periods is that there were too many captains and not enough cooks so to speak. The people indicated that with so many parties contesting the elections it became distracting and left them unable to concentrate on issues as well as split their loyalties. At this phase in our young history we must be responsible and ensure that the peoples business is our top priority. I am taking a step back from leading the OSPP to become a cook on the list of the NA for this electiona party which I believe at this time feels the urgency I feel to get St. Maarten back to business as the gem of the Caribbean, Priest said. Lenny Priest is no stranger to the NA since he served as a Commissioner of Finance and Harbour under the SPA in the former Island Territory of St. Maarten with former NA party leader William Marlin and has on occasion worked with other members for what he terms the interest of St. Maarten. Priest, while a candidate with well thought out ideas that gained momentum during the 2016 elections, has not been a member of the government of St. Maarten for more than a decade. Despite this, he continued to make numerous propositions to government that he believes would stimulate the economy, provide more economic stability and protect workers from the abuse of the short-term contract among others. He strongly believes that one short-term contract can be given and if the employment continues after that the person must become in permanent employment. There were already many issues on the island that its people needed addressing long before hurricane Irma, but since the passage of the hurricane some of these issues have become more pressing while others have surfaced. Now is the time for us to come together across party lines and contribute all our skills and energy in the rebuilding effort. I want to serve my island and her people and I humbly ask others to do the same. After all, we are St. Maarten, Priest stated in a press release. St. Maarten goes back to the polls on February 26, 2018 in the hopes of electing a new government that will serve its full term without being brought down by ship jumping. The island has had four different governments since becoming a country with the Dutch Kingdom in 2010 with the possibility of two different governments being formed in 2018 for a total of six governments in a seven-year period. By all counts, this is unheard of in modern history. This changing of governments over a seven-year period has left many residents disillusioned and frustrated with many indicating that they will not be voting this election. But I am appealing to all voters to go out and vote as our fathers and forefathers have fought hard to make this possible for us today. This cannot continue, we must provide stability to our people and begin inspiring confidence again in our business climate by demonstrating that we can put differences aside and work for the common good. Parliament cannot be run like a game of musical chairs with persons moving from one side to the other. This is a dangerous game and hurts us all. It is ten times more crippling than looting which we have all been very vocal against. We have to put St. Maarten first, not just say it but do it. For me this starts with putting my efforts where I believe it makes the most sense. Lets each be the others inspiration to do what is best for St. Maarten, Priest concluded. The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2016 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement Two managers of '1Above' pub have been sent to police custody till January 9, 2018 by Bhoiwada Court. Both these managers, Lisbon Lopez (34) and Kevin Bawa (35), were arrested from Mumbai in regards to Kamala Mills fire incident. Police arrested them under IPC section 304 culpable homicide not amounting to murder, 337 causing hurt by an act endangering life or personal safety of others. "We have found that these managers are equally responsible as they were having a knowledge of such incident may occur one day in their pub," said Public prosecutor Ajay Wadhani. "We also want them for further interrogation that's why we asked for their 14 days custody but Hon. court has given the police custody till 9th January. Police have also got some links regarding owners after interrogating accused," he added. A massive fire at the pub in Kamala Mills complex on December 29 left 14 people dead and 21 injured. Since then police had filed FIR against club owners but all big fishes are still roaming scott free and Police are unable to trace them. Defence lawyers feel that two managers have not done anything wrong, as it was just an accident. "We argued that managers of pub have not done anything wrong. As fire broke out in Mojo's not at our place so Police should arrest responsible person. It is an accident not an incident," said Vijay Thakur In the same case, Mahindra Sanghvi uncle of owner Jigar and Kripesh Sanghvi was also arrested by Mumbai Police today on the charges of helping accused. But, court granted him bail today after furnishing bond of rupees 10 thousand. ALSO WATCH | Over a dozen people killed in major fire in Mumbai's Kamala Mills Optimization Are you frustrated with a slow pc or a hard disk not performing as it should? Try SLOW-PCfighter to speed up boot time on a slow PC, or try a free scan of FULL-DISKfighter to recover space on a full disk. The latest offering is DRIVERfighter to update your driver updater. Get complete PC optimization and extend the life of your PC with these must-have software tools. Montevideo (Uruguay), January 1, 2018 (SPS) - Member of the Uruguayan Senate, Robin Martinez, from the National Party, made a statement before the Senate that received the unanimous support of its members, in which he expressed support to the struggle of the Sahrawi people and their just cause. The speaker reviewed the historical course of the conflict in Western Sahara, calling for the embodiment of international legitimacy and the empowerment of the Sahrawi people to exercise their right to self-determination and independence. "Uruguay does not forget that its international traditions respect and apply the Charter of the United Nations and its resolutions as the only way to resolve disputes in a peaceful manner," said Robin Martinez. (SPS) 062/SPS/TRA Harry Wilson, a corporate restructuring expert who was viewed as a top prospect to challenge Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo in 2018, will not run for governor. The New York Daily News cited a source close to Wilson who said family considerations were the primary factor in his decision not to seek the Republican gubernatorial nomination. Wilson told The Citizen in an interview last summer that his family would be a major factor in his decision-making process. He has four young daughters, including two in high school. As the founder of his own business, he now sets his own schedule. If he were elected governor, he would likely lose that ability due to the demands of the job. With Wilson out of the race, New York Republicans lose a top candidate to challenge Cuomo's bid for a third term as governor. In the immediate aftermath of the fire, Mumbai Police registered a case under charges of culpable Homicide not amounting to murder against the owners as well as the manager(s) of 1 Above, one of the restaurants gutted in the massive fire. Police say the two managers arrested today - Kevin Bawa and Lisbon Lopez - had the responsibility of rescuing patrons in case of emergencies at the restaurant. The cops say the two managers did not discharge their duty and so have been arrested. This is the first arrest in the Mumbai Kamala Mills fire case and comes even as controversy rages over which restaurant was responsible for last week's fire. Just yesterday, the owners of 1 Above, which has been named by Mumbai Police in its FIR, wrote to PM Narendra Modi alleging that Mojo's Bistro - another restaurant in Kamla Mills - was responsible for the fire. "We are innocent and we have done nothing and want you to investigate the matter thoroughly and arrest the real wrongdoers i.e. Mojo's Bistro," the owners - Kripesh Sanghavi, Jigar Sanghavi and Abhijeet Mankar - wrote. The trio requested the the case be transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation "for independent and unbiased investigation" and alleged that the owners of Mojo's Bistro were "controlling the press, the media etc. and [were] trying to portray that the fire has started at 1 Above which is factually incorrect." At least 14 people died , most of them women, and around a dozen more were injured after a massive fire broke out in Mumbai's Lower Parel suburb on December 29, 2017. The fire, sparked just after midnight Thursday, was brought under control only by 6:30 Friday and after 12 Mumbai Fire Brigade tenders were rushed to the spot. The fire broke out in a restaurant in Kamala Mills, a commercial complex in Lower Parel that houses offices and restaurants, during a birthday party celebration. All of the deaths were due to suffocation and not because of fire-related injuries. Watch: 2 pub managers arrested, charged with culpable homicide Police today arrested two managers of the upscale 1 Above pub, where a fire claimed 14 lives last week, over allegations that they fled without helping the guests and have been charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder. The arrests took place even as the city civic body continued its crackdown on illegal constructions at hotels, restaurants and commercial establishments for the fourth day today. The massive fire that swept through the pub located at the Kamala Mills compound in Lower Parel area here on December 29 also left 21 injured. Gibson Lopez (34) and Kevin Bawa (35) were arrested by a team of sleuths from the N M Joshi Marg police station, a police official said. Both Lopez and Bawa were working as managers at the pub. They were present in the pub when the blaze occurred in the early hours of December 29, the official said, and alleged that they fled without helping the guests. "We have arrested both the managers," senior police inspector Ahmad Pathan told PTI. They have been booked under IPC sections 304 ( culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 337 (causing hurt by an 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), he said. The punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder may extend up to 10 years or be a life term. The two were produced in a local court, which remanded them in police custody till January 9. However, the main accused of the case--the pub owners-- are still at large. Police have sent their teams to various places in Maharashtra and also outside the state to nab the main accused, he said. Police had booked the pub owners, Hitesh Sanghvi and Jigar Sanghvi, co-owner Abhijeet Manka and others on various charges, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder. According to the official, police also have issued look out notice against the main accused. The police yesterday arrested two persons for allegedly providing shelter to the pub owners. Sanghvi brothers uncle Rakesh Sanghvi and cousin Aditya Sanghvi were arrested while a search was on for another relative Mahendra Sanghvi, according to Avinash Shingthe, senior police inspector, Byculla. Rakesh and Aditya were produced later before a court in Bhoiwada which granted them bail on a bond of Rs 25,000 each. On the directions of Brihanmumbai Municipal Commissioner Ajoy Mehta, illegal alterations and constructions were being razed in the Todi Mill and Raghuvanshi Mills areas since this morning, a senior civic official said. In the last three days, several structures were razed in the Kamala Mills compound area, he said, adding demolition drives would be conducted regularly to keep a check on unauthorized constructions. The BMC demolished illegal constructions and alterations at over 355 establishments in the city till yesterday. Civic officials inspected 615 establishments and initiated action against 355 hotels, restaurants and pubs for the illegalities till yesterday, it said. Besides, 426 LPG cylinders were seized from various eateries for violation of norms related to their use and storage or construction of kitchens among other reasons, a release from the BMC yesterday said. The BMC also asked owners of commercial establishments to assess, on their own, if their premises followed all norms related to fire safety. By Sajjad Hussain Islamabad, Jan 1 (PTI) National security advisors of India and Pakistan held a "secret" meeting in Thailand, a senior Pakistani official said today. A Pakistans national security division official, on the condition of anonymity, said the meeting between Pakistans National Security Advisor retired Lt Gen Nasser Khan Janjua and Indias National Security Advisor Ajit Doval took place on December 27 in Thailand, The Dawn newspaper reported. "The meeting was good. Dovals tone and tenor was friendly and positive," the official who had been briefed about the meeting disclosed. He was told the meeting was useful and said it might help in restarting some sort of engagement at the diplomatic level as well, the report said. According to the Pakistani official, the meeting came after Indian death-row prisoner Kulbhushan Jadhav met with his family on December 25 in Islamabad. While Pakistan termed its decision to allow Jadhavs family to travel to Pakistan to meet him as humanitarian gesture, India has accused it of violating mutual understandings, asserting that the Indian national appeared coerced and under considerable stress during the tightly- controlled interaction. India also accused Pakistan of disregarding cultural and religious sensibilities of family members under the pretext of security. Jadhav, who was captured in March last year, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court for alleged spying, an accusation that India has dismissed as concocted. New Delhi says Jadhav was kidnapped in Iran where he had legitimate business interests, and brought to Pakistan. To save Jadhav, India moved the International Court of Justice, which ordered Pakistan in May to stay his execution. PTI SH UZM PYK UZM The owner of a Tysoe nursery has accused Ofsted of effectively closing his business, branding a recent inspection report as very unfair. Steve Taylor, who owns the Winchcome Farm Day Nursery, took the decision to permanently close the business on 22 December with all 24 staff being made redundant. Steve says an Ofsted report published earlier this month, which rated the nursery as requires improvement was the final straw for the business, which has been struggling for some time. Hugely increased running costs, decreased funding for Nursery Education Grant have all affected the business over recent times with the owner ploughing thousands of pounds into it each month to keep it afloat. Though the Ofsted report highlights some positives such as the training of staff and pupils knowledge of the natural world, it also points to several areas where improvement is needed. It says teachers should better use assessment to plan activities, and says staff do not fully support children's understanding of families and traditions beyond their own experiences. In a letter to parents Steve disputes the contents of the Ofsted report, saying criticisms such as children using knives and forks to eat mashed potatoes rather than a spoon, which were highlighted by the inspector in a feedback session, showed that they were determined to find fault. The nursery previously had a rating of good. In the letter Steve states: We know that a requires improvement rating will severely impact on new parents choosing to visit the nursery in the New Year and is therefore effectively a commercial death sentence. This was pointed out to the Inspector at the time of the inspection but she seemed singularly unimpressed and frankly couldnt care less. It is difficult to express my anger at the attitude taken by the inspector and the ineptitude of government departments across the board. Speaking to the Herald, Steve said: Its devastating that one persons opinion can cause such horrendous damage. This inspection was triggered because we are planning to convert two outdoor classrooms, about 100 meters from the main building, into holiday lets and someone queried whether there could be a safeguarding issue with this. As soon as the word safeguarding was mentioned they sent their hit squad, and they said that because we have not had an inspection in a while, they would carry out an-on-the-spot inspection of the whole school. Usually you get notice of such an inspection, we had none. In the feedback session at the end, the inspector said the nursery was too white and middle class, saying our diversity policy wasnt up to scratch. We presented lots of evidence and explained how we celebrate events like Chinese New Year, Eid and Australia day at the school, but she just wouldnt listen. When we found out the result I phoned Ofsted and told them that a rating of requires improvement was a death sentence to a rural nursery like ours, but they just couldnt understand it at all. If you were a parent and you looked on your Iphone, you would immediately be put off by that. We had 30 staff in the summer and 24 remaining who lost their jobs on 22nd December. This inspection along with the Governments 30 hours free childcare policy has led to 30 people here going on the dole. This closure is a shock to staff and to parents, who can see we are a good nursery. Ofsted dont see that they just tick a box. Its horrible for the staff, parents, children and to me, it feels like I have wasted 15 years and hundreds of thousands of pounds. Steve added that parents were being supported in finding spaces elsewhere for their children and that some former members of staff would be acting as nannies for some. 59 children attended Winchcombe Farm Day Nursery prior to its closure. Parents have taken to social media to express their sadness at the nurserys closure. StaceyNewton wrote: I couldnt be more upset reading this. As a past employee I cannot praise the setting higher. Having recently visited with my own daughter, my husband and I couldnt be more certain in the decision to send our daughter there having watched it grow into an even more exceptional place. This setting has been a huge part of many peoples lives and the hard work and dedication of staff past, present and founders is one of passion and sheer focus on the development of the children! I can only express shock and sadness and know that decisions are not always in the hands of those we wish they were. Thank you Winchcombe for being a place where I grew, life long friendships grew, children grew and know that there is an army of people who are feeling the devastation alongside you. Xx TonyKing added: Genuinely saddened and disgusted to hear this news. But please be proud that you and the team created a faultless environment for our children and you set them on a great path for which we will always be grateful. Nadhim Zahawi, MP for Stratford-on-Avon, left, and Jeremy Wright, MP for Kenilworth and Southam. CIVIC dignitaries write their New Year messages for the Stratford-upon-Avon Herald: Nadhim Zahawi, MP for Stratford: IF one thing can be said with certainty, it is that Stratford-on-Avon residents must now be very familiar with the ballot box. This years county elections were closely followed by the snap General Election, and both took place against the backdrop of last years historic referendum. I am delighted and honoured to have been returned in June with my highest ever share of the vote. Whether you voted for me and my party or not, I think we can all commend the fair and well-mannered way in which all the candidates campaigns were run and be proud of the high turnout we saw once again in Stratford-on-Avon. The result of an election or referendum delights and disappoints almost in equal measure. As an MP for such a judicious constituency, my inbox is always full of inquiries that reflect this mixture of opinion. The issue that has dominated the subject lines is, perhaps unsurprisingly, our withdrawal from EU institutions. It is therefore pleasing that the government has made good progress on this issue, particularly towards the end of the year, and remains firmly committed to making a success of the decision to leave. Earlier this month, the UK and EU published a formal progress report on the negotiations so far. The agreement guarantees the rights of the EU citizens in the UK, and UK citizens in other EU states, provides a framework for addressing Northern Irelands unique circumstances, and clarifies our financial obligations upon leaving. The joint report has allowed negotiations to move on to the next phase where future trading arrangements will be decided. Looking forward, it is these negotiations that will likely dominate the political agenda in 2018. Having played a part in making Stratfords chronic traffic problems a priority for our local authorities to address, I am delighted that a 3.5million scheme for improvements on the Birmingham Road was secured in October 2.4million of this will come from a direct government grant and the remainder will be covered by Warwickshire County Councils own investment fund. Furthermore, we now have a final transport strategy for the Stratford area after a consultation process that spanned the earlier part of the year. I want to once again pay tribute to the sterling efforts of the councillors and officers involved in delivering this. To complement this good news for our local infrastructure, the Home Office announced a 450million injection into our national police funding at the close of the year that could boost Warwickshire Polices budget by 2.9million in 2018/19. We have sadly seen higher crime rates in Warwickshire, according to the latest figures, so this funding will be vital in ensuring our brilliant police force has the funding it needs to keep us safe. As 2017 draws to a close, the media spotlight is once again shining on the appalling abuse that so many in public life receive. Last week alone, many of my colleagues received death threats simply for voting according to their consciences. Whilst some of our constituents may disagree with our views, there are no MPs across any of the parties whose actions and parliamentary votes do not accord with their own view of what is best for those they are elected to represent and the country. We are so fortunate to live in a democracy where this holds true. It is on this positive note that I hope everyone has a prosperous 2018. Kenilworth and Southam MP, Jeremy Wright: MEMBERS of Parliament are often asked to give annual reviews at this time of year; a summary of the last 12 months, and predictions of where the next 12 will take us. Given the prevalence and importance of the issues deriving from the vote to leave the European Union last year, I think many of these reviews will have one common theme for the next few years. We all knew, or should have known, that the process of our exit from the EU would not be straightforward. As Attorney General I have a particular insight into the intricacies of this process, advising the government on how best to transfer the rules currently set in Brussels to our own statute book. I think it has been made clear by recent parliamentary events that the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill is not a simple copy and paste exercise. There will be further legislation next year, and further negotiations with the EU as to what our new relationship will look like. While difficult, the process has not been disastrous, as some in the press would have us believe. Hopefully the next 12 months of reports will not be so negative. The terror attacks we have faced in London and Manchester this year shocked us all. I pay tribute to the work of those who keep us safe; both our emergency services who came to the aid of victims, and our security services who stop many attacks before they happen. I have also been impressed by the spirit of Londoners and Mancunians, who responded to adversity with remarkable resilience and resolve. We were not perhaps expecting a General Election in 2017, but I always enjoy the opportunity to get out and meet people in the constituency through the events and public meetings a campaign entails. Im thankful for the hard work of party volunteers of all parties, and to the voters who chose to support me. In the past year I have had the chance to meet several of the successful businesses we have in our area, including Aston Martin, Thwaites Manufacturing and Repairtech. I have also spoken with other business leaders at the Chamber of Commerce, the Warwickshire at Parliament Day, Small Business Saturday and the MEPs Business Breakfast. Ive also seen the hard work of our local teachers while attending a debate at Southam College, presenting prizes at Kineton High School and watching Kenilworth School attempt to set a Guinness World Record for the Largest Human Image of a Bicycle. As with every year there have been high points and low moments to 2017, and I hope we all can have a few more of the former in the year ahead. Shipston Mayor Dan Scobie: IT was a huge honour and a privilege to be elected as mayor, and I looked forward to the year enormously, and it seems a great time to look back at the last eight months, and celebrate some of the great things that have been taking place in Shipston. One of the first events I attended as mayor was the brilliant Wool Fair. The town centre was taken over by all sorts of woolly wares, and we were joined by a great many of the local dignitaries. It really is an inclusive event which celebrates Shipstons long history as a wool town, and the various stalls and demonstrations on offer help to keep the rural heritage alive. The early summer was also marked out by two other excellent Shipston events; the Arts and Crafts Market organised by Shipstons Totally Locally group, and the Shipston Proms. There are so many talented people in the area, and its great to see these talents brought to the fore at the Arts and Craft Market. Its home on Sheep Street means the town can keep working in its usual way, and add to this with so much more. My personal favourite of the year though has to be the Shipston Proms. The two weeks of musical events in venues across the area is an organisational triumph for the volunteers who stage the festival and its culmination in the Last Night of the Proms is another time that people displace cars in the town centre to celebrate together. This year was exceptionally special being headlined as it was by Laurence Jones, Shipston resident, and European Blues Guitarist of the Year. His exceptional rock-blues sound entertained the town in to the night, and made me feel incredibly proud of our town. It was great to see the staging of the Shipston Flower and Produce Show for the first time in many years. It was well enjoyed, and can certainly provide a fantastic platform to grow from for bigger and better things next year. The autumn was punctuated as ever with a superb parade to mark Remembrance Sunday. The Town Band did a superb job, as ever, and to see so many Shipston people coming out to pay their respect to the fallen was truly humbling. Were now fully in the Christmas swing, and so it just remains for me to wish everyone a healthy and prosperous New Year. Stratford Mayor Cllr Victoria Alcock: ITS been a whirlwind six months for me. Yes, I am busier than I ever imagined, constantly worrying that I might do something wrong, putting pressure on myself to not let Stratford down but I wouldnt change a thing! Over the last six months I have met some of the most inspirational people, seen how much of Stratford-upon-Avon is cared for by volunteers, how much goes into events that residents enjoy, again mostly done by volunteers, and how much Stratford is still growing. This town, which I have the honour to represent, never ceases to surprise me. Its never ending support for charities, its small theatre companies that have reduced me to tears with an amazing production of Shakespeares The Winters Tale, the enthusiasm for the Victorian Market, and just how many handbags for the homeless I was able to collect and distribute. So, looking forward to the coming months, I can honestly say I cant wait to see what happens next; the people I will get to meet, and the events to which I will be lucky enough to be invited. I am already looking forward to the Pride of Stratford Awards after seeing how many deserving, community minded people have been nominated. Shakespeares Birthday Celebrations where I have the honour to lead the town, and the charity events I will attend. Becoming mayor has only made me more proud of this town and the people who live here. People say that this town would be nothing without William Shakespeare, I say this town would be nothing without the people who care, the volunteers who help, support and strive to make this town great. Matt Western, MP for Warwick and Leamington: 2017 has been an extraordinary year. I was elected to represent Warwick and Leamington in June and moved almost overnight into parliament. Its been a privilege to represent the people and raise the challenges facing Warwickshire at the highest level. In particular, the government cuts have had a real impact on public services across this county. As I said in the House of Commons, in his maiden speech in 2010, my predecessor stated that we had excellent frontline services. He was right: in 2010, we did. Seven years on, we do not. We have lost police, in Warwick we have lost the police station. We have lost teachers, full-time firefighters, and health professionals from the NHS. Warwickshire County Councils decision to close our childrens centres will bring real hardship and is extremely disappointing in south west Warwickshire two out of four centres will shut. We would not close two thirds of our primary schools wholesale across the county. We would not close two thirds of our FE Colleges. So why would we want to put two thirds of our childrens centres at risk? Ive been working hard with the Warwickshire-wide campaign to represent the views of parents across the county, both here and in Westminster. On a more upbeat note, businesses in south Warwickshire, faced with a slowing economy, have bucked the trend somewhat. I recently spoke at a South Warwickshire in Parliament event, which brought together businesses, government, and civil society to celebrate their achievements. It was fantastic to speak to all those people who bring such vibrancy to our area. It has also been an extraordinary year for politics, nationally and internationally. Brexit has dominated national politics this year and will continue to do so next year. Its vital the government gets a good deal from the EU, particularly on trade, to allow for businesses and people in Warwickshire to thrive. The erratic nature of President Trump is another issue that has been at the top of the political agenda and will only intensify as the prospect of a Trump state visit to the UK looms. Im quite clear that the Presidents politics of hate shouldnt be given the privilege of a state visit to this great country of tolerance and decency. Im sure 2018 will be just as exciting, interesting, and challenging for Warwickshire I wish you all a very happy New Year. Most people not in favour of selling SriLankan Airlines:Poll BT-Second Curve Poll View(s): View(s): While various reports emerge about the fate of SriLankan Airlines, a new, year-end Business Times poll with polling partner Second Curve has revealed that most Sri Lankans are still not in favour of an outright sale of the struggling, debt-ridden national carrier. This is in contrast to a similar poll conducted in April 2016 where email respondents, representing largely middle and upper classes of society, were in favour of the Government exiting from the airline. The latest poll revealed that 44 per cent of email respondents said Yes to the sale of SriLankan Airlines while 36.7 per cent said No and 19 per cent were U (Undecided). The April 2016 email poll showed 78.6 per cent saying No to the Government managing and controlling the airline. The street response this time found 47 per cent against sale of the airline while 29 per cent said Yes and 24 per cent were U. This compares with the April 2016 street poll where 52 per cent said the Government should continue to manage and own the airline. What is also interesting in the poll conducted last week in Colombo (email and on the street) and Galle (on the street), is that street respondents in Colombo were strongly opposed to the sale of the airline with a resounding 67 per cent No vote while Galle residents voted for the sale of the airline with a 45 per cent Y vote and only 28 per cent saying No (dont sell). The overall percentage from Colombo/Galle streets was a 47 per cent N vote. The polls in December 2017 and April 2016 reveal that the views on what should be done to the airline have changed and may be largely due to the many developments over the past 20 months where the airline has struggled through its operations, beset by accumulated losses. The latest poll on various issues was conducted over the past two weeks with respondents being asked their expectations for 2018 and what they would like to see happening. Five questions were posed: (a) Trouble free elections in February; (b) Transparency and governance in the public sector; (c) Sale of SriLankan Airlines; (d) Continuing protests on the streets; and (e) Reduction in Government debt. The street poll in the two cities was conducted amongst 300 respondents by Second Curve (formerly RCB- Research Consultancy Bureau). On the other four questions, the email and street polls showed more consistency and similar responses. To the question Trouble free elections, 93 per cent of email respondents said Yes while 60 per cent agreed from the street. On Transparency and Governance, 82 per cent (email) and 50 per cent (street) said Yes. The response to Continuing protests on the streets was also not unexpected with 69 per cent (email) and 45 per cent (street) saying No. However here, 34 per cent said Yes and 21 per cent were U which would imply that a majority on the street are either in favour of continuing protests or unsure. On Reducing Government debt, 79 per cent (email) said Yes while 52 per cent (street) said No, implying that this is unlikely to happen or they dont expect this to happen. (Feizal) SriLankan directors still on board View(s): While todays BT-Second Curve opinion poll reflects a lot of concern on whether the Government would sell SriLankan Airlines, the airlines board of directors continue to function since the Government is yet to accept their resignations. Six of the seven directors on the board including its chairman, Ajith Dias have offered to resign to enable the Government to restructure the airline. Harendra Balapatabendi was the only director who refused to step down voluntarily. We sent in our resignations but the Government is yet to accept it, said one of the directors, who declined to be named. Earlier this week, Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena, State Minister for State Enterprise Development, was quoted as saying that the cabinet has approved a Credit Suisse loan US$200 million to tide over the airlines repayment schedule. The Business Times reliably learns that the matter was only discussed at the cabinet and no finality reached. About eight to nine months back, the same bank (Credit Suisse) gave a $125 million loan to the national carrier, partly to pay for the cancellation of some aircraft orders, airline sources said. Pakistan's financial regulatory body has announced a ban on the funding of Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed-led Jamaat-ud-Dawa and Falah-i-Insaniat Foundation on Monday evening. The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) has barred the collection of donations by the JuD which is considered as the front organisation of banned outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba. It was declared as a foreign terrorist organisation by the US in June 2014. WHAT THE NOTIFICATION SAID "The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan hereby prohibits all companies from donating cash to the entities and individuals listed under the UNSC sanctions committee's consolidated list," read a notification issued by the commission. "The Government of Pakistan has already prescribed a penalty of up to Rs 10 million for non-compliance on the sanctions regime being implemented," it said. The SECP notification further warned that non-compliance with the said ruling could result in a hefty monetary fine. In addition to JuD, the list also includes LeT itself, the Falah-i-Insaniat Foundation (FIF), the Paasban-i-Ahle-Hadith and Pasban-i-Kashmir, among others, the paper said. STORY OF SAEED In January 2017, the Pakistan government had launched a crackdown against JuD, placing Saeed under house arrest. However, Saeed was released in November after the Lahore High Court refused to extend the period of his confinement. Responding to reports that the government is planning on seizing their assets, JuD and FIF said they will take the matter to the court, the paper said. "There are clear rulings of the Lahore High Court and Supreme Court that JuD is free to continue its welfare activities in Pakistan," JuD spokesperson Yahya Mujahid was quoted as saying by the paper. "The government still pulls such stunts for the appeasement of India," he claimed. With inputs from PTI ALSO WATCH | Mumbai attacks mastermind Hafiz Saeed to contest 2018 Pakistan general election 2018 should not bring us saviours, presidential or otherwise View(s): As we enter upon a New Year pregnant with hope and foreboding in equal parts, the inglorious epitaph of the past twelve months qualifies to be none other than the adage the more things change, the more they stay the same. A tug-of-war between the old and the new Certainly the signs of the establishment resisting the pressure of people-power for change in the January 2015 vote for a new Executive President of Sri Lanka were evidenced very early on in that year itself. As this tug-of-war went back and forth in the years that followed, it was during the past year that battle lines solidified and a once inspiring impetus for reform lost its way in the darkness of disillusionment. It became increasingly ridiculous to protest that well, this is anyway better off than what we had during the Rajapaksas. The fact of the matter was that that the Rajapaksas were never a measure of reasonable comparison. That decade represented the nadir of Sri Lankas decades-old Rule of Law crisis. Yet in significant ways, the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe unity alliance lapsed into the old ways of its predecessor regime, even conceding variations on the extent and nature of that lapse. And as the divide between the urban privileged and the desperately marginalised became starker with economic disparities at the core, law and order floundered and the United National Party became mired in an unsettling tangle of bond scam allegations and corrupt ministerial types et al. What justice for crimes? Meanwhile, the unity alliance did not demonstrate the famous Rajapaksa airiness with which war crimes allegations were dealt with. But the hard question remained as to what precise concrete steps were taken towards ensuring state accountability. Appealing rhetoric and stuttering steps taken towards establishing an Office of Missing Persons during the past year did not quite fit that demand. Legal processes in respect of long standing atrocities such as the killing of aid workers in Mutur or the executions of innocent students in Trincomalee long before the war reached its deadly climax in the Wanni in 2009 still dragged on. In both these cases, the loss of integrity in the investigative process, the breaking of the chain of custody in respect of important forensic items was clear. What measure of justice can be expected for far more contested crimes, one may ask? This is an illustration of the generality of such investigations, whether in the North in relation to conflict atrocities or in the South where ordinary torture is concerned. In some instances, proceedings have been going on for more than ten years after the date of the incident with the threatening of witnesses resulting in cases being dropped by the wayside in most instances. The Rule of Law continues to be heavily challenged in practice, whatever may be the theory in place. The nature of Presidential interventions So even as the turbulence of a change in political power only signified the cementing of the status quo in relation to heavily controversial matters, the same remained true of far more mundane issues. This week, President Maithripala Sirisena thundered that it was on his personal request that the Government of Pakistan had agreed to send supplies of fertiliser to meet the fertiliser shortage which had farmers across the length and breadth of the country protesting in fury. Does it require Presidential intervention to handle a fertiliser shortage? On the contrary, does not the emergence of essential failures in mundane matters of supply and demand requiring a plea from one head of state to another speak to the breakdown of the systems of government? Much the same problem was evidenced when there was a fuel shortage some months ago. And to forestall those who might chuckle in glee at this display of consternation, let it be said that this is not a feature of the current administration alone. During the previous Presidency, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa was fond of projecting himself as the man of all action, be it in regard to reducing the price of coconuts, managing the elephant-human conflict or rectifying bad sanitation disposal at housing schemes. Indeed, this was the same President who said that the country did not need a Right to Information Act as anyone could apply for information on any matter to him. If so, as was forcefully said at the time, Sri Lanka could dispense altogether with the Constitution and deposit the entire process of governance in the accommodative if not monarchical lap of the Executive Presidency. Spurning hypocritical distinctions on good and bad To his credit, the incumbent in the office of the Presidency had markedly abstained from indulging in such boastful idiocies since he came into power close to three years ago. Indeed, he had been accused of weakness and inability to rein in a runaway collation partner in government precisely for that reason. That duly acknowledged, it must be devoutly hoped that 2018 will not herald a President who aims to position himself as the one salvation for the country in the year ahead, be it in the arena of anti-corruption or breakdowns in essential services as the case may. There are disturbing tendencies reflecting such sentiments in statements made by President Sirisena in recent weeks. Empathy is certainly called for in regard to the difficult position in which he finds himself, given the mire in which the UNP struggles in respect of a once appealing promise of technocratic governance. But the solution for this is not to be found in projecting the office of the Presidency as the fount of all authority. Apart from this sitting oddly with his campaign pledge that he would abolish the Executive Presidency if he is elected, common sense should inform him that this is not the way to go by any means, given the disasters that befell his predecessors who laboured under the same misapprehensions. Sri Lanka does not need a flamboyantly black and white characterisation of what is good and what is bad for the country. It has seen these hypocritical distinctions sought to be made by politicians and has rejected such attempts with contempt, seeing all politicians as tarred by the same brush more or less. It also does not need saviours, Presidential or otherwise. Rather, what is required in the New Year unfolding before us is a simple standard of commonsense and integrity to be observed by those in political power, from the highest to the lowest. Absent that hope, this countrys future will be dismal in every sense of the word. All SLFP and UPFA candidates take pledge to work with high integrity, free of fraud, some already have charges pending Bond Commission report handed over to President, speculation of serious charges against Mahendran but questions over whether President will make the report public before the polls After rice and fuel crises, fertilizer shortage becomes major issue in rural areas Many a political issue, some of them cause for great public discontent notwithstanding, President Maithripala Sirisena appears to have shifted focus to fight bribery and corruption during the local polls campaign. Needless to say, the move has revived public memories of assurances given during both the presidential and parliamentary elections to bring to book top personalities of the previous Government for such acts. Barring just one or two, others have fallen by the way side. Sirisena accused UNP leaders of stalling them. The UNP in turn blamed it on other state agencies. I am not sure who will be axed with my sword in my mission to have clean politicians, he told a gathering of Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and other smaller groups on Thursday. The event at the BMICH saw them taking a pledge to protect Nidhahase Sammuthiya or nation and the people to empower freedom. Taking part in the event were leaders of 31 registered political parties and representatives. They come under the umbrella of the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA), the SLFP backed front, which is contesting the polls countrywide. The participants jointly read out a pledge. It said The parties will dedicate themselves to elect educated representatives with high integrity, free of fraud and corruption to work in accordance with the conscience of the public for the protection of the motherland and for self-reliance. As it happens often in Sri Lankan politics, among those taking the oath were those facing bribery and corruption allegations. Some of them flanked President Sirisena while reading or pretending to read the oath. One need hardly say that the selection of educated representatives with high integrity, if that is what the need was, should have been done ahead of the parties handing in their nominations. It is a closed matter now though one could argue it is such persons who have been picked. The question then is why say it now? That leaves emphasis on the second part of the sentence which calls for an environment free of fraud and corruption That Sirisena got all of them to swear such a pledge assumes greater significance for another reason. The three-member Commission of Inquiry to probe the Central Bank bond scam handed over its report to him last afternoon at his Paget Road residence in Colombo. During a nine month period, the Commission held 117 days of sittings into what is easily the biggest, single financial scam in Sri Lankan history. It was headed by Supreme Court Justice Kankanithanthri T. Chitrasiri and includes Supreme Court Justice Prasanna Sujeewa Jayawardena, and retired Deputy Auditor General Vellupillai Kandasamy. With local polls due on February 10, the contents of the report will be the cynosure of the public if it is made public. More so when the proceedings of the Commission where startling disclosures surfaced, sharply contrasted with what transpired before a parliamentary Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE). This has drawn greater public attention. Questions were raised on the veracity of many assertions. Similarly, it also brought into question the findings of an official committee and the remarks UNP MPs made in Parliament based on them. In essence, the overarching question at issue is how much the Commissions findings would contrast with the UNP claim that there was no wrong doing. The Commissions report, finalised after Chairman Chitrasiri returned from a visit to London, is being held a closely guarded secret for now. Yet, speculation is rife that at least nine politicians have been named for their role in the scam. However, this could not be independently verified. Sources associated with the Commission said strong indictments have been made against the Central Banks former Governor Arjuna Mahendran. He is now in Singapore, of which country he is a citizen. It is no secret that the Cabinet of Ministers decided on his appointment as Governor despite objections at the time from some senior ministers over his nationality. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, under whom the Central Bank was assigned, pressed for his appointment. Mahendran told close friends recently that he had no plans to visit Sri Lanka since testifying before the Commission. That will set a poser when investigations into the Commission findings begin. Similarly, these sources said, strong indictments have also been made against Mahendrans son-in-law Arjun Aloysius whos Perpetual Treasuries Ltd., it is alleged, drew unlawful financial benefits running into billions of rupees. References have also been made to former Foreign Minister, Ravi Karunanayake. The same sources said that included the need to probe further his acquisition of an apartment of Monarch Residencies in Kollupitiya. In the light of Commissions findings reaching President Sirisena, the vital question is whether he would approve the public release of the report before February 10 polls. Some senior SLFP ministers strongly believe he would. They argue that the President wants to tell voters that he was unwavering when it comes to bribery or corruption and he wont condone it wherever it comes from. Those remarks assume significance in the light of the recent utterances by SLFP cabinet ministers. President Sirisena also declared at a meeting of SLFP organisers at Janadipathi Mandiraya on December 22 (Friday) that he would appoint a Commission of Inquiry to probe both SriLankan Airlines and Mihin Lanka. Three different SLFP politicians went public with the same remarks. First was Transport and Civil Aviation Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva followed by Minister Susil Premjayantha. Both alleged corrupt activity at these two state concerns which came under State Enterprise Development Minister Kabir Hashim, a UNP Minister and General Secretary of the party. The latter was to add to the dilemma after the Sunday Times reported last week that the Board of Directors, with the exception of one, had offered to resign. Hashim, who has been complaining earlier that he was being sidelined by the Board said he was unaware of the offer by board members to resign. The worse part came when Hashims deputy, the State Minister for Public Enterprise Development Lakshman Yapa Abeywardene from the SLFP told a news conference that Credit Suisse would grant a short term loan of US$ 50 million and a long-term loan of US$ 175 million for SriLankan. He declared that the money would be given to a newly appointed Board of Directors. And on Friday, Minister S.B. Dissanayake, who addressed both SLFP and UPFA candidates at a meeting at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium declared, Why did the President take over the responsibility to stand as the Common candidate, despite death threats? He did so to create a Government free of corruption and fraud. Therefore, President Sirisena has the responsibility to get rid of rogues, if they were in the Government. It is well known who is responsible for the great robbery in the Central Bank. Therefore strengthen the hands of the President to get rid of rogues in the government. Increasingly, more SLFP ministers have become vocal about bribery and corruption. Many of them have bribery and corruption charges against them as well. Even if the others did not take a direct swipe at the UNP that Dissanayake did so on Friday is significant. It highlights that there is a positive anti-UNP thrust in the SLFP albeit UPFA campaign and portends what is to come. Other key issues like the cost of living and an acute shortage of fertilizer for farmers have not received any mention. Thus, the SLFP campaign has already assumed an aggressive character against the UNP. It is clear that public agitation at continuing bribery and corruption under the present government is going to be placed at the door-step of the UNP. That raises the all-important question how long more can the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe Government continue with the bickering reaching new levels? It comes at a time when President Sirisena has failed in his efforts to unite the rival faction of the SLFP and seek their support. The compulsion for such unity is the estrangement with Sirisenas main coalition partner, the UNP. However, there are a handful of SLFP ministers who say that Sirisena may not go public with the report until the local polls are over. This is in keeping with the principle that it was the main partner in the Government that has fielded candidates under the United National Front (UNF) and this would hurt their campaign. Yet, one of them said there were neverthelessoverriding factors. He pointed out that Sirisena had failed in his efforts to bring unity within the SLFP. His appeals to the rival factions met with a snub, politically isolating him. Thus, everything counts when fielding candidates and steering a polls campaign. He has to come number one or at least two and that means a lot, said the SLFP minister. Sirisena is not hiding the fact that he is very livid about not being able to re-unite the SLFP. He told SLFP organisers at the Janadipathi Mandiriya meeting that the main cause was Basil Rajapaksa, to whom he even spoke on the telephone through a Buddhist monk, as a last ditch attempt. He charged that Basil Rajapaksas stubbornness led to the party remaining split. However, Sirisena declared Hebei, Mama Basil Rajapaksata hungak isthuthi wantha venawa or I am very thankful to Basil Rajapaksa. He said it was Basil who had, by his conduct, helped him to win the January 2015 presidential election. Relations between the now chief strategist of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) and President Sirisena had remained strained even when the duo were in Mahinda Rajapaksas cabinet, it now transpires. Basil Rajapaksa made this disclosure to a friend and declared that till he received the telephone call, they had not spoken to each other for over two years. Evidently Basil Rajapaksa had become aware of Sirisenas remarks. Speaking to SLPP supporters at a meeting in Battaramulla he declared, There would have been no need for SLFP unity if Maithripala Sirisena did not divide the party. He did this before the presidential election of 2015 when he received the backing of the UNP. Sirisena did not stop at that. He made clear that disciplinary action would be taken against those from the SLFP, who support any other party in the local polls. The name of the first likely casualty came up at the meeting. He directed party officials to consult lawyers and initiate disciplinary inquiries against former Minister Johnston Fernando. He had accompanied SLPP candidates to the Kurunegala District Secretariat for handing over of nomination papers. On Thursday, eight partners of the Joint Opposition signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) incorporating the guidelines under which they are fielding candidates. They will all meet at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium in Colombo on Tuesday. JO leader Mahinda Rajapaksa and other JO party leaders will address it. It came as the JO leader in Parliament, Dinesh Gunawardena wrote to Speaker Karu Jayasuriya urging that Parliament be summoned immediately. This is on the grounds that the country is facing a serious economic crisis and a debate on the matter was necessary. Parliament is only set to meet on January 23. With the local polls just five weeks away, some of the critical issues the SirisenaWickremesinghe coalition has to face at the grassroots level appear to have been created by their own side. Much the same way as the countrywide shortage of fuel was caused due to lack of sufficient buffer stocks, now, the issue is over the non-availability of fertilizer. The farmer discontent over this is growing and is sure to have an impact on the elections. The fuel shortage led Sirisena to speak on the telephone with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He appealed for supplies until the orders placed were received. This time, he had to appeal to Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. He spoke to him on the telephone on Friday and appealed for urgently needed supplies. Whilst ministers and bureaucrats responsible for such situations are not dealt with, it seems it is becoming customary for Sirisena to appeal to foreign leaders every time there is a shortage. Months ago, when there was a rice shortage, he telephoned Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha for supplies. He also then telephoned Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Abdul Razak on the same matter. Agriculture Minister Duminda Dissanayake, in different memoranda he submitted to the Cabinet of Ministers, has conceded that there are shortages of fertilizer. In a December 12 memorandum, which deals with urgent needs for fertilizer for 2017/18 Maha season, (the current cultivation), he has highlighted the need for 36,000 metric tonnes of urea, 12,000 metric tonnes of TSP (Triple Super Phosphate) and 12,000 metric tonnes of MoP (Murate of Potash). He said tenders were called and seven companies made bids. Two of them were short listed, since others did not conform to tender conditions. Agri Commodities and Finance FZE had offered to deliver at the rate of US$ 316.20 per metric tonne for urea within a payment period of 270 days. The same company had offered TSP at the rate of U $ 340.20 per metric tonne for a quantity of 12,000 metric tonnes. This was for payment within 180 days. No one had made bids for MoP, according to Minister Dissanayake. Minister Dissanayake says that Agri Commodities and Finance FZE had agreed to deliver 36,000 metric tonnes of urea and 12,000 metric tonnes of TSP on or before January 15, 2018. He concedes that the requirements of urea for current paddy cultivation is immediate and needed within days. He also admits that the costs are high for urea and worse enough, it cannot be used for the current Maha season. Hence, larger quantity will be available for the next Yala season. As a result of this development, Minister Dissanayake says, on December 11, just a day before the date of his cabinet memorandum, the Special Cabinet Committee on Tenders decided to go for two alternatives. The alternatives were (1) The Government to procure fertilizer from private sector companies which have imported stocks at the higher rate. To continue the process of obtaining stocks from private sector until other measures are taken. (2) Follow decisions taken at a meeting chaired by President Sirisena on December 11 and import 72,000 metric tonnes of urea before December 28, 2017 at the rate of US$ 316.20 per metric tonne, through Agri Commodities and Finance FZE. The doubling of the quantity is in view of a ban on fertilizer exports by Pakistan where the private sector was to obtain 38,000 metric tonnes. According to Dissanayake, he and Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera met the Pakistan High Commissioner in Sri Lanka but their efforts were not successful. In another Cabinet memorandum dated December 18, Agriculture Minister Dissanayake points out that he had obtained ministerial approval to procure 72,000 metric tonnes of urea. He has said that 60 percent of the expected fertilizer will be given to Lanka Fertilizer Ltd and the remaining 40 percent to Commerical Fertilizers Ltd. for distribution. Dissanayake has pointed out that the urea stocks to be imported cannot be sold in 50 kilogramme packs at the usual price of Rs 2,500, which is the Government approved price. He has sought approval for the Treasury to bear the loss caused by the higher price. The irony in this saga is the fact that Duminda Dissanayake is not only the Minister of Agriculture. More importantly, he is the General Secretary of the SLFP. He is an MP from the Anuradhapura District, one of the main paddy producing districts. That his Ministry had failed to monitor the situation and take timely action, no doubt has cost the Government dearly. Other SLFPers now fear this would have an impact on votes for the UPFA, especially in the North Central Province. President Sirisenas home turf of Polonnaruwa is also in the province. It was only weeks earlier that urgent stocks of rice were ordered to meet demands. Now comes reports of an acute shortage of fertilizer that would affect farmers, who are voters at local polls. The campaign has been somewhat muted by the holiday season and is expected to gain strength by mid-January. Yet, Election Commission Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya is going ahead with official arrangements. This week, he resolved a knotty issue during a meeting with political party representatives counting of votes in different polling booths. The Police have advised against this move saying they would find it difficult to protect all booths. Some participants complained that the Chairman was doing what the Police wanted. Deshapriya resolved the issue. All contesting parties will nominate two persons each per booth to assist the Police to provide security. Thus all polling booths will become counting centres after the polls close. The count down for the test of strength of the coalition as well as opposition parties has begun. Judges and state law officers to get substantial salary hikes and new allowances An official Committee has recommended substantial increases in pay, allowances and pensions of judicial officers, law officers of the Attorney Generals Department and the Legal Draftsmans Department.The Cabinet of Ministers is expected to approve these recommendations following a submission by Justice Minister Thalatha Athukorale. The only exception is the Judges of the superior courts the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal. The Committee has said that the emoluments of the Chief Justice and the Judges of the superior courts have to be determined by Parliament.The Committee was headed by Cabinet Secretary Sumith Abeysinghe and included Justice Ministry Secretary Padmasiri Jayamanna and Director General of Establishments W.D. Somadasa. They were appointed by the Cabinet of Ministers. This was after Justice Minister Athukorale, among other matters, submitted cabinet memoranda on Formulation of a new Salary Structure for the High Court Judges and the Judicial Officers in the Sri Lanka Judicial Service. She also sought the creation of a new Service Category and formulation of a distinctive salary scale for the Law Officers attached to the Attorney Generals Department as well as those in the Legal Draftsmans Department. Minister Athukorale noted that difficulties were being experienced in recruiting and retaining required officers due to inadequacy of existing salaries and other privileges. Among the increases: Salary and allowances of High Court Judges, presently the total salary and pensionable allowance which is at Rs 104,694 per month to be increased to Rs 180,000. Professional allowance will go up from Rs 15,000 to Rs 75,000. There will be an increase their allowances from Rs 168,894 to Rs 304,200. Besides this, they will also receive a housing allowance of Rs 50,000 (where there is no official residence) and a transport allowance of Rs 125,000 (where a vehicle and driver are not available). A drivers allowance of Rs 25,000 has also been included. District Judges/Judicial Officers (Special): The present salary and pensionable allowance which is Rs 71,941 to be increased to Rs 165,000. They will also receive a non-pensionable 50 percent of their salary from December 31, 2015 as personal allowance. Other than the salary, their total emoluments will increase from Rs 151,424 to Rs 269,300. Magistrate/Judicial Officer: Now drawing a salary and allowance of Rs 49,079. This will be increased to Rs 129,750. Total of the salary and pensionable allowance, which stands at Rs 49,079 will move up to Rs 112,500. Attorney General: Now drawing Rs 95,800 as salary and pensionable allowance. This will increase to Rs 240,000. With other allowances, the total which stands at Rs 201,850 will increase to Rs 332,800. Housing allowance which stands at Rs 12,000 is to be increased to 50,000(where official residence has not been provided). A Books allowance of Rs 30,000 has also been provided for. Justice Minister Athukorale has also recommended to increase the Allowance for Not Engaging in Private Practice from the present Rs 50,000 to Rs 150,000. Solicitor General: Present salary and allowances Rs 90,700.This will be increase to Rs 140,000. Total of salary and pensionable allowances will go up from Rs 99,700 to Rs 220,000. Other allowances (professional, judicial professional COL, telephone etc) will go up from Rs 177,125 to Rs 290,800. Senior Additional Solicitor General: Total of salary and pensionable allowances to increase from Rs 73,779 to Rs 190,000. All other allowances to increase from Rs 151,328 to Rs 250,800. Additional Solicitor General: Total of salary and pensionable allowances to be increased from Rs 73,779 to Rs 170,000. Other allowances to go up from Rs 151,328 to Rs 230,800. Senior Deputy Solicitor General State Attorney: Total salary and pensionable allowances to go up from Rs 63,892 to Rs 150,000. Other allowances to be increased from Rs 132,232 to Rs 205,800. Legal Draftsman: Total of the salary and pensionable allowance to go up from the present Rs 73,779 to Rs 190,000. Other allowances which stand at Rs 104,579 to be raised to Rs 222,800. Additional Legal Draftsman: The present salary and pensionable allowance to be raised from Rs 73,779 to Rs 170,000. Other allowances to be increased from Rs 104,579 to Rs 202,800. Wedding bells for Chinese couples: Who will foot the bill View(s): A hundred Chinese couples tied the nuptial knot this month in Colombo watched by their relatives and a distinguished audience. Later, there was a banquet for 600 guests at a leading restaurant in Battaramulla. The Chinese couples have gone back home after a brief honeymoon in paradise isle to live happily ever after and their relatives caught a glimpse of Sri Lanka during a near weeklong visit. The drama behind the wedding, however, has begun to unfold only now. The mega event was arranged by a private company owned by the brother of an influential advisor to the Minister of Tourism Development and Christian Religious Affairs. That company dubbed the event The Royal Wedding Ceremony of Sri Lanka (RWCS 2017) though Communist China is in no way associated with royalty. The 100 grooms and brides who came for the wedding on December 17 were all commoners. As the private company said it; the venue Colombo Town Hall grounds was majestically decorated with pavilions and never before witnessed fanfare to celebrate the unique event including over 500 Chinese guests. Needless to say that the Tourism Ministrys backing took the project off the ground in a big way. Perhaps, it recognised the tourism development potential in the exercise besides the influence brought to bear. However, things began to go wrong after the private company in question urged Tourism Promotion Bureau Chairman Udaya Nanayakkara to sponsor expenses related to the wedding and the grand reception that followed. As a witty official said that would have made the state not only the kapuwa (broker) but also the magul gedera (wedding house) operators. Mr Nanayakkara responded to that letter from the private firm by saying, At a recent press conference held in Colombo, Hon. Minister of Tourism was questioned by one of the media personnel whether any financial commitment will be made by the Ministry or by any organisation under the Ministry towards this event. (Note: This came after the event was first reported in these columns) At that point, Hon. Minister informed the media that there is no financial commitment either from the Ministry or from any Organisation under the Ministry for this event. Therefore we wish to inform you that we are unable to forward your request to the Board of Management of the Sri Lanka Tourism Bureau seeking approval to sponsor the wedding reception. The matter did not end there. Tourism Minister John Ameratunga gave a written directive to Chairman Nanayakkara. He said that we are fortunate that the private company in question is organizing an event of this magnitude which is a shot in the arm for Sri Lanka tourism and a valuable contribution towards the numbers (sic) as 100 Chinese nationals are expected to get married and 350 more Chinese friends and relatives will come to Sri Lanka.. Therefore, Minister Ameratunga said While appreciating the efforts taken by this company, which is mutually beneficial to all concerned, I hereby recommend a contribution of 3 million (rupees) from SLTPB towards this unique event. Quite clearly, Mr Ameratunga has contradicted his own remarks, made at a news conference, in his bid to reward his advisors brothers firm in question. Thus, the Ministers public position and the private views to draw state funds differ. Bluntly put, he was conning to the public through the media. Chairman Nanayakkara has made clear that such a payment, as the Tourism Minister ordered, cannot be made without the approval of the Board of Management or the approval of the Treasury. There it stands now. Minister and NGOs in battle over beggars About sixty beggars rounded up from the City of Colombo have been moved to a rehabilitation centre.Officials said yesterday that more would be rounded up soon and taken to the centre in Ridiyagama. As the operation continued, Megapolis and Western Development Minister Champika Ranawaka hit out at Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) which said the action violated the liberty of the poor. We have found that the large number of beggars are mentally affected, drug addicts and admittedly some poor. There are also organised groups for whom this has become a business. Do the NGOs want this problems to proliferate? he asked yesterday. Minister Ranawaka said the organisations that spoke of the welfare of beggars should address their needs instead of pontificating to the Government what to do. Rambukwella says no to leaping Last weeks report in these columns about speculation of Kandy District SLFP rebel MP Keheliya Rambukwella joining the United National Party ranks drew a quick response. Mr Rambukwella, who read the report at his Kandy residence, called a news conference the same Sunday morning. He declared that he had no plans to quit his party and join what he called a losing party. Mr Rambukwella told the Sunday Times that a UNP north central province politician has been spreading the story about his possible crossover and that has led to speculation. Even if I join, he (the politician) will be the last person to know, he added. That was an interesting quote, though. Who is the prime minister of Pakistan? President Maithripala Sirisena addressed candidates of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) at a meeting at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium on Friday. During the course of the speech, he made it a point to mention how he would phone or write to world leaders to get things done. One was a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin that led to Moscow lifting the ban on tea from Sri Lanka. Then he referred to Pakistans prime minister from whom he sought fertilizer. He said he had spoken to Mohamed Shareef. The reference was obviously to the former Prime Minister of that country. Here again it was Nawaz Shariff. The present Prime Minister of Pakistan is Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. Asbetos ban: Was Cabinet misled The Russian ambassador went on record this week to tell a local daily (The Island) that the asbestos ban imposed by Sri Lanka largely affecting imports from Russia, had nothing to do with the tea ban imposed on Sri Lanka by his country. He says that the tea ban, now lifted, was purely meant to protect agricultural imports to Russia, especially wheat grain. While there was no evidence shown as to whether the larvae (not a beetle) found in a tea package from Sri Lanka originated from Sri Lanka, the question is why did the Cabinet jump the gun and rescind the asbestos ban? Who misled the Cabinet with wrong information and will the asbestos ban be reimposed now? Holiday on ice because of colleague The upcoming local polls have gated a number of ministers from enjoying holidays overseas though some have been lucky enough to travel for different reasons.One minister, skilled in many ways but unable to take wings, rang the virtual owner of a southern coastal resort just 45 minutes drive from Colombo. The man who has a fancy for any fruit from the citrus family was lucky. The virtual owner, who is out to win friends and influence people under the new disposition, was generous enough to tell him he could occupy the Presidential suite free of charge. Just days later, another minister, this time one to whom education is everything and has his eyes set on becoming a party leader, asked a friend to call up the same virtual owner to ask for accommodation at the same hotel. He replied that the minister was welcome but added that the skilled colleague of the minister making the second request was going to be in the hotel at the same time. Oka innavanang mama enney nehe, or if he is there, I will not come, the second minister shot back and looked for another hotel to spend his vacation. Bills redrafted more than 20 times, Legal Draftsman complains By Chandani Kirinde View(s): View(s): The Legal Draftsmans Department has redrafted Bills, some more than 20 times, as instructing agencies keep on changing policy, the Department has said in a report presented to Parliament. For example, the National Audit Bill and the Motor Traffic Bill have been amended 22 times so far, the Department has said. The other Bills amended more than ten times and are yet to be finalised include the State Land (Special Provisions) Bill (13 times), the Land Development Ordinance (14 times), the General Sir John Kotelawala National Defence University Bill (10 times), the Sri Lanka Sustainable Development Bill (15 times) and the Voluntary Social Service (Registration and Supervision) Bill (11 times). It says that, irrespective of a Bill being earlier finalised, this Department has to attend to it dedicating the same time and attention given to a fresh request. Request for such amendments to completed drafts are sent even after the final draft is sent out in all three languages and sometimes the procedure is repeated a number of times, the Department has complained. The recently passed Local Government Elections (Amendment) Bill was amended 15 times before it was debated and passed by parliament. Election Commission stops polls-related public events By Damith Wickremasekara View(s): View(s): The Election Commission has put a halt to a string of public events as they would promote a candidate or political party involved in the upcoming local council elections. The Commission also has given a ruling that in some instances events could be held without the participation of politicians or without political speeches. These are among the measures taken to prevent abuse of state property or public funds for election related activities. Disciplinary action will be taken against Government officers who fail to prevent the use of state property or state funds in a manner promoting a candidate or a political party during the campaign, the Election Commission has warned. Commission Chairman Mahinda Deshapriya told the Sunday Times that state institutions had been informed of the directive. We understand there are attempts by politicians to use various methods such as distribution of books or agricultural equipment and provide other assistance during the election period to promote a party or a candidate. We have ordered that all these programmes be stopped till February 15, Mr Deshapriya said. He said that if any attempt was made to use state funds or property for a programme, the respective officer would need to seek advice from the Elections Commission as to whether the programme could be allowed. Failure to do this would result in disciplinary action being taken against the officer. The new directive has prompted public sector officials to seek advice from the Elections Commission whether permission should be granted to go ahead with the events. The queries included issues on appointments, transfers, conducting of functions, book distribution ceremonies, opening ceremonies, interviews, exhibitions and conducting of mobile services. The Election Commissions Director General, M.A.L. Ratnayake, said a separate division had been set up to provide advice to public officers. One of the criteria on deciding whether a particular programme should be allowed is to see if it has been specially arranged during the election period or whether it has been an annual event, he said. Presidential officials study 1,400-page report by Bond Commission View(s): Presidential Secretariat officials will study the report of the Commission of Inquiry (COI) appointed by President Maithripala Sirisena to probe the Central Bank Treasury bond issue before deciding on what course of action to take. A senior Presidential Secretariat official said the report was a comprehensive one and they would need some time to study it. The report was handed over to President Sirisena by the Commissions Chairman, Supreme Court Judge K. T Chitrasiri, last afternoon. Its a complete report with all the recorded evidence, annexures and recommendations, he said. The report, numbering 1,400 pages, includes around 100 annexures, the Sunday Times learns. The evidence of 70 witnesses who appeared before the Commission, too, is included. The handing over of the Report brings to an end the work of the three-member Presidential Commission of |Inquiry (COI) appointed in January to inquire into the issuance of Central Bank Treasury Bonds from February 1, 2015 to March 31, 2016. The other members of the commission were Supreme Court Judge Prasanna Sujeewa Jayawardana and former Deputy Auditor General Veluppillai Kandasamy. The witnesses included officials of the Central Bank, the EPF Department, state banks, the Central Banks former Governor Arjun Mahendran and several ministers. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe too appeared before it as the final witness. The President appointed the COI amidst allegations of irregularities in the issuance of Treasury bonds during the specified period. Its terms of reference said that the President is of the opinion that it is in the national interest to conduct such an inquiry into the bond issuance matter in order to determine what measures should be adopted so there will be no recurrence of such acts in the future. Probe reveals criminally acquired overseas assets of politicians, officials When more proof is obtained, investigators say they will move for the confiscation of such assets By Namini Wijedasa View(s): View(s): Some assets located overseas have been provisionally identified as being the proceeds of crimes committed by certain politically exposed persons (PEPs) of Sri Lankan origin, authoritative Government sources revealed this week. While they declined to say who these persons were, PEPs typically include politicians and bureaucrats. These were the outcomes of investigations conducted by the CIABOC (Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption), the FCID (Financial Crimes Investigation Division) and the CID (Criminal Investigation Department), they said. As at this moment, a few assets have been provisionally identified as proceeds of crime committed by certain politically exposed persons (PEP) of Sri Lankan origin. In financial regulations, PEP describes someone entrusted with a prominent public function. They generally present a higher risk for potential involvement in bribery and corruption by virtue of their position and the influence that they may hold. We are working with local and overseas law enforcement agencies to develop proof of the committing of such predicate offences and proceeds of such crimes having being used to acquire these assets, the sources said. A predicate offence is the criminal activity from which proceeds of a crime are derived. They are generally crimes underlying money laundering or terrorist finance activity. Once that is established, we can move for seizure and confiscation of such assets in terms of the laws of those countries, they asserted. If and when that happens, applications can be made to have the value of such assets returned to Sri Lanka. Its a long drawn process. And it will be complex and time-consuming, the sources warned. We are also saddled with a total lack of cooperation from the UAE, they said. We also have a lack of expertise at local investigation level and other resource constraints. If assets are found overseas and we can track them back to individuals in Colombo, that will be valuable evidence to prosecute them for the predicate offence of corruption or for money laundering, which generally covers dealing in any manner with proceeds of crime and those derived out of such proceeds, they explained. Investigators have relied heavily on the Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Act of 2005 as the basic domestic legal tool and the United Nations Convention against Corruption as the international legal instrument. Political niceties between governments have also helped tremendously, an informed source said. Matters relating to proceeds of crime located overseas are coordinated with foreign law enforcement authorities by the Presidential Task Force for the Recovery of Stolen State Assets (START) of which the Executive Secretary is Additional Solicitor General Yasantha Kodagoda and Chairman is J.C. Weliamuna, PC. The Task Force includes the heads of the CIABOC, the FCID, the CID, the Financial Intelligence Unit, Customs and several Secretaries. It was established through a Cabinet decision in April 2015. Meanwhile, a draft Proceeds of Crime Act is still being drawn up. We are looking at both confiscation following conviction as well as non-conviction based seizure and confiscation schemes, a senior legal source said. Domestic prosecutions for predicate offences committed in Sri Lanka will be in terms of existing law relating to bribery and corruption, Penal Code offences such as criminal breach of trust and cheating and the offence of money laundering. But the Proceeds of Crime Act, once enacted, will be used prospectively with regards to any proceeds found from the time the Act comes into operation, the source said. But it could relate to proceeds of predicate offences committed at any point of time, including in the past. Non-conviction based asset confiscation and conviction based (criminal) confiscation share the same objective of confiscation by the State of the proceeds and instrumentalities of crime, explains a Transparency International project. The main distinction between them is that criminal confiscation requires a criminal trial and conviction where non-conviction based asset confiscation does not. Amendments to the CIABOC Act are also pending. A fundamental change that has been proposed is to widen the prosecutorial ambit of the Commission so that it can launch prosecutions into cases of money laundering where the predicate offence is bribery or corruption; and to also be able to prosecute for ancillary offences to bribery and corruption such as forgery, tendering forged documents and genuine ones, falsification of accounts, etc. The CIABOC Act has not been amended since its introduction in 1994. Down a rabbit hole and the magic unfolds Well known diver Dharshana Jayawardena tells Randima Attygalle about his discovery and exploration of an underwater cave system lying beneath the Ravana Nil Diya Pokuna off Ella View(s): View(s): You can easily put up a five-storey building inside it. At its widest areas, it is about 75 metres in length, 72 metres in width and 16 metres in height, is how underwater explorer Dharshana Jayawardena recollects his encounter with a massive underground cave chamber. It is inside the belly of a mountain range, on the way underground to a mysterious lake called Ravanas Nil Diya Pokuna off Ella, a place entwined with the Rama-Sita legend. The expert diver, the first to have discovered and explored in this country, an underwater cave system lying beneath this beautiful lake, tells the Sunday Times that it was simply an amazing sight to behold. The Nil Diya Pokuna, lying 80 metres deep inside a mountain cave in Karandagolla can be accessed via two independent entrances, of which the better-known one is situated in a forest reservation in the area, while a villager, R.M. Meththananda, then discovered about three years ago a second entrance on a private property. Although many had reached Nil Diya Pokuna via both ways, Dharshana was the first to dive into this lake recently and discover a hitherto unknown underwater cave system. An experienced technical Scuba diver known for his shipwreck discoveries and lucidly documented work, Ghosts of the Deep- Diving the shipwrecks of Sri Lanka, Dharshana had until then heard of Nil Diya Pokuna through word of mouth and was intrigued by the possibility that the caves could extend underwater. After completing three cave diving courses and earning the Full Cave Diver certification in Thailand, exploring about 12 challenging caves, I was looking for underwater caves here at home when I heard of the Nil Diya Pokuna, recollects Dharshana and immediately set about exploring it with the help of Meththananda. The journey to the underground lake begins with a half-an-hour hike into the jungle. For Dharshana and his team, it was an arduous undertaking. It required four people to carry his special cave-diving gear across the treacherous terrain as he describes. If not for Meththananda and his support crew, I couldnt have managed these expeditions, he adds. After rappelling down the Rabbit Hole (as Dharshana calls the steep tunnel at the start of the cave, named after Alice in Wonderland) using a rope, it is simply a thriller movie, which unfolds! The one-hours trek inside the mountain, swathed in complete darkness, down rocks, slippery slopes and narrow restrictions brings one to a dry massive central chamber. Beyond this chamber, another half-an-hour hour trek down the cave takes you to the Nil Diya Pokuna. It is about 30 metres in length and about 10-15 metres wide at its widest point as Dharshana says. As it is deep within a mountain cave, devoid of sunlight, there are no observable living things at the lake level. Further up close to the entrance one can observe large numbers of bats, moths, grass hoppers and spiders. Legend has it that Sita, the beautiful consort of Rama, the Prince of Ayodhya, was abducted by Ravana, the king of Lanka, in an act of revenge. was held captive in the island of Lanka and, according to local folklore, Sita was brought to Nil Diya Pokuna to bathe. Some of the villagers even believe that Ravanas body still lies close by, buried here after he was slain by Ramas spear in the battle to reclaim his beloved Sita. Many warned me that a divine power will stop me from exploring the cave as the place is shrouded in myth, says Dharshana with a smile. The chilly, 23C degree, deep waters of this liver-shaped pool were so intense that it numbed my mind he recalls. Unlike the normal ocean temperature which is about 28C to 29C, the waters of Nil Diya Pokuna were biting cold as the pond lies 776m above sea level in a mountain range and the dive required a thicker exposure protection suit than what I usually use in the ocean. With just torchlight as the only source of illumination in the otherwise pitch black surroundings, Dharshana initially explored the left side of the lake and found an underwater entrance that sloped down into a wide passage. About 60 metres down this track, a narrow pass, which he later named, Jatayu pass ( after a giant king of vultures that attacked Ravana when he kidnapped Sita) greeted him with many challenges. One of my breathing regulators started failing, the cold became intense, and my exhalation air bubbles hit the cave roof and it started falling on me in a flurry of pieces and the visibility just went to zero. Also, I got entangled in my guideline (a reel of thin braided nylon line used by cave divers to find their way back out of an underwater cave) and I had to cut it and repair it before I could come back. In this dive I had reached a maximum depth of 21m and I was underwater for 44 minutes and as a result a permanent guideline was laid up to the pass where I had problems. After the initial dive to the caves came three more dive expeditions. Dharshana named the left underwater entrance as Ravana Maga and the right entrance as Sita Maga. In the second dive expedition, he managed to explore Sita Maga comprehensively, installing another permanent guideline. In his third dive expedition, Dharshana swam down Ravana Maga and beyond the tricky Jatayu pass only to come across Sita Maga after a while! It was an Eureka moment for Dharshana to be able to connect these two underwater pathways beneath the Nil Diya Pokuna. It was amazing to discover one single big underwater cave system which could be accessed by two different sides, he says. In his fourth dive, he explored much further beyond Jatayu pass, installing permanent guidelines and discovered that the cave continues with no visible end in sight, indicating perhaps that this cave could continue underwater for even many hundreds of metres more. The caves are completely devoid of marine life. It is breathtaking to see undisturbed areas of the underwater cave. It is a place of great beauty and tranquility. However the water seemed sterile except for a small worm found at the surface, he said. With the footage acquired in these expeditions, Dharshana and his team are now producing an exciting exploration documentary called Deep into Earth which will be released next year. Another notable result of the Deep into Earth project was that, one key expedition member, Manjula Wijeyaratne was able to acquire precise barometric and laser measurements of the dry part of the cave and create invaluable detailed maps of the terrain. Deep into Earth also received valuable input from Dr. Wasantha Sena Weliange who also accompanied the team on the fourth expedition to the cave. Cave diving is one of the most dangerous forms of Scuba diving and requires a diver to be in a situation where he/she cannot immediately ascend to safety in case of an emergency. The only way back to the surface is the way you came back, the reason why I had to use a guideline. It is the only reliable way to come back without being disoriented and losing your way. By laying permanent guidelines, future exploration will be easier as subsequent cave divers can now simply follow the line, he notes. This, as he further explains requires a special equipment configuration that has backups including a minimum of two scuba tanks and multiple torches. Cave diving may also require decompression diving as a diver goes deep and cant come straight back up but needs to stop at different levels to decompress. A cave like no other in Sri Lanka Speaking to the Sunday Times, Senior Lecturer from the Department of Zoology of the Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Rajarata, Dr. Wasantha Sena Weliange who is also an authority on the ecology and functions of streams and rivers in Sri Lanka notes, that in his cave exploration experience in the country, Ravana Cave is so far the largest. Its enormous compared to others. On the floor of the Ravana cave there are polygonal rock boulders ranging from about 1 metre to 4-5 metres. They are all made of common rock types like gneiss. The cave floor is not flat, but has the slope similar to the outside landscape. Another interesting factor is the Olympic size pool which is found inside. As there is no wind inside the cave the surface of the water is always still, which you cannot see anywhere else. The formation of Nil Diya Pokuna as Dr. Weliange explains is interesting. The earthly materials which surround the cave are porous. When it rains a portion of the rain flows along the surface downwards and a portion is soaked to the soil. Soaked water seeps through the soils due to gravity and this drops to the void from its roof. This accumulation of water has created the pool. To determine the age of a cave, the age of the deposits found in a cave are analyzed says the scholar. For example; inside the caves there are deposits which are known as speleotherms, or galmal in lay terms which means stony sprouts. There are two major types of speleotherms known as stalagmite and stalactite. Stalagmite is commonly called Hiri Temba and stalactites are known as Hiri Lamba. Those speleotherms started growing after the formation of the underground void, many thousands of years ago due to landslides during the last glaciation. If we determine the age of the speleotherm then it is equal to the age of the cave. There are many techniques to determine the age of those things. According to our logic, the Ravana cave could be about 25000 years old or little less. Taking a memorable family musical around the world Jonny Bowles, choreographer of Broadway Asia Internationals adaptation of The Sound Of Music to be staged here in February talks to Tarini Pilapitiya View(s): View(s): The hills will come alive from February 14 to 18 at the Nelum Pokuna Theatre as Cinnamon Life in partnership with Broadway Asia International present the Broadway adaptation of The Sound of Music to audiences here. Set in 1930s Austria, the postulant nun Maria Rainer is sent to be governess to the seven motherless children of the stern Captain von Trapp by the Mother Abbess who believes Maria might be better suited for a life outside the convent a sound solution to the convent nuns dilemma so beautifully voiced in the song How do you solve a problem like Maria? With themes of the perils of war, warm tones of love and family and memorable musical scores The Sound of Music is a timeless classic. What day is it? laughs the productions choreographer Jonny Bowles on the morning of December 23 at the MAS innovation Centre, having just flown down from Macau, China. These past months Jonny has been hopping on and off planes overseeing his other productions like Aladdin and The Bodyguard. Entering the world of theatre at an early age, Jonnys previous directorial and choreography credits include Billy Elliot the Musical (West End), West Side Story (Arts End) etc. He was also an associate director for the production of Annie (Chris Moreono/Lunchbox Productions), associate choreographer to the International and Australian tour of The Sound of Music and also Resident Director of the China tour of the theatrical version of Whitney Houstons famous The Bodyguard to name a few. With the 1950s America theatre industry booming with productions such as My Fair Lady and Guys and Dolls running for years authors and composers were thirsty for new material. It was in 1958 the prolific team of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein came across Maria von Trapps memoirs and started working on the The Sound of Music. The musical premiered in 1959 and ran for three years with 1443 performances. In 1960 the Broadway musical went on to win five Tony Awards, and was subsequently followed by an Oscar winning film adaptation starring Christopher Plummer and Julie Andrews. Jonny was in Colombo to audition young hopefuls for the Von Trapp childrens roles. A former actor and performer himself, Jonny has come a full circle he chuckles, taking on the role of a teacher at present. Im looking for children who can pick up, Jonny said adding that the 12 kids who will be selected will need to be fully invested in concentration and discipline. Jonny who has been in the world of theatre most of his life says if the kids can stay focused and pay attention thats all that counts. Asked how the professional thespians feel about the addition of their younger counterparts Jonny openly admits they enjoy it! adding it keeps it fresh for them as well. Although the professionals have been touring internationally and have their parts down for some time now Jonny states its ultimately the kids who make the production. If the kids dont work, the production doesnt work. The audition hall was abuzz with excitement as the young hopefuls nervously awaited instructions. With an initial registration of 300 children aged between 5 to 15 years, the second audition held on December 23 accommodated a shortlisted 40. Registrations will remain open until January 9 with auditions taking place on January 10 and 11 and the final selection being made on January 13. For more information parents are requested to contact the organizers on 0717114111. The final 12 chosen youngsters will act in two groups of six. The main cast will include the professional actors taking on the adult roles of Captain von Trapp, Maria, Liesl, Baroness Elsa Schraede etc. The production will feature a company of 66 members including orchestra, ensemble, crew etc. Having taken the Sound of Music to various international stages over the years, Jonny strongly believes that everyone has the potential to learn. Every production must be the same standard we have in the UK he affirms. A stickler for staying true to the concepts of the original Broadway production, Jonny says he is paying homage to the craft of the directors by nurturing their work. When compared to the film adaptation the Broadway production packs more meat with supporting roles in the movie like the Baroness getting more of a backstory, Jonny reveals. Each production allows me to give audiences a fresh outlook really, he shares adding I didnt come with preconceived ideas and concepts about what to or what not to expect of kids in different countries. If we dont keep the standard alive then were not being faithful to our brands messages which can only be brought out by the depth of the musical performance, he says. For Jonny a huge moment is the reprise sung by the children who are soon joined by Captain Von Trapp as he emerges from behind them strong in his role as the protector parent and spreading a heartwarming message of the bond between father and children. As the interview draws to a close, Jonny who believes in treating kids like professionals rolls up his sleeves to begin his intensive three- week training with these aspiring young thespians. The Sound of Music will see 7 shows taking place from February 14 to 18 at the Nelum Pokuna Theatre at 7.30 p.m. with two matinee performances on February 17 and 18 at 3 p.m. Tickets will be priced at Rs. 20,000, Rs. 15,000, Rs. 10,000 and Rs. 7,500 and can be purchased at www.cinnamonboxoffice.com. The birth of a newspaper: The Daily News in the making To mark the centenary of the Daily News, we publish extracts of an article written by its founder, the late D.R. Wijewardene, on the occasion of the silver jubilee of the newspaper View(s): View(s): It has been suggested to me that I should take this opportunity to recall the circumstances of the birth of the Daily News and some of the more important incidents of its career. Twenty-five years is a long time in the life of an individual and there are only three members of the present large organisation, including a peon, who were responsible for the first issue of the Daily News which was published on January 3, 1918. It is not possible to deal with the subject adequately without providing a background of autobiography; but I must apologise in advance for anything in the following account that may appear unduly personal. My interest in politics began during my undergraduate days at Cambridge. There were other kindred spirits, from India, Ceylon and other parts of the East, who felt the surge of the nationalist revival in Asia. There was a wave of unrest in India as a result of Lord Curzons action in partitioning Bengal, and prominent Indian leaders came over to England and addressed meetings to enlighten the British public on the situation in their country. Amongst them there was Lala Lajpat Rai, a great nationalist and scholar, who had been deported under an obsolete law. Bepin Chandra Pal and Surendranath Benerji, generally known as the silver-tongued orator of Bengal, drew large audiences. There came to England also Gopal Krishna Gokhale, a member of the Imperial Legislative Council, a statesman who made great sacrifices in the service of his country. His was a towering intellect and he was as respected by the rulers as he was loved by his countrymen. He impressed on me that every educated young man,Indian or Ceylonese, had a part to play in the public life of his country and must be prepared to make sacrifices for his countrys welfare. I met Mr. Gokhale often at the National Liberal Club and had many long and interesting talks with him on political questions of the day. He asked me to accompany him on his great mission to South Africa as one of his Secretaries. To my great regret I was not able to accept the invitation. A friend of Ceylon It was during this period that the Liberal Party had come into power with a phenomenal majority and hope revived in all subject countries of an amelioration of their political condition. One could not walk in to the National Liberal Club without treading on the toes of Cabinet Ministers and Members of Parliament. A change from that anti-Asiatic feeling, which was at its height, following the assassination of Sir Curzon Wylie, an official of the India Office, was overdue. One of the best friends Ceylon and Indian students had in London in those days was Mr. F.H.M. Corbet, to whom I owe a great debt of gratitude for many kindnesses. He had many influential friends in and outside Parliament. Incidentally, it was in Mr. Corbets chambers he was born in Ceylon and as a lawyer used to appear before the Privy Council before he came out to India as Advocate-General of Madras that I first met E.W. Perera, who was even then a keen politician and displayed many of the qualities which gave him a leading position in the legislature many years later. Every mail from Ceylon brought news of popular discontent with the reactionary administration of Sir Henry Mc- Callum who had Sir Hugh Clifford as his Colonial Secretary. Mr. Corbet showed me the ropes in the delicate task of interesting Members of Parliament in the domestic affairs of a Crown Colony. Amongst those whom I was able to interest were Sir Henry Cotton, who put the first questions in the House of Commons on the desirability of extending the principle of representative government to Ceylon, Sir John Jardine, Sir Herbert Roberts, afterwards Lord Clwyd, leader of the Welsh Liberals, and Mr. A. Mc Callum Scott, all of them stout champions of subject peoples. Reforms mooted The first Reform deputation, which was received by Colonel Seely (now Lord Mottistone) on behalf of the Marquis of Crewe, the Secretary of State, was arranged by E.W. Perera and myself with the help of Mr. Corbet. We succeeded in persuading Mr. H.J.C. Pereira, who had booked his passage to leave for Ceylon in a few days, to lead the deputation which was introduced by Lord Courtney. It resulted in the grant of the so-called Educated Ceylonese seat in the Legislative Council, the only one for which the general population of the Island could elect a member. Two years later I organized a second deputation. This time it was to meet Mr. Lewis (afterwards Lord) Harcourt and protest against the establishment of numerous toddy taverns in various parts of the Island. Sir Baron Jayatilaka and Sir Marcus Fernando, among others, put the case for the Ceylon temperance movement. Sir Marcus (he was knighted many years later) had come to England after the reverse he suffered in the election for the Educated Ceylonese seat and I had the pleasure of putting him up for election to the National Liberal Club. When I returned home, after being called to the Bar, I was brought into close contact with most of the prominent political leaders of the time. But politics had not got beyond personal and communal issues and what there was of it came chiefly from the Law Library at Hulftsdorp. There were, among the leaders of the legal profession, men who were eminently fitted for political leadership, but the legislature had not yet made any considerable demands on this reservoir of talent. Fresh from a sojourn in a more exhilarating political atmosphere, I was anxious to see a more positive approach to local problems. The Ceylon National Association, the oldest political organisation in the Island, was dormant and inactive. I was elected to the Secretaryship and, putting my energies into its revival, succeeded in making it a live force in the country. Together with Sir P. Arunachalam and Sir James Peiris I helped to organise the Social Service League of which I was one of the three Secretaries. The riots In 1915 there came the riots. No event of the past century had a more potent influence in shaping the mind of a people than the brutality with which the riots were suppressed. The effect was similar to that of the partition of Bengal by Lord Curzon and the Jallianwallabagh incident. The riots marked the point when the people of Ceylon decided that without political freedom, any relation between the ruler and the ruled was one of master and slave. The aftermath During the riots I was holding a commission in the C.L.I., and perhaps due to my connection with the Social Service League and National Association my house was searched by a private of the European Town Guard, a European Police Sergeant and a posse of Punjabi soldiers. D.S. Senanayake and his brothers, F.R. and D.C., W.A. de Silva, D.B. (now Sir Baron) Jayatilaka and C. Batuwantudawe, who had figured prominently in the temperance movement and of whom four were destined to become ministers in later years under the Donoughmore Constitution, were thrown into prison. From now on the political history of Ceylon was to be different. Temperance workers foresaw that without political freedom and a voice in the management of their own affairs there was no liberty. Those who were devoting themselves to temperance came over to politics and there was a great accession of workers to the political cause and none more zealous than the present leader of the House, D.S. Senanayake. At this time those who were responsible for governmental misdeeds attempted to drive a wedge between the Sinhalese Buddhists and Sinhalese Christians by trying to make out that the latter had no connection with the riots. This move failed and as things returned to normal, and the Government permitted it, a great public meeting was held at the Public Hall to protest against the iniquities which had been committed. A definite move was made to prevent Sir James Peiris and other Sinhalese Christians from participating, but Sir James, a man of high principle and sterling integrity frowned on it. The National Association, now galvanised into life, continued to take an active interest in all political events of the day. Frequent meetings were held, memoranda drafted, memorials sent to the Secretary of State and when occasion demanded public meetings held. The pioneer The man who gave much-needed direction and drive during the next phase of the national movement was just emerging into a public career. Sir P. Arunachalam had shone brilliantly as a Civil Servant. He was a scholar, philosopher and a proved administrator. He had now divested himself of his official habiliments and was looking round for an opportunity for service in a different field, under freer conditions. I persuaded him to deliver his epoch-making address on Our Political Needs at a meeting of the National Association. That address was both a starting point and a blue print for the important constitutional changes which followed, and was listened to by a large audience in the Victoria Masonic Hall. The immediate outcome of the meeting was the formation of the Ceylon Reform League for the sole purpose of putting forward the case for a substantial measure of responsible Government for Ceylon. I was joint Secretary with W.A. de Silva. Sir P. Arunachalam was our President and his habit of visiting the Leagues Office regularly and putting in a days work was another instance of his sincerity and devotion to duty. The Ceylon National Association and Reform League held under their joint auspices a National Conference which voiced the demands of the country. It was the precursor of the Ceylon National Congress which was inaugurated in the following year. A Free Press Such then was the background of my incursion into journalism. I remember how some years before, when I was still in England, Mr. Corbet emphasised to me the importance, of a well-informed public opinion for which a free an independent Press was a sine qua non. Mr. Corbet went so far as to cable to Sir Hector Van Cuylenberg, then proprietor of the Ceylon Independent, enquiring whether he would sell his newspaper. It was a few years later that I bought the Dinamina, one of my brothers also taking a share. I had the inestimable advantage of the close co-operation of Sir Baron Jayatilaka. He not only gave me his advice and encouragement but wrote many of the leaders and special articles. The Ceylon Daily News, as Sir P. Arunachalam wrote in his message, published in the first issue, was fortunate in the time of its birth. New forces were at work, stirring the national consciousness. The newspapers at the time were the Ceylon Morning Leader, edited by a clever journalist, the late Armand de Souza, the Ceylon Observer, the Times of Ceylon, the Ceylon Independent, and the Ceylonese. The last-named was started by Sir P. Ramanathan, Mr. Hector Jayawardene and others and at a later stage Mr. Francis de Zoysa, a man who never wavered from his principles, was an active Director, and always took a great interest in the Daily News too. The Ceylonese always had a vigorous nationalist policy and in make-up and presentation of news inclined to American methods. But the business side of the newspaper was sadly mismanaged and it went under the auctioneers hammer on a writ of F.R. Senanayakes for Rs. 21,000. The sale was fixed for a date in December 1917, I had decided to make an offer and went to the sale. F.R. Senanayake and his brother D.S. arrived shortly afterwards and as they were in a hurry to keep an appointment elsewhere F.R. asked me to bid up to Rs. 21,000, the amount of his writ. I was in an embarrassing position when I found that the bidding was not lively and the best offer was about Rs. 15,000. I bought the paper, including plant and goodwill for Rs. 16,000 and in addition paid F.R. a cheque for the difference between the purchase price and the amount of the mortgage. Many people shook their heads and said that another man was preparing to walk the streets. I hardly realized the problems involved in running a daily newspaper. We had not much time to prepare our first issue. It is recorded that eighteen months of careful preparation preceded the first issue of the London Daily Mail. We had about as many hours to prepare. I had been a regular reader and admirer of the London Daily News under the editorship of A.G. Gardiner, since my undergraduate days, and I decided to call the new paper the Ceylon Daily News. I had no Editor although nearly all the readers of the Ceylonese came over, as the sales figures showed. The late F.F. Martinus, a well-known journalist of his time who had retired from the practice of his craft, might be considered the first editor as he was in charge for the first week of the papers existence. I borrowed his services from one of my brothers for whom he was working in a business office. The great stand-by of the paper in those days was J.R. Weinman, a prolific and ready writer with an inexhaustible fund of knowledge and reminiscence. A.V. Kulasingham, now Crown Advocate of Jaffna, who had been on the editorial staff of the Ceylonese, was editor for a brief period. He was succeeded by S.J.K. Crowther, with whose co-operation I was able to establish the paper on its present secure footing. One of the reasons for the rapid success of the Daily News was the fact that it came to represent the new forces referred to by Sir P. Arunachalam. The Morning Leader under Armand de Souza had passed its hey-day. The Ceylon Independent had failed to keep pace with the march of time. The Ceylonese could not survive the difficulties resulting from the war and other causes owing to divided ownership and counsel. No one who was associated with me in the publication of the Daily News had political ambitions, Nor did I embark on the sea of journalism to bring home any rich argosies. There are more comfortable methods of making money than the newspaper profession affords. I staked a great deal on the venture. The paper had the ideals of public service and national progress before it. In the pursuit of those ideals the organisation which I started with a few dozen men has grown and has been established on a solid foundation. Early friends The Daily News was of course helped by many who were in the main current of politics. I would like to refer in this connection to the late E.T. de Silva, a contemporary of mine in London, who wrote many editorials and special articles. His early death cut short a life which showed brilliant promise. He was a powerful speaker and had he been given the normal span of life, he would undoubtedly have been one of our leading public men. From the earliest days the Daily News had many contributors whose work was greatly appreciated by readers. Leonard Woolf, the author of Village in the Jungle, who had retired some years earlier from the Ceylon Civil Service and made a name for himself as an author and journalist in London, was among these. Elsewhere in this Supplement Frederick Grubb writes of his long and memorable connection with the Daily News as its London Correspondent. He was a friend of Sir Baron Jayatilaka who arranged the appointment of Mr. Grubb during a visit to London in 1919. It is not too much to say that Mr. Grubbs weekly despatches did as much as anything else to establish the paper in the front rank of Ceylon journalism. One of the best features of the paper for many years were the occasional and well-timed letters signed E.J.S. Mr. Samerawickrames influence on Ceylon politics was unobtrusive but unfailing and real. He was guide, philosopher and friend of the paper till the very last days of his life. But the most prolific of them all was the Editor himself, whose gift of light satire found plenty of scope in his articles signed Jacques. Crowthers connection with the paper terminated early in 1931, the year in which the Donoughmore Constitution was inaugurated. He was succeeded by H.A.J. Hulugalle, the present occupant of the editorial chair. Hulugalle had joined the Daily News in the first year of its existence, straight from school as a lad of nineteen years. He grew up with the paper and, except for a brief interlude as a law student, was engaged in various departments of the Daily News. After a brief period as Editor of the Ceylon Observer he became Editor of the Daily News. His balanced judgment has served the paper well in the new era which opened with the Donoughmore Constitution. The new order Up to the introduction of the new Constitution, the incentive of office did not influence politicians. Even those who went before the Donoughmore Commission with proposals for reforms did not expect that the Ministerial system would take the form it took. A wide gulf divided the bureaucracy from popular movements and the men behind them. The Daily News played its part as a stern critic and was never intimidated. On more than one occasion it was threatened with the big stick and various penalties were held out, but it pursued an independent policy always, while being in close contact with the political organisations of the day. The new Constitution brought new factors into Ceylon politics. Ministers and Executive Committees now formulated policy and promoted Government measures. The Daily News was often obliged to criticise old friends and attack their policies when they were wrong. The last twelve years have in many ways been a difficult period for a newspaper, with the roots and traditions of the Daily News, but it has succeeded in steering a course which, those associated with the paper believe, has been in the best interests of the public. Such success as it has achieved during a quarter of a century is principally due to the fact that the public approved of its policy and methods, and gave it its confidence. Pakistan's government plans to seize control of charities and financial assets linked to Islamist leader Hafiz Saeed, who Washington has designated a terrorist, according to officials and documents reviewed by Reuters. Pakistan's civilian government detailed its plans in a secret order to various provincial and federal government departments on December 19, three officials who attended one of several high-level meeting discussing the crackdown told Reuters. Marked "secret", a December 19 document from the finance ministry directed law enforcement and governments in Pakistan's five provinces to submit an action plan by December 28 for a "takeover" of Saeed's two charities, Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) and the Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation. The United States has labelled JuD and FIF "terrorist fronts" for Lashkar-e-Taiba ("Army of the Pure" or LeT), a group Saeed founded in 1987 and which Washington and India blame for the 2008 attacks in Mumbai that killed 166 people. Saeed has repeatedly denied involvement in the Mumbai attacks and a Pakistani court saw insufficient evidence to convict him. The LeT could not be reached for comment. The December 19 document, which refers to "Financial Action Task Force (FATF) issues", names only Saeed's two charities and "actions to be taken" against them. The FATF, which is an international body that combats money laundering and terrorist financing, has warned Pakistan it faces inclusion on a watch list for failing to crack down on financing terrorism. Asked about a crackdown on JuD and FIF, Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal, who co-chaired one of the meetings on the plan, responded only generally, saying he has ordered authorities "to choke the fundraising of all proscribed outfits in Pakistan". In a written reply to Reuters, he also said Pakistan wasn't taking action under US pressure. "We're not pleasing anyone. We're working as a responsible nation to fulfill our obligations to our people and international community." Spokesmen for the JuD and FIF both said they could not comment until they receive official notifications of the government's plans. "We don't have any intimation about any crackdown so far," FIF spokesman Salman Shahid told Reuters. "No one has asked us about our work or assets." Saeed could not be reached for comment. He has frequently denied having ties to militants and says the charitable organisations he founded and controls have no terrorism ties. He says he promotes an Islamic-oriented government through doing good works. FIRST MAJOR MOVE If the government follows through with the plan, it would mark the first time Pakistan has made a major move against Saeed's network, which includes 300 seminaries and schools, hospitals, a publishing house and ambulance services. The JuD and FIF alone have about 50,000 volunteers and hundreds of other paid workers, according to two counter-terrorism officials. Participants at the meeting raised the possibility that the government's failure to act against the charities could lead to UN sanctions, one of the three officials said. A UN Security Council team is due to visit Pakistan in late January to review progress against UN-designated "terrorist" groups. "Any adverse comments or action suggested by the team can have far-reaching implications for Pakistan," the official said. The December19 document gave few details about how the state would take over Saeed's charities, pending the plans submitted from the provincial governments. It did say it would involve government entities taking over ambulance services and accounting for other vehicles used by the charities. It says law enforcement agencies will coordinate with Pakistan's intelligence agencies to identify the assets of the two charities and examine how they raise money. The document also directs that the name of JuD's 200-acre headquarters, Markaz-e-Taiba, near the eastern city of Lahore be changed to something else "to make it known that the Government of "Punjab (province) solely manages and operates the Markaz (headquarters)". The move to seize the charities could spark some concern from the powerful military, which has proposed plans to steer Saeed and the JuD into mainstream politics. The military did not respond to a request for comment. In August, JuD officials formed a new political party, the Milli Muslim League, and backed candidates who fared relatively strongly in two key parliamentary by-elections. The JuD publicly disavows armed militancy inside Pakistan, but offers vocal support for the cause of rebel fighters in Indian-administered Kashmir and has called for Pakistan to retake Kashmir. Nuclear-armed India and Pakistan have fought two wars over the disputed region. Washington, which has offered a $10 million reward for information leading to Saeed's conviction over the Mumbai attacks, warned Islamabad of repercussions after a Pakistani court in late November released him from house arrest. Punjab's provincial government had put Saeed under house arrest for 10 months this year for violating anti-terrorism laws. WATCH | Trump won't tolerate two-faced relation with Pakistan: Shalabh Kumar at India Today Conclave 2017 In spite of publicity claiming there are now hordes of people jumping on yachts to cruise the worlds oceans, it is still far from crowded out there, says Eric Gray. Eric and Cathy Gray have just returned to Tauranga after a 10-year voyage thats taken them across three of the worlds oceans; the Indian, Atlantic, Pacific and places in between. The Grays designed and built their boat, a 12m cutter rigged yacht, with ocean voyaging in mind. Its overbuilt compared to many modern hulls, which Cathy says is comforting if they fall off a wave, because they dont have to worry about cracking the hull as some fibre glassed yachts can do. Eric says it was only as they waited for the weather window for their last ocean passage from Tonga that he realised just how well Erica has behaved for them. They were anchored at the Minerva Reef with 24 other boats, and people on the other boats were dealing with boat issues, little problems that need fixing. And that was when I realised how few problems we have had, says Eric. They did have a couple of issues with the gearbox spline. They were heading into a Malaysian marina when the propeller stopped. Surrounded by expensive foreign boats, they glided into a vacant berth where they were able to await a new part. The second time was half a world away at Mayaguana Island in the Bahamas. They had just made it through the coral reef passage, they dropped anchor and waited a month for another part. They bought a new gearbox when they reached the United States. But apart from a few minor additions like a cockpit table, solar panels and an additional sail, Erica is the same boat that left Tauranga in 2006. And the Automatic Identification System, they swear by it. AIS is a automatic tracking system used on ships and by vessel traffic services for identifying and locating vessels by electronically exchanging data with other nearby ships, AIS base stations, and satellites. It is invaluable in shipping lanes, because all commercial shipping has to have it and it shows the small yacht on the screen of the large cargo ship with the yachts name and course data. On the Intracoastal Waterway which is 3000 miles inland along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts of the United States early one morning the AIS showed a tug coming through. It was probably moving a barge and the information from the AIS meant Eric could wait until it passed before he stuck his nose out. At the Panama Canal, waiting for clearance to use locks, they could use the AIS information to tell when a request to move was likely to be approved. Singapore Strait, when you make that jump to get across the strait, having AIS you know when to step, says Cathy. I dont think you can get into Singapore now without AIS or Thailand. Its still not perfect. The yacht version has a two-watt transmitter and the commercial shipping version has an eight-watt transmitter. So the smaller yachts appear on the big ships AIS within a couple of miles, or about 5km. A good, solid radar reflector is still important, says Eric. But with AIS you have a ships name and you can call them on Vhf. People are already asking what their favourite place was, says Eric, and the answer is Planet Earth. There is one place they dont want to go back to, the island of Ferando De Noronha off the north eastern tip of Brazil. Erica made landfall there after crossing the Atlantic from Namibia, to find they were charged $US128 for anchoring overnight. Their next stop Devils Island of Papillon fame was also rushed, for a different reason. Twenty minutes after arrival the gendarmes came alongside and told them to leave because they were launching two rockets from French Guiana that day, and they could return at 7.30pm. There was an Ariane rocket and a Soyuz launch that day. They saw both rockets on their way and returned to the island in the evening. The alarming death toll at beaches last summer - and around water generally - has prompted a Tauranga swim school to take preventive action. BaySwim are offering discounted lessons for young, would-be lifeguards and a public water safety programme. There were 19 beach drownings between Labour Weekend and Easter last summer up 36 per cent or five drownings on the previous summer. It made for some of the blackest statistics in many years. There were 108 drowning deaths around New Zealand last year, 81 of which were preventable, where water safety intervention could have made a difference, according to Water Safety New Zealand. Against that tragic backdrop, BaySwim will be offering a public water safety programme starting this month. Its also introduced discounted lessons for young, aspiring surf lifeguards, an initiative in support of Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Services Junior Surf Nipper programme. BaySwim manager Matthew Strange says water safety and coastguard kids boat safety courses are in BaySwims learn to swim programme, but childrens water safety classes would also be offered to the general public as a separate programme from January. The one-hour classes, for 5-to-12-year-olds, will be held as a school holiday activity between January 15-26 at Memorial Pool in Tauranga. We run water safety sessions to help ensure our seaside community has the knowledge and experience to keep safe in and around water, says Matthew. These sessions arent just for kids - we run adult group sessions too, which can help save their life or the life of a loved one. The water safety classes will cover how to stay afloat, the importance of staying together, how to rescue others, the correct use of life jackets, how to use them in the water and keeping calm and signalling for help. BaySwims nippers discounted swimming lessons will assist with the development of swimming and all-round water ability in conjunction with surf club training. As BaySwim members, they will also gain free, unlimited access to Bay Venues four community pools to practise. The surf lifesaving season began over Labour Weekend, and Surf Life Saving New Zealand CEO Paul Dalton says the grim statistics mean people need to take their own safety at beaches far more seriously. He urges people to choose a patrolled beach and swim between the flags. Last summer surf lifeguards around the country rescued 612 people and assisted another 1184. For more information, or to book for water safety classes, contact Matthew at: Bayswim@bayvenues.co.nz or phone: 07 577 8550. Their website can be found at: www.BaySwim.co.nz New Zealand First Tauranga-based list MP Clayton Mitchell is looking forward to being part of the government in his second parliamentary term. Despite New Zealand First receiving a lower party vote in 2017, and losing three seats in the process, Clayton returned to parliament thanks to his high list ranking. He says the election was a straightforward campaign, tarnished only by the dirty politics of leader Winston Peters having his personal information leaked to the media. It was interesting to watch Labours turnaround, which no one expected, says Clayton. Our own internal polling had shown us experiencing huge growth, but that didnt come to pass on election night. That was in part to Jacindamania, I think. The biggest frustration for him and his party is the first past the post mentality of the mainstream media, who he says treated the election as a two-horse race between National and Labour. As a result, a lot of the smaller parties were ignored. Theres also a lot of bias in todays political reporting, and a lot of negative coverage of Winston. He thinks many people prefer FPP to MMP as a political system. FPP was a massive failure, and continues to be around the world. Despite losing 1.5 per cent of the party vote from 2014, New Zealand First still ended up in a position to decide the next government and chose a fresh start with Labour. Being part of the coalition discussions was fascinating, says Clayton. People dont realise how close it was. Hes looking forward to advocating strongly for Tauranga and already has several private members bills in mind. Getting Route K toll-free is one of my major goals for this term, he says, adding that ministers are much easier to reach and talk to now that hes on the government benches. Clayton, who has a background in hospitality, first became involved in local body politics in 2013, when he successfully ran for Tauranga City Council in the Mount Maunganui/Papamoa ward. Id backed people for council before, but I decided it was time to stand myself. At that time there was too much petty infighting going on between councillors. I wanted to bring some fresh ideas and a business perspective I only intended to serve a term or two at the most. As it happened, he was selected as New Zealand Firsts candidate for Tauranga in the following years election, and resigned from the council upon his election to parliament on the list. Growing up, Clayton was exposed to politics by his parents, who were at opposite ends of the spectrum his father was National, and his mother was Labour. Im conservative in my thinking, says Clayton. I believe growing inequality is a big problem, and that race-based privileges and laws have to change. We need to be colour-blind when dealing with poverty and New Zealand First is the only party saying this. He currently lives in Mount Maunganui with his wife Erika a native of Dorset, England, whom he met while she was here on her OE. They have three children together Jazmine, 11, Oliver, 9, and William, 6 while Clayton also informally adopted two of his sisters children (a Maori practice called whangai) after her death in a car accident in 2001. He spent this Christmas in England with his family, where theyll enjoy the snow. The kids have been before, but never for Christmas, he says. Then well all be back to enjoy a Kiwi summer in the middle of January. Following a major fire at Fletcher Bay in the north of the Coromandel, Fire and Emergency New Zealand are asking people to take any fireworks home. The fire, which has burnt through five hectares, is believed to have been started by fireworks. The fire is contained, and firefighters will be dampening down hot spots today using a helicopter and ground crews. The Fletcher Bay fire is an example of the risk of fireworks, and the challenge of fire fighting in an isolated area, says Thames-Coromandel Principal Rural Fire Officer Paul Shaw. It is very dry in the Coromandel and the recent rain has not been enough to make a real difference. People need to be aware of the risks and the consequences of their actions. Especially as some of the things that make the Coromandel so special the bush and the isolation also make it particularly hard to get to and fight any fires that do start. The last thing we want is for peoples summer holidays to be ruined by a fire that causes harm to people, or damages property or our environment. A total fire ban is in place for the whole Coromandel, and that includes beach bonfires and fireworks. If you have any fireworks left, please take them home with you the risk simply isnt worth it. Bay of Plenty Our client has plenty of work in the pipeline and as such they are in need of qualified or experienced carpenters for an... View or Apply on GoodWork.co.nz Hundreds of Papamoa residents took to the streets this evening to help look for two young missing girls. The girls had gone off on an adventure to find Batmans Bat Cave. The two cousins, Siena Saunders, age 6, and Trinity Prestige age 8, dressed in their light blue and turquoise pyjamas, were tucked up into bed around 7.30pm. Fifteen minutes later, when checked on by a parent, their beds were empty and the girls gone. It was thought they had set off towards Papamoa beach to find the Bat Cave, as the parents knew theyd been talking about it. Keen Batman fans, the girls had missed seeing Batman at the Papamoa New Years Eve event the night before. Police were immediately contacted and friends quickly rallied around putting the word out across social media. Within minutes, hundreds of people across Mount Maunganui and Papamoa were aware of the search. Police were provided with photos of the two girls, and completed a search of the house as well as starting a search of local streets, parks, schools and footpaths. Residents across Papamoa quickly came out of their houses to join in the search, following the updates on Facebook. Dogwalkers coming back from the beach reported that they had not sighted the missing pair. The local school grounds were also found to be empty. Fortunately by 8.45pm the panic was over as the two girls were found in nearby Gloucester Street. A big thank you from me to whoever the woman was that found them and called police, says Sienas mother Sonja Krivan. I want to thank everyone in our amazing community for helping and finding them. We are so very grateful and relieved they were found safe. It was very frightening. "I wish I could repay the whole community for everything that they did, says Trinitys mother Tarnya Mcalister. Im trying to thank everybody individually, there are so many." Batman with his Batmobile at the Tauranga waterfront on New Years Eve (Photo:Rosalie Liddle Crawford) SunLive would like children to know the safest way to get in touch with Batman is through www.primeproductions.co.nz and that he has an amazing team that organize his appearances. He is still getting over all his New Year Eves celebrations so wasnt available for comment. Oregons high school graduation rates were an embarrassingly low 75 percent in 2015-16. Sadly, Oregon is almost 10 percent below the national average and has ranked among the worst five states in the nation for five years in a row. This is unacceptable. We are failing our children and grandchildren. Which students are being harmed the most? Graduation rates were most alarming for students with disabilities (55.5 percent), economically disadvantaged (68.1 percent), current English learners (52.9 percent), American Indian/Alaska Native (56.4 percent), African American/Black (66.1 percent), and Hispanic/Latino (69.4 percent). Not graduating leads to higher unemployment, lower incomes, higher incarceration rates, and poorer health. Additionally, increased costs to society are estimated to be over $260,000 per student without a high school diploma. Recognizing the importance of investing in good education and graduation results, last year, voters overwhelmingly approved Measure 98 to significantly expand career and technical education, accelerated credit programs, and dropout prevention programs. However, only 56 percent of the voter-requested funding was allocated by state leaders. Because Oregon needs to help all students succeed, we audited high school graduation rates and alternative education programs. We need to do more to engage and support students so they can be successful in school and graduate on time. Oregon has an ambitious goal that students entering kindergarten this coming September will have a graduation rate of 100 percent by 2025. However, auditors found that limitations in ODEs practices could hinder Oregons ability to meet this goal. As one Oregon high school principal told our auditors, Schools need to do a better job meeting student needs and ODE needs to do a better job meeting the needs of schools. For example, students who transfer into a new school district during high school graduate at rates roughly 30 percent lower than students who stayed in the same district. There is no established support system focused on this key risk factor. Also, ODE does not provide enough support to schools with graduation rates between 67 percent and 85 percent (known as mid-range), although most non-graduates attend these schools. Transitioning from middle school to high school can be hard for students. Just think back to those difficult years in your own life! Students who struggle in middle school are already at risk of not graduating. Analysis of school attendance patterns shows that chronic absenteeism begins to increase in middle school and rises through high school. ODEs focus on the early and late years of K-12 education largely overlooks these key transition years. Some at-risk students turn to alternative programs when traditional schools are not a good fit. Despite the risk profile of many students in these programs, ODE does not adequately track or report on the performance of alternative schools and programs. As a result, the state lacks critical information on which alternative programs are actually working. One bright spot is that ODE has a strong focus on equity and has developed plans to help economically disadvantaged students who make up more than 70 percent of students who do not graduate on time. Still, performance continues to lag among these students, so implementation and continued monitoring is key. Also, there is currently no accountability to ensure that the state-provided extra funding for economically disadvantaged students is actually spent to help them succeed instead of on other programs. There are solutions to these problems. There is no doubt that schools would benefit from more funding and better fiscal management. However, we also need to think outside of the traditional box of more taxes versus less generous employee benefits. We should learn from education research and approaches used in other states. For example, ODE should follow the example set by Vermont, Indiana, and Florida by tracking two critical predictors of graduation success: individual student grades and student credit attainment. This information would help identify struggling students who need intervention earlier. Oregon requires individualized personal learning plans for every student in 7th grade, but many schools ignore or delay this important tool. ODE is not providing needed accountability or assistance. A better model is Nebraska, which provides a lesson plan for teachers to help students develop personal learning plans and a booklet with step-by-step guidelines for students, schools, and parents. It can be difficult for schools to effectively engage with parents. One innovative Oregon school our auditors visited had students bring a parent or other adult for a student-led conference. The participation increase was dramatic at 90 percent above prior years. Iowas education department shared ideas for parent surveys, regular and varied use of social media, and class descriptions for parents for each class that underscore how parents can help. Last school year, ODE waived the states minimum instructional hour requirements because of snow days. Simply enforcing the current requirements would add more class time to help struggling students. Our auditors also recommended that ODE re-focus efforts to better support students who change school districts during high school, students at schools with mid-range graduation rates, and low income students. ODE can help districts coordinate transitions between middle and high schools and provide districts with improvement tools and guidance for better communicating with students, families, and the communities. Similarly, ODE could help improve alternative programs with a more meaningful accountability system and monitoring standards for crucial practices, such as annual evaluations of these schools and programs. Problems in Oregons education system are not limited to K-12. An audit we released last week revealed a need for improvement in higher education as well. The Higher Education Coordinating Commission is responsible for coordinating the states public universities, community colleges, and workforce system to improve outcomes. Unfortunately, our auditors found that the commission violated Oregon law in 65 percent of their contracts and agreements between November 2016 and March 2017. The commission needs to correct basic tasks like contracting if they are going to improve success overall. It has been said that the first step to improvement is admitting you have a problem. Oregon leaders need to acknowledge that our educational system needs to use smarter approaches, better accountability, and more options for at-risk students. We can learn from other states that have better outcomes. Oregon students deserve a world-class education. We can do better. We must do better. Dennis Richardson is Ore-gons Secretary of State. His office is responsible for auditing the states public accounts, conducting and overseeing elections and administrating public records. Westchester County businessman Harry Wilson, considered by some to be a top Republican candidate to run against Gov. Andrew Cuomo, will not run for New York governor. State Conservative Party chairman Mike Long told WGRZ that Wilson instead chose to focus on his family. Wilson previously said he would contribute $10 million of his own money to his potential gubernatorial campaign, according to the New York Daily News. The Fulton County native, who served in the U.S. Treasury Department and on President Barack Obama's Auto Industry Task Force, also mounted a bid in 2010 as the Republican candidate for state comptroller, a race he narrowly lost to incumbent Thomas DiNapoli. Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb, R-Canandaigua, announced in December that he will seek the Republican nomination for governor, the first Republican to formally do so. Other Republicans considering a bid include State Sen. John DeFrancisco, R-DeWitt, Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro and former Erie County executive Joel Giambra. Lasting legacy built by butter As thousands of Iowans and visitors returned to the Iowa State Fair this year, so has the famous Butter Cow sculpture created by artist and ... Pakistan summoned United States ambassador David Hale over President Donald Trump's tweet, in which he has accused Pakistan of lying and cheating in war on terrorism. The Express Tribune reported that , Pakistan's foreign office on Monday summoned the U.S. envoy to lodge its protest against the tweet. The national daily quoted sources as saying that Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua sought an explanation from the envoy in the matter. US President Donald Trump managed to steal the limelight on the first day of the New Year with his tweet about Pakistan. Donald Trump in a tweet, said that Pakistan gave USA nothing but "lies and deceit". 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 wrote on Twitter 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! January 1, 2018 Now as Trump got the ball rolling, everyone was waiting with baited breath for Pakistan's reply. But to everyone's amusement, Pakistan's Foreign Minister said that they will respond to Trump's tweet "shortly". Khawaja M. Asif, Pakistan's Foreign Minister tweeted - We will respond to President Trump's tweet shortly inshallah...Will let the world know the truth..difference between facts & fiction.. - Khawaja M. Asif (@KhawajaMAsif) January 1, 2018 The coming days will see a war of words between US and Pakistan, with Pakistan claiming to differentiate "facts and fiction". Meanwhile, in India, Minister of State Jitendra Singh said that Trump's statement has justified India's stand against Pakistan. "We can reasonably argue that Trump administration's decision today has abundantly vindicated India's stand as far as terror is concerned and as far as Pakistan's role in perpetrating terror is concerned," said Jitendra Singh told ANI. This year - 2018, TechPinas will be celebrating its 10th Year Anniversary and this will herald the beginning of a new era for this online publication and community. Many changes will be implemented across the board and one of which is the way that TechPinas awards the Badge of Excellence to winners I listened to your feedback and to wrap up 2017, I created the TechPinas Tech Excellence Awards, through which the TechPinas Badge of Excellence will be given to winners in specific categories. The titles that you will see below will be used in future editions of TPTEA with possible deductions and additions along the way. Note that only phones that were officially launched in the Philippines were considered for each category -- simply because good and reliable after-sales support from authorized retail channels is a key characteristic of a great tech product. So if you're wondering why Xiaomi or Google Pixel phones are not in this list, that's one of the reasons. Nonetheless, you can still vote for these models to win our TechPinas Voice Of The Crowd Pick award. In the coming years, TechPinas hopes to also award the Badge of Excellence to gadgets in other categories - including cameras (point and shoot, mirrorless, action cam, and DSLR), accessories (speakers, earphones, powerbanks, cables, etc.), gaming devices, desktops, and laptops, among others. That's one of our goals as we continue to improve TechPinas for the benefit of all Filipinos who consume tech products and services. For now, however, we are going to stick to the category where TechPinas has gotten some level of expertise through the years, which is 'Mobile Phones'. Smartphone of the Year Apple iPhone X Samsung Galaxy Note8 Huawei Mate10 Breakout Phone of the Year Huawei Nova 2i Best Selfie Smartphone OPPO F5 Vivo V7+ Best Local Smartphone Series Cherry Mobile Flare Series (S6, 2017) Best Big Battery Smartphone Asus ZenFone 4 Max Moto E4 Plus Best Audio Performance Smartphone Vivo V-Series Imaging Innovation Award Sony Xperia 3D Image Creation and 960 FPS Slow Motion OPPO AI Selfie Technology Design Excellence Award Sony Xperia XZ Premium Ad Campaign Excellence Award Asus ZenFone 4 Selfie Online Video Campaign Rising International Challenger Brand OnePlus CloudFone Feature Phone of the Year Nokia 3310 (2017 Version) Best Value Basic Phone Cherry Mobile V3 Also, don't forget to comment the model name of the 2017 phone that should win the "TechPinas Voice Of The Crowd Pick" on our official Facebook Page. In 2016, only one device received our badge: the. Last year - 2017, thankfully, there were more than a handful of devices launched locally that have proven themselves worthy of this accolade.Previously, I - as the current Editor-in-Chief of TechPinas - had given the badge to top-performing devices launched in the country without using clear categories; All best-selling smartphone models - local and international - that received great reviews within the year were given the honor. In 2014, this resulted in all too many winners, which some of my readers pointed out and criticized.Without further ado, here are thewith commentary from yours truly, Mark of TechPinas:(Three Winners)A true landmark release, the 10th anniversary iPhone introduces several amazing features to Apple's most popular and best-selling product line. The IP67 water resistant iPhone X flaunts an All-Screen face and is equipped with Face ID facial recognition technology, a front-cam with True Depth Sensor, the beastly Apple A11 Bionic processor, and the best Dual Camera module on an iPhone thus far. Despite receiving criticism for being too expensive and having features that other companies have done before, the Apple iPhone X had went on to become the best-selling tech product of 2017.Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, the stellar Galaxy Note8 successfully eclipsed the fiery Note7 debacle of 2016 simply by being excellent. Although it is more expensive than the popular, I believe that by having industry leading stylus support, a downright beautiful 6.3-inch Quad HD SuperAMOLED display, and a top-notch Dual Camera set-up, this phablet is a better flagship purchase when we consider overall value.The Mate10 is a culmination of Huawei's consistent efforts to innovate and come up with devices that make things possible for consumers. Having played this smartphone since its local release, I would say that it's a clear success. Although its screen is not as large and as pixel-dense as that of, this more affordable model has the exact same processor, real metal build, long battery life, and powerful imaging capabilities -- making it, for me, a more compelling model.Prior to the release of Nova 2i, success in midrange smartphone category had proven to be quite elusive for Huawei. It took a handsome smartphone with four cameras, a full-screen display, a processor that's great for gaming, and a sleek aluminum shell to have mid-level Filipino consumers looking. But hey, I'm sure all the efforts were worth it in the end. Congratulations, Huawei!(Two Winners)Yet again proving itself worthy of itsmoniker, OPPO debuted its unique AI Selfie Beautication Technology on the best-selling OPPO F5 2017 hero Android smartphone. This imaging software innovation is supposedly sophisticated enough to beautify selfies and at the same time ensure that the facial features of the user are kept intance, hence, the slogan "capture the real you".Chinese Tech Giant Vivo currently offers the highest resolution front-facing camera on any smartphone out in the market. Vivo V7+'s powerful 24 MegaPixel front cam perfectly captures every minute detail of your face so you can share the clearest selfies on Facebook or Instagram. And it also doesn't hurt that this smartphone is the first All-Screen midrange device to be released in the Philippines -- so in that sense, it's also a trailblazer.Proudly-Filipino handset company Cherry Mobile started 2017 being the #1 smartphone vendor in the country -- thanks, in part, to its best-selling Flare Series models, which are both affordable and feature-packed. In Q3 last year, CM unveiled its Flare S6 Series -- made of up Flare S6, Flare S6 Selfie, and Flare S6 Plus, each offering a unique main selling point found in more expensive handsets by international brands, including good selfie camera and a full screen display.(Two Winners)Apart from having a massive 5,000 mAh battery pack that delivers multiple days of time (in most cases), Asus ZenFone 4 Max also has a Dual Camera module at the back that takes standard shots as well as wide-angle photos, perfect for basic landscape photography -- or including all of your friends in one shot.Clad in anodized aluminum and 2D curved glass, Moto E4 Plus is a lower midrange handset that gives you great value for the amount that you'd spend to get it. I mean, for one, it's not the type of Android phone that will run out of juice in the middle of the day, leaving you with no choice but to always carry a powerbank. Also powered by a 5,000 mAh battery, this smartphone is definitely a reliable companion that keeps you connected to the internet whether in school or at the office.Did you know that Vivo V7+ has a AK4376A Hi-Fi audio chip that allows it to deliver stunning music-listening experience? It's true. In fact, it's the best handset that I tried out this year when it comes to audio performance. With this handset, you can enjoy high-quality sound whether you're using the loud speaker or your favorite pair of earphones -- at home or on the go.(Two Winners)Given that Sony supplies the optics for so many popular smartphones by other brands, it's but natural for the Japanese tech legend to be at the forefront of imaging innovations. In fact, in 2017, Sony introduced two incredible handset features for video recording: 3D Image Creation and the unbelievable 960 frames per second slow motion, which is available on the Sony Xperia XZ Premium.OPPO's industry-leading AI Selfie Technology automatically figures out your gender, age, race, and unique facial features when you're taking a selfie and processes all of these details to deliver photos that "capture the real you". For me, this is "next level selfie imaging" and OPPO, as expected, is leading the pack in giving it to consumers.Few handsets can sit beside the Sony Xperia XZ Premium on a table and not feel shy. Taking Sony Xperia's well-loved Omni-Balance Design Language to a whole new level, Xperia XZ Premium's symmetric look and luxurious build - made up of scratch-resistant glass panels and chrome elements - captured the hearts of the most discerning and meticulous mobile consumers in 2017.Asus Philippines' LGBT-themed online video ads for the Asus ZenFone 4 Selfie weren't only unique but also brave. The campaign effectively showed the value of taking selfies and wefies with friends to help recover from heartbreak all while delivering a message of love and acceptance. Refreshing... and incredible!OnePlus 3T was officially released in the Philippines in June 2017 via OnePlus' authorized local retailer,. The handset was quickly followed by OnePlus 5 and eventually, by the OnePlus 5T around Yuletide Season. Upon launch, all units of these models were quickly sold out at Digital Walker: A clear proof that OnePlus has truly risen to become a great challenger brand in the flagship-level category even here in our country. I'm excited to see what OnePlus has in-store for us in 2018.From being in the shadows of Starmobile and MyPhone for many years, CloudFone finally penetrated the Top 5 best-selling phone brands in the Philippines and became the #2 Pinoy phone vendor early in 2017. This epic rise was driven by the good sales numbers of the brand's Thrill and Next series Android smartphones, which - in itself - is a by-product of the company's efforts to come up with affordable devices that deliver great value for money.Aside from having a wallet-friendly price tag and giving us an updated version of the beloved Snake game, the re-imagined Nokia 3310 was well-received in the Philippines last year because it reminded us of one of our favorite Nokia phones from a time when the Finnish Giant was the undisputed #1 handset maker in the world.The eye-catching and affordable Cherry Mobile V3 lets you make calls, send text messages, and listen to MP3 files just like any regular feature phone. But what's amazing about this model is that it also connects to your far more expensive smartphone via Bluetooth to act as a remote notifier and dialer for voice calls. This feature is perfect if you don't want to take our your pricey handset in a public place or while you're commuting but you need to make an important phone call. The Consumer Electronics Show, or CES 2018, is less than a month away and fans are excited to see what the tech industry giants will deliver. Companies such as Samsung, LG, and Sony will participate at the CES 2018, this has left everyones imagination running wild. We have rounded up the best-rumored products coming to the tech show. Lenovo One of the trending gadgets we will more than likely see at the CES in 2018 is the virtual-reality headset. Lenovo, at the moment, is the only company in partnership with Google to release a standalone VR headset that runs Daydream. There are a few clues that suggest the device will make its way to the tech show. Lenovo sent out invites to its CES event and teased some info writing the phrases, reality has never been so exhilarating and see and experience the world in a new way. Furthermore, a recent tweet from Google VP Clay Bavor says that he has been using a pre-release version of the headset and there will be "more soon" about the device. Have been using and loving my pre-release @Lenovo standalone headset, running Daydream. More soon. Can't wait for you to try it. pic.twitter.com/lwb6PCG4tD Clay Bavor (@claybavor) November 14, 2017 Samsung As usual, Samsung has been quiet about what is coming to CES 2018, but there are rumors that the company has some big announcements. According to reports, the highly-anticipated Samsung Galaxy X will make its debut. Rumors suggest this device will have two screens that are foldable. This came about after the company filed a patent for a smartphone with a screen that bends. Meanwhile, notable leaker Evan Blass recently reported that the Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus could make a cameo at CES. The new device is rumored to feature the same physical outline as the Galaxy S8, coming in at 5.8-inches. It is also said to have an on-screen scanner and have a water-repellent coating. The biggest change expected is the on-screen scanner, which is said to have a new Qualcomm Fingerprint sensor and will allow users to scan their finger on the screen to access their phone. Additionally, the company is said to unveil a massive 150-inch TV. This is not an ordinary TV, it is said to feature Micros-LED, which will allow for a greater pixel density and draw less power. Huawei Huawei is said to be making big moves in 2018. The company will reportedly start by announcing a partnership with a U.S. mobile carrier. Outside of the United States, Huawei is a big entity. One of the biggest reasons it is not in the country is because it lacks partnerships with mobile carriers. However, the company is looking to change direction and will more than likely announce the partnership during the Huawei keynote. The company is also rumored to highlight a successor to its MediaPad M3 at CES 2018. The new tablet is being called the MediaPad M5 and is an Android tablet that competes with the iPad. The MediaPad M5 is said to keep the 8.4-inch display and will have 2,560 x 1,600 resolution, a Kirin 960 processor, and will run Android 8.0 Oreo. No other specs have surfaced yet. Meanwhile, Huawei has been quite public about its plans to release a Daydream headset. The rumors that this device will appear at CES 2018 come from a filing with the Federal Communications Commission for a Huawei virtual reality handle, which definitely confirms the existence of a headset. LG Rumors regarding a successor to LGs G6 phone have come out and users are expecting the company to reveal the smartphone at the CES 2018. The design of the G7 is expected to remain similar to the G6 with the addition of a fingerprint sensor underneath the display or on the rear of the device. Other reports suggest the G7 will have an iris scanner. It has also been speculated that the G7 smartphone will update its processor to Qualcomms new 7nm Snapdragon 845 chip. The screen will reportedly switch to OLED for the new device. The company is also expected to announce its first midrange device LG K10, which will feature LG Pay. Geek Gadgets reports the new smartphone will come with a 5.3-inch display at 1920 x 1080 pixels and a Quad core 1.2GHz processor. Other features include 3GB of RAM and 32GB of included storage, a 3,000 mAh battery and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera. Google For the first time, Google will have a booth at CES, which has triggering staggering amounts of speculation. The company, of course, has remained tight-lipped regarding what they will offer at the tech show. However, one report suggests that it will unveil a competitor to Amazons Echo Show smart speaker, dubbed Manhattan. The device will reportedly be able to connect to smart home devices and will feature a 7-inch display that supports Google services such as photos, streaming video, and YouTube. Even if that doesn't come to fruition, it is likely Google will showcase some various Made by Google devices, including the Pixel 2, Google Home family accessories and probably a few Chromebooks. Nvidia At CES 2017 Nvidia announced some car-related technologies such as mobile processor Tegra and AI car computer technology Drive PX, and it looks like theyll continue with the trend next year. Rumors suggest that the company will showcase new tech related to self-driving cars. It will dive deeper into autonomous vehicles with AI tech for self-driving. The company will have a press event Sunday, Jan. 7 at 8 p.m. EST, with founder and CEO Jensen Huang taking the Las Vegas stage to showcase the new tech innovations. Sony Sony has been using its presence at CES to focus on audio and office lines, unveiling products such as new headphones and cheaper 4K projectors. It has also introduced new lines to the Bravia TV and it appears it will continue that trend. Reports say Sony will introduce its new QLED TV series at the trade show. The Japanese company may also take its time at CES 2018 to unveil the new Sony Xperia flagship smartphone. The new device is said to host a plethora of features including a 5.48-inch FHD bezel-less display, 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. We'll find out all during Sony's CES press conference, which will take place at 8 p.m. EST on Monday, Jan. 8 at the Sony booth. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his 2016's last "Mann Ki Baat" speech claimed that his government had removed the restriction which allowed Muslim women to perform Hajj only in the company of 'Maharam' (a male relative of a woman with whom she is permanently forbidden to marry by Islam). However, MIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi rejected his claim and said that a regulation by Haj authorities of Saudi Arabia was in force for many years which allow women above the age of 45 years to perform Haj without a 'Mahram' if they travel with a group. The Hyderabad MP told reporters that women above 45 years of age from Indonesia, Malaysia and several other countries had been performing Haj under this Saudi regulation. "It has become the habit of the Prime Minister to claim credit for everything. If tomorrow women in Saudi Arabia are allowed to drive, he will claim credit for the same," he said. The MP said if PM Modi had so much concern for Muslim women, he should do justice to Zakia Jafri, widow of former MP Ehsan Jafri who was killed in the 2002 Gujarat riots. "This is all tokenism. If Modi is really concerned about Muslim women, he should provide 7 percent reservation for them in education. He has two-third majority in Parliament and he can bulldoze a bill in this regard," the MP said AIMPLB secretary Maulana Abdul hamid Azhari while commenting on PM Modi's statement said "for a woman to go for Hajj without mehram is a purely religious issue, it is not something you can pass a legislation on in the Parliament". On the passing of a bill in Lok Sabha over triple talaq, the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) President said that if it became a legislation, it would be the biggest injustice to Muslim women. He argued that since marriage in Islam was a civil contract, there could be no penal provision. He also pointed out that the Supreme Court in its order on the issue did not ask the government to bring a criminal law. "The government is saying that Muslim countries have banned triple talaq but the fact is that there is no penal provision in any Muslim country." Owaisi alleged that the real objective of the government was to do away with all forms of talaq and snatch Sharia from Muslims. The Louisiana House Appropriations Committee takes up the budget bill for the special session on Monday, June 12, 2017. A woman has been arrested in the stabbing death of Benjamin McKeel, 38, on New Year's Eve in the 4900 block of Lorraine Street in Baton Rouge, police said. Katrice Michelle Belezaire, 34, of 4949 Lorraine St., is accused of stabbing McKeel to death after an argument around 7 p.m. Belezaire and McKeel were seen arguing before entering a home, and could be heard continuing to argue while inside, according to booking documents. Belezaire told deputies McKeel "walked up" on her, and she stabbed him. Deputies recovered the knife allegedly used in the stabbing, which she told them she placed on the counter afterward. Belezaire was booked into East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on a count of second-degree murder. Palghar (Mah), Jan 1 (PTI) A couple from Pune died in a road accident on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad road near Dahanu in Palghar district of Maharashtra today, police said. The deceased were identified as Pinki Shah (35) and and her husband Chirag Shah (38). Their two sons were badly injured, police added. The Shahs were returning from Vadodara when another car, coming from the opposite direction, jumped over the divider and collided with their car, police said. Driver of the other car too was injured and was undergoing treatment, they said. Kasa police have registered a case. PTI CORR KRK The arctic blast has arrived as promised in south Louisiana. Baton Rouge Metro Airport recorded a low of 22 early Monday morning, falling short of the record of 19 set Jan. 1 in 1984. In New Orleans, Armstrong International Airport recorded a low of 28; the record is 21, also set in 1984. But if you thought it was cold New Year's morning, just wait until late tonight/early Tuesday morning. The National Weather Service projects a low of 17 in Baton Rouge and 22 in New Orleans. The record low for Jan. 2 in Baton Rouge is 20 (set in 1979) and 25 in New Orleans (set in 1984). Freeze warnings and wind chills advisories are in effect throughout various points of Monday and Tuesday for the Baton Rouge and New Orleans areas. Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up The cold will stick around for a while too. Temperatures won't get above 60s in south Louisiana until Sunday. Be prepared: How to protect, prevent frozen pipes in cold weather With an arctic blast settling in to southeast Louisiana as expected, organizations are reminding residents to stay safe in the cold weather. The whole week is going to be very, very cold, said Phil Grigsby, a meteorologist from the National Weather Service in New Orleans. The four-day cold period is anticipated to be the longest enduring cold event since January 2010. The clock has run out on RAM Terminals bid to build a coal export terminal in Plaquemines Parish, and environmental groups are cheering what could be the death of a project they warned would spew pollution, sicken residents and threaten a major coastal restoration project. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers confirmed that Nov. 30 was the deadline for RAM to complete its project or ask for an extension on its permit, and spokesman Ricky Boyett said Friday that neither of those things happened. The agency had granted RAM the permit in late 2014. Similarly, the state Department of Natural Resources, which granted RAM Terminals a coastal use permit in early 2016, only to request more information from the company later that year, said Friday it has not heard anything since then. Armstrong Energy Inc., the St. Louis-based company that formed RAM Terminals LLC, could not be reached for comment Friday and generally hasnt responded to media inquiries about the proposed facility. The Sierra Club, which led a coalition of environmental and community groups opposing the plant proposed for the Myrtle Grove/Ironton area, declared victory at the news. "The proposed coal export terminal would have harmed a major restoration project in Louisianas coastal master plan, the Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion, the group said in a news release. 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 group also said the project would have resulted in mile-long, uncovered coal trains running through communities like Gretna and Belle Chasse, turning residential areas into an industrial corridor. RAMs 80-foot uncovered piles (of coal) would have inundated the historic African-American community of Ironton and nearby Myrtle Grove and Wood Park with coal dust pollution. The Sierra Clubs efforts to halt the project began at the grassroots level but ultimately garnered the support of the political establishment in Plaquemines and Jefferson parishes. This victory is a result of hard work by so many individuals who came together as a coalition to stand up for our communities and coastal protection, Plaquemines Parish Councilwoman Audrey Salvant said. Many times, we were told the RAM coal export terminal was a 'done deal' and now its done. "Our economy and livelihoods depend on coastal restoration," Jefferson Parish Councilman Ricky Templet said. "We need to stand behind our commitment to coastal restoration and reject projects that undermine the critical work being done to restore our coast and protect our communities. Editor's note: This story was changed on Jan. 2, 2017 to correct the name of the DNR permit granted to Ram Terminals. It was a coastal use permit. In true New Year's Eve spirit, Canberra celebrated the start of 2018 into the early morning on Monday. Civic was busy with people saying goodbye to 2017 with friends until dawn, when the clean-up got under way. A morning pick-me-up in Civic. Credit:Karleen Minney While some were long in bed, others stuck around as buskers played, and police patrolled the area on foot and on bike. Before their customers headed home to sleep off the night's celebrations, fast food stores and pizza stands stayed open for hungry party-goers. In the very early days of Federation Square's conceptual development, long before the architects were appointed, two important documents were prepared, a Design Brief and a Civic and Cultural Charter, that would guide and influence future decisions on the design, construction, operation and management of the precinct. The Design Brief expressed in qualitative terms the intentions and objectives for the project as well as the scope of the physical components. The Cultural and Civic Charter identified the intended purpose of the precinct and the way it should be managed to preserve its ongoing relevance as a public domain rather than a commercial development. From the outset the focus was to provide a space for public assembly which had long been lacking in Melbourne. Performance and exhibition spaces were to be provided to attract visitors, with complementary food and beverage outlets to enhance visitor experience. Other commercial facilities were not included as it was not intended to be a shopping centre. Since then, according to a 2015 review by Australian researchers, a few studies of healthy young adults have suggested that hot yoga may be good for the heart. That review turned up evidence that arterial stiffness decreased in one small group of young adults and that insulin resistance declined among a small group of older participants who did Bikram yoga. In a 2011 study of 51 adults, people reported less stress after doing Bikram classes for eight weeks. People who like hot yoga say they feel better after doing it, though the benefits they report vary among people, who have differing motivations for taking the classes. Among 700 people whom Mace Firebaugh has surveyed in an ongoing study, 48 per cent say that hot yoga improves their mood. Forty-seven percent report better flexibility, 34 per cent feel less anxiety and 33 per cent report clearer skin. Some have reported negative effects such as nausea, dizziness and dehydration, but those symptoms are usually mild. The survey found another intriguing result: 43 per cent of participants reported losing weight as a result of doing hot yoga, but that linkage might be a coincidence. Studies have yet to connect hot yoga with weight loss, the 2015 review found. And as sweaty as a hot yoga session can be, it may not burn as many calories as people think. In a 2014 study of 19 experienced Bikram practitioners during a single 90-minute session, Tracy and colleagues found that men burned an average of about 460 calories and women burned about 330. It's about the same number of calories you'd burn during a brisk walk for the same amount of time, Tracy says. And even though that's about 50 per cent more than what people burn in a typical yoga class, it was much less than what people thought they had burned. (Heart rates peaked above 150 beats per minute during the toughest parts of class - a sign more of the body's response to heat than of a boost in calorie-burning.) Even as research begins to point to some potential pluses of hot yoga, it's not clear whether heat has anything to do with those benefits. Studies on other types of yoga have shown good outcomes, too, including improvements in heart health, range of motion and balance. An estimated 1.6 million people converged on Sydney Harbour's great look-outs to watch the New Year's Eve fireworks, and despite the large numbers police said everyone was generally well-behaved. Crowds camped out for hours at some of the best spots to catch the fireworks display, which cost $7 million, at 9pm and midnight, Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore said. "We think it's really worth it, really worth it to provide a focus and an opportunity for people to come together, our visitors and our multicultural community to have a safe celebration of who we are in Sydney in the 21st century in our wonderful city," she said. Ms Moore said the event was worth an estimated $130 million to the local economy. London: The former boss of Sydney seaplane crash victim Emma Bowden has described how the 48-year-old was the "Grace Kelly of their office". Lisa Byrne, ex-editor-in-chief of OK! Magazine, where Ms Bowden was arts editor, said her colleague was "serene" and "regal", and would keep a calm head whenever there were late changes to the publication just before it went to press. "My first impressions of her were that she was lovely, a very kind person," Mrs Byrne said, comparing Ms Bowden to the American actress known for her elegance and style. "She was quite regal, very serene, and very well educated. I used to call her the Grace Kelly of the office because she had a great aura about her. New Years Eve revellers in Brisbane were generally well behaved on Sunday night as afternoon storms kept crowd numbers down. Queensland Police Superintendent Tony Fleming said 18 arrests were made in the Brisbane area through the night, mostly for public nuisance, drug offences and obstruction of police. Crowd numbers at South Bank's New Year's Eve fireworks were down as storms hit the south-east. Credit:Glenn Hunt Like any New Years Eve, our office has been kept quite busy, but relative to previous years some of our crowd numbers were down, particularly for our 8.30pm fireworks, he said. We had some fairly significant storms threaten around south-east Queensland late in the afternoon and I think particularly around our South Bank area some of our mums and dads took the safe option and went home but nonetheless the fireworks went off, with generally quite well-behaved crowds. Humid and hot conditions are continuing to make life uncomfortable for south-east Queenslanders, but there is relief in sight. The mercury was predicted to reach 31 degrees in Brisbane on Tuesday following an overnight low of just 24C. The steamy heat in Brisbane looks likely to subside with showers on Tuesday, and a cooler change later in the week. Credit:Lisa Maree Williams More than 6000 south-east Queensland residents were without power on New Year's Day after severe storms brought wind gusts of 96km/h and hailstones. Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Gordon Banks told AAP the temperature was a "couple of degrees" above average, but the humidity being felt in the Queensland capital was comparable to that of Darwin. It's been a while since Sonam Kapoor and Anand Ahuja have thrown caution to the wind. From dinner dates to family outings to vacations, lovebirds are busy giving their fans some major relationship goals. And the rumoured couple, who has been dating for more than a year now, rang in the New Year together in Paris. Sonam and Anand welcomed 2018 in Paris with Rhea Kapoor. And the two did not shy away from posting adorable selfies of the two on social media. Sonam and Anand might not have made it official, but their recent appearances are a validation of their relationship status. And Anand and Sonam's pictures are enough proof of their closeness. Sonam and Anand's romance came in the spotlight when they made an appearance at Akshay Kumar's Rustom success bash in 2016. Recently, on a show, Sonam was asked why she doesn't talk about her relationship with Anand openly, but still shares pictures. She said, "Because that's in my control and I don't feel that I can speak about myself but I don't think it's okay for me to speak about somebody else. Now everything that is put out there is with his permission or whatever he puts out there is with my permission. But if somebody is asking me a question publicly I don't think it's okay for me to speak about the person because that person has not signed up for it. This is just keeping it a little sacred. Just keeping it in my control, whatever is out there is in my control, it's not something that is not. I just feel that it's not okay to talk about it. I will share whatever I have to share and that is with my filter." On the work front, Sonam is awaiting the release of Padman. The film which also stars Akshay Kumar and Radhika Apte will release on January 26. For thousands of Victorians, the only way to welcome in 2018 was to be a part of the Hanging Rock race meeting. In fact, for over 150 years, Hanging Rock has hosted hundreds of thousands of racegoers to its unique track in the shadows of the famous feature. Racegoers queued from early on New Year's Day to find a spot close to the running rails. At the same time the local pony club managed to keep 500 kangaroos at bay, allowing one of Australia's most well-known race meetings to proceed. With only six races on the card, the crowd swelled to nearly 7000. With talk that Peter Weir's famous movie, Picnic At Hanging Rock, was going to be re-shot, it excited locals and visitors. "It's not Flemington or Royal Ascot, it's Hanging Rock and we love it. A cold beer, slow horses and catching up with old friends is what a day at the Rock is all about," one veteran punter said. A large sign next to the lake inside the racecourse says "DANGER NO SWIMMING. DEEP WATER". Another reminds racegoers: "Beware! Snakes located around this location." However, brave New Year's Day racegoers are not concerned by such warnings, with many diving in after the running of the final event. Police are hunting a man who exposed himself to a mother and her 14-year-old daughter during Richmond's family day in October. Carrying a Tigers scarf, the man was seated beside the pair when he started masturbating on Punt Road about 10.50am. A facial composite of the offender. Credit:Victoria Police Police have released a facial composite of the man hoping the public can help them to find him. He is described as being his 60s, tall with a pale complexion and moles on his legs. He was dressed in a navy jumper and shorts with a white stripe on the side. Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. New Year's Eve arrests increased 25 per cent to 238 during celebrations in Melbourne, with a number of those for possessing weapons such as knives and knuckledusters. It was a busy night for police who searched more than 1200 people in St Kilda, Prahran and the CBD. More than 1000 people were searched by police during New Year's Eve celebrations in Melbourne. There were 99 arrests for drunkenness, 23 in relation to assaults, 22 drug-related offences and three theft offences. Seven people were also charged for weapon-related offences. One man was hospitalised with life-threatening injuries after he was assaulted in the city but on Monday was recovering and speaking to detectives. A teenage girl was stabbed in the legs while walking in the street in Morwell on New Year's Eve night. The girl, who is reportedly aged 14, was walking along Cynthia Street in Morwell, in Victoria's south-east, when she was assaulted and stabbed in the legs a number of times. The offender fled the scene and the young girl was taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Any witnesses or anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. The Victorian government has hit back at Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull after he accused it of not doing enough to stop youth crime and gang violence in Melbourne and across the state. "We are very concerned at the growing gang violence and lawlessness in Victoria, in particular in Melbourne," Mr Turnbull told reporters in Sydney on Monday. Mr Turnbull, pictured on New Year's Day, called ''growing gang violence and lawlessness'' a failure of the Andrews government. Credit:AAP "This is a failure of the Andrews Labor government." The Prime Minister said Victoria Police had the capacity to do the job but needed better directions from the state government. A 26-year-old man has been charged with murder after a young woman was found dead inside a Mandurah home on New Year's Eve. A major police investigation was launched following the discovery of the 19-year-old woman's body at a residence on Aldgate Street at around 4pm on Sunday. Homicide Squad detectives outside the home. Credit:Tex Reeks The street was cordoned off while detectives and forensics officers scoured the scene, and an investigation ran until the early hours of the morning. Police charged the man with murder on Monday morning, and revealed he was known to the woman. Washington: Pakistan has become the latest country to find itself in the firing line of US President Donald Trump. Trump said on Monday that the United States has "foolishly" handed Pakistan more than $US33 billion in aid over the last 15 years while getting "nothing" in return. He pledged to put a stop to the aid. In the New Year's Day Twitter attack, he also accused the government in Pakistan of "lies and deceit". Kabul: A suicide bomber walked into a cemetery in eastern Afghanistan on Sunday and blew himself up during the funeral of a local official, killing at least 17 people and wounding 14 others, an official said. The attacker set off an explosive vest among mourners gathered for the funeral of Gul Wali, the former district chief of Haskah Menah, according to Attaullah Khogyani, a spokesman for the governor of Nangarhar province. The attack unfolded as a man on foot set upon Maqam Khan cemetery in the Bihsud district, near the provincial capital, Jalalabad. Khogyani said he expected the death toll to rise. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the assault. But the Taliban and an Islamic State affiliate are both active in Nangarhar and routinely target local officials. Chandigarh, Jan 1 (PTI) A 12-year-old speech and hearing impaired Pakistan boy, who was kept in a juvenile home in Punjabs Faridkot district after he strayed into the Indian territory from Ferozepur side nearly seven months ago, was being repatriated today, a senior official said. The child, identified as Hasnain and aged around 12 years, was escorted to the Attari in Amritsar to be handed over to Pakistani authorities at the Attari-Wagah international border, Faridkots Deputy Commissioner Rajeev Prashar told PTI over the phone. The BSF had arrested him in May 2017 from Hussainiwala in Ferozepur after he strayed into the Indian side. A Rs 20 Pakistani currency note was recovered from him. "The boy was lodged in the juvenile-cum-observation home in Faridkot. We received a communication from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) after which he was sent under a police escort from Faridkot to Attari in Amritsar from where he will cross over to Pakistan," Prashar said. He said earlier the boy was booked under relevant Indian laws after he was found to have crossed over without any documents. Recently, a competent court had ordered his release as the boy had completed his sentence for the offence of entering into India without valid documents, Prashar said. His repatriation process was recently expedited after he was identified, the officer added. PTI SUN ADS We have seen some great movies in 2017. Whenever we look back at a outgoing year, we movie lovers often judge how it was based on the quality and quantity of movies we saw. In that line, the movies like Dunkirk, Logan, Thor: Ragnarok, Wonder Woman, Get Out, Coco, Okja and so many others have really made the year a memorable one. Now, let us have a look at what we have in store for us in the incoming year 2018. Raipur, Jan 1 (PTI) A trustee of a famous Jain temple in Nagpura and his wife were today shot dead at their home in Chhattisgarhs Durg district, police said. The incident took place in the wee hours, when Ravalmal Jain (70) and his wife Suraj Devi Jain (65) were in their house in Ganj area under Kotwali police station limits, Inspector General of Police (Durg Range) Dipanshu Kabra told PTI. Ravalmal, a prominent businessman and social worker, was one of the main trustee of Parshwanath Jain Tirth in Nagpura area of Durg. "A pistol used in the offence was recovered from near the crime scene," the IG said. Prima facie someone known to the victims might have killed them, since, till now, there is no evidence of the forced entry into the house, he said. Their son and some other persons, who were present inside the house when the crime happened were being interrogated, Kabra said. According to the IG, a case has been registered and their bodies were sent for postmortem. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Raman Singh expressed grief over the deaths of Ravlmal Jain Mani and Suraj Devi. In his condolence message, the chief minister said, Jain played an exemplary role with utmost dedication in promoting Yoga and naturopathy in Chhattisgarh. He had also played an important role in setting up a naturopathy college in Nagpura, Singh added. The police has launched a probe and the culprits will soon be put behind the bars, the chief minister said. PTI TKP NRB Contributed photo / Yale New Haven Children's Hospital NEW HAVEN When the ball fell at midnight New Years Eve, Amelia Levy of Branford wasnt lifting a glass of Champagne. She was 58 seconds away from giving birth to Layla Rose Levy, the first baby born in 2018 at Yale New Haven Childrens Hospital, according to a hospital release. NORWALK Following a leak late Saturday night, South Norwalk Electric and Water shut off the water from its storage tank on Michael Street. We think the overflow-valve froze, so they shut the tank off and those customers are now being served by the Summitt Avenue tank, said David Westmoreland, chairman of SNEWs board of commissioners . We have the ability to reroute where those customers are served from and that has already been done. STAMFORD The fire marshal has determined an electric space heater to be the cause of a Sunday night fire on Hazel Street. Shortly before 8 p.m., firefighters responded to a two-family home at 21-19 Hazel Street after multiple 911 calls reporting a fire. When the first responders arrived, all occupants had escaped the three-story wood-frame duplex, according to a release. (Eds: Updating with quotes and names of deceased) Mumbai, Jan 1 (PTI) Three labourers were killed while two others were injured when a part of a JCB crane machine fell on them in suburban Powai in Mumbai today evening, a civic official said. "Our control room got information about the accident at 5.21 pm and a fire brigade team was rushed to the spot for rescue work," said an official of the disaster management cell of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation. "The victims had got crushed under the heavy bucket of JCB machine. They were rushed to the nearby Rajawadi hospital where three of them were declared brought dead, while two others are being treated," the official added. The labourers were engaged in the work of digging a pit for a sewer line. A private contractor is carrying out the work for the BMC. The deceased were identified as Rameshwar Heramsingh (45), Satyanarayan Singh (40), and Vishwanath Singh (32). "They were declared dead by CMO Dr. Mrunali Kadam from civic run Rajawadi hospital," said BMC Disaster Cell chief Mahesh Narvekar. The injured are identified as Pareshnath Singh (49) and Ramnath Singh (48). "Both legs of Pareshnath Singh got fractured in the mishap. Ramnath Singh has received injuries to his chest and left leg. Both of them are stable," he said. Police were also probing the incident and action will be taken against the contractor or JCB driver if they were found to be at fault, the official said. PTI APM KRK NSK A new type of fruit has been making waves on social media. Dubbed the mango-avocado, the variety is said to be softer than either fruit in its name. Fresh Mangoes owner Heru Andriyono told kompas.com that the mango-avocado can be peeled and eaten in very much the same way as an avocado. A post shared by Fresh Mangoes (@freshmangoes.id) on Oct 6, 2017 at 7:26pm PDT He stressed, however, that it is not a new hybrid of fruit that is the combination of a mango and avocado. It is a variety of arum manis mango (a popular type of mango in Indonesia that literally translates to fragrant and sweet) and can be very sweet if it is picked at the right time and using the right technique Read also: Fruit and vegetables key to attractive skin: Study If it isnt ripe, it cannot be peeled like an avocado, said Heru. A mango-avocado can cost Rp 30,000 (US$2.21) per fruit and Rp 250,000 for a dozen. (jes/kes) Rolling Stone Indonesia and RollingStone.co.id officially shut down their operation on Jan. 1 after an announcement from their publisher PT a&e Media on Monday that it no longer held the brand license. Today, PT a&e Media as the publisher of Rolling Stone Indonesia magazine and Rolling Stone.co.id announces as of January 1st 2018 that we no longer hold the license for the Rolling Stone Indonesia magazine and the Rolling Stone Indonesia website to operate in the jurisdiction of the Indonesian state, the company stated on its magazine website. Read also: Investor takes stake in Rolling Stone, keeping on owner Any ownership of the brand under the name Rolling Stone Indonesia or associated with Rolling Stone Indonesia has been returned to the Rolling Stone brand owner based in New York, United States of America, and to Rolling Stone International. We would like to thank our employees for their dedication in Rolling Stone Indonesia for 12 years. A huge thanks from the Rolling Stone Indonesia family to all our readers, clients, relatives, musicians, bands, labels, guest writers and parties for your help over Rolling Stone Indonesias 12-year journey. The magazines editor in chief, Adib Hidayat, tweeted on Saturday that Dec. 29, 2017 had been his last working day. He also thanked all the parties who supported the magazine over 12 years. (kes) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, January 1, 2018 15:46 1341 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2f97bfd 1 City pedophile,crime,children,sexual-violence Free Police have arrested a Japanese man who allegedly committed sexual acts on two children. The victims, NC, 12, and JC, 11, are tissue sellers at a shopping center. South Jakarta Police chief Comr. Mardiaz said they also arrested the alleged pimp, who goes by the name of Mamih D, on Friday. The alleged perpetrator already confirmed to us his wrongdoing, he added. The police said the alleged perpetrator, who goes by the initial AA, worked as a chef at a Japanese restaurant in Jakarta. Mardiaz said AA allegedly contacted Mamih D every time he wanted to meet underage victims. Mamih D then brought the children to a hotel that she and AA had already agreed upon, he said. The victims were allegedly sold by Mamih D for Rp 2 million (US$ 148). She received Rp 400,000 for every victim her customer abuses. According to Mardiaz, Mamih D, who is a frequent visitor to the shopping center, allegedly recruited underage street kids to be sex workers in return for money. The alleged perpetrator is charged with Article 76E and Article 82 of the Children Protection Law that carries a maximum sentence of 15 years. (dpk/wit) Kolkata, Jan 1 (PTI) The Trinamool Congress today celebrated the 20th Foundation Day of the party across the state with Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee congratulating the grassroot workers for their tireless efforts in serving people. The CM also thanked the people of Bengal for supporting the party and believing in her. "On January 1, 1998 @AITCofficial was formed. My best wishes to all grassroots workers of the party who work tirelessly for the people. Many thanks to every citizen for your blessings & support. Greetings to Maa, Mati, Manush ," Banerjee said in a tweet. TMC general secretary Subrata Bakshi said the party will continue its fight against the divisive politics of the BJP in the days to come. "As Mamata Banerjee is the only voice against the communal and divisive policies of the BJP, efforts are being made to corner us. But such efforts cant stop us? In the days to come, the people of this state and the country will fight against the communal BJP under the leadership of Banerjee," Bakshi said. Echoing similar views, senior TMC leader Partha Chatterjee said the BJP wont be able to stop the party from raising its voice against anti-people policies. Banerjee had last week issued instructions to conduct various programmes today across the state to mark the occasion. The district leaders have arranged for flag-hoisting programmes and street corner meetings to discuss and highlight achievements of the party in the last six-and-a-half years. The TMC was founded by Banerjee on January 1, 1998 with an aim to oust the then Left Front regime from power. The party achieved its goal in May 2011 after forging an alliance with the Congress. PTI PNT RMS Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, January 1, 2018 17:38 1341 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2f9947a 2 Business aviation,Lion-Air,charter-flight,Batam,Busan,Incheon Free Indonesia's largest low-cost carrier Lion Air has launched new charter flights from Batam to two Korean cities, Busan and Incheon, as part of its attempts to expand its charter business. To run the service, scheduled once every four days, it uses Boeing 737 Max 8, which can carry 175 passengers. The airline made its maiden flight from Batams Hang Nadim International Airport to Busan on Dec. 23, while it kicked off its first flight from the same airport to Incheon on Dec. 24. Lion Air Group spokesperson Ramaditya Handoko said that to help lure Korean tourists to Indonesia, the company had collaborated with two Korean travel agencies, namely Global Aviation Alliance Co. Ltd. and Sky Angkor Air. We plan to operate the charter flights until March 2018 and if possible extend the period of service, or even make it a regular one, he recently said in a statement, as quoted by kontan.co.id. Ramaditya added that Lion Air was also considering opening a new charter route to other Korean cities, such as Seoul. Currently, Lion Air Group flies to a number of international destinations, such as Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, India, China, Saudi Arabia, and South Korea, with more than 630 flights per day. It banks on at least 116 airplanes. (srs/lnd) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Rachmadea Aisyah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Mon, January 1, 2018 23:00 1341 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2f9a387 2 Business Sarinah,online-store,e-commerce,SME Free State-owned department store Sarinah has launched an online store platform, sarinahonline.co.id, in a bid to cope with stiff competition posed by rapidly growing e-commerce businesses. Sarinah president director GNP Sugiarta Yasa said the new platform would focus on selling Indonesias signature products, such as handicrafts, food and beverages, as well as textile. Right now, we are cooperating with numerous small and medium enterprises [SMEs] that produce goods we already sell in our offline stores, Yasa told the press during the launch on Friday. SMEs other than its current suppliers would also soon be able to market their items on the website after its launch that is slated in February, he added. Read also: Jakarta retailer Sarinah to go online Prior to having its own online store, Sarinah has been selling its products online via several websites. As of December, 20 percent of the companys revenue came from online sales, retail director Lies Permana Lestari said. As for 2018, we have set a humble target of Rp 1 billion [US$73,900] online sales because as a new player (in the e-commerce business), we want to be realistic, Lies added. (lnd) Eating fish has been linked to higher IQ and better sleep in a new study on children. The findings show that youngsters who eat fish once a week score at least four points higher than average in IQ tests, compared with those who do not eat fish at all or consume it less frequently. The research team from the University of Pennsylvania asked 541 pupils in China, aged between nine and 11, to fill in a questionnaire about how often they consumed fish, which is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, in the past month. The students also took the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised test which is the Chinese version of an IQ exam. Their parents were asked about the childrens sleep quality, which included duration, how frequently they woke up during the night and daytime sleepiness. Fish consumption has been linked to a higher IQ (JulijaDmitrijeva/Getty Images) The team found that children who reported eating fish weekly scored 4.8 points higher in the IQ tests than those who said they seldom or never ate fish. In addition, fish consumption was found to be associated with fewer sleep disturbances and, consequently, better sleep quality. Jennifer Pinto-Martin, executive director of Penns Centre for Public Health Initiatives, said: It adds to the growing body of evidence showing that fish consumption has really positive health benefits and should be something more heavily advertised and promoted. Children should be introduced to it early on. It really has to be a concerted effort, especially in a culture where fish is not as commonly served or smelled. The researchers are advising parents to encourage their children to eat fish (Radist/Getty Images) She added: Children are sensitive to smell. If theyre not used to it, they may shy away from it. Professor Adrian Raine, of Penns Perelman School of Medicine, said: Lack of sleep is associated with anti-social behaviour; poor cognition is associated with anti-social behaviour. We have found that omega-3 supplements reduce anti-social behaviour, so its not too surprising that fish is behind this. If the fish improves sleep, great. If it also improves cognitive performance like weve seen here even better. Its a double hit. The research is published in Scientific Reports. Kathmandu, Jan 1 (PTI) Fifteen persons, including two Indian nationals, have been arrested in Nepal on charges of illegally selling libido-enhancement pills and other health related items. They were arrested during raids carried out by the Central Investigation Bureau of Nepal Police at 12 different stores in Kathmandu Valley yesterday. "They had been selling male enhancement pills and other health products promising that the use of such items would boost sexual performance. The suspects were running the business with or without registering their firms with the agencies concerned,? CIB spokesperson Jeevan Shrestha was quoted as saying by the Himalayan Times. Despite being registered, the firms had engaged in unauthorised business against the purpose of the licence, SP Shrestha said. For the sale of the health products, they would publish and broadcast ads on media with money-back guarantee if a buyer was not satisfied with the product or service, he said. The agency has also confiscated a huge cache of illegal health products. The arrested Indian nationals are identified as Bikash Goyal and Major Singh. They have been charged with fraud case and the Kathmandu District Court has remanded the suspects to seven-day judicial custody. PTI SBP PMS Unfortunately, The Content Is Not Here You have arrived at this page because the page or post you were looking for no longer exists. Please check our main navigation pages for other content: Home Page scientists (Eds: Adds fresh inputs) Kolkata, Jan 1 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi today pitched for using vernacular languages in promoting science communication in a "big way" to develop "love of science" among the youth, saying language should not be a barrier but a facilitator. The prime minister also said that every scientist and researcher of the country should direct innovation and research for a New India. Addressing the curtain-raiser ceremony of the commemoration of professor Satyendra Nath Boses 125th birth anniversary in Kolkata via video-conference, Modi said that scientists and researchers of the country should use their knowledge and research for the benefit of people and their socio-economic needs. Modi began his speech in Bengali, extending new year wishes to the people of the state. "To promote understanding and love of science among our youth, it is vital that we promote science communication in a big way. Language should not be a barrier but a facilitator in this task," Modi said. He said it was important in todays world that the final outcome of the innovation and research should be judged for their positive impact on the lives of the poor. "With their out of the box thinking, our scientists should give new direction in creative technology. Our innovations and final research outcome should be directed to help the common people," the prime minister said. The Centre has started a research and development (R&D) project involving separate science organisations in solar power, green energy, water conservation and waste management sectors, he said. Stating that the science and technology department was working on multi-pronged projects, Modi said the priority was to set up a scientific infrastructure mechanism, drawing reference to the Centres initiatives such as Start-up India and Skill Development Mission. Calling upon every scientist to mentor at least one child, Modi said, "In this way, one lakh students can be scientifically inclined." "In 2017, all Indians had taken pledge to make a new India as visualised by our forefathers. We must devote all our energy and everyone involved should chip in for this. The year 2018 is poised to be a watershed year when every scientist should direct his innovation and research for building a new India," he said. Pitching for a strong collaboration between academic and R&D institutions, Modi said that the success of such efforts will depend on bringing all these institutions and labs under one platform. He said the Centre is setting up 20 institutes of eminence in the country and invited both private and public institutions in higher education sector to take part in the mission. Describing Indian scientists and technology experts as the "pride of nation", Modi said, "When ISRO sends over 100 satellites to space, the entire world takes note." He asked the scientific community to brace for new technology challenges. "We are waiting for new innovations in water, power, airport, roads, digital infrastructure. The government is on your side but any innovation should be followed by proper plan of action," he said. Stating that Bengals "rich soil" had given birth to luminaries in different fields including science, with names such Acharya J C Bose, Meghnad Saha and S N Bose, Modi said that till date, people are being benefited by their commitment and creativity. Born on January 1, 1894, physicist Bose is best known for his work on quantum mechanics in the early 1920s. Bose discovered what is known as bosons and worked with Albert Einstein to define one of the two basic classes of subatomic particles. Modi said Bose had worked towards popularising science among the people and had launched a Bengali science magazine since he understood the importance of vernacular medium to popularise science. S N Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences Director Samit Roy, Minister of Science and Technology Harsh Vardhan were among those present at the programme at the institute. PTI MP SUS JM SMN Iran will use funds from the Eximbank of Russia to implement some infrastructure projects, media reports said on Sunday. The Central Bank of Iran and the Export Insurance Agency of Russia signed a deal recently to pave the way for Russian banks to fund Iranian projects, reported Xinhua, citing Irans Financial Tribune daily. Four Iranian banks, including Bank Sepah, Export Development Bank of Iran, Parsian Bank and Bank Pasargad, signed last week an unlimited finance deal with the Eximbank of Russia, the report said. Under the deal, Eximbank will provide loans without a ceiling to the four lenders to finance development projects in Iran. But it is not yet known which projects will be eligible to get the funds, said Deputy Economy Minister Mohammad Khaza, also director of the Organization for Investment, Economic and Technical Assistance of Iran. Several projects have already applied for the funds, but their applications need to be assessed in the Central Bank of Iran and the Economy Ministry. In case of approval, they will be introduced to Russias Eximbank for undergoing the final stage, Khaza said. This is the first interbank loan from Russia to Iran and will be an effective step toward expansion of the economic ties between the two countries, he added. Based on the agreement, Russian exporters can also use the loans to export technical and engineering services to Iran. The heart of Delhi, India Gate and nearby areas, including Connaught Place, saw a massive traffic jam on the first day of New Year. Thousands of people reportedly gathered at the India Gate, leading to chaos and commuters remained stuck for hours in the traffic. Delhi Police issued a statement which read: Traffic will remain very heavy near India Gate C-Hexagon due to a gathering of more than 1 lakh pedestrians and heavy volume of motorists. Since India Gate is flooded with people even on normal days, people in hordes thronged the iconic location on the first day of the new year. Delhi Traffic Police in a statement also said: No parking available around India Gate. Advised to avoid India Gate and take an alternate route. The Connaught Place too was choc-a-block with shoppers and New Year revelers, leading to a massive traffic snarl that started in the afternoon and continued till late evening. Vehicles moved at a snails pace and it took hours for the commuters to get out of the area. As per reports, some people had to leave the place without stepping out of their vehicles as there was no space to park their cars. Reports of traffic jams from other parts of the Delhi were pouring in as families were out, Monday being a holiday. Five students were killed and seven others injured when their car rammed into a speeding goods train at an unmanned level crossing in neighbouring Bharuch district, a senior official said Monday. The victims, all students of a madrasa in Bharuch, were returning from an event when their car collided with the train last evening at Dayadara village, around 110 km from here, Western Railways Vadodara division PRO Meena Kumar said. There were 11 students and a driver in the car at the time of the mishap, he said. All the students were rushed to a nearby hospital where five of them were declared brought dead, he said. The injured students and the driver were undergoing treatment in the same hospital, Kumar said. A probe has been ordered by the railway authorities into the mishap, he added. Details about the victims were not yet available. After cancelling the licences of blood bank and pharmacy of Gurugrams Fortis Medical and Research Institute (FMRI) for various irregularities; the Haryana government has sent reminders to various other departments to act as per their respective jurisdiction against the hospital. The hospital was charged by a government committee with negligence, lapses, unethical, unlawful act and causing death of a seven-year-old girl by negligence in November 2017. While speaking to reporters, Haryana health minister Anil Vij said, The government panel during its probe at Fortis hospital had found a total 29 irregularities concerning to the pharmacy and blood bank of the hospital. Taking contingence, the Health Department has done its job by cancelling the licences for both. Moreover, reminders have been sent to various other departments for action against the hospital for violating various norms under their respective jurisdiction. These departments are Police, Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA), and the Indian Medical Association (IMA). Like Health Department, these department should have acted against the hospital so far. Moreover, I have asked for status reports from various departments on the issue and the complied report, I will submit to the CM putting it into his knowledge. I will also put into his knowledge that the police department has not arrested any person so far into the matter, Vij said. A seven-year-old girl Adhya Singh had died of dengue on 14 November, 2016. Following the allegation of overcharging and negligence on behalf of the said hospital, the Haryana government constituted a three-member committee under the chairmanship of Additional Director General (Health) Dr Rajiv Vadehra to investigate the matter and submit its report. The committee in its reported indicted the hospital of causing death by negligence. It has also found the Fortis hospital guilty of overcharging for the medical diagnosis and violating various prescribed norms during the treatment of the girl. Terming the death by negligence as murder, Vij had asked for lodging FIR against the hospital while the state government also decided approach the Medical Council of India (MCI) recommending stern action against Fortis. As the Committee had also been found that the hospital was violating the norms fixed by the government regarding the treatment of economic weaker sections (EWSs), the HUDA was asked to act against the hospital. Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma, who are in South Africa, are having a ball of a time. Before Virat gets busy with his South Africa series, Anushka decided to accompany him for the New Year. And the power couple wished their fans with an adorable selfie. Anushka took to Twitter to share the picture with their fans and wrote, "Wishing you all a very happy , healthy and prosperous new year ! Love and light to all." Wishing you all a very happy , healthy and prosperous new year ! Love and light to all ??? pic.twitter.com/mV2vE595ji - Anushka Sharma (@AnushkaSharma) January 1, 2018 It's been a month of celebrations and festivities for Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma. After tying the knot in a hush-hush ceremony in Tuscany, Italy, the newlyweds flew off to Finland for their honeymoon. Post that, they threw two receptions for friends and family in Delhi and Mumbai. And now the couple is soaking in the sun in Cape Town. A picture of the two shopping on the streets of Cape Town went viral recently. Anushka is expected to return to Mumbai soon. She will start shooting for Aanand L Rai's next with Shah Rukh Khan and Katrina Kaif. The makers will reveal the title of the film on January 1. A host of stars, including Lata Mangeshkar, Amitabh Bachchan, Karan Johar, Sridevi and Rishi Kapoor have wished their fans, friends and well-wishers a year full of joy, happiness and success. Heres what the celebrities tweeted: Lata Mangeshkar: Namaskar. Aap sabko naye varsh ki bahut bahut shubhkaamanayein. (Namaskar. Wishing you all a very Happy New Year). Namaskar.Aap sabko naye varsh ki bahut bahut shubhkaamanayein. Lata Mangeshkar (@mangeshkarlata) December 31, 2017 Amitabh Bachchan: Year new. Happiness new. Life goals new. haaaappy neew yeaaarrrrrr ..2018 https://t.co/gtvxCkjudW Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) January 1, 2018 Sridevi: Wishing all a very happy and prosperous new year! May all your dreams and aspirations come true this year! Happy 2018. Happy New Year. Wishing all a very happy and prosperous new year! May all your dreams and aspirations come true this year! #Happy2018 #HappyNewYear SRIDEVI BONEY KAPOOR (@SrideviBKapoor) January 1, 2018 Rishi Kapoor: As its not possible to reply to each and everyone,I wish all the people a great Happy New Year-2018 God Bless! As its not possible to reply to each and everyone,I wish all the people a great Happy New Year-2018 God Bless! pic.twitter.com/rk2g1ibggp Rishi Kapoor (@chintskap) January 1, 2018 Anupam Kher: Happy New year to all of you. May God give you all the happiness in the world. :) Happy New year to all of you. May God give you all the happiness in the world.:) Anupam Kher (@AnupamPkher) January 1, 2018 Shraddha Kapoor: Happy New Year everyone! May this year be filled with all things amazing. Wishing you all a magical 2018! Happy New Year everyone! May this year be filled with all things amazing. Wishing you all a magical 2018! Shraddha (@ShraddhaKapoor) January 1, 2018 Ekta Kapoor: Loads to achieve loads to do! I hope health and happiness and comfort of loved ones be with us all through the new year ! For now melancholy and gratitude for all the things we have. Farhan Akhtar: Happy new year and yes, you must accept cookies. Big hug. Happy new year & yes, you must accept cookies. Big hug .. pic.twitter.com/QFMJK2Jp5Q Farhan Akhtar (@FarOutAkhtar) December 31, 2017 Madhur Bhandarkar: May the New Year bring new hopes, new aspirations, new joys and new successes in our lifes journey. Wishing a Happy 2018. May the New Year bring new hopes, new aspirations, new joys and new successes in our lifes journey. Wishing a Happy 2018. Madhur Bhandarkar (@imbhandarkar) January 1, 2018 Sonu Sood: Have a super year ahead. May all ur dreams come true. Have a super year ahead. May all ur dreams come true. pic.twitter.com/WhMovcHiT4 sonu sood (@SonuSood) December 31, 2017 Bipasha Basu: Happy New Year 2018. Karan Singh Grover: Wish you all a very happy new year! May 2018 be a super awesome year for all of us! Wish you all a very happy new year! May 2018 be a super awesome year for all of us! Love and https://t.co/yROvq007wT Karan Singh Grover (@Iamksgofficial) December 31, 2017 Nargis: Have a Happy and Prosperous 2018! Happy New Year 2018. Preity Zinta: Happy New Year to all of you wonderful people out there loads of love and happiness always. Happy New Year 2018. Kriti Sanon: Happy New Year everyone! To new experiences, lots of memorable moments and happiness! Be safe! Happpyyyy New Year everyone!! To new experiences, lots of memorable moments and happiness!! Be safe! Kriti Sanon (@kritisanon) December 31, 2017 Karan Johar: Forgive a friend, communicate with your parents, understand your spouse and befriend your lover Make 2018 your emotional year! Happy New Year. Forgive a friend.communicate with your parents.understand your spouse and befriend your lover.make 2018 your emotional year! #HappyNewYear Karan Johar (@karanjohar) December 31, 2017 Madhuri Dixit-Nene: Nights still young and the New Year is just around the corner. Happy New Year. Prosperity. Joy. Happy New Year to all in Tokyo, indicated by all the red lights lit on top of the buildings, and everyone else in this time zone! pic.twitter.com/rb3eQRQkUe Madhuri Dixit-Nene (@MadhuriDixit) December 31, 2017 Rahul Dholakia: My New Years Resolution: Work harder to be a better person and make better movies. Love you all. Lets welcome 2018. My #NewYearsResolution : work harder To Be A better Person and make better movies. Love you all. lets #welcome2018 ! #HappyNewYear rahul dholakia (@rahuldholakia) December 31, 2017 Dia Mirza: Love more. Feel more. Care more. Do more. Read more. Laugh more. Happy New Year. Love more. Feel more. Care more. Do more. Read more. Laugh more. #HappyNewYear pic.twitter.com/9sXASWuQfb Dia Mirza (@deespeak) December 31, 2017 Ehsaan Noorani: All in all a pretty tumultuous year, especially with the Kamla Mills fire. Pray and hope for a better year ahead and a lot of it depends on what we as collective citizens can do to make it better. Happy New Year All in all a pretty #tumultuous year especially with the #KamalaMills fire .. pray and hope for a better year ahead and a lot of it depends on what we as collective citizens can do to make it better #HappyNewYear Ehsaan Noorani (@EhsaanNoorani) December 31, 2017 Kabir Bedi: Have a magical New Year! Vivek Anand Oberoi: Wish you and your family a fantabulous new year! Happy twenty eighteen. May you feel twenty, look eighteen. Wish you and your family a fantabulous new year! Happy twenty eighteen !! may you feel twenty, look eighteen #HappyNewYear Vivek Anand Oberoi (@vivek_oberoi) December 31, 2017 Mallika Sherawat: Wishing my tweethearts a very happy healthy and prosperous New year. Happy New Year. Happy 2018. Wishing my tweethearts a very happy healthy & prosperous New year #HappyNewYear #Happy2018 pic.twitter.com/ImJXywSas8 Mallika Sherawat (@mallikasherawat) December 31, 2017 Ram Kapoor: Heres wishing all of you a very happy new year in advanceplease have a safe new year and a fabulous year ahead. Technologys influence on young adults-more commonly referred to as the generation that is obsessed with their smart phones-is well documented. As the media tide steadily goes digital, many fear that news has become just one of the thousands of random elements in a social media feed. However, this could not be further from truth. Most surveys conducted recently point out that reading is most certainly not dead-or at least not the news. We live in an era where information literacy is vital, be it in workplaces, educational institutions, among friends and surprisingly, even on social media. The 18 to 30 year olds who now form a large majority of the global workforce are well aware of this fact and they habitually absorb a blend of current affairs, lifestyle news and handy news one can use. The preferred news sources have visibly shifted from the mainstream ones like newspapers or the radio to newer sources like applications which curate different newspapers, e newspapers, social networking sites and collate reports summarising them in a few words. In fact, they could be absorbing news at far higher rates than the older generations, whether intentionally or unintentionally. According to a recent study conducted by Paperboy, an online newspaper and magazine aggregator, among 22 to 34 year olds in India, around 58 per cent said that they rely on their smartphones and tablets to read the news. A mere 8.9 per cent said that they read newspapers. However, 51.2 per cent of the respondents considered newspapers as the most reliable source of news and preferred reading them online. The biggest advantage of being able to access the news on these electronic devices according to the respondents is that they can read the news at their own convenience. However, 34 per cent have also said that they prefer to skim through various news sources regularly throughout the day to stay updated. The breaking news feature which appears as a notification on most of these applications also enables users to read the entire news report within minutes of the actual event if the headline catches their eye. For the older generations who have grown up reading newspapers, the habit of reading the paper with their morning cup of tea is a matter of routine as well as nostalgia. This does not hold the same reverence for media consumers in the 10s, 20s or 30s. Reading the newspaper is widely considered a weekend habit among this generation, essentially something to do when there is nothing pressing on their schedule. Earlier, readers would subscribe to two or three newspapers at the most. Today, the digital revolution has made it possible to access as many or any newspapers that one wants, even some of the smallest regional publications. Thanks to the numerous sources, readers can sift through biases and propaganda to obtain an in depth and nuanced perception of world events. App makers and media houses are capitalising on the wide reach, cheap operating costs and convenience of the Internet, to steer everyone from students to retirees toward digital media. The applications and e -newspapers available today offer exclusive benefits that the print media cannot possibly match. These digital sources have a radically different layout that integrates content, photos, audio tapes and videos. In fact they are evolving rapidly with their integrated multimedia layout in an attempt to perfect the news consumption experience. Knowledge is power and the world wide web is its pioneering tool. It has been observed that the shift to digital media has caused a degradation of social networks and communication skills particularly among the younger generation. However, reports contradict this by proving that these sites have actually improved lives by delivering educational outcomes with ease, aiding identity formation and improving self-esteem. Younger professionals have developed a voice and are efficiently navigating a public social space as informed participants. Adapting to innovative technology and environment is considered an invaluable skill by employers and this is facilitated largely by the online media that offers the latest news reports in a number of technical fields. The rise of digital media has also facilitated citizen journalism. The public is encouraged to provide an in depth and first person report of any momentous event or a civic issue. Although this concept was initially popularised by television news channels, citizen news sources on the Internet are now hailed as providing a methodical perspective from ground zero much faster than print or television can deliver. For the digital native generation who are used to instant information as when they need it and for whom a slow Internet connection is the biggest bane of their lives, traditional sources of media could soon become a relic of the past. The Internet has suddenly gone from being a technical marvel to a staple feature of our lives. However, media houses have not conceded defeat yet and are valiantly taking on the uphill task of getting the younger generation to religiously read newspapers. Mumbai Police arrested two managers of the 1 Above pub, where a fire claimed 14 lives last week, an official said on Monday . Managers Gibson Lopez (34) and Kevin Bawa (35) were arrested by a team of sleuths from the N M Joshi Marg police station, he said. Both Lopez and Bawa were working as the managers of the pub, located at the Kamala Mills compound in Lower Parel area. They were present in the pub when the blaze occurred in the early hours of December 29, but fled without helping the guests, the official said. We have arrested both the managers, said senior police inspector Ahmad Pathan. They have been booked under IPC sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 337 (causing hurt by an act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention), the police said. Both the accused will be produced in a court later in the day, the police said.The massive fire that swept through the pub left 14 people dead and 21 injured. Arrest so far: Police had booked the pub owners, Hitesh Sanghvi and Jigar Sanghvi, co-owner Abhijeet Manka and others under IPC sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others). Lookout notices were issued against the Sanghvi brothers on Saturday. Owners uncle Rakesh Sanghvi and cousin Aditya Sanghvi were arrested on Sunday, senior police inspector, Byculla, Avinash Shingthe said. A search is underway for their another relative, Mahendra Sanghvi, he said. The three relatives, all residents of the Mazgaon area in Byculla, were booked under IPC section 216 (harbouring an offender who has escaped from custody or whose apprehension has been ordered), another police official said. BMC actions: Earlier, The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) suspended five of its officials in connection with the fire accident at a restaurant in Central Mumbais Kamala Mills complex, that claimed 14 lives. The BMC also carried out demolition drive around Mumbai city against errant pub-restaurantowners. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had promised action against errant civic officials and the owners of a pub in central Mumbai where a massive fire claimed 14 lives. (With agency inputs) Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi said Satyendra Nath Bose was a crusader for teaching of science in vernacular languages and had started a Bengali science magazine. PM Modi addressed a curtain-raiser ceremony of the commemoration of professor Satyendra Nath Boses 125th birth anniversary in Kolkata, via video-conferencing, on Monday. PM Modi pitched for using vernacular languages in promoting science communication in a big way to develop love of science in the youth, saying language should not be a barrier but a facilitator. To promote understanding and love of science among our youth, it is vital that we promote science communication in a big way. Language should not be a barrier but a facilitator in this task, Modi said. PM Modi also asked the scientists to use their fundamental knowledge to help the general public in todays life. The Prime Minister said it was important in todays world that the final outcome of the innovation and research should be judged for their positive impact on the lives of poor people. Whether through your innovations, life of any poor is getting easier, whether difficulties of middle class are reducing? PM Modi asked. PM Modi asked scientists to determine their subjects of research keeping in mind the socio-economic challenges faced by the country. PM Modi addresses curtain raiser ceremony About Satyendra Nath Bose Physicist Satyendra Nath Bose, born on January 1, 1894, in Calcutta. He is best known for his work on quantum mechanics in the early 1920s, providing the foundation for Bose-Einstein statistics and the theory of the Bose-Einstein condensate. Satyendra Nath Bose discovered what became known as bosons and went on to work with Albert Einstein to define one of two basic classes of subatomic particles. Much of the credit for discovering the boson, or God particle, was given to British physicist Peter Higgs, much to the chagrin of the Indian government and people. The fundamental importance of Boses work may be understood from the fact that several Nobel Prizes in Physics have been awarded to researchers carrying forward his ideas to diverse physical applications. But, Bose was never awarded a Nobel Prize. Government of India honored Bose in 1954 with the title Padma Vibhushan, the second-highest civilian award in India. Five years later, he was appointed as the National Professor, the highest honor in the country for a scholar. A self-taught scholar and a polymath, he had a wide range of interests in varied fields including physics, mathematics, chemistry, biology, mineralogy, philosophy, arts, literature, and music. He served on many research and development committees in sovereign India. The S N Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, Kolkata, an autonomous institute under Department of Science & Technology has befittingly chosen to bear the name of the colossal physicist will commemorate the 125th birth anniversary of the scientist throughout the year by organizing several seminars, academic and social outreach activities. (With agency inputs) Top Left leaders CPI-Ms Sitaram Yechury and CPIs D.Raja on Sunday welcomed Tamil superstar Rajinikanths announcement of joining politics and requested him to disclose his policies and programmes. Yechury and Raja, along with three other Left leaders from West Bengal, arrived here on Sunday to address a mammoth public election rally, organized by Tripuras ruling Left Front ahead of the upcoming assembly polls. After the rally, Communist Party of India-Marxist General Secretary Yechury said: It is good that Rajinikanth joined politics. However, he should announce his policies, plans and programmes. It would be healthier if more honest and good personalities join politics, he told the media. Communist Party of Indias national Secretary D.Raja echoed Yechurys views. Rajinikanth is a citizen of the country. He can join politics. But he did not spell out his policies and programmes of his proposed party, Raja told the media separately. The CPI leader said that Tamil Nadu is now in political turmoil. Political crisis is going in the state. The AIADMK government in the state entirely failed to protect the rights of Tamil people.The incumbent government in Tamil Nadu is a dummy government of BJP government at the centre and has lost all its moral rights to continue in office. Role of Governors is a major issue in many states in the country including the Governor of Tamil Nadu. Several Governors roles are very controversial and undemocratic. Role of Governors must be discussed and reviewd in a new situation of the country, Raja said. Yechury said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wants that there is no opposition party in the country. Despite conspiracies, ethnic division by the BJP and its allies, the Left Front would return to the power once again in Tripura and would form the government for eighth term, including sixth consecutive term, he said before returning to New Delhi. Opposition alliance would be formed at the national level on the basis of policies and not to project or create any leader, he added. Tamil superstar Rajinikanth on Sunday said he will float a new party that will pursue spiritual politics and vowed to contest the next state assembly election. In one of the most sharpest critique of United States policy of providing aid to Pakistan, President Donald Trump slammed the south-Asian country saying, that they have given us nothing but lies and deceit. Trump in a tweet on Monday, said that US 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 wrote further in the tweet that , 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 Earlier this month, Trump had already hinted that he may cut off the aid for good. Relations between the US and Pakistan have soured since Trump declared that Pakistan gives safe haven to agents of chaos, violence and terror. The recent international debate over President Donald Trump announcing the recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and the shifting of the US embassy there resounded in the UN. The UN Security Council voted 14:1 on the issue, with the US being compelled to use its veto for the first time in years. There was also a vote in the General Assembly, where a total of 128 nations voted against the US decision, nine supported it and 35 abstained. India was one of those that voted against. The General Assembly vote was conducted under direct US threats, issued both by Nikki Haley, the US permanent representative to the UN, and President Trump. The Indian vote was based on four factors. Firstly, despite requests from various political parties and members of the international community which understood Indias growing proximity to both the US and Israel, India maintained a studied silence on the US announcement. Secondly, India did not participate in the discussion in the UN, preferring to maintain its silence once again. These two steps indicated Indias real stand. Thirdly, to display its historical support to the Palestinian cause, it voted against the US and Israel. Finally, there were the threats issued by the US. Had India backed down and voted for the US and Israel or even abstained, the government would have come under intense criticism at home. It would have been accused of being a US lackey. Though the vote also impacted Israel, a close partner in economic and military fields, India had limited options. With the parliament session commencing, the government would have had to battle to remove the stigma of acting under US pressure. Possibly Nikki Haley and Trumps threats were the final deciding factors. Thus, the final vote was more to avoid domestic criticism than to support Palestine openly even though India has historically supported the cause. India would have discussed its stand with Israel, if not the US. This is because of its growing relationship with Israel. At the same time, it ignored calls for speaking against or criticising the US and Israel as it was aware that Palestine has never supported India on the Kashmir issue. It has always toed the line of Pakistan and of the Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC). Recent press reports of the Palestinian ambassador to Pakistan sharing the dais with Hafiz Saeed raised eyebrows in India. There has been widespread criticism of this action and demands are increasing for the government to reverse its stand and stop supporting Palestine. Hafiz Saeed is the individual whom India considers as being responsible for Mumbai and many other terror operations in India. Thus, the Palestinian ambassador being on the same platform is an indicator of the disrespect and ingratitude which Palestine displayed towards India. The incident occurred just prior to the visit of the Israeli Prime Minister to India and after the announcement of Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to Palestine in the coming months. Despite its proximity to Israel, India has been one of the few vibrant supporters of the Palestine cause. President Mukherjee visited Palestine in October 2016, followed by Sushma Swaraj. Mukherjees visit had special significance, as the Modi government declared its intention to continue to support the Palestinian cause. Mukherjee visited Israel and Palestine simultaneously, indicating Indias commitment for peace in the region. This was followed by the visit of the President of Palestine to India last year. Israel, on the other hand, has been a nation that has always stood by India. It has supported the Indian stand on Kashmir, condemned Pakistan for supporting terror groups, sold India weapons with the latest technology, provided intelligence on terror groups and shared its expertise in agriculture. Despite India maintaining minimum relations with Israel in the past, it has never let India down. Field Marshal Manekshaw, the Chief of Army Staff during the 1971 war, had even stated that India fought the war with Israeli manufactured ammunition for its 130 mm guns which Russia had failed to provide. Thus, considering realism in international relations, India should logically be seen moving closer towards Israel than Palestine. The open presence of the Palestinian ambassador alongside Hafiz Saeed should be taken as an insult. The action may have been condemned by Palestine and its ambassador withdrawn, however it does indicate a mindset. It is an indicator that Palestine would align with groups operating against India, rather than supporting Indian interests. It is possible that the ambassadors withdrawal was done to assuage India, so that the scheduled visit of Modi was not cancelled. Palestine, like many others whom India has always stood by, have begun taking India for granted, which impacts its prestige. It therefore becomes incumbent for India to mould its international relations along realistic lines, rather than on the basis of historical baggage and sentimental values. Realistically, peace in West Asia would only come about when the Palestinians accept the reality of the existence of the state of Israel. India can be a via-media in discussions. India as an international powerhouse has a voice respected across the globe. It provides economic and diplomatic support to Palestine. It should therefore make its position clear. Repeating such actions as consorting with those India deems terrorists, or acting against Indian interests would invite counter measures which would harm the support and assistance it now receives. While Palestine may have withdrawn its ambassador to Pakistan, it needs to formally apologise to India. India has the power to force such change in nations it has supported and continues to support. Hesitation to support Indian stand should result in a drastic shift in our foreign policy. India is a rising global power and unless it commences acting like one its decency and magnanimity would always be misconstrued. NITI Aayogs recent innovation drive in educational institutions for stimulating and nurturing young minds to inculcate a scientific attitude can have critical implications. The pragmatic decision to establish open-ended innovation workspaces equipped with sophisticated sensor technology kits, elementary electronic gadgets and computers, robotics to promote creativity, curiosity and imagination is a remarkable experiment to reform the school laboratories, such as they exist. ATLS (Atal Tinkering Labs), the Centres flagship initiative in selected schools across the country will accelerate and give an impetus to children to become the innovators of tomorrow. The project was started over a year ago with students between Grades VI and XII, to encourage them in the initiative to change the pattern of learning. Niti Aayog has recently selected 1500 more schools, thereby increasing the total to 2441, selected from over 25000-plus applications. Obviously the programme has the potential to transform young minds to be young innovators. The laboratories will be designed to buttress creativity. It will go beyond the habitual textual learning in class. By using science and technology to support school education and stimulate innovations has numerous benefits, And yet there is need for caution. The benefits depend on the ability of learning based on information technology to sustain student attention, encourage learners to develop imagination, foster curiosity, allow experimentation, and above all move towards a conducive learning environment that is self-paced and adaptive. Students need to be given time to learn. A technology-based learning environment can allow the learner to decide on the degree of practice that he requires in the field. In addition to adaptive learning, tools with intensive analytical capabilities such as learning analytics can go far in helping teachers to understand essential requirements of the child, thereby optimizing his time by focusing on his needs. Seventy years of Independence constitute a convenient plank to look back at what we have achieved and to look forward to what we aspire to do, particularly in the field of science and technology education. Education should not necessarily aim at success in life but to achieve perfection. It should be a child-centered education enabling the child to derive immense pleasure and profound satisfaction. We should take cognizance of the childs psycho-social development including its positive behavioural and emotional needs. Emotional warmth, continuous care, maintenance of acceptance and responsiveness to the childs needs are of enduring importance. Creativity, imagination and freedom of mind are also important to make the child completely free mentally. Educational institutions foster conceptual and intellectual development for the benefit of students so that they can achieve their goals with proper orientation. The methods of learning and the institutional influences are no less important. The process of influencing the quality of learning by teachers and the learning to learn paradigm are remarkably significant concepts. The true need to inculcate a scientific attitude among students has been advocated not only by the teachers but also by society at large. Imparting proper science education is the best way to bring about rapid economic development and technical progress. It is therefore imperative that students should enjoy learning a greater deal of improved science and technology since childhood. The objective should be to provide all our children the basic knowledge they need to develop their scientific attitude and skills for a better understanding of their environment. This would help them challenge all superstitions and prejudices. Hopefully, the children would be in a position to work with sophisticated scientific views and ideas, enabling them to innovate new techniques in the laboratory. To inculcate a scientific attitude is of utmost importance and learning science in schools should be a joyful experience. The students are supposed to receive the basic knowledge of physical and biological environment and also regarding their immediate surroundings. In order to develop a proper scientific attitude, its foundation must be built up on conceptual understanding and reasoning in a pragmatic way, rather than retention and reproduction of bits of information including statistical data. It must be borne in mind that in the 21st century, when there is an explosion of information through computers, e-mail, and internet, the traditional method of pedagogy to motivate the students needs to be revised radically. It is absolutely necessary to equip the children with both skill and comprehension, to help them keep pace with the rapidly advanced developed world. It is also pertinent to bring about a spirit of curiosity and scientific attitude among the young. Today science has become much too important to be considered a subject merely in the curriculum. It is one of the most influential forces that can sustain our culture and society. Imparting science education through learning by doing method has shown remarkable results. This is the discovery approach of teaching science and technology. The students themselves learn the how and why of things by way of experimentation and inquiry. This may be attributed as science in action where the process of experimentation, observation and drawing inferences by the children is significant. The term observation is vital and plays a critical role in learning science. Observation by common people and scientific observation with its deep penetrating power differs considerably. Most of the schools in our country do not possess sophisticated scientific equipment or enriched laboratories to teach science. To that extent this new project of NITI Aayogs AIM programme is extremely important with the potential to reform the obsolete laboratories in schools. Improvisation of scientific equipment with the use of local resources is the right way to teach science as it is now hard to conceive of science education without the help of equipment and materials. Building scientific models by children and demonstration of the same in science exhibitions also plays a major role in dissemination of scientific attitude, and can motivate enthusiastic students. Various science projects in electronics, computers, chemistry, physics, biology and space science may provide immense pleasure and enduring satisfaction to acquire first-hand knowledge through experiments and observation of natural phenomena. The children can perform simple experiments with water, electricity, magnetism, light, heat, semiconductors etc. using apparatus that can be made even at home or with inexpensive materials. This is improvisation of scientific equipment which induces creativity and innovation. The potential value of computers in science education is great and challenging. Computers can control experiments, record data and process the same. Computers may even be regarded as cultural objects and they carry powerful cultural identities. Computers can help the student understand the theoretical and conceptual processes of science. It is fascinating to work with a simulation programme, investigate how the blood sugar level is controlled, or perform computer-recorded experiments in chemistry or even predict some intricate course of chemical reaction. Teachers can play a formidable role in this regard, stimulating and moulding the young mind in a pragmatic manner. We need a large number of qualified and devoted teachers with intrinsic values, morality and ethics. Good teachers are well organised, committed, firm and fair with a sense of humour. The children can enjoy the classroom experience if there is a congenial relationship between the teacher and the student. This relationship is extremely important and conducive to the teaching -learning process. In order to make NITI Aayogs ATM project successful it is absolutely imperative to train school teachers in modern methods of pedagogy, based on sophisticated technology. NCERT and State SCERTs should initiate a leading role in this regard. The National University of Educational Planning and Administration should monitor the quality of the training programme. Learning science can be an enjoyable experience. Our effort should be to encourage the young children to learn science, develop the scientific attitudes of questioning, investigating and discovering facts. The author is a former Reader in Chemistry Presidency College, Kolkata and was associated with the Unicef assisted science education programme, Government of West Bengal. More than 200 New Year revellers were booked by the police for drunken driving in major towns of Uttar Pradesh, an official said on Monday. All the drivers booked were under the influence of alcohol and were driving at very high speed, he said. While 50 of them were from the state capital here, the maximum number was booked from Kanpur, the industrial hub, where 70 persons were detained. Most of those booked were returning from parties and were intercepted by the police armed with breath analysers stationed at major traffic points. An official told IANS that many were also booked in Allahabad, Agra and Varanasi. There were clear instructions from the Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Anand Singh that drunken driving would not be tolerated. In a New Years eve missive Singh had directed district police chiefs to crack down on such lumpen behaviour. In Kanpurs Lajpatnagar, police had to resort to cane charge on a group of revellers after midnight when they were creating ruckus outside a local eatery. Most of them were drunk and were trying to gate crash the restaurant for liquor and food though the place was full, an official said. The New Year was, however, celebrated with abandon and traditional gaiety at most places in the state as families went out for dinners and parties organised by major hotels, clubs, discotheques and pubs. India and Pakistan on Monday exchanged the lists of nuclear installations and prisoners in each others custody even as New Delhi reiterated its demand for consular access to former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav, who has been awarded death sentence by a military court in the neighbouring country. The lists were exchanged by the two sides through diplomatic channels simultaneously in New Delhi and Islamabad. The bilateral agreement on exchange of lists on nuclear installations that prohibits the two countries from attacking each others nuke facilities was signed on 31 December 1988, and came into force on 27 January 1991. This is the 27th consecutive exchange of such lists between the two countries, the first one having taken place on 1 January 1992. The External Affairs Ministry also announced the exchange of lists of nationals (including civil prisoners and fishermen) of each country lodged in the jails of the other nation in keeping with the provisions of the 2008 agreement on consular access. India said it remained committed to addressing humanitarian matters, including those pertaining to prisoners and fishermen in each others country. Lists of 250 civilian prisoners and 94 fishermen were handed over to Pakistan. Further, lists of 54 Pakistani civilian prisoners and 4 fishermen who have completed their sentence and whose nationality confirmation was awaited from Pakistan were also handed over and Islamabad was asked to expedite confirmation of their nationality. A juvenile Hasnain, whose nationality was verified by Pakistan, was being repatriated on Monday, New Delhi said. Pakistan also shared a list of 58 civilian prisoners and 399 fishermen in its custody, who are Indians or believed to be Indians. The government has repeatedly emphasised the need for early release and repatriation of civilian prisoners, missing Indian defence personnel and fishermen along with their boats. We also await consular access to those Indian nationals in Pakistans custody for whom it has so far not been provided, including Kulbhushan Jadhav and Hamid Nehal Ansari, the MEA added. Pakistan also used the occasion to inform the India side of its decision to release 146 fishermen on 8 January. The lists were exchanged amid heightened tensions between the two countries over a host of issues, including the treatment meted out to the family members of Kulbhushan Jadhav when they visited Islamabad to meet him. Apart from this, the 31 December terror attack on a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) camp in Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir, has made matters worse. Meanwhile, reports in the Pakistani media which have not been confirmed by the Indian side so far said National Security Advisers of India and Pakistan held a secret meeting in Thailand. It's been a month of celebrations and festivities for Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma. After tying the knot in a hush-hush ceremony in Tuscany, Italy, the newlyweds flew off to Finland for their honeymoon. Post that, they threw two receptions for friends and family in Delhi and Mumbai respectively. And now the couple is soaking the sun in Cape Town. Anushka is with Virat in South Africa, where he will be playing for the upcoming series. But before the series kick starts, Virat is spending quality time with wife in Cape Town. Discounts tempt everyone. Even a power couple like Virat and Anushka. The two were spotted shopping in Cape Town. Anushka is expected to return to Mumbai soon. She will start shooting for Aanand L Rai's next with Shah Rukh Khan and Katrina Kaif. The makers will reveal the title of the film on January 1. Instagram: virushka_folyf Instagram: virushka_folyf Instagram: virushka_folyf Instagram: virushka_folyf Instagram: virushka_folyf Instagram: virushka_folyf Irans President has admitted that the Iranian people have the right to express themselves peacefully in his first comments on the anti-governmental protests. Iran is a free nation, and according to the constitutional laws, the people have the right to express their criticism and protest, the state-run IRNA news agency cited President Hassan Rouhani as saying. However, Rouhani said that the aim of these protests should be to improve the situation in the country and peoples lives. Irans President also slammed the comments made by his US counterpart, Donald Trump, regarding the rallies. Anyone who calls the Iranian people terrorists does not have the right to sympathize for the people, Rouhani said. Rouhani made these remarks on Sunday during a cabinet meeting after four days of protests against price increases and corruption. Two people died on Saturday in the western Iranian province of Lorestan during the protests, the deputy governor of the province Habibollah Khojastepour said. Khojastepour said the death of the two civilians on Saturday night in the city of Dorud in Lorestan, adding that the authorities wanted to disperse the demonstrations peacefully, according to the semi-official ISNA news agency. He alleged that takfiris (Sunni extremists) and foreign intelligence services had been involved in the protests in Dorud, which he characterized as riots. Meanwhile at least 200 protesters were arrested Saturday in Tehran on charges of causing conflict and destroying property, Tehran city government security official Ali Asgar Naserbajt said. Some of those arrested were later released, while others were remanded to custody, Naserbajt told the ILNA news agency. Illegal rallies took place in Tehran and security forces were deployed to prevent harm to civilians, Naserbajt said. Authorities have blocked access to certain social media networks following the protests that started on Thursday. Messaging service Telegram and photo-sharing application Instagram stopped working in Iran after allegedly having been used to organise protests, and Internet connections were bad. Deputy Interior Minister for Political Affairs Esmail Jabar Zada justified the use of some tools to curtail illegal rallies, the official IRNA news agency reported. The measures are temporary and the government has no intention of blocking social media networks permanently, the deputy interior minister said. Jabar Zada said authorities were conducting investigations to find out who was behind the protests The Pakistan Foreign Office summoned US Ambassador to Pakistan David Hale on Monday night and lodged its protest against US President Donald Trumps tweet wherein he accused Pakistan of lies and deceit, the media reported. The US Embassy confirmed that Ambassador Hale was summoned by the Foreign Office at 9 p.m., The Express Tribune reported citing Express News. Informed sources said Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua sought an explanation from the ambassador over the US Presidents tweet. Earlier, Trump tweeted that the US foolishly gave aid to Pakistan over the course of 15 years but Islamabad remained deceitful by providing safe havens to terrorists from 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 and deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!, Trump said in his tweet. In May 2016, Pakistan had summoned the US ambassador to express its reservations over a drone strike inside its territory that reportedly killed Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansoor. Trumps announcement follows an increasingly tense back-and-forth between Washington and Islamabad after the US President unveiled his administrations National Security Strategy. He had then reminded Pakistan about its obligation towards helping the US because it got massive payments from Washington every year. We have made it clear to Pakistan that while we desire continued partnership, we must see decisive action against terrorist groups operating on their territory, Trump had said. They have to help. Pakistan is also accused by Afghanistan and India of harbouring terrorists ranged against the two countries. Islamabad routinely denies such charges. The Assam government has released the first draft of the much-awaited National Register of Citizens (NRC) with names of 2.24 crore bona fide Indian citizens. Of the 3.28 crore people who had applied for inclusion in the registry, 2.24 crore have found a place in the first draft following verification of their documents. The rest will be considered in the next two drafts, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal told mediapersons on Saturday. "As per Honorable Supreme Courts order, there will be two more drafts of the NRC and the names of all genuine citizen claimants whose names do not feature in the first publication will be included in it after verification of the pending documents," Sonowal said. Dispelling apprehensions over security, Sonowal said no untoward situation is expected to arise as the district administrations have been conducting public meetings and campaigns to explain to the people the updation procedures. The chief minister also said the media have an important role to play in disseminating correct information to the public. 'DON'T PANIC IF YOUR NAME IS MISSING' "Social media will be monitored closely for misinformation on the NRC draft and strict action will be taken against those attempting to create trouble," he said. Asked about a tentative date for release of the final draft, Sonowal said, "The Assam government is conducting the NRC updation process with the state government machinery, the district deputy commissioners offices mobilised for it on the orders of the Supreme Court... The complete draft will be published after verification of all documents of those who had applied for inclusion." The state coordinator for NRC, Prateek Hajela, asserted that "genuine" Indian citizens need not panic if their names have not appeared in the first draft as verification process is yet to be completed. All the people who don't find their names shouldn't have any apprehensions. As soon as their verification is over, we will come up with another draft. Process of claims & objection will happen once another draft containing all names is published:Registrar General of India Sailesh pic.twitter.com/ufdETfEKVq - ANI (@ANI) January 1, 2018 "If the name of any genuine Indian citizen does not appear in the first draft, it means the verification process of that person is yet to be completed," Hajela said, adding there will be scope for making claims after the final draft is published. Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba, during his visit to the state, had also said there will be an opportunity for claims and objections after the release of the third draft. "Those who do not find their names in the first draft need not worry as there will be opportunities for subsequent investigation and document verification," Gauba had said after reviewing the NRC updation process in Assam. HOW WILL I GET TO KNOW? The office of the State Coordinator for NRC has made elaborate arrangements for people to check their names in the first draft at NRC sewa kendras across the state from 8 am on January 1. They can also check for information online and through SMS services. Assam, which faced influx from Bangladesh since the early 20th century, is the only state having an NRC, first prepared in 1951. According to the Assam governments official website, "The NRC is a register containing names of Indian citizens. The only time that a National Register of Citizens (NRC) was prepared was in 1951 when after conduct of the Census of 1951." It was prepared by recording particulars of all the persons enumerated during that Census, the website said. The issue of updating the NRC of 1951 was first raised by the All Assam Students Union (AASU) more than three decades ago. The students body had submitted a memorandum to the Centre on January 18, 1980, two months after launching the anti-illegal foreigners Assam Movement. On November 17, 1999, at an official-level tripartite meeting to review the implementation of the Assam Accord, a decision was taken that the NRC would be updated and the Centre sanctioned Rs 20 lakh for the purpose and released Rs 5 lakh of it to start the exercise. The final decision to update the NRC was taken on May 5, 2005 when the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh chaired a meeting to review the implementation of the accord. Thereafter, the government created a directorate for updating the NRC and the process of computerisation of the voters list up to 1971 and the NRC of 1951 began. A pilot project that was launched in two revenue circles of Barpeta and Chaygaon was suspended after a violent protest by a few organisations. The state government then formed a group of ministers (GoM) to hold talks with different organisations to draft modalities for updating the NRC. The updation process finally gained momentum after the Supreme Court started monitoring its progress and set December 31 midnight as the date for publication of the first draft of the NRC. UPDATE: Honor has now officially launched the Honor View 10 in India at Rs 29,999. We have updated the review accordingly. At its current price, the View 10 not only gives the OnePlus 5T a serious run for its money, but arguably ranks as the best smartphone under Rs 30,000. --- Honor has launched the View 10 at an incredibly competitive price in India with just one goal in mind - to steal the 'flagship killer' crown from right under OnePlus's nose. As of January 2018, the OnePlus 5T has firmly established itself as the smartphone to beat in the hotly contested value flagship segment. In order to dethrone OnePlus's mighty offering, Honor has not only equipped the View 10 with a sleek design that embraces 2017's hottest bezel-less trend but also equipped it with artificial intelligence tricks. Honor's path to dominance in the value flagship segment is not going to be easy. It has the likes of the OnePlus 5T and Nokia 8 in its path which with their sheer value for money and Scandinavian charm respectively make for formidable opponents. Add to the mix smartphones like last year's Pixel and the iPhone 7 which have climbed down the price ladder and the going is surely tough for Honor's newest offering. The Honor View 10 a.k.a V10 is being marketed by Honor as "Your first AI phone" and rightly so. Almost every aspect of the smartphone, from the software to the camera is infused with artificial intelligence. While the results are scattershot at best, there is no denying that the V10 has its eyes firmly set on the future. Let us find out if Honor's most ambitious phone to date has what it takes to dice it out amongst the likes of the OnePlus 5T: Classically beautiful Let's just cut to the chase - the Honor V10 is a beautifully designed phone. Honor has always had a penchant of designing phones that look understated, sleek and classy. Be it the stellar Honor 8 and 8 Pro or even the underwhelming Honor 9i, Honor smartphones have always stood out in terms of design. The V10 is also cut out from the same mould - it looks quite sophisticated and charming. It does not really move the goalpost any further when it comes to smartphone design but every smartphone does not need to. It is a very well made smartphone that does not resort to tacky and gaudy finishes in a bid to stand out from the crowd. The matte metal back with its cleverly integrated antenna lines (along the top and bottom edges) looks quite elegant. The curved edges and rounded corners help mask the bulk of the smartphone to an extent but one-handed usability is still a pipe dream. Inspite of having a hefty 3,750mAh battery on board, the V10 is surprisingly thin (6.76mm) and light. The build quality is also top-notch - the buttons feels nice and meaty and the View 10 feels like it can take a drop or two in its stride. While the back has a matte finish, the glossy front fascia attracts a lot of fingerprints which is sure to drive certain people crazy. Honor has not only equipped the View 10 with a sleek design that embraces 2017's hottest bezel-less trend but also filled it to the brim with artificial intelligence tricks that are surprisingly useful The front fascia of the View 10 is fairly unique. In order to accommodate the edge-to-edge display, most bezel-less smartphones have had to shift the fingerprint sensor to the back or get rid of it entirely (cough, iPhone X, cough). The Honor View 10's fingerprint sensor however is located underneath the display. Not only is the fingerprint sensor, which is cleverly embedded underneath the glass surface, quite fast and accurate but its position makes it much easier to use than its rear mounted equivalents. The only chink in the Honor V10's otherwise well-thought out design is the dual camera setup at the back which juts out considerably from the chassis and looks awkward and googly-eyed. Depending on who you ask, the dual camera arrangement looks like an alien staring down your soul or like a minion melting your heart. Top-notch display 2017 will be forever remembered as the year when smartphone bezels packed up their bags and left. Ever since the Galaxy S8 showed up, smartphone design has undergone a fundamental shift and every smartphone manufacturer is rushing to revamp their entire portfolio to reflect the same. Honor has been one of the more proactive OEM's in this regard - the company has already thrown its hat into the bezel-less ring with the Honor 9i and Honor 7X and now aims to give the OnePlus 5T a run for its money with the V10. The V10's 5.99-inch LCD panel has an aspect ratio of 18:9 and a resolution of 2160x1080 (FullHD+). Simply put, the Honor V10's display is excellent and one of the highlights of the smartphone. Viewing angles are excellent (one of the best in the price range), colours are bright and punchy, the colour temperature is spot on and brightness levels are adequate. A QuadHD display would have been icing on the cake but the lack of pixels are not really felt in daily use. The only puzzling omission is the lack of Corning Gorilla Glass protection. Even though our unit held up to day to day use quite well and the display did not scratch as easily as feared, the lack of proper glass protection in a smartphone that costs north of 30,000 rupees is quite disappointing. Blazingly fast, quite intelligent The biggest USP of the Honor V10 and the aspect that sets it apart from the host of upper mid-range smartphones out there is the future forward processor nestled deep within its chassis. Huawei has been experimenting a lot with artificial intelligence (AI) as of late. The Kirin 970 is the first processor that is designed from the ground up for AI. The Neural Processing Unit (NPU) inside the 970 enables AI features to occur locally, instead of over the cloud. Huawei claims this enables smartphones lie the V10 to not only process all AI features faster but also without compromising users privacy. The Kirin 970 chipset was first introduced in Huawei's Mate 10 and Mate 10 Pro flagships and has now trickled down the price range. The Kirin 970 chipset is not only blazingly fast but comes with a dedicated Neural Processing Unit (NPU) that pumps artificial intelligence infused power through the Honor V10's veins. The Honor V10's rear camera setup is set to be the segment benchmark for the foreseeable future Almost every aspect of the Honor V10 - from the camera to the software has been given a dose of artificial intelligence love. EMUI 8.0, which runs on Android 8.0 Oreo uses machines learning to understand and anticipate user behaviour. It allocates resources to those apps you use the most to make sure the V10 runs 'smoothly even after months of use'. All this is not just marketing fluff. EMUI 8 is a huge step up from previous iterations - it is fast, fluid and butter smooth. Animations are snappy and navigation is quick and frustration-free. Honor has done quite a commendable job of streamlining and speeding up EMUI. Saying that, there is still quite a long way to go. EMUI still cannot hold a candle to stock Android and even certain skinned versions of Android like Oxygen OS in terms of simplicity and ease of use. It is still quite cluttered and bloat-laden. There are a ton of apps like UC News and even Gameloft game demos (2007 anyone?) pre-installed which just takes away from the premium experience. Recently the Kirin 970 chipset made the news by (supposedly) posting higher benchmark scores than Qualcomms upcoming flagship Snapdragon 845 processor. Thankfully, all that power translates well into real life. The Honor V10 is blazingly fast - I am talking about flagship level performance here. The V10 handles everything from simple day today use to intensive workloads with aplomb. During the two weeks I used the smartphone as my daily driver, I experienced next to no lags and hiccups. Thanks to the 6GB of RAM on board, RAM management on the V10 is efficient and even when a lot of apps are running in the background, a minimized app is not killed. Gaming on the phone is also quite a pleasurable experience. Not only is the 18:9 display perfect for long gaming sessions, but performance is also butter smooth. Games do not utilize the entire grunt of the Kirin 970 chipset by default. It is only when you turn on the gaming mode inside Honor's Game Suite that graphic intensive games like Asphalt 8 unlock the Kirin 970's potential. Once they do though, they run at highest settings and with all animations and transitions running smooth and flawlessly. AI features: Some great, others gimmicky The Honor V10 has many nifty tricks up its sleeve - some of which are helped along by artificial intelligence. You can answer and place calls with your voice and find your phone by simply saying "where are you"? This is quite gimmicky to be honest and does not work properly in day to day use. Honor has also followed in the footsteps of the iPhone X and OnePlus 5T and equipped the V10 with facial recognition skills. Oddly enough, the facial recognition cannot be used to unlock the smartphone as of now (the feature is supposedly coming soon via a software update). What you can do currently is prevent nosy friends and family members from reading lock screen notifications by enabling facial recognition lock. As mentioned above, EMUI 8.0 also uses machine learning to understand and anticipate user behaviour and speed up the software. While it is hard to empirically gauge how much benefit this brings to the table, the speed and fluidity of EMUI 8.0 is quite noticeable. While Honor has done a commendable job of speeding up EMUI, there is still quite a long way to go to match the simplicity of stock Android Honor has also tied up with Microsoft for an AI accelerated translator. Honor claims the application uses the Kirin 970's AI capabilities to offer near instant translations in 50 languages. While the voice translation left much to be desired, the app's text translation feature worked like a charm. An area where artificial intelligence really makes a difference is the camera. Thanks to the NPU, the Honor V10 intelligently detects the object or scene you are clicking and optimizes image settings accordingly. Honor says the V10 can detect 13 different types of scenes and objects - including dogs, cats, plants and printed text. Far from being a gimmick, this really makes a difference to image quality. The front camera also uses AI for background blurring to less impressive results. I will delve deep into the V10's camera performance later on in the review. Impressive battery life At Honor V10's India showcase event, Honor was quick to point out that the smartphone comes with a bigger battery than its immediate competitors (cough, OnePlus 5T, cough). Having a big battery is one thing but getting impressive battery life is another ball game altogether. Thankfully, Honor has done a great job squeezing as much juice as possible from the Honor V10's 3,750mAh battery pack. With moderate to intensive use involving Google Maps, photography, YouTube binge sessions and heavy browsing, I struggled to drain more than 50 to 60 percent of the battery in a single day. With moderate use, the phone will easily last 1.5 days on a single charge. One day I decided to keep using the smartphone till it eventually died. The smartphone finally gave up the ghost after 19 hours of usage and a fairly impressive 6 and a half hours of screen on time. While not an endurance champion by any means (phone like the Moto Z2 Play offer exceptional battery life), the Honor V10 still impresses in the battery department. AI infused cameras The Honor V10 comes with a dual camera setup at the back - a 16MP primary RGB (colour) sensor paired with a 20MP monochrome (black and white) sensor. Both sensors have an aperture of f/1.8 and are accompanied by an LED flash. On the front, the V10 comes with an single 13MP camera capable of shooting bokeh shots via software algorithms. The Honor V10's rear camera setup is set to be the segment benchmark for the foreseeable future. Images are sharp, detailed, well exposed and even capable of giving more expensive smartphones a run for their money. As mentioned above, what truly makes the Honor V10's rear camera special is its ability to detect what you are clicking (or how you are framing the image) and optimise image settings accordingly. During the two weeks I used the V10 as my daily driver, it recognized dogs and cats, plants, human faces, macros and even printed text. The Honor V10 detects what object you are clicking and optimises image settings accordingly. The Honor V10 detects what object you are clicking and optimises image settings accordingly. The results are surprisingly good as the detection process really improves the colour, light and shadows and hue of the photo. Basically it gives you a photo you wouldn't want (and need) to edit. In low light as well, the V10's rear camera impresses. Huawei's monochrome+RGB combination works wonders to capture a lot of detail in low light. Noise, while prevalent, is contained and low-light shots in general are crisp and detailed. The monochrome sensor can also be used to take some striking black and white shots. When the light is adequate, monochrome shots have excellent detail and dynamic range though the quality does dip when the sun goes down. Just like any dual camera smartphone out there, the Honor V10 can be used to take bokeh shots. The bokeh mode, while much improved from the Honor 8 Pro is the least impressive aspect of the rear camera. At medium settings, it keeps clear outlines and brings out a good background blur effect. But at full settings, there is partial blurring at some places and a halo around the objects is visible. In fact, the phone ends up taking better bokeh shots with the bokeh mode turned off. AR stickers are a fun way to show off the Honor V10's AI capabilities. AR stickers are a fun way to show off the Honor V10's AI capabilities. The front camera of the Honor V10 is nowhere near as impressive as the rear setup. While bokeh shots are decent, images as a whole are soft and lacking in detail. In low light, the 13MP sensor struggles quite a bit and produces images with a lot of noise and graininess. Should you buy the Honor View 10? Simply put - yes. The V10 is not only Honor's most ambitious smartphone to date but easily the company's most impressive offering yet. It a refined version of the Honor 8 Pro which has its eyes clearly set on the future. It has a vibrant edge-to-edge display, rear cameras that are set to be the segment benchmark for some time, blazing fast performance, great build quality and classy looks. What more does one want at this price? It is hard not to look past the sheer value for money that the Honor View 10 offers. It is undoubtedly the best smartphone you can buy under Rs 30,000 and gives pricier offerings a serious run for their money. It is not without its flaws though - the front camera is quite average, the software is cluttered and bloated and some AI features are gimmicky. However, those are not deal breakers by any means - the OnePlus 5T better watch out. Retailers are planning to introduce new charges to sneak around a ban on rip-off credit card fees, it is claimed. New rules from January 13 are to prohibit the addition of extra charges, which have been levied at up to three per cent, when customers pay by credit card. Firms often have to pay for collecting payments via credit card, but only at a tiny percentage rate, and many have been making a fortune out of customers by billing them excessively for the privilege of paying with plastic. According to a report yesterday, unscrupulous companies are planning to simply increase their prices or introduce new supposed service charges to ensure they get the same amount of cash It seemed new legislation would stop it but according to a report yesterday, unscrupulous companies are planning to simply increase their prices or introduce new supposed service charges to ensure they get the same amount of cash. And customers will keep paying it. To make matters worse, some of the price rises will be across the board, affecting cash payers as well as those using credit cards. The new rules were brought in to protect consumers, because so many shops, holiday firms and even councils and other public bodies have been making customers using credit cards pay fees amounting to up to three per cent extra. Takeaway meal giant Just Eat is complying with the new law by scrapping a 50 card surcharge but is introducing a new service charge of 50p for every customer, including those using cash, because it ensures fairness for all' The fees have been said to be necessary to cover costs but for two years the EU has limited charges firms pay for accepting credit cards have been limited to just 0.3 per cent. Even though the rule change is imminent, Ryanair was still charging customers two per cent for paying with credit card, and EasyJet one per cent, well into December. Local authorities including Warwick district, Buckinghamshire county, and Derby City councils were all still charging one per cent. According to the newspaper, the source said: We agreed to increase all our prices by whatever amount we calculate will cover the cost of the fees we are charged by Visa, Mastercard and American Express. We estimate that removing the surcharge will result in a significant shift away from payments by debit card and bank transfer so the increase [in extra costs] will be greater than the current credit card surcharge. HMRC has also said it is stopping accepting credit cards because it cannot afford to pay the fees without charging for them. Other large bodies could follow Takeaway meal giant Just Eat is complying with the new law by scrapping a 50 card surcharge but is introducing a new service charge of 50p for every customer, including those using cash, because it ensures fairness for all. HMRC has also said it is stopping accepting credit cards because it cannot afford to pay the fees without charging for them. Other large bodies could follow. Which? Consumer expert Gareth Shaw said: These new rules should finally put an end to consumers paying excessive surcharges and additional fees just for using their cards. Trading Standards must make sure this ban is enforced across the board and that businesses cant find sneaky ways around it. And spokesman for the Fairer Finance campaign group James Daley said of the coming change: It will mean prices will go up for customers and those who pay in cash will be worse off as a result. However, the new system will be fairer and more transparent and is still a victory to consumers. A spokesman for the Treasury said: Banning surcharging will help protect consumers from rip-off charges. Pricing is a commercial decision for individual businesses and the ban will make it easier for consumers to compare prices and choose the right deal for them. A spokesperson for Just Eat said: "At Just Eat, we always ensure we comply with all relevant legislation. We were already reviewing our approach to charging for the services we provide to customers on behalf of our restaurants. As of 8 January 2018 we are making a change to the way restaurants are charged to process Just Eat orders - a 50p service charge will be implemented for all orders." ABC/Fred LeeOne Direction may be on hiatus, but in 2017, there was no shortage of One Direction members on the radio or on the charts. After 1D announced its hiatus in 2016, it was assumed that the members would all launch solo careers, but few could have predicted the success of those solo careers. But by August of 2017, all four members, plus Zayn Malik, had scored solo hits that reached the top 40. The only other group with five members who scored solo top 40 hits is The Eagles. In October, One Direction joined The Beatles as the only groups ever to have three members hit #1 on the album chart as solo artists. Here's a look at all five members' 2017 achievements: Zayn In early 2017, Zayn hit #2 on the chart with "I Don't Want to Live Forever," his duet with Taylor Swift from the movie Fifty Shades Darker. It won the two an MTV VMA in August, and in November, it earned a Grammy nod for Best Song Written for Visual Media. He released two additional singles: the Sia duet "Dusk Till Dawn" and "Still Got Time," a collaboration with rapper PartyNextDoor. Zayn also won a Billboard Award for Top New Artist, filed a cameo in the movie Ocean's Eight, and partnered with Zanotti and Versace for capsule shoe and clothing collections. In August, he and girlfriend Gigi Hadid scored the cover of Vogue. Harry Styles In April, Harry released is debut solo single, "Sign of the Times," a '70s British rock-inspired ballad. It hit #4 on the Billboard Hot 100. His self-titled debut solo album followed in May, and debuted at #1 on the album chart. It scored the highest first sales week for a British male artist's debut full-length album in the Soundscan era, which began in 1991. The album received rave reviews, and many critics were outraged that come Grammy time, it was snubbed. Harry covered Rolling Stone and was a musical guest on Saturday Night Live, where he also appeared in several sketches. He launched a solo tour, and at one show, he duetted with one of his idols, Fleetwood Mac's Stevie Nicks. He also performed on the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show special. But Harry's biggest solo move of 2017 may have been landing a role in the critically-acclaimed British World War II drama Dunkirk opposite stars like Tom Hardy and Kenneth Branagh. He received good notices for his role as a solider named Alex. Niall Horan Niall released his debut solo single "This Town" in 2016, which became a top-20 hit. In 2017, his next single, "Slow Hands," inspired by the solo work of Eagles member Don Henley, peaked at #11. In September, he released another single, "Too Much to Ask." Niall launched a solo tour in August and in October, his debut solo album, Flicker, debuted at #1 on the album chart. The album featured a duet, "Seeing Blind," with country star Maren Morris, which the two sang together on the Country Music Association Awards in November. They'll also tour together in 2018. Also in November, Niall won the American Music Award for New Artist of the Year. Backstage, he said of a 1D reunion, "We'd be kind of silly not to, really." Liam Payne In March, Liam and his girlfriend, British entertainer Cheryl Cole, welcomed their first child, a son named Bear. In May, he released his first solo single, "Strip That Down," which featured Quavo from the rap trio Migos, and an uncredited Ed Sheeran, who co-wrote the track. "Strip that Down" hit the top 10, but while it was still on the chart, Liam released another song, "Get Low," a collaboration with Zedd. That track became a hit on the dance chart. In October, Liam released another single, "Bedroom Floor," co-written by Charlie Puth. He hasn't confirmed a full-fledged debut solo album yet. Louis Tomlinson In December of 2016, "Just Hold On," Louis Tomlinson's collaboration with Steve Aoki, peaked at #52. In 2017, he became the fifth and final member of One Direction to score a solo top 40 hit: "Back to You," featuring Bebe Rexha and Digital Farm Animals. Louis e released another single, "Miss You" on December 1. He hasn't yet announced details of a solo album. Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. ABC/Fred LeeOne Direction may be on hiatus, but in 2017, there was no shortage of One Direction members on the radio or on the charts. After 1D announced its hiatus in 2016, it was assumed that the members would all launch solo careers, but few could have predicted the success of those solo careers. But by August of 2017, all four members, plus Zayn Malik, had scored solo hits that reached the top 40. The only other group with five members who scored solo top 40 hits is The Eagles. In October, One Direction joined The Beatles as the only groups ever to have three members hit #1 on the album chart as solo artists. Here's a look at all five members' 2017 achievements: Zayn In early 2017, Zayn hit #2 on the chart with "I Don't Want to Live Forever," his duet with Taylor Swift from the movie Fifty Shades Darker. It won the two an MTV VMA in August, and in November, it earned a Grammy nod for Best Song Written for Visual Media. He released two additional singles: the Sia duet "Dusk Till Dawn" and "Still Got Time," a collaboration with rapper PartyNextDoor. Zayn also won a Billboard Award for Top New Artist, filed a cameo in the movie Ocean's Eight, and partnered with Zanotti and Versace for capsule shoe and clothing collections. In August, he and girlfriend Gigi Hadid scored the cover of Vogue. Harry Styles In April, Harry released is debut solo single, "Sign of the Times," a '70s British rock-inspired ballad. It hit #4 on the Billboard Hot 100. His self-titled debut solo album followed in May, and debuted at #1 on the album chart. It scored the highest first sales week for a British male artist's debut full-length album in the Soundscan era, which began in 1991. The album received rave reviews, and many critics were outraged that come Grammy time, it was snubbed. Harry covered Rolling Stone and was a musical guest on Saturday Night Live, where he also appeared in several sketches. He launched a solo tour, and at one show, he duetted with one of his idols, Fleetwood Mac's Stevie Nicks. He also performed on the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show special. But Harry's biggest solo move of 2017 may have been landing a role in the critically-acclaimed British World War II drama Dunkirk opposite stars like Tom Hardy and Kenneth Branagh. He received good notices for his role as a solider named Alex. Niall Horan Niall released his debut solo single "This Town" in 2016, which became a top-20 hit. In 2017, his next single, "Slow Hands," inspired by the solo work of Eagles member Don Henley, peaked at #11. In September, he released another single, "Too Much to Ask." Niall launched a solo tour in August and in October, his debut solo album, Flicker, debuted at #1 on the album chart. The album featured a duet, "Seeing Blind," with country star Maren Morris, which the two sang together on the Country Music Association Awards in November. They'll also tour together in 2018. Also in November, Niall won the American Music Award for New Artist of the Year. Backstage, he said of a 1D reunion, "We'd be kind of silly not to, really." Liam Payne In March, Liam and his girlfriend, British entertainer Cheryl Cole, welcomed their first child, a son named Bear. In May, he released his first solo single, "Strip That Down," which featured Quavo from the rap trio Migos, and an uncredited Ed Sheeran, who co-wrote the track. "Strip that Down" hit the top 10, but while it was still on the chart, Liam released another song, "Get Low," a collaboration with Zedd. That track became a hit on the dance chart. In October, Liam released another single, "Bedroom Floor," co-written by Charlie Puth. He hasn't confirmed a full-fledged debut solo album yet. Louis Tomlinson In December of 2016, "Just Hold On," Louis Tomlinson's collaboration with Steve Aoki, peaked at #52. In 2017, he became the fifth and final member of One Direction to score a solo top 40 hit: "Back to You," featuring Bebe Rexha and Digital Farm Animals. Louis e released another single, "Miss You" on December 1. He hasn't yet announced details of a solo album. Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Nokia re-entered the smartphone business with its Android smartphones in January, 2017. The HMD Global owned Nokia Mobiles launched several smartphones last year across both budget and premium segments. The Finnish company is planning to follow the similar strategy in 2018 as well. By far, we know that HMD Global is working on a high-end phone called the Nokia 9, revamped version of Nokia 6, aka Nokia 6 (2018) and Android Go-based Nokia 1. Now a new report suggests that HMD Global may be working on two other smartphones, which are -- Nokia 4 and a high-end edition of Nokia 7 -- which may be called Nokia 7 Plus. By far, we have come across several information regarding the upcoming Nokia 9, Nokia 6 (2018) and Nokia 1. Nokia 4 and Nokia 7 Plus are the new additions to the list. According to a report by GizmoChina, apk of the Nokia camera app confirmed these two phones. The camera application didn't reveal any information about the smartphones though, apart from the fact that the Plus variant of Nokia 7 is expected to be a bigger version and may be powered by the Snapdragon 660. While there are no information about Nokia 4 as of now. Also Read: Nokia 9, Nokia 6 (2018) get 3C certification, may launch in January The apk file of the Nokia camera app did confirm that HMD Global is working on 5 new smartphone to launch this year. Going by previous reports, the company is planning to host an event on Jan 19, and the star of which will be Nokia 9. HMD Global may announce Nokia 9, alongside two other phones -- Nokia 6 (2018) and Nokia 1. With that we assume that the other two phones -- Nokia 4 and Nokia 7 Plus may be scheduled for later half of the year. All that we know about Nokia 9, is that the phone is going to be a high-end one and may come with a 5.5-inch OLED panel made by LG, and include a bezel-less display. Reports suggest that Nokia 9 may be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 835, pack a 3,250mAh battery along with fast charging technology, and include a dual camera set up at the back. On the other hand, Nokia 6 (2018) will be a revised version on the last year's Nokia 6. The phone will be an upgraded version of the Nokia 6 in all aspects including camera, display, hardware and also software. Nokia 6 (2018) is expected to be priced slightly higher than the Nokia 6. Meanwhile, Nokia 1 will be a part of Google's Android Go program. As far as the specs are concerned, Nokia 1 Android Go edition may come with 8Gb of internal storage and 1GB RAM and is expected to be priced under Rs 6,000. Republican lawmakers file lawsuit to block Pa. mail-in voting. Fourteen GOP lawmakers file lawsuit claiming mail-in voting is unconstitutional, even though 11 of them voted for the bill approving it. The deja vu that has become such a big part of this television season continues. Along with the new versions of "Hawaii Five-0," "MacGyver" and "Dynasty," coupled with the returns of "Will & Grace," and "Roseanne" comes the new Freeform comedy "grown-ish." It's not an exact revival, but the spinoff of "black-ish" is very similar to another big spinoff that occurred in 1987. "black-ish" has been a massive hit for ABC since it launched in 2014. The show about an upscale black family and their children has spawned the spinoff series "grown-ish" starring Yara Shahidi. The premise of the comedy is Shahidi's character of Zoey Johnson has gone off to college, and stories will revolve around her relationships with a quirky group of friends. Flash back 30 years. It was "The Cosby Show" that became a massive hit with its launch in 1984. That show about at an upscale black family and their children spawned the spinoff series "A Different World" starring Lisa Bonet. The premise of the comedy was Bonet's character of Denise Huxtable went off to college and stories revolved around her relationships with a quirky group of friends. Where Bonet shared the small screen with Jasmine Guy, Cree Summers, Kadeem Hardison and Sinbad, the supporting cast for Shahidi includes: Trevor Jackson ("American Crime") as Aaron Jackson; Jordan Buhat ("Summer of '84") as Vivek Shah; Emily Arlook ("The Good Place") as Nomi Segal; Francia Raisa ("The Secret Life of the American Teenager") as Ana Torres; Chris Parnell ("SNL") as Dean Parker; and Deon Cole ("black-ish") as Charlie Telphy. It's the supporting characters who will be the biggest determining factor as to whether "grown-ish" is a hit. Shahidi's character on "black-ish" is very likable, but she was cast as the straight guy for the craziness of the family provided by Anthony Anderson, Tracee Ellis Ross, Laurence Fishburne, Jenifer Lewis and Marcus Scribner. Even the youngest members of the cast Miles Brown and Marsai Martin got more funny lines that Shahidi. "grown-ish" has a different comic rhythm than "black-ish," as the humor has been pulled back and the interaction of the characters gets more attention. That shift works because the series is airing on Freeform, where the programming is aimed at a young teen audience that will be able to relate to this college-based production. Despite the slight pull back in comedy, Shahidi will have to continue her role as the center of the comedy universe as the popular, entitled, stylish and socially active Zoey, while those around her provide the majority of the comedic moments. Much of that humor will come from Parnell, as he offers up a fun absent-minded professor, and Cole, whose character from "black-ish" is the only other full-time transplant. Casting Cole as a college professor opens the doors for some very bizarre classroom antics. The driving force will fall to Shahidi, and the young actor is more than capable enough to handle the pressure. She's found a way to make a character who is so wrapped up in issues and fashions worth the viewer's time and attention. Part of it is the same kind of sweetness that was written into Bonet's character so many years ago. Both young women end up being strong while still being vulnerable enough to make people care. And as Bonet had her Jasmine Guy, Shahidi has Raisa, who plays Torres, a first-generation Cuban-American raised in Miami with staunch Republican views who is Zoey's roommate. There's a lot of potential in what these two will be able to bring to the show. How successful "grown-ish" is compared to "A Different World" depends on your measurement. If Shahidi stays with the series through the first full season, then she's done better than Bonet, who was written out of "A Different World" during the first season. But, "A Different World" went on for a six-season run even without Bonet. The way television keeps repeating itself, the odds look good-ish for "grown-ish." Bethlehem How well do you know Delmar? Don't be so certain. Many Capital Region communities have clear historic origins Schenectady comes from a Mohawk word that means "beyond the pines" and Albany was named for the Duke of Albany after the English took over from the Dutch. But Delmar's name is perhaps one of the longest-running cold cases in local historical circles. "It is so frustrating," says Bethlehem Town Historian Susan Leath, who has written and done extensive research on the Delmar name. Like many hamlets that took root in Albany County, Delmar came into existence because of the railroad, and up until 1885, the Delmar train stop was known as Adamsville. Adamsville got its name from Nathaniel Adams, and the Adams House hotel that he built in the 1830s still stands today near Delmar's Four Corners. Adams and his family were prominent landowners, businessmen and civic leaders for generations in Bethlehem. The Adamsville stop on the Albany & Susquehanna Railroad (later acquired by the Delaware & Hudson Railroad) was located where the Albany County Rail Trail crosses Adams Street at Hudson Avenue. But around 1886, the name of the train stop was changed to Delmar. Although there is no specific documentation outlining why railroad officials made the change, the best-known theory was that the Adamsville name (the name Adams Station was also used) caused confusion with another similarly named railroad stop in the village of Adams in Jefferson County. "There has got to be something out there hidden in the depths of the D&H Railway (archives)," Leath said. But why was the name Delmar used? Railroad stops in the late 19th century weren't always named for the place. There was an Elsmere station on the Albany & Susquehanna line when it began around 1890. The Elsmere name came from a popular novel called "Robert Elsmere" published in 1888. The origin of Delmar is less clear. For whatever reason, the name Delmar was a popular name for railroad stops and depots the most famous being the town of Delmar, Del., which straddles the Delaware-Maryland border and was created in 1859 with the extension of the Delaware Railroad to Maryland's Eastern Shore. The name was an amalgamation of Delaware and Maryland. There are other well-known Delmars across the United States. One, including Delmar, Iowa, made a name for itself as a so-called Orphan Train stop organized by groups like the Children's Aid Society of New York that transported children from New York City to the Midwest in hopes of finding families to adopt them. The Orphan Train operated from 1854 to 1929 and thousands of the children ended up in Iowa. The first known Delmar in the U.S. is believed to be Delmar Township in Tioga County, Pa., located in Pennsylvania's Northern Tier, south of New York's Southern Tier, and created around 1805. Historians in Delmar Township say the name came from early residents who moved there from Virginia, Delaware and Maryland. The name originally was Virdelmar but later shortened to Delmar. Leath notes that Delmar, Pa., is not too far from Binghamton and trains from Tioga County, Pa., likely would have transported coal to Albany, but there is no reason to believe that theory is any closer to the truth than any others. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. And then there is also Del Mar, Calif., outside of San Diego, which also has its own famous train station. Del Mar was founded in 1882 by a New York railroad executive named Theodore Loop who came to the area to build a railroad connecting Los Angeles to San Diego. Larry Brooks, president of the Del Mar Historical Society, said local historian and author Nancy Ewing wrote that it was Loop's wife who came up with the name. "Loop's wife Ella read the poem 'The Fight of Paso Del Mar' by Bayard Taylor and liked the name," Brooks said. "So, she named the beach in front of their home Del Mar." Bayard Taylor was a famous poet and author during the mid-1800s who was a contemporary of Mark Twain and known for his accounts of his world travels published in the New York Tribune. Brooks said that Del Mar was promoted heavily in East Coast newspapers at the time as a Newport-like resort town. But he doesn't know if that would have been enough to inspire the Delmar name in Bethlehem. The name remains a mystery. "But there is a story in there somewhere," Brooks said. lrulison@timesunion.com 518-454-5504 @larryrulison Amid a national uprising over the unbridled mistreatment of women, three Capital Region politicians were dogged this year by allegations of sexual harassment and abuse. Cohoes Mayor Shawn Morse, state Assemblyman Steve McLaughlin and Milton Supervisor Daniel Lewza all denied the allegations against them and remained in their elected positions, although Lewza's term expires Sunday and he is leaving public office. RELATED: The top stories of 2017 Morse remains under investigation by the State Police for allegations he physically abused his wife after she called 911 on Nov. 10 and told a dispatcher that her husband had grabbed her by the neck and thrown her to the ground. Morse's wife, Brenda, told police it was not the first time the Democratic mayor had abused her and that he smashed her phone as she tried to record the incident, according to details of the investigation shared with the Times Union. On Dec. 10, the Times Union reported that abuse allegations against Morse stretch back decades and involved at least three women. Morse said the allegations were untrue. Less than 10 days later, one of the women, Colleen Keller, who dated Morse in the 1990s and has a son with him, came forward and confirmed that she called police multiple times in the mid-1990s to report abusive behavior by Morse, including an incident when she said he grabbed her by the neck and lifted her off her feet. Keller said she felt compelled to "come forward with the truth" after Morse denied abusing her or other women. "He has publicly claimed that I said the abuse never happened," read a one-page statement provided by Keller. "It did happen. ... The abuse started out with me being physically pushed, grabbed and verbally degraded. It escalated from there." McLaughlin, a Republican who will be sworn in this week as Rensselaer County executive, was secretly recorded last summer berating his top female legislative staff member with vulgar language in a heated exchange that also may have violated the Assembly's sexual harassment policy. The staff member also recorded a conversation with McLaughlin in which she accused him of roughing her up during an argument at his residence on Aug. 7. McLaughlin, after learning the Times Union was about to publish a story on the incident, produced his own recording in which the staff member acknowledged she had accused him of physical abuse to "bait" him. But the staff member now says she retracted her allegation only after being pressured to do so by McLaughlin, who was campaigning in a Republican primary for the county executive post at the time. Despite McLaughlin's use of incendiary and vulgar language against a female staff member, and her allegation that he physically abused her, he won the Republican primary in September against Chris Meyer, the former deputy county executive, before narrowly beating Democratic newcomer Andrea Smyth, whose campaign made an issue of McLaughlin's treatment of women. On Nov. 29, another incident involving alleged sexual harassment against McLaughlin came to light when he was sanctioned by Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie for a June 2016 incident in which a female Assembly aide said McLaughlin asked her for nude photos of herself. The sanctioning of McLaughlin followed a secretive 17-month investigation by the Assembly's Committee on Ethics and Guidance. The investigation, led by CUNY law professor Merrick Rossein, included a review of video footage of the Assembly chamber during the alleged exchange and interviews with McLaughlin, witnesses and legislative staff. McLaughlin denied asking the woman for nude photos and said his attorney argued that video footage of the incident, which did not include audio, did not show anything unusual. The Ethics Committee initially issued a private report to Heastie in June that it had split 4-4 on whether to discipline McLaughlin, and recommended he undergo sensitivity training. But the committee, on Rossein's recommendation, reversed its decision in September and concluded McLaughlin was guilty of the harassment after its members determined he leaked information about the investigation, including the name of the alleged victim, to Assembly staffers. "I just never said a damn thing," McLaughlin said after he was sanctioned, adding that he blamed the committee for the leaks, although he offered no evidence to back up the claim. The committee, made up of McLaughlin's fellow Assembly members, concluded he leaked information about the case before he was told by the Ethics Committee who had brought the complaint, "undermining his claim (during the initial investigation) that he had no idea who would make such claims against him." McLaughlin declined to appear before the Ethics Committee in October and November as the committee reopened its investigation. The sanctions included a letter of admonition, a prohibition against McLaughlin hiring interns and a directive that he cease revealing the name of the complainant or other details of the investigation. In addition, McLaughlin was instructed to reimburse the chamber for the cost of the supplemental sexual harassment and retaliation prevention training he took in July, although it's unclear he can be compelled to pay that fee unless it's garnished from his wages. In Milton, Lewza's claims that he was not the subject of a harassment complaint filed by his former secretary were proven false when a judge ordered the town to unseal a confidential settlement agreement between Lewza and the woman. The town took extraordinary steps to keep the agreement secret. It resulted in the former secretary receiving $10,000 and four weeks of severance pay after she left her town job at the end of 2016. She was also allowed to work from home for more than six months and all of her communications with Lewza during that period were conducted through email only. Under the agreement, the woman also received extended health insurance coverage, and the town and its insurance carrier agreed to pay $25,000 to the law firm that represented her during the investigation. Shawn Morse, Mayor of the City of Cohoes, speaks at a Veterans Memorial Park Dedication at West End Park on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2017. Brenda Morse told police she scratched at her husband's face a day earlier when he allegedly grabbed her neck and threw her to the ground during an argument at their Cohoes residence. She told police it was not the first time he had physically abused her. less Shawn Morse, Mayor of the City of Cohoes, speaks at a Veterans Memorial Park Dedication at West End Park on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2017. Brenda Morse told police she scratched at her husband's face a day earlier ... more Image 1 of / 5 Caption Close Officials accused of abuse 1 / 5 Back to Gallery However, Lewza, a Republican who formerly worked for McLaughlin in the state Assembly, never delivered on a clause in the settlement agreement that stipulated the woman was to be given a $40,000-a-year job with Saratoga County. The 12-page agreement without citing any authority from the county said the woman "will be offered a position with Saratoga County set to commence January 2017 with a full-time, day-shift, weekday work schedule at a salary not less than $40,000 ... commensurate with (her) skills and experiences." Saratoga County officials said they were unaware of the agreement and that no job had been offered to the woman. The town of Milton and its insurance carrier later agreed to pay $12,000 to Hearst Corp., which owns the Times Union, to cover the newspaper's legal fees in its court case to have the settlement agreement unsealed. A judge ruled the Times Union was entitled to have its legal fees paid by the town because the newspaper "substantially prevailed" in its arguments that the town had violated the state's Freedom of Information Law. blyons@timesunion.com 518-454-5547 @brendan_lyonstu Harry Wilson, a Republican who nearly broke a Democratic hammerlock on statewide office in the 2010 state Comptroller's race, will not run for governor this year, according to the New York Daily News. Wilson's decision to forgo a race against two-term incumbent Democrat Andrew Cuomo could set in motion decision-making by other Republicans weighing a race for governor. Joel Giambra, a former Erie County executive, is considering a run for governor and it is expected that Wilson's decision will push him to announce his candidacy. In an interview late last year, Giambra said a Wilson candidacy could reshape the gubernatorial race, but he saw nothing dissuading him from pursing the challenge. "Am I going to ruffle some feathers? I suspect I will. I've done that my whole career. But I'm going to try to do what I think is right. I have absolutely nothing to lose," Giambra told the Times Union. Giambra, a former Democrat, has tried to portray himself as a moderate with reservations about President Donald Trump, a Republican who polls show is unpopular with New York voters. Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb was the first to officially announce a bid earlier this month. State Sen. John DeFrancisco of Syracuse and Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro continue to consider runs. One of the most significant challenges facing Republicans is Cuomo's fundraising edge. As of July, his campaign had $26 million. Wilson, who was expected to spend as much as $10 million of his own money, was seen as the Republican who could best compete financially. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Wilson came close to beating Comptroller Tom DiNapoli in the 2010 campaign, drawing 450,000 more votes than the GOP's gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino, a Buffalo businessman who was easily defeated by Cuomo in Cuomo's first successful bid for governor. Wilson was considered by many GOP leaders as the party's best chance of capturing the governor's mansion for the first time since George Pataki won a third term in 2002. In its report on Wilson's decision, the Daily News cited a source with direct knowledge of Wilson's thinking, saying he did not want to be away from his family, including four daughters who range in age from 9 to 16. Wilson feared the campaign would be lengthy and that a first year in office would also be busy, the newspaper reported. After the Galaxy Note 7 fiasco of 2016, Samsung may have another battery related issue on their hands. Many Galaxy Note 8, Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Plus users across the globe have been unable to charge their smartphones once the battery reaches zero per cent. Samsung has acknowledged the issue and released an official statement regarding the same. The statement reads as follows - "Of course, Samsung is taking all reports of this kind seriously, we only received a very small number of customer inquiries that could be linked to charge management, and unfortunately we can only comment on the matter further if we have more detailed information about the affected devices". Samsung faced a PR disaster in 2016 when they had to issue a massive worldwide recall of the Galaxy Note 7 after the smartphone started blowing up due to battery malfunctions. The company's knee-jerk reaction to the situation which involved multiple recalls made a bad situation worse and caused a lot of damage to their reputation. Also Read: Apple iPhone battery replacement program goes live in India, prices start at Rs 2,000 Samsung however staged a grand comeback in 2017 with the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy Note 8 - both of which have received critical acclaim as well as mass user acceptance. After the Note 7 fiasco, Samsung introduced stringent battery checks in all of their devices. The current issue being faced by Note 8 and S8 users worldwide does not seem to be a hazardous one and according to WinFuture seems to be limited to users in areas where the temperature has been falling drastically. Apple faced a similar issue a while back with their iPhones which failed to function properly in extreme cold. Batteries seem to be a contentious issue in smartphones these days. Apple recently faced a lot of criticism after admitting that it does in fact slow down iPhones with old lithium-ion batteries in order to prevent unexpected shutdowns. ALBANY The year 2018 will bring New York state a higher minimum wage, a statewide paid family leave program and new ways to buy 50-50 raffle tickets. Dozens of new laws take effect in the new year, from establishing a Buy American procurement program, to those that create new custom license plates for Kiwanis, Iraq vets and Appalachian Trail enthusiasts. But here are the big changes you should know about: Minimum wage increase: Under the minimum wage increase instituted by state lawmakers and the governor in 2016, the upstate wage is now $10.40 (the change took effect Sunday). The minimum wage for fast food workers is now $11.75 outside of New York City, where the wage is $13.50. Wages in New York City are $13.00 for workers at businesses with more 11 or more employees and $12.00 at small businesses of 10 employees or less; the wage on Long Island and in Westchester County is $11.00. Wages for larger employees will hit $15 in New York City Dec. 31, 2018, and will hit $15 for smaller employers on Dec. 31, 2019. The wage is set to continue increasing to $15 in the city suburbs through 2021. The upstate wage will peak at $12.50 as of Dec. 31, 2020 and is supposed to increase to $15 after that based annual economic studies by the state Division of Budget. Paid family leave: Also approved in 2016, the state paid family leave program officially begins Monday. Broadly, New Yorkers are eligible for paid leave benefits to care for a newborn or newly adopted child, to take care of an ailing family member, or if they are left in a lurch because a spouse, child or parent is called away to active military duty. In 2018, New Yorkers can take up to eight weeks off at 50 percent of their average weekly wage. The length and pay will ramp up over time to 55 percent for 10 weeks in 2019, 60 percent for 10 weeks in 2020 and finally 67 percent in 2021. The program is employee-funded, with a percentage of the average weekly wage taken out of employee paychecks. There are additional regulations and various restrictions. Those with questions should call the state's Paid Family Leave Helpline at 844-337-6303 Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Time off for cancer screening: Government employees will be allowed paid time off to get screened for any cancers as of March 18. The new law actually applies to any public employees and officers, from city garbage collectors to public school teachers. Public employees will get up to four hours off per year for screening. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. New tax policies: The 2017-18 state budget includes some of the state's own changes to tax policy that kick in in the 2018 tax year. These changes are separate and apart from the new federal tax law that will go into effect also for the 2018 filing year. The state changes include an increased child care tax credit for those earning between $50,000 and $150,000 annually. Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office has estimated that the average benefit will double to $376. Also, unionized workers will be allowed to deduct their union dues from state taxes. The union dues deduction is disappearing from the federal tax code under the reform law signed in December. Pension forfeiture for corrupt officials: A constitutional amendment approved by the voters now allows judges to reduce or strip the pension of public officials convicted of a felony related to their official duties after Monday. That includes any elected official, state official appointed by the governor, judge and certain employees involved in policy making. Judges are not required to take action with relation to a corrupt public official's pension, though, and the amendment is not retroactive to past convictions. Bringing charitable gaming to the 21st Century: As of June 16, New York charities will be able to accept cash, check, or credit or debit cards for raffle ticket purchases, and they'll be able to sell tickets online or on a mobile app. New driver's license requirement: Motorcycle safety awareness is to be added as a prerequisite for new drivers to obtain a driver's license under a law that takes effect April 21. mhamilton@timesunion.com 518-454-5449 @matt_hamilton10 Istanbul Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Sunday acknowledged the grievances of protesters who have held widespread demonstrations across the country over the past four days, saying that Iranians have the right to criticize the government and that those who took to the streets were angry over economic corruption that has long plagued the Islamic Republic. Rouhani addressed the nation in his first comments since anti-government unrest began on Thursday, in the largest protests since an uprising over disputed election results shook the nation in 2009. From the capital, Tehran, to Kermanshah in the west and the holy city of Qom in the north, Iranians defied police to vent frustration against a government that allows limited space for political dissent. Rouhani called on protesters to refrain from violence and damaging government property. After a night of escalating unrest saw attacks on government buildings and violent confrontations with police, the moderate president, reelected to a second term in May, took a conciliatory tone. In stunning scenes, Iranian protesters chanted "Death to the dictator!" as they tore down posters of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who holds absolute authority in Iran. Public criticism of Khamenei is generally taboo. Even as Rouhani attempted to mollify protesters, authorities said they blocked Instagram and the messaging app Telegram on Sunday in a move aimed at blunting the demonstrations. Two demonstrators were killed over the weekend, an official said. Local media showed images of police firing a water cannon at protesters in central Tehran. About 200 people were arrested in the capital on Saturday, officials said. The demonstrations were sparked by economic woes but swiftly expanded to target a system that many protesters have said is corrupt and incapable of reform. The protests appear to have caught Iran's leadership off guard. "Iranians understand the sensitive situation of Iran and the region and will act based on national interests," Rouhani said, according to the Mehr news agency. He also fired back at President Donald Trump, who has posted about the protests three times over the past few days. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. "Big protests in Iran. The people are finally getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism," Trump said Sunday. "Looks like they will not take it any longer. The USA is watching very closely for human rights violations!" Rouhani said that "those who called Iranians terrorists have no business sympathizing with our nation," the Reuters news agency reported. Authorities were "temporarily" blocking Instagram and Telegram, social media apps that are popular with Iranians, to "maintain peace," state television said Sunday. Many demonstrators had used the apps to share and upload videos from the protests. Telegram chief executive Pavel Durov wrote on Twitter that Iran was "blocking access to Telegram for the majority of Iranians after our public refusal to shut down peacefully protesting channels." In columns or commentary, one sometimes needs to simplify in order to save space. But here's my New Year's resolution: In the coming 12 months, I will try to avoid the expressions "far-right" and "populist" whenever possible. They are catch-all adjectives, useful in describing a general phenomenon. But they are also euphemisms, and they disguise what's at stake. The terms "right" and "left," not to mention "far-right" and "far-left," have long been due for a rethink. They date from the French Revolution of 1789, when the nobility sat on the right side of the National Assembly, and the revolutionaries sat on the left. Since most Western "right-wing" parties aren't seeking to conserve aristocracy anymore, and many of the "left-wing" parties stopped being revolutionary a long time ago, the metaphor has grown stale. As for "far-right," it doesn't really belong on that scale, because the modern European "far-right" isn't conservative in any sense at all. Nor does it have much in common with parties of the so-called center-right, many of which favor free markets and global trade and are happy to participate in international institutions and treaties. The "far-right," by contrast, is anti-trade and anti-market, favoring instead a greater role for the national state or, in Hungary for example, for oligarchs close to the ruling party. More important, many favor a greater role for those ruling parties, treating with suspicion journalists, courts, civil servants, universities and even police forces that question their compliance with existing law. The same is true of the incoherent movement in the United States that is widely known as "populist." Misleadingly, populist sounds like "popular," but in fact we are talking about a movement that represents a minority. Although the "populists" are meant to be a faction of the conservative Republican Party, they aren't conservative either. Instead, they share the European "far-right" antipathy to the conservation of anything along with the European "far-right" suspicion of the media, the courts, the universities and pretty much all of the other institutions of the democratic political order. Solemn attempts to give this movement "Jacksonian" or other historical roots usually overlook the fact that the modern movement's main proponent, President Donald Trump, doesn't actually know any history at all. But what words to use instead? As long ago as 2010, the Dutch writer Rob Riemen argued that we should call movements that feed on fear, promote xenophobia and denigrate democratic institutions by an older name: "fascist." In his newest book, "To Fight Against This Age," he argues that anything else is false: "The term populist is only one more way to cultivate the denial that the ghost of fascism is haunting our societies again." Yet "fascist," whatever it meant to the Italians who invented the term in the early 20th century, now has different connotations: mass violence, mass murder, world war. None of the modern "far right" or "populist" parties is responsible for even remotely similar crimes, so the connection seems unfair. I've run into similar objections to the term "national socialist," which still seems to me worth reviving: After all, it's a straightforward factual description of political movements that are simultaneously "nationalist," in that they promote an ethnic-based definition of national identity, and "socialist," in that they advocate a much larger economic role for the state. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. But because the term reminds people of the Nazis, it still offends. So does the term "neo-Bolshevik" I have used it to evoke the conspiratorial rhetoric that these parties always rely on, something the original Bolsheviks also relished, as well as their disdain for the institutions and laws of what they used to call "bourgeois democracy" but, of course, they have not used Bolshevik terror either. What's left? The political philosopher Jan-Werner Maller suggests "anti-pluralist," and although that's a bit antiseptic, it's probably closest to the truth. What we are really talking about, after all, are political parties that do not acknowledge the right of anyone else to hold or share power. They seek to establish themselves as the only legitimate spokesman for "the people" or "the nation," as opposed to the voters, and they seek to weaken any civic or political institutions that might restrict them. It's not an accident that Hungary's Fidesz party or Poland's Law and Justice party have packed their courts; nor is it a coincidence that Trump's Republican Party seeks to undermine the FBI. France's National Front and Germany's Alternative for Germany aren't in power, but even so, they treat the media with the same disdain as the American president. So in the New Year, let's be clear about what's at stake: not just politics as usual but also democracy itself, in Europe as well as North America. And I'll try to find better language to express that struggle. [January 01, 2018] Tsingtao teams up with BON Cloud to tell the story of a very special Chinese restaurant BEIJING, Jan. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- As the famous Tsingtao Brewery celebrates reaching 100 countries and regions of the world with effervescent exports sales, on the way becoming perhaps the first truly global Chinese brand, they teamed up with BON Cloud to find some touching stories about good times shared together by people around the world in the "Tsingtao Story Teller" campaign. The Chinese video production specialist BON Cloud received more than 30 story ideas from international production teams that use the platform. Another "media selection team" picked out a top ten of the best stories they felt had universal themes and values. "Cultural cuisine can be converted into an inspiring video because it is a perfect story for foodies across the globe," said Ilin Elsa Mathew, an international financial journalist, commenting on a story about the first Chinese restaurant in Canberra, Australia that has seen its menu change over the years, but has never stopped selling Tsingtao. For many years, the bee at Happy's was very much Australian, the near-ubiquitous Carlton or a VB. But in 1997 they gave Tsingtao a go. The brewery behind the iconic red-and-green Tsingtao label and headquartered on China's eastern coast, has been busy creating new markets to access high-end mainstream channels. A much-loved Chinese restaurant in Australia's capital city was clearly a good choice. Located in the heart of Canberra's, Happy's Chinese Restaurant boasts a loyal following of diners and has earned a "Certificate of Excellence" on the TripAdvisor website, for consistent positive reviews. The menu has changed over the years, however. "Back in the days, I remember my father and uncle telling me it was lots of sweet and sour pork and fried rice," says Gavin Chan, the third generation owner. "Australians wouldn't accept tofu at all once. Now it's a popular dish." Although the menu has changed, it's unlikely Happy's will be taking Tsingtao off their shelves anytime soon as Gavin Chan estimates that 90% of his customers order a bottle of Tsingtao to go with their Chinese meals. "The feedback we get from customers is that it's a beer that goes down pretty easily. It is a very nice tasting beer." The production of "Mr Happy", is now available for download on the Premium website of BON Cloud for international media to select, along with other Tsingtao stories filmed in Italy and Russia, and their usual China-focused videos. Watch the full video about Happy's Restaurant at http://premium.bon-cloud.net/content/happys. Bon Cloud is continuing to collect real stories about Tsingdao beer from around the world, to be produced as short documentaries and promoted globally. BON Cloud is a China content supply platform featuring stories from China cities and organizations, encompassing topics such as travel, CSR, arts, business, and technology. BON Cloud invites publishers and broadcasters from around the world to bid to publish China content for profit. Contact: Janet Yang BON Cloud (+86 10) 52270888-1006 Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20171229/2023121-1 SOURCE BON Cloud [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Hobo Death Temperatures Tonight First Alert Forecast: Record cold is here Kansas City First Alert Forecast: Record cold is here Kansas City Rescue Of Hot Suburban Pussy Overland Park fire crews save cat Overland Park Fire Department crews battled a fire Sunday at a duplex in the 9200 block of W. 75th Terrace. No injuries were reported; the crews rescued a cat in good condition. Big Money Burns Tonight Kansas City Doggie Discount Kansas City animal shelter offers discounts after cold snap Animal shelters in the Kansas City area are offering discounts on adoptions because the cold weather has them crowded with dogs and cats that need a home. The Kansas City Star reports that the KC Pet Project is caring for more than 500 animals because of the recent frigid temperatures. Kansas City Hangover Breakfast New Year's Day brunches, home brew classes and wine tastings: the week's food and drink events for January 1-7 April Fleming Monday, January 1 Our favorite spot to hit up on New Year's Day is the Brick (1727 McGee Street), which is celebrating its "Hair of the Dog Day" for its 19th straight year. Just a quick shot of local news as we await the festival of hotties freezing in sub-zero temperatures in order to impress their friends and later complain about a culture that objectifies women in boob tops and/or flaunting booties.You decide . . .And this is thefor right now . . . THERE'S NO WORD OF ANY NEW PLAN TO CURB THE RATE OF KILLING IN KANSAS CITY WHICH LOOKS TO CONTINUE IN 2018!!! ANY IDEAS ON REDUCING THE LEVEL OF KILLING IN KANSAS CITY??? Trick question.There is no no plan.148 murders to finish 2017 makes it one of the most deadly years KCMO has seen in decades.Local MSM might highlight the homicide count when they get bored but they've yet to hold any elected official accountable and even have a hard time blaming the killers responsible for their crimes.In the meantime . . .The new KCPD police chief touts "community outreach" but that strategy has yet to prove effective during his tenure so far.A litany of anti-crime groups haven't had much luck with vigils, pizza parties and/or mentoring.Meanwhile . . . Judges and prosecutors play the prison industrial complex blame game that doesn't really have a winner except for shareholders profiting from the growing number of private jails.Either way . . . . We're open to productive and realistic suggestions.Sadly, this is a topic that most elected officials will ignore at all costs during election year so any answer here will probably be more direct that what we've seen from most politicos.You decide . . . Lebanon and Cyprus aim to enhance their cooperation, new Ambassador of Lebanon in Nicosia, Claude El Hajal, has told CNA, adding that Cyprus will give assistance to Lebanon in the field of exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons, in addition to helping the Lebanese army by providing ammunition worth over 20 million euros. In an interview with the Cyprus News Agency, the Ambassador noted that Lebanese are investing in real estate in Cyprus, in the hotel industry, and in the banking sector. She also pointed out that the trilateral cooperation among Lebanon, Cyprus and Greece aims at contributing to regional peace. Read more here. RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report Source: CNA Tensions between the two countries, Greece and Turkey, have been going on for centuries but their cooperation has also been extensive enabling tourism to benefit significantly and reach very high levels lately ATHENS Bowing to pressure from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras wants asylum revoked for a Turkish soldier so he can be returned and face prison or worse. The military member was one of eight who fled a failed coup against Erdogan in July, 2016 in which they said they took no part but escaped in fear for their lives. A Greek court said it wasnt safe for them to be extradited although Erdogan said Tsipras promised they would. And now with the granting of asylum, Tsipras who earlier in December hosted Erdogan in Athens wants it reversed after saying he would abide by the courts decision. Yanking the asylum doesnt mean extradition although the ruling Radical Left SYRIZA said that was the favored position when the soldiers first landed in a helicopter. In following the standing position vis-a-vis the eight Turkish military personnel, as repeatedly and publicly stated, the Greek government today submitted a request to suspend yesterdays decision by the (asylum) appeals committee to grant asylum, was the announcement disseminated by Tsipras office, contradicting itself from saying it would abide by the courts order against extradition as a related question. The decision came from Greeces Asylum Appeals Committee and set off warnings from Ankara it would have negative impacts on bilateral relations, Turkeys Foreign Ministry was quoted by Daily Sabah as saying. That set off immediate jitters from Tsipras Administration, which ironically includes the pro-austerity, marginal, jingoistic, anti-Turkey Independent Greeks (ANEL) led by Defense Minister Panos Kammenos, who has verbally clashed with Erdogans near-dictatorship. Kammenos said nothing about the asylum decision and has been quiet since Erdogans visit to meet with Tsipras and other government officials, excluding the Defense Minister. "Politically motivated" decision The decision was politically motivated, the Turkish newspaper quoted the Foreign Ministry as saying after the committees decision was announced, granting asylum to the copilot of the helicopter that flew another seven servicemen into northern Greece. Greece failed to show the support and cooperation we expect from an ally in the fight against terrorism by preventing criminals who took part in killing hundreds of Turkish people and targeting the democratic order, the ministry reportedly said. By granting asylum to one of eight coup plotters involved in the July 15 coup, Greece has once again showed that it is a country that protects and embraces coup plotters with this decision, the statement added. Turkey has repeatedly requested the extradition of the eight officers but the Greek Supreme Court in January turned down the request amid concerns that they would not receive a fair trial if returned to their country. The asylum committee upheld the courts position, as well as arguments by international rights groups and the Council of Europe expressing concerns about Ankaras human rights record in the wake of the attempted coup, adding that there was no evidence to suggest the co-pilots involvement in the uprising. Turkish media later identified the man as Suleyman Ozkaynakci. The other seven servicemen are still in custody awaiting the committees decision on their asylum applications, probably next week. When Erdogan was in Athens he made a point of saying that Tsipras had vowed to have the men returned and called again for their extradition. If such an event was undertaken against Greece, we would have been very careful. We would have immediately detained those individuals and extradited them to Greece, Erdogan had also said in an interview with Kathimerini, indicating there is no due process in Turkey and that he decides peoples fates on his own. Big threat to their country According to the Turkish Anadolu news agency, Turkish Deputy PM Hakan Cavusoglu tweeted that Greece is not aware that every Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) member released by them is a big threat to their country, a reference to a Turkish cleric living in Pennsylvania the Turkish government said organized the overthrow attempt. Turkey says the eight men are followers of the Gulen movement and took part in the coup, which they denied, and the asylum committee said theres no evidence they were involved and no proof presented by Turkey. The terrorists you release today are like dynamite ready to explode, and you may not have a country to protect when it does, Cavusoglu said in Turkish, while terming the Greek attitude i.e. the independent judiciary as unfriendly, speaking in war-like tones. The Turkish Foreign Ministry charged that Greece, who granted asylum to one of the eight coup plotters who participated in the July 15 coup bid, has once again revealed through this decision that it is a country that protects and embraces plotter This decision, which we consider as a political motive, will undoubtedly have effects on our bilateral relations with Greece and our joint regional efforts, Anadolu reported. Read more here. RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons Copyright: Mstyslav Chernov License: CC-BY-SA Source: thenationalherald.com Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister Hakan Cavusoglu threatened Greece after one of the eight servicemen, who had sought protection in Greece, was granted political asylum by a special committee. The terrorists you release today are like dynamites ready to explode, and you may not have a country to protect when they do, he warned. Greece is not aware that every FETO member (the group of exiled Turkish religious leader Fethullah Gulen which is held responsible by the Erdogan regime) they release is a big threat to their country, Mr. Cavusoglu added in a tweet on his personal account. He went on level direct threats against Greece, accusing the country of holding a hostile stance towards Turkey. It is our responsibility to warn them (Greece) now in a friendly manner, but the granting of asylum is not a friendly stance at all, he tweeted in a second post. The decision by Greek asylum authorities dealt a blow to Ankara, which has repeatedly requested for the co-pilot to be extradited, but the judges ruled that his human rights would be at risk, Agence France-Presse reported on Dec. 30, citing a source. They took into consideration reports from human rights groups and the Council of Europe, according to the source, that warned Turkey has regularly committed human rights abuses against coup suspects. Despite Turkeys assertions, the judges ruled there was no evidence to suggest the co-pilot had participated in the failed coup. A ruling on the seven other military officers will be reached in the coming weeks. Read more here. RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons Copyright: Lfdder License: CC-BY-SA Source: protothema.gr Greece is one of the top destinations in the world for LGBT tourism The Greek and Gay Support Network invites the Greek community to take part in the 2018 Pride March, one of the key events of the annual Midsumma festival. This years march will have a particularly celebratory tone, right after marriage equality becoming law in Australia. By way of celebration of these achievements we would like to invite leaders within the Greek community as well as Greek leaders in other segments of the broader Victorian community to march with us in 2018, notes a statement issued by the Network. We believe that this gesture will further enhance and cement the involvement of GLBTI Greeks within the broader Greek community and improve relationships within Greek families. The Greek and Gay Support Network started in 1995 and for the last 22 years has provided support and social services to GLBTI (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex) individuals from a Greek background, providing support meetings, hosting Greek events and participating in Midsumma Carnival and Pride March. The theme for the Greek and Gay Networks role in the 2018 Pride March will be kai sta dika mas, a Greek expression meaning lets welcome it for ourselves. The Midsumma Pride March is set to be held on Fitzroy Street, St Kilda Sunday 28 January 2018 from 2.00 pm onwards . Source: Neos Kosmos Read more here. RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report Photo Source:pixabay.com Oman is planning to build its first waste-to-energy project in South Batinah Governorate with a contract award expected to be announced before the end of 2018, a top official was quoted as saying in a media report. The proposed venture, which will utilise municipal waste as fuel, will have 5060 MW of capacity, Yaqoob Saif al Kiyumi, CEO of Oman Power and Water Procurement Company (OPWP) was quoted in an Oman Observer report. A feasibility study being conducted by OPWP will determine the optimum capacity, he said. The project will be within proximity of one of the biggest landfills managed by beah the state-run solid waste management utility, the report said. The Egyptian Electricity Holding Company (EEHC) has awarded E2.125 billion ($119 million) worth of electrical and mechanical works contract for key power development projects in Assiut, the largest town in Upper Egypt, and the west Cairo area, said a report. The scope of work includes implementation of the tanks yard in the electricity plants in west Cairo and Assiuts Al Walideya, as well as the keys yard for a west Cairo plant, reported Daily News Egypt. The contract for the keys yard operation, with 220-500 kV capacity for the project of the West Cairo electricity plant was signed, with the alliance of Posco Daewoo Corp and Hyundai Electric. The contracting value of the west Cairo keys yard is E454.2 million. Part of the cost is paid in dollars, and the implementation period of the project is 32 months since the assignment order date, in addition to a 24 month guarantee period, said the Daily News Egypt. The works of this operation include designing, manufacturing, supplying, installing, training, and carrying out tests, as well as starting operation of the gas-insulated switchgear (GIS) with 500 kV and 220 kV capacities, stated the report. Gabir Al Desouky, the chairperson of the EEHC, said that a contract was signed for the tanks of the west Cairo and Assiut plants with Hilal Construction Company for a value of E98 million. The scope of work includes designing, manufacturing, and supplying a diesel tank, a heating oil tank, condensing water tank of stainless steel, and a saltless water tank. The project will be completed with three years starting from the assignment date. Several Iranians were shot during anti-government protests late Saturday, sources said even as Iran's Revolutionary Guards have warned protesters they will face the nation's "iron fist" if the unrest continues. The demonstrations erupted three days back over falling living standards, a BBC report said. But a Revolutionary Guards commander said the protests had degenerated into people chanting political slogans and burning public property. They are the biggest show of dissent since huge pro-reform rallies in 2009. There are reports of two deaths, BBC said. There were calls for the removal or death of Iran's Supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in the cities of Khoramabad, Zanjan and Ahvaz. One resident was quoted by CNN of witnessing a protester tearing down a poster of Khamenei near Tehran University on Saturday. Brigadier-General Esmail Kowsari told the ISNA news agency: "If people came into the streets over high prices, they should not have chanted those slogans and burned public property and cars." Iran's interior minister has also warned the public to avoid "illegal gatherings". Protests began in the northeastern city of Mashhad on Thursday and spread to other major cities on Friday. A small demonstration in Tehran grew to several thousand people on Saturday, and students clashed with police. The protests also became violent in several other towns. Euro Motors, the sole dealer of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars in Bahrain, has unveiled new Rolls-Royce Phantom, the new flagship of the luxury car manufacturer, following its recent global debut in London, UK. The New Phantom features a spectacular bespoke advancement with The Gallery. An unprecedented new concept in luxury, The Gallery reinterprets the motor cars dashboard for the first time in 100 years. Owners will be able to commission a truly individual work of art that spans the width of The Gallery and sits behind a single pane of glass in their New Phantom. Phantom is the epitome of effortless style, an historical nameplate that occupies its very individual space in the luxury constellation, said Brett Soso, regional director at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Middle East and Africa at the unveil. Every one of our customers each a connoisseur of true luxury was asking for something even more individual to them, and we are proud to present New Phantom as a modern yet timeless masterpiece which allows to make your motor car truly as unique as your fingerprint, he added. New Phantom offers a wholly new, contemporary design interpretation of Rolls-Royce Phantom DNA. The all-new aluminium Architecture of Luxury underpinning the New Phantom is lighter, stiffer, quieter and more technologically advanced. The many years of engineering ensures the architectural and proportional lineage of Rolls-Royce while delivering a whole new level of Magic Carpet Ride. An all-new 6.75 litre twin-turbo V12 engine is the silently beating heart of New Phantom, providing a perfectly tuned level of power and performance. Engineers have also discreetly applied Satellite Aided Transmission, rear-wheel steering and a myriad of behind the scenes technology to provide an effortless experience. The New Phantom is the most technologically advanced Rolls-Royce ever. From the moment Sir Henry Royce introduced the Rolls-Royce Phantom in 1925 it was judged The Best Car in the World by the cognoscenti. As a result it has conveyed some of the worlds most influential and powerful men and women to the most defining historical moments over the last 92 years. Majed Al Zayani, general manager of Euro Motors said: With this new car a new benchmark has now been set. The eighth generation of its nameplate, the 2018 Phantom heralds a new luxury business model, demonstrating that Rolls-Royce operates in the luxury goods industry like no other. As this new chapter in the Rolls-Royce story begins, it is the new Phantom that points the way forward for the global luxury industry. TradeArabia News Service Russia will organize 14 refund offices at international airports in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Sochi, which will offer VAT (value-added tax) refunds for purchases made by foreign citizens from January 1, a media report said. Under the new legislation, citizens of countries not belonging to the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) can refund VAT paid on the territory of the Russian Federation, reported Tass. The law also sets a zero VAT rate for services provided to foreign citizens by Russian companies, and defines a package of documents to be provided to tax authorities to confirm the viability of the use of the zero VAT tax. The minimum purchase of non-food goods from which foreign nationals can recover VAT is 10,000 roubles ($155). Oleg Safonov, the head of the Federal Tourism Agency, said earlier that this systems launch would boost tourist flow to Russia. We consider it very important and timely. It will be crucial for the development of incoming tourism, he said. Safonov noted the tax-free system would attract more visitors from China, Europe and America. editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Amritsar, December 31 The Dilbir Foundation, a city-based NGO, is all set to reintroduce its organic winter food court at Sunday and Wednesday markets. An organic market was held on Sunday at the District Shopping Complex, Ranjit Avenue. Farmers in such markets sell their fresh farm products, like vegetables, fruits, milk, grain, and pulses. The market is open from 11 am to 4 pm. Initially, it was scheduled only for Sundays but owing to good response, Wednesday was also added to its schedule. Visitors appreciate the organic stuff in the city. Gunbir Singh, chairman, Dilbir Foundation, said, In 2018, we will reintroduce our organic winter food courts. The food court will serve fresh saag. The traditional Punjabi delicacy makki ki roti and saag will be served with homemade white butter. Apart from this, chaas, kesaar badam and milk will also be provided. The winter food court will commence from January 3 and it will be held twice a week. The winter food court will have cold pressed oil, natural tea, jam, marmalade and chutney for sale. The organic markets on Sundays and Wednesdays is an initiative to promote organic farming, show farmers the sustainability of their produce and attract residents to eat healthy organic stuff. Besides, volunteers from the foundation are also delivering the fresh produce. We have got good response from city residents. We want to promote the consumption of eating fresh farm produce, he added. editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Amritsar, December 31 The Directorate of Health and Family Welfare has instructed the Health Department to shift those pharmacists, field workers, laboratory technicians and other employees to their original place of posting, who are presently deputed at any of the clerical post. The subordinate staff unions have been demanding for long that the clerical work should be given only to ministerial workers. The appointment of field paramedics and other employees of the Health Department has often been criticised as the department is facing shortage of trained staff at the hospitals, especially in rural areas. The decision has been welcomed by the ministerial staff. A health worker or pharmacist working as a clerk is against the basic requirement. If a person is trained for a technica.l job, he or she should be put to that task only, said a resident, Kultar Singh. Residents said that the expert workers should be put to work in accordance with their capabilities. It has been seen that field workers often use their connections to get themselves posted at public dealing positions even though they are technically trained and appointed for providing health services. The lure of getting a public dealing post among such employees often results in hardships for the general public. As many such adjustments have been made in the district health department during the last few years, the residents hope that new instructions from the director would result in setting things right. Civil Surgeon Dr Narinder Kaur said the instructions received from the department were being strictly followed. She said that as per requirement the department would take necessary action. sanjiv@tribunemail.com Balraj Joshi, Chairman and Managing Director, NHPC talks to Sanjeev Sharma NHPCs three hydropower projects with total installed capacity of 3,130 MW are under various stages of construction, says Balraj Joshi, Chairman and Managing Director, NHPC. He said a judicious mix of various available renewable resources must become part of the energy bucket. Q: What is NHPCs current generating capacity and plants? A: We are the largest hydropower utility in India in Central sector and are operating 21 hydropower stations and one wind power project with a total installed capacity of 6,717 MW. NHPC contributes around 15% of total hydropower installed capacity in India. Q: What are the projects in the pipeline? A: At present, our three hydropower projects with total installed capacity of 3,130 MW are under various stages of construction. We have already synchronised one out of four units of 800 MW Parbati-II project and 330 MW Kishanganga project is in advanced stage of construction. All clearances have already been accorded to PakalDul project (1,000 MW). This project is being developed by our joint venture company CVPPL. At present, 10 hydroelectric projects with proposed installed capacity of 7,795 MW are under consideration and clearances by the government. Out of these, we will implement five projects of 5,795 MW capacity on our own and the remaining five will be implemented through joint ventures. Q: How is NHPCs expansion driven by diversification in other renewable energy projects? A: Development of hydropower remains our core strength and the sector has given NHPC its unique identity. Though hydropower has been and shall remain our priority, we are open to exploring opportunities in other renewable energy space. Our 50 MW wind power project in Jaisalmer is under operation. We have signed an MoU with Government of Kerala for development of grid interactive wind power project in Palakkad district with a potential of 72 MW. We have already signed Energy Purchase Agreement (EPA) with TANGEDCO, Tamil Nadu for development of 50 MW Solar Power Project in Tamil Nadu. A JV company, Bundelkhand Saur Urja Limited, has been promoted for harnessing solar power in Uttar Pradesh. We are also gearing up for availing business opportunities in thermal sector through development of 2 x 660 MW Pirpainti Thermal Power Project, Bihar in joint venture mode. Opportunities are also being explored actively for the development of pumped storage schemes in different states like Karnataka, Maharashtra and Odisha. Q: What is the scope of hydropower in the emerging renewable energy landscape? A: As our economy grows, the demand for electricity shall remain healthy. However, with increased public consciousness regarding our carbon footprint, a majority of the demand will have to be filled up by clean energy and there is no better source than hydro. Hydropower is the best and dependable renewable energy technology which is currently commercially viable on a large scale. Hydropower is clean power and having almost negligible generation of greenhouse gases as compared to other conventional modes of power generation. Our nation is endowed with huge potential but more than 60% of it remains untapped. As other renewable resources like wind and solar are intermittent in nature, role of hydropower becomes crucial in grid stability. Therefore, a judicious mix of various available renewable resources must become part of our energy bucket. Q: What is NHPCs international footprint? A: We have provided consultancy services in the field of hydropower development to neighboring countries such as Bhutan and Myanmar as well as to Tajikistan, Nigeria and Ethiopia. An intergovernmental agreement has already been signed between India and Bhutan for implementation of Chamkharchhu-I HE Project (770 MW) in Bhutan through joint venture between NHPC and Druk Green Power Corporation of Bhutan. We are also providing complete design and engineering consultancy services to Mangdechhu Hydroelectric Project Authority (MHPA) for implementation of Mangdechhu HE Project (720 MW) in Bhutan. NHPC also prepared DPRs of 1,200 MW Tamanthi and 880 MW Shwezaye hydroelectric projects in Myanmar. * "Most Popular Intellectual Property Law Blawg" of all time according to Justia rankings , September 2021. * "Most Popular Copyright Blawg" of all time according to Justia rankings , September 2021. * PermaKat Eleonora Rosati listed as one of the World Intellectual Property Review's "Influential Women in IP" of 2020. * PermaKat Eleonora Rosati listed as one of the Managing Intellectual Property magazine's "Fifty Most Influential People" of 2018. * IPKat founder and Blogmeister Emeritus Jeremy Phillips listed as one of the Managing Intellectual Property magazine's "Fifty Most Influential People" of 2005, 2011, 2013, and 2014. * Recommended by the European Patent Office as reading material for candidates for the European Qualifying Examinations, 2013. * Listed as "Top Legal Blog" in The Times Online, March 2011. 2010 ABA Journal 100. * One of the only two non-US blogs listed in the Blawg100. * Court Reporter Top Copyright Blog award winner, November 2010. * Number 1 in the 2010 Top Copyright Blog list compiled by the Copyright Litigation Blog, July 2010. * Selected by the United States Library of Congress for inclusion in its historic collections of Internet materials related to Legal Blawgs as of 2010. * Top Patent Blog poll 2009: 3rd out of 50 in the "Favourite Patent Blog" poll and 2nd out of 50 in the "Most-read" poll. Blog of the Year, 20 August 2008. * ComputerWeekly IT Law and Governance, 20 August 2008. editorial@tribune.com Mohali: Miscreants snatched gold bangles worth Rs 28,000 from a senior citizen in Phase XI here on Monday. The incident took place outside Lakshmi Narayan Mandir where the victim, a 72-year-old local resident, had gone to attend a funeral. A stranger approached her and told her that an acquaintance was waiting to meet her in a car parked across the road. The occupants of the car gave her a spiked sweet and robbed her. The victim said three persons, including a woman, robbed her. TNS harinder@tribunemail.com The Modi Government appears to be escaping some searching questions on its Pakistan policy. For three years now, it has held Pakistan at arm's length; New Delhi spends significant energy in naming and shaming Pakistan for abetting cross-border terrorism. There have been moments, such as after a particularly fulfilling peroration against Pakistan in the UN, when South Block has patted itself for ensuring its diplomatic isolation, as if to justify its strategy of refusing to break bread till Islamabad abandons using terrorism as an instrument of state policy. In particular two self-styled imams, widely considered as proxies of the Pakistan army, are in New Delhi's cross sights. The naming of Masood Azhar as a UN-designated terrorist has been frontloaded on the Sino-India bilateral agenda, never mind that the other Imam, Hafiz Saeed does not appear to be worse-off despite a US bounty on his head. Indias ire at Pakistan's cosseting of the two Imams is sound and reasonable: both Masood Azhar and Hafiz Saeed have considerable Indian blood on their hands. There is no harm in sustaining a policy of sullen coldness to make Pakistan mend its ways; India even threw a fit when the Palestine's Pakistan envoy briefly shared the stage with Hafiz Saeed and forced his recall. However, it now appears that India's security czar Ajit Doval secretly met his Pakistani counterpart in Bangkok. There must have been exceptionally compelling reasons for the Indian NSA to confabulate with a Pakistani a day after South Block fulminated over Islamabad's ill-treatment of the wife and mother of imprisoned Indian Kulbhushan Jadhav. An impression appears to be gaining ground that the desh bhakts are playing both sides of the coin: regularly chastising Pakistan for all challenges and tribulations, real or invented, while holding secret consultations on the side. A responsible public figure is yet to explain this double-play when the downside of a muddled approach is evident: over 100 security personnel killed last year in Kashmir because of an unremitting tense situation. The Government owes an explanation for its approach on Pakistan that seems to wax and wane, almost on whim. editorial@tribune.com Sushil Manav Tribune News Service Chandigarh, January 1 Private hospitals and nursing homes across the state will remain closed tomorrow in protest against the National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has given a call to suspend routine services for 12 hours against the Bill seeking to replace the Medical Council of India (MCI) with the NMC. Dr Atam Parkash Setia, former state IMA president, said that the emergency and critical services would remain open. The NMC Bill, which was tabled in Parliament on Friday, seeks to replace the MCI and also proposes allowing practitioners of alternative medicines, such as homoeopathy and ayurveda, practice allopathy after completing a bridge course. Besides, the Bill provides big relaxation to private medical colleges by allowing them fill more percentage of seats under the management quota for fees decided by them and allows them to open a new medical college without prior inspection of their infrastructure. It will promote quackery, said Dr Setia on the decision to introduce bridge course for homoeopathy and ayurveda doctors to practice modern medicine. The Bill also takes away the voting right of every doctor in India to elect their medical council. The MCI is a representative body of the medical profession in India. Any registered medical practitioner can contest the election and every qualified doctor can vote. Abolishing a democratic institution and replacing it with a body in which a majority will be nominated by the government, is certainly a retrograde step, he further added. The IMA, he says, feels that the Bill tends to dilute the quality of medical education in the country by doing away with stringent provisions of the MCI with regard to approval to medical colleges. Till now, no new medical college can start operations unless the MCI has conducted inspection and found the infrastructure satisfactory. But the new Bill allows a college to admit students without any inspection, as the NMC will give its approval with retrospective effect, Setia explained. Till now, 85 per cent of seats in private medical colleges are filled by the government on fees decided by it and only 15 per cent seats are allowed to colleges under the management quota. But the new Bills seeks to give 60 per cent seats to private colleges making medical education costlier and out of reach of common people, he said. Dr Neeraj Nagpal, convener, Medico Legal Action Group, an NGO, said that a deathblow to the profession had been struck by the NMC Bill. The politicians who own private medical colleges either directly or through proxies have gifted themselves unlimited wealth and benefits with no checks or balances through this Bill. There is going to be an army of confused doctors who are trained in one system of medicine but will be practising another system of medicine, said Dr Nagpal. The professional autonomy has been subjugated to bureaucratic control and the quality of medical training is bound to suffer, he said. Meanwhile, the district Unit of the IMA in Kaithal today submitted a memorandum to City Magistrate Sushil Kumar. Dr Vijay Kumar, president, and Dr Naveen Bansal, treasurer, of the district unit, stated that health services in the country would be adversely affected and it would bring bad name to the country and the medical profession if Bill was passed. Proposals shalender@tribune.com Suhail A Shah Anantnag, December 31 On New Year Eve, Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) militants struck at a CRPF installation inside the Jammu and Kashmir Police Commando Training Centre (CTC) complex in Lethpora area of Pulwama district, 23 km south of Srinagar, in the wee hours today. Five CRPF personnel were killed and three injured in the fidayeen (suicide) attack. Two militants Manzoor Ahmad Baba of Drubgam in Pulwama and Fardeen Ahmad Khandey of Nazeen Pora, Tral were killed too. Fardeen Khandey, the teenage son of a police constable, was a Class X passout. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) CRPF spokesperson Rajesh Yadav, said: We have four combat fatalities while one of our men died of a cardiac arrest during evacuation. The injured personnel, being treated at the Armys base hospital in Srinagar, are reported to be out of danger. The militants stormed the camp at 2:05 am, Inspector-General (IG) Ravideep Sahi told The Tribune. He said the militants lobbed grenades and resorted to heavy firing while making their way inside the camp. They were challenged by the sentries on duty. We suspect two or more militants may be still holed up. There are no hostages, he added. SP Vaid, Director General of Police, called the attack unfortunate as it occurred despite prior Intelligence inputs. It may be recalled that militants had entered the District Police Lines in Pulwama in the wee hours of August 26. In the gunbattle, 10 persons four policemen, four CRPF personnel and two militants were killed. Again on October 3, militants had stormed a BSF base at the Srinagar airport, killing a BSF official and leaving three injured. Laid down lives... editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service The recurring militant attacks on security personnel, inflicting heavy casualties on them, are a direct fallout of the failure to conduct a real-time security audit in Jammu and Kashmir. Time and again, the security forces have underestimated the element of lethality that terrorists have with the full backing of Pakistan. Thats what results in the rise in frequency of fidayeen attacks. Sundays fidayeen attack at the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) camp at Lethpora near Awanitipora in south Kashmir is a glaring example of the chinks in the armoury of security forces. The attacks expose the vulnerabilities. The counting of killing of 200 militants in 2017 as the ultimate success has added to their complacency and weaknesses in averting such situations in which security personnel suffer heavy casualties. Since January 2016, when Governor NN Vohra had asked that a security audit be conducted of all security establishments and vital installations in the aftermath of terrorists assault on the Pathankot airbase, militants have mounted a series of fidayeen attacks, ambushed patrols and convoys. The whole exercise of the security audit was reduced to paper only, listing the number of establishments and the equipment required to foil the terrorists design, sources said. It was anything but a fair and strict audit, revealed a security expert. It was like writing an FIR in a police station with no strategic inputs, a source revealed. That is what left many loopholes and those gaps have not been filled till date. The human training angle was completely ignored. The disconnect that exists between the officers and jawans was also not highlighted, and the human intelligence gathering was relegated to the background, the source said. Enlisting of public support is the best part of the counter-insurgency operations. There is so much public support for militants in Pulwama district that even if the security forces appear on the doorsteps of a hideout, people enable them to escape and security personnel are left high and dry, a resident of the district revealed on how the militants are thriving in the area. The killing of militants in operations in itself becomes an advertisement of success for the security forces. The boastful claims only serve as a provocation to sections of people sympathetic to militants. The people are aware that the militants are on a self-defeating mission but there is a sentimental connect between the two and it thickens with the killing of militants. The gatherings at their funeral processions are an example of that, the resident said. The ratio of the killing of security personnel is far higher than the acceptable level. More than 60 security personnel have died in 2017 that is all-time high in years and the militants have killed almost equal number of civilians, also a high figure as compared to the previous years. The security forces technical approach has resulted in a situation where the public-police clashes have become a norm. The fatalities and injuries in clashes complicate the situation. Political element in stabilising the situation is missing altogether. The security forces sacrifices are not duly appreciated, instead they are subjected to sermons and criticism. This encourages subversive elements resulting in deterioration of situation in which security personnel suffer casualties. editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Jammu, January 1 The Centre today said the proposed bunkers along the International Border (IB) and the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, which are being funded by the Union Home Ministry, would now be constructed directly by a Central agency. The Central Public Works Department or the National Building Construction Corporation are likely to be entrusted with the task of constructing the bunkers along the border in the state. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has conveyed to the J&K Government the sanction of Rs 415.73 crore for the construction of 14,460 bunkers (both individual and community bunkers) in the state. This was disclosed by Minister of State in the Prime Ministers Office Jitendra Singh in New Delhi today while briefing the media about some of the important projects to be undertaken in New Year in Jammu and Kashmir and the Northeast. Jitendra expressed his gratitude to Home Minister Rajnath Singh for accepting the request to undertake the construction of bunkers along the IB and LoC in J&K directly by a Central agency in order to avoid further delay and to ensure transparency. He said the Union Ministry of Home Affairs had written to the Jammu and Kashmir Government to submit a detailed list containing the exact location of the large community bunkers as well as a list of individual bunkers as per the conditions and norms laid down for the purpose. The MoS in the PMO JitendraSingh, requested the state government to expedite its response so that the execution of the work could be carried forward at the earliest. Rs 415 crore okayed editorial@tribune.com Majid Jahangir Tribune News Service Srinagar, January 1 Claiming that they had anticipated an attack on the Lethpora camp, a seniormost officer of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in J&K today said it was because of this prior information that the militants were not able penetrate deep inside into the campus and were cornered in a building. While the combing operation on the 160-acre Lethpora campus in south Kashmirs Pulwama is still underway, the 37-hour gunfight at the CRPF camp ended on Monday with the killing of a third militant, who appears to be a foreigner. Four CRPF men were killed in the gunfight on Sunday and an officer died due to a cardiac arrest after a group of fidayeen, including two locals, stormed the camp. We knew that this (CRPF camp) would be a probable target. The night the attack took place, the entire campus was on a high alert. A large number of people were on duty and there were patrolling parties. Even the in charge of battalion was on duty and patrolling. As soon as they managed to get in, they were challenged. It was because of the alertness and professionalism shown by the unit, the militants got limited to only one or two buildings, Special Director General, CRPF, SN Srivastava, told reporters in Srinagar while briefing about the operation. He said his men fought bravely and showed a high degree of professionalism and finally all three militants were killed. Srivastava denied there was any security lapse as militants were not able to come deep inside the campus. He said the security of the camp had already been upgraded and security review of the installation was a regular process. Security review is an ongoing process and we do upgrade as per requirement, he said. Srivastava said the search operation was continuing on the campus. Since this is a big campus, search operation is still going on. We want to discount any chance of anybody hiding anywhere. Though chances are bleak, we want to be doubly sure before we call off the operation, he said. amansharma@tribunemail.com Srinagar/Jammu, January 1 The counter-operation launched by security forces against the militants who attacked a CRPF camp in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir ended on Monday following the recovery of the body of another militant, the police said. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) Finally, the operation has concluded with the recovery of the body of the third terrorist, Director General of Police S P Vaid said. The bodies of two terrorists had been recovered yesterday. In a pre-dawn strike, five CRPF men were killed while three others injured when heavily-armed terrorists stormed the camp of the paramilitary force at Lethpora in Pulwama district yesterday. The attack was claimed by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed. The two ultras whose bodies were recovered yesterday were Manzoor Ahmad Baba from Drubgam (Pulwama) and Fardeen Ahmad Khanday from Nazeempora (Tral). Khanday was the son a serving policeman. The identity of the third militant was yet to be ascertained. CRPF man laid to rest in Rajouri Hundreds of people with moist eyes today joined the funeral prayers of a CRPF jawan, killed along with four colleagues in a terror attack in south Kashmir, in his hometown in Rajouri district, while the Army bid farewell to a soldier who sacrificed his life guarding the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir. Wrapped in Tricolour, the coffin containing the body of CRPF Head Constable Mohammad Tufail was laid to rest with full honours at his Dodasan village this afternoon. A large number of people joined his funeral prayers as senior police, civil and security force officers laid a wreath at the coffin. The new year begins with a sad note as Dodasan village in Rajouri prepares to receive the body of martyr CRPF cop Mohammad Tufail," Deputy Commissioner, Rajouri, Shahid Iqbal Choudhary said in a tweet prior to the funeral prayers. Jammu-based White Knight Corps of Army also bid farewell to the soldier who attained martyrdom on the LoC in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district yesterday. "A wreath laying ceremony was organised in honour of the brave heart Sepoy Jagsir Singh, who laid down his life guarding the nation's frontiers while serving at the LoC in Nowshera sector," a defence spokesman said. He said that a military send off was organised, wherein General Officer Commanding 25 Infantry Division among other military dignitaries, laid wreaths on behalf of Army Commander, Northern Command, Lt Gen D Anbu, and GOC White Knight Corps Lt Gen Saranjeet Singh. Sepoy Jagsir Singh, 32, belonged to Lohgarh Thakhran Wala village in Ferozepur district of Punjab and is survived by his wife Mohinder Pal Kaur, two daughters and a son. "The soldier was a dedicated, brave and sincere soldier and a thorough professional. The nation will remain indebted to him for the supreme sacrifice and devotion to duty," the spokesman said. PTI shalender@tribune.com Srinagar, December 31 Sepoy Jagsir Singh of Lohgarh Thakhran Wala village in Punjabs Ferozepur district was killed in sniper fire along the Line of Control in Nowshera sector in the wee hours of Sunday. He is survived by his parents, wife Mohinder Pal Kaur, two daughters and a son. Jagsir had visited his village only last week. He phoned us last night for New Year greetings, said his mother. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) Defence spokesperson Col NN Joshi said the Pakistan army resorted to unprovoked firing on Indian posts. The Indian Army retaliated strongly and effectively. In the exchange of fire, sepoy Jagsir Singh was grievously injured. He succumbed later. Sources said Jagsir Singh was targeted by snipers of the Baloch Regiment. He was a brave and sincere soldier and the nation will always remain indebted to him for the supreme sacrifice and devotion to duty, Col Joshi said. According to defence experts, the Pakistan army is using three types of sniper rifles Russia-made Dragunov, US-made Barret M82 and Austria-made Steyr SSG 69. All three have an effective shooting range of 3,700 metres. TNS harinder@tribunemail.com Suhail A Shah Anantnag, January 1 The gunfight following the fidayeen attack on the Pulwama CRPF camp came to an end today after more than 36 hours with the killing of the third militant, a foreigner. This, as the bodies of militants Manzoor Ahmad Baba and Fardeen Ahmad Khanday, both from Pulwama district, who were slain yesterday, were buried amid clashes in which a youth sustained bullet injuries. CRPF spokesperson Rajesh Yadav said: Its over now. Mopping-up operations are underway. In Srinagar, Special Director General SN Srivastava said: The two terrorists killed yesterday were locals. The one killed today was a foreigner. A search is still on. We want to double-check before calling off the operation. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) The fidayeen attack on Sunday was the third in 2017. The two local militants were buried in Drubgam and Hayena amid a sea of mourners and a complete shutdown in Pulwama and Shopian districts. In Drubgam, a youth sustained bullet injuries on the face and shoulder after the forces reportedly opened fire on protesters. Pulwama SSP Chaudhary Muhammad Aslam said they were trying to ascertain the facts. An Army vehicle was heavily stoned near Drubgam. The police are trying to find out the details, he said. Meanwhile, Northern Army Commander Lt Gen D Anbu visited the units in north Kashmir to review the security situation. He interacted with troops and conveyed his New Year greetings. He complimented them for their determination and alertness, an Army official said. Wg Cdr DPS Bajwa (retd) Wg Cdr DPS Bajwa (retd) Friendship is the most precious gift in life. It is said friends are better than relatives since they dont have an axe to grind. They are dependable and honest in their approach. In 1970, as a young commissioned officer when I was posted at Air Force Station, Chandigarh, I made one such friend. One day a pleasant, smartly dressed, well-mannered Sergeant approached me for an LIC policy. Apparently he was senior in age but because of my rank, he was most respectful and humble. His convincing power and demeanour did not take long for me to agree to his proposal. His first acquaintance and subsequent visits to my place developed into a friendship. Later both of us were posted out but we kept meeting whenever we were in Chandigarh. Since he was deep into his side business as an LIC agent, he earned enough to invest in property. He left the Air Force early and settled down in his own house; his three daughters were happily married and settled. Post-retirement I too settled down in Chandigarh. When I was to solemnise my daughter's wedding, I felt insecure about my finances. I definitely needed to borrow some money. With great reluctance, I approached my friend for a loan. At the blink of an eye he extended all the financial help I needed. This gesture of his was ample proof of his magnanimity and faith in me. I returned his amount as soon as I could but realised that he was a man with a heart of gold. He lost his wife in 1996, but decided to stay put in his own house in spite of his daughters (all in Delhi) coaxing him not to stay alone. He felt more independent and happy in the company of his friends. As ill-luck would have it, a few years later he became partially blind due to the negligence of some doctor. Now life became a challenge and we thought it was time for him to stay with his daughters. However, he still preferred to live independently in his own home. In the absence of a lady, his house was getting neglected. Part-time servants/maids did not clean properly, taking advantage of his poor eyesight. My visits became less frequent, partly because of his handicap and partly because we started spending more time abroad with our son. After many years I visited him recently, and he welcomed me with a broad smile and clasped me in a tight hug. Warmth and love was palpable as we met. He poured his heart out telling me about his health and daily routine. I chided him that now being over 82 years old, he must stay with one of his daughters. He gave ample reasons why he felt he was better off staying alone. The lifestyle of children is so different these days that all parents wish to live independently, as long as they can. When I wanted to leave, he was not happy with my short visit. It was like a few dew drops on his parched soul. He became sentimental. Finally he let me go only after eliciting a promise from me that I shall visit him again shortly. We both parted with moist eyes. uttara@tribuneindia.com Tribune News Service New Delhi/Islamabad, January 1 A total of 457 Indian prisonersincluding 399 fishermenare languishing in various Pakistani jails, according to a list the Pakistan government handed over to the Indian High Commission on Monday. The Foreign Office said that the step of giving the list of prisoners was consistent with the provisions of the Consular Access Agreement between Pakistan and India, signed on May 21, 2008. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) Under the agreement, both countries are required to exchange lists of prisoners in each other's custody twice a year, on January 1 and July 1. "Pakistan today handed over a list of 457 Indian prisoners58 civil prisoners and 399 fishermenin Pakistan, to the High Commission of India in Islamabad," it said. It further said that Pakistan would release 146 fishermen on January 8. The Foreign Office said the India would also hand over the list of Pakistani prisoners to Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi. Fishermen from Pakistan and India are frequently detained for illegally fishing in each other's territorial waters since the Arabian Sea does not have a clearly defined marine border and the wooden boats lack the technology to avoid being drifting away. With PTI editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Guwahati, January 1 The first draft of the much-awaited National Register of Citizens (NRC) for Assam has listed 19 million people out of the 32.9 million applicants as legal Indian citizens in a massive exercise aimed at identifying illegal immigrants in the state that borders Bangladesh. People flocked to seva kendras across Assam in large numbers since morning today to check whether they figured in the list containing the names of those who were recognised as citizens of India in the Supreme Court-monitored exercise, hours after the document was released at midnight. Releasing the first draft, Registrar General of India (RGI) Sailesh said, There is no need for anyone to panic. Other names are in various stages of verification. As soon as the verification is done, we will come out with another draft. This (NRC) is unprecedented. I doubt if there is any other country in the world having such a complex methodology to determine the citizenship of the people, Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said. About the possible date for the next draft, Sailesh said the NRC authority would present its case before the Supreme Court, under whose monitoring the document was being prepared, at the next hearing in February and the date would be decided accordingly. We are working to publish an error-free draft. We will be able to complete the entire process in this year, the RGI said. Meanwhile, apprehending law and order problems, security measures have been tightened. Vulnerable areas have been identified and the Centre has also sent additional forces to deal with any untoward situation. NRC State Coordinator Prateek Hajela said the application process began in May 2015 and a total of 6.5 crore documents were received from 68.27 lakh families across Assam. People carrying documents to prove their citizenship, thronged the seva kendras and stood in long queues to check if their names were included in the draft. Many families claimed that names of only some of their members were found in the first draft, while others said none featured in it. Servers of the official websites for checking names in the NRC draft got jammed as thousands of people were attempting to see their names in the first draft online, NRC sources said. The Office of the State Coordinator of the National Register of Citizens, Assam, has arranged for five ways to check the names included in the draft. Printed copies of the draft can be checked at NRC seva kendras from 10 am to 4 pm on all working days till January 31. It can also be checked online at www.nrcassam.nic.in, www.ass am.mygov.in, www.assam. gov.in and www.homeandpolitical. assam.gov.in. It can also be checked through automatic receipt of SMS by pre-registering applicants mobile number by sending an SMS to 9765556555 or 9108464438 and 9108464450. Also, demand SMS can be sent to the same phone numbers by typing ARN and after putting a space the 21 digit application receipt number. One can also call the 24X7 toll-free helpline number 15107 from Assam and 18003453762 from outside Assam. harinder@tribunemail.com Tribune News Service New Delhi, January 1 The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet today approved senior diplomat Vijay Keshav Gokhale to be appointed as the next Foreign Secretary, replacing S Jaishankar. Gokhale, who served as ambassador to China before his current assignment of Secretary, Economic Relations, has been appointed for a fixed term of two years. A 1981-batch Indian Foreign Service officer, Gokhale is currently the seniormost diplomat after Jaishankar. He will take charge upon completion of Jaishankars tenure on January 28. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) Jaishankar, who had replaced Sujatha Singh as Foreign Secretary under controversial circumstances in January 2015, was given a years extension in 2017. He was credited for a turnaround in relations with the US and a highly successful first visit of Narendra Modi after he rode to power in 2014. Speculations are on if Jaishankar will be accommodated in the Prime Ministers Office in some advisory capacity. A student of history, Gokhale was High Commissioner of India to Malaysia from January 2010 to October 2013, Ambassador to Germany from October 2013 to January 2016, and Ambassador of India to the Peoples Republic of China from January 2016 to October 2017. Gokhale will take over at a time when China has increased its assertiveness in Indias immediate neighbourhood and is a major force to reckon with regionally and globally. With his recent experience of dealing with Beijing during the 73-day Doklam standoff at the Bhutan tri-juncture, the Foreign Secretary-to- be will have his task cut out. harinder@tribunemail.com Islamabad, January 1 National security advisers of India and Pakistan held a secret meeting in Thailand where the tone and tenor of Indias NSA Ajit Doval was friendly and positive, a senior Pakistani official said today. A Pakistan national security division official said the meeting between Pakistan NSA Lt Gen Nasser Khan Janjua (retd) and Doval took place on December 27 in Thailand, The Dawn reported. Edit: Our pixilated Pak policy The meeting was good. Doval's tone and tenor was friendly and positive, the official disclosed. He was told that the meeting was useful. The report also quoted the official as saying that the interaction might help in restarting some sort of engagement at the diplomatic level as well. However, there was no word, officially or unofficially, from the Indian side. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) The meeting, which appeared to be pre-decided, came two days after death-row prisoner Kulbhushan Jadhav met with his family on December 25 in Islamabad. The Jadhav-family meeting became the latest flashpoint in the already strained Indo-Pak relations with Pakistan terming its decision to allow Jadhavs family to travel to Pakistan to meet him a humanitarian gesture and India accusing it of violating mutual understandings. It was not the first meeting between the two NSAs in a third country. In December 2015, the two NSAs, along with the foreign secretaries, had met in Bangkok, which was not revealed till after the meeting. PTI rchopra@tribunemail.com Islamabad, January 1 National security advisers of India and Pakistan held a secret meeting in Thailand where the tone and tenor of Indias NSA Ajit Doval was friendly and positive, a senior Pakistani official said on Monday. A Pakistan national security division official, on condition of anonymity, said the meeting between Pakistans NSA Lt Gen Nasser Khan Janjua (retd) and Doval took place in Thailand on December 27, The Dawn newspaper reported. The meeting was good. Dovals tone and tenor was friendly and positive, the official disclosed. The official maintained that he was briefed about the Indo-Pak meeting. He was told that the meeting was useful. The report also quoted the official as saying that the interaction might help in restarting some sort of engagement at the diplomatic level as well. However, there was no word--officially or unofficially--from the Indian side. The meeting, which appeared to be pre-decided, came two days after Indian death-row prisoner Kulbhushan Jadhav met his family in Islamabad on December 25. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) The Jadhav-family meeting became the latest flashpoint in already strained Indo-Pak relations with Pakistan terming its decision to allow Jadhavs family to travel to Pakistan to meet him as a humanitarian gesture and India accusing it of violating mutual understanding. New Delhi also hit out at Pakistan, asserting that the Indian national appeared coerced and under considerable stress during the tightly controlled interaction and also accused Pakistan of disregarding cultural and religious sensibilities of family members on the pretext of security. Jadhav, who was captured in March last year, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court for alleged spying, an accusation that India has dismissed as concocted. New Delhi says Jadhav was kidnapped in Iran where he had legitimate business interests, and brought to Pakistan. To save Jadhav, India moved the International Court of Justice, which ordered Pakistan in May to stay his execution. It was not the first meeting between the two NSAs in a third country. In December 2015 also, the two NSAs, along with the two foreign secretaries, had met in Bangkok, which was not revealed from both the countries till after the meeting. PTI amansharma@tribunemail.com Hyderabad, January 1 MIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday rejected claims by Prime Minister Narendra Modi that he had facilitated Muslim women's travel for Haj without 'Mahram'. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) The Hyderabad MP said a regulation by Haj authorities of Saudi Arabia was in force for many years which allow women above the age of 45 years to perform Haj without a 'Mahram' if they travel with a group. He told reporters here that women above 45 years of age from Indonesia, Malaysia and several other countries had been performing Haj under this Saudi regulation. 'Mahram' is a male relative of a woman with whom she is permanently forbidden to marry by Islam. Modi in his 'Mann Ki Baat' speech on Sunday had said that his government had removed the restriction which allows Muslim women to perform Hajj only in the company of 'Mahram'. He had stated that injustice was done to women for decades. "It has become the habit of the Prime Minister to claim credit for everything. If tomorrow women in Saudi Arabia are allowed to drive, he will claim credit for the same," he said. The MP said if Modi had so much concern for Muslim women, he should do justice to Zakia Jafri, widow of former MP Ehsan Jafri who was killed in the 2002 Gujarat riots. "This is all tokenism. If Modi is really concerned about Muslim women, he should provide 7 per cent reservation for them in education. He has two-thirds majority in Parliament and he can bulldoze a bill in this regard," the MP said. On the passing of a Bill in Lok Sabha over triple talaq, the Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) president said if it became a legislation, it would be the biggest injustice to Muslim women. He argued that since marriage in Islam was a civil contract, there could be no penal provision. He also pointed out that the Supreme Court in its order on the issue did not ask the government to bring a criminal law. "The government is saying that Muslim countries have banned triple talaq but the fact is that there is no penal provision in any Muslim country." Owaisi alleged that the real objective of the government was to do away with all forms of talaq and snatch Sharia from Muslims. The MP said abandonment of married women was a bigger problem than divorce. "The rate of abandonment is twice the rate of divorce. There are 24 lakh abandoned women and they include 20 lakh Hindu women, two lakh Muslim and 90,000 Christian women," he said. "The married women should get their right to live with their husbands whether they are in Gujarat or in Delhi," he said. IANS amansharma@tribunemail.com Smita Sharma Tribune News Service New Delhi, January 1 The suspense over Indias next Foreign Secretary is now over. Appointments Committee of the Cabinet on Monday approved senior diplomat Vijay Keshav Gokhale as the next Foreign Secretary replacing S Jaishankar. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) Gokhale who served as Ambassador to China before his current assignment of Secretary, Economic Relations, has been appointed for a fixed term for two years. A 1981-batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, Gokhale is currently the seniormost diplomat after Jaishankar. He will take charge upon completion of Jaishankars tenure on January 28. Jaishankar who had replaced Sujatha Singh as Foreign Secretary under controversial circumstances in January 2015, was given a years extension in 2017. He was credited for a turnaround in relations with the United States and a highly successful first visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi after he rode to power in 2014. Speculations are on if Jaishankar will be accommodated in the Prime Ministers Office in some advisory capacity in the months ahead. A student of history, Vijay Gokhale was High Commissioner of India to Malaysia from January 2010 to October 2013, Ambassador of India to Germany from October 2013 to January 2016 and Ambassador of India to the Peoples Republic of China from January 2016 to October 2017. He also served as Deputy Secretary (Finance), Director (China & East Asia) and Joint Secretary (East Asia) during his stints at the Headquarters of the Ministry of External Affairs. Vijay Gokhale will take over at a time when China has increased its assertiveness in Indias immediate neighbourhood and is a major force to reckon with regionally and globally. With his recent experience of dealing with Beijing during the 73-day Doklam standoff at the Bhutan tri-junction, the Foreign Secretary to be will have his task cut out. editorial@tribune.com Tribune Reporters Amritsar/Tarn Taran, Jan 1 Ten persons were killed in four road accidents in the border districts of Amritsar and Tarn Taran in the past 24 hours. Five car-borne persons, including two children, died on the Beas flyover here today after the vehicle crashed into a sugarcane-loaded trailer from the rear. The car driver was caught by surprise when a hook attaching the trailer to a tractor broke. The deceased were identified as Surjit Singh (70), Japjot Singh (4), his mother Simranjit Kaur (32), Gurpreet Kaur and Noor (3). The injured Harwinder Singh, Prem Kaur and car driver Karnail Singh were admitted to nearby hospitals. The passengers belonged to the Sodhal road area in Jalandhar, while the driver is a resident of Pandori village. Harsandeep Singh, SHO, Beas police station, said the cause of the accident was yet to be ascertained. He added that the statements of the family members were yet to be recorded. Baljinder Singh, tehsildar, who reached the spot, said the bodies would be handed over to the family after a post-mortem examination tomorrow. Three persons, including a couple from Moga, were killed in an accident. The couple was identified as Bhagwan Das (63) and wife Saroj Rani (60). Harnek Singh, the driver of their Swift, died too. The couples daughter, Smile, sustained serious injuries. The family was on its way to Radha Soami Satsang Beas. When they reached near Rasulpur village, a speeding truck collided head-on with the car in the dense fog. Truck driver Jasbir Singh Dudhala, an Amritsar resident, was booked under Sections 304-A, 279, 427, 337 and 338 of the IPC. Ranjit Singh (30) died and his cousin, Sukhchain Singh, was injured in a mishap near Doburji village on the Tarn Taran-Amritsar road last evening. Ranjit and Sukhchain were going to Gurdwara Tahla Sahib when an Indica collided head-on with their motorcycle. Both were taken to Ranjit Hospital, Amritsar, where Ranjit succumbed to injuries. Car driver Ravinderjit Singh, a resident of Landeke (Moga), has been booked. Harcharan Singh (75), a granthi of the gurdwara at Cooperative Sugar Mills, Sheron, died in an accident near his native village, Piddi. He was returning home on a bicycle when an unidentified vehicle hit him and sped away. uttara@tribuneindia.com Balwant Garg Tribune News Service Faridkot, January 1 A deaf-mute Pakistani boy, who was kept in a juvenile home in the district after he strayed into Indian territory seven months ago, was on Monday handed over to Pak authorities. The child, a 12-year-old boy who has been identified as Husnain, was escorted to the Attari border and handed over to Pakistani authorities, Faridkot Deputy Commissioner Rajiv Prashar said. The Border Security Force arrested him on May 3, 2017, in Ferozepur after he accidentally crossed on to the Indian side. His impairment prevented him from being identified until December 8, when the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi confirmed that his father, Javed Iqbal, was a resident of Lahore. Ferozepur Juvenile Justice Board ordered his release on December 19 after he completed his sentence for straying into the Indian territory without appropriate documents. The BSF found only a Pakistani 20-rupee note on his person when he was arrested last year, indicating that he was from across the border. With agencies editorial@tribune.com Sanjeev Singh Bariana Tribune News Service Chandigarh, January 1 Infrastructure worth several crores of rupees of Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) for supplying compressed natural gas (CNG) to the state is lying useless because companies who were allotted the work of providing gas to users from the supply line in 2015 have not done so till date. Companies which were to lay the last mile connectivity of the gas from the GAIL supply line have failed to deliver. Besides industry, the state is waiting for the CNG supply for its vehicles and even use at homes. Official communication pointed out that the work for gas supply to the Jalandhar and Ludhiana areas was awarded to Jay Madhok in 2015. The work for supply to the Mandi Gobindgarh area was allotted to IRM Energy Private Limited. Except for the direct supply lines to the National Fertilisers Limited plants at Nangal and Bathinda, CNG is not being supplied anywhere in the state. The issue has cropped up fresh in context of different communications from the office of Punjab Pollution Control Board Chairman Kahan Singh Pannu to the Secretary, Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board, seeking guidelines to GAIL to start connecting industry in Ludhiana and Jalandhar without further delay so that cleaner fuel options are made available to the industry at the earliest. The pipeline was laid after the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change had designated the Mandi Gobindagrh-Khanna region as the critically polluted area. In a separate communication, Pannu has sought the regulatory board to either expand the operations of GAIL from Fatehgarh Sahib till Khanna or direct GAIL to develop local gas network for the Khanna industrial cluster at a war footing. An early action in this regard will go a long way in improving the air quality of the Mandi Gobindgarh-Khanna cluster. Secretary of the regulatory board Vandana Sharma could not be contacted for comments, despite repeated efforts. The Punjab Chapter of the Steel Furnace Association of India in a separate communication to the member of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board has pointed out that the work for the city gas distribution network in Ludhiana was awarded to a company four-five years back. Till date neither the party approached us (industry) nor can we see any activity on ground, it wrote. The association wrote that the Supreme Court has banned sale and use of furnace oil and pet coke in Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and UP. The furnace oil has high sulphur content which is harmful for human beings. There is an immediate need to switch over to eco-friendly cleaner fuel (natural gas) for industrial operations. editorial@tribune.com Praful Chander Nagpal Fazilka, Janaury 1 Dona Nanka village, bordering Pakistan, is sandwiched between the barbed wire and the Sutlej. Its a tough place to live and work. Villagers have to evacuate every couple of years due to floods. Against all odds, Lavjeet Singh Grewal (40) has set up a top-notch government primary school in this village. There were 112 students when Grewal, a resident of nearby Awa village, took charge as the principal in 2006. Now, the strength is 236. He started free-of-cost pre-nursery classes in 2008, almost a decade before the government did it across the state in November last year. As many as 50 pre-nursery students are being imparted education in smart classes. The school also boasts of smart classes for students from Class I to V. The expenses for installing a projector, laptop computers, sound system and LED screens have been borne by Grewal and his friends. The school has coolers in every room, provided by the staff members. Our school has a well-maintained building. All five classrooms have theme-based decorations. The institution has bagged the annual state award six times under the Parho Punjab campaign, says Grewal, son of a retired supervisor of the Mandi Board. Students from five villages prefer to study at Dona Nanka instead of going to Fazilkas government primary schools, the principal claims. School students won 14 prizes out of 18 in the district in multiplication table recitation and co-curricular activities. There is a library stocked with about 350 books. Every year, the school celebrates Kanya Lohri Mela, honouring newborn girls and their parents. Deservingly, Grewal was conferred with the National Award on Teachers Day last year. The governments support, however, leaves a lot to be desired. It has failed to fill all posts. Two out of four posts of teacher are vacant. The principal and another teacher shoulder the responsibility of educating 286 students. Looking for a new challenge, ETT-qualified Grewal is not keen on continuing as the school head. I have done my job here. The school has become self-sufficient. I want to join a new one, regarded as backward, so as to make a difference there too, he says. editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Faridkot, January 1 After eight months of separation from his family, Husnain, a 12-year-old Pakistani boy with hearing and speech disabilities, was released from the Juvenile Home here and later reunited with his parents after repatriation at the Attari border today. After the Union Home Ministry issued orders to the Secretary, Home, and Director, Social Security and Women and Child Development Department, Punjab, this morning, the boy was released from the Juvenile Home. Husnain had been staying here since May 5, 2017. The Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi said in a statement that the boy was handed over in presence of its officials at the Attari-Wagah Joint Check Post. Earlier, escorted by a councillor, law officer, child protection officer and four policemen, the boy was taken from Faridkot to the Attari border. After getting the orders from the Director (Foreigners) to release the boy and repatriate him to Pakistan, Deputy Commissioner, Faridkot, Rajiv Prashar reached the Juvenile Home and got the boy released. The BSF had arrested Husnain on May 3, 2017, in Ferozepur. His impairment prevented him from being identified until December 8, when the Pakistan High Commission in Delhi confirmed that his father, Javed Iqbal, is a resident of Lahore. The boy was staying in the Juvenile Home with 14 other teenagers from various districts of Punjab. The Ferozepur Juvenile Justice Board had ordered his release on December 19 after he completed his sentence for straying into the Indian territory without appropriate documents. With PTI inputs editorial@tribune.com Tribune News Service Bathinda, January 1 Employees of Guru Nanak Dev Thermal Plant (GNDTP) began an indefinite protest outside the District Administrative Complex today against the state governments decision to shut down their plant and two units of the Ropar thermal plant. Carrying an effigy of the state government on their shoulders, the employees began a protest march from the main gate of the thermal plant and walked all the way to the complex. Raising slogans against the state government, the protesters burnt the effigy. We challenge the government to sign an agreement with us. We promise to produce power at Rs 4.50 per unit and sell it to government at Rs 5 per unit. We just demand that the government should give us a years time, regular supply of coal and must buy all power produced at the plant. We will prove that the GNDTP is not running into losses, said Rajinder Singh Dhillon, leader of the Thermal Contract Workers Coordination Committee. They also called upon the state government to make public the documents proving that the thermal plant was incurring a high running cost and also about how purchasing power from private sector plants was cheaper than the public sector plants. The cold wave conditions prevailing in the city notwithstanding, the contractual employees brought along their family members as well. They argued that the state government and its officials must at least see the faces of children whose future was being pushed into darkness due to the decision. They also brushed aside the claims of the state government that it would adjust all employees in other thermal plants and termed it a yet another lofty but false promise. ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM Hong Kong, January 1 Protesters marched through Hong Kong today against what they described as suppression by Beijing, days after the Chinese authorities ruled that part of a city rail station would come under mainland law. Hong Kong has been ruled under a one country, two systems deal since Britain returned it to China in 1997 and enjoys rights unseen on the mainland, including freedom of speech and an independent judiciary. But a string of recent incidents have fuelled concern over the erosion of its autonomy and rule of law, including the jailing of prominent pro-democracy activists. Protesters were angry at the co-location pact, which would bring part of a new rail terminus in Hong Kong under mainland law. AFP rajivbhatia82@gmail.com Denver, January 1 A gunman opened fire on sheriffs deputies at an apartment complex near Denver on Sunday, killing one officer before the suspect was shot and killed, the Douglas County Sheriffs Office said. Four other deputies and two civilians were shot and wounded by the suspect, identified as 37-year-old Matthew Riehl, who had had numerous run-ins with the law, according to Sheriff Tony Spurlock. It was not immediately clear why the incident had escalated, Spurlock said. All of them were shot very, very quickly and they all went down almost within seconds of each other, Spurlock told reporters at a news conference, calling it an ambush-type attack. President Donald Trump said on Twitter: My deepest condolences to the victims of the terrible shooting in Douglas County @dcsheriff, and their families. The deputies first responded to a verbal disturbance at the apartment complex in Highland Ranch, about 16 miles (26 km) south of Denver, at about 3 am, the sheriffs office said in a statement. Two men were in the apartment, and one of them told the officers that the other was acting bizarre and may be having a mental breakdown, the statement said. The officers left the scene after determining no crime had been committed. About 5:15 am, officers returned after a second complaint. After they entered the residence, the suspect opened fire from a bedroom, killing Deputy Zackari Parrish, 29, and wounding three others. Parrish, who was married with two young children, had joined the force seven months earlier. When he was shot and went down, the other officers went down right around him and they tried to pull him out, but were unable to because of their injuries, Spurlock said. At about 7 am, a SWAT team entered the apartment and more shots were exchanged. Riehl was killed and a fourth officer was wounded. All told, Riehl fired more than 100 rounds before he was shot by police. The injured officers were identified as Mike Doyle, 28; Taylor Davis, 30; Jeffrey Pelle, 32, and Tom ODonnell 31. They were taken to hospital and were in stable condition. Pelle, who had emergency surgery, is the son of Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle, according to an online statement from the family. The identities of the two injured civilians were not immediately disclosed, but Spurlock said he believed they are residents from other apartments. Their injuries were not life- threatening, he said. The housing complex in an affluent suburban community near Littleton is described on its website as one of the friendliest apartments in the area. Reuters. ROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM Dubai, January 1 12 persons have been killed during protests in Iran despite President Hassan Rouhani calling for calm and vowing more space for criticism in a bid to head off days of protest. The nationwide protests have drawn in tens of thousands of people and represent the boldest challenge to Irans leadership since pro-reform unrest in 2009. Calls for more demonstrations on Monday raise the possibility of prolonged instability. Some armed protesters tried to take control of some police stations and military bases but they met strong resistance from security forces, the state TV said. It gave no details of what happened and there was no independent confirmation. State television also said 10 persons were killed in several cities on Sunday night and showed footage of damage to property. Two persons were shot dead in the southwestern town of Izeh on Sunday and several others were injured, ILNA news agency quoted a member of parliament as saying. Iran is a major OPEC oil producer and regional power but frustrations have grown at home while the country is deeply involved in Syria and Iraq as part of a battle for influence with rival Saudi Arabia. Those foreign interventions are also fuelling anger in the Islamic Republic because Iranians want their leaders to create jobs instead of engaging in costly proxy wars. Statements on social media urged Iranians to demonstrate again in Tehran and 50 other urban centres. The unrest erupted in the second city of Mashhad against price rises but it swiftly spread and turned into political rallies. Demonstrators say they are angry over corruption and economic hardship in a country where youth unemployment reached 28.8 percent last year. Protests continued even though President Hassan Rouhani appealed for calm. He said Iranians had the right to criticise authorities but also warned of a crackdown. While access to Telegram messaging app and Instagram, owned by Facebook Inc, has been restricted, there were reports that mobile access to the internet was being blocked in some areas. Agencies Israeli minister wishes protesters success rajivbhatia82@gmail.com Amman, January 1 Jordans royal palace warned it would take legal measures against anyone spreading what it said were lies about the ruling family, just days after King Abdullah relieved his brothers from top army posts in a major shakeup. The king, a staunch US ally, said on Tuesday that his brothers Prince Ali and Prince Faisal and his cousin Prince Talal - who all had high military ranks - would be retiring from the armed forces. He said the move was part of a reorganization of the armed forces hierarchy and structure. Prince Faisal was head of the royal air force and deputy chief of staff, while Prince Ali had for years been in charge of the royal guards responsible for the kings protection. Talal Bin Mohammad, a Sandhurst graduate who was and an officer in the elite special forces, was also sent into retirement. They were all given honorary promotions. A palace statement on Sunday said it would pursue legal measures against those who propagated lies and false claims in social media and online websites with the goal of driving a wedge between the royal family and ordinary Jordanians. These fabricated news circulated recently are aimed at undermining Jordan and its institutions, the statement said. A Jordanian army source said the move by the king was prompted by a desire to set an example that the Hashemite ruling family was not above the law ahead of an anticipated move to retire dozens of senior army generals. The king, who himself is an elite special forces commander, said the restructuring plan aimed to reorganize the 120,000- strong army by cutting costs and creating a more lean and effective force better equipped to modern warfare against terrorist groups. The kingdom, which borders both Iraq to the east and Syria to the north and Israel to the west, has escaped relatively unscathed from the regional turmoil around it. Many of the top army brass are drawn from native Jordanian tribes who form the backbone of the support for the royal family and play a dominant role in the army and government. Jordanians see the royal family as a unifying force that holds together a country where many of its citizens are Palestinians whose families settled after successive Arab-Israeli wars, placing the kingdom at the heart of the conflict. Reuters. pardeepdhull@gmail.com Islamabad, January 1 Ousted Pakistan Prime Mminister Nawaz Sharifs daughter, Maryam Nawaz, has rubbished rumours of her fathers self-exile, describing it as a self-created lie. In a tweet on Sunday, Maryam stated that exile will be the fate of military dictators and non-democratic characters, not of representatives elected by the people. A spokesperson of Nawaz Sharif also called news report published in national and international press as speculative that Sharif was negotiating a deal with Saudi Arabia to avoid facing an accountability court back home. The spokesperson said Sharif was visiting Saudi Arabia due to his long-standing relations with the royal family and in his capacity as the head of the ruling party, a press release issued on Sunday said. He has always utilised these relations for national interest and never for his personal benefits, it said. The spokesperson expressed disappointment and surprise that the story was published in violation of established norms and ethics without taking the version of all concerned. He advised media organisations to approach him before filing a story. IANS harinder@tribunemail.com Washington, January 1 In a scathing attack, President Donald Trump today accused Pakistan of giving nothing to the US but lies and deceit in return for $33 billion aid and said Islamabad has provided safe haven to terrorists. 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 said in a strongly worded tweet. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more! Trump said in his first tweet of the year. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) This is the strongest attack that has come from the US President. His remarks came days after the New York Times reported that the US is considering withholding $225 million in aid to Pakistan, reflecting its dissatisfaction with the latters reluctance in the war against terror. In November, the US had strongly condemned release of the Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed by Pakistan and had demanded his immediate re-arrest and prosecution, warning that there would be repercussions for bilateral ties if Islamabad fails to take decisive action against the JuD chief. In his new South Asia Policy in August, Trump had called for tougher measures against Pakistan if it fails to cooperate with the US. We can no longer be silent about Pakistans safe havens for terrorist organisations, the Taliban, and other groups that pose a threat to the region and beyond. Pakistan has much to gain from partnering with our effort in Afghanistan. It has much to lose by continuing to harbour criminals and terrorists, Trump had said. Noting that in the past Pakistan had been a valued partner, Trump had accused it of providing shelter to organisations that try every single day to kill Americans. PTI pardeepdhull@gmail.com January 1 Pakistans government plans to seize control of charities and financial assets linked to Islamist leader and Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed, who Washington has designated a terrorist, according to officials and documents reviewed by Reuters. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) Pakistans civilian government detailed its plans in a secret order to various provincial and federal government departments on December 19, three officials who attended one of several high-level meeting discussing the crackdown told Reuters. Marked secret, a December 19 document from the Finance Ministry directed law enforcement and governments in Pakistans five provinces to submit an action plan by December 28 for a takeover of Saeeds two charities, Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) and the Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation. The United States has labelled JuD and FIF terrorist fronts for Lashkar-e-Toiba (Army of the Pure or LeT), a group Saeed founded in 1987 and which Washington and India blame for the 2008 attacks in Mumbai that killed 166 people. Saeed has repeatedly denied involvement in the Mumbai attacks and a Pakistani court saw insufficient evidence to convict him. The LeT could not be reached for comment. The December 19th document, which refers to Financial Action Task Force (FATF) issues, names only Saeeds two charities and actions to be taken against them. The FATF, which is an international body that combats money laundering and terrorist financing, has warned Pakistan it faces inclusion on a watch list for failing to crack down on financing terrorism. Asked about a crackdown on JuD and FIF, Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal, who co-chaired one of the meetings on the plan, responded only generally, saying he has ordered authorities to choke the fundraising of all proscribed outfits in Pakistan. In a written reply to Reuters, he also said Pakistan wasnt taking action under US pressure. Were not pleasing anyone. Were working as a responsible nation to fulfil our obligations to our people and international community. Spokesmen for the JuD and FIF both said they could not comment until they receive official notifications of the governments plans. We dont have any intimation about any crackdown so far, FIF spokesman Salman Shahid told Reuters. No one has asked us about our work or assets. Saeed could not be reached for comment. He has frequently denied having ties to militants and says the charitable organisations he founded and controls have no terrorism ties. He says he promotes an Islamic-oriented government through doing good works. First major move If the government follows through with the plan, it would mark the first time Pakistan has made a major move against Saeeds network, which includes 300 seminaries and schools, hospitals, a publishing house and ambulance services. The JuD and FIF alone have about 50,000 volunteers and hundreds of other paid workers, according to two counter-terrorism officials. Participants at the meeting raised the possibility that the governments failure to act against the charities could lead to UN sanctions, one of the three officials said. A UN Security Council team is due to visit Pakistan in late January to review progress against UN-designated terrorist groups. Any adverse comments or action suggested by the team can have far-reaching implications for Pakistan, the official said. The December 19th document gave few details about how the state would take over Saeeds charities, pending the plans submitted from the provincial governments. It did say it would involve government entities taking over ambulance services and accounting for other vehicles used by the charities. It says law enforcement agencies will coordinate with Pakistans intelligence agencies to identify the assets of the two charities and examine how they raise money. The document also directs that the name of JuDs 200-acre headquarters, Markaz-e-Toiba, near the eastern city of Lahore be changed to something else to make it known that the Government of Punjab (province) solely manages and operates the Markaz (headquarters). The move to seize the charities could spark some concern from the powerful military, which has proposed plans to steer Saeed and the JuD into mainstream politics. The military did not respond to a request for comment. In August, JuD officials formed a new political party, the Milli Muslim League, and backed candidates who fared relatively strongly in two key parliamentary by-elections. The JuD publicly disavows armed militancy inside Pakistan, but offers vocal support for the cause of rebel fighters in Indian-administered Kashmir and has called for Pakistan to retake Kashmir. Nuclear-armed India and Pakistan have fought two wars over the disputed region. Washington, which has offered a $10 million reward for information leading to Saeeds conviction over the Mumbai attacks, warned Islamabad of repercussions after a Pakistani court in late November released him from house arrest. Punjabs provincial government had put Saeed under house arrest for 10 months this year for violating anti-terrorism laws. Reuters harinder@tribunemail.com Islamabad, January 1 Pakistans government plans to seize control of charities and financial assets linked to Islamist leader Hafiz Saeed, who Washington has designated a terrorist, according to officials and documents. Pakistans civilian government detailed its plans in a secret order to provincial and federal government departments on December 19. Marked secret, the document from the finance ministry directed law enforcement and governments in Pakistans five provinces to submit an action plan by December 28 for a takeover of Saeeds two charities, Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) and Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd) The United States has labelled JuD and FIF terrorist fronts for Lashkar-e-Toiba, a group Saeed founded in 1987 and which Washington and India blame for the 2008 attacks in Mumbai that killed 166 people. Saeed has repeatedly denied involvement in the attacks and a Pakistani court saw insufficient evidence to convict him. The December 19 document, which refers to Financial Action Task Force (FATF) issues, names only Saeeds two charities and actions to be taken against them. The FATF, which is an international body that combats money laundering and terrorist financing, has warned Pakistan it faces inclusion on a watch list for failing to crack down on financing terrorism. Asked about a crackdown on JuD and FIF, Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal, who co-chaired a meeting on the plan, said he has ordered authorities to choke the fundraising of all proscribed outfits in Pakistan. In a written reply, he also said Pakistan wasnt taking action under US pressure. Were working as a responsible nation to fulfil our obligations to our people. If the government follows through with the plan, it would mark the first time Pakistan has made a major move against Saeeds network, which includes 300 seminaries and schools, hospitals, a publishing house and ambulance services. The JuD and FIF alone have about 50,000 volunteers and hundreds of other paid workers, according to two counter-terrorism officials. Participants at the meeting raised the possibility that the governments failure to act against the charities could lead to UN sanctions, one of the three officials said. A UN Security Council team is due to visit Pakistan in late January to review progress against UN-designated terrorist groups. Reuters pardeepdhull@gmail.com Tehran, January 1 At least 12 people have been killed in the ongoing protests in Iran, and armed protesters have tried to take over police stations and military bases, state TV reported today. The protests began Thursday in Mashhad over economic issues and have since expanded to several cities. Hundreds of people have been arrested. The state TV report said 10 were killed during clashes last night, without elaborating. Two demonstrators were killed during a protest in western Iran late Saturday. "Some armed protesters tried to take over some police stations and military bases but faced serious resistance from security forces," state TV reported. Earlier on Monday, the semi-official ILNA news agency quoted Hedayatollah Khademi, a representative for the town of Izeh, as saying two people died there last night. He said the cause of death wasn't immediately known. Many in Izeh, some 455 km southwest of Tehran, have hunting rifles in their homes. Iran on Sunday blocked access to Instagram and the popular messaging app Telegram used by activists to organise. President Hassan Rouhani acknowledged the public's anger over the Islamic Republic's flagging economy, though he and others warned that the government wouldn't hesitate to crack down on those it considers lawbreakers. "People of Izeh, like some other cities, held a protest against economic problems and unfortunately it led to the killing of two people and injuries to some others," Hedayatollah Khademi, the local MP, told the ILNA news agency, adding it was unclear who had fired the shots. The state broadcaster said two others died in the small western town of Dorud when they were hit by a fire engine stolen by protesters, and ILNA reported a school for clergy and government buildings were torched in the northwestern town of Takestan. Rouhani finally broke his silence last night about the protests that mark the biggest test for the regime since mass demonstrations in 2009. "The people are absolutely free in expressing their criticisms and even protests," Rouhani said in a message on the state broadcaster. "But criticism is different to violence and destroying public property." Police used tear gas and water cannon to disperse a small protest in Tehran's Enghelab Square on Sunday evening, according to unverified social media videos. There were also reports of protests in the cities of Kermanshah, Khorramabad, Shahinshahr and Toyserkan in the west, and Zanjan in north Iran. More than 400 people have been arrested in the four days of protest across Iran. Verifying reports remained challenging due to travel restrictions and sporadic blocks on mobile internet and popular social media sites, including Telegram and Instagram. The protests began as demonstrations against economic conditions in second city Mashhad on Thursday but quickly turned against the Islamic regime as a whole, with thousands marching in towns across Iran to chants of "Death to the dictator". Rouhani sought a conciliatory tone, saying that government bodies "should provide space for legal criticism and protest" and calling for greater transparency and a more balanced media. US President Donald Trump, a fierce critic of Tehran, said the "big protests" showed people "were getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism". He accused Iran of "numerous violations of human rights", adding it "has now closed down the internet so that peaceful demonstrators cannot communicate. Not good!" Rouhani dismissed Trump's comments. "This man who today in America wants to sympathise with our people has forgotten that a few months ago he called the nation of Iran terrorist." After initial silence, state media began showing some footage of the demonstrations on Sunday, focusing on young men attacking banks and vehicles, an attack on a town hall in Tehran, and images of a man burning the Iranian flag. "Those who damage public property, disrupt order and break the law must be responsible for their behaviour and pay the price," Interior Minister Abdolrahman Rahmani Fazli said on Sunday. There have been reminders of the continued support for the regime among conservative sections of society, with pro-regime students staging sizeable counterdemonstrations at the University of Tehran over the weekend. Rouhani came to power in 2013 promising to mend the economy and ease social tensions, but high living costs and a 12 per cent unemployment rate have left many feeling that progress is too slow. "Rouhani has run an austerity budget since 2013 with the idea that it's a tough but necessary pill to swallow to manage inflation and currency problems and try to improve Iran's attractiveness for investment," said Esfandyar Batmanghelidj, founder of the Europe-Iran Forum. "But choosing years of austerity immediately after a very tough period of sanctions is bound to test people's patience," he told AFP. Police have so far taken a relatively soft approach to the unrest. The authorities have blamed external forces for fomenting violence, saying the majority of social media reports were emanating from regional rival Saudi Arabia or exile groups based in Europe. Since the ruthless repression of the 2009 protests against a disputed presidential election that gave hardliner Mahmoud Ahmadinejad a second term, many middle-class Iranians have abandoned hope of securing change from the streets. But low-level strikes and demonstrations have continued, with groups such as bus drivers, teachers and factory workers regularly protesting against unpaid wages and poor conditions. AP/AFP Winning with ELD The ELD Mandate deadline is just around the corner. While many view this transition to ELDs as a burden, others have found the silver lining. Although the main focus now is to meet the new requirements and get compliant, there are additional benefits that can come from implementing an ELD solution. Download the Winning with ELD eBook to find out how companies like yours have experienced further benefits from their ELD solution like: Safer Driving Habits and Improved Compliance Increased Productivity Reduced Costs Increased Revenue By Verizon Connect In order to maintain this blog I have to pay for its upkeep including a hosting company, support services, virus and other malicious hackers. If you appreciate what I write please make a donation. The government is to step up the campaign against the cult of the long unkempt hair among males in the republic. For some time now certain government departments, like immigration and schools as well as institutions of higher learning had been taking action against males with long and unkempt hair. The campaign will take another step forward when all government offices dealing with the public will display posters in English, Chinese and Malay with the message: 'males with long hair will be attended to last'. (Photo: National Archives of Singapore) More than 500 people with long hair are said to have been turned back at the immigration checkpoint in Woodlands and told to get a haircut before entering Singapore since government began 'Operation Snip Snip'. Most of them who had urgent business with their friends and relatives made do with a quick haircut at a barber stall 50 yards away from the checkpoint. (Photo: National Archives of Singapore) British pop group the Bee Bees at Hyatt Hotel, Singapore. From left brothers Barry, Robin And Maurice Gibb. (Photo: National Archives of Singapore) A ban on long hair once existed in Singapore. In the 1960s, a Singapore government policy forbidding any male to sport long hair went into effect. This was in response to the growing popularity of the hippie subculture worldwide; the government deemed such an influence to be negative and detrimental to the country's development.In 1974, an anti-long hair drive called Operation Snip Snip (yes, it really was called that), was carried out in Singapore. During that time, men with long hair (i.e. hair below the collar, covering the ears, forehead and eyelashes) were seen as untidy and deviant, potentially disrupting social order.What this entailed was that civil servants who refused to cut their hair short would have their employment terminated.Posters were also put up around government agencies offices that stipulated that males with long hair will have their need attended to last. The posters also appeared in different languages:Visitors who refused to cut their long hair were also turned away at immigration. At the Woodlands checkpoint, visitors were made to do quick haircuts at a barber stall nearby:The music scene was also affected because of this policy on long hair. Among others, the Bee Gees, Kitaro, and Led Zeppelin all were forced to cancel their gigs in Singapore because they refused to accommodate the policy.Jimmy Page and his new band Led Zeppelin had their show cancelled on 14th February, 1972 because they refused to cut their long hair. Also in the same year the Bee Gees were all here in Singapore to play their music but were forced home immediately after performing on stage at the National Theatre on March, 21st because their hair were too long.The campaign gradually eased off in the 1980s.To be fair to the Singapore government, not only did this island discourage males from sporting long hair. Other countries in the 1970s followed the same trend. Cities like Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, Seoul in South Korea, Melbourne in Australia and even Dublin in Ireland were strict with male students who sported long hair.(via Mothership The decree will make sure less buyers get their fingers burnt Among the big projects to be launched is An Khanh New City Developments sale of its first phase this quarter. The mega $2 billion project is developed by South Koreas Posco E&C and Vietnams Vinaconex, located in Hanois Hoai Duc district, along the Thang Long Boulevard. Scheduled for completion in 2013, the city is expected to supply 6,440 apartments, equivalent to 392,319 square metres of accommodation, enough for 30,000 people. Even though Hoa Phat Group, the investor in a more than 1,000 apartment Mandarin Garden in Cau Giay districts Tran Duy Hung road, refused to release its launching time, real estate experts predicted the project would be soon launched. At the beginning of this month the CT7D, located in Le Van Luong street and invested by Nam Cuong Group and the FLC Landmark Tower of FLC Group will also be launched, with a total of 200 units and prices ranging from VND23 million ($1,200) to VND28 million ($1,470) per square metre. In Gia Lam district, over the Red River, the second lot of Rung Co Residentials belonging to the Eco Park is also being launched, with around 1,500 apartment units. In addition, Victoria Van Phu, Star City, Diamond Tower and Song Da City View will also add apartments to the mix. Real estate consultant CBRE Vietnam expected that there would be 3,000 units in Hanoi launched this quarter, compared to 1,950 units in the third quarter. There were more than 4,600 units launched in the second quarter. This decline, according to CBRE Vietnam, could be due to the Decree 71, effective on August 8, 2010 providing guidance on the Housing Law, which caps the proportion of units sold via capital contribution contracts at 20 per cent with the remaining 80 per cent sold on transaction floors. This decree, CBRE Vietnam said, had put a pressure on developers with low financial capabilities and enhanced market transparency. However, CBRE Vietnam executive director Richard Leech said new project launches would continue trending towards more affordable options. With the opening and improvement of major infrastructure routes, the capitals western and southern districts are attracting new residents with easier access for commuting into the core urban districts, Leech said. He said that the Decree 71 was expected to benefit the market by enhancing transparency, placing pressures on developers with low financial capabilities, lessening the threat of price bubbles and limiting speculative forces. Tran Nhu Trung, Savills Vietnam associate director, said the Decree 71 had showed off its advantages to clearly regulate five types of mobilising capital investment. However, Trung said the procedures to implement Decree 71 were still complicated and wasted customers time and energy. The more simple it [decree] regulates, the more it is practical in the real life, Trung said. HDBank share sale to international investors was the second largest in the history of the Vietnamese banking system Faint sheen on Asias most feasible targets In its latest report in 2016, Fitch ratings agency noted that the creditworthiness of Vietnamese banks is still the lowest in Asia. This remark shows that the banking system still has a lot of problems to be solved, ranging from restructuring to bad debts and lack of capital. This is especially important when Vietnams banks are about to adopt the Basel II standards. This viewpoint was reflected in an article on Bloomberg View last September. Vietnamese banks lack capital, the article says. As the amount of bad debt had yet to be fully reflected, the situation may be even more serious than what the official statistics show. However, this challenge also creates opportunities for the banks to raise new capital and push the return of foreign capital to Vietnamese lenders. In investors eyes, Vietnamese banks are one of the most feasible targets in Asia, said Bloomberg. This comment was backed by the strong economic rebound of Vietnam in recent years and the steady recovery of the Vietnamese real estate industry. The banking sector, although still struggling with the high amount of bad debts, has recovered in many other aspects. Credit growthone of the most important signs of recoveryis experiencing a boost as well. The return of million-dollar deals Vietnams banks started their comprehensive overhaul in 2008and it is only in 2017 that they began to attract foreigners attention again, in deals worth of millions of USD. Most recently, HDBank has raised $300 million from international investors after selling shares to existing investors in the book-building method. The $300-million deal was the second largest ever in the Vietnamese banking sector, just below Vietcombanks $460-million deal in 2007. The number of registered purchases tripled the amount of shares on offer. Participants in this share sale were major financial institutions from around the world, such as Credit Saison (Japan), Deutsche Bank AG (Germany), JPMorgan Vietnam Opportunities Fund, CAM Bank (Japan), Charlemagne (UK); Dragon Capital, VinaCapital, and Macquarie Bank (Australia) or PYN Elite. Prior to HDBank, VPBank also completed raising $250 million from its share deal in May. The number of registered purchases, as revealed by the advisors, was $1.2 billion. The success of these two auctions has showcased the increasing size of transactions in the Vietnamese banking system, as well as the size of the selling price. A year ago, except for Vietcombank, bank stocks traded at only 1x, and some banks on the over-the-counter market even traded below their share value. However, nowadays, the value of some promising lenders has tripled to 3x or 4x. In the HDBank auction, investors were willing to pay VND32,000 ($1.4) and expected this figure to rise even higher when the lender makes its debut on the stock exchange in early 2018. These transactions also created a buzz in the stock market, signalling the return of Vietnams king stocks. This is especially true as investors often use the selling price in the pre-IPO share sale as the benchmark for their investments. Investors are willing to pay upwards VND32,000 for HDBank's stocks after its debut on the stock exchange Opportunities are not for everyone Promising stories about banks raising capital can make it seem like every lender is now taking in money left and right. However, the perception is not always true. Even the four major banks on the market are running into problems when raising first-tier capital. In the past year, Vietcombank did not manage to solve the delay in selling its stakes to Singapores sovereign fund GIC. Previously in August 2016, GIC has agreed to buy 306 million Vietcombank shares, or 7.7 per cent of the stakes. The reason for the delay is disagreements in pricing, as GIC offers to pay only $400 million, much lower than the $640 million market price of this share batch. BIDV, the largest bank by assets, is also facing difficulties in raising capital. The banks capital adequacy ratio is already reaching dangerous levels. A Korean partner is rumoured to have expressed interest in BIDV, but there is no concrete information on the sale yet. Apart from finding the right partner, the foreign ownership limit (FOL) is another major hindrance for banks. Both VPBank and HDBank still have 10 per cent of their shares available for foreign investors, which is partly why the share sales were a success. VPBanks FOL was reached immediately upon listing, while HDBank still has 8.5 per cent left. Meanwhile, at Vietinbank, the FOL is now encroaching the 30-per-cent limit. The tiny remaining stake is only enough for small-scale daily trading and is certainly not sufficient for a strategic investor. The banks financial health is another major factor. As of December 30, HDBank had VND180.8 trillion ($3.56 billion) of assets and VND14 trillion ($617.4 million) of owners equity. HDBank expects to earn VND2.4 trillion ($105 million) in pre-tax profit this year, up 130 per cent from the same time last year. HDBank has shown great progress in recent years. Compared to 2011, the total amount of assets as well as owners equity tripled and deposits grew fourfold. Credit increased fivefold, while pre-tax profit doubled. With close relationships with major partners like Vietjet Air, Vinamilk, and consumer finance firm HDSaison, HDBank is attracting significant attention from international investors. The bank is expected to grow faster than the industry average in the next five years. Respondents around the world expressed bleaker expectations for 2018 Notably, the global economic optimism index has been on a decline in the last 12 months and the study shows that only 28 per cent of the world now has an optimistic outlook on the 2018 economy, two point lower than the percentage of people having pessimistic outlook. Net optimism (the number of respondents saying the next year will be one of economic prosperity minus those who expect a difficult year ahead) has shown a downward trend from +23 at the end of 2015 and +20 at the end of 2016 to -2 at the end of 2017. For the second successive year, European citizens are significantly more worried about their prosperity (-16 net score). The challenges for the very future of the EU and Europe in general continued in 2017, creating uncertainties despite Europes emerging signs of recovery. The US public opinion is deeply divided on economic expectations for the new year. The most pessimistic countries are Italy (net score of -50) and Greece (net score of -42). Turkey is close behind (net score of -40). Nigeria (+59), followed by Vietnam (+55 net score) are on the most optimistic side. Vietnam ranks second in overall economic prosperity with an increase of 8.0 points compared to last year. Regarding the happiness index, more than half (59 per cent) of respondents claim they are happy. This is almost 10 points lower than twelve months ago. 2017 was a tough year with terrorist attacks almost every week and it may have influenced personal lives all around the world. Nevertheless, a majority in all polled countries remained happy. The world today shares +49 net happiness compared to the +59 a year ago. Throughout 55 countries surveyed, 8 per cent said that they were unhappy, almost the same as the 9 per cent at the end of 2016 and the 10 per cent at the end of 2015. Latin America seems to be the happiest continent in the world (net score of +66). Fiji is the happiest country, followed by Colombia with a net score of +86. Iran and Iraq are at the bottom with +5 and +7. The net happiness scores of the US and Russia are equal at +50. Vietnam is in the top five happiest countries with a net score of +77, showing a slight decrease from the past three years. The third is the hope index. A bit less than 40 per cent of the global respondents feel that 2018 will be better than 2017, which is 13 points down compared to a year ago. 23 per cent expect a worse year ahead. 32 per cent believe 2018 is going to be the same as 2017, and 6 per cent do not know. The net score of +16 is twice lower than the net score of the last year. A year ago, 15 per cent felt that a worse year was on its way, but nowadays their share is 23 per cent, resulting in a net score of +16. Compared to last years +37, the drop is obvious. The decrease reveals that the global population is turning worried as the world is turning into a more hectic and a less predictable place. Indonesia (+66 net score) is this years winner and South Asia (+51) is the most optimistic region in the world. Europe is on the opposite with 0 score in its non-EU part and only +5 in the EU. For instance, Bangladesh, India, and Vietnam, among others, score at about +50 in overall net optimism, while Greece is at -30 and Italy is at -41. Apparently, yet another bad-for-the-west-good-for-the-east year is coming. Globally, hope is reserved for the fastest growing countries. Low income apparently goes well with hope, since there are prospects of growth. In Vietnam, 58 per cent of the surveyed population considers that 2018 will be a better year for them, while 8 per cent consider it will be worse, making a net hope index of +50. The Gallup International End of Year Survey is an annual tradition initiated by and designed under the chairmanship of Dr. George Gallup in 1977. This years survey was carried out by the Gallup International Association (GIA) in partnership with WIN (The Worldwide Independent Network of Market Research and Opinion Polls) in 55 countries around the world. The survey is implemented in the EU, Armenia, East Asia, Middle and Afica, West Asia, simultaneously the US, India and Russia, which are three countries have been surveyed independently. A total of 53,769 persons were interviewed globally. In each country a representative sample of around 1,000 men and women was interviewed either face to face (23 countries; n=24,235), via telephone (13 countries; n=11,656) or online (19 countries; n=17,878). The field work was conducted during November 2017 and December 2017. The margin of error for the survey is between +3-5 per cent at 95 per cent confidence level. In Vietnam, the survey was implemented by Indochina Research (Vietnam) Ltd. with a representative sample of 1,000 people in urban districts of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City through face to face interviews assisted by a digitally scripted questionnaire on tablets. Passengers at Tan Son Nhat Airport, waiting to board the plane. - Illustration photo zing.vn More than one month before the holiday, Van Hieu from the northen province of Quang Ninh, a worker at the Tan Thuan Industrial Zone in HCM City, told zing.vn online newspaper that he struggled to buy a ticket home. According to him, during the previous years, he had to book flight tickets two months in advance to travel to Ha Noi at an affordable cost. However, this year, cheap flight tickets are not available. Meanwhile, ticket prices of flights in the days ahead of the Tet holiday, February 9 to 12 (December 24 to 27 in the Lunar calendar), are rising, even among the budget carriers. Flight tickets at the end of the lunar year are around VN3 million (US$130). Budget carriers offer slightly cheaper prices with limited luggage. If I buy extra check-in luggage, the cost is similar to that of other airlines, he said. The recent survey by zing.vn on domestic airlines online booking system showed that almost all cheap flight tickets during the Tet holiday are sold out, even for the business class. Vietnam Airlines, for example, sells tickets from VN3.6 million ($158) for the economy class and VN6.6 million ($290) for the business class on the HCM City Ha Noi route on February 7 (December 22 in the Lunar calendar). Flights on the following days are fully booked. On the same route, all promotional tickets of Vietjet Air till February 1 (December 16 in the Lunar calendar) are sold out. The cheapest ticket available is at VN1.4 million ($62) for the economy class. Meanwhie, for the converse route, from Ha Noi to HCM City, ticket prices are from VN968,000 ($43)/ticket/way for Vietnam Airlines, VN399,000 ($17.5)/ticket/way for Vietjet Air and VN500,000 ($22)/ticket/way for Jetstar Pacific. According to the Viet Nam Aviation Administration (VAA), domestic airlines strictly obey the governments regulation on domestic air fare management. There is no case of exceeding the ceiling price of VN3.683 million ($162)/ticket/way. MoT to tighten traffic management In another development, Prime Minister, Nguyen Xuan Phuc, on Thursday, signed a directive on management and administration strength to stabilise market prices and ensure social order and safety during the Tet holiday. The Ministry of Transport will collaborate with other government agencies to tighten traffic safety and fully respond to peoples travel demands. Also, the ministry is directed to strictly manage transport fares, improve traffic congestion and accelerate favourable conditions to operate rescue operations, when in need. Ho Chi Minh City celebrated the New Year with great enthusiasm Notably, one high-range and three low-range firework shows took place at Thu Thiem Tunnel (District 2) and Dam Sen Cultural Park (District 11), Cu Chi Tunnel (Cu Chi district), and Rung Sac Square (Can Gio district) from 0:00 to 0:15 on January 1, 2018. The privately-funded fireworks exhibitions, particularly the one at Dam Sen Park, are a long-standing tradition in Ho Chi Minh City to celebrate such occasions as the Reunification Day on April 30, Independence Day on September 2, and the New Year. The pyrotechnic displays were expected to help diversify the citys tourism products and attract more visitors to the city in 2018. The following are images of the firework displays (Source: Tuoitre) Cars burn during a blaze engulfing vechiles parked at a multi-storey car park near the Echo Arena, at the waterfront in Liverpool. (Paul ELLIS/AFP) Police said all cars inside the multi-storey Kings Dock car park, which has a capacity of 1,600 vehicles, had been destroyed, and owners should contact their insurance companies. An international horse show that had been scheduled to take place at the Liverpool Echo Arena, next to the car park, was cancelled. Organisers said all people and horses involved were safe. The Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service said initial investigations indicated that an accidental fire within one vehicle had caused others to ignite. Firefighters equipped with breathing equipment were still fighting the blaze six hours after they were called to the scene. Liverpool City Council opened a reception centre for people who were unable to get home because of the blaze. The city's mayor, Joe Anderson, visited the scene, which he described on Twitter as a major incident. "The people of Liverpool never let us down with their generosity and everyone has now been accommodated or given a lift. A big thank you to everyone who called to offer help," he said. "When I took office one year ago, I appealed for 2017 to be a year for peace," he said in his New Year's message. "Unfortunately, in fundamental ways, the world has gone in reverse. "Conflicts have deepened and new dangers have emerged. Global anxieties about nuclear weapons are the highest since the Cold War," an allusion to the crisis over North Korea's nuclear tests and missile firings. "Climate change is moving faster than we are. Inequalities are growing. We see horrific violations of human rights," said the former Portuguese prime minister, expressing concern as well over a rise in nationalism and xenophobia. He suggested that the international community "can settle conflicts, overcome hatred and defend shared values, but we can only do that together." Guterres urged world leaders: "Narrow the gaps. Bridge the divides. Rebuild trust by bringing people together around common goals." He concluded: "Unity is the path." Barbara A. Higgins age 65 of Alexandria died on Monday, August 23, 2021, at Sanford Health in Fargo. A Celebration of Life Service will be held 1:00 PM on Friday, September 10, 2021, at the Anderson Funeral Home in Alexandria. Visitation will be held for one hour prior the service at the fu The United States faces a greater threat of nuclear conflict on the Korean peninsula than at any previous time, said a former head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under both presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama. "We're actually closer in my view, to a nuclear war with North Korea and in that region than we have ever been," Ret. Navy Adm. Michael Mullen told ABC News "This Week" co-anchor Martha Raddatz in an interview Sunday. "I don't see the opportunities to solve this diplomatically at this particular point." Mullen, who chaired the Joint Chiefs from 2007 to 2011, said President Donald Trump has succeeded in getting China to take a more active role in trying to restrain North Korea's nuclear activities. I think President Trump has made China move more than they have in the past. Whether they continue to do that to help resolve this is the open question, he said. A real measure of how this all comes out is whether China is going to commit to a peaceful resolution here. If they don't, then I worry a great deal that it's much more likely there will be conflict. But Mullen also said that Trump has disrupted long-held views of the U.S. role in the world, and that Americas enemies benefit from that uncertainty in "an incredibly dangerous climate." The Trump presidency has been incredibly disruptive, certainly unpredictable in many many ways, the retired admiral said on "This Week." Those who have been our friends for many years ask questions about our commitments to them...and our enemies, those that would do us ill, seem to be able to take advantage of the uncertainty. Mullen said he is also concerned about a possible nuclear threat from Iran if Trump ends the Iran nuclear agreement. The president allowed the Iran deal to continue through 2017, but faces a legal deadline in mid-January on whether to continue it or to revive U.S. sanctions on Tehran. Mullen said if Trump makes good on his campaign promise to end the deal, Iran could rapidly develop nuclear weapons. I worry greatly about the fact that the Iranians will bring forward a nuclear weapon capability, Mullen said. They were very close when the deal was struck. They can redevelop it, I think, very rapidly. Mullen also weighed in on protests spreading in Iran this weekend and the potential crackdown by the Iranian government, saying the protests represent the inability to deliver on a better economy by the countrys leaders. They're struggling right now with the growth in their economy that they were promised once the sanctions were lifted, and so I think that's the real struggle, Mullen said. What isn't very clear to me at this point is how much of a backlash this will create from those who are -- who really run that government and how hard they'll come down on their people. Tonight, a lot of people might head out to New Year's Eve celebrations to ring in the New Year, along with a few drinks. Despite tonight's below average temperatures, revelers might feel warm from the alcohol. The. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises you to stay away from the alcoholic beverages and caffeine if you're going to be out in the cold. They cause your body to lose heat quickly and people may not realize it's happening. "New Year's Eve only happens once a year so you need to take advantage of it," said Jackie McGill. Jackie McGill with Humprey's Bar and Grill said employees are making sure people celebrating New Year's Eve outside would be warm. "If you go outside and look right now, you'll see our entire patio is tented, covered and heated. Making it about 10-15 degrees warmer than it is outside. So you can still have that space and enjoy the patio," McGill said. She advises to be smart when drinking outdoors. "The cold doesn't make you sick. If you bundle up and come prepared, you'll be fine," McGill said. Medical Doctors said liquor helps you feel warmer as the blood vessels on the skin's surface open, however it doesn't mean your body temperature is warm. That's how people get frostbite or hypothermia. Alcohol speeds up the process. Some people are deciding to bring in 2018 inside to prevent getting sick. "As soon as I get home, I'm going to sit down by the fire place, drink some coffee because it's cold," said Eli Alexander. Others like Marie King said despite the cold, they're still having fun at Huntsville Times Square. "There's going to be food trucks, DJ's, live food trucks, DJ's and live music. It's going to be warm and family friendly," Marie King said. Tonight, there's only one ay to stay healthy while having fun. "Just go out wearing a jacket. Don't expect the alcohol to keep you warm," King said. Also, Doctors said if you have a heart condition, drinking in the cold is dangerous because you'll be under the additional strain from the cold and not realize it. Cold wave affects normal life in Tarai districts (Photo feature) Normal life in various Tarai district has been affected due to the cold wave accompanied by dense fog. Telecommunications company Singtel Optus is being sued for alleged breach of contract by its former retail distributor TeleChoice, which is seeking more than $100 million in damages. TeleChoice filed a statement of claim in the Supreme Court of Victoria last month, seeking damages for alleged breach of contract, allegedly inducing breach of contract, and pursuant to Australian Consumer Law and the Trade Practices Act. Optus is being taken to court by former reseller TeleChoice. The total of all the claims made by TeleChoice is almost $110 million, though some are not ascribed a dollar value. The issues it is seeking redress for occurred more than five years ago. It was a meant to be a New Year's Eve to remember: a lunch at the Cottage Point Inn in Sydney's north, before a joy flight back to Rose Bay. However the five passengers - four British citizens and an 11-year-old girl- would not survive to ring in the New Year. Police have named the victims as Gareth Morgan, a 44-year-old experienced seaplane pilot; Emma Bowden, aged 48, Heather Bowden, aged 11, Richard Cousins, 58, and Edward and William Cousins, aged 23 and 25 respectively. Detective Superintendent Mark Hutchings said the pilot was Australian but his relatives lived overseas. He said Heather's mother had been on board, and all five passengers were known to each other. Fresh ideology for new party: Left alliance Leaders of the left alliance have said they are charting out a new ideology based on Marxism and Leninism for a new party to be formed after the merger between the two left parties. Journalist injured in accident Dhading district chapter Vice-President of Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) Govinda Budhathoki has been seriously injured in the motorcycle accident on Monday. Interview Krishna Khanal: Left alliance energised voters but their vote wasnt for a single party In 2017, Nepal witnessed the completion of three levels of elections that will help it move out of the transition phase into a federal democratic republic. 'Junie B Jones' Auditions at Market House Theatre Auditions for Junie B Jones Is Not A Crook will be Monday and Tuesday January 8 & 9 at 5:30 pm in the back of the Multi-Use Finkel Building located at 200 KY Avenue. The entrance door is located on the side of the building on Marine Way (2nd Street). Perusal scripts are available at the box office for a $10 refundable deposit. April Cochran will direct the production. Performance dates for Junie B Jones are March 8-18. Needed are a large (20+) cast of youth and adults. The characters include: Junie B, her friends Lucille, Jim, Handsome Warren, Grace, and Ricardo. Adult characters (who may be played by adults and/or teens) include: Junie's teacher Mrs., the Principal, Junie's Grandpa Frank Miller, and Junie's Mother. Other characters are additional classmates, a Parrot, Fireman, Lucille's Grandpa, Pink Fluffy Girl, Grouchy Typing Lady and more! Audition dates for plays and the casting information can always be found on the MHT site www.markethousetheatre.com. Learn all you can about the play so you are familiar with it when you come to auditions. Fill out an audition form making sure to list all your conflicts (days you cannot be at rehearsal). Generally the director will hold open auditions (that means that everyone in the community is welcome to audition). Some directors audition privately by appointment which allows them to work with a very small group at a time instead of a large group. Auditions usually are held Monday and Tuesday evenings. If there is a large group of people auditioning the director will schedule a call back. This is a smaller group of people that the director hasnt decided on, but wants to take another look at before casting the show. Generally the cast list is posted on a Friday of the auditions week and rehearsals start promptly the following Monday. MHT provides the costumes for the performers if we are doing a show with specialized costumes. We ask the performers to provide their own clothes as costumes if the show is set in present day. Actors have to provide their own shoes -generally black or brown dress shoes for the males and character shoes or dark shoes for females. It is helpful for those auditioning to check out a perusal script 1-2 weeks ahead of time to become familiar with the play. At the auditions the director will assign parts at random and have auditionees stand onstage and read these scenes looking for a sense of character, expression, diction, vocal projection and general acting ability. They might also be asked to participate in some simple theatre games or improvisations. If you are auditioning for a musical you should check to see if there are specific songs you will need to sing from the show to audition (this does not apply to the Family Series). If you are unable to attend the scheduled audition date please contact the theatre to see if there is an alternate audition time when other auditionees will be present. Alternate audition times are not guaranteed. Organizers make a concerted effort not to have private auditions for roles outside of the audition dates. Perusal scripts for all shows may be checked out for three days with a $10 Family Series script refundable deposit and a $10-$25 Adult script refundable deposit. Casting for roles are based on a variety of factors in addition to sense of character, expression, diction, vocal projection and general acting abilitiy. Casting can be also determined by the heights and ages of performers when compared with others who have auditioned. MHT believes strongly in color blind casting and seeks to cast new people as often as possible. All roles are available at auditions. Preference is also given to actors who will accept any role. Should an actor be unable to perform every effort will be made to recast the role from those actors already cast in the show. Junie B. Jones Is Not A Crook Audition Dates/Times: Monday, January 8, 2018 - 5:30pm Tuesday, January 9, 2018 - 5:30pm PADUCAH, KY -On the Net: Waters: Fighting Open-Meetings Offenses By Jim Waters LEXINGTON, KY - Getting sued and seeing the glass half full is an obvious oxymoron unless the lawsuit leads to a court decision establishing judicial precedent ensconcing a more open, transparent and accountable government.Kentucky House leaders' determination to rebuff the attorney general's decision that the House's closed-door gathering this summer to discuss pension reform violated the commonwealth's Open Meetings Act and instead take the issue to court hence, the lawsuit against the Bluegrass Institute brings the saga one step closer toward final rejection of using legislative maneuvers to avoid future secret meetings on politically difficult issues.Republican House leaders are attempting to maneuver around open-meetings requirements by claiming the Aug. 29 assembly to discuss controversial recommendations released the previous day for reforming the state's pension systems was just another one of their political caucus meetings open to the Democratic minority caucus as well.House attorney Laura H. Hendrix responding to a complaint filed by the institute's Center for Open Government defended the secret meeting, arguing that political caucus assemblies are "specifically exempt" from the Open Meetings Act.This isn't the first attempt by House leaders seeking a closed-door discussion about a politically thorny issue to claim the meetings are caucus gatherings exempt from sunshine laws.Similar arguments were advanced by the House in 1993 when Speaker Joe Clark called members into a closed session regarding Gov. Brereton Jones's proposed health care reform, also a highly contentious issue.House leaders escaped further legal action that year with claims that a quorum of its members didn't show up for the private discussion.Otherwise, the attorney general ruled, it would have constituted an illegal meeting.While House leaders argued this summer's secret session was a caucus meeting, they haven't even attempted to claim lack of an attendance quorum.It would be fruitless to do so, since the Lexington Herald-Leader reported prior to this past summer's pension discussion that "all House members will meet" and Louisville Democratic Rep. Jim Wayne was the only lawmaker who publicly objected to the secrecy and walked out in protest.The attorney general's ruling that a quorum would have made the 1993 closed-door meeting which leaders claimed was one big happy caucus event illegal should make the current case a legal slam dunk against even attempting such maneuvers.Yet while the legal outcome is by no means certain, it will be fascinating to witness House attorneys attempt to portray a meeting of nearly the entire legislative body as just a political caucus meeting.Doing so will, I anticipate, resemble an attempt to make the argument that if it looks, walks, swims and quacks like a duck, then it's probably a cat.Center for Open Government director Amye Bensenhaver hoped the House would simply accept and acknowledge it violated the open-meetings law instead of wasting taxpayer money by suing the Bluegrass Institute "to justify excluding the public from its meetings, which is precisely what the Open Meetings Act was designed to prevent."It's telling that longtime legislators who now are House leaders are driving this doubled-down attempt to protect the body's ability to meet behind closed doors.Perhaps a reminder is needed that part of being a policymaker is doing the hard work of conducting open discussions about tough issues and then being accountable not just for the final vote tally but also for how those decisions are reached throughout the legislative sequence.It's also important for them to keep in mind that the legislature itself has imposed the same open-meetings law the House skirted on other public entities.Getting this issue into a courtroom, argued and resolved would represent the kind of gain on behalf of citizens that would be worth the pain of the process. Community Service Corps seeks volunteers Applications for the next session of the Community Service Corps, an after-school program available to Westport students in sixth, seventh and eighth grades, are available. Student volunteers work one afternoon each week, Monday to Friday, Jan. 22 to March 30, from 3 to 5 p.m. At the end of the 10-week program, there is a wrap-up event at Toquet Hall, where students reflect on and discuss their experiences. Registration forms are available at westportct.gov or toquethall.org, as well as the Department of Human Services office in Town Hall room 200. A copy of the students medical form must be submitted with the application. For information, contact Kevin Godburn at 203-341-1155 or kgodburn@westportct.gov or Human Services at 203-341-1050. Nepal adds 150mw of hydro energy in 2017 The countrys energy sector marked the beginning of 2017 with addition of 50MW of electricity to the national grid. No wait for upper house to form govt CPN-UML leaders have urged the Election Commission to announce the results of Proportional Representation category of the House of Representatives election immediately, claiming that there was no need for the National Assembly to form a new government. NEW HARTFORD- The owner for the Taj Mahal restaurant on Genesee Street will serve up Indian cuisine on his dime, to his loyal customers. Owner Mo Mamun told NEWSChannel 2 this would be his fourth year offering free lunch to residents. "I'm trying to do a special thing for my customers, and since people come all year round I want to start the first day of the year right, by providing lunch on me. I want everyone to enjoy themselves," said Mamun. The restaurant will have several vegetarian dishes, lamb, chicken and rice dishes. Lunch will be served on Monday from 11 a.m.- 3 p.m. ROME - With temperatures in the single digits, the Rome Fire Department had to battle not only fire but also freezing temperatures. According to Chief Ron Brement of the Rome Fire Department, firefighters arrived at 6403 Henderberg Rd around 1:30 p.m., Monday afternoon. Upon arrival there were smoke and flames showing, said Chief Brement. Once we were able to get inside the fire spread from the first floor, into the second and eventually to the attic. According to Chief Brement, the frigid temperatures played a major factor in knocking down the fire. These cold temperatures of zero degrees were not making it very easy, it made the process a lot tougher, said Chief Brement. He later went onto explain, how the cold temperatures made it challenging due to freezing water and freezing air packs they were using. We had to rotate our guys in and out just to make sure that nobody got frost bite, said Chief Brement. The fire crew got the fire knocked down within two hours. Everyone who was inside of the house made it out safe, along with their dog. The cause of the fire is undetermined at this point. WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI)Faith West Community Center in West Lafayette hosted its annual New Year's Eve Spectacular Sunday evening. The event was full of games and fun for all ages. Free food, a bounce house, bingo, and ping pong tables were available for everyone. The Spectacular also showed movies for children. This is the fifth year for the event. Event Coordinator Jeff Franklin said it's a great way to bring people of all backgrounds together for fun. "I think it's helpful for mixing different groups of people. So we've got college students here from Purdue, but also just people who live and work in West Lafayette that don't really have anything to do with Purdue mixing," said Franklin. "You have children from different schools coming together and getting to know each other as they're playing together." Event coordinators are always looking for new games and activities to add. Faith West plans on hosting this event in the years to come. Oli, Dahal should retire after party unity CPN-UML Secretary Yogesh Bhattarai has remarked that his party Chairman KP Sharma Oli and CPN (Maoist Centre) chief Pushpa Kamal Dahal should give up active politics on the very day the two parties merge. China News on Women Sorry, the page you requested was not found. If you're having trouble locating a destination on Womenofchina.cn, try visiting the Womenofchina Home page A man flew thousands of miles to be able to massage a teenage boys back, according to police in New Jersey. The Port Authority Police of New York and New Jersey announced that they have arrested 34-year-old Sherwin Shayegan of Bothell, Washington, after being accused of assaulting the 14-year-old boy at the Newark Liberty International Airport. Shayegan has been charged with one count of endangering the welfare of a child. According to the police investigation, Shayegan flew into Newark Airport on Friday from Washington with a JetBlue flight. At around 3:00 p.m., while waiting for his luggage, Shayegan approached the 14-year-old boy from behind and massaged his back. When Shayegan was done, he handed the boy an envelope containing cash and alarming content. Police did not specify the nature of the alarming content. The boy reported the incident to a JetBlue employee who notified the police. Shayegan was located in the Marriott Hotel at Newark Airport. Police found numerous envelopes containing cash and notes in his hotel room. In Washington, Shayegan is known as the piggyback bandit. Shayegan appeared at numerous schools and persuaded young athletes to give him piggyback rides. He was also accused of unlawfully touching the young athletes in locker rooms. As a result, Shayegan was banned from schools in five states, North Dakota, Minnesota, Montana, Washington, and Oregon. People's mandate should be given formality, says Nembang CPN-UML leader Subas Chandra Nembang has pointed out that the incumbent government should pave the way for formation of a new government on the basis of people's mandate as expressed through the elections to the House of Representatives and Provincial Assemblies. The man who launched a deadly attack on four police officers inside a Colorado apartment was a former Army Reservist who was deployed in Iraq for a year, a spokesperson for the military said Monday. Authorities identified the gunman -- who was killed in Sunday's shooting -- as 37-year-old Matthew Riehl. Former school sent warnings about Riehl's online behavior Suspect served in National Guard and Army Reserve, official says Riehl barricaded himself in a bedroom in his apartment in a Denver suburb before suddenly opening fire with a rifle and shooting four deputies who were in the apartment responding to a complaint. One of the deputies died. Five law enforcement officers and two civilians were injured in shooting exchanges before the suspect was killed by a police tactical team, authorities said. Riehl served with the Wyoming National Guard from 2006-2012, according to Deidre Forster with the Wyoming National Guard's office of public affairs. Forster told CNN that Riehl enlisted in the Army Reserve in 2003. He spent time in Iraq in 2009 as part of a security mission during a one-year deployment with the 300th Field Artillery Regiment, according to Forster. He was honorably discharged in 2012 as an E-4 (specialist), Forster said. In July, Riehl attended an eight-hour firearms course in Colorado Springs, Colorado, taught by Kenaz Tactical Group, the company said. Riehl's "demeanor during the training sessions was not alarming," company owner Robert Butler said in statement. Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock told reporters that Riehl had previous contacts with law enforcement "throughout the metro area," but had no criminal history. Spurlock said the four injured officers were in stable condition. Suspicious behavior Riehl was a 2010 graduate of the University of Wyoming law school, and in late 2017, the school alerted students and faculty to what they called suspicious behavior involving Riehl. According to a letter sent to faculty and staff in November, Riehl posted "rambling, nonsensical messages on his Facebook page" that specifically mentioned the school. Campus police and the Laramie Police Department were both alerted to the posts. The faculty was asked to alert authorities if Riehl was spotted on campus. Chad Baldwin, associate vice president for communications and marketing at the university, told CNN the posts were "outrageous, vulgar and alarming." Baldwin said the university heightened security on campus, but there were no reported sightings of Riehl in the area. 'A tragic day that we will be feeling for a long time' The slain deputy has been idenfitied as Zackari Parrish, a 29-year-old father of two. "This is a tragic day that we will be feeling for a long time," said Spurlock. "Zack was a good kid, smiley kid. He was eager to work, eager to serve." A law enforcement motorcade accompanied the fallen officer from a hospital in nearby Littleton to the coroner's office on Sunday. President Donald Trump tweeted his "deepest condolences to the victims of the terrible shooting in Douglas County ... and their families." 'Well over 100 rounds fired' The incident began about 5:17 a.m. when the first deputy arrived at the Copper Canyon Apartments in Highlands Ranch, about 20 miles south of Denver. It was the second time deputies had gone to the apartment Sunday. There was a noise complaint call at around 3 a.m., but when deputies got there, there was no noise. After they spoke with a roommate in the apartment, they left, the sheriff's office said. "One male said the suspect was acting bizarre and might be having a mental breakdown," a police news release said. The second call was dispatched as a domestic disturbance, and by 5:35 a.m. the four deputies had arrived at the scene. The sheriff's office said the roommate returned to the scene, gave deputies a key and said they could enter the residence. The roommate then left, police said. Not long after the deputies found the suspect barricaded in his room, Riehl opened fire, Spurlock said. "There were well over 100 rounds fired," Spurlock said, adding that the deputies "all went down within almost seconds of each other, so it was more of an ambush type of attack on our officers." The wounded deputies crawled to safety as other law enforcement agencies responded to the shots fired call. The suspect was killed about 90 minutes later during a shootout when a tactical team went into the apartment, the sheriff's office said. VINCENNES, Ind. (WTHI)- UPDATE 7:40 PM: The Knox County Coroner's Office has confirmed 2 fatalities that happened at the early morning fire in Vincennes. The victims were identified as David Bradly Greenwell (39 years old) and Cindy Horvath (57 years old). An autopsy was conducted on both Greenwell and Horvath but toxicology results are pending. This is a large investigation being conducted by the Vincennes City Police Department, Vincennes Fire Department, Indiana State Fire Marshalls Office and the Knox County Coroner's Office. ORIGINAL STORY: In the heart of Vincennes Sunday morning was the sight of tragedy. Mark Kratzner was nearby when I saw it unravel. "I heard the sirens and smelled the smoke. I looked out the window at the back of my building and I saw the firetrucks and the lights," said Kratzner. Around 1:20 AM Sunday the Vincennes Fire Department received the call to this apartment complex on Broadway Street. Arriving minutes after the call officials say the fire grew too large. Battalion Chief Tony Jarrell was on scene helping those in need. "I believe there was about nine in the building. It's a total loss. Everyone's lost their personal possessions. The building will be torn down at some point, said Jarrell. Neighbors like the First Christian Church Disciples of Christ and the American Legion opened their doors as a warm place of refuge for all. Responders worked the best they could but their hard work still met with tragic results. "We have fatalities but I can make any more comment on that its still under the investigation. The Indiana State Fire Marshals are here assisting the Vincennes Fire Investigations Team," said Jarrell. We know that four people were sent to the hospital. The family of one tenant in the building said their loved one had to jump from the second floor to escape the flames. There's still no word yet on what caused the fire. We hope to learn more in the coming days and bring you the latest as it becomes available. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani tried to downplay the significance of sometimes violent protests across his country that have left 12 people dead in the biggest challenge to the authority of the Tehran regime since mass demonstrations in 2009. "Our great nation has witnessed a number of similar incidents in the past and has comfortably dealt with them. This is nothing," Rouhani said in a meeting with Iranian members of parliament on Monday. Rouhani has called for calm as his government deals with the widespread spontaneous uprising. Latest developments: -- A man "creating a disturbance" shot at police Monday with a hunting rifle, killing one officer and wounding three others, according to state media. The shooting happened in Najafabad. -- Fresh protests broke out in Tehran and other cities, with amateur video showing demonstrators chanting anti-government slogans. -- Rouhani called out Donald Trump after a series of tweets from the US President in support of the protests. -- Russia weighed in, saying the demonstrations are an "internal affair" for Iran and external interference is unacceptable. -- US Vice President Mike Pence tweeted support for protesters, saying "We will not let them down." -- Rouhani has acknowledged that Iranians have the right to protest legally but urged national unity Monday as "the first and most important step at this stage." -- A significant Internet outage was reported across Iran on Monday afternoon, but some users said later it was working again. -- Iran's Ministry of Information said agitators in the disturbances have been identified and arrested, and warned that people participating in illegal activities would be "seriously dealt with." How did it all begin? The protests were sparked by concerns about rising living costs and a stagnant economy, but developed into a broader outcry against the regime. They are the most serious challenge to Tehran's authority since the so-called Green Movement of 2009, when millions marched in the capital to protest the re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The opposition alleged the vote was rigged. Iran has not seen the economic boost that Rouhani, who won re-election in May, had hoped would come after the nuclear deal relieved the country of sanctions and opened it up to international markets. In the spring of 2017, unemployment was 12.6%, up only slightly from 2016, according to the World Bank. In a nod to the concerns fueling the protests, Rouhani said: "We have no bigger challenge than unemployment. Our economy requires major corrective surgery." So far, the latest unrest is on a much smaller scale than 2009. Authorities have yet to launch a wide-ranging crackdown, as they did eight years ago, preferring instead to contain the protests locally. Fresh protests in Tehran and other cities Amateur videos posted on social media Monday purport to show anti-government protests for a fifth straight day. The videos showed crowds marching down the streets of different cities, including Tehran, and chanting anti-government slogans. In one video, angry protesters could be heard shouting "death to Khamenei," referring to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's Supreme Leader. CNN cannot independently verify the veracity of the videos. In Tehran, protesters appeared to be playing a game of cat and mouse with police and security forces, according to Los Angeles Times reporter Ramin Mostaghim. He told CNN the police presence outnumbers the mostly younger protesters in the busy Azadi Street, but he saw several protesters yelling "down with the dictator" and sprinting away from police on the side streets. Mostaghim said some trash was lit on fire, but police quickly extinguished it. Demonstrations turn deadly One Iranian policeman was shot dead and three others were wounded during a riot in the town of Najafabad, in Isfahan province, south of Tehran, according to the state-run news agency Young Journalist's Club. "One rioter in Najafabad took advantage of the situation (in that city) and used a hunting rifle to shoot at security forces, which caused the death of one policeman and injuries to three other security personnel," the YJC said in a report posted on its website. Iran's state broadcaster said six people were killed Sunday in the small western town of Tuyserkan, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP). Six others were killed over the weekend in separate incidents in the neighboring provinces of Lorestan and Khuzestan, according to Iranian news agencies. Reports Sunday said that as many as 200 people were arrested in the demonstrations. Iran's Ministry of Information issued a statement saying that a number of agitators in the recent disturbances were identified and arrested, and it provided a telephone number for citizens to report any illegal activity to the ministry, according to the semi-official ISNA (Iranian Students News Agency). The ministry said more people will be arrested and warned that "they will be seriously dealt with." Rouhani: Iranians have the right to protest legally At a meeting with members of parliament Monday, Rouhani urged national unity, saying it "is the first and most important step at this stage." He also echoed remarks he made in a pre-recorded appeal for calm aired on state TV Sunday, saying that Iranians had the right to protest legally. "The space needs to open up for legal protest and criticism," he said. But he drew the line at outside interference after Trump commented on the demonstrations. Rouhani said that Trump had no right to sympathize with Iran because he has previously called the Iranian people "terrorists" and has been "constantly creating problems" for Iran since being elected, according to Iran's semi-official Tasnim News Agency. Trump weighed in again on Monday, posting: "Iran is failing at every level despite the terrible deal made with them by the Obama administration. The great Iranian people have been repressed for many years. They are hungry for food & for freedom. Along with human rights, the wealth of Iran is being looted. TIME FOR CHANGE!" British Foreign Minister Boris Johnson called for "meaningful debate about the legitimate and important issues the protesters are raising." In a Facebook message, Johnson called on Iranian authorities to permit dissent and stressed the importance of freedom of expression and peaceful demonstrations. Russia called the protests an "internal affair" for Iran. The Russian Foreign Ministry added that "external interference destabilizing the situation is unacceptable" and said it hopes the demonstrations "won't develop under the scenario of bloodshed and violence," state-run Russian news agencies Tass and Sputnik reported. Rouhani hinted that forces outside Iran are behind the protests and said his country's "progress and development has angered our enemies." Social media sites restricted State-run media outlet IRIB reported Sunday that officials had temporarily restricted access to social media apps Instagram and Telegram, which have been used by Iranians to share news about the protests. Iran's Minister for Communications and Technology Azari Jahromi denounced the reports as "rumors" in a post on Twitter. Two US presidents on two Iranian crackdowns Social media has helped galvanize tens of thousands participating in the protests, which have taken place in towns and cities across Iran. The unrest appears to have begun with hard-line agitators encouraging protests against Rouhani. But they quickly lost control of events and demonstrations have taken on a general anti-regime feel. Monday afternoon, Internet outages were reported across the country, according to Oracle's Internet Intelligence, a global research site that monitors Internet activity. A CNN producer in Tehran said the Internet was out for about an hour before coming back on. The producer spoke with people in other cities and they said they were experiencing intermittent Internet outages. In a rare act of defiance, some protesters have even called for the resignation of Khamenei. In some demonstrations, women cast off their hijabs, defying the country's strict Islamic dress code. The protests have provided an opening for Iranian women to push for equal rights. Video shared on social media captured Iranians chanting "We don't want an Islamic Republic" and "Death to the dictator." CNN has not independently verified the authenticity of the footage, purportedly shot in the western city of Khorramabad. Shedding veils to shed tradition A group of women from the Dalit community in Jahadi settlement of Siraha are spearheading a cultural revolution against the patriarchal tradition known as Ghumto Pratha, where married women are required to veil their faces before other men. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - The Leon County Sheriffs Office is searching for a missing 16-year-old girl. Sierra N. Peaden is 52 tall and weighs 180 lbs. She was last seen Thursday in the 8400 block of Buck Lake Rd. while wearing a white t-shirt, grey sweat pants and flip flops. If you have any information on her whereabouts, you're asked to contact the Leon County Sheriffs Office at (850) 606-3300 or (850) 697-5800. MOBILE USERS: Download our WTXL news app on your Apple and Android devices for the latest from South Georgia and North Florida. Also, download our WTXL Weather Now app for Apple and Android devices to get the latest local weather wherever you go. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for additional local news and hourly updates. GILLCHRIST COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) - A Madison man walking across a highway was killed when he was hit by a Gilchrist County Sheriff's Office deputy's patrol vehicle early Monday morning, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. Max D. Bailey, 28, was crossing U.S. Highway 129 eastbound in front of the deputy's 2014 Chevrolet SUV patrol vehicle about 1:20 a.m. Monday, the FHP said. The deputy was traveling northbound on U.S. 129 about .2 miles north of County Road 339. Bailey was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency medical services personnel, the FHP said. MOBILE USERS: Download our WTXL news app on your Apple and Android devices for the latest from South Georgia and North Florida. Also, download our WTXL Weather Now app for Apple and Android devices to get the latest local weather wherever you go. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for additional local news and hourly updates. (WTXL) - As 2017 wraps up, WTXL is paying tribute to the people lost in our local community this year. The people range from Amanda Vickers, the Monticello woman battling brain cancer who's last wish was to speak to Tim Tebow, to Florida High grad Cam Brown, who inspired us all with his warm smile, kind heart and relentless ambition to never give up. The positivity that radiated from cam was undeniable. Even after being diagnoised with osteosarcoma, even after a leg amputation, it was nothing but smiles from Super Cam. He never gave up. In 2017, we said goodbye to many who touched the community. In April, 29-year-old Bruce Maynor Jr. jumped into the water at St. George Island Beach and saved a little boy's life and sacrificed his own. In November, local law enforcement posted a sign with his picture on the beach. Maynor's family, hopes it will serve as a reminder to be safe and aware of beach conditions. In August, Gadsden County Sheriff's Deputy Maximillan Sander died after months of health struggles from a motorcycle crash in Tallahassee. The Gadsden County Sheriff's Office honored Sander's service with a memorial and a special dedication to his life. Tallahassee's first black mayor was laid to rest this year. James Ford, 91, died in October. Ford was elected in 1972. He served three terms at city hall. His contributions impacted all lucky enough to know him. Family, friends and colleagues said their final goodbyes to Tallahassee firefighter Jeff Atkinson in December. The 43-year-old engineer died on duty. First responders came from all over the Sunshine State to say goodbye. Atkinson is survived by his wife and four-year-old daughter. These are just some of the lives lost in 2017, a small sign of not just what we'll miss but what we love about living in the Big Bend. MOBILE USERS: Download our WTXL news app on your Apple and Android devices for the latest from South Georgia and North Florida. Also, download our WTXL Weather Now app for Apple and Android devices to get the latest local weather wherever you go. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for additional local news and hourly updates. Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 06:51:24|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close by Alessandra Cardone ROME, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Italian parties must fulfil their key responsibility and "drive the change", as the country prepares to hold general elections in March, Italy's President Sergio Mattarella said Sunday in his New Year speech. "The speed of innovation is pressing, leading us into a new era ... Yet, changes must be governed, in order to prevent injustices and new social exclusion," Mattarella said. The true mission of politics would consist "precisely in the ability to face such innovations, and to guide the process of change". "The responsibility to advance suitable proposals -- convincing and tangible proposals -- is strongly required, given the size of our country's problems," the president stressed. Mattarella made such remarks days after dissolving the parliament on Dec. 28, paving the way to elections. In the same day, Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni's cabinet set the date for the vote on March 4, officially launching what was expected to be a harsh campaign. In his address, broadcast on TV from the presidential palace on Sunday, Mattarella said he wished "a broad participation in the vote" and especially by the younger generations. "As always, the election will open a blank page, and voters will be the first to write it, followed by parties and parliament," he said. "I am confident in the presence of the young people born in 1999, who will vote for the first time." Focusing on the younger generations' participation in the political life, Mattarella recalled the next year would mark a century from World War I. "In these same months a century ago, the eighteen-year-olds at the time were being sent to war, and to the trenches, where many lost their life," he explained. "Nowadays, our eighteen-year-olds go to the polls. I am saying this because we often forget we are living the longest period of peace ever for our country and for Europe." As such, he urged Italians to not live "in the trap of an everlasting present." "The horizon of the future is the real subject of the upcoming electoral contest," Mattarella pointed out. Italy's closing legislature saw three center-left cabinets following one another since 2013, respectively led by Enrico Letta, Matteo Renzi, and Paolo Gentiloni from ruling Democratic Party (PD). However, the current landscape was fragmented, fuelling fears a period of instability might affect the post-crisis recovery of the euro-zone's third-largest economy. Thus, such a strong focus on politics by the president -- and his appeal to the responsibility of political forces -- did not come unexpectedly. With three months before elections left, the center-left PD was seen as losing ground in favor of anti-establishment Five Star Movement (M5S), which has grown as Italy's most popular party. Latest opinion polls showed the M5S at around 27.5 percent, followed by the PD at 24 percent, and by center-right Forza Italia (FI) party of former premier Silvio Berlusconi at about 16 percent. If such projections will be confirmed in the vote, none of the big parties would be strong enough to govern alone, and the election might result in a hung parliament. Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 07:06:25|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close ATHENS, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Greek revelers ushered in the New Year with music concerts and firework shows with the main open air party held on Sunday night at the foot of the Acropolis hill in the heart of Athens. Thousands of people gathered in many central squares across the country to ring in 2018, singing along and dancing to the rhythm of music performed by renowned local artists. Political leaders and ordinary citizens wished for peace and prosperity across the world and exit from the debt crisis for Greece which has suffered since late 2009. Under the timetable, the bailout program the country signed with international lenders in the summer of 2015, the third since 2010, will end this summer. "The past teaches us. The present makes us stronger. The future unites us in order to conquer what is rightfully ours," Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos said in his emailed message for the New Year. "We have left the darkness behind ... We are finally leaving behind the era of supervision, of tough measures and humiliation. And this is a very good reason to be optimistic that 2018 will be a good year for our country and our people," Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said in his message for the New Year. Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 07:51:32|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close HAVANA, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Cuba concludes 2017 with a slight economic recovery and continued robust social programs despite the roll back in ties with the United States and the devastation left by Hurricane Irma. While Cuba fell short of its 2-percent growth target, it registered a 1.6-percent expansion in gross domestic product (GDP) that marked the end of a recession, Minister of Economy Ricardo Cabrisas recently noted. President Raul Castro told parliament two weeks ago, "this outcome is not enough to feel satisfied, but we must congratulate ourselves for achieving it, despite the adverse conditions." Low international prices for Cuban export items eroded revenues, and the economic crises affecting some of its political and trade allies, namely Venezuela, also had an impact. Caracas provides 50 percent of the fuel consumed on the island, but the crisis in the South American nation led to an insufficient supply to the Caribbean country. The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump rolled back the restoration of ties with Cuba, and reimpose restrictions on travel and trade. Trump prohibited individual visits by American citizens to the island under the "People to people" category, and imposed conditions on educational and academic trips, which now must be done under U.S. supervision. His measures also prohibit U.S. companies from having commercial exchanges with 179 Cuban holdings and firms associated with the island's armed forces or security agencies. Despite these unfavourable events, Cuba managed to maintain its health and education standards, which are the pride of the revolutionary government in power since 1959. Cuba closes 2017 with a child mortality rate of 4.1 per thousand live births, the lowest in its history, life expectancy of 78.4 years, and a national cancer control program that has stopped the illness from being the leading cause of death. Still pending is the unification of the dual currencies in circulation -- the Cuban peso (CUP) and the Cuban dollar (CUC) -- which distort the economy and hinder foreign investment. "The elimination of the dual currency is the most important problem to solve in order to upgrade our economic model," according to Castro, who has asked his cabinet to resolve the issue as soon as possible. Still, for the first time, Cuba managed to attract as much as 2 billion U.S. dollars in foreign investment to promote different joint projects in key sectors, Minister of Foreign Investment Rodrigo Malmierca said. International tourist arrivals continued to rise, reaching a record 4.7 million visitors in 2017. For 2018, the government forecasts 2-percent growth. Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 09:01:42|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close The Guard of Honor of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) perform the national flag-raising duty at the Tian'anmen Square in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 1, 2018. The responsibility for guarding China's national flag and firing salute cannons at the Tian'anmen Square was transferred to the Chinese People's Liberation Army from Jan. 1, 2018, as authorized by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. Before Jan. 1, the ceremony was conducted by the armed police. (Xinhua/Shen Hong) BEIJING, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) - The Guard of Honor of the Chinese People's Liberation Army on Monday morning began to conduct the stately ceremony of raising the national flag at Tian'anmen Square in Beijing, the first time since it took over the duty from an armed police unit. At 7:32 a.m., bugles were sounded on the Tian'anmen Rostrum. Beneath it, 96 soldiers guarding a giant five-star red flag began marching toward the square. More than 90,000 visitors braved the cold winter morning and gathered at Tian'anmen Square, having waited for hours just to be part of the ceremony, watching the national flag be hoisted in the heart of Beijing on the first day of 2018. Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 09:56:51|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close YANGON, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar President U Htin Kyaw on Monday urged the Myanmar people to work with the government "with full force and enthusiasm" in building a peaceful, prosperous and developed country. In his message for the new year 2018, U Htin Kyaw recalled that since taking office, the government has been working hard to achieve internal peace, national reconciliation, building a democratic federal republic, and improving the socio-economic life of the people. Due to the efforts, the country is able to achieve a certain degree of success, he said. At this time when the 21st Century Panglong Peace Conference are being busily prepared for building a democratic federal republic, the president said the government, the people, the parliament, the armed forces, political parties, civil society organizations and ethnic armed organizations have been working very hard to jointly realize the goal. He wished that all will be fulfilled in the new year, praying for the health and happiness of the Myanmar people, brothers and sisters of the ethnic nationalities. On the same day, two Vice Presidents U Myint Swe and U Henry Van Thio also sent new year greetings, hoping that the country and the people will be able to achieve peace and development soon. Slippery road ahead The resolution of the dispute over the National Assembly (NA) election ordinance came as a pleasant surprise. After months of holding on to the draft ordinance and asking the Nepali Congress to reach a compromise with the other parties, President Bidya Bhandari suddenly ratified the ordinance on Friday. Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 11:25:01|Editor: Jiaxin Video Player Close Photo taken on Dec. 29, 2017 shows a "Momo" in front of a house in La Plata, Argentina. As part of a tradition that began in the 1950s, the residents of La Plata make annually giant dolls known as "Momos", with shapes of dinosaurs, superheroes, and cartoon characters, which will be burnt during the first hours of January 1 to celebrate the New Year. (Xinhua/Martin Zabala) Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 11:22:01|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close BRUSSELS, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- China is eying a promising 2018 for its relations with the European Union (EU), Ambassador Zhang Ming, head of the Chinese Mission to the EU, said Sunday in an interview with Xinhua. Zhang, who served as China's vice foreign minister before coming to Brussels in October of 2017, reviewed China-EU relations in the outgoing 2017 and shared his expectation for 2018 in the exclusive interview. PROMISING 2018 FOR CHINA-EU RELATIONS "In the past year, the relations between China and the EU made steady progress, marked by expanded cooperation in various fields and enhanced mutual understanding," Zhang said. Underlining that socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a "new era" after the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) held in October, Zhang said major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics should take new steps accordingly. With regards to China-EU relations, he eyed a promising 2018, stressing that it marks the first year of fully implementing "the spirit of the 19th National Congress of the CPC" and the 40th anniversary of "reform and opening-up" in the country. The year also marks the 15th anniversary of the establishment of the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership, said Zhang. He added that 2018 is the China-EU Tourism Year, which would be launched in Venice, Italy, on Jan. 19. "We will build on the good momentum of China-EU relations, further expand our mutually beneficial cooperation across the board, and add more strategic and global dimensions to China-EU relations," the diplomat said. He reiterated that China is dedicated to the building of a new type of international relations with a win-win cooperation at the core, as well as the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. The EU is China's largest trading partner and China is the EU's second largest. Data from the China Customs showed that in the first 10 months of 2017, trade between the two sides increased 16.2 percent year on year to some 3.4 trillion yuan (about 500 billion U.S. dollars). XI'S NEW YEAR SPEECH "EXCITING AND UPLIFTING" Zhang just returned to Brussels on Sunday morning after a conference held in Beijing for Chinese diplomatic envoys, where Chinese President Xi Jinping made a speech calling for more efforts to advance the major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics. Speaking of Xi's New Year speech which was broadcast minutes before Zhang's interview with Xinhua, the diplomat said: "It was an exciting and uplifting speech. Although we diplomats work in different parts of the world, we feel very close to our motherland, with our fellow Chinese people, and with our leadership." Xi, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivered a New Year speech Sunday, vowing that China would resolutely carry out reforms in 2018. Xi extended New Year greetings to all Chinese, and best wishes to friends all over the world. "As always, General Secretary Xi's message is of great vision and inspiration. However, it does not fall short of the warm and human touch. The message gives us more confidence and motivation to further our diplomatic work in the New Era," Zhang continued. Zhang hailed that under the leadership of the Central Committee of the CPC with Xi at the core, China broke new grounds on the diplomatic front in the past year. "Xi was personally involved in a number of high-level diplomatic events. I was lucky enough to witness and be involved in many of such events," said the ambassador. "Xi is not only a commander that leads us, but also a soldier who fights along with us. On every international occasion, he endeavored to have China's voice heard, present China's solutions and contribute China's wisdom," he added. "As a result, China's international standing and influence have significantly improved," he said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 11:47:06|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close by Santosh Ghimire KATHMANDU, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- In 2017, Nepal and China witnessed major developments in the age-old friendly ties while agreeing to further enhance their bilateral cooperation under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative. In March 2017, Chinese Defense Minister Chang Wanquan paid a three-day visit to Nepal where the two sides discussed a number of bilateral issues, including maintaining high-level military exchanges, tightening border control, and deepening pragmatic cooperation in various fields. In the last week of March, Chinese President Xi Jinping met then Nepalese Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal in Beijing where the two sides agreed to expand bilateral trade and investment, increase connectivity including construction of railways, roads and ports, and enhance cooperation in oil and gas, electricity and clean energy. In April, the Nepalese Army and People's Liberation Army of China held a first-ever joint military training in Kathmandu, seeking to exchange skills and knowledge on disaster management and counter-terrorism. In May, a Nepalese high level delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara attended the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in China, a few days after Nepal joined the Belt and Road Initiative by signing the MoU on Belt and Road cooperation. Though Nepal witnessed a change of guard in June 2017 as Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba became the country's prime minister for the fourth time, the two governments continued their friendly ties based on mutual trust and understanding as earlier. In August, Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang met top political leadership in Kathmandu in course of his visit to Nepal, where the two sides agreed to make joint efforts to further advance pragmatic cooperation between the two countries under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative. As the two countries are willing to connect each other through the railway connectivity, top officials from China's National Railway Administration (NRA) visited Nepal in November to start groundwork for the development of the proposed railway connecting Kathmandu and Chinese border town Kerung. In November, Nepalese officials identified three potential infrastructure projects to be implemented under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative which include a cross-border railway line linking China's Kerung with Nepal's Kathmandu, an electricity transmission line connecting Kerung with Nepal's Galchhi in Dhading district, and a Sunsari-Marin Diversion Irrigation Project in eastern Nepal. "We support the Belt and Road Initiative and will take an active part in the China-proposed initiative," Nepalese Foreign Secretary Shanker Das Bairagi told Xinhua, stating that his country is willing to earnestly implement the consensus reached between leaders of the two countries in various occasions. China continued to contribute Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to Nepal in 2017 as well. In September, the Investment Board Nepal (IBN) and Hongshi-Shivam Cement Private Limited, a Nepal-China joint venture company, signed Project Investment Agreement (PIA) to set up a mega cement factory in Nepal with an investment of 359.18 million U.S. dollars. The agreement was the first of its kind in Nepal for private sector investments. This was the largest Chinese investment in Nepal's cement industry. The joint venture industry has targeted to start production by 2018 with initial production of 6,000 tons of cement per day. The company which has already started construction of the factory has employed more than 1,000 local workers during its construction period, according to the company. The company is expected to start its cement production from March 2018. As Nepal successfully completed a transition by holding the elections for local bodies, provincial assemblies and federal parliament in 2017 as outlined in the historic new constitution promulgated in 2015, people are hopeful that the country will enter into an era of political stability and development. Many in Nepal have high hopes that Nepal and China will see a stronger cooperation between the two countries in 2018 on multiple fields including trade, investment, commerce, rail-road connectivity, energy, tourism and people-to-people contacts. Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 11:52:07|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close HANOI, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Seven foreign teams and the host team will perform at the 2018 Da Nang International Fireworks Festival from April 29 to June 30 in Vietnam's central Da Nang city, the Da Nang Tourism Department said on Monday. The eight teams from France, China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Sweden, the United States and Vietnam, will shoot fireworks at weekends for at least 20 minutes each performance on the Han River. A street parade, beer and food festivals, and flash mobile dance performances will be held in the city's places of interest during the festival themed "The Legend of Bridges". Da Nang received 6.6 million visitors, including 2.3 million foreigners, in 2017, up 19 percent against 2016, while making a total tourism revenue of 19,403 billion Vietnamese dong (858 million U.S. dollars), up 20.6 percent, said the department. In 2017, Vietnam hosted 12.9 million international arrivals, up 29.1 percent, with the highest growth of 56.4 percent in the number of visitors from South Korea, followed by China (up 48.6 percent) and Russia (up 32.3 percent), according to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism. Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 12:02:09|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close BEIJING, Jan.1 (Xinhua) -- Apple farmers in Yijun County of northwest China's Shaanxi Province no longer need to overly worry about drops in apple prices, thanks to financial instruments that they may find difficult to understand. By paying a small premium, the farmers can receive compensation from insurance companies if the market price falls below a specific amount. Conversely, insurers can buy financial derivatives on apples from futures companies, hedging their risks if the apple price rises too much. The "insurance plus futures" hedging model came as China launched the world's first apple futures in late December, with the aim of stabilizing the earnings of farmers that rely on apple cultivation as a major source of income. "The purpose of launching apple futures is not merely to have a new product, but to help the real economy," said Chen Huaping, president of the Zhengzhou Commodity Exchange. It's not the only innovative products that China has launched on its growing commodity derivatives market. As authorities reiterate the role that financial services should play in the real economy, the futures market is setting a good example, helping farmers mitigate the risks of price volatilities. FLEDGING MARKET From apples to eggs, China has futures contracts for many commodities that are not easily found elsewhere. Futures contracts obligate investors to buy or sell underlying assets at a predetermined price and at a specified time, helping investors hedge against uncertainties. In the past five years, China launched 27 new futures contracts, accounting for almost half of the 55 contracts that are currently traded. In April, China launched white sugar options, a derivative of futures, shortly after the launch of soybean meal options. In August, trading of cotton yarn futures started on the Zhengzhou Commodity Exchange. In the years to come, the market is likely to see futures contracts covering a range of commodities including red dates, paper pulp and pigs, according to Fang Xinghai, deputy head of the China Securities Regulatory Commission. "China's economic development is in an strategically important period, and the prospects for the futures market is very promising," Fang said. STRENGTHENED SUPERVISION While the futures market originated as a way for producers to lock in a stable income amid market fluctuations, it is not a market free from speculation. As China stepped up financial supervision to rein in systemic risks, regulators of futures market also made efforts to correct irregularities. The country's three commodity exchanges have been adjusting the margin deposit requirements on futures trading on a regular basis to prevent overheated market activities. In November, the China Futures Association said it would guide futures companies in China to conduct the first comprehensive stress test to gauge the ability of firms to respond to a set of scenarios. "Maintaining stability is the very foundation of development. We have always placed risk control as the top priority," said Li Zhengqiang, president of the Dalian Commodity Exchange. The exchange has been conducting checks on the authenticity of hedging activities and punished those that violated the rules. OPENING UP While China is the world's largest consumer of many commodities, such as apples and iron ore, it still lacks the corresponding pricing power, partly due to a futures market that involves mainly domestic market participants. "The lack of pricing power of commodities has become a barrier for trade, the internationalization of the yuan and China's participation in global economic governance," Li said. To encourage more foreign participation in the domestic market, China announced that foreign businesses would be allowed to own up to 51 percent of shares in futures companies, and the cap would be phased out over three years. "The widely expected launch of yuan-denominated crude oil futures is also a catalyst for the futures market to grow and will speed up the yuan's internationalization," according to Xu Weizhong, head of Huatai Futures. "Crude futures will become an important channel for foreign institutions to access China's market. With all these international institutions, China's futures market will become more influential." Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 12:17:11|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close PYONGYANG, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong Un said Monday that Pyongyang is willing to talk with Seoul on its possible participation in the 2018 Winter Olympics to be held in South Korea. In his New Year speech, Kim said that 2018 is an important year for the two countries on the Korean Peninsula, as the DPRK will mark the 70th anniversary of the country's founding while South Korea will host the Winter Olympics. Expressing sincere wishes for a successful Winter Olympics, Kim said that the DPRK will take necessary measures to prepare to participate in the event, including holding North-South talks on the DPRK's participation. As neighbors, the two Koreas are "bound by blood", and "it is natural that we feel happy and provide assistance for the activities to be organized by our compatriots", he said. South Korea has suggested that the two countries form a joint team to attend the event to be held in Pyeongchang County in February. In his speech, Kim also said that the two sides should reduce the highly tense military confrontation to create a peaceful environment for reconciliation. Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 13:22:19|Editor: Jiaxin Video Player Close KABUL, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Five militants from Islamic State (IS) group were killed in an airstrike in eastern Afghan province of Nangarhar, the command of Special Forces said Monday. As a result of an airstrike launched by Afghan Special Operation Forces in district Dih Bala, Nangarhar province on Sunday evening, five terrorists from IS died and two IS fighters wounded, Operational Coordination Group Afghanistan (MoD-OCGA) said in a statement. Afghan security forces and the NATO-led coalition troops have beefed up security operations and airstrikes against militants as the war-weary people are facing upsurges in attacks by Taliban and IS militants across the country. The IS group, which emerged in Nangarhar in early 2015, has yet to make comments on the report. Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 13:47:22|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close BEIJING, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- After listening to the New Year speech delivered by President Xi Jinping Sunday, Wang Min felt it was "down-to-earth, hearty and encouraging." The word for "the people" appeared most in the speech, demonstrating the happiness of the people is what Xi cares about, said Wang, chairman of Xuzhou Construction Machinery Group Co., Ltd., a leading domestic manufacturer in east China's Jiangsu Province. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, delivered a New Year speech Sunday, extending New Year greetings to all Chinese, and best wishes to friends all over the world. In the speech, he said China's great achievement in development was made by the people and for the people, and that among the people's most pressing concerns were education, employment, income, social security, health care, elder care, housing and environmental protection. "The data showing economic achievements are really encouraging," said Wang. "As 2018 marks the 40th anniversary of the country's reform and opening up, our company will carry on the spirit of reform and innovation to build a world-class enterprise." Xi's New Year speech has boosted the morale of the Chinese people to work harder to serve the country and earn a better life. "I feel proud of the great achievements China has made," said Jiang Shengxia, Communist Party chief of Panlong village in east China's Anhui Province. Last year, 127 residents shook off poverty in the village, said Jiang."In 2018, we will further develop rural tourism and ecological agriculture to make more residents lead a prosperous life." Xi reiterated that by 2020, all rural residents living below the current poverty line should be lifted out of poverty. It will be the first time in China's thousands of years of history for extreme poverty to be eliminated. "Only three years are left. It is urgent. I think industry plays a key role in poverty reduction as stable income ensures poverty elimination in the long run," said Pan Kegang, Party head of Huamao village, in southwest China's Guizhou Province. On Sunday evening, Pan organized a meeting of villagers to discuss plans to revitalize the village through tourism and unique agriculture this year. Xi's speech won high praise from workers, too. "As a frontline worker, we should make solid efforts and do our work better to contribute to the Belt and Road Initiative," said Zhan Xiaowei, who works at Tieshan Port in Beihai City in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. As an important part of an economic zone, Tieshan Port has seen a big boost in annual cargo handling capacity in recent years. Zhan, who began working at the port in 2009, has witnessed the rapid growth in its throughput. Zhan's work involves handling the cargo of seven to eight vessels each day, double the number of vessels prior to 2017. Beihai City has opened routes to more than 200 ports in 80 countries and regions. In the New Year address, Xi cited a number of key innovation breakthroughs such as the Chinese-produced large passenger jet C919 and major projects such as the 55-kilometer-long bridge linking Hong Kong, Zhuhai and Macao. On Sunday, major work on the world's longest sea bridge was completed as scheduled after its lighting system was installed and tested. "The bridge will serve as a boost to the rise of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area," said Gao Xinglin, assistant director of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Authority. Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 13:52:24|Editor: Jiaxin Video Player Close MEXICO CITY, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- On New Year's Eve, unlike people who would give a kiss to their beloved ones at the stroke of midnight, Latin Americans celebrate the new year in their unique tradition. People across Latin American countries share many traditions in common, such as stuffing money in their shoes or step on a bill, preferably a high denomination to guarantee prosperity in 2018. More often however, people from the different parts of the continent follow their own endemic rituals. Cubans, for example, literally carry their suitcases around the block to increase their chances of traveling in the coming 12 months. "I have already prepared my suitcase to take it round the block, because next year I want to go to Spain," Havana resident Maribel Ortega said, giggling at the idea. Like many Latin Americans, Ortega avidly follows such New Year's rituals, which have to be performed at the stroke of midnight to be "effective". Another Cuban tradition is to throw a bucket of water out of the window so it takes all the bad with it. Those who follow the custom to the letter first clean and mop up the house, always starting from the inside and working their way out towards the exterior. The dirty water is then disposed of the moment the old year ends and the new one begins. Many Cuban families follow the tradition of making a doll out of used clothes to later burn as part of their cleansing ritual. People also tuck little strips of paper written with all the things they would like to forget or let go of, into the folds of the fabrics. Farther to the south, Ecuadorians have their own version of the burning doll, which they call "monigotes." These paper-mache effigies resemble political figures, super heroes or other characters, and represent the outgoing year. Vendors sell effigies of different sizes and colors that embody all the negative aspects of the past year, and New Year's revelers set them on fire, after giving them a few swift kicks. William Villacis, 48, told Xinhua, "there are too many things to burn, above all, the corruption and the very difficult economic situation we find ourselves in." With just hours to go before ringing in the New Year, hundreds of Mexicans swarmed Mexico City's storied Sonora Market, supplier of everything from herbal remedies to love potions, good luck charms and white candles. Enrique Molina, a 40-year-old vendor, has bought 12 white candles he plans to light on New Year's Eve to ward off evil and bring good luck in 2018. Hugo Garcia, who manages one of the market stalls, explained the uses of some of the items on sale. "We sell prepared candles, seeds so food won't be lacking at people's dinner tables, and sheep to attract wool (which is slang for 'money' in Spanish)," Garcia said. "We are really busy today, with just hours to go before the arrival of 2018. People leave happy, since what they want is to have abundance and prosperity," Garcia added. Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 14:17:27|Editor: ZD Video Player Close The Guard of Honor of the ChinesePeople's Liberation Army(PLA) perform the national flag-raising duty at the Tian'anmen Square in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 1, 2018. The responsibility for guarding China's national flag and firing salute cannons at the Tian'anmen Square was transferred to the Chinese People's Liberation Army from Jan. 1, 2018, as authorized by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. Before Jan. 1, the ceremony was conducted by the armed police. (Xinhua/Ju Zhenhua) BEIJING, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The sounding of bugles pierced through the wintry morning silence in the center of Beijing on the first day of 2018. It also signaled the start of a new daily routine for the Guard of Honor of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) to raise the national flag at Tian'anmen Square in Beijing. The ceremony was previously performed by an armed police unit. As eight soldiers on the Tian'anmen Rostrum blew bugles, 96 soldiers began marching toward the square to the south, guarding a giant five-star red flag. The procession was led by three officers clad in the Army, Navy and Air Force uniforms. Each of the three drew a sword upon walking past the Golden Water Bridge connecting the Forbidden City and Chang'an Avenue. More than 90,000 people waited for hours at Tian'anmen Square in the cold wintry morning just to be part of the ceremony, watching the national flag being raised in the heart of Beijing on the first day of the new year. At 7:34, the flag was ready to be hoisted. "Salute to the flag!" one of the lead officers shouted. The military band began playing the national anthem. The giant red flag was unfurled and rose along the post as the sun rose on the horizon. When the red flag reached the top of the post, the crowd at the square clapped and cheered. The band played "Ode to the Motherland." The new ceremony features more officers carrying out the duty, with bugle music specially composed for the event. Tian'anmen Square witnessed the raising of the first national flag of the People's Republic of China on Oct. 1, 1949, marking a great new start for the Chinese people. PLA soldiers have paraded through the square on many occasions. On Sept. 3, 2015, Xi, also chairman of the Central Military Commission, inspected the armed forces on the square and announced that 300,000 soldiers would be cut. Over two years have passed and China has achieved a revolutionary restructuring of the organization and the services of the people's armed forces toward building a world-class force. Zou Xiangqian, a former serviceman from east China's Jiangsu Province, said he felt proud watching the new flag-raising ceremony. "China is walking closer to the center of the world stage and Tian'anmen Square is bound to become a center of worldwide attention," he said with excitement. Medicine Studies: Test compulsory before pursuing postgrad abroad The Nepal Medical Council (NMC) has decided to tighten the screw on doctors willing to pursue post-graduate studies abroad. Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 14:17:27|Editor: ZD Video Player Close BEIJING, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping exchanged congratulatory messages with his South African counterpart Jacob Zuma on the 20th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. In his message, Xi said that with the joint efforts in the past 20 years, the China-South Africa relations have enjoyed comprehensive and in-depth development, and have been upgraded to a comprehensive strategic partnership. It has been proven that consolidating and advancing an all-round cooperation between China and South Africa conforms to the fundamental interests of the two countries and two peoples, Xi said. He said he is willing to continue to work with President Zuma to further develop the relationship between China and South Africa so as to better benefit the two nations and two peoples. China and South Africa are co-chairing the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), Xi said, adding that the Johannesburg Summit co-chaired by him and Zuma back in 2015 achieved great success. China agrees to host a FOCAC summit in 2018, based on President Zuma's proposal and the common aspritions of other African countries, Xi said. He added that he is willing to work with President Zuma and other African leaders to make the 2018 summit a historical event which will strengthen unity and cooperation between China and Africa. For his part, Zuma said that the 20th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and South Africa is a milestone in the two countries' histories. In the past 20 years, China and South Africa have achieved sound results in cooperation based on traditional friendship and mutual trust, Zuma said, adding that the bilateral relations have been upgraded and has been attached much strategic importance. The two nations have been conducting close coordination on common interests and have also jointly tackled new threats and new global challenges, he said. While co-chairing the FOCAC, South Africa and China are committed to developing the Africa-China partnership and stepping up efforts in implementing the decisions made at the Johannesburg Summit, Zuma said. He said that he expects to participate in the FOCAC summit to be held in September 2018 in China, expressing willingness that the two countries will take the opportunity of the anniversary to further advance their friendship, expand cooperation and achieve win-win results. Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 14:47:32|Editor: ZD Video Player Close PYONGYANG, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Kim Jong Un, said Monday that Pyongyang is willing to talk with Seoul on its possible participation in the 2018 Winter Olympics to be held in South Korea. In his New Year speech, Kim said that 2018 is an important year for the two countries on the Korean Peninsula, as the DPRK will mark the 70th anniversary of the country's founding while South Korea will host the Winter Olympics. Expressing sincere wishes for a successful Winter Olympics, Kim said that the DPRK will take necessary measures to prepare to participate in the event, including holding North-South talks on the DPRK's participation. As neighbors, the two Koreas are "bound by blood", and "it is natural that we feel happy and provide assistance for the activities to be organized by our compatriots", he said. South Korea has suggested that the two countries form a joint team to attend the event to be held in Pyeongchang County in February. In his speech, Kim also said that the two sides should reduce the highly tense military confrontation to create a peaceful environment for reconciliation. Faced with a series of sanctions and mounting pressure on the peninsula, Kim threatened that the DPRK is capable of striking the United States with nuclear weapons at any moment. "The push button of nuclear weapons is on my desk," he said. The situation on the Korean Peninsula remained volatile throughout 2017, as the DPRK test-fired several ballistic missiles, including three intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM). Meanwhile, the United States conducted constantly large scale military drills in South Korea and in waters around the peninsula by sending aircraft carrier groups, strategic bombers, nuclear submarines, and other strategic assets there. The United Nations has also four times voted for imposing new sanctions in adopting resolutions against the DPRK. Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 14:57:34|Editor: ZD Video Player Close by Peerzada Arshad Hamid NEW DELHI, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Celebrations and festivities marked the beginning of New Year across India. People especially the younger generation across four metro cities in India thronged landmark locations to celebrate the arrival of 2018. Authorities had made adequate security arrangements to ensure celebrations to pass off peacefully without any incident. In New Delhi and Mumbai, concerns raised by the recent Mumbai pub blaze had put authorities, especially police on tenterhooks. On Friday, 14 people including 11 women were killed and 20 others injured in a deadly fire at a pub on the terrace of city's trade house building in Kamala Mills compound. Right from Sunday evening, people assembled in malls, restaurants and open spaces of New Delhi, which were lit with bright colored lights to celebrate the arrival of the new year. "Heavy security measures were made and police contingents were deployed to ensure safety and security of women and curb drunken driving," a senior police official said. "Police personnel kept an eye on trouble mongers and anti-social elements." Police in the national capital restricted vehicular traffic from the Connaught Place after 8:00 p.m. local time on Sunday and had issued route deviations for several other parts of the city. "We have gathered at Connaught Place in the city to bade goodbye to 2017 and welcome 2018," Neha Jha, a reveller told Xinhua. "Our friend circle had a great fun and we enjoyed waiting for ushering into the new year." Reports said the Connaught Place, India Gate and Hauz Khas village were crowded with people until early Monday. People in other major cities of Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkatta ushered into the new year in their unique styles. In Mumbai, considered to be the financial capital of India, the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation buildings were lit up for the new year. Restaurants in the famous hill station Lonavala witnessed a huge rush and partygoers celebrating the arrival of new year in Navi Mumbai, Thane, and at several places located close to Mumbai. In Tamil Nadu, tens of hundreds of people gathered at the iconic Marina Beach on the eve of the New Year. Likewise in Kolkata, the city of joy, the center of all festivity was the iconic Park street and Bow-Baracks. The city's pubs, bars and restaurants also witnessed an unusual rush. Reports pouring in from almost all the places said, as the clock struck 12:00 at night, fireworks were set off and shouts and cheers welcoming the arrival of 2018 resonated the places. In many parts of the country people also thronged places of worship with the hope of beginning the new year with divine blessings. In Sikh holy city of Amritsar, the Golden Temple was lit up for the occasion as members from the Sikh community made a beeline to the temple to usher in the new year in a spiritual way. The Indian president, vice president and prime minister greeted people on the occasion of new year. "Wishing you all a happy 2018! I pray that this year brings joy, prosperity and good health in everyone's lives," Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on twitter. In Indian-controlled Kashmir, tourists and locals gathered at Gulmarg and Pahalgam to celebrate the beginning of new year in cold temperature. Reports said the party was at its peak in other major cities like Goa, Bengaluru's M G Road, Bhopal and Lucknow as well. Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 15:22:38|Editor: Zhou Xin Video Player Close NEW YORK, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The New Year's Eve celebration in New York's landmark Times Square officially kicked off at 6 p.m.(2300 GMT) on Sunday, with a performance of traditional Chinese dragon dance. A colorful 15-meter-long Tongliang Dragon, named after Tongliang District of southwest China's Chongqing City, jumped, rolled and hovered under control of eight performers. Accompanied by traditional folk songs originated from Chongqing, the dragon rods were like paddles quickly swiping with the increasingly strong rhythm. "The dance was amazing and it really makes me curious about this part of China," said Tim Tompkins, President of the Times Square Alliance. He added that people were lucky to be able to watch performances from different parts of China in the past years and learn about "the richness and the history of Chinese culture which is so much longer than what we have in the United States." The performance was applauded by revelers on the streets, who were wearing red scarves printed with "Happy New Year 2018" and "Chongqing China," giving this year's celebration a special touch of Chinese red. Following the dragon dance, various performances would go on to lift spirit as this year's performers included Mariah Carey, Nick Jonas, Camila Cabello and Sugarland. The annual New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square is most known for its ball drop. The ball descends in 60 seconds down a specially designed flagpole, beginning at 11:59 p.m. (0459 GMT, Jan. 1) and resting at midnight to signal the start of the next year. Some of the revelers came to Times Square as early as 11:00 a.m. on Sunday to secure a good position to watch the ball drop. Raul Revelo, who arrived at 12:00 o'clock, has been coming to New York city from Washington, D.C. every year since 2010. "I love everyone's energy. Everyone is so happy and positive. With the music and the lights everything just gets so exciting," said Revelo. An estimate of half to one million people would join the celebration this year, according to Tompkins. The number was smaller than last year's largely because of the cold snap that has struck the east part of the country. The temperature could drop down to -12 degrees Celsius at midnight. "It's the coldest New Year's Eve in eight years. I usually just have many layers on but this time I brought warmers," said Revelo. In addition to advising people who join the celebration to dress warm, the city police also enhanced security measures. Police have said they are adding additional security to the outer perimeter of Times Square to ensure those waiting to enter screening areas will be protected from moving vehicles. Additionally, the police department and its law enforcement partners are increasing the number of observation posts throughout Times Square in order to monitor elevated vantage points. "I feel super safe with the amount of security we have to go through," said Sydni Jussila, who travelled from Cleveland to join the celebration.She added that she felt protected to see the large number of police officers and dogs constantly taking patrols. Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 15:32:40|Editor: Zhou Xin Video Player Close SHIBERGHAN, Afghanistan, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- A nine-member group of Taliban militants have given up fighting and handed over their weapons to police in the northern Jawzjan province on Monday. "Nine Taliban rebels under commander Mullah Maltan handed over their weapons to police and vowed to live in peace in their community," provincial police chief Faqir Mohammad Jawzjani told reporters. The militants were involved in anti-government activities in Khawja Dako and Dasht-e-Laili areas over the past seven years, the official said, adding more militants would surrender to authorities in the future. Taliban militants are yet to make comment on the report. Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 15:42:41|Editor: Zhou Xin Video Player Close NEW DELHI, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- A military court has ordered the sacking of a high-ranking Indian Army officer after sentencing him to three years in prison for an extra-marital affair with a sub-ordinate officer's wife. The general court martial under the Eastern Army Command based in the eastern city of Kolkata handed down the punishment to an Indian Army brigadier last week, revising its earlier order of a lighter punishment of a loss of 10 years of seniority after he pleaded guilty. The initial punishment by the court in October last year was revised only after an intervention by the Indian Army headquarters in Delhi, defense sources said Monday. The extra-marital affair of the brigadier (who name has been withheld) came to light last year after his wife, who works as a teacher in a reputed school in the Indian capital, complained to the Indian Army, prompting an immediate inquiry. The officer's wife submitted proofs like sexual messages exchanged between her husband and his "lover" on social media like WhatsApp to corroborate her allegations. A subsequent probe by the Indian Army revealed the affair between the officer, who was then posted in Siliguri town under the Eastern Command, and the wife of a sub-ordinate officer. Both had initially rejected the affair, but the officer later pleaded guilty in the court. In the Indian armed forces, an affair with a "brother" (another officer) is considered to be a major offense that entails a court martial. But such incidents are not uncommon in the Indian armed forces. The Indian Air Force last year sacked a fighter pilot for an affair with a senior officer's wife at an airbase in the western state of Rajasthan. Similarly, the Indian Navy sacked two commanders in Mumbai for extra-marital affair and sending lewd messages to women. Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 16:07:43|Editor: Zhou Xin Video Player Close LASHKAR GAH, Afghanistan, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Up to 21 Taliban militants were killed in southern Afghan province of Helmand as Afghan and coalition forces continued in mopping-up operations, provincial government spokesman said Monday. The latest operations and airstrikes in Gereshk and neighboring Marja districts left 21 militants dead and four others injured on Sunday, spokesman Omar Zwak told Xinhua. Those among the killed were three Taliban local leaders identified as Ahmad Masrror, coordinator of Taliban suicide attacks across Helmand, Mullah Seddiqullah and Mawlawi Sujad, he said. Ammunition, weapons, a handful of narcotics together with three vehicles and four motorbikes were also seized after the raids, he noted. Helmand, notorious for poppy growing, is also a known Taliban stronghold. Afghan security forces and the NATO-led coalition troops have beefed up security operations and airstrikes against militants as the war-weary people are facing upsurges in attacks by Taliban and Islamic State (IS) militants across the country. The militants group has yet to make comments on the report. Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 16:52:53|Editor: Yurou Video Player Close BEIJING, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping's New Year speech has conveyed a "inspiring and practical" message that combines "broad strategic vision with meticulous attention to detail" for a more prosperous and peaceful future, said international experts and analysts. FURTHER REFORM AND OPENING-UP The year 2018 marks the first year for implementing the spirit of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in October 2017. Reform must be further carried out in the new year as reform and opening-up is the path China must take to make progress in national socioeconomic development and to realize the Chinese dream of national rejuvenation. "While promoting the policy of reform in China in 2018, Chinese President Xi Jinping is reinforcing the international concept of progress and peace for peoples and nations," said Pierre Picquart, an expert on geopolitics at the University of Paris-VIII. Describing the 19th CPC Party Congress as a milestone for China's "new journey," William Jones, Washington Bureau chief for Executive Intelligence Review news magazine, said that it was with a great sense of confidence and optimism that President Xi delivered his New Year's message to the Chinese people and to the world. The expert said China is well aware of its international responsibilities and has been contributing to world peace and prosperity in the several decades. Together with other countries, China would build a "beautiful future," he added. Jones also mentioned U.S.-China relations, which has been considered the world most important bilateral ties, noting that "only in cooperation with China and with the other nations of the world can the United States hope to rebuild itself and rebuild the world." SOLEMN PROMISE ON POVERTY ALLEVIATION By 2020 all Chinese rural residents living below the poverty line should have been lifted out of poverty, which will be the first time in China's history that extreme poverty is eliminated. "It is our solemn promise," Xi said in his speech, "Only three years are left to 2020. Every one of us must be called to action, do our best, take targeted measures to secure victories one after another." Nowhere is this more clearly demonstrated than in Xi's reiteration of his determination to finally eliminate extreme poverty, said Keith Bennett, vice chair of the 48 Group Club, a London-based organization of business leaders that aims to promote Britain-China trade ties. "Socialism with Chinese characteristics offers a new path to developing countries who wish to expedite their development whilst maintaining their independence," Bennett added. Samy Kamhawy, an expert on Chinese affairs from Egypt's largest daily newspaper Al-Ahram, said China has made concrete and comprehensive achievements on the ground and is able to eradicate poverty by 2020 based on previous rates. "China does not announce a certain goal without prior planning," he emphasized. While the elimination of poverty has long been regarded a major task for humanity, until now it has been deemed a utopian dream, said Jones. "With China that dream is now becoming a reality, and has created a tremendous amount of optimism that it can also be eliminated globally." CHARTING OUT A MORE PROSPEROUS FUTURE FOR HUMANITY "President Xi's new year message is both inspiring and practical," said Bennett, "It embodies the President's work style, which combines broad strategic vision with meticulous attention to detail. This reflects the fact that meeting the people's needs and expectations needs more than empty slogans." China's great achievement of development was made by the people and for the people, and among the people's most pressing concerns were education, employment, income, social security, health care, elderly care, housing and environmental protection, according to Xi. The president also admitted that there were areas where the government's work fell short of expectations. Though progress has been made, he said, issues of public concern remain. President Xi's meaningful speech demonstrated the "strong and unremitting" ambition of the Chinese government to work for the Chinese people's well-being, said Indrananda Abeysekera, president of Sri Lanka-China Social and Cultural Cooperation Association. Xi said in the speech that apart from domestic commitments, China is ready to contribute to a more prosperous, peaceful future for humanity, in joint efforts with other countries. "A community with a shared future for humanity is a very appealing concept. Such a community transcends differences in political values, level of economic development and cultural traditions," said Lucio Blanco Pitlo, a lecturer at the Chinese Studies Program of Ateneo de Manila University in the Philippines. China, the world's second largest economy, has been an important global player in providing public goods, and a facilitator of capacity builder around the world, said B. R. Deepak, a professor at the Center for Chinese and Southeast Asian Studies at the Jawaharlal Nehru University in India. The expert said Xi's remarks about upholding the sanctity of the United Nations, his commitment to multipolar world and his vision of building a community with a shared future indicates China's resolve to shoulder greater responsibilities in the global economic and political system. "As China sums up its development experience of the last four decades, the people of the world would certainly look towards China to learn from its experiences. I believe China is more than willing to share it," said Deepak. Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 17:02:55|Editor: Lifang Video Player Close NEW DELHI, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- At least 10 people have died in two separate mishaps in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal on New Year's Eve, police said on Monday. While five people drowned in a river in the state's Burdwan district while out on a picnic, five others were killed in a road accident in Hooghly district, both some two hours' drive from West Bengal's capital Kolkata. "Five men, all in their 20s, drowned in Damodar river near Burnpur in Burdwan after being sucked into the waters due to strong currents while on a picnic on the banks. Their bodies were later fished out of the waters," a police official said. In the second incident, five people were killed when the car in which they were travelling was hit by a speeding truck in Hooghly. "The impact of the crash was so severe that all of them died on the spot. The victims were returning to their homes in the district from a nearby seaside town when the accident occurred Sunday evening," another police official said. Police have arrested the truck driver and seized the vehicle. "The driver has been booked for rash and negligent driving. A probe has also been ordered into the incident," he said. Road accidents occur in India mostly due to poor driving or badly maintained roads and vehicles. Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 17:02:57|Editor: Lifang Video Player Close JAKARTA, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- A speed boat carrying 45 people including six children capsized in the northern part of Borneo Island in central Indonesia on Monday, leaving eight people dead and dozens of others missing. The Anugrah Express, which departed from Pelabuhan Kayan 2 of Tanjung Selor in North Kalimantan province at 8:15 a.m. local time, hit a wood floating in the sea and sank, spokesman of the National Search and Rescue Office Marsudi said. The boat was heading to Tarakan of the province, he added. "Eight people were killed, and personnel of the search and rescue office are searching and rescuing for the tens of missing people," he told Xinhua via phone. 1. Yes. An unvaccinated worker is a potential health liability for the entire workforce. 2. Yes. But it should only be required in some businesses, like health care or food service. 3. No. The requirement shouldnt be forced on employees; its a discriminatory practice. 4. No. Not only should they not require COVID shots , but no proof of vaccination either. 5. Unsure. Its a hard choice between public safety concerns and personal freedoms. Vote View Results Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 17:33:06|Editor: Lifang Video Player Close MOHE, Heilongjiang Province, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- A second line for the China-Russia oil pipeline began commercial operation Monday, raising China's annual imports of Russian crude oil from 15 million to 30 million tonnes annually through the pipeline. Construction on the 941.8-km-long second line from Mohe, which borders Russia, to the city of Daqing in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province began in August 2016. The line passes north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. The second line was built in parallel to the first line between Mohe and Daqing, said Jiang Changliang, general manager of PetroChina Pipeline Company. The project is intended to deepen energy cooperation between China and Russia and serve the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative. Originating in the Russian town of Skovorodino, the new line enters China at Mohe and terminates at Daqing. It operated smoothly and its transmission was 3,812 cubic meters per hour at the Mohe station, according to a Xinhua reporter at the scene Monday morning. The first line from Mohe to Daqing was put into use on Jan. 1, 2011, with an annual capacity of 15 million tonnes. It has transported a total of 110 million tonnes of oil so far. Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 17:53:08|Editor: Lifang Video Player Close SHANGHAI, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- A historic building in Shanghai where the Communist Party of China (CPC) held its first national congress received a record high of 835,000 visitors last year. The 19th National Congress of the CPC held in October was a key boost for the increase. From late October to the year-end, the building hosted an average daily number of 5,000 visitors. Daily arrivals exceeded 7,000 on peak days, according to curator Zhang Liming. The tourists included Party members, the public and foreigners, he said. On July 23, 1921, the first National Congress of the CPC was convened at 76 Xingye Road in Shanghai, which was attended by 13 people from across China. The development of the two-story building, which was turned into a memorial site in 1952, has expanded its exhibition space from 450 square meters to 1,000 square meters. The building received more than 600,000 visitors in 2011 and 2016, the 90th and 95th anniversaries of the founding of the CPC, respectively. Chinese food made in Kenya! Most of the chefs in Kenya's renowned Chinese restaurant "Tin Tin" are now local Kenyans. (Xinhua/Lyu Shuai) NAIROBI, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Tin Tin, a Chinese restaurant located in central Nairobi, has been serving local Kenyans for nearly four decades with its zestful dishes and a unique cultural background. "This is a restaurant definitely worth a try," says Steven, a local resident in his 30s, to Xinhua. "It has provided Chinese food since my grandfather's time." According to Henry Tin, the restaurant owner, Tin Tin was established in 1978 at the heart of the Nairobi Central Business District, upholding Chinese cuisine while incorporating Kenyan preferences. For years, Tin Tin has become a defining part of the city's landmark -- Kenya International Conference Center (KICC), attracting lots of office workers nearby and even presidential patrons. "The former President of Kenya, (Daniel) Moi, was a very good patron for us. He comes almost once a month here and pay always in cash. Then (former President Mwai) Kibaki and now (President) Uhuru (Kenyatta). They all like to enjoy our food," says Tin. "Former President Moi really likes our chicken wings. He ordered this dish every time. He even asked us for the cooking tips," adds Tin. Fried chicken wings are among the most popular dishes in Tin Tin.(Xinhua/Lyu Shuai) Danis, an office worker of an insurance company near the KICC, says he is a frequenter of the restaurant, which is conveniently located inside the KICC. "It is the only Chinese restaurant in the highly competitive downtown area. Besides, its food has been adapted to our taste," says Danis. "My favorite dishes are fried shrimp and fried pork, which you can also find in a Kenyan restaurant." High quality food consistently served over the decades has helped maintain a loyal clientele, says Enoch Kivunaga, Senior Chef of Tin Tin. "My experience depends on the customer. If I cook good food they always come back, no matter they are presidents or ministers," says the chef. Facing challenges from other outlets in the new era, the restaurant has modified its business strategy by including outside catering into its services. "We should be able to supply a meal in that 250 kshs (about 2.4 U.S. dollars) to 300 kshs range in mass and work out the logistics to move around to offices," says Jamie Pujara, Tin's nephew and business partner. Besides affordable food, Tin Tin also aims to enhance its level of professionalism and to have better business management systems, says Pujara. Tin says he speaks Swahili well and perfectly pronounces indigenous names, a fact that shows the Chinese culture and its Kenyan counterpart are quickly merging. Ambassador Zhang Ming, head of the Chinese Mission to the EU, eyes a promising 2018 in an interview with Xinhua. (Xinhua/Ye Pingfan) BRUSSELS, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- China is eying a promising 2018 for its relations with the European Union (EU), Ambassador Zhang Ming, head of the Chinese Mission to the EU, said Sunday in an interview with Xinhua. Zhang, who served as China's vice foreign minister before coming to Brussels in October of 2017, reviewed China-EU relations in the outgoing 2017 and shared his expectation for 2018 in the exclusive interview. PROMISING 2018 FOR CHINA-EU RELATIONS "In the past year, the relations between China and the EU made steady progress, marked by expanded cooperation in various fields and enhanced mutual understanding," Zhang said. Underlining that socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a "new era" after the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) held in October, Zhang said major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics should take new steps accordingly. With regards to China-EU relations, he eyed a promising 2018, stressing that it marks the first year of fully implementing "the spirit of the 19th National Congress of the CPC" and the 40th anniversary of "reform and opening-up" in the country. The year also marks the 15th anniversary of the establishment of the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership, said Zhang. He added that 2018 is the China-EU Tourism Year, which would be launched in Venice, Italy, on Jan. 19. "We will build on the good momentum of China-EU relations, further expand our mutually beneficial cooperation across the board, and add more strategic and global dimensions to China-EU relations," the diplomat said. He reiterated that China is dedicated to the building of a new type of international relations with a win-win cooperation at the core, as well as the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. The EU is China's largest trading partner and China is the EU's second largest. Data from the China Customs showed that in the first 10 months of 2017, trade between the two sides increased 16.2 percent year on year to some 3.4 trillion yuan (about 500 billion U.S. dollars). XI'S NEW YEAR SPEECH "EXCITING AND UPLIFTING" Zhang just returned to Brussels on Sunday morning after a conference held in Beijing for Chinese diplomatic envoys, where Chinese President Xi Jinping made a speech calling for more efforts to advance the major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics. Speaking of Xi's New Year speech which was broadcast minutes before Zhang's interview with Xinhua, the diplomat said: "It was an exciting and uplifting speech. Although we diplomats work in different parts of the world, we feel very close to our motherland, with our fellow Chinese people, and with our leadership." Xi, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivered a New Year speech Sunday, vowing that China would resolutely carry out reforms in 2018. Xi extended New Year greetings to all Chinese, and best wishes to friends all over the world. "As always, General Secretary Xi's message is of great vision and inspiration. However, it does not fall short of the warm and human touch. The message gives us more confidence and motivation to further our diplomatic work in the New Era," Zhang continued. Zhang hailed that under the leadership of the Central Committee of the CPC with Xi at the core, China broke new grounds on the diplomatic front in the past year. "Xi was personally involved in a number of high-level diplomatic events. I was lucky enough to witness and be involved in many of such events," said the ambassador. "Xi is not only a commander that leads us, but also a soldier who fights along with us. On every international occasion, he endeavored to have China's voice heard, present China's solutions and contribute China's wisdom," he added. File photo by Xinhua/Li Wenming CAPE TOWN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Four people lost their lives when they were struck by lightning in South Africa on Sunday, authorities said. Two were killed when lightning struck two villages in Eastern Cape Province, the provincial health department said. Sixteen other people were injured during the strikes, said the department. A separate lightning strike in KwaZulu-Natal Province killed two people and injured three others, the provincial government said. Those injured have been taken to nearby hospitals and were in a stable condition. Most of them suffered severe burns, according to health officials. Heavy storms have ripped through the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal province in the past few days, leaving a trail of destruction. Disaster management teams have been put on high alert following the storms. Authorities have cautioned people against using trees as a cover in cloudy conditions, particularly in the middle of summer when lightning takes place frequently. South Africa has one of the highest lightning ground strike densities in the world. Particularly in recent years, deaths from lightning are growing in rural areas. Thunderstorms, generating big electrical discharges, are common in South Africa's eastern and northern provinces between October and March. Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 18:43:18|Editor: Zhou Xin Video Player Close FAIZABAD, Afghanistan, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Afghan National Defense and Security Forces have launched an operation, destroying four drug laboratories in the country's northern province of Badakhshan, a military official said Monday. The drug laboratories have been functional in the militancy-affected Argo district of the province, where, a military operation has destroyed labs in villages of Doghlak and Khawja Mawla of the district, Ghulam Hazrat Karimi, a press officer of Pamir 20 division based in the region, told Xinhua. An armed man was also arrested by the joint contingent of security forces, the official added. In 2017, some 9,000 tons of opium were produced in Afghanistan, a country notorious for growing opium-producing poppies for the illicit drug trade. Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 18:58:20|Editor: Zhou Xin Video Player Close COLOMBO, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Two youths were killed in a road crash in southern Sri Lanka, a police spokesman said on Monday. Spokesman Ruwan Gunasekara told Xinhua that their motorbike had skidded off the road and crashed against a concrete pole. There had been three persons on the bike at the time. Gunasekara said two of them died upon admission to the nearest local hospital. The victims had not worn helmets at the time though it was unlawful to do so, he added. The spokesman said fatalities could be reduced if helmets were worn by those traveling on motorbikes. More than 2,000 persons are killed in road crashes in Sri Lanka every year. Most fatalities are caused by accidents involving motorbikes and three-wheelers. Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 19:03:20|Editor: Zhou Xin Video Player Close COLOMBO, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's Disaster Management Centre (DMC) said on Monday that as many as 293,764 people remained affected by the drought in five northern districts of the island country. In its situation report issued on Monday, the DMC said Puttalam, Kurunegala, Vavuniya, Anuradhapura and Mannar were the five districts hit by the drought. Sri Lanka experienced both droughts and floods last year. The inclement weather conditions such as floods, landslides and high speed wings claimed the lives of more than 200 persons and disrupted the essential services last year. Agriculture Minister Duminda Dissanayake told Xinhua that rice crops failed for the third consecutive season last year, resulting in a major shortage of rice in the market. He said the north-east monsoon rain had been delayed during the current season. Rice is the staple food of Sri Lanka, and local farmers depend on monsoon rain for rice cultivation. Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 19:08:21|Editor: Yamei Video Player Close PYONGYANG, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Kim Jong Un, sent Monday a conciliatory message that Pyongyang is willing to talk with Seoul on its possible participation in the 2018 Winter Olympics to be held in South Korea. In his New Year speech, Kim said that 2018 is an important year for the two countries on the Korean Peninsula, as the DPRK will mark the 70th anniversary of the country's founding while South Korea will host the Winter Olympics. "This year is a year of significance for both the north and the south of Korea as our people will celebrate the 70th birthday of the DPRK as a great auspicious event and there will be the Winter Olympic Games in the south," he said. Expressing sincere wishes for a successful Winter Olympics, Kim said that the DPRK will take necessary measures to prepare to participate in the event, including holding North-South talks on the DPRK's participation. "In order to host the great events of the nation with splendor and demonstrate the dignity and stamina of the nation, we should melt the frozen north-south relations, thus adorning this meaningful year as a year to be specially recorded in the history of the nation," Kim said. As neighbors, the two Koreas are "bound by blood", and "it is natural that we feel happy and provide assistance for the activities to be organized by our compatriots", he said. South Korea has suggested that the two countries form a joint team to attend the event to be held in Pyeongchang County in February. In his speech, Kim also said that the two sides should reduce the highly tense military confrontation to create a peaceful environment for reconciliation. The situation on the Korean Peninsula remained volatile throughout 2017, as the DPRK test-fired several ballistic missiles, including three intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM). Meanwhile, the United States conducted constantly large scale military drills in South Korea and in waters around the peninsula by sending aircraft carrier groups, strategic bombers, nuclear submarines, and other strategic assets there. The United Nations has also four times voted for imposing new sanctions in adopting resolutions against the DPRK. On the dangerous confrontation between the DPRK and the United States, Kim said the DPRK "should further bolster up the military capabilities for self-defense." "The United States can never fight a war against me and our state. It should properly know that the whole territory of the U.S. is within the range of our nuclear strike and a nuclear button is always on the desk of my office and this is just a reality, not a threat," he said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 19:18:22|Editor: Zhou Xin Video Player Close TEHRAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Four people were killed in the recent unrest in Doroud city in the western Lorestan Province of Iran, semi-official ISNA news agency reported on Monday. Some of the governmental buildings, banks and religious places have been damaged or set on fire in the violence over the past days, said Mashallah Nemati, the governor of Doroud. At least six people were also injured in the unrest, he said, adding that police did not shoot at people, but some who were in plain clothes shot at the police forces and fired at police stations. Some of the police forces were injured by the rioters, Nemati said. Over the past days, anti-government protests erupted in some Iranian major cities. In a number of cases, they turned into violence and clash between the protesters and police. According to local media, tens of protestors were arrested across the country over the past days. The Iranian government has blocked the popular messaging app, Telegram, used by protestors to coordinate and organize. Also, the speed of internet has been reduced to a considerable extent and the websites with the servers outside of the country are almost inaccessible. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Sunday criticized U.S. President Donald Trump for sympathizing the Iranian anti-government protesters. "This guy (Trump) who is trying today to sympathize with our people has forgotten that a few months ago he called the Iranian nation terrorist," Rouhani said. "This guy who is against the Iranian nation from head to toe has no right to sympathize with them," he said. Most of Iranian officials have blamed foreign intelligence agencies for flaring up of the peaceful protest gathering of the people. Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 19:43:27|Editor: ZD Video Player Close LAMU, Kenya, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan soldiers on Sunday evening killed five Al-Shabaab terrorists who attacked two police camps in northeastern parts of the country on Saturday. Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) spokesman David Obonyo said in a statement issued on Sunday evening troops who have been combing the vast Boni Forest engaged the militants in the firefight at around 6 p.m. that saw other terrorists flee with injuries to the general area of Sarira 25 km north of Baure in Lamu County. "The troops caught up with the terrorists as they tried to get to the Somali border. In the ensuing firefight, suspected bomb making materials that were being ferried in the stolen land cruiser exploded, destroying the vehicle," Obonyo said. "However, a motorcycle also suspected to have been stolen from Ijara, five A-47 rifles, 13 magazines with 370 rounds of ammunition, two grenades, bomb making materials and personal items were recovered." The police and intelligence officials said the terrorists who are fleeing increased airstrikes in southern Somalia are trooping to Lakta belt near Boni Forest in Lamu with an aim of attacking locals. The killings and recovery of stolen items come after authorities said Sunday the security forces were in hot pursuit of Al-Shabaab militants that attacked Ijara police station and made away with a police Land Cruiser. Northeastern regional commissioner Mohamud Saleh said on Sunday that a contingent of security officers drawn from the KDF, rural border patrol unit and the regal police were in hot pursuit of the militants. "They (militants) can run but they cannot hide. We will smoke them out of their hideout," Saleh told reporters. He assured local residents that security agencies were "in control of the situation" and urged them to provide relevant information that will help nab the militants. But Obonyo said the soldiers are still in pursuit of the militants and appealed to the public for any information regarding suspicious people with bullet wounds seeking medical assistance in their areas. Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 20:08:30|Editor: Lifang Video Player Close SHENZHEN, China, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Maria Sharapova and top-ranked Simona Halep opened the 2018 season with victory as they scored straight-set wins at the Shenzhen Open on Monday. Sharapova eased to a 6-3, 6-0 win over Mihaela Buzarnescu with a powerful forehand winner, while Halep advanced into the next round after a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Nicole Gibbs. "It's my first victory this year as No. 1 in the world, so I'm just happy and enjoying the time," said Halep, who will play China's Duan Yingying in the next round. Sharapova suffered from a slow start but recovered quickly to dominate her match. "It's always nice to start off the year with a victory. Overall I thought, besides a few breaks in the beginning, I really stepped up and finished the match off well," Sharapova said. Sharapova will play 2017 Shenzhen finalist Alison Riske in the next round. Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 20:23:32|Editor: ZD Video Player Close DAMASCUS, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Al-Qaida-linked groups have launched a wide-scale offensive to capture a key military base in the eastern countryside of the capital Damascus, a sign that the al-Qaida militants are not backing down easily, a monitor group reported on Monday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights watchdog said that 40 Syrian airstrikes on Monday targeted the positions of the al-Qaida-linked Levant Liberation Committee (LLC) in the city of Harasta in the northeastern countryside of Damascus, part of the Eastern Ghouta region, following the offensive of the rebels on the strategic Vehicle Base in that area. A day earlier, the LLC and allied militants besieged the base after a broad offensive with the aim of defeating the Syrian army and capture that key base in Harasta, according to the UK-based watchdog group. Other activists said tens of Syrian soldiers are besieged in parts of the base, as the rebels succeeded to capture other parts of that facility. The rebels have also captured areas between Harasta and Arbeen neighborhood, cutting thus the government forces' supply routes to the base. The base is the largest military facility in the Eastern Ghouta region, stretching from Harasta to Arbeen. The base contains large numbers of soldiers, including Republican Guards, as well as big weapon depots. During the war, the base has become a major operation center and supply facility to the Syrian forces inside the Eastern Ghouta region, which contains many towns and neighborhoods. This attack proved that the al-Qaida-linked groups are still capable of carrying out attacks following the defeats they suffered in the Western Ghouta region, where the Syrian army captured all towns and villages there after a humiliating evacuation of the LLC toward rebel-held areas in the northwestern province of Idlib. The group is now emerging as the major terror group, following the near defeat of the Islamic State group in 2017 in all strongholds in Syria. The Syrian army has already started an operation in the southern countryside of Idlib against the LLC, with Syrian government officials stressing that the war on terror will not finish until the elimination of the last terrorist in Syria. The LLC has previously been known as the al-Qaida-linked Nusra Front, which was designated as a terror group by the UN. The group later attempted to polish its image by announcing cutting ties with al-Qaida as well as changing its name, but such attempts couldn't fool anyone and it remained labeled as a terror group. Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 20:23:32|Editor: ZD Video Player Close LAGOS, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Unknown gunmen at the break of the New Year invaded Arak village in central north Nigeria's Kaduna, killing the paramount chief, Etum Numana ll, Gambo Makama and his pregnant wife. Police spokesperson in the state Mukhtar Hussaini Aliyu, who confirmed this to reporters, said one of the Chief's sons was also injured and his residence burnt to ashes during the attack. The fresh attack was third in the series of attacks in the Southern Kaduna within a week. The first was in Nindem in Godogodo Chiefdom, in Jema'ah area of the state where a lone gunner attacked a group of Christians observing the Christmas carol on December 23, 2017, killing four persons and injuring eight others. Also, in less than 24 hours, gunmen again attacked nearby village on Christmas Even, killing six persons and injuring several others. In the latest attack, the monarch, who was a second class traditional ruler, had traveled from his place in Gwantu to celebrate the New Year with his subjects in his village, Arak, when he was murdered in cold blood. The police spokesperson appealed for calm as the command was doing everything possible to get to the root of the matter. Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 20:28:33|Editor: Zhou Xin Video Player Close ABUJA, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Nigerian leader Muhammadu Buhari on Monday said the government was working to block the aims and manipulative means of interest groups causing fuel scarcity across the country. Buhari, in a New Year broadcast, told Nigerians he was saddened to acknowledge that for many Yuletide holidays have been anything but merry and happy due to the hardship the current fuel scarcity caused. "Instead of showing love, companionship, and charity, some of our compatriots chose this period to inflict severe hardship on us all by creating unnecessary fuel scarcity across the country," the president said. The consequence of the fuel scarcity, according to Buhari, was that not many could travel and the few who did had to pay exorbitant transport fares. "This is unacceptable, given that NNPC (the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation) had taken measures to ensure availability at all depots," he said, adding that he was determined to get to the root of "this collective blackmail of all Nigerians and ensure that whichever groups are behind this manipulated hardship will be prevented from doing so again." Maikanti Baru, group managing director of NNPC, blamed the current petroleum scarcity in the country on marketers of the product. He also said part of the problem was the rumors about the purported planned increase in the pump price of petrol, noting that some marketers, in their quest to cash in on the situation, suddenly started hoarding products. He assured that the corporation had doubled its daily supply of petrol, from 700 trucks (about 27 million to 30 million liters) to 80 million liters since the current hiccup in the supply chain was noticed. He further assured Nigerians that the NNPC had enough products sufficiency that would last up to 30 days and that the fuel situation would fizzle out soon. Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 20:33:34|Editor: Zhou Xin Video Player Close LAGOS, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari Monday said politicians must avoid exploiting ethnicity and religion by linking ethnicity with religion and religion with politics as the electioneering season nears. The president, who made his position known in a broadcast to the nation in Abuja, Nigeria's capital, emphasized that such dirty politics should be avoided at all costs if Nigerians must live in harmony. "In this respect, the rest of Nigeria could learn from the Southwestern States which have successfully internalized religion, ethnicity and politics," he added. According to him, political discourse should be conducted with civility, decorum and in a constitutional manner. "We all have a collective responsibility to strengthen our democracy and entrench the rule of law," he said. "We should draw encouragement from the series of by-elections conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) last year which were generally violence free and their outcomes adjudged to be free and fair," the president added. Nigeria is scheduled to hold general elections in February 2019. The elections should be held not earlier than 150 days and not later than 30 days to the end of the incumbent's tenure, according to Nigeria's Constitution. On security, the president reassured the citizens that security of life and property was still at top of his administration's agenda. "We have since beaten Boko Haram," he said. "Isolated attacks still occur, but even the best-policed countries cannot prevent determined criminals from committing terrible acts of terror as we have seen during the past years in Europe, Asia, Middle East, elsewhere in Africa and in America," he added. According to him, the All Progressives Congress-led government remains determined to protect all Nigerians in line with its election pledge and promises. He said terrorism and urban crimes were worldwide phenomena and the security forces were continuously adapting their responses to changing threats. With regard to rampant cases of kidnappings, President Buhari said the government had taken "immediate short-term measures to combat this new evil creeping into societies." He revealed that tighter police methods and swift and severe punishment for those proved to be engaged in kidnapping would soon be adopted to check the menace. Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 20:43:36|Editor: Lifang Video Player Close MACAO, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- A new law to control smoking and the sale of tobacco has entered into force in Macao since Monday, the special administrative region's Health Service Bureau said. The bureau said in its latest announcement that the New Tobacco Control Act enters into force on Jan. 1, 2018 and called for the collaboration and support of Macao residents. The new tobacco control law includes the extension of non-smoking areas, such as all indoor areas except smoking room at the airport and in casinos, and areas 10 meters within the bus stops and taxi stands. The fine for smoking in prohibited areas is updated from 600 patacas (about 74.8 U.S. dollars) to 1,500 patacas (about 187 dollars). The new law forbids the exposure of tobacco products in selling outlets. It is also prohibited to sell tobacco products in casinos. The new law also bans the sale, advertising and promotion of electronic cigarettes, and the use of electronic cigarettes is under the same control for regular tobacco products. The bureau said the purpose of this new law is to reduce the consumption of tobacco products and electronic cigarettes in Macao, and to protect the health of the public, in particular young people. Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 20:53:39|Editor: Lifang Video Player Close BRUSSELS, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- A European electricity network operator has envisioned building an island in the middle of the North Sea, which will collect, distribute and transmit power generated from numerous wind turbines nearby. TenneT, which delivers electricity to about 41 million people mostly in the Netherlands and Germany, presented a vision for building a large European electricity system in the North Sea, according to its official web site. Central to the vision is an artificial island to which wind farms can be connected and from where the generated wind electricity will be distributed and transmitted over direct current cables to the North Sea countries such as the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Norway, Germany and Denmark, according the web site. An artificial island to serve as a hub for wind farms aims to slash costs. As near-shore spots for turbines grow increasingly filled up, more wind farms are pushed ever further off the coast. One disadvantage is that the costs will be significantly higher. The construction and maintenance of the wind farms are higher and these must be connected via many relatively expensive, single direct current connections. Alternating current technology cannot be used for connecting offshore wind farms far out at sea because of an unacceptably high loss of electricity during transmission to the onshore grid. However, by building an island surrounded by wind farms (at a relatively short distance), wind energy obtained way out at sea will be just like in near-shore wind. The smaller distance - between the wind farm and the island - will allow use of the far cheaper alternating current connections. One possible location for the island is Dogger Bank, 125 kilometers off the UK's East Yorkshire coast, which is relatively shallow but with strong wind and big space, TenneT said. The company said its thinking is based on an island with a modular structure, with each module covering approximately 6 square kilometers, enough to provide space for connecting roughly 30 GW of offshore wind capacity. The number is very ambitious: at the beginning of 2017, Europe's total installed capacity of offshore wind farms is 12.6 GW, according to industry group WindEurope. The vision, dubbed the North Sea Infrastructure, will be in TenneT's talks with the EU and its member states. Ideally, the island could perhaps be built between 2030 and 2050, it said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 21:18:42|Editor: ZD Video Player Close BANGKOK, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The clock has ticked over to 2018 and Rayong, an eastern Thai province, has been hailed as a breezy new year celebration spot that drew cheers and gasps from the about 20,000 visitors on Sunday night. Fireworks lighted up the sky over a popular seaside town in the province where the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) held a massive countdown event. In breezy weather and an air of unique festivity, the event featured stylish live music along with local food by community chefs, DIY activities at several interesting workshops. This is the first time TAT comes to make the local countdown event bigger, aiming to attract more tourists, hopefully, from China. "Last year we have 35 million foreign visitors to Thailand, but most of they would like to spend lot of time in major cities such as Bangkok, Pattaya, Chiangmai and Phuket. TAT is trying to create the flow from the major destinations to secondary provinces," Tanes Petsuwan, deputy governor for marketing communications from TAT told Xinhua. According to Tanes, the TAT held countdown celebrations simultaneously for the first time in five provinces nationwide, including Lampang in the north, Sakon Nakhon province in the northeastern region, Kanchanaburi in the west, Phuket in the south and Rayong in the east. "Rayong is one of these provinces we are promoting. As a land of fruits, fresh seafood and pristine beaches, Rayong offers all the favorite elements for Chinese tourists to make up a holiday full of fun," said Tanes, who is looking forward to more and more Chinese arrivals to the province. Located at eastern board of Thailand, approximately 185 km from Bangkok, the province is well known for its oddly shaped islands and rocks. The largest island, Koh Samet is a popular with foreign tourists. Beside rich seafood products and tropical fruits, Rayong owns joyful festivals and traditional activities especially Rayong Fruit Festival occurring annually during May when fruit reaches its peak season. The province has been promoting its community based tourism programs that allow visitors to learn about local ways of life with rustic charm, such as rubber tipping, fruit planting. With the neighboring Uttapao airport being expanded and increasing direct flights from China opened, Rayong is ready to embrace the growing surge of Chinese tourists, said the deputy governor, adding that the province has seen more and more tourists attractions putting up Chinese signs and local products with Chinese introduction. According to Tanes, tourism plays a significant role in Thailand's economy, accounting for nearly 20 percent of the country's GDP. In 2017 Thailand received about 10 million Chinese tourists, who remain the main contributor to country's tourism revenue. Photo taken on Feb. 1, 2016 shows armed vehicles to be deployed along the volatile border of Kenya and Somalia, where the Kenyan military is fighting the terrorist group Al-Shabaab. (Xinhua/Simbi Kusimba) LAMU, Kenya, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan soldiers on Sunday evening killed five Al-Shabaab terrorists who attacked two police camps in northeastern parts of the country on Saturday. Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) spokesman David Obonyo said in a statement issued on Sunday evening troops who have been combing the vast Boni Forest engaged the militants in the firefight at around 6 p.m. that saw other terrorists flee with injuries to the general area of Sarira 25 km north of Baure in Lamu County. "The troops caught up with the terrorists as they tried to get to the Somali border. In the ensuing firefight, suspected bomb making materials that were being ferried in the stolen land cruiser exploded, destroying the vehicle," Obonyo said. "However, a motorcycle also suspected to have been stolen from Ijara, five A-47 rifles, 13 magazines with 370 rounds of ammunition, two grenades, bomb making materials and personal items were recovered." The police and intelligence officials said the terrorists who are fleeing increased airstrikes in southern Somalia are trooping to Lakta belt near Boni Forest in Lamu with an aim of attacking locals. The killings and recovery of stolen items come after authorities said Sunday the security forces were in hot pursuit of Al-Shabaab militants that attacked Ijara police station and made away with a police Land Cruiser. Northeastern regional commissioner Mohamud Saleh said on Sunday that a contingent of security officers drawn from the KDF, rural border patrol unit and the regal police were in hot pursuit of the militants. "They (militants) can run but they cannot hide. We will smoke them out of their hideout," Saleh told reporters. He assured local residents that security agencies were "in control of the situation" and urged them to provide relevant information that will help nab the militants. Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 21:43:47|Editor: Zhou Xin Video Player Close JINAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Authorities in the eastern province of Shandong invested more than 78 million yuan (12 million U.S. dollars) in 2017 in repairing villages. More than 690 traditional villages with distinctive features have been renovated in the past year, according to the provincial administration of cultural heritage. Zhou Xiaobo, deputy head of the administration, said that the efforts were part of a program to enhance protection over cultural relics. "Traditional villages are an important carrier of local culture, and repair work was urgent," Zhou said. The program will help pass on traditional culture and improve the local living environment, Zhou said. China's traditional villages are disappearing as hundreds of millions of people move to the cities. The number of villages plummeted from 3.63 million to 2.71 million from 2000 to 2010. A nationwide program to protect traditional villages began in 2012. In late 2015, each of the 2,555 villages on a national list of the most important traditional villages received 3 million yuan in subsidies from the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development. Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 21:53:48|Editor: Lifang Video Player Close MOGADISHU, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. military intensified airstrikes in Somalia in the past week, killing at least 17 Al-Shabaab terrorists behind increased deadly attacks in countries including Kenya. The U.S. Africa Command (Africom) in two separate statements on Monday said its forces killed four terrorists some 25 kilometers west of Mogadishu on the evening of Dec. 27, destroying one vehicle-borne improvised explosive device, preventing it from being used against the people in Mogadishu. Africom also said some 13 terrorists were killed on Dec. 24 in southern Somalia as Washington intensifies airstrikes to weed out Al-Shabaab militants in the Horn of Africa nation. "U.S. forces will continue to use all authorized and appropriate measures to protect the United States, its partners and interests, and deny safe haven to terrorist groups," it said. "This includes partnering with AMISOM and Somali National Security Forces (SNSF) in combined counterterrorism operations and targeting terrorists, their training camps, and their safe havens throughout Somalia and the region," it said. The Islamist extremists have pledged allegiance to Al-Qaeda and is dedicated to providing safe haven for terrorist attacks throughout the world. The U.S. forces have carried out a series of drone strikes in recent months in Somalia, targeting Islamist States and Al-Shabaab fighters as the Africa Union peacekeeping mission prepares to exit the country. Somali and African Union peacekeeping (AMISOM) forces have also intensified military operations against the insurgents, flushing them in their Lower and Middle Shabelle region bases amid an expected recall of 1,000 African Union troops by end of December 2017. Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 22:03:50|Editor: Zhou Xin Video Player Close HELSINKI, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Finnish President Sauli Niinisto in his New Year's address on Monday deplored the modest role of the European Union in the world decision making. He noted Finland supports the proposals of UN Secretary-General to reform the organisation. "Despite its shortcomings, the UN is an irreplaceable actor in promoting international peace and security." He also described as a gloomier note the blunt U.S. criticism of this global organisation. Niinisto said Finland is active in supporting stability and dialogue in the Baltic Sea area, Arctic areas and also globally. "Finland's foreign and security policy situation is stable," he said, noting that Finland is committed to the implementation of the Paris Agreement and has just increased its international climate funding. Commenting on the world economy, the Finnish president said tigther monetary policy is inevitable in the world at some stage and it will lead to a more challenging situation. "The warning that abundant funding has been channelled into increased debts and asset values is well founded. Reasonable caution is now called for," he said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 22:03:50|Editor: Zhou Xin Video Player Close NAIROBI, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) on Monday called on African countries to ensure more newborns survive their first days of life. In a statement issued in Nairobi, UNICEF said about 48,000 babies will be born in the Eastern and Southern Africa region on New Year's Day. Leila Pakkala, UNICEF's Regional Director in Eastern and Southern Africa, said babies born in Eastern and Southern Africa will account for 12 percent of the estimated 386,000 babies to be born globally on New Year's Day. "This New Year, UNICEF's resolution is to help give every child more than an hour, more than a day, more than a month -- more than survival," Pakkala said. According to UNICEF, almost 58 percent of these births will take place in five countries within the region, with the largest number of births on New Year's Day projected for Ethiopia. The UN agency said Ethiopia will have 9,023 new borns, Tanzania will have 5,995 new births, Uganda (4,953), Kenya (4,237) and Angola (3,417). "We call on governments and partners to maintain and expand their efforts to save millions of children's lives by providing proven, low-cost solutions," Pakkala said. UNICEF said sub-Saharan Africa accounted for 38 percent of all newborn deaths in 2016. An estimated 2,600 children around the world died within the first 24 hours, every day of the year in 2016, according to UNICEF. Some 136,000 newborns died in Ethiopia and Tanzania combined in 2016, placing them in fifth and ninth position, respectively, among the ten countries with the highest neonatal deaths in the world. Among those children, more than 80 percent of all newborn deaths are due to preventable and treatable causes such as premature birth, complications during delivery, and infections like sepsis and pneumonia. "We are now entering the era when all the world's newborns should have the opportunity to see the 22nd Century. Unfortunately, nearly half of the children born this year likely won't. We should all do much more," Pakkala said. According to UNICEF, despite noticeable improvements in child survival within the continent, child mortality remains high and important challenges need to be met to accommodate the projected increase in births and prevent African countries with high fertility rates from falling further below international benchmarks for maternal, newborn and child care. UNICEF said it will in February launch Every Child Alive, a global campaign that demands and delivers affordable, quality health care solutions for every mother and newborn. "These include a steady supply of clean water and electricity at health facilities, the presence of a skilled health attendant during birth, disinfecting the umbilical cord, breastfeeding within the first hour after birth, and skin-to-skin contact between the mother and child," it said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 22:08:51|Editor: Zhou Xin Video Player Close MOGADISHU, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The UN senior relief official in Somalia on Monday decried reports of destruction of internally displaced persons (IDPs) settlements, along with humanitarian infrastructure in K13 in Mogadishu. Peter de Clercq, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia, said over 23 IDP settlements, housing over 4,000 IDP households, were destroyed on Dec. 29 and 30, noting that families are now living in the open. "I am deeply saddened to learn of evictions, without prior notice, of internally displaced persons, in Banadir region. Some of these displaced people have walked long distances from different parts of the country fleeing drought and conflict," de Clercq said in a statement issued in Mogadishu. He said personal property and livelihoods have also been lost as people were not given time to collect their belongings before the destruction started. "I am equally concerned that when everyone is seized of the agenda of improving the lives of Somalis, humanitarian and development installations are being senselessly destroyed, including schools, latrines, water points, sanitation centres, shelters and other related investments generously supported by donors," said de Clercq. He called upon all parties to protect and assist all civilian people who have fled conflict and drought and that have already suffered so much, adding that humanitarians stand ready to cooperate with and support the authorities in this regard. The UN official said humanitarians are mobilizing resources to provide life-saving assistance to the affected people in addition to engaging with authorities to ensure a solution for the newly displaced people. Over two million people are now displaced across Somalia due to drought and conflict, including one million newly displaced in 2017 alone, constituting one-third of the 6.2 million people in need of humanitarian assistance. Displaced people lack adequate access to food, shelter and basic services, and also face the most serious protection-related risks, such as physical attacks, gender-based violence. Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 22:13:52|Editor: Zhou Xin Video Player Close RAMALLAH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas slammed Monday the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right wing Likud Party to annex the Jewish settlements in the West Bank to Israel, saying he will "revisit agreements signed with Israel." Abbas said in a statement published on the official Palestinian news agency (WAFA) the he will be considering important decisions to hold Israel accountable for its violations of international laws. "We shall make important decisions during 2018, including regarding legal venues, in order to hold Israel accountable for its grave and systematic violation of international law, and to revisit agreements signed with Israel," he said. According the statement published by WAFA, Abbas said that this Likud decision "could not be taken without the full support of the U.S. administration that has refused to condemn Israeli colonial settlements as well as the systematic attacks and crimes of the Israeli occupation against the people of Palestine." He also urged the international community to take actions against Israeli "incitement against Palestinian rights." File photo shows a family returns home after Al-Shabaab vacates their strognhold in Mogadishu in 2011. (Xinhua/Faisal Isse) MOGADISHU, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. military intensified airstrikes in Somalia in the past week, killing at least 17 Al-Shabaab terrorists behind increased deadly attacks in countries including Kenya. The U.S. Africa Command (Africom) in two separate statements on Monday said its forces killed four terrorists some 25 kilometers west of Mogadishu on the evening of Dec. 27, destroying one vehicle-borne improvised explosive device, preventing it from being used against the people in Mogadishu. Africom also said some 13 terrorists were killed on Dec. 24 in southern Somalia as Washington intensifies airstrikes to weed out Al-Shabaab militants in the Horn of Africa nation. "U.S. forces will continue to use all authorized and appropriate measures to protect the United States, its partners and interests, and deny safe haven to terrorist groups," it said. "This includes partnering with AMISOM and Somali National Security Forces (SNSF) in combined counterterrorism operations and targeting terrorists, their training camps, and their safe havens throughout Somalia and the region," it said. The U.S. forces have carried out a series of drone strikes in recent months in Somalia, targeting Islamist States and Al-Shabaab fighters as the Africa Union peacekeeping mission prepares to exit the country. Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 22:38:56|Editor: yan Video Player Close BEIJING, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Tourism was booming in China during the New Year's Day holiday, with passenger flow and tourist revenue both seeing quick growth, official data showed Monday. A total of 133 million tourists traveled around the country during the three-day holiday, generating 75.5 billion yuan (about 11.6 billion U.S. dollars) of revenue, according to the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA). The two figures represented increase of 11.08 percent and 11.22 percent year on year respectively, the CNTA said. The market remained stable as rural tourism and snow and ice-related tourism were popular among tourists. The booming tourism was accompanied by busy traffic. On Sunday, 8.732 million passengers traveled by train, 17.3 percent higher year on year, according to China Railway Corporation (CRC). To meet high traffic demand, the company added 261 temporary trains Monday. China's domestic tourism industry earned about 3.9 trillion yuan in 2016, and the country plans to raise tourism revenue to 7 trillion yuan by 2020. The nation will work to develop tourism into a major driver of economic transformation. By 2020, investment in tourism is expected to grow to 2 trillion yuan, and the sector will contribute more than 12 percent of GDP growth, according to a State Council five-year tourism plan (2016-2020). Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 22:54:00|Editor: yan Video Player Close MOSCOW, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Some 8.6 million Russian people participated in the celebrations on the New Year night with security measures tightened, the Russian Interior Ministry said Monday. About 75,000 officers of law enforcement bodies ensured the public order during more than 14,000 New Year celebration events across the country, the ministry said in a statement. More than 11,000 members of National Guards, 5,800 personnel of private security organizations and 11,200 members of militia units were involved in the security operations, according to the statement. Police officers continued to serve in places of mass gatherings, it added. Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 22:59:01|Editor: yan Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese-built 756 km electrified rail project connecting landlocked Ethiopia to Djibouti officially started commercial operations on Monday with a ceremony held in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa. Contracted by two Chinese companies, the first 320 km of the rail project from Sebeta to Mieso was carried out by the China Rail Engineering Corporation (CREC), while the remaining 436 km from Mieso to Djibouti port section was built by the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC). Speaking on the occasion, Ahmed Shide, Ethiopian Minister of Transport, hailed the standard gauge project a milestone in China-Africa cooperation. In addition to further enhancing economic ties as well as the people-to-people links between Ethiopia and Djibouti, it will have significant contribution to the ongoing development efforts of building a new Ethiopia, said the minister. Commending China as well as other stakeholders for their contribution towards the successful realization of the rail project, the minister urged local people, especially residents living by the line of the rail to take care of it for its successful and sustainable operation. Emphasizing on its huge significance and importance, Tan Jian, Chinese Ambassador to Ethiopia, noted that the project would contribute to the industrialization and diversification of the Ethiopian economy, and also towards successful implementation of the country's growth and transformation plan. "It is the first trans-boundary and longest electrified railway on the African continent. We, the Chinese, see this as earlier harvest project of the Belt and Road initiative. It is regarded by many as a lifeline project for both countries, for Ethiopia and for Djibouti. And we see this as a railway of development; as a railway of cooperation; and as a railway of friendship," he said. The ambassador has reiterated China's commitment to further cooperating and closely working with Ethiopia and Djibouti to the railway's smooth operation. The Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway project has been carried out with an investment of 4 billion U.S. dollars, and China's Exim Bank has provided a loan. Speaking on his part, Djibouti Ambassador to Ethiopia, Mohamed Idriss Farah, said the railway project would have significant contribution to the economic integration between Djibouti and Ethiopia. "This is important corridor, important railways between Djibouti and Ethiopia; we are working for our economic integration between our two countries. And this project was part of the economic integration, but not only economic integration but also connecting the peoples of Djibouti and Ethiopia," said the ambassador. The railway provides both passenger and freight services between Addis Ababa and Djibouti. Palestinian protestors clash with Israeli security forces following the weekly Muslim Friday prayers in the West Bank city of Ramallah on December 29, 2017. (AFP Photo) RAMALLAH, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas slammed Monday the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right wing Likud Party to annex the Jewish settlements in the West Bank to Israel, saying he will "revisit agreements signed with Israel." Abbas said in a statement published on the official Palestinian news agency (WAFA) that he will be considering important decisions to hold Israel accountable for its violations of international laws. "We shall make important decisions during 2018, including regarding legal venues, in order to hold Israel accountable for its grave and systematic violation of international law, and to revisit agreements signed with Israel," he said. According the statement published by WAFA, Abbas said that this Likud decision "could not be taken without the full support of the U.S. administration that has refused to condemn Israeli colonial settlements as well as the systematic attacks and crimes of the Israeli occupation against the people of Palestine." He also urged the international community to take actions against Israeli "incitement against Palestinian rights." Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 23:44:10|Editor: yan Video Player Close SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The deadly gunfight initiated by militants inside a highly fortified paramilitary camp of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) ended Monday with death toll rising to eight, officials said. The dead include five paramilitary troopers and three militants. Earlier, on Sunday evening, CRPF declared all the three militants were killed, however the fresh firing inside campus on Monday negated their claims. "The operation continued throughout night and one militant who was hiding in a building inside the campus was killed today, and the operation stands concluded," a senior official of India's CRPF, S N Srivastava told media. "Some amount of search operation is going on as we want to discount any chances of anybody hiding there, though chances are bleak, but we want to be doubly sure." The militants believed to be fidayeen (suicide attackers) stormed the CRPF camp early at at 2:00 a.m. (local time) on Sunday near Srinagar-Jammu highway at village Lethpora-Awantipora of district Pulwama, about 26 km south of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir. The gunfight continued for two days and both sides exchanged heavy gunfire during the face-off. Reports said government forces used mortar guns and improvised explosive devices to take on militants who went inside the sprawling training campus to attack paramilitary. Three paramilitary troopers wounded in the attack were hospitalised and are undergoing treatment. While four paramilitary troopers were killed fighting militants, fifth one died of a cardiac arrest during the initial assault, officials said. Officials said, of the three slain militants two were identified as local cadres of Jaish-e-Mohammad militant outfit, while as the third one whose identity was not ascertained is said to be a foreigner. Meanwhile, hundreds of people Monday took part in the funeral prayers of two local slain militants at their respective villages in the district. The mourners including men and women took to streets shouting pro-freedom and and anti-India slogans. At Drabgam village in the district clashes broke out between mourners and government forces. While the youth threw stones on contingents of police and paramilitary, they fired tear smoke shells and warning shots to disperse them. Jaish-e-Mohammad militant outfit on Sunday claimed the responsibility of the attack. A statement issued by the outfit to local news organisations said three of its militants have stormed the camp. Region's police Police Chief, Shesh Paul Vaid and senior CRPF official Srivastava told media they had an input about an impending militant strike in the region for the past three days. In a similar attack on district police lines complex in the district in August last year, four CRPF personnel and four policemen were killed. A guerrilla war is going on between militants and Indian troops stationed in the region since 1989. However, of late Indian policemen too have been trained to fight them. Ethiopian attendants participate during the opening ceremony of Ethiopia-Djibouti railway at the Lebu station in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Oct. 5, 2016. (Xinhua/Sun Ruibo) ADDIS ABABA, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese-built 756-km electrified rail project connecting landlocked Ethiopia to Djibouti officially started commercial operations on Monday with a ceremony held in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa. Contracted by two Chinese companies, the first 320 km of the rail project from Sebeta to Mieso was carried out by the China Rail Engineering Corporation (CREC), while the remaining 436 km from Mieso to Djibouti port section was built by the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC). Speaking on the occasion, Ahmed Shide, Ethiopian Minister of Transport, hailed the standard gauge project as a milestone in China-Africa cooperation. In addition to further enhancing economic ties as well as the people-to-people links between Ethiopia and Djibouti, it will have significant contribution to the ongoing development efforts of building a new Ethiopia, said the minister. The minister urged local people, especially residents living by the line of the rail, to take care of it for its successful and sustainable operation. Emphasizing on its huge significance and importance, Tan Jian, Chinese Ambassador to Ethiopia, noted that the project would contribute to the industrialization and diversification of the Ethiopian economy, and also towards the country's growth and transformation plan. "It is the first trans-boundary and longest electrified railway on the African continent. We, the Chinese, see this as earlier harvest project of the Belt and Road initiative. It is regarded by many as a lifeline project for both countries, for Ethiopia and for Djibouti. And we see this as a railway of development; as a railway of cooperation; and as a railway of friendship," he said. The ambassador has reiterated China's commitment to further cooperating and closely working with Ethiopia and Djibouti to the railway's smooth operation. The Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway project has been carried out with an investment of 4 billion U.S. dollars, and China's Exim Bank has provided a loan. Speaking on his part, Djibouti Ambassador to Ethiopia, Mohamed Idriss Farah, said the railway project would have significant contribution to the economic integration between Djibouti and Ethiopia. "This is important corridor, important railways between Djibouti and Ethiopia; we are working for our economic integration between our two countries. And this project was part of the economic integration, but not only economic integration but also connecting the peoples of Djibouti and Ethiopia," said the ambassador. The railway provides both passenger and freight services between Addis Ababa and Djibouti. Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 23:49:12|Editor: Mengjie Video Player Close Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers a New Year speech to extend New Year greetings to all Chinese, and best wishes to friends all over the world, in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 31, 2017. (Xinhua) BEIJING, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping, in his annual New Year address delivered to the nation on Sunday, demonstrated China's role as a responsible major country in international affairs. "China will resolutely uphold the authority and status of the United Nations, actively fulfill China's international obligations and duties, remain firmly committed to China's pledges to tackle climate change, actively push for the Belt and Road Initiative, and always be a builder of world peace, contributor of global development and keeper of international order," Xi said. Once again, the remarks sent out a strong message of the times concerning the future of mankind. It is not hard to tell that China, while pursuing its own development, also attaches great importance to the development of the international community. Currently, the international situation is undergoing profound and complex changes, and the world has reached a critical juncture. While peace and development remain the theme of the time, the world is faced with multiple challenges including the rise of anti-globalization, terrorism, unilateralism and xenophobia. It is an era of expectation with anxiety. In an uneasy world, China has offered its wisdom to address global challenges, providing the world with global public goods such as the Belt and Road Initiative, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the Silk Road Fund. Proposed by Xi in 2013, the Belt and Road Initiative aims to build trade and infrastructure networks connecting Asia with Europe and Africa on and beyond the ancient Silk Road routes. It comprises the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, which is originally composed of one route spanning westward from China to Europe, and the other extending from the country's eastern coastline down to the Indian Ocean. These efforts of China which aim to build new platforms for international cooperation have boosted regional interconnectivity and stability, and have created new driving forces for global growth. Also, China has been working to curb global warming, actively participating in peacekeeping operations, and making efforts to seek peaceful solutions to regional conflicts. "The Chinese people are ready to chart out a more prosperous, peaceful future for humanity, with people from other countries," Xi said. As a contributor to world peace and a driving force for global development, China is committed to improving global governance and creating more opportunities for developing countries on the world stage. In this regard, China has proposed building a community with a shared future for mankind featuring mutual respect, diversity and dialogue based on equality and peaceful co-existence among different civilizations. Over the past few years, the vision has been well received by more and more countries worldwide and has been transformed from an idea into an action. The 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, held in Beijing in October 2017, set building a community with a shared future for mankind and building a new type of international relations as an overall goal of China's diplomacy. The year of 2018 is the first year for implementing the goal. With detailed plans for development and international cooperation, China will surely create more opportunities that can benefit countries worldwide and make greater contributions to world peace and development. Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-01 23:59:15|Editor: yan Video Player Close CAPE TOWN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The City of Cape Town began to implement stricter water restrictions on Monday amid predictions that the city might be the first major metropolis in the world to run out of water. "Level 6 water restrictions are in effect from January 1, 2018," the city said in a notice as the worst drought in history hit the city. Under Level 6 water restrictions, agricultural users and commercial properties need to reduce usage by 60 percent and 45 percent respectively, compared with the pre-drought corresponding period in 2015. The new measures discourage borehole water use for outdoor purposes in order to preserve groundwater resources and prohibts hosing down of paved surfaces with municipal drinking water. Irrigation or watering with municipal drinking water, use of portable play pools and washing of vehicles, trailers, caravans or boats with municipal drinking water are also banned. According to the new restrictions, private swimming pools may not be topped up or filled with municipal drinking water. Residential units using more than 10,500 litres per month will be fined or have water management devices installed on their properties, the city said. Fines are expected to be in the region of 5,000 rand (about 403 U.S. dollars) to 10,000 rand (about 806 dollars). "Use no more than 87 litres of municipal drinking water per person per day whether you are at home, work or elsewhere," said the city. The city imposes the restrictions due to insufficient rainfall and fast declining dam levels. It's predicted that Day Zero would come in March when dams suppling water to the city would run dry, the city's taps would be switched off and water would have to be collected from designated points. Stricter water restrictions are promoted as being necessary in order to avoid Day Zero, the city said. "We need to work together to change the way we use our water," the city said. As the new measures took effect, some parts of the city were already experiencing water outages. A recent New York Times article suggested the possibility that Cape Town might be the first major city in the world to run out of water. The city currently is busy building a desalination plant and working hard to drill for ground water to make up for the water shortage. The plant is expected to be operational as early as February. Cape Town Mayor Patricia de Lille has warned that the city would run out of water around March 2018 as the worst water crisis showed no sign of abating. But the mayor assured residents that the city would try every means possible to prevent that from happening. As the second-most populous urban area in South Africa after Johannesburg, Cape Town is the capital of the Western Cape province and the seat of South Africa's Parliament, with a population of nearly four million. In 2014, the city was named the best place in the world to visit by both the American New York Times and the British Daily Telegraph. Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 00:19:19|Editor: yan Video Player Close DAMASCUS, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Syrian President Bashar al-Assad ordered on Monday a ministerial reshuffle, replacing the ministers of defense, information and industry, state news agency SANA reported. Assad appointed General Ali Abdullah Ayyoub, the former chief of staff, as the new defense minister, replacing Fahd Jassem al-Freij, who had held the position since 2012. The president also appointed Emad Sara, former head of the state TV, as the new information minister, replacing Mohammad Ramez Turjman, who held the post since July 2016. Lastly, Muhammad Mazen Ali Youssef was appointed as minister of industry, replacing Ahmad Hamo, who also came to office in July 2016, when the current government of Prime Minister Imad Khamis was formed. The change of the defense minister came as a surprise, as Freij was in the post during all the military operations that have dragged on since 2012. The appointment of Freij followed the assassination of his predecessor Dawoud Rajiha in the 2012 Damascus bombing which targeted top Syrian officials. SANA report did not mention the reasons behind the reshuffle. Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 00:24:19|Editor: yan Video Player Close JERUSALEM, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- A Palestinian girl, who was filmed kicking soldiers in attempt to push them off her West Bank home, and her mother, were indicted Monday with assault and incitement. Israel's Military Prosecution filed the indictments against Ahed Tamimi, 17, and her mother, Nariman Tamimi, in the Judea Military Court in the West Bank. The two were charged with 12 counts, including aggravated assault, hindering a soldier in the line of duty, incitement, threatening a soldier's life, and stone-throwing. The charges concern six different incidents of clashes with Israeli troops. The main incident took place on Dec. 15, during which Ahed Tamimi and her 21-year-old cousin were caught on video kicking and slapping two soldiers in the courtyard of her family home in the West Bank village of Nebi Saleh. Her mother is seen in the footage getting between her daughter and the soldiers, trying to push them away or to separate them from her daughter. Ahed and Nariman Tamimi participate regularly in protests against the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, during which Palestinian villagers march and sometimes throw stones at the soldiers, while the soldiers try to disperse them with tear gas, stun grenade, water cannon with stinky water, and sometimes rubber-coated bullets. According to the indictments, Ahed threw stones at soldiers, participated in a violent riot, and threatened soldiers. Nariman Tamimi is indicted with "assault" over her involvement in the Dec. 15 incidents, as well as with "incitement to terrorism" on Facebook. Ahed's cousin, Nur Tamimi, was indicted on Sunday with aggravated assault of a soldier in the line of duty. In the footage, the soldiers did not respond to Tamimi's actions. The footage quickly became viral on Israeli mainstream and social media, sparking anger and calls to charge the girl. Eyewitnesses said the incident occurred after soldiers shot and seriously hit a Palestinian boy from the village, and the Tamimis were trying to push the soldiers away from their home. Ahed Tamimi became a Palestinian national icon, with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas calling on the phone Ahed's father to encourage him in face of the arrests. The Palestinians struggle against the Israeli occupation of the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip, territories that Israel seized in the 1967 and has held ever since, despite international protest. Over 20 civilians were killed on Monday when Saudi-led airstrikes hit a crowded market and a petrol station in Yemen's Red Sea port city of Hodeidah. (Reuters Photo) SANAA, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- At least 20 civilians were killed on Monday when Saudi-led coalition launched a series of airstrikes on a crowded market and a petrol station in Yemen's Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, a local security official and medics said. The attacks also wounded dozens of others. The market in al-Jarrahi district caught on fire after first airstrike hit the nearby petrol station, while the market was struck two times afterwards, the official told Xinhua by phone, speaking on condition of anonymity. A medic at the Hodeidah hospital said the death toll is likely to increase as many of the injured were in critical conditions. Rescue teams were still searching for possible survivors from under rubble. The attack was the latest in a series of airstrikes conducted by the U.S.-backed Saudi-led coalition air force since the start of the war in Yemen three years ago. On Saturday, the coalition fighter jets hit three taxis full of travelers near a crowded restaurant also in the same port city, killing at least 20, according to witnesses and medics. The Saudi-led coalition has intervened in the Yemeni conflict since March 2015 to roll back the Houthi militants and support the internationally-recognized President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who was forced into exile by the Houthis. The war has killed over 10,000 Yemenis, mostly children, and displaced 3 million others, creating one of the world's worst humanitarian crises. Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 01:54:32|Editor: yan Video Player Close JERUSALEM, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected on Monday comments by Iran's President Hassan Rouhani who blamed Israel for standing behind the protests in Iran. Netanyahu's remarks followed comments by Rouhani on Sunday, who accused the United States and its two close allies, Israel and Saudi Arabia, of fueling the recent unrest in Iran. In a video footage posted on his official Facebook account, Netanyahu praised the Iranian people for taking to the streets to protest against the regime. However, he said that the accusations of Israeli involvement were "not only false; it's laughable." The hawkish Israeli leader went on to slam Europe for not supporting the demonstrators and avoiding from a stance against the Iranian political leadership. "Sadly, many European governments watch in silence as heroic young Iranians are beaten in the streets," Netanyahu said. "That's just not right," he added. Speaking to Iranian lawmakers, Rouhani played down the protest as "nothing," according to the Iranian news agency, Fars. He blamed U.S., Israel, and Saudi Arabia for involvement in the unrest in order to destabilize the country. Iran's "unity was a bullet (arrow) in their eyes and our progress and success in the world of politics and against the U.S. and the Zionist regime was not bearable to them," he said, adding that the Saudis "have blatantly said that we will create problems in Tehran." Commenting on U.S. President Donald Trump support for the protest, Rouhani accused him of deception. "The guy who is totally against the Iranian nation has no right to sympathize with Iranians," Rouhani said. At least 15 people have been killed in rallies across Iran in protest against the regime, according to Iranian media. Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 02:44:40|Editor: yan Video Player Close DUBLIN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- House prices in Ireland went up by an average of 8.4 percent in 2017, according to the statistics released here on Monday. Sherry FitzGerald, the largest property advisory firm in Ireland, said on its website that the figure represented a 3.2-percentage-point increase over the previous year's figure of 5.2 percent. The biggest rise was recorded on the housing market of Dublin, the capital of Ireland, which witnessed an 8.8 percent increase over a year ago, said the company. Significant increases were also registered in three other major cities of the country, namely Galway, Limerick and Cork, which saw a rise of 8.4 percent, 7.4 percent and 7.3 percent respectively over 2016, it said. Marian Finnegan, chief economist of Sherry FitzGerald, attributed the rapid house price rise mainly to a strong domestic economy, increase of employment and shortage of supply. Ireland's economy for 2017 is widely predicted to grow by about 4.8 percent and its official figure for long-term unemployment (people out of work for more than a year) has dropped to about 3 percent. Commenting on the 2018 market, Finnegan believed that the help-to-buy scheme introduced by the Irish government will continue to help stabilize the prices of new homes in the country, especially in Dublin. However, She said the prices of the established housing market in the country will continue to grow by 6 to 8 percent in 2018. The help-to-buy scheme was introduced by the Irish government in July 2016 in a bid to curb the soaring prices of the local housing market by encouraging property developers to build more houses for self-use purposes rather than trade-up purposes. Since the introduction of the scheme, the new home prices in Dublin only witnessed just one percent increase in the first nine months of 2017, said Finnegan. Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 02:49:42|Editor: yan Video Player Close JERUSALEM, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Israel arrested on Monday 17 Palestinians for planning terror attacks on behalf of a Gaza-based Hamas operative, the Israel Security Agency (ISA) said in a statement. ISA said that according to the investigation, Abdallah Arar, a Hamas operative, was behind the cell. ISA identified him as a former prisoner who spent time in Israeli jail for his involvement in the abduction of an Israeli civilian in 2005. He was released in the 2011 Shalit prisoners swap deal and expelled to the Gaza Strip. He is suspected of having instructed Ala Salim, a resident of the village of Jaba in the southern West Bank, to establish a cell and purchase an M-16 to perpetrate an attack, according to ISA. Salim contacted fellow Jaba resident, Rian Touam, and requested his assistance in purchasing the M-16 and gave him several thousand shekels, it said. He also contacted Shehadeh Touam and sought his assistance in recruiting additional cell members. Shehadeh Touam, in turn, contacted Mahmoud Abu Arkov, a young Hamas activist from A-Ram and recruited him to the cell, the statement said. An official with ISA noted in the statement that Hamas, an Islamist organization that runs the besieged Palestinian enclave, "has been recently increasingly motivated to advance attacks via Hamas members in Judea and Samaria (the West Bank)." Violence in the West Bank and Gaza Strip has been on the rise since U.S. President Donald Trump said he recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel in a statement on Dec. 6. Israel seized the West Bank and Gaza in the 1967 Middle East war and has been occupying them ever since, despite international criticism. Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 03:04:45|Editor: Jiaxin Video Player Close BRUSSELS, Jan.1 (Xinhua) -- Bulgaria took over the six-month rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union(EU) on Monday. It's the first time Sofia held the post since it joined the EU in 2007. Sofia chose "United We Stand Strong",the motto of National Assembly and of the Coat of Arms of the Republic of Bulgaria, as the slogan for the presidency. According to the website of the Bulgarian presidency, Sofia prioritizes four key areas in its six-month term: future of Europe and young people, Western Balkans, security and stability and digital economy. Bulgaria ranks 21st in the 28-state EU in terms of Gross Domestic Product(GDP). It is outside the 19-member Eurozone with its national currency lev pegging to the euro (1 euro equals 1.9558 Bulgarian lev). The country, bordering Turkey, was once a transit-stop for tens of thousands of illegal migrants who fled for Europe at the peak of the refugee crisis in 2015. Unlike the European Council which is made up of heads of states, the Council of the EU consists of one ministerial-level representative from each member state for a given policy area. The Council meets in different configurations depending on the issues under discussion. The rotating presidency chairs all the configuration other than foreign affairs council, which is chaired by Federica Mogherini, the EU's foreign policy chief. Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 03:19:47|Editor: yan Video Player Close BAQUBA, Iraq, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- A local leader of Islamic State (IS) group and two of his aides were killed Monday in an airstrike in Iraq's eastern province of Diyala, a provincial security source told Xinhua. The Iraqi aircraft bombarded an IS hideout near a village named Sansal, some 45 km northeast of the provincial capital Baquba, destroying the hideout and killing the three militants, the source said on condition of anonymity. Meanwhile, the security forces and paramilitary Hashd Shaabi fighters carried out a search campaign looking for suspects and weapons into houses and farms in al-Nedah area in northeast of Baquba, which itself located some 65 km northeast of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, Despite repeated military operations in Diyala province, remnants of IS militants were still hiding in rugged areas near the border with Iran in eastern the province, as well as the sprawling areas extending from western part of Diyala to Himreen mountainous area. Dozens of IS militants fled their former bases in Salahudin province and Hawijah area in west of Kirkuk after the Iraqi forces cleared these areas from the extremist militants during anti-IS offensives in the past few months. On December 9, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi officially declared full liberation of Iraq from IS militants after Iraqi forces recaptured all the areas once seized by the extremist group. However, small groups of IS militants resorted to deserts and rugged areas looking for safe havens but the security forces are hunting them down from time to time. Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 03:24:49|Editor: Mengjie Video Player Close JERUSALEM, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- A rocket fired by militants in the Gaza Strip hit an open field in southern Israel on Monday night, without causing damage or injuries, Israeli officials said. "A projectile was launched from the Gaza Strip towards Israel," a military spokesperson said in a statement. The police said that the rocket landed in the area of a community in the Eshkol Regional Council in the Negev desert. The number of rockets fired by Gaza militants towards Israel has been rising since U.S. President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel in a statement on December 6. At least 13 Gazans were killed in clashes with Israeli military forces since Trump's announcement, and dozens more were injured. The rockets are typically launched by Islamist groups in Gaza that challenge Hamas, the organization that runs the besieged Palestinian enclave. Israel usually retaliates by striking Hamas posts, charging that it holds Hamas accountable for any hostility from Gaza. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko speaks at the Leaders' Roundtable Summit of the Belt and Road Forum (BRF) for International Cooperation at Yanqi Lake International Convention Center in Beijing, capital of China, May 15, 2017. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang) MINSK, Dec. 31 (Xinhua) -- Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has set a target of 3.5 percent growth in Belarus' GDP by 2018, the press service of the Belarusian leader said. The Belarusian leader on Sunday signed a decree on the tasks for social and economic development of Belarus in 2018, the press service said. The main goals in 2018 are to increase the competitiveness of the economy, ensure sustainable economic growth and create additional conditions for its acceleration in subsequent years, the document said. The decree establishes a list of key parameters that are key indicators of the effectiveness of the work of the government and the National Bank. It is projected that the Belarusian economy in 2018 will grow by 3.5 percent, and export of goods and services by 5.7 percent. The main task is also to ensure a practically zero foreign trade balance so that Belarus can pay off foreign debts. The document said that the National Bank and the Government of Belarus are instructed by the President of Belarus to take the necessary measures to limit the price growth in 2018 by no more than 6 percent. Iranians chant slogans as they march in support of the government near the Imam Khomeini grand mosque in the capital Tehran on December 30, 2017. (AFP Photo) TEHRAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- At least seven people and one security policeman were killed in Iran's ongoing unrest, local media reported on Sunday. Deputy Governor of Hamedan Province, Saeed Shahrokhi, told state IRINN TV that three people were killed in the protests in Tuiserkan city. Tasnim news agency reported that one security policeman was killed by the rioters in Iran's Najaf Abad city, while three others were injured. Mashallah Nemati, governor of Doroud confirmed the death of four people in the recent unrest in Doroud city in the western Lorestan Province of Iran. Over the past days, anti-government protests erupted in some Iranian major cities. In a number of cases, they turned into violence and clash between the protesters and police. Unconfirmed foreign reports said that at least 10 protesters were killed in the clashes. Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 04:04:58|Editor: yan Video Player Close TRIPOLI, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Libya's Interior Ministry of the UN-backed government has approved to recruit 500 new members of the diplomatic security service responsible for protecting foreign embassies and missions in Libya, according to a security official on Monday. Col. Wissam Al-Jama, head of the diplomatic security service, told Xinhua that this batch will receive substantial training and intensive lectures related to international relations knowledge. He revealed last week that a number of EU embassies will reopen earlier this year. Most foreign embassies and missions to Libya, including the UN Support Mission in Libya, moved to neighboring Tunisia in 2014 following the violent clashes in Tripoli between rival armed groups, which created the current political division in the country. Foreign Minister Mohamed Sayala told Xinhua in November that 30 foreign embassies have already returned to Libya so far after more than three years of closure. Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 04:25:01|Editor: Jiaxin Video Player Close RABAT, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Morocco and Liberia expressed on Monday their strong willingness to strengthen bilateral ties. The willingness was made during a phone call between Morocco's king Mohammed VI and Liberia's President-elect George Weah, according a statement from the Moroccan king's office. On this occasion, the king reiterated his warmest congratulations to Weah following his election as Liberia's president, the source said. During the phone call, Weah underlined his strong determination to strengthen the multidimensional relations between Liberia and Morocco, it pointed out. On Sunday, Morocco's king sent a congratulatory message to Weah on his election victory, while vowing to strengthen the bilateral ties. The king also hailed the bilateral ties and "African brotherly bonds" between the two countries, adding that he is keen to work with the president to strengthen the relations in all sectors. Weah was elected as Liberia's 25th president on Friday and will take office in January, 2018. He vowed to improve the welfare of Liberians, and combat corruption. When Candice Speers and Helen Shamek reconnected last fall, decided to plan a 50th class reunion and started getting in touch with classmates, they learned that there had been a 1990 all-classes reunion for graduates of St. Elizabeth School of Nursing in Yakima. This list is of the graduates names (in 1968) and their names as of the 1990 reunion. If you know a nurse on this list, please ask them to email Candice Speers or Helen Shamek for more information about the reunion. More Information St. Elizabeth Hospital was founded Aug. 2, 1891, by the Sisters of Charity of Providence. This community of nuns came to Washington Territory in 1856 from their home in Montreal, Canada as missionary sisters to minister to the sick and poor. In 1859, they were incorporated under the title of Sisters of Charity of the House of Providence in the Territory of Washington. In response to a request by the U.S. Reclamation Service to help fight the typhoid epidemics among irrigation workers and Native Americans, the Sisters opened the first St. Elizabeth Hospital. It was located at the corner of East Yakima and the Naches Avenues about where the Yakima Mall stands. The hospital was a seven-room wooden frame house that rented for $12 a month and housed 13 patients. The Sisters, with a few zealous lay women, cared for the sick under the direction of doctors. In 1892, St. Elizabeth Hospital moved to a two-story frame building at the corner of Fourth and E streets, about where Miller Park is located. It accommodated about 25 patients. In 1897, the hospital added 25 more beds to care for the increasing number of patients. Another addition was built in 1902, bringing the bed capacity to 65 and providing an up-to-date operating room with sterilization equipment. A school of nursing was established in 1907 to provide care for the increasing number of patients. It closed in 1971. Today St. Elizabeth is known as Astria Regional Medical Center, a 214-bed facility. Source: Program produced for the St. Elizabeth School of Nursing all-classes reunion held in 1990 Yuma News Yuma, Arizona - This morning, just past midnight, Officers from the Yuma Police Department responded to the San Carlos Hotel, located at 106 East 1st Street, in reference to an active fire. Officers evacuated the building to assist the Yuma Fire Department. Residents were assisted by the Red Cross as they were unable to return to their apartments for some time. The 100-200 blocks of East 1st St were closed for approximately three and a half hours, until the scene was released at approximately 3:30am. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. The Yuma Police Department encourages anyone with any information about this case to please call the Yuma Police Department at (928) 373-4700 or 78-Crime at (928) 782-7463 to remain anonymous. Remember if your information leads to an arrest you may receive up to a $1,000 cash reward. Yuma News Yuma, Arizona - This morning, at approximately 5:39am Officers from the Yuma Police Department responded to the Circle K located at 820 W 32nd Street in reference to an armed robbery, at gun point. At 5:50am, a second armed robbery occurred at the Circle K located at 2398 S Avenue B. The suspect and weapon matched that of the first robbery and is believed to be related. The suspect is described as wearing a black and gray flannel shirt over a gray hoodie, black shorts, white shoes, and a blue bandanna covering their face. The firearm used was a black pistol. An undisclosed amount of money was taken. This case is actively being investigated. The Yuma Police Department encourages anyone with any information about this case to please call the Yuma Police Department at (928) 373-4700 or 78-Crime at (928) 782-7463 to remain anonymous. Remember if your information leads to an arrest you may receive up to a $1,000 cash reward. Islamabad: Pakistan's financial regulatory body on Monday banned Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed-led Jamaat-ud Dawa and Falah-i-Insaniat Foundation from collecting donations, according to a media report. The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) prohibited the collection of donations by the JuD, the front organisation of banned outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba, as well as several other such organisations named in a list of banned outfits by the UN Security Council, the Dawn reported. "The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan hereby prohibits all companies from donating cash to the entities and individuals listed under the UNSC sanctions committee's consolidated list," read a notification issued by the commission. In addition to JuD, the list also includes LeT itself, the Falah-i-Insaniat Foundation (FIF), the Paasban-i-Ahle- Hadith and Pasban-i-Kashmir, among others, the paper said. The SECP notification further warned that non-compliance with the said ruling could result in a hefty monetary fine. "The Government of Pakistan has already prescribed a penalty of up to Rs 10 million for non-compliance on the sanctions regime being implemented," it said. In January 2017, the Pakistan government had launched a crackdown against JuD, placing Saeed under house arrest. However, Saeed was released in November after the Lahore High Court refused to extend the period of his confinement. Responding to reports that the government is planning on seizing their assets, JuD and FIF said they will take the matter to the court, the paper said. "There are clear rulings of the Lahore High Court and Supreme Court that JuD is free to continue its welfare activities in Pakistan," JuD spokesperson Yahya Mujahid was quoted as saying by the paper. "The government still pulls such stunts for the appeasement of India," he claimed. The JuD is believed to be the front organisation for the LeT which is responsible for carrying out the Mumbai attack. It has been declared as a foreign terrorist organisation by the US in June 2014. Islamabad: Pakistan government is planning to seize control of charities and financial assets linked to Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed, as per a media report. Pakistan`s civilian government detailed its plans in a secret order to various provincial and federal government departments on December 19, 2017, Reuters quoted three officials who attended one of several high-level meeting as saying. Marked 'secret', a document from the finance ministry directed law enforcement and governments in Pakistan`s five provinces to submit an action plan for a 'takeover' of Saeed`s two charities, JuD and the Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation. The document, which refers to "Financial Action Task Force (FATF) issues", names only Saeed`s two charities and "actions to be taken" against them, the report further said. However, the December 19 document gave few details about how the state would take over Saeed`s charities, pending the plans submitted by the provincial governments. It says law enforcement agencies will coordinate with Pakistan`s intelligence agencies to identify the assets of the two charities and examine how they raise money. FATF is an international body and combats money laundering and terrorist financing. They are said to have warned Pakistan that it faces inclusion on a watch list for failing to crackdown on financing terrorism. Asked about a crackdown on JuD and FIF, Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal, who reportedly co-chaired one of the meetings on the plan, said he has ordered authorities "to choke the fundraising of all proscribed outfits in Pakistan". He was also quoted as saying by Reuters that Pakistan wasn`t taking action under US pressure. "We`re not pleasing anyone. We`re working as a responsible nation to fulfill our obligations to our people and the international community," he said. On the other hand, spokesmen for the JuD and FIF said they could not comment until they receive official notifications of the government`s plans. "We dont have any intimation about any crackdown so far. No one has asked us about our work or assets," FIF spokesman Salman Shahid said. Saeed was freed by Pakistan on November 24, 2017. He had been under house since January 2017. Saeed and his four aides, Abdullah Ubaid, Malik Zafar Iqbal, Abdul Rehman Abid and Qazi Kashif Hussain, were detained by the Punjab government under the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997 and the Fourth Schedule of Anti- Terrorism Act 1997. The JuD is believed to be the front organisation for the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) which is responsible for carrying out the Mumbai terror attack in 2008 in which 166 people were killed. India has repeatedly asked Pakistan to re-investigate the Mumbai terror attack case and has also demanded the trial of Saeed and LeT operations commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi in the light of the evidence it had provided to Islamabad. Saeed carries a USD 10 million American bounty for his role in terror activities. He was also designated a global terrorist by the UN under the Security Council Resolution 1267 in December 2008. (With Agency inputs) NEW DELHI/ISLAMABAD: At least 457 Indian prisoners are currently languishing in Pakistan jails, said the Indian High Commission in Pakistan on Monday. Earlier today, Pakistan shared the list of total number of Indian prisoners languishing in its jails with India. The Indian government will also share a list of Pakistani prisoners in Indian jails with the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi, a Foreign Office statement said. The list of prisoners was exchanged in line with the provisions of the Consular Access Agreement the two countries signed on May 21, 2008. Under the agreement, both India and Pakistan need to exchange the prisoners' list twice a year, on January 1 and July 1. Most of the Indian prisoners are fishermen who were arrested while fishing in Pakistan's territorial waters in the Arabian Sea, claimed a previous report released by the country's interior ministry. In the July 2017 list shared by Pakistan, 546 Indian nationals, including 494 fishermen, were reportedly in Pakistani jails. More than 500 Indians, mostly fishermen, are languishing in various jails in Pakistan, according to an official report. With Agency inputs NEW DELHI: The terrorist attack on a CRPF camp in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama, which killed five security personnel, had a jarring note - one of the terrorists killed was a Class 10 student. The age of the terrorist was a jarring note in the face of claims by the state's security agencies that militancy is on the wane in the troubled valley. What is further worrying as far as the appeal of radicalisation is concerned is the fact that the Class 10 terrorist's father is part of Jammu and Kashmir's police force. Two terrorists have been killed so far, and anti-terrorism units are combing the area for more. Police confirmed that all the terrorists involved in the pre-dawn attack on the CRPF camp on Sunday were Kashmiris. Pakistan-based terrorist outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad has claimed responsibility for the attack. The attack seems to have been carried out as retribution for the string of killings of prominent terrorists over the past month. Among the killed was Talha Rasheed, nephew of Jaish chief Masood Azhar, and key Jaish organiser Noor Mohammad Tantray. J&K's Director General of Police SP Vaid said security forces had inputs of impending strikes on military and paramilitary installations for three days. The strike on the CRPF camp in Pulwama's Lethpora is believed to have been delayed by a few days, seemingly by the weather. The terrorists attacked the camp around 2 am on Sunday, with under-barrel grenade launches and heavy gunfire. Camp sentries returned fire. Local residents reported huge explosions at the camp through the day on Sunday, suggesting there may have been more than just the two terrorists whose bodies have been recovered. Officials from the state government and police force have claimed that militancy among Kashmiri youth is on the wane. "This year, while we killed 206 militants, we brought 75 youth back who had either joined or were about to join the militancy. Apart from this seven youth, who had picked up arms, were brought back due to the support their families showed to us," said DGP Vaid. NEW DELHI: India and Pakistan exchanged a list of their nuclear installations with each other. This annual exchange of the lists is part of an agreement between the two nuclear-armed neighbours meant to prevent attacks on nuclear facilities by each other. "India and Pakistan today exchanged, through diplomatic channels simultaneously at New Delhi and Islamabad, the list of nuclear installations and facilities," read a statement on the exchange released by the Minister of External Affairs. "This is the twenty seventh consecutive exchange of such list between the two countries, the first one having taken place on 1st January, 1992," the statement added. The exchange is done each year on January 1, under the Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear Installations and Facilities, also referred to as the Non-Nuclear Aggression Agreement. The agreement was signed in 1988 by Prime Ministers Rajiv Gandhi and Benazir Bhutto in 1988. Neither nation had nuclear weapons at the time, but had nuclear power plants and other research facilities that were seen as crucial to the growth and development of the respective countries. The need for the agreement had been felt against the backdrop of Israel's 1981 bombing of Iraq's Osirak reactor near Baghdad. The strike, carried out by Israeli fighter jets over hostile airspace, had set Iraq's nuclear weapons programme significantly. The agreement had also come at a time of deep anxiety for Pakistan. Islamabad had been rattled by the memory of the 1972 defeat which dismembered the country, and military developments in India, such as Operation Brasstacks in 1987, which was a wargame exercise to prepare for deep strike offensive capabilities. Pakistan had at the time responded by putting at its nuclear installations and assets on 'high alert'. New Delhi: Reacting to Donald Trump's tweet where he tore into Pakistan accusing it of providing 'safe haven' to terrorists, Union Minister of State (MoS) Jitendra Singh said on Monday said the US President's remarks had "vindicated India`s stand on terrorism". Speaking to ANI, he said, "The Trump administration`s decision today has abundantly vindicated India`s stand as far as terror is concerned and as far as Pakistan`s role in perpetrating terror is concerned." He added that those countries, who were earlier denying the role of Pakistan as the perpetrator of terrorism on the Indian soil, are also supporting India`s viewpoint on terrorism. "They are also understanding Prime Minister Narendra Modi`s reiteration that the war against terrorism has to be fought collectively. There can`t be good terror or bad terror, there can`t be a distinction in terrorism happening, terrorism is terrorism," Singh asserted. Trump on Monday said that Pakistan gave nothing to the US but "lies and deceit" in return for USD 33 billion aid over the last 15 years thinking of American leaders as 'fools'. In his strongest attack against Pakistan yet, Trump in his first tweet of the year on New Year's day also appeared to suggest he could cut off foreign aid to Pakistan. "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 and deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more," Trump said. 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 Afghanistan's Ambassador to the US Hamdullah Mohib welcomed Trump's tweet. "A promising message to Afghans who have suffered at the hands of terrorists based in Pakistan for far too long," he tweeted President @realDonaldTrumps first tweet of 2018. A promising message to Afghans who have suffered at the hands of terrorists based in Pakistan for far too long. https://t.co/NJdYB5qOWl Hamdullah Mohib (@hmohib) January 1, 2018 In November 2017, the US had strongly condemned the release of the Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed by Pakistan and had demanded his immediate re-arrest and prosecution, warning that there would be 'repercussions' for bilateral ties if Islamabad fails to take 'decisive action' against the JuD chief. Saeed, who carries a USD 10 million American bounty on his head for terror activities, walked free after the Pakistan government decided against detaining him further in any other case. In August 2017, Trump had called for tougher measure against Pakistan if it fails to cooperate with the US in its fight against terrorism. "We can no longer be silent about Pakistan's safe havens for terrorist organisations, the Taliban, and other groups that pose a threat to the region and beyond. Pakistan has much to gain from partnering with our effort in Afghanistan. It has much to lose by continuing to harbor criminals and terrorists," Trump had said in his South Asia Policy speech, as per PTI. Noting that in the past, Pakistan has been a valued partner, Trump had accused it of providing shelter to the same organisations that try every single day to kill Americans. "We have been paying Pakistan billions and billions of dollars at the same time they are housing the very terrorists that we are fighting. But that will have to change, and that will change immediately," he had said. "No partnership can survive a country's harbouring of militants and terrorists who target US service members and officials.?It is time for Pakistan to demonstrate its commitment to civilisation, order, and to peace," Trump had added. On the other hand, in a surprise visit to Afghanistan before Christmas, US Vice President Mike Pence had issued a stern warning to Pakistan, for which using non-state actors against its two neighbours - India and Afghanistan - has been part of its national security policy. "For too long Pakistan has provided safe haven to the Taliban and many terrorist organisations, but those days are over," Pence had told American troops at the Bagram airbase in Afghanistan on December 21, 2017. "President Trump has put Pakistan on notice," he had added. (With Agency inputs) Here's a quick look at the top news of the day: Class 10 student among terrorists who attacked CRPF camp in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama Two terrorists have been killed and security personnel are combing the area for a possible third. Read more Dense fog greets New Year across northern India, Delhi airport shut, trains hit As northern India experienced season's worst fog, Delhi airport suspended operations with visibility dropping below 50 meters. Read more 2018 to witness poll battles in 8 states, set tone for 2019 Lok Sabha elections The 8 states will send 99 MPs to 17th Lok Sabha in 2019. Read more Assam publishes first draft of National Register of Citizens with 1.9 crore names People can check their names in the first draft at NRC sewa kendras across Assam from 8 am on January 1. Read more Triple talaq petitioner Ishrat Jahan joins BJP Ishrat Jahan, one of the petitioners in the triple talaq case, has joined the BJP, the party's state unit general secretary Sayantan Basu said today. Read more Donald Trump rings in the New Year with self-tribute video President Donald Trump capped 2017 with a video self-tribute touching on what he sees as the high points of his achievements and rhetoric from his first year in office. Read more NEW DELHI: Ishrat Jahan, one of the petitioners in the triple talaq case, who joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday said heaped praises on Prime Minister Narendra Modi for bringing the triple talaq bill. "Modi ji made a revolutionary law in the interest of victims, I was very happy. I will work in the party's women wing," Ishrat said soon after joining the party. Ishrat was reportedly felicitated by the Howrah BJP unit and inducted into the party. BJP state unit general secretary Sayantan Basu said a state-level programme to felicitate her will be organised. Ishrat was one of the five petitioners in the triple talaq case. Her husband had divorced her over the phone from Dubai in 2014 by saying 'talaq' thrice. The controversial Islamic practice was struck down by the Supreme Court on August 22. The triple talaq bill was passed in December in Lok Sabha during the Winter Session of Parliament and has been taken up in Rajya Sabha. New Delhi: Stoking controversy, Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit on Monday dubbed the surgical strike carried out by the Indian Army across the LoC, days after the Uri attack in 2016, as a 'drama' that did not have any impact. On the intervening night of September 28 and 29 in 2016, the Army had conducted a surgical strike on terror launch pads in Pakistan. The operation that went on for over five hours was undertaken after the Uri attack in which seventeen Army personnel were killed. "One thing is very clear with this (Pulwama terror attack) that all the drama of surgical strike and their policies on Pakistan are clearly not working. We have to think in a different way and I don't think this government is able to keep our borders safe. On one hand, you are saying that there is no enemy like Pakistan and on the other hand, you are holding an NSC meeting," Dikshit told ANI, while commenting on the Pulwama terror attack. In a pre-dawn strike, five CRPF men were killed when heavily armed terrorists stormed the camp of the paramilitary force at Lethpora in Pulwama district on Sunday. The attack was claimed by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed. Slamming the Congress leader for his remarks, national spokesperson of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) GVL Narasimha Rao tweeted: Sandeep Dikshit is being groomed by Rahul Gandhi to be "Gen-Next Mani Shankar Aiyar". DigvijayS, Sandeep Dikshit, Sanjay Nirupam et al. have been drafted by Rahul to do hatchet jobs for its vote bank politics project. AICC turning into "Anti-India Congress Committee"? @OfficeOfRG https://t.co/8pkyN90OmB GVL Narasimha Rao (@GVLNRAO) January 1, 2018 In July 2017 too, Dikshit had hit the headlines when he had termed the Army Chief a 'sadak ka goonda' (goon on the street). "Ours is not a mafia army like the Pakistani army which makes statements like the goons on the street. It looks bad when our Army chief gives a statement like a 'sadak ka goonda'," son of former Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit had said. He, however, had later withdrawn his remarks and had tweeted, "I have reservations on a comment of the Army Chief, but I should have chosen appropriate words. I apologise." I have reservations on a comment of the Army Chief, but I should have chosen appropriate words. I apologise Sandeep Dikshit (@_SandeepDikshit) June 11, 2017 General Bipin Rawat had defended the human shield incident and had said that the troops needed innovative ways to fight against the 'dirty war' in Kashmir. "People are throwing stones at us, people are throwing petrol bombs at us. If my men ask me what do we do, should I say, just wait and die? I will come with a nice coffin with a national flag and I will send your bodies home with honour. Is it what I am supposed to tell them as chief? I have to maintain the morale of my troops who are operating there," he had said, as per PTI. "This is a proxy war and proxy war is a dirty war. It is played in a dirty way. The rules of engagements are there when the adversary comes face-to-face and fights with you. It is a dirty war. That is where innovation comes in. You fight a dirty war with innovations," the Army Chief had further said. Major Leetul Gogoi belonging to the 53 Rashtriya Rifles had tied a man to a jeep in Kashmir purportedly as a shield against stone pelters. (With Agency inputs) New Delhi: Coming down heavily on Pakistan, US President Donald Trump on Monday said that America got only lies and deceit from Islamabad in return for 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. 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 August 22, 2017, too, while unveiling the long-awaited strategy for Afghanistan, Trump had hit out at Pakistan for sheltering terrorists. Washington will no longer tolerate Pakistan and Taliban for offering protection to extremists, he had said. Accusing Pakistan of offering safe haven to `agents of chaos`, Trump had said that the country has much to lose by continuing to harbour criminals and terrorists." "Pakistan has much to gain from partnering with our effort in Afghanistan," he had added. The US President had again singled out Pakistan for criticism when he had announced his national security strategy in December 2017. "We make massive payments every year to Pakistan. They have to help," he had said. Vice President Mike Pence had also reinforced that message in a visit to Afghanistan just before Christmas in 2017, telling American troops that "President Trump has put Pakistan on notice". "As the President said, so I say now. Pakistan has much to gain from partnering with the US, and Pakistan has much to lose by continuing to harbour criminals and terrorists," he had said. Reacting to Pence's remarks, Pakistan on December 22, 2017, had said that "allies do not put each other on notice." A statement from Foreign Office of Pakistan had added that the comments were "at variance with the extensive conversations we have had with the US administration". "On notice should be those factors responsible for the exponential increase in drug production, expansion of ungoverned spaces, industrial-scale corruption, the breakdown of governance and letting Daesh gain a foothold in Afghanistan," it had said. (With Agency inputs) Kashmir: The third body of terrorist has been found by the armed forces on Monday. The forces had resumed their security operations for the second consecutive day at Lethapora's Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) training centre earlier today. Heavily armed Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorists had attacked the camp in the wee hours of Sunday, killing five CRPF jawans and injuring three others. After 15 to 20 minutes of open fire, the terrorists fled to nearby buildings. Two terrorists were neutralised later on Sunday. Their bodies have been recovered, confirmed CRPF spokesperson Rajesh Yadav. One of the terrorists killed was a Class 10 student whose father is part of Jammu and Kashmir's police force. Director General of Police S P Vaid said security forces prior information about an impending militant strike in the Kashmir Valley for the past three days. The attack seems to have been carried out as retribution for the string of killings of prominent JeM terrorists over the past month. Among the killed was Talhr Rasheed, the nephew of Jaish chief Masood Azhar, and top commander JeM Noor Mohammad Tantray. Kashmir: The body of the third Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist has been recovered from the debris of Lethpora Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) camp. After recovering the body, the armed forces have called off the operation. The body is yet to be unidentified. The armed forces had on Monday resumed their operations for the second day at the CRPF training centre. The operation was launched after heavily armed JeM terrorists attacked the camp in the wee hours of Sunday. Five CRPF jawans were killed and three others were injured in the attack. While two terrorists were neutralised later on Sunday, search was on for the third attacker who was holed up in the area. The terrorists had fled to nearby buildings after opening fire on the camp. One of the terrorists killed was a Class 10 student whose father is part of Jammu and Kashmir's police force. "The heavily armed terrorists stormed the camp at about 2 AM. They were armed with under-barrel grenade launchers and automatic weapons. They were challenged by camp sentries," a CRPF official said, adding they fired indiscriminately injuring three personnel. Director General of Police SP Vaid said security forces had prior information about an impending strike in the Kashmir Valley for the past three days. The attack is believed to have been carried out as retribution for the string of killings of prominent JeM terrorists over the past month. This is the first time local terrorists carried out a suicide attack. The deceased personnel include Inspector Kuldip Roy from Hamirpur (Himachal Pradesh), Head Constable Taufail Ahmed of Rajouri (J&K), constables Sharief-ud-din Ganaie of Chadoora in Budgam (J&K), Rajendra Nain of Churu (Rajasthan) and PK Panda of Sundargarh (Odisha). Roy died of heart attack during the gunbattle, the four others succumbed to bullet injuries. Pulwama: The three terrorists killed in Pulwama encounter were identified by the security forces on Monday. One has been identified as Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) origin terrorist, Ali Sozal and the other two as Fardeen Mohibuddin and Manzoor Ahmed Baba, who hailed from J&K's Tral and Pulwama region respectively, ANI reported. Three AK 47, two UBGL, eight magazines, five grenades, a pouch attached with a magazine clip, a flag, and some eatables were recovered from their possession. Meanwhile, the counter-operation launched by security forces against the militants who attacked a CRPF camp in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir ended on Monday. The operation has concluded with the recovery of the body of the third terrorist, Director General of Police SP Vaid said. The bodies of other two terrorists had been recovered on Sunday. Finally the operation has concluded with the recovery of body of the third terrorist. https://t.co/Z4Kr9i1tQj Shesh Paul Vaid (@spvaid) January 1, 2018 In a pre-dawn strike, five CRPF men were killed when heavily armed terrorists stormed the camp of the paramilitary force at Lethpora. The attack was claimed by Pakistan-based Jaish-e- Mohammed. We salute our gallant heroes HC Mohd Tafail, Ct Sharief-Ud-Din, Ct Rajendra Kr Nain, Ct Pradip Kr Panda & Insp Kuldip Roy who made supreme sacrifice fighting terrorists in Lethpora, Pulwama. We Salute thr utmost devotion to mother nation. Insp lost his life due to cardiac arrest. pic.twitter.com/mCREqApXaI CRPF (@crpfindia) January 1, 2018 On the other hand, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday assured that the sacrifice of our brave jawans will not go in vain and their valour will be given due acknowledgement. "The attack on a CRPF camp in Kashmir was a cowardly attack by terrorists. The sacrifice of our jawans won`t go in vain", he said. "The entire nation stands with their families. We are proud of our brave jawans who lost their lives in the fighting back the terrorists", Singh added. (With Agency inputs) Kolkata: Ishrat Jahan, one of the petitioners in the triple talaq case, has joined the BJP, the party's state unit general secretary Sayantan Basu said today. "Ishrat Jahan joined the BJP at our Howrah office yesterday," Basu told PTI. Sources said Ishrat was felicitated by the Howrah BJP unit yesterday and inducted into the party. Basu said a state-level programme to felicitate her was yet to be organised. Ishrat was one of the five petitioners in the triple talaq case. Her husband had divorced her over the phone from Dubai in 2014 by uttering 'talaq' thrice. The controversial Islamic practice was struck down by the Supreme Court on August 22. West Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh, who is touring various districts in the state, said he had also come to know from party sources that Ishrat had joined the BJP in Howrah. Repeated calls to Ishrat for a reaction went unanswered. Betul: A 19-year-old tribal woman committed suicide in Betul district of Madhya Pradesh after she was raped by two persons last night, police said. The woman's body was found hanging from the ceiling of her house at village Bodal Pathar, about 40 km from the district headquarters, in the morning, said Saikheda police station in-charge K R Silale. The woman left a suicide note in which she named two men who raped her last night, the officer said. "We have arrested Baldev Dhurve and Rajesh Kakodiya on the basis of the suicide note," Silale said. Superintendent of Police D R Teniwar said as per the suicide note, the accused raped the woman in a field when she stepped out of her house to relieve herself last night. "We have registered a case and are investigating further," he said. Mumbai: Three labourers were killed and two were injured as a part of a construction crane fell on them in suburban Powai here today evening, a civic official said. The victims were engaged in digging of a pit for a main sewer line when the mishap took place, said an official from the disaster management cell of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The incident took place at 7.20 pm, he said. The injured victims were rushed to the nearby Rajawadi hospital, the official said, adding that more details were awaited. Mumbai: The first issue of GQ India magazine in 2018, January features superstar Prabhas. The hunk of an actor, who became a household name pan India after the release of the first half of SS Rajamoulis two-part magnum opus Baahubali, is now a big powerful brand. The Telugu actor features on the cover of the first issue of the aforementioned magazine and looks dayum handsome. Check out the cover image here: Prabhas look dapper in a royal blue pinstriped three-piece suit, greyish blue shirt and a royal blue tie. He has been styled by Tanya Vohra, a fashion stylist and looks enigmatic as always. The caption of the post reads: Happy New Year! #Prabhas, the superstar of the smashingly successful Baahubali, is a surprisingly shy guy. We got a fair bit out of him, though, in our first issue of 2018. And you don't want to miss what he's got to say. Pick up the #January2018 issue TOMORROW, when it goes on stands! (sic). Prabhas invested about 5 years to work on his physique and character in Rajamoulis two-part visual effects extravaganza that narrated the tale of two warring brothers of the imaginary kingdom of Mahishmati set in the backdrop of ancient India. The actor is now gearing up for Sujeeth Reddys futuristic actioner Saaho which will mark the Telugu debut of Bollywood actress Shraddha Kapoor. Prabhas is busy getting trained for pulling off some breathtaking and jaw-dropping stunt sequences in the film which may release in Diwali this year. The Sujeeth directorial, which will also in Hindi and Tamil, will also feature Neil Nitin Mukesh, Jackie Shroff, Chunky Panday and Madira Bedi. NEW DELHI: A day after ending suspense over his political debut, Tamil superstar Rajinikanth on Monday launched his website and an android application for his fans and supporters to register for his yet-to-be-launched political party. In the video appeal on Twitter, he urged his fans and supporters, who wish to see a political change in Tamil Nadu, to enroll themselves on the website www.rajinimandram.org. The app is meant for his fans to connect with him. The 67-year-old actor also thanked all those who welcomed his entry into the world of politics. While making the announcement on Sunday about launching his own political party, the actor had said that he would contest upcoming elections. "I will start my own party. I will contest in all 234 seats," he said. The veteran actor made the announcement at Chennai's Sri Raghavendra Kalyana Mandapam. Expressing his faith in the government, Rajinikanth said, "This is the time for political revolution." He further said, "In the name of democracy politicians are robbing us of our own money on our own land. We need to bring a change from the base." On Tuesday, Rajinikanth had said that he would announce his decision on December 31, ending all speculations over his political debut. "Truth, work and growth will be the three mantras of our party," the superstar added. He had made the announcement at a six-day event which he had launched on Tuesday to meet with fans in Chennai. Termed as 'meet and greet', the event ended on Sunday. Nelong Valley: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday lauded the dedicated service of Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) jawans. He also assured the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) was trying to extend all possible support to the forces. Addressing a sainik sabha, Singh praised the ITBP jawans for their dedicated service on tough high altitude and sub-zero conditions at the Himalayan heights. "The Himveers are working with a high morale on the Himalayas. The MHA is aware of the services rendered by the ITBP personnel in difficult circumstances and is trying to extend all possible support to the Force," he said. The HM reached the 12th Battalion of Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) based in Matli, Uttarkashi on Monday. Rajnath Singh reached the Nelong BOP of the ITBP located at 11,636 ft MSL with Director General, ITBP, RK Pachnanda and senior officers of ITBP. This is the first-ever visit by the Union Home Minister to the Nelong Valley. Visited Nelong BOP and interacted with @ITBP_official jawans and officers on the first day of 2018. I salute their indomitable spirit and courage. These brave soldiers make many sacrifices to secure our borders. pic.twitter.com/WEXwuxNxgh Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) January 1, 2018 Union Home Minister Shri @rajnathsingh visits @ITBP_official Border Out-Post at Nelong, Uttarakhand on New Year Day https://t.co/RqtIQMCa74 pic.twitter.com/jIXOyBzQFb HMO India (@HMOIndia) January 1, 2018 On Sunday, Singh met the families of jawans residing at the family quarters of the Unit premises and greeted them. Had a wonderful interaction with the families of @ITBP_official jawans at Matli in Uttarkashi (Uttarakhand) on the eve of new year. The families of our jawans give them strength and necessary support to secure the boundaries of our great nation. pic.twitter.com/32pMJR6rSg Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) December 31, 2017 Wishing the personnel of the border guarding force a happy new year, Singh talked about his idea of reducing the current three months' time of rotating the troops at such arduous and tough posts. "I will urge the ITBP to find ways and see how can we reduce the time period of deployment of troops, from three months to the least possible, as a lot of time is also spent on commuting to and from such hard areas," he said. Heaping praise on the jawans and officers of the force, the HM said any amount of facilities provided to them would be less, considering the challenging terrain and nature they had to deal with. He added that the Centre had recently decided that the light-weight, special winter clothing, which was earlier provided to the troops posted at an altitude of above 14,000 feet, would now also be provided to the jawans posted at a height of over 9,000 feet. Snow scooters, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and mountaineering equipment were also being provided to the jawans, Singh said. (With ANI and PTI inputs) Seoul: Kim Jong-Un urged North Korea to mass-produce nuclear warheads and missiles in a defiant New Year message today suggesting he would continue to accelerate a rogue weapons programme that has stoked international tensions. Pyongyang dramatically ramped up its efforts to become a nuclear power in 2017, despite a raft of international sanctions and increasingly bellicose rhetoric from the United States. Kim, who said today that he always had a nuclear launch button on his desk, has presided over multiple missile tests in recent months and the North's sixth and most powerful nuclear test -- which it said was a hydrogen bomb -- in September. "We must mass-produce nuclear warheads and ballistic missiles and speed up their deployment," said Kim in his annual address to the nation, reiterating his claims that North Korea had achieved its goal of becoming a nuclear state. The North says its weapons programme is designed to be able to target the US mainland and tested increasingly longer-range intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) throughout 2017. US President Donald Trump has responded to each test with his own amplified declarations, threatening to "totally destroy" Pyongyang and taunting Kim, saying the North Korean leader was on "a suicide mission". But far from persuading Kim to give up his nuclear drive, analysts say Trump's tough talk may have prompted the North Korean leader to drive through with his dangerous quest. "(The North) can cope with any kind of nuclear threats from the US and has a strong nuclear deterrence that is able to prevent the US from playing with fire," Kim said today. "The nuclear button is always on my table. The US must realise this is not blackmail but reality." His comments come after a former top US military officer warned that the United States is now closer than it has ever been to a nuclear war with the North, with little hope of a diplomatic solution to the crisis. Mike Mullen, a former chairman of the US joint chiefs of staff, said the Trump presidency had helped create "an incredibly dangerous climate", in an interview on ABC's "This Week". "We're actually closer, in my view, to a nuclear war with North Korea and in that region than we have ever been," he said. Pyongyang claims it needs nuclear weapons to protect itself from a hostile US and sees American military activities in the region -- such as the joint drills it takes part in with the South -- as a precursor to invasion. As tensions spiked in the region in recent months, the international community has slapped a range of sanctions on the North aimed at curbing its weapons programme and squeezing the country's leadership. In December the United Nations Security Council unanimously passed new, US-drafted sanctions to restrict oil supplies vital for the impoverished state. The third raft of sanctions imposed last year, which the North slammed as an "act of war", also received the backing of China -- the North's sole major ally and economic lifeline. But the embargoes have shown little sign of dampening Kim's enthusiasm for his weapons drive. Observers say Washington must open talks with the North to defuse tensions -- but that remains a challenge. The North has always said it will only deal with the US from a position of equality as a nuclear state. Washington has long insisted that it will not accept a nuclear-armed North and Pyongyang must embark on a path towards denuclearisation before any talk NEW DELHI: Reacting to US President Donald Trump's tweet, Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif on Monday said that they would soon respond to the issue. Taking to Twitter, he assured that they would let the world know the truth - the difference between facts and fiction. "We will respond to President Trump's tweet shortly inshallah...Will let the world know the truth..difference between facts & fiction," he tweeted. Earlier in the day, Trump hit out at the country declaring that it would no longer provide Pakistan with military aid. He said that the US got only lies from Pakistan in return for 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 August 22, 2017, too, while unveiling the long-awaited strategy for Afghanistan, Trump had hit out at Pakistan for sheltering terrorists. Washington will no longer tolerate Pakistan and Taliban for offering protection to extremists, he had said. Accusing Pakistan of offering safe haven to 'agents of chaos', Trump had said that the country "has much to lose by continuing to harbour criminals and terrorists." "Pakistan has much to gain from partnering with our effort in Afghanistan," he had added. The US President had again singled out Pakistan for criticism when he had announced his national security strategy in December 2017. "We make massive payments every year to Pakistan. They have to help," he had said. Vice President Mike Pence had also reinforced that message in a visit to Afghanistan just before Christmas in 2017, telling American troops that "President Trump has put Pakistan on notice". "As the President said, so I say now. Pakistan has much to gain from partnering with the US, and Pakistan has much to lose by continuing to harbour criminals and terrorists," he had said. Reacting to Pence's remarks, Pakistan on December 22, 2017, had said that "allies do not put each other on notice." A statement from Foreign Office of Pakistan had added that the comments were "at variance with the extensive conversations we have had with the US administration". "On notice should be those factors responsible for the exponential increase in drug production, expansion of ungoverned spaces, industrial-scale corruption, the breakdown of governance and letting Daesh gain a foothold in Afghanistan," it had said. Vatican City: Pope Francis in his year-end message said that 2017 had been marred by war, lies and injustice, and he urged people to take responsibility for their actions. At his last public event of the year, an evening vespers service in St Peter`s Basilica, the pontiff said that humanity had "wasted and wounded" the year "in many ways with works of death, with lies and injustices". While war was the most obvious sign of "unrepentant and absurd pride", many other transgressions had caused "human, social and environmental degradation". "We must take responsibility for everything before God, our brothers and our creation," he said. While the pope did not mention any specific events from 2017, he had made his voice heard on many of the world`s biggest issues over the course of the year. In April, Francis condemned the "unacceptable massacre" of innocent civilians in a chemical weapons attack in Syria. Just a month ago, he visited Myanmar, where more than 600,000 Muslim Rohingya people have been forced from their homes and into neighbouring Bangladesh, speaking with authorities in an attempt to mitigate the crisis. The pope also sought to encourage peace in Colombia during a trip in September and lobbied U.S. President Donald Trump to address climate change issues in May. Amid heightening tensions between North Korea and the West, Francis expressed concern about nuclear arsenals. At the end of the service, Francis walked across St. Peter`s Square, stopping to shake hands and pose for pictures, as he paid a brief visit to the life-size nativity set up outside. On January 1, the leader of the world`s 1.2 billion Catholics will say a Mass to mark the Church`s World Day of Peace. Facebook ATO press center Militants of illegal armed formations on January 1st attacked the positions of Ukrainian servicemen in Donbas twice. This is reported by the press center of the Donbas conflict headquarters. The ceasefire violations reported at Donetsk direction - there on New Year's Eve 82-mm mortars, grenade launchers and small arms were used. In addition, on the seaside it was restless in the area of Pavlopil - pro-Russian militants used 120-mm mortars and infantry weapons. Related: Torchlight processions to Stepan Bandera's birthday taking place in Ukraine "There are no violations of the ceasefire in other areas of our defense," the anti-terrorist operation headquarters assured. No losses have been reported in the ranks of the Ukrainian army. As is known, the New Year ceasefire has been in effect in Donbas since December 23rd. During this time the militants regularly violated it, bringing combat losses to the forces of Ukraine. Related: Russian social network congratulates users in Ukrainian Read the original text at 112.ua. Elina Beketova: Mr. President, when you became the president of Poland for the second time, did you plan then that Poland would join the EU along with Ukraine and Belarus. Poland managed that in 2004, while Ukraine is not an EU member. Why? Lech Waesa: I have made some mistakes. I postponed this case for the time of my second cadence, then I lost the election. There was no second cadenza, and the case was interrupted. My successor was rather weak, had a different view of this matter and could not understand my concept. I am very sorry. The situation would be different if Ukraine were a member of the European Union and NATO. We would gain momentum, we would be stronger together. And that was my idea, but I was not able to justify it. In December 2014, you praised a former president Yanukovych, because he took everything that was needed from Russia, knowing that Ukraine would be in Europe so. Did you really believe that during the presidency of Yanukovych Ukraine could join the EU? Throughout my life, I did not fight people, but systems. It did not matter to me who was in charge. Even in Poland (with Jaruzelski), I have reached agreements with my enemies. I have never fought against people, even against my opponents. I tried to defeat the system. And, of course, I liked some things in Yanukovych's activities, but certainly not all of them. And it seemed to me that he was going in a good direction. And I encouraged him to move that way. But Ukraine is still not in the EU. When will it happen? I was brought up in a way that there is no free Poland without free Ukraine. And since we are not moving forward together with Ukraine, there is no peace in this part of the world. They will remember bad things from the past. What prevents us from moving forward? Europe was not ready. There were no people who thought like me. And those who aspire this to happen. Europe is now moving back. Ukraine is a large country with good agriculture. Being in the EU, most agricultural workers will no longer work there. For them, the best way is to slow down this development and block Ukraine's entry into the EU. I tried to gain momentum in this process, but, unfortunately, I have failed. In December 1991, Poland was the first country in the world to recognize Ukraine's independence, if you were then told that Russia would annex Crimea and attack the east of Ukraine, would you believe it? How to finish the war and regain control over Crimea again? It would be impossible, and that is bad. This is not the world in which you can do such things. The world and Europe today are built in such a way to level the barriers and equalize the chances and the degree of development. Russia is going back. It has to lose this battle, and it loses it. Russia would lose even faster if Ukraine joined the EU and NATO. If you aligned all the chances and demolished all the barriers and boundaries. Russia would not apply those things, that is another era. The problem now is an elimination of barriers to understanding between peoples. How much blood was shed when we fought with Germany? And there is no border today. And nobody has that problem now because that is another era. And Russia is late, it does not have that degree of mental development, as the whole world does. It uses a model of development from another era, which in today's times is not effective. But despite problems of the Russian Federation, it still attacked Eastern Ukraine and annexed Crimea. How can we end this now? Is there a way? Russia still lives in the old era and the world has moved to a new one. The world increases structures and destroys borders. All European countries are making one united European country now. And we even make the European continent global. There are no boundaries for the Internet, satellite TV, for airplanes - we do not even know where the globally controlled aircraft movement is from. And the style of Russia, which attacked Crimea and eastern Ukraine, does not fit todays agenda. It must lose this battle, and it will. Crimea will not be either Russian or Ukrainian - it will be the territory of a new European state. The author of the so-called shock therapy for Poland Leszek Balcerowicz is a co-chairman of the reform support group in Ukraine. Why and how did he manage to make an economic breakthrough in Poland? There are many reasons that explain why Poland managed to make an economic breakthrough, and Ukraine could not do it. In Poland, there were many witnesses to democracy and a free market, market processes and capitalism, and in Ukraine there were none. We had many spheres such as agriculture, craft, which were private, and unfortunately, Ukraine did not have them. There was no way to offer a way out of the crisis situation in Ukraine. Ukraine demanded cooperation, and unfortunately, Balcerowicz at that time could not help Ukraine. And so I supported Balcerowicz in Poland but I told him: "It's good that you support a free economy, but remember that people do not keep up with you. So, shut down state factories, farms, and do your best." But we must have a brother who will come and try to save something from that ruin. And then your brother should know how much money Poland has, how can the world help us. Poland has a new government now. Do you think that Mateusz Morawiecki will be able to establish a strategic partnership, in particular, with Ukraine? We must do this: when two sides are fighting against each other, the third party will always take advantage of this. We must step down from this concept and find an opportunity for cooperation. And when there is a conflict we will be calm when we understand, but this is not a part of the movement forward. And therefore, I wish him to succeed. You said that there is no free Poland without free Ukraine. In recent months, we have seen the conflict against the background of the historical issues. How do we find a mutual understanding of this situation? We must understand that there was such an epoch before the end of the 20th century. That was the era of the land. People started wars for the land, we moved our borders, these were the interests of that time. Many mistakes were made. Now we live in another epoch - the era of intellect, information and globalization. And we have become consumers on a massive scale. We spend huge amounts of money on works of intelligence - cars, the Internet and many other things. Today's era has other interests. And we must live in this era with those interests. What is the future of Ukraine, Russia, and Poland? In accordance with logic and wisdom, we are moving in the direction of great peace and brotherhood. War and the extraction of territories are left in the past. The question is how to break away from that era? How to leave that direction? There is no choice - we are doomed to peace, development, and brotherhood. I also ask myself a question, how much more blood should be shed, to finally go towards cooperation and understanding. I hoped that during my work as a governor I would manage to do this, but, unfortunately, I did not succeed. And there is a question whether another revolution will be needed, or it will be possible to do without it. Many people say that the world always comes to a starting point, and forces are being used to destroy entire civilizations, and then we start again from the very beginning. And now they are inventing a lot of technical things that the highest civilizations once had already. And they could not find a common language and destroyed each other. Someone even says that there was life on Mars, and so it was destroyed as well. And fo, me this is the question of either we will be saved, or we will destroy ourselves once again. hospital workers nursing home workers teachers all or most of the above let employers decide the vaccine should not be mandated anywhere Vote View Results Thus, drivers are now allowed to drive 50 km/h, previous speed limit was 60 km/h Open source The maximum speed limit in the cities drops from 60 km/h to 50 km/h from January 1, 2018. The order by the Cabinet of Ministers comes in force today. Thus, drivers are now allowed to drive 50 km/h, the previous speed limit was 60 km/h. Today the speed limit in the vast majority of EU countries is 50 km/h, and 30 km/h in special areas. Thus, this law allows Ukrainian legislation to be more in line with the legislation of European Union, reads the explanatory note to the order. As it was reported earlier, Ukrainian government restricted the validity term for the first drivers licenses to two years. The changes to the current legislation were introduced by Arsen Avakov, Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, referring to a high death rate at road accidents(which is four times bigger than the death toll in the combat zone of Eastern Ukraine). Apart from that, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine intends to agree with France on the possibility of the mutual interchange of driving license when the citizens of both countries will be able to exchange their national driving license on the license of the country they live in. On the fourth day into the protests in Iran, key questions remain unanswered, although some emerging trends are providing important clues as to what might come next. Having first begun in the northeastern city of Mashhad, the protests have now spread to most Iranian cities. However, major urban centers such as Tehran and Tabriz have not yet seen major demonstrations such as those that took place in the aftermath of the disputed 2009 presidential elections. Thus, in terms of geography, the trend is one of decentralized, provincial protests. Moreover, the actual number of protesters appears limited, though their impact should not be underestimated. For instance, violence, which included the burning of a police vehicle, was reported in the central city of Kashan; still, one account put the number of protesters there on Dec. 30 at merely a few hundred. However, while smaller groups of protesters may not constitute a critical mass, they could nonetheless prove difficult for the authorities to confront. It is also becoming clear that the key mode of mobilization is the popular smartphone app Telegram, which has some 40 million users in Iran. Al-Monitor has previously closely covered the popularity of Telegram, how the authorities have sought to control its spread and how it has changed Iranian media. In April, the Supreme Council of Cyberspace in Iran required administrators of channels with more than 5,000 followers to register with the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance. The move followed crackdowns on administrators of Reformist channels ahead of the May 2017 presidential elections. President Hassan Rouhani, allied with the Reformist camp, easily won a second term in those elections. Amad News, a channel on Telegram, appears to have played a pivotal role in the wave of protests. Reportedly administered by exiled journalist Rohollah Zam a son of a senior Reformist cleric said to have escaped the country after being accused of having links with foreign intelligence agencies the channel had just under a million followers on the eve of the protests. This number ballooned before Minister of Information Technology and Communications Mohammad Jahromi on Dec. 30 successfully requested that Telegram founder Pavel Durov shut down Amad News on account of its reported incitement of violence. Remarkably, the Iranian request was made publicly on Twitter, a medium that remains filtered in the country. Mirror channels that emerged following the shutdown of Amad News also were closed, though one mirror site was functioning and had close to 900,000 followers as of this writing. In addition, the Iranian authorities have apparently moved to restrict mobile data services in some areas, although broadband appears to be functioning. Moreover, Telegram and Instagram, which have both been unfiltered in Iran thus far, are said to have been temporarily filtered in some regions. While the method of mobilization is becoming clear, it is still unknown who, if any person or group, is leading the protests. The absence of a discernible leader has left the authorities unable to point the finger, such as in 2009, beyond the usual accusations blaming foreign intelligence services and hostile states. The speed of the geographical spread of the protests along with the apparent lack of a leader has, according to some accounts, even left some protesters puzzled, let alone most political observers. This could provide an opportunity for a variety of groups to hijack the protests. Moreover, protester demands do not appear unitary. Chants and slogans vary from criticism of high prices to an outright end to the Islamic Republic. To gain a greater grasp of the situation, one important question to consider is that of who precisely is protesting. Irans demography is changing: In 2013, the median age of the Iranian voter was 38 three years older than in 2009. The aging of the Iranian population is clearly shifting public demands and has so far resulted in more pragmatism and emphasis on economic issues a transition that Rouhani successfully picked up on in both his first election in 2013 and his re-election in 2017. Yet the administration remains mired in the challenge posed by the necessity of creating up to 1 million jobs each year simply to keep the unemployment rate from rising. As such, despite strong economic growth projected this year and for the rest of the Rouhani presidency, institutions such as the International Monetary Fund project unemployment to hover around 12% into the early 2020s. This figure is much higher among young people and women. Eyewitness accounts as well as videos suggest that the demonstrators are overwhelmingly young. One unnamed Tehran-based social scientist told Iranian journalist Borzou Daragahi, This is the new generation that has taken the streets this time. The '90s generation! A generation who doesn't recognize any limits. A generation who has no candidate in the race!" The social scientist added, There is no space for appeasement in the current demonstrations, no signal to [Reformist ex-President Mohammad] Khatami, nor to [Mir Hossein] Mousavi. What are these people looking for? There is no resemblance to the events of 2009. Mousavi, a Reformist who protested his 2009 presidential election defeat to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, remains under house arrest. Indeed, the absence of specific Reformist demands such as the release of Mousavi suggests that the protesters have either become more radicalized in their demands and/or simply do not belong to the generation that experienced the events of 2009 as adults and subsequently turned more pragmatic as seen in the high voter participation in both 2013 and 2017 that followed the widespread claims of vote fraud following the 2009 elections. While the prospect that a new generation of Iranians has lost belief in the political establishments ability to at the very least channel their grievances is a wake-up call for the Reformist camp, and perhaps a new and unique challenge for the authorities, it also means that there is a wide and perhaps growing disconnect with political elites. In other words, the protesters may not have a horse in the race for the leadership of the Islamic Republic or allies willing to become associated with their still-oblique cause. One important indication of the latter is the reaction of popular voices such as pro-reform academic and analyst Sadegh Zibakalam, who took to Twitter to write that the century-long movement for democracy in Iran has faltered on many an occasion due to radicals, arguing that it has long been one step forward, ultimately two steps back. In his first public reaction since the emergence of the protests, aired on state television late Dec. 30, Rouhani said, Based on the constitution and citizens rights, people are entirely free to express criticism and even their protest." He added that "the form of criticism and protest should be such that the outcome leads to the improvement of the condition of the country and the lives of the people. The president has a unique opportunity to lead the way and transform a great challenge into a great opportunity. First, his administration must act on its promises to provide outlets for the expression of grievances. There has been an increase in acceptance of differences of opinion in the discourse of the Islamic Republic, as seen in Rouhanis emphasis on his Citizens Rights Charter and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khameneis public recognition that there are Iranians who do not support the Islamic Republic (and even urging these constituencies to take part in elections). One important and tangible move would be to engage with other centers of power, including the judiciary and the security services, to realize promises to license peaceful protests. Even conservative voices such as the spokesman of the parliaments national security and foreign policy commission have urged the latter. It would be an astounding achievement for Rouhani to sow the seeds to produce what prominent member of parliament Ali Motahari has noted is lacking in Iran: namely, a culture of protest. Second, Rouhani should address the genuine economic grievances which also have to do with increased expectations stemming from his own promises by addressing concerns about the impact of the neoliberal aspects of his proposed budget bill. The latter includes reconsiderations of the schedule of subsidy cuts and to also open the door to new modes of wealth transfer. Last but certainly not least, rather than allowing the protests to become a tool for his domestic opponents and an opportunity for radicals to reassert their relevance, Rouhani must engage with the supreme leader to convince him of the need to tackle unaccountable centers of power and money. The president fired an important salvo in this game when he published details of budget allocations and through his recent revelations about the undue influence of opaque actors on financial markets. In the view of some, that very salvo is what helped mobilize the current protests. But in the long run, if the opportunity before him is seized, Rouhani could have in his hands his perhaps greatest chance to confront the vested interests that are preventing his agenda for reform. Correction: Jan. 2, 2018. An earlier version of this article misstated the name of the exiled journalist who reportedly administers the Amad News Telegram channel. He is Rohollah Zam, not Mohammad Zam. The Art of Christmas: New Mexico Style PLEASE NOTE! Due to the March 23, 2020 NM DOH Public Health Order, These Event Listings Are Not Accurate! All non-essential businesses are closed, public gatherings are prohibited! (One day some of these events will be rescheduled or will resume, but they are not happening now!) YEREVAN, JANUARY 1, ARMENPRESS: Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan addressed New Year congratulatory message. The address runs as follows: Honorable Citizens of the Republic of Armenia, Dear Compatriots, I would like to express my gratitude to you just a few minutes before bidding farewell to 2017. I am grateful to Armenias soldiers and simple country folk, intellectuals and business people, I am grateful to everyone for dedication, patriotism and patience. Mat the faith we have for our people and the future of the country invigorate us throughout the coming year. At this moment, we have gathered around festive tables with our family members. Every one of us is summing up the outgoing year, thanking God. Let us see 2018 in with a positive feeling of friendship and kinship. 2017 was a year of successive work and implementation of serious projects. The pace of large-scale transformations was not down at all; moreover, we implemented them with ever greater determination. The achievements we had this year are first of all your own achievements. And yet, we have much to do in order to consolidate the foundations of the Armenian statehood and society. Our ambitions are great, and we will be consistent in implementing them. We will continue to defend Artsakhs legitimate rights and interests. The work done by the authorities should be felt by every citizen of Armenia and instill a feeling of confidence in us. We have a wonderful country, and we should be proud of being a citizen of such a country. Dear Compatriots, In 2017, we elected a new national assembly. The electoral campaign was too keen, but the atmosphere was constructive. We avoided hostility and social divide, which matters more than the number of votes. This is another sound trend that should be built on in the New Year. Mutual respect, tolerance and consolidation must set benchmarks in Armenias political life. Next year we will complete our transition to the new system of governance. It is noteworthy that we will be celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Armenia at the same time. We can state confidently that we will usher in this jubilee with more cohesive and well-established social and political institutions. We are going to get our fellow countrymen back to Armenia. They will be back seeing that a great deal of work has to be done in Homeland. The chief objective of our work is to open up new horizons and opportunities, provide a wider field of activity for each Armenian citizen. Dear Compatriots, In 2017, we stepped up our efforts to build the armed forces of Armenia. As a result, we expect that those parents seeing off their sons to the army might feel confident that their son is called up to serve in well-organized and highly disciplined armed forces. Let us wish our soldiers good service. Let us thank them for protecting our peace. One more year is going to join the line-up of Armenias millennia-long history and the years of our emerging independent statehood. Let the Armenia-Artsakh-Diaspora trinity continue to strengthen in 2018; may our borders be safe and our homes hospitable. Let us raise a glass to wish peace to the Armenian world, as well as warmth and cohesion to our families. Always remember that the foundation of our country is the family. May our hearth and home always be blessed with an atmosphere of love, affection, care and understanding! Happy New Year and Christmas! Now that the Russia Collusion scandal has most completely boomeranged on core Democrats, the Democrat Media, and the Deep State, who have promoted this scandal for over one year: Should congress and Jeff Sessions's DOJ investigate the DNC, the Clintons, and, notably, the FBI /Obama DOJ with the same fervor that they have hounded all things connected to Candidate, then President Donald Trump? Yes, it is a necessity that we discover all that is corrupt, and stains the government of this land. No, investigate only everything connected to Donald Trump, as a candidate and then president. I generally don't pay attention to most things except what is normally pop culture. 165 total vote(s) What's your Opinion? Kirsten Gillibrand, and other unprincipled core Democrats, claim that the President made a sexist comment when he tweeted how she 'would do anything for campaign dollars.' The tweet by Mr. Trump was his band of pushback when Ms. Gillibrand called for the President to resign due to accusations charged, just weeks before his 2016 election, by a collected group of women who say that he harassed them at sometime in the distant past.The larger question in this regard is: Why are unprincipled Democrats always thinking about sex? Well, sex and Race ... ugh, and Open Borders, and the weather, Abortion on Demand, Guns Only for the Wealthy ... Oh, and, the United States as a post constitutional 'democracy' ... they really think about quite often.Everyone, with a full working brain, knows that Kirsten Gillibrand, as an unprincipled Democrat, is first and foremost a hypocrite , and she will use whatever means necessary to achieve whatever end desired.Remember, the president is from New York, and he knows New York's Junior Senator quite well; even admits slipping her campaign funds in the past to get stuff done, and simply spoke to what he knows. Many of us like that about this President; he tells it straight, and he gets stuff done.Also remember, Ms. Gillibrand called for Democrat Senator Al Franken to resign , for his inappropriate behavior, without the benefit of "due process". When Ms. Gillibrand was anointed to take Hillary Clinton's senate seat, she stuck to Bill and Hillary like glue during the campaign . Only in the last few weeks, more than two decades since Bill Clinton's: numerous affairs while in public office, sexual harassment situations with subordinates, and allegations of rape, does she denounce Bill (and Hillary) for his (her) sexist behavior; behavior that she and other Democrats not only tolerated then, but also defended the Clintons when they were head of the Democrat party.Understanding this accurate backstory, President Trump was not accusing the unprincipled Senator of being a sexual whore, but, contextually, he was tacitly accusing her of being a political whore, which she obviously is.It is so sad, but quite understandable considering their collective intellect, that core Democrats, and the Democrat Media can not tell the difference. Now that it is fully apparent, to all who have the ability to pay some modicum of attention, that Imposter President Biden has extreme cognitive issues, in addition to being an inveterate liar: Can OUR Republic continue with this Executive Office that has completely failed, so many times, on far too many issues here at this early date in this abysmal presidency? No, Joseph R. Biden is completely unqualified, morally and cognitively, to represent real Americans, and lead this Republic of disparate peoples. Yes, Joseph R. Biden has started whispering again, even softer now than before; so, I know he still cares, plus, OUR media will soon stop reporting on Afghanistan in favor of OUR Socialist issues. In California, it's also a time to take stock of which new laws from the Democrat-controlled Legislature will make our lives just a little (or a lot) more frustrating. Here are six:The entire state will now ignore U.S. immigration law: Because it's worked so well in San Francisco, California Democrats decided that the entire state should ignore federal immigration law. SB 54 forbids law enforcement officials from asking someone's immigration or holding them for Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agents - unless they've been convicted of a crime. AB 291 prohibits landlords (you know, like, private citizens who own private property) from reporting renters who are in the U.S. illegally.The DMV is raising vehicle registration fees: This is a minor blip in California's war on cars, but it's a frustrating one, because, really, this is the only thing that could make the DMV experience even worse. SB 1 increases vehicle registration fees between $25 and $175, depending on the vehicle's value.Employers can't ask applicants about their salary history: Private employers - yes, private employers - can't ask people who want money from them silly questions like how much money they've made in the past or are making at their current job. It will be interesting to see the inevitable unintended consequences of AB 168 . It will be at least a little more difficult for a company to gauge what a reasonable offer looks like without knowing what an applicant is currently making or recently made. Sure, employers will ask questions like, "What would you like to make?" and smart applicants will clarify their expectations at some point in the interview process. But, really, it's not the government's business how an employer and an applicant work out any mutually beneficial agreement.Low-skilled workers will have a harder time finding work: That's just a fancy way of saying, "The minimum wage will increase from $10.50 an hour to $11 an hour." Under SB 3, the minimum wage will increase each year until it hits $15 an hour in 2022. For people who already have jobs, this is no big deal. For people making below the minimum wage who keep their jobs and get a pay increase, it's great. But for low-skilled workers who need a job, this is bad news. A company is not going to pay a 20-year-old $11 an hour if he's only bringing $9 an hour worth of value to the company. It will either make do without that position, automate, or move to a state whose legislature has some grasp of basic economics. But, really, as with #3 above, it's not the government's business how an employer and employee work out a mutually beneficial wage. If an applicant wants to make $9 an hour, and an employer wants to pay $9 an hour, how is it not a bad thing for the government to say that's illegal?You can make up your gender on official state IDs: California will abolish its requirement that a person must undergo "clinically appropriate treatment for the purpose of gender transition" if they want to change the sex on their birth certificate, which means that men can say they're women, and vice-versa, on state IDs like driver's licenses. Beginning in 2019, driver's licenses will have three options for sex: male, female, and nonbinary.Schools will no longer be allowed to decide whether or not they're "gun-free zones": Because the legislature has decided for them. AB 424 says school administrators can no longer permit employees with concealed carry permits to conceal and carry firearms on campus. Which means the only people with guns on campus will be criminals and campus police, who more often than not can only respond to shootings, not prevent them.Has reading this list spiked your heart rate? Then you'll be calmed by AB 64 , which legalizes the sale and cultivation of recreational-use marijuana.Happy 2018! News / National by Staff Reporter Mthwakazi Republic Party youths have been moved from the Brad Military barracks to Bulawayo Central Police Station, but they are badly injured.The police insists that they are detaining them and charging them with breach of peace."We are now looking for medication to help them with first aid. ZANU PF and its leaders will be made to pay for their crimes God is in control of everything" said the party.MDC leader Welshman Ncube has said president Emerson Mnangagwa and the military did not start their coup this year when they dethroned Robert Mugabe but in 2008 when they denied MDC T leader Morgan Tsvangirai to rule after winning the election. News / National by Staff Reporter MEMBERS of the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) tasked to guard five properties owned by Lebanese entrepreneur Jamal Joseph Hamed in Harare's plush suburbs, allegedly at the behest of former First Lady Grace Mugabe have abandoned the properties and moved off site, NewsDay reported.The development, which came shortly after Grace's 93-year-old husband former President Robert Mugabe succumbed to public and military pressure and stepped down dramatically on November 21, confirms the adage that "when days are dark friends are few".Mugabe resigned following a military intervention codenamed Operation Restore Legacy, which the army claimed was aimed at "removing criminals surrounding the President".Now lonely without the support of State machinery and her Zanu PF loyalists, the ruling party's former Iron Lady and women's league boss should be feeling more exposed after police dumped the properties at the centre of her private lawsuit in a controversial $1,2 million diamond ring saga.Grace, whom Zimbabweans often ridiculed for her penchant for an expensive lifestyle, allegedly engaged Jamal in April 2015 to secure a diamond ring worth $1,2 million for her wedding anniversary celebrations, which she then claimed the entrepreneur failed to deliver on time and only repaid $120 000.This compelled the former First Lady to file an application in the High Court seeking an order declaring Jamal's shareholding in some of his companies auctionable and to attach his residential properties.But Jamal's lawyer, Beatrice Mtetwa, in December 2016, petitioned the High Court protesting that Grace's son, Russell Goreraza, and suspected accomplice Kennedy Fero had illegally enlisted the police to occupy and hold onto Jamal's properties in Avondale, Vainona and Borrowdale suburbs as the diamond ring saga raged on.In response to the High Court application, police claimed they occupied Jamal's properties on the basis that they were exhibits in an alleged criminal matter involving the Lebanese entrepreneur.Efforts by Jamal's lawyer to evict Grace's agents and repossess the properties came to naught as police dug in, refusing to move out, claiming the businessman had defrauded Mugabe's wife in the ring deal.NewsDay has gathered that of the five properties, only one has been left under the care of a private security firm as police moved out."We have since received information that some of the properties have since been abandoned, with at least one property being under the control of a private security company," part of a letter written by Jamal's lawyer to Superintendent Nyambo Viera, who has been leading investigations into the alleged fraudulent diamond ring saga, read.Through Mtetwa, Jamal expressed concern about the security of the properties considering that the ZRP officers who had been occupying them had since vacated."Our client is naturally concerned at the security and safety of his properties and the assets thereat and we request that you urgently arrange that the police in the company of our client's representatives, attend at each one of the premises without delay so that proper inventories can be taken and so that our client can be satisfied that the assets are not in danger of being vandalised," Mtetwa wrote to Viera.Besides assisting Grace to occupy Jamal's properties, the ZRP also assisted the former First Lady to occupy Manzou Farm in Mazowe and evict some families from the farm.However, the families, who got assistance from lawyers from the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, successfully challenged their eviction in the High Court and continued residing at the farm although they were frequently persecuted by police officers who destroyed their homesteads.Last month, the villagers celebrated the ouster of Mugabe and some of them have begun suing the police for damage and loss of property. News / National by Simbarashe Sithole The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Bindura were reportedly on the receiving end from an angry mob that was celebrating on new year's eve near Tendai Hall in Mashonaland Central capital.Sources familiar with the incident allege Bindura police stormed Tendai Hall dispersing the mob with dogs prompting the crowd to react angrily by throwing missiles at them.The police had to beef up their security with tear smoke and a tanker after most of them had sought refuge inside the hall where a certain church was conducting a service."There was pandemonium in Bindura near Tendai hall after the police tried to disperse people who were celebrating the end of 2017, marking 2018."The crowd resisted and over powered them prompting them to run with their dogs inside the hall where a church service was in progress."After seeing danger another team came with a tanker and started throwing tear smoke," explained the source.However, it is not clear on who started the fire that destroyed infrastructure at the hall which was subsequently extinguished by the fire brigade.Contacted for comment Mashonaland Central police spokesperson Inspector Milton Mundembe said he is on holiday and is not aware of the case."I am on holiday in Mount Darwin hence I am yet to receive that case, may be if you can contact me tomorrow, l will be able to furnish you with information," said Mundembe.His deputy Assistant Inspector Petros Maskati said he was off duty. News / National by Staff Reporter A Harare woman was granted a protection order against her husband who was trying to throw her out of their matrimonial home, accusing her of being "tasteless" in bed.Sibongile Phulo appeared before a Harare magistrate seeking protection against her husband Tonic Jaravadza.Phulo said her husband accuses her of being barren as an excuse to get rid of her."He is saying he has six wives and wants to throw me out of our home," she told the civil court last week."He wants me to leave saying that I am barren and tasteless in bed and he also insults me saying his other six wives taste better than me."Phulo claimed that her husband was impotent as he had no children of his own."He is saying I am barren but I have two children of my own and he does not have any children," she said.Phulo also claimed that she was now sleeping outside the house as her husband chased her away.Jaravadza, however, denied abusing his wife, saying she was misleading the court so as to avoid divorce proceedings. News / National by Staff Reporter HARARE - Home Affairs minister Obert Mpofu, who superintended over the Mining ministry during the heydays of harvesting diamonds from the gems-rich Chiadzwa fields is to be hauled before Parliament to explain the alleged missing $15 billion worth of the precious stones - as the government hunts for answers on the emotive issue.Walter Chidakwa - who succeeded Mpofu at the ministry, and who was fired from the government following the dramatic fall of former president Robert Mugabe last year - is also expected to appear in due course before the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Mines and Mining Development which is chaired by Norton MP Temba Mliswa.The Marange diamond fields in Manicaland Province, which are located a few kilometres outside Mutare, were discovered in 2006 and are considered to be one of the world's biggest deposits of diamonds."We want the ministers to appear before the committee as soon as possible, most probably at our first meeting in 2018. It's pretty clear that this issue has to be brought to an end soon."There are many people who were involved in diamond mining and the responsible ministers during this time were Mpofu and Chidakwa ... and they should be able to help shed light on the diamond operations," Mliswa told the Daily News in an interview yesterday."This is not a witch-hunt, it's just about accountability ... which is why we want bring the former ministers before the Parliamentary committee to account for the concessions that they gave and to reveal how much was generated, how much went to the Kimberly Process and so forth," he added.At the height of the mining of diamonds in Marange, Mbada Diamonds, Marange Resources, Anjin Investments, Diamond Mining Company, Kusena and Gye Nyame were some of the companies which were involved in the extraction of the gems in conjunction with the Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation (ZMDC).The mining companies were expelled from Chiadzwa after Mugabe made the startling claim that his government had lost a jaw-dropping $15 billion to alleged nefarious activities by some of the diamond mining firms.In a controversial move, the government subsequently fired and replaced the mining companies with the State-owned Zimbabwe Diamond Consolidated Company which now exclusively carries out all the mining in the area.Speaking to the ZBC in 2016 on the occasion of his 92nd birthday, Mugabe stunned Zimbabweans when he said his government had received little from diamond mining at Chiadzwa - further suggesting that the companies which were involved in the extraction of the gems there had robbed the State."We've not received much from the diamond industry at all. I don't think we've exceeded $2 billion, yet we think more than $15 billion has been earned," Mugabe said then.In 2012, long before Mugabe alleged that the $15 billion had been spirited away, a watchdog group campaigning against "blood" diamonds had also released a damning report in which it alleged that more than $2 billion worth of diamonds had been stolen from the Marange fields.It also claimed that Mugabe's inner circle, together with some international dealers and a large network of criminals had connived in "the biggest single plunder of diamonds the world has seen since Cecil Rhodes"."Marange's potential has been overshadowed by violence, smuggling, corruption and most of all, lost opportunity."The scale of illegality is mind-blowing" and has spread to compromise most of the diamond markets of the world," Partnership Africa Canada (PAC) alleged in its report that was titled: Reap What You Sow - Greed and Corruption in Zimbabwe's Marange Diamond Fields.The planned appearances of Mpofu and Chidakwa before Parliament comes as President Emmerson Mnangagwa has raised hopes that the government will finally provide answers to the missing $15 billion.Anti-corruption watchdogs and opposition groups have welcomed his tough rhetoric against graft, including his three-month moratorium on people who externalised foreign currency - saying it will help the government to recover some of the money that was stolen during Mugabe's controversial rule.Mnangagwa invoked Presidential Powers last month and gazetted the three-month moratorium within which those involved in the illegal externalisation of money and assets can bring back their loot with no questions being asked - or risk charges being preferred against them."The period of this amnesty stretches from December 1, 2017 to the end of February 2018. Affected persons who wish to comply with this directive should liaise with the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) for the necessary facilitation and accounting."Upon the expiry of the three-month window, government will proceed to effect arrests of all those who would not have complied with this directive, and will ensure that they are prosecuted in terms of the country's laws."Those affected are thus encouraged to take advantage of this three-month moratorium to return the illegally externalised funds and assets in order to avoid the pain and ignominy of being visited by the long arm of the law," Mnangagwa said.Before he became president, Mnangagwa had said the government had ordered a forensic audit of the seven companies that were mining in Chiadzwa as part of the investigations regarding the missing $15 billion."You said there was $15 billion stolen. What it then says is that there's an investigation, where there's an investigation there's an allegation, and where there's an allegation there's a prima facie case ... there's a possibility that the thing happened."You properly said there is $15 billion which is being investigated, which means the issue of $15 billion is under investigation, using your own terms, to establish whether it actually happened and if it did, that is corruption."And up to now, that hasn't been concluded. There were something like seven companies and each company will be subjected to a forensic audit to establish during the past five or six years, what it did. A forensic audit on each company will be done."A forensic audit has been instituted against all the seven companies. They will be audited to discover whether this happened or not, and those who will be found through the forensic audit will account for the resource they have stolen from this country. That is the essence about the $15 billion question," Mnangagwa told a business forum at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair in 2016. News / Press Release by APO Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, January 1, 2018/ -- 2017 has been a particularly eventful year, with the assumption of duty of a new Commission. I have had the privilege of serving with a diverse group of individuals over the past nine months, and the results have been encouraging.Youth has been at the center of our agenda, as the African Union works to open up opportunities for them in every field. 2017 was the year of Harnessing the Demographic Dividend through Investment in Youth. This made it possible to renew our commitments, as African States and institutions, to achieve our targets for young people, including through reducing the proportion of youth unemployment by at least 2 % annually. In adopting the African Union Demographic Dividend Roadmap, Member States have pledged to open up financial services for young people, promote entrepreneurship, increase investments in health, education, and create spaces for youth civic engagement and political participation. They further pledged to mobilize investments in sectors with the potential for high employment multiplier effects and to engage the corporate sector to encourage on-the-job training and philanthropic programmes.Member States also renewed their commitments to empowering the youth through the ratification, domestication and full implementation of all African Union Shared Values instruments, including the African Youth Charter and the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance.I am pleased that several African Union Member States have launched the Continental Demographic Dividend Roadmap and committed to report annually on progress made. The vast majority of Member States completed the development of their Demographic Dividend profiles. This now gives us a clearer picture of the high-impact areas that require strategic investments in order to harness the demographic dividend. I call upon the Member States that have not yet done so to complete these profiles.Reports of African migrants being auctioned as slaves in Libya by international criminal networks were received with shock across the continent and beyond. In response, the Commission took a number of steps, including working with the Libyan authorities, as well as the United Nations, the European Union, the International Organization for Migration and the High Commissioner for Refugees, as part of an African Union-led task force, to facilitate and accelerate the voluntary repatriation of migrants. I requested the African Commission on Human and People's Rights to carry out an investigation into the situation and to report as soon as possible. Alongside this, the Commission will also take additional steps to address the underlying drivers of irregular migration.In November, we celebrated the 30th anniversary of the African Commission on Human and People's Rights, which was established to further the advancement of our people. While the task of making these aspirations into reality is a long one, we are confident that it will be achieved.This year, the Commission reevaluated the effectiveness of its previous policies and strategies with respect to gender equality and women's empowerment on the continent. On this basis, a new gender equality and empowerment strategy has been developed, which ensures better alignment with agenda 2063, places stronger emphasis on tangible results and accountability, and promotes innovative practices.Regional integration remained a priority for the African Union. Significant progress has been made regarding the negotiations over the Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA). Following the 4th meeting of the African Ministers of Trade, held in Niamey in December 2017, it is envisaged that the CFTA agreement and other related documents would be adopted in March 2018. The CFTA, which is a flagship project of Agenda 2063, will create a market of over 1.2 billion people. Its establishment will significantly increase intra-African trade, create economies of scale and regional value chains, and augment job opportunities. In parallel, a legal framework for the management of migration and mobility the Protocol to the Treaty Estabilishing the African Economic Community Relating to the Free Movement of Persons, Right of Residence and Right of Establishment has been elaborated. It is due for adoption by the African Union Summit of January 2018.The Commission will also accelerate the implementation of a number of continental policies, including in the area of infrastructure, with the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA), and agriculture, with the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP). In this respect, greater emphasis will be placed on food security and safety.Another Agenda 2063 flagship project is the Single African Air Transport Market. This initiative is a follow-up to the Yamoussoukro Declaration of 1999, and will be launched in January 2018, on the margins of the African Union Summit. Twenty-three Member States have pledged their solemn commitment to the Single Air Market, the implementation of which will increase the number of routes, reduce the cost of air travel and contribute to the expansion of intra-African trade and tourism. I call on all Member States that have not yet done so to join this important initiative.On the institutional building front, the Assembly of Heads of State and Government took an important decision to transform our Union into an effective and efficient institution capable of accelerating progress towards economic integration, peace, security and overall prosperity for African citizens. In line with this decision, I have established a Reform Implementation Unit to co-ordinate the implementation process. I am particularly pleased with the progress we are making on the "Financing the Union" agenda. In 2018, Member States will be funding almost 40% of the African Union programme budget, compared to less than 5% in 2015 when the initiative was launched. A number of measures will be taken to strengthen overall finance and budget management accountability. In January 2018, I will be submitting a progress report, setting out a number of reform implementation proposals and recommendations, for discussion by the Summit.Several successful elections were held in Member States. I note, in particular, the peaceful conduct of presidential and representative elections in Liberia. This bears testimony to the commitment of the Liberian people and leaders to sustain peace in their country. I congratulate the peoples and Governments of the countries that held elections for their commitment to ensuring smooth electoral processes, moving us closer to realizing the spirit and letter of the African Charter on Elections, Governance and Democracy. I urge all concerned to respect the will of the people, abide by their national and international obligations, and to use non-violent and legal means in resolving electoral disputes.As we work towards building stronger institutions and promoting prosperity, the fight against corruption assumes even greater importance and urgency. It is a well-recognized fact that corruption hinders efforts aimed at promoting democratic governance, socio-economic transformation and peace and security. It creates inequality in our societies and erodes the rule of law. While empirical evidence shows that Africa has made some encouraging steps in the last five years, huge challenges remain. In recognition of these, the African Union Assembly declared 2018 as the African Anti-Corruption Year (Project 2018), with the theme "Winning the Fight Against Corruption: A Sustainable Path to Africa's Transformation."The African Union remains committed to working with the Member States to deliver on the ambitious Agenda 2063 flagship project of Silencing the Guns by 2020. We all need to rededicate ourselves to ending violence and sustaining peace in our continent, including by bringing to a successful conclusion the ongoing peace processes in Mali and the Central African Republic, ensuring that the elections planned in the Democratic Republic of Congo in December 2018 take place on time and in a conducive environment, consolidating progress made in Somalia, and ending the threat posed by terrorism in the Sahel, the Lake Chad Basin, and in Horn of Africa.It is my earnest hope that the south Sudanese stakeholders will deliver on the commitments made in the Agreement on Cessation of Hostilities, Protection of Civilians and Humanitarian Access signed as part of the IGAD-led Revitalization Forum that took place in Addis Ababa in December 2017. The people of South Sudan, who have endured so much pain and suffering, desperately need and deserve peace.We have had several key engagements with our strategic partners. We started the year with a high-level African Union Commission-United Nations Secretariat meeting. We renewed our commitments to work together on Africa's peace, security and governance challenges. In November, the African Union-European Union Summit took place. The outcomes of these meetings stand to significantly enhance the quality, effectiveness and impact of these partnerships.As we enter 2018, we should remember all those who lost their lives not because they lost the will to live, but because of the deadly cloud of conflict, intolerance and disregard for human life and endeavor. We ought to do more and better in 2018 to ensure a future for ourselves, our children, our continent and our world, where the right to life, peace, opportunity and protection should be the basic barometer of our shared humanity.We should not also forget the women and men serving in African Union or United Nations peace operations in Africa. In 2017, many of them were killed in the line of duty. Their sacrifices should not be in vain.I wish you all, fellow Africans, a prosperous and peaceful 2018 for our Continent and its people. Prof. Hillel Frisch is a professor of political studies and Middle East studies at Bar-Ilan University and a senior research associate at the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies. BESA Center Perspectives Papers are published through the generosity of the Greg Rosshandler Family Updates throughout the day at http://calevbenyefuneh.blog spot.com. If you enjoy "Love of the Land", please be a subscriber. Just put your email address in the "Subscribe" box on the upper right-hand corner of the page.Twitter updates at LoveoftheLand as well as our Love of the Land page at Facebook which has additional pieces of interest besides that which is posted on the blog. Also check-out This Ongoing War by Frimet and Arnold Roth. An excellent blog, very important work. . ..BESA Center Perspectives Paper No. 700..28 December '17..Ominous warnings about Arab fury characterized the reactions of most Arab and western leaders to President Trumps decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, despite Trumps clear statement that the decision in no way jeopardizes final status talks over Jerusalem between Israel and the Palestinians.The Arab League, which is composed of 22 mostly Arabic-speaking states, warned that the announcement deepens tension, ignites anger, and threatens to plunge the region into more violence and chaos. Hamas was even more graphic: Trumps decision, the movement assured, opens the gates of hell.According to Riyad Mansour, the ambassador and permanent observer of Palestine at the UN, the decision heightened tensions and risks the complete destabilization of this volatile situation.The Israeli authorities braced for a possible conflagration by announcing the dispatch of several battalions to the West Bank to augment the forces already in the area.So what happened?By far the largest and most persistent demonstrations took place in Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia.At first glance, the fact that a Muslim population on the other side of the globe staged the largest demonstrations appears to confirm that the new media have turned the Islamic world, if not the whole world, into a global village. It should be recalled, however, that many thousands, rather than the mere hundreds who demonstrated in 2017, did so half a century earlier on the eve of the Six-Day War, calling for Israels destruction.Demonstrations, again in the hundreds to the few thousands judging from the photos, also took place in Amman, London, and Paris. In each case, the numbers who showed up comprised only tiny percentages of the cities Muslim populations. Hundreds appear to have demonstrated in Times Square, though from the photos and videos, the total seems to have been not much more than two hundred. And their chants, it is worthwhile to note, did not address either Jerusalem or Trump. What they were chanting was Free, free Palestine from the river to the sea.Striking was the absence of almost any protests at all in Cairo, Riyadh, and the Gulf states.All told, the few thousand Muslims who protested Trumps declaration worldwide were an infinitesimal fraction of a religious community that numbers more than one billion.Ironically, one of the capitals to see very little protest was Jerusalem. Though Jerusalem is populated by over 250,000 Muslims, the protestors could be counted in the dozens. The Lebanese media outlet, The Star, whose stance on Israel is rabidly condemnatory, had to make do with a photo on its front page with fewer than fifty protestors in the frame.To be sure, in the southern outskirts of Ramallah facing the Qalandia checkpoint, there were not only more protestors, but they were far more violent. Yet that was to be expected. The PA had encouraged violence, and many of the protestors, one can safely assume, were being paid for their efforts by Fatah, the movement led by Mahmoud Abbas, president of the PA. This initiative is perhaps reflected in the fact that whereas the protests in Jerusalem were attended by both sexes and all ages, the protestors at Qalandia were mostly, if not all, young males.In neither case did the demonstrations represent much deviation from the norm, and both varieties were smaller than the average protests that take place in the Jerusalem area. They were far less intense, for example, than the protests that broke out in July over the Israeli decision to place electronic monitors at the entrance to the Temple Mount following the killing of two Israeli border policemen by assailants who began their attack from the Temple Mount.Only along the security fence with Gaza did the protests turn lethal. Again, the numbers of protestors were small and those killed even smaller. This is not surprising. The protestors knew beforehand that broaching the border fence might have lethal consequences, and the Israeli troops manning the fence were aware of the possibility that some of the protestors might be suicide bombers and that thousands might attempt to crash the fence. Israel had to establish deterrence to prevent these phenomena, both of which have taken place on numerous occasions in the past.Why the dire forebodings come to nothing?The answer must be preceded by acknowledging that after at least half a century of studying why people rebel, no one knows exactly why political tumult erupts. As Hanna Arendt, the famous scholar of revolution, pointed out, most professional revolutionaries those who strive throughout their lives to create a political eruption are usually as surprised as everyone else when it actually breaks out.In this particular instance, an attempt to explain the relative lack of popular reaction to Trumps decision must distinguish between the publics outside Israel and the PA and those within. In the Muslim world, the burdens of so many problems and political conflicts close to home might partially explain the lack of interest in the Jerusalem question. Following that logic, the fact that protests did take place in distant Jakarta might reflect the relative peace and prosperity prevailing there.That so little took place in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza might be explained by a similar fatigue, but also by other factors. One is the dampening effect of the two rival forces, the PA and Hamas, both of which urge ordinary Palestinians to take risks without committing their bureaucracies and security forces to join the fray. In the PA, there is also a dearth of organizers who can get protestors to the scene and assure both the replenishment of the ranks and the continuity of violence.Finally, the protestors face an innovative Israeli force. One of its innovations is to abstain from confronting the protestors, but rather to contain them, identify them through a variety of methods, and apprehend them later. Knowing a price will be paid for violence acts as a deterrent from violently protesting in the first place. For the seventh consecutive year, we bring you our selections and analysis for the Top 12 cigar industry news stories and themes for the year. Unlike how we consider cigars for our Cigar of the Year Countdown, these news story selections are based on the actual calendar year for 2017. These stories are individual stories or ones that are multi-faceted. Some even overlap. Most importantly, they are the ones that had the greatest impact on the cigar industry as a whole. This year we list the stories in alphabetical order. AJ Fernandez Growth Continues In 2014 and 2015, AJ Fernandez began to conquer the market with his New World and Enclave brands. In 2016, Fernandez began to become a focal point for producing blends and handling production for some of the biggest factories. One might think things would slow down for Fernandez in 2017 that was far from the case. The big story was Fernandez taking on the production of several of the cigar industrys most iconic brands. Names such as Montecristo, Romeo y Julieta, H. Upmann, and Gispert (all from Tabacalera USA) would see releases that are cigars blended by Fernandez and produced at his factory. Another release for Hoyo de Monterrey for General Cigar would come from A.J. Fernandez. Toward the end of the year came the news that General Cigar was turning over production and distribution of its iconic Ramon Allones brand to AJ Fernandez himself meaning Fernandezs company will not only make the cigar, but sell it using its sales force. These are huge iconic names now coming out of Fernandezs factory in Nicaragua. At the same time, Fernandez continues to produce blends for Southern Draw Cigars, Foundation Cigar Company, Foundry Tobacco and Diesel (part of General), La Palina Cigars, and many, many others. He also didnt take his eye off his own company. 2017 saw the New World Puro Especial and Enclave Broadleaf hit the market. Plus an extensive repackaging of his San Lotano line. Editors Comments The question isnt whats next. The question might be more like when do we see AJ Fernandezs next move? Altria Acquires Nat Sherman Back in January 2017, it was announced that tobacco giant Altria had acquired Sherman Group Holdings LLC, the company that distributes Nat Sherman Cigars. Nat Sherman is known to many cigar enthusiasts for its premium cigar offerings. Over the past 5 years, the brand had enjoyed a renaissance in the premium cigar segment thanks to the addition of Michael Herklots. On the other hand, Nat Sherman has a very large super-premium cigarette business which was most likely the driving force of this acquisition. The move is important because this is the first time one of the big cigarette companies acquired a brand with a significant premium hand-rolled cigar component. Sherman Group Holdings LLC was a family run business. Following the acquisition, Nat Sherman became a part of Altrias smokeable products segment along with Philip Morris USA and John Middleton Co. From the marketing end of premium cigars, to say it has been business as usual for Nat Sherman is simply incorrect. Altrias marketing efforts are curtailed by the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement (MSA). As a result, the major marketing push Nat Sherman had seen since Herklots arrival virtually has come to a standstill. The company has not released any new products. While the retail operation has remained open in New York, the online store was taken offline and has not come back. What is perhaps more alarming is if we see more companies who are compliant with the terms of MSA acquire cigar companies. This could very much curtail many of the marketing efforts and interactions we have today. This move came shortly after British American Tobacco completed its acquisition of Reynolds American. Editors Comments It will be interesting to see where Nat Sherman 2018 goes especially with the MSA in place. If other cigar companies are acquired by Big Tobacco such as Altria, will they have such restrictions imposed on them? Nat Shermans acquisition is in a way a reality check for what could we could see in the future as we enter the age of consolidation in the premium cigar industry. Appropriations Bill Passes House of Representatives The battle the cigar industry has had against the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) often seems like a pushing on a rope. However, September 14, 2017, might be a date the cigar industry remembers. It was on that date, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a twelve-bill spending package for the 2018 Fiscal year that included the Agriculture Appropriations Bill that was crafted by a House Subcommittee earlier this summer. This bill includes language that calls for a premium cigar exemption and predicate date change to August 8, 2016. While not a win, its significant for the premium cigar industry. Its the first time legislation had passed either chamber of Congress with language for the exemption or the predicate exemption. The central point of interest for cigar enthusiasts is that the proposed bill has language in it that says federal funding cannot be used to finalize, implement, administer, or enforce FDA regulations on premium cigars. The proposed bill also includes language to define what a premium cigar is. We broke down what it means and doesnt mean here. There still is a challenging road ahead. This language was not on the Senate Bill. This goes through what is known as a conference committee process where select members of Congress will agree to compromises and this will eventually lead to a common piece of legislation. There is a stronger anti-tobacco sentiment on the Senate side of Congress. At press time (December 31st), the whole Appropriations Bill and Spending Process had still not been passed. Just before Christmas, lawmakers avoided a government shutdown by passing a short-term spending measure that will fund the government through January 19. At that point, the debate will be on what the spending deal will look like for the remainder of the Fiscal year 2018. This is expected to be the first big fight in Congress as it opens up the 2018 year. Editors Comments Prediction: The cigar industry probably comes up short again as the complexities of the Spending Bill push the exemption and predicate date change to a lower priority. I dont think the delays are helping, but one never knows. Drew Estate Changes Back in October 2014, Swisher International acquired premium cigar giant Drew Estate tobacco. When acquisitions occur, it usually takes a while for the big changes to happen. 2017 saw a variety of changes at Drew Estate. It was actually prior to the 2016 IPCPR Trade Show when Glenn Wolfson was named CEO of Drew Estate, but there were two significant changes that occurred in 2017. Jonathan Drew, the co-founder of Drew Estate, was named President of Drew Estate. Drew never had gone away, but had taken more of a background/ambassador role and spearheading his John Drew Brands beverage company since the acquisition. Peter Ghiloni, the CEO of Swisher International announced his retirement. John Miller, Swisher Internationals Vice President of Marketing, was named his successor beginning in 2018. Its unknown how the Ghiloni retirement and the naming of a new successor will affect things. Anytime a new CEO comes, changes are bound to happen. Ghiloni was a big part of making the acquisition of Drew Estate happen. How Miller views Drew Estate is something to watch in 2018 its basically an unknown. At the Wolfson level, he had already begun to make his changes with bringing back Drew to become company President. While I personally thought Drew Estate had done a very good job at maintaining its culture since 2014, one thing was clear status quo was not satisfactory. According to Drew Estate, naming Drew as company President was meant to be a return to its roots with the objective to unleash the entire teams creative power under the leadership of JD. Meanwhile, other changes occurred. David Lazarus came in as Vice President of Sales. Subsequently, the Sales Department was reorganized. Concurrently, Selim Hanono, Vice President of Trade Show and events, departed. Stephan Qarimi was named International Market Manager. Finally, Drew Estate and Royal Agio Cigars ended their distribution agreement on what on all accounts appears to be amicable terms. While Drew Estate is no longer distributing Royal Agio in the U.S., Royal Agio is handling distribution for Drew Estate in Europe. Meanwhile, Royal Agio has established its own U.S. Headquarters and it will be interesting to see what its next move is. Editors Comments Bottom line, Drew Estate is a company that has always embraced change. They will be just fine and 2018 will probably be a year we see a lot of excitement from the company. Dunhill Exits Premium Cigar Market In January 2017, it was announced that tobacco giant British American Tobacco (BAT) was removing Dunhill Cigar and Pipe Tobacco from its overall portfolio. The move results in what appears to be the end of one of the oldest names in cigar and pipe tobacco. British American Tobacco is focused on the cigarette business. While Dunhill cigar and pipe tobacco will be dropped, Dunhill cigarette products will continue to be solid. The Dunhill brand can be traced back to Alfred Dunhills tobacco shop that opened in 1907 on Duke Street in London. The store had numerous marketing/distribution agreements with many Cuban cigar manufacturers. The store also served as a tobacconist for such famous people as Winston Churchill and King George VI. Dunhills relationship with the Cuban cigar market continued after the Cuban revolution. In 1982, Dunhill started working with Cubatabaco (Cubas nationalized tobacco company) to produce cigars. By 1984, the cigars started hitting the market and expanded into 30 countries. While the brand expanded, it soon started facing competition and by 1991, Cubatabaco and Dunhill went their separate ways. Dunhill did not find a new manufacturing source and eventually, the brand name was sold to British American Tobacco. In the United States, Dunhill was distributed by General Cigar Company which also handled some premium cigar production for the brand. Over the past few years, General Cigar had given the Dunhill brand a considerable push in the U.S. The brand has had new releases such as Dunhill Aged Maduro, Dunhill Heritage, 1907 by Dunhill, and Dunhill Signed Range Seleccion Suprema. In addition, the Dunhill Signed Range line was also revamped. Over the past few years, Dunhill had been a featured brand in the General portfolio at several IPCPR Trade Shows. This year, they were virtually absent from the General Cigar booth. Editors Comments Im perplexed on this one. I would have thought Dunhill would be an attractive portfolio for someone to acquire because it has predicate brands, a long history, and in recent years the brand had enjoyed a renaissance. Now I simply dont know. The more time passes, the less likely I think we see a return of Dunhill to premium cigars and pipes. The Gottlieb Doctrine The nomination and confirmation of Dr. Scott Gottlieb as Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was lauded by the premium cigar industry. Dr. Gottlieb was a physician and former Deputy Commissioner at the FDA before being tabbed by President Trump to head up the FDA. Because he had been on the record saying the FDA may be overreaching when it comes to regulation on tobacco, his selection was a good choice in the minds of the premium cigar industry. It took less than three months to see some results encouraging to the cigar industry in regards to its battle with the FDA over the Deeming Regulations affecting premium cigars. On July 28, 2017, Gottlieb unveiled a tobacco program known as Protecting American Families: Comprehensive Approach to Nicotine and Tobacco. One component of this program was a plan to push the deadline for cigar and pipe tobacco companies to submit products for FDA approval out nearly three years to August 8, 2021. This was one component that was put into an initiative by the agency to reduce nicotine levels in cigarettes. There are a couple of reasons for the change in the deadline for approval of cigar and pipe tobacco products. Part of the reason for the delay is that the agency recognized that what needed to be included in applications for approval for Substantial Equivalence (SE) wasnt spelled out. Also, Gottlieb has said the agency is re-evaluating its approach for premium cigars. This media brand has dubbed this The Gottlieb Doctrine We explored what Gottliebs Initiative meant: We devoted an Episode of Prime Time Special Edition to this topic as well: While the Gottlieb Doctrine is good on the surface, we dont know the specifics of what it means to re-evaluate the regulations. In addition, Dr. Tom Price, who was named Secretary of Health and Human Services by President Trump, resigned. Price was essentially Dr. Gottliebs boss. Now Alex Azar has been nominated to succeed Dr. Price. Azar has no track record in the premium cigar/tobacco space, so if approved, he will be a bit of an unknown. Editors Comments My gut tells me Dr. Gottlieb isnt going anywhere and Alex Azars appointment wont impact this. The Trump agenda still focuses on reducing government regulations, so that is a good thing. My concern is I dont think the regulations will drastically change. There could be some relief, but I also think it wont be in 2018 where we see this happen. Hurricane Irma When it comes to the cigar industry, tobacco production in Central America and the Caribbean as well as the hub of the U.S. cigar business, South Florida, has a major impact. This September saw monster storm Hurricane Irma rip through the Caribbean and make its way to South Florida. While as a whole, it wasnt catastrophic, the industry saw some effects. These impacts were enough to slow down business during the month and cause disruption particularly in the U.S. operations, but the industry seemed to bounce back quickly. In the U.S., the State of Florida definitely took a hit. Florida started feeling the effects of Irma on Sunday, September 10th. United Parcel Service, the industrys preferred U.S. shipping service, had suspended pickups and deliveries during this time. Many cigar companies have their U.S. distribution based in the Miami Metropolitan area. A good chunk of the region was under an evacuation order resulting in many employees leaving town. The storm hit over the weekend, but many cigar companies closed prior to the weekend and remained closed following the storm. Havana, Cuba took a big hit from the storm. There were reports of widespread flooding and storm surge. There are several factories located in the Havana area. While Habanos SA did not officially disclose the damage, weve been told there were some impacts. The growing region of Pinar del Rio was not impacted. Rain and wind from Irma hit the north coast of the Dominican Republic on September 7th and caused some damage. The Santiago metropolitan area is located in the northern part of the country about 90 minutes from the northern coast. This is where many Dominican cigar factories have their base of operations. There are also several growing regions located in the northern part of the country. Prior to the storm hitting, President Danilo Medina ordered businesses closed, and this included cigar factories so this slowed business. There were many reports of wind and rain to the northern part of the Dominican Republic, but there was no significant damage reported to facilities and tobacco. There were also power outages throughout the region. Editors Comments Its a cliche term, but the cigar industry dodged a bullet. At the same time, Im sure the industry got a bit of a reality check on the impacts of a hurricane. Things will be just fine. Launch of Plasencia Cigars With nearly 153 years experience in the tobacco industry, the Plasencias are one of the iconic families in the industrys history. Now, after many years being growers and producers in the cigar business, the Plasencias last year launched their own brand. Its not just a brand with their name on it. To bring this product to market, the Plasencias now have their own U.S. distribution company, Plasencia 1865, LLC. While the company was launched late in 2016, it was at the 2017 IPCPR Trade Show where the official launch of the Plasencias as brand owners took place. The launch at the 2017 IPCPR was simply a clinic on how to launch a brand. While many cigar companies dont have the resources to put on such an event, there was a lot these companies can learn about launching a brand and/or product from this type of event. Plasencia Cigars culminated the year with capturing the #9 rating on Cigar Aficionados Top 10 list something the company is enormously proud of accomplishing during its first year in operation. The Media Briefing at the 2017 IPCPR Trade Show We were on hand for the media briefing that Plasencia Cigars had at the 2017 IPCPR Trade Show. Interview Nestor Andres Plasencia from the 2017 IPCPR Trade Show We were able to get some one on one time with Plasencia Cigars CEO Nestor Andres Plasencia at this years IPCPR Trade Show. Nestor Andres Plasencia Interview from IPCPR Prime Time Special Edition: Special Guest, Nestor Andres Plasencia In December, Nestor Andres graciously also give us a more in-depth segment on Prime Time Special Edition: Editors Comments Year One for Plasencia Cigars can be considered a big success and this is just the beginning. Year Two will be even bigger. Matt Booth Splits from Davidoff and Teams up with Robert Caldwell One of the first big stories this year was the announcement that the Matt Booth and Room 101 era at Davidoff was coming to an end. While Booth is the owner of the Room 101 brand, he had partnered with Davidoff to handle production and distribution of his cigars. Booth had come from the jewelry business. In 2009, the brand was extended to include cigars. He started working with Camacho Cigars to handle the production and distribution. When Camacho was acquired by Davidoff, Booth moved over to Davidoff but Room 101 still had a relationship with the Camacho brand under its Board of the Bold. Booth spent time as a brand ambassador for Room 101 extensively traveling to support the brand. Booth wrote a Farewell Statement to the cigar industry: Or so we thought. We talked to Matt Booth on Prime Time back in May, and it was quite clear Booth was getting ready to relaunch. On the eve of IPCPR came the announcement that Booth would be teaming up with Robert Caldwell on two projects and handling the distribution. The first collaboration was Hit & Run a cigar being produced at the Tabacalera William Ventura. The second was a collaboration originally called The Truth and then shortened to The T due to trademark issues. Booth and Caldwell are teaming up with AJ Fernandez to produce The T. The Caldwell collaborations are said to be limited in nature. Editors Comments While we know Booth is back, there are two big questions: Will the collaborations with Caldwell continue? Perhaps more importantly, will the actual Room 101 cigar brands make a comeback in 2018? I dont think Booth took a short hiatus just to do two limited collaborations. My gut tells me Matt Booth 2.0 in the cigar industry is just beginning. Packaging Changes Perhaps one story that is one of the most underrated ones of 2017 has been the introduction of new packaging to existing products. These include the introduction of new bands and boxes. We reported the following from our 2017 IPCPR Post Game report. These packaging changes were not necessarily restricted to just the IPCPR: There were two driving factors to this. The first dealt with warning label requirements that were due to the FDA on August 10th, 2017. In particular, box design changes were needed on many brands in order to comply with the regulation. The second reason is a concern that packaging changes might need FDA approval in the future. When the Deeming Rules came out, it was assumed that no new packaging changes would be allowed. But about a year ago, a court ruled that labeling changes do not constitute a product change. However, some brand owners told me they are concerned that if this ends up back in court, the ruling could go against packaging changes being allowed. Therefore, there was a feeling that any planned packaging changes should be done sooner rather than later. Editors Comments Unless something comes out of the court case the industry has filed against the FDA, we will see the implementation of warning labels in 2018 and thats going to have a big impact on how packaging looks in the cigar industry. I expect well see some redesigns, but not nearly as many as we saw in 2017. Personnel Changes 2017 was a year that saw a large number of personnel changes at many different levels in the cigar industry more than most years past. The following are the significant confirmed moves that took place throughout 2017 Editors Comments This was a crazy year for people moving around. Its not likely that 2018 will top this. Perhaps the bigger question I have is why doesnt anyone actually get fired in the cigar industry? Remembering the Titans: Uvezian, Padron, and Oliva The cigar industry lost three of its titans this year: Avo Uvezian, Jose Padron, and Gilberto Oliva Sr. These three men were giants in the industry. While Padron and Oliva Sr. came from tobacco families in Cuba, Avo Uvezian came from the outside by way of Beirut. Each made his own significant contribution to the cigar industry. One common thread is when each passed away this year, tributes poured in from cigar industry people and cigar enthusiasts around the world. Meanwhile, many continued to remember the late Carlos Fuente Sr, a titan in his own right who passed away in August, 2016. Avo Uvezian Avo Uvezian was a musician and recording artist by trade for many years. Playing as a pianist in Puerto Rico in the 1970s, he was introduced to cigars. Outraged by the price of Cuban cigars, he set out to create his own less expensive cigar. In 1982, he hooked up with Master Blender Henke Kelner in the Dominican Republic. By 1988 Uvezian launched his cigar brand. It was originally launched as Bolero Cigars, but the name was quickly changed to AVO Cigars. By 1995, Davidoff (for whom Kelner blended cigars) bought up the distribution of AVO Cigars and he has remained a brand ambassador ever since and has become perhaps the most popular ambassador in the industry. Right up until the end, Uvezian would remain in that role. Jose Padron Like many cigar makers in Cuba, Jose Padron would emigrate from Cuba to the United States following the nationalization of the cigar business as a result of the Cuban Revolution. In the U.S., a friend gifted Padron with a small hammer which enabled him to get a carpentry job. From that job, he earned enough money to start his own cigar business in 1964. That hammer today is a symbol of the Padron brand. Originally, Padron rolled cigars in Miami. After a visit to Nicaragua, he started using that countrys tobacco in his cigars. Eventually, in order to meet demand, he would move his operation to Nicaragua and found Tabacos Cubanica. The factory burned down during the Nicaraguan Civil War in 1978. While it would eventually be rebuilt, Padron would ultimately need to seek out a new factory across the border in Honduras. In 1985, when the Nicaraguan Embargo was enacted by President Reagan, he would move his Central American operation to Honduras. It would not be until 1990 when the Embargo was lifted that Tabacos Cubanica would re-open. The rest they say is history. Gilberto Oliva Like Padron, Gilberto Oliva Sr. started his own career in the tobacco business in Cuba. He would flee Cuba as well, first going to Spain and then to Nicaragua. Once in Nicaragua, Gilberto became one of the early pioneers in cultivating tobacco in Nicaragua. However the 1980s brought the Nicaraguan revolution, and like many Cuban ex-patriots who had settled there, Oliva Sr. was forced to leave again. He started establishing tobacco-growing operations in other countries, including Honduras, Mexico, Panama, and the Philippines. By 1995, Oliva Sr. returned to Nicaragua. Around this time, he turned his attention to cigar production. He and his son Gilberto Jr. teamed up with Nestor Plasencias Honduran operation to create the first cigar in the Oliva Cigar brand known as Gilberto Oliva. Eventually, Oliva Sr. would re-establish his tobacco operations in Nicaragua as well as open his own factory there. When it launched his brand, Oliva made the decision to leverage its own tobacco rather than relying on foreign tobacco. This allowed the Oliva Companys growth. Editors Comments R.I.P. Avo, Mr. Padron, and Mr. Oliva. This follows the 2016 loss of another titan, Carlos Fuente Sr. (R.I.P. Don Carlos) Avos loss might be felt harder in 2018, as the brand will have its first full year without him as a part of the brand. Arturo Fuente, Padron, and Oliva landed the top three cigars in Cigar Aficionado for 2017. This means these families will in attendance at Cigar Aficionados Big Smoke in November 2018 as featured guests. This could be the industrys most emotional event of the year. Photo Credits: Cigar Coop, except where noted. NASA is going to launch Parker Solar Probe in 2018 to explore the suns outer atmosphere. It will be launched onboard of Delta IV Heavy launch vehicle. It will perform its scientific investigations in a hazardous region of intense heat and solar radiation. Primary goals of mission: Trace how energy and heat move through solar corona. Explore what accelerates solar wind as well as solar energetic particles. Parker Solar Probe mission It is NASAs planned robotic spacecraft to probe outer corona of Sun. It has been designed and built by Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. It is named after solar astrophysicist Eugene Parker. This is first time NASA spacecraft named after living person. The spacecraft is designed to endure harsh environment near Sun, by approaching within 8.5 solar radii (5.9 million kilometers) to surface (photosphere) of Sun where incident solar intensity is approximately 520 times intensity at Earth orbit. It will be protected by solar shadow-shield made of reinforced carbon-carbon composite. The spacecraft systems and scientific instruments are located in central portion of shields shadow, where direct radiation from Sun is fully blocked. The primary power for mission is dual system of solar panels (photovoltaic array). Secondary source consists of much smaller secondary array power that uses pumped-fluid cooling to maintain operating temperature. It will use Venus gravity during seven flybys over nearly seven years to gradually bring its orbit closer to Sun. It will achieve velocity of up to 200 km/s, making it fastest spacecraft to date. Scientific goals Iran protests continue to expand and intensify for the fifth consecutive day. According to figures released by officials at least 15 people have been killed during the unrest that started in Mashhad, initially as a demonstration against massive corruption and grinding poverty. Protestors say the Islamic Republic has failed on the economic front. For the first time since the victory of the revolution in 1979, the protests have spread all around the country which is perhaps why it is more difficult for the regime to control or suppress the demonstrations as it brutally did in 2009, in what was dubbed as "The Green Movement". Experts say that while the 2009 protests were mainly focused in capital city Tehran and a few other large cities, this time it has started and fast spreading in provinces and even remote towns. Some social media users have mocked the Islamic Republic officials for blaming foreign governments for the unrest, saying that lots of Iranians even do not know in which province some of these towns are. One other factor that makes the ongoing protests unique is the emergence of slogans that were previously unfathomable by many. "Iran is in disarray without the Shah", "Reza Shah, bless your soul", "Come back Crown Prince", the latter a direct reference to Prince Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of the late Shah who has been living most of his life in the United States. Symbols of the Islamic Republic are also being targeted by the demonstrators. Several videos are making the rounds on social media showing angry people in the streets tearing down posters of the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei. In at least one other video protesters tear down a poster of IRGC Quds Force commander, General Qasem Soleymani. Tehran has been promoting Mr. Soleymani as something of a national hero who - according to Iranian officials - saved the country from falling into the hands of the "Takfiri terrorists" including the Islamic State (ISIS). In previous episodes of post-revolutionary protests in Iran, it was not so common for demonstrators to chant slogans against the Supreme Leader. During the 2009 unrest people were chanting "Death to the dictator", which was an indirect reference to Khamenei. But during the past five days, videos show people openly chanting "Death to Khamenei" or "People are begging, the leader is acting like God" or "Seyyed Ali [Khamenei] don't fret, but it's time for you to leave". President Hassan Rouhani warned on Monday that these protesters are going to be swept by "the nation". It has not been long since 2009, and many still remember when former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called protestors "dirt and dust" which led to a strong backlash against him and the regime. He later apologised for his remarks. If protests continue in the coming days, Hassan Rouhani, might not find the chance to do the same. As the protests in Tehran and other cities in Iran have intensified, hundreds have been arrested by security forces and their fate is a big source of concern. Irans record of mistreating detained protesters raises many questions of what will happen to current detainees. Deputy head of Tehrans security forces has told ILNA that The president and the interior ministry have issued strict orders not to repeat unpleasant past behavior toward detainees. During the upheaval of 2009, many detainees were tortured or mistreated in jail and a few died in custody. The security official did not mention any other details about the directive received from President Hassan Rouhani and also refused to disclose the number of detainees, saying that the interior ministry should issue official numbers. Late on Sunday, December 31, Tehrans governorate announced the arrest of 200 protesters, but since then there have been no new announcements. In the meantime, the death toll from the protests is climbing, with officially announced toll standing at 15 killed. Security forces seem to be ready to use much more lethal force in small towns and cities than in Theran where there are more domestic and foreign journalists and activists watching the events. After midnight, January 2, Iran local time, ISNA quoted the commander of Islamic Revolution Guard Corps in Tehran saying that the capital "is peaceful" and "we will not allow insecurity to continue in Tehran". Brigadier General Mohammad Kosari insisted that the IRGC has plays no role in confronting protests in Tehran. He said that police is in charge and dealing with the situation. General Kosari made a similar statement on Saturday, after which larger protests took place in Tehran. Local news reports, as well as reports received by Radio Farda indicate that in the evening there were protests and clashes between security forces and protesters in some parts of the capital. It is not clear how large were the protests, but towns around the central city of Esfahan witnessed many protests and clashes. There are many contradictory reports about the events in the Esfahan area. One report, picked up by Tasnim and other news agencies, spoke of a police officer having been shot by protesters in Najafabad, a town just west of Esfahan. Agencies said that a protester with a hunting rifle had fired at security forces. No other details are available and other sources have not confirmed the news. Another report said a policeman was set ablaze by angry demonstrators, which has been denied by officials. A third report in local media spoke of an attack by protesters on a government building in Ghahderijan , near Esfahan, where five protesters are said to have been killed. No other details were available. ISNA reported that several activists in Kerman, who had established a channel on the social media app Telegram to organize protests have been arrested. ISNA's source is an unnamed security official. The Islamic Republic blocked telegram on Sunday. The social media app is believed to have 40 million users in Iran and is an effective platform for sharing news and organizing gatherings. JERUSALEM, Jan 1 (Reuters) - Israel's intelligence minister on Monday voiced encouragement for Iranian anti-government protesters but added that Israeli policy was not to get involved in Tehran's internal affairs. Four days of demonstrations in Iran have posed the boldest challenge to its clerical leadership since pro-reform unrest in 2009. At least four people have been killed as some confrontations with police turned violent. "I can only wish success to the Iranian people in the struggle for freedom and democracy," Israeli Intelligence Minister Israel Katz said in an Army Radio interview. "If the people succeed in achieving freedom and democracy, many of the threats on Israel and the entire region today will disappear." Israel has long voiced alarm over the Shi'ite power's nuclear programme and its support for Islamist guerrillas in Lebanon and the Palestinian territories - concerns shared by Sunni Arab states. Asked why Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was not following U.S. President Donald Trump's example in offering more open endorsement for the protesters, Katz said: "Israel has undertaken not to get involved in this internal affair". Trump's tough approach to Tehran, which has included the threat of U.S. sanctions, had disrupted the Iranian government's "illusion of economic betterment", he said. On Sunday, an Iranian official blamed "foreign agents" for a clash in which two protesters were killed. Katz dismissed such allegations as standard fare from "a mendacious and propagandistic regime". Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 1 By Elchin Mehdiyev Trend: The year 2017 was successful in terms of cooperation between the European Union and Azerbaijan, Kestutis Jankauskas, head of the EU delegation to Azerbaijan told Trend. He reminded that last year Azerbaijan and the EU started work on a comprehensive agreement, stressing that activities in this direction are intensifying. "As you know, in late November Brussels hosted a very successful Eastern Partnership Summit, and Azerbaijan and the EU improved understanding of each other's positions and priorities. Both sides stressed the importance of developing cooperation," the ambassador said. Jankauskas further noted that the negotiations between the European Union and Azerbaijan on an aviation agreement have become more intensive and almost close to completion. "We can say that the agreement is ready for 99 percent. At present, intensive work is underway to complete it. Given all these, I can say that in the relations between the European Union and Azerbaijan there was a very positive dynamics and we must continue our work basing on this factor," he said. Speaking about the prospects of cooperation between Baku and Brussels in 2018, the diplomat noted that the existing dynamics of relations will be kept and strengthened. Furthermore, he added, attention will be focused on getting results that are more concrete. "One of such results can be the completion of the aviation agreement. In addition, in the coming year concrete results can be achieved on a comprehensive agreement," the EU envoy said. Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 1 By Ali Mustafayev Trend: Export of energy resources, including gas and liquefied gas to third countries through the territory of Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan will strengthen the transit cooperation between the two countries, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Kazakhstan Beibit Isabayev told Trend. "Recently we held a meeting of the intergovernmental commission between our countries, where we approved a road map for trade and economic relations. Weve focused on the priority areas of our cooperation, which include the export of Kazakh wheat, engineering, cooperation in the oil industry, as well as the export of agricultural products, dried fruits and vegetables from Azerbaijan to Kazakhstan," Isabayev said. He added that cooperation between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan is also actively developing in the sphere of tourism. "In tourism sphere, I think, we should learn from Azerbaijan, since Azerbaijan has recently managed to attract a large number of tourists, about three million a year. Several meetings have been scheduled between representatives of relevant structures of our countries, with further negotiations on joint projects in the tourism sector," the ambassador said. Trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan in 10 months of 2017 amounted to $105.4 million. Export of goods from Azerbaijan to Kazakhstan amounted to $81.3 million and imports of Kazakh products to Azerbaijan amounted to $24.1 million. Both countries have repeatedly stressed the discrepancy between mutual trade and real potential. In 2017, the countries announced their plans to increase the turnover by several times in near future. Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 1 By Khalid Kazimov Trend: A protester in the central province of Esfahan has fired bullets at police forces amid ongoing unrests in the country, state-run TV channel, IRINN, reported. According to the report, the gunfire killed one and wounded three in the city of Najafabad on Monday. Over the past five days, some groups of people joined demonstrations in a number of cities including the capital Tehran, Mashhad and Kermanshah to protest against high prices. The protesters later chanted slogans against the government and high ranking officials in the country. Iranian Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli has urged people to refrain from joining illegal gatherings in the country. According to the state-run TV, at least 10 individuals were killed in the protests. Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 1 By Farhad Daneshvar Trend: There are various factors identified as the causes of the serious air pollution in Iranian large cities among them substandard passenger vehicles and heavy duty trucks are singled out as the biggest contributors. Heavy air pollution shrouded capital Tehrans sky over the almost past two weeks, shutting down schools at the megacity for a couple of days. The air quality index of Tehran in this period hit 178, far beyond the acceptable threshold of 50. Isa Kalantari, the head of head of Department of Environment, earlier said that the incomplete combustion of fuels in aged cars cause the 70 percent of air pollution in the capital city. This is while the Iranian national standards organization has decided to stop the production of 25 sub-standard vehicles in the country. SAIPA 131, SAIPA 132, SAIPA 141, ARIO 1500 are among the banned vehicles produced by SAIPA, the second largest carmaker of the country, However, the leading car manufacturer says that it will continue producing one of its banned brands over the next year. SAIPA officials argue that the company had already stopped producing SAIPA 141, SAIPA 131 and SAIPA 132 but the company is still producing ARIO 1500 as it had received permission for obtaining license plates until the next winter. Iran Standard and Quality Inspection Company last year criticized SAIPA over the companys failure to meet quality standards. Saipa manufactured about 345,210 cars during the first seven months of the current fiscal year starting March 20, indicating a rise of 20.6 percent compared to the same period of the preceding year. This is while the watchdog body has also called for halting the production of a group of Chinese car including MVM 315, MVM 550, TIGGO and LIFAN in Iran. The representative of the Chinas Cherry has announced that it has stopped manufacturing the above mentioned cars. In the meantime, IranKhodro as well as Bahman group have also announced that they had earlier stopped producing the banned brands. IranKhodro is known as the largest vehicle manufacturer of the country and SAIPA stands in the second place. Bahman group and Kerman Khodro are also among the main players of the industry. The organization has also banned manufacturing at least a brand of bus and six brands of TIR trucks. It appears that shortcomings in the safety of the cars as well as their role in air pollution are among the main reasons to ban them. Iranian government has taken the control of the automotive industry over the past decades and efforts to privatize the industry have produced no tangible result, so far. A group of critics of the state-owned car producers claim that manufacturers enjoy "enormous benefits" from producing polluting cars that is why they oppose decisions aimed at phasing out these vehicles under the pretext of protecting workers. Iranian automakers in total manufactured more than 817,000 passenger cars over the first eight months of the current fiscal year, 16.7 percent more year-on-year. President Hassan Rouhanis government following the implementation of the countrys nuclear deal with the world powers in January 2016 encouraged joint ventures for producing cars between Iranian and international manufacturers, in a move aimed at renewing the aged industry. A recent study by Tehran University of Medical Sciences suggests that air pollution leads to one in 10 deaths in the country. Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 1 By Khalid Kazimov Trend: Iranian state TV is reporting that 10 people have been killed amid nationwide protests, without elaborating, according to AP. Authorities have previously confirmed four deaths. It was unclear where the others occurred. 13:35 (GMT+4) At least two individuals have been killed during protests in the southwestern city of Izeh in Khuzestan Province last night, an MP said. The MP for Izeh and Baghmalek, Hedayatollah Khademi, has said that two individuals were killed during last nights rallies protesting against high prices and economic situation in his county, ILNA news agency reported. The lawmaker, however, did not confirm if the bullets were fired by the law enforcement forces, describing the existence of weapons among some groups of people in the county as a major problem. Earlier on Saturday night, two other citizens were killed in the western city of Dorud in Lorestan Province during the unrests. Over the past four days, some groups of people joined demonstrations in a number of cities including the capital Tehran, Mashhad and Kermanshah to protest against high prices. The protestors also chanted slogans against the government and high ranking officials in the country. Iranian Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli has urged people to refrain from joining illegal gatherings in the country. Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 1 By Khalid Kazimov Trend: Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has said that the officials of the country must take the demands of the people into account. People have points regarding the livelihood problems, corruption, and lack of transparency in the performance of some institutions. They want more relaxed atmosphere the demands of the people must be taken into account, the president tweeted on Monday. Over the past five days, some groups of people joined demonstrations in a number of cities including the capital Tehran, Mashhad and Kermanshah to protest against high prices. The protesters later chanted slogans against the government and high ranking officials in the country. According to the state-run TV, at least 10 individuals were killed in the protests. A military court has ordered the sacking of a high-ranking Indian Army officer after sentencing him to three years in prison for an extra-marital affair with a sub-ordinate officer's wife, Xinhua reported. The general court martial under the Eastern Army Command based in the eastern city of Kolkata handed down the punishment to an Indian Army brigadier last week, revising its earlier order of a lighter punishment of a loss of 10 years of seniority after he pleaded guilty. The initial punishment by the court in October last year was revised only after an intervention by the Indian Army headquarters in Delhi, defense sources said Monday. The extra-marital affair of the brigadier (who name has been withheld) came to light last year after his wife, who works as a teacher in a reputed school in the Indian capital, complained to the Indian Army, prompting an immediate inquiry. The officer's wife submitted proofs like sexual messages exchanged between her husband and his "lover" on social media like WhatsApp to corroborate her allegations. A subsequent probe by the Indian Army revealed the affair between the officer, who was then posted in Siliguri town under the Eastern Command, and the wife of a sub-ordinate officer. Both had initially rejected the affair, but the officer later pleaded guilty in the court. In the Indian armed forces, an affair with a "brother" (another officer) is considered to be a major offense that entails a court martial. But such incidents are not uncommon in the Indian armed forces. The Indian Air Force last year sacked a fighter pilot for an affair with a senior officer's wife at an airbase in the western state of Rajasthan. Similarly, the Indian Navy sacked two commanders in Mumbai for extra-marital affair and sending lewd messages to women. Four people were stabbed to death and another one is in a critical condition after separate incidents took place on the outskirts of London on the New Year's Eve, where thousands of people gathered to watch festive fireworks, according to the police, Sputnik reported. Late on Sunday evening, an 18-year-old was killed in a knife attack in Enfield in the northern part of London, a 20-year-old man died as a result of knife injuries in West Ham, east London, while in the south, in Tulse Hill, a 17-year-old boy was stabbed to death. On Monday morning, a 20-year-old was stabbed in Old Street east of the centre of London, whereas the second man injured in the same attack was taken to hospital with critical wounds. It is heart-breaking that, at a time when so many of us are contemplating what lies ahead in 2018, four families are dealing with the grief of losing a loved one to senseless violence and the callous use of knives as lethal weapons," Neil Jerome, police commander, saidas quoted by the AFP. Mayor Sadiq Khan has offered his condolences to the families of those killed in knife attacks on the New Year's Eve. KYODO NEWS - Jan 1, 2018 - 18:46 | World, All North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said Monday a nuclear button is always on his desk and stands ready to be pressed if the country is threatened by the United States, but he struck a surprisingly conciliatory note on relations with South Korea. In his nationally televised New Year's address, Kim voiced his preparedness to send a North Korean delegation to next month's Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, even as his country becomes increasingly isolated from the international community over its defiant pursuit of nuclear weapons. While extending an apparent olive branch to South Korea, Kim said the focus this year will be on "mass producing nuclear warheads and ballistic missiles" toward "operational deployment," making North Korea's economy even more independent and improving the standard of living of its people. Kim warned that the United States will be unable to start a war because of his country's upgraded nuclear capabilities, which have provided a "powerful and reliable" deterrent that is "irreversible with any force." "The United States can never fight a war against me and our state," he said. "A nuclear button is always on the desk of my office and this is just a reality, not a threat." He claimed that all parts of the U.S. mainland are already within range of North Korea's nuclear weapons. (KCNA/Kyodo) His New Year policy speech, delivered for the sixth straight year, was filled with bellicose remarks against the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, which has said "all options are on the table" in addressing North Korea's nuclear arms program. But Kim, wearing a light gray Western-style suit with a tie and glasses, said North Korea is open to talks with South Korea on its possible participation in the Pyeongchang Olympics, which will be held on Feb. 9-25. It is the first time that North Korea has expressed its willingness to take part in the upcoming winter games. Kim wished for the success of the event and said the two Koreas should improve relations as 2018 is a "year of significance" for both sides. For his government, he noted that the 70th anniversary of North Korea's founding in September will be celebrated as a "great auspicious event." "In order to host the great events...we should melt the frozen north-south relations, thus adorning this meaningful year as a year to be specially recorded in the history," he said. South Korea's presidential office welcomed Kim's offer to send a delegation to the Pyeongchang Olympics and his intent to restore inter-Korean relations. Park Soo Hyun, a spokesman for South Korean President Moon Jae In, said the Olympics will contribute to peace on the Korean Peninsula and in the rest of the world if they end in a success. Still, to that end, he again demanded that South Korea stop conducting joint military exercises with the United States. North Korea has long regarded them as rehearsals for invasion. In the hope of lowering tensions, South Korea's government wants to secure North Korean athletes' attendance, with President Moon Jae In proposing to the United States to delay annual military drills between the two countries until after the major sports event and the Paralympics to be held on March 9-18. Kim made no reference to Japan, another major ally of the United States in the region, which has said that now is not the time for resuming dialogue with North Korea but for maximizing pressure on it. The 30-minute speech, monitored in Beijing, could provide hints as to the North Korean government's behavior in 2018. In his previous New Year's address, Kim asserted that North Korea had "entered the final stage" of preparing to test-launch an intercontinental ballistic missile. In line with his statement, North Korea in July last year test-fired for the first time a long-range missile that could potentially deliver a nuclear warhead to the U.S. mainland. Including that launch, North Korea fired last year three ICBMs, most recently in late November, and more than 15 other ballistic missiles, and detonated its most powerful nuclear weapon to date in September. The ICBM fired on a steep "lofted" trajectory on Nov. 29 reached an apogee of 4,475 kilometers, a distance regarded as more than sufficient to strike any part of the United States if launched on a standard angle. Following the third ICBM test, North Korea declared it had "finally realized the great historic cause of completing the state nuclear force," and insisted that the country's weapons program is aimed at defending itself from the United States. Those tests in 2017 proved North Korea has made significant advances in its nuclear and missile capabilities, despite rounds of tough international sanctions, and escalated fears of conflict. Trump, who took office in January last year, has not ruled out a military option for dealing with North Korea and his war of words with Pyongyang has further raised tensions. North Korea will mark the 70th anniversary of its founding on Sept. 9 amid multiple U.N. sanctions, including a cutoff of oil supplies, which are likely to bite its economy more in 2018. The country needs to organize huge celebrations for the event, as it always does for a historically important day on its calendar. KYODO NEWS - Jan 1, 2018 - 21:18 | All, Feature Japan's Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, along with other members of the imperial family, welcomed 2018 with a New Year's ceremony at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. This will be the last full year for the 84-year-old emperor to carry out his duties as the symbol of the state, as he is set to abdicate in April 2019. The Imperial Household Agency also released for New Year's Day several 31-syllable "waka" poems written in 2017 by Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko. One of the emperor's poems described the couple's visit to Vietnam in February and March: How did they live through Those years of fighting and war My thoughts went out to them As we visited this land The country of Vietnam. Meanwhile, the empress' poem on areas affected by the devastating March 2011 earthquake in northeastern Japan reads: "Nobiru" in the news Plant's name dear and familiar 'Tis also a name Of a disaster-stricken area Deeply etched in my mind. By Mai Iida, KYODO NEWS - Jan 1, 2018 - 12:19 | Arts, All For Ryuichi Kumakura, a 70-year-old cut glass artisan, finding young workers eager to learn and preserve the traditional Japanese craft is the least of his troubles -- showing them how to engrave exquisite pieces of glassware with precision is what matters most. Having a decent "business mind that evolves with the times" is vital also in the field of traditional crafts, said Kumakura, who began selling Edo Kiriko hand-cut glass directly to consumers about 30 years ago in a rare move back then for an industry that relied on a wholesale system while artisans themselves focused on production. Edo Kiriko is a type of traditional cut glass originating in Edo, the former name of Tokyo, toward the end of the Edo period, which lasted from the early 17th to late 19th centuries. Kiriko means a faceted object in Japanese. A multitude of decorative patterns is engraved on the surface of the glass using grindstones and other tools. With only rough outlines, artisans are able to carve detailed but accurate lines freehand. For his "kometsunagi," or rice chain, pattern, Kumakura subtly varies the size of the life-size rice grains. It is hard to tell the difference, but herein lays the secret of the exquisite pattern. "Engraving 1 millimeter off (the line where it should be) would kill my work," Kumakura said in a recent interview. "We're in a world where 0.1 millimeter matters a lot." Kumakura's wine glasses with his original "kometsunagi" decorative pattern were selected by the government as gifts to world leaders at the Group of Eight summit in Hokkaido in 2008 and for other foreign dignitaries on other occasions. Unlike many traditional craft workshops plagued by a shortage of successors, his workshop in Tokyo's Kameido is full of young men and women aspiring to inherit his techniques. Kumakura dismisses the conventional wisdom offered by craftsmen that newcomers should "steal" seniors' techniques by carefully "watching" them. "It's so outdated," said Kumakura, who holds an extra training session for his young staff every week after work to help them polish their trade. "Our studio's motto is accuracy and speed," he said. The origin of Edo Kiriko has been traced back to 1834, when Kagaya Kyubei, who was working at a glassware store in Edo, made an engraving on a surface of glass with an emery grinder, according to the Edo Kiriko Cooperative Association. Following Edo Kiriko, cut glass was also produced in Satsuma, now the southwestern Japan prefecture of Kagoshima, under the leadership of Shimazu Nariakira, a Satsuma Domain feudal lord. Satsuma Kiriko soon gained a reputation for its quality but production came to a halt not long after the death of the lord in 1858 and the destruction of factories during the Anglo-Satsuma War in 1863, according to local Satsuma Kiriko makers. The present style of Edo Kiriko was established after a group of Japanese craftsmen took lessons from a visiting English technician of cut glass in 1881. While Satsuma Kiriko disappeared for over a century before local craftsmen revived production in the mid-1980s, Edo Kiriko survived in artisans' workshops in Tokyo. Edo Kiriko was designated by the government as an official traditional craft in 2002. Today, around 90 Edo Kiriko craft workers still practice their art in workshops mostly located in Koto and nearby wards just to the east of central Tokyo, according to the industry's association. While Kumakura's studio faces no shortage of young workers ready to carry on his art, the overall traditional crafts industry in Japan faces a shortage of successors. The number of people engaged in industries designated by the government as traditional crafts fell to 64,889 in 2015, less than one-fourth of the level seen in 1979, according to the Association for the Promotion of Traditional Craft Industries. Japan's 230 designated traditional crafts are mostly produced by individuals or small firms and given changing lifestyles and the influx of cheap imports, the overall industry is in a "critical situation" with regard to passing on traditional production skills to the next generation, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry warns. Indeed, customers' preferences have changed with the times, said Kumakura. As more Japanese houses have no Japanese-style tatami room, which typically has a tokonoma display space, large flower vases and dishes for decoration purposes have seen demand drop, and instead practical items such as sake and wine glasses have become the vogue, he said. Kumakura's family business, founded by his father Mokichi, has been manufacturing glassware for about 70 years. He opened his own retail store, called Hanashyo, in the 1980s following the bankruptcy of a glass company to which he used to supply products. Kumakura's products gradually built up a reputation through word of mouth, and the store's sales grew 2.5-fold over the past decade and most of the customers are repeaters. The store helps him keep in touch with what customers want, he says. Small sake glasses sold in various colors at his shop cost from around 9,000 yen ($79) to 120,000 yen. His studio now employs 10 craftsmen and women, mostly in their 20s and 30s. One staff member, Kazuki Yusa, 27, said he had trouble just figuring out how to blink and keep his eyes focused at the beginning of his glass-carving career. "We have to watch the center of the blade (of a motor-powered wheel) through glass but I couldn't see it at all in the beginning," he said. "I forgot to blink as I was concentrating on (the center) so much." Kumakura's studio uses its own engraving equipment and polishing method for a brilliant finish. He has not hesitated to collaborate with other traditional artisans, jumping at the chance to work with an Arita Yaki ceramics maker in Saga Prefecture, southwestern Japan, to create a lamp using an Edo Kiriko shade and ceramic lamp base. "We make unique patterns and products using our original techniques. I believe they aren't something that can be copied easily," he said. (Repeats story from Friday with no changes to text) * Chongqing to launch trade of pipeline gas, LNG in H1 2018 * Chongqing exchange rivals Shanghai hub, Japan Korean Marker * Govt price regulation, lack of infrastructures are barriers By Chen Aizhu and Henning Gloystein CHONGQING, China/SINGAPORE, Dec 29 (Reuters) - China plans to launch a natural gas exchange in Chongqing in early 2018, aiming to create an Asian price benchmark as the nation's use of the fuel surges amid its shift away from coal. China is the world's third-biggest consumer of natural gas behind the United States and Russia. An exchange in its fast-growing market would be a strong contender for an Asian gas marker off which other supplies in the region could be priced. The Chongqing Oil and Gas Exchange - supported by state energy majors, and private and local government-backed gas distributors - would provide a trading platform for domestic output, pipeline imports from Central Asia and Myanmar, and imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG). Chongqing is China's second attempt to develop a traded gas market, having set up a similar exchange in 2015 in Shanghai. An Asian gas price benchmark to stand next to those of the United States and Europe is seen as a key missing piece in establishing a truly global market for natural gas. "The exchange is a product of the government's reform push - to hand the pricing power to the market," Exchange Chairman Zhang Bowen told Reuters. "The long-term goal is to build the exchange into a benchmark for Asia and to win China its deserved pricing power," said Zhang, who was previously president of PetroChina Kunlun Energy. The exchange, led by a board of nine directors including a former PetroChina executive and an ex-senior state planning official, expects to launch electronically-based spot trading of pipeline gas and LNG imports in the first half of next year. Registered in Chongqing municipality in July with 1 billion yuan ($150 million) in capital, the exchange has a team of 30, including former market developers at state-owned energy giants CNOOC and Sinopec. Story continues "A China gas hub certainly looks attractive from a supply/demand and infrastructure perspective," said Jeff Brown, president of consultancy Facts Global Energy (FGE). Chongqing exchange is appraising around 200 potential members, mostly from the consuming hub of eastern China, and will be open to foreign participation in the longer run, said exchange executives. PRICING CONTROLS A BARRIER Still, there are several challenges to overcome, for Chongqing or any other exchanges hoping to establish an active gas trading platform. "The biggest would be that the government is still heavily involved in 'guiding' prices. Access to pipelines and import terminals can also be difficult," said Brown. China's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) currently sets wholesale or city-gate gas prices by linking them to alternative fuels such as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and fuel oil. Investors fear China could be as heavy-handed with gas as it has been with coal. Authorities have repeatedly intervened whenever coal prices have risen sharply, contributing to the virtual death of coal futures in Asia. China is also struggling to build the infrastructure needed to freely distribute gas supplies. An inadequate pipeline grid and insufficient storage helped to trigger a supply crunch this winter after millions of households were switched from using coal to gas for heating. "Pipelines need to be more connected and greater access allowed for third parties to the grid and terminals. More investments are needed to boost gas storage," Song Dacai, chairman of the Chongqing exchange's supervision committee and formerly a pricing official with the NDRC. The exchange, though, is confident rising demand and slowly expanding gas infrastructure will help it succeed. Chongqing, with its population of more than 30 million and proximity to Sichuan province's large gas basin, already has a relatively well-developed gas grid, and distributors there are keen to participate on the exchange. "As an investor, we are keen to become a market maker, provided that suppliers are ready to post meaningful volumes for us to trade," said Luo Jing, deputy head of gas development at China Gas Holdings, a piped gas distributor. State majors are expected to nominate available volumes on the exchange annually or bi-annually, said Zhang, the exchange chairman. BUT THERE ARE COMPETITORS Others that are trying to develop regional gas exchanges as the basis for an Asian benchmark include Shanghai Petroleum and Gas Exchange and the Japan Korea Marker (JKM) by S&P Global Platts. The Shanghai exchange, launched in 2015, has so far failed to attract much trading interest. China's financial hub, though, is seen as a potential oil and gas trading centre and likely home of China's long delayed crude oil derivatives contract. In many way, the JKM, an LNG price assessment, is seen as the strongest contender to become a regional gas benchmark. "JKM seems to be gaining steam as an Asian gas price ... Since LNG is the most commoditised gas in Asia, it seems best placed to emerge as the Asia price marker," FGE's Brown said. ($1 = 6.5420 Chinese yuan) (Reporting by Chen Aizhu in CHONGQING and Henning Gloystein in SINGAPORE; Editing by Tom Hogue) Donald Trump unexpectedly fired everyone on his HIV/AIDS council, and heres why we should be worried The White House sent termination letters this week to all members of the HIV/AIDS council, officially known as the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS, The Washington Blade reported Friday, December 29th. The firings came six months after a half-dozen members resigned in protest over the Trump administrations commitment or lack thereof to HIV/AIDS policy. Kay Hayes, the HIV/AIDS councils executive director, confirmed the terminations in a statement to The Washington Post. Changing the makeup of federal advisory committee members is a common occurrence during administration changes, Hayes said. The Obama administration dismissed the George W. Bush administration appointees to PACHA in order to bring in new voices. All PACHA members are eligible to apply to serve on the new council that will be convened in 2018. However, HIV experts and advocates remain worried about the future of HIV/AIDS policy, and for good reason. The Trump administration has yet to appoint a director of the Office of National AIDS Policy, according to NBC News. Further, proposed U.S. budget cuts to HIV/AIDS funding could curtail progress in ending the diseases spread. A report from the ONE Campaign estimated the budget cuts would lead to a rise in HIV diagnoses for the first time since 1995. Unsurprisingly, the Twitterverse was none too pleased with the news. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. There are more than 1.2 million people in the United States living with HIV. Despite ongoing awareness campaigns, theres still a lot we dont know about HIV and AIDS. For example, HIV is no longer the death sentence it once was. In fact, advances in antiretroviral treatment mean many people with HIV live long, healthy lives. Just one pill a day can result in undetectable viral loads and prevent an HIV patient from transmitting the virus to others. Picture of HIV/AIDS Policy Trump Regardless of the progress weve made in limiting the spread of HIV and AIDS, theres still more work to do. Lets hope the Trump administration will reaffirm its commitment to fighting the disease its first step could be filling all those empty seats on the presidents HIV/AIDS council. As violent protests in Iran continue into their fourth day, the Iranian authorities have restricted access to social media tools being used to organize them, and in some regions have reportedly shut down internet access altogether. CNN reports that Iran has restricted access to Instagram and Telegram, a secure messaging app. In a statement, Irans interior minister said that social networks are causing violence and fear. Telegram CEO Pavel Durov acknowledged the shutdown on Twitter, saying it followed our public refusal to shut down . . . peacefully protesting channels. In a blog post, Durov wrote that Telegram would rather get blocked in a country by its authorities than limit peaceful expression of alternative opinions. Get Data Sheet, Fortunes technology newsletter. Telegram had previously complied with an Iranian government request to shut down a channel that had called for violent attacks on authorities. Durov famously left Russia after conflicts over privacy with the Kremlin. The Iranian restrictions appear to have gone beyond social media. Saudi-backed news service Al Arabiya this morning reported that Iranian telecom providers have actually blocked internet access in several cities. Irans major internet service providers are reportedly either directly owned by or closely tied to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, a military body that also has substantial political and economic reach. The Iranian protests are driven in part by economic discontent. They are the largest protests in the country since 2009s Green Revolution, in which social media including Twitter played a major though perhaps exaggerated role. English Dutch French Press release Outside trading hours - Regulated information* Brussels, 29 December 2017 KBC acquires MetLife's 40% stake in UBB-MetLife joint venture (Bulgaria) Today, MetLife and KBC reached agreement for KBC (through DZI, its Bulgarian insurance subsidiary) to acquire MetLife's remaining 40% stake in UBB-MetLife Life Insurance Company AD, a life insurance joint venture between UBB and MetLife ("UBB-MetLife"). Earlier this year, as part of KBC's acquisition of UBB and Interlease, KBC (through UBB) acquired 60% of UBB-MetLife. The life insurance products of UBB-MetLife are exclusively distributed via UBB's bank branches. UBB-MetLife has a 10% market share in the Bulgarian life insurance market and has a full life insurance product range. The financial impact of this deal is immaterial to either KBC or MetLife. The deal is still subject to regulatory approval and is expected to close in the second quarter of 2018. Once the deal is closed, KBC, through DZI, will service the insurance policies of the existing UBB-MetLife customers until maturity of their policies. Following this transaction, KBC will be able to distribute DZI life and non-life insurance products through UBB's bank branches and, in this way, fully roll out its bank-insurance approach in the Bulgarian market, one of KBC's core markets. Combined, DZI and UBB-MetLife will have a market share of 21% in the Bulgarian life insurance market. Together with UBB-CIBANK, they will strengthen KBC's reference position in bank-insurance in Bulgaria, a country that boasts strong macroeconomic fundamentals while still offering potential for further penetration in financial services. Johan Thijs, KBC Group CEO said: "I am very pleased with this transaction, which forms the pinnacle of KBC's acquisition of UBB/Interlease earlier this year. It confirms our position as a strong local market player, which is able to offer a full range of bank-insurance products to its Bulgarian customers in an omni-channel environment. Expanding our activities in the country, building on the competence and dynamism of UBB-CIBank and DZI, and leveraging our joint product and service offering including life insurance will help us to reach this goal and ensure future success." George Tsakonas, General Manager of MetLife, Bulgaria added: "We are pleased to complete the sale of our interest in UBB-MetLife to KBC. MetLife Europe d.a.c. will continue to have a leading presence in Bulgaria through our well established local business providing life insurance and protection solutions to meet the evolving needs of our customers." * This news item contains information that is subject to the transparency regulations for listed companies. KBC Group NV Havenlaan 2 - 1080 Brussels Viviane Huybrecht General Manager, Corporate Communication / Spokesperson Tel. + 32 2 429 85 45 Press Office Stef Leunens Tel. + 32 2 429 65 01 Ilse De Muyer Tel. + 32 2 429 29 15 Fax + 32 2 429 81 60 E-mail: pressofficekbc@kbc.be KBC press releases are available at www.kbc.com or can be obtained by sending an e-mail to pressofficekbc@kbc.be Follow KBC on www.twitter.com/kbc_group gmatbull wrote: Cross-border collaboration is experiencing a modest renaissance among smaller international oil cartels based in South America, even if business from a joint venture by several cartels is less brisk and profitable than by a monopoly. One upside of international cooperation is that a combined effort may allow these cartels to jointly win government subsidies in overseas markets where they would not have been able to operate. Which of the following statements by a South American cartel accountant best fits the situation of South American cartels as described in the passage above? A. We would rather earn better percentage of a modest profit than zero percent of a potentially larger profit. B. Our management believes that it is in the best interests of investors that we earn only a percentage of total profits and risk only a percentage of possible losses rather than assuming the entire risk of loss. C. We should cooperate and build goodwill, rather than turn customers against us with unsupervised competition. D. We would prefer to have Middle Eastern cartels work with us here in South America rather than having to participate in joint ventures in their home countries. E. We would rather use our full resources to penetrate a territory than receive lesser profits in joint ventures. A is the best answer choice. A. The sentence, "even if business from a joint venture by several cartels is less risk and profitable than by a monopoly", suggests that joint venture is less risk, less reward while monopolies are high risk, high reward; the situation of South American cartels is a shift from competition to joint/cooperative venture; a consistent modest profitability is preferred over a volatile profitability, which is best summary of the situation in SA. B is incorrect because it talks about the investors too much while the actual text makes no mention of them; plus, the parts about percentages is too wordy/akward, whereas with A it is phrased better. C is incorrect because it assumes too much on good will and unsupervised competition, when that is not the subject of the situation. D is wrong because the middle east is not mentioned, and it is irrelevant to profit/percentage. E is wrong because it talks about penetrating territory --- What territory? Irrelevant. The rest eliminated, Used either in conjunction with or in addition to warfare and diplomacy, embargo is a foreign policy tool designed to coerce governments into taking actions the originating nation deems necessary or appropriate. An embargo, strictly defined, halts both imports to and exports from the target nation, but it can also prohibit only certain kinds of trade or levy heavy taxes on a nations goods. More a political than a military tool, embargo is a form of economic warfare that uses a forced shortage of goods and therefore cash flow to place internal pressure on a countrys leaders in the hope of forcing policy or regime change. In the twentieth century, the United States government has employed embargo against Cuba since the early 1960s, when Fidel Castro brought a Communist government to power, and also more recently against certain African countries, such as Liberia and Zimbabwe, where a series of civil wars have been funded by the diamond trade. The US embargo of Cuba began in 1961, when US leaders discomfort with having an ally of the Soviet Union so close to the United States Cuba is an island only 90 miles from the tip of Florida led them to explore economic tools as a way to dismantle Castros regime. In Africa, by contrast, embargoes on diamonds have sought, not to undermine a particular political ideology, but rather to protect common citizens by preventing warlords and dictators from trading diamonds for guns that they use to perpetuate civil war. Although embargo imposed from outside a country is most common, an interior embargo is also possible. Called autarky, from the Greek words self and sustain, an autarky is a closed economic system. The autarkic country essentially embargoes all surrounding nations by allowing trade only among its own citizens and companies. Although the United States experienced a brief period of autarky from 1807 to 1809, when President Thomas Jefferson thought it best that the newly-formed nation break all economic ties with Great Britain, such extreme isolationism has proven hard to maintain. (a) debating the merits of a foreign policy tool (b) undermining a common misconception (c) providing information about a government practice (d) advocating the use of a type of economic punishment (e) bringing attention to a little known concept Show Spoiler C 2. Which of the following best describes the relationship of the third paragraph to the passage as a whole? (a) A new idea and contrary evidence are introduced. (b) Exceptions to the rules of economic embargo are discussed. (c) The main idea of the passage is refuted using historical evidence. (d) A third perspective on the coercive nature of embargo is outlined. (e) The main idea of the passage is further discussed from a different perspective. Show Spoiler E 3. The author mentions EACH of the following as a goal of embargo EXCEPT (a) to wage economic warfare (b) to punish a countrys leadership for inappropriate policies (c) to break economic ties with another nation (d) to force a shortage of goods and cash flow (e) to protect common citizens from violence Show Spoiler B 4. The author would most likely agree with which of the following statements about the United States governments embargo of Cuba? The embargo of Cuba . (a) was begun with the intention of undermining a political ideology (b) is easier to enforce than embargoes of African countries, since Cuba is closer (c) has forced Cuba to become an autarky with a closed economic system (d) was a tactic of economic warfare used against the Soviet Union (e) has put significant economic pressure on Cubas leaders Show Spoiler A 1. The author of the passage is primarily concerned with(a) debating the merits of a foreign policy tool(b) undermining a common misconception(c) providing information about a government practice(d) advocating the use of a type of economic punishment(e) bringing attention to a little known concept2. Which of the following best describes the relationship of the third paragraph to the passage as a whole?(a) A new idea and contrary evidence are introduced.(b) Exceptions to the rules of economic embargo are discussed.(c) The main idea of the passage is refuted using historical evidence.(d) A third perspective on the coercive nature of embargo is outlined.(e) The main idea of the passage is further discussed from a different perspective.3. The author mentions EACH of the following as a goal of embargo EXCEPT(a) to wage economic warfare(b) to punish a countrys leadership for inappropriate policies(c) to break economic ties with another nation(d) to force a shortage of goods and cash flow(e) to protect common citizens from violence4.The author would most likely agree with which of the following statements about the United States governments embargo of Cuba?The embargo of Cuba .(a) was begun with the intention of undermining a political ideology(b) is easier to enforce than embargoes of African countries, since Cuba is closer(c) has forced Cuba to become an autarky with a closed economic system(d) was a tactic of economic warfare used against the Soviet Union(e) has put significant economic pressure on Cubas leaders Last added part (07/29/2009): "Wow, I like it!" is not equal to "I buy it!" Although I don't have special art education and don't familiar with special requirements of b-schools, I have 10 year experience in creating different types of presentations for different purposes. I love gmatclub community as well as Chicago Booth and would like to share my hands-on ideas with all who need them. I was thinking of this guide for 2 months and have decided to write it step by step. I hope it will help somebody without essential experience to express his or her ideas more clearly and effectively as well as to avoid typical pitfalls and mistakes in creating slide presentation. All materials presented here are just my point of view. So, take them with a grain of salt. Chicago Booth NYU TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction Ideas Visual representation - Instruments Sample presentation INTRODUCTION IDEAS general structure it is structure of my presentation "Wow, I like it!" is not equal to "I buy it!" ...and what they really lack is meaningful content. For instance, I saw one last year where the guy used his name to spell out something like "D.A.N" = "Dedicated, Adventure...". That might be 'clever' and a bit creative, but its pretty low on the scale of actually communicating anything of consequence.... first slide Attachment: slide1.jpg [ 78.74 KiB | Viewed 48720 times ] last slide people and cats: 7-things rule 3-sec rule Members of the Svoboda Party, the Right Sector Organization, the National Corps with own flags walked from the Shevchenko Park to the Maidan, where politicians, activists and historians addressed the public from an improvised stage. Read alsoWhere does Ukraine-Poland "apple of discord" come fromThe gathering, or viche, on the square did not last long, participants put out the torches and left about thirty minutes after the start. Traffic of vehicles along the central streets of the capital resumed. Streets downtown Kyiv are crowded, but the situation is calm. Some 600-1,000 people took part in the event in Kyiv. About 100 police officers were maintaining order during the march. Ukraine's National Police reported about 54 rallies had been scheduled in 20 regions across Ukraine to honor Bandera on January 1. Over 8,400 people were expected to attend. Some 1,200 police officers and 730 National Guardsmen were engaged in maintaining order. VOA Learning English presents Americas Presidents. Today we are talking about Barack Obama. He first took office in 2009 and was re-elected in 2012. Because his presidency is so recent, this program will not try to offer a historical perspective. But one part of his legacy is already clear. Obama is the United States first African-American president. His father was a black man from Kenya; his mother was a white American from the Midwestern state of Kansas. For many Americans, Obamas presidency was an important symbol in a country that permitted black people to be enslaved. And, even after the U.S. Constitution officially banned slavery in 1865, African-Americans have been extremely under-represented in the U.S. government. By 2009, only five African-Americans had ever served in the U.S. Senate and Obama was one of them. Even many people who did not vote for Obama said his election to the countrys highest office made them proud or hopeful. A public opinion survey immediately after Election Day found that two-thirds of Americans believed that the countrys racial conflicts could be resolved. Early life Obamas parents met as students at the University of Hawaii. His father had won a scholarship to study economics. His mother went on to earn a degree in math there, as well as a graduate degree. The two married and had a son, whom they named after his father: Barack Hussein Obama, Jr. But the couple soon separated. The older Barack Obama returned to Kenya, where he later died in a car accident. Baracks mother went on to marry another man. He was from Indonesia. The family moved to Jakarta, and the couple had a daughter named Maya. When Barack was 10, his mother sent him back to Hawaii to live with her parents. She wanted him to get a good education. Barack finished high school in Hawaii, then went on to Occidental College in Los Angeles. After two years, he transferred to Columbia University in New York. There, he completed a degree in political science. But Obama said the best education he received was in one of his first jobs. He worked as a community organizer in Chicago. He helped people who lived in public housing put pressure on the city government to improve their conditions. Obama later said the work showed him how important it was to understand the legal process. So he entered Harvard Law School. Over the next years, Obama worked as a lawyer, wrote a book about his experience as a person of mixed race, and married Michelle Robinson, a woman he worked with at a law firm. She and Barack Obama settled in Chicago and had two daughters, Malia and Sasha. When he was in his mid-30s, Obama began his political career. He was elected three times to the Illinois state senate. After 10 years there, he won a seat in the U.S. Senate in a landslide victory. That same year, Obama attended the Democratic National Convention the meeting where the party officially nominates a presidential candidate. Obama was not one of the candidates. But the Democrats asked him to make an important speech. In it, Obama famously talked about how his life story was an American story. He said he was confident the U.S. could overcome its divisions and achieve unity. Theres not a liberal America and a conservative America, he said. Theres not a black America and white America and Latino America and Asian America. Theres a United States of America. Only four years later, Obama would be elected its 44th president. Im Kelly Jean Kelly. Kelly Jean Kelly wrote this story for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Listening Quiz See how well you understand the story by taking this listening quiz. Play each video, then choose the best answer. Quiz - America's Presidents: Barack Obama Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story perspective - n. a way of thinking about and understanding something firm - n. a business organization liberal - adj. believing that government should be active in supporting social and political change conservative - adj. believing in the value of established and traditional practices in politics and society Massimo Bottura is an Italian chef, with plans to open two new restaurants in Paris and Naples next year. But wealthy diners will not be welcome. The food will be free, made from marketplace leftovers and served only to the poor. Botturas Refettorio Ambrosiano restaurant in Milan already feeds the poor and homeless. The restaurant is in an old theater in the outskirts of the city. Chefs at Refettorio cook free meals with leftovers from local shops. They use recipes created by Bottura and other famous cooks. Bottura told the Reuters news agency that he never thought leftover foods were a waste. Bread crumbs, some overripe tomatoes, brown bananasthey are just opportunities for usto show what we can do with our creativity. Bottura started the project to reuse leftovers from the eateries of Milans international Expo in 2015. The project receives support from the church foundation Caritas Ambrosiana. Unlike traditional soup kitchens, the guests do not have to wait in a line to receive food. Everyone gets served at tables. This limits the number of daily guests to 96. But Bottura says the experience can help his guests regain confidence and take back control of their lives. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization says about one-third of the food produced worldwide each year is wasted or lost. Im Jonathan Evans. Francesca Landini and Agnieszka Flak reported this story for the Reuters news agency. Jonathan Evans adapted it for Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Words in this Story confidence n. a feeling or belief that you can do something well or succeed at something creativity n. the ability to make new things or think of new ideas foundation n. an organization that is created and supported with money that people give in order to do something that helps society outskirts n. the parts of a city or town that are far from the center soup kitchen n. a place that gives food, such as soup and bread to poor people At the Geneva Superpower Summit in November 1985, American President Ronald Reagan met with the Soviet Union's General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev. The two leaders discussed international diplomacy and the arms race. Gorbachev proposed to Reagan an idea for an international project to develop fusion energy for peaceful purposes One year later, international leaders reached an agreement: the Soviet Union, Japan, the U.S., and the European Union would work together to design a large international fusion center. Later, other countries joined the agreement. Some 30 years after Gorbachev and Reagan's meeting, the project is continuing. The facility, named the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor, or ITER, is often called the most complicated scientific instrument in the world. ITER is being built in southern France. And now, the director of the ITER project says the facility is 50% complete and on track to produce low-cost energy. This energy will come from what is basically a very small star at ITERs core. Although small, it will burn 10 times hotter than the Sun. Fission and fusion All of the nuclear reactors in the world depend on nuclear fission to create energy. Nuclear fission uses the splitting of uranium atoms to create a lot of heat. The process creates a lot of energy but also dangerous radiation. ITER is different. It aims to use the power of nuclear fusion the forceful joining of hydrogen atoms to create helium atoms. The fusion process releases a lot of heat but very little radiation. The biggest problem is that nuclear fusion requires conditions similar to the core of a star although on a much smaller scale. Bernard Bigot is the director of ITER. He describes the extreme conditions scientists must create for fusion to take place: "The plasma will be at 150 million degrees. Very little quantity, very small quantity of matter, only 2 grams of hydrogen but with very high temperature. And we need to confine this plasma in order that is could fuse, which means collide and produce new atoms." Scientists are building electromagnets nearly 300 thousand times stronger than earth's magnetic field. These electromagnets will help keep the superhot plasma in the center of a tube. The job of building ITER is so huge that it requires the cooperation of 36 countries. The European Union is covering 45 percent of the cost. The final price will likely be more than $26 billion. The U.S. covers about nine percent of the total cost. But, proposed budget cuts would reduce U.S. financing by half. However, President Donald Trump has asked his administration to reconsider the budget cuts. If financing is not reduced, the first plasma ignition at ITER may happen as soon as 2025. The current plan is for full power production by 2035. I'm John Russell. George Putic reported on this story for VOA News. John Russell adapted it for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. _______________________________________________________________ Quiz Now, test your understanding by taking this short quiz. Quiz - World's First Nuclear Fusion Reactor 50 Percent Complete Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story fission n. a process in which the nucleus of a heavy atom is split apart plasma n. a substance that is similar to a gas but that can carry electricity electromagnet n. a piece of metal that becomes magnetic when an electric current is passed through or near it 17 hours ago | September 3rd | 2021 6:00 AM You Can Buy Five Below At Discount Prices, But Wait Fairly Valued Five Below Gets Cheaper Shares of Five Below (NASDAQ: FIVE) entered a correction two weeks ago when Morgan Stanley downgraded the stock to Equal Weight from Over Weight. The reasoning was simple and shouldnt have sparked the correction it did. According to Morgan Stanley, the stock was fairly valued at $230 with a balanced risk-reward ratio. The following companies are subsidiares of CVS Health: @Credentials Inc., ACS ACQCO CORP., ADMINCO Inc., AE Fourteen Incorporated, AHP Holdings Inc., AMC - Tennessee LLC, APS Acquisition LLC, ASCO HealthCare LLC, ASI Wings LLC, AUSHC Holdings Inc., Accendo Insurance Company, Accordant Health Services L.L.C., Active Health Management Inc., Administrative Enterprises Inc., AdvancePCS SpecialtyRx LLC, AdvanceRx.com L.L.C., Advanced Care Scripts Inc., Aetna, Aetna (Beijing) Enterprise Management Services Co. Ltd., Aetna (Shanghai) Enterprise Services Co. Ltd., Aetna ACO Holdings Inc., Aetna Asset Advisors LLC, Aetna Behavioral Health LLC, Aetna Better Health Inc., Aetna Better Health Inc., Aetna Better Health of California Inc., Aetna Better Health of Florida Inc., Aetna Better Health of Kansas Inc., Aetna Better Health of Michigan Inc., Aetna Better Health of Missouri LLC, Aetna Better Health of Nevada Inc., Aetna Better Health of North Carolina Inc., Aetna Better Health of Oklahoma Inc., Aetna Better Health of Texas Inc., Aetna Better Health of Washington Inc., Aetna Capital Management LLC, Aetna Card Solutions LLC, Aetna Corporate Services LLC, Aetna Dental Inc., Aetna Dental of California Inc., Aetna Financial Holdings LLC, Aetna Florida Inc., Aetna Global Benefits (Asia Pacific) Limited, Aetna Global Benefits (Bahamas) Limited, Aetna Global Benefits (Bermuda) Limited, Aetna Global Benefits (Europe) Limited, Aetna Global Benefits (Middle East) LLC, Aetna Global Benefits (Singapore) PTE. LTD., Aetna Global Benefits (UK) Limited, Aetna Global Benefits Limited (DIFC UAE), Aetna Global Holdings Limited, Aetna Health Holdings LLC, Aetna Health Inc., Aetna Health Insurance (Thailand) Public Company Limited, Aetna Health Insurance Company, Aetna Health Insurance Company of Europe DAC, Aetna Health Management LLC, Aetna Health and Life Insurance Company, Aetna Health of California Inc., Aetna Health of Iowa Inc., Aetna Health of Michigan Inc., Aetna Health of Ohio Inc., Aetna Health of Utah Inc., Aetna HealthAssurance Pennsylvania Inc., Aetna Holdco (UK) Limited, Aetna Holdings (Thailand) Limited, Aetna Inc., Aetna Insurance (Hong Kong) Limite, Aetna Insurance (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Aetna Insurance Company Limited, Aetna Integrated Informatics Inc., Aetna International Inc., Aetna Ireland Inc., Aetna Korea Ltd., Aetna Life & Casualty (Bermuda) Ltd., Aetna Life Assignment Company, Aetna Life Insurance Company, Aetna Medicaid Administrators LLC, Aetna Multi-Strategy 1099 Fund LLC, Aetna Network Services LLC, Aetna Partners Diversified Fund LLC, Aetna Pharmacy Management Services LLC, Aetna Resources LLC, Aetna Risk Assurance Company of Connecticut Inc., Aetna Rx Home Delivery LLC, Aetna Services (Thailand) Limited, Aetna Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Aetna Student Health Agency Inc., Aetna Ventures LLC, Aetna Workers Comp Access LLC, Alabama CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Alaska CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Allina Health and Aetna Insurance Company, Allina Health and Aetna Insurance Holding Company LLC, American Continental Insurance Company, American Drug Stores Delaware L.L.C., American Health Holding Inc., Arbor Drugs, Arizona CVS Stores L.L.C., Arkansas CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Badger Acquisition LLC, Badger Acquisition of Kentucky LLC, Badger Acquisition of Minnesota LLC, Badger Acquisition of Ohio LLC, Banner Health and Aetna Health Insurance Company, Banner Health and Aetna Health Insurance Holding Company LLC, Banner Health and Aetna Health Plan Inc., Beauty Holdings L.L.C., Best Care LTC Acquisition Company LLC, Busse CVS L.L.C., CCI Foreign S.a R.L. (R.C.S. Luxembourg), CCRx Holdings LLC, CCRx of North Carolina LLC, CHP Acquisition LLC, CP Acquisition LLC, CVS 2948 Henderson L.L.C., CVS 3268 Gilbert L.L.C., CVS 3745 Peoria L.L.C., CVS AL Distribution L.L.C., CVS AOC Corporation, CVS AOC Services L.L.C., CVS Albany L.L.C., CVS Bellmore Avenue L.L.C., CVS Care Concierge LLC, CVS Caremark Advanced Technology Pharmacy L.L.C., CVS Caremark Indemnity Ltd., CVS Caremark Part D Services L.L.C., CVS Caremark TN SUTA LLC, CVS Foreign Inc., CVS Gilbert 3272 L.L.C., CVS Health Solutions LLC, CVS Indiana L.L.C., CVS International L.L.C., CVS Kidney Care Advanced Technologies LLC, CVS Kidney Care Health Services LLC, CVS Kidney Care Home Dialysis LLC, CVS Kidney Care LLC, CVS Manchester NH L.L.C., CVS Media Exchange LLC, CVS Michigan L.L.C., CVS Orlando FL Distribution L.L.C., CVS PA Distribution L.L.C., CVS PR Center Inc., CVS Pharmacy Inc., CVS RS Arizona L.L.C., CVS Rx Services Inc., CVS SC Distribution L.L.C., CVS State Capital L.L.C., CVS TN Distribution L.L.C., CVS Transportation L.L.C., CVS Vero FL Distribution L.L.C., Campos Medical Pharmacy LLC, Canal Place LLC, Care Pharmaceutical Services LP, CareCenter Pharmacy L.L.C., Carefree Insurance Services Inc., Caremark Arizona Mail Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Arizona Specialty Pharmacy L.L.C., Caremark California Specialty Pharmacy L.L.C., Caremark Florida Mail Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Florida Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Hawaii Mail Pharmacy L.L.C., Caremark Hawaii Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark IPA L.L.C., Caremark Illinois Mail Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Illinois Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Irving Resource Center LLC, Caremark Kansas Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark L.L.C., Caremark Logistics LLC, Caremark Louisiana Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Maryland Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Massachusetts Specialty Pharmacy L.L.C., Caremark Michigan Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Minnesota Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark New Jersey Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark North Carolina Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Ohio Specialty Pharmacy L.L.C., Caremark Pennsylvania Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark PhC L.L.C., Caremark Puerto Rico L.L.C., Caremark Puerto Rico Specialty Pharmacy L.L.C., Caremark Redlands Pharmacy L.L.C., Caremark Repack LLC, Caremark Rx L.L.C., Caremark Tennessee Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Texas Mail Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Texas Specialty Pharmacy LLC, Caremark Ulysses Holding Corp., Caremark Washington Specialty Pharmacy LLC, CaremarkPCS Alabama Mail Pharmacy LLC, CaremarkPCS Health L.L.C., CaremarkPCS L.L.C., Central Rx Services LLC, Claims Administration Corp., Cofinity Inc., Compscript LLC, Connecticut CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Continental Life Insurance Company of Brentwood Tennessee, Continuing Care Rx LLC, Coram Alternate Site Services Inc., Coram Clinical Trials Inc., Coram Healthcare Corporation of Alabama, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Florida, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Greater D.C., Coram Healthcare Corporation of Greater New York, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Indiana, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Massachusetts, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Mississippi, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Nevada, Coram Healthcare Corporation of North Texas, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Northern California, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Southern California, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Southern Florida, Coram Healthcare Corporation of Utah, Coram LLC, Coram Rx LLC, Coram Specialty Infusion, Coram Specialty Infusion Services L.L.C., Coventry Consumer Advantage Inc., Coventry Health Care National Accounts Inc., Coventry Health Care National Network Inc., Coventry Health Care Workers Compensation Inc., Coventry Health Care of Illinois Inc., Coventry Health Care of Kansas Inc., Coventry Health Care of Missouri Inc., Coventry Health Care of Nebraska Inc., Coventry Health Care of Virginia Inc., Coventry Health Care of West Virginia Inc., Coventry Health Plan of Florida Inc., Coventry Health and Life Insurance Company, Coventry HealthCare Management Corporation, Coventry Prescription Management Services Inc., Coventry Rehabilitation Services Inc., Coventry Transplant Network Inc., D & R Pharmaceutical Services LLC, D.A.W. LLC, Delaware CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Delaware Physicians Care Incorporated, Digital eHealth LLC, District of Columbia CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., E.T.B. INC., Echo Merger Sub Inc., Eckerd Corporation of Florida Inc., Employee Assistance Services LLC, Enloe Drugs LLC, Enterprise Patient Safety Organization LLC, EntrustRX, Evergreen Pharmaceutical LLC, Evergreen Pharmaceutical of California Inc., Express Pharmacy Services of PA L.L.C., FOCUS HealthCare Management Inc., First Health Group Corp., First Health Life & Health Insurance Company, First Script Network Services Inc., Florida Health Plan Administrators LLC, Garfield Beach CVS L.L.C., Generation Health L.L.C., Geneva Woods Health Services LLC, Geneva Woods LTC Pharmacy LLC, Geneva Woods Management LLC, Geneva Woods Pharmacy Alaska LLC, Geneva Woods Pharmacy LLC, Geneva Woods Pharmacy Washington LLC, Geneva Woods Pharmacy Wyoming LLC, Geneva Woods Retail Pharmacy LLC, Georgia CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., German Dobson CVS L.L.C., Goodhealth Worldwide (Asia) Limited, Goodhealth Worldwide (Global) Limited, Goodyear CVS L.L.C., Grand St. Paul CVS L.L.C., Grandview Pharmacy LLC, Group Dental Service Inc., Group Dental Service of Maryland Inc., Health Care Management Co. Ltd., Health Data & Management Solutions Inc., Health Re Inc., Health and Human Resource Center Inc., HealthAssuance Pennsylvania Inc., Healthagen LLC, Highland Park CVS L.L.C., Holiday CVS L.L.C., Home Care Pharmacy LLC, Home Pharmacy Services LLC, Hook-SupeRx L.L.C., Horizon Behavioral Services LLC, Idaho CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., IlliniCare Health, Indian Health Organisation Private Limited, Innovation Health Holdings LLC, Innovation Health Insurance Company, Innovation Health Plan Inc., Interlock Pharmacy Systems LLC, Iowa CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., JHC Acquisition LLC, Kansas CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Kentucky CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., LCPS Acquisition LLC, Langsam Health Services LLC, Lo-Med Prescription Services LLC, Lobos Acquisition LLC, Longs Drug Stores, Longs Drug Stores California L.L.C., Louisiana CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., MHHP Acquisition Company LLC, MHNet Life and Health Insurance Company, MHNet Specialty Services LLC, MHNet of Florida Inc., Managed Care Coordinators Inc., Managed Healthcare LLC, Martin Health Services LLC, Maryland CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Med World Acquisition Corp., Medical Arts Health Care LLC, Medical Examinations of New York P.C., Melville Realty Company Inc., MemberHealth LLC, Mental Health Associates Inc., Mental Health Network of New York IPA Inc., Meritain Health Inc., Merwin Long Term Care LLC, MetraComp Inc., Minor Health Enterprise Co Ltd., MinuteClinic, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Alabama L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Arizona LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Florida LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Georgia LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Hawaii L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Illinois LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Kentucky L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Louisiana L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Maine L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Maryland LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Massachusetts LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Nebraska L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of New Hampshire L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of New Mexico L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Ohio LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Oklahoma LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Oregon LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Pennsylvania LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Rhode Island LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of South Carolina L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Texas LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Utah L.L.C., MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Virginia LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Washington LLC, MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Wisconsin L.L.C., MinuteClinic L.L.C., MinuteClinic Online Diagnostic Services LLC, MinuteClinic Physician Practice of Texas, MinuteClinic Telehealth Services LLC, Mississippi CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Missouri CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Montana CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., NCS Healthcare LLC, NCS Healthcare of Illinois LLC, NCS Healthcare of Iowa LLC, NCS Healthcare of Kansas LLC, NCS Healthcare of Kentucky Inc. (Oh, NCS Healthcare of Montana LLC, NCS Healthcare of New Mexico LLC, NCS Healthcare of Ohio LLC, NCS Healthcare of South Carolina LLC, NCS Healthcare of Tennessee LLC, NCS Healthcare of Wisconsin LLC, NIV Acquisition LLC, Navarro Discount Pharmacy, Nebraska CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., NeighborCare Holdings Inc., NeighborCare Inc., NeighborCare Pharmacy Services Inc., NeighborCare Services Corporation, NeighborCare of Indiana LLC, NeighborCare of Virginia LLC, New Jersey CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Niagara Re Inc., North Carolina CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., North Shore Pharmacy Services LLC, NovoLogix LLC, OCR Services LLC, Ocean Acquisition Sub L.L.C., Ohio CVS Stores L.L.C., Oklahoma CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Omnicare, Omnicare Holding Company, Omnicare Inc., Omnicare Indiana Partnership Holding Company LLC, Omnicare Pharmacies of Pennsylvania East LLC, Omnicare Pharmacies of Pennsylvania West LLC, Omnicare Pharmacies of the Great Plains Holding LLC, Omnicare Pharmacy and Supply Services LLC, Omnicare Pharmacy of Tennessee LLC, Omnicare Pharmacy of the Midwest LLC, Omnicare Property Management LLC, Omnicare of Nebraska LLC, Omnicare of Nevada LLC, Omnicare of New York LLC, Oregon CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., PE Holdings LLC, PHPSNE Parent Corporation, PP Acquisition Company LLC, PRN Pharmaceutical Services LP, PT Aetna Management Consulting, Pamplona Saude e Beleza LTDA, Part D Holding Company L.L.C., PayFlex Holdings Inc., PayFlex Systems USA Inc., Pennsylvania CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Performax Inc., Pharmacy Associates of Glenn Falls LLC, Pharmacy Consultants LLC, Phoenix Data Solutions LLC, Precision Benefit Services Inc., Prime Net Inc., ProCare Pharmacy Direct L.L.C., ProCare Pharmacy L.L.C., Prodigy Health Group Inc., Professional Risk Management Inc., Pt. Aetna Global Benefits Indonesia, Puerto Rico CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Red Oak Sourcing LLC, Resources for Living LLC, Rhode Island CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Roeschens Healthcare LLC, RxAmerica, Schaller Anderson Medical Administrators Incorporated, Scrip World LLC, Sheffield Avenue CVS L.L.C., Shore Pharmaceutical Providers LLC, Silverscript Insurance Company, Soma Intimates, South Carolina CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., South Wabash CVS L.L.C., Specialized Pharmacy Services LLC, Spinnaker Bidco Limited, Spinnaker Topco Limited, Stadtlander Drug Company, Stadtlander Pharmacy, Sterling Healthcare Services LLC, Superior Care Pharmacy LLC, Sutter Health and Aetna Administrative Services LLC, Sutter Health and Aetna Insurance Company, Sutter Health and Aetna Insurance Holding Company LLC, T2 Medical Inc., TCPI Acquisition LLC, TargetPharmacy, Tennessee CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Texas Health + Aetna Health Insurance Company, Texas Health + Aetna Health Insurance Holding Company LLC, Texas Health + Aetna Health Plan Inc., The Vasquez Group Inc., Thomas Phoenix CVS L.L.C., Three Forks Apothecary LLC, U.S Healthcare Holdings LLC, U.S. Healthcare Properties Inc., UAC Holding Inc., UC Acquisition LLC, UNI-Care Health Services of Maine LLC, Universal American - Medicare Part D Business, Utah CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., VAPS Acquisition Company LLC, Value Health Care Services LLC, Vermont CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Virginia CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Virtual Home Healthcare L.L.C., Warm Springs Road CVS L.L.C., Washington CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Washington Lamb CVS L.L.C., Weber Medical Systems LLC, Wellpartner LLC, West Virginia CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Westhaven Services Co LLC, Williamson Drug Company LLC, Wisconsin CVS Pharmacy L.L.C., Woodward Detroit CVS L.L.C., Work and Family Benefits Inc., ZS Acquisition Company LLC, Zinc Health Services LLC, Zinc Health Ventures LLC, bSwift LLC, and iTriage LLC. The following companies are subsidiares of American Tower: 10 Presidential Way Associates LLC, 3267351 Nova Scotia Company, 3286208 Nova Scotia Company, 3298099 Nova Scotia Company, 52 Eighty LLC, 52 Eighty Partners LLC, 52 Eighty Tower Partners I LLC, ACC Tower Sub LLC, AT Kenya C.V., AT Netherlands C.V., AT Netherlands Cooperatief U.A., AT Sao Paulo C.V., AT Sher Netherlands Cooperatief U.A., AT South America C.V., ATC Africa Holding B.V., ATC Africa Shared Services (Pty) Ltd, ATC Antennas Holding LLC, ATC Antennas LLC, ATC Argentina C.V., ATC Argentina Cooperatief U.A., ATC Argentina Holding LLC, ATC Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., ATC Atlantic C.V., ATC Atlantic II B.V., ATC Atlantic III B.V., ATC Backhaul LLC, ATC Brasil Servicos de Conectividades Ltda., ATC Brazil Holding LLC, ATC Brazil I LLC, ATC Brazil II LLC, ATC Burkina Faso S.A., ATC CSR Foundation India, ATC Chile Holding LLC, ATC Colombia B.V., ATC Colombia Holding I LLC, ATC Colombia Holding LLC, ATC Colombia I LLC, ATC EH GmbH & Co. KG, ATC Ecuador Holding LLC, ATC Edge LLC, ATC Ethiopia Infrastructure Development Private Limited Company, ATC Europe B.V., ATC Europe LLC, ATC European Holdings Inc., ATC Fibra de Colombia S.A.S., ATC France Cooperatief U.A., ATC France Holding II SAS, ATC France Holding SAS, ATC France Reseaux SAS, ATC France SAS, ATC France Services SAS, ATC GP GmbH, ATC Germany Holdings GmbH, ATC Germany Services GmbH, ATC Ghana ServiceCo Limited, ATC Global Employment B.V., ATC Heston B.V., ATC Holding Fibra Mexico S. de R.L. DE C.V., ATC IP LLC, ATC India Infrastructure Private Limited, ATC Indoor DAS Holding LLC, ATC Indoor DAS LLC, ATC International Cooperatief U.A., ATC International Financing B.V., ATC International Financing II B.V., ATC International Financing II Holding LLC, ATC International Holding Corp., ATC Iris I LLC, ATC Kenya Operations Limited, ATC Kenya Services Limited, ATC Latin America S.A. de C.V. SOFOM E.N.R., ATC MIP III REIT Iron Holdings LLC, ATC Managed Sites Holding LLC, ATC Managed Sites LLC, ATC MexHold LLC, ATC Mexico Holding LLC, ATC Niger Wireless Infrastructure S.A., ATC Nigeria C.V., ATC Nigeria Cooperatief U.A., ATC Nigeria Holding LLC, ATC Nigeria Wireless Infrastructure Limited, ATC On Air + LLC, ATC Operations LLC, ATC Outdoor DAS LLC, ATC Paraguay Holding LLC, ATC Paraguay S.R.L., ATC Peru Holding LLC, ATC Polska sp. z o.o., ATC Ponderosa B-I LLC, ATC Ponderosa B-II LLC, ATC Ponderosa K LLC, ATC Ponderosa K-R LLC, ATC Sequoia LLC, ATC Sitios Infraco S.A.S., ATC Sitios de Chile S.A., ATC Sitios de Colombia S.A.S., ATC Sitios del Peru S.R.L., ATC South Africa Investment Holdings (Proprietary) Limited, ATC South Africa Services Pty Ltd, ATC South Africa Wireless Infrastructure (Pty) Ltd, ATC South Africa Wireless Infrastructure II (Pty) Ltd, ATC South America Holding LLC, ATC South LLC, ATC Spain LLC, ATC TRS I LLC, ATC TRS II LLC, ATC TRS III LLC, ATC TRS IV LLC, ATC Tanzania Holding LLC, ATC Telecom Infrastructure Private Limited, ATC Tower (Ghana) Limited, ATC Tower Services LLC, ATC Uganda Limited, ATC Uganda ServiceCo (SMC) Limited, ATC Watertown LLC, ATC WiFi LLC, ATS-Needham LLC, ActiveX Telebroadband Services Private Limited, Adquisiciones y Proyectos Inalambricos S. de R. L. de C.V., Agile Airband Ohio LLC, Agile Connect LLC, Agile IWG Holdings LLC, Agile Network Builders LLC, Agile Networks Indiana LLC, Agile Networks Site Development LLC, Agile Towers LLC, Alternative Networking LLC, American Tower Asset Sub II LLC, American Tower Asset Sub LLC, American Tower Charitable Foundation Inc., American Tower Delaware Corporation, American Tower Depositor Sub LLC, American Tower Guarantor Sub LLC, American Tower Holding Sub II LLC, American Tower Holding Sub LLC, American Tower International Holding I LLC, American Tower International Holding II LLC, American Tower International Inc., American Tower Investments LLC, American Tower LLC, American Tower Management LLC, American Tower Mauritius, American Tower Servicios Fibra S. de R.L. de C.V., American Tower Tanzania Operations Limited, American Tower do Brasil - Cessao de Infraestruturas Ltda., American Tower do Brasil Communicacao Multimidia Ltda., American Towers LLC, BR Towers, Blue Sky Towers Pty Ltd, Blue Transfer Sociedad Anonima, Broadcast Towers LLC, CNC2 Associates LLC, California Tower Inc., Cell Site NewCo II LLC, Cell Tower Lease Acquisition LLC, Central States Tower Holdings LLC, Colo ATL LLC, Colo Atl, Communications Properties Inc., Comunicaciones y Consumos S.A., Connectivity Infrastructure Services Limited, DCS Tower Sub LLC, Eaton, Eaton Towers (Lilongwe) Limited, Eaton Towers Ghana (M) Limited, Eaton Towers Ghana Limited, Eaton Towers Holdings Limited, Eaton Towers Kenya Limited, Eaton Towers Limited, Eaton Towers Niger S.A., Eaton Towers Uganda Limited, Essar Telecom Infrastructure, Eure-et-Loir Reseaux Mobiles SAS, GTP Acquisition Partners I LLC, GTP Acquisition Partners II LLC, GTP Acquisition Partners III LLC, GTP Costa Rica Finance LLC, GTP Infrastructure I LLC, GTP Infrastructure II LLC, GTP Infrastructure III LLC, GTP Investments LLC, GTP LATAM Holdings B.V., GTP LatAm Holdings Cooperatieve U.A., GTP Operations CR S.R.L., GTP South Acquisitions II LLC, GTP Structures I LLC, GTP Structures II LLC, GTP TRS I LLC, GTP Torres CR S.R.L., GTP Towers I LLC, GTP Towers II LLC, GTP Towers III LLC, GTP Towers IV LLC, GTP Towers IX LLC, GTP Towers V LLC, GTP Towers VII LLC, GTP Towers VIII LLC, GTPI HoldCo LLC, Ghana Tower InterCo B.V., Global Tower Assets III LLC, Global Tower Assets LLC, Global Tower Holdings LLC, Global Tower LLC, Global Tower Partners, Global Tower Services LLC, Gondola Tower Holdings LLC, Grain HoldCo LLC, Grain HoldCo Parent LLC, GrainComm I LLC, GrainComm II LLC, GrainComm III LLC, GrainComm LLC, GrainComm Marketing LLC, GrainComm V LLC, Haysville Towers LLC, IW Equipment LLC, IWD Equipment LLC, IWG Holdings LLC, IWG II Holdings LLC, IWG II LLC, IWG Miami LLC, IWG Towers Assets I LLC, IWG Towers Assets II LLC, IWG-TLA Australia Pty Ltd., IWG-TLA Canada Corp., IWG-TLA Encanto 1 LLC, IWG-TLA Encanto 2 LLC, IWG-TLA Encanto 3 LLC, IWG-TLA Encanto LLC, IWG-TLA Holdings LLC, IWG-TLA Media 2 LLC, IWG-TLA Media LLC, IWG-TLA Telecom LLC, IWL-TLA Telecom 2 LLC, Idaho Tower Company LLC, InSite (BCEC) LLC, InSite (MBTA) LLC, InSite Borrower LLC, InSite Co-Issuer Corp., InSite Guarantor LLC, InSite Hawaii LLC, InSite Issuer LLC, InSite Licensing LLC, InSite Towers Development 2 LLC, InSite Towers Development LLC, InSite Towers International 2 LLC, InSite Towers International Development LLC, InSite Towers International LLC, InSite Towers LLC, InSite Towers of Puerto Rico LLC, InSite Wireless Development LLC, InSite Wireless Group, InSite Wireless Group LLC, Insite Wireless LLC, Invisible IWG Holdings LLC, Invisible Towers LLC, JT Communications LLC, LAP Inmobiliaria Limitada, LAP Inmobiliaria S.R.L., LL B Sheet 1 LLC, Lap do Brasil Empreendimentos Imobiliarios Ltda, Lease Advisors-AU PTY LTD, Loxel SAS, MATC Digital S. de R.L. de C.V., MATC Infraestructura S. de R.L. de C.V., MATC Servicios S. de R.L. de C.V., MC New Macland Properties LLC, MCSU Properties LLC, MHB Tower Rentals of America LLC, MIP III Iron Holdings LLC, MIP III U.S. Iron LLC, Microwave Inc., Municipal Bay LLC, Municipal-Bay Holdings LLC, New Towers LLC, PCS Structures Towers LLC, R-CAL I LLC, RSA Media Inc., Repeater Communications Group I LLC, Repeater Communications Group II LLC, Repeater Communications Group III LLC, Repeater Communications Group IV LLC, Repeater Communications Group LLC, Repeater Communications Group V LLC, Repeater Communications Group VI LLC, Repeater Communications Group of New York LLC, Repeater IWG Holdings LLC, Richland Towers LLC, Signum/IWG Tower Corp., Southeast Network Access Point LLC, SpectraSite Communications, SpectraSite Communications LLC, SpectraSite LLC, T8 Ulysses Site Management LLC, TLA PR-1 LLC, TLA PR-2 LLC, Telecom Lease Advisors Management 2 LLC, Tower Management Inc., Towers of America L.L.L.P., Transcend Infrastructure Holdings Pte. Ltd., Transcend Towers Infrastructure (Philippines) Inc., Turris Sites Development Corp., Turris Sites IWG Corp, Tysons II DAS LLC, UNIsite, Uganda Tower Interco B.V., Ulysses Asset Sub I LLC, Ulysses Asset Sub II LLC, UniSite LLC, UniSite/Omnipoint FL Tower Venture LLC, UniSite/Omnipoint NE Tower Venture LLC, UniSite/Omnipoint PA Tower Venture LLC, Vangard Wireless LLC, Verus Management One LLC, Viom Networks, and Virdi IWG Holdings LLC. The following companies are subsidiares of Thermo Fisher Scientific: 236 Perinton Parkway LLC, 27 Forge Parkway LLC, ABR--Affinity BioReagents, ACI Holdings Inc., ARG Services LLC, ASPEX Corporation, Abgene Inc., Abgene Limited, Acoustic Cytometry Systems Inc., AcroMetrix LLC, Acros Organics B.V.B.A., Advanced Biotechnologies Limited, Advanced Scientifics (ASI), Advanced Scientifics Inc., Advanced Scientifics International Inc., Affymetrix Biotech Participacoes Ltda., Affymetrix Biotech Shanghai Ltd, Affymetrix Inc, Affymetrix Japan K.K., Affymetrix Pte Ltd, Affymetrix UK Ltd, Afora S.A.U., Ahura Scientific, Alchematrix Inc., Alchematrix LLC, Alfa Aesar, Alfa Aesar (China) Chemical Co. Ltd., Alfa Aesar (Hong Kong) Limited, Allergon AB, Alphine Mountain Limited, Ambion Inc., Apogent Denmark ApS, Apogent Finance Company, Apogent Holding Company, Apogent Technologies Inc., Apogent Transition Corp., Apogent U.K. Limited, App-Tek International Pty Ltd, Applied Biosystems B.V., Applied Biosystems Finance B.V., Applied Biosystems International Inc., Applied Biosystems LLC, Applied Biosystems Taiwan LLC, Applied Biosystems Trading (Shanghai) Company Ltd., Applied Biosystems de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Applied Scientific Corporation, Avances Cientificos de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Avocado Research Chemicals Limited, B.R.A.H.M.S. Biotech GmbH, B.R.A.H.M.S. GmbH, B.R.A.H.M.S. UK Ltd, BAC BV, BAC IP BV, Barnstead Thermolyne LLC, Beijing Phadia Diagnostics Co Ltd, Bender MedSystems GmbH, BioTrove Corporation, BioTrove International Inc., Bioanalysis Labsystems S.A., Biochemical Sciences LLC, Biolab, BmT GmbH Laborprodukte, Bonsai Tecnologies - Sistemas para Biotecnologia e Industria Unipessoal Lda, Brammer Bio, Bumi-Sans Sendirian Berhad, CAC Limited, CB Diagnostics AB, CB Diagnostics Holding AB, CEPH International Corporation, CHK Holdings Inc., CRS Robotics, CTPS LLC, Capitol Scientific Products Inc., Capitol Vial Inc., Cellomics Inc., CellzDirect Inc., Cenduit GmbH, Cenduit LLC, Cezanne S.A.S., Chase Scientific Glass Inc., Chromacol Limited, Clintrak, Clintrak Clinical Labeling Services LLC, Clintrak Pharmaceutical Services LLC, Cohesive Technologies (UK) Limited, Cohesive Technologies Inc., Columbia Diagnostics Inc., Compendia Bioscience Inc., Comtest Limited, Consolidated Technologies Inc., Consultores Fisher Scientific Chile Ltd, Core Informatics, Core Informatics LLC, Core Informatics UK Ltd., D-finitive Technologies Inc., DCG Systems B.V., DCG Systems C.V., DCG Systems G.K., DCG Systems GmbH, DCG Systems Korea Ltd., DCG Systems LLC, DPI Newco LLC, DSM Pharmaceutical Products Inc., Dharmacon, Diagnostix Ltd., Dionex (China) Analytical Ltd, Dionex (Switzerland) AG, Dionex (UK) Limited, Dionex Austria GmbH, Dionex Benelux B.V., Dionex Brasil Instrumentos Cientificos Ltda, Dionex Canada Ltd., Dionex China Limited, Dionex Corporation, Dionex Denmark A/S, Dionex Holding GmbH, Dionex I LLC, Dionex Pty Ltd., Dionex S.A., Dionex S.p.A., Dionex Singapore Pte Ltd., Dionex Softron GmbH, Dionex Sweden AB, Distribution Solutions International Inc., Doe & Ingalls Investors Inc., Doe & Ingalls Limited, Doe & Ingalls Management LLC, Doe & Ingalls Properties II LLC, Doe & Ingalls Properties LLC, Doe & Ingalls of California Operating LLC, Doe & Ingalls of Florida Operating LLC, Doe & Ingalls of Maryland Operating LLC, Doe & Ingalls of Massachusetts Operating LLC, Doe & Ingalls of North Carolina Operating LLC, Doublecape Holding Limited, Doublecape Limited, Drakeside Real Estate Holding Company LLC, Duke Scientific Corporation, Dynal Biotech Beijing Limited, EGS Gauging Ltd., EGS Gauging Technical Services Company, EP Scientific Products LLC, Ecochem N.V., EnviroEquip Pty Ltd, Epsom Glass Industries Limited, Equibio Limited, Erie Electroverre S.A., Erie Finance Limited, Erie LP Holding LLC, Erie Scientific Company of Puerto Rico, Erie Scientific Hungary Kft, Erie Scientific LLC, Erie U.K. Limited, Erie UK 1 Limited, Erie UK 2 Limited, Erie UK Holding Company, Erie UK Senior Holding Limited, European Laboratory Holdings Limited, Eutech Instruments Europe B.V., Eutech Instruments Pte Ltd., Eutech Instruments Sdn Bhd, Ever Ready Thermometer Co. Inc., FEI Asia Pacific Co. Ltd., FEI Australia Pty Ltd, FEI CPD B.V., FEI Company, FEI Company Japan Ltd., FEI Company of USA (S.E.A.) Pte Ltd., FEI Czech Republic s.r.o., FEI Deutschland GmbH, FEI EFA Inc., FEI EFA International Pte. Ltd., FEI Electron Optics B.V., FEI Electron Optics International B.V., FEI Europe B.V., FEI France SAS, FEI Global Holdings C.V., FEI Hong Kong Company Limited, FEI Houston Inc., FEI Italia Srl, FEI Korea Ltd., FEI Melbourne Pty Ltd., FEI Microscopy Solutions Ltd, FEI Munich GmbH, FEI Norway Holding AS, FEI SAS, FEI Saudi Arabia LLC, FEI Servicos de Nanotecnologia Ltda., FEI Technologies Inc., FEI Technology de Mexico S.A. de C.V., FEI Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., FEI Trondheim AS, FEI UK Ltd., FHP LLC, FRC Holding Inc. V, FS (Barbados) Capital Holdings Ltd., FS Casa Rocas Holdings LLC, FS Mexicana Holdings LLC, FSI Receivables Company LLC, FSII Sweden Holdings AB, FSII Sweden Holdings I AB, FSIR Holdings (UK) Limited, FSIR Holdings (US) Inc., FSUK Holdings Limited, FSWH Company LLC, FSWH II C.V., FSWH International Holdings LLC, Fermentas China Co. Ltd, Fermentas Inc., Fermentas International, Fermentas Sweden AB, Fermentas UK Limited, Fiberlite Centrifuge LLC, Finesse Scientific Equipment (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Finesse Solutions AG, Finesse Solutions Inc., Finnzymes Oy, Fisher Alder S. de R.L. de C.V., Fisher Asia Manufacturing Ventures Inc., Fisher Bermuda Holdings Limited, Fisher BioImage ApS, Fisher BioPharma Services (India) Private Limited, Fisher BioSciences Japan G.K., Fisher BioServices Inc., Fisher Bioblock Holding II SNC, Fisher CLP Holding Limited Partnership, Fisher Canada Holding ULC 1, Fisher Canada Holding ULC 2, Fisher Canada Holding ULC 3, Fisher Canada Limited Partnership, Fisher Chimica BVBA, Fisher Clinical Logistics LLC, Fisher Clinical Services (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Fisher Clinical Services (Bristol) LLC, Fisher Clinical Services (Colombia) LLC, Fisher Clinical Services (Korea) Co. Ltd, Fisher Clinical Services (Mexico) LLC, Fisher Clinical Services (Peru) LLC, Fisher Clinical Services (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Fisher Clinical Services Colombia S.A.S., Fisher Clinical Services GmbH, Fisher Clinical Services Inc., Fisher Clinical Services Japan K.K., Fisher Clinical Services Latin America S.R.L., Fisher Clinical Services Limited Liability Company, Fisher Clinical Services Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Fisher Clinical Services Peru S.R.L, Fisher Clinical Services Pte Ltd., Fisher Clinical Services U.K. Limited, Fisher Emergo B.V., Fisher Germany Holdings GmbH, Fisher Hamilton China Inc., Fisher Hamilton Mexico LLC, Fisher Holdings ApS, Fisher Internet Minority Holdings L.L.C., Fisher Laboratory Products Manufacturing (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, Fisher Luxembourg Danish Holdings SARL, Fisher Manufacturing (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Fisher Maybridge Holdings Limited, Fisher Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Fisher Scientific (Austria) GmbH, Fisher Scientific (Hong Kong) Limited, Fisher Scientific (M) Sdn Bhd, Fisher Scientific (SEA) Pte. Ltd., Fisher Scientific A/S, Fisher Scientific AG, Fisher Scientific Australia Pty Limited, Fisher Scientific Biotech Line ApS, Fisher Scientific Brazil Inc., Fisher Scientific Central America Inc., Fisher Scientific Chile Inc., Fisher Scientific Colombia Inc., Fisher Scientific Company, Fisher Scientific Company L.L.C., Fisher Scientific Costa Rica Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada, Fisher Scientific Europe Holdings B.V., Fisher Scientific GTF AB, Fisher Scientific Germany Beteiligungs GmbH, Fisher Scientific GmbH, Fisher Scientific Holding Company LLC, Fisher Scientific Holding HK Limited, Fisher Scientific Holding U.K. Limited, Fisher Scientific Holdings (M) Sdn Bhd, Fisher Scientific Holdings (S) Pte Ltd, Fisher Scientific International LLC, Fisher Scientific Investments (Cayman) Ltd., Fisher Scientific Ireland Investments Unlimited, Fisher Scientific Ireland Limited, Fisher Scientific Japan Ltd., Fisher Scientific Jersey Island Limited, Fisher Scientific Korea Ltd, Fisher Scientific Latin America Inc., Fisher Scientific Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Fisher Scientific Mexicana S. de R.L. de C.V., Fisher Scientific Mexico Inc., Fisher Scientific Middle East and Africa Inc., Fisher Scientific Norway AS, Fisher Scientific Operating Company, Fisher Scientific Oxoid Holdings Ltd., Fisher Scientific Oy, Fisher Scientific Pte. Ltd., Fisher Scientific S.A.S., Fisher Scientific S.L., Fisher Scientific SPRL, Fisher Scientific The Hague I B.V., Fisher Scientific The Hague II B.V., Fisher Scientific The Hague III B.V., Fisher Scientific The Hague IV B.V., Fisher Scientific The Hague V B.V., Fisher Scientific U.K. Limited, Fisher Scientific UK Holding Company 2, Fisher Scientific UK Holding Company Limited, Fisher Scientific Unipessoal Lda., Fisher Scientific Venezuela Inc., Fisher Scientific Worldwide (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Fisher Scientific Worldwide Holdings I C.V., Fisher Scientific Worldwide Inc., Fisher Scientific de Mexico S.A., Fisher Scientific of the Netherlands B.V., Fisher Scientific spol. S.r.o, Fisher Servicios Clinicos (Chile) LLC, Fisher Servicios Clinicos Chile Ltda, Fisher WWD Holding L.L.C., Fisher Worldwide Distribution SPV, Fisher Worldwide Gene Distribution SPV, Flux Instruments, Fuji Partnership, G & M Procter Limited, G V Instruments Limited, GV Instruments Canada Ltd., GV Instruments Inc, Gatan Inc, General Scientific Company Sdn Bhd (M), Genomed molekularbiologische und diagnostische Produkte GmbH, Gerhard Menzel B.V. & Co. KG, Gold Cattle Standard Testing Labs Inc., Golden West Indemnity Company Limited, Goring Kerr Detection Limited, Greenville Service Company Inc., HENO GmbH i.L., Hangar 215 Inc., Helmet Securities Limited, Henogen, HighChem, HyClone International Trade (Tianjin) Co. Ltd, Hybaid Limited, I.Q. (BIO) Limited, IDnostics AG, ILS Laboratories Scandinavia AB, Inel Inc., Inel SAS, InnaPhase Inc., InnaPhase Limited, IntegenX, Intrinsic BioProbes Inc., Intrinsic Bioprobes Inc., Invitrogen (Shanghai) Investment Co. Ltd., Invitrogen Argentina SA, Invitrogen BioServices India Private Limited, Invitrogen Europe Limited, Invitrogen Finance Corp., Invitrogen Holdings LLC, Invitrogen Holdings Ltd., Invitrogen Hong Kong Limited, Invitrogen IP Holdings Inc., Invitrogen Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Ion Torrent Systems Inc., Ionalytics Corporation, JSC Thermo Fisher Scientific, Jouan LLC, Jouan Limited, Jouan SA, Kendro Containment & Services Limited, Kendro Laboratory Products Ltd, Kettlebrook Insurance Co. ltd., Keystone Scientific, KonTEM GmbH, Kyle Jordan Investments LLC, LIFE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION, LTC Tech South Africa PTY Ltd., La-Pha-Pack GmbH, Lab Vision (UK) Limited, Lab Vision Corporation, Lab-Chrom-Pack LLC, Lab-Line Instruments Inc., Labomex MBP S. de R. L. De C.V., Laboratoire Service International - L.S.I, Laboratory Management Systems Inc., Laboratory Specialties Proprietary Ltd., LambTrack Limited, Laser Analytical Systems Inc., Liberty Lane Investment LLC, Liberty Lane Real Estate Holding Company LLC, Life Sciences International (Poland) SP z O.O, Life Sciences International Holdings BV, Life Sciences International LLC, Life Sciences International Limited, Life Technologies AS, Life Technologies Australia PTY Ltd., Life Technologies BPD AB, Life Technologies BPD UK Limited, Life Technologies Brasil Comercio e Industria de Produtos para Biotecnologia Ltda, Life Technologies Chile SpA, Life Technologies Clinical Services Lab Inc., Life Technologies Co. Ltd., Life Technologies Czech Republic s.r.o., Life Technologies DaAn Diagnostic (Guangzhou) Co. Ltd., Life Technologies Europe B.V., Life Technologies Finance Ltd., Life Technologies Finland Oy, Life Technologies GmbH, Life Technologies Holdings PTE Ltd., Life Technologies Inc., Life Technologies International B.V., Life Technologies Japan Ltd., Life Technologies Korea LLC, Life Technologies Limited, Life Technologies Magyarorszag Kft, Life Technologies New Zealand Ltd., Life Technologies Norway Investments US LLC, Life Technologies Polska Sp z.o.o., Life Technologies SA, Life Technologies SAS, Life Technologies s.r.o, Linkage Biosciences Inc., Linkage Biosciences S.a.r.l., Loftus Furnace Company, Lomb Scientific, Lomb Scientific (Aust) Pty Limited, MTI-GlobalStem, Marketbase International Limited, Matrix MicroScience Inc., Matrix MicroScience Ltd., Matrix Technologies Corporation Limited, Matrix Technologies LLC, Maybridge Chemical Company Limited, Maybridge Chemical Holdings Limited, Maybridge Limited, Medical Analysis Systems Inc., Medical Analysis Systems International Inc., Medical Diagnostics Systems Inc., Metavac LLC, Microgenics Corporation, Microgenics Diagnostics Pty Limited, Microgenics GmbH, Microm International GmbH, Microm Laborgerate S.L.U, Molecular BioProducts Inc., Molecular Probes Inc., Molecular Transfer Inc., NAPCO Inc., NERL Diagnostics LLC, NOVODIRECT GmbH Labor- und Industrie- Megerate, Nalge (Europe) Limited, Nalge Nunc International (Monterrey) LLC, Nalge Nunc International Corporation, Nanjing WeiKangLe Trading Industrial Co Ltd, NanoDrop Technologies LLC, National Scientific Company, Navaho Acquisition Corp., Neomarkers Inc., New FS Holdings Inc., NewcoGen PE LLC, Nihon Dynal K.K., Niton Asia Limited, NovaWave Technologies Inc., Nunc A/S, ONIX Systems Inc., OXOID CZ s.r.o., Odyssey Holdings Corporation, Odyssey Luxembourg Holdings S.a r.l., Odyssey Luxembourg IP Holdings 1 S.a r.l., Odyssey Luxembourg IP Holdings 2 S.a r.l., Odyssey Venture Corporation, Omega Data Systems, One Lambda Inc, Onix Holdings Limited, Orme Scientific Limited, Owl Separation Systems LLC, Oxoid (ELY) Limited, Oxoid 2000 Limited, Oxoid AS, Oxoid Australia Pty. Limited, Oxoid Company, Oxoid Deutschland GmbH, Oxoid Holding SAS, Oxoid Holdings Limited, Oxoid Inc., Oxoid International Limited, Oxoid Investments GmbH, Oxoid Limited, Oxoid N.V., Oxoid New Zealand Limited, Oxoid Pension Trustees Limited, Oxoid Senior Holdings Limited, Oxoid UKH LLC, PAX - DSI Acquisition LLC, PE AG, Pacific Rim Far East Industries LLC, Pacific Rim Investment LLC, Panomics L.L.C., Panomics S.R.L., Patheon, Patheon API Inc., Patheon API Manufacturing Inc., Patheon API Services Inc., Patheon Austria GmbH & Co KG, Patheon B.V., Patheon Banner U.S. Holdings Inc., Patheon Biologics (NJ) LLC, Patheon Biologics Australia Pty Ltd, Patheon Biologics B.V., Patheon Biologics LLC, Patheon Calculus Merger LLC, Patheon Cooperatief U.A., Patheon Development Services Inc., Patheon Finance LLC, Patheon France SAS, Patheon Holdings B.V., Patheon Holdings I B.V., Patheon Holdings II B.V., Patheon Holdings SAS, Patheon I B.V., Patheon I Holding GmbH, Patheon Inc., Patheon International AG, Patheon Italia S.p.A., Patheon KK, Patheon Life Science Products International GmbH, Patheon Manufacturing Services LLC, Patheon Pharmaceuticals Inc., Patheon Pharmaceuticals Services Inc., Patheon Puerto Rico Acquisitions Corporation, Patheon Puerto Rico Inc., Patheon Regensburg GmbH, Patheon Softgels B.V., Patheon Softgels Inc., Patheon U.S. Holdings Inc., Patheon U.S. Holdings LLC, Patheon UK Limited, Patheon UK Pension Trustees Limited, Pelican Acquisition Corporation, Perbio Science (Canada) Company, Perbio Science AB, Perbio Science BVBA, Perbio Science France SAS, Perbio Science Inc., Perbio Science International Netherlands B.V., Perbio Science Invest AB, Perbio Science Nederland B.V., Perbio Science Projekt AB, Perbio Science Sweden Holdings AB, Perbio Science Switzerland SA, Perbio Science UK Limited, Phadia AB, Phadia Diagnosticos Ltda, Phadia GmbH, Phadia Holding AB, Phadia International Holdings C.V., Phadia Korea Co. Ltd, Phadia Luxembourg Holdings S.a.r.l., Phadia Malta Holdings Limited, Phadia Oy, Phadia Real Property AB, Phadia Sweden AB, Phadia Taiwan Inc., Phadia US Inc., Phadia s.r.o., Pharmacaps Mexicana SA de CV, Phenom-World B.V., Phenom-World Holding B.V, Phenom-World Innovations B.V., Phinotex, Pierce Biotechnology Inc., Pierce Milwaukee Holding Corp., Pierce Milwaukee Inc., Polychromix, Power Sweden Holdings I AB, Power Sweden Holdings II AB, Power Sweden Holdings III Aktiebolag, Princeton Gamma-Tech Instruments LLC, Princeton Security Technologies, Prionics AG, Prionics Asia Ltd., Prionics Deutschland GmbH, Prionics France SAS, Prionics Italia S.r.l., Prionics Lelystad B.V., Prionics USA Inc., Priority Air Express LLC, Priority Air Express Pte. Ltd., Priority Air Express UK Limited, Priority Air Holdings Corp, Priority Solutions International, Promedica Pty Limited, Proxeon, Proxeon Biosystems ApS, Qiagen, REP GBP I-B Blocker Inc., Raymond A Lamb Limited, Remel Europe Limited, Remel Inc., Richard-Allan Scientific Company, Robbins Scientific LLC, Robocon Labor- und Industrieroboter Gesellschaft m.b.H, Rupprecht and Patashnick, Rupprecht and Patashnick (R&P), Russell pH Limited, S.C.I. du 10 rue Dugay Trouin, SCI Inno 92, STC Bio Manufacturing Inc., Samco Scientific (Monterrey) LLC, Samco Scientific LLC, Saroph Sweden AB, Schantz Road LLC, Seradyn Inc., Shanghai Life Technologies Biotechnology Co. Limited, Shanghai Thermo Fisher (C-I) Trading Co. Ltd, Shanghai Thermo Fisher (S) Trading Co. Ltd, Southern Trials (Pty) Ltd., Specialty (SMI) Inc., Spectra-Physics AB, Spectra-Physics Holdings Limited, Spectra-Physics Holdings USA LLC, Spectronex, Staten Island Cogeneration Corporation, Sterilin Limited, Stokes Bio Ltd., Sweden DIA (Sweden) AB, SwissAnalytic Group GmbH, Systems Manufacturing Corporation, TFLP LLC, TFS Breda B.V., TFS LLC, TFS Singapore HK Limited, TFSL Financing GP LLC, TFSL Senior GP Holdings 2 LLC, TK Partnership, TKA Wasseraufbereitungssysteme, TMOI Inc., TPI Real Estate Holdings LLC, TSP Holdings I LLC, TWX LLC, Technology Design Solutions Pty Ltd, Thermedics Detection de Argentina S.R.L, Thermo Allen Coding Limited, Thermo Asset Management Services Inc., Thermo BioAnalysis LLC, Thermo BioAnalysis Limited, Thermo BioSciences Holdings LLC, Thermo CIDTEC, Thermo CRS Holdings Ltd., Thermo CRS Ltd., Thermo Cambridge Limited, Thermo Cayman Holdings Ltd., Thermo Corporation, Thermo DMA Inc., Thermo Detection de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Thermo Dutch Holdings Limited Partnership, Thermo EGS Gauging LLC, Thermo Eberline Holdings I LLC, Thermo Eberline Holdings II LLC, Thermo Eberline LLC, Thermo Electron (Calgary) Limited, Thermo Electron (Chile) S.p.A., Thermo Electron (Karlsruhe) GmbH, Thermo Electron (Management Services) Limited, Thermo Electron (Proprietary) Limited, Thermo Electron A/S, Thermo Electron Australia Pty Limited, Thermo Electron Export Inc., Thermo Electron Holdings SAS, Thermo Electron Industries, Thermo Electron LED GmbH, Thermo Electron LED S.A.S., Thermo Electron Limited, Thermo Electron Manufacturing Limited, Thermo Electron Metallurgical Services Inc., Thermo Electron North America LLC, Thermo Electron Pension Trust GmbH, Thermo Electron Puerto Rico Inc., Thermo Electron SAS, Thermo Electron Scientific Instruments LLC, Thermo Electron Sweden AB, Thermo Electron Sweden Forvaltning AB, Thermo Electron Weighing & Inspection Limited, Thermo Elemental Limited, Thermo Environmental Instruments LLC, Thermo Fast U.K. Limited, Thermo Finland Holdings LLC, Thermo Finland Holdings MT1 B.V., Thermo Finland Holdings MT2 B.V., Thermo Finnigan LLC, Thermo Finnigan Limited, Thermo Fisher (CN) Luxembourg Holding S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher (CN) Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher (CN) Malta Holdings Limited, Thermo Fisher (CN-I) Luxembourg LLC, Thermo Fisher (CN-II) Luxembourg LLC, Thermo Fisher (Cayman) Holdings I Ltd., Thermo Fisher (Cayman) Holdings II Ltd., Thermo Fisher (Finland Holdings 2) LLC, Thermo Fisher (Finland Holdings) Limited Partnership, Thermo Fisher (Gibraltar) II Limited, Thermo Fisher (Gibraltar) Limited, Thermo Fisher (Heysham) Limited, Thermo Fisher (Kandel) GmbH, Thermo Fisher CHK Holding LLC, Thermo Fisher China Business Trust, Thermo Fisher China Business Trust II, Thermo Fisher Costa Rica Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada, Thermo Fisher Cyprus Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Detection Mexico LLC, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics (Ireland) Limited, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics AB, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics AG, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics AS, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics Aps, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics Austria GmbH, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics B.V., Thermo Fisher Diagnostics GmbH, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics K.K., Thermo Fisher Diagnostics Limited, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics NV, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics S.L.U., Thermo Fisher Diagnostics S.p.A. , Thermo Fisher Diagnostics SAS, Thermo Fisher Diagnostics Sociedade Unipessoal Lda, Thermo Fisher Eurobonds Ltd., Thermo Fisher Financial Services Inc., Thermo Fisher GP LLC, Thermo Fisher German Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Germany B.V., Thermo Fisher India Divestco Private Limited, Thermo Fisher India Holding B.V., Thermo Fisher Insurance Holdings Inc., Thermo Fisher Insurance Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Investments (Cayman) Ltd., Thermo Fisher Israel Ltd., Thermo Fisher Production et Services SAS, Thermo Fisher Project Cyprus LLC, Thermo Fisher Re Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Asheville) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Australia) C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Barbados) Holdings Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Breda) Holding BV, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Bremen) GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific (CN) Limited Partnership, Thermo Fisher Scientific (China) Co. Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific (China) Holding Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific (China-HK) Holding Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific (DE) Holding S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Ecublens) SARL, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Finance I) B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Finance I) S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Finance II) S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Finance III) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Finance III) S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Fuji) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Guangzhou) Co. Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Holding II) B.V. & Co. KG, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Hong Kong) Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific (IVGN) B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific (IVGN) Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Johannesburg) (Proprietary) Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Mexico City) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Milwaukee) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Mississauga) Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Monterrey) S. De R.L. De C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific (NK) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (PN) Austria Holding GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific (PN) UK LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (PN) UK Limited Partnership, Thermo Fisher Scientific (PN-I) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific (PN-II) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific (PN1) UK Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Panama) B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Panama) Dutch LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Praha) s.r.o., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Real Estate 1) GmbH & Co. KG, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Real Estate 1) S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Schweiz) AG, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Shanghai) Instruments Co. Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Shanghai) Management Co. Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific (Suzhou) Instruments Co. Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific AL-1 LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific AU C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific AU II Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific AU LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific AU Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Africa Proprietary Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific Aquasensors LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Australia Pty Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific B.V.B.A., Thermo Fisher Scientific BHK (I) Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific BHK (II) Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Baltics UAB, Thermo Fisher Scientific Beteiligungsverwaltungs GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific Biosciences Corp., Thermo Fisher Scientific Brahms LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Brasil Instrumentos de Processo Ltda., Thermo Fisher Scientific Brasil Servicos de Logistica Ltda, Thermo Fisher Scientific C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Cayman Investments LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Chemicals Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific China (C-I) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific China (S) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific China Holdings I B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific China Holdings II B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific China Holdings III B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific China Holdings IV B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Chromatography Holdings Aps, Thermo Fisher Scientific Chromatography Holdings S.a r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Cyprus I C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Cyprus I Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific Cyprus II C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Cyprus II Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific Cyprus III C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Cyprus III Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific Cyprus IV C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Cyprus V C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Denmark Senior Holdings ApS, Thermo Fisher Scientific Erie 1 Financing (Barbados) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific Erie Financing (Barbados) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific Erie Financing S.a r.l, Thermo Fisher Scientific Europe GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific FLC B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific FLC Finance C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific FLC II B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific FLC LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific FSIR Financing (Barbados) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific FSIR Financing S.a.r.l, Thermo Fisher Scientific FSUKHCO Financing (Barbados) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific Falcon Senior Holdings Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific Finance Company BV, Thermo Fisher Scientific GENEART GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific Germany BV & Co. KG, Thermo Fisher Scientific GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific HR Services Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Holdings (Cayman) I, Thermo Fisher Scientific Holdings (Cayman) II , Thermo Fisher Scientific Holdings Europe Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific IT Services GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific India Holding LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific India Pvt Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific Investments (Luxembourg) S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Investments (Malta) Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Investments (Sweden) LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Investments (Sweden) S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Investments Malta (Sweden Financing) Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Invitrogen Financing (Barbados) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific Japan Holdings I B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Japan Holdings II B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Japan Holdings III B.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific K.K., Thermo Fisher Scientific Korea Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific LSI Financing (Barbados) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life CV GP Holdings II LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life CV GP Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Enterprises C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Enterprises GP LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Financing (Barbados) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Financing (Cayman), Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Financing C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Financing Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Holdings I C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Holdings II C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Holdings III C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Holdings Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life International GP Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life International Holdings I C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life International Holdings II C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments GP LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments I S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments II S.a r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments III S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments IV S.a.r.l, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments Malta Holding I LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments Malta Holding II LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments Malta I Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments Malta II Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments US Financing I LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Investments US Financing II LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life NL Holdings GP LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Netherlands Holding C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Senior GP Holdings II LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Senior GP Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Senior Holdings C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Senior Holdings II C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Senior Holdings Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Switzerland Holdings GP LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Tech Korea Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Enterprise Holding Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Investment I LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Investment II LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Investment UK I Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Investment UK II Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Investments Holding LP, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Israel Investment I Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Israel Investment II Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Life Technologies Luxembourg Holding LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Luxembourg Enterprise Holdings S.a r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Luxembourg German Holdings S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Luxembourg Life Technologies UK Holding S.a r.l, Thermo Fisher Scientific Luxembourg Sweden Holdings I S.a r.l, Thermo Fisher Scientific Luxembourg Sweden Holdings II S.a r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Luxembourg Venture Holdings I S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Luxembourg Venture Holdings II S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Thermo Fisher Scientific Malta Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Messtechnik GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific Mexico City S. de R.L. de C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific Middle East Holdings Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific Milano Srl, Thermo Fisher Scientific NHK Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific New Zealand Holdings, Thermo Fisher Scientific New Zealand Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Norway Holdings AS, Thermo Fisher Scientific Norway US Investments LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Odyssey Financing (Barbados) SRL, Thermo Fisher Scientific Odyssey Holdings Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Operating Company LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Oy, Thermo Fisher Scientific PN2 C.V, Thermo Fisher Scientific PN2 LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific PRB LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific PRB Malta Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific PRB S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Panama I Cayman Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific Peru S.R.L., Thermo Fisher Scientific Pte. Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific Re Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific SL, Thermo Fisher Scientific Senior Financing LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Senior Holdings Australia LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific South Africa Proprietary Ltd, Thermo Fisher Scientific SpA, Thermo Fisher Scientific Spectra LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Spectra Malta Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Spectra S.a.r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Spectra-Physics Holdings Luxembourg I S.a r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Spectra-Physics Holdings Luxembourg II S.a r.l., Thermo Fisher Scientific Spectra-Physics Investments Malta Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Switzerland Holdings C.V., Thermo Fisher Scientific TR Limited, Thermo Fisher Scientific Taiwan Co. Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific Vermogensverwaltungs GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific West Palm Holdings LLC, Thermo Fisher Scientific Wissenschaftliche Gerate GmbH, Thermo Fisher Scientific Worldwide Investments (Cayman), Thermo Fisher Scientific eCommerce Solutions LLC , Thermo Fisher Senior Canada Holdings LLC, Thermo Foundation Inc., Thermo Gamma-Metrics Holdings Pty Ltd., Thermo Gamma-Metrics LLC, Thermo Gamma-Metrics Pty Ltd, Thermo Holding European Operations LLC, Thermo Hypersil Ltd, Thermo Hypersil-Keystone LLC, Thermo Informatics Asia Pacific Pty Ltd., Thermo Instrument Controls de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Thermo Kevex X-Ray LLC, Thermo Keytek LLC, Thermo LabSystems Inc., Thermo LabSystems S.A., Thermo Life Science International Trading (Tianjin) Co. Ltd., Thermo Life Sciences AB, Thermo Luxembourg Holding S.a.r.l., Thermo Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Thermo MF Physics LLC, Thermo Measurement Ltd, Thermo Measuretech Canada Inc., Thermo Neslab LLC, Thermo Nicolet Limited, Thermo Onix Limited, Thermo Optek (Australia) Pty Ltd., Thermo Optek Limited, Thermo Optek S.A., Thermo Orion Inc., Thermo Portable Holdings LLC, Thermo Power Corporation, Thermo Process Instruments GP LLC, Thermo Process Instruments L.P., Thermo Projects Limited, Thermo Quest S.A., Thermo Radiometrie Limited, Thermo Ramsey Italia S.r.l., Thermo Ramsey LLC, Thermo Ramsey S.A., Thermo Re Ltd., Thermo Scientific Microbiology Pte Ltd., Thermo Scientific Microbiology Sdn Bhd, Thermo Scientific Portable Analytical Instruments Inc., Thermo Scientific Services Inc., Thermo Securities Corporation, Thermo Sentron Canada Inc., Thermo Sentron Limited, Thermo Shandon Inc., Thermo Shandon Limited, Thermo Suomi Holding B.V., Thermo TLH (UK) Limited, Thermo TLH L.P., Thermo Trace Pty Ltd., Thermo-Fisher Biochemical Product (Beijing) Co. Ltd., ThermoLase LLC, ThermoSpectra Limited, Trek Diagnostic Systems LLC, Trek Diagnostic Systems Ltd., Trek Holding Company II Ltd., Trek Holding Company Ltd., Trex Medical Corporation, USB Corporation, Union Lab Supplies Limited, United Diagnostics Inc., VG Systems Limited, Westover Scientific Inc., ZAO PE Biosystems, eBioscience GmbH, eBioscience Ltd, eBioscience SAS, and picoSpin LLC. The following companies are subsidiares of General Motors: 2140879 Ontario Inc., ACAR Leasing, ACAR Leasing Ltd., ACF Investment, ACF Investment Corp., AFS SenSub, APGO Trust, Adam Opel, Adam Opel GmbH, Aftermarket (UK), AmeriCredit, AmeriCredit Consumer Loan, AmeriCredit Consumer Loan Company Inc., AmeriCredit Financial Services, AmeriCredit Financial Services Inc., AmeriCredit Funding, AmeriCredit Syndicated Warehouse Trust, Annunciata Corporation, Argonaut Holdings, Argonaut Holdings LLC, BOCO (Proprietary), BOCO (Proprietary) Limited, Banco GMAC, Banco GMAC S.A., Baylis (Gloucester), Boco Trust, Boden Brussels, CHEVYPLAN, CHEVYPLAN S.A. Sociedad Administradora de Planes de Autofinanciamiento Comercial, Cadillac, Cadillac Europe, Cadillac Europe GmbH, Carve-Out Ownership, Carve-Out Ownership Cooperative LLC, Chevrolet Deutschland GmbH, Chevrolet Sales (Thailand), Chevrolet Sales (Thailand) Limited, Chevrolet Sales India, Chevrolet Sales India Private Ltd., Chevrolet Sociedad Anonima de Ahorro para Fines Determinados, Controladora General Motors, Controladora General Motors S.A. de C.V., Cruise, DCJ1, DCJ1 LLC, DMAX, DMAX Ltd., Dealership Liquidations, Dealership Liquidations Inc., Delphi Energy and Engine Management Systems UK, Delphi Energy and Engine Management Systems UK Overseas Corporation, EDS (Electronic Data Systems), FAW-GM, Fundacion Chevrolet, G.M.A.C., GCAR Titling Ltd., GM (UK) Pension, GM (UK) Pension Trustees Limited, GM APO Holdings, GM Administradora de Bens, GM Administradora de Bens Ltda., GM Asia Pacific Regional Headquarters Ltd., GM Auslandsprojekte, GM Automotive, GM Automotive Services Belgium, GM CME, GM Canada Holdings, GM Canada Limited, GM Components Holdings, GM Components Holdings LLC, GM Cruise, GM Cruise Holdings LLC, GM Cruise LLC, GM Defense LLC, GM Eurometals, GM Eurometals Inc., GM Europe Treasury, GM Finance, GM Finance Co. Holdings LLC, GM Financial, GM Financial AB, GM Financial Canada, GM Financial Canada Leasing, GM Financial Canada Leasing Ltd., GM Financial Colombia Holdings LLC, GM Financial Colombia S.A. Compania de Financiamiento, GM Financial Consumer, GM Financial Consumer Discount, GM Financial Consumer Discount Company, GM Financial Del Peru, GM Financial GmbH, GM Financial Holdings LLC, GM Financial Insurance Services, GM Financial Mexico Holdings, GM Financial Mexico Holdings LLC, GM Financial Real Estate, GM Financial de Mexico, GM Financial de Mexico S.A. de C.V. SOFOM E.R., GM Financial del Peru S.A.C, GM Global Business Services, GM Global Propulsion Systems -Torino S.r.l., GM Global Purchasing and Supply Chain, GM Global Technology Operations, GM Global Technology Operations LLC, GM Global Tooling, GM Global Tooling Company LLC, GM Global Treasury Centre Limited, GM Holden, GM Holden Pty Ltd., GM Holdings U.K. No.1 Limited, GM Inversiones Santiago Limitada, GM Investment Trustees Limited, GM Korea, GM Korea Company, GM LAAM Holdings, GM LAAM Holdings LLC, GM Mexico Holdings, GM Mobility Europe GmbH, GM PSA Purchasing Services, GM Personnel Services, GM Personnel Services Inc., GM Philippines Inc., GM Plats (Proprietary), GM Regional Holdings, GM Regional Holdings LLC, GM Retirees Pension Trustees, GM Retirees Pension Trustees Limited, GM Subsystems Manufacturing, GM Subsystems Manufacturing LLC, GM Technical Center Korea Ltd., GM Viet Nam Motor Company, GM-DI Leasing, GM-DI Leasing LLC, GMAC - Instituicao Financeira de Credito, GMAC Administradora de Consorcios, GMAC Administradora de Consorcios Ltda., GMAC Banque, GMAC Continental, GMAC Espana de Financiacion, GMAC Holdings (U.K.), GMAC Lease B.V. (aka Masterlease Europe), GMAC Nederland N.V., GMAC Prestadora de Servicios de Mao de Obra Ltda., GMAC Servicios, GMAC UK, GMAC de Venezuela, GMAC-Prestadora de Servios de Mo-de-Obra, GMACI Corretora de Seguros, GMACI Corretora de Seguros Ltda, GMAM Real Estate I, GMCH&SP Private Equity II, GMCH&SP Private Equity II L.P., GMF Australia Pty Ltd, GMF Europe, GMF Europe Holdco, GMF Europe LLP, GMF Floorplan Owner Revolving Trust, GMF Funding, GMF Germany Holdings, GMF Global Assignment, GMF Global Assignment LLC, GMF International, GMF International LLC, GMF Leasing LLC, GMF Leasing Warehousing Trust, GMF Wholesale Receivables, GMGP Holdings, General Motors (China) Investment Company, General Motors (China) Investment Company Limited, General Motors (Thailand), General Motors (Thailand) Limited, General Motors - Colmotores, General Motors - Colmotores S.A., General Motors Advisory Services LLC, General Motors Africa and Middle East, General Motors Africa and Middle East FZE, General Motors Asia, General Motors Asia LLC, General Motors Asia Pacific Holdings, General Motors Asia Pacific Holdings LLC, General Motors Asset Management, General Motors Asset Management Corporation, General Motors Australia, General Motors Australia Pty Ltd., General Motors Austria, General Motors Austria, General Motors Auto, General Motors Auto LLC, General Motors Automobiles Philippines, General Motors Automobiles Philippines Inc., General Motors Automotive Holdings, General Motors Automotive Holdings S.L., General Motors Belgique Automobile NV, General Motors Belgium, General Motors Chile, General Motors Chile Industria Automotriz Limitada, General Motors China LLC, General Motors Daewoo Auto and Technology, General Motors Daewoo Auto and Technology CIS LLC, General Motors East Africa, General Motors Egypt, General Motors Egypt S.A.E., General Motors Espana, General Motors Europe Holdings, General Motors Europe Limited, General Motors Financial Chile, General Motors Financial Chile Limitada, General Motors Financial Chile S.A., General Motors Financial Company, General Motors Financial Company Inc., General Motors Financial International, General Motors Financial Italia, General Motors Financial Suisse, General Motors Financial UK, General Motors Financial of Canada, General Motors Financial of Canada Ltd., General Motors Finland, General Motors France, General Motors GBS Hungary, General Motors Global Service Operations, General Motors Global Service Operations Inc., General Motors Hellas, General Motors Holden Australia, General Motors Holden Australia NSC, General Motors Holden Australia NSC Pty Ltd., General Motors Holden Australia Pty Ltd., General Motors Holdings LLC, General Motors IT Services (Ireland) Limited, General Motors India Private, General Motors India Private Limited, General Motors International Holdings, General Motors International Holdings LLC, General Motors International Operations, General Motors International Operations Pte. Ltd., General Motors International Services Company, General Motors International Services Company SAS, General Motors International Services LLC, General Motors Investment Limited, General Motors Investment Management, General Motors Investment Management Corporation, General Motors Investment Participacoes, General Motors Investment Participacoes Ltda., General Motors Investments, General Motors Investments Pty. Ltd., General Motors Ireland, General Motors Israel, General Motors Israel Ltd., General Motors Italia, General Motors Japan, General Motors Japan Limited, General Motors LLC, General Motors Limited, General Motors Manufacturing Poland, General Motors Nederland, General Motors New Zealand Pensions, General Motors New Zealand Pensions Limited, General Motors Overseas, General Motors Overseas Commercial Vehicle, General Motors Overseas Commercial Vehicle Corporation, General Motors Overseas Corporation, General Motors Overseas Distribution, General Motors Overseas Distribution LLC, General Motors Peru, General Motors Peru S.A., General Motors Poland Spolka, General Motors Portugal, General Motors Powertrain (Thailand), General Motors Powertrain (Thailand) Limited, General Motors Research Corporation, General Motors South Africa, General Motors South Africa (Pty) Limited, General Motors Suisse, General Motors Taiwan, General Motors Taiwan Ltd., General Motors Technical Centre India, General Motors Technical Centre India Private Limited, General Motors Treasury Center, General Motors Treasury Center LLC, General Motors Turkiye, General Motors UK, General Motors Uruguay, General Motors Uruguay S.A., General Motors Venezolana, General Motors Ventures, General Motors Ventures LLC, General Motors Warehousing and Trading (Shanghai), General Motors Warehousing and Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., General Motors de Argentina, General Motors de Argentina S.r.l., General Motors de Mexico, General Motors de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., General Motors del Ecuador, General Motors del Ecuador S.A., General Motors do Brasil, General Motors do Brasil Ltda., General Motors of Canada, General Motors of Canada Company, General Motors-Holden's Sales, General Motors-Holden's Sales Pty. Limited, GigaPower LLC, Global Services Detroit, Global Services Detroit LLC, Global Tooling Service Company Europe, Global Tooling Service Company Europe Limited, Go Motor Retailing, Go Trade Parts, Grand Pointe Holdings, Grand Pointe Holdings Inc., Grand Pointe Park Condominium, Grand Pointe Park Condominium Association, H.S.H., Haines & Strange, Holden New Zealand, Holden New Zealand Limited, IBC Pension Trustees, IBC Pension Trustees Limited, IBC Vehicles, Lease Ownership Cooperative, Lease Ownership Cooperative LLC, Lidlington Engineering Company, Lidlington Engineering Company Ltd., Limited Liability Company "General Motors CIS", Master Lease Germany, Maven Drive, Maven Drive LLC, Millbrook Pension Management, Millbrook Pension Management Limited, Monetization of Carve-Out, Monetization of Carve-Out LLC, Motor Repris Automocio, Motors Holding, Motors Holding LLC, Motors Properties, Motors Properties (Trading), Multi-Use Lease Entity Trust, North American New Cars, North American New Cars LLC, Omnibus BB Transportes, Omnibus BB Transportes S. A., OnStar Connected Services Srl, OnStar Egypt Limited LLC, OnStar Europe, OnStar Europe Ltd., OnStar Global Services, OnStar Global Services Corporation, OnStar LLC, OnStar de Mexico, OnStar de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Opel Bank, Opel Danmark, Opel Group, Opel Group Warehousing, Opel Leasing, Opel Norge, Opel Sonderdienste, Opel Southeast Europe, Opel Sverige, Opel Szentgotthard Automotive Manufacturing, Opel Wien, P.T. G M AutoWorld Indonesia, P.T. General Motors Indonesia, PIMS, PIMS Co., PT. General Motors Indonesia Manufacturing, Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center, Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center Company Ltd., Prestadora de Servicios GMF Colombia S.A.S., Rapid Motor Vehicle Company, Reliance Motor Car Company, Riverfront Holdings III Inc., Riverfront Holdings Inc., Riverfront Holdings Phase II Inc., SAIC GM (Shenyang) Norsom Motors Co. Ltd., SAIC GM Dong Yue Motors Company Limited, SAIC GM Dong Yue Powertrain Company Limited, SAIC GM Wuling Automobile Company Limited, SAIC General Motors Corporation Limited, SAIC General Motors Investment Limited, SAIC General Motors Sales Company Limited, SAIC-GMAC Automotive Finance Company Limited, SAIC-GMF Leasing Co. Ltd., Servicios GMAC S.A. de C.V., Shanghai Chengxin Used Car Operation and Management Company Limited, Shanghai OnStar Telematics Co. Ltd., Sherwoods (Darlington) Limited, Sidecar Technologies, Skurrays Limited, Stam-Terberg Autobedrijven B. V., Strobe Inc., VHC Sub-Holdings (UK), Vauxhall Defined Contribution Pension Plan Trustees Limited, Vehicle Asset Universal Leasing Trust, Vickers (Lakeside) Limited, Vision Motors Limited, WRE, WRE Inc., and Zona Franca Industrial Colmotores SAS. The following companies are subsidiares of Exxon Mobil: AKG Marketing Company Limited, Aera Energy LLC, Al-Jubail Petrochemical Company, Ampolex (Cepu) Pte Ltd, Ancon Insurance Company Inc., Barnett Gathering LLC, Barzan Gas Company Limited, Caspian Pipeline Consortium, Celtic Exploration Ltd., Coral FLNG S.A., Cross Timbers Energy LLC, Ellora Energy Inc., Esmeroon Oil Transporta Imperial Oil Limited, Esso (Thailand) Public Company Limited, Esso Australia Resources Pty Ltd, Esso Deutschland GmbH, Esso Erdgas Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Esso Exploration Angola (Block 15) Limited, Esso Exploration Angola (Block 17) Limited, Esso Exploration and Production Angola (Overseas) Limited, Esso Exploration and Production Chad Inc., Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited, Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria (Deepwater) Limited, Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria (Offshore East) Limited, Esso Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited, Esso Exploration and Production UK Limited, Esso Global Investments Ltd., Esso Italiana S.r.l., Esso Nederland B.V., Esso Norge AS, Esso Petroleum Company Limited, Esso Raffinage, Esso Societe Anonyme Francaise, Exxo Holdings Inc., Exxon Azerbaijan Limited, Exxon Chemical Arabia Inc., Exxon International Finance Company, Exxon Luxembourg Holdings LLC, Exxon Mobile Bay Limited Partnership, Exxon Neftegas Limited, Exxon Overseas Corporation, Exxon Overseas Investment Corporation, ExxonMobil (China) Investment Co. Ltd., ExxonMobil (Taicang) Petroleum Co. Ltd., ExxonMobil Abu Dhabi Offshore Petroleum Company Limited, ExxonMobil Alaska Production Inc., ExxonMobil Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., ExxonMobil Australia Pty Ltd, ExxonMobil B Resources Company, ExxonMobil Capital Finance Company, ExxonMobil Capital Netherlands B.V., ExxonMobil Central Europe Holding GmbH, ExxonMobil Cepu Limited, ExxonMobil Chemical France, ExxonMobil Chemical Gulf Coast Investments LLC, ExxonMobil Chemical Holland B.V., ExxonMobil Chemical Services (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., ExxonMobil China Petroleum & Petrochemical Company Limited, ExxonMobil Development Africa B.V., ExxonMobil Development Company, ExxonMobil Egypt (S.A.E.), ExxonMobil Exploracao Brasil Ltda., ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Malaysia Inc., ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Norway AS, ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Romania Limited, ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Tanzania Limited, ExxonMobil Finance Company Limited, ExxonMobil Financial Investment Company Limited, ExxonMobil France Holding SAS, ExxonMobil Gas Marketing Europe Limited, ExxonMobil General Finance Company, ExxonMobil Global Services Company, ExxonMobil Golden Pass Surety LLC, ExxonMobil Holding Company Holland LLC, ExxonMobil Holding Norway AS, ExxonMobil Hong Kong Limited, ExxonMobil International Services SARL, ExxonMobil Iraq Limited, ExxonMobil Italiana Gas S.r.l., ExxonMobil Kazakhstan Inc., ExxonMobil Kazakhstan Ventures Inc., ExxonMobil LNG Services B.V., ExxonMobil Lubricants Trading Company, ExxonMobil Oil Corporation, ExxonMobil PNG Limited, ExxonMobil Petroleum & Chemical BVBA, ExxonMobil Petroleum & Chemical Holdings Inc., ExxonMobil Pipeline Company, ExxonMobil Production Deutschland GmbH, ExxonMobil Production Norway Inc., ExxonMobil Qatargas (II) Limited, ExxonMobil Qatargas Inc., ExxonMobil Ras Laffan (III) Limited, ExxonMobil Rasgas Inc., ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company, ExxonMobil Russia Kara Sea Holdings B.V., ExxonMobil Sales and Supply LLC, ExxonMobil Technology Finance Company, ExxonMobil Ventures Finance Company, ExxonMobil Ventures Funding Ltd., Fujian Refining & Petrochemical Co. Ltd., Golden Pass LNG Terminal Investments LLC, Golden Pass LNG Terminal LLC, Gulf Coast Growth Ventures LLC, Imperial Oil Limited, Imperial Oil Resources Limited, Imperial Oil Resources N.W.T. Limited, Imperial Oil/Petroliere Imperiale, Infineum Italia s.r.I., Infineum Singapore Pte. Ltd., InterOil Corporation, Jurong Aromatics Corporation Pte Ltd, MPM Lubricants, Marine Well Containment Company LLC, Mobil Australia Resources Company Pty Limited, Mobil California Exploration & Producing Asset Company, Mobil Caspian Pipeline Company, Mobil Chemical Products International Inc., Mobil Corporation, Mobil Equatorial Guinea Inc., Mobil Erdgas Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, Mobil Exploration & Producing Australia Pty Ltd, Mobil International Petroleum Corporation, Mobil Oil Australia Pty Ltd, Mobil Oil Exploration & Producing Southeast Inc., Mobil Oil New Zealand Limited, Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited, Mobil Producing Texas & New Mexico Inc., Mobil SerLimited, Mobil Venezolana De Petroleos Inc., Mobil Yanbu Petrochemical Company Inc., Mobil Yanbu Refining Company Inc., Mountain Gathering LLC, Mozambique Rovuma Venture S.p.A., Palmetto Transoceanic LLC, Papua New Guinea Liquefied Natural Gas Global Company LDC, Permian Express Partners LLC, Phillips Exploration LLC, Qatar Liquefied Gas Company Limited, Ras Laffan Liquefied Natural Gas Company Limited, Ras Laffan Liquefied Natural Gas Company Limited (II), SPI Limited, Saudi Aramco Mobil Refinery Company Ltd., Saudi Yanbu Petrochemical Co., SeaRiver Maritime Inc., South Hook LNG Terminal Company Limited, Tengizchevroil LLP, Terminale GNL Adriatico S.r.l, Trend Gathering & Treating LLC, Wolverine Pipe Line Company, XH LLC, XTO Delaware Basin LLC, XTO Energy Canada, XTO Energy Inc., and XTO Holdings LLC. Royal Dutch Shell plc operates as an energy and petrochemical company worldwide. The company operates through Integrated Gas, Upstream, Oil Products, Chemicals segments. It explores for and extracts crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids; markets and transports oil and gas; produces gas-to-liquids fuels and other products; and operates upstream and midstream infrastructure necessary to deliver gas to market. The company also markets and trades natural gas, liquefied natural gas (LNG), crude oil, electricity, carbon-emission rights; and markets and sells LNG as a fuel for heavy-duty vehicles and marine vessels. In addition, it trades in and refines crude oil and other feed stocks, such as gasoline, diesel, heating oil, aviation fuel, marine fuel, biofuel, lubricants, bitumen, and sulphur; produces and sells petrochemicals for industrial use; and manages oil sands activities. Further, the company produces base chemicals comprising ethylene, propylene, and aromatics, as well as intermediate chemicals, such as styrene monomer, propylene oxide, solvents, detergent alcohols, ethylene oxide, and ethylene glycol. Royal Dutch Shell plc was founded in 1907 and is headquartered in The Hague, the Netherlands. Read More The Hershey Co. engages in the manufacture and market of chocolate and sugar confectionery products. The firm operates through the following geographical segments: North America; and International and Other. The North America segment is responsible for the traditional chocolate and non-chocolate confectionery market position of the company, as well as its grocery and snacks market positions, in the United States and Canada. The International and Other segment is the combination of all other operating segments which are not individually material, including those geographic regions where the company operates outside of North America. Its brands include Hershey's, Reese's, and Kisses. The company was founded by Milton S. Hershey in 1894 and is headquartered in Hershey, PA. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of TE Connectivity: 999 Arques Corp., ABB ENTRELEC terminal block business, ACC Telecommunications, ADC Chile Limitada, ADC Communications (SEA) Pte. Ltd., ADC Communications (UK) Holding Ltd., ADC Communications (UK) Ltd., ADC Communications Hong Kong Limited, ADC Telecommunications Equipment (Shanghai) Co., AMP Amermex, AMP Products Pacific Limited, AMP Taiwan B.V., AMP Trading B.V., AMP de Venezuela, Acalon Holdings Limited, Advanced Fiber Products LLC, Advanced Fiber Products Limited, Advanced Tube Technologies, AdvancedCath, AdvancedCath Technologies, Alpha Technics, American Sensor Technologies, Betatherm (R&D) Limited, Brantner Holding Company, Brantner and Associates, Butterfly Management SAS, C.S. Tyco Decisive Inc., C.S. Tyco Dependable Inc., C.S. Tyco Durable Inc., C.S. Tyco Reliance Inc., C.S. Tyco Resolute Inc., C.S. Tyco Responder Inc., CII Guardian International Limited, Cablotec GmbH, Carrier Kheops Bac SAS, Catheter and Disposable Technology, Celis Eletrocomponentes Ltda., Cima de Acuna S.A. de C.V., Clarebury Pty. Ltd., Codenoll Technology Corporation, Communication Expert International Investments Limited, Compagnie Deutsch Distribution SAS, Compagnie Deutsch SAS, Comtec Systeme GmbH, Connecteurs Electriques Deutsch SAS, Corcom, Corcom West Indies Limited, Cotsworks LLC, Creganna, Creganna Captial Holding Ireland Unlimited Company, Creganna Finance (US) LLC, Creganna Finance Ireland Limited, Creganna Luxembourg SARL, Creganna Medical Devices, Creganna Medical Pte. Limited, Creganna Medical Technology Unlimited, Creganna Medical s.r.l., Creganna Regulatory, Creganna Solutions Limited, Creganna Solutions Unlimited Company, Creganna Tactx Singapore Limited, Creganna Unlimited Company, Cregstar Bidco Limited, Critchley Group Limited, Crompton Instruments (South-East Asia) Pte. Ltd., Deutsch, Deutsch Connectors Hong Kong Limited, Deutsch Connectors Manufacturing (Shanghai) Co., Deutsch Connectors Trading (Shanghai) Co., Deutsch Finance SAS, Deutsch GB Limited, Deutsch Group SAS, Deutsch India Power Connectors (Pvt) Ltd, Deutsch Israel Ltd., Deutsch SAS, Deutsch Servicios S. de R.L. De C.V., Deutsch Subco Limited, Deutsch UK, F.A.I. Technology (Hong Kong) Limited, First Sensor, Grangehurst Enterprises Pty. Ltd., Hirschmann Car Communication, Hong Kong Sensors Technologies Limited, Howard A. Schaevitz Technologies, Intercontec Connector System (Shanghai) Co., Intercontec Produkt GmbH, Intercontect Pfeiffer Industrie-Steckverbindungen GmbH, Jaquet North America, Jaquet Technology Group AG, Kemex Holding Company, Kenabell Holding Limited, LADD Distribution LLC, LADD Distribution Limited, LSA, MEAS Asia Limited, MEAS Europe SAS, MEAS France SAS, MEAS Ireland (Betatherm) Limited, MEAS Norway AS, MEAS Shenzhen Limited, MEAS Switzerland S.a r.l., MEAS US Holding, MP&E, Measurement Specialties, Measurement Specialties (Chengdu) Ltd., Measurement Specialties (China) Ltd., Measurement Specialties (China) Ltd. Production Branch, Measurement Specialties Foreign Holdings LLC, Measurement Technology (Chengdu) Ltd., Medical Engineering & Design, MicroGroup, Morlynn Ceramics Pty. Ltd., Nikkiso-Therm Co., PT KRONE Indonesia, PT. Tyco Electronics Indonesia, Pfeiffer GmbH & Co KG, Pfeiffer Verwaltungs GmbH, Polamco, Polamco Limited, Potter & Brumfield de Mexico, Precision Interconnect LLC, Precision Subsea AS, Precision Wire Components, Precision Wire Holding Company, Produxx, RAYCHEM-RPG Private Limited, Raychem (HK) Limited, Raychem (Shanghai) Trading Ltd, Raychem China Limited, Raychem Dominicana S.A., Raychem Industries BVBA, Raychem International LLC, Raychem International Manufacturing LLC, Raychem Juarez, Raychem Limited, Raychem Ltd., Raychem Pacific Corporation, Raychem Saudi Arabia Limited, Raychem Shanghai Cable Accessories Ltd, Raychem Technologies Limited, Rochester Wire and Cable LLC, SEACON Advanced Products LLC, Seacon (Europe) Limited, Seacon Global Production, Seacon Produtos e Servicos Opticos e Eletricos Ltda., Sensitive Object, Servo Interconnect Limited, Shanghai CII Electronics Co., Shenzhen Century Man Communication Equipment Co., Sibas Electronics (Xiamen) Co., TCN Holding (Luxembourg) S.a.r.l., TE Connectivity (Barbados) SRL, TE Connectivity (Denmark) ApS, TE Connectivity (HKZ) Holding Limited, TE Connectivity (Kunshan) Company Limited, TE Connectivity (Netherlands) Holding S.a r.l. - Irish Branch, TE Connectivity (Schweiz) Management AG, TE Connectivity (Suzhou) Co., TE Connectivity Argentina S.R.L., TE Connectivity Australia Pty Ltd, TE Connectivity Colombia S.A.S., TE Connectivity Connectors (Suzhou) Co., TE Connectivity Distribution (Thailand) Limited, TE Connectivity EMEA Holding GmbH, TE Connectivity Germany GmbH, TE Connectivity HK Limited, TE Connectivity Holding International II S.a r.l., TE Connectivity Holding International II S.a r.l. Luxembourg (LU) Schaffhausen E-Finance branch, TE Connectivity Holding International II S.a r.l. Luxembourg (LU) Schaffhausen branch, TE Connectivity Holding International II S.a r.l. (Ireland Branch), TE Connectivity Holding International S.A., TE Connectivity Inc., TE Connectivity India Private Limited, TE Connectivity Investments Holding S.A., TE Connectivity Investments Holding S.A. Luxembourg (LU) Schaffhausen branch, TE Connectivity Ireland Limited, TE Connectivity LATAM Holding S.a r.l., TE Connectivity LATAM I S.a r.l., TE Connectivity LATAM II S.a r.l., TE Connectivity Limited, TE Connectivity MOG Europe S.a r.l., TE Connectivity MOG Holding S.a r.l., TE Connectivity MOG Inc., TE Connectivity MOG Sales GmbH, TE Connectivity Manufacturing (Thailand) Company Limited, TE Connectivity Manufacturing Sdn. Bhd., TE Connectivity Morocco SARL, TE Connectivity Nederland B.V., TE Connectivity Netherlands (Poland II) Cooperatief U.A., TE Connectivity Netherlands (Turkey) B.V., TE Connectivity Netherlands Cooperatief U.A., TE Connectivity Phoenix Optix Inc., TE Connectivity Seacon Phoenix Inc., TE Connectivity Sensors Germany GmbH, TE Connectivity Services India Private Limited, TE Connectivity Solutions GmbH, TE Connectivity South Africa Proprietary Limited, TE Connectivity Spain, TE Connectivity SubCom S.L.U., TE Connectivity SubCom Spain Holding S.L.U., TE Connectivity Technology Solutions Limited, TE Connectivity Tunisia Sarl, TE Connectivity ULC, TE Connectivity US Group Holding Inc., TE Connectivity Vietnam Holding Company Limited, TYCO Electronics Polska Sp.z.o.o., TYCO SUBMARINE SYSTEMS INC., TacPro, Tactx Medical, Taicang Speed & Spin Sensors Co., Taliq Taiwan Limited, Tappat Engineering Pty Ltd, TechDevice Costa Rica Limitada, TechDevice Holdings, TechDevice LLC, The Whitaker LLC, Transoceanic Cable Ship Company LLC, TyCom Holdings II SA, TyCom Networks (Peru) S.A., Tyco Electronics (AMP Korea) Malta Limited, Tyco Electronics (Dongguan) Ltd, Tyco Electronics (Gibraltar) Holding Limited, Tyco Electronics (Gibraltar) Limited, Tyco Electronics (Korea) Malta Limited, Tyco Electronics (Kunshan) Ltd, Tyco Electronics (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Tyco Electronics (Qingdao) Ltd., Tyco Electronics (Schweiz) Holding II GmbH, Tyco Electronics (Shanghai) Co., Tyco Electronics (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., Tyco Electronics (Suzhou) Ltd., Tyco Electronics (Zhuhai) Ltd, Tyco Electronics AMP Guangdong Ltd, Tyco Electronics AMP Italia Products S.R.L., Tyco Electronics AMP Italia S.R.L., Tyco Electronics AMP Korea Co., Tyco Electronics AMP Manufacturing (S) Pte Ltd, Tyco Electronics AMP Qingdao Ltd., Tyco Electronics AMP Shanghai Ltd., Tyco Electronics Austria GmbH, Tyco Electronics Belgium EC BVBA, Tyco Electronics Brasil Ltda., Tyco Electronics Canada ULC, Tyco Electronics China (Gibraltar) Limited, Tyco Electronics Componentes Electromecanicos Lda., Tyco Electronics Corby Limited, Tyco Electronics Corporation, Tyco Electronics Czech s.r.o., Tyco Electronics Del Peru S.A.C., Tyco Electronics EC Trutnov s.r.o., Tyco Electronics EC Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, Tyco Electronics Eta Limited, Tyco Electronics Finance Alpha GmbH, Tyco Electronics Finance S.a r.l., Tyco Electronics Finland Oy, Tyco Electronics France SAS, Tyco Electronics Germany Holdings GmbH, Tyco Electronics Group S.A., Tyco Electronics Group S.A. (French Branch), Tyco Electronics Group S.A. (Ireland Branch), Tyco Electronics H.K. Limited, Tyco Electronics Hellas MEPE, Tyco Electronics Holding Corp., Tyco Electronics Holding France, Tyco Electronics Holding S.a r.l., Tyco Electronics Holdings (Bermuda) No. 7 Limited, Tyco Electronics Holdings (Bermuda) No. 7 Limited Taiwan Branch, Tyco Electronics Hong Kong Holdings No. 1 Limited, Tyco Electronics Hong Kong Holdings No. 2 Limited, Tyco Electronics Hong Kong Holdings No. 3 Limited, Tyco Electronics Hungary Termelo Kft, Tyco Electronics Idento, Tyco Electronics India (Gibraltar) Limited, Tyco Electronics Industrial Y Comercial Chile Limitada, Tyco Electronics Integrated Cable Systems LLC, Tyco Electronics Ireland Limited, Tyco Electronics Israel Ltd., Tyco Electronics Italia Holding S.r.l., Tyco Electronics Japan G.K., Tyco Electronics Lambda, Tyco Electronics Latin America Holding LLC, Tyco Electronics Manufacturing Singapore Pte Ltd, Tyco Electronics Mexico, Tyco Electronics Middle East FZE, Tyco Electronics Motors Ltd, Tyco Electronics NZ Limited, Tyco Electronics Netherlands (Germany Holding) S.a r.l., Tyco Electronics Netherlands (Gibraltar China) Cooperatief U.A., Tyco Electronics Netherlands (Gibraltar India) Cooperatief U.A., Tyco Electronics Netherlands (India) Cooperatief U.A., Tyco Electronics Netherlands Holding B.V., Tyco Electronics Norge AS, Tyco Electronics Philippines, Tyco Electronics Precision Engineering Ltd., Tyco Electronics Printed Circuit Group LP, Tyco Electronics RIMC Holding LLC, Tyco Electronics RUS OOO, Tyco Electronics Raychem GmbH, Tyco Electronics Raychem Korea Limited, Tyco Electronics SIMEL SAS, Tyco Electronics Saudi Arabia Limited, Tyco Electronics Services GmbH, Tyco Electronics Singapore Pte Ltd, Tyco Electronics Subsea Communications LLC, Tyco Electronics Svenska AB, Tyco Electronics Svenska Holdings AB, Tyco Electronics Technology (SIP) Co., Tyco Electronics Technology (SIP) Ltd., Tyco Electronics Tecnologias S. de R.L. de C.V., Tyco Electronics UK Holdings Ltd, Tyco Electronics UK Ltd., Tyco Electronics UK Ltd. (Kenya Branch), Tyco Electronics Ukraine Limited, Tyco Electronics Uruguay S.A., Tyco Electronics Verwaltungs GmbH, Tyco Electronics Wireless Systems B.V., Tyco Electronics de Venezuela, Tyco Elektronik AMP Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Tyco Global Networks Ltd., Tyco Iberia, Tyco International Services GmbH, Tyco Networks (Argentina) S.R.L., Tyco Networks (Italy) Srl, Tyco Networks (Netherlands) B.V., Tyco Networks Iberica, Tyco Submarine Systems, Tyco Submarine Systems C.A., Tyco Submarine Systems de Argentina S.A., Tyco Telecommunications Ltd., Wema Americas LLC, Wema Automotive System Private Limited, Wema Environmental Technologies (Shanghai) Co., Wema Environmental Technologies (Shenzhen) Co., Wema Environmental Technologies Ltd., Wema System AG, Wema System AS, Wema System Hong Kong Limited, Wema System Production and Distribution HK Limited, Xiamen Delixing Electric Equipment Businesss, and motec Montage GmbH. There are many things we hope will happen in 2018. A new year brings with it new opportunities, and South Africas tech space is no different. While statements by companies or industry players make certain of the following wishes coming true unlikely, it wont stop us from hoping for them. 1. The release of spectrum For over a decade, mobile operators have begged for additional spectrum and every year it doesnt happen. For the past five years, that reason has been the digital migration. South Africa was originally set to switch from analogue to digital terrestrial television in 2011. The migration would have freed lower-frequency spectrum ideal for wide-area rural mobile broadband coverage. Former Communications minister Ayanda Dlodlo announced in 2017 that after six years of missed deadlines, the migration would finally be complete in 2018. However, President Jacob Zuma then reshuffled his cabinet, switching Dlodlo for Mmamoloko Kubayi. Kubayi then stated the deadline has been pushed to June 2019. 2. First-party Android and Windows devices Google and Microsofts sought-after hardware devices would be welcomed by many techies if they became readily available and supported in South Africa in 2018. While the Surface and Surface Pro notebooks from Microsoft are sold through retailers such as Takealot and Raru, the devices come at a significant premium compared to US prices. Fans of Googles Pixel 2 smartphones, or the companys range of smart speakers, can also import the products to South Africa but local support remains an issue. 3. Dual SIM, dual LTE One of the coolest features of Qualcomms new Snapdragon 845 mobile platform is the ability to connect to two LTE networks at once without a significant battery penalty. Mobile operators in South Africa typically do not bring in dual-SIM variants of flagship smartphones, however. As the Snapdragon 845 is set to power next years flagship Android devices, getting to see this feature in action locally would be great for consumers. Aram Khachaturian's Violin Concerto to be performed in Dubai Digest: Trial on Armenian soldiers death to begin, footballer who played in Armenia commits suicide Mongolia exploring possibility of signing free trade agreement with EEU Dollar gains value in Armenia Armenia receives donation of 27,500 doses of AstraZeneca vaccines from Lithuania (PHOTOS) Hysteria brewing in Azerbaijan media: Russia MOD making purchases to send to Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Security Council chief: Armenia ready for border delimitation, demarcation Lavrov reveals content of 2009 letter he sent to then Armenia FM Lavrov: Karabakh conflict settlement agreements being successfully implemented Italian researcher searching for Noah's Ark is laid to rest near Mount Ararat Sputnik Armenia: Commander of Russia peacekeepers in Karabakh visits arrested Azerbaijan soldier Armenia serviceman posthumously awarded Combat Service Medal Afghanistan's new government to be headed by Taliban co-founder Mullah Baradar Iranologist: Armenia-Iran-Russia format can be created on Goris-Kapan road issue Goris mayor's lawyers file motion with Armenia court to release him on bail Pentagon says US military mission in Afghanistan completed Trial over death of 18 Armenia soldiers in 44-day war to begin Yerevan-Tbilisi flight not operated since Thursday 3 new cases of coronavirus reported in Artsakh Armenian side denies firing on a position in Azerbaijan-occupied Shushi of Karabakh Armenia Defense minister receives Russia MOD delegation US Congressman Schiff says he will continue fight for Artsakh international recognition 595 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia World oil prices Friday do not deviate from Thursday's closing level Russia peacekeepers provide drinking water to more than 1,500 residents of Artsakh US to impose cryptocurrency tax Classical music to be played in Dubai for a month, including by Armenian musicians Storm Ida death toll in US northeast rises to 45 Newspaper: 44-day wars satellite footage to end up in Armenia oppositions hands? Music for Future Foundation scholarship recipients to participate in Middle East Classical Music Newspaper: Armenia NSS, Prosecutor's Office make internal deal in arms suppliers criminal case Armenian PM Pashinyan receives a carte blanche, he will do whatever he wants: Why are international partners silent? Digest: Artsakh marks 30th anniversary of republic, UK allocates 500,000 for demining in Artsakh Dollar holding steady in Armenia Spanish MP: Today is the 30th anniversary of the independence of Artsakh 2 bodies found in Karabakh searches Aleppo to receive the first international flight from Yerevan on Saturday US embassy in Armenia has new deputy chief of mission Pontifical delegation office of the Holy See starts operating in Yerevan Armenia official on chances of reconciliation with Azerbaijan: That basis has always been, it exists today too UN: humanitarian catastrophe looms for Afghanistan Residents of Azerbaijan-occupied Kashatagh region of Artsakh protesting outside Armenia government building Two new loan agreements are signed between ARMSWISSBANK and EBRD Armenia health minister: Young man infected with coronavirus has died UK allocates 500,000 for demining efforts in Artsakh 15 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines thrown away in US since spring Armenia government announces 3-month military training camps for reservists Opposition Armenia Faction MPs case goes to court Iran introduces 3-dimensional radar capable of registering up to 300 targets Karabakh President visits Stepanakert memorial Armenia 2nd President Kocharyan to Artsakh people: Guarantee of statehood preserving is your will to live on your land MFA: Neither terror and threats, nor blockade, armed aggressions could break Artsakh peoples will Taliban launch military operation against resistance in Panjshir Armenia PM: Artsakh peoples right to self-determination is sacred MFA: Armenia will consistently defend realization of Artsakh peoples right to self-determination 636 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Karabakh President: We have had achievements and losses Armenia ex-President Sargsyan: For me war was unequal because the strong fought against the weak, we were the strong Artsakh Republic is 30 years old Armenia President: We have no right any more to make mistakes in any issue of pan-Armenian agenda 107 people arrested in Spain during marijuana trafficking crackdown Newspaper: Armenia authorities decide to make insidious amendments to Electoral Code Newspaper: Why opposition Armenia Faction MP Vahe Hakobyan met with Artsakh ex-president Bako Sahakyan? World Health Organization monitoring new coronavirus variant named Mu Talks between Biden and Zelenskyy kicked off at the White House Google appeals EUR 500 million fines imposed by French regulators Israeli FM: US plan to reopen consulate in Jerusalem is 'bad idea' Armenian FM: There are no talks on delimitation and demarcation of borders Armenian FM briefs his Iranian counterpart on consequences of Azerbaijan's illegal invasion Digest: Armenian soldier killed at Ararat positions, Azerbaijan returns Karabakh citizen injured Human rights activist: We have indisputable evidence of 80 more Armenian POWs being captured by Azerbaijan Artsakh parliament holds special session dedicated to 30th anniversary of declaration of Karabakh independence Azerbaijan prosecutor general complains about Russia peacekeepers in Karabakh Armenia opposition MP: Azerbaijanis throw burning wheels at several Gegharkunik Province villages Caucasus Heritage Watch: Azerbaijanis destroy Makun Bridge in Karabakh Russias Lavrov: Armenia is our ally Soldier, 39, killed after Azerbaijan opens fire on Armenia positions Russia, Azerbaijan deputy FMs discuss implementation of Karabakh agreements Armenia army General Staff chief meets with 3-month training camp reservists Armenia health ministers adviser appointed deputy head of UCLA Promise Armenian Institute Prosecutor's Office: Numerous injuries found on Artsakh citizen returned by Azerbaijan Artsakh President appoints new labor, social, migration affairs minister Armenia national airline to be named Fly Arna Armenia defense minister pays working visit to some military units Pashinyan: I am convinced that Armenia-Uzbekistan mutual relations will further develop 615 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Moody's leaves Armenia sovereign rating unchanged Russia peacekeepers ensure order, security in Karabakh on Knowledge Day Psaki: US partners with Turkey, Qatar on Kabul airport Artsakh to mark Independence Day anniversary for first time without Armenia top leadership attendance President to Armenia students: Learn to overcome challenges, to pursue dreams without despair Five missing after US Navy helicopter crashes off California coast Armdaily.am: Armenia President reacts to recent events taking place in Syunik Province Newspaper: Azerbaijan carrying out large-scale construction in Artsakhs Shushi Newspaper: Armenia authorities compile 'blacklist' of opposition MPs Biden calls Afghanistan evacuation mission extraordinary success Armenian Foreign Minister and CSTO Secretary General discuss Armenian-Azerbaijani border situation Merkel says that Germany is trying to establish contact with Taliban Digest: More on COVID-19 in Armenia, armed robbery takes place in Yerevan Russia FM calls on Azerbaijan to unconditionally release Armenian POWs people make things so much harder on themselves. most of the time an apology is all it takes for everyone to move on, but refusing to apologize for some BS ego bullshit reason just makes the issue so much bigger. Reply Thread Link ia Reply Parent Thread Link I see what you're saying, but I rather for apologies to be genuine than be a STFU apology. Reply Parent Thread Link most of the time an apology is all it takes for everyone to move on, lol when has that ever been true on here Reply Parent Thread Link He just doesn't care. He did the same trans bit when I went to see him in early 2017. A few people walked out and he just went off on them for being too PC. Reply Parent Thread Link To the female comedian who has said that Louis C.K. masturbating in front of her ruined her comedy dreams, Chappelle replies, cigarette in hand Well then I dare say, madam, you may have never had a dream. Cmon man, thats a brittle spirit. You think if Louis C.K. jerked off in front of Martin Luther King, hed be like, I cant continue this movement? he asks. How the hell are you going to survive in show business if this is an actual obstacle to your dreams?" https://www.thedailybeast.com/dave-chappelle-defends-louis-ck-in-new-netflix-special His new special(s) have him saying some horrific shit. Here's an example: Reply Thread Link jfc Reply Parent Thread Link Does he not understand the dynamics are different between men and women.... Reply Parent Thread Link i imagine, then, that he doesn't treat women any better Reply Parent Thread Link jfc Reply Parent Thread Link gross. i don't trust any man who will go out of their way to defend crimes that kevin spacey/louis ck committed Reply Parent Thread Link gross Reply Parent Thread Link damn.... he's always been messy af lbr Reply Parent Thread Expand Link he should've stayed wherever he was all those years Reply Parent Thread Link yeah i never expect anything good to come out of dave chapelle, esp not here post 2005 Reply Parent Thread Link I think he's missing the ruined her COMEDY dreams. She wanted to be a comedian. But if that's how OTHER COMEDIANS are going to treat her, why would she want to continue if there's a chance of possibly being hurt/harrassed/or possibly killed for being a woman? And if she was raped or murdered for entering a "man's world" it's not a Martin Luther King Jr. kind of martyrdom she would've acquired, she would've just been another forgotten casualty in this awful oppressive patriarchal system. If she was idk, doing something political, was the forefront of a movement to change history, then yeah, you know, maybe some rando comedian sexually assaulting her might've spurred her to continue her movement--but she's just a regular woman, who wanted to be a comedian, who probably admired Louis C.K. because he's a famous and popular comedian, and then had all of her dreams shot down because of HIS actions. We aren't all MLK, shit, I lost the will to continue my dream to help women and children around the world when I realised I couldn't afford to live on the salary they expected to pay me. So. I have nothing but BOO to say to Dave Chappelle right now. Then again, I've always expected men to back up other men, no matter what has transpired, because that's what ALWAYS happens. This idea that men are going to somehow WAKE UP and be like, "Oh, maybe I'M the problem." is idealistic and frankly going to leave you with a lot of disappointment. Most men are awful, find the ones who aren't and make them a part of your family. Edited at 2018-01-01 03:32 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link I feel that a number of men share this sentiment, sadly. I've overheard similar comments in my own groups. I don't think the male species can grasp power dynamics. Women are under constant threat in society. This movement cannot stop because at the very least it gives them an equal threat of not remaining silent on their bullshit. Reply Parent Thread Link yeah, this and him defending spacey was particularly gross Reply Parent Thread Link I tried watching Equanimity and I got 10 mins in but had to stop once he mentioned how this woman was a bitch and Asian and her boyfriend laughed at his jokes but he couldn't tell where he was from. And said that people are bitch niggas and how he was great at comedy. No, you were. Reply Thread Link needs to get out of Ohio and/or learn the read the room his material is from a different time, good luck with that bruh Reply Thread Link Omg Im watching him and John Mayer on CNN right now with Anderson and Andy and its the most awkward thing ever. This show is dead without Kathy. Then need another comedian. Reply Thread Link How is that train wreck? Andy is so fucking annoying and sexist. Anderson thinks he's hot shit but not when he threw Kathy under the bus. Arrogant schmuck. Edited at 2018-01-01 05:31 am (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link It was so awkward. They had no idea what to say to each other. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Iawtc. Fuck both of them. Kathy needs her own solo nye show Reply Parent Thread Link Andy cohen makes my skin crawl. This is a fairly recent thing too Reply Parent Thread Link Anderson and Andy are the same person but one was born posh while the other one wasn't which accounts for the slight differences in their public images. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link My brother was literally blasting this shit downstairs knowing full well I could hear the sexual assault jokes and knowing full well I've been sexually assaulted lmao when I said something he said "you don't get it, there's nuance." lmaoooooooo Reply Thread Link I'm sorry ur brother's such a horrible person <3 No empathy whatsoever Reply Parent Thread Link would you like me to hit your brother with a car alternatively hit his kneecaps with a bat, I have several to choose from Reply Parent Thread Link You a true friend. Reply Parent Thread Link I love that you provide options. You're the hero we all need. Reply Parent Thread Link Let us know if you need someone to beat him repeatedly with a foam bat Reply Parent Thread Expand Link May he stub the same toe twice a day for months. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link fuck your brother. gimme his address and i'll kick him in the genitals. Reply Parent Thread Link Sorry you had to go through that bb <3 Reply Parent Thread Link Give me your address. I'm going over there to kick him in the balls. Reply Parent Thread Link SHOW ME THE NUANCE WHEN I CRUSH YOUR TESTICLES Reply Parent Thread Link give us your address, we just wanna have a nuanced conversation :))) Reply Parent Thread Link Omg. Thats disgusting. Im so sorry. Reply Parent Thread Link oh my god. I'm sorry you had to hear that. Reply Parent Thread Link He wove a nuanced comparison between Trump's presidency and Emmett Till, the 14-year-old black boy lynched in Mississippi in 1955 after a white woman, Carolyn Bryant Donham, accused him of assault, which she confessed was not true before her death decades later. But instead of plain rage, Chappelle made a hopeful case that without Donham, the episode would not have been a mobilizing wake-up call that the country needed. And ergo, with Trump, America may be forced again to confront its demons and come out better for it. Reply Thread Link He sounds just like all the idiots that kept saying "Punk music is gonna be sooooo0o great bc of this tho!!1" after the election. Lmao plz show me one great punk album inspired by Trump. Reply Parent Thread Link this Reply Parent Thread Link Is he well these days? Reply Thread Link Why wouldn't he be? All he sounds like is an asshole, not a mentally ill person. Reply Parent Thread Link heard he's better mentally, but he's always been senseless the joke we all forgot: *tw joking about the michael jackson molestation case* Edited at 2018-01-01 10:55 am (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link I don't understand how a black man who is happily married to an non-white woman and has mixed race children does not understand and WILL NOT APOLOGISE for a trans joke. The non-logic boggles my mind. Same goes for sexual preference etc. That said, MEN - yes, ALL MEN - are fucking awful apologisers. I can happily say that right now about my house mate and also my ex-boyfriend who both completely ruined my new years. "I'm Sorry but..." "I've said my sorry. And if that's not enough - there's nothing more I can do." Just fuck off. Reply Thread Link Its because people still think being trans is a choice and trans people are only that way for attention or rebellion. Just like how people used to think of gay people. Reply Parent Thread Link it doesn't even fucking matter if it is a choice, that's their choice to make and everyone can fuck off. idk why people let others' decisions that don't affect them at all get them mad. assholes. Reply Parent Thread Link men will never fucking apologize for shit. apologizing to them seems to be the most mortifying thing humanly possible. i watched a man spill a drink all over someone else, and then when that person asked them to please go get some napkins the man started making all these weird aggressive jokes about how the person took it "too seriously" and refused to help them. as i was watching i could SEE that the guy was embarrassed but clearly thought that apologizing would be the worst thing in the world and then tried to double down and make the person who he spilled shit on look like they were being over the top for asking for napkins. it was SO WEIRD. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link In Equanimity, he attempted to atone in his roundabout way or at least let the live audience at the Warner Theater in Washington, D.C., where the set was taped, know he had heard the critiques by reading a letter from a trans fan who chastised the jokes. Trying to pull the long bit together, Chappelle explained his difficulty empathizing with the "talk of how one feels inside" led by white men, noting that the majority historically hasn't cared about the feelings of minority men and women. I'm confused, does he think all trans people are white men? Or that trans people aren't included under the "minority" label? Reply Thread Link No, he was saying that no one really gave a shit about trans people/issues until Caitlyn Jenner came out, that if a black person or other POC had spoken up they wouldn't have been taken as seriously, so the current focus on trans issues is layered with white privilege. That's not word for word, but that's the gist of it. Reply Parent Thread Link Ah, thanks! What a terrible defense. Reply Parent Thread Link caitlyn was lucky that she had keeping up with the kardashian fame and the LGBT community's support or she would not have had the same grand public acceptance. Laverne Cox would have been the trans person to bridge that mainstream crossover acceptance gap (and is more so now due to her success in acting and her likable personality) but she didn't have that reality show supporting role that reached into all of America's living room like caitlyn on the kardashian show. I believe she was on i wanna work for Diddy so she was that link into the black community and helping with trans acceptance (along with janet mock and B scott) there. TL;DR: Dave misused the white privilege statement here, in my analytical ONTD college course opinion. If Laverne was on a popular show/had Kris Jenner as her manager, she would have been America's "face" of the trans community. Reply Parent Thread Link Eek Reply Thread Link I just finished this like 10 min's ago. Reply Thread Link He said he wasn't going to apologize for the joke, but that he was sorry people were hurt by the joke. So idk. It's a half ass apology for sure. He also talked about how people try to compare transgender people to Rachel Dolezal, but he doesn't buy it because he believes and supports trans people and thinks Dolezal is full of shit. I don't think he's really qualified to be speaking on these issues, and he should probably just quit before he digs the hole deeper, but I don't think he's being malicious. Just ignorant. Which is of course still harmful and why I say he should just stop or just simply apologize instead of trying to justify and explain. Reply Thread Link So he's sorry people were offended? Reply Parent Thread Link That's not quite how he phrased it. He said he got the letter from a transgender fan who said Dave's joke devastated him, and he was really sorry that the joke hurt him. But then said he wasn't sorry for making the joke, though, because he jokes about everyone. So it was really muddled and half-assed. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I don't think he's really qualified to be speaking on these issues What makes someone "qualified?" People are conveniently forgetting his joke of being trans an easier transition for white men than Muhammad Ali changing his name. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Hate him. Could've gone another year without hearing about him but everyone's being so extra about his new years special lmao i dont want 2 watch that shit stop reminding me Reply Thread Link It's officially 2018 in eastern time! Happy New Year!!! Reply Thread Link Does the Washington Post literally just allow any ad to run? If so, let me go start a GoFundMe, I got ideas... Reply Thread Link yeah the WaPo doesn't look too good here Reply Parent Thread Link Between this and the NYT "Trump has brought new life to a position that used to be held only by boring people" it's not been a great week (year, decade) for these so called publications. Course the NYT also refused to fire Glenn Thrush who sexually assaulted young female coworkers and then tried to destroy their careers it's become clear that most so called liberal, left leaning rags only give a shit about white, male liberal voters. We been knew!! Reply Parent Thread Expand Link ia but separation of church and state -- I bet the WaPo's journalists/editorial board has no knowledge/say in which ads the marketing department chooses to run. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link not any ad, they stopped accepting ads from massage parlors in 2010! Reply Parent Thread Link I'm pretty sure they do. The ad department literally exists just to make money. I know it was the NYT but Trump took out that really fucked up full page ad calling for the Central Park Five to be executed. I'm guessing they assume the thirty thousand dollar price point will weed out most of the crazy stuff. I remember a few months ago the city of Little Rock took out a full page ad in the Washington Post talking about how they weren't going to pursue the Amazon headquarters in the city. It seemed like a really dumb stunt because I feel like you could just post a public letter to Jeff Bezos online to have the same impact without wasting tons of money. Edited at 2018-01-01 02:44 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link print media is dying, any newspaper will take just about any ad $$$ theyre offered these days. Reply Parent Thread Link Washington Post has always been trash, idk why ur surprised. Reply Parent Thread Link https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2015/03/04/shmuley-boteach-isnt-americas-rabbi this rabbi did this before in the ny times to susan rice Reply Parent Thread Link Yes, print newspapers will take almost any print ad. Reply Parent Thread Link Oh Rabbi, I get the feeling that you were a bigot long before you turned 21. The only reason we don't know when Bannon and Trump turned into bigots is because demons sent from below the underworld to destroy happiness and prosperity don't have ages. Reply Thread Link I LOVE THIS COMMENT Reply Parent Thread Link Seriously, with all the problems going on in Israel / Palestine this is what you're raising funds for? I'm sure this is really going to make Lorde want to reschedule her show there. Reply Thread Link He knows full well that this wont get her to reconsider. This is a cynical fundraising move on his part. The attention this gets raises his organizations profile. Reply Parent Thread Link Yeah, if anything it's going to make her realise she made the right call. There are bigger problems in the world and to attack her for cancelling whilst also praising the artists that chose to perform in Israel shows how out of whack their priorities are. This twat's promoted tweets somehow always end up on my Twitter timeline. He's so full of shit. Not surprised he's using this as leverage to raise his profile. Reply Parent Thread Link jfc Reply Thread Link Stay classy, WaPo. Reply Thread Link Tsk leave her alone Reply Thread Link Should never have booked a tour date in Tel Aviv to begin with tbh :/ Her people should have seen this coming, both the criticism for performing in Israel and the fallout if she cancelled. It's not like this doesn't happen every time someone books a gig there. But Lorde is huge (and female) so she's a bigger target. Reply Thread Link it really grosses me out because there's something about it (I can't find the word) that's dismissive in an "are you sure you know what you're doing, little girl?" kind of way. Reply Parent Thread Link At first I read it as "Lorde called a bigfoot" and got momentarily confused. Reply Thread Link This kink shaming rn Reply Parent Thread Expand Link HAHAHA SAME Reply Parent Thread Link omg ditto Reply Parent Thread Link How is this shit even legal. Wtf. Reply Thread Link It's definitely toeing the line of libel, but idk if it goes far enough for American law. Reply Parent Thread Link A man called Rabbi Shmuley, who hangs with Steve Bannon and Donald Trump And Michael Jackson, whose closeness with children he defended. Donald Trump is a new low, tho! Reply Thread Link Sorry, bruh, your opinion is pretty much null and void, esp. when it comes to bigotry. Sorry, bruh, your opinion is pretty much null and void, esp. when it comes to bigotry. Reply Parent Thread Link OMG I remember this tweet because everyone was trying to decipher what was written in the board, LoL. Reply Parent Thread Link He looks like a fuckboi Reply Parent Thread Link he might be a POS, but he's right Reply Thread Link No, he's not Reply Parent Thread Link no. he's not. go cry into your Sabra Reply Parent Thread Expand Link ummm Reply Parent Thread Link yikes Reply Parent Thread Link Are you serious Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Sabra is a brand of hummus that helps fund/support the IDF. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I will never forget when she named her kid Honor because she felt so honored* to be having Cash Warren's baby. Edited at 2018-01-01 10:25 pm (UTC) Reply Thread Link omg I read that as "Hodor" and was about to rush to google because I didn't fucking believe that Jessica Alba named her damn child Hodor from GOT. Reply Parent Thread Link LMAO. This is the best misread ever. Reply Parent Thread Link Hodor is an improvement tbh. Reply Parent Thread Link lmao Reply Parent Thread Link She's busy selling faulty sunscreen. Reply Parent Thread Link i think she still acts, but i know her more these days for her company Honest Reply Parent Thread Link Don't you have to act, in order to retire from it? She was in movies, and we've been spared that for the most part. she still shows up for a few minutes in some flicks. Reply Parent Thread Link She help found a billion dollar company so thats where most of her working time is spent. Reply Parent Thread Link #richpeopleworkhardandaremoreintelligent she sells useless shit now so she's set for life. Reply Parent Thread Link I think she was seen as ~hot~ at the time until she got pregnant, so those roles eventually dried up Reply Parent Thread Link i'd be so pissed if i were born on a holiday Reply Thread Link lol my sis was born on xmas day Reply Parent Thread Link Being born during the lost week (ala, between Christmas and New Years) you might as well born on a holiday. No ones around, everyones on vacation, people are broke from the holidays and scrapping up what little money was left to go out on NYE. They try that whole one Christmas-Bday present thing. Speaking from experience. Reply Parent Thread Link I hate her so fucking much but cute baby Reply Thread Link Shes the ceo of a multi billion dollar corporation. When will your favs? Reply Parent Thread Link she's a shitty person Reply Parent Thread Link Congrats kid, your parents are LOAAAAADED. Reply Thread Link that's a cute baby Reply Thread Link One of my nephews was born four years ago today, so congrats to Alba. Reply Thread Link I'm glad that they are keeping Alba part of the childrens names. But Alba....I WANT and I NEED a Dark Angel revival! Reply Thread Link We love a businesswoman who has time for kids too. Reply Thread Link I hope she names a baby Honest too Baby's cute though Reply Thread Link Hes cute esp for a newborn, those are big age gaps between him and his siblings though Edited at 2018-01-01 10:53 pm (UTC) Reply Thread Link I wonder if all these babies with full names that are just a string of surnames will end up dealing with a lifetime of paperwork fuck ups Reply Thread Link you know, she gives her kids names that are actually pronounceable. good job. Reply Thread Link Honor, Haven & Hayes lol Reply Thread Link I was not expecting the names "Hayes" from them, tbh. It seems kinda normal in comparison to Honor and Haven. Anyway, the baby is adorable! Congratulations to them. Reply Thread Link i didn't realise she was following a letter trend with her kids. Reply Parent Thread Link Yup! She mentioned it when she had Haven and during this pregnancy too. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link A Year of Disasters, Delays, and Debate It's easy to identify the biggest safety stories of 2017they involve the year's repeated disasters. It's easy to identify the biggest safety stories of 2017they involve the year's repeated disasters. Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria were devastating, especially in south Texas and Puerto Rico; a June fire at a London residential high-rise building killed at least 80 people; and California wildfires in the fall killed 42 people and burned more than 8,000 structures. Beyond these, however, there were many other big events during the year: Nov. 13: Drug testing panel expands The U.S. Department of Transportation publishes a final rule to expand its drug testing panel to include hydrocodone, hydromorphone, oxymorphone, and oxycodone, a move the agency describes as "a direct effort to enhance safety, prevent opioid abuse and combat the nations growing opioid epidemic." The rule makes a significant change in the DOT testing scheme that has been in place since it was created in 1988: DOT is removing the requirements for blind specimen testing in order to relieve employers and others of the cost and burden of doing this. The rule says DOT will allow oral fluid drug testing and/or hair testing if either is added to the HHS Mandatory Guidelines, and it means DOT-regulated employers must test for the four opioids starting on Jan. 1, 2018. "The opioid crisis is a threat to public safety when it involves safety-sensitive employees involved in the operation of any kind of vehicle or transport," says Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao. "The ability to test for a broader range of opioids will advance transportation safety significantly and provide another deterrence to opioid abuse, which will better protect the public and ultimately save lives." Nov. 2: Fire extinguisher recall The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Kidde announce the recall of about 40 million Kidde fire extinguishers due to reports they may not function properly in an emergency. The recall applies to 134 models of Kidde fire extinguishers manufactured between January 1, 1973, and August 15, 2017, including models that had been previously recalled in March 2009 and February 2015; the recall involved both plastic handle and push-button Pindicator fire extinguishers. This article originally appeared in the January 2018 issue of Occupational Health & Safety. Safe Steps for Working at Height Regulatory compliance or short-term thinking alone is clearly not enough to truly ensure workers are kept safe and to avoid serious accidents. Fall-related violations continue to dominate OSHA's top 10 employer workplace safety violations. In fiscal 2016, the No. 1 violation (as it is each year) was Fall Protectiongeneral requirements, with 6,072 violations. The No. 3 violation was scaffolding (3,288 violations); No. 6 was ladders (2,241 violations), and No. 9 was fall protectiontraining requirements: (1,523 violations). Falls continue to be among the leading causes of worker injuries and deaths. By reviewing key hazards, safety cultures, the impacts of regulations, and personal protective equipment (PPE), safety managers can encourage and support safe practices for individuals who work at height. "Working at height" refers to work that takes place in any circumstance in which a fall could cause personal injury. This includes working on a ladder, a flat roof, or a fragile surface or even in an area near an opening in a floor or a hole in the ground. A key point for any of these situations: Workers don't need to fall far to be seriously injured or even killed. Work at height takes place across a diverse range of industries. Many hazards may be specific to a given working environment. However, a common cause of accidents is a failure to take sufficient precautions, especially when carrying out work at relatively low heights (4 to 6 feet). Workers may fail to plan correctly and underestimate the risks involved in working at such minimal elevation. They won't secure themselves or the equipment properly, or they may place equipment in inappropriate areas where the footing isnt secure. A company's safety culture strongly influences the way workers behave when they work at heightand therefore affects the likelihood of accidents. Many companies are entirely compliance-driven. They may supply workers with the correct PPE and sometimes deliver basic training, but once they meet essential legal requirements, their efforts end. Employees are furnished the equipment for the job and are expected to know how to use it correctly. Such companies believe that since they have provided the minimum that is required; if something goes wrong, the worker must be at fault. This article originally appeared in the January 2018 issue of Occupational Health & Safety. Speed breeding means that it is now possible to grow as many as 6 generations of wheat every year -- a threefold increase on the techniques currently used by breeders and researchers. Credit: John Innes Centre Speed breeding technique sows seeds of new green revolution Pioneering new technology is set to accelerate the global quest for crop improvement in a development which echoes the Green Revolution of the post war period. The speed breeding platform developed by teams at the John Innes Centre, University of Queensland and University of Sydney, uses a glasshouse or an artificial environment with enhanced lighting to create intense day-long regimes to speed up the search for better performing crops. Using the technique, the team has achieved wheat generation from seed to seed in just 8 weeks. These results appear today in Nature Plants. This means that it is now possible to grow as many as 6 generations of wheat every year - a threefold increase on the shuttle-breeding techniques currently used by breeders and researchers. Dr Brande Wulff of the John Innes Centre, Norwich, a lead author on the paper, explains why speed is of the essence: "Globally, we face a huge challenge in breeding higher yielding and more resilient crops. Being able to cycle through more generations in less time will allow us to more rapidly create and test genetic combinations, looking for the best combinations for different environments." For many years the improvement rates of several staple crops have stalled, leading to a significant impediment in the quest to feed the growing global population and address the impacts of climate change. Speed breeding, says Dr Wulff, offers a potential new solution to a global challenge for the 21st century. "People said you may be able to cycle plants fast, but they will look tiny and insignificant, and only set a few seed. In fact, the new technology creates plants that look better and are healthier than those using standard conditions. One colleague could not believe it when he first saw the results." The exciting breakthrough has the potential to rank, in terms of impact, alongside the shuttle-breeding techniques introduced after the second world war as part of the green revolution. Dr Wulff goes on to say: "I would like to think that in 10 years from now you could walk into a field and point to plants whose attributes and traits were developed using this technology." This technique uses fully controlled growth environments and can also be scaled up to work in a standard glass house. It uses LED lights optimised to aid photosynthesis in intensive regimes of up to 22 hours per day. LED lights significantly reduce the cost compared to sodium vapour lamps which have long been in widespread use but are ineffective because they generate much heat and emit poor quality light. The international team also prove that the speed breeding technique can be used for a range of important crops. They have achieved up to 6 generations per year for bread wheat, durum wheat, barley, pea, and chickpea; and four generations for canola (a form of rapeseed). This is a significant increase compared with widely used commercial breeding techniques. Speed breeding, when employed alongside conventional field-based techniques, can be an important tool to enable advances in understanding the genetics of crops. "Speed breeding as a platform can be combined with lots of other technologies such as CRISPR gene editing to get to the end result faster," explains Dr Lee Hickey from the University of Queensland. The study shows that traits such as plant pathogen interactions, plant shape and structure, and flowering time can be studied in detail and repeated using the technology. The speed breeding technology has been welcomed by wheat breeders who have become early adopters. Ruth Bryant, Wheat Pathologist at RAGT Seeds Ltd, Essex, UK, said: "Breeders are always looking for ways to speed up the process of getting a variety to market so we are really interested in the concept of speed breeding. We are working closely with Dr Wulff's group at the John Innes Centre to develop this method in a commercial setting." Dr Allan Rattey, a wheat crop breeder with Australian company Dow AgroSciences, has used the technology to breed wheat with tolerance to pre-harvest sprouting (PHS) a major problem in Australia. "Environmental control for effective PHS screening and the long time taken to cycle through several cycles of recurrent selection were major bottle necks. The speed breeding and targeted selection platform have driven major gains for both of these areas of concerns." Explore further Small changes have large benefits for crop breeding More information: Speed breeding is a powerful tool to accelerate crop research and breeding, Nature Plants (2018). Journal information: Nature Plants Speed breeding is a powerful tool to accelerate crop research and breeding,(2018). nature.com/articles/doi:10.1038/s41477-017-0083-8 Eddie Belvedere on Death Skateboards! Happy New Year everybody. Stoked to have this as the first site post of 2018! Long time ripper, Black Sheep employee and general madman Eddie Belvedere officially joins the Death Skateboards team as of today! Eddies been around for a long time, coming up as a young ripper localising Boltons infamous Bones indoor skatepark, before enjoying stints on now-defunct UK brands The Harmony Skateboards and Superdead Skateboards. His distinctive asleep-at-the-wheel style and aggressive/laid back ATV approach has long been one of our favourites and, as a member of the ridiculously active Manchester scene, has put out innumerable full sections over the years, along with banging editorial content in the glory days of full-price UK skate mags. So without further ado heres the official Eddie Belvedere on Death Skateboards welcome clip edited by Isaac Wilkinson with footage filmed by Ryan Hayes, Mark Kendrick, Isaac Wilkinson and Adam Salais. Look out for a full Eddie Belvedere section in the currently in-progress full length Death Skateboards video Into the Void, set to drop in Spring 2018. After youve watched this take a wander through the Manchester Skateboarding tag on the Sidewalk site for a glimpse of Eddies equally as impressive back catalogue of footage. More coming from Eddie and co in the very near future. Big up Death Skateboards this is a well-deserved power-move. Cover photo by CJ On its hundredth birthday in 1959, Edward Teller warned the oil industry about global warming Posted on 1 January 2018 by Guest Author, DPiepgrass Benjamin Franta (@BenFranta) is a PhD student in history of science at Stanford University who studies the history of climate change science and politics. He has a PhD in applied physics from Harvard University and is a former research fellow at the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. It was a typical November day in New York City. The year: 1959. Robert Dunlop, 50 years old and photographed later as clean-shaven, hair carefully parted, his earnest face donning horn-rimmed glasses, passed under the Ionian columns of Columbia Universitys iconic Low Library. He was a guest of honor for a grand occasion: the centennial of the American oil industry. Over 300 government officials, economists, historians, scientists, and industry executives were present for the Energy and Man symposium organized by the American Petroleum Institute and the Columbia Graduate School of Business and Dunlop was to address the entire congregation on the prime mover of the last century energy and its major source: oil. As President of the Sun OilCompany, he new the business well, and as a director of the American Petroleum Institute the industrys largest and oldest trade association in the land of Uncle Sam he was responsible for representing the interests of all those many oilmen gathered around him. Four others joined Dunlop at the podium that day, one of whom had made the journey from California and Hungary before that. The nuclear weapons physicist Edward Teller had, by 1959, become ostracized by the scientific community for betraying his colleague J. Robert Oppenheimer, but he retained the embrace of industry and government. Tellers task that November fourth was to address the crowd on energy patterns of the future, and his words carried an unexpected warning: Ladies and gentlemen, I am to talk to you about energy in the future. I will start by telling you why I believe that the energy resources of the past must be supplemented. First of all, these energy resources will run short as we use more and more of the fossil fuels. But I would [...] like to mention another reason why we probably have to look for additional fuel supplies. And this, strangely, is the question of contaminating the atmosphere. [....] Whenever you burn conventional fuel, you create carbon dioxide. [....] The carbon dioxide is invisible, it is transparent, you cant smell it, it is not dangerous to health, so why should one worry about it? Carbon dioxide has a strange property. It transmits visible light but it absorbs the infrared radiation which is emitted from the earth. Its presence in the atmosphere causes a greenhouse effect [....] It has been calculated that a temperature rise corresponding to a 10 per cent increase in carbon dioxide will be sufficient to melt the icecap and submerge New York. All the coastal cities would be covered, and since a considerable percentage of the human race lives in coastal regions, I think that this chemical contamination is more serious than most people tend to believe. How, precisely, Mr. Dunlop and the rest of the audience reacted is unknown, but its hard to imagine this being welcome news. After his talk, Teller was asked to summarize briefly the danger from increased carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere in this century. The physicist, as if considering a numerical estimation problem, responded: At present the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has risen by 2 per cent over normal. By 1970, it will be perhaps 4 per cent, by 1980, 8 per cent, by 1990, 16 per cent [about 360 parts per million, by Tellers accounting], if we keep on with our exponential rise in the use of purely conventional fuels. By that time, there will be a serious additional impediment for the radiation leaving the earth. Our planet will get a little warmer. It is hard to say whether it will be 2 degrees Fahrenheit or only one or 5. But when the temperature does rise by a few degrees over the whole globe, there is a possibility that the icecaps will start melting and the level of the oceans will begin to rise. Well, I dont know whether they will cover the Empire State Building or not, but anyone can calculate it by looking at the map and noting that the icecaps over Greenland and over Antarctica are perhaps five thousand feet thick. And so, at its hundredth birthday party, American oil was warned of its civilization-destroying potential. Talk about a buzzkill. How did the petroleum industry respond? Eight years later, on a cold, clear day in March, Robert Dunlop walked the halls of the U.S. Congress. The 1967 oil embargo was weeks away, and the Senate was investigating the potential of electric vehicles. Dunlop, testifying now as the Chairman of the Board of the American Petroleum Institute, posed the question, tomorrows car: electric or gasoline powered? His preferred answer was the latter: We in the petroleum industry are convinced that by the time a practical electric car can be mass-produced and marketed, it will not enjoy any meaningful advantage from an air pollution standpoint. Emissions from internal-combustion engines will have long since been controlled. Dunlop went on to describe progress in controlling carbon monoxide, nitrous oxide, and hydrocarbon emissions from automobiles. Absent from his list? The pollutant he had been warned of years before: carbon dioxide. We might surmise that the odorless gas simply passed under Robert Dunlops nose unnoticed. But less than a year later, the American Petroleum Institute quietly received a report on air pollution it had commissioned from the Stanford Research Institute, and its warning on carbon dioxide was direct: Click here to read the rest 1 0 Printable Version | Link to this page American Electric Power Co., Inc. engages in the business of generation, transmission and distribution of electricity. It operates through the following segments: Vertically Integrated Utilities, Transmission & Distribution Utilities, AEP Transmission Holdco and Generation & Marketing. The Vertically Integrated Utilities segment engages in the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity for sale to retail and wholesale customers through assets owned and operated by its subsidiaries. The Transmission & Distribution Utilities segment engages in the business of transmission and distribution of electricity for sale to retail and wholesale customers through assets owned and operated by its subsidiaries. The AEP Transmission Holdco segment engages in the development, construction and operation of transmission facilities through investments in its wholly-owned transmission subsidiaries and joint ventures. The Generation & Marketing segment engages in non-regulated generation and marketing, risk management and retail activities. The company was founded on December 20, 1906 and is headquartered in Columbus, OH. Read More Lloyds Banking Group plc, together with its subsidiaries, provides a range of banking and financial services in the United Kingdom and internationally. It operates through three segments: Retail; Commercial Banking; and Insurance and Wealth. The Retail segment offers a range of financial service products, including current accounts, savings accounts, mortgages, motor finance, unsecured loans, leasing solutions, credit cards, and other financial services to personal and small business customers. The Commercial Banking segment provides lending, transactional banking, working capital management, risk management, and debt capital market services to small and medium-sized entities, corporates, and financial institutions. The Insurance and Wealth segment offers life, home, and car insurance products; and pension, investment, and wealth management products and services. It also provides digital and mobile banking, and telephone services, as well as advisory services for savings, investments, and planning for retirement. The company offers its products and services under the Lloyds Bank, Halifax, Bank of Scotland, Scottish Widows, MBNA, Schroders Personal Wealth, Black Horse, Lex Autolease, Birmingham Midshires, LDC, IWeb, and Agricultural Mortgage Corporation brands. Lloyds Banking Group plc was founded in 1695 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom. Read More Ormat Technologies, Inc. operates as a holding company. The firm engages in the provision of geothermal and recovered energy power business. It operates through the following segments: Electricity, Product and Energy Storage. The Electricity segment focuses in the sale of electricity from the company's power plants pursuant to PPAs. The Product segment involves in the manufacture, including design and development, of turbines and power units for the supply of electrical energy and in the associated construction of power plants utilizing the power units manufactured by the company to supply energy from geothermal fields and other alternative energy sources. The Energy Storage segment consists of battery energy storage systems as a service and management of curtailable customer loads under contracts with U.S. retail energy providers and directly with large commercial and industrial customers. The company was founded in 1965 and is headquartered in Reno, NV. Read More Rayonier Advanced Materials, Inc. engages in the production and sale of cellulose products, which is a natural polymer commonly used in the production of cell phone and computer screens, filters, and pharmaceuticals. It operates through the following segments: High Purity Cellulose, Forest Products, Paperboard, Pulp and Newsprint, and Corporate. The High Purity Cellulose segment manufacture and market high purity cellulose, which is sold as either cellulose specialties or commodity products in U.S., Canda, and France. The Forest Products segment manufacture and market construction-grade lumber in North America through seven sawmills located in Canada. The Paperboard segment comprises paperboard products. The Pulp and Newsprint segment involves in the production of pulp and newsprint in Canada. The Corporate segment consists senior management, accounting, information systems, human resources, treasury, tax, and legal administrative functions that provide support services to the operating business units. The company was founded in 1926 and is headquartered in Jacksonville, FL. Read More They say that change is as good as a holiday, that if we do something different or change our work or environment, its as good as having a rest. Well, heres our chance to leave the weird old 2017 and start afresh, full of hopes, dreams, ambitions and new things to look forward to. On New Years Day, Im sure its a madhouse in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and a lot of the other big cities. For others who prefer to stay at home and quietly reflect on the past year (or ignore it completely); theyll still feel the change, too. The more traditional Vietnamese will not take much notice of our Western calendar and make their own plans for Tet, the Vietnamese New Year, in February 2018. Meanwhile the local youth celebrate in the style of the West, dancing the night into the wee small hours of the morning. Ill be taking up a vantage point somewhere upstairs in a bar where I can gaze over the madness without getting too involved. Thats me, Mr Non-Involvement. Most expats will join in celebrations somewhere, too. Its the time for noise, letting go of stress and having fun whatever the future holds will still be in the future! Of course therell be those who poo-poo New Year the same as they whinge about Christmas but they can go drown themselves in a gluten-free bowl of soup the rest of us are still smiling on! Now I dont blame the elderly or those who simply cant stand large crowds or try to get to a party in the insanity of Vietnams traffic on nights like this some years, Im in the same mood and other years I just want to get my fat, old, ugly body down and boogie! What was intriguing coming right up to the end of 2017, for me, was the constant reminder that life goes on. Quite a few people dear to myself and others died this year yet at least two babies were born to expats friends living not far from my house in Hoi An and others in Da Nang had babies too! Im sure its the water we drink in central coastal Vietnam. Were pretty lucky to be living in Vietnam at this time in the world. No terrorist attacks here, no mass shootings, no economic nightmares such as Brexit and mostly, people are quite cheerful. Not bad, hey? People film a fireworks display to ring in New Year on January 1, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre And people celebrated New Year with fireworks in Ho Chi Minh City. Thats great! I didnt accomplish that much in the past year as I took a lot of time off just to smell the roses and look at the sky while many of my Vietnamese friends rushed around in that bizarre combination of chaos and getting things done quickly. So there are times when Im fine with the idea of not being young and ambitious anymore. Towards the end of 2017 many expats and locals I know of started new businesses or dumped old ones. I like that. I think its a tremendously brave thing to embark on new projects; it takes time, effort and a lot of luck too, so I do admire ambition when it might make things better in the world. And lets not forget all those grand New Year resolutions we foolishly promise ourselves around now. My plans in 2018 include: I might lose some weightmaybe, Im thinking about cutting down on beerthat will need careful consideration, I could possibly find a new girlfriendnah, I like not getting nagged about haircuts, dirty dishes and my choices of clothes! How about you? Young Vietnamese and expats seem to be traveling more these days and its so handy to have so many places to fly to from Da Nang. Id like to visit my brother in America (hes the rich one in our family) and since I have to leave the country so much, its becoming kinda fun to pick a new place to explore. Ive always believed travel resolutions expand my mind and I encourage the Vietnamese around me to travel (even if its only up the road!) whenever they can. So thats it. We managed the amazing achievement of staying alive for another year, ow-who! We also managed to make some money in the past year; we thankfully stayed out of jail, and didnt die in the traffic! How good is that? We all worry about the future but as one of those older people now, I can tell you with some confidence that things work out well enough in the end, so just enjoy life as much as you can. Dont think about money too much it comes and goes and your family will be your strength. And forget about what other people think about your ideas, opinions and love-life they are only things to truly belong to you. And as Doc Brown says in Back to the Future (part 3); It means your future hasn't been written yet. No one's has. Your future is whatever you make it. So make it a good one! So why are you still reading this? Get out there and have a HAPPY NEW YEAR! Three teen sisters in southern Vietnam have braved precarious roads and a raging river to journey to school for the past decade. Such unfavorable conditions have left many students in Don Chau Commune, Duyen Hai District, Tra Vinh Province dropping out of school. Quach Thi Linh Dan, in 11th grade, and her two younger sisters, Linh Kieu, a 10th grader, and Linh Thao, a 5th grader, remain undaunted, however. The trio cover nearly 10km from home to school every day, including three kilometers of tortuous, slippery dirt road and a river which can turn wrathful at times. After school dismissed on a recent afternoon, Kieu hurriedly cycled home before dusk. She said twilight makes her daily journey in pursuit of knowledge even more perilous, as she may easily tumble into shrimp farms near the less taken small road in the dark. Worse still, the 3km stretch of dirt road, which is hardly wide enough for two motorbikes to cross at the same time, is riddled with bumps and gets precariously slippery in the rainy weather. In the rainy season, I leave my bike at a house on the asphalt road and wade home on foot with the flaps of my uniform ao dai [traditional long dress] tucked inside my jacket, the girl shared. Unlike her peers, Kieu and her two sisters have never wasted any moments loitering around for fun after school. Dan revealed they were all scared taking the roads where few houses are on at dawn or dusk. Once she had to show up at school at 5:30 am, which was a simple thing for her peers but gave her one nerve-racking hour. I left home in the small hours. My father escorted me on the dirt road before I traversed the asphalt path alone. I heaved a big sigh of relief when I reached school, Dan recalled. The sisters tumbledown house is located on an isolated mound, which causes them to even reach their neighbors on a sampan. The river can turn swollen and perilous in torrential rains. There were cases when sampans capsized while carrying people. Against all odds, the idea of dropping out of school has never crossed the three sisters minds. The girls fortitude is engraved in the minds of teachers and students at their school. Dan is the class monitor and is always among the top three of outstanding students in her class, while her sisters also boast good academic results. The three sisters credit their parents with sustaining their will in pursuing a decent education. Their father, Quach Van Quyet, a small-scale shrimp farmer, has kept ignoring others advice to let his daughters quit school. For the past 11 years, he has painstakingly taken his daughters to school and back home before and after they take the treacherous roads in at least eight rides a day. Daunted by the precarious journeys, many have let their children quit school. Im also worried about my daughters and my own safety, but Im determined to provide them with proper schooling, Quyet said. He added there were also times when the river got too shallow for the sampan to reach the banks, forcing the father and daughters to wade in the mud for dozens of meters. Quyet or his wife would wait anxiously at one end of the dirt road for his daughters to come home at dusk on rainy days. The couple also took out loans in bad years to pay their daughters tuition and other fees. Si Co, a kind-hearted neighbor, often keeps the sisters bikes at her home overnight before they cross the river or give them temporary shelter and food while waiting for their father to pick them up. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Read what is in the news on the first day of 2018: Society -- A healthy baby girl weighing 3.2 kilograms has become the first to be born in Ho Chi Minh City in 2018, saying hello to the world from Tu Du Hospital at 12:00 am on Monday. -- Corruption and wastefulness remain among the biggest threats to the survival of the regime and the Communist Party of Vietnam, Vietnamese State President Tran Dai Quang told the media on the New Year occasion. -- Hotels and accommodations in tourist hot spots such as Vung Tau, Binh Thuan and Da Lat were fully booked for New Years Eve as families traveled for the holiday break, with room prices being raised by around 150 percent compared to regular days. -- Six vessels caught illegally mining river sand on the Thu Bon River in central Vietnams Quang Nam Province have been taken in by local police, with the total volume of mined sand estimated to be nearly 300 cubic meters. -- The price of land on Phu Quoc Island off southern Vietnams Kien Giang Province is soaring at unprecedented speed as investors race to secure a footing in the lucrative market to brace for the planned upgrade of Phu Quoc from an island district into a special administrative and economic zone. -- Over 97 percent of construction components of the Vam Cong and Cao Lanh Bridges in Vietnams Mekong Delta had been finished by the turn of the New Year, promising to soon erase the last traffic bottleneck in the region to unleash its full economic potential. -- Ten Ho Chi Minh City citizens under the age of 30 who excelled in their respective areas of profession in 2017 will be honored with the title Iconic Citizen of 2017 at a ceremony hosted by the municipal administration on Monday morning. Business -- A group of expatriate Vietnamese who are members of the Association of Vietnamese Scientists and Experts (AVES) have been holding meetings in the French capital of Paris to discuss improvements that could be made to Vietnams plan to establish the Van Don special administrative and economic zone in northern Quang Ninh Province. -- Between 56 and 90 percent of seats on domestic flights between Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Da Nang operated by flag carrier Vietnam Airlines during the peak travel season around the upcoming Lunar New Year (February 16) have been booked, according to an airline representative. -- Businesses and small vendors in central Da Nang City have stocked goods worth around VND980 billion (US$43.22 million) to prepare for the upcoming shopping season before the Lunar New Year, the municipal Department of Industry and Trade has announced. US drama The Girlfriend Experience will have its Free to Air debut on SBS VICELAND next week. The series, inspired by Steven Soderbergs 2009 film of the same name, has previously screened in Australia through Stan. The 10 part series begins with a double episode premiere. Christine Reade (Riley Keough) is a second year student at Chicago-Burnham Law School and new intern at a prestigious firm. Working hard to establish herself, her focus quickly shifts when a law school friend introduces her to the world of transactional relationships. Known as GFEs, they are women who provide The Girlfriend Experience emotional and sexual relationships at a very high price. Juggling two very different lives, Christine quickly finds herself entangled in an ever- broadening web of intrigue and betrayal. Its a far cry from her childhood in the suburbs of Philadelphia. Series One, Episode One: Entry A Chicago law-school students life takes a dramatic turn when a classmate introduces her to the world of transactional relationships. Episode Two: A Friend Christine earnestly pursues her new double life as a legal intern and girlfriend to her growing client list. Thursday, 11 January at 9.25pm on SBS VICELAND Theresa May has revealed the 10 pillars of her industrial strategy for the UK economy, ahead of a trip to Washington to meet new US President Donald Trump at the end of the week. Having clarified her position on the government's Brexit strategy last week, the mid-point of a key fortnight for the Prime Minister saw her set out a green paper that aims to boost productivity, link in with the Chancellor's plans to increase spending on infrastructure and generally see the government play a more active role in boosting business. At her first regional cabinet meeting, May published the public consultation paper that outlined the intention to increase spending on broadband, transport and energy networks as well as ramp up government support for the high-growth sectors of life sciences, green vehicles, industrial digitalisation, creative industries and nuclear via sector-specific deals with industries that make a good case for how state support will address their specific problems. "Our economy has great strengths, but while many people, places and businesses are thriving, opportunities and growth are still spread unevenly across the country," the paper said. The 10 pillars were: investing in science, research & innovation; developing skills; upgrading infrastructure; supporting businesses to start & grow; improving procurement; encouraging trade & inward investment; delivering affordable energy & clean growth; cultivating world-leading sectors; driving growth across the whole country; creating the right local institutions. In a skills push, May will pour 170m into the building of new institutes of technology in every region, aiming for these 'new polytechnics' to be given similar parity of esteem with established universities. The government is reported to be willing to deregulate, arrange trade deals or create new institutions to boost skills or research, May signalled, as the automotive and aerospace industries have done. The CBI director-general Carolyn Fairbairn welcomed the government creating an opportunity for all sectors to get involved. A modern industrial strategy will be a landmark opportunity to build a successful, modern economy as the foundation for a prosperous, fairer and more inclusive society," she said. It must help fix the countrys productivity problems and remove the regional inequalities that have dogged our country for generations, having a positive impact on living standards, wages and the future opportunities of many people." Professor Karel Williams, a political economy expert at Alliance Manchester Business School, said it was a "very traditional kind of industrial policy", focussed on high tech sectors of the future and seemingly ignoring the more mundane but larger part of British manufacturing. He added: As Greg Clarke, Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, admits, the announced strategy is a consultation and scoping exercise, rather than a policy. Skills are a priority, but just 170m of investment has been promised for technical education which, if we remember, is just half of the 350m we were promised would be saved by Brexit every week. Trump meeting On Friday, the PM will become the first overseas leader to meet Trump, with the pair expected to discuss a new trade deal between the UK and US that cuts or even drop tariffs and makes it easier for workers to move between the two countries. May told the BBC she would discuss the countries' future trade relations, the importance of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the Syrian conflict. "What I think is important is that when I sit down, I will talk about how I can build on this special relationship. He has already said to me that he wants to see a very strong relationship between the US and the UK in the future," she said. The Telegraph cited sources who believe any agreement on tariffs would give May sizeable leverage in her negotiations with Brussels and allow her to demand that EU leaders give Britain a good deal. Other rumours for the talks include a new 'passporting' systems for banks post-Brexit. As part of a broader charm offensive, the Queen is likely to extend an invitation to Trump for a state visit this summer, with May saying she would look forward to welcoming president Trump some time this year if that is possible. Systemax Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates as a direct marketer of brand name and private label industrial and business equipment and supplies in North America. It sells a range of maintenance, repair, and operation products, including storage and shelving, material handling, janitorial and maintenance products, furniture and office products, workbenches and shop desks, HVAC/R and fans, safety and security products, outdoor and grounds maintenance products, tools and instruments, and office and school supplies. The company also sells plumbing products and pumps, packaging products and supplies, electrical and lighting products, food service products and appliances, raw materials and building supplies, motors and power transmission products, pneumatics and hydraulics, medical and laboratory equipment, metalworking and cutting tools, vehicle maintenance products, and fasteners and hardware. It offers its products under the Global, GlobalIndustrial.com, Nexel Paramount, and Interion brand names. The company offers its products to businesses, educational organizations, and government entities through relationship marketers, catalogs, and e-commerce sites. Systemax Inc. was founded in 1949 and is headquartered in Port Washington, New York. Read More JPMorgan Chinese Investment Trust plc is a close-ended equity mutual fund launched and managed by JPMorgan Funds Limited. The fund is co-managed by JPMorgan Asset Management (UK) Limited. It invests in the public equity markets of the Greater China region. The fund seeks to invest in stocks of companies operating across diversified sectors. It primarily invests in growth stocks of companies. The fund employs fundamental analysis with a focus on factors such as earnings and cash flow visibility, balance sheet strength, and franchise values to create its portfolio. It benchmarks the performance of its portfolio against the MSCI Golden Dragon Index. The fund was previously known as JPMorgan Fleming Chinese Investment Trust. JPMorgan Chinese Investment Trust plc was formed on October 1, 1993 and is domiciled in the United Kingdom. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Caterpillar: Advanced Tri-Gen Power Systems LLC, Anchor Coupling Inc., Asia Power Systems (Tianjin) Ltd., AsiaTrak (Tianjin) Ltd., Banco Caterpillar S.A., Berg Propulsion International Pte Ltd., Bucyrus, Bucyrus Australia Surface Pty. Ltd., Bucyrus Europe Holdings Ltd., Bucyrus Europe Limited, Bucyrus International (Chile) Limitada, Bucyrus International (Peru) S.A., Bucyrus Mining Australia Pty. Ltd., Bucyrus Mining China LLC, Bucyrus UK Limited, Cat Rental Kyushu LLC, Caterpillar (Africa) (Proprietary) Limited, Caterpillar (China) Financial Leasing Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (China) Investment Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (China) Machinery Components Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (HK) Limited, Caterpillar (Huainan) Machinery Service Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (Langfang) Mining Equipment Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (Luxembourg) Investment Co. S.a r.l., Caterpillar (NI) Limited, Caterpillar (Newberry) LLC, Caterpillar (Qingzhou) Ltd., Caterpillar (Shanghai) Trading Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (Suzhou) Logistics Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (Thailand) Limited, Caterpillar (U.K.) Limited, Caterpillar (Wujiang) Ltd., Caterpillar (Xuzhou) Ltd., Caterpillar (Zhengzhou) Ltd., Caterpillar Acquisition Holding Corp., Caterpillar Americas C.V., Caterpillar Americas Co., Caterpillar Americas Funding Inc., Caterpillar Americas Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Asia Limited, Caterpillar Asia Pacific L.P., Caterpillar Asia Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar Asset Intelligence LLC, Caterpillar Belgium S.A., Caterpillar Brasil Comercio de Maquinas e Pecas Ltda., Caterpillar Brasil Ltda., Caterpillar Brazil LLC, Caterpillar Castings Kiel GmbH, Caterpillar Centro de Formacion S.L., Caterpillar China Limited, Caterpillar Commercial Australia Pty. Ltd., Caterpillar Commercial LLC, Caterpillar Commercial Northern Europe Limited, Caterpillar Commercial S.A., Caterpillar Commercial S.A.R.L., Caterpillar Commercial Services S.A.R.L., Caterpillar Communications LLC, Caterpillar Corporativo Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Cote DIvoire, Caterpillar Credito S.A. de C.V. SOFOM E.N.R., Caterpillar DC Pension Trust Limited, Caterpillar Digital Services & Solutions SARL, Caterpillar Distribution International LLC, Caterpillar Distribution Services Europe B.V.B.A., Caterpillar East Real Estate Holding Ltd., Caterpillar Emissions Solutions Inc., Caterpillar Energy Solutions Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar Energy Solutions GmbH, Caterpillar Energy Solutions Inc., Caterpillar Energy Solutions S.A., Caterpillar Energy System Technology (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Engine Systems Inc., Caterpillar Equipos Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Eurasia LLC, Caterpillar FS (QFC) LLC, Caterpillar Finance France S.A., Caterpillar Finance Kabushiki Kaisha, Caterpillar Financial Acquisition Funding LLC, Caterpillar Financial Aftermarket Solutions Corporation, Caterpillar Financial Australia Leasing Pty Limited, Caterpillar Financial Australia Limited, Caterpillar Financial Commercial Account Corporation, Caterpillar Financial Corporacion Financiera S.A. E.F.C., Caterpillar Financial Dealer Funding LLC, Caterpillar Financial Funding Corporation, Caterpillar Financial Kazakhstan Limited Liability Partnership, Caterpillar Financial Leasing (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Financial New Zealand Limited, Caterpillar Financial Nordic Services AB, Caterpillar Financial Nova Scotia Corporation, Caterpillar Financial OOO, Caterpillar Financial Receivables Corporation, Caterpillar Financial Renting S.A., Caterpillar Financial SARL, Caterpillar Financial Services (Dubai) Limited, Caterpillar Financial Services (Ireland) plc, Caterpillar Financial Services (UK) Limited, Caterpillar Financial Services Argentina S.A., Caterpillar Financial Services Asia Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar Financial Services Belgium S.P.R.L., Caterpillar Financial Services CR s.r.o., Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation, Caterpillar Financial Services GmbH, Caterpillar Financial Services India Private Limited, Caterpillar Financial Services Leasing ULC, Caterpillar Financial Services Limited Les Services Financiers Caterpillar Limitee, Caterpillar Financial Services Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Caterpillar Financial Services Netherlands B.V., Caterpillar Financial Services Norway AS, Caterpillar Financial Services Philippines Inc., Caterpillar Financial Services Poland Sp. z o.o., Caterpillar Financial Services South Africa (Pty) Limited, Caterpillar Financial UK Acquisition Funding Partners, Caterpillar Financial Ukraine LLC, Caterpillar Fluid Systems S.r.l., Caterpillar Fomento Comercial Ltda., Caterpillar Forest Products Inc., Caterpillar France S.A.S., Caterpillar GB L.L.C., Caterpillar Global Investments S.a r.l., Caterpillar Global Mining America LLC, Caterpillar Global Mining Equipamentos De Mineracao do Brasil Ltda., Caterpillar Global Mining Equipment LLC, Caterpillar Global Mining Europe GmbH, Caterpillar Global Mining Expanded Products Pty Ltd, Caterpillar Global Mining Germany Holdings GmbH, Caterpillar Global Mining HMS GmbH, Caterpillar Global Mining Holdings GmbH, Caterpillar Global Mining Hong Kong AFC Manufacturing Holding Co. Limited, Caterpillar Global Mining Hong Kong Limited, Caterpillar Global Mining LLC, Caterpillar Global Mining Mexico LLC, Caterpillar Global Mining Pty. Ltd., Caterpillar Global Mining SARL, Caterpillar Global Mining U.S. Parts LLC, Caterpillar Global Services LLC, Caterpillar Group Services S.A., Caterpillar Holding (France) S.A.S., Caterpillar Holding Germany GmbH, Caterpillar Holdings Australia Pty. Ltd., Caterpillar Hungary Components Manufacturing Ltd., Caterpillar Hydraulics Italia S.r.l., Caterpillar IPX LLC, Caterpillar IRB LLC, Caterpillar Impact Products Limited, Caterpillar India Private Limited, Caterpillar Industrial Inc., Caterpillar Industrias Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Industries (Pty) Ltd, Caterpillar Insurance Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Insurance Company, Caterpillar Insurance Holdings Inc., Caterpillar Insurance Services Corporation, Caterpillar International Finance Designated Activity Company, Caterpillar International Finance Luxembourg Holding S. a r.l., Caterpillar International Finance Luxembourg S. a r.l., Caterpillar International Holding S. a r.l., Caterpillar International Luxembourg I S. a r.l., Caterpillar International Luxembourg II S. a r.l., Caterpillar International Product SARL, Caterpillar International Services Corporation, Caterpillar International Services del Peru S.A., Caterpillar Investment Limited, Caterpillar Investment One SARL, Caterpillar Investment Two SARL, Caterpillar Investments, Caterpillar Japan LLC, Caterpillar Latin America Services S.R.L., Caterpillar Latin America Services de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Latin America Services de Panama S. de R.L., Caterpillar Latin America Servicios de Chile Limitada, Caterpillar Latin America Support Services S. DE R.L., Caterpillar Leasing (Thailand) Limited, Caterpillar Leasing Chile S.A., Caterpillar Leasing GmbH (Leipzig), Caterpillar Leasing Operativo Limitada, Caterpillar Life Insurance Company, Caterpillar Logistics (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Logistics (UK) Limited, Caterpillar Logistics Inc., Caterpillar Logistics ML Services France S.A.S., Caterpillar Logistics Services China Limited, Caterpillar Luxembourg Group S.ar.l., Caterpillar Luxembourg LLC, Caterpillar Luxembourg S.a r.l., Caterpillar Machinery Nantong Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Marine Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar Marine Asset Intelligence, Caterpillar Marine Power UK Limited, Caterpillar Marine Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Maroc SARL, Caterpillar Materiels Routiers SAS, Caterpillar Mexico LLC, Caterpillar Mexico S.A. de C.V., Caterpillar Mining Canada ULC, Caterpillar Mining Chile Servicios Limitada, Caterpillar Motoren (Guangdong) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Motoren GmbH & Co. KG, Caterpillar Motoren Henstedt-Ulzburg GmbH, Caterpillar Motoren Rostock GmbH, Caterpillar Motoren Verwaltungs-GmbH, Caterpillar Netherlands Holding B.V., Caterpillar North America C.V., Caterpillar Operator Training Ltd., Caterpillar Overseas Credit Corporation SARL, Caterpillar Overseas Investment Holding SARL, Caterpillar Overseas Limited, Caterpillar Overseas SARL, Caterpillar Panama Services S.A., Caterpillar Paving Products Inc., Caterpillar Paving Products Xuzhou Ltd., Caterpillar Pension Trust Limited, Caterpillar Poland Sp. z o.o., Caterpillar Power Generation Systems (Bangladesh) Limited, Caterpillar Power Generation Systems L.L.C., Caterpillar Power Systems Inc., Caterpillar Power Ventures International Ltd., Caterpillar Precision Seals Korea, Caterpillar Prodotti Stradali S.r.l., Caterpillar Product Services Corporation, Caterpillar Propulsion AB, Caterpillar Propulsion International Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Propulsion Italy S.R.L., Caterpillar Propulsion Namibia (Proprietary) Limited, Caterpillar Propulsion Production AB, Caterpillar Propulsion Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar Propulsion Singapore Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar R&D Center (China) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Ramos Arizpe LLC, Caterpillar Ramos Arizpe S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Ramos Arizpe Servicios S.A. de C.V., Caterpillar Reman Powertrain Indiana LLC, Caterpillar Remanufacturing Drivetrain LLC, Caterpillar Remanufacturing Services (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Renting France S.A.S., Caterpillar Reynosa S.A. de C.V., Caterpillar SARL, Caterpillar Services Germany GmbH, Caterpillar Servicios Limitada, Caterpillar Servicios Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Servizi Italia Srl, Caterpillar Shrewsbury Limited, Caterpillar Skinningrove Limited, Caterpillar Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd., Caterpillar Special Services Belgium S.P.R.L., Caterpillar Switchgear Americas LLC, Caterpillar Switchgear Holding Inc., Caterpillar Tianjin Ltd., Caterpillar Torreon S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Tosno L.L.C., Caterpillar Transmissions France S.A.R.L., Caterpillar Tunneling Canada Holdings Ltd., Caterpillar Tunnelling Canada Corporation, Caterpillar Tunnelling Europe Limited, Caterpillar UK Employee Trust Limited, Caterpillar UK Engines Company Limited, Caterpillar UK Group Limited, Caterpillar UK Holdings Limited, Caterpillar Undercarriage (Xuzhou) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Underground Mining Pty. Ltd., Caterpillar Used Equipment Services Inc., Caterpillar Venture Capital Inc., Caterpillar Work Tools B.V., Caterpillar Work Tools Inc., Caterpillar World Trading Corporation, Caterpillar Xuzhou, Caterpillar of Australia Pty. Ltd., Caterpillar of Canada Corporation, Caterpillar of Delaware Inc., Centre de Distribution de Wallonie SPRL, CleanAir Systems, Downer Freight Rail, ECM Railway Evolution Romania s.r.l., ECM S.p.A., EDC European Excavator Design Center GmbH, EMC Holding Corp., EMD International Holdings Inc., ERA Information & Entertainment (BVI) Limited, ERA Mining Machinery Limited, Electro-Motive Diesel Limited, Electro-Motive Locomotive Technologies LLC, Electro-Motive Technical Consulting Co. (Beijing) Ltd., Energy Services International Limited, Equipos de Acuna S.A. de C.V., Eurenov S.A.S., F. G. Wilson (Proprietary) Limited, F. Perkins Limited, FG Wilson (Engineering) Limited, GB Holdco (China) Inc., GFCM Comercial Mexico S.A. de C.V. SOFOM E.N.R., GFCM Servicios S.A. de C.V., Gremada Industries - Assets, Hong Kong Siwei Holdings Limited, Inmobiliaria Conek S.A. de C.V., JCS Co., Kemper Valve & Fittings Corp., Leo Inc., Locomotive Demand Power Pty Ltd., Locomotoras Progress Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Lovat, M2M Data Corporation, MGE Equipamentos & Servicos Ferroviarios, MWM, MWM Austria GmbH, MWM Benelux B.V., MWM Energy Australia Pty Ltd, MWM France S.A.S, MWM Real Estate GmbH, MaK Americas Inc., MaK Americas Inc. (Canada), Magnum Power Products LLC, Marble, Maschinenbau Kiel GmbH, Mec-Track S.r.l., Metalmark Financial Services Limited, Motoren Steffens GmbH, Nippon Caterpillar LLC, P. T. Solar Services Indonesia, PT Caterpillar Finance Indonesia, PT. Bucyrus Indonesia, PT. Caterpillar Indonesia, PT. Caterpillar Indonesia Batam, PT. Caterpillar Remanufacturing Indonesia, Perkins Engines, Perkins Engines (Asia Pacific) Pte Ltd, Perkins Engines Group Limited, Perkins Engines Inc., Perkins Group Limited, Perkins Holdings Limited LLC, Perkins India Private Limited, Perkins International Inc., Perkins Japan LLC, Perkins Limited, Perkins Machinery (Changshu) Co. Ltd., Perkins Motores do Brasil Ltda., Perkins Power Systems Technology (Wuxi) Co. Ltd., Perkins Small Engines (Wuxi) Co. Ltd., Perkins Small Engines LLC, Perkins Small Engines Limited, Perkins Technology Inc., Progress Metal Reclamation Company, Progress Rail Arabia Limited Company, Progress Rail Australia Pty Ltd, Progress Rail Canada Corporation, Progress Rail Equipamentos e Servicos Ferroviarios do Brasil Ltda., Progress Rail Equipment Leasing Corporation, Progress Rail Holdings Inc., Progress Rail Innovations Private Limited, Progress Rail Inspection & Information Systems GmbH, Progress Rail Inspection & Information Systems S.r.l., Progress Rail International Corp., Progress Rail Leasing Canada Corporation, Progress Rail Leasing Corporation, Progress Rail Leasing de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Progress Rail Locomotivas (do Brasil) Ltda., Progress Rail Locomotive Canada Co., Progress Rail Locomotive Chile SpA, Progress Rail Locomotive Inc., Progress Rail Maintenance de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Progress Rail Manufacturing Corporation, Progress Rail Raceland Corporation, Progress Rail Rocklin Corporation, Progress Rail SA Proprietary Limited, Progress Rail Services Corporation, Progress Rail Services Holdings Corp., Progress Rail Services LLC, Progress Rail Services UK Limited, Progress Rail Switching Services LLC, Progress Rail Transcanada Corporation, Progress Rail Welding Corporation, Progress Rail Wildwood LLC, Progress Rail de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Pyroban Group, Pyroban Group, Pyrrha Investments B.V., Pyrrha Investments Limited, S&L Railroad LLC, SCM Singapore Holdings Pte. Ltd., SPL Software Alliance LLC, Sabre Engines, Servicios de Turbinas Solar S. de R.L. de C.V., Shandong SEM Machinery Co. Ltd., Solar Turbines, Solar Turbines, Solar Turbines (Beijing) Trading Services Co. Ltd., Solar Turbines (Thailand) Ltd., Solar Turbines CIS Limited Liability Company, Solar Turbines Canada Ltd./Ltee., Solar Turbines Central Asia Limited Liability Partnership, Solar Turbines EAME s.r.o., Solar Turbines Egypt Limited Liability Company, Solar Turbines Europe S.A., Solar Turbines India Private Limited, Solar Turbines International Company, Solar Turbines Italy S.R.L., Solar Turbines Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Solar Turbines Middle East Limited, Solar Turbines New Zealand Limited, Solar Turbines Saudi Arabia Limited, Solar Turbines Services Company, Solar Turbines Services Nigeria Limited, Solar Turbines Services of Argentina S.R.L., Solar Turbines Switzerland Sagl, Solar Turbines Trinidad & Tobago Limited, Solar Turbines West-Africa SARL, Tangshan DBT Machinery Co. Ltd., Tecnologia Modificada S.A. de C.V., Towmotor Corporation, Traction & Mining Motor Repairs Pty Ltd, Turbinas Solar S.A. de C.V., Turbinas Solar de Colombia S.A., Turbinas Solar de Venezuela C.A., Turbo Tecnologia de Reparaciones S.A. de C.V., Turbomach, Turbomach Endustriyel Gaz Turbinleri Sanayi Ve Ticaret Limited, Turbomach France SARL, Turbomach GmbH, Turbomach Netherlands B.V., Turbomach Pakistan (Private) Limited, Turbomach S.A. Unipersonal, Turbomach Sp. Z o.o., Turner Powertrain Systems Limited, UK Hose Assembly Limited, Underground Imaging Technologies Inc, United Industries LLC, VALA Inc., Vasky Energy Ltd., Wealdstone Engineering, Weir - Oil & Gas Division, West Virginia Auto Shredding Inc., Western Gear Machinery LLC, Wetland Sustainability Fund I LLC, Williams Technologies, Yard Club, Zhengzhou Siwei Mechanical and Electrical Equipment Sales Co. Ltd., and okyo Rental Ltd.. Hannah Johnson left Cedar Crest, N.M., to get a biology degree, and after a stint in shorebird conservation, she returned to start a coffee shop in her hometown in the eastern Sandia Mountain foothills. The owner of Cabra Coffee, which opened in spring 2017, started making quality coffee at college. My first job working in the industry was when I was going to school at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma. It was just the coffee shop in the school, but we were getting coffee from a cafe in Seattle, and they would come down and train us. Thats where I first learned how to make coffee professionally. During her subsequent conservation work with the piping plover at Massachusetts Audubon, Hannah found that her side job in a coffee shop brought her more joy because it offered social interaction. I wasnt working with anybody and I needed a way to make friends. The coffee shop (in Nantucket) was brand new. I realized that I knew more than anybody else there just from working at the coffee shop at my school. So I was put into the manager position, overseeing everything to do with the coffee. And thats when I really discovered that it was something I liked doing and that I was good at. Once back in New Mexico, Hannah persuaded her father, commercial real estate developer Curtis Johnson, to go into business with her as co-owner of the shop at the family-owned shopping center a stones throw from the Ale Republic brewery, owned by her brother, Patrick. Hannah needed startup capital. Because hers was a new business, she did not qualify at a traditional bank, but Patrick suggested The Loan Fund, where Matt Loehman, a classmate from Hannahs Albuquerque high school, worked as director of development and special projects. They were really easy to work with, very nice, Hannah said of The Loan Fund. The hardest part was just getting the paperwork ready when I was trying to get approved for the loan. But since then they check in with me every once in a while. And theyre as involved as I want them to be. Since receiving funding in March, Hannah has welcomed The Loan Funds advice on various business matters and is receiving assistance with building her website. The business, located at 12216 N. Highway 14, also markets itself on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/cuppacabracoffee/. Cabra Coffee employs five people and obtains most of its products from local producers: New Mexico Tea Co. provides the green teas, black teas and oolongs; herbal teas are sourced from a small farm in Alameda; the honey, jams and jellies are local. Even the mugs are made by a local potter. Ultimately, Id like to have everything as much as possible be local, Hannah said. One of our syrups right now is a lavender syrup; you can put that in anything. The most common would be a lavender latte and people love it. The coffee shop also offers house-baked scones, muffins and coffee cake. The Loan Fund is a nonprofit community development financial institution (CDFI) that provides affordable loans, training, and business consulting to entrepreneurs, business owners, and nonprofit organizations throughout New Mexico. Founded in 1989, The Loan Fund has provided over $74 million in loans to help create or preserve more than 8,900 jobs statewide. For more information, visit http://loanfund.org/. Finance New Mexico connects individuals and businesses with skills and funding resources for their business or idea. To learn more, go to www.FinanceNewMexico.org. From an international trade standpoint, the year 2017 will go down as one of the most complicated during the past 20 years. The European Union continued to deal with internal issues, as Germany, its economic leader, tried to advance its goal of increased economic integration for the organization. In Asia, Chinas economy continued to hum along. Here in North America, everybody monitored the moves by the Trump administration and the trade stance the U.S. will eventually take with its two North American neighbors. As we bid adieu to 2017 and head into a brand-new year, several issues that have been percolating during the past year will become even more prominent in 2018. On June 23, 2016, the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union, which is slated to take effect on March 29, 2019. This move is referred to as Brexit, interpreted to be part of a wave of nationalistic sentiment that has embedded itself in many European countries. The vote triggered heated discussions by UK and EU officials pertaining to developing the protocol for separation. Many economists are predicting the move could cause a decrease in the UKs GDP, thus affecting every UK citizen. Both sides will scramble in 2018 to figure out how to separate one of Europes largest economies from the rest of the continent, and what this will mean for trade and financial markets. In Asia and Latin America, major economies are forging ahead to try to salvage the proposed trade agreement previously referred to as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), after President Donald Trump, as one of his first acts as president, decided to pull the U.S. out of any future negotiations. Renamed the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), after U.S. withdrawal and Trumps repudiation of the multilateral trade agreements, the remaining partners committed to making the agreement a reality, without U.S. participation. The 11 members are Mexico, Canada, Australia, Japan, Chile, Brunei, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Vietnam, and Singapore. If they are successful in establishing a working trade format for CPTPP, they will have formed one of the most powerful trade blocs in the world. Closer to home, the fifth round of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) renegotiation talks will continue in January. The Trump administration demanded the renegotiation talks after the president lambasted NAFTA as the worst agreement ever, during his presidential campaign. Four rounds of negotiations have been held in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, and the fifth is planned sometime in January. Negotiators had hoped to finish talks by the end of 2017, but this did not happen. Serious impasses remain, as negotiators have been vocally critical of the amount of good faith negotiating that each is bringing to the table. As the negotiations come to a close, more and more pressure will be brought upon the Trump administration to preserve NAFTA by the U.S. agricultural, manufacturing and raw materials sectors, which have benefited from the agreement during the past 23 years. There is a great fear that if nothing substantial comes out of the NAFTA renegotiations, Trump will have backed himself into a corner by asking for the renegotiations in the first place, with no alternative left than to withdraw the U.S. from the agreement for face-saving purposes. NAFTA will either continue, albeit in a modified format the extent of which cannot be predicted at this point or rescinded in 2018. Finally, a heavy focus should be on China in 2018. This year, the Trump administration locked horns on trade with traditional trade partners in Europe and the Americas. If the U.S. continues to move toward a more isolationist stance as pertains to geopolitical affairs and trade, China seems poised to step in to fill the void. With its massive production base, large national market and ample capital to inject into foreign countries, China could become an attractive alternative to trading partners who feel like they are being abandoned or spurned by the U.S. From a trade standpoint, the U.S. is at a crossroads with the direction it could take on expanding its presence and influence across the world. As the Trump administration enters its second year, the cleverness or folly of its policies will start to show, and trade is no exception. An old proverb May you live in interesting times can be interpreted as both a wish and a curse. The next 12 months will provide us the answer as to which 2018 will be. Jerry Pacheco is the executive director of the International Business Accelerator, a nonprofit trade counseling program of the New Mexico Small Business Development Centers Network. He can be reached at 575-589-2200 or at jerry@nmiba.com. Copyright 2018 Albuquerque Journal University of New Mexico officials say they have secured funding for an on-campus taproom. Now they want to know if any local breweries want to be part of it. Administrators in August cited financing as the chief challenge to building a taproom on campus. An evaluation of one design idea put costs at about $1.3 million, officials from UNMs Institutional Support Services said at the time. But ISS Associate Vice President Chris Vallejos told the Journal in an email this week that funding has been secured for a taproom project, though he would not provide specific details until presenting the plan at a Board of Regents committee meeting next month. UNMs food vendor, Chartwells, recently started assessing local breweries interest in a potential UNM taproom. Chartwells issued a request for information to see if existing breweries would consider various levels of partnership with Chartwells and UNM from offering guidance on the project to making an investment or operating the space under their brand as a subcontract vendor receiving a percentage of gross sales. Responses are due next month. John Gozigian of the New Mexico Brewers Guild circulated the document to members this week and said it has garnered some attention. While the request for information offered few logistical details about any potential arrangement including the associated licensing issues Gozigian said he gets the appeal. If I had a brewery, I would be interested in that location for sure, he said, though he added that it might have a limited customer base composed primarily of faculty, staff and students. Its hard to say how much business they would do. A lot of students are not of drinking age, Gozigian said. Its obviously going to be a captive audience; I dont think youre going to get people from outside the university. Taprooms already abound in the UNM area. Bosque Brewing Co. and Kaktus Brewing Co. each have locations near the campus southeast boundary, while Kellys, Tractor Brewing Co. and Hops Brewery have sites in Nob Hill. The area also boasts many bars and other beer-serving establishments, which would deter La Cumbre Brewing Co. from setting up its own taproom at UNM. La Cumbre President Jeff Erway said he does not want to directly compete with his wholesale customers. Im more than happy to consult with (UNM), and Im also more than happy to sell them beer, but, no, Im not interested in partnering with the university in a business model, he said. Erway does expect other local breweries to consider it. If youre not very competitive already in that market, and youre a fairly new brewery operation and looking to expand your brand presence and looking for another outlet for your beer, that could end up being a good deal for you, he said. On Dec. 14, the FCC voted to end net neutrality, which ensures internet service providers give consumers an equal access to all content. It supposedly ensures ISPs do not discriminate against certain sources or users. By ending net neutrality, the FCC is pimping an underground and spectrum stable of ISPs. As a groundswell of dissent makes its voice heard, be sure of two things: Retaliation and censorship will not be tolerated. ISPs are virtual ladies of the night legitimized by the FCC. If you say these providers are charged with acting in the public interest when providing internet access, then we demand these companies rectify unreasonable and lousy customer service. Outrageously, ISPs have stolen identities and charged the victims for it, prevented cancellation of service, retaliated against consumers for complaining about poor service, labeled consumers with vulgar sentiments and charged user fees to lobby against net neutrality. One such ISP was rated the absolute worst customer service organization. Giving them carte blanche to impede the service traffic of providers like Netflix is like giving filet mignon to a bulldog at the end of a chain. They just want more and monopoly as their end game. The outcry will be heard as ISPs continue to build their underground cable and fiber, not to mention cell towers of Babel. Just like God confused the tongues of the foolhardy, this measure intoxicates and confuses the conversation with falsehoods and contempt for pure, unadulterated communication on multiple levels. Before net neutrality, my Netflix service encountered hiccups and restarts on a regular basis. No one wants to pay for a service that isnt seamless from start to finish. Subjective control over content is censorship at its highest level. Holding Netflix hostage to slow access is a mafioso approach by the ISPs who line their own pockets because they are certainly not sharing their good fortune with the public. Broadband spectrum is enormous and costly to harness, to be sure, but a la carte services are possible. You know this because of pay-per-view options. The ability to pick and choose is what the consumer has wanted from the get-go. Yet our government has been slow to open space for usage and has a stranglehold on what reasonable people cannot see with the naked eye. That is why AM and FM radio were the only over-the-air offerings for so long. The space has always been there, but FCC oversight is a bureaucratic nightmare that doesnt make forward-thinking decisions based on demand. All of this circular disservice is enough to make one vomit. So when ISPs swallow up smaller providers, they become the only game in town. They are dictators over communication allowing for censorship. I ask the FCC to not be their pimp. Access to media by the citizenry is essential for democracy. A day without internet access is like a day with a power outage. A week without internet commerce is like a rally cry. A month without internet commerce is like a financial crises this country cannot afford. Think, America! Think! The conversation has started. Contrary to what many predicted, President Trumps end-of-year accomplishment list isnt that skimpy. Thats an analytical observation. For many, particularly liberals and Democrats, Trumps first year hasnt been merely bad. Its a great evil, a grievous wound to the American body politic. But even that is a kind of partisan tribute to whats been accomplished on his watch: a record number of judicial appointments, including a Supreme Court justice; the defeat of the Islamic State group; repeal of the Obamacare individual mandate; tax reform; and major rollbacks of various regulations, from Arctic drilling to net neutrality. It hasnt exactly been smooth sailing. Trump is the most unpopular first-year president in American history, for reasons far beyond mere bad press. Still, among conservatives, the tally of wins has sparked some intramural debates. The most prominent one is how Trump skeptics and avowed Never Trumpers should respond to those wins. For writers such as the Washington Posts Jennifer Rubin and the Atlantics David Frum, the only legitimate response is either to ignore these successes or denigrate them, lest people lose sight of the threat Trump poses to the country. Others, including myself, argue instead that one neednt deny the merits of a policy victory simply because the president might get credit for it. This debate skips over the larger question of whether these victories happened because of Trump or despite him. On one level, the president always gets the credit or blame for anything that happens on his watch. But Trump poses a challenge to such superficial scorekeeping. No president in American history has rejected Harry Trumans The buck stops here motto as vehemently or consistently as this one. He never accepts responsibility for his own mistakes, never mind those of his administration or party. When American troops die, the commander in chief blames the generals. When legislation fails, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and the establishment are at fault. Trump boosters agree. Conservative writer Roger Simon argues that all remaining Never Trumpers must apologize for being wrong about the president. He chalks up Trumps astoundingly successful first year to the fact the president is a quick study. But what evidence is there that Trump has actually learned the art of presidential management? Aside from the mandatory flattery required of Republican elected officials, theres remarkably little testimony that Trump has involved himself in the process of governing. Tax reform was carried across the finish line by the GOP congressional leadership. Net neutrality was repealed by independent Republicans at the Federal Communications Commission. Foreign policy is a more mixed bag. If the president deserves credit for the defeat of IS, its because he let the generals do their thing. On the other hand, credit or blame for recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel or pulling out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Paris accord on climate change certainly goes to him. In general, it seems to me that Trumps success, such as it is, is less attributable to sudden mastery of the issues than to staying out of the way of rank-and-file Republican policymakers, activists and bureaucrats. For instance, the task of selecting judicial appointees, starting with Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch, has largely been outsourced to the Federalist Society. When the president revealed his new national security strategy last week, his speech the usual campaign blather had only a passing resemblance to the underlying document. The tax bill is clearly more in line with House Speaker Paul Ryans ideology than candidate Trumps supposed populism. As for a counter example: When Trump was hands-on with Obamacare repeal, he often revealed he didnt even know what was in the legislation. In 2016, some conservatives argued that Republicans should vote as if we live in a parliamentary democracy, electing a party, not a person. Trumps 3,000 political appointees would be better than Hillary Clintons. That argument had its flaws, not least that voters tend not to compartmentalize that way which is why the GOP faces a potential bloodbath in the 2018 midterms. But theres merit to it as well. To listen to Trumps cheerleaders, the biggest obstacle to conservative victories is the party establishment, when in reality it looks more like its running the show. Jonah Goldberg is a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and a senior editor of National Review. E-mail goldbergcolumn@gmail.com, Twitter @JonahNRO. Copyright, Tribune Media Services Inc. The 133 Native American high school students attending the American Indian Graduate Center Know Before U Go college preparation event received a special surprise. Guest speaker Regis Pecos, founder and current co-director of the Leadership Institute at Santa Fe Indian School, said two students will be selected to visit the Princeton University Woodrow Wilson School for Public and International Affairs. There, they will attend the Santa Fe Indian School Leadership Institute Summer Policy Academy, with all expenses paid, the AIGC said in a news release. The academy brings together American Indian juniors, seniors and recent high school graduates for a weeklong program to explore issues facing American Indian communities, organizers said. In the nine years of SPA, nearly 100 percent of students have pursued higher education, Pecos said in a statement. Angelique Albert, Executive Director at AIGC, called the chance to attend the academy a life changing opportunity. The recent settlements with former inmates of the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center who had filed excessive force lawsuits will cost the county just a fraction of the combined $1.1 million that was paid out to the three individuals thanks to insurance. MDC spokeswoman Candace Hopkins told the Journal late Friday that the county will pay a $100,000 deductible and that the New Mexico Association of Counties, its insurer, would cover the remaining $1,025,000. The Journal reported last week that Susie Chavez settled her lawsuit against the county for $500,000; Joe Ray Barela settled his case for $375,000; and Justin Allen received a $250,000 settlement. All three suits listed controversial jail supervisor Eric Allen as one of several defendants. Allen, no relation to Justin Allen, has been indicted on a felony count of aggravated battery causing great bodily harm. He has been on paid administrative leave since January 2016, and the county has initiated the process to fire him. Ethics hearing: Weve previously reported that the citys Board of Ethics & Campaign Practices has decided to move forward with an ethics complaint filed against Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller and former City Council candidate Javier Benavidez. The complaint alleges that they failed to report attorney fees on their campaign finance reports. An evidentiary hearing in that case has been scheduled for 9 a.m. Jan. 29 in the basement of the city/county government building. Code of conduct review: Speaking of ethics board hearings, Bernalillo Countys Code of Conduct Review Board is scheduled to meet at 1 p.m. on Jan. 12 to once again take up a complaint filed back in September against then-mayoral candidate Wayne Johnson. Terry Brunner, who served as USDA rural development director during the Obama administration, alleged in the complaint that Johnson violated the countys Code of Conduct by accepting nearly $40,000 in campaign contributions from restricted donors. The contributions were made to Johnsons mayoral campaign. The Code of Conduct Review Board deadlocked in October on whether the complaint should move forward, and the case has been on pause since then. Board members are scheduled to hold another preliminary hearing on the complaint at the Jan. 12 meeting. Martin Salazar: msalazar@abqjournal.com PITTSBURGH The pain clinic tucked into the corner of a low-slung suburban strip mall was an open secret. Patients would travel hundreds of miles to see Dr. Andrzej Zielke, eager for what authorities described as a steady flow of prescriptions for the kinds of powerful painkillers that ushered the nation into its worst drug crisis in history. At least one of Zielkes patients died of an overdose, and prosecutors say others became so dependent on oxycodone and other opioids they would crowd his office, sometimes sleeping in the waiting room. Some peddled their pills near tumble-down storefronts and on blighted street corners in addiction-plagued parts of Allegheny County, where deaths by drug overdose reached record levels last year. But Robert Cessar, a longtime federal prosecutor, was unaware of Zielke until Justice Department officials handed him a binder of data that, he said, confirmed what pill-seekers from as far away as Ohio and Virginia already knew. The doctor who offered ozone therapy and herbal pain remedies was also prescribing highly addictive narcotics to patients who didnt need them, according to an indictment charging him with conspiracy and unlawfully distributing controlled substances. Zielke denied he was overprescribing, telling AP he practiced alternative medicine and many of his patients stopped seeing him when he cut down on pain pills. His indictment in October was the first by a nationwide group of federal law enforcement officials that, armed with new access to a broader array of prescription drug databases, Medicaid and Medicare figures, coroners records and other numbers compiled by the Justice Department, aims to stop fraudulent doctors faster than before. The department is providing a trove of data to the Opioid Fraud and Abuse Detection Unit, which draws together authorities in 12 regions across the country, that shows which doctors are prescribing the most, how far patients will travel to see them and whether any have died within 60 days of receiving one of their prescriptions, among other information. Authorities have been going after so-called pill mills for years, but the new approach brings additional federal resources to bear against the escalating epidemic. Where prosecutors would spend months or longer building a case by relying on erratic informants and only limited data, the number-crunching by analysts in Washington provides information they say lets them quickly zero in on a regions top opioid prescribers. This data shines a light weve never had before, Cessar said. We dont need to have confidential informants on the street to start a case. Now, we have someone behind a computer screen who is helping us. That has to put (doctors) on notice that we have new tools. And Rod Rosenstein, deputy attorney general, told AP the Justice Department will consider going after any law-breaker, even a pharmaceutical company, as it seeks to bring more cases and reduce the number of unwarranted prescriptions. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has been in lock-step with President Donald Trump about the need to combat the drug abuse problem that claimed more than 64,000 lives in 2016, a priority that resonates with Trumps working-class supporters who have seen the ravages of drug abuse first-hand. The president called it a public health emergency, a declaration that allows the government to redirect resources in various ways to fight opioid abuse. But he directed no new federal money to deal with a scourge that kills nearly 100 people a day, and critics say his efforts fall short of what is needed. The Republican-controlled Congress doesnt seem eager to put extra money toward the problem. While the effectiveness of the Trump administrations broader strategy remains to be seen, the Justice Departments data-driven effort is one small area where federal prosecutors say they can have an impact. The data analysis provides clues about who may be breaking the law that are then corroborated with old-fashioned detective work tips from informants or undercover office visits, said Shawn A. Brokos, a supervisory special agent in the FBIs Pittsburgh division. Investigators can also get a sense for where displaced patients will turn next. Authorities acknowledge there are legitimate reasons for some doctors to prescribe large quantities of opioids, and high prescribing alone doesnt necessarily trigger extra scrutiny. What raises red flags for investigators are the dentists, psychiatrists and gynecologists who are prescribing at surprisingly high rates. The effort operates on the long-held perception that drug addiction often starts with prescriptions from doctors and leads to abuse of more dangerous black market drugs like fentanyl, which, for the first time last year, contributed to more overdose deaths than any other legal or illegal drug, surpassing pain pills and heroin. But that focus can cause law-abiding physicians to abandon disabled patients who rely on prescriptions, for fear of being shut down, said University of Alabama addiction researcher Stefan Kertesz. Those patients will turn to harder street drugs or even kill themselves, he said. The professional risk for physicians is so high that the natural tendency is to get out of the business of prescription opioids at all, he said. Another addiction expert, Dr. Andrew Kolodny, founder of Physicians for Responsible Opioid Prescribing, said prosecutors emphasis on drug-dealing doctors is appropriate but inadequate on its own. Its just not really going to have that much of an impact on an epidemic, he said. The bigger change will come from a stronger push for prevention and treatment, he said. And, he added, They should go after the bigger fish. the legal narcotics distributors and wholesalers who have literally been getting away with mass manslaughter. Investigators said Zielke charged $250 a visit and made patients pay in cash. But Zielke said prosecutors unfairly targeted him. Instead of more prosecutions, he said, the government should promote more alternative therapies, he said. And they should find out why so many people have pain. A second indictment by the anti-fraud unit involved a cardiologist in Elko, Nevada, accused of routinely providing patients fentanyl and other painkillers they did not need. Justice officials hope to expand the data-driven work nationwide. Will it work? As Soo Song, who watched addiction warp communities while serving as acting U.S. attorney in western Pennyslvania, put it: The best measure of success will be if fewer people die. FORT LUPTON, Colo. A Colorado man was shot and injured after leading a sheriffs deputy on a pursuit early Sunday in Fort Lupton, northwest of Denver. The Greeley Tribune reports a Weld County officer tried to stop 54-year-old Michael Dwayne Nash of Fort Lupton for speeding at about 2:40 a.m. Sunday. Nash led the officer on a brief chase before stopping. The officer reported Nash had a handgun and the officer discharged his weapon. The Weld County sheriffs office did not say how many shots were fired or how many times Nash might have been hit. He was taken to a nearby hospital. The officer who fired the shots was placed on administrative leave while the shooting is being investigated. The officers name has not been released. ___ Information from: The Tribune of Greeley, Co, http://greeleytribune.com Would you like to receive breaking news notifications from The Post and Courier? Sign up to receive news and updates from this site directly to your desktop. Breaking News Columbia Breaking News Greenville Breaking News Myrtle Beach Breaking News Aiken Breaking News Click on the bell icon to manage your notifications at any time. Success! Please click the 'Allow' button in the 'Show Notifcations' alert in your browser if one is available. Thank you for signing up! Please enable notifications in your browser and reload the page. The State Enterprise "Kyiv Armored Plant", which is part of the Ukrainian State Defense Industry association UkrOboronProm, has delivered 50 new BTR-3DA 8x8 wheeled armoured vehicle personnel carrier to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the National Guard and other Ukrainian law enforcement agencies. New Ukrainian-made BTR-3DA 8x8 armoured vehicle personnel carrier (Picture source Ukroboronprom) Every week, one new BTR-3DA left the factory to increase the defense capability of the Ukrainian armed forces. For 2017, Kyiv Armored Plant has produced more than 100 combat vehicles due to a new modern assembly and welding industry arrangement. This allowed the plant to increase the production, reduce costs and create the foundation for a new technological potential for the company. The BTR-3DA is the latest generation of wheeled armoured combat vehicle from the BTR family. The vehicle was unveiled to the public during the Arms and Security defense exhibition which was held in Kiev, October 2017. It is an improved version of the Ukrainian-made BTR-3 8x8 armoured vehicle personnel carrier designed and manufactured in Ukraine The BTR-3DA is fitted with a BM-3M "Shturm-M" weapon station which is armed with one ZTM-1 30mm automatic cannon, one 7.62mm coaxial machine gun and two launchers for the Barrier Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM). The BTR-3DA has a crew of three including driver, commander and gunner and the rear part of the hull can accommodate 6 infantrymen. The hull and the turret of the BTR-3DA are of all-welded steel armour construction offering protection against firing of small arms and artillery shell splinters. International law firm Watson Farley & Williams (WFW) has advised Teekay LNG partners and its joint venture partner China LNG (CLNG) Shipping on the USD$1.6bn long-term financing for the construction of six Arc7 liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier vessels in South Korea.Teekay is one of the worlds largest independent owners and operators of LNG carriers. On the other hand, CLNG is currently the biggest LNG shipping company that owns and operates LNG carriers in China.Over the past 12 months, WFW is delighted to have advised Teekay LNG on around US$2.2bn in debt financings for its various LNG carrier growth project, said WFW chair Nigel Thomas.The 172,410 cubic meter vessels will have 2.1 metre icebreaking capabilities in both forward and reverse and will service the Arctic Russia Yamal LNG project under charter contracts out to 2045. The first vessel scheduled to deliver and commence its charter contract in January 2018.According to Teekay, the Yamal LNG project in Arctic Russia is one of the largest of such in the world. Three planned trains will carry about 16.5m metric tons of gas every year, all year round.The WFW team was led by partner David Osborne, and assisted by senior associate Patrick Smith and associate Natalia Golovataya. Australia is relaxing recently tightened immigration laws and will allow foreign commercial pilots to work in the country on two-year visas. The country slashed the issuance of work visas last April but relented on pilots because a shortage is threatening to result in flight cancellations. Australia depends on aviation to serve its far-flung wilderness areas. The Regional Aviation Association of Australia welcomed the change but is also lobbying for four-year visas to bring some stability to hiring. Opposition party politicians slammed the change, saying Australia, which boasts some of the most consistently good flying weather in the world, should be able to train enough of its own pilots to meet demand. They also raised concerns about foreign ownership of airports, calling for laws to ensure all Australian airports are controlled domestically. Six people died in the New Years Eve crash of a De Havilland Beaver seaplane in Australia. The aircraft, operated by Sydney Seaplanes, was being used to shuttle passengers to a waterside restaurant and crashed on the Hawkesbury River, just north of Sydney, about 3:10 p.m. In addition to the pilot there were reportedly at least four U.K. residents and an 11-year-old boy on board. All the bodies were recovered from the aircraft, which sank in 40 feet of water. Witness Myles Baptiste told a television station that the accident occurred as the Beaver was setting up to land. It made a tight right-hand turn and as it actually turned around, the wings dipped and it nosedived straight into the water, he said. It was cloudy and windy at the time and there was one report that the aircraft may have hit trees. The company said it was the first accident involving one of its aircraft in 22 years. Sebastian Thrun, CEO of Kitty Hawk, showed a clip on CNN last week that shows an unmanned VTOL taking off vertically from a runway, transitioning to horizontal flight at about 60 MPH and then landing vertically. Fareed Zakaria, host of the The Next Big Idea show, says the video hadnt previously been shared with the public. The video is tagged with a NASA/Zee Aero logo. Fred Reid, a spokesman for Zee Aero, told AVweb in an email last week, We prefer not to disclose further details beyond what Sebastian said in the interview. Thrun says in the interview that since the clip was made, Weve made a lot of progress, but he doesnt say when the video was shot. NASA public affairs officer J.D. Harrington told AVweb in an email he had no information about the flight, despite the NASA tag on the video. NASA is not involved in designing or manufacturing flying cars, he said. NASA is working on UTM, an air traffic management system for small drones that could possibly be scaled to include these larger aircraft. Both Zee Aero and Kitty Hawk are headquartered in California and owned by Larry Page, a co-founder of Google. Zee Aero is headed by Ilan Kroo. Page has reportedly invested $100 million in the two companies. The flying clip is about two minutes into the interview. UPDATE: On Wednesday, a spokesperson from Zee Aero contacted AVweb to clarify some facts about the interview. The video shown on CNN was shot by NASA at Edwards Air Force Base in February 2014, as part of the Space Act Program with NASA, the spokesperson said, and this was its first public showing. A CNN spokesperson confirmed that the interview with Thrun first ran on December 24, although it had been scheduled to air in September, as reported in an earlier version of this story. Also, Ilan Kroo is no longer the head of Zee Aero, that position is held by Eric Allison. Ten people were killed overnight in anti-government protests sweeping Iran, according to state TV, via BBC. President Trump tweeted this morning: "Iran is failing at every level despite the terrible deal made with them by the Obama Administration. The great Iranian people have been repressed for many years. They are hungry for food & for freedom. Along with human rights, the wealth of Iran is being looted. TIME FOR CHANGE!" More via BBC: The unrest continued despite a call for calm from President Hassan Rouhani. In his first intervention, Rouhani warned yesterday that violence would not be tolerated. despite a call for calm from President Hassan Rouhani. In his first intervention, Rouhani warned yesterday that violence would not be tolerated. Rouhani acknowledged grievances over Iran's economic situation, a lack of transparency and corruption, but defended his record. grievances over Iran's economic situation, a lack of transparency and corruption, but defended his record. The Iranian president said that citizens were "completely free to express their criticism of the government or stage protests... in a way that would lead to the improvement of the country's conditions" but warned against violent acts. How it's playing ... L.A. Times lead story, "TRUMP TWEETS AS IRAN CRACKS DOWN President's support of protests may backfire as Tehran points to his 'rogue nation' insults at earlier U.N. event." Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.) announced on the House floor Wednesday that he has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. Brooks said he will get surgery on Friday and plans to recover over the holidays. Earlier this year, Brooks lost the GOP Senate primary in Alabama, coming in third after Luther Strange and Roy Moore. Brooks said that loss may have saved his life. "Had I won... I would not have had a prostate biopsy. I would not now know about my 'high risk' prostate cancer that requires immediate surgery." A Texas county judge on Friday granted a temporary restraining order against Texas Right to Life and its associates, preventing the anti-abortion group from enforcing a new six-week abortion ban against three Planned Parenthood affiliates. Why it matters: The Texas law is the most restrictive abortion ban allowed to be enforced since the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision enshrined abortion as a constitutional right. It also incentivizes people to sue anyone suspected of helping a pregnant person obtain an abortion and awards at least $10,000 to people who succeed. Over the past few weeks especially since Roy Moore's defeat sources close to Trump say he's finally recognizing a harsh reality: If Republicans lose the House in 2018, it will pose an existential threat to his presidency, with endless investigations, legislative obstruction and a likely move toward impeachment. "Oh, he gets it," a source who's recently spoke to Trump told me. Some of Trump's trusted advisers are stressing the crisis-level stakes of the 2018 midterms. Many believe that the White House's political shop, run by Bill Stepien, has proven useless. And they say the Trump-endorsed outside support group, America First, is equally ineffectual. One top administration official described it to me as "not necessarily inept, but certainly inert." of the 2018 midterms. Many believe that the White House's political shop, run by Bill Stepien, has proven useless. And they say the Trump-endorsed outside support group, America First, is equally ineffectual. One top administration official described it to me as "not necessarily inept, but certainly inert." Brian O. Walsh, a top official at America First, responded to the criticism by saying: "In just a few months, we've taken America First from inception to an operation that's raised over $30 million and spent more money championing the accomplishments and supporting President Trump than any other organization. In 2018, we will be even more aggressive, and are optimistic that we will get the support needed to do so." At a recent lunch with Trump, former chief of staff Reince Priebus said 2018 is as serious as a heart attack and that Republicans will only keep control of the House if everything goes perfectly. Sources who've spoken to Priebus say he's pessimistic about next year and is concerned that the White House doesn't have a single ringleader who can galvanize Republican leaders around the country. and is concerned that the White House doesn't have a single ringleader who can galvanize Republican leaders around the country. To emphasize the potential calamity, Priebus, the former RNC chair, has been telling GOP leadership that the party needs to own the entire data and ground operation for every single congressional district, and to "spend whatever needs to be spent as if 2020 relies on it." Senior White House adviser Kellyanne Conway said she thinks the GOP can keep the Congress in Republican hands, but that a to-be-determined liability is if more and more House Republicans retire. She noted that most presidents including Clinton and Obama face midterm massacres but then win re-elections. "However, in the age of Trump," she added, "history tends to be made, not repeated." Conway said she remains optimistic because she believes Democrats "have nothing positive or concrete to run on and wasted the year talking about Russia instead of America, and holding up a stop sign screaming 'resist and obstruct'." Get more stories like this by signing up for our weekly political lookahead newsletter, Axios Sneak Peek. By Trend Armenia has yet to recover from the April defeat, said Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. President Ilham Aliyev said this in his congratulations to the Azerbaijani people on the occasion of the Solidarity Day of World Azerbaijanis and New Year. I think that this defeat should be a good lesson for them. It should demonstrate to the whole world again that Azerbaijan will never put up with this occupation. Following our victory in April, the Azerbaijani flag flies on the lands in Agdara, Jabrayil and Fizuli districts, which were once under occupation. There will come a time when our flag will fly on all of the currently occupied lands, including Shusha. This is underpinned by the unbreakable will of the Azerbaijani people and the policies of the Azerbaijani leadership, President Aliyev said. The President said that the key issue of country's foreign policy is the just resolution of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh. Although there are no results in this direction, I believe that 2017 has further reinforced our positions. First of all, let me say that the so-called referendum conducted by the separatist regime was not recognized by the world community. This trumped-up referendum was not recognized by neighboring countries, the European Union or any other country. This is further evidence that the entire world community recognizes Nagorno-Karabakh as an integral part of Azerbaijan. And this is only natural. Nagorno-Karabakh is our historically native land. The people of Azerbaijan have lived, built and created on this land for centuries. Our insidious neighbors have simply destroyed our historical and religious monuments, and these lands have been under occupation for many years. I think that the second most important issue is that Armenia has joined the negotiations without any preconditions, although it did put forward conditions. None of the preconditions put forward by Armenia after the April defeat was accepted. The negotiations were resumed without any preconditions. I do hope that we can achieve a settlement of the issue through negotiations. Of course, our strong economic and military potential further reinforce our position in the talks. Armenia has yet to recover from the April defeat, said the president. As President Ilham Aliyev noted, after a long break, life has returned to the village of Jojug Marjanli this year. After a long break, life has returned to the village of Jojug Marjanli this year. The development of Jojug Marjanli is a symbol of our unbending spirit. Residents of this settlement lived in other places for many years. But after the government of Azerbaijan built a settlement there, they returned to their native lands. The restoration of Jojug Marjanli is a source of pride for us. A beautiful settlement of 150 homes has been established there now. There is a school, a medical center, a kindergarten and the Shusha mosque a mosque reminiscent of the Shusha mosque destroyed by our barbarous neighbors. Let me also say that another important and even a historic event has taken place in the field of addressing the problems of internally displaced persons. A settlement for 1,170 families has been set up in Shikharkh settlement, which also used to be under occupation. On the one hand, this important event shows that the problems of internally displaced persons are always in our spotlight. On the other, this shows that Azerbaijan is building a new life in the lands liberated from occupation, establishing new buildings, public facilities and homes, and thousands of internally displaced persons are returning to these lands, added Ilham Aliyev. The head of state stressed that Azerbaijan's military potential has also been in the spotlight this year. We have provided the army with everything it needs. All international ratings show today that the Azerbaijani army is ranked among the strongest armies not only in the region but also in the world. The enemy knows and should know that. Everything will continue to be done for army building. New hardware, weaponry and the most sophisticated means of combat will continue to be purchased, said President Aliyev. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Azerbaijan is in need to stimulate sales of intellectual property products in the foreign market, Microsoft Azerbaijan told Trend. The company said this is mostly due to creating of the so-called "digital bridge", work on which is conducted jointly with the Information and Computing Center of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies of Azerbaijan. "The year before last we signed a document with the Information Technology Center ITC on the creation of a digital signature security infrastructure in the country, the company said. From our side all the work is completed." Currently the efforts of the center are aimed at getting Azerbaijan's e-signature recognized in other countries. In this regard, it is planned to form a new infrastructure, the so-called certification center, which plays the role of a bridge with the countries of the region, the company said. Negotiations in this direction are conducted with Turkey and technological approaches are determined for the realization of the set goal. The advantage is that every citizen, being in his office or at home, will be able to open a bank account in Turkey, or sign the necessary documents. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz The pair just hours before Jayne was killed on Christmas morning A vicious internet troll has targeted the daughter of Christmas Day murder victim Jayne Toal Reat, posting sick knife-related animations on the grieving woman's Facebook page. Using the name Trini Anja and claiming to be from Las Vegas, Nevada, the callous troll has been uploading horrific pictures and making foul, hurtful comments on Charlotte Reat's social media page - as the 21-year-old mourns the death of her mum. Charlotte has not responded to the sick troll, who has posted dozens of twisted animations and comments in reply to messages of sympathy sent to grieving Charlotte - but her friends have called on 'Trini Anja' to delete the sick posts. The attack comes as Charlotte shared a heartbreaking last picture of herself with her mum. Charlotte was also injured in the Christmas Day incident which left mum Jayne (43) dead from stab wounds. Yesterday she posted a festive picture, with elements added by the app Snapchat, taken on Christmas Eve, just hours before her mother was murdered. Writing on her Facebook page, Charlotte said: "This is the last picture I took with my beautiful mummy on Christmas Eve before we cuddled up on the sofa for the last time. "Just before she gave me her last kiss, her last hug, and before she told me she loved me for the very last time. "My mummy has been taken from me, her life was taken from her far too soon in the most cruel way." Charlotte, a dancer, said she had worried that the photo had been lost forever, as she had shared it via Snapchat - which automatically deletes images after a short time. "I have been in a panic that I'll never have this photo as it was on snapchat and I haven't got my phone - but thankfully one of my best friends screenshotted it for me on Christmas morning," she said. "Love my angel with all my heart and soul. "My life is changed forever but I can feel you giving me the strength to get you the justice and face the creature who murdered you." The partner of murdered Jayne, body builder Joseph Tweedie (50), also paid a heartfelt online tribute to Jayne on Saturday He changed his Facebook profile picture to a picture of Charlotte and Jayne adding: "Love these pair so much miss you Jayne xxx." Mr Tweedie's son Nathan Ward (19) has been charged with the murder of nurse Ms Reat (43) at her home in Mornington Lane, Lisburn on Christmas Day. He is also charged with the attempted murder of Charlotte Reat and Mr Tweedie. The teenager appeared at Craigavon Magistrates' Court on Friday morning and remains in custody. He is scheduled to appear at Lisburn Magistrates' Court on January 8. Goldman Sachs has warned that it is likely to take a 5 billion US dollar (3.7 billion) hit to earnings as a result of US President Donald Trumps sweeping tax reforms. The Wall Street bank said that the biggest impact would come as a result of the repatriation tax which covers earnings from foreign subsidiaries, accounting for around two thirds of the total financial drag. The remainder includes the effects of the implementation of the territorial tax system and the remeasurement of US deferred tax assets at lower enacted corporate tax rates, Goldman said in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing on Friday. Together, the reforms are expected to affect both fourth-quarter and annual earnings for Goldman Sachs. Expand Close Goldman Sachs London office PA Archive/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Goldman Sachs London office However, the bank said that the estimated impact of Mr Trumps tax reforms could fluctuate possibly materially if there are changes in the interpretation of the legislation or new guidance is issued. Goldman Sachs is set to release its fourth-quarter and annual results for the year to December 31 on January 17. Its the latest major firm to detail the financial effects of the tax legislation, which has not gone unnoticed overseas. Both Royal Dutch Shell and Barclays earlier this week warned profits will be affected as they have to recalculate the deferred tax assets built up on their balance sheets. While it is still assessing the impact, Shell said based on third-quarter earnings the tax reforms will see it take a charge of 2 billion US dollars (1.5 billion) to 2.5 billion US dollars (1.9 billion). Barclays also announced its expected impact from the new tax laws, saying it is set to take a 1 billion charge to its 2017 accounts. But both firms said they expect to benefit in the long run, with Shell saying the January 1 changes are set to be favourable for the group and its US business. President Trump signed the 1.5 trillion US dollar (1.1 trillion) tax overhaul into law last Friday, cutting tax rates for businesses and also offering some temporary cuts for some individuals and families. It includes slashing corporation tax in the US from 35% to 21%. The US president has said his sweeping reforms will act as an economic rejuvenator and claimed that the steep cuts in the corporate tax rate will invigorate the economy. An Irish language rap duo from west Belfast called Kneecap have faced censure from RTE. The profanity-laced single Cearta - Irish for 'Right' - features multiple references to drugs, sex and the PSNI. RTE's Irish language station Raidio na Gaeltachta removed the track from an afternoon programme's playlist due to the song's "drug references and cursing". Now almost 700 angry fans have signed a petition to put the song back on air. Kneecap's Moglai Bap (24) and Mo Chara (20) have defended the song as satirical and observational. The pair told the Belfast Telegraph that they were "overwhelmed" by the support the petition had gathered. In an interview with the Sunday Times, Moglai Bap said the song was meant to be a caricature of life in west Belfast. "A lot of my friends don't vote Sinn Fein and they're not republican. We're proud of Irish culture, but we don't want to be defined by it," he said. "We wanted this song to break stereotypes. We're not saying we agree with using RUC as a term for the PSNI, but it happens in Belfast." The song has gained 110,000 views on Facebook and 13,000 on YouTube. Voicing his support for the group was Gerry Carroll, People Before Profit's West Belfast MLA, who called it "a great display of artistic and linguistic talent". "The fact that this is obviously a satirical take on life for young people, particularly in west Belfast, has largely gone over the head of some people in RTE," he said. He added that since the Good Friday Agreement there had been a false narrative that "everything has been sorted out here". "Artwork that challenges the Establishment narrative about the North needs to be heard - be that music, poetry or anything else," he said. Belfast man and Irish speaker Seamus MacAindreasa (48) has been involved in the west Belfast Gaeltacht for years. "It's very obvious this is satire," he said. "In terms of what RTE have done, they pull a song like this, but not half of the ones in the current Irish charts. "Many of these songs objectify women and glorify the drug taking lifestyle on a daily basis. "So I do think there's a bit of double standards there, really." Jacqueline Williamson, below with her late sister Karen when they were little, had a traumatic childhood Mum-of-one Jacqueline Williamson, from Londonderry, thought there had been a mistake when she received a letter saying she was to be awarded an MBE from the Queen. Here, she tells Leona ONeill how growing up in care inspired the charity she founded A Londonderry woman who was brought up in care, slept rough on the streets, became a teenage mother and lost her sister to alcohol abuse says people who told her she would never amount to anything in life only added fuel to her desire to succeed. Today, 42-year-old Jacqueline Williamson is CEO of Kinship Care, a charity that supports children who cannot be cared for by their own parents to live safely and securely within their own families and communities. She has been named in the New Years Honours list, being given the nod for an MBE in recognition of her work in keeping families together. Jacqueline, who is originally from Fivemiletown but has made Derry her home, will visit London later this year to be handed her accolade by the Queen, marking the pinnacle of a remarkable journey from sleeping rough on the streets of Derry to visiting the corridors of Buckingham Palace. When I was three, my mother was not in a position to look after me and my sister she says. We were cared for for a while by my grandmother, but she was diagnosed with lung cancer and died. My sister, who was four, and I were taken to a childrens home in Fivemiletown. From there we moved from one childrens home to the next for all our young lives. I attended 13 different schools and I spent 14 years in care. That type of environment was all I ever knew. I neither liked nor disliked it. I had a good experience of care. I was well fed and well looked after. If I was to compare that to living with my mother, I would have much preferred the care system. At the age of 17, I left care. I had no support, but I was given a bedsit. I had always lived in a place with 30 other children in an environment of chaos. I just couldnt make it on my own. I ended up on the streets, sleeping rough. There were other care-leavers on the street with me. Thats how it was then. Sometimes I look back and think about growing up in the care system and pinch myself because I have come so far from that point. I had my own son when I was 17. John-Paul came along at a very difficult time in my life but, being as resilient as I was at that time, I did it. It wasnt easy, but he is 25 now, has his degree behind him, is a working man and is doing really well. A lot of him actually reminds me of me at that age. He has a steadfast determination to do well. As Jacqueline knows only too well, a lot of care-leavers do not make it in the outside world. Heartbreakingly, her beloved sister, consumed by her past, used alcohol as a crutch to cope. It eventually cost her her life. My sister, Karen, died in June 2012, Jacqueline says. She grew up alongside me in care, so we were with each other through thick and thin from very small children right up until I was about 12, when Karen was fostered out to good foster parents. She left me in the care system on my own and that was very difficult. It is one of those memories that is very traumatic for me. I didnt have any family I didnt have anything of much but I did have my sister. She did extremely well, did her degree, had a daughter and came back to Derry. But like most people who were brought up in care, she had great difficulty putting closure on what went before. She needed to know why people didnt love her, why no one came to look after her, and she developed a problem with alcohol. She basically drank herself to death at 38. Jacqueline set up Kinship Care in 2010. She has been fighting the charitys corner ever since, even walking 75 miles from Derry to Stormont to raise awareness of the huge amount of good work carers do. I was working for a homeless charity in the day, and in the evenings I was on my computer printing out letters on behalf of carers who were being denied financial support for children they were caring for, she says. There were people I was dealing with who couldnt even feed themselves, never mind the children they were caring for. But when I met the children, I realised that the youngsters were thriving, they were doing well at school, they were well settled and they had hopes and dreams for the future. I felt the State owed them something in terms of recognition and some support to keep that arrangement going. There was a few things that sparked the Kinship Care charity. I became a kinship carer myself and looked after my sisters daughter. I found it a very rewarding yet very challenging experience. I found the level of support for kinship carers was non-existent. In addition to that, not having a family while having a son, and recognising the value and importance that family reinforces, hit home. Half of all children in looked-after arrangements live with kin. In Northern Ireland, there are between 10,000 and 12,000 children living in kinship arrangements, which is four times more than the number living in foster and residential care combined. Still, there is no investment in kinship care, and that is very disappointing. I set up Kinship Care based upon the mantra keeping families together, and that is exactly what we do. We developed a whole host of services funded by the Big Lottery Fund and we havent looked back since. Within our services are the most amazing resilient families you will ever meet. Our oldest grandparent is 74-years-old, raising her six-year-old grandchild. Our youngest kinship carer is 19, raising her eight, 11 and 14-year-old siblings, so we have youngsters who have experienced the death of a parent. We have other carers who are looking after children because of domestic violence situations, mental health issues, imprisonment of a parent or drug and alcohol issues. Our job is to build their confidence and self-esteem and get them to a place where they can stand on their own two feet. We encourage them not to take no for an answer and realise that anything is possible. Despite all her hard work, when Jacqueline heard she was on the New Years Honours list, she thought there had been an error. I got a letter from the Cabinet Office one morning out of the blue, she recalls. I thought they had made a mistake. I rang them to ask them if they had made a mistake. They said they hadnt, so I was delighted and I accepted the MBE. I remember when I was in care and, even after I was out, I was often told that I wouldnt ever amount to much and that I was going to end up like my mother. To come from a situation where I left care at the age of 17 with no support, sleeping rough on the streets, to being on the phone to the Cabinet Office and being told they havent made a mistake and that Im really getting an MBE is a remarkable journey. I think every child that grows up in the care system should aspire to achieving the exact same. The State should be actively encouraging them and putting every opportunity their way so all care leavers can receive MBEs or whatever accolade they want. I am proud of myself. I feel a great gratitude to people that I have met along the way. Some of the people I have met at the worst times of my life. I also have a lot of gratitude, to some extent, to the people who put me down and told me I wouldnt do anything with my life. Those are the people who have made me more determined to achieve. I can put my hand up with my MBE and say I made it, which is absolutely fantastic. For more information on Kinship Care and the work Jacqueline and her team do,visit kinshipcareni.com DUP leader Arlene Foster has said her New Year resolution is to restore devolution - and to do it in Northern Ireland, rather than a stately home in England. The former First Minister was responding to speculation that the venue for the stalled talks to resurrect Stormont could move from Northern Ireland. Mrs Foster said: "Many of us will use the New Year to make resolutions. Just as we will personally set ourselves goals as to how we hope to improve our lives, so too we should seek to bring new energy and ambition to our politics. Northern Ireland has in effect been without a government for almost a year. That is unacceptable and simply unsustainable. "Every day we are seeing the impact of having no government. No Budget. No progress on the recommendations contained in the Bengoa Report. And no advancement of essential reforms in education. "This cannot continue." Mrs Foster said she and her party remained ready to return to government immediately "without the need for any pre-conditions to be met". "By contrast, Sinn Fein now refuse to even engage in talks. They tell us that they want to see devolution return but their actions suggest otherwise," she said. "Their long list of red lines are prioritised over jobs, schools and hospitals. What's hurting hardworking people is the absence of a government, not the absence of language legislation. Recent rounds of talks have been bedevilled by the setting of pre-conditions by Sinn Fein. "Let us re-enter talks with one shared pre-condition - that we will redouble our efforts to restore devolution and start taking the decisions that the people of Northern Ireland so desperately need. Let's set ourselves a short time frame. "And let's do it here at home rather than in some fancy English stately home." Alliance leader Naomi Long MLA said a change of attitude, not venue, is required to see the talks reach a successful conclusion in 2018. Mrs Long said that while 2017 had been a frustrating year politically, 2018 promised more, if parties showed a renewed commitment to restoring the institutions. "This past year was one in which political progress was grindingly slow and where relationships between parties became incredibly strained and fractious. "Thanks to the ongoing impasse, people are hurting and our public services are suffering, all while we continue to see an absence of locally accountable political decision-making," she said. "However, instead of a change of talks venue, as has been rumoured, we need to see a change of attitude from some of the participants. "If so, I have no doubt we can still move forward together in a respectful and cooperative manner, restoring the institutions and delivering the progress Northern Ireland desperately needs. "For that progress to be made, it will also require changes to the way the talks process is conducted, to combat tension and mistrust between parties, as well as between parties and the two governments. That will involve appointing an independent facilitator to ensure negotiations are as inclusive and focused as possible." In his message, SDLP leader Colum Eastwood urged the public to reflect on where a year of failure had left us. The Foyle MLA said that while people may "not have fallen in love with devolution, all of us will inevitably come to loathe Tory/DUP direct rule". Mr Eastwood said direct rule does not need to be inevitable. He said that "in the absence of a dramatic change in their failed strategies, Sinn Fein and the DUP are set to fully and freely hand power back to the British Government for the long-term". "Under their failed leadership, the North's voice is not only an afterthought in terms of Brexit but our economy and public services have been an afterthought during one year of talking between the DUP and Sinn Fein." A leading Sinn Fein strategist has called for the partys next president to be radical and described this year as a significant turning point for the party. Veteran Sinn Fein chief and Louth TD Gerry Adams confirmed at the partys 2017 Ard Fheis that he will not stand for re-election in the Republic of Ireland this year, and that he will also stand down as leader. Leadership means knowing when its time for change and that time is now, the 69-year-old, who has been party president since 1983, said at the November conference. Former Belfast city councillor and now Dublin Mid-West TD Eoin O Broin said Mr Adams had inspired a generation of radical republicans, and his successor must do the same and implement our radical republican programme for change. Dubliner Mary-Lou McDonald is widely expected to be elected by Sinn Fein members to replace Mr Adams. Writing in Dublins Sunday Business Post, Mr O Broin insisted the west Belfast man will be difficult to follow. 2018 will mark a significant turning point in the history of Sinn Fein, he wrote. It will bring about not just a new party leader, but a generational change within Sinn Fein and the broader Irish republicanism. It will reinforce the post-conflict politics that now dominates Ireland, north and south. The incoming party president will have to steer a course through all of this with great adroitness. In a move that will further fuel speculation that Ms McDonald will have an unopposed election as leader this year, Mr OBroin referred to the new leader as she throughout his piece in the newspaper. She will have to set out her own vision and chart her own direction in the days and weeks ahead, he wrote. She will have to spearhead our organisational and electoral growth. She will have to lead us into government north and south in order to implement our radical republican programme for change. Crucially, she will have to do this while maintaining the cohesion of the broad republican family. Replacing Adams will be a much more difficult task than some anticipate. His strategic skill and collective style of leadership have been honed over decades of struggle. He commands a loyalty and respect that are rare among modern political leaders. He will be a very hard act to follow, I believe. Mr O Broin continued: Contrary to the claims of some, 2018 will not mark a break with the recent past of radical Irish republicanism, but rather the next phase in our struggle for a united and equal Ireland. The task of those who follow in Adamss footsteps is to remain true to his vision while adapting our tactics and strategies to suit an ever-changing present and future. The departure of Mr Adams as Sinn Fein President this year will mark a complete shift at the top of the party following the death of Martin McGuinness in 2017, and changing of the guard from older republican veterans to younger female leaders, with Mid Ulster MLA Michelle ONeill having already succeeded the late Mr McGuinness. One of Mr McGuinnesss last acts was to resign as deputy First Minister last January, in effect collapsing the power-sharing arrangements at Stormont with the DUP. Political talks aimed at restoring Stormont are expected to restart between Sinn Fein and the DUP, along with the UUP, SDLP and Alliance later this month, with speculation they will take place either at the Slieve Donard Hotel in Co Down or Rockliffe Hall in the north of England. The leaders of the main churches in Ireland have appealed to politicians to alleviate hardship and restore hope in their joint New Year message. In it, they underlined that they "do not underestimate the challenges faced by our political leaders in these uncertain times, but we have a vocation to witness to the fact that the essential purpose of political leadership is to protect the common good". They added: "We appeal to them to focus their efforts in this coming year on measures that will alleviate the hardship experienced by families near and far, restoring hope and preventing people being pushed to the margins of society." The joint statement was issued by the Church of Ireland Primate, Archbishop Richard Clarke; Catholic Primate, Archbishop Eamon Martin; Presbyterian Moderator, Dr Noble McNeely; Methodist President, Dr Laurence Graham and Bishop John McDowell, the President of the Irish Council of Churches. The church leaders expressed their shock at rising levels of homelessness. "The protection of children is one of the primary reasons for the existence of a social welfare system, yet in the Republic of Ireland, one in three of those living in emergency accommodation is a child," they said. "In Northern Ireland, families with more than two children are among those most at risk from the combination of welfare changes, cuts to services, and cuts to charities providing vital support to children and to young people. "Across the world, over the past year, the number of families displaced by conflict, persecution and destitution has continued to rise, placing the lives and futures of more children at risk. It is deeply unfair that so many parents in our society feel that they are failing because they cannot provide security for their children, and that many are reluctant to ask for help because of stigma and shame." Next August, the Catholic Church will host the World Meeting of Families in the Republic, an event due to be hosted by Pope Francis. The church leaders said: "As Christian churches we have taken the opportunity presented by this event to explore together how we can celebrate the importance of families to our churches and the wider community, recognising that our pastoral care of the family is an essential part of our contribution to society". In a separate New Year's message to mark the World Day of Peace, Archbishop Martin said: "I am reminded of the violence and war that continues to rage in many parts of the world and, in particular, of the horrific acts of terror that are carried out by some people who have so distorted and twisted their religious beliefs to justify such gruesome and shocking atrocities." He said that he was also mindful of the plight of migrants and refugees. He added: "Pope Francis draws our attention to the 250m migrants worldwide, of whom 22.5m are refugees. He invites us in a spirit of compassion 'to embrace all those fleeing from war and hunger, or forced by discrimination, persecution, poverty and environmental degradation to leave their homelands'." The archbishop added: "My wish is that Christians everywhere who exchange the Sign of Peace will be empowered by God's grace to become active ambassadors for peace in the Church and in the world, beginning in their own homes, families, workplaces and neighbourhoods." Drug dealers are using the postal system to send cannabis, the PSNI said (PSNI) Brazen drug dealers are increasingly using the post to send huge of consignments of cannabis into Northern Ireland, a police detective has warned. Criminals are turning to standard mail services in the hope their illicit packages go undetected among the millions of other deliveries dispatched to the region, Detective Inspector Pete Mullan said. Mr Mullan said he believed the method was becoming more commonplace because dealers considered it less risky than smuggling drugs in person via sea routes. He said recent intercepts by the Police Service of Northern Ireland, working in conjunction with the UK Border Force, included a parcel containing 60,000 worth of herbal cannabis destined for an address in Belfast. When police raided the property the package was addressed to, it emerged it had recently been vacated by the previous occupant. A link to the current tenants was ruled out. While detectives continue to establish who the drugs were destined for in that specific case, Mr Mullan said that in general terms it was common for dealers to switch between rented properties for short periods to receive shipments and then move on. "The drugs come from the rest of the UK posted into Northern Ireland and from overseas as well, it's a common method of dealers getting delivery of drugs," he said. "It's something we are seeing more and more." He added: "I think they see it as a low risk option." Mr Mullan said dealers tried to disguise the drugs. "We've seen them packaged in children's toys coming through the post," he said. "It can be put inside anything and sent in that way, it can be packaged as something else completely - numerous ways." Mr Mullan said cannabis remained the most common drug in circulation in Northern Ireland. Official crime statistics paint a mixed picture. There have been more overall seizures of cannabis in the last 12 months - 4,618 compared to 4,375 - but the volume seized has decreased - 145kg from 366kg in 2016. The senior PSNI detective urged users to think before they buy drugs, highlighting that the proceeds were funding organised crime gangs. "People do need to think about where their money is going," said Mr Mullan. "It's not just something they are doing for themselves, it has a far wider impact on the health system, on other individuals and communities and it allows organised crime to flourish." Passengers travelling on the Flybe flight were left shocked after one of the pilots said the "shoddy equipment" at Manchester Airport was the reason for the two-hour delay An airline has apologised for blaming disabled passengers and "shoddy equipment" after a flight from Manchester to Belfast was delayed. Passengers travelling on the Flybe flight were left shocked after one of the pilots said the "shoddy equipment" at Manchester Airport was the reason for the two-hour delay. The frank statement came an hour after airline staff blamed issues with disabled passengers for the setback. Co Down man David (who does not want his surname published) said he was left "disgusted and appalled" by the remarks. Flybe has launched an investigation into the incident. "I cannot believe staff blamed wheelchair passengers as their excuse for being late," he said. "Then to be told the equipment was shoddy, we were worried." The 39-year-old businessman said: "We went to the gate to get the flight and the gentleman calling the flight said it was delayed by five minutes because they couldn't get the wheelchair passengers off the aircraft. "Then he came back on about 20 minutes later and said they were still delayed due to the disabled passengers. "After that they came back and said they had technical problems with the plane. So we waited. "I had a meeting in Belfast, so I asked one of the staff members if I could change my flight but I was told that I wasn't able to." Some time later, passengers were allowed to board the flight, although they were shocked to hear an unexpected announcement from the pilot. It's understood the pilot said: "I'm not going to sugarcoat it, but the delay was due to technical problems and shoddy equipment at Manchester Airport." David continued: "While it was good to hear a bit of honesty from the pilot, everyone looked at each other in fear and shock." David was informed that technical problems with the auxiliary power unit had caused the delay. In an email to the businessman, Flybe said: "Having had the opportunity to reflect on the terminology used during this particular announcement, we accept that the information could have been relayed in a more appropriate way. "This has been taken up with the pilot concerned, who stated he intended no offence and will in future ensure he is a little more measured when making future announcements. "We would also apologise for the cabin crew comments for the misinformation regarding the comments made on board. "As this was not the reason for the delay to this flight, I would like to extend our apologies for the misinformation which was provided to you from the flight crew, and for any added frustration this caused while waiting for departure." David added: "When I discovered that the excuse about disabled passengers wasn't true I was fuming and I expressed that concern to Flybe. "I was appalled they would use disabled passengers as an excuse for a technical fault. I fly at least once or twice a week, so it's not a nice experience." The vacant former Fasa building on the Shankill Road A community worker has expressed frustration that a property belonging to the former drugs abuse charity Forum for Action on Substance Abuse (Fasa) remains out of action months after being sold. Located at 178-180 Shankill Road, it has been vacant since Fasa folded in 2016. In March of that year Fasa announced that it was facing "the prospect of immediate and terminal financial insolvency". Before suspending its services, it said it helped more than 2,000 people facing suicide, self-harm, substance abuse and mental health issues at five sites across Northern Ireland. Its Shankill Road base was then put on the market and sold at auction to a private buyer, who is keen to ensure it is used for the benefit of the community. It is understood that the group Action for Community Transformation (ACT) hopes to rent it and transform it into a community hub that will include a drug awareness facility, suicide awareness and a victims' support group. But a year after the hammer fell at the auction, these plans have yet to come to fruition. Steven Pollock told the Belfast Telegraph that locals were becoming increasingly frustrated at how long the process was taking. He blasted the Department for Communities for "holding up" the reopening of the building, and claimed that if a minister was in place there would not be such a long delay. The Department for Communities said the hold-up was due to the seeking of legal advice. "The department provided grant funding to Fasa to purchase the building," it said. "As a condition of the grant, the department required a covenant to be applied to the property which restricted the use of the premises to services addressing drug and alcohol misuse. "The purpose of this covenant was to protect the public funding invested in the project. "The new owner of the property purchased it with this covenant in place. "The owner has proposed uses for the property that impact on the terms of the covenant and the department is currently seeking legal advice, which will inform our response to the plans for the use of the building. "We expect that the department will be in a position to make a response in the near future and we will contact all the interested parties and advise them accordingly." A Belfast teenager accused of attacking his mother must not go anywhere near her, a judge ordered on Monday. A Belfast teenager accused of attacking his mother must not go anywhere near her, a judge ordered on Monday. Daryl McKibben was banned from the Springmeadow home he shared with the alleged victim as part of bail conditions imposed at the city's Magistrates' Court. The 18-year-old is charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm to his mother and criminal damage to a wardrobe belonging to her. No further details of the alleged attack on December 30 were disclosed in court. But photographs were said to show "very extensive" bruising sustained by his mother. Describing McKibben as "vulnerable", a defence lawyer confirmed he denies the charges. She told the court: "Up until he was arrested he was living with his mother. "But because of the nature of these allegations she doesn't want him to remain at that address." District Judge Harry McKibbin agreed to grant bail if alternative accommodation approved by police can be found. He ordered the accused not to enter the Springmeadows area and to have no contact with his mother while proceedings are underway. The teenager, who must abide by a curfew, is due to appear in court again next week. Mr McKibbin added: "If he has not found another address and is still in custody that will be by way of video-link." Police have arrested a 24-year-old man in the Dungannon area on suspicion of attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming. Police have arrested a 24-year-old man in the Dungannon area on suspicion of attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming. The arrest took place on Friday 29 December. The Irish News reports the man is a music teacher and was arrested after being identified by a so-called 'paedophile hunter' group called Predator Catchers NI. It states the man had been employed by primary schools in the south Derry, Mid-Ulster and Antrim areas, and was arrested after arranging to meet someone he believed to be a 14-year-old boy. Large waves crash over the promenade in Portrush over the weekend as Storm Dylan hit Northern Ireland Storm Dylan passed over Northern Ireland causing little or no damage despite an amber weather warning being issued by the Met Office. An amber warning, which was in place across Northern Ireland from 2am to 3pm yesterday, is issued when, according to the Met Office, "there is a potential for damage to buildings such as tiles blown from roofs and debris". The forecast was for "some very strong winds" with "a chance of damage to buildings with the potential for injuries and danger to life from flying debris". Disruption to road, air and ferry services were also forecast, along with the possibility of power cuts. However, most areas escaped the worst of the storm and just 500 homes in Craigavon were left without power as a result of the strong winds. A spokesman for Northern Ireland Electricity said a full team of engineers had been put on standby following the Met Office's warning. "He said: "At 6am on Sunday there were around 500 homes in Craigavon without power as a result of the storm, and two thirds of those had power restored by 8am. "From 9am onwards, there were around 100 homes without power. "This was a bad storm but by no means the worst we have had but regardless, we have to use the same emergency plan which we escalate once we were made aware of the amber warning issued by the Met Office." Gusts of 59mph were recorded at Magilligan in Co Londonderry, but the strongest winds not surprisingly were at Malin Head in County Donegal where speeds of up to 77mph were noted. Belfast City Council and Derry City and Strabane Council closed its public parks in the morning as a precautionary measure. The Foyle Bridge in Londonderry was also closed to high sided vehicles for a time but by 9am it was declared safe for all traffic to pass. The storm passed over Northern Ireland and headed towards Scotland where again the havoc did not manifest itself to the degree predicted by the weather forecasters. A Northern Irish journalist has won a prestigious award for her coverage of Aboriginal affairs in Australia. Jane Bardon, formerly a BBC reporter in Northern Ireland, is now a senior reporter with ABC based in Darwin, Australia. She is also the daughter of Jonathan Bardon, the author of A History of Ulster, which is regarded as the definitive book on the subject. Ms Bardon recently scooped a Walkley Award for a number of stories about the experiences of Aboriginal people in Australia. The Walkley Awards have been given out for more than 60 years and are considered the highest recognition of excellence in journalism in Australia. This year, journalists around the nation submitted more than 1,200 entries, which were judged by more than 100 senior industry representatives. Among Ms Bardon's stories about Aboriginals were Demanding Justice, a piece about an indigenous man with only six months to live who was given a 15-month prison sentence. Another story highlighted the number of children from Aboriginal families being taken into care by the Northern Territories Government. Although she was halfway around the world in Belfast during the awards ceremony, Ms Bardon's mum Carol was nonetheless delighted and proud of her only daughter. Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, she said: "I cannot even begin to describe how proud I am of Jane winning this very prestigious award. "She has been in Australia for the past 10 years but worked in journalism here in Northern Ireland before that, firstly with the Ballyclare Gazette and then the BBC. "When she went to Australia she started working with ABC which is the public broadcaster there. She has championed in particular the indigenous population, so for her work to be recognised with this award is so wonderful. "She was first drawn to the indigenous people through their rock art and from that she became fascinated by the people themselves. "She recognised that in the 21st century they were very often pushed to the periphery and treated not quite as first class citizens. "She started reporting on a variety of subjects highlighting how badly they were being treated because she felt so passionate about it. "When she was nominated she rang me up and was so excited. Later when she actually won she was over the moon. "It really is an incredible achievement because these awards are such a big deal in Australia and it was such a pity I could not have been there to see her being presented with it in person. "I know she was only on the stage for a moment but it would have been so wonderful for me as her mother to have shared that with her." Despite being in Australia for more than a decade, Ms Bardon has retained her local accent - something that keeps her connected to her native Belfast. Mum Carol continued: "Jane has kept her Ulster accent although she has had to clip it for broadcasting so her voice is very distinctive and recognisable for the local population which she loves. "She comes home as often as possible and I have been out to visit her a couple of times. "I am hoping it won't be too long before I give her my congratulations and tell her in person how extremely proud I am of her." THE number of nurses and midwives who are leaving the profession in Northern Ireland has risen by 50% in just four years, the Belfast Telegraph can reveal. Just under 600 nurses and midwives left the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) register in 2013/14. This increased to 928 in 2016/17, while a further 506 left the register in the first two quarters of 2017/18. Janice Smyth, head of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) in Northern Ireland, has warned that the situation will deteriorate this year as health professionals continue to face some of the most difficult working conditions in living memory. "We need to stop the number of nurses and midwives haemorrhaging from the workforce," she said. "We can see from the NMC register that the number of nurses who have just had enough and are leaving their jobs is increasing. "In fact, they are actually increasing disproportionately compared to the rest of the UK. "The fact is that nurses here cannot continue to work under the current conditions and we need to do something to address what is happening urgently. "We are continually hearing from our members that they don't believe they are being treated with respect by those in charge. "Pay is a massive issue for our members, but first and foremost is their desire to provide safe and effective care for patients and that is becoming increasingly impossible. "The current pressures, the shortages and workplace environment are becoming unbearable for nurses and they are simply choosing to walk away to protect their own health." Ms Smyth's comments come just weeks after a report by Northern Ireland's health watchdog revealed that staff at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children had reported major concerns about staff shortages. During an inspection of two wards at the hospital in May last year, the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) found there had been no ward sister in one unit for almost six months. The inspection team was also told that senior nursing staff were carrying out administrative work at home. It emerged the ward had recently lost six whole time equivalent (WTE) senior nursing staff and had four WTE nursing vacancies, while junior doctors said staff shortages "can frequently lead to delays in important aspects of patient care such as procedures or investigations performed". Staffing levels were also raised as a major concern in the hospital's emergency department. The RQIA team was told the "need for additional staff" had been "discussed with senior trust staff over 18 months ago". However, the matter was still under review at the time of the inspection. Ms Smyth added: "We need 2018 to be the year where services are transformed. "Nurses have always been up for that, we are ready to engage with the decision makers to ensure the future of the health service in Northern Ireland. "In saying that, we can't continue to be told that decisions can't be made because we don't have a Health Minister. "Whether we have a local Assembly or a direct rule minister, we need leadership to make the changes required." Meanwhile, Tom Sullivan from the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) in Northern Ireland also said changes must be made to the way healthcare is delivered here. Mr Sullivan said physiotherapists can play a vital role in helping to address the crisis facing general practice here. Like nurses and midwives, family doctors are finding it increasingly difficult to meet demand. Mr Sullivan said the CSP will continue to campaign for physiotherapists to become the first contact for people who are suffering from musculoskeletal health issues. He said: "They are the most common cause of repeat GP appointments and account for around one in five of all appointments. "Most of them can be dealt with effectively by a physiotherapist, without any need to see the GP. "The CSP believes that too many people are left facing a distressing future dependent on health and social care, when access to high quality rehabilitation could have made an enormous difference to these people's lives." Titanic Belfast has apologised to visitors who were caught up in an evacuation of the tourist attraction. Customers in the museum and restaurant were forced to leave the building when the fire alarm was triggered on Friday afternoon. However, the reason behind the evacuation was not explained - leaving some people feeling disgruntled. Among them was one man who did not want to be identified, who said: "Hundreds of people had to leave the building. "Outside it was very cold and there was a bitter wind and people were freezing. "There were elderly people and people with babies. "The museum's staff stood in a group away from the people. "The staff should have talked with the people to make sure everyone was OK. "They should have especially done so for the elderly and those with babies. "I only saw one staff member come over to the edge of where the people were and briefly speak to the very small number of people in front of him. "When the 'all clear' was given to re-enter the museum there was no one standing at the door as people re-entered to apologise for the inconvenience or explain what had happened. "I thought this would have been appropriate. "If the building has to be evacuated, it certainly needs to be, but as one of the province's premier tourist attraction, I thought the staff could have been more informative about what was happening, and could have shown concern about the welfare of everybody owing to the freezing conditions." When contacted, a spokeswoman for the attraction said customer feedback was appreciated. She said that Titanic Belfast had been evacuated due to a triggered fire alarm. "It prioritises the security of its guests and staff with the utmost importance and as such the building was fully evacuated at 2.30pm until it was established safe to return at 2.50pm," she added. "Titanic Belfast understands its duty to ensure safety and customer service and takes great care to ensure these matters are properly managed. "Its processes and staff training have been developed and tested in line with best practice. "Titanic Belfast apologises for any inconvenience caused to its customers and will take feedback on board for reviewing its processes." A kite surfer enjoys the strong winds on West Wittering beach in West Sussex Storm Dylan has lashed parts of Ireland and Wales with howling gales in excess of 70mph and squally rain as it bears down on the UK mainland. Forecasters have warned of severe gusts of up to 80mph as the storm brings a wet and windy end to 2017. Met Eireann said the strongest winds were recorded at Mace Head in Co Galway, where 74mph speeds were clocked, while the Met Office said gusts of 70mph had been detected at Aberdaron on the Llyn Peninsular. The highest wind speeds recorded in Northern Ireland were gusts of 59mph in Killowen, Co Down. The UK weather service has issued an amber warning covering Northern Ireland and parts of western Scotland, stating there is the potential for "injuries or danger to life" from flying debris, while a yellow warning extends into northern England and across to the Lothians. Irish forecasters have issued an amber warning of "violent gusts" and coastal flooding from high seas, along with a yellow warning for inland areas. Wind speeds were expected to increase throughout Sunday morning as Storm Dylan crossed the Irish Sea, its centre on a collision course with Scotland. In Scotland, there was some travel disruption as the country geared up for its traditional Hogmanay celebrations. Several CalMac ferry services on the west coast of Scotland have been disrupted and some road routes and train services are also affected. ScotRail services from Glasgow Central to Largs/Ardrossan Harbour and between Helensburgh and Edinburgh were among those partially affected on Sunday morning as a result of high winds and heavy rain. Scotland's bridges were also affected in the first half of New Year's Eve. The Tay Road Bridge and Forth Road Bridge were closed to double-decker buses as the high winds hit and the Erskine Bridge was closed to high-sided vehicles. The Queensferry Crossing had a high winds warning in place with a 40mph speed limit. SP Energy Networks tweeted that it was working to restore power after a loss of supplies in parts of Kilsyth, Helensburgh, Glasgow, Bathgate, Carluke and Larkhall. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) has issued seven flood warnings for parts of south-west Scotland. However, with severe weather warnings due to expire by Sunday afternoon, organisers of Edinburgh's Hogmanay celebrations have said they expect the event to go ahead unaffected by Storm Dylan. A series of commemorations will mark the course of the final year of the First World War, leading up to the centenary of the armistice which brought the bloody conflict to an end. The 2018 events include ceremonies commemorating General Ferdinand Foch's appointment as Supreme Allied Commander on the Western Front, the Battle of Amiens, and bells ringing out across the UK on Armistice Day. They aim to help people understand how the course of the war changed in 1918, to give thanks for peace and to remember the sacrifice of 800,000 soldiers who went to war and did not come home, the government said. Culture Secretary Karen Bradley said: "On this day 100 years ago, soldiers in the trenches welcomed in the new year, unsure of what it would bring. Today we enter the final year of our commemorations, remembering the bravery of those who fought, lived and died in the First World War. We will continue to honour all those who served, died and were affected by the war, both at home and overseas. On the centenary of the armistice we will give thanks for peace and for those that returned, and remember the sacrifice of the 800,000 soldiers who died. This is the best tribute we can make." Events include a service on August 8 at Amiens Cathedral, France, to mark the centenary of the Battle of Amiens and the subsequent "hundred days offensive" which was a decisive point in the war. There will also be a series of events on November 11, the centenary of the armistice, including a commemorative service at St Symphorien Cemetery near Mons, Belgium, where the war began in 1914 and where the first and last casualties of the battle lie. The national service of remembrance at London's Cenotaph will follow traditional lines, as it remembers the fallen of all conflicts, but the march-past which follows will be expanded. During the day, church and other bells will ring out as they did at the end of the First World War, and government funding is supporting the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers to recruit 1,400 ringers - the number lost during the war. The day will end with a service in Belfast, along with others at Westminster Abbey, London, and in Glasgow and Cardiff, to give thanks for peace and those who returned. During the year, a series of exhibitions at London's Imperial War Museum will reflect on the impact the killing fields of the First World War had in shaping the modern world. Two teenagers are among four people to have been stabbed to death in a series of apparently unrelated attacks across London within a 24-hour period. Scotland Yard confirmed the male victims a 17-year-old, 18-year-old and a 20-year-old on New Years Eve, and a 20-year-old in the early hours of Monday all died as a result of their injuries, while a fifth is critically ill in hospital. Five men are in police custody in connection with one of the deaths, while forensics officers continue to spend the start of 2018 behind cordons scattered across the city. Expand Close (PA Graphics) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp (PA Graphics) Met Commander Neil Jerome said four deaths in such a short period was unusual. He said: There were small groups who chose to engage in disorder and violence, and whose actions have had utterly tragic consequences. It is heart-breaking that, at a time when so many of us are contemplating what lies ahead in 2018, four families are dealing with the grief of losing a loved one to senseless violence and the callous use of knives as lethal weapons. I can assure Londoners and the families and friends of the four males killed and the fifth who remains in hospital that detectives will work tirelessly to bring to justice those responsible for such despicable acts of violence. Police appeal for information after four unrelated murders in London, three on 31 December and a fourth early on 1 January. Public urged to call police or Crimestoppers with info on knfe crime #TulseHill #WestHam #EC1 #Enfield https://t.co/upIfaJPBWc pic.twitter.com/k0jX0GNQYK Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) January 1, 2018 As we begin these investigations and the provision of support to four grieving families, days like this serve to reinforce the determination of the Metropolitan Police to tackle knife crime and violence on our streets; especially offences committed by and against young people. I would urge anyone with information about these attacks, and more generally about anyone who routinely carries a knife, to urgently pass that information to police or Crimestoppers. If youve hesitated to do so before, then these four tragic deaths at the start of a new year may persuade you to act now to make London safer for your family and friends in 2018. Expand Close A police tent is erected in Norwood Road in Tulse Hill (Luke Mintz/PA) PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A police tent is erected in Norwood Road in Tulse Hill (Luke Mintz/PA) Sundays stabbings at 11.30am in Larmans Road, Enfield, 7.35pm at Memorial Avenue in West Ham, and 10.40pm in Norwood Road in Tulse Hill took the number of people stabbed to death in the capital last year to 80, Scotland Yard confirmed. Of those, 18 involved victims under the age of 19. The New Years Day stabbing occurred at Bartholomew Court, Old Street, in the City. Expand Close Met Commander Neil Jerome said the incidents were not connected (Luke Mintz/PA) PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Met Commander Neil Jerome said the incidents were not connected (Luke Mintz/PA) The latest deaths will be seen as a setback to London mayor Sadiq Khan and his aim to get a stranglehold on the year-on-year increase in knife crime in the capital, which has seen the launch of a high-profile London needs you alive campaign and knife crime strategy. At his last Mayors Question Time, Mr Khan said: Every death on the streets of London is an utter tragedy and Im deeply concerned about the rise in knife crime. I am supporting the delivery of community-led solutions and delivering interventions at critical points to offer real opportunities to exit offending behaviour as well as coming down hard on those who habitually carry knives. My thoughts are with the families of four young men who have tragically been killed in unrelated stabbings in our city last night. The police have assured me that everything is being done to bring to justice those responsible. Read my full statement here: https://t.co/AlrXtLC1Uh pic.twitter.com/S2dXYnEWEO Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan (@MayorofLondon) January 1, 2018 In a statement following the latest stabbings, Mr Khan renewed police appeals for information. He said: We will work tirelessly in 2018 and beyond to stamp out this scourge. I want to be absolutely clear if you use a knife the full force of the law will be brought down on you. You will be caught and prosecuted. Detectives investigating the death of a pub worker who was killed in a park on Christmas Eve have arrested a man on suspicion of murder. The 31-year-old was taken into custody from an address in Dalston, east London, on Monday following the death of 22-year-old Iuliana Tudos. Ms Tudos, who also called herself Julie, was found dead in Finsbury Park, near her north London home, on December 27, having gone missing on Christmas Eve. Detectives investigating the murder of Iuliana Tudos in #FinsburyPark have made an arrest https://t.co/o3KCnC4tm5 pic.twitter.com/stFKaQAUg6 Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) January 1, 2018 Ms Tudos, who police said was of Russian and Greek origin, was last seen by friends at around 8pm on Christmas Eve when she headed for a bus home from Camden. She was due to meet them at another friends home in Enfield, north London, later that evening before spending Christmas Day there, but never arrived. Police said CCTV footage showed her on the periphery of the park shortly after 8.20pm. Expand Close A message written on a card left in tribute to Iuliana Tudos (Yui Mok/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A message written on a card left in tribute to Iuliana Tudos (Yui Mok/PA) Her body was found three days later in a disused building located in the north eastern area of the park. A post-mortem examination gave the cause of death as a stab wound to the abdomen and a head injury. A crowdfunding appeal to raise money to cover Ms Tudos funeral has so far raised more than 15,000. Ahed Tamimi is taken to a courtroom inside Ofer military prison near Jerusalem (Mahmoud Illean/AP/PA) An Israeli military court has indicted a teenage Palestinian girl who was filmed last month in the West Bank slapping Israeli troops. Palestinians have since hailed Ahed Tamimi, 16, as an icon in their fight against Israel. In Israel, the footage sparked debate about the soldiers' refusal to react. The court indicted Ms Tamimi on several accounts including attacking soldiers as well as for previous altercations with Israeli forces. It extended her remand for eight days. She was filmed in December outside her family home, pushing, kicking and slapping the soldiers, who fended off the blows without retaliating. Her father Bassem has said she was upset when she approached the soldiers after her 15-year-old cousin had been shot with a rubber bullet. The military confirmed rubber bullets had been used following what it said was a violent demonstration but had no information about who was shot. Bassem called Monday's indictment a "political trial", saying Israel dug up old incidents as well as the one filmed in order to "justify her arrest". Ms Tamimi was arrested at her home in a pre-dawn raid three days after the confrontation amid an uproar in Israel. She has made headlines in the past, most famously in 2015 when she bit a soldier's hand as he held her brother in a chokehold in an attempted arrest. She is from Nebi Saleh is a village of about 600 people, most of them members of Ms Tamimi's extended family. In a separate case, the family of a female Palestinian lawmaker who has been jailed without charge since July said her detention has been extended for another six months. Khalida Jarrar has been held under an Israeli policy called administrative detention, which allows Palestinians to be arrested for months at a time without any charges being filed. Ms Jarrar, who is in her mid-50s, is a popular figure among Palestinians and is known for speeches against Israel. In 2015, Israel sentenced her to 15 months for incitement to violence. She is a senior member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a left-leaning faction opposed to peace with Israel and which is branded a terrorist group in the west. The group was involved in hijackings and other major attacks in the 1970s but has largely scaled back its militant activities in recent years. Her husband Ghassan Jarrar said Israel was holding her for political reasons. "The court didn't find anything to convict her. Therefore, they referred her to administrative detention where they don't have to present any specific charges," he said. AP Will Brexit spell an open Irish border or not? Can Arlene Foster's reputation survive the RHI Inquiry? Will Sinn Fein and the DUP finally compromise after a year of deadlock? Will it be direct rule, in-between rule, or power-sharing again? Will Brexit spell an open Irish border or not? Can Arlene Foster's reputation survive the RHI Inquiry? Will Sinn Fein and the DUP finally compromise after a year of deadlock? Will it be direct rule, in-between rule, or power-sharing again? The questions are many; the answers few. But 2018 promises to be the defining year for all of them. From Theresa May to Leo Varadkar, from the Brexit negotiators in Brussels to the leaders of the European Union, an open border is agreed all-round. It is as if the problem has gone away and London and Brussels hope upon hope that they can avoid the complexity of politics here. Yet, despite all the optimism elsewhere, we who live in Northern Ireland know how difficult it can be to turn an aspiration into reality. The talks on trade, which begin sometime later this year, will be the real determining factor. Until agreement is found no one can be certain about the only land frontier between the UK and Europe, or how it will affect the economy or politics of Northern Ireland. We know now that the referendum on leaving the European Union has had a deeply divisive impact on political relations here. It has helped to split asunder the power-sharing Executive at Stormont, pushed more moderate-minded nationalists towards Sinn Fein and unsettled those unionists among the majority who voted to stay as part of the EU. Worst of all, the Brexit divide, coupled with no Stormont Executive, has reopened the constitutional issue as to how Northern Ireland should be governed - even though the matter was settled in the Good Friday Agreement almost 20 years ago and has been much less of a political issue ever since. If 2018 continues as 2017 left off, then the extent of the Irish Government's involvement in Northern Ireland could bedevil relations between unionists and nationalists unless an answer is found swiftly at Stormont. Can a solution be found? Probably not before the Brexit border is truly defined. Possibly not before the RHI Inquiry hears from Foster and vindicates, or otherwise, her refusal to stand aside from the First Minister's office. Surely not unless Sinn Fein and the DUP find a way to compromise on the Irish language and rights issues. Evidence to date at the RHI Inquiry in Stormont's Senate Chamber has drawn back the curtain on how civil servants, energy officials and advisers administered the scheme within the department run by her. On more than one occasion, Sir Patrick Coghlin has had cause to raise his eyebrows at evidence of flawed decision-making, which could cost the public purse as much as 700m. Now, the spotlight turns to the politicians, in particular DUP ministers and its team of Spads (special advisers) whose names are linked to the RHI scheme. The inquiry chairman promises to leave no stone unturned. That being the case, the RHI probe in 2018 should provide a rare, perhaps unique, insight into the inner workings of the DUP, a party not noted for baring its soul in public. By early summer everyone should be so much wiser. Crucially, for the future of the Stormont Executive and relations between the DUP and Sinn Fein, the role of Foster in RHI should be clarified once and for all, in her favour or otherwise. However, Northern Ireland cannot afford to wait that long for a resolution of the current impasse. The DUP suggestion of another round of talks to start this month is mystifying, to say the least, given the failures of the past year, but any discussion is better than the continuing void. As politics stands for Northern Ireland this New Year's Day, the prospect of a return to power-sharing at Stormont is remote. Too many issues - from the complexity of Brexit to the prolonged RHI Inquiry - conspire together to offer little confidence. There is no visible, or logical, route-map ahead. What the electorate voted for last June - a unionist party that is not noted for giving a lot, a nationalist party that demands too much - appears a recipe for deadlock into the foreseeable future. Neither Foster nor Michelle O'Neill appear to have the stateswoman-like leadership qualities to climb out of the trenches, which were dug deep in 2017. And where are the independent arbiters who brokered so many difficult deals in the past? Seemingly insurmountable differences were resolved, but today the DUP and Sinn Fein are left to wander about in a wilderness of their own making. At such a defining moment for Northern Ireland, two relatively young, untested figures in Foster and O'Neill are in situ. That they might have the clout of a Paisley, Robinson, Hume, Trimble, Adams or McGuinness to sell an awkward compromise deal to their party faithful is doubtful, given their respective performances to date suggest little room to manoeuvre. Neither seems capable of rising above the traditional Orange and Green divisions of their rural power bases in the border counties of Fermanagh and Tyrone. Both might even confess to having no wish to do so. But, if one or other cannot or will not, where does that leave power-sharing? The year 2017 proved a political waste of time, marked by month after month of fruitless, futile talks between the two main parties, with no sign of a breakthrough. If that continues, Northern Ireland is back to the future. It is in danger of returning to where it was in the early-1960s - two large power blocs, entrenched unionists and nationalists, one side demanding rights which the other is determined to resist. The lessons of the past half-century must not be forgotten. But the emptiness of Stormont this New Year suggests that is exactly what is happening. Between chemotherapy treatments, emergency room visits and bouts in the hospital, 2017 has been a difficult year for Wesene Wegaso. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 30/12/2017 (1343 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Advertisement Advertise With Us Between chemotherapy treatments, emergency room visits and bouts in the hospital, 2017 has been a difficult year for Wesene Wegaso. The married mother of a young son continues to battle cancer, which was first discovered in her breast and has spread to her liver and bones. But in the face of adversity, Wegaso lives a life of positivity and gratitude taking it day by day, moment by moment. "I cant think anything further than a day because I cant control things," she said. "One day for me is a blessing." What has brought her profound joy has been her time with her son David, who will turn two years old in February. Her eyes light up when she talks about her baby boy. "Hes growing every day. Every day he has new words," she said. "Having a baby with this sickness is not fun, but Im blessed at the same time. Im happy. Just keeping my mind away from that sickness, to this area. Seeing him and playing with him, (helps me) forget." Displayed on the wall next to the familys kitchen table, is a black and white banner with the Lords Prayer written in Wegasos native language. Her faith in God and a supportive community at the local Ethiopian Orthodox Church have helped her through the trying times. "If Im in church, I dont feel I have cancer," she said. "Thats my home. I feel blessed and I feel healed when I sit down there Thats a peaceful place for me to sit down and to pray." Wegasos story first appeared in The Brandon Sun and Winnipeg Free Press on Dec. 31, 2016. At eight months pregnant, she received the devastating diagnosis of advanced breast cancer. After Davids premature birth, the family was dealt another blow her Blue Cross maternity benefits were denied because she missed the application deadline by two days. A year ago, Wegaso was barely able to see her husband, Mulugeta Atomissa-Negaro, who was attending nursing school and working two to three jobs to support his family. The community was so moved by Wegasos story that within a matter days, a GoFundMe campaign launched by a friend reached the $10,000 goal. It went on to surpass $14,000. The family was overwhelmed by the community support, and the funds have helped them significantly. Today, Atomissa-Negaro is a full-time nursing student, and works as a taxi driver. Its still a busy schedule, but now hes able to spend more time with his wife and son. With the help of the donations, they were able to renovate a basement suite. The goal is to rent it out to help bring down their mortgage payments. Atomissa-Negaro expressed his heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has rallied around his family over the past year. "I think before this, I just try to solve everything by myself, but I understand that there are people behind me," he said. "Im not alone." One person who continues to go above and beyond for the family is Gail Freeman-Campbell, CEO and owner of Daughter On Call. With tears in her eyes, Wegaso called her "a guardian angel." A few years ago, Freeman-Campbell also went through breast cancer treatment so she is truly able to understand what Wegaso is dealing with. Freeman-Campbells efforts are often done pro bono for Wegaso, as they have developed a special bond. "It started out helping out a stranger, and its grown to spending time with a sister, it really has," Freeman-Campbell said. "Ive learnt so many things from them as well. I consider myself to be a very positive person, but Wesene has taught me a lot about positivity. And continues to do so." Freeman-Campbell and her staff members regularly stop in to see Wegaso, often helping with child care. "My staff are in love with David. Hes got them wrapped around his finger," she said. At times, Wegasos illness causes her to feel weak, and it can be a challenge to care for a busy toddler. She recently has been dealing with liver problems, which led to excruciating pain and two bouts in the hospital. "Theyre always my backbone," Wegaso said, referring to Daughter On Call. "If I call them, in a minute theyre here to help I feel like I have a family beside me." Another source of gratitude for Wegaso is the fact she is living in Canada. She cant help but think about what her life would be like if she was still in Ethiopia. She was a young teenager when she and her family were sponsored by a relative and started a new life in Canada. She has been living in Brandon since 2008, and worked as a health-care aide with Prairie Mountain Health. "There are people Ive seen in my life, worse than this," she said. "If I was back home, I wouldnt have anybody to help me, and medication I couldnt afford it at all People dont even eat three times a day, never mind taking this kind of (medication)." A recent CT scan showed a "little bit of an improvement," according to Freeman-Campbell, "but theres a long ways to go yet." As she looks ahead to 2018, Wegaso is optimistic that her health will improve and she will be able to do typical day-to-day tasks without pain most importantly, taking care of David. "I just want to be myself, independent this is a very important thing," she said. "I just want to be a better person, and a better me. Im so blessed right now. 2018, Im so positive for it." jaustin@brandonsun.com Twitter: @jillianaustin Some of Australia's major retailers are woefully unprepared for new laws likely to be brought before parliament that will force them to show how they ensure their products are not made with slave labour. A joint federal parliament committee last month called on the government to introduce a Modern Slavery Act, including mandatory supply chain reporting for large companies. Large companies would have to disclose where their products are made under the proposed laws. Credit:AP The committee's chair, Liberal MP for Dunkley Chris Crewther, said he was "quite confident" legislation would be introduced to parliament in 2018, and warned that some companies were not doing enough to vet how their goods were made. Australian consumers launched into their annual Christmas spending spree with the average credit card debt at the lowest level in a decade. The latest figures on card use from the Reserve Bank shows the typical outstanding credit card balance was $3061.90 at the end of October, the lowest since late 2007. That's more than $300 lower than when Australia's average credit card debt peaked in 2012. Craig James, an economist at stockbroker CommSec who analyses credit card spending, believes young consumers have contributed to a shift in credit card use. The annual Woodford Folk Festival attracted people from all walks of life to the Sunshine Coast hinterland for the week long music and arts event. Australias biggest outdoor festival had over 2500 volunteers put in over 132,000 hours to ensure the festival ran smoothly over summers hottest days. Project manager Stephen Welsh, 51, and his son, student Callum Scott-Welsh, 17, decided to volunteer together at this years festival to celebrate Callums high school graduation. Stephen Welsh (right) and Callum Scott-Welsh at Woodford. Credit:Madison Watt It was just basically an idea to finish school and come and do something fun. I know friends who have done it and I thought itd be a good idea, Mr Welsh said. More than a dozen angry customers who bought tickets to a New Year's Eve party at a popular Brisbane pub are demanding refunds and an explanation, after turning up and finding the venue closed on Sunday night. About 15 people were left high and dry during the final hours of 2017 after buying tickets to the '90s New Year's Eve Party at Alfred & Constance in Fortitude Valley. The future of the Alfred & Constance is uncertain, with an internal message saying the venue is in receivership. Rebecca Allard, one of the paying customers, arrived at the venue about 10.45pm with friends only to find the doors were closed. "We bought tickets about two weeks ago for the event, one of our work friends mentioned a couple of days ago that it may be shut so we checked their website but it was all OK so more friends bought them," Ms Allard said. At 11:30pm on New Year's Eve at Woodford Folk Festival, north of Brisbane, the entirety of the festivals patrons went silent. The musicians stopped playing, the bars stopped serving, and the patrons stopped talking. The silence lasted three minutes before patrons continued to dance 2017 away. Festival-goers embraced the three-minute silence on New Year's Eve. Credit:Woodford Folk Festival For three minutes, every festival-goer lit a candle and stood still to what executive director of the festival, Bill Hauritz, said is a moment with no prescription. The Keating cabinet used the 10th anniversary of the Sex Discrimination Act to stop employers using pregnancy as a means of discriminating against women workers. In May 1994, cabinet agreed to move on to the more "legally complex or controversial issues" identified in the 1992 Half Way to Equal report. Among these was including potential pregnancy "as a ground of prohibited discrimination". Another was the use of conflict-of-interest assumptions to deny employment to spouses in the same workplace, noting that the impact fell mainly on women. Keating government attorney-general Michael Lavarch. Credit:Fairfax Media There was also the narrowed exclusion of women from combat-related duties in the Australian Defence Force. As Labor's 1994 National Conference adopted a commitment to a 35 per cent quota of safe seats for women candidates by 2002, these issues were achieving a more prominent place in political debate. In a submission to cabinet, attorney-general Michael Lavarch said the proposals were consistent with the government's policy contained in the National Agenda for Women and the government's commitment to human rights and eliminating discrimination on the grounds of sex and pregnancy. Nairobi: At least eight people were killed and a dozen altar boys arrested in the Democratic Republic of Congo on Sunday after security forces cracked down on planned church protests against President Joseph Kabila's refusal to leave office before coming elections. Seven people were killed in Kinshasa, the capital, and one in Kananga, a city in the central part of the country, according to Florence Marchal, spokeswoman for the United Nations Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Congolese security forces set up checkpoints across Kinshasa, and the government issued an order to shut down text messaging and internet services indefinitely across the country for what it called "reasons of state security." Congolese security forces security forces cracked down on planned church protests against President Joseph Kabila. Credit:AP Kinshasa, a city of 10 million people, had been militarised by the heavy presence of soldiers and police, who sought to disrupt planned demonstrations, witnesses said. Seoul: North Korea's leader, Kim Jong Un, has moved to ease his country's isolation by offering to send a delegation to the Winter Olympics in South Korea next month, even as he claimed to have accomplished the ability to launch a nuclear missile at the mainland United States. Mixing the nuclear threat with an overture for easing tensions on the divided Korean Peninsula, Kim proposed immediate dialogue with South Korea to discuss the North's participation in the Olympics. If such talks were held, they would mark the first time the two Koreas have had an official dialogue since the South's new president, Moon Jae-in, took office in May. Moon has doggedly championed dialogue with the North, even as President Donald Trump has threatened military action to stop the North's nuclear weapons program. South Koreans watch a TV news program showing North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's New Year's speech. Credit:AP "I am willing to send a delegation and take necessary measures, and I believe that the authorities of the North and South can urgently meet to discuss the matter," Kim said in his annual New Year's Day speech, broadcast on North Korea's state-run television. "We sincerely hope that the South will successfully host the Olympics." As part of the overture, Kim also agreed to a request by Moon to send a North Korean delegation to the Winter Olympics. The South Korean President is betting that the North is far less likely to disrupt the Olympics, with missile launchings or an act of terrorism, if North Korean athletes are competing. US President Donald Trump, left, looks at Moon Jae-in, South Korea's president in November in the US. Credit:Bloomberg The diplomatic tug-of-war comes amid a backdrop of increasing fears over North Korea's nuclear arsenal. Over the past year, the North made such fast technological advances that it says it can now strike the East Coast of the US with a missile. The North has yet to demonstrate a key component of its nuclear threat - the ability to build a warhead that can withstand the heat and stresses of re-entering the atmosphere - but there is little dispute that it is getting much closer to such a capability. The threat is considered strong enough by the administration that Trump has hinted at the possibility of a pre-emptive strike as a last resort. That type of thinking - as well as fiery rhetoric from both Trump and Kim - has shaken South Korea, which would be expected to be on the front line of a war. The advances have also led the US to push for tougher sanctions than before, and to close the types of loopholes Trump's predecessors were more likely to ignore. Despite the changes in the North's nuclear capabilities, Kim's New Year's statement was similar to last year's: The North's nuclear program is unstoppable, and Trump should simply learn to accept it. This time Kim described plans for "mass producing nuclear warheads and ballistic missiles for operational deployment" this year. While it is unclear what "mass producing" means in this context, US estimates of Kim's arsenal range from 20 to 60 weapons; over the next few years that could easily double or triple, experts say, to an arsenal similar to Britain's or France's. A man walks by the official emblem of the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympic Winter Games, in Seoul, South Korea. Credit:AP Those same officials, however, dismissed Kim's comment that he now has a "nuclear button" on his desk as a rhetorical flourish. Currently, Kim cannot launch a weapon in seconds, as his declaration seemed intended to suggest. All of the tests he has conducted since of intercontinental ballistic missiles have involved liquid-fuel weapons that take hours, sometimes days, to prepare for a launching. North Koreans play on Kim Il-sung Square on New Year's Day. Credit:AP The overture to the South came just days after Washington rallied its allies and rivals in the United Nations to support another round of tough sanctions against North Korea. Even before that China had drastically cut back on direct shipments of oil and refined petroleum products that go through its pipeline to North Korea, officials say, and there are reports of fuel shortages. Gas prices have more than doubled. As Washington has campaigned for North Korea's isolation, a number of nations - including Mexico, Peru, Kuwait, Myanmar, Spain, Italy and Germany - have recently expelled North Korean ambassadors or reduced the number of North Korean diplomats in their countries. And nations like the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Qatar have also begun phasing out North Korean workers toiling in constructions sites there to earn badly needed cash for the North Korean government. Moon officially supports the enforcement of those UN sanctions. In recent weeks, his government has seized two oil tankers on the suspicion that they were used in violation of the sanctions to smuggle refined petroleum products into North Korea through ship-to-ship transfers on the high seas. But Moon also agrees with China and Russia that talks are needed to resolve the nuclear crisis. Kim's sudden peace overture Monday will probably encourage both Russia and China to renew their calls for some kind of "freeze for freeze" - a freeze on North Korean tests in return for a freeze on all US-South Korean military exercises. Presumably, under that situation sanctions would begin to ease. "After getting nowhere with the Americans, North Korea is now trying to start talks with South Korea first and then use that as a channel to start dialogue with the United States," said Yang Moo-jin, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul. Kim Jong-un delivers his New Year's speech at an undisclosed location. Credit:KCNA/AP The big question now is whether Kim's gamble will pay off. Hard-liners in South Korea, and some Trump administration officials, say they fear that if dialogue on the Korean Peninsula creates a temporary reprieve from tensions, the enforcement of sanctions could also be relaxed. Officials in the Moon administration argue that they are acutely aware of the North's strategy and that they closely coordinate their moves with Washington. Still, for Moon, talks between the Koreas would provide a badly needed respite after a year in which Kim and Trump regularly exchanged threats of war. Increasingly anxious over a possible armed conflict, Moon seeks to create a lull in the nuclear standoff during the Olympics and use its momentum to start talks with North Korea. Such talks might eventually lead to broader negotiations in which the United States, China and Russia could offer economic and diplomatic incentives to the North in return for the freeze in testing. And that is where the breach between South Korea and the United States could become a chasm. In any future talks North Korea would be expected to seek major concessions, like the easing of sanctions and a reduction of the U.S. military presence on the Korean Peninsula. The North would then probably try to force Washington to accept a compromise by offering to freeze its nuclear and missile tests, but not give up the weaponry. Or, as in the past, North Korea could use the talks to lessen the impact of sanctions without any intention of ending its nuclear program. That would essentially freeze a status quo that Trump has declared is intolerable. Few political allegations are as persistent as the charge that Donald Trump is Vladimir Putin's puppet. The theory goes like this: In 2016, the Trump campaign colluded with Moscow to hack into the emails of the Democratic National Committee and Hillary Clinton's campaign chair. The Russians then gave the emails to WikiLeaks, which made them public and wrecked the anti-Russian Clinton's chances of winning the White House a result that confounded almost all political experts. Ever since the election, Trump and his team have been busily covering up the crime. Trump is also vulnerable to Kremlin blackmail, we are told, because an intelligence dossier produced by an ex-British spy shows Trump's dirty deeds in Moscow hotels years before he ran for president. All of this supposedly explains why Trump wants to appease a brutal dictator. It is also why headlines, such as "Putin's first year in the White House", and "Donald Trump: Kremlin Employee of the Month" often litter the American press. IIT Kharagpur is offering a free online course on Mechanism and Robot Kinematics Mechanism and Robot Kinematics. This is a twenty hours course that can be taken in sessions for a duration of 8 weeks. Anirvan DasGupta, a faculty in Mechanical Engineering at IIT Kharagpur will be the course instructor. Both UG and PG students are eligible to take up this free course if they belong to the relevant departments. There is also an optional exam that helps students to get thorough in the lessons. Course objective According to a statement, the course is expected to help students and researchers in their basic understanding and use of kinematic analysis. This course will also pave way for more advanced courses on the mechanism and robot dynamics and design. Deadline The last date to register for this course is 5 February 2018. MHRD and IGNOU Offer Free Online Course on Ice Cream Technology Here are the complete course details: CRITERIA DETAILS Name of the course Mechanism and Robot Kinematics Mechanism and Robot Kinematics College offering the course IIT Kharagpur Facilitator Ministry of Human Resource Development Target Audience Mechanical Electrical Aerospace Bio-Medical Engineering Fees Free Mode of instruction Online Duration 8 weeks Skills required Knowledge in Engineering Mechanics Undergraduate Mathematics Exam details April 28 (Saturday) and April 29 (Sunday) : Morning session 9am to 12noon. Afternoon session: 2pm to 5pm. Registration Link https://onlinecourses.nptel.ac.in/noc18_me18/register Course Layout WEEK COURSE CONTENT Week 1 Introduction to Mechanisms and Robotics, Mobility Analysis-I Week 2 Mobility Analysis-II, Displacement Analysis: constrained mechanisms and robots-I Week 3 Displacement Analysis: constrained mechanisms and robots-II Week 4 Displacement Analysis: constrained mechanisms and robots- III, Velocity Analysis: constrained mechanisms and robots-I Week 5 Velocity Analysis: constrained mechanisms and robots-II Week 6 Velocity Analysis: constrained mechanisms and robots-III Week 7 Velocity Analysis: singularity and path generation, Acceleration Analysis, Force Analysis-I Week 8 Force Analysis-II, Coordinate Transformations and kinematics of serial robots Note: The detailed notification on the exam is yet to be released. It is expected to be out along with a separate registration link for the exam. Scope and Career Opportunities in Robotics There are heaps of ways for individuals to get cash. That is the single thing which makes individuals run for... Denmark has observed a dramatic and historic surge in the number of refugees converting from Islam to Christianity just this year, leading authorities to question their motives for seeking asylum. Just this year, Denmark's Refugee Board looked into 169 cases that cited conversion from Islam to Christianity as a reason for seeking asylum. This number was higher than the combined figures of similar cases recorded in the previous three years, Sputnik News noted. In addition, Danish Radio said there were 73 Christian converts who were given residence permits, and three more were forwarded to Immigration for re-evaluation. It is worth noting that some of the applications were previously rejected and were re-filed after the refugees submitted to Christian baptism. In Iran and other Islamic countries, those who convert to another religion were branded as apostates and were punished by the law. Refugee converts cite their risk of persecution as their reason for seeking asylum, and their applications were usually granted after it is proven that their motive for undergoing baptism is trustworthy. However, priest and Danish People's Party church rapporteur Christian Langballe has expressed doubt over the motive of some asylum seekers who got baptized. He told Jyllands-Posten daily that alarm should be raised once a refugee whose application was rejected decides to convert to Christianity. Former Church of Denmark minister Bertel Haarder has encouraged the church to hold off baptisms until the asylum cases are settled. This way, they would be able to filter out the people who have false motives for their conversion and those who are sincere in their spiritual awakening. His suggestion, however, was met with rejection by the clergy. Meanwhile, Denmark has just passed a law which enables the government to set a limit on the number of refugees that it can accommodate each year. This means the country will no longer accept the yearly quota of 500 required by a U.N. resettlement program, Reuters reported. The new law dictates that immigration will be the one to decide on the number of refugees that Denmark will take in. The U.N. quota of 500 will serve as the maximum except in dire situations. Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Looking back a tumultuous year, here are 10 stories that especially caught my attention. 1) Donald Trump is still standing, and standing strong at that. Despite calls for his impeachment (and even death), despite claims that he was losing his health, his mind, and his grip, despite an unprecedented media bombardment, and despite his own gaffes and missteps, the president seems stronger than ever, with a sense of momentum entering the new year. Not only did he get his tax bill passed, but he has fulfilled a number of key promises to his conservative base, including the appointing of a significant number of conservative justices to lifelong, federal judgeships. And according to one poll, his approval rating at the end of his first year is the same as President Obama's. (For caveat to that poll, see here.) 2) The US has finally recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital and declared our plans to relocate our embassy. So, after 22 years of waffling and delaying, one of our presidents has turned our words into actions. He has kept a sacred promise. So far, it has not resulted in an apocalypse in the Middle East or the larger Muslim world. 3) The US has called out the United Nations for its extreme anti-Israel bias (which then became anti-American bias when we made our Jerusalem announcement). Ambassador Nikki Haley not only addressed the UN's glaring prejudices head-on, but she also announced a reduction in UN funding along with our withdrawal (followed by Israel) from UNESCO. America is saying clearly, "There's a price to pay if you disparage us and disrespect us, especially in a very public way." 4) The Iranian protesters have the vocal support of key American leaders. In contrast with the glaring silence of the Obama administration during Iran's protests in 2009, President Trump and other American conservatives have expressed vocal support for the current protests. As expressed by Ali Safavi, an official in the DC office of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), "When millions of Iranians poured onto the streets in 2009, the Obama administration reached out to the Supreme Leader Khamenei, enabling him and his president to suppress the uprising. President Trump's expression of support for the Iranian people and his condemnation of the arrests of the protests send an encouraging signal to all those who want to see Iran liberated from the yoke of the medievalist mullahs." 5) ISIS is really collapsing. Although it's difficult to tell know many isolated individuals around the world have been influenced by ISIS for the cause of Islamic terrorism, it's clear that the main body of ISIS fighters is falling apart. They have lost the great swaths of territory which they brutally conquered, and they continue to be on the run as American generals are given a free hand to do what they do best: destroy an evil enemy. Millions in the Middle East are starting to breathe a sigh of relief. 6) Some of the biggest players in the mainstream media produced undeniably fake news. From CNN to the New York Times to NBC, some of the biggest names in the liberal media have lots of egg on their faces. It remains to be seen whether this was the result of their antipathy to Trump, their desire to get the lead on the latest "breaking news," or simply shoddy journalism. Whatever the cause, it heightened our suspicion of the news we hear and see and read every day. 7) There are a whole lot of prominent men who use their positions of power to take advantage of women and others. The list of those exposed for (or, accused of) sexual sin reads like a who's who list of major players in Hollywood and beyond. Need I say anything more than Harvey Weinstein and Matt Lauer? Ironically, the same year which saw Mike Pence ridiculed for his personal sexual ethics ended with NBC reportedly taking somewhat extreme measures to enforce that resemble the Vice President's personal practices. 8) The Trump administration is undoing some of the Obama administration's LGBT activist rulings and laws. As noted on the TMPlanet's website (this is a transgender website), "At the same hour as he takes the oath of office as President (January 18, 2017), the new administration removes the White House website page pertaining to LGBT rights. One activist says upon seeing the page removal, 'So it begins.'" Less than one month later, "Trump rescinds the Obama Era guidelines allowing transgender to use rest rooms consistent with their gender identity, rejecting the application of Title IX protections for transpeople." Skipping ahead to December 18, 2017, "The White House issues guidelines to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) that certain words may not appear in documents addressing budget issues. The words include 'transgender', 'diversity', 'fetus', 'vulnerable', 'entitlement', 'science-based', and 'evidence-based.' Activists see the action as an attempt at erasure of the trans community and suppression of science." 9) There were horrific, unspeakably evil mass murders. From the slaughter at First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, killing 26 and wounding 20, to the Las Vegas massacre, killing 58 and wounding 515, innocent blood was flowing in our land. And who would have thought that three full months after the Vegas shooting, we would still know next to nothing about the shooter's motives or how he was able to carry out his plan? 10) The Russia investigation is still with us. When Trump's alleged collusion with Russia was first floated as the key to how he won the election, those on the left seized the story while those on the right mocked it. When the dust finally settles, it will almost certainly be those on the right who are gloating. Yet the fact that something as ostensibly fake as this accusation has gained such media traction, not to mention Robert Mueller's ongoing special counsel, is positively galling to millions of Americans. 11) Corruption is being exposed in high places. Will Hillary Clinton finally get her day in court? Was there an attempt by FBI leaders to derail Trump's presidency? Do major players with major government organizations have reason to be afraid? 2017 has set the stage. We shall see what 2018 brings. And did I mention that, somehow, President Trump is still standing, and standing strongly at that? The UK's Archbishop Angaelos, Egypt's Muslim leader and more join in condemning Egypt church terror attack Egypt's Muslim leader has condemned the church terror attack in which ten died. Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayyeb, warned that such attacks threatened national unity in Egypt. He called on all Muslims to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ "with their Christian brothers". He spoke out after two terrorists opened fire, killing ten including three police officers, on the church of Mar Mina in Helwan district in south Cairo. "I call on all Egyptians to confront this malignant plot against our nation and to emphasize on such spirit through the participation of Muslims in celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ with their Christian brothers," he said, according to Egypt Today. The church had been under intense police guard, like all churches throughout the country, due to the many lethal attacks over recent years at Christmas. It was due to the exceptional security measures that more lives were not lost and the entire church blown up. One source told Christian Today that although one of the attackers was a suicide bomber and wearing an explosive belt, he was not able to use it due to the hard security measures that was around the church, and the quick reaction of the security forces who were protecting the church from all sides and closing all the streets around every church in Egypt. Archbishop Angaelos of the Coptic Church in the UK said: "This should be a time at which individuals and families are preparing to receive a New Year, and in the case of Coptic Orthodox Christians, to celebrate the Feast of the Nativity (Christmas) on the 7 January according to the ancient Julian Calendar. I am saddened however that we find ourselves once again mourning the loss of the precious lives of innocent children, women and men who did no more than attend their local parish to pray as millions do around the world. "Yesterday's attack on the Church of St Mina in Helwan, on the outskirts of Cairo, indeed directly targeted the indigenous Christian community of Egypt, but alongside the Christians who lost their lives, there was at least one Muslim member of the security services who paid the ultimate price to protect his fellow Egyptian citizens exercising their right to worship. "Even at this painful time, the Christians of Egypt, who have mourned over 120 members in the past year as a result of targeted attacks on Churches and individuals, continue to do what they have done for centuries; they are resilient, forgiving, hopeful, and praying for Egypt, and its leadership, during this trying time of its contemporary history. "I hope that the extraordinary reaction of this faithful community that I am honoured to call my own might transform the hearts of those who continue to seek its destruction." Earlier this month, Egypt's Religious Endowments Minister Mokhtar Gomaa stated that the protection of churches is "a legitimate and national duty" that and those who died in the defense of the church are martyrs. Egypt's President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi also offered condolences to the Egyptian families of those killed, ordering the state institutions to take all necessary actions regarding the families of the "martyrs" and the injured. He said it had increased the determination of Egypt's government and security forces to cleanse to the country of terrorism and extremism. Father Hani Bakhoum, Patriarchal Vicar of the Coptic Catholic Church, condemned the incident, stating: This terrorist attack will not dampen our festive spirit." In a statement put out through its own news agency, Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack. Christian brothers shot dead in Egypt days after Church attack A masked gunman shot dead two Christian brothers at their alcohol shop south of Cairo on Monday, security sources said. The incident took place just days after attacks on a Coptic church and another Christian-owned shop also south of the Egyptian capital that killed more than 10 people, as security forces brace for attacks against the Arab world's largest Christian minority ahead of Orthodox Christmas celebrations. The gunman used a rifle in the attack, shooting at the shop from outside after pulling up on a motorcycle, two security sources said. The attacker fled the scene afterwards. An image on social media showed the body of what purported to be one of the victims, covered in blood from the waist down. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack. Islamic State claimed Friday's attack on a Coptic church in Helwan, east of Giza on Cairo's outskirts and on the opposite side of the Nile river. Egypt's large Christian minority has increasingly been targeted in recent years by Islamist militants including Islamic State, which is waging an insurgency in the north of the remote Sinai Peninsula. Sale and consumption of alcohol in Egypt is legal, and it is sold in specialist shops or licensed premises. Some Islamists say it should be banned because it is forbidden by Islam. Iran protests: Two shot dead as demonstrations continue Two people were shot dead in protests in Iran bringing to four the number of fatalities in the country's most serious unrest since 2009 as messages on social media called for more anti-government demonstrations on Monday. The two were killed on Sunday in the southwestern town of Izeh and several others were injured, ILNA news agency quoted local member of parliament Hedayatollah Khademi as saying. 'I do not know whether yesterday's shooting was done by rally participants or the police and this issue is being investigated,' Khademi was quoted as saying. Messages on social media urged Iranians to hold rallies in the capital Tehran and 50 other urban centres, many of which have already seen four days of unrest since price protests in the second largest city Mashhad on Thursday turned political. Protests continued overnight even though President Hassan Rouhani appealed for calm. He said Iranians had the right to criticise authorities but warned of a crackdown against unrest. 'The government will show no tolerance for those who damage public properties, violate public order and create unrest in the society,' Rouhani said in remarks carried by state TV. Tens of thousands of people have protested across the country against the Islamic Republic's government and clerical elite, prompting authorities to warn of a tough crackdown. Security forces have showed restraint, hoping to avoid and escalation of the crisis triggered by economic hardships and corruption. Anger soon turned to Iran's clerical establishment in power since the 1979 revolution. Some called on Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to step down and chanted against a government they described as thieves. North Korea news: Russian tankers supply socialist country with oil Tensions with North Korea are fueled even more, as Russian tankers have been accused of giving fuel to the socialist country in secret. Two senior Western European security sources have alleged that Russian oil tankers have been supplying oil to North Korea. If proven, this means that the federal sovereign is in direct violation of the United Nations (UN) Security Council trade embargo policy against North Korea. What makes matter worse is that the Russian Federation is actually a veto-wielding member of the said UN council, meaning it was one of the countries which were against the oil embargo towards North Korea. The said secret trade between the two apparently took place from October to November and has since become large-scale freighter ship exchanges. This could indicate the large quantities of oil being delivered to the socialist country. Earlier back in Sept. 2017, North Korean ships have been spotted leaving Russia back to their home country. However, the two security sources who have made the claims have also stated that there was currently no evidence that of state or government involvement in the exchange between the two countries. It may as well be just an independent and illegal smuggling run from some entities of Russia, though the amount being transferred to North Korea would definitely have drawn much attention to the operation. It is not known whether the Russian authorities are aware of the situation. When asked regarding the claims, Russian authorities have quickly affirmed that the state was in strict observance of the sanction and oil embargo against North Korea. Russian Customs even denied that they were supplying oil to the socialist country. It can be recalled that U.S. President Donald Trump has initiated the sanctions against North Korea back in Sept. 2017, where he even convinced China and Russia to drop their oil trade with the country. Both Russia and China have rejected the sanction, but the majority of UN have agreed to it. Now, it seems North Korea is still getting its oil despite the UN sanction. However, some experts claim that the total oil embargo could only lead to war, similar to how the U.S. also did likewise towards Imperial Japan before World War II began. Super Blue Blood Moon to appear in 2018 according to NASA The new year will be welcomed by a new moon, a Super Blue Blood Moon to be exact, as the rare lunar phase is expected to happen sometime during this month. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) from the United States has claimed that December's Full Cold Moon has ignited a "supermoon" trilogy, where the Super Blue Blood Moon is due to be the third in the series. The second one was a supermoon from the first day of 2018, to be followed by an even more special supermoon on Jan. 31. What makes the Super Blue Blood Moon unique is that it's actually a Blue Moon which occurs during a total lunar eclipse. The term "blue" actually has nothing to do with the color it will be, which is often red due to the total lunar eclipse, hence the term "blood." As such, people who were expecting a purple moon will be disappointed. Regardless of color, the supermoon on the said date will make the moon appear as much as 14 percent larger and 30 percent brighter compared than a usual full moon. People who have been wanting to see a Blue Moon and then some, are advised to take their chance moon-gazing on the 31st, as the said special lunar phase can only happen once every 2.7 years. "Sometimes the celestial rhythms sync up just right to wow us," according to NASA, taking note of the special occurrence of the supermoon trilogy, and at the start of 2018 nonetheless. According to NASA, the full display of the Super Blue Blood Moon can be viewed from North America across the Pacific Ocean to Eastern Asia. This means that some countries' perspectives of the said event might get a little skewed or turn out differently because of how the moon rotates and revolves around the Earth. "The lunar eclipse on January 31 will be visible during moonset. Folks in the Eastern United States, where the eclipse will be partial, will have to get up in the morning to see it," advised NASA. IT is on the precipice of unprecedented change. Every company, now in the business of technology, is experiencing glimmers of larger shifts to come: automation, decentralized technology budgets, rapid adoption of cloud-based services, and most recently, artificial intelligence as a business necessity. Thanks to these emerging and converging trends, technology is increasingly freeing workers from routine tasks, from the warehouse to the C-suite. Massive amounts of data are being ingested in real time, as business decisions are beginning to be offloaded to machines, leaving more time to focus on planning, pursuing leads, and adopting new technologies. IT stands at the center of all this, poised to change dramatically. To help you navigate the years ahead, weve broken down the forces currently shaping the future of IT work, offering insights from fellow technology leaders on the long-term impact of changes emerging today. [ Beware the 12 'best practices' IT should avoid at all costs. | Get an inside look at 10 real-world digital transformations. | Get the latest insights by signing up for our CIO daily newsletter. ] Automation Automation is fast becoming mainstream, moving from experimental projects to the business world. And while automation in business may have a profound effect on employment in the future a 2015 McKinsey report suggests half of the job functions performed today by people could be automated using existing technology the impact on IT will be the freedom to be more strategic. Finding, extracting, and conforming all this information so it can be used to drive decision-making has been a complex and labor-intensive task for decades, says Timo Elliott, vice president and global innovation evangelist at SAP. Elliott cites the 2015 McKinsey reports assertion that AI and machine learning advances could shave off about two-thirds of the time it takes to do this sort of mundane, time-intensive work. Freed from the wrangling and maintaining, IT will have more resources to devote to moving the business forward. I see the biggest impact that automation will make on IT is that it will accelerate the shift from running IT to innovating for the future, says Chris Bedi, CIO at ServiceNow. Also, we'll see an improvement in employee engagement as people aren't spending time on mundane tasks. Speed With automation in place, speed and agility will be key. Technology initiatives that used to take half a decade to be adopted are now in place in just a couple years. This will only accelerate to your benefit or peril. If you go back in time and ask, What is the window you have for competitors to really have an impact on your business? Youd hear something like five years, says Steve Rotter, CMO of OutSystems. Now its 24 months. If CIOs are feeling that kind of pressure and sensitivity around speed and agility, to me thats whats going to drive a lot of interesting dynamics in the marketplace. The pace of change in technology is moving increasingly fast and businesses must keep up to stay competitive, says Rackspace CIO Ryan Neading. With this greater reliance on the technical underpinning and its impact on the bottom line, IT professionals are evolving to have a greater sense of business and customer acumen. IT is no longer a back office that you call when you need something, theyre at the table making decisions and developing strategies that have a direct impact on the business. Security Of course, along with opportunities, rapidly changing technology also introduces new problems -- both in identifying holes in security and finding the talent to address them. The security threat landscape continues to evolve, says John Mandel, senior vice president of engineering at Continuum. CIOs and IT departments that didnt focus on these areas are now finding that this is a major risk to their business and need to be diligent in assessing new tools to protect against new threats. The demand is currently outpacing the supply and IT continues to be caught shorthanded. As this threatscape evolves, IT may see security cease to be an isolated function and instead become an integral element of everyones job. Spend As technology becomes an increasingly significant line item across business units, companies will change the way they look at their budgets and how technology is developed and maintained by the organization as a whole. In many businesses, cloud-based services, including marketing technology apps, are causing the technology spend to be spread throughout the business. OutSystems Rotter cites a prediction that caused a stir several years ago by Gartner, which said that by 2017 CMOs would be spending more on technology than CIOs. And now hes actually seeing it happen. A lot of it is just that marketing is becoming more dependent on data, and its becoming central to the way marketers work, Rotter says. But its also a very clear condemnation that the tools and technologies that used to support marketing teams are rigid. So, what youre seeing is organizations realizing that. Theyre building flexible applications on top of those legacy systems. And the developers who create those applications may not be employed by IT. Instead, they may be hired by the marketing department directly. Collaboration The shift in spend doesnt have to mean a complete shift in power. Instead, expect deeper collaboration between IT and other business units. Carolyn April, senior director of industry analysis at CompTIA, says that, in addition to tech budget being spread around, theres evidence that business divisions are getting better at working together to employ new technology, and, somewhat surprisingly, rogue tech adoption may be on the wane. Four in 10 line of business respondents in a recent CompTIA survey said that their department works jointly with IT to determine which hardware, software, services, and other tech solutions they will deploy, she says. Just 19 percent said IT handles all such decisions, with even fewer -- 14 percent -- saying that their individual business unit pulls all the strings. Perhaps more interesting is evidence of increased fluidity in this area, as April cites a quarter of respondents report that tech purchase processes can present in a combination of ways: IT only, business-unit only, or collaboration between both groups. That said, all signs indicate that the role non-IT business units will play in both strategic and tactical decision-making for technology will only increase as businesses march toward the cloud and all things digital. Box CIO Paul Chapman says hes seeing spending thats more focused on business function than department. Non-discretionary and non-directly IT accountable costs are still managed centrally by IT, so such a separation is not always [the case]. If the service requires interconnecting with other parts of the business systems reference architecture and needs to be tested in an end-to-end, integrated way, IT is then needed to support the delivery. SaaS provides the freedom from infrastructure and a majority of operational overhead, but doesn't free IT from the rest of the services that are needed to implement and evolve a complex end-to-end business architecture. Agility Theres nothing particularly cutting edge about the need for soft skills and efficient collaboration between departments. But there is a way to apply technology concepts across the business for better communication. Julia Davis, senior vice president and CIO at Aflac, says the insurance firms internal customer satisfaction surveys jumped 40 percent by introducing agile practices between departments. By integrating the business into our agile teams, weve increased collaboration and shifted IT to a more consultative role as opposed to being an order-taker, she says. Collaboration with other departments has been critical to our success. The main driver of this is our move to a more agile framework. Expect more IT departments to incorporate agile practices and methodologies not only in their own work but in partnerships across the business. Flexibility Booz Allen Hamilton vice president Angela Zutavern is the co-author of The Mathematical Corporation: Where Machine Intelligence and Human Ingenuity Achieve the Impossible. In the book, she and her co-author Josh Sullivan argue that a partnership between machine intelligence and human intellect will form the business model of the future. But for this model to work, flexibility is key. The biggest breakthroughs, says Zutavern, come from combining business knowledge, technical expertise, and soft skills. The most important traits for succeeding in business technology in the future are flexibility in overcoming setbacks and willingness to abandon an idea thats not working to experiment with something new. And, as much hand wringing occurs over the future of automation and robotics, some argue that there are innate human qualities that will remain in demand. We will likely see an increased demand for robot-proof skills that continue to be uniquely suited to humans. Many soft skills tend to fall into this category of being more robot-proof than some of the more technical or hard skills, says Jeremy Auger, chief strategy officer for Desire2Learn. Machines tend to be good at performing tasks that are narrow, describable, and repeatable, Auger adds, making space for those jobs that require unpredictability. For example, interpersonal skills, collaborative qualities and workers who can draw from diverse experiences will continue to be in demand. However, indicators suggest that jobs involved in helping to advance technology are more resilient and tend to have a place working alongside robots. In other words, the ineffable quality of adaptability will be that much more vital for future success in IT. Symbiosis Headlines about automation and AI can be alarming. Gartner has even released a survey about the most hyperbolic terms used to describe the future of work, which frequently include disrupt, steal or threaten. But most IT pros we surveyed see automation creating new opportunities as long as we can establish a symbiotic relationship with the machines. Ultimately, anything that has enough data and repeatable patterns could end up transforming into an AI-driven process, says Boxs Chapman. The shift is to have people focus on the higher-value work and less on the mundane tasks. Another sizable shift is the one affecting touch, text and talk interactions with backend services, which is moving away from the disparate point-and-click interfaces we have in place today. Alongside this evolution in the foundation of how we interact with machines will be greater meshing between humans and machine intelligence when it comes to business processes and decision-making. Were seeing clients starting pilots for complex decision making, Booz Allen Hamiltons Zutavern says, optimizing large IT portfolios, and responding to adaptive cyber intrusions. Andrew Filev, CEO of work management platform Wrike, agrees. Filevs company worked with AirBnBs marketing and IT teams to create an automated process that triggers new projects, duplicates timelines and automates updates from contributors to AirBnBs new Trip Experiences product. The future of IT is more systems that are automated in this way, and also more integrated across systems and teams, Filev says. Automation can produce more visibility and faster communication. Together with automation, AI and work management are opening doors for improved processes within companies. Ubiquity Julie Woods-Moss, chief innovation officer of Tata Communications, sees the evolution of automation in digital strategies setting the stage for a more responsive IT work experience. Automation will pave the way for a simpler, more real-time IT environment, where the right person -- or machine -- is able to get the right information, at the right time and place, accelerating the development and roll-out of new services, she says. And this ability to quickly deliver targeted technical solutions will pervade the business. As API-enabled, automated systems will be able to handle the majority of day-to-day IT issues, the IT team will be freed up to focus on innovating through new technologies and delivering more strategic value for different lines of business, Woods-Moss says. Booz Allen Hamiltons Zutavern goes so far as to say that machine intelligence is essentially a new form of business partner -- and it deserves a seat at the boardroom table. CIOs and other leaders need to become more comfortable with machines making decisions, Zutavern says. Meanwhile, they must allow business units the flexibility to create new solutions they havent even conceived of yet. Were seeing more platforms-as-a-service, which allow everyone to come together to unleash the power of their data to fuel creativity, innovation, and a culture of experimentation. Related articles U.S. government debt prices erased slight gains on Thursday as investors parsed through key economic data. Initial jobless claims fell by 3,000 to 258,000. Meanwhile, the final read on fourth-quarter GDP showed growth of 2.1 percent, above a preliminary read of 1.9 percent. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note was higher at around 2.42 percent, while the yield on the 30-year Treasury bond was also higher at 3.032 percent. Yields move inversely to prices. Following are excerpts from a panel discussion at the Arctic Forum in Arkhangelsk with CNBC's Geoff Cutmore, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Finnish President Sauli Niinisto and Icelandic President Guni Th. Johannesson today, Thursday, March 30th. Following are links to the video on CNBC.com: http://video.cnbc.com/gallery/?video=3000605954, http://video.cnbc.com/gallery/?video=3000605944, http://video.cnbc.com/gallery/?video=3000605956, and http://video.cnbc.com/gallery/?video=3000605955. Additional video can be found at CNBC.com. A full transcript will follow later today. PUTIN ON WHETHER RUSSIA INTERFERED IN THE U.S. ELECTIONS Watch my lips No. PUTIN ON MEETING PRESIDENT TRUMP The newly implemented President is barred from implementing his agenda on health-care or international affairs, relations with Russia and we will wait till things stabilize. I believe which is the best proof that we didn't do before, at a certain point of time it will come to a close and we will decide when and where the meeting is held. These are technical issues and we have a lot of things to discuss. The other side should express readiness for constructive cooperation and work. PUTIN ON SECURITY IN THE ARCTIC REGION We develop our defense capabilities on Russian soil which is the territory of the Russian Federation and we assume that like any other country, for example the United States which is our Arctic neighbor have the right to develop own military capabilities with a threat to us. Because our military is local in nature, theirs is global in nature. They have been building a global missile system there and it is an overarching concern in terms of global security today. It is not a defensive capability. It is part of a nuclear force of their installed in the periphery. PUTIN ON MILITARY CAPACITIES COMPARED TO THE U.S. We are not going to wage wars or compete with United States in the Arctic region. Everyone knows that the US spends more on defense than all of the countries of the world. Now they will spend another 40 or 60 billion dollars. We are vested with special responsibility and the quicker we establish our nuclear cooperation, the better. PUTIN ON REX TILLERSON'S TRIP TO MOSCOW AND IF HE WILL DISCUSS FIGHTING TERRORISM Yes, fighting terrorism is a key agenda and if Mr. Tillerson comes I have met him at several occasions before and we will definitely talk about this topic. Without constructive work with our colleagues in Pentagon and CIA we cannot obtain what we aim to. PUTIN ON PROTESTS IN RUSSIA We have been in favor of fighting corruption which is definitely serious issue for us. Judging by the opinion polls, off late it has been less important but we have been fighting corruption and people see that. I am always very positive when people move the spotlight to these issues. PUTIN ON GLOBAL WARMING The global warming will continue anyway and anyhow. Yesterday I visited the French archipelago and back in 1930s I think, an Austrian pioneer and researcher visited that place and issued a description of the glacier and twenty years later an Italian king visited and found that ice cover had melted. And that time we didn't have much of manmade effect but global warming had started. We should be able to listen to one another to find a solution to the problem. PUTIN ON THE PRICE OF COMMODITIES Today Russia's GDP is the result of the economic activity of this region. Their weight keeps growing and the contribution to the economy. Another factor is significance. The growth in efficiency and the state of the economy. The second important factor that heartens us is the climate change. The number of days of navigation across the Northern sea route has been going up dramatically off late which means we will have greater transportation potential. Climate change brings in more favorable conditions and improves the potential of this region. About CNBC: With CNBC in the U.S., CNBC in Asia Pacific, CNBC in Europe, Middle East and Africa, and CNBC World, CNBC is the recognized world leader in business news and provides real-time financial market coverage and business information to more than 385 million homes worldwide, including more than 94 million households in the United States and Canada. CNBC also provides daily business updates to 400 million households across China. The network's 15 live hours a day of business programming in North America (weekdays from 4:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. ET) is produced at CNBC's global headquarters in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., and includes reports from CNBC News bureaus worldwide. CNBC at night features a mix of new reality programming, CNBC's highly successful series produced exclusively for CNBC and a number of distinctive in-house documentaries. CNBC also has a vast portfolio of digital products which deliver real-time financial market news and information across a variety of platforms including: CNBC.com; CNBC PRO, the premium, integrated desktop/mobile service that provides live access to CNBC programming, exclusive video content and global market data and analysis; a suite of CNBC mobile products including the CNBC Apps for iOS, Android and Windows devices; and additional products such as the CNBC App for the Apple Watch and Apple TV. Members of the media can receive more information about CNBC and its programming on the NBCUniversal Media Village Web site at http://www.nbcumv.com/programming/cnbc. For more information about NBCUniversal, please visit http://www.NBCUniversal.com. Recurring elements of President Donald Trump's rhetoric are worrisome for Deere, CEO and Chairman Samuel Allen told CNBC. "I think, without a doubt, any form of protectionism or nationalism, on the whole, is not beneficial for a company like ours, any global company," Allen said on "Squawk Alley." He said, however, "We will adjust. We will have to adjust, but it takes time for a manufacturer to adjust. It's much more efficient if we can have open free trade, understandably fair trade, but free trade." In an effort to make trade more fair, the House has floated something called a "border adjusted" tax, which would incentivize domestic manufacturing by essentially subsidizing exports. Conversely, it would also slap a 20 percent tax on imports for corporations. The proposed tax would help Deere, Allen said, as the company is a net exporter. He said however, that the company is "very concerned" about the proposal's potential impact on its farmer customers. "If, as a result of the adjustment tax, it has an unintended consequence of causing countries like China and Mexico to buy their ag commodities from other countries, that would be negative for U.S. farmers that do a lot of exporting to China, Canada and Mexico," Allen said. Allen, chairman of the U.S. Council on Competitiveness, said that an infrastructure bill would be positive for his company and others in the industry. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao said Wednesday that the Trump administration will unveil a $1 trillion infrastructure plan later this year a timeline that is much sooner than many expected. Chao, however, did not provide details as to how the plan would be funded. Expectations for greater infrastructure spending have pushed Deere shares more than 24 percent higher since the election, outperforming the S&P 500's 11 percent gain over the same period. Allen told CNBC that he's encouraged by Chao's revelation, as people in his industry were not expecting an infrastructure plan until 2018. While infrastructure stands to gain the most bipartisan support, the Deere CEO said it's going to be a while before such a plan could impact the marketplace. "There's no such thing as shovel ready. I would expect that it will be at least 18 months down the road once it passes and is funded that we'll really start seeing the stimulative effect. But it would be a very long-term-type effect," Allen said. In a 50-49 vote, the Senate quashed Labor Department rules from the Obama administration that would have made it easier for cities to provide government-run retirement plans to private sector workers. Trade groups from the financial services industry applauded the measure while consumer advocates worried that it will be harder to help the roughly 55 million employees who don't have access to a workplace retirement plan. Several municipal governments, including New York, Philadelphia and Seattle, have considered creating city-run retirement plans for people without workplace options. "The regulation puts private marketplace plans at a disadvantage. This vote wisely overturns the regulation," Dirk Kempthorne, president and CEO of the American Council of Life Insurers, said in a statement. The House has passed a similar bill and another one that would make it more difficult for states to provide retirement plans to private sector workers. The Senate has yet to vote on a bill that would affect state-run plans. President Antonio Tajani of the European Parliament told CNBC the chamber will veto the Brexit deal if the rights of European and U.K. citizens are not guaranteed. "Citizens' rights; this is the most important point (in the Brexit negotiations)," Tajani told CNBC on the sidelines of a conference in Malta. "Without this most important goal it's impossible for us to vote in favor," he said. The Italian lawmaker added, however, he is "not against the United Kingdom" and wants both sides of the English channel to cooperate during the upcoming talks. As the U.K. prepares to make history by being the first member to leave the EU, officials in Europe want to avoid setting a precedent. The hope is other nations will not follow the U.K. out of the union. "Five empires" are rising and will fill the vacuum if the United States continues to withdraw from the global stage, according to a respected author and documentarian. "Today in Europe we see the rebirth of nationalism, but in the rest of the world it is the rebirth of empires," Bernard-Henri Levy, a prolific writer and widely followed philosopher, told CNBC in an interview Thursday. "This is the big phenomenon today," he said. "If there is not in front of them a strong resistance from Europe and America, the world will go to a very bad scenario." Those five empires are, according to Levy: Russia, Iran, Turkey, Islamic extremism and the commercial power of China. The French-Jewish philosopher and writer has a significant involvement in international affairs, especially in France and the Middle East. Levy was born in Algeria when it was a French colony. While he is deeply concerned about the consequences for the global economy, he still has hope. "The enrichment of the world and the most equal distribution of this wealth can improve if these five empires find their checks and balances," he said. "And the best checks and balances will be Europe and America. And they are not alone." He pointed to other democracies that serve as counter-balances to the five empires, such as Brazil and India. "I mean, five people around her have had, have been given immunity to include her chief of staff," Flynn told NBC's "Meet the Press" in a September 2016 interview , referring to Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's email controversy. "When you are given immunity, that means you have probably committed a crime." Mike Flynn has reportedly sought immunity from prosecution in exchange for his testimony about the Trump campaign's potential ties to Russia, but past comments show that Donald Trump 's former national security adviser once associated immunity with guilt. NBC News, citing a congressional official, reported Thursday night that Flynn told the Senate Intelligence Committee that he is willing to testify about possible links between Russian and the Trump campaign. The Wall Street Journal also reported Thursday that Flynn had told the FBI and congressional investigators he was willing to be interviewed in exchange for immunity. Flynn's attorney, Robert Kelner, issued a statement via Twitter on Thursday night: @robkelner A statement by counsel to General Flynn. Flynn, a retired Army general, started advising Trump's campaign in 2015. He then acted as the president's national security adviser, before he was pushed out of the job in February, after only three weeks, over his contacts with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak. In March, Flynn filed paperwork with the Justice Department that identified him as a foreign agent, disclosing that he had done paid work for a firm that could have aided Turkey's government. In January, a day before the inauguration, news came that Donald Trump had done something that the scientific community met with some surprise and a lot of relief: he asked National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Francis Collins to stick around. Only it wasn't clear for how long. "We just learned that Dr. Collins has been held over by the Trump administration," an NIH spokesperson told Science Magazine at the time. "We have no additional details at this time." Two months later, Collins, who took the role in 2009 under President Barack Obama, says nothing's changed. "I've been here since January, and that seems to be working out," Collins said in an interview with CNBC. "Obviously nobody who works for the government is assured that this is a permanent position, but I'm assuming right now that as far as I'm able to see I'm the NIH director." Collins' comments come as the president is seeking major budget cuts at NIH, the nation's engine for scientific and medical research. On top of an almost 20 percent, or $6 billion, reduction next year, Trump more recently called for a $1.2 billion reduction to this year's budget as well, prompting an outcry from the scientific community. Tweet Collins took a more measured approach. "It would be, I think, important to point out that the Congress has been extremely enthusiastic about medical research, especially in the last couple years, and it seems likely they will continue to have that view," Collins said. "And so when you consider what medical research can do for reducing health-care costs, for alleviating suffering, for stimulating the economy, for contributing to American leadership, it does seem that the Congress is likely to pay attention to that." SHENZHEN, China It's a mixed bag when it comes to Chinese tech giant Huawei, where profits are largely flat and sales continue to rise. Net profit edged up 0.4 percent to 37.1 billion yuan ($5.3 billion) in 2016, while overall revenue jumped 32 percent to 521.6 billion yuan ($75.1 billion), according to the company. Profit growth was much weaker than analysts expected, though sales came in line with the company's own guidance released earlier this year. Huawei holds firm as the world's third-largest smartphone maker, but the company is starting to feel a pinch. Both profit and sales are no longer rising as quickly as before, and analysts say increased spending on R&D and marketing are beginning to thin out margins. Indeed, net profit margin sat at 7.1 percent for 2016 the lowest rate in at least a decade. But executives continue to defend Huawei's position. "Margins ranging around 7 percent is appropriate," said acting CEO Eric Xu. The firm's enterprise unit, involved in developing smart solutions for areas like urban planning and transport, is the smallest in terms of sales, but saw the fastest growth at 47 percent. Moving forward, the company will also need to consider broader economic conditions, he said. The Shenzhen-based company remains extremely ambitious, and has continued to spend massively on R&D, shelling out 76.4 billion yuan ($11 billion) to further its business. China's Politburo Standing Committee member Wang Qishan, the head of China's anti-corruption watchdog, walks toward his seat during the opening session of the National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, China, March 5, 2016. The foreign mistresses, SWAT operations and a bed made of banknotes appearing in Chinese television series "In the Name of the People" would not be out of place in an American political drama like "House of Cards." What truly raises eyebrows, however, could be that the show's main antagonist is a high-ranking government official. One of the newest television dramas in China, "In the Name of the People" focuses on the work of anti-graft investigators whose job is to take down corrupt government officials, whether "tiger" (powerful bureaucrats) or "fly" (low-ranking officers). The show, which debuted in China on March 28 on Hunan Television, is the first drama series to feature high-level government corruption as a central theme since 2004. It also cost twice the amount to produce compared to other television series, China Daily reported. The 120 million yuan ($17.42 million) production was bankrolled by the Supreme People's Procuratorate, the national agency responsible for investigating corruption. A total of 56 episodes are expected to air. Saudi Aramco may be the object of intense worldwide speculation, as investment banks and global stock exchanges salivate at the prospect of the expected largest IPO ever, but Saudi Arabia actually has much more than its oil sector to offer investors. And the state energy giant, which is expecting to raise as much as $100 billion as it lists a small portion of the company next year, is part of the kingdom's plan to unlock its hidden economic treasures. King Salman of Saudi Arabia (L) and Chairman of the House of Representatives Setya Novanto wave during a visit to the parliament building in Jakarta, Indonesia March 2, 2017. Antara Foto | Wahyu Putro A via REUTERS "The money that will come in is not money they'll put in the bank at 2 percent interest," said Tom McNulty, a director specializing in the energy sector at Navigant Consulting. "It's for turning one industry into 10 to 12 industries." This diversification away from oil is the reason why King Salman bin Abdulaziz recently spent a month in Asia, signing multi-billion dollar deals with Indonesia, Malaysia, China and Japan. The kingdom's government is now pushing for more public-private partnerships, and Saudi Arabia says it wants to increase foreign direct investment from the current 3.8 percent to 5.7 percent of GDP by 2030. "We see utilities, airports, health care and real estate holding the best opportunities from the point of view of public-private partnerships," said Saleem Khokhar, head of fund management at National Bank of Abu Dhabi. As the kingdom opens its door wider to foreign investors, here's where other opportunities lie: Mining It's not just oil buried in Saudi Arabia's land: The country has a treasure trove of other natural resources. "It has promising sites of minerals such as gold, silver, copper, iron, platinum and other strategic materials," said Jaap Meijer, head of equity research at Arqaam Capital, an emerging markets investment bank based in Dubai. In fact, Alcan Primary Metal Group, a Rio Tinto subsidiary, and the Saudi Arabian Mining Company recently signed a $7 billion joint venture agreement to mine bauxite reserves in the northern part of the kingdom. The plan is to produce 720,000 tons of aluminum per year. "I remember when I was there, everyone would say how rich the country is with other resources," said Mark Keenan, who used to invest for members of the Saudi royal family and is now managing director and head of commodities research in Asia for Societe Generale. "To mine this stuff, you need to be a BHP or a Rio." Renewable energy One of two solar parks at the King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Courtesy: Phoenix Solar The kingdom's road map to diversify away from oil is spelled out in its Saudi Vision 2030 plan, in which it acknowledges that "we still lack a competitive renewable energy sector at present." One near term goal is to maximize solar and wind power in the country by generating 9.5 gigawatts of renewable energy. Germany's Phoenix Solar has a head start in Saudi Arabia. In 2012 and 2014, the photovoltaics company built two solar panel parks on the site of the kingdom's petroleum research center in Riyadh. Saudi Aramco ordered the 3.5 megawatt and 1.8 megawatt solar parks. And Phoenix Solar has seven to eight more projects in the pipeline in Saudi Arabia, according to Klaus Friedl, managing director for Phoenix Solar Oman, which is executing the projects. Looking ahead, he said that upcoming competition in the country doesn't worry him. "There is real competition with about 20 to 30 companies who might be interested and submit bids for upcoming tenders. But in reality, the maximum is 10 competitors who are really in a position to win," said Friedl. "You need at least Saudi Arabian or GCC experience. You need at least a few power plants as reference projects and you need financial facilities for Saudi bonds." Capital markets Courtesy: Tadawul (Saudi Stock Exchange) One key to growing the economy is opening up the capital markets. The Saudi Stock Exchange also called the Tadawul, which means "trading" in Arabic has a market capitalization of more than $400 billion reflected in the Tadawul All Share Index. All of the 176 listed names are Saudi companies. Mohammed El-Kuwaiz, vice chairman of the Capital Market Authority, regulates the exchange and envisions a day when foreign companies can list. "The Saudi capital market was an island unto itself. It was viewed as targeting local issuers and investors," El-Kuwaiz recently told CNBC. Right now, the only way a foreigner can invest in the Saudi equity market is by registering as a Qualified Foreign Investor (QFI), and the conditions are restrictive. Those foreign investors are generally large financial institutions or fund managers that must have at least 3.75 billion Saudi riyals ($1 billion) in assets under management. QFIs including HSBC, which was one of the first foreign institutions to get the Saudi license will have the right to subscribe in IPOs on the Tadawul, which is where Saudi Aramco is expected to have its primary listing. In February, the Saudi Stock Exchange launched a parallel market called Nomu, which has "lighter listing requirements" for domestic companies that want to go public. The Nomu, which means "growth" in Arabic, has seven listed companies with a total market cap of $518 million. After two years on the parallel market, a company may qualify to list on the main Tadawul index. These companies are also open to QFI investors. Challenges While several sectors may seem promising to investors, opening up the Saudi economy means changing several entrenched traditions. For example, allowing more women in the workforce or meeting Western expectations of transparency. "Saudi is like a family business," said Keenan of Societe Generale. "It's not like they publish reserves nor do they need to. They're perfectly happy producing oil. No one's gone in there and done feasibility studies." That is about to change as engineering audits are reportedly underway in Saudi Arabia to determine the value of Aramco's oil reserves. "It's the first fresh clean look in a long time," said Navigant's McNulty. Twenty-five years ago, when I began working on the floor of a Mars plant as a manufacturing graduate trainee, I set a career goal to run a factory someday. It was a time when the promise of manufacturing seemed unlimited from the economic growth I'd seen firsthand as a pet food plant director in Columbia, S.C., to North Carolina's textile mills and Detroit's automotive sector. And yet, a decade later, that picture would dramatically change. Between 2000 and 2010, the U.S. manufacturing sector purged more than 5 million jobs, amounting to a third of America's manufacturing workforce. Tune in to CNBC's "Power Lunch" at 1:30pm ET. Mars executive Tracey Massey will be a guest. I'm lucky enough to say that the company I work for has consistently bucked this trend. Mars continued to invest in American plants throughout the 1990s and 2000s, ensuring that over 90 percent of our products sold in America were made here, even when others were giving up and moving elsewhere. Fast-forward to today, and fortunately for American workers, U.S. manufacturing as a whole is enjoying somewhat of a comeback. Over the last few years we've seen major employers, from GE to Ford, reshore manufacturing jobs. Even today, as Mars announces an additional $70 million reinvestment in our U.S. factories, more and more businesses are putting a focus back on manufacturing in America. But it's not just about creating job opportunities in America. It makes good business sense as well. As we've seen for ourselves, keeping jobs in America has resulted in benefits that run deeper than only creating jobs in the U.S. It has provided us with very real and important residual benefits that include: Retention: Our people stay with us longer; 12 percent of our U.S. associates have worked with us for more than 20 years compared with national figures of just over five years for the median tenure for manufacturing workers in the U.S., according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics . Quality control: Quality control is improved because we're able to maintain consistent processes aligned with strict U.S. regulatory requirements and work side-by-side with our local suppliers. For example, our factory in Albany, Ga., where we roast the peanuts used in our products across the U.S. is strategically located near the majority of American peanut farmers to ensure we are sourcing the best crops. Speed and carbon footprint: We're able to cut down on product delivery times which reduces shipping costs, also meaning fresher products in stores and shipped through our e-commerce partners which benefits consumers. Not only that, but this proximity means less travel to transport our products, leading to decreased fossil fuel use. Meeting millennial demand: Businesses like ours have the ability to create new American jobs by making our products right here and what's more, the market increasingly demands it. Nielsen data shows that about 75 percent of U.S. millennials say buying American-made products is important to them. However, businesses can't do this on their own. Government's role in creating a positive environment for manufacturing is critical and businesses need to be involved in guiding those policies. We all have a stake in getting this right; a robust manufacturing sector is one of the best indicators and generators of wealth for any economy. A healthy manufacturing sector is also a defense against international economic and political disruption. To be sure, the promise of American manufacturing looks different today than it did in the 1990s. The nature of the opportunity has changed, requiring different skill sets, different types of investments by business, and different policies from government. But the opportunity is there and it is on us to seize it. Commentary by Tracey Massey, the president of Mars Chocolate North America. Massey oversees a multi-billion dollar portfolio of global brands that includes M&M's, Snickers, Milky Way, Twix, 3Musketeers and Dove. Follow her on Twitter @masseytracey. For more insight from CNBC contributors, follow @CNBCopinion on Twitter. Mars Chocolate North America is upping its investments in U.S. manufacturing and creating about 250 new jobs in the process, President Tracey Massey told CNBC on Thursday. The company plans to reinvest $70 million in existing factories across the country. The move ensures that more than 95 percent of Mars' chocolate products for the U.S. are made here, according to the company's announcement. Specifically, Mars will be producing more of its core M&M products, which are seeing "really good growth," and will focus on creating more varieties and flavors for its new Goodness Knows product, Massey said in an interview with "Power Lunch." "We're family owned, privately held, [which] enables us to invest for the long term," she said. "Our philosophy is domestic manufacturing." Mars' commitment comes at a time when President Donald Trump has made a push to revitalize the U.S. manufacturing industry. He has repeatedly threatened backlash for American companies that make products abroad and try and sell them at home. Ford, General Motors and Fiat-Chrysler have made U.S. jobs announcements since Trump won the presidential election in November, and he has repeatedly touted their plans. However, many of those projects were in the works well before Trump won the presidency. For Mars' part, Massey said Thursday's announcement is just reflective of what the company does, regardless of politics. "This is just really one more year in 100 years," she said. "We'll be here next year, the year after. We were here last year. It's just what we do and we believe it's right. It has long-term benefits for our business." Mars' latest move follows $1 billion in U.S. manufacturing investments over the past five years, which have added more than 1,000 American jobs, the company said. CNBC's Jacob Pramuk and Kerima Greene contributed to this report. Oculus co-founder Palmer Luckey will leave Facebook on Friday, a spokesperson confirmed on Thursday. "Palmer will be dearly missed. Palmer's legacy extends far beyond Oculus. His inventive spirit helped kickstart the modern VR revolution and build an industry. We're thankful for everything he did for Oculus and VR, and we wish him all the best," an Oculus spokesperson told CNBC. Oculus is a start-up that Facebook acquired in 2014 to further its virtual reality ambitions, shelling out nearly $3 billion in a rush deal to "give people more tools to share their experience." Luckey, an off-beat engineer known for casual garb like Hawaiian shirts and flip-flops, has largely stayed out of the spotlight after a lawsuit thrust Oculus into the public eye. A jury ordered Facebook to pay $500 million in damages after a company sued Oculus, claiming Luckey "commercially exploited" computer code and trade secrets. Luckey was no stranger to controversy: Luckey told the Daily Beast last year he was putting money behind an internet group that campaigned against Hillary Clinton. Oculus' ambitions have also become a sore spot with some on Wall Street, who have questioned whether the virtual reality technology can beat rivals to market. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said there are parts of the company that are on "a good trajectory" and parts that are "a little behind." The company recently brought in former Xiaomi executive Hugo Barra as vice president at virtual reality, after Luckey's fellow co-founder Brendan Iribe moved to a role in engineering and product development. "I would ask for the patience of the investor community in doing that, because we're going to invest a lot in this and it's not going to return or be really profitable for us for quite a while," Zuckerberg said in a recent earnings conference call. Palantir CEO Alex Karp is uneasy that technology companies are mistaking business clout for political influence, the Financial Times reported on Thursday. "The Valley is marching off a political cliff," Karp reportedly told the FT this week. "The [tech companies] have all these monopolies and economic capital, and assume that it translates into political capital but that isn't true." Executives and leaders from some of the world's richest companies, like Apple, Microsoft, Tesla and Salesforce many loud critics of the new administration are now aiming to influence U.S. technology policy via groups like The White House Office of American Innovation. Karp has a unique perspective on the nexus of politics and technology. Palantir receives millions of dollars each year from the federal government, is backed by the CIA's venture arm, In-Q-Tel, and has been embroiled in legal battles with the government over its defense contracting practices. Perhaps more telling: Palantir's co-founder and chairman, Peter Thiel, was one of Donald Trump's lone backers in Silicon Valley, and served on the president's transition team. One report went so far as to call Thiel the "shadow president." For more on the story, see the full article at FT.com. "We're going to resist repeal," Pelosi said. Less than an hour earlier, Pelosi said: "They must take repeal off the table, and they must stop sabotaging the Affordable Care Act." "The Democrats aren't for repealing Obamacare," Ryan said. "We are." Despite that lack of agreement, Ryan on Thursday flatly ruled out working with Democrats to pass a replacement for Obamacare. The dueling words at back-to-back news conferences came as Republicans remained unable for now to agree on a plan to repeal and replace key parts of the Affordable Care Act that would be able to survive a House vote. House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi warned Republicans on Thursday against efforts to repeal or "sabotage" Obamacare, as House Speaker Paul Ryan said the GOP remained committed to repeal. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R) (R-WI) speaks with House Minority Leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) following an event marking the passage of the 21st Century Cures Act at the U.S. Capitol December 8, 2016 in Washington, DC. The California congresswoman also accused the GOP of not sharing a belief that "health care is a right" for all Americans. Pelosi said individual health plan premiums and deductibles could increase dramatically, by 35 percent to 40 percent above current levels, if the Republicans did two things to "sabotage" Obamacare. One would be killing the ACA mandate that most Americans have insurance or pay a fine. The second would be if GOP lawmakers refuse to continue funding subsidies to insurers that lower out-of-pocket costs for millions of Americans. Either move, warned Pelosi, would be "totally irresponsible." "But they want it to be a self-fulfilling prophecy," she said. Pelosi was referring to the fact that President Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress have repeatedly claimed that Obamacare is a failure and causing Americans harm. Pelosi and other Democrats strongly dispute that claim, and say the ACA needs to be improved, not gutted. Ryan, R-Wis., said Wednesday that Obamacare will cause a "collapse" of the American health-care system. He pointed to double-digit percentage increases in premiums, insurance plans exiting the marketplace and the fact that one-third of Americans have just one insurer to choose from if they want an individual plan. "It's really important that we do something to fix this problem," Ryan said. But he again said, "I'm not going to put some kind of artificial deadline" on getting a replacement plan done. Ryan and the Trump administration suffered a humiliating setback in the House last week when they canceled, at the last minute, a vote on their replacement plan, the American Health Care Act. The bill would have repealed Obamacare taxes, ended out-of-pocket cost subsidies, lowered federal funding of aid that reduces premiums for individual plan customers, and scaled back federal Medicaid spending. The bill was headed to defeat because of opposition from around 30 Republicans. Some of them said the bill went too far, others not far enough in rolling back provisions in the Affordable Care Act. Polls showed that the public overwhelmingly opposed the bill, which was projected to lead to 14 million more Americans becoming uninsured next year. Pelosi on Thursday said Republicans had a "disastrous performance last week." "The bill was dead. So the American people had spoken: they did not want to repeal the Affordable Care Act," Pelosi said. Despite the fact that there were moderates among the GOP lawmakers who planned to vote against the bill, Trump has repeatedly blamed the House Freedom Caucus, a group of conservative Republicans, for the failure. Trump did so again Thursday. The Freedom Caucus will hurt the entire Republican agenda if they don't get on the team, & fast. We must fight them, & Dems, in 2018! Asked about Trump singling out the caucus, Ryan said: "He's just expressing his frustration." "You all know that he does that in various forms, including Twitter," Ryan said. "I understand the president's frustration," Ryan said. "About 90 percent of our conference is in favor of our bill, and 10 percent" are not, he said. "What I encourage our members to do is keep talking until we get this done, to pass this," Ryan said. That talking has not gone well, so far. On Wednesday, members of the moderate Tuesday Group were reportedly resentful that they were being prodded to meet with conservative Republicans to discuss how the repeal-and-replacement effort could move forward. Axios.com reported that a planned meeting between the Tuesday Group and two groups of conservatives was supposed to occur, but never happened. A White House source quoted by Axios said, "Welcome to my life the last two weeks. ... It's such a divided conference at the moment it's hard to get things done." Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday protesters found to have broken Russian law must be held accountable. In a CNBC interview at the International Arctic Forum in Arkhangelsk, Russia, Putin was asked to respond to one of the largest outbreaks of antigovernment demonstrations in years. Putin opponent Alexei Navalny was ordered jailed for 15 days on Sunday on charges of resisting police orders during the mass protest. Alexei Druzhinin | Russian Presidential Press and Information Office | Handout/Anadolu Agency | Getty Images "Everybody should act in political processes within the framework of the law. All those who go outside this law should bear punishment in accordance with Russian law," Putin said via an interpreter in his first public response to the mass rallies. 'Purely politicized' questions Navalny was among several hundred protesters who had been detained in connection with unsanctioned rallies against government corruption throughout the country. Several Western countries condemned the arrests and urged the Kremlin to release those sentenced to jail, including Navalny. ConocoPhillips shares soared Thursday after the energy giant said it will sell its oil sands and natural gas holdings in Canada to Cenovus Energy. The stock closed the day up nearly 9 percent. Cenovus share price dropped more than 13 percent Thursday. ConocoPhillips will sell its position in the Foster Creek Christina Lake oil sands partnership and most of its western Canada Deep Basin gas assets, for $10.6 billion in cash. ConocoPhillips will also receive $2.7 billion in shares of Canada-based Cenovus. "This is a significant, win-win opportunity for ConocoPhillips and Cenovus," ConocoPhillips CEO and chairman Ryan Lance said in a statement Wednesday. "This transaction will make an immediate and significant impact on the company's value proposition by allowing us to rapidly reduce debt to $20 billion and double our share repurchase authorization to $6 billion. This means we will not only accelerate, but exceed, the three-year plan we laid out in November 2016," he said. The two companies had already partnered on the Surmont oil sands. ConocoPhillips shares 5-day performance Cenovus shares 5-day performance CNBC's Peter Schacknow contributed to this report Collectively, the investors on "Shark Tank" have been through their share of hard times en route to success. They've gained valuable perspective on what's important and how to get ahead. Here are lessons from the sharks on how to succeed. 1. Set goals for yourself You have to set a goal. If you don't know where you are going, you will never get there, says Daymond John, the so-called People's Shark. John started with $40 worth of fabric that he turned into hats, which ultimately became Fubu, his $6 billion urban streetwear brand. When John identified his goal, he became focused on achieving it. He called his mom and said: "I want to make a uniform for this culture. They are rapping, they are singing, but who is going to dress them all? I am going to dress them all!" Barbara Corcoran, Daymond John, Mark Cuban, Kevin O'Leary, Robert Herjavec and Lori Greiner. Photo by Patrick Ecclesine 2. Save when you're young "The best thing college students can do right now is to stop spending their money," says Chris Sacca, a self-made billionaire, top Silicon Valley investor and repeat guest shark on the show. "Being a cheap bastard now means so much more freedom and choices later," Sacca tells USA Today. 3. Look people directly in the eyes Barbara Corcoran was a D-student and had 20 jobs before turning 23. She quit a position as a waitress and borrowed $1,000 to launch a real estate company that's since become a $5 billion real estate empire. When you are assessing character, eye contact is key, she says. "Looking someone straight in the eye creates trust," Corcoran recently tweeted. "If someone's not looking you in the eye, believe me, you're not trusting them." 4. Love what you do John's ascent was possible because of his deep passion for his work. "I loved what I was doing," he says, noting that every single successful person has that one trait in common. 5. Set your own schedule Billionaire tech investor and owner of the Dallas Mavericks Mark Cuban uses email instead of in-person meetings or phone calls for everything that he possibly can. "No meetings or phone calls unless I'm picking up a check. Everything is email," Cuban tells Thrive Global. From his perspective, email is a productivity tool. "Love it. Live on it. Saves me hours and hours every day," says Cuban, who is worth over $3 billion. "No meetings. No phone calls. All because of email. I set my schedule." 6. Believe in yourself You will be as successful as you believe you can be, says Lori Greiner, a retail product inventor. She has made 400 products and is a star on QVC TV. "You're only as good as you believe you are," she says. "Believe in yourself because you're the only one living in your shoes." 7. Protect yourself You don't want to waste time fighting identity theft or a data breach. "People assume that they're exempt from the risks of cybersecurity," Robert Herjavec, founder and CEO of cybersecurity firm Herjavec Group, tells CNBC. "Similarly, businesses assume it will never happen to them," he says. "It will! Cybersecurity risk is everywhere and no matter the size of your business, the data you process and ingest can be exploited for financial gain." 8. Be able to succinctly summarize your brand You should always have ready a two- to five-word description of who you are and what you are doing with your life. "If you don't know what your two to five words are, then you walk in a room and you leave it up to us to interpret," says John. The thought process should always be, "Are you populating what your two to five words are?" You should be consistently on brand whether you are soliciting funding, posting on Facebook or meeting new people. "Life is a series of pitches," he says. "You are always pitching." 9. Have fun! If you are running a business, it will be more successful if you and your team are having fun, says Corcoran. "Having fun is the most underutilized tool in business today," she says. "Fun builds teams, and teams build business." Smartphone innovation isn't dead. We're about to enter a new era of smartphones that may drastically change the industry the same way the original iPhone did in 2007. It's fair to have assumed that smartphone innovation had plateaued. Over the past few years we've seen only small annual upgrades to our smartphones. Mobile payments finally became a thing thanks to Pay. Fast charging is now possible thanks to . Curved screens hit the market because Samsung dared to try bending glass. While those were small iterations that, as a whole, paint a rather innovative picture, we're on the cusp of really huge smartphone innovations that'll change the industry as we know it. Here are a few areas where they're about to blossom. Phones that anticipate your needs. Apple, , Amazon, Samsung and are all battling to build smarter mobile artificial intelligence solutions. Your phone will know to turn off the lights because you're home and it's 10 p.m. and you're in bed. It'll automatically bring up directions to work when you get in the car at 7 a.m. because it knows that's what you do every weekday. This isn't science fiction. Phones are already nearly capable of making those decisions, they just need a small dose of situational awareness. We'll be there in a year or less. Augmented reality. We've seen a lot of reports that Apple is going to build augmented reality functions into its next iPhone, making it possible to superimpose computer-generated images on top of video of the real world. AR isn't new, but true mobile AR will be, and Apple thinks it's going to be more valuable than virtual reality, where you're totally immersed in a digital world. Imagine walking through a museum with a loved one, pointing your phone at an exhibit, and getting information all about the art piece right on your smartphone. Lenovo and Google are already doing this with Tango, now available on a Lenovo smartphone. Apple will no doubt put its own spin on the tech, thanks to acquisitions of two AR companies, Metaio and PrimeSense. Logging on with your eyes. Fingerprint readers were unique just a few years ago. Now they're commonplace on even the most affordable smartphones. Get ready for even more secure options that take advantage of your eyes. The new Galaxy S8 packs an iris scanner, for example. Princeton Identity, which provides the sensor inside the Galaxy S8, explained that iris recognition is 100,000 more resistant to false positives compared to other biometric security options, like fingerprint readers. Apple is rumored to adopt similar technology on the iPhone 8. Amazing displays. Smartphone display innovation is also moving at a rapid pace, largely led by firms such as Samsung. The company is among the first to include HDR support on mobile screens, allowing you to view the same type of quality video that you would on an expensive 4K TV at home. They're ultra sharp, too, with Quad HD resolutions that are required for the best virtual reality experiences. AMOLED technology, long used by Samsung and rumored to eventually hit the iPhone 8, also provides a brighter and more colorful picture than LCD displays, often with a savings on battery life. As displays get better, phones are evolving to become 100 percent display, with almost no blank space on the front, including the new Samsung Galaxy S8 and, according to rumor, the next iPhone. The White House repeatedly deflected questions Thursday about whether any Trump administration officials gave the House Intelligence Committee chairman information that led him to say Trump transition members were caught up in standard foreign surveillance. Two White House officials played a role in giving Republican Rep. Devin Nunes the intelligence reports that fueled his statement that Trump transition team members had information "incidentally" picked up, The New York Times reported Thursday. They are Ezra Cohen-Watnick, senior director for intelligence at the National Security Council, and Michael Ellis, a lawyer who works on national security issues, the Times said, citing "several current American officials." It potentially heightens the criticism about Nunes' ability to conduct the House panel's investigation into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election without White House interference. If the White House had a role in giving Nunes the intelligence, which he then shared with Trump, it could create more doubts about the independence of the probe, which includes looking into any possible links between the Trump campaign and Russia. During his daily news briefing, White House press secretary Sean Spicer did not concede if the reporting is correct. Asked if he would tell reporters if the report was wrong, he said he was "not going to get into it." Prompted another time about whether Nunes' information came from the White House, he said, "I cannot get into who those individuals were." "If I start going down the path of confirming or denying one thing, we're going down a very slippery slope," Spicer said. A spokesman for Nunes, who served on Trump's transition team, told NBC News that the California congressman will not "confirm or deny speculation about his source's identity." Nunes has faced increasing pressure, including calls from Democratic colleagues to recuse himself from the Russia probe, after he held a news conference last week to announce that he had seen reports of incidental surveillance of Trump associates. Nunes later admitted to meeting an unidentified source on the White House grounds the day before his news conference. Critics, including the intelligence panel's Democratic ranking member Rep. Adam Schiff, have argued that Nunes may no longer be able to conduct an independent investigation. Schiff previously said the Republican chairman did not share the reports about possible Trump transition surveillance with him before announcing what he found. As he has in recent days, Spicer deflected attention from what he called the "process" that led to Nunes' public statement. He argued that the "substance" of the congressman's revelation is more important. The White House has invited the chairmen and ranking members of the House and Senate intelligence committees to review new material potentially relevant to their investigations, Spicer added. He did not go into detail about what that information is. Spicer spoke Thursday as the Senate panel held its first public hearing into Moscow's alleged election interference. Watch: Walsh leaves White House With stocks gaining in Thursday trading, it looks like the will avoid logging a losing March. Still, after a string of four straight monthly gains of more than 1.5 percent, this is still set to be the worst month for stocks since October. Some strategists say the pause is not only appropriate, but could actually be beneficial for the rally. "This is healthy, because valuations have been so rich, and consumer sentiment has reached [the highest] levels since 2000, [that] we think coming back down a little to more reasonable valuations could be a good thing," Erin Gibbs, equity chief investment officer at S&P Global, said Wednesday on CNBC's "Trading Nation." The real test, she says, will come once earnings begin to emerge. First-quarter earnings season "will start in about three weeks or so that's when we really start worrying about what's going to happen for the rest of the year," Gibbs said. Matt Maley, an equity strategist at Miller Tabak, would welcome the second-order effects of a true market slide. "I hope the market goes down," he said Wednesday on "Trading Nation." "I'm not talking about a big correction, a big bear market, or anything like that. But boy, would it be nice if we finally saw Congress get blamed for something. They've been getting a free ride for a decade or longer." The way Maley sees it, congressional inaction on fiscal policy has long been excused by stimulative monetary policy effected by the Federal Reserve but with the Fed raising rates, it is high time for Congress to step up. President Donald Trump appears to agree. In his victory speech, he put the focus on the rebuilding of infrastructure, which led to a great deal of attendant optimism in the equity market. And in an even more direct endorsement of stimulative fiscal policies, he told The New York Times Magazine that "In order to get [the economy] going, and going big league, and having the jobs coming in and the taxes that will be cut very substantially and the regulations that'll be going, we're going to have to prime the pump to some extent. In other words: Spend money to make a lot more money in the future. And that'll happen." Of course, whether it will actually happen is questionable. The inability to repeal Obamacare put much of Trump's agenda in question, and his stated intention to "fight" conservative Republicans "& Dems" doesn't exactly suggest a willingness to work closely with Congress. A market drop, however, could change the political equation. "If things finally got down a little bit, if [Congress] finally got the blame for a few things, they'd finally get off their duffs and make a few structural changes that we need, to take the place of the monetary stimulus we've been getting for so many years," Maley said. The head of the Environmental Protection Agency is sticking to the Trump administration's script on coal: Blame regulations for the industry's decline. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt told CNBC's "Closing Bell" this week U.S. power plants are dumping coal due to regulatory uncertainty, which in turn prevents investors from putting money into coal-fired plants. He made the claim after President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at rolling back Obama-era climate change initiatives. Pressed to acknowledge how market forces come into play coal can't compete with much cheaper natural gas on price, for example Pruitt said a surge in U.S. natural gas production was "partly" to blame. His view contradicts most analyses. The common view on coal is that the U.S. natural gas boom has eaten into coal's once dominant share of the nation's power generation. Tougher regulations have speeded up the shift from coal to nat gas, but they aren't its primary cause. The shift away from coal at the nation's plants accelerated in 2008 as a revolution in drilling technology allowed producers to unlock vast reserves of natural gas from shale rock formations so-called fracking. The flood of natural gas drove prices lower, and that, more than anything, has crushed the U.S. coal industry. The Environmental Protection Agency did not immediately provide a response to CNBC's request for comment. Trump is trying to reverse the prevailing trend by rewriting President Barack Obama's policies. His targets include the Clean Power Plan, a rule to reduce carbon emissions from smokestacks, and a moratorium on coal mine leases on federal land. But killing those policies will help the coal industry in only limited ways, according to the Eurasia Group. "Notwithstanding the expected [Clean Power Plan] repeal, Trump's promise of a coal renaissance is already running into the reality of market conditions under which cheap natural gas is edging out coal plants," the risk consultancy wrote in a briefing. Even without the Clean Power Plan in place, coal's once-tight grip on U.S. power generation is expected to slip further and then remain roughly steady at best, as natural gas and renewables gain ground. Without the rule, those sources will help displace about 42 gigawatts of coal-generated power through 2026, according to Eurasia Group analysis of U.S. Energy Information Administration data. If the rule is implemented, the nation will steadily reduce its reliance on coal-fired power generation through 2050, eventually mothballing about 100 gigawatts of capacity by that year, according to Eurasia Group. Pruitt also told CNBC on Tuesday that reducing regulations that push utilities toward natural gas and renewable sources of energy will increase demand for coal at U.S. power plants. "There's hope and optimism now for the first time in many years. I think that's going to impact the demand," he said. But that is not the view of Thomas Fanning, CEO of Southern Company, one of the nation's largest utilities. Fanning backs Pruitt on regulations, but he told CNBC's "Squawk Box" there isn't much Trump can do to juice demand for coal at home. Any increases in U.S. coal supplies are likely to be sent overseas, said Fanning, who noted on Tuesday that foreign energy plants "don't have the natural gas that we do." Even then, the International Energy Agency sees only limited prospects for American coal overseas again, because of market factors. It forecasts that a three-year decline in U.S. coal exports will continue as demand in China declines, shipments out of Mozambique crowd out American coal in Brazil and Europe, and Colombia wields a price advantage over U.S. coal in the shrinking European market. If Trump's policies cannot substantially increase demand for U.S. coal, the president will likely fail to deliver on a core campaign promise: to put miners back to work. The president has not put forward a backup plan for the industry, which has hemorrhaged workers as many companies have gone into bankruptcy. And even if the United States does produce more coal, it still leaves many miners out of work. The Energy Information Administration forecasts a near-term bump in coal production will benefit the most productive mining areas the places where it takes fewer workers to produce more coal. None of those places is in the Appalachian region, where Trump has focused his most visible political efforts. When General Electric CEO Jeff Immelt criticized President Donald Trump's climate policy on Wednesday, he made his industrial behemoth the latest American company to push back on the young administration. In a widely reported note to employees, Immelt said that Trump's executive order to start rolling back Obama-era fossil-fuel regulations "doesn't change what GE believes" that climate change is real and "should be addressed on a global basis." Companies should "adjust to political volatility" and "have their own 'foreign policy,'" he wrote. While many American executives hope for a better operating environment during Trump's presidency, largely based on proposed corporate tax cuts or planned regulatory easing, their optimism has not stopped them from pushing back against the White House. Some companies are taking chances to rebut the president, even though the threat of a very public Twitter attack from Trump always looms. "If I'm a long-term investor, and I'm looking at this, company performance is going to dictate the stock price as opposed to the daily tweets of the commander-in-chief," said Michael Cohen, interim director of the political management program at George Washington University. Some large U.S. companies have criticized those segments of Trump's policies that prompted major public outcry, like climate change or immigration. ExxonMobil this week urged the White House not to abandon the landmark Paris climate accords, a multinational deal from which it is considering withdrawing, according to reports. Key technology companies like Apple, Google-parent Alphabet and Facebook condemned Trump's divisive original executive order restricting travel from seven Muslim-majority countries. Trump has changed the thought process for businesses because of how much backlash many of his policies have faced, said Darrell West, vice president and director of governance studies at the Brookings Institution. Some executives, including Uber's Travis Kalanick, have faced criticism and resistance from consumers for appearing too close to Trump. "There have been boycotts or bad publicity for company executives that get too close to Trump. This has led some of them to criticize some of the president's initiatives," West said. In the most recent example of criticism, Deere CEO Samuel Allen told CNBC on Thursday that "any form of protectionism or nationalism," which Trump has advocated, "is not beneficial for a company like ours." Publicly pushing back on a president becomes easier when the commander-in-chief has a poor approval rating or faces public backlash, Cohen and West added. A Gallup reading showed Trump with a 35 percent approval rating Wednesday following Republicans' failed effort to replace the Affordable Care Act. "With his approval rating, he's not exactly going to scare anybody" in the business community, Cohen said. West added that an unpopular president "does not have the public platform to create trouble for a business leader." Cohen noted that, so far, a Trump tweet has not proven very damaging to a company's share price. For instance, since the president tweeted at Boeing on Dec. 6 criticizing the price of its Air Force One contract with the government, the defense contractor's shares have climbed about 17 percent. Still, Boeing made immediate overtures to Trump to explain the Air Force One pricing, and Trump has since boasted about how the price is coming down. Watch: Finnish Pres. says climate change a major security issue President Donald Trump finished his Thursday how he started it calling out some House Republicans on Twitter. After threatening backlash for members of the hardline conservative House Freedom Caucus in the morning, he prodded specific members of the group to get behind his agenda more than eight hours later. The caucus helped to defeat the GOP Obamacare replacement bill last week. On Thursday evening, Trump tagged Republican congressmen Mark Meadows of North Carolina, Jim Jordan of Ohio and Raul Labrador of Idaho, contending that if they would "get on board we would have both great health care, massive tax cuts and reform." If @RepMarkMeadows, @Jim_Jordan and @Raul_Labrador would get on board we would have both great healthcare and massive tax cuts & reform. Where are @RepMarkMeadows, @Jim_Jordan and @Raul_Labrador?#RepealANDReplace #Obamacare Meadows is the chairman of the Freedom Caucus, but it wasn't immediately clear why Trump also singled out Jordan and Labrador. In his earlier tweet, Trump threatened to "fight" GOP representatives who did not get behind his agenda, as well as Democrats, during midterm congressional elections next year. House Intelligence Committee ranking member Rep. Adam Schiff said Thursday he has "profound concern" about the way intelligence materials were possibly shared with the panel's chairman. Two White House officials played a role in giving Republican Rep. Devin Nunes the intelligence reports that fueled his statement that Trump transition team members had information "incidentally" picked up, The New York Times reported Thursday. They are Ezra Cohen-Watnick, senior director for intelligence at the National Security Council, and Michael Ellis, a lawyer who works on national security issues, the Times said, citing "several current American officials." It heightens questions about Nunes' ability to conduct the House panel's investigation into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election without White House interference. If the White House had a role in giving Nunes the intelligence, which he then shared with Trump, it could create more doubts about the independence of the probe, which includes looking into any possible links between the Trump campaign and Russia. At a news conference Thursday, Schiff, a California Democrat, said he has "a lot of unanswered questions" about the process. He raised concerns about why, if the White House did give Nunes the information, it shared the reports with the congressman rather than going directly to the White House. "Why all the cloak and dagger stuff?" Schiff asked. The White House repeatedly deflected questions Thursday about whether any Trump administration officials gave Nunes the information. During his daily news briefing, White House press secretary Sean Spicer did not concede if the reporting is correct. Asked if he would tell reporters if the report was wrong, he said he was "not going to get into it." The White House invited the chairmen and ranking members of the Senate and House Intelligence Committees to view documents related to the probe, and Schiff said they will do so. Schiff is not sure if those documents are the same ones Nunes saw before making his announcement. The panels' ranking member insisted that the confusion within the committee will not derail its probe. "We're not going to get distracted," Schiff said. A spokesman for Nunes, who served on Trump's transition team, told NBC News that the California congressman will not "confirm or deny speculation about his source's identity." Nunes has faced increasing pressure, including calls from Democratic colleagues to recuse himself from the Russia probe, after he held a news conference last week to announce that he had seen reports of incidental surveillance of Trump associates. Nunes later admitted to meeting an unidentified source on the White House grounds the day before his news conference. Critics, including Schiff, have argued that Nunes may no longer be able to conduct an independent investigation. Schiff previously said the Republican chairman did not share the reports about possible Trump transition surveillance with him before announcing what he found. President Donald Trump fired another warning shot at members of his own party on Thursday morning. In a tweet, the president contended that the hard-line conservative House Freedom Caucus which helped to defeat the GOP Obamacare replacement bill last week will "hurt" the Republican agenda "if they don't get on the team." He appeared to threaten electoral backlash, saying "we must fight them" and Democrats in 2018, when the next congressional midterm elections are held. Trump tweet: The Freedom Caucus will hurt the entire Republican agenda if they don't get on the team, & fast. We must fight them, & Dems, in 2018! The White House told NBC News the tweet speaks for itself and did not clarify whether Trump was suggesting he would support primary challengers to Freedom Caucus members if they do not back his agenda. Trump's broadside comes at a fragile time for Republicans, who failed to follow through on a key campaign promise last week despite holding both chambers of Congress and the White House. House GOP leaders failed to gather support from Freedom Caucus members, as well as some key moderate Republicans. They now face a possible challenge in trying to unify behind a tax reform plan, their next legislative priority, and another possible attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Asked about Trump's tweet Thursday, House Speaker Paul Ryan said he understood Trump's "frustration" but said he is encouraging House Republicans to try to come to an agreement on health care. "I understand the president's frustration. I share frustration. ... We're close," Ryan told reporters at a news conference. "What I am encouraging our members to do is keep talking with each other until we can get consensus to pass this bill. But it's very understandable that the president is frustrated, that we haven't gotten to where we need to go." In the days since the health-care bill's defeat, Trump signaled that he wanted to work with Democrats and holdout members of his party on new legislation that could pass Congress. It is unclear so far if Trump's threats will make Freedom Caucus members more or less likely to fall in line with party leaders. Trump faces a historically low approval rating for this point in his presidency, and some Democrats see an opportunity to gain congressional seats in 2018 amid backlash to the president. Rep. Justin Amash of Michigan, a Freedom Caucus member and frequent Trump critic, tweeted that Trump's statement showed it "didn't take long for the swamp to drain" the president, referencing Trump's campaign pledge to "drain" Washington of corruption and petty political battles. Amash said "almost everyone succumbs" to Washington politics. It didn't take long for the swamp to drain @realDonaldTrump. No shame, Mr. President. Almost everyone succumbs to the D.C. Establishment. Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky hit back at Trump in a tweet, highlighting that the health-care plan only had 17 percent support in a Quinnipiac poll. @realDonaldTrump it's a swamp not a hot tub. We both came here to drain it. SwampCare polls 17%. sad Wells Fargo has been trying to put its fake accounts scandal behind it since the matter was brought to light last year. Setting aside $110 million to help aggrieved customers is a good place to start, according to two industry analysts. Earlier this week, the bank announced the agreement to end a class-action suit over some 2 million accounts that were opened without customers' permission. Wells Fargo already has paid $185 million in fines as part of an agreement with multiple government agencies. The scandal is "looking smaller in the rearview," analysts Brian Kleinhanzl and Michael Brown at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods said in a research note. "Wells Fargo has resolved another overhang related to the cross-sell scandal and the long-tail of potential negative outcomes is growing shorter." The practice is called cross-selling because bank representatives enrolled customers into numerous bank products across various lines. Aggressive sales goals pushed Wells Fargo representatives into the practice, and they have since been rescinded. In addition to some 5,300 employees who were fired after the revelations, multiple top-ranking bank officials also left or were removed. Wells Fargo has been busy trying to rehabilitate its image since the scandal first broke in September 2016. "This agreement is another step in our journey to make things right with customers and rebuild trust," said Tim Sloan, Wells Fargo's president and CEO, said in a statement. "We want to ensure that each customer impacted by our sales practices issue has every opportunity for remediation, and this agreement presents an additional option." After a difficult year for unicorns last year, 2017 is off to a pretty good start for some of the hottest names in this space. Airbnb just closed a $1 billion funding round; WeWork is reportedly raising $3 billion and Uber partner and rival, Didi Chuxing, is said to be considering a new funding round. And then, of course, there was one of the largest unicorn exits in a long time Snap's IPO. But what about the rest? Using data from PitchBook, we looked at how the year is shaping up so far for startups. Despite the headline-grabbing mega rounds from some of the hottest names, this quarter overall isn't looking a whole lot different than the beginning of last year when venture capitalists began to pull back on investing. In the first three months of 2016, 15% of all funding rounds were down rounds that is, they valued the companies at less than than the previous round. This year so far, 13% of all financing have been down rounds. The number of total rounds raised, however, is significantly lower in 2017, with just 343 deals closed versus nearly 500 by this time last year. The top deals in 2017 have been at Airbnb, online lender SoFi, grocery-delivery startup Instacart, and Uptake Technologies - a predictive analytics software company run by Groupon's founders. Top Deals of 2017 Company Deal Size Valuation AIRBNB $1B $31B SOFI $450M $4.25B Instacart $410M $3.4B Uptake Technologies $70M $2B While there have only been two unicorn IPOs this year so far Snap and MuleSoft the pipeline may be warming. Cloud service firm Okta is next, while meal kit startup Blue Apron and Buzzfeed are among the names being tossed around as potential IPO candidates later this year. "The IPO market has opened up for issuance in 2017 for VC-backed unicorns and other fast growth companies," Kathleen Smith, principal at Renaissance Capital, said. A proposed tax credit for developers in President Donald Trump's infrastructure plan won't help improve what Americans want fixed most, the former chief of staff to Joe Biden said Friday. The Trump administration has said it will unveil a $1 trillion infrastructure plan later this year, which could offer incentives for public-private partnerships rather than simply fund improvements. The administration said the plan would include transportation infrastructure, energy, water and possibly broadband and veterans hospitals. Trump's economic advisors have recommended the government allocate tax credits for private investors who underwrite infrastructure projects. Former Biden aide Ron Klain told CNBC that although the plan could be good news for pipeline and utility projects, it would do nothing to fix our roads, bridges, water systems. These are "the kind of things most Americans think about when they say we need more infrastructure spending," Klain said on "Squawk Box." "What we really need right now is an investment in the kind of things in our infrastructure that [are] falling apart." Jacqueline Hinman, CEO of CH2M Hill, an environmental and engineering consulting services company, said Friday she supports private companies and government working together. Hinman said the two can work cohesively, "if there is a will and a way." "The best way to make infrastructure work most efficiently is when people come together and work in one joint permitting regime," Hinman said on "Squawk Box." The Associated Press contributed to this report. One hundred and fifty years ago on March 30, 1867 Russia signed over Alaskan land to the U.S. for less than two cents an acre. Today, that same land has proven to be a gold mine. Boasting sectors like oil, gas, mining, seafood and tourism, Alaska is the a hot commodity for investors, according to John Springsteen, the CEO of Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA). "There are many attractive prospects in ... Alaska, particularly when it comes to oil and gas development and our other natural resources," Springsteen told CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Friday. The Arctic region has already attracted the attention of many Asian countries such as China, Japan and Singapore. Beijing has said it is ready to play a role in developing the Arctic and plans to conduct its eighth scientific expedition there in 2018. Japan, meanwhile, is eyeing shipping routes and resource exploitation there, as Tokyo seeks sourcing opportunities for energy and other raw materials. For his part, Springsteen said AIDEA has a history of working closely with Asia. "We are an enterprise infrastructure investor and we have a history of working with the money from Singapore and money from Korea, money from Japan, in order to meet the mutual interests for energy independence," he said. Springsteen recommended that investors looking to get into the region which is hampered by limited access to resources, surface transportation, ports, broadband and other critical infrastructure work with parties "that have the abilities and the confidence to be able to execute in this type of an environment." Follow CNBC International on Twitter and Facebook. In New York City , where luxury apartments have been going up at a fast clip since the recession , landlords are increasing both amenities and concessions. The share of rentals with landlord concessions set a new record at the start of this year. Over 30 percent of New York landlords offered concessions, with the heaviest use within 2-bedroom apartments, according to Jonathan Miller, of Miller Samuel, who provides monthly reports for real estate broker Douglas Elliman. "There are lots of available units at just-completed projects," according to Jay Denton, vice president of RealPage's Axiometrics business group. "Also, top-tier existing projects are losing performance momentum for the first time in this market cycle. Some renters from established luxury projects are opting for the newest deliveries in order to take advantage of rent discounts often offered during the initial lease-up process." Demand for rental apartments fell short of new supply by about 100,000 units nationwide, according to RealPage, a real estate analytics firm. Apartment occupancy is still high, but it is softening a bit, dropping to 94.5 percent in the first quarter of this year, compared to 95.1 percent at the end of 2016. Occupancy has been falling for the past six months. If you are a first-time renter or looking to upgrade to a bigger, newer apartment, now may be your best chance. Most of the concessions are monetary a month or two of free rent but others are more creative. "What we're seeing more of now is discounted deposits in addition to free months of rent. You only have to put down $500 or $1,000 deposit. It impacts what people are looking at, and that sweetens the deal for a lot of people," said Gabby Warshawer, director of research for CityRealty.com, a New York City real estate listings and analytics company. "There are also stray offerings for gift cards a $1,000 MasterCard gift card when you sign the lease or, in some cases, free access to the building's amenities package." While concessions are hitting the luxury end, rent growth is still relatively strong moving down the rent scale. Pricing is strongest in the middle-market, so-called Class B properties, which tend to be older buildings or rentals in the close-in suburbs. "Top-tier projects in neighborhoods with the most construction are struggling to push rents at all. In many metros, that's especially true in the urban core. However, Class A product rent growth is still substantial in desirable suburbs adding comparatively modest new supply," said RealPage's Denton. Rents and rent growth obviously vary market to market, as with all things real estate, and Sacramento, California, now tops the charts, with rents up 9.8 percent annually. Seattle, Washington, and San Bernardino, California, are not far behind. Rent growth is about half that in Charlotte, North Carolina, Denver, Colorado, Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Tampa, Florida. The real estate investment trusts (REITs) behind multifamily apartments are responding accordingly. Top markets for REIT returns include Phoenix, Arizona, Tampa, Florida, and Oakland, California. Below average trends can be found in New York City, Philadelphia, and Boston, according to Gaurav Mehta, a multifamily REIT analyst at Cantor Fitzgerald. "We continue to expect the largest supply increases in New York, the strongest job growth in Orlando and the highest rent growth in Seattle," said Mehta, who expects supply to peak this year with the largest increases in New York, Nashville, Charlotte, Austin, and Seattle. Analysts at RealPage say demand should grow through this year, as increasing job growth supports more household formation. Both economics and demographics favor more demand for rentals. Supply, however, is also growing and demand is unlikely to meet it. There are currently over 581,000 apartment units under construction with scheduled deliveries climbing to an average 102,000 units per quarter, compared to 82,000 finished per quarter in late 2016 and early 2017. Watch: Loans for rentals A Democratic congressman from Texas will challenge conservative Sen. Ted Cruz for his seat next year. Rep. Beto O'Rourke, a three-term congressman from the state's 16th District, will launch his campaign Friday, according to Texas media reports. He likely faces a daunting task in unseating Cruz, the first-term Republican who was the runner-up to President Donald Trump in last year's GOP primary. Republicans currently hold 52 Senate seats, while Democrats control 46 and independents hold two. Texas, a red state, is not expected to be the focus for the minority party. Democratic senators face 2018 re-election in states Trump won including Ohio, Pennsylvania, Florida and West Virginia, among others. Elon Musk Daniel Acker | Bloomberg | Getty Images P.T. Barnum has nothing on Elon Musk, whose every word and tweet are met with excitement by millions around the world. In fact, when CNBC asked the founders and CEOs of young start-ups that made the recent CNBC Upstart 25 list who they would want as a guest speaker at their company, nine of the 25 named the Tesla Motors, SpaceX and PayPal founder. "When he sees a problem or opportunity to do something better, he builds a company to solve it," said Jason Palmer, co-founder and COO of on-the-go charging company MobileQubes. Indeed, Musk announced another new company this week, called Neuralink, which will work on neural lace, a technology he's hoping will literally meld man and machine, attaching artificial intelligence to the human brain's cortex (he'll figure out the details later). Musk was also busy raising the bar in rocketry this week: For the first time in history SpaceX was able to re-use a rocket in a successful launch. Musk is even an inspiration in the low-tech industries on our Upstart 25 list. Galit Laibow is CEO and co-founder of Foodstirs, the on-demand healthy baking start-up that lists actress Sarah Michelle Gellar among its founders. Laibow told CNBC she would want Musk first because he "is all about vision, challenging status quo and reinventing the norm much as we're about reinventing the baking industry." The founders of DroneDeploy noted, "We're three South African co-founders trying to bring a completely new technology to the world. He's a South African-born entrepreneur whose done it three times." But founders and CEOs of Upstart 25 companies also revealed a few surprises: Some great visionaries of our time and some from long ago. Gloria Steinem: Speaking up for girls Gloria Steinem speaks onstage during the Women's March on Washington on January 21, 2017 in Washington, DC Theo Wargo | Getty Images Entertainment | Getty Images Although Silicon Valley hasn't earned high marks for its treatment of gender, many more start-ups are being founded by women, including 10 on the Upstart 25 list. The founders of feminine hygiene products company Lola and investing firm Ellevest started by one of Wall Street's most powerful women (Sallie Krawcheck) named Gloria Steinem as the speaker they would bring in before anyone else. These were also the only founders who added no explanatory language supporting their selection the name alone was enough. But the feminist icon was not the most popular female choice. Michelle Obama, former First Lady, was the most in-demand speaker after Musk. "We know she's on a beach somewhere, but we'd love hearing from Michelle Obama. She brings many lessons on rallying people to causes that are important," said Ursula Mead, CEO and founder of InHerSight, a start-up focused on helping women find the best career fits. For Grokker, an on-demand fitness start-up, this is no hypothetical exercise. Its founder and CEO, Lorna Borenstein, has been hosting a series of webinars featuring business leaders on Silicon Valley secrets and culture, for which she has had "high-powered girlfriends who hail from Pinterest, Google, Yahoo!, Lifelock, Kleiner Perkins, etc." Ed Feitzinger: The guy behind Amazon's every move Amazon.com boxes are shown stacked near a Boeing 767 Amazon "Prime Air" cargo plane on display in a Boeing hangar in Seattle. Ted S. Warren | AP It's Ed Feitzinger, vice president of global logistics at Amazon, not CEO and founder Jeff Bezos, who actually helps move packages with maximum efficiency. And that's why the co-founder of Kenya-based agriculture start-up Markit Opportunity would invite Feitzinger before Bezos. "Our offer to smallholder farmers is creating supply chains that are more efficient and effective at increasing transparency, and having his expertise and experience with supply-chain logistics, combined with the ability to lead, would be very insightful for the team," said Zeluis Teixeira, co-founder. Amazon hired Feitzinger, a former CEO of UTi Worldwide, one of the largest supply-chain management companies, last September. While Amazon says publicly it won't compete with FedEx or UPS, Amazon has now built facilities within 20 miles of 44 percent of the U.S. population, according to PiperJaffray. And at the same time, it's becoming more global. This week Amazon announced it had acquired the Middle East's largest online retailer, Souq, for $800 million. Shipping economics have never been more important to Amazon. A big reason for its current vicious price war with consumer brands and Wal-Mart is difficulty moving lots of packages at a profit. Ajit Pai: The new gatekeeper of the internet Ajit Pai, at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain on February 28, 2017. Brad Quick | CNBC Regulators may seem like the boring people of technology, seeking to limit its reach rather than lead innovation, but this week new Federal Communications Commission chair Ajit Pai demonstrated a little bit of his power to influence, if not inspire, every single move made online. Congress voted to reverse an Obama-era rule that limited the ability of the telecommunications companies that provide broadband access to sell private-user data without consent. It is a decision that Pai supports (he voted against the Obama-era rule when he was in the minority among FCC members). Pai is also expected to revisit net neutrality rules enacted during the Obama era, which was designed to prohibit broadband providers from playing favorites among apps and services. Pai attracted the attention of cloud software services start-up Midfin Systems founders, who said, "We would like to bring Ajit Pai, the new FCC chair, so that we can help inform the national and global agenda on the future of internet." The start-up's co-founders share something in common with Pai: All three are Indian-Americans. George Orwell: A voice from the past with a message about the future Eric Arthur Blair called George Orwell (1903-1950), English writer. Adoc-photos | Corbis | Getty Images Since Donald J. Trump's election, copies of George Orwell's dystopian classic "1984" have returned to the best-seller list. So it should not come as too big a surprise that start-ups don't just want to read the book but have George Orwell as their dream guest speaker. It also makes sense that it's cybersecurity founders who are infatuated with the novelist who created the "Big Brother" surveillance state. Pavel Gurvich, CEO of GuardiCore, one of the growing number of Israeli-founded cybersecurity start-ups, said of Orwell, "I think he had a very far-looking vision of how technology and society can evolve. '1984' is a warning of a future world where the machine exerts complete control over social life. ... We believe that technology should serve mankind, not control it. ... It would also be incredibly interesting to hear Orwell's vision now if he knew what we know today about how technology and society have evolved since his publishing of '1984' in 1949." Norbert Weiner: A child prodigy who was way ahead on machine intelligence Professor Norbert Weiner smoking cigar. Al Fenn | The LIFE Picture Collection | Getty Images We're gonna guess this is a name most people don't know today, even if once upon a time, Norbert Weiner was a cultural sensation. This child prodigy was all over the popular press between the 1900s and 1910s for graduating high school and attending Tufts University at 11, then receiving his Ph.D. from Harvard at 18. Weiner spent decades as an MIT professor and wrote a book that widely popularized the idea of machine intelligence, "Cybernetics," in 1948 (one year before Orwell's classic). The book's title was chosen by Weiner himself, and terms such as cyberspace and cyborg stem from it, summing up just how far it has reached, The actual theory of cybernetics that machine intelligence could recreate the brain were way ahead of actual science. But as today's research into artificial intelligence continues and as Musk looks for a way into the human brain directly start-up founders do look back to Weiner as a touchstone. Interestingly, it's the founders of a start-up that melds man and machine in a physical relationship that cited Weiner. Assaf Biderman, CEO of Superpedestrian, which is aiming to reinvent cycling through a robotic approach and from Weiner's home turf at MIT noted that Weiner's "theories of human machine interaction in the 1960s pioneered a transformative new field of cybernetics." Pedro Domingos: Musk and Hawking aren't the only A.I. oracles Pedro Domingos, artificial intelligence expert and University of Washington professor. Source: YouTube The rise of machine intelligence has led to dire predictions about an apocalypse from noted thinkers including Musk and physicist Stephen Hawking. But the founders of Scalable Capital, while citing Hawking, had a less well-known figure in mind as a guest speaker on A.I.: Pedro Domingos, a professor at the University of Washington. Scalable Capital is one of the so-called robo-advisors betting that computers can do a better job of investing than human financial advisors and stock pickers. Musk has cited the book "Superintelligence" by Oxford University philosopher Nick Bostrom as the most important work on the risks posed by A.I., but Scalable Capital's founders said Domingos "wrote one of the best books about A.I." His book, "The Master Algorithm," has other fans. In fact, you don't need to choose between Bostrom and Domingos: Bill Gates recently recommended reading both. Melinda Gates said at last year's Code Conference, "I can always tell what's on his mind by what's in his bag of books. And there have been a lot of A.I. books." Sean Parker: But not because of Facebook or Napster Sean Parker, co-founder of Napster Inc. and managing partner of the Founders Fund. Simon Dawson | Bloomberg | Getty Images Instead of worrying about the ramifications of Brexit negotiations, businesses should focus on the task at hand and get on with the job, the chief executive of the world's largest ad company said Friday. "If you're trying to run a business in this environment, what do you do? You get on with it," Martin Sorrell, CEO at WPP, told CNBC. U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May officially pulled the Brexit trigger on Wednesday and, in doing so, kick-started the two-year countdown for Britain's departure from the European Union. The bloc responded to May's handwritten letter on Friday and said it would be willing to discuss a free trade deal with the U.K. but only after an agreement had been finalized regarding the country's departure from the bloc. "The U.K. is now on the other side of the other side of the table," European Council President Donald Tusk said at a press conference in Malta on Friday. He added, the EU's role would be to "minimize the uncertainty" for businesses and citizens throughout the continent as a result of Brexit. The United States will no longer bow to the rest of the world on trade because President Donald Trump plans to act, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross told CNBC on Friday. "We are in a trade war. We have been for decades. The only difference is that our troops are finally coming to the rampart. We didn't end up with a trade deficit accidentally," he said, warning about the consequences of doing nothing. Ross, a billionaire who made his fortune investing in distressed assets, argued on "Squawk Box" that the shortfalls are the result of bad trade deals and other countries actively seeking surpluses. "Our trade deficit overall is about $500 billion a year," Ross said. "Quite miraculously, that also equals the net trade surplus with the rest of the world." Despite what some critics say, Ross maintained that trade deficits the disparity between imports and exports matter. "If trade deficits are good, why is China so pleased that they run a huge trade surplus?" he asked. "It's perfectly obvious that if China hadn't been such a huge net-exporter it never would have grown at the rate that it did." Trump on Thursday set the tone for his first meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping next week by tweeting the U.S. could no longer tolerate massive trade deficits and job losses. The meeting next week with China will be a very difficult one in that we can no longer have massive trade deficits... ...and job losses. American companies must be prepared to look at other alternatives. Ross appeared on "Squawk Box" just hours before Trump was expected to sign two executive orders aimed at fulfilling campaign promises to stop trade cheaters. One of the orders commissions a report on practices that contribute to the nation's trade deficit such as "bad practices" and "currency misalignment," Ross said. The other seeks better collection of anti-dumping and countervailing duties. "When I first took this job I was horrified to learn that billions of dollars of duties that have been won after ... hard fought cases have never been collected," Ross said. On Thursday, Ross told CNBC the Trump administration wants to formally start the North American Free Trade Agreement renegotiation process before Congress goes on April recess. It's that time again! Jim Cramer rang the lightning round bell, which means he gave his take on caller favorite stocks at rapid speed: Berkshire Hathaway, Inc.: "No, no. The downward trend is the opportunity, my friend. It says 'buy, buy, buy!'" AutoNation, Inc.: "I worry about AutoNation and I worry about CarMax. And I've got to tell you, we're going to hear from CarMax next week, they trade together. [] AutoNation is a maybe." CenturyLink Inc.: "I've got to tell you, I regard that yield as a red flag, sir. I'm concerned that I know there's a bunch of analysts that say 'don't worry about it.' I worry about it. If I want to be in [telecommunications], I'm still going to send you to Verizon." Questions for Cramer? Call Cramer: 1-800-743-CNBC Want to take a deep dive into Cramer's world? Hit him up! Mad Money Twitter - Jim Cramer Twitter - Facebook - Instagram - Vine Questions, comments, suggestions for the "Mad Money" website? madcap@cnbc.com Mergers & acquisitions professionals are talking about dealmaking in the Trump administration era at Tulane's 29th Annual Corporate Law Institute. Source: Tulane Law School In the world of dealmaking and shareholder activism, an annual conference in New Orleans has become the staple event. This year, the optimism over the mergers and acquisitions environment is about as free-flowing as the Ramos Gin Fizzes. Kurt Simon, global chairman of M&A at JPMorgan, gave the keynote address at the 29th annual Corporate Law Institute conference hosted by Tulane University Law School, which draws everyone from deal advisers to Delaware judges. He said there are upsides for M&A, stemming from the White House, Congress and rising talk about infrastructure spending and tax cuts. He even said that JPMorgan believes the market is not far away from seeing its first $100 billion all-cash deal. Simon's optimism was echoed in a survey by the public relations firm Brunswick Group, which found that 44 percent of 120 dealmakers surveyed expect merger activity to increase this year. That compares with only 13 percent last year. Brunswick attributed dealmakers' confidence to policies expected from the Trump administration. Does Trump help deals or hurt them? Others, however, are less convinced that President Donald Trump's policy ideas will be a positive for dealmaking. Leo Strine, chief justice for the Supreme Court of Delaware, spoke with his usual candor, saying that protectionist U.S. policies could prompt Europeans and others outside the United States to think inwardly as well. "You can play a game like Putin, where all the stooges on the other side let you score," he said. "I don't know that to be global capitalism." The uncertainty surrounding the administration could cause companies to delay their deals, several panelists said. Simon noted on a panel that tax reform is a "near-term negative" for dealmaking, citing several situations where boards considering selling their companies for cash may defer. For example, lower taxes could lower sellers' expenses, and thereby increase their valuations. To sell now could mean giving up future upside. It's less of an issue for buyers, he said, when they can figure out "synergies" that make the math work. M&A in an age of populism It is hard to be optimistic under President Donald Trump's $1 trillion infrastructure plan, Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez told CNBC on Friday. Perez said the United States' infrastructure systems have bridges and roads so old, if they were people, they would qualify for Medicare. "The challenge that I see with that is when I look at what is being proposed, it's all about tax breaks," Perez said on "Squawk Box." "It's not an infrastructure bill." The DNC chair said Friday infrastructure done right can be a "win-win." Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Check out which companies are making headlines before the bell: DuPont The chemical maker will divest part of its crop protection business to FMC Corp., while acquiring FMC's health and nutrition business. DuPont will get $1.6 billion to compensate for the difference in the value of the assets. The deal is part of DuPont's commitment to European regulators to win approval for its planned merger with Dow Chemical. BlackBerry The software and services company reported adjusted quarterly profit of four cents per share, beating the consensus forecast for a breakeven quarter. Revenue also exceeded Street estimates, and the company said it expects to generate positive free cash flow for fiscal 2018. Johnson & Johnson The company declared its $30 billion tender offer for Swiss biotech company Actelion a success. J&J said it now controls 77.2 percent of the voting rights, and expects the transaction to close during the second quarter. Credit Suisse Credit Suisse was contacted by authorities in London, Paris, and Amsterdam as part of a Dutch investigation into a tax evasion case. The Dutch are investigating several dozen people suspected of tax fraud and money laundering, saying they deposited money in an unnamed Swiss bank. Credit Suisse said it is cooperating with the investigation. Apple Apple won an Australian victory in its effort to prevent banks from introducing their own mobile payment services on Apple iPhones and iPads. An Australian competition regulator ruled that lenders could not collectively bargain for access, in a decision the regulator said could have global implications. Danone The food producer will sell its Stonyfield organic yogurt business, in order to complete its planned $10.4 billion buyout of US organic food producer WhiteWave. Danone said the sale was part of an agreement with the US Justice Department. Broadcom The chipmaker and private-equity firm Silver Lake Partners have reportedly bid nearly $18 billion for Toshiba's chip unit. Reuters has reported that there are approximately 10 bidders for the unit, including Western Digital and Micron Technology. Wells Fargo The bank will have to face a multibillion-dollar lawsuit from investors, stemming from the sale of mortgage-backed securities during the financial crisis era. Verizon Verizon is planning to launch its own online TV service, according to Reuters, and has been buying streaming rights from a variety of TV networks in advance. Chipotle Mexican Grill Chipotle shareholders have pulled a planned proposition that would have split the restaurant chain's chairman and CEO roles. That comes after an agreement with those shareholders to strengthen the company's lead director position. AstraZeneca The drugmaker received Food and Drug Administration approval for the use of its Tagrisso lung cancer drug to treat patients with a specific type of non-small cell lung cancer. Corning Corning was downgraded to "neutral" from "buy" at Citi, which sees current valuation levels appropriate given limited upside to earnings. Citi did make favorable comments about near term prospects for the glass maker, due to the demand for LCD glass, optical, and Gorilla Glass with Apple's iPhone 8 due to come out later this year. Wendy's Wendy's shares have come under some pressure following news that McDonald's will use fresh instead of frozen beef for its Quarter Pounders. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker fired back at U.S. President Donald Trump's support for Brexit on Thursday, saying he would back independence for U.S. states. "The newly elected U.S. president was happy that Brexit was taking place and has asked other countries to do the same," Juncker told delegates at a conference of the center-right European People's Party (EPP) in Malta on Thursday. "If he goes on like that, I am going to promote the independence of Ohio and Austin, Texas," he added. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer claimed Trump had been a "leader in the effort to call Brexit" as he addressed reporters on Wednesday, shortly after Britain had officially triggered the formal process to exit the European Union. Trump travelled to Scotland in June last year, on the day the results of the Brexit referendum were announced, and credited his own campaign as a key influence that had inspired U.K. citizens to vote to leave. The former New York businessman also suggested Britain had taken "back their country" in divorcing the bloc. The European Union said it is willing to discuss a free trade deal with the U.K. but it is only going to finalize it once the country has officially left the bloc. This means that businesses in the U.K. will officially lose access to the EU's single market on March 29th, 2019 unless they agree on a transition deal. In a document outlining the EU's draft guidelines for the Brexit talks, the EU said: "Based on the Union's interests, the European Council stands ready to initiate work towards such an agreement, to be finalized and concluded once the United Kingdom is no longer a Member State." The U.K. government had hoped to discuss and conclude a new trade deal during the two-year period before it has to leave the European Union. But the EU has been reluctant to offer trade talks. The remaining 27 countries want the negotiations to focus first and foremost on how the U.K. is leaving and only after that to agree on how they will cooperate in the future. "Only once we have achieved sufficient progress on the withdrawal, can we discuss framework for the future," European Council President Donald Tusk said Friday at a press conference in Malta. "The U.K. is now on the other side of the other side of the table," Tusk said, adding that the EU's role is to "minimize the uncertainty" that Brexit has created for businesses and citizens. The EU has reiterated in its draft guidelines document that there needs to be early guarantee on citizens' rights and on avoiding a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. "In view of the unique circumstances on the island of Ireland, flexible and imaginative solutions will be required, including with the aim of avoiding a hard border, while respecting the integrity of the Union legal order," the document said. The Union has opened the door to transitional arrangements but U.K. will have to continue contributing to the EU's budget. "The negotiations may also seek to determine transitional arrangements which are in the interest of the Union and, as appropriate, to provide for bridges towards the foreseeable framework for the future relationship. Any such transitional arrangements must be clearly defined, limited in time, and subject to effective enforcement mechanisms," the document stated. It added, however, that in this case, "existing Union regulatory, budgetary, supervisory and enforcement instruments and structures (will) apply." President Tusk told reporters that "the talks which are about to start will be difficult, complex and sometimes even confrontational. There is no way around it." However, he pledged that the EU will not pursue a punitive approach. "Brexit in itself is already punitive enough," he said. Tusk, who represents the 27 heads of state, will visit Prime Minister Theresa May in London next month. This will happen before leaders gather in Brussels on April 29th to approve the final document outlining what the EU wants to achieve in Brexit talks. Roger Jin with elderly volunteers at the warehouse, who he called the Grandmas, "because they're kind and nurturing." Roger Jin decided he wanted to be an entrepreneur when he was 14. He was sitting in trigonometry class and had an overwhelming feeling that what he was learning wasn't serving him. "I felt limited, and a great desire to attain the freedom of being the master of my own destiny," Jin tells CNBC. "Even as a kid, I saw entrepreneurship as my only path towards that goal." Looking back, his only regret was that he didn't drop out of school and start a business. Jin doubled up on his course load and rushed through college in two and a half years. He immediately moved to East Palo Alto, Calif., in the heart of Silicon Valley, and crashed on his friend's couch to work on his first startup idea, Bridge, an app and website that connected people with those nearby who have similar interests. Bridge didn't work, so Jin got a job. Home photo shoot in the early days of Treats. Photo courtesy Treats In May 2015, on a trip to China, Jin went to a grocery store a where he bought Choco Pie, a chocolate-coated marshmallow snack. "I remembered thinking, 'It's a real shame most people from outside of Asia will never have a chance to try this,'" says Jin, in a recent Ask Me Anything on reddit. That thought was the seed of Jin's next business idea. Over the next three months, Jin laid the foundation of Treats, a subscription, mail-order international snack service. He built a website, identified wholesale distributors and found a warehouse where he could sort and ship packages. Jin built the business from his living room with $5000 in savings. By late July 2015, Jin could accept orders through the website. Except for the warehouse staff, everyone at Treats works remotely from home. Photo courtesy Treats Getting off the ground was a struggle. "During the first six months I felt like I was in a constant fight for survival to build the company, launch it, and grow fast enough before I ran out of money," says Jin in the reddit AMA. And he took lots of risks, he recounts: "I put all my personal expenses on my credit card, racking up thousands in debt. I also took on personal and business loans to keep the company afloat as it was growing." An early Treats box. Photo courtesy Treats Jin got his very first customer by posting about his new company in his high school's Facebook Group. He had attended an international high school in Shanghai and thought his classmates might miss the foods of their childhoods. In December 2015, Jin started using the branded blue Treats boxes. That was a big month for growth, he says. In 2016, Treats' revenues hit seven figures, according to Jin, who declined to be more specific. The business currently has four full-time employees and two part-time employees besides Jin. In addition, he sub-contracts out the assembly of boxes and inventory management to Good Source, the fulfillment operation of Goodwill. "I'm glad to do so because Good Source is a revenue arm for Goodwill, and they also employ down-on-their-luck people who may have a hard time getting jobs elsewhere (due to past criminal records, etc.)," says Jin. Treats is headquartered in San Francisco but everyone, including Jin, works remotely. Treats boxes being assembled at the warehouse. Photo courtesy Treats This story originally appeared on Mother Jones. About a dozen Central American immigrants, mostly women with infants in tow, sort through crates of onions, yams, bread, and canned corn in a downtown parking lot in Oakland, California. Many of them are from Guatemala, including several wearing traditional Mayan blouses and skirts. They've gathered at this mobile food pantry because they're hungry, but they're also worried: The Trump administration's immigration crackdown has them reconsidering whether accessing social services like these could put them at greater risk of being deported. "All the people I know are scared," says a woman holding her eight-month-old son. Some of her friends and relatives are too frightened to come to public pickup sites like this one. "Now," she adds, "they do not have enough food." In late January, the Washington Post obtained a leaked draft executive order suggesting that the Trump administration would target noncitizen immigrants who use social services and create standards to determine "whether an alien is deportablefor having become a public charge within five years of entry." More from Mother Jones: Who moved my teachers? Why Trump's antitrust pick is great news for pesticide companies Our immigration courts aren't ready to handle millions of deportations Currently, asylum seekers and green-card holders can apply for food assistance via the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as food stamps); undocumented immigrants cannot. Still, even though Trump has not signed the executive order, advocates say many authorized immigrants have preemptively canceled food benefits like SNAPand fear that it's part of a larger retreat to avoid interacting with federal immigration officials. The Alameda County Community Food Bank, one of the largest food banks in the San Francisco Bay Area, recently sent out a mailer to nearly 100,000 households that it had determined were eligible for food stamps. The response rate was about a quarter of that in previous years. A food bank spokesman says they had heard similar reports from other facilities; the ACCFB estimates that the refusal of these benefits has resulted in a loss of $361,972 to the local economy, since the money from food stamps isn't being spent. After the recent failure of the Republican health-care bill, President Donald Trump should be looking for an issue that he can "get across the finish line," former House majority leader Eric Cantor told CNBC on Friday. He thinks that could be infrastructure, which the president has already pledged to fix. "Infrastructure is a great way to try and bring the country back together," Cantor said in an interview with "Power Lunch." "I don't care where you live, what your party affiliation is, how old you are, everybody enjoys and benefits from improved infrastructure. " Cantor, who served as a Republican congressman from Virginia, is a member of the Bipartisan Policy Center's executive council on infrastructure. While Trump wants to spend $1 trillion to improve the nation's roads, bridges, railways and airports, his first priority was overhauling health care. However, the GOP bill was pulled from the floor last week after party leaders determined they didn't have enough votes for passage. After that failure, House Speaker Paul Ryan said Republicans will proceed with tax reform. Trump's infrastructure plan is expected to be unveiled later this year. Because infrastructure spending will need 60 votes in the Senate to pass, it will certainly need bipartisan support but Cantor thinks it can be done since it is a "less partisan issue." And while conservative Republicans, like members of the House Freedom Caucus who derailed the GOP health-care plan last week, may balk at the heft price tag, Cantor said that can be addressed by bringing in private sector funding. Intel is the biggest stakeholder in Cloudera ahead of the software developer's IPO, thanks to a $740 million bet the chipmaker placed in 2014. That stake, which valued Cloudera at a whopping $4.1 billion, carries with it some awkward provisions, as laid out in Cloudera's IPO prospectus on Friday. In the filing, Intel is listed as owning 22 percent of the company before the offering. Far from just a financial interest, Intel has been developing and marketing products with Cloudera to bring more big data capabilities to Intel's data center processors. Cloudera's database software, built on open source code, helps businesses perform complicated analysis of disparate data. Its products run on standard hardware, and Intel is aiming to use Cloudera's tools as a draw for big customers. As far as ownership, Intel has limited ability to bolster its control of Cloudera from here and thus determine its future course. An Iraqi soldier holds an Islamic State flag during a battle with Islamic State militants, north of Mosul, Iraq. Ari Jalal | Reuters The Islamic State has lost nearly two-thirds of the land it once controlled, leveling a major blow to several critical funding streams including oil and gas revenue, taxation and extortion. The organization, which took over vast swaths of Syria and Iraq in 2014, is one of the best-funded terror groups in history, according to an assessment by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies' Center on Sanctions and Illicit Finance. But a new report from the nonpartisan research institute, based on a review of nearly 200 sources, shows IS fortunes dwindling. The setbacks come after coalition forces backed by U.S. airstrikes and advisors took back Fallujah, Iraq, and wrested control of much of the IS stronghold in Mosul, also in Iraq. They threaten to force a significant in change how the Islamic State raises funds. Islamic State territory changes, source: U.S. military "Going forward, IS is likely to shift its funding composition towards a more 'traditional' model of terror financing, relying more on external donors and extortive practices such as kidnapping for ransom," the report authors concluded. Oil and gas running dry In the course of capturing its territory, the Islamic State has taken control of oil supplies that it refines into fuel, which it uses internally and smuggles for profit. Estimates for IS oil and natural gas revenue for 2015 vary considerably, but sit at about $500 million. The U.S. military projects airstrikes roughly halved those sales to $180 million to $250 million by mid-2016. While this is a clear win, the report authors note that the Islamic State "has proven adaptable, shifting how it operates its oil market and even where it directs its smuggling." Most of that oil is traded within Syria, including with the Syrian regime led by Bashar Assad, whose six-year war with militants created an opening for the Islamic State to occupy much of the country's eastern and central territory. Sales to the Assad regime, which depends on IS-held oil and gas supplies to power the country, are the Islamic State's biggest funding stream, U.S. officials said in January. The report authors see the reliance on Assad as a strategic vulnerability because IS revenues could plummet further if the Syrian ruler secures oil supplies from another source. Tax and extortion pool shrinks As the Islamic State loses land, the population it can extort and levy taxes against also shrinks. That's another significant blow: In 2014, taxes and extortion filled its coffers to the tune of an estimated $600 million. The terror group is "adept at squeezing multiple revenue streams out of the people it controls," in the Center on Sanctions and Illicit Finance's estimation. But again, there are strategic vulnerabilities embedded in this funding stream. IS revenue fell 30 percent from mid-2015 to April 2016, according to research firm IHS. In response, the Islamic State has cut back on governance and salaries, its two biggest expenses. "The need to further squeeze locals and cut salaries as IS loses territory could provoke civilian resistance," the report authors wrote. Still, the fact that most IS revenues come from external sources makes it difficult for the United States and other nations to disrupt funding without committing to military action. The Islamic State is also sitting on a pile of looted cash from Syrian and Iraqi banks and has a web of other revenue sources, including factories and farms seized since 2014, donations from sympathetic foreigners, smuggling and trafficking. New threat NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg refused to answer what would happen to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization if the U.S. were to leave, in an interview with CNBC on Friday. "NATO is about creating a framework for a strong trans-Atlantic bond, so it's not possible to imagine NATO without North America or without the United States. But I'm absolutely certain that NATO will continue because NATO has been the most successful alliance in history," Stoltenberg told CNBC. During his meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on March 17, President Donald Trump pushed "hard" in regards to NATO's commitments, said one official. In a joint press conference following the meeting, Trump said he reiterated to Merkel the U.S.'s "strong support for NATO." Trump had called NATO "obsolete" in January, before he became president, citing that the organization hadn't defended against terrorism. He has repeatedly called on NATO allies to "pay their fair share." The president also accused Germany of owing a great deal of money to NATO. @realDonaldTrump: Despite what you have heard from the FAKE NEWS, I had a GREAT meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Nevertheless, Germany owes..... @realDonaldTrump: ...vast sums of money to NATO & the United States must be paid more for the powerful, and very expensive, defense it provides to Germany! When asked about Trump's claims, Stoltenberg said that the key aspect is for the NATO allies to implement a plan laid out in 2014 to gradually increase defense spending until it reaches about 2 percent of GDP within the decade. "And that's exactly what we are starting to do," he added. Correction: The full name of NATO is the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Emily Murta, right, and Kaitlin Grant embrace during a news conference regarding the newly recovered Norman Rockwell painting, that belonged to their grandfather Robert Grant and was stolen more than 40 years ago, at the federal building in Philadelphia, Friday, March 31, 2017. After being lost for 40 years, a famous Norman Rockwell painting has been returned to its original owners in Philadelphia, according to a Friday press release. The pairing titled 'Boy Asleep with Hoe' also known as 'Lazy Bones' or 'Taking a Break' was reportedly stolen from the Grant family's New Jersey home in 1976. The family then submitted a claim to Chubb, the world's largest publicly traded property and casualty insurance company. "The theft of 'Boy Asleep with Hoe' remained one of the art world's greatest mysteries for over four decades," Fran O'Brien, senior vice president of Switzerland-based Chubb, said in a statement. The Rockwell painting was purchased for less than $100 in the 1950s and was later stolen in the 1970s. The picture shows a young boy taking a nap outside with his dog. The value of the recovered painting is now estimated to be between $600,000 to $1 million significantly more than its value at the time of the theft, the release said. "Recovered art is often valued at a greater amount than a similar piece, given its unique provenance," O'Brien said. Upon its recovery, 'Boy Asleep with Hoe' now has a "newfound high-profile status," she added. The insurance claims payments received after finding the painting will be donated by Chubb to the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, where iconic painter Rockwell lived for more than 25 years. Some of Rockwell's best-known works include 'Rosie the Riveter' and his 'Four Freedoms' series, which was inspired by President Franklin D. Roosevelt during World War II. Shares of insurance provider Chubb are up more than 14 percent over the past 12 months and are up around 3 percent year-to-date. The saying goes, everything's bigger in Texas and this includes opportunities to invest in oil, according to one expert analyst. Some of the best oil companies to consider investing in are based along the Permian Basin of West Texas, the largest U.S. oil patch, Seaport Global Securities Managing Director Mike Kelly told CNBC on Friday. "It's simple economics. ... You are spending the least amount of capital [along the Permian], but here you get the most reserves on the ground," Kelly said on "Power Lunch." "Lower cost wins." Along the Permian alone, the oil and gas industry poured more than $28 billion into land acquisitions in 2016, more than triple what was spent in 2015. These deals are setting the stage for much larger investments that will be needed to extract oil from the ground in coming quarters, many experts agree. In a Thursday note to clients, Seaport wrote that: "Our oil macro review produced a surprisingly robust outlook. ... We think uninspiring [full-year 2017] guidance given on [fourth-quarter] conference calls is a case of massive industry wide sandbagging, which sets up a year of beat opportunities." While the near-term environment for many oil names is strong, Kelly has warned investors that he remains relatively cautious with his long-term crude outlook, and says gas is looking "decisively worse." Yet Kelly told CNBC on Friday he thinks the wild swing of crude prices lately has actually been "encouraging" for the industry and for many of the companies he follows. "In a $50 world, a lot of these guys make a good living. ... You don't need more than $50 for these things to work." Oil prices fell Friday, ending a three-day rally and leading into what could be the oil market's worst quarter since 2015. Investors are worried that growing U.S. supplies are undermining OPEC-led production cuts. Oil settled the day at $50.60 per barrel, falling 5.8 percent. For investors looking to put money into the space, Seaport's Kelly said he would recommend three Texas-based oil stocks: RSP Permian, Ring Energy and Callon Petroleum. Ring is a smaller company but one of the fastest growing small-cap stocks in the sector, Kelly said. And Houston-based Callon is one of the fastest growers overall along the Permian Basin, he added. "We're back to backing the Permian wholeheartedly," Seaport wrote in its Thursday note to investors. Reuters contributed to this report. Oil prices are not capped around $55 as is widely assumed but rather are on track to hit $70 per barrel later this year, according to Pierre Andurand, managing partner at Andurand Capital Management. We're currently at a crossroads from where oil prices should significantly rebound, Andurand told CNBC on the sidelines of an event Thursday evening where he was crowned the winner of the EMEA Investor's Choice Awards for 2017. "I think oil prices are likely to recover to around $70 I think the market will switch to backwardation sustainable backwardation by late summer and that will bring the next wave in oil prices," he said, referring to the situation where nearer-term spot price oil contracts are more expensive than longer-dated forward contracts. Andurand is widely known for his bearish call on oil prices in the mid-2000s, delivered ahead of the drastic sell-off which saw WTI prices plummet from close to $150 in July 2008 to trade in the $30s a mere five months later. Hence why his switch from oil bear to oil bull has particularly caught the market's attention. Andurand worked up his position last year and said that while he has been surprised by the somewhat rangebound nature of trade so far in 2017 indeed, during the first two months of this year his fund position suffered from being caught off-guard by this dynamic - he believes there is a solid explanation for why it will not persist. "U.S. shale producers have been hedging a lot of their production, capping prices, so the improvements in fundamentals were not priced in at all, but I believe that now when people will really see that inventories are going down fast, that eventually the fundamentals will win and prices will go higher," he suggested. Palmer Luckey's departure Thursday from Facebook and Oculus, the virtual reality company he co-founded in 2012, was sudden, but not entirely unexpected. With the exception of his appearance in a Dallas, TX courtroom in January, he has been largely invisible since last September. But Luckey was one of the earliest cheerleaders of virtual reality and many credit him with revitalizing interest in a technological field that many considered dead. And because of that, the speculation has already started about what his next move will be. Luckey did not reply to requests for comment. And neither he nor Facebook have made any public statements about his plans. But analysts say he has several options. One possibility, of course, is that he could fade into the woodwork and live happily off of his share of the $3 billion Facebook paid for Oculus in 2014. (Forbes estimates his value as of the end of 2016 to be $730 million.) One advantage of that is it would put some distance between him and the public controversy that dogged him after he admitted to the Daily Beast that he helped bankroll an internet group that campaigned against Hillary Clinton during the 2016 election. He found himself at the center of more controversy grew earlier this year when the jury in that Dallas trial ordered Facebook to pay $500 million in damages after video game publisher Bethesda Softworks sued Oculus, claiming Luckey "commercially exploited" computer code and trade secrets. But Luckey is just 24 years old and has previously shown an affinity for life in the public corporate spotlight. It would be unusual for him to sit on the sidelines for the rest of his life. While the Bethesda trial was a blow, he's still one of the most public faces of VR. "There's no reason to get off the VR bandwagon," says P.J. McNealy CEO and founder of Digital World Research. "It's only getting bigger and gaining speed. ... There are plenty of companies moving into virtual reality in the coming years. He won't be hurting for opportunities." While it's possible the terms of his employment agreement with (and departure from) Facebook could prevent him from taking an active role at a competitor (or any company in the virtual reality space) for several months (or even years), he could reassume his public presence as an advocate for VR technology and its larger potential. "He could pop up as an evangelist for VR," theorizes Ben Schachter of Macquarie Capital. Some analysts, though, wonder if Luckey's political actions and legal issues may have overshadowed him, making him more of a liability to virtual reality start-ups. "He compromised his leadership position by making some alliances with some fringe players in the political race," says Mike Hickey of Benchmark. Facebook won't say if the political and legal distractions were factors in his departure from the company. The company's only comment in announcing the news was "Palmer will be dearly missed. Palmer's legacy extends far beyond Oculus. His inventive spirit helped kickstart the modern VR revolution and build an industry. We're thankful for everything he did for Oculus and VR, and we wish him all the best." Whatever he decides to do next, Luckey will certainly bring name recognition with him. And, sometimes, that's half of the appeal for a company looking to make a name in a growing business like virtual reality. "No matter what [his next move] is, he has a hell of a resume already," says McNealy. Elaine Chao testifies before a Senate Commerce Science and Transportation Committee confirmation hearing on her nomination to be transportation secretary on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., January 11, 2017 As the Trump administration touts its as-yet-unannounced $1 trillion infrastructure program most recently talked up by Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao this week private equity firms are readying their pocketbooks. They are now raising $30.5 billion in funding for 43 new funds targeting North American infrastructure, according to Preqin, an industry data service. That money will be in addition to $68 billion in "dry powder" that funds have on hand but have yet to invest. The United States is still considered an "emerging market" for public-private partnerships, referred to colloquially as "P3s," according to PWC. States and municipalities have access to cheap funding, and investors are often reticent to have their money tied up in long-term projects. But the pipeline is growing for the "right kind of project with certain criteria," according to Kylee Anastasi, director of capital projects and infrastructure at PwC. The criteria are strict but pretty straightforward: Private equity funds and companies want to see returns greater than 10 percent, and they want their money tied up in projects for fewer than 10 years, since they need to return that money to investors. They also seek projects that guarantee a revenue stream while their money is committed which is one reason toll roads have been popular targets. "The greatest challenge in the public-private partnership is there's only so many projects that easily lend themselves to the kind of toll revenue that pays back private investors," said Gene Sperling, a former economic adviser to President Barack Obama. Sperling served during Obama's release of the 2009 Recovery and Reinvestment Act, an infrastructure program that sought to inject $800 billion into the U.S. economy during the financial crisis, but which some studies later suggested did not have a statistically significant effect on the economy. Earlier this month, President Donald Trump's administration on carry-on electronic devices on flights coming to the U.S. from 10 airports in Muslim-majority countries. Doha in Qatar, and Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) were among the airports included. Middle East airlines Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways are offering passengers flying to the U.S. free laptops and iPads to use on flight after a recently-imposed electronics ban. To counter this, the countries' flag carriers have offered some customers loan devices. From April 2, Etihad Airways said first and business class passengers will have free Wi-Fi and iPads on all U.S.-bound flights from Abu Dhabi. Premium class guests to the U.S. will get free Wi-Fi too. Qatar Airways on Thursday announced plans to offer laptops on loan for all its U.S. flights. The complimentary laptops will be available to business class passengers from next week. Qatar said it is offering a service at its gates where passengers with electronic items prohibited under U.S. rules will be collected and securely packed. "By providing this laptop loan service we can ensure that our passengers on flights to the U.S. can continue to work whilst on-board," Akbar Al Baker, chief executive of Qatar Airways, said in a press release. The U.K. has put similar restrictions to the U.S. in place, but the UAE and Qatar are not on the list of affected destinations. The Senate Intelligence Committee has rejected Michael Flynn's request for immunity from prosecution in exchange for his testimony into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 election, congressional sources told NBC News. President Donald Trump's former national security advisor's lawyer was told the move was "wildly preliminary" and "not on the table" at this point, a senior congressional official told NBC. It does not necessarily rule out immunity at a later date, since the Senate investigation is ongoing. Flynn, who resigned after only weeks on the job, also offered to speak to the Justice Department in exchange for protection from prosecution, according to NBC. At this time, there is no indication that Flynn is admitting guilt to any crimes. In a statement Thursday, his lawyer Robert Kelner said no "reasonable person" would get questioned in "such a highly politicized, witch hunt environment without assurance against unfair prosecution." Flynn stepped down in February when reports surfaced that he misled White House officials about whether he discussed sanctions with Russia's ambassador to the United States. Flynn told Vice President Mike Pence he did not discuss sanctions against Russia with Russian officials in the weeks leading up to the Jan. 20 inauguration. Pence then defended him in TV interviews. Since leaving the Trump administration, Flynn registered with the Justice Department as a foreign agent for lobbying work that may have aided the Turkish government. It took place from August through November, when he was a Trump campaign advisor. Flynn is required to disclose that work. Reports also surfaced that Russian state-owned network RT paid more than $45,000 for Flynn to travel to Moscow and speak at its 10th anniversary event. Trump echoed Flynn's lawyer in a Friday morning tweet, arguing that Flynn "should ask for immunity" in the ongoing probe into possible ties between the campaign and Russia. The president argued that concerns over Russia were a "witch hunt" of "historic proportion" by media outlets and Democrats. NBC News' Ken Dilanian and Kasie Hunt contributed to this report Watch: Flynn's views on immunity It's been a bad start to the year for a remarkably risky fund. In the first quarter, the worst-performing big exchange-traded product has been UGAZ, a levered natural gas play from VelocityShares that has lost more than half its value. Designed to treble the performance of natural gas, the UGAZ has given its holders even more than their money's worth of volatility. The underlying commodity itself is down a bit less than 15 percent this year; UGAZ has fallen 55 percent. "A lot of people were ticking the boxes, saying 'Yes, this is a very bullish story, it's stacking up to be a very bullish story,'" Gina Sanchez of Chantico Global commented Thursday on CNBC's "Trading Nation." "And then all this warm weather hit, and wow, did we see a kill to anybody holding any kind of leveraged bet." The unseasonably warm winter has been bad news for natural gas demand, since the commodity is largely used for heating. Meanwhile, the other-side-of-the-coin product, DGAZ, which is designed to provide triple-levered short exposure to nat gas, is up a bit less than 40 percent in 2017. To be sure, neither UGAZ nor DGAZ are designed to be held for long time periods by everyday investors. "The ETNs are intended to be daily trading tools for sophisticated investors to manage daily trading risks. They are designed to achieve their stated investment objectives on a daily basis, but ... may not be suitable for investors who plan to hold them for a period other than one day," the prospectus warns in bold font. Indeed, both the UGAZ and DGAZ are down over the past year the UGAZ by 16 percent, and the DGAZ by 79 percent. And not everyone appears to be heeding the issuer's warning. UGAZ and DGAZ are both topics of near-daily conversation on the online investing community "Wall Street Bets," a forum on Reddit that relishes in so-called YOLO (or "you only live once") plays. Recent posts about the triple-long product are entitled "When to buy UGAZ," "Buy the UGAZ dip," "UGAZ suicide squad anyone," "RIP UGAZ HOLY S---" and "UGAZ Bagholding Idiots Thread." Bill Baruch, senior market strategist at iiTrader, commented Thursday on "Trading Nation" that while he's "very bullish natural gas," for both technical and fundamental reasons, "I don't like these triple ETFs." "If you really want to hold natural gas ... you want to use the underlying commodity," he added, saying that buying long-dated futures might be a good play. "There's many ways to trade this [that are] much better than using that." "These are for very short-term moves for short-term traders in a very high conviction trade," Sanchez emphasized. "This is not a long-term bet." A representative for Janus, which purchased VelocityShares in 2014, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. We know you're busy and, these days, it feels like there's more news than ever to keep up with. Well, we've got you covered. Here's a preview the week's biggest money stories to watch for and a quick rundown of how they may affect you. Fabrice Coffrini | Getty Images WHAT'S HAPPENING: President Trump is meeting with Chinese President Xi Jin Pin WHY IT MATTERS: Prices of goods like your iPhone may go up The two most powerful leaders in the world are finally meeting after some serious social media drama. This will be yuuuge. The main point of contention is trade. Trump has warned China that the U.S. may slap a tax on Chinese goods coming into America. In response, Beijing officials could do the same, or they could make doing business in their country more expensive for companies like Apple that manufacture parts of the iPhone there. And if Apple ends up having to pay more, you may have to pay more too. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds | Getty Images WHAT'S HAPPENING: The tax deadline is almost here WHY IT MATTERS: If you don't file by April 18, you could get in trouble with the IRS Filing taxes is often stressful, especially if you leave it to the last minute. But thanks to technology it can also be more straightforward than ever. We've found three apps that are simple and intuitive and allow you to file your taxes from your smartphone instead of racing to the post office. Check out MyBlock, TaxSlayer and CreditKarma. Bonus: Want to lower your tax bill next year? Boost your retirement contributions. Every pre-tax dollar you save towards a retirement account shaves a dollar off of your taxable income. That means more money in your pocket later and less in Uncle Sam's now. Tim Boyle | Getty Images WHAT'S HAPPENING: The March jobs report is coming up on Friday, April 7 WHY IT MATTERS: If you want to change jobs, some of this info could be super useful Despite what you might hear, America is actually killing it on the jobs front: The unemployment rate has stayed under 5 percent since LAST April. Even wages are improving. But before you decide to switch careers, check out the report to see which industries are doing the most hiring. Kevork Djansezian | Getty Images Panera Bread's Southwest Chicken Tortilla Bowl Source: Panera Bread Chipotle Mexican Grill is trying really hard to get out of the penalty box. Their latest effort harkens back to their heritage as a restaurant chain focused on fresh, healthy ingredients. This week, the Mexican chain announced it had finally found the right formula to eliminate all additives from its tortillas a step that makes the restaurant preservative-free for all but its drinks. But it remains to been seen if this new claim will be enough to erase the stigma it acquired after a string of foodborne illnesses scared people away from the chain. While Chipotle was sorting out its food safety issues, customers found other restaurant options with healthy halos, including fast casual rival Panera. So Chipotle needs to win back those diners. What's more Chipotle may be confusing matters by quibbling over what constitutes a truly additive-free menu. "It's going to take [Chipotle] time to get back on track," said Bonnie Riggs, an NPD Group analyst. "They still have their work cut out for them for consumers to find them trustworthy." The focus on healthy, fresh, and "clean" food is a good start. In January, Panera touted a claim that its menu was "100 percent clean" after having reviewed more than 450 ingredients that it sells in stores and reformulating 122 of them, including a large majority of its bakery-cafe recipes. Since then consumers have a more positive perception of Panera. Panera continued to build on its clean menu by disclosing Friday that its soda fountains will feature signage that lists each beverage's caloric and sugar content. It will also be launching some new, low-sugar beverages. YouGov BrandIndex, a market research firm, polled hundreds of consumers over age 18 about which brands they would consider eating the next time they went out to eat. The scores that brands receive are the percentage of respondents that said they would eat at that location the next time they went out to eat. For Panera, that percentage score fluctuates between the high 20s and mid 30s for the general public and the mid-to-high 30s for consumers who consider themselves "healthy eaters." In the chart below, the dark blue line represents these self-described healthy eaters, while the lighter blue line signifies the general population. "The dark blue line is always above the light blue line, so that's saying that a higher proportion of people who consider themselves to be healthy eaters would consider a Panera restaurant versus the general population as a whole," Ted Marzilli, CEO of YouGov BrandIndex, told CNBC. "The why behind that is a bit of conjecture or inference." Marzilli said that there are several factors that could influence the healthy eaters into making this decision, including perceiving items like salads and vegetables to be healthier options, seeing food that is sourced locally or organically as fresher than other food and viewing meals that are prepared to order more desirable than premade dishes. He also said that the divide between the two lines begins to widen after Panera's announcement in January that its food was 100 percent clean, suggesting that the company's clean campaign is resonating with healthy eaters. Chipotle, however, has struggled in recent months, with consideration among healthy diners falling below that of the general population. Marzilli said that this could be an indicator of underlying health concerns considering Chipotle's food safety history. Similar data from the NPD Group also indicates that Panera's shift to preservative- and additive-free food has boosted perception among diners. In 2015, 30 percent of respondents said that their primary reason for going to Panera was because of its "healthy, lighter food." In 2016, that figure jumped to 34 percent. This is the highest percentage of consumers seeking healthy food as their primary reason for going to a chain that NPD's Riggs has ever seen. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson renewed pressure on the U.S.'s NATO partners on Friday to step up their contributions to the alliance's budget. Speaking to reporters in Brussels, Tillerson said that all 28 members need to guarantee the alliance has all the financial resources available. Tillerson is attending his first NATO meeting on Friday, which was moved forward to ensure he would be present. The original plan was to meet on April 5 but Tillerson could not make that date given that he is due to meet with Chinese officials. The other 27 countries agreed to meet earlier so Tillerson could attend. Meanwhile, Linas Linkevicius, the Lithuanian minister of foreign affairs, told CNBC on Friday that it was the "very beginning" of the new administration in the U.S. adding that it was important to show flexibility. President Donald Trump on Friday defended Michael Flynn for seeking immunity, but he had a very different attitude about the strategy when Hillary Clinton staffers reportedly used it. The former national security advisor told the Senate Intelligence Committee he is willing to be interviewed for its ongoing investigation into alleged Russian influence on the 2016 election in exchange for immunity from prosecution, a congressional official told NBC News. His lawyer said in a statement that no "reasonable person" would get questioned in "such a highly politicized, witch hunt environment without assurance against unfair prosecution." Trump echoed that sentiment in a Friday morning tweet, arguing that Flynn "should ask for immunity" in the ongoing probe into possible ties between the Trump campaign and Russia. The president argued that concerns over Russia were a "witch hunt" of "historic proportion" by media outlets and Democrats. Trump tweet: Mike Flynn should ask for immunity in that this is a witch hunt (excuse for big election loss), by media & Dems, of historic proportion! Both Trump and Flynn took a vastly different outlook on immunity when the president was locked in a bitter election campaign with Clinton last year. At a September rally in Florida, Trump highlighted reports that some Clinton aides received immunity in the FBI investigation into her use of a private email server while she was secretary of state. "If you're not guilty of a crime, what do you need immunity for?" Trump asked at the time. No one was charged with a crime in the investigation. In a separate October tweet, he asked Clinton why staffers would want immunity. ATTN: @HillaryClinton - Why did five of your staffers need FBI IMMUNITY?! #BigLeagueTruth #Debates Flynn also equated immunity with committing a crime in a "Meet the Press" interview last year. At this time, there is no indication that Flynn is admitting guilt to any crimes. Flynn resigned in February when reports surfaced that he misled White House officials about whether he discussed sanctions with Sergey Kislyak, Russia's ambassador to the United States. Flynn told Vice President Mike Pence he did not discuss sanctions against Russia with Russian officials in the weeks leading up to the Jan. 20 inauguration. Pence then defended him in TV interviews. Since leaving the Trump administration, Flynn registered with the Justice Department as a foreign agent for lobbying work that may have aided the Turkish government. It took place from August through November, when he was a Trump campaign advisor. Flynn is required to disclose that work. Reports also surfaced that Russian state-owned network RT paid more than $45,000 for Flynn to travel to Moscow and speak at its 10th anniversary event. In a Friday tweet, House Intelligence Committee ranking member Rep. Adam Schiff suggested that the public will learn "a lot more" about why Flynn is seeking immunity when ex-acting Attorney General Sally Yates testifies before the committee. The California Democrat did not specify what that information would be. Yates, who was set to testify at a hearing this week that got canceled, warned the White House in January that Flynn could be vulnerable to blackmail following his statements about his contacts with Kislyak. There's no shortage of issues for the two presidents to discuss when they meet at Mar-a-Lago on April 6. Between national security and trade, Xi and Trump will have plenty to chew on, Spicer said. "This isn't a sit-around-and-play-patty-cake kind of conversation. There are big issues," Spicer said. A looming summit between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping certainly won't be a picnic, White House spokesman Sean Spicer said during his Friday press briefing. The president is set to sign two executive orders Friday that are poised to renew focus on China's trade relationship with the U.S. The White House said these orders aim to defeat trade abuses and non-reciprocal practices to lessen the trade deficit. Trump tweeted Thursday night that his upcoming meeting with Xi will be a "very difficult one," citing the massive trade deficit as a factor. In 2016, China's goods trade deficit with the U.S. stood at $347 billion, by far the largest figure. @realDonaldTrump: ...and job losses. American companies must be prepared to look at other alternatives. But during a Thursday briefing with reporters, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and Peter Navarro, head of the National Trade Council, resisted attempts to characterize the impending orders as "putting China on notice." "Nothing we're saying tonight is about China," Navarro told reporters, repeatedly emphasizing that the orders were meant to address trade abuses. Spicer echoed those remarks, saying, "I think he wants to have a very good, respectful and healthy relationship, but he also wants to make sure that he tackles the challenges and problems that are facing American workers and manufacturers and get to them." CNBC's Evelyn Cheng contributed to this report. For all of Trump's passionate rhetoric, the two orders are small first steps in an ambitious trade agenda that seeks to revitalize American manufacturing. Trump said "the well-being of America and the American worker is my north star." These new orders are proof of that mission, he said. "If anyone had any doubt about the president's resolve to fix the trade problems, these two executive orders should end that speculation now and for all time," Ross said. Speaking from the Oval Office, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said these orders mark the "beginning of a totally new chapter in the American trade relationship with our partners overseas." "Thousands of factories have been stolen from our country, but these voiceless Americans now have a voice in the White House. Under my administration, the theft of American prosperity will end," Trump said Friday. President Donald Trump signed two executive orders on Friday, which lay the groundwork for fulfilling key campaign promises to make trade more fair. The first executive order commissions a report on trade practices that contribute to the trade deficit, while the second seeks better collection of anti-dumping and countervailing duties. The report, spearheaded by the Commerce Department and U.S. Trade Representative, aims to identify every trade abuse and "non-reciprocal practice" that contribute to the trade deficit. Within 90 days, the report will go back to the Oval Office detailing specific causes for the deficit, country by country, product by product. In a Thursday briefing with reporters, Ross repeatedly emphasized that this report will provide the White House with an empirical basis on which to make decisions about trade. It will allow the Trump administration take a "measured and analytical approach" and not do anything too casually or abruptly, he said. "What's driving it is that the U.S. has the lowest tariff rates and the lowest non-tariff barriers of any developed country. While other countries talk about free trade, they actually are far more protectionist than we are," Ross said on Thursday. It's likely that the report will find multiple reasons for the trade deficit, which Ross said could include lax enforcement, asymmetrical rules or currency misalignment. He said, however, that in some instances, the report will find that no real action should be taken because the deficit with a particular country isn't related to bad behavior. The U.S. isn't oil self-sufficient, so it imports a lot of the commodity, Ross said. In other cases, there may be an imbalance simply because other countries are better at manufacturing a specific product or can do so more cheaply than the U.S. The second executive order seeks to deal with what Peter Navarro, head of the National Trade Council, called the "long-festering problem of undercollection of anti-dumping and countervailing duties." Both types of tariffs aim to protect the competitiveness for U.S. products, by bridging the gap between cheaper imports and American manufactured goods. Navarro said on Thursday, "It does our workers and domestic manufacturers no good for the Department of Commerce to impose countervailing duties if they go uncollected at the border." The second order is also expected to direct the Department of Homeland Security to better combat violations of U.S. trade and customs laws and enable enhanced seizure of counterfeit and pirated goods. Earlier Thursday, Trump tweeted that his upcoming meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at Mar-a-Lago will be a "very difficult one in that we can no longer have massive trade deficits and job losses." @realDonaldTrump: ...and job losses. American companies must be prepared to look at other alternatives. Yet when pressed on Thursday if these executive orders are meant to put China "on notice" or target the country, Ross and Navarro disagreed with those characterizations. Ross had pointed out that the United States' largest trade deficit is with China, but that fact was simply meant to be used as a reference and not a ranking of targets. Navarro said that these orders are meant to shed light on trade abuses in general. This is breaking news. Please check back for updates. Watch: Trump's trade executive orders In addition to great salaries, tech employees expect perks at their jobs especially in competitive areas with a lot of start-ups. Free lunch, a casual work environment and great healthcare plans have become standard fare, especially in the Bay Area. But to stand out, companies need to offer something above the rest. For virtual reality media company Upload in Los Angeles, it meant supporting a pricey Kombucha habit until it became untenable. "People love it, but it was so expensive that we had to stop doing it," admitted Upload founder and CEO of Upload Taylor Freeman. "People would drink five glasses a day. It was $3,000 to $4,000 a month to have Kombucha on tap, so we had to shut it down. It was a big hit to the morale of the community." Vevo chief people officer Colleen McCreary said that their San Francisco office offers free lunch, which can make the employees in other locations a little jealous. However, other Vevo offices have their perks. The New York office has frequent in-office musical performances, from artists like Sam Smith, Sigrid, Wyclef and Earl St. Clair. , as well as smoothie and latte barista visits. "The food perk is certainly one that is developing around the world," McCreary said. "A lot of times it's a productivity piece, but it creates a communal feeling. I feel like there's a lot of magic that happens in that situation [when people eat together]." Perhaps most important for a company owned by the music industry: All employees get free concert tickets. Employee training platform Grovo's New York offices gets manicures on Friday, a gym and an in-house shoe shiner. In addition, it sends employees field trips it calls "Camp Grovo" to allow employees in the concrete jungle to get some fresh air. "We actually go outside the city into nature," said employee training platform Grovo's vice president of people Joris Luijke. Facebook and Instagram marketing platform Smartly.io takes the perk concept to the next level. Four times a year, every employee flown to an all-hands company meeting. For the first few years, everyone was sent somewhere in the company's home country of Finland, but it decided to mix up the locations to give employees time to see other cities. The past trip was to Greece, and the international fall location has yet to be announced. And, while it may not have the same unlimited vacation options as other tech companies, it gives five weeks of paid vacation which people are forced to take. [The stream is slated to start at 1:30 p.m., ET. Please refresh the page if you do not see a player above at that time.] President Donald Trump believes Michael Flynn should "testify and do what he has to do to get story out," White House press secretary Sean Spicer said in his daily press briefing. Earlier Friday, NBC News reported, citing congressional sources, that the Senate Intelligence Committee rejected the embattled former national security advisor's request for immunity from prosecution in exchange for his testimony into Russia's alleged meddling in the 2016 election. Flynn's lawyer said in a statement that no "reasonable person" would get questioned in "such a highly politicized, witch hunt environment without assurance against unfair prosecution." When a reporter asked if Flynn should testify under immunity, Spicer said he was not in the business of giving legal advice. The White House spokesman said that matter is up to Flynn and his lawyer. He said, the White House isn't worried that Flynn has damaging information on the president. On Friday morning, Trump argued that Flynn "should ask for immunity" in the ongoing probe into possible ties between the Trump campaign and Russia. The president argued that concerns over Russia were a "witch hunt" of "historic proportion" by media outlets and Democrats. @realDonaldTrump: Mike Flynn should ask for immunity in that this is a witch hunt (excuse for big election loss), by media & Dems, of historic proportion! CNBC's Jacob Pramuk contributed to this report. The White House plans to release financial disclosures for top officials Friday evening, giving a deeper look into the holdings of some key Trump administration figures who entered government with a web of holdings and potential entanglements. The White House will start taking requests for the financial disclosures of roughly 180 people in the administration, a White House official told reporters. The documents, part of the ethics process for administration employees, will include salaries and other assets that officials held at the time they took office. It is not clear exactly whose forms will be available Friday, but documents could be released for officials including National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn, chief strategist Steve Bannon and Jared Kushner, a key advisor and son-in-law to President Donald Trump. No new documents related to Trump himself are set to be made available. Trump filled his administration and Cabinet with wealthy individuals from the business world who held complex assets, leaving room for a host of possible ethics issues. Major investors, multiple Goldman Sachs employees and Trump's own family members, among others, have taken spots in the administration. A White House official said many White House employees have already resigned from posts, divested from assets or recused themselves from issues that could pose potential conflicts, and others are in the process of doing so. The documents released Friday will show officials' assets at the time they took office. However, it will not show, in many cases, if an employee has since divested from a holding. Top officials have 30 days to file the paperwork once they take office. Forms for Trump's daughter Ivanka, who joined the White House as an unpaid employee this week, will not be released, yet. However, some of her holdings will overlap with her husband, Kushner. China may have gained some clarity on the issues the Trump administration wants to address, ahead of next week's meeting between the two countries' presidents. Uncertainty over what the new White House wants has given the U.S. some leverage over Beijing, analysts said. In a reversal from Trump's tough campaign talk about tariffs and currency manipulation, a thinly staffed White House has softened its tone and focused more on North Korea, where Beijing has significant influence. Two executive orders President Donald Trump is expected to sign Friday afternoon would seem to confirm that China's trade relationship with the U.S. is still in the White House crosshairs. The first order will call for a detailed report on the cause of U.S. trade deficits within 90 days. The second will support increased collection of penalties foreign companies must pay for receiving support from their home governments and selling their goods in the U.S. too cheaply. "Nothing we're saying tonight is about China. ... This is a story about trade abuses," Peter Navarro, author of the book "Death by China" and head of the newly formed National Trade Council, said during a news briefing on the orders Thursday evening. However, China had the largest goods trade deficit with the U.S. at $347 billion last year, and the country's steel industry has long been criticized for dumping the commodity into the U.S. "China doesn't intentionally pursue trade surplus, neither do we intend to use competitive currency depreciation to boost trade. That's just not our policy," Zheng Zeguang, Chinese vice foreign minister, said in a news briefing Friday, according to a transcript from The Associated Press. As a candidate, Trump spoke forcefully and frequently about labeling China a currency manipulator and slapping a 45 percent tariff on imports. Trump tweeted Thursday that his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping "will be a very difficult one." Trump tweet on Xi But many especially in China maintain that such comments are more talk than action. "He may sound tough," said Huiyao Wang, founder and president of Beijing-based think tank Center for China and Globalization, but "for business people, always aim high and then reach in between. I think it's a negotiation tactic." Google and Facebook must take responsibility and remove extremist content on their platforms, WPP CEO Martin Sorrell told CNBC on Friday, but he added that advertisers boycotting video service YouTube "doesn't make sense". A number of major brands pulled ads from Google-owned YouTube this month after they were appearing next to inappropriate content. AT&T, General Motors and Johnson & Johnson are among the companies who have suspended ads on YouTube. Sorrell said that there "may be an argument" for temporarily suspending ads on YouTube, but a permanent boycott wasn't a good move. "Boycotting what is one of the most powerful, if not the most powerful medium, doesn't make sense," Sorrell told CNBC. Last year, WPP spent $5 billion advertising with Google on behalf of clients, the CEO told CNBC in December, making it the largest digital platform it spends on, compared to $1.7 billion for Facebook and $90 million for Snapchat. Google is likely to make $72.69 billion in ad revenues in 2017, according to eMarketer data. Sorrell said WPP has partnered with Google to introduce technology to monitor where ads are appearing, but did not give further details and admitted that "you can't make things 100 percent brand safe." The WPP CEO said you can deal with the issues around ad placement effectively but so far there hasn't been a good response. Customers browse books at the newly opened Amazon Books store on November 4, 2015 in Seattle, Washington. The online retailer opened its first brick-and-mortar book store on November 3, 2015. Getty Images Boosting your financial I.Q. is a worthwhile resolution for 2018. CNBC.com asked financial advisors what books they recommend to increase your understanding of how you should manage and invest your money. Here are their top picks. "I Will Teach You To Be Rich" This book by Ramit Sethi provides a six-week program aimed at young adults ages 20 to 35. Financial advisor Michael Kitces recommends the book because it not only teaches good habits, it also emphasizes the value of reinvesting in yourself. "I find most personal finance books skip this oh-so-important aspect of trying to improve your financial situation by focusing on your earning power, rather than just your expenses or your portfolio investments," Kitces said. "That's what puts his book high on my list." "The Ultimate Financial Plan: Balancing Your Money and Life" This financial planning book by Jim Stovall and Tim Maurer covers your overall financial situation, including your cash flow, insurance coverage and estate plan. "This book is good for the DIY-ers who want take tackle and have the time to manage their own financial household," said advisor Rianka Dorsainvil, founder and president of Your Greatest Contribution. The book can also help you if you are already working with a financial advisor or planner. "You will be able to bring ideas and thoughts to the table so it can feel like more of a partnership," Dorsainvil said. "The Millionaire Next Door" Written by Thomas J. Stanley and William D. Danko, this book examines how truly wealthy Americans often live frugal lifestyles and rarely show off their wealth with flashy spending. "It lays the foundation, and shows the impact of how living within your means and spending less than you earn can give you the financial freedom at an early age," Dorsainvil said. Reading the book should give you an understanding of how all decisions from buying a home to a car impacts your long-term wealth, according to Dorsainvil. "Think and Grow Rich" Napoleon Hill's book was first published in 1937 and draws lessons from rich men of that era, including Andrew Carnegie, Thomas Edison and Henry Ford, among others. The book teaches you the "mindset one needs to become wealthy," according to financial advisor Ivory Johnson, founder of Delancey Wealth Management in Washington, D.C. "Our mind is incredibly powerful and thoughts turn into reality," Johnson said. "The Rational Optimist: How Prosperity Evolves" Author Matt Ridley makes the case in his book for increased prosperity this century, in spite of what pessimists say. That message, according to financial advisor Tom West, a partner at Signature Estate & Investment Advisors in Tysons Corner, Virginia, can help investors who shy away from the market because of their fears of what could go wrong. "Ridley does a masterful job of contextualizing the progress of modern society in an accessible way, laying the groundwork for rationally expecting the world of tomorrow to be materially better," West said. "The book was published after the financial crash but now seems just as timely." "Make Your Kid a Money Genius (Even If You're Not)" Beth Kobliner's book is aimed at helping parents of children from toddlers to young adults teach money management. Financial advisor Diahann W. Lassus, president of Lassus Wherley in New Providence, New Jersey, recommends the book because it uses "language that is easy to understand without the alphabet soup we can get caught up in." The book addresses various financial topics including charitable giving and breaks down advice by age group. "It is a valuable reference that will guide the parent at each stage of the child's life," Lassus said. "The Elements of Investing: Easy Lessons for Every Investor" Legendary investors Burton G. Malkiel and Charles D. Ellis provide basic advice on investing and saving in "The Elements of Investing." "This books distilled all of the best investment insights from each author's classics, 'A Random Walk Down Wall Street' and 'Winning The Loser's Game,' while also including personal finance and saving advice," said Peter Lazaroff, co-chief investment officer at Plancorp, in St. Louis, Missouri. "This book is great for beginners looking to get a better grasp of how to invest for long term goals." "The Most Important Thing: Uncommon Sense for the Thoughtful Investor" From listening into customer care calls to starring in their own commercials, here are some top marketing tips from the world's most successful CEOs and entrepreneurs. Live the brand When T-Mobile U.S. was looking for a new CEO in 2011, it knew marketing would be an important part of its revival. "We were in a very difficult situation in the U.S. We needed nothing less but a marketing genius in order to turn the company around," Rene Obermann, the former CEO of T-Mobile parent company Deutsche Telekom told CNBC show "The Brave Ones." Enter AT&T veteran John Legere, who soon started wearing the magenta-and-black uniform of store staff, and now has a whole closet dedicated to the brand's bright pink apparel. John Legere, T-Mobile US. Patrick T. Fallon | Bloomberg | Getty Images "Magenta's cool. I mean, it scales. People like it. It's not like yellow, you know. And then we just overdid it. We took it to its extremes. And I think we've created a whole new brand around magenta," he told "The Brave Ones." Find the right name Richard Branson's Virgin Group got its name when he was hanging out with friends as a teenager. "One of the girls said: 'We're all virgins. Why don't you call it Virgin?'" Branson told "The Brave Ones." The name worked for every industry the company went into, because it was new to each. Nik Powell, Virgin's co-founder, said it was "Very risque and an immediate attention-grabber It was just a great name." Get out of failing industries early Will Whitehorn, who worked as Virgin's brand development and corporate affairs director for more than two decades, told "The Brave Ones" that it's much better to cull a new project quickly if it's not working. "An awful lot of organizations will, when they do plunge into a new development for a very, very big organization, they will keep going when it's clearly not working, for far too long," he said. Virgin, for example, sold its music retail business in 2007. "We were the first people to get out of music retailing, to see the writing on the wall," Whitehorn added. Richard Branson at the opening of a Virgin Megastore in Times Square, New York City, in 1996 James Leynse | Getty Images Focus on customers Many companies claim to be "customer centric," prioritizing people who use their products over all others, but not that many do so in reality. When Legere took over at T-Mobile, he headed straight for the call centers. "I got this resounding kind of feedback that people hated wireless They would go to a store to buy a phone and they would come out with, like, all this stuff that they hated," he told CNBC's "The Brave Ones." "Nobody calls to say: 'I love you.' They call when they're so frustrated. And I heard the way that they were taking care of them. And it was a big part of me thinking that if I could get the whole company to behave that way and care about that customer so much, that we really could be different." Legere now gives out his email address to customers via his Facebook page, and his strategy has seen a turnaround to the tune of a $3.8 billion profit in 2016, up from a loss of $4.3 billion in 2011. Use your personality When Michael Dubin founded subscription razor business Dollar Shave Club (DSC), he launched it on a shoestring. He spent $4,500 on a YouTube ad that took a month to write and a day to shoot and he decided to star in it himself. He'd done night classes in comedy improvisation, and his approach struck a chord with Unilever, which ended up buying the business for $1 billion in 2016. "DSC has built a cult-like following not just because of the products and their member-based offering, but frankly because of Michael's extraordinary approach to marketing, his great sense of humor, and also his vision. He is the fun guy you see in the commercials, but he is also a shrewd and committed business leader," Unilever President of Personal Care Alan Jope told CNBC via email. Scrutinize your product When a business creates an expensive product, it must consistently stick to the highest standards. After 20 years in real estate, SOHO China CEO and billionaire Zhang Xin still scrutinizes her construction sites. Zhang Xin, chief executive officer of SOHO China. Bloomberg "The architects will tell you it's a pain to work with me. And all my staff will tell you: 'It's a pain for her to go to the construction site.' I always see problems, right? But I see this is my role: I'm the one who's safeguarding the standard, and I really should be the one who goes for the best." Beat the big guy Even if you're small fry in business, larger rivals can be beaten, according to Bill McDermott, CEO of SAP. As a teenager, he bought a Long Island delicatessen for $7,000, putting in video games to compete with the 7-Eleven down the street, which only let high school kids in four at a time. Bill McDermott, chief executive of SAP CNBC A routine trip to check the mail took an unexpected turn for Mika Ruusunen in November 2016. "I opened it and I didn't understand it at all, so I gave it to my wife and asked her what the heck is this," Ruusunen said. It was the Finnish government informing Ruusunen that he would start receiving free money each month as part of a first-of-its-kind experiment. Ruusunen was among 2,000 unemployed Finns randomly selected from across the country for a trial testing universal basic income. Each month for two years he would receive 560 euros (roughly $670) from the government, tax-free. He was free to spend the money however he liked. "I'm not accustomed to that kind of bureaucratic freedom," Ruusunen said. Mika Ruusunen was selected to participate in Finland's universal basic income trial. Benjamin Hall | CNBC Less bureaucracy, more flexibility Reducing bureaucracy in the welfare system is one of the main aims of the universal basic income trial in Finland. The government is testing whether basic income is a more flexible policy than existing welfare programs for providing assistance and work incentives to an evolving workforce. "It is assumed that this would be a policy that could activate people through different mechanisms and, well, we want to find out if that's the case," said Miska Simanainen, a researcher at Kela, the government organization overseeing the trial. Finland's universal basic income experiment launched January 1, 2017 and will run until the end of 2018. Official results from the trial won't be released until it concludes. Experts said it's not surprising the Nordic country known for its generous welfare benefits, like universal free education, is at the forefront of a new economic experiment. "We have had political discussions on basic income for many years, actually, for a couple of decades in Finland," Simanainen said. The idea of free money has become more popular in recent years thanks to advocates in Silicon Valley like Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg. They see universal basic as a cushion for workers whose jobs might be replaced by automation or robots. Advocates argue free money could provide workers with flexibility to retrain for a new career, pursue creative interests, or start their own business. A key goal of the Finland experiment is to give unemployed people incentive to work by providing them with financial assistance even once they're employed. Researchers chose the 560-euro monthly amount because it roughly equals the current level of unemployment benefits. "One main idea behind this version of basic income that we are testing is that it would replace the basic social benefits or at least basic unemployment benefits," Simanainen said. A 'win-win situation' Trial participant Mika Ruusunen had been unemployed for 16 months before he decided to go back to school to retrain for a career in IT. He had just landed an internship at a tech company when he found out he was selected for the experiment. Ruusunen will continue to receive the free money each month even now that the company has hired him as a full-time worker. "Before I get my current job I was already thinking about starting my own enterprise, and it's nice to know that I have still that option," he said. "The basic income encourages people to do work, even [a] part-time job or lower income positions. It's kind of a win-win situation for society." But not everyone in Finland sees the basic income experiment as win-win, especially if it encourages workers to accept low-wage work. Finland is conducting a national experiment testing universal basic income. Benjamin Hall | CNBC Brexit 1) Davis appears to suggest Brexit might not happen (but denies it) Whitehall warned not to go slow on departure preparations Daily Telegraph Brexit could still be reversed, David Davis has suggested at a meeting of leading think tanks. At a private meeting in Whitehall shortly before Christmas, the Brexit secretary is understood to have praised the governments progress in moving on to phase two of Brexit talks, telling those present: My view is that it means there is less chance of no deal and less chance of no Brexit. Some present took his remarks to suggest that Brexit was not certain Mr Davis said that he had been misinterpreted. A spokesman for him said: He was simply repeating the prime ministers point that the deal is good for people who supported Leave and who fear Brexit isnt going to happen, and Remain supporters who fear no deal. The Times Comment: Brexits enemies are a deluded, comical rabble Dominic Lawson, Daily Mail Now May can get back to sorting Britains future Trevor Kavanagh, The Sun >Yesterday: ToryDiary: Brexit has busted the myth of the fragile Union Brexit 2) Paterson urges May to walk away if no trade deal by March Senior Brexiteer Owen Paterson has warned Theresa May that heads of terms for a new free trade deal with the EU need to be agreed by March or Britain should quit talks and prepare for no deal. Writing exclusively for the Daily Express online, the former cabinet minister who sits on the board of leading Brexit group of Leave Means Leave has told the Prime Minister that enough concessions have been made to the EU and the Prime Minister must not be taken in by Remoaner double talk. The tough line from the Brexit group which includes more than 50 Tory MPs, has come as Remainers have seized on reports that Brexit Secretary David Davis has suggested that ending Brussels rule could be stopped. Daily Express Fox flies 200,000 miles chasing Mays dream The Times Moving Euro clearing would backfire, Brussels warned Daily Telegraph >Today: Liam Fox MP in Comment: In this new year, lets resolve to capitalise on the huge trade and investment opportunities of Brexit >Yesterday: Kieran Mullan in Comment: A good deal is within our grasp including on the Northern Irish border Brexit 3) Johnson may be offered Brexit super-ministry in reshuffle Move would see Davis marginalised Daily Telegraph Boris Johnson could be offered a new Brexit super-ministry as part of Theresa Mays New Year reshuffle. The Prime Minister is expected to offer him a role encompassing parts of the Business Department and major infrastructure decisions to prepare Britain for leaving the EU. But last night allies of the Foreign Secretary said he would refuse to accept anything that looked like a demotion. The Mail understands the long-awaited reshuffle could begin as early as next week. Senior sources said it was looking very likely. Daily Mail More: May urged to sack five ministers after Cabinet chaos Daily Express Dont pander to Adonis in reshuffle, May told The Times Watson demands Grayling resign over rail bailout The Sun Comment: Adonis Brexit stand shows why its a mistake to sneer at centrists Matthew dAncona, The Guardian Editorial: Britains new place in the world will need identifying and defending Daily Telegraph >Today: ToryDiary: May doesnt need a First Secretary of State Foreign Secretary wants more influence on aid spending British aid will be spent on supporting the governments foreign policy rather than on only helping the worlds poor, Boris Johnson has vowed. In a promise to shake up international development spending, the foreign secretary said the money would be more sensibly distributed to support Britains policy goals in addition to poverty relief. Parts of the 13 billion aid budget will be diverted to support British efforts to deny safe havens to Islamist terrorists in Africa, Yemen and in refugee camps for Rohingya Muslims fleeing across the Burmese border into Bangladesh He added that Brexit would give the UK more control over how aid funding currently handed to European Union projects is spent. The Times Johnson concerned as two demonstrators reported killed in Iran The Sun Rudd preparing to remove foreign students from immigration figures Home Secretary ridiculed for Dads Army plan for Border Force volunteers The Sun What Brexodus? Europeans flock to the UK Daily Express Minsters are preparing to take foreign students out of the immigration figures, despite opposition from Theresa May. The Prime Minister has blocked the move for years, arguing it would undermine confidence in the UKs immigration statistics. But Home Secretary Amber Rudd has warned Mrs May that growing support for the measure in Parliament means it is now inevitable. The Home Office believes there is no way of preventing MPs from forcing a parliamentary vote on the issue when the new Immigration Bill is brought forward this year. A Government source said: It is inevitable that someone will bring forward an amendment on this, and it is very difficult to see how we could defeat it. Daily Mail More: Freemasons are blocking reform, claims police leader The Times Andrew Rawnsley: Labour risk repeating the Tories mistake of taking voters for granted The idea of an early election was not itself the problem the problem was its atrocious execution. Even then, the Tories emerged from their worst campaign in living memory with a higher vote share than Labour and a 55-seat advantage in the Commons. Had a few thousand votes been distributed differently, Mrs May could, despite herself, have acquired a respectable majority and things would look rather different today. This is a source of hope for Tories as they peer into the mists of the future. If they could fight such a terrible campaign under a leader so hopeless at retail politics and still end up ahead of Labour, what might they be able to achieve under a fresh chief presiding over a properly run campaign, with some attractive propositions for the voters? The Guardian >Yesterday: ToryDiary: ConservativeHome readers award Gaffe of the Year tothe Conservative Manifesto Concern that SNP smacking ban will see good parents prosecuted Why we should be optimistic for 2018 Brian Monteith, The Scotsman News in Brief: Adonis exit is a problem of the Governments own making Bruce Newsome, Comment Central When will the Treasury be called to account? Jon Moynihan, CapX In defence of 2017 Stephen Daisley, The Spectator Happy new year, Peter Lilley Brexit Central The first attempt to outlaw smacking children saw Scottish Government ministers wrestle with concerns that a ban would see good parents prosecuted, newly released Cabinet papers have disclosed. As Holyrood considers a fresh bid to make smacking illegal, the documents outline the difficulties faced by Labour and Liberal Democrat coalition ministers when they tried to introduce a ban 15 years ago. According to the 2002 Cabinet papers, the then deputy first minister Jim (now Lord) Wallace believed a smacking ban would help Scotland rid its reputation for violence. Scotland is by international standards a violent country and if we want to break that cycle we can make a start with the young, a memorandum he presented to Cabinet said. The Scotsman Liam Fox is Secretary of State for International Trade, President of the Board of Trade and MP for North Somerset. One of my most frequent, and frustrating, experiences of 2017 was returning from a positive and optimistic international visit only to encounter a wave of negativism at home. The interest being shown in Britain overseas, and an increasing willingness to trade and invest with us, was in stark contrast to the self-defeating pessimism that is too often on show from certain politicians, commentators and media outlets over here. It is easy to get the impression that these people would rather see Britain fail than see Brexit succeed. So, lets begin 2018 with a reminder of the good news. In 2017, we saw the highest level of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) projects into the United Kingdom in our history a vote of confidence in the future from real investors. We also saw that exports of our goods increased by 15.9 per cent and services rose by 11.6 per cent to 617 billion in the year to October 2017, following increased interest in exporting from across British business. The UK trade deficit in goods and services narrowed by 10.7 billion over the same period. I may have been outspoken in the past regarding the small proportion of British businesses who sell goods and services abroad, but this is clear evidence that UK companies are succeeding on the world stage. The second half of 2017 also saw strong growth in manufacturing output and, partly as a result of our improved export performance, order books for British manufacturers are stronger than at any time since August 1988. We also saw a continued explosion of interest in British tech and innovation. There have been 58,000 tech start-ups in the UK thats almost one an hour. I intend to showcase this further in 2018 and I will make an announcement on this in my first international visit of the New Year in China later this week. All of this adds up to an extremely positive picture for the British economy which already has record employment levels and is the envy of many of our European neighbours. Im glad that the Department for International Trade (DIT) has been able to play its role in our trade and investment success securing a historic record number of inward investment projects in our countrys history. This is estimated to have created 75,226 new jobs in 2016/17 and safeguarded an estimated 32,672 jobs, this amounts to almost 108,000 new and safeguarded jobs associated with FDI projects recorded in 2016/17. We are delivering on our manifesto commitment to create an overseas network of HM Trade Commissioners. External applications for these posts close on 11th January, and our 108 overseas posts are being reorganised to provide more targeted help to British exporters. We have made it easier for SMEs to access UK Export Finance (UKEF) through delegating powers directly to their banks. We have also ensured that British businesses are able to operate in some of the worlds more difficult markets by making available, through UKEF, political risk insurance at affordable rates. Our digital trade portal, great.gov.uk, continues to improve with a new export readiness tool and our Export Hub roadshow, encouraging SMEs to export, has visited over 200 constituencies. None of these were ever likely to make front-page splashes but they are making real differences to real businesses, as our data shows. There is every reason to believe that this optimistic picture can be maintained. Global trade, which has been growing more slowly than global GDP over the past few years, has picked up again and looks set to be robust in 2018. In the US, the Trump tax cuts have created a confident environment for growth in the worlds largest economy. If we want to have the income to fund our essential public services and pensions, we will have to sell into these growing markets. The IMF projects that around 90 per cent of world growth is likely to come from outside the EU. Currently, the EU accounts for 43 per cent of UK exports in 2016, compared to 54 per cent in 2000. The EU market as a proportion of Britains total exports fell by three per cent from 2015 to 2016 and four per cent from 2014 to 2015, an important consideration as we negotiate Britains future regulatory alignment. As we leave the European Union, we will take up our independent seat at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in Geneva, which will give us an opportunity to help shape global trading policy. At the WTO conference in Buenos Aires last month, I argued strongly for the need to achieve global agreements on digital and e-commerce if we are to ensure that the economic potential of these developments reaches into every part of the global economy, particularly developing countries. Research shows that women are much more likely to take advantage of the flexibility that e-commerce allows, enabling many more to participate in their economies. This is key not only to the development of greater prosperity but we also know that countries which have higher proportions of women in the workforce are likely to be more politically stable and thus contribute to wider security. We will also be able to free ourselves from the EU common external tariffs which discriminate against developing countries who try to add value to the basic commodities, a subject about which I will be saying more about early this year. As we establish our own independent trade policy for the first time in 40 years, we will be able to negotiate new trade agreements with major trading partners. It is worth remembering that the EU does not have free trade agreements with the US, China, India or the Gulf states, and though we are not able to negotiate new trade agreements while we remain within the EU, we have established 14 trade working groups across 21 countries, to help us prepare for Brexit. Im never sure whether groups such as Open Britain, who keep asking why we do not yet have any new free trade agreements, simply dont understand the EU rules under which our trade operates or whether they are just utterly disingenuous. Our departmental priority in 2018 will be to ensure that we do all the work necessary so that we continue to benefit from the free trade agreements that the EU already has with other countries and that we maintain full access in both directions at the point at which we leave. Stability now with maximal flexibility in the future is what we seek. That coupled with a continued drive to see more direct investment coming into the UK and more exports going abroad will provide my department with a full work programme. Together, since Theresa May created our department after the referendum, our DIT team of ministers has undertaken over 141 visits abroad, promoting British Trade and Investment and discussing the potential for future trading relationships. Attitudes need to change as we go into 2018; Brexit is not a time bomb to be defused, but a great opportunity to be embraced. Our international competitors are already out there trying to carve out their slice of the worlds growing markets. We need to get beyond the obsession with criticising Brexit, lift our horizons, and be out there, too. According to this mornings Times, Boris Johnson has renewed his drive for the Foreign Office to assume greater control over the British aid budget. The Foreign Secretary has apparently announced that more money will be spent to support the UKs broader foreign policy, rather than being directly strict at poverty relief. At a time when the Party is hugely unlikely to abandon the progressive virility test that is the 0.7 per cent spending floor, greater Foreign Office influence over the aid budget would be a sensible reform. The aid budget is or should be a substantial pillar of British soft power, and it would be sensible to harmonise the Governments overseas spending with its foreign policy objectives. Such a policy would also recognise that aid is not somehow apolitical. Such spending can have an enormous impact on the economies and politics of recipient countries, so it makes little sense to have the Foreign Office pursuing one, official, foreign policy in a given country and the Department for International Development directing funds according to an entirely different set of priorities. Although Theresa May declined Johnsons call to merge the two departments (although she has created some cross-departmental ministers), such a move would be in line with her own instincts revealed in the ill-fated manifesto to assume more ministerial discretion over our overseas development spending. Broadening the scope of the aid budget might also help to ensure that the 0.7 per cent is spent more effectively. As I wrote last year, DfID has previously suffered for being mandated to spend, spend, spend regardless of whether or not it can identify sufficient worthwhile projects. If the introduction of Foreign Office priorities puts new, better spending options on the table that would be all to the good. Finally, it is worth noting that Johnson is also tying this ability to Brexit: He added that Brexit would give the UK more control over how aid funding currently handed to European Union projects is spent. We are 25 per cent of EU aid spending, he said. Were a massive player in these things. In spite of our bulk and our overseas aid projection, we never got the influence in the European Commission that we needed, he said. This is an important point. If the Tories are to win the peace on Brexit, they need wherever possible to link the powers brought back from Brussels to tangible gains on issues that important sections of voters actually care about. Michael Gove has been doing this on animal welfare, and now the Foreign Secretary is following suit, but it must be adopted as a conscious strategy across the Government if it is to have any chance of really making an impact by the next election. SUMMERSTOWN, Ontario The Friends of the Summerstown Trails (FOTST) are getting ready to officially mark the start of the 2018 season. Starting at 10 a.m., join us on Jan. 7 for a day of family-friendly activities. Well have free ski and snowshoe rentals, volunteers to act as guides on the trails and hot chocolate by the fire to warm you up. Learn about events and lessons taking place this winter, and meet other trail users and members of FOTST. Its time to get excited about winter! For more information, please visit summerstowntrails@gmail.com or check out our Facebook page. New this year at the trails will be a new and bigger relocated parking lot adjacent to Summerstown Road. FOTST, in collaboration with the United Counties of SDG, will be holding a press conference and ribbon-cutting ceremony at 11 am on that same day to mark the occasion. This is the second year that FOTST is organizing an Opening Day event, and we hope that those who have never visited the trails will use this opportunity to discover this gem of a place right in our own backyard. The Summerstown Trails offer 18 km of groomed XC ski trails for both classic and skating, and a separate network of 11 km of snowshoe trails. The trails are situated on Summerstown Road, 1.6 km north of exit 804 of the 401, and are open seven days a week. There is no charge to access the trails. Ringing out the old email, edited for content, spelling, and language. Mr. Dixon: Thank you for your (Sept. 12, Giving shelter to refugees in neighborhood) column. I welcome your advocacy for homeless animals in general, and feral/stray cats in particular. Your personal commitment to foster and rehome is admirable. C. A. R. It is 15 degrees on a Friday afternoon. I had to break ice in the water dishes a couple times already today for the stray cats down in the feeding station at the bottom of the driveway. The cat in the column is warm and loved in her new Bridgeport home. Dear Mr. Dixon: In the whole of U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthals career, as far as I am aware, he has never proposed any tax cuts for wage earners ... In his single-minded pursuit of support for illegal aliens, a $250 billion Marshall Plan for Puerto Rico, (where the electric utility is technically bankrupt because of corruption and incompetence) and other, like programs, none of which materialize in legislation, he seems to run from headline to headline. Mr. Blumenthal should focus on Connecticuts tax-paying citizens. Our state, after almost 40 years of progressive single-party state and congressional legislative control, is effectively bankrupt. Thanks, P.G.O. Bankruptcy means an entitys liabilities exceed assets. Blumenthal recently voted against the GOP tax plan that is projected to hit hard all you Connecticut residents with big houses. As state attorney general, he helped negotiate the massive 1998 settlement with Big Tobacco that has brought the state well over $2 billion. He hasnt voted on a state budget since 1990, when he last served in the state Senate. Since then, our governors have included one Republican who became an independent, Lowell P. Weicker Jr., Republicans John Rowland and M. Jodi Rell, and Democrat Dannel Malloy. The first three did little or nothing to help alleviate the states growing pension liabilities that are now hanging over the state like an ice shelf. Oh, and Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens. A beautifully worded piece, Mr. Dixon. (Nov. 26, Final deadline for newspaper building). It touched every one of my senses, to the point of (almost) being there, in every event, in the newsroom and on the street, you recalled. M.M. I have been in the State Capitol nearly every day for the last 23 years. But today, as I type this, I am in the Connecticut Posts new offices in downtown Bridgeport, next to City Hall, where we can keep even closer scrutiny of the denizens therein. When I was looking down into the gutter before slipping out of the headlock of my attackers, who knew that the glittery shards of auto-windshield glass I called State Street diamonds would become a nice memory? Mr. Dixon: ... Just compare your own potential Social Security (SS) benefit to a teachers pension. At age 67, after working for about 45 years, you will receive a benefit based on the average of your highest 30 years pay. If a teacher started working at age 22, he or she could retire at age 57 and get 70 percent of the average of the highest three years pay ... For what they do, teachers are underpaid today. But one of the reasons they are underpaid is that too much money has to be allocated to fund overly generous pensions that far exceed anything that you or I can get from Social security. F.D. Fact is, Republican icon Ronald Reagan prevented teachers, even those with second and third jobs, from collecting the full Social Security they earned, under what he called the Windfall Elimination Provision. Local towns and cities negotiate the contracts with local teachers, while state taxpayers pay the employers share of teacher pensions. Hey Kenny boy: Does it even occur to you ... that the vast majority of the readers of this left wing rag, have no freaking idea of who Paul Manafort is, nor would they care if they did? J.B. Step away slooowly from your 80-inch FoxNews screen, J.B., and read your general-interest local newspaper for a change. Your ears would stop echoing, then you could contemplate the people in our midst who were Trump confidantes and now face major prison time for making money from sketchy sources in Eastern Europe. Ken: You must be suffering from oxygen deprivation in that room too if you can describe Gov. Malloy as fiscally conservative. Connecticut is in horrible financial shape and Malloy is a big contributor to that fact. D.A. Malloy is going to be remembered, eventually, as the governor who cut 12,000 workers from the state payroll; addressed decades of neglect in the employee-pension programs; and persuaded state unions to concede $3 billion in benefits. Ken: Still pushing the narrative that state tax receipts are down due to millionaires holding back payments hoping for a reduction in capital gains taxes I see ... At some point youll realize why this state is suffering and residents leaving the state and taking their money and taxes with them is a major component. Keep telling everybody, however, that everything will be fine if those pesky millionaires would just pay their fair share. M.C. Three words: Bush tax cuts. Ken: You need a new photo to go with your column. Existing photo makes you look like you are about to undergo a colonoscopy. M.J.L. How did you know? Ken Dixon can be reached in the Capitol at 860-549-4670 or at kdixon@ctpost.com. See twitter.com/KenDixonCT. InterXion Holding N.V. provides carrier and cloud-neutral colocation data center services in France, Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Ireland, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. The company enables its customers to connect to a range of telecommunications carriers, cloud platforms, Internet service providers, and other customers. Its data centers acts as content, cloud, and connectivity hubs that facilitate the processing, storage, sharing, and distribution of data between its customers. The company offers colocation services, including space and power to deploy IT infrastructure in its data centers; a range of output voltages and currents; connectivity services that enable its customers to connect their IT infrastructure to exchange traffic and access cloud platforms; and systems monitoring, systems management, engineering support, and data backup and storage services, as well as installs and manages physical connections running from its customers' equipment to the equipment of its telecommunications carriers, Internet service providers, Internet exchange customers, and other customers. It provides its services to telecom operators, Internet service providers, and content delivery networks; content and cloud providers; and enterprises through direct sales forces, as well as through tradeshows, networking events, and industry seminars. As of December 31, 2018, it operated 51 carrier and cloud neutral colocation data centers in 13 metropolitan areas in 11 countries. The company is also involved in real estate management/holding businesses. InterXion Holding N.V. was incorporated in 1998 and is headquartered in Hoofddorp, the Netherlands. Read More Wall Street analysts have given Gramercy Property Trust a "N/A" rating, but there may be better buying opportunities in the stock market. Some of MarketBeat's past winning trading ideas have resulted in 5-15% weekly gains. MarketBeat just released five new stock ideas, but Gramercy Property Trust wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys. View MarketBeat's top stock picks here. Bank of America Corp. is a bank and financial holding company, which engages in the provision of banking and nonbank financial services. It operates through the following segments: Consumer Banking, Global Wealth and Investment Management, Global Banking, Global Markets, and All Other. The Consumer Banking segment offers credit, banking, and investment products and services to consumers and small businesses. The Global Wealth and Investment Management provides client experience through a network of financial advisors focused on to meet their needs through a full set of investment management, brokerage, banking, and retirement products. The Global Banking segment deals with lending-related products and services, integrated working capital management and treasury solutions to clients, and underwriting and advisory services. The Global Markets segment includes sales and trading services, as well as research, to institutional clients across fixed-income, credit, currency, commodity, and equity businesses. The All Other segment consists of asset and liability management activities, equity investments, non-core mortgage loans and servicing activities, the net impact of periodic revisions Read More The following companies are subsidiares of The AES: 25 Ashdown Road Solar LLC, AES (India) Private Limited, AES (NI) Limited, AES Abigail S.a.r.l., AES Accabonac Solar LLC, AES Africa Power Company B.V., AES AgriVerde Holdings B.V., AES AgriVerde Services (Ukraine) Limited Liability Company, AES Alamitos Development Inc., AES Alamitos Energy LLC, AES Alamitos L.L.C., AES Alicura Holdings S.C.A., AES Americas International Holdings Limited, AES Andres (BVI) Ltd., AES Andres BV, AES Andres DR S.A., AES Andres Holdings I Ltd, AES Aramtermelo Holdings B.V., AES Argentina Generation S.A. (1), AES Argentina Holdings S.C.A., AES Argentina Investments Ltd., AES Argentina Operations Ltd., AES Arlington Services LLC, AES Armenia Mountain Holdings LLC, AES Armenia Mountain Wind 2 LLC, AES Aurora Holdings Inc., AES Aurora Inc., AES BES Jordan B.V., AES Bainbridge Holdings LLC, AES Bainbridge LLC, AES Ballylumford Holdings Limited, AES Baltic Holdings BV, AES Barka Services Inc., AES Barry Limited, AES Barry Operations Ltd., AES Beaver Valley L.L.C., AES Belfast West Power Limited, AES Belleville Solar LLC, AES Big Sky L.L.C., AES Botswana Holdings B.V., AES Brasil Ltda, AES Brazil Inc., AES Brazil International Holdings Limited, AES Broadalbin Solar LLC, AES Bulgaria B.V., AES Bulgaria Energy Solutions EOOD, AES Bulgaria Holdings BV, AES Bussum Holdings BV, AES CC&T International Ltd., AES CLESA Y Compania Sociedad en Comandita de Capital Variable, AES Calaca Pte. Ltd., AES Calgary Inc., AES California Management Co. Inc., AES Caracoles SRL, AES Carbon Exchange Ltd., AES Carbon Holdings LLC, AES Caribbean Finance Holdings Inc., AES Caribbean Investment Holdings Ltd., AES Cartegena Holdings BV, AES Cayman Guaiba Ltd., AES Cayman Pampas Ltd., AES Central America Electric Light LLC, AES Central American Holdings Inc., AES Central American Investment Holdings Ltd., AES Central Asia Holdings BV, AES Ceprano Energia SRL, AES Changuinola S.R.L., AES Chhattisgarh Energy Private Limited, AES Chigen Holdings Ltd., AES China Generating Co. Ltd., AES Chivor & Cia S.C.A. E.S.P., AES Chivor S.A., AES Climate Solutions Holdings I B.V., AES Climate Solutions Holdings I LLC, AES Climate Solutions Holdings II LLC, AES Climate Solutions Holdings L.P., AES Climate Solutions Holdings LLC, AES Colon Development S. de R.L., AES Columbia Power LLC, AES Communications LLC, AES Communications Latin America Inc., AES Connecticut Management L.L.C., AES Coop Holdings LLC, AES Costa Rica Energy SRL, AES Costa Rica Holdings Ltd., AES DE AssetCo VI LLC, AES DE Class B Holdings LLC, AES DE Class B I LLC, AES DE Class B II LLC, AES DE Class B III LLC, AES DE Class B IV LLC, AES DE Class B V LLC, AES DE Class B VI LLC, AES DE Class B VII LLC, AES DE Construction LLC, AES DE DevCo I LLC, AES DE DevCo NC LLC, AES DE Holdings I LLC, AES DE Holdings III LLC, AES DE Holdings IV LLC, AES DE Holdings V LLC, AES DE Holdings VI GB LLC, AES DE Holdings VI GB Owner LLC, AES DE Holdings VI LLC, AES DE Manager LLC, AES DE RS IX LLC, AES DE RS VI LLC, AES DE RS VII LLC, AES DE RS VIII LLC, AES DE RS X LLC, AES DE RS XI LLC, AES DE RS XII LLC, AES DE Residential Holdings I LLC, AES DE Solar Access Holdings I LLC, AES DE-GIE LLC, AES DPL Holdings LLC, AES DPP Holdings Ltd., AES Deepwater LLC, AES Desert Power L.L.C., AES Development de Argentina S.A., AES Disaster Relief Fund, AES Distribuidores Salvadorenos Limitada, AES Distribuidores Salvadorenos Y Compania S en C de C.V., AES Distributed Energy Inc., AES Dominicana Cooperatief UA, AES Drax Financing Inc., AES Drax Power Finance Holdings Limited, AES EDC Holding L.L.C., AES ES Alamitos LLC, AES ES Deepwater LLC, AES ES Gilbert LLC, AES ES Holdings LLC, AES ES Tait LLC, AES Ecotek Europe Holdings B.V., AES El Faro Electric Light Ltd., AES El Faro Generating Ltd., AES El Salvador Electric Light LLC, AES El Salvador LLC, AES El Salvador S.A. de C.V., AES El Salvador Trust, AES Electric Ltd., AES Electroinversora B.V., AES Elpa S.A., AES Empresa Electrica de El Salvador Limitada de Capital Variable, AES Endeavor Inc., AES Energia SRL, AES Energy B.V., AES Energy Developments S.L., AES Energy Ltd., AES Energy Services Inc., AES Energy Solutions LLC, AES Energy Storage Arizona LLC, AES Energy Storage Holdings, AES Energy Storage Holdings LLC, AES Energy Storage LLC, AES Energy Storage UK Limited, AES Energy Storage Zeeland B.V., AES Engineering LLC, AES Europe Services EOOD, AES Finance and Development Inc., AES Florestal Ltda., AES Fonseca Energia Limitada de C.V., AES Forca Ltd., AES Foreign Energy Holdings LLC, AES GEI US Finance Inc., AES GEO Energy OOD, AES GPH Holdings Inc., AES Gabreski Solar LLC, AES Gas Supply & Distribution Ltd., AES Gener S.A., AES Generation Development LLC, AES Global Insurance Company, AES Global Mobility Services LLC, AES Global Power Holdings B.V., AES Globales B.V., AES Grand Dominicana Ltd., AES Grid Stability LLC, AES Griggs Solar LLC, AES Guaiba II Empreendimentos Ltda, AES Guayama Holdings BV, AES Hawaii LLC, AES Hawaii Management Company LLC, AES Highgrove Holdings L.L.C., AES Highgrove L.L.C., AES Hispanola Holdings BV, AES Hispanola Holdings II BV, AES Holdings B.V., AES Holdings B.V. - Vietnam Rep Office, AES Holdings Brasil Ltda., AES Honduras Generation Ventures Ltd., AES Honduras Holdings Ltd., AES Horizons Holdings BV, AES Horizons Investments Limited, AES Hungary Energiaszolgaltato Kft., AES Huntington Beach Development L.L.C., AES Huntington Beach Energy LLC, AES Huntington Beach L.L.C., AES IB Valley Corporation, AES Ilumina Holdings LLC, AES Ilumina LLC, AES Ilumina Member LLC, AES India Holdings (Mauritius), AES India L.L.C., AES Indiana Holdings L.L.C., AES Integrated Energy LLC, AES Intercon II Ltd., AES Interenergy Ltd., AES International Holdings II Ltd., AES International Holdings III Ltd., AES International Holdings Ltd., AES Investment Chile SpA, AES Italia S.r.l, AES James Baird Solar LLC, AES Johnsville Solar LLC, AES Jordan Holdco Cayman Limited, AES Jordan PSC, AES Jordan Solar B.V., AES Juniper Point Holdings LLC, AES K2 Limited, AES Kalaeloa Venture L.L.C., AES Kekaha Solar LLC, AES Keystone L.L.C., AES Keystone Wind L.L.C., AES King Harbor Inc., AES Kuihelani Solar LLC, AES LA FIT Dedeaux LLC, AES LA FIT Francisco LLC, AES LA FIT Sun Valley LLC, AES LATAM Energy Development Ltd., AES Landfill Carbon LLC, AES Latin America S. de R.L., AES Latin American Development Ltd., AES Laurel Mountain LLC, AES Lawai Solar LLC, AES Levant Holdings B.V., AES Levant Holdings B.V/ Jordan PSC, AES Lion Telecom Investments B.V., AES Lumos Holdings LLC, AES Maritza East 1 Ltd., AES Maritza East 1 Services Ltd., AES Mayan Holdings S. de R.L. de C.V., AES Merida B.V., AES Merida III S. de R.L. de C.V., AES Merida Management Services S. de R.L. de C.V., AES Merida Operaciones SRL de CV, AES Mexican Holdings Ltd., AES Mexico Farms L.L.C., AES Mexico Generation Holdings S. de R.L. de C.V., AES MicroPlanet Ltd., AES Mid East Holdings 2 Ltd., AES Mong Duong Holdings B.V., AES Mong Duong Project Holdings B.V., AES Monroe Holdings B.V., AES Mount Vernon B.V., AES NA Central L.L.C., AES NEXT Ltda. de C.V., AES Nejapa Gas Ltda. de C.V., AES Nejapa Services Ltda. de C.V., AES Next LLC, AES Nile Power Holdings Ltd., AES North America Development LLC, AES OPGC Holding, AES Oahu LLC, AES Oahu Wind Holdings LLC, AES Oasis Holdco Inc., AES Oasis Ltd., AES Oasis Mauritius Inc, AES Ocean Springs Trust Deed, AES Odyssey L.L.C., AES Ohio Generation LLC, AES Operaciones Laguna del Rey S. de R.L. de C.V., AES Operadora S.A, AES Orissa Distribution Private Limited, AES Overseas Holdings (Cayman) Ltd., AES Overseas Holdings Limited, AES Pacific Inc., AES Pacific L.L.C., AES Pacific Ocean Holdings B.V., AES Pak Holdings Ltd., AES Pakistan (Pvt) Ltd., AES Pakistan Operations Ltd., AES Panama S.R.L., AES Parana Gas S.A., AES Parana Holdings Ltd., AES Parana IHC Ltd., AES Parana II Limited Partnership, AES Parana Operations S.R.L., AES Parana Propiedades S.A, AES Parana Uruguay S.R.L, AES Pardo Holdings Ltd., AES Pasadena Inc., AES Peru S.R.L., AES Phil Investment Pte. Ltd., AES Philippines Power Partners Co. Ltd., AES Platense Investments Uruguay S.C.A, AES Puerto Rico Inc., AES Puerto Rico L.P., AES Puerto Rico Services Inc., AES Redondo Beach L.L.C., AES Renewable Power Group S.R.L., AES Renewables (India) Private Limited, AES Riverside Holdings LLC, AES SACEF Investment LLC, AES SEB Holdings (Delaware) LLC, AES SEB Holdings Ltd., AES Saint Petersburg Holdings B.V., AES San Nicolas B.V., AES SellCo III LLC, AES Services Inc., AES Services Ltd., AES Services Philippines Inc., AES Servicios America S.R. L., AES Servicios Electricos S. de R.L. de C.V., AES Servicos TC Ltda., AES Shady Point LLC, AES Silk Road Energy LLC, AES Silk Road LLC, AES Solar Energy B.V., AES Solar Energy Holdings B.V., AES Solar Energy LLC, AES Solar Espana S.L., AES Solar Holdings LLC, AES Solar Power PR LLC, AES Sole Italia S.r.L., AES Soluciones Limitada de Capital Variable, AES Solutions LLC, AES Solutions Management LLC, AES South America Holdings Cooperatief U.A., AES South America Holdings I B.V., AES South America Holdings II B.V., AES South American Holdings Ltd., AES South Point Ltd., AES Southland Development LLC, AES Southland Energy Company Holdings I LLC, AES Southland Energy Holdings II LLC, AES Southland Energy Holdings LLC, AES Southland Energy Investment LLC, AES Southland Energy LLC, AES Stonehaven Holding Inc., AES Strategic Equipment Holdings Corporation, AES Sul L.L.C., AES Summit Generation Ltd., AES Swiss Lake Holdings B.V., AES TEG Holdings I LLC, AES TEG Holdings LLC, AES TEG II Mexican Holdings S. de R.L. de C.V., AES TEG II Mexican Investments S. de R.L. de C.V., AES TEG II Operations S. de R.L. de C.V., AES TEG Management Inc., AES TEG Mexican Holdings S. de R.L. de C.V., AES TEG Mexican Investments S. de R.L. de C.V., AES TEG Operations S. de R.L. de C.V., AES TEG Power Investments B.V., AES TEG Power Investments II B.V., AES TEGTEP Holdings B.V., AES TEP Holdings I LLC, AES TEP Holdings LLC, AES TEP Management Inc., AES TEP Power II Investments Limited, AES TEP Power Investments Limited, AES Tamuin Development Services S. de R.L. de C.V., AES Texas Funding III L.L.C., AES Thames L.L.C., AES Thomas Holdings BV, AES Tiete Eolica S.A., AES Tiete Inova Solucoes de Energia I Ltda., AES Tiete Inova Solucoes de Energia II Ltda., AES Tiete Inova Solucoes de Energia Ltda., AES Tiete Integra Solucoes em Energia Ltda, AES Tonawanda Solar LLC, AES Transgas I Ltd., AES Treasure Cove Ltd., AES Trinidad Services Unlimited, AES Trust III, AES Tucano Holding I S.A., AES Tucano Holdings II S.A., AES U&K Holdings B.V., AES U.S. Holdings LLC, AES U.S. Investments Inc., AES U.S. Solar LLC, AES UCH Holdings (Cayman) Ltd., AES UK Datacenter Services Limited, AES UK Holdings Limited, AES UK Power Financing II Ltd, AES UK Power Financing Limited, AES UK Power Holdings Limited, AES UK Power L.L.C., AES UK Power Limited, AES US Distributed Solar Holdings LLC, AES US Generation Holdings LLC, AES US Generation LLC, AES US Services LLC, AES US Wind Development L.L.C., AES US Wind Generation Holdings LLC, AES Union de Negocios S.A. de C.V., AES Uruguaiana Empreendimentos S.A., AES Venezuela Finance, AES Volcan Holdings B.V., AES WR Limited Partnership, AES Waikoloa Solar LLC, AES Warrior Run L.L.C., AES West Oahu Solar LLC, AES Western Power Holdings L.L.C., AES Western Power L.L.C., AES Western Wind L.L.C., AES Western Wind MV Acquisition LLC, AES Wind Bulgaria EOOD, AES Wind Generation LLC, AES Wind Generation Limited, AES Wind Investments I B.V., AES Wind Investments II B.V., AES Yucatan S. de R.L. de C.V., AES Zephyr 2 LLC, AES Zephyr 3 LLC, AES Zephyr Inc., AES- IC Ictas Enerji Uretim ve Ticaret A.S., AES-3C Maritza East 1 Ltd., AES-RS Spanish Holdings LLC, AES-RS Sunshine Cooperatief U.A., AES-RS Sunshine Holdings LLC, AES-VCM Mong Duong Power Company Limited, AESCom Sul Ltda., AESEBA Trust Deed, AGV Solar IV Geradora de Energia S.A., AGV Solar V Geradora de Energia S.A., AGV Solar VI Geradora de Energia S.A., AM Solar B.V., AM Solar B.V. - Jordan Co., APR Walden Solar 1 LLC, ARNIKA Beteiligungsverwaltungs GmbH, AZ Solar I LLC, AZ Solar II LLC, AZ Solar Phase Zero LLC, AgCert Canada Co., AgCert Canada Holding Limited, AgCert Chile Servicios Ambientales Limitada, AgCert International Limited, AgCert Servicios Ambientales S.R.L., Agilion Energy Private Limited, Allis Medina Solar LLC, Altai Power Limited Liability Partnership, Alto Maipo SpA, Amaterasu LLC, Andes Solar SpA, Arizona B&GC Solar LLC, Assonet Solar 1 LLC, Atlantic Basin Services Ltd., B.A. Services S.R.L., Bakersfield Industrial PV 1 LLC, Bakersfield PV I LLC, Beals Medina Solar LLC, Boa Hora 1 Geradora De Energia Solar S.A., Boa Hora 2 Geradora de Energia Solar S.A., Boa Hora 3 Geradora De Energia Solar S.A., Bolton Solar I LLC, Brasiliana Participacoes S.A., Bridgeport Solar LLC, Buffalo Gap Holdings 2 LLC, Buffalo Gap Holdings 3 L.L.C., Buffalo Gap Holdings LLC, Buffalo Gap Wind Farm 2 LLC, Buffalo Gap Wind Farm 3 L.L.C., Buffalo Gap Wind Farm 4 L.L.C., Buffalo Gap Wind Farm LLC, Bullock Freetown Solar 1 LLC, Bosforo de Responsabilidad Limitada de Capital Variable, CCS Telecarrier, CDEC-SING Ltda, CIA.TRANSMISORA DEL NORTE CHICO S.A., CO-CA Wholly Owned LLC, Camille Ltd., Camille Trust, Cavanal Minerals LLC, Cayman Energy Traders, Cemig II C.V., Centrais Eolicas Ametista S.A., Centrais Eolicas Borgo S.A., Centrais Eolicas Caetite S.A., Centrais Eolicas Dourados S.A., Centrais Eolicas Espigao S.A., Centrais Eolicas Maron S.A., Centrais Eolicas Morrao S.A., Centrais Eolicas Pelourinho S.A., Centrais Eolicas Piloes S.A., Centrais Eolicas Seraima S.A., Centrais Eolicas Serra do Espinhaco S.A., Centrais Eolicas Tanque S.A., Centrais Eolicas Ventos do Nordeste S.A., Centrais Eolicas da Prata S.A., Centrais Eolicas dos Aracas S.A., Central Electricity Supply Company of Orissa Limited, Central Termoelectrica Guillermo Brown S.A., Cerulean Properties LLC, Clean Wind Energy Ltd., Coastal Itabo Ltd., Colon LNG Marketing S. De R.L., Compania de Alumbrado Eletrico de San Salvador S.A. DE C.V., Compass Circle Solar LLC, Compania Transmisora Angamos SpA, Compania Transmisora La Cebada S.A., Compania Transmisora del Norte Grande SpA, Costa Norte LNG Terminal S. de R.L., Cronin Road Solar 1 LLC, DPL Capital Trust II, DPL Inc., Daggett Ridge Wind Farm LLC, Delano PV1 LLC, Diamond Development Inc., Distribuidora Electrica de Usulutan Sociedad Anonima de Capital Variable, Domi Trading S.L., Dominican Power Partners, Dublin Solar I LLC, Dunstable Solar 1 LLC, EMLP Controladora S. de R.L. de C.V., ENERAB S. de R.L. de C.V., ENERGEN S.A., Eloy ESD Solar Holdings LLC, Empresa Electrica Angamos S.A., Empresa Electrica Campiche S.A., Empresa Electrica Cochrane II SpA, Empresa Electrica Cochrane S.A., Empresa Electrica Guacolda S.A., Empresa Electrica Ventanas S.A., Empresa Electrica de Oriente S.A. de C.V., Empresa Generadora De Electricidad Itabo S.A., EnerAB Cogeneracion I Laguna del Rey S. de R.L. de C.V., EnerAB Suministro Calificado S. de R.L. de C.V., EnerAB Tenedora S. de R.L., Energetica Argentina S.A., Energia Eolica Los Olmos SpA, Energia Eolica Mesamavida SpA, Energia Verde S.A., Energy Trade and Finance Corporation, Energia Eolica Curauma SpA, Energia Eolica Paposo SpA, Energia Natural del Este Enadom, Eolica Mesa La Paz S. de R.L. de C.V., FTP Power LLC, Finchville Solar LLC, Fluence Energy LLC, Founder's Homestead Farm Solar LLC, Fundacion AES Dominicana Inc., Fundacion AES Gener, GENERGIA S.A., GNRY Holdings & Investments Limited, Gas Natural Atlantico II S. de R.L., Gas Natural Atlantico S. De R.L., Gasoducto GasAndes Argentina S.A., Gasoducto GasAndes S.A., Gener Argentina S.A., Gener Blue Water Ltd., Genergia Power Ltd., Georgia Solar Holdings LLC, Georgia Solar Parent LLC, Global Energy Holdings C.V., Goller Enerji Uretim Ltd. Sti., Gray Springs Vista Solar LLC, Greenwich Solar 1 LLC, Guacolda Energy S.A., Guaimbe I Parque Solar S.A., Guaimbe II Parque Solar S.A., Guaimbe III Parque Solar S.A., Guaimbe IV Parque Solar S.A., Guaimbe Solar Holding S.A., Guaimbe V Parque Solar S.A., Health and Welfare Benefit Plans LLC, Hipotecaria San Miguel Limitada de Capital Variable, Hipotecaria Santa Ana Limitada de Capital Variable, INVERSIONES NUEVA VENTANAS S.A., IPALCO Enterprises Inc., Indianapolis Power & Light Company, Indimento Inversiones S.L., Instituto AES Brasil, InterAndes S.A., Inversiones Cachagua SpA, Inversiones Energia Renovable Limitada, Inversiones LK SpA, Inversiones Termoenergia de Chile Ltda., Inversiones Zapallar Limitada, Inversora de San Nicolas S.A., Itabo III S.R.L., Jemeiwaa KaI S.A.S., Johnstown Solar 1 LLC, KA Energy OOD, KMR Power Company, Kazincbarcikai Iparteruletfejleszt Kft., Kings Rooftop PV LLC, La Plata I Empreendimentos Ltda., La Plata II Ltd., La Plata III C.V., Lane Ave Solar LLC, Lemoore PV 1 LLC, MFP CO Holdings II LLC, MFP CO Holdings LLC, MFP CO I LLC, MFP CO II LLC, MFP CO III LLC, MFP CO Parent LLC, MM Solar Holdings I LLC, MM Solar Parent LLC, MSP Master Tenant I LLC, MSP Master Tenant II LLC, MacGregor Park Inc., Manteca PV 1 LLC, Maple Solar LLC, Maui 17-2 LLC, Mauka FIT Twenty LLC, Mercury Cayman Co II Ltda Agencia en Chile, Mercury Chile Co. 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Ltd., Celgene Pte. Ltd., Celgene Pty Ltd, Celgene Puerto Rico Distribution LLC, Celgene Quanticel Research Inc, Celgene R&D Sarl, Celgene RIVOT LLC, Celgene RIVOT Ltd., Celgene RIVOT SRL, Celgene Receptos Limited, Celgene Receptos Sarl, Celgene Research Incubator At Summit West LLC, Celgene Research S.L.U., Celgene Research and Development Company LLC, Celgene Research and Development I ULC, Celgene Research and Development II LLC, Celgene Research and Investment Company II LLC, Celgene S. de R.L. de C.V., Celgene S.L.U., Celgene S.R.L., Celgene SAS, Celgene Sarl AU, Celgene Sdn Bhd, Celgene Services Sarl, Celgene Sociedade Unipessoal Lda, Celgene Sp. Z.o.o., Celgene Sro [Czech Republic], Celgene Summit Investment Co, Celgene Switzerland Holding Sarl, Celgene Switzerland II LLC, Celgene Switzerland Investment Sarl, Celgene Switzerland LLC, Celgene Switzerland Sarl, Celgene Tri A Holdings Ltd., Celgene Tri Sarl, Celgene UK Distribution Limited, Celgene UK Holdings Limited, Celgene UK Manufacturing II Limited, Celgene UK Manufacturing III Limited, Celgene UK Manufacturing Limited, Celgene d.o.o., Celgene sro [Slovakia], Celmed LLC, Celmed Ltd., ConvaTec Divestiture, Cormorant Pharmaceuticals, Cormorant Pharmaceuticals AB, Crosp Ltd., Delinia Inc., Deuteria Pharmaceuticals Inc., DuPont Pharmaceuticals, E. R. Squibb & Sons Inter-American Corporation, E. R. Squibb & Sons L.L.C., E. R. Squibb & Sons Limited, EWI Corporation, EngMab Sarl, F-star Alpha, FermaVir Pharmaceuticals L.L.C., FermaVir Research L.L.C., Flexus Biosciences, Flexus Biosciences Inc., Forbius, Galecto Biotech, GenPharm International L.L.C., Gloucester Pharmaceuticals LLC, Grove Insurance Company Ltd., Heyden Farmaceutica Portuguesa Limitada, IFM Therapeutics, Impact Biomedicines Inc., Inhibitex, Inhibitex L.L.C., Innate Tumor Immunity Inc., JuMP Holdings LLC, Juno Therapeutics GmbH, Juno Therapeutics Inc., Kosan Biosciences, Kosan Biosciences Incorporated, Linson Investments Limited, Mead Johnson (Manufacturing) Jamaica Limited, Mead Johnson Jamaica Ltd., Medarex, Morris Avenue Investment II LLC, Morris Avenue Investment LLC, MyoKardia, O.o.o. Bristol-Myers Squibb, Oy Bristol-Myers Squibb (Finland) AB, Padlock Therapeutics, Padlock Therapeutics Inc., Pharmion LLC, Princeton Pharmaceutical Products Inc., Receptos LLC, Receptos Services LLC, RedoxTherapies Inc., Route 22 Real Estate Holding Corporation, SPV A Holdings ULC, Seamair Insurance DAC, Signal Pharmaceuticals LLC, Sino-American Shanghai Squibb Pharmaceuticals Limited, Societe Francaise de Complements Alimentaires(S.O.F.C.A.), Squibb Middle East S.A., Summit West Celgene LLC, Swords Laboratories, VentiRx Pharmaceuticals Inc., Westwood-Intrafin SA, Westwood-Squibb Pharmaceuticals Inc., X-Body Inc., ZymoGenetics, ZymoGenetics Inc., ZymoGenetics LLC, ZymoGenetics Paymaster LLC, iPierian, and iPierian Inc.. Hemispherx Biopharma, Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company, engages in the clinical development of drug therapies based on natural immune system enhancing technologies for the treatment of viral and immune based chronic disorders in the United States. The company's products include Alferon N Injection, an injectable formulation of natural alpha interferon to treat a category of genital warts, a sexually transmitted disease; and Ampligen for the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). It is also developing Ampligen for the treatment of CFS, Hepatitis B, HIV, and cancer patients with renal cell carcinoma and malignant melanoma. The company was founded in 1990 and is headquartered in Orlando, Florida. Read More Ralph Lauren Corp. engages in the design, marketing, and distribution of premium lifestyle products. The firm offers apparel, accessories, home furnishings, and other licensed product. It operates through the following segments: North America, Europe, and Asia. The North America segment consists of sales of Ralph Lauren branded apparel, accessories, home furnishings, and related products made through the Company's wholesale and retail businesses in the U.S. and Canada, excluding Club Monaco. The Europe segment caters to sales of Ralph Lauren branded apparel, accessories, home furnishings, and related products made through the Company's wholesale and retail businesses in Europe and the Middle East, excluding Club Monaco. The Asia segment covers the sales of Ralph Lauren branded apparel, accessories, home furnishings, and related products made through the Company's wholesale and retail businesses in Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. The company was founded by Ralph Lauren in 1967 and is headquartered in New York, NY. Read More RE/MAX Holdings, Inc. engages in the provision of real estate franchise services through its subsidiaries. It operates through the following segments: Real Estate, Mortgage, Marketing Funds, and Other. The Real Estate segment inlcude operations of the company's owned and independent global franchising operations under the RE/MAX brand name and technology and data subscription revenue. The Mortgage segment comprises operations of the firm's mortgage brokerage franchising operations under the Motto Mortgage brand name and mortgage loan processing services and licensed software under the wemlo brand. The Marketing Funds segment involves in the operations of the marketing campaigns designed to build and maintain brand awareness and the development and operation of agent marketing technology. The Other segment focuses in the legacy operations of booj. The company was founded by David L. Liniger and Gail A. Liniger in 1973 and is headquartered in Denver, CO. Read More New Delhi: Clear water bodies dotted with 10,000 seaplanes, 'floating cities' in the form of ocean cruises and electric vehicles zipping on dedicated highway lanes -- that's the future as envisioned by Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari. For the 'go-getter' minister at the helm of affairs to overhaul the country's infrastructure, India has the potential to realise all this and much more. "I have been talking about seaplanes. If it starts, in India we have the potential of starting 10,000 seaplanes. We have 3 to 4 lakh ponds in India, plenty of dams, 2,000 river ports, 200 small ports and 12 major ports. It will cost less," Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Minister Gadkari told PTI. The minster said he has asked his civil aviation counterpart Ashok Gajapathi Raju to explore a regulatory regime for single-engine seaplanes to facilitate introduction of such planes in the country as early as possible. "Seaplanes can land in one foot water and require only 300 metre runway. It has a huge potential and runs at a speed of 400 km per hour. Our ministry and the aviation ministry will finalise its rules and regulations soon. There are different rules in America, Canada, Japan. We will study their laws in three months," Gadkari said. The minister, along with Raju, had participated in a seaplane trial run of budget carrier SpiceJet at the Girgaum Chowpatty off the Mumbai coast on December 9. SpiceJet plans to buy more than 100 amphibian aircraft at an estimated cost of USD 400 million. Describing cruises as "floating cities", Gadkari said they have the potential to swell to more than 950 from about 90 at present. Cruises from India could go to Singapore, the Philippines and Thailand and massive efforts are underway to boost this segment, including a Rs 1,000 crore terminal being built in Mumbai. A policy is also in the works. Listing priorities for 2018, Gadkari said work will start on much-awaited India's first pod taxi project after a high- level panel recommended inviting fresh bids for the same conforming to the strictest global safety standards. "Seaplanes, cruises, waterways, electric vehicles, pod taxis, catamarans, expressways" or the mammoth Rs 16 lakh crore Sagarmala and Rs 7 lakh crore Bharatmala initiatives will change the face of India's infrastructure, he claimed. Another key thrust area would be to reduce crude imports of Rs 7 lakh crore by at least half and provide jobs to at least 50 lakh youth in related industries. "We are making efforts to overhaul transport. We are importing crude oil worth Rs 7 lakh crore. We have decided to bring cost effective, import substitute, pollution free and indigenous fuel. "We will gradually convert our transport to electric, ethanol, methanol, bio-diesel, bio CNG and other such means. At least 1,000 new industries will begin in the country, employing 50 lakh youth," he said. The minister also said electric buses will be promoted. "We can reduce ticket rates by 30-35 per cent by it. This has super capacitor technology. A charged bus can run for 36 km and will be charged in 3 minutes. "We are planning that on Delhi-Mumbai (highway), one lane can be reserved for converting into electric highway," he said. As far as batteries are concerned, 11 companies have started manufacturing lithium ion batteries and the prices have dropped by 50 per cent, he said, adding that recently in Gurgaon a green transport fleet of 1,000 electric auto- rickshaws was launched. Projecting 20,000 kms of highways will be awarded by March 2018, Gadkari said last year it was 16,500 kms. "This year our road building reached 28 km a day from a mere 2 km a day when we took over. Next year it will be 40 km a day. Next year target will be 25,000 km," he said. To power the ambitious highway growth plans, he said NHAI will soon come up with a bond issue offering attractive coupon rates of above 7 per cent. He urged the people to invest in it rather than chit funds or other such schemes. "We have decided that NHAI will raise funds from the poor... We will try to give 7.5 per cent to the common man and 7.75 per cent to women, those above 60 years and defence personnel. They will get interest for 10 years. Monthly interest will be submitted in their accounts," he said Gadkari said his ministry will soon begin work on Rs 7.5 lakh crore highway projects under Bharatmala. The ministry also plans to train about 3.5 lakh workers under the skill development programme for highways. He also said a certain percentage of the projects above Rs 100 crore will be earmarked for skill development and his ministry alone would create 2 crore jobs. He said India faces shortages of 22 lakh drivers and one lakh driving training centres are on the anvil in the first phase in collaboration with states. The picture of Aaradhya and Navya Naveli that Amitabh Bachchan shared on Instagram. Mumbai: For New Years Eve, Bollywood stars, especially the couples, head abroad for celebrations, or indulge in parties involving dance and booze. However, the Bachchans seem to have ushered in 2018 with a quiet gathering at home. Big B took to Instagram to share a rare picture of both his granddaughters Aaradhya and Navya Naveli together and expressed how daughters are best, but granddaughters are bestest. On his blog, he wrote, The family sits out in the angan my most favoured destination in the house .. the wife has decorated the table and the food .. it is intimate and warm and delicious .. the grand children are there in smiles and affection .. and what more can one ever desire .. (sic)" He also clicked a selfie with Aaradhyas hair band on his head and how they freak out. And the little one removes here tiara hair band , places it on her Dada jis head and finds it hilarious .. "the happiest of new years .. and more .. she designs gentle decorative cards for all and presents little gifts for us .. urging everyone to open the gift and give opinion on it ..(sic) , he expressed on his blog. As far as the members missing from the pictures are concerned, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan were spotted together at Gauri Khans store earlier in the day, while Jaya Bachchan was snapped arriving for designers Abu Jani and Sandeep Khoslas New Year's bash. Those who enjoyed bitter foods and drinks showed more negative personality traits like narcissism, sadism. (Photo: Pixabay) They say you are what you eat, however a study surprisingly found that psychopaths enjoy bitter flavours. A group of researchers from Austria conducted a study at Innsbruck University and found that those who enjoy bitter flavours may have more than a few undesirable traits like: sadism, narcissism, psychoticism and Machiavellianism. The study of 953 people involved individuals ranking different foods and drinks on a six-point scale. Food featured in the study had bitter, sour, salty and sweet tastes. The participants also answered a personality-based questionnaire which measured their levels of emotional stability and "tendency towards everyday sadism." The consequent findings showed that those who preferred bitter tasting food and drink also showed more antisocial tendencies. The study was conducted by Dr Christian Sagioglou and Dr Tobias Greitemeyer, the findings said: "Supertasting, that is, having a high sensitivity to bitter compounds, has been consistently linked to increased emotionality in humans and rats. "Bitter taste experiences were shown to elicit harsher moral judgments and interpersonal hostility." To put it simply, those who enjoyed bitter foods and drinks showed more negative personality traits like narcissism, sadism. So next time you order a gin, some dark chocolate or a nice black coffee, remember what it reveals about you. Visitors take photographs at the brink of the Horseshoe Falls in Niagara Falls, Ontario, as cold weather continues through much of the province on Friday, Dec. 29, 2017. (Photo: AP) Breathtaking and magical are just some of the words used to describe the scenes at Canada's Niagara Falls. Guys, not to alarm anyone, but the Canadian side of Niagara Falls is an icy, winter wonderland right now (via @punkodelish IG @Arjsun @AdamRDanni) pic.twitter.com/56GNaOikjN Muhammad Lila (@MuhammadLila) December 28, 2017 An arctic blast has seen temperatures in the country plummet. But for those visiting the falls, the picturesque view is a sight for soar eyes. A post shared by Fabio Freire (@canadasview) on Dec 23, 2017 at 7:34pm PST Icicles have formed on walls, rocks and railings that are like stalactites. The icy water descends onto the river in a cloud of mist. It's cold at #NiagaraFalls but that's exactly what makes it so magical. Ice covers everything, even the snow on the ground. See my photo gallery. https://t.co/hBqLxPFsNe pic.twitter.com/vGR0zaml0l Sharon Cantillon (@SharonCantillon) December 31, 2017 "We came to see the wonders of nature and the beauty of winter, really. The beauty also comes with a lot of cold right now," tourist Kevin McGowan told TV channel WGRZ. Adding, "A lot of people see it in the summer, beautiful, but this is another kind of beauty and we need to enjoy it." The frozen beauty of #NiagaraFalls in winter, is the #EveryDayAPhoto by @SharonCantillon. Find other photos in our gallery here: https://t.co/2aenOyZiNn pic.twitter.com/hJBCaKeiEe Buffalo News photo (@BNphotographers) December 31, 2017 Niagara Falls in Ontario, Canada is close to the border with the United States (US). It reportedly attracts close to 14 million visitors annually. Much of North America is experiencing "extreme cold" conditions this winter. There have even been reports of sharks freezing to death in the Atlantic, due to the harsh weather. Jignesh Mevani, a first-time MLA who contested as an independent, said Dalits, minorities, farmers and marginalised sections of the society decimated BJP's ego in the Gujarat Assembly polls, bringing down its tally to 99 seats. (Photo: PTI | File) Pune: Dalit leader and newly elected MLA from Gujarat Jignesh Mevani on Sunday dared the BJP to try and change the Constitution, saying he and other like-minded people would not let it happen. Mevani was speaking at `Elgaar Parishad' in Pune, organised to commemorate the `Battle of Bhima-Koregaon'. JNU student leader Umar Khalid, late Dalit research scholar Rohit Vemula's mother Radhika, Bhim Army president Vinay Ratan Singh and Prakash Ambedkar, former MP and grandson of Dr BR Ambedkar were present at the event. Mevani, a first-time MLA who contested as an independent, said Dalits, minorities, farmers and marginalised sections of the society decimated BJP's ego in the Gujarat Assembly polls, bringing down its tally to 99 seats. Referring to Union minister Anant Kumar Hegde's controversial statement about changing the Constitution, Mevani dared the ruling party to try and do it. "If you think of changing the Constitution and the democratic set-up of India, we too have the power to safeguard it," he said. Read: We're here to change the Constitution: Union minister Ananth Kumar Hegde "All like-minded people, institutions, organisations will have to rise above their differences and unite against the BJP in the 2019 elections," Mevani said. "We managed to crush their (BJP's) boast of winning 150 seats in Gujarat...if we fight together, we will be able to bring their tally to double-digit in 2019 (Lok Sabha) elections," he said. "As elections in Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan are around the corner, I think all pro-poor people should come together. I am not interested in who will win the elections, I want the BJP to lose as they follow ideologies of Mussolini and Hitler," he said. The Battle of Bhima-Koregaon was fought in Pune district on January 1, 1818 between the forces of the East India Company and the Peshwa. The British army, which had a large contingent of Mahars, a Dalit community, defeated the Peshwa's army, and some Dalit leaders and thinkers view it as a victory of oppressed classes over the upper-caste establishment of those times. Smoke rises from 185th battalion camp of the CRPF which was stormed by the militants at the foothills of Wastoorwan at Lethpora in Pulwama district of south Kashmir on Sunday. (Photo: PTI) Srinagar: A CRPF officer and four jawans were killed and three more injured after heavily armed JeM terrorists stormed one of its camps in Jammu and Kashmirs Pulwama district on Sunday. Two militants were also killed in the security forces retaliatory fire. A third militant was suspected to be present inside the camp. Two terrorists have been killed, so far. We suspect a third terrorist is hiding inside the camp. The operation has been suspended because of darkness, a CRPF official said. He said that the gunmen in combat dress entered the 185th battalion camp at Lethapora outside the township of Awantipore at around 2 am firing AK 47 rifles and hurling grenades at the sentry. CRPF spokesman Rajesh Yadav said that the soldiers inside the camp quickly responded to the attack and engaged the assailants in a fierce gun battle. Strike follows leaders death A CRPF official said that the militants were carrying AK-47 rifles and under-barrel grenade launchers when they targeted the camp. After entering the camp, they took positions and the gunfight ensued. The initial assault left one CRPF jawan dead and two wounded. Reinforcements from J&K polices counterinsurgency SOG, the Army and the CRPF encircled the camp to supplement the effort to neutralise the attackers, the officials said. During the exchange of fire, two militants were killed whereas three more CRPF jawans laid down their lives. One of the injured jawans died in hospital later, raising the toll to five. The attack in Jammu and Kashmir took place days after a top JeM commander Noor Muhammad Tantray alias Noor Trali was killed in an operation by the security forces in Samboora. Ishrat was one of the five petitioners in the triple talaq case. Her husband had divorced her over the phone from Dubai in 2014 by uttering 'talaq' thrice. (Photo: File | PTI) Kolkata: Ishrat Jahan, one of the petitioners in the triple talaq case, has joined the BJP, the party's state unit general secretary Sayantan Basu told on Sunday. "Ishrat Jahan joined the BJP at our Howrah office yesterday (Saturday)," Basu told PTI. Sources said Ishrat was felicitated by the Howrah BJP unit on Saturday and inducted into the party. Basu said a state-level programme to felicitate her was yet to be organised. Ishrat was one of the five petitioners in the triple talaq case. Her husband had divorced her over the phone from Dubai in 2014 by uttering 'talaq' thrice. The controversial Islamic practice was struck down by the Supreme Court on August 22. West Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh, who is touring various districts in the state, said he had also come to know from party sources that Ishrat had joined the BJP in Howrah. Repeated calls to Ishrat for a reaction went unanswered. Srinagar: Pro-independence Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) leader, Muhammad Yasin Malik, has written a letter to Minister of External Affairs, Sushma Swaraj, invoking the ordeal of the family of Kulbhushan Jadhav to highlight the miseries and alleged harassment faced the Kashmiri prisoners in Indian jails. ''I can comprehend the pain of Jadhav family and when during your speech (in Parliament on December 28) you said that Jadhavs mother wanted to hug her son after 22 months of long separation but was not allowed to do so, my eyes got wet. My old wounds got scratched too by your poignant lexis. It recalled me of my old mothers ordeal," Malik has said in his letter, the copies of which were released to media here on Sunday. The letter also said, You raised some legitimate questions in your speech about the rights of a prisoner and his family and I also agree with you especially about the right to hug a mother, to touch his wife and to see his children. But this principle should hold same for every prisoner be he a political prisoner, a freedom fighter, a criminal, or any other lawbreaker. I recently met with the families of some prisoners from Kashmir who are in Tihar jail, held for their political beliefs. Malik said that during his meeting with the children and wives of these prisoners, they narrated before me the stories of same malice and humiliations. He said that the daughter of one of these asked him to do something so that she is permitted to touch her fathers face. Maliks Pakistan-based wife Mushaal Hussein had earlier this week said that India has not allowed her and her minor daughter to meet Malik and his family for about three years and New Delhi should show humanitarian gesture, the way Pakistan allowed Kulbhushan Jadhav to meet his wife and mother in Islamabad. Reacting to it, Union Home Ministry had said that she has not shown any interest in visiting India nor has she applied for a visa wince her two-year visa expired in 2015. Wife of Kashmiri separatist Yasin Malik has not shown any interest in visiting India nor has she applied for a visa since her two-year visa expired in 2015, a ministry official had said. Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan is being greeted by Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao on the occasion of New Year on Monday. (Photo: DC) Hyderabad: Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has described the supply of 24-hour, quality, uninterrupted and free power to the farm sector as a wonderful victory. He gave credit for this achievement to the employees of electricity companies in the state, who had converted a power deficit state to a power sufficient one, and announced a special increment for them from January 1. At a meeting with TS Genco and Transco CMD D. Prabhakar Rao and officials of the two discoms on Monday, Mr Rao congratulated each and every official by name. By supplying 24-hour quality, uninterrupted and free power to the farm sector, Telangana state will go down in history as the first state in the country that is supplying 24-hour water to all sectors. Though it was not mentioned in the TRS manifesto, nor did we ever make any promise, keeping in view the untold misery of the farmers, it was decided to supply 24-hour free power, Mr Rao said. TS first to give 24x7 free power, says KCR He said some states claim to be giving 24-hour water to the farm sector but it is restricted to a few hours; other states do give 24-hour power but consumers are charged for it. Telangana State is the first in the country to give 24-hour free power supply to the farm sector and he has received congratulatory messages from other states. Among those who met the CM on the occasion of the launch were TSERC chairman Ismail Ali Khan, SPDCL CMD G. Raghuma Reddy, Transco JMD Srinivas Rao, Genco Directors Ashok Kumar, Venkat Rajam, Lalit Kumar, SPDCL director Kamaluddin Ali Khan, and Transco director G Narsing Rao. Genco and Transco CMD, Prabh-akar Rao thanked the Chief Minis-ter for the special increment for electricity employees. He returned the compliment the CM paid to the employees by saying that it was the guidance of the CM that enabled them to achieve success. Uttam Kumar Reddy says Kerala, MP too supplies 24x7 power Telangana Congress chief N. Uttam Kumar Reddy on Monday ridiculed Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Raos claims of enhancing power supply in the state. Addressing Atmeeya Samme-lan held for Congress workers in Huzurnagar on Monday, Mr Reddy said the CMs claims on the energy sector were totally misleading as Kerala and Madhya Pradesh are already supplying the 24x7 power. The Chief Minister is trying to take credit for the achievements of the Congress. He is just switching on the projects which were started during the Congress regime. The TRS government has played no role in resolving the energy crisis, Mr Reddy said. Hyderabad: Telangana state is not in favour of the Centres new price support scheme for farmers to prevent distress sales. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had recently mooted the idea of launching a new scheme Market Assurance Scheme and sought the opinion of all states on implementing this from ensuing kharif season. Under the new scheme, states will be free to procure all crops from farmers for which MSPs are announced, except rice and wheat, which are already being procured by the Centre for PDS. The Centre will compensate states for any losses capped at 30 per cent of the procurement cost. It will be the states responsibility to dispose of the procured crops. The TS government feels that it will impose heavy financial burden on state government if only 30 per cent is compensated and convey its opinion urging Centre to review the new scheme. Officials brought this issue to the notice of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao. At present, the state governments are purchasing crops from farmers directly for MSP based on the approval given by the Centre. The Centre has been announcing MSP for 23 types of crops. However, the states are purchasing only rice and wheat for MSP directly from the farmers, which are used in PDS. For other crops, the states are purchasing for MSP based on prevailing market conditions, that too only if the Centre comes forward to sanction funds if prices crash below the MSP. At present, the Centre has been releasing funds in advance to states to purchase crops for MSPs. In the new system, the states themselves have to mobilise funds on their own to purchase crops for MSP and dispose the stocks on their own. In case, the price falls below MSP and state government suffers losses, the Centre agreed to compensation up to 30 per cent of losses. This would mean that the governments had to allocated thousands of crores of rupees in the Budget every year for procurement of crops, which will be a tough task. Moreover, it would be tough to estimate the price trend of various crops for the entire year and sanction funds accordingly. Agriculture secretary C.Parthasarathy said, Though the new scheme is good, there are practical problems involved in this. It would be tough for any state government to sanction huge amount of funds in Budget every year for procurment in the absence of clarity. The 30 per cent compensation norm will also create problems for state government. The women, advocate Farah Faiz, Rizwana, and Razia, who were associated in the fight against triple talaq and polygamy in the apex court, expressed satisfaction that at least 'a start' has been made by the present NDA dispensation. (Photo: PTI/Representational) New Delhi: A day after the Lok Sabha passed the contentious bill on instant triple talaq, the development was hailed by several Muslim women involved in judicial war against the practice, with a rider that the government should have also banned polygamy. The women, including those who waged the war against the archaic practice in the Supreme Court, said with the passing of the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill in the lower House, "a new beginning has been made" and it will prove to be a deterrent for the husbands from saying talaq-e-biddat to their wives. They said the new law should have also banned the practice of polygamy among Muslim men which, they said, was worse than triple talaq." The women, advocate Farah Faiz, Rizwana, Razia, who were associated in the fight against triple talaq and polygamy in the apex court, expressed satisfaction that at least "a start" has been made by the present NDA dispensation. The same opportunity had come in 1985 when the Shah Bano case happened, but was lost by the then Central government, they claimed. "A new beginning has been made which would protect Muslim women from immoral practice of nikah halala," said Faiz, whose view was shared by Rizwana and Razia with a slight variance. 'Nikah halala' is a practice intended to curb incidence of divorce. Under this, a man cannot remarry his former wife without her having to go through the process of marrying someone else, consummating it, getting divorced, observing the separation period called 'Iddat' and then coming back to him. Rizwana and Razia were of the view that the government should have dealt with the issue of polygamy by banning it in the same bill. "I welcome the move but now men will take undue advantage of the law and indulge in polygamy openly as it is still in practice. With polygamy still in practice, abolition of triple talaq cannot alone help us," said 33-year-old Rizwana, a victim of polygamy. Razia (24), whose husband divorced her over phone citing birth of daughters as the reason behind it, hailed the law brought by government and hoped that women like her would get justice. Married at the age of 16, Razia said, "I was given triple talaq by my husband on phone as he did not want to bring up our two daughters. Triple talaq is a crime and has spoilt many lives. I pray that all women like me get justice with this new law. However, I wish that the practice of polygamy is also banned." Advocate Chandra Rajan who had represented All India Muslim Women Personal Law Board (AIMWPLB) also hailed bringing of the legislation and said it would go a long way in history. "If this new law is implemented in true spirit then it will go a long way and prove to be a deterrent for the husbands from saying 'talaq-e-biddat' to their wives," she said. Rajan said the AIMWPLB has, from the very beginning, demanded that there should be a law which should hold the practice of instant triple talaq null and void and impose punishment on husbands practicing it. "We are disappointed only on one count that Sharia was not defined by the government in the law. As long as Sharia is not defined, confusion and misuse of such practices will prevail," she said, adding to the extent that the government brought this law in haste. "The best thing the law proposes is that custody of minor child will be given to the mother. This happened with Shah Bano who was the victim of triple talaq and one of the petitioners in the Supreme Court," Rajan said. She, however, questioned the mention of All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) in the law and said that it is an NGO and by mentioning their name it is like giving them sanctity. Faiz also shared the view of Rizwana and Razia that the government could have also brought a law making the unethical practice of polygamy null and void and protected lakhs of Muslim women. "At least this government has done something and a new beginning has been made. Amendments keep on happening in the law but the start has been made," she said. Faiz who fiercely argued against the practice of talaq- e-biddat (triple talaq) said the government should have enhanced the imprisonment term from three to seven years and made it a sessions court triable offence. "Misguided husbands, who were able to go scot-free after pronouncing triple talaq to their wives, will now be deterred from doing so. No one will listen to Maulanas and misuse the practice which has been made null and void by the Supreme Court as police can lodge a case and initiate criminal trial against offenders," she said. Rizwana, a Railway employee who had approached the apex court for abolishing the practice of polygamy, said, "With polygamy still in practice, abolition of triple talaq cannot alone help us." Bengaluru: Taking a dig at BJP president Amit Shah's visit to the city, CM Siddaramaiah on Sunday said that the ruling party knows how to extinguish communal fires lit up by Shah. After receiving the Person of the Year award from the Bengaluru Press Club, he said, Shah's brand of politics is known to all. He is known for making deliberate attempts to light communal fires in the state. The government knows how to scuttle his attempts. He said that Karnataka is a land of Sufi saints and sharanas who have propounded secular philosophy through their preaching. Our government too is working on similar lines. We will surely uphold secular values and fight communal forces with renewed vigour to stop them from succeeding," he thundered. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines, he dismissed the BJP's challenge for the upcoming assembly polls next year. He claimed that the ways and methods of Amit Shah will not work in the state. Shah's magic will not work here," he said. Earlier in the day, training his guns on BJP leaders, the chief minister slammed that those who do not have faith in the Constitution should not hold high offices. "Dr B.R. Ambedkar has given us one of the best Constitutions in the world. Entire world hails it. However, there are some elements who often claim that they do not have faith in such a great Constitution, which is nothing but irony of this country," he said. Appealing to his supporters not to equate him with Dr Ambedkar or late chief minister Devraj Urs, he said, We are living in different eras and do not compare with such great personalities. I am Siddarmaiah. Let me be known and remembered only as Siddarmaiah. Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy charged that the BJP leaders are deliberately making attempts to fan communal disturbances across the state. We are also Hindus and we will not allow them to hijack Hindutva. Hindutva isn't a private property and the BJP leaders are indulging in political gimmicks by talking unabashedly about Hindutva, he said. He said that BJP leaders, like Shobha Karandlaje and Union minister of state for skill development Anant Kumar Hegde, are doing politics over dead bodies. Wherever they see a dead body, they indulge in politics, he alleged. In April last year, after delays and massive costs overruns, Russia launched its first rocket from Vostochny. (Photo: AP) Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said on December 27 the failed launch of a 2.6 billion-rouble ($44.95 million) satellite last month was due to an embarrassing programming error. Russian space agency Roscosmos said last month it had lost contact with the newly-launched weather satellite - the Meteor-M - after it blasted off from Russias new Vostochny cosmodrome in the Far East. Eighteen smaller satellites belonging to scientific, research and commercial companies from Russia, Norway, Sweden, the United States, Japan, Canada and Germany, were on board the same rocket. Speaking to Rossiya 24 state TV channel, Rogozin said the failure had been caused by human error. The rocket carrying the satellites had been programmed with the wrong coordinates, he said, saying it had been given bearings for take-off from a different cosmodrome - Baikonur - which Moscow leases from Kazakhstan. The rocket was really programmed as if it was taking off from Baikonur, said Rogozin. They didnt get the coordinates right. The Vostochny spaceport, laid out in the thick taiga forest of the Amur Region, is the first civilian rocket launch site in Russia. In April last year, after delays and massive costs overruns, Russia launched its first rocket from Vostochny, a day after a technical glitch forced an embarrassing postponement of the event in the presence of President Vladimir Putin. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. SALT LAKE CITY And a warm welcome to 2018. But before we start breaking in the new year, heres an "About Utah" look at the one that just ended. Because it was the year of the impossible when a man who never held public office became president and the Houston Astros the Houston Astros! won the World Series the stories I remember most writing in 2017 were about things that shouldnt have happened but somehow did anyway. Leading the way were origin stories about two enormous charities born right here in Utah: the multifaceted Eccles Foundation(s) and the Childrens Miracle Network. Between these two nonprofits they have raised, and continue to raise, billions for worthy causes. On paper, neither one should have happened. David Eccles had every strike going against him when he and his family arrived in Utah from Scotland in 1863. There was a Civil War going on, times were difficult at best, and, at 14, he had every opportunity to play the role of sullen teenager. Instead, he started cutting down trees first to help out his blind woodworker father, then to provide material for a growing West in need of infrastructure. One enterprise led to another, and by the time of his death in 1912, David Eccles had become Utahs first multimillionaire, amassing the substantial fortune that his progeny, in particular son George Stoddard Eccles, would set aside for philanthropy. Led by the George S. and Dolores Dore Eccles Foundation, at least a dozen Eccles foundations have donated more than $1 billion to deserving Utah causes over the years, while continuing to lead the way each year in charitable giving. The beginning of the Childrens Miracle Network was equally improbable. It can be dated back to the day a Salt Lake man named Mick Shannon, who originally planned to be a high school history teacher, dreamed up the idea of raising money for childrens hospitals around the country through TV and radio telethons and later through corporate partnerships. By all rational calculations his idea had no chance, but with the help of people-person extraordinaire Joe Lake and good-hearted celebrities Marie Osmond, John Schneider and hundreds more just like them willing to contribute their fame and influence, Shannon created out of thin air a charity that to date has contributed over $7 billion to nearly 200 childrens hospitals nationwide and by 2022 has a goal to contribute $1 billion every year. Money, of course, isnt the only way to measure unlikely success. In April I wrote about Christine Burckle, the first female general in the 122-year history of the Utah National Guard. When Burckle was born in 1966, exactly zero female generals had served in the U.S. armed forces ever. When she was commissioned into the United States Air Force in 1990, not only were women not allowed to fly bombers, they couldnt even sit in the planes. Undaunted, she persevered, working within the system rather than bucking against it, and as the worldview of women evolved she rode the waves of change all the way to the top. A story I wrote about the Burns Cowboy Shop on Main Street in Park City detailed the 141-year history of a family business that began with a harness shop in central Utah in 1876; evolved in the 1950s to a business that made seat covers for pickup trucks; and, as cowboyin retreated further and further out of the mainstream, emerged at a ski resort selling Western gear to high-end customers willing to pay tens of thousands of dollars for saddles, belt buckles and boots. If Miles Burns were still around to see it, you could push him over with a hat feather. And so the subject matter went for 2017. The improbable was the norm. Unlikely? Hows this for unlikely? Hai Fitzgerald, a Vietnam native who, yearning for the fresh, healthy food of his youth in the Mekong delta, opens his Thyme & Seasons restaurant in a grocery store parking lot in Bountiful that never advertises and thrives entirely by word of mouth? Or Michelle Kaufusi, who ignores 166 years of all-male history to become Provos first woman mayor? Or Ben and Lorin Smaha, the Park City couple who import lobsters from New England for their Freshies restaurant and food truck? At a contest held in Maine in the summer of '17 their lobster rolls, made right here in the Utah mountains, are named best on Earth. A few months after that, the Houston Astros won the World Series. MIDVALE More than three decades worth of documents that were once strewn across Midvale Mayor JoAnn Seghini's office had been packed into boxes and taken away. All that remained was her desk, her computer, a few office supplies, and her coffee mug. The smell of paint and plaster lingered in the air. The wall she had once chosen to be painted forest green was being prepped to be painted blue for Midvale's newly elected mayor, Robert Hale. Seghini the city's first-ever woman to run for public office surveyed what remained of her office late last week, days away from when she would step away from her 32-year career as a public official. Twenty years as mayor. Before that, 12 years as a councilwoman. "It's a new day and a new time for somebody else," Seghini said as she looked at the now bare walls of her office. "It's really not mine. The people of Midvale have allowed me to have it for 20 years, and I'm really grateful." Midvale's 'queen' A few feet down the hall, Seghini's black-and-white photo hangs at the end of the line of 19 other pictures of Midvale's mayors throughout its 109-year history all men except for her. Seghini pointed to the picture hung above hers: former Mayor Trent Jepson. "This is the man that called me and told me to sign up (for the City Council)," she said. At the time, Seghini was serving on the Midvale Planning Commission, with a 36-year career in education first as a teacher, then as an administrator behind her. "I said, 'I already have a job. I don't want to run for council, I'm just happy as can be." But after Jepson called her again 15 minutes before the filing deadline and repeated his plea for her to sign up, she said she decided on a whim to give it a try. Fast-forward to the 1985 election night, Seghini said a reporter was "amazed" when she won. "How in the world did you win?" Seghini remembers the reporter saying. "I said, 'I got more votes,'" she said simply, smiling. Since then, Seghini won all of her elections with more than 60 percent of the vote, until she decided not to run again this year. Seghini, now 80, said she never specifically aspired to be Midvale's first city councilwoman or its first female mayor. She said she learned the importance of public service from her father, who was a city attorney, and her mother, who was involved in nonprofits like Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. Now, Seghini said she'll be taking more time to "do the things I think are important," including her work on the board for the Boys and Girls Club of Murray/Midvale, the State Homeless Coordinating Committee, the Humane Society of Utah, and others. She plans to spend time supporting nonprofits like LifeStart Village, a family support organization that offers single parent with services like a free crisis nursery, daycare and other services. "At 80, you need the time to do what you want," Seghini said, adding that she decided not to run again "because I felt like there are others who could do the job very well." Seghini supported Hale, who like her had also served on the City Council and planning commission before he ran for mayor. "I've got some big high heels to fill," Hale said Friday. "She has been a queen in our city." The incoming mayor lauded Seghini for addressing tough issues throughout her 32 years from "taking on" the Road Home's Midvale homeless shelter to the creation of numerous social programs, to overseeing the city's commercial development. Earlier this month, Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams and the Salt Lake County Council adopted a joint resolution honoring Seghini, a longtime Democrat, for her 32 years of public service. "Mayor JoAnn Seghini has been a champion for education, a role model for women in politics, and a beacon of compassion for underserved populations," the resolution says. McAdams said Seghini has been a "role model for me and an example for many of us for her approach to public service." Seghini told the council "it's wonderful to be honored," but noted she plans to continue her public service in other capacities. "You don't stop being a voice for people when you stop sitting in the chair of leadership," she told the County Council. "We all have to be leaders in everything we do in our communities, whether it's serving in a government capacity, serving as a volunteer, or just being a good neighbor. I've been fortunate to be able to do all those things and to love the people that I serve not to always agree with the people that I serve but to love the people that I serve." Accomplishments Throughout her career in office, Seghini said she has taken pride in making tough decisions. One of the most prominent issues facing Midvale in recent years has been the Road Home's family homeless shelter which began in 1998 as a winter overflow, but has since transformed into a full-time homeless shelter. Seghini was there to help lobby the Utah Legislature for funds to help support the shelter. "The city, with all the responsibilities that have been put on us by the Legislature God bless them has done everything we can to support the homeless program, which was not easy," Seghini said. "We have been gracious grudgingly gracious. It's been a tough thing to carry, but there was nobody else." Seghini said the shelter has had a "tremendous impact" on her community but it's by far not been the most controversial issue she's had to face in her role as mayor. "The most controversial thing any mayor is facing in America today is high-density housing," she said. As the Wasatch Front and the nation faces a housing shortage, Seghini said she felt strongly about increasing the city's housing stock, even though that angered certain neighborhoods. "Does the public always like what government does? No. Is government always right? No," she said, but added that she tried to prioritize transparency and give all Midvale residents "a voice." Her proudest accomplishment, she said, is an issue that dates back decades for Midvale. In her first meeting as a councilwoman in 1986, Seghini learned that Midvale had two areas being designated as "Superfund" sites the term the federal government applies to contaminated areas that must undergo a long-term cleanup process. Since then, the sites the Bingham Junction and Jordan Bluffs project areas have been cleared for development. "To the angst of many," the Bluffs development will have high-density housing, Seghini said. But that's a tough decision she takes pride in. As a present at her retirement party, city officials announced they would be naming one of the new streets in the Bluffs development (near 8020 South off of Main Street) Seghini Drive. The one regret the now former mayor says she has from her experience in public office is the "negative position of many people who aren't willing to look at both sides," pointing to neighborhoods that protest high-density housing as one example. "To some people, it's their way or the highway," Seghini said. "They come and speak and shake their fists and complain. They're not really concerned about the good of the community as a whole or people of the future." She often points out if residents expect their children to live in their basements when they can't find housing, where will their grandchildren live? Under Seghini, several big businesses have established headquarters in Midvale, including Overstock.com, FLSmidth, the regional distribution center for Intermountain Healthcare, and Savage Industries. Seghini was also in office for the 1996 annexation of Union Fort and South Union Fort, which doubled the size of Midvale at the time, the largest annexation in Utah's history. "In my 20 years as mayor, the city has grown a great deal," she said, crediting city staff from the legal department to public works for handling it all with grace. As for Hale and other future Midvale public officials, Seghini said she has "great respect" for those willing to step up to deal with the "overwhelming problems" like the need for high-density housing, affordable housing and population growth facing cities across the Wasatch Front. "I love my community," she said. "I encourage everybody to make sure that the voice they hear is the voice for all of us, not just some of us." Sunday marked Seghini's last day as Midvale's mayor. Hale is slated to be sworn in on Tuesday. Jasmin Bhasin To Ssharad Malhotraa: Here's How Your Favourite TV Celebs Are Ringing In 2018! From vacationing at exotic locations to spending time with loved ones in the family this is how most of TV celebrities are going to ring in the New Year. While Sourabh Raj Jain is looking forward to spend some time with his newborn kids, Jasmin Bhasin will be shooting for her show on the last day on the year. Mishal Raheja will too, be working when ringing in the New Year. Check out for more details: Sourabh Raaj Jain: This year, I would be partying at home with our babies. The craziest celebration that I can remember is during college days when a bunch of us partied all night from one place to another, until next morning when we ended it at India gate. Ssharad Malhotraa: I will be in Mumbai because I want to spend some quality time with my awesome friends. I would also do some introspection and have my me time and plan my next move in my career and life. Smriti Kalra: Whenever I make plans, things dont go the way I want. So I am not making any plans this time and would go with the flow. But I wont be turning crazy unlike the entire world. All that I know for sure is that today I am going to indulge in food and desserts. Jasmin Bhasin: This year I am shooting on New Years Eve, so after pack up, it would just be a simple dinner with close friends. Mishal Raheja: I will be working when the New Year rings in, but I am planning to have a celebratory lunch with some friends, after which I will be flying down to Goa for a shoot. By Amy McDermott If you think 2017 was a garbage fire, we can't stop you. But the world wasn't the only thing in flames. You know what else was on fire this year? Fish discovery. Last year, we brought you six of our favorite fish discovered in 2016. This year, we're upping the ante. Meet seven of our newly-minted favorites, discovered in 2017. 1. Snailfish of the Deep (Pseudoliparis Swirei) Plunge into the Mariana Trench, and you'll find a ghostly snailfish cruising along the seabed, nearly 8,000 meters (26,000 feet) deep. It lives in crushing pressure and darkness, as one of the deepest-living fish ever collected. Scientists found 37 of the pinkish, translucent, blobby-looking critters using abaited traps with attached video cameras. The snailfish's body is so pale that its liver, stomach and innards are visible through the skin. Other snailfish species have been found in trenches around the world Just how deep does the new snailfish live? Well, from sidewalk to sky, the Empire State Building is 443 meters (1,450 feet) high. You'd have to stack 18 below the surface to reach snailfish territory. It's a bit deep. Your odds of stepping on one while frolicking at the beach are, luckily, very low. 2. Kaguya's Dartfish: A Fairy Tale Goby (Navigobius Kaguya) This fish is fit for a fairy tale. S.K. Tea Called Kaguyahime-haze in Japanese, this gorgeous goby is named for the Moon Princess Kaguya, the central character in an ancient Japanese folktale. The name is an allusion to the moon-like spots on the fish's dorsal fin, and its discovery on reefs in Japan, as well as in the Philippines. The new goby looks a lot like another (as-yet-unnamed) species from Bali and the Maldives. Its head and body are orange to pink or yellow-grey, with purple stripes that sometimes become spots. Divers have spotted this species before and snapped photos of it. It's also sometimes caught for home aquariums. But it hadn't been named and described until November. Formal description in a scientific paper is how new species are technically "discovered" in science. If the world got you down this year, just take a deep breath and remember Kaguya's dartfish: the lovely new goby named after a moon princess. 3. Magma Fairy Wrasse (Cirrhilabrus Shutmani) The magma fairy wrasse likes it hot. B.P. Shutman If we're talking fairy tales, we can't skip the magma fairy wrasse. Scientists sampled four spritely specimens from the underwater rubble slopes of the active Didicas Volcano in the Philippines' Babuyan Islands, part of the Pacific Ring of Fire. This fish is truly volcanic. The magma-red colors of its body and fins set it apart from other, closely-related wrasses. 4. Korean "Dwarf" Seahorse (Hippocampus Haema) Good things come in threes. Jin Koo Kim If princesses and fairies aren't enough, let's throw in more mythical creatures. Hippocampus haema is the most common seahorse in Korea, but is also found in Japan, where it's called "himetatsu," meaning "dwarf seahorse" or "princess seahorse." The new species is part of a larger group of crowned seahorses, also found in Japan and Korea. This year, scientists examined 182 seahorse specimens from the region, and sorted them into the three species. The crowned seahorse (H. coronatus) and painted seahorse (H. sindonis) had already been discovered and described. But a third, new species, H. haema, shook out of the mix, based on genetic and physical differences from the other two species. Those other two seahorses also have epic Japanese names. The painted seahorse is "hanatatsu," which translates to flower dragon. And the crowned seahorse is "tatsu-no-otoshigo," or "dragon's bastard child." 5. Deep-Sea Anglerfish (Oneirodes Sanjeevani) Sure, this anglerfish is ugly, but it probably has a great personality. H. Kumar Anglerfish are a departure from the whimsy of princesses, fairies, dwarves and dragons. But what they lack in cute and cuddliness, they make up for in peculiarity. A fleshy growth protrudes from anglerfish heads, and acts as a lure for curious prey. Oneirodes sanjeevani, the new anglerfish, has a short lure and a narrow head. Only one specimen, a female, has ever been seen. She looks like a giant mouth full of sharp teeth, tapering to a tail. The new angler was discovered in the Western Indian Ocean, between 380 and 600 meters (1,250 and 1,970 feet) deep. Rows of imposing teeth, and horn-like protrusions from her head, make this critter look downright ghoulish. Luckily, she's only a few centimeters long. 6. Hoodwinker Sunfish (Mola Tecta) Hiding in plain sight. Maria Nyegaard Ocean sunfish are hard to miss. They're huge and disc-shaped, with no apparent tail and long, flapping fins on top and bottom of their flattened bodies. Remember those Boston fishermen who thought they'd found an injured baby whale in 2015? That was a sunfish. If you've ever seen one, you might have called it a "Mola mola," which is the scientific name of one species. Turns out, there are even more Mola species: Mola ramsayi, and, based on genetic analysis, the new Mola tecta. It's sleeker than its cousins, and the first addition to the genus in 125 years. 7. Fire Goby (Palatogobius Incendius) With a name like a Harry Potter spell, this Caribbean goby rounds out the 2017 fish list in magical style. Its fiery name comes from its bright orange, yellow and pink scales. Fire gobies live in schools on deep reefs, from roughly 100 to 200 meters deep. Back in 2015, before the gobies were formally described, scientists found a school of 50 swimming near a rock wall in Curacao. The researchers filmed the gobies from inside a submarine, and then saw something unprecedented. Invasive lionfish, introduced to the Caribbean from the Pacific, attacked the school while the scientists watched. The researchers caught it all on film, in the first recording of invasive lionfish threatening an "undiscovered" species. If you thought this year was a trash fire, then fire gobies devoured by invasive species probably adds to the hot mess. Don't despair though. With princesses and dragons and volcano fish in the mix, scientific discovery was ablaze this year too. For fish at least, 2017 was lit. A drug developed for diabetes could be used to treat Alzheimer's after scientists found it "significantly reversed memory loss" in mice through a triple method of action. A drug developed for diabetes could be used to treat Alzheimer's after scientists found it "significantly reversed memory loss" in mice through a triple method of action. The research, published in Brain Research, could bring substantial improvements in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease through the use of a drug originally created to treat type 2 diabetes. Lead researcher Professor Christian Holscher of Lancaster University in the UK said the novel treatment "holds clear promise of being developed into a new treatment for chronic neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease." Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia and the numbers are expected to rise to two million people in the UK by 2051 according to Alzheimer's Society, who part- funded the research. Dr Doug Brown, Director of Research and Development at Alzheimer's Society, said: ""With no new treatments in nearly 15 years, we need to find new ways of tackling Alzheimer's. It's imperative that we explore whether drugs developed to treat other conditions can benefit people with Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia. This approach to research could make it much quicker to get promising new drugs to the people who need them." Although the benefits of these 'triple agonist' drugs have so far only been found in mice, other studies with existing diabetes drugs such as liraglutide have shown real promise for people with Alzheimer's, so further development of this work is crucial." This is the first time that a triple receptor drug has been used which acts in multiple ways to protect the brain from degeneration. It combines GLP-1, GIP and Glucagon which are all growth factors. Problems with growth factor signalling have been shown to be impaired in the brains of Alzheimer's patients. The study used APP/PS1 mice, which are transgenic mice that express human mutated genes that cause Alzheimer's. Those genes have been found in people who have a form of Alzheimer's that can be inherited. Aged transgenic mice in the advanced stages of neurodegeneration were treated. In a maze test, learning and memory formation were much improved by the drug which also:- enhanced levels of a brain growth factor which protects nerve cell functioning reduced the amount of amyloid plaques in the brain linked with Alzheimer's reduced both chronic inflammation and oxidative stress slowed down the rate of nerve cell loss Professor Holscher said: "These very promising outcomes demonstrate the efficacy of these novel multiple receptor drugs that originally were developed to treat type 2 diabetes but have shown consistent neuro- protective effects in several studies." "Clinical studies with an older version of this drug type already showed very promising results in people with Alzheimer's disease or with mood disorders" "Here we show that a novel triple receptor drug shows promise as a potential treatment for Alzheimer's but further dose-response tests and direct comparisons with other drugs have to be conducted in order to evaluate if this new drugs is superior to previous ones." Type 2 diabetes is a risk factor for Alzheimer's and has been implicated in the progression of the disease. Impaired insulin has been linked to cerebral degenerative processes in type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer's disease. Insulin desensitisation has also been observed in the Alzheimer's disease brain. The desensitisation could play a role in the development of neurodegenerative disorders as insulin is a growth factor with neuroprotective properties. ### Pioneering new technology is set to accelerate the global quest for crop improvement in a development which echoes the Green Revolution of the post war period. The speed breeding platform developed by teams at the John Innes Centre, University of Queensland and University of Sydney, uses a glasshouse or an artificial environment with enhanced lighting to create intense day-long regimes to speed up the search for better performing crops. Using the technique, the team has achieved wheat generation from seed to seed in just 8 weeks. These results appear today in Nature Plants. This means that it is now possible to grow as many as 6 generations of wheat every year - a threefold increase on the shuttle-breeding techniques currently used by breeders and researchers. Dr Brande Wulff of the John Innes Centre, Norwich, a lead author on the paper, explains why speed is of the essence: "Globally, we face a huge challenge in breeding higher yielding and more resilient crops. Being able to cycle through more generations in less time will allow us to more rapidly create and test genetic combinations, looking for the best combinations for different environments." For many years the improvement rates of several staple crops have stalled, leading to a significant impediment in the quest to feed the growing global population and address the impacts of climate change. Speed breeding, says Dr Wulff, offers a potential new solution to a global challenge for the 21st century. "People said you may be able to cycle plants fast, but they will look tiny and insignificant, and only set a few seed. In fact, the new technology creates plants that look better and are healthier than those using standard conditions. One colleague could not believe it when he first saw the results." The exciting breakthrough has the potential to rank, in terms of impact, alongside the shuttle-breeding techniques introduced after the second world war as part of the green revolution. Dr Wulff goes on to say: "I would like to think that in 10 years from now you could walk into a field and point to plants whose attributes and traits were developed using this technology." This technique uses fully controlled growth environments and can also be scaled up to work in a standard glass house. It uses LED lights optimised to aid photosynthesis in intensive regimes of up to 22 hours per day. LED lights significantly reduce the cost compared to sodium vapour lamps which have long been in widespread use but are ineffective because they generate much heat and emit poor quality light. The international team also prove that the speed breeding technique can be used for a range of important crops. They have achieved up to 6 generations per year for bread wheat, durum wheat, barley, pea, and chickpea; and four generations for canola (a form of rapeseed). This is a significant increase compared with widely used commercial breeding techniques. Speed breeding, when employed alongside conventional field-based techniques, can be an important tool to enable advances in understanding the genetics of crops. "Speed breeding as a platform can be combined with lots of other technologies such as CRISPR gene editing to get to the end result faster," explains Dr Lee Hickey from the University of Queensland. The study shows that traits such as plant pathogen interactions, plant shape and structure, and flowering time can be studied in detail and repeated using the technology. The speed breeding technology has been welcomed by wheat breeders who have become early adopters. Ruth Bryant, Wheat Pathologist at RAGT Seeds Ltd, Essex, UK, said: "Breeders are always looking for ways to speed up the process of getting a variety to market so we are really interested in the concept of speed breeding. We are working closely with Dr Wulff's group at the John Innes Centre to develop this method in a commercial setting." Dr Allan Rattey, a wheat crop breeder with Australian company Dow AgroSciences, has used the technology to breed wheat with tolerance to pre-harvest sprouting (PHS) a major problem in Australia. "Environmental control for effective PHS screening and the long time taken to cycle through several cycles of recurrent selection were major bottle necks. The speed breeding and targeted selection platform have driven major gains for both of these areas of concerns." The full paper: Speed breeding is a powerful tool to accelerate crop research and breeding is available at Nature Plants. ### Notes for Editors Please note embargo Contacts Press Contact: Felicity Perry - Felicity.Perry@jic.ac.uk Tel: 01603 450269 Out of Hours Tel: 07881 255193 Pictures are available, please contact Felicity. About the John Innes Centre The John Innes Centre is an independent, international centre of excellence in plant science and microbiology. Our mission is to generate knowledge of plants and microbes through innovative research, to train scientists for the future, to apply our knowledge of nature's diversity to benefit agriculture, the environment, human health, and wellbeing, and engage with policy makers and the public. To achieve these goals we establish pioneering long-term research objectives in plant and microbial science, with a focus on genetics. These objectives include promoting the translation of research through partnerships to develop improved crops and to make new products from microbes and plants for human health and other applications. We also create new approaches, technologies and resources that enable research advances and help industry to make new products. The knowledge, resources and trained researchers we generate help global societies address important challenges including providing sufficient and affordable food, making new products for human health and industrial applications, and developing sustainable bio-based manufacturing. This provides a fertile environment for training the next generation of plant and microbial scientists, many of whom go on to careers in industry and academia, around the world. The John Innes Centre is strategically funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC). In 2015-2016 the John Innes Centre received a total of 30.1 million from the BBSRC. The John Innes Centre is also supported by the John Innes Foundation through provision of research accommodation and long-term support of the Rotation PhD programme. The John Innes Centre is the winner of the BBSRC's 2013 - 2016 Excellence with Impact award. For more information about the John Innes Centre visit our website http://www.jic.ac.uk About the BBSRC The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) invests in world-class bioscience research and training on behalf of the UK public. Our aim is to further scientific knowledge, to promote economic growth, wealth and job creation and to improve quality of life in the UK and beyond. Funded by Government, BBSRC invested over 473M in world-class bioscience in 2015-16. We support research and training in universities and strategically funded institutes. BBSRC research and the people we fund are helping society to meet major challenges, including food security, green energy and healthier, longer lives. Our investments underpin important UK economic sectors, such as farming, food, industrial biotechnology and pharmaceuticals. For more information about BBSRC, our science and our impact see: http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk For more information about BBSRC strategically funded institutes see: http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/institutes KNOXVILLE -- Humans may be the dominant cause of global temperature rise, but they may also be a crucial factor in helping to reduce it, according to a new study that for the first time builds a novel model to measure the effects of behavior on climate. Drawing from both social psychology and climate science, the new model investigates how human behavioral changes evolve in response to extreme climate events and affect global temperature change. The model accounts for the dynamic feedbacks that occur naturally in the Earth's climate system--temperature projections determine the likelihood of extreme weather events, which in turn influence human behavior. Human behavioral changes, such as installing solar panels or investing in public transportation, alter greenhouse gas emissions, which change the global temperature and thus the frequency of extreme events, leading to new behaviors, and the cycle continues. Combining climate projections and social processes, the model predicts global temperature change ranging from 3.4 to 6.2C by 2100, compared to 4.9C from the climate model alone. Due to the complexity of physical processes, climate models have uncertainties in global temperature prediction. The new model found that temperature uncertainty associated with the social component was of a similar magnitude to that of the physical processes, which implies that a better understanding of the human social component is important but often overlooked. The model found that long-term, less easily reversed behavioral changes, such as insulating homes or purchasing hybrid cars, had by far the most impact in mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and thus reducing climate change, versus more short-term adjustments, such as adjusting thermostats or driving fewer miles. The results, published today in the journal Nature Climate Change, demonstrate the importance of factoring human behavior into models of climate change. "A better understanding of the human perception of risk from climate change and the behavioral responses are key to curbing future climate change," said lead author Brian Beckage, a professor of plant biology and computer science at the University of Vermont. The paper was a result of combined efforts of the joint Working Group on Human Risk Perception and Climate Change at the National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis (NIMBioS) at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and the National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center (SESYNC) at the University of Maryland. Both institutes are supported by the National Science Foundation. The Working Group of about a dozen scientists from a variety of disciplines, including biology, psychology, geography, and mathematics, has been researching the questions surrounding human risk perception and climate change since 2013. More information about the Working Group can be found at http://www.nimbios.org/workinggroups/WG_risk. "It is easy to lose confidence in the capacity for societies to make sufficient changes to reduce future temperatures. When we started this project, we simply wanted to address the question as to whether there was any rational basis for 'hope'--that is a rational basis to expect that human behavioral changes can sufficiently impact climate to significantly reduce future global temperatures," said NIMBioS Director Louis J. Gross, who co-authored the paper and co-organized the Working Group. "Climate models can easily make assumptions about reductions in future greenhouse gas emissions and project the implications, but they do this with no rational basis for human responses," Gross said. "The key result from this paper is that there is indeed some rational basis for hope." That basis for hope can be the foundation which communities can build on in adopting policies to reduce emissions, said co-author Katherine Lacasse, an assistant professor of psychology at Rhode Island College. "We may notice more hurricanes and heat waves than usual and become concerned about climate change, but we don't always know the best ways to reduce our emissions," Lacasse said. "Programs or policies that help reduce the cost and difficulty of making long-term changes or that bring in whole communities to make long-term changes together can help support people to take big steps that have a meaningful impact on the climate." ### Citation: Beckage B. et al. 2017. Linking models of human behavior and climate alters projected climate change. Nature Climate Change. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-017-0031-7 The National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis is an NSF-supported center that brings together researchers from around the world to collaborate across disciplinary boundaries to investigate solutions to basic and applied problems in the life sciences. NIMBioS is sponsored by the National Science Foundation through NSF Award #DBI-1300426, with additional support from The University of Tennessee, Knoxville. CONTACT: Catherine Crawley NIMBioS 1-865-974-9350 ccrawley@nimbios.org Joshua Brown, UVM 1-802-656-3039 jbrown7@uvm.edu Around 150,000 people watched the traditional firework display on the shores of Lake Zurich on Sunday evening to welcome in the new year. Owing to the warm weather and low clouds, spectators got a close view of the pyrotechnics, as rockets were fired only up to a height of 100 metres rather than the usual 350 metres. Thousands of partygoers took to the streets of other Swiss cities and towns on Sunday evening to celebrate 2018 in style. In Basel, people gatheredat the cathedral in the rainto hear the huge bell ring in the new year, followed by a firework display over the Rhine River. In Bern, hundreds of people met at Cathedral Square in the Old Town to hear the bells strike midnight. Similar scenes were observed in the historic centre of St Gallen in eastern Switzerland, Lausanne, Vevey and Geneva. Various ski resorts in the Valais and Vaud also celebrated in style with firework demonstrations. swissinfo.ch/sb Privacy Settings This site uses functional cookies and external scripts to improve your experience. Which cookies and scripts are used and how they impact your visit is specified on the left. You may change your settings at any time. Your choices will not impact your visit. NOTE: These settings will only apply to the browser and device you are currently using. Monday, January 1, 2018 The following report was published in the November 2003 Newsletter of "Economists for Peace and Security". It is typical of the differences between my science of economics and the traditional nature of far left economists who still stubbornly cling to the notion that economics is a social science. It's all just a matter of degree and perspective. Water can be gas, a liquid, or a solid. Economics is like the gas state at the individual level and like the liquid state at the business level. When economists say there will never be a science of economics they really mean there will never be a solid state for economics. But when solid state like qualities are found in macroeconomics as in my 20th and 21st century modeling, economists of all stripes are inclined to stick to their training rather than accept a new truth. Even a hard science like physics can resemble the social sciences at the quantum physics level. But without the uncertainty of the Schrodinger wave equation we can not explain the solid state circuit board of all our modern electronics. Uncertainty becomes certainty as activity reaches modern levels of trillions of dollars and billions of people. All we have to lose is our illusions and build new models from scratch and common sense as an engineer and accountant would. This was written before my 2009 doctorate. War and Empire: The Political Economy of US Militarism by Robert Reuschlein Meeting from August 23-26 2003, members of the Union of Radical Political Economists, URPE, considered war and empire. The David Gordon Lecture was given by Michael Perelman of Cal State Chico on War, Empire, and Economic Decline. He said empire emerges with weakening of the economy. (I would take this a step further to say that "empire" with high levels of military spending causes a chronically weakened economy.) He went on to say the US was outsourcing production to concentrate on distribution, and that deindustrialization was acceptable to the public. (I find this an inevitable result of wasting key resources on the military, thus hollowing out the technological base of the economy to leave only the service and distribution sectors at world class competitive levels as "empire decay" sets in.) He alluded to strategic overreach, saying "ever new acquisitions bring ever new frontiers of risk." He said the military would not save the economy, that postwar busts follow wartime booms, and he mused that WWII might have marked a height for demand helped by war. (But I say the 1946 economy was the same size as that of 1941, setting America back five years, and that the manufacturing productivity growth rate for the forties was 40 percent below average, suggesting four lost years, most likely the war years. Of course others suffered even more: Russia was set back 8 years, Germany 13 years, and Japan 17 years by the war.) He said the military squanders talented resources making civilian industry less competitive. Other speakers were Bob Pollin, Alan Campbell, David Laibman, and Paddy Quick. Pollin, who will soon host the URPE office at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, anchored a Sunday morning panel on The Effects of War and Empire at Home. The speakers were good; it's just that they all seemed to agree that military spending stimulates the economy, a point for which I find precious little evidence. (Even in World War II, when war bonding failed to keep up with war spending in the third and fourth years, the economy slowed and then halted. So I believe that deficit and adrenaline war booms happen in spite of a military drag on the economy, not because of military spending.) Pollin's lecture discussed the Clinton years as a 36 percent cut in the military and a 10 percent to 20 percent drop in social programs producing the surplus: that's the peace dividend. He argued that the stock market boom helped boost private consumption from 62 to 68 percent of the economy, creating the growth wave as local government grew and federal government shrank from 22 to 18 percent. He thinks the best way to stimulate the economy would be for the federal government to bail out the states. Nothing in his lecture suggested the negative effects of military spending as outlined by Michael Perelman. Pollin believes in military Keynesianism, ignoring the possibility that large cuts in military spending after the end of the Cold War propelled the nineties boom. He sees military spending as a political negative but an economic positive. Alan Campbell was the coordinator of workshops and plenaries. The group is certainly egalitarian, and tries to give everyone a workshop. He also presented a slide show demonstrating a rich understanding of the Cuban economy. David Laibman used his thorough grasp of the ins and outs of macroeconomic analysis for an imaginative workshop showing aggregate supply and demand models with their sundry price level variables and feedback loops. My workshop on the "Social Decay of Empire" focused on the ways societies with high military spending become stagnant and frustrated internally. Robert Reuschlein, a member of ECAAR, is an MBA engineer and CPA and a war-gaming mathematician who has published and spoken widely on issues of war and economics. See www.realeconomy.com. Economists for Peace and Security http://www.epsusa.org For additional information please see this Published Article (with details added): https://www.academia.edu/23034796/TECHNICAL_Peace_Economics_8p._2014-2016 Please cite this work as follows: Reuschlein, Robert. (2018, January 1), "Peace & Security Economists" Madison, WI: Real Economy Institute. Retrieved from: https://www.expertclick.com/NewsRelease/Peace-Security-Economists,2018152413.aspx Sunday, December 31, 2017 Prepare for a year of greater philanthropic impact! As philanthropic organizations, were hopefully starting a new year with a renewed commitment to do good for others. Its at the root of every philanthropic mission, after all. And, as philanthropies, we all try to make decisions that are in service to our missions, represent good stewardship, and result in the greatest impact. But sometimes, in making those very decisions, we unintentionally do more to damage our impact than to further it. I call this Delusional Altruism, and Ive seen it manifest itself in many ways. For example: When funders penny pinch on their own infrastructure or professional development in the name of getting more money out the door to grantees, theyre deluding themselves. No organization can operate at peak effectiveness without investing in its own operations. When foundations create cumbersome grant application processes and huge board dockets in the name of due diligence, theyre being delusional. This process only creates hours of extra work and headache for grantees and foundation staff, in order to create an overly complex pile of paper that has far more information than board members actually need to make decisions. When funders invest significantly in programs or initiatives but do nothing to intentionally capture and share the learnings (both theirs and their grantees) from those experiences, delusional altruism strikes again. Whether the effort was an unqualified success or an epic failure, there are lessons that will apply to your work and the work of others going forward. If you fail to learn and share, then your philanthropy is either destined to repeat mistakes or repeatedly miss opportunities to improve. There are many other examples of Delusional Altruism that I encourage you to read about in my white paper, Delusional Altruism: Avoiding Self-Deception and Disrespect. Fortunately, there are also simple things you can do to recognize and combat Delusional Altruism in your own philanthropic practice. Here are three: Ask What will it take to do this right? Whether you are considering an investment in your own operations or an investment in a grantee partner, think from the mindset of doing it well rather than doing it cheaply. After all, if the work of solving societal problems and addressing human needs isnt worth prime investments, then what is? Always keep grantees front and center. One foundation I work with always asks themselves, What will this decision mean for our grantees? Will it help them to succeed or make things easier for them? Or does it just make things easier for us? Keep in mind that this line of questioning can support investments in your own infrastructure. For example, hiring a new program officer or purchasing more advanced software may mean more face time and meaningful contact with grantees and faster responses to their needs. Take the Delusional Altruism Diagnostic. I developed this tool specifically for funders to gauge the extent of their own delusional behavior. It only takes a few minutes, but it generates eye-opening results. Take it individually or, better yet, gather with your entire team to discuss your answers and what they mean. (If you need explanation or ideas on how to improve your score, Im happy to provide them.) Delusional Altruism can creep up on well-meaning foundations without being noticed, but you have the power to shine the light on it and stop it before it starts! Additional Reading: What IS Delusional Altruism? Transact Or Transform: What Kind Of Giver Are You? Eight Questions to Improve Your Philanthropic Giving This Year A version of this post originally appeared on the Exponent Philanthropy blog in November 2017. 2017 Kris Putnam-Walkerly. All rights reserved. Permission granted to excerpt or reprint with attribution. ___________________________________________________________________________ Kris Putnam-Walkerly, MSW, has helped to transform the impact of top global philanthropies for almost 20 years. A member of the Million Dollar Consultant Hall of Fame and named one of Americas Top 25 Philanthropy Speakers. Author of the award-winning book Confident Giving: Sage Advice for Funders, which was named one of The 10 Best Corporate Social Responsibility Books. For more ways to improve your giving, visit Putnam Consulting Group. ___________________________________________________________________________ Want to Dramatically Improve Your Giving in 2018? What are you doing now to ensure that your 2018 grantmaking will be even more effective, interesting and rewarding than ever? My new live streaming video series for 2018 will help you explore new ideas, enlighten your perspective on philanthropy, and provide you with concrete tools and strategies to get more impact from every charitable dollar. All you need is a laptop, tablet or smartphone, and youll receive some of my most popular and provocative advice, straight from me to you. Live streaming also provides you with the opportunity to interact with me and ask questions in real time. If youre ready to dramatically increase your impact in 2018, sign up now for the live stream series! Youll also receive downloads of all six live broadcasts to view (or listen) at your convenience. The cost is $395 for the series for one person, or only $895 for the entire staff and board of your organization. Click here to learn more Could You Benefit From a Trusted Advisor? Kris Putnam-Walkerly serves as a trusted advisor to foundation leaders and high-wealth donors across the globe. As an advisor, Kris transfers learning to leaders and their teams so they build their own internal capacity to be successful in their work. Whether you are the CEO of a larger foundation, the sole staff member charged with decision-making, or a high-net worth donor, the questions Kris can address cover a broad spectrum of professional and personal issues. Kriss clients report immediate and dramatic improvement in both personal performance and philanthropic impact. As an advising client, youll have unlimited access to Kris during regular business hours by phone, Skype, email and, when desired, face to face. With over 18 years of experience working with top global philanthropies, Kris understands how to build an impactful organization that integrates your philanthropic passions and the challenges that must be overcome to get there. Learn more about this and other services offered or contact Kris today to begin a trusted advisor relationship. Thursday, December 28, 2017 Its not too late to get your season on. Playing through Sunday: A Christmas Carol at Fords, An Irish Carol at the Keegan and Twist Your Dickens at the Kennedy Center. On Saturday, Strathmore hosts a Salute to Vienna with champion ballroom dancers. Then ring in 2018 in Georgetown at Malmaison or Tony and Joes (among other festive spots) or across the Potomac at First Night Alexandria. A Christmas Carol This music-infused production at Fords Theatre, 511 10th St. NW, captures the magic and joy of Charles Dickenss Yuletide classic. Acclaimed actor Craig Wallace returns to play Ebenezer Scrooge. A Washington tradition for more than 35 years, the production is recommended for age 5 and older. Performances are Thursday, Dec. 28, and Friday, Dec. 29, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 30, at 2 and 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, Dec. 31, at 2 p.m. Tickets are $34 to $107. For details, visit fords.org or call 888-616-0270. An Irish Carol After premiering in 2011 to rave reviews, Matthew Keenans An Irish Carol has become an annual tradition at the Keegan Theatre, 1742 Church St. NW. An homage to Dickenss classic, the show follows one evening in the life of David, a wealthy pub owner who has distanced himself from others and lost touch with his own humanity. Due to strong language, the production is recommended for age 16 and older. Performances are Thursday, Dec. 28, Friday, Dec. 29, and Saturday, Dec. 30, at 8 p.m.; and Sunday, Dec. 31, at 3 and 8 p.m. Tickets are $35 to $45. For details, visit keegantheatre.com or call 202-265-3767. The Second Citys Twist Your Dickens The legendary comedy troupe brings its infamous improvisational skills and sketch comedy mastery to the timeless tale of Ebenezer Scrooge. Performances in the Theater Lab at the Kennedy Center, 2700 F St. NW, are Thursday, Dec. 28, and Friday, Dec. 29, at 8 p.m.; and Saturday, Dec. 30, and Sunday, Dec. 31, at 3 and 8 p.m. Tickets are $49 to $79. For details, visit kennedy-center.org or call 202-467-4600. DCs Finest (DooWop Cops) Also at the Kennedy Center, on Friday, Dec. 29, at 6 p.m., there will be a free Millennium Stage performance by DCs Finest (DooWop Cops), an a cappella group consisting of active and retired D.C. police officers. The group is described as soldiers in their own army, attempting to bring about harmony on and off the stage. For details, visit kennedy-center.org or call 202-467-4600. Salute to Vienna New Years Concert On Saturday, Dec. 30, at 3 p.m., Bernhard Schneider will conduct the Strauss Symphony of America in a New Years concert featuring soprano Micaela Oeste, tenor Tilmann Unger, dancers from the Kiev-Aniko Ballet of Ukraine and international champion ballroom dancers at the Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane in North Bethesda, Maryland. Tickets are $69 to $125. For details, visit strathmore.org. And now, to New Years Eve, when you can (theoretically) start the day in Alexandria, have a bottomless brunch on Wisconsin Avenue, jazz it up at the Kennedy Center, then party until the wee hours back in Georgetown First Night Alexandria First Night on the Alexandria, Virginia, waterfront kicks off at 10 a.m. Retail stores, churches, museums and public buildings will be turned into performance venues to showcase local and regional talent. There will also be clowns making balloon sculptures, face painters and magicians. The event culminates with a fireworks display at midnight. An admission badge is $30 (fireworks show is free for all; badge is free for 12 and under and active military). For details, visit firstnightalexandria.org. Via Umbria Bottomless Brunch The home of all things Umbrian, 1525 Wisconsin Ave. NW, is offering three courses and bottomless Mimosas, Bloody Marys and Aperol Spritzes at 12:30 p.m. for $35. For details, visit viaumbria.com or call 202-333-3904. A Jazz New Years Eve: Dee Dee Bridgewaters Memphis NEA Jazz Master Dee Dee Bridgewater sings songs from her new album Memphis Yes, Im Ready at the Kennedy Center. Shows are at 7 and 9 p.m. and tickets are $79. For details, visit kennedy-center.org or call 202-467-4600. Midnight in Paris at Malmaison The themed celebration at Georgetowns Malmaison, 3401 K St. NW, includes a one-hour open bar, Top 40 tunes with DJ Mova, Woody Allens Midnight in Paris, party favors and a champagne toast for $65. For details, visit eventbrite.com. New Years Eve at Mate Lounge Also on K Street, Mate Lounge, 3101 K St. NW, is offering a one-hour open bar, a DJ, party favors and a champagne toast for $80. For details, visit eventbrite.com. River Bash at Tony and Joes Right on the waterfront, Tony and Joes, 3000 K St. NW, is hosting its River Bash with live music, DJs, appetizers and eight top-shelf open bars for $100. For details, visit tonyandjoes.com, email nye@dcseafood.com or call 571-328-1086. Ready for a fresh start on New Years Day? Fit DC Fresh Start 5K At 10 a.m. on New Years Day, Mayor Muriel Bowser invites D.C. residents to show up in Anacostia Park, 1900 Anacostia Drive, to run, walk or just cheer folks on. The Fit DC Fresh Start 5K is part of the One Billion Steps Challenge. There is no entry fee and free T-shirts will be distributed. For details, visit dpr.dc.gov. As you prepare for retirement, its a good idea to identify some trusted resources you can contact to learn more. Here are some good places to start. 1Financial institutions Your local bank will likely have information on retirement and estate planning. You can also seek advice online from other major financial institutions. Most major banks provide online calculators to help you get started, and contact information for local staff. 2Government websites The Internal Revenue Service and Social Security Administration are good places to start. The IRS provides a good overview. And the SSA has everything you need to know about Social Security retirement benefits. 3Universities and colleges Ohio and Pennsylvania both have strong land-grant universities that work with farmers on estate planning and retirement. Check out Ohio States guide to Planning for the Successful Transition of your Ag Business, published by Extension Educator David Marrison. Purdue University also offers a retirement workbook. And you can learn some basics from this article provided by Iowa State University: extension.iastate.edu/agdm/ wholefarm/html/c4-56.html. 4Financial advisers Depending on your situation, it may be time to schedule an appointment with someone who handles financial matters on a daily basis. A financial adviser can give you advice on which direction to take. You may have to pay for the advisers time and expertise, but it can be worth it in the long run. 5Auction companies Get to know the auction companies in your area. Some of them provide daily results on their website, so if you want to know how much land is bringing in your area, or what your farm may be worth, this can be one place to look. (Farm and Dairy is featuring a series of 101 columns throughout the year to help young and beginning farmers master farm living. From finances to management to machinery repair and animal care, farmers do it all.) More Farming 101 columns: The need for better market data on dairy prices and volumes have "never clearer" as many farmers face price cuts as they go into 2018. Many dairy producers are facing a milk price cut, and these cuts will impact on those farmers paid on a basket pricing mechanism in particular, according to NFU Cymru. While the farming union states that it recognises that this may not be the case for all processors, with a number of dairy companies choosing to hold their prices for January, news of price cuts will be of concern to dairy farmers across the UK. First Milk has held its milk price for January despite downward pressure in market which has seen others reduce their price. That contrasts with the decision of dairy giant Muller, which has slashed its milk price to its farmers by a hefty 1.5p per litre, sparking fury in its producers. Arlas price for UK farmer owners will reduce by 1.3p per litre, taking it to 31ppl pence from 1 January 2018. Meadow Foods will also be decreasing its 'A' milk price by 1.25 pence per litre to 29.75ppl from January 2018. 'New market crash' Gareth Richards, Chairman of NFU Cymrus Milk Board, explained talks of a new market crash is "extremely concerning". What is extremely concerning and irresponsible at the moment is the unsubstantiated sentiment from various industry commentators, who have been talking the market - if we are not careful - into a new market crash, Mr Richards explained. Dairy farmers have been through huge swings in dairy price volatility and we now, it seems, have commentators urging milk buyers to drop prices. NFU Cymru is continuing to call for better dairy market signals. It said milk price cuts "dont work" partly because the impact is "too late and too slow in achieving its ultimate aim". The union has urged government to ensure that market data is collected, audited and published to give dairy farmers the right signals as to whats happening in the market both on price discovery and demand. Such a system is already done in other parts of the world. NFU Cymru said this should be the starting point for dairy risk management mechanisms in the UK. 'Discrepancy' Mr Richards continued: Its telling that on milk volume notifications Defra and AHDB Dairy are in disagreement on recent milk production with Defras monthly volumes well below the daily delivery figures collected by AHDB. The discrepancy has meant that Defra have not published recent UK milk volume figures and the data for August and September is being investigated and subject to change. He said up to date, accurate figures on price volume and demand are essential moving forward. Farmers having to base their future milk production plans on inaccurate or incomplete data or industry commentators, as there is no alternative, is extremely concerning and damaging to the industry and we urge government to step up to ensure better transparency in the dairy markets. He Is Totally A Cutie-Pie In the above picture, he is seen dressed in red clothes and flaunting his million dollar smile. The chubby boy seems to be very happy to pose for the camera. Look At Taimur's Excitement! Another photo has the little munchkin all smiles while daddy Saif Ali Khan is seen pulling the sledge. Taimur definitely knows how to give a happy touch to our day. His Viral 'Amsterdam' Picture While he was en route his Swiss holidays with his parents, even the staff at the Amsterdam airport couldn't resist his charm. His First Experience With The Snow The tiny tot was earlier seen busying enjoying the snow while sitting a snow sledge. Remember this picture? Awww! In an interview with Vogue magazine, Saif had said, "I love that she's such a committed, concerned mother. She's always been a very loving person, but having Taimur has just brought a different love and warmth to her. When she carries Taimur, he looks so much like her; he's an extension of her." Saif- Kareena At Their Royal Best Meanwhile, designer Manish Malhotra shared a picture of this stylish couple while they were heading for the New Year celebrations. While Saif looked dapper in a black suit with bow tie, Bebo chose a black slit long dress for the NYE. Virat Kohli Anushka Sharma standing by 50% sale, Twitter goes Crazy| FilmiBeat After two lavish wedding receptions- one in Delhi and another in Mumbai, newly weds Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma recently flew off to South Africa to ring in the new year. We came across a few pictures of the adorable couple where they are seen having a great time in Cape Town. Have a look at the pictures and we are sure it will make your day... Virat Puts On His Dancing Shoes The Indian skipper took to the streets of Cape Town to show off his bhangra moves with his friend and team member Shikhar Dhawan. Meanwhile, Anushka Switched On Her 'Jab Harry Met Sejal' Mode The 'Pari' actress seemed to be busy exploring the town. 'Aww'dorable Snap While Virat is seen waiting on the streets, Anushka took out some time to pose for few pictures. Match Made In Heaven 'Virushka' are seen here chillin' out at a restaurant. We wonder what's their deep conversation? The Couple Goes On A Shopping Spree Looks like Anushka couldn't resist those 'shopping sales' in Cape Town! A Hush- Hush Wedding Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma tied the knot in a private ceremony in Italy last month away from the media glare. Also, don't miss this video of 'Punjabi munda' Virat doing balle-balle with Shikhar Dhawan- On the work front, Anushka will be next seen in Pari and Aanand L. Rai's next with Shahrukh Khan and Katrina Kaif. The title of this flick which has SRK playing a dwarf would be announced at 5pm today. Alaska Airlines Pilot Helps Homeless Woman Reunite With Her Family Over the Holidays After reading about the plight of 76-year-old Virginia Cook in the newspaper, Captain Fred Ripp used his flight benefits to escort the homeless woman, who was living on the streets in Alaska, to her family in Arizona. The holidays werent treating Virginia Cook very well earlier this year. After being released from a mental facility in Anchorage, Alaska, on the day before Thanksgiving, the 76-year-old found herself living on the streets despite the fact that she reportedly had a state-appointed guardian, money in the bank and family willing to take her in if she could only make her way to Tucson, Arizona. Lucky for Cook, her guardian angel, Alaska Airlines Captain Fredd Ripp, didnt need to earn his wings. After reading about the senior citizens struggles in the Anchorage Daily News, Ripp realized that he was in a unique situation to help. We had been working for the last year remodeling our kitchen, Ripp told Daily News columnist Charles Wohlforth who first brought Cooks dire circumstances to light. Ive been spending time thinking about the relative merits of granite and quartz counter tops. Then you read an article about this, and you realize youve been thinking about the wrong things. Although Cooks family had scraped together enough funds to cover her flight from Anchorage to Tucson, loved ones were worried that their elderly relation with mental health struggles would have difficulty navigating the nearly 4,000-mile journey which involved multiple airports and connecting flights. Thats where Captain Ripp was able to help out. The professional aviator used his Alaska Airlines flight benefits to escort his newfound friend directly to her sisters front door in Arizona where Cooks daughter was waiting to greet her just in time for Christmas. Ripp and his wife even helped Cook to pack her belongings in storage and reclaim some personal items and money from the state, before she headed off to warmer climates. Fred Ripp and his wife Mary Ripp report that they may have gotten an even greater benefit from organizing the trip than Cook herself did. Time spent with Virginia has pulled me out of my usual winter funk and has brought me great joy, Ripp wrote to Cooks family. I plan to start volunteering at Beans [a local coffeeshop for the homeless].This is shaping up to be a great Christmas! [Photo: Shutterstock] A dispute between two Call of Duty players leads to the death of a 28-year-old man in Wichita, Kansas over a $1.5 wager. The man was identified as Andrew Finch and he left behind two children. His mother spoke with the local news outlet in a video. She stated in the video that she had never heard of a swatting before and also said that Andrew Finch did not play video games. The two players got into an argument over a UMG Wager online after a loss in the match. And during that one of them provided the other with a fake address of his. And the player to whom the fake address was given, sent the address to a known Swatter, and reportedly the same swatter who had called in a fake bomb threat at the CWL Dallas event early December this year. This Swatter called in a fake scenario to the local police. Swatting is prevalent over the Call of Duty community. There have been numerous incidents reported where the police are called to a fake situation. The site on which the $1.5 was waged, UMG, said that they will provide any information necessary to the police. The officer who took the shot has been placed under paid administrative leave as the investigation continues on what really happened. According to the police chief Troy Livingston, It was a shooting call involving hostages. The original call, we were told someone had an argument with their mother and dad was accidentally shot. And now that person was holding mother, brother and sister hostage. We learned through that call that a father was deceased, and had been shot in the head. That was the information we were working off of. The police said, at that time they were working off according to the information that they were given. And are now working on if it was a prank call. We were given some misinformation on the (original) call, the police chief said. We got a call that someone was deceased in the residence and that proved not to be true. Also, were still trying to determine who was the hostages and how that unfolded as well. The two CoD players who caused this were identified as Miruhcle and Baperizer. They have currently deleted their Twitter accounts and the swatter has changed his twitter user account to a different username. Thanks to CoD pro-player Christopher Duarte who provided some insight over the matter. Another pro player, FaZe Clans ZooMaa. Shared information regarding the swatter. ZooMaa said he has already contacted the police about the individual for his own safety. Bitdefender announces 'Family Pack Total Security 2018' security software for Indian consumers News oi-Samden Sherpa Bitdefender 'Family Pack Total Security 2018' is a set of security solutions to keep your family safe across platforms and devices in today's digital world. In 2017 we witnessed a lot of cyber attacks in the digital sphere. Besides a lot of cyber attacks and breaches were reported not only around the globe but significantly in India as well. However, as we enter 2018 and think of new goals for the year, let's keep safety as the priority as well. Thus to help you stay safe, Bitdefender, a leading Security solutions company has now announced the launch of its 'Family Pack Total Security 2018'. "This is a complete set of security solutions to keep your family safe across platforms and devices in today's digital world. With the family pack secure all Windows, MAC, OS, Android, IOS etc devices in your household to bring the best protection and best performance," the company has said in a media release. The one stop shop 'Family Pack 2018' has been designed to keep your digital safety as the priority across the devices. The software package comes with a multi-layer ransomware protection that further uses behavioral threat detection to prevent infections, and protects the most important documents from ransomware encryption. Designed to protect the users against the most advanced cyber threats on the planet the software enables continuous updates and accelerates the introduction of new features and simplify updating, upgrading and installing Bitdefender security. The company promises that the software will enable pure performance with no slowdowns on the devices. With features like cross-platform, online safety for the kids, no unauthorized applications can access your devices or Webcams the company has claimed. The software also ensures secure online transactions and comes with anti-theft and anti-loss tools. The software packs every feature in a security suite, along with a wealth of bonus features. Speaking on the launch of Family Pack 2018, Mr. Zakir Hussain - Director, BD soft, Country Partner of Bitdefender said, "In the past a burglar could attack any house physically which was scary enough, but now thanks to the internet that same burglar can attack a million houses from the comfort of their bedroom, which is potentially terrifying. Understanding this, Bitdefender announced its security suite, Family Pack 2018 to keep safety goals as your top priority at the most economical prices." The Family pack can be used on up to 25 devices. The price for a 1-year version of the 25 device pack is Rs. 7500 plus taxes and that of 3-year version is Rs.14,000 plus taxes. Meanwhile, if you want to know about cyber attacks that affected India in 2017 you can click here. Best Mobiles in India Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow Notifications Alleged Huawei P20, P20 Plus, and P20 Pro designs leaked, all three feature triple rear cameras News oi-Chandrika Huawei is likely to unveil the P20 series at the MWC 2018, which would take place between February 26 to March 1. Huawei has launched the P8, P9 an P10 series of smartphones in the last three year. So the company is expected to introduce the P11 lineup this year. However, a new leak originating from Huawei's home country China, suggests otherwise. According to the leak, the next generation of P-series of smartphones will called P20. The leak has further revealed the alleged design of the upcoming Huawei P20 smartphones, namely the regular P20, P20 Plus and the P20 Pro. Notably, all three handsets will come with triple rear cameras (though arranged differently). From the look of it, the Huawei P20 and P20 Plus will sport kind of similar designs at the front. Both the smartphones have a physical home button which should also function as the fingerprint scanner. Despite housing a fingerprint scanner, the bottom bezel of the handsets are pretty narrow. The top bezel is also thin, and the side bezels are almost non-existent. Coming to the rear panel, the triple cameras on the Huawei P20 are placed horizontally with a LED flash on the right. The P20 Plus, on the other hand, feature a vertically stacked camera system with a LED flash below. It is likely that the P20 and P20 Plus will differ in size. Talking about the Huawei P20 Pro, the smartphone is shown to feature a higher screen-to-body ratio with a bezel-less display. Due to the lack of space at the bottom bezel, the fingerprint scanner is moved to the back. It is worth mentioning that the handset has an iPhone X-like notch at the top which houses the selfie camera and the earpiece. At the back, the P20 Pro has vertically arranged triple camera setup. However, unlike the Huawei P20 Plus, the cameras are positioned at the top center. Rumors have it, both P20 and P20 Plus will be powered by Huawei's flagship Kirin 970 processor. Whereas the P20 Pro is expected to feature the slightly more powerful Kirin 975 chipset. All three devices should carry 6GB of RAM and at least 64GB of internal storage space. Huawei is likely to unveil the P20 series at the MWC 2018, which would take place in Barcelona between February 26 to March 1. Via Best Mobiles in India Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow Notifications Apple iPhone battery replacement cost in India will be just Rs. 2,000 News oi-Abhinaya Prabhu Recently, Apple is hitting the headlines as it was discovered to be slowing down the older iPhone models due to the degrading batteries. As soon as this issue came to light, Apple posted a letter to convey its apologies to the customers for slowing down their older iPhones. In the US, the company announced that it will provide battery replacements for the older iPhones at a lesser cost. Following this move, the company has now slashed the battery replacement cost of the older iPhones models in India too. As per a report by 91mobiles citing a company spokesperson, the users of older iPhones can replace the battery of the device by paying Rs. 2,000 in India. Interestingly, this price is inclusive of the taxes. This price reduction for the battery replacement is valid for the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus models. Previously, the battery replacement cost for these models was Rs. 6,500 and the new price is almost one-third of this cost. The users of older iPhones can get the battery replaced by the third-party service partners of Apple across the country. The issue was brought to light by a Reddit user owning an iPhone 6s who discovered that the iOS 11.2 update slowed down his phone. Once the battery was replaced, the performance was restored. The user tested the same using Geekbench benchmarking app and the test showed that the company slowed down the older models through software updates. Following the outrage, Apple confirmed that it was slowing down the older iPhones to ensure that there is a better user experience even with older batteries. Though the company sounded logical, the users criticized the brand's decision of slowing down older models. The company started facing lawsuits as well for hiding the information from the users. And, Apple announced that it will release a new software update to the affected iPhones. Best Mobiles in India Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow Notifications Nokia 4, Nokia 7 Plus and Nokia 1 names revealed by Nokia Camera app News oi-Abhinaya Prabhu In 2017, HMD Global released an all new array of smartphones including the Nokia 6, Nokia 5, Nokia 3, Nokia 8, Nokia 7 and Nokia 2. This month, the company is expected to debut its launch spree with the announcement of Nokia 9 and Nokia 6 (2018). Though only two models are known for now, it does not mean that the company will not come up with more launches in 2018. And, this is the same thing that the Nokia Camera app has revealed in a recent leak. As per a report by a Chinese publication ITHome via GizmoChina, the APK of the Nokia Camera app has revealed a list of Nokia smartphones of which some have been already released by HMD Global and some are yet to see the light of the day. Talking about the upcoming Nokia smartphones, the Nokia Camera app has revealed the names of Nokia 4, Nokia 7 Plus and Nokia 1. Of these, we have already come across a report tipping that the Nokia 1 will be the company's Android Go (Oreo edition) smartphone that could be launched in March this year. But we have not heard about the Nokia 4 and Nokia 7 Plus and the details regarding these devices appear to be scarce. As of now, there is possible information about when these smartphones will be launched. Given that the company might unveil the Nokia 9 and Nokia 6 (2018) at an event on January 19, we can expect HMD to have lined up at five or smartphones this year. Lately, we came across a report that the Nokia 10 could be launched in August with the Snapdragon 845 SoC but this leaked information has not revealed anything regarding this specific flagship model. Other than the names of these smartphones, the leaked APK information of the Nokia Camera app has not revealed anything regarding the specifications of these upcoming devices. As the Nokia 7 Plus could be a bigger variant of the already existing Nokia 7, we can expect it to make use of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 SoC. There is no assurance that these models will be released this year as this is just a leaked information and we need to take this as a speculation until further details hit the web. Best Mobiles in India Samsung acknowledges the battery issue faced by Galaxy Note 8 users News oi-Chandrika Not only the Galaxy Note 8 users, even some owners of Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus are also facing the same battery-related issue. Many Samsung Galaxy Note 8 users have recently complained that they are unable to charge their phones once their battery reaches zero percent. Not only the Galaxy Note 8 users, even some owners of Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus are also facing the same problem. Amidst all these, Samsung has released an official statement regarding this issue. However, the fans are not too happy with the company's statement. Well, the South Korean tech giant has said since only few users have encountered the battery issue they can only comment on it after more users come across it. The official statement reads, "Of course, Samsung is taking all reports of this kind seriously, we only received a very small number of customer inquiries that could be linked to charge management, and unfortunately we can only comment on the matter further if we have more detailed information about the affected devices." This means, Samsung could only come up with a solution if it get enough information about the affected devices. After the Galaxy Note 7 fiasco, the company has been using a stricter procedure to check the quality and performance of the batteries of its devices. Luckily for the users, unlike the issue with Galaxy Note 7's battery, the issue faced by Galaxy S8, S8 Plus and Note 8 is not a hazardous one. In any case, it is good to see that the company is in the process of investigating the problem. According to preliminary reports, the issue could be associated only with the carrier variants of the affected phones in the US. As some of you may know, Samsung sells the Snapdragon variant of the aforementioned flagship phones via the US carriers. However, it is unclear whether the Snapdragon-powered models are the only ones that are affected. Users who are facing this battery-related problem are recommended to contact Samsung's customer support. One Samsung representative has suggested the affected users to seek a replacement device if their S8, S8+ or Note 8 have bricked after the batter was completely exhausted. Source Best Mobiles in India Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow Notifications Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus leaked in new renders News oi-Chandrika Fresh renders said to be of the Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus have surfaced online. As we have finally entered 2018, all the eyes are on the Samsung's next flagships Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus. The smartphones have already appeared in quite a few leaks. Yet again, fresh renders said to be of the Galaxy S9 duo has surfaced online. The new leak confirms what we have already seen before. As per the images, the Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus will be just a slight upgrade over their predecessor, in terms of design. While the images show the Galaxy S9 from both the front and the back, but we can only see the front side of the larger Galaxy S9 Plus. The renders, generated from the Chinese micro-blogging site Weibo (via Android Headlines), reveal that the Samsung Galaxy S9 will look almost identical to the Galaxy S8. However, the former will have a higher screen-to-body ratio. The display will be curved, with almost non-existent bezels on the sides and extremely narrow bezels on the upper and lower part. There is no physical home button. The front panel of both the Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus is exactly the same, the display size being the only difference. Other than that, we can notice a 3.5mm headphone jack at the bottom edge of the smartphones. In addition, we can see the power button and the volume rocker on the left side, whereas the right side of the devices appears to house the alleged Bixby button. The rear panel of the Samsung Galaxy S9 reveals the presence of only one camera, which matches with earlier reports. Talking about its bigger brother, the Galaxy S9 Plus, it features a vertically arranged dual camera setup. Under the camera, there lies a fingerprint scanner, while on the right there is a LED flash as well as an autofocus laser sensor. Galaxy S9 and S9+ have already received the FCC certification in the US, which hints towards an imminent launch of the smartphones. As per existing reports, the handsets will be powered by a Snapdragon 845 SoC for the US version and an in-house Exynos 9810 chipset for the European one. Best Mobiles in India Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow Notifications Qualcomm remained the largest SoC provider in Q3 2017 News oi-Priyanka Apple took the second spot capturing 20 percent value share banking on steady performance for its iPhone portfolio followed by MediaTek, Samsung, and HiSilicon (Huawei). How Apple iPhone XS, XS Max and XR is different from the iPhone X According to a new report by research firm Counterpoint, Qualcomm remained the largest System-on-Chip (SoC) provider for smartphones in the Q3 2017 with 38 percent market share in terms of shipment. The report said that Qualcomm's SoC shipments almost doubled annually in the $300 to $400 wholesale price segment, driven by increased shipments of brands like OPPO, Vivo, and Xiaomi. Research Analyst, Shobhit Srivastava, "Qualcomm led the smartphone SoC market strengthening its position further capturing 42 percent of the total SoC revenues in Q3 2017. The San Diego based technology company saw rising adoption for its mid to high range SoCs by the fast-growing Chinese brands, boosting its SOC shipments 15 percent compared to last year. Apple took the second spot capturing 20 percent value share banking on steady performance for its iPhone portfolio followed by MediaTek, Samsung, and HiSilicon (Huawei). Meanwhile global smartphone SoC market grew 19 percent annually in Q3 2017 crossing $8 billion in chipset revenues. Apple SoC shipments increased 4 percent annually and recorded a 15 percent growth sequentially due to the launch new iPhones in Q3 2017, however, MediaTek's smartphone SoC revenues declined 10 percent annually, but increased 4 percent sequentially. Samsung was the fastest growing smartphone SoC player in Q3 2017 in terms of shipment but growing from a smaller base. The SoC shipments grew 59 percent annually for the Korean vendor benefiting its LSI division supplying to its own Mobile division, the report added. Srivastava, further added, "The vertically integrated players like Samsung, Apple and Huawei have been increasingly employing their own SOCs within their portfolio over the last few years. As a result, the combined share of the SoCs of these big three has rose from 20 percent level in 2015 to around 30 percent level in terms of volumes. This has somewhat hurt hare of some of the horizontal players such as MediaTek mainly and likes of Marvell, Broadcom and others which were forced to exit this space." "The focus in the smartphone SoC market has shifted away from the number of processor cores to the integration of newer technologies driving newer experiences. For example: focusing on immersion to unlock new experiences such as AR/VR/Depth Sensing leveraging integrated ISP (Image Signal Processors) and GPUs, to other areas such as Artificial Intelligence engines, dedicated security architecture at chipset level, enhanced connectivity paving the path to 5G and higher performance at lower power consumption levels, " Counterpoint Research Director Neil Shah said. Best Mobiles in India Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow Notifications Airtel announces revised Rs. 799 pack for subscribers: Offers 3.5GB data per day News oi-Samden Sherpa Airtel is now providing a total of 98GB of 3G/ 4G data for 28 days to its prepaid subscribers. Well, amidst intense competition among the Indian telcos and a major threat from Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel has now revised its Rs. 799 pack for its prepaid customers. With the revised plan Airtel is offering up to 3.5GB 3G/ 4G data per day alongside unlimited local, STD, and roaming voice calls, and 100 local and national SMS on a daily basis. The plan will be valid for 28 days. Previously, Rs. 799 pack offered 3GB data per day. Airtel is now providing a total of 98GB of 3G/ 4G data for 28 days to its prepaid subscribers. Compared to Jio's offering Airtel users are getting 14GB more data. However, 'unlimited' calls under the Airtel 799 pack are restricted to 250 minutes per day and 1,000 minutes per week. It is applicable to both local and STD calls. Further, subscribers who purchase the new Airtel pack via Airtel Payments Bank will get a cashback worth up to Rs. 75. Meanwhile, Airtel has also recently introduced a refreshed Airtel TV app and the telco has even announced free subscription to its content for Airtel prepaid and postpaid subscribers. This offer will be valid until June. Besides, this could be a good deal for new users as the app does offer more than 300 live TV channels across genres such as GEC, movies, and news alongside 6,000 Bollywood and Hollywood blockbusters and access to services like HOOQ, Eros Now, and Sony Liv. In addition, Airtel has also introduced a cheaper plan of Rs. 93 pack which offers 1GB data per day, unlimited local, STD, and roaming calls, and 100 local and STD SMS per day to its users. It comes with a validity of 10 days. All in all, it looks like Airtel and Jio are in neck to neck battle to offer the best possible deal to the subscribers. Best Mobiles in India Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow Notifications Just days after teasing Oreo Open Beta for the OnePlus 5T, the company has pushed out the update. The Android 8.0-based OxygenOS Open Beta 1 is now rolling out. So those part of the OnePlus 5T beta program will be able to experience Oreo goodies now. The update also includes Android fixes for the month of December. Following is the complete change-log published by the Chinese company: Launcher Optimized the app shortcut style Combine icon options with app shortcuts Now able to upload photos to Shot on OnePlus System Added Picture in Picture Added Auto-Fill Added Smart Text Selection New Quick Settings design Updated Android security patch to December Source 1 2 Tony Rochford has not indicated how he will plead A man has been sent for trial accused of damaging the eFlow toll collection system on the M50. Tony Rochford had the case against him adjourned for the preparation of a book of evidence when he appeared before Blanchardstown District Court. Mr Rochford (49), of Steeple Manor, Trim, Co Meath, is charged with causing criminal damage to the eFlow system, which is the property of Transport Infrastructure Ireland. The offence is alleged to have happened on the northbound section of the motorway last June 16. Mr Rochford had also been accused of trespassing in a manner likely to cause fear. However, that charge was subsequently withdrawn by the prosecution. Bail Gda Sgt Robert Griffin told the court that Mr Rochford made no reply to the new charge after caution. Judge David McHugh extended bail that had previously been granted to cover the new charge. The Director of Public Prosecutions had directed trial on indictment, Sgt Griffin said. Mr Rochford will be sent for trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court when the book of evidence is ready. Defence solicitor Valerie Buckley said there was consent to this. The court heard that free legal aid had been granted previously and this was extended to cover the new charge. Mr Rochford did not address the court and has not yet indicated how he intends to plead to the charge. He was remanded on continuing bail to appear in court again next month. Gardai at the scene of last Thursday's crash on the N7 Gardai were last night hunting for a 16-year-old burglary suspect who escaped from a hospital in the capital before investigators were able to question him about an crash on the N7 last Thursday. The boy, who was receiving treatment for a head injury, was sprung from Tallaght Hospital by his associates at 2pm on Saturday afternoon. The youth is believed to be one of four teenagers in a car that crashed on the N7 on Thursday. Three were arrested while the injured teenager was taken to hospital - he was deemed not fit to be interviewed due to his head injury. A 16-year-old youth appeared in court on Friday on charges relating to the crash. The juvenile, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, appeared before a special sitting of Naas District Court. The youth, who is from Tallaght, was charged with dangerous driving, driving without a licence or insurance, and possession of articles with intent to commit burglary. Charged Garda Kevin Williamson gave evidence that when charged the defendant made no reply. "There were four young men in the car that was in collision with another car. "One young man remained at the scene, injured, and the other three fled on foot before being arrested," he told the court. There was no objection to bail based on strict conditions agreed with the defendant's barrister, Gerard Kennedy. He also has to carry a phone with him on which gardai can contact him at any time. The other two youths arrested in the same incident were released on Thursday night with a file being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions. Jonathan Ahearne and his brother Gerard, who donated his own kidney after Jonathan found himself back on dialysis Jonathan Ahearne is beginning the new year with a fresh lease of life - and it's all thanks to his brother Gerard, who donated a kidney to him. The Blanchardstown dad is now looking forward to booking a holiday in the sun after his life-saving operation, the second kidney transplant he has received. He was born with a kidney disease, and underwent a series of operations as a child. However, when he was 18, his health deteriorated. Prior to his first transplant, he underwent dialysis treatment at the Mater Hospital for two years. Jonathan subsequently received a kidney from a deceased donor, for which he was very grateful. "I had no problems for 13 years, but then experienced acute rejection," Jonathan said. His kidney function started to decline in the past few years and last March, Jonathan found himself back on dialysis again. Members of his family put themselves forward for screening at Beaumont Hospital under its living donation programme. Tests His brother Gerard (32) was tested, and found to be a suitable match to donate his kidney, and then the process to allow the transplant to take place got under way. "It took six months from start to finish," Jonathan said. "We knew he was a match within two weeks, and then it took five months to get all the tests done and to get an operating date and everything else." The transplant was done on November, 20, the day before Jonathan turned 34. "I woke up on my birthday with a new kidney and back to normal. Gerard still gave me a card," he said, laughing. He said that he has felt brilliant since then, and is really looking forward to 2018, along with his partner Allissa Larkin and kids Alex (7) and Molly (4). His daughter has a made a special request that the family go to Santa Ponsa in Spain again. "We didn't get a holiday last year because I was on dialysis. So we are going to make up for it," said courier Jonathan. Family He pointed out that organ donation doesn't just save the recipient - the whole family benefits as a result. He spoke out as the Irish Kidney Association (IKA) ran its annual campaign at this time of year, which encourages families to discuss organ donation and let their loved ones know their wishes. For organ donor cards, freetext DONOR to 50050 or visit the website: ika.ie/card. Meanwhile, your wish to be an organ donor can also be included on the new format driving licence. What to know about Week 1 football in Washington County See who came away as winners during the opening night of high school football. Netflix will likely not stop killing it in 2018. The streaming TV and movie giant is fresh off the release of a double-whammy Dave Chappelle special just yesterday, and they've also revealed that the classic Godfather trilogy will be added to their repertoire in 2018, and of course, users are still streaming the Will Smith-starring Bright in hoards; it's safe to say Netflix has given you a wealth of reasons to not ever leave your home/couch this winter. Today Netflix has dropped off a trailer for an upcoming addition to the platform, The End of the F**king World, which is based off the popular graphic novel by Charles S. Forsman. Season one of the mini-series is set to be added to American's Netflix catalogue on January 5th. It already debuted overseas back in October. The series documents a not-so-normal "boy meets girl tale," centering around James, who claims to be a psychopath from the outset of the trailer. From there, he finds a girl, and is on a mission to kill her, while she may be in love with him. Check out the trailer below and let us know if this'll be adding to your play queue. Fishermen in Mexico shoot down environmental groups drone December 27,2017 | Source: AP The environmental group Sea Shepherd said fishermen fired 25 shots at one of its night-vision drones in Mexicos Gulf of California, bringing it down. Various drones have been employed to patrol the Gulf, also known as the Sea of Cortez, to combat illegal fishing and save the critically endangered vaquita marina, the worlds smallest porpoise. Poachers often set out at night to set nets for totoaba, a fish whose swim bladder is prized in China. But vaquitas often get caught in totoaba nets, causing the population to plunge to less than 30. Sea Shepherd has been the target of demonstrations by fishermen in the past, but said the Christmas Eve shooting represented a new level of violence. The group said Tuesday that its drone had located four small boats illegally fishing for totoaba. Men on three of the boats were observed firing at the device until its camera shut off. The drone was then listed as disconnected, indicating it went down. In the past, fishermen have thrown rocks and bricks at drones, staged demonstrations demanding that Sea Shepherd boats be expelled, burned vehicles and patrol boats, and beat inspectors from the office of environmental protection, but this is the first time they fired guns. In other parts of the world, Sea Shepherd vessels have rammed into whaling ships to deter illegal activities. But in the Gulf, the group has peacefully patrolled the waters, looking for vaquitas dead or alive and gill nets, which it removes. The patrol effort has been welcomed by the Mexican government, which has had a difficult time enforcing a ban on gill net fishing because fishermen use fast boats and lead vessels on hours-long chases. Sometimes, pickup trucks drop boat trailers onto beaches and haul off small fishing crafts before authorities arrive. 2017 The Associated Press Theme(s): Communities and Organisations. In the late 1960s, I attended a course that dealt with change. The instructor said that Americans have always had change, but the challenge for the future was the accelerated rate of change. Our 2017 was a year of change. It was quite a year. We have a new president of the United States. We have a stock market that has blown the roof off the indices. We have had catastrophic fires that changed life for thousands in Northern California and more recently in Southern California. These are macro changes that affect our world. Many of us had significant changes in our personal lives. It may have been health issues. For some, there have been economic issues like a new job or loss of a job. Change may have required relocation including a move to a new city, home or climate. These are micro changes. Change is all around, and it does not appear to be slowing. Now 2018 is upon us and chaos is all around. A new year may bring changes for you. So how do you cope with this potential disruption? As we start 2018 no doubt many people will be thinking about setting their goals for 2018. Some of you will set modest goals, some will stretch goals and some of you will even set big bold goals that will look to catapult your businesses in the coming year. Personally I have always been a fan of big bold goals, yes they're challenging but they are also exciting and inspiring. I always thought I understood what big bold goals were and how to set them, and also how to achieve them. But I was wrong! Over the Holiday Season I had the chance to see a very inspiring movie called L'Ascension (The Climb) which challenged just about everything I have thought of when it comes to setting big bold goals, and what is truly possible. L'Ascension tells the true story of Nadir Dendoune, a French Algerian who had never set foot on a mountain before he decided to set the goal of climbing Mount Everest. Yes, that's right Mount Everest. The world's tallest mountain, it's over 29,000 feet high, at the summit it can experience 200 mph winds, and temperatures of -31F. Now you might be thinking, yes that is a bold goal but with plenty of preparation, training and acclimatization it could be achievable, And yes I guess you're right as over 4000 people have climbed Everest since Sir Edmund Hilary and Sherpa Tenzing first climbed it back in 1953. But that's not the approach that Nadir took. With no expertise or experience Nadir set off for Nepal. He faked his resume claiming that he had climbed Mont Blanc and Kilimanjaro and that he was in fact an experienced mountaineer in order to get accepted. However, in reality he had zero experience or expertise and had never been on a mountain before, and certainly not one as treacherous as Mount Everest. Yet armed with just Passion, Commitment and Perseverance four months later he reached the summit of Everest. When it came to setting bold goals, I had always thought that Passion, Commitment and Perseverance were needed, but so was some experience or expertise. But looking at it now it's clear that this is just another limitation that we put on ourselves. Another barrier that we build between what we believe is possible and what is actually possible. Now I am not suggesting that you set a goal of climbing Mount Everest, but I do think that maybe we can be a little bit more adventurous, a little more aggressive when it comes to setting your goals for 2018. Nadir's achievement has not just raised the bar on what's possible, it's removed it altogether. I know that my goals for 2018 will now be significantly bigger and bolder than I was planning and that I will try and remove any limitation I put on myself. The United States is gradually becoming the land of the red, white, and green. Starting January 1, it will be legal to smoke marijuana for medical use in 29 states, and Americans will be able to toke up without a doctor's letter in nine states. Support for the drug reached new highs in 2017. A Gallup poll showed that 64% of Americans favor legalization, and even a majority of Republicans back it. The booming industry was expected to post nearly $10 billion in sales in 2017. Here's a summary of where Americans can legally light up in 2018. Alaska Adults 21 and over can light up in Alaska. In early 2015, the northernmost US state made it legal for residents to use, possess, and transport up to an ounce of marijuana roughly a sandwich bag full for recreational use. The first pot shop opened for business in late 2016. Alaska has pounced on the opportunity to make its recreational pot shops a destination for tourists. More than two million people visit Alaska annually and spend $2 billion. California The first state to legalize medical marijuana in 1996, California became even more pot-friendly in 2016 when it made it legal to use and carry up to an ounce of marijuana. California began issuing temporary licenses to dispensaries in December that will allow those stores to sell nonmedical marijuana. The licenses will become valid on January 1, 2018. But that doesn't mean all Californians will be able to buy marijuana at the stroke of midnight. Many cities in the Central Valley, including Fresno, have moved to ban recreational sales. State rules dictate that marijuana will not be sold between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. Colorado In Colorado, there are more marijuana dispensaries than Starbucks and McDonalds locations combined. Residents and tourists alike can buy up to one ounce of weed there. The state joined Washington in becoming the first two states to legalize recreational marijuana in 2012. Maine A ballot initiative gave Mainers the right to possess up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana, more than double the limit in most other states. But that doesn't mean residents can buy the drug. Maine Gov. Paul LePage dealt a major blow to the industry in November 2017, when he vetoed a bill that would have regulated and taxed the sale of recreational marijuana. The Portland Press Herald reported that lawmakers are meeting with LePage to propose a new framework. Massachusetts In 2016, Massachusetts gave residents the green light to carry and use an ounce of marijuana and grow up to 12 plans in their homes. But the future of the state's legal market is hazy. Lawmakers delayed the opening of pot shops to July 2018, instead of the January 2018 date that voters approved in the election. Until then, there will be no sales of recreational weed. Nevada Residents and tourists who are 21 and over can buy an ounce of marijuana or one eighth of an ounce of edibles or concentrates in Nevada while supplies last. Less than two weeks after sales of recreational weed began on July 1, 2017, many stores ran out of marijuana to sell. The state has earned nearly $20 million in marijuana tax revenue since the market launched. There's bad news if you want to grow your own bud, though. Nevada residents must live 25 miles outside the nearest dispensary in order to be eligible for a grower's license. Oregon Oregonians have enjoyed the right to carry an ounce of weed and grow up to four plants at home since 2015. It's also legal to give edibles as a gift, as long as they're ingested in private. Sales have exploded since legalization. In 2017, the state paid out $85 million in marijuana tax revenue to fund schools, public health initiatives, state police, and local government. Washington Dispensaries in Washington have raked in over $1 billion in non-medical marijuana sales since the drug was legalized for recreational use in 2012. The state allows people to carry up to an ounce of marijuana, but they must require the drug for medicinal purposes in order to be eligible for a grower's license. So you can smoke it, but not grow it if you're toking for fun. Washington, DC Residents in the nation's capital voted overwhelmingly to legalize nonmedical marijuana in November 2014. The bill took effect in 2015, allowing people to possess two ounces or less of marijuana and "gift" up to an ounce, if neither money nor goods or services are exchanged. Read more: This chart is easy to interpret: It says we're screwed How Uber became the world's most valuable startup These 4 things could trigger the next crisis in Europe Read the original article on Business Insider UK. 2016. Follow Business Insider UK on Twitter. The German physicist Albert Einstein needed complex equations to describe his theory of relativity, but 18-year-old Hillary Diane Andales of the Philippines does just fine with a pick-up truck, a few cell phones, and Usain Bolt. Andales is the winner of the 2017 Breakthrough Junior Challenge, an annual competition that calls on teenagers across the world to submit videos no longer than three minutes that simplify big ideas in science or math. For her win, Andales took home the grand prize of $250,000 in scholarship money. Her winning video was titled Relativity & The Equivalence of Reference Frames. It began by displaying a sideways number, which you could interpret as either a '6' or a '9' depending on which way you turned your head. The perspective you take, Andales noted, determines your reference frame. Reference frames are fundamental to relativity because observers perceive things differently if they're in different locations, she explained. Andales demonstrated this by recruiting three of her friends to record the sound a pickup truck made as it drove down a road and honked the horn. Each person stood in a different spot one in front of the car, one behind the car, and one inside the car and recorded the sound. Each reference frame yielded a different sound, since the sound waves coming from the horn were either bunched up (producing a higher pitch) or spread out (a lower pitch) relative to where they got recorded. The same test can be done with velocity and time, Andales explained. If Usain Bolt ran the 100-meter dash at 98 per cent the speed of light, a 10-second finish from his perspective would read 40 seconds on the judge's clock. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty The reason is that faster clocks seem to move slower relative to a stationary observer. It's the same principle that explains why clocks on the International Space Station, which orbits the earth at 17,000 mph, lag behind terrestrial clocks by about 0.007 seconds every six months. Thus, as Andales points out, Bolt is the Olympics' best time traveler. You can watch her entire submission video below: Read more: May tackles new Brexit Rebellion Philip Hammond and Mark Carney are in China to secure 1 billion of trade deals Facebook admits that social media can be bad for you Read the original article on Business Insider UK. 2017. Follow Business Insider UK on Twitter. Sinn Fein and the DUP have expressed a desire to restore powersharing in Northern Ireland but neither has signalled a softening of position in the Stormont standoff. Democratic Unionist leader Arlene Foster and Sinn Fein's Stormont leader Michelle O'Neill used new year messages to reiterate their preference for devolved governance instead of a return to Westminster direct rule. But they also made clear their stances on key sticking points in the long-running powersharing crisis had not changed. It is almost a year since Northern Ireland had a properly functioning administration. The institutions collapsed last January amid a row over a botched green energy scheme. The rift between the DUP and Sinn Fein widened in the subsequent months. A standoff over proposed legislative protections for Irish language speakers and the region's ban on same-sex marriage are currently among the main sticking points. Mrs Foster said the UK Government should move promptly to appoint direct rule ministers if a short final attempt at brokering a deal fails. She said a short time frame should be set for renewed negotiations and rejected suggestions that the talks venue should be shifted to a hothouse format in England. The former Stormont first minister said the continued absence of a devolved executive was "unacceptable and simply unsustainable". "Recent rounds of talks have been bedevilled by the setting of pre-conditions by Sinn Fein," Mrs Foster claimed. "Let us re-enter talks with one shared pre-condition - that we will redouble our efforts to restore devolution and start taking the decisions that the people of Northern Ireland so desperately need. "Let's set ourselves a short time frame. And let's do it here at home rather than in some fancy English stately home." Mrs O'Neill made clear Sinn Fein would only return to Stormont if the DUP was prepared to give ground on issues such as the Irish language and gay marriage. "I want to lead Sinn Fein back into a new Executive because locally elected ministers are best placed to run local public services and fight back against the threats of Brexit and austerity," she said. "I want to develop the widest possible consensus in political, civic and popular opinion to achieve this. "I believe that can happen early in the new year but only if the institutions represent genuine and equal partnership government for all our people. "That will require the British Government and the DUP accepting the political and democratic reality which has already been made abundantly clear by the electorate. "If they continue to set their face against the people and against progressive politics, then there is an onus on the two governments (UK and Irish) to spell out how they intend to ensure the implementation of previous agreements and pave a pathway to restore the institutions on the basis of equal partnership and respect in the terms set out almost 20 years ago." Mrs Foster said: "I still believe that the best way to deal with the issues facing our society is for Stormont to be back up and running with locally elected and accountable politicians taking decisions on the issues that matter to people across our province. "A return to direct rule would be an inferior alternative, but it would be a government. "But the people of Northern Ireland deserve a government and if Sinn Fein persist with their intransigence then the Secretary of State (James Brokenshire) should move to appoint direct rule ministers early in the new year." Mrs O'Neill said she was "optimistic" that powersharing could be put back together. "I am optimistic because I see the transformation that has taken place in this society since the people voted for the Good Friday Agreement 20 years ago," she said. SDLP leader Colum Eastwood insisted direct rule was not inevitable. He accused Sinn Fein and the DUP of overseeing 10 years of failed governance. "British direct rule can't, like Brexit, be enforced upon us," he said. "Instead of being led into the easy comfort of our own silos, let all of us in political life finally reach for solutions. "Whether from a nationalist or unionist tradition, each and every one of us belongs to this small corner of Ireland. "Our only choice is to live with each other and work together." While watching a field of cows graze or sitting down for a simple chat and a scone are everyday activities for many of us in Ireland, tourists from all corners of the globe are flocking to West Cork to do just that. West Cork Farm Tours are a group of five farmers -three dairy, one suckler and one pig - who have opened up their unique farms to tourist groups looking to get close to nature along the Wild Atlantic Way. Denis and Colette O'Donovan regularly welcome tourists to their 70 hectare dairy farm in Glandore, Co Cork. Denis said the idea for the farm tours was a joint concept that evolved between the farmers and the Celtic Ross Hotel in Rosscarbery. "We're 12 months in gestation. We had all done well in The Southern Star and Celtic Ross West Cork Farming Awards and decided to start welcoming tourists on to our farms as we felt we had a unique story to tell. "Tourists can then stay in the Celtic Ross, so it's a win-win for ourselves and the hotel as it's a joint package. Neil Grant, general manager at the Celtic Ross has been very supportive to us in the process," says Denis who has a dairy herd of 150. The "unique story" that Denis and his fellow host farmers have is that they are all grass-based, which visitors from abroad often find fascinating, he says. "Our one common denominator is that we're all grass based farmers and we're very passionate about what we do and we'll tell our story to anybody who'll listen." He adds that while they haven't had any Irish tourists visit their farms yet, plenty have travelled from abroad to trek through their land either by foot or by trailer. "We recently had a group from Austria and some from the University of Texas. The Texas group reckon they'll come back every year. It's weather dependent but they can walk through the farm or go by trailer depending how far away the cows are. For some who have never been on a trailer it can be a very exciting experience for them," he adds. With pub culture dwindling in rural Ireland, Denis believes the farm tours offer tourists a special chance to meet locals. "They love chatting to my parents or meeting my young lad. We give them a scone and some tea at our kitchen table and they can sample some of our Carbery cheese. We tell them stories they wouldn't hear otherwise and show them areas off the beaten track that they wouldn't be able to find on any map," he says. Labour efficient measures do not necessarily cost a lot and can be very simple, according to one expanding dairy farmer. Phil Purcell, from Ballykeeffe, Kilmanagh, Co Kilkenny urged farmers at the Teagasc National Dairy Conference to ensure that they look after those that are working on the farm and themselves as the busy spring calving period approaches. Addressing the topic of getting ready for spring, Mr Purcell, who runs the farm with his wife Miriam, said no matter how prepared you are February can be intense but he always thinks about the light at the end of the tunnel. In 2018, the Purcell farm will calve 228 cows, with around 170 of the cows due to calve in February. The farm at Kilmanagh is made up of 112ha of land, with 62 designated for the milking platform and around 20ha of the farm is leased. This year they keep an average of 200 dairy cows on the farm, with 192 the peak number milked. He estimates they will sell 1.05m litres of milk at 4.26pc fat and 3.66pc protein this year, which works out at 428kg milk solids sold per cow. They are also on track to grow 13t of grass dry matter per hectare with the cows fed 700kg meal per head. It is a British Friesian herd, with Holsteins used in recent years and an average EBI of 96. Mr Purcell said there are a number of areas that help make the calving season more manageable including defined roles and facilities. He pointed out his wife Miriam has an off-farm job and most of the roles are split between himself and Conor Gorey, a student on the full-time Professional Diploma in Dairy Farm Management course. He has split out the milking between himself and Conor, as he looks after the calving and newborn work, including calf feeding, with Conor looking after stock feeding and grassland management. He points out some of the measures installed on the farm are simple such as a cow drafting system and a mobile calf feeder but they significantly cut down the workload. Teagascs Paidi Kelly pointed out that many of the measures being put to work on the Purcell farm such as the designated roles should be examined on all farms. He said many farmers could look at their processes for labour efficiencies before considering hiring. The conference heard that this year dairy cow numbers in Ireland will average close to 1.4m, a 350,000 cow increase compared to 2010 levels. Mr Kelly pointed out with the rapid expansion of the herd it is projected that over 6,000 people will need to enter dairying by 2025. He pointed out dairy farmers need to ensure they become an employ of choice that offer a good place to work, with effective roster and communicate effectively. Mr Purcell said they began getting their bull calves collected by Kilkenny Mart every Tuesday during the breeding season and this significantly cut down on their workload. He ensures all calves are iodined, tagged and teat fed with three litres of the dams colostrum. In 2017, the calving interval was 365 days with 91pc calved in six weeks. Other systems that they use on the farm are coloured tape as visual aids for milking, with a red herd of recently calved and problem cows milked last. It reduces the stress and the worry that mistakes will be made in parlour, he said. A blue tape is used for cows with some issues. This year another measure that is being deployed is evening feeding of cows to try and ensure as few as possible calve at night. Mr Purcell said he looks after the night calvings and tries to take a rest during the day. He pointed out that the first time he realised that he needed to employ someone on the farm was when he was sitting in the waiting room of the hospital in Kilkenny with a broken leg. This is the fourth year that Mr Purcell has had a student from the Dairy Diploma course and he praised Conor and the course highly. Mr Purcell said he ensures each student gets plenty of time off around Christmas before they head into the busy spring period. Although Kinsale native Sophie Healy-Thow doesn't come from a farming background, she is fast becoming one of the leading new voices on agricultural issues such as food security and world hunger at the tender age of 20. Sophie told the Farming Independent that she first became interested in issues around food and farming when she was studying for her Junior Certificate.In 2013, her team was crowned the overall winners at the BT Young Scientist Exhibition for its project which examined how natural bacteria could be used to increase crop output. The project later went on to win the top prize at the Google Science Fair in San Francisco the following year and saw the three young women make Time magazine's Most Influential Teens list. Prior to this stream of success Sophie recalls getting in touch with a leading scientist who told her that the project "obviously wouldn't work" and remembers being disheartened at the time but was determined to continue with the project. "It was very disheartening and I nearly wanted to give up on the whole idea but then I realised that just because the idea hadn't been done before didn't mean it wouldn't work. I thought to myself, well if there's no proof to say it does or doesn't work, then I'll make the proof," she says. Fast-forward four years later and the Cork woman is a First Year scholarship student at University College Cork where she studies International Development and Food Policy and has also spoken at prestigious TED talks and at UN conferences about the danger of food insecurity. 'Agriculture isn't just about wearing welly boots and standing in a field doing manual labour' Most recently, Sophie was chosen as the only Irish representative to attend the European Youth Ag Summit in Brussels. Sophie said it proved to her the wide scope of the farming sector and agri-business. "It really showed me that agriculture isn't just about wearing welly boots and standing in a field doing manual labour. It's so much more than that," she says. "Agriculture is one of the fastest growing industries. It is big business and the technology being developed in agriculture is hugely innovative and exciting. Seeing the commitment of young people at the summit made me believe that the future of agriculture is in good hands." Sophie was part of a winning team at the Ag Summit which won 10,000 to develop their idea, Agrikua which is an online social enterprise aimed at helping women in agriculture in developing countries. "It will empower young women in Kenya and other developing countries to get involved in agriculture and teach them about agricultural business techniques, business opportunities, agricultural grants and scholarships, and put them in touch with organisations who can help them get started, develop and thrive in the sector," she explains. "Women in rural areas make up the highest percentage of farmers in developing countries so we also have designed a section on the platform which will help connect and bridge the gap between educational facilities and the older agriculture women leaders in the rural villages. It's about women helping women within agriculture." Sophie and her team from other European countries recently spoke at Westminster to inform politicians of their experience at the Ag Summit. She thinks it's important that those with positions in power listen to young people rather than "pat them on the head". "I really believe that a lot of older people can dismiss young voices very easily. I've been to events where it feels like I've been patted on the head, given a well done and ignored. I don't think people mean to do this, it's just a way of thinking people are used to," she says. "I think expertise comes in all shapes and sizes, young people have an incredible way of thinking outside the box. Even if it can't be done or it seems it can't, we will try anyway." Power "We ask questions people are sometimes afraid to ask. Imagine a world in which people in positions of so-called power really work alongside young people, imagine how many of the world's problems and inequalities would be lessened? Policy makers and people in positions of power must listen to young people." Although Sophie still has more than three years left to study in UCC, she says that after university that she'd like to work for a charitable organisation that helps women as she is already heavily involved in ActionAid UK which helps some of the world's poorest women and girls in poverty stricken regions. "Through my role as a board trustee of ActionAid UK I can see first hand how food insecurity has a major impact on gender inequality as women and children are most often the first to be affected by food scarcity," she says. "I'd like to work in policy making and international development or maybe in a charity organisation which works with women farmers. I've still three more years, so who knows?" Ireland should look to its history and take a lead role on food security issues Ireland needs to look back to its own Great Famine and take the lead to help countries suffering from dangerous levels of food insecurity, says Sophie Healy-Thow. She says that while the Irish government is a big donor as a whole to charitable organisations, it should be doing more to help regions that are food insecure. "The Irish Government doesn't do enough to help countries. It rarely makes big statements on any issue and I think it's time it should," she says. "We should take the lead on food security. If we look back on our own history, the Great Famine was a time of immense food insecurity for Irish people. We as a nation have experienced a food crisis and therefore we have a moral obligation to help people who are now suffering just like we did." Sophie explains that by 2050 there will statistically not be enough food to feed the world's population and that it is everyone's business to step up to this challenge. "Food insecurity is a huge challenge which many people and organisations are trying to tackle. Small scale businesses and projects are popping up with the aim of reducing food insecurity, helping in the distribution of crops to the market, equal pay for farmers for their crops, education about crop rotation and the importance of agriculture, eating smaller portion sizes and being consumer aware when purchasing food," she says. "These will all help in becoming food secure, but only if people are willing to understand that they have a part to play, however big or small in the area of food security and agriculture. "If we want to secure the future we need to be food secure. It's a simple message but it can change the world. She adds that we also need to stop viewing food security as a 'Third World' issue as it impacts all the food chain. "Everyone has a role to play to create a food secure world. Many people don't understand what it means or think it's just a Third World issue when it's something that affects us all. It impacts on climate change. We all need to be aware of its impact and I want to get the message out." China - aided by cities such as Hong Kong, pictured - is likely to overtake the United States as the worlds top economy in 2032 Ireland has risen two places in a global economic ranking, but is expected to fall over the next decade as Asian economies leapfrog those in the west. The index by the London-based think tank Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr) ranks Ireland 33rd in the world out of 192, up from 35th place last year. It is predicted to drop to 40th place by 2022 though, and 43rd by 2032. Expand Close India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi Photo: Graham Crouch/Bloomberg / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi Photo: Graham Crouch/Bloomberg It is part of a trend that sees Asian economies increasingly dominate the top 10 largest economies over the next 15 years. Ireland is ranked 14th out of 37 countries in the European index of Cebr's World Economic League table. Oliver Kolodseike, an economist with Cebr, said the Asian economies in particular are expected to move up the league table, driven by high population and economic growth. "While the eurozone is growing quite strongly at 2pc, it's a lot weaker than China, India, Indonesia. They will perform very well over the next 15 years," he said. "Most of the European countries will drop down. Italy is leaving the top 10 for the first time in quite a long time. They are all being overtaken by Asian countries." Ireland has been achieving strong growth. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said last week that the economy is expected to grow by more than 5pc this year, which is higher than previously expected. The average over the coming years is expected to be around 3pc. Cebr said Western Europe's share of world GDP falls to 13.8pc in 2032, roughly half its share in 2000. The think tank is more upbeat about the prospect of Brexit than it was last year. "Last year we were a bit too pessimistic about the impact of Brexit as was everyone else, so we're not that pessimistic anymore," Mr Kolodseike added. The UK is forecast to drop from 6th place in 2017 to 7th in 2032 in the league table, overtaking France while being overtaken by India and Brazil. Overall, India looks set to leapfrog Britain and France next year to become the world's fifth-largest economy. Moody's Investors Service recently upgraded India's sovereign credit rating for the first time in nearly 14 years, in a boost for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government. China is likely to overtake the United States as the world's top economy in 2032, Cebr said. Meanwhile, closer to home, the heads of the state's five main banks have proposed setting up a banking standards board designed to boost trust and confidence in the banking sector here. The move has been backed by Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe. He said the chief executives of the five main retail banks - Allied Irish Banks, Bank of Ireland, KBC, Permanent TSB and Ulster Bank - have informed the Department of Finance of their intention to set up an Irish Banking Standards Board. The department said the initiative will be broadly modelled on the Banking Standards Board, which operates in the UK. It is proposed that the board will be made up of experts from across civil society. The board will be chaired by an independent, non-banking individual. The initial step will be the establishment of a panel to hire the chairman, CEO and board. Mr Donohoe said the cost and time involved in establishing the new entity "should not be underestimated". "In October I made it clear that the banks' behaviour in relation to tracker mortgages was disgraceful," Mr Donohoe said. "Following on from the recent publication of the Central Bank's update on the Tracker Mortgage Examination, I welcome this initiative by the current leaders of the banking industry and look forward to receiving more detail." The body is expected to be up and running late this year, with costs borne by the banks. Predictions are a mug's game. There's always someone somewhere waiting to laugh mercilessly at you when you're wrong. But there's definitely going to be an election in Ireland in the next 12 months, isn't there? It's just a matter of when, and that depends on who knifes Leo Varadkar in the back first - Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin, or new Tanaiste Simon Coveney, a man so achingly loyal to the Taoiseach that it must make Leo's flesh creep every time the Corkman tells an interviewer what a great job the Fine Gael leader is doing. Next year, of course, is also the 100th anniversary of the first Dail election, at which Sinn Fein romped home. Did Santa keep in mind Mary Lou McDonald's request this Christmas for a repeat performance? Considering the craziness of the last few years in world politics, what with Brexit and Trump and the like, who can say? But those itching to go to the country for the second time in two years should not let that put them off. Elections are the fun part of politics. The rest is just so much noise. Breaking Sad: The biggest celeb splits of 2018 Donal Lynch It feels naughty in a way to look forward to celebrity breakups in 2018, but as with our resolutions we have to allow that good intentions may be intermingled with a little bit of reality. This coming year is bound to shake our faith in meticulously stage-managed love. Famous people breaking up serves an important function in society; making the rest of us feel less bad about stalking our exes on Facebook and sending them drunken 3am texts. For the celebrities themselves, a breakup can be the occasion of a new album's worth of material (Beyonce, Taylor Swift), a new plot twist on their reality show (any Kardashian) or the news that everyone is now fantasising that they are in with a shot of marrying them (Chris Pratt). In that spirit of silver linings, we predict that 2018 will bring splits for Melania and Donald (she dumps him and wins the Nobel Peace Prize), Justin Bieber and Selena (puppies aren't allowed to marry kittens - no relationship can stand that much cuteness) and Meghan Markle and Harry (she gets cold feet after realising her likeness will have to appear on tea towels and souvenir plates). Of course we wish them all the happiness in the world - but, equally, let the death watch begin. The birth of a new royal era Julia Molony It's going to be a busy spring for Wills and Kate in 2018. Royal Baby No.3 is set to make his or her debut in April. Which may perhaps be obliquely connected to the fact that it's just been announced that Princess Charlotte will be starting at a mega-posh nursery in January - nothing like getting the toddler out of the house for a few hours when there's a newborn around, eh? Especially considering that the big wedding between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle is due to take place in May - when Kate will just be a few weeks post-partum. Of course, she'll no doubt be an old hand at the new baby routine by now. But for even the most experienced mother, the idea of having to face the world's press at a formal occasion while still in the "leaky and weepy" phase, that almost inevitably follows childbirth, is daunting to say the least. Tissues and breast-pads at the ready! Brits, Keep on Brexiting Pat Fitzpatrick Dear Brits, thanks so much for all youve done for our self-esteem in the last 18 months. The sight of you making clowns of yourselves over Brexit is the best thing that happened to us since Star Wars starting shooting in Kerry. Please dont take this away from us in 2018. Some people here worry you will come to your senses soon, because there is a limit to how much self-inflicted punishment one nation can take. Others note that Coronation Street has been running since 1960, and there is still no sign of anyone shouting stop. All we know is that as long as Theresa May and David Davis stay in their jobs, life will be almost unbearably enjoyable. Weve heard good things about Liam Fox as well on the clown front, although there is a worry with a name like that, he could be one of our own. Keep it up. And please, dont see sense. Happy new year, Paddy. English composer and author Sir Arnold Bax (1883 - 1953, centre), Master of the King's Music, enjoys a lunchtime drink at the White Horse Hotel in Storrington, Sussex, with Taffy (left), a local man, and Stanley Fitch (right), the proprietor of the hotel, 'The Celt within me stood revealed." The words are not those of a wistful emigrant, but of an Englishman whose line stretched back not across the Irish Sea but eastwards, to the Netherlands. It was the poetry of William Butler Yeats that put him in touch with his inner Irishman. Arnold Bax was born in London in 1883, and brought up in Hampstead, one of its more prosperous northern suburbs. Family circumstances meant he never had to earn a living so he was free to pursue his love of the arts in general and music in particular. He was a prodigious talent at the piano and played clarinet as well, pursuing his studies at the Royal Academy where he was a regular prizewinner. Discovering Yeats's The Wanderings of Oisin began a love affair with Ireland that would last a lifetime. Championed by Edward Elgar, Bax was commissioned to write a piece for the 1910 season of the Promenade Concerts in London. An orchestral tone poem, In The Faery Hills, was the result. Unquestionably Celtic in flavour, with an impressionistic overlay, it was based on the Oisin legend. Its beautiful melodies were subsequently incorporated alongside Into The Twilight and the battle hymn Rosc Catha into an trilogy which Bax entitled Eire. A romantic liaison with a Ukrainian woman took him to Russia for a year, but it was to Ireland that he was really drawn. He had discovered Glencolmcille in Donegal and for well on 30 years, he would retreat there in search in inspiration. When he did eventually get married in his late 20s - not to the Ukrainian but to a woman he'd known since childhood - Bax moved to Dublin and set up home in Rathgar. Here he developed the other side of his artistic temperament, writing extensively - plays, short stories, and poetry - under the pseudonym Dermot O'Byrne. He was a regular at literary soirees in the city, and at one of these he made the acquaintance of Padraig Pearse. Though they met only once, the encounter had a profound effect on Bax. When war broke out in Europe, Bax and his wife moved back to London, where a professional relationship with a pianist, Harriet Cohen, soon developed into a full-blown affair. But he didn't lose touch with Ireland. He was stunned to learn of the Easter Rising and deeply shocked at the news of Pearse's execution. Bax composed a number of laments in his honour, and an orchestral piece, In Memoriam. The website arnoldbax.com describes this, as far as it known, as "the first piece of concert music written to commemorate the Easter Rising". The political significance of the work meant it was never heard in Bax's lifetime. Appropriately, though, as the website notes, it received its Irish premiere in 2016, when Duncan Ward conducted a performance of the RTE National Symphony Orchestra in the National Concert Hall in Dublin. For one who felt such strong sympathies for Ireland and the Irish, Arnold Bax was an unusual choice in 1942 as Britain's Master of the King's Music. By now he'd become friendly with the family of the Cork composer Aloys Fleischmann, and so began another intense relationship with an Irish place. He died on a visit to Cork in 1953 and is buried in St Finbarr's Cemetery on the Glasheen Road. George Hamilton presents The Hamilton Scores on RTE lyric fm from 10am each Saturday and Sunday An image taken during a survey of Spencer Dock showing window issues An image taken during a survey of Spencer Dock showing water ingress An image taken during a survey of Spencer Dock looking at balcony soffits An image taken during a survey of Spencer Dock looking at balcony soffits An image taken during a survey of Spencer Dock showing an example of silverfish - a common pest which was found in one apartment An image taken during a survey of Spencer Dock showing an example of window issues found in some apartments. An image taken during a survey of Spencer Dock showing an example of condensation. Problems including balcony defects, persistent leaks, and fire safety issues have been uncovered at Spencer Dock development (main picture: Colin O'Riordain) A raft of problems including balcony defects, persistent leaks, and fire safety issues have been uncovered at one of the Celtic Tigers most prominent developments. A series of recent inspections across more than 150 apartments in the six-block Spencer Dock development have uncovered a number of issues thought to be, in part, the result of construction failings. The Dublin Docklands development, was completed in 2007, and in the early stages of the development some properties fetched more than half a million euro. Billed as a "truly metropolitan place to live" during the boom with some of the penthouses, complete with pool terraces, completed just as the economy nosedived, in 2008 buyers bought into the complex expecting luxury living. The development, was a project led by Treasury Holdings and John Sisk and Son construction firm in a joint venture known as Construction Management Partnership. Today Independent.ie can reveal that: Issues discovered by quantity surveyors include window issues, balcony issues, leaks, condensation, fire alarm issues 103 apartments showed deterioration of or damage to window frames due to water ingress (where water has infiltrated the fabric of the building). A third of the apartments checked by Omega showed damage from water ingress to apartment finishes. Problems were also uncovered with the balconies in a number of apartments. Tenants and residents of Spencer Dock have also complained of a sewerage smell throughout their apartment. The decibel level of the fire alarm was inadequate in the apartments. Residents also complained of a bug infestation from bugs called silverfish which need wet and humid conditions to thrive. Receivers EY told a Dublin TD in 2016 the works needed were standard for a 12-year-old development. Sales of apartments in the development were blocked for a time in a bid to speed up remedial works on a number of apartments. Apartment owners now fear that the remaining 39 apartments which are owned by NAMA appointed receiver EY will be sold off and residents will be left footing the bill for remedial works. Property owners bought into the development have described the nightmare of trying to have the issues corrected. One property owner, who owns three apartments in the complex including one as a home has issues in two of his apartments. However, despite remedial works being carried out earlier this year he is still out of his home due to new leaks appearing. Another owner who purchased two apartments in the development as buy-to-let investments has spent the past seven years dealing with leaks and other issues. An initial survey of 162 apartments (completed as of September 20 2017) by Omega Surveying Services uncovered a significant number of issues. During the inspections carried out up to September smells were noted in 21 apartments (13pc) of those inspected. Others complained of smells but none were detected on the day. Proteus Consulting Engineers also carried out fire safety checks and found that the decibel level of the fire alarm was inadequate in the apartments. Other issues were noted in a preliminary investigation. Residents also complained of a bug infestation from bugs called silverfish which need wet and humid conditions to thrive. In the first round of inspections silverfish were found in one apartment and were noted as a major occurrence. A further 21pc of apartment owners had complained of silverfish but no live examples were observed by inspectors. The bugs are a common pest Omega noted and can be treated with chemical sprays. A small number of apartments also complained of one room being much colder than others and large gaps were found in plasterboard. Mould and condensation was also a problem for 65pc of properties inspected. On November 1 Indigo Property Management issued letter to apartment owners informing them that 200 surveys had been carried out and it had been decided to survey all apartments. This website has also seen correspondence sent on behalf of receivers to Independent TD Maureen OSullivan which confirmed that remedial works were to be carried out in July 2016 on 10 apartments, including penthouses. The email also said: The joint receivers property manager has advised that the required works are standard for a 12 year old development However, in a presentation to residents, surveying firm Omega noted a number of causes for the defects found. In the case of damage to windows and water ingress the experts evaluating the damage to windows were critical of the quality if design, material used and attention to detail during construction. The poor quality detailing and installation of the windows, in particular the EPDM membrane, is a significant cause of water ingress, the report states. This is compounded by the lack of proper provision for effective drainage paths at spandrel panels and also between timber frames. According to the firm a substantial portion of the staining was a result of the same issue causing damage to the windows, but internal plumbing issues were also identified. We have also seen instances of water ingress following the failure of balcony and roofing membranes of the units above, the report says. In a statement to Independent.ie a spokesperson for John Sisk & Son said they had not seen the Omega report and were not in a position to comment on it. "The Spencer Dock development was completed and occupied since 2007," a spokesman for the firm said. "Sisk has carried out remedial works in recent times, and it is our clear position that none of the issues have arisen as a result of construction faults. "Sisk is Ireland's leading construction company and we stand over the quality of our work on all our projects. Our reputation for quality construction is well known in the industry and something we maintain through a relentless focus on quality at every level of the construction process. We have well embedded procedures which are constantly being updated to reflect current best practice and the needs of building regulations. "We will not be commenting any further." NAMA said it was not in a position to comment and referred to the receivers at EY. Luke Charleton and David Hughes at EY are Joint Receivers, currently controlling 39 apartments out of a total of approximately 600 units in the Spencer Dock development. Any matters brought to the attention of the Joint Receivers relating to any of these apartments are dealt with via the appropriate parties and channels," EY said in a statement. Indigo property management company have also been contacted for comment. Police are treating the death of a 53-year-old woman as murder Four young children witnessed a man being shot three times in a brutal paramilitary-style attack in west Belfast. The 28-year-old man was hit over the head before being shot in both knees and an ankle in the Cavendish Street area on Saturday just before 8pm. He is the second man to be shot in a similar way in the city in the past week. A female was assaulted and four young children who were in the house witnessed this horrific attack, police said. The victim was taken to hospital for treatment, where he remains. The PSNI described the attack as "brutal" and said that the children had been left terrified by the horrific incident. Detective Sergeant Kelly said: "This was a brutal attack in a busy residential area and yet another example of how criminal groups seek to control communities through fear and violence. The residents, including young children have been left terrified by these events." The Social Democratic and Labour Party councillor Tim Attwood condemned those behind the attack. "My immediate thoughts are with the victim and their family, who must be greatly distressed at this time," he said. "As we celebrate the dawn of 2018 and the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, there can be no place for such brutal and violent attacks in our society." Detectives are keen to hear from anyone with information about this crime or anyone who may be able to help identify the perpetrators. The attack comes just weeks after a young man was left severely injured in a similar attack. On December 23, an 18-year-old man was left with what police said were "potentially life-changing injuries" when he was shot twice in the leg in the Pembroke Loop area of Dunmurry in the city's south-west. A man found guilty of killing the brother of missing teenager Amy Fitzpatrick has lost an appeal against the severity of his seven-year jail sentence. David Mahon (46) is the partner of his victim's mother. Mahon had pleaded not guilty to the murder of Dean Fitzpatrick (23) outside the apartment his mother Audrey Fitzpatrick shared with Mahon at Northern Cross on the Malahide Road in North Dublin. A jury subsequently found him guilty of Dean's manslaughter and he was sentenced to seven years' imprison by Ms Justice Margaret Heneghan. The trial was told father-of-one Dean received a stab wound to his abdomen. Mahon claimed Dean's death was an accident or possible suicide and that Mr Fitzpatrick had "walked into the knife" while they had been arguing. The Court of Appeal upheld Mahon's sentence yesterday holding that a seven-year sentence, taking an overview of the case, was "quite typical of knife manslaughters". As sentence appeals go, this one was "somewhat unusual", according to Mr Justice George Birmingham in his judgment delivered on behalf of the three-judge court. "Unusually", for sentence appeals, the case made on Mahon's behalf was that the sentencing judge did not sentence in accordance with verdict of the jury, Mr Justice Birmingham said. Counsel for Mahon, Sean Guerin SC, said the only conclusion which could be drawn from the verdict was that the jury was not satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that Mahon had stabbed the deceased. As such, he said Mahon was factually proven only to have produced the knife. "That was all he did." He produced the knife, he didn't thrust it, he didn't stab, and because he didn't thrust it, he didn't commit an act that could have amounted to a physical assault, Mr Guerin said. Mr Justice Birmingham, who sat with Mr Justice Michael Peart and Mr Justice Alan Mahon, said the sentence decided upon was not out of line with sentences imposed in previous cases that might be regarded as broadly similar. There were aggravating factors, including the following of Mr Fitzpatrick from the apartment, the production of a large knife during the course of an altercation, Mahon's leaving of the scene and the failure to seek medical assistance. The relationship between Mahon and Mr Fitzpatrick was relevant. On the other hand, Mahon pleaded guilty to manslaughter in advance of his trial for murder and he came before the court without previous convictions of any relevance. In the Court of Appeal's view, it was a sentence that fell within the available range and the appeal was accordingly dismissed. Giving background, Mr Justice Birmingham said there was evidence that the relationship between Mahon and his step-son was "not an easy one". Days before his death, Mahon had asked for Dean Fitzpatrick to be barred from the gym they both attended for interfering with his bicycle and stealing a bottle of water from it. Dean's sister Amy went missing in Spain on January 1, 2008, at the age of 15. Gardai are trying to trace a number of convicted criminals, including an eastern European sex offender, as part of their investigation into the murder of Limerick widow Rosie Hanrahan. Detectives are also trying to confirm the movements of two serial burglars in Limerick, as their primary theory remains that the pensioner (78) was killed during a botched break-in to target her Christmas cash. Gardai now have the initial results of DNA tests conducted at Ms Hanrahan's home from December 15. A senior source said they now have "multiple" avenues of investigation as a result of the genetic fingerprint tests conducted for Garda Technical Bureau staff. It is understood detectives want to trace the whereabouts of an eastern European sex offender to help eliminate him from their inquiries. He became a potential suspect on foot of forensic evidence at the scene. Expand Close Rose Hanrahan / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Rose Hanrahan However, DNA evidence from up to a dozen individuals was obtained at the house, with much of the material likely to be totally unconnected to the killing. Garda interest in the man heightened after he was suspected to have left Ireland within 36 hours of Ms Hanrahan's death. The man had been associating over recent times with known Limerick criminals, though he has no convictions for burglary in Ireland. Officers are now cross-referencing the forensic results to determine if there is a link between Ms Hanrahan's murder and a series of raids in Limerick city and county over recent weeks. Detectives believe she was killed by a burglar who panicked when she confronted him in the house after he mistakenly believed the Thomondgate home was empty. The killer, who strangled the pensioner as she lay helpless on the floor, did not find a significant sum of cash that Ms Hanrahan had in the house for the Christmas period. She had hidden the cash, understood to be a four-figure sum, in a secret storage area she had in her kitchen/utility room. It is suspected the widow may have been under surveillance or the burglar somehow got information that she had cash in the house. There was a spate of break-ins at properties across Limerick city and county over recent weeks. Some bear similarities to how the killer gained access to Ms Hanrahan's home. Detectives have not ruled out the possibility that the killer may have acted as part of a two to four person gang. A Garda source said it was making good progress with its hunt for the pensioner's killer. "We are very pleased with the level of response we have received from the public," he said. "People are outraged over what happened to this elderly lady in her own home and they want her killer caught." Ms Hanrahan's body was found lying in the hallway by her shocked sister, Evelyn, who called with her husband, Jim Kenny, to the Thomondgate property on the afternoon of Friday, December 15. The scene of the fatal stabbing on the Dublin Road in Ballyjamesduff Co Cavan. Pic Steve Humphreys Gardai have appealed for dashcam footage as part of the investigation into the fatal stabbing of a 40-year-man in a Cavan town. The victim - a Polish national - received serious stab wounds in the incident which occurred at Dublin Street, Ballyjamesduff at around 11pm on Sunday night. The man was rushed to Cavan General Hospital and he was pronounced dead shortly after 9.30am this morning. Gardai have requested that anyone who was driving on the Dublin road, Ballyjamesduff between 10.30pm and 12 midnight on New Year's Eve - and who may have had a dashcam in operation - come forward. An appeal has also been issued to the Polish community or any member of the public who may have any information whatsoever. A post-mortem examination has taken place place today but the results are not being disclosed at this stage "for operational reasons". Expand Close The scene of the fatal stabbing on the Dublin Road in Ballyjamesduff Co Cavan. Pic Steve Humphreys / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The scene of the fatal stabbing on the Dublin Road in Ballyjamesduff Co Cavan. Pic Steve Humphreys Gardai have been in contact with the victim's family in Poland and a family liaison officer has been appointed. It is understand that the deceased - who was single with no children - worked in a meat factory since his move to Ireland. The scene is currently preserved for a technical examination. The Garda Technical Bureau are attending the scene. No arrests have yet been made. To contact Gardai in Bailieboro on 042-9694570 , The Garda Confidential Telephone Line 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station. Families will see a monthly reduction of 10 in the cost of medicine under the Drugs Payment Scheme from today, as agreed in Budget 2018. An individual or family in Ireland now only has to pay 134 instead of 144 each month for approved prescribed drugs, medicines or rental costs for CPAP/oxygen. As a result of the change, which comes into effect today, families could save up to 120 a year in medication costs. This scheme is aimed at those who do not have a medical card and normally have to pay the full cost of their medication. Health Minister Simon Harris said he was "delighted" to announce the reduction in line with commitments in the Programme for a Partnership Government. "In addition, nearly 500,000 medical card holders under the age of 70 are to save up to 60 this year from the reduction in the prescription charge to 2 per item and the maximum charge to 20 per month. "Reducing the cost of medicines for families is a key commitment for me as minister, and for this Government. "The measures announced in Budget 2018 build on the progress in Budget 2017, when I reduced the prescription charge for over-70s. "In line with the recommendations of Slaintecare, and subject to available resources, it is my intention to build upon these initiatives in future years and continue to reduce the cost of medicines for families." The Drugs Payment Scheme also applies to those who have a GP visit card. Anyone resident in Ireland can apply to join the scheme, regardless of family, financial circumstances or nationality. Budget 2018 represents an overall increase of 608m (4.4pc) in health spending compared to the 2017 Budget allocation. An investment of 10m has also been set aside for respite care, with the aim of providing support to 400 individuals with a disability and their families. Christine and Gareth O'Leary, Firhouse pictured with their first baby Cian Joseph at The Coombe Maternity Hospital today. PIC COLIN O'RIORDAN The first baby of 2018 in Ireland was welcomed mere seconds after the clock struck midnight. A baby boy was born in University Maternity Hospital Limerick at seven seconds past midnight weighing 3.26kg. "We've had a good year, we had the New Year and the Christmas baby," a spokeswoman for the hospital said. Baby Lully Siobhan Duggan was born in the hospital at 12.27am on Christmas morning. Expand Close Eugene and Leighanne Lacy, Portmarnock pictured with their first baby Jacob at The National Maternity Hospital, Holles St. today. PIC COLIN O'RIORDAN / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Eugene and Leighanne Lacy, Portmarnock pictured with their first baby Jacob at The National Maternity Hospital, Holles St. today. PIC COLIN O'RIORDAN Infants across Ireland made their families' New Year memorable as they arrived in the early hours of January 1. University Hospital Waterford welcomed a new arrival at 23 minutes past midnight. Cork University Maternity Hospital welcomed five babies but the first baby, a girl, did not arrive until after 3am. In Letterkenny University Hospital two girls were welcomed at 1am and 2am. The first baby born at The Coombe Hospital in Dublin arrived at 1.41am. He was a baby boy weighing 2.9kg or 6lb 4oz. Cian Joseph is the first child for Christine and Gareth O'Leary from Firhouse in Dublin. The mother of missing Amy Fitzpatrick has revealed that she was fooled into believing that a gangland hitman murdered her daughter. Speaking to the Irish Daily Star the mother-of-two, whose son Dean was killed by jailed husband Dave Mahon, now concedes that Eric 'Lucky' Wilson did not murder her 15-year-old daughter. Tragic Amy vanished in the Spain on New Year's Day 2008. In 2012 Audrey claimed in her book that she and Dave were told by an underworld figure who told them that Wilson, who is serving a 23-year-sentence for the murder of Englishman Daniel Smith, was responsible for the disappearance. Expand Close Audreys daughter, Amy Fitzpatrick, who went missing in Spain in 2008. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Audreys daughter, Amy Fitzpatrick, who went missing in Spain in 2008. Gardai and Spanish police had both ruled out the possibility and now Audrey (48) has conceded that this is the case. "I think we might have been hoodwinked into making him out to be the big bad guy," Audrey told the Irish Star. "I personally think now that someone might have had a grudge against him and used us as the big thicks." She continued: "Everyone was searching for Amy so they put his name out there and of course we grabbed it." Expand Close Eric Wilson / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Eric Wilson Mahon was sentenced to seven years in jail in April for the manslaughter of his stepson Dean Fitzpatrick. The killer was reportedly assaulted in the shower area of Wheatfield Prisons gym. The Dubliner, who was jailed for seven years, was recently left with a fractured jaw after an incident at Wheatfield Prison. He claimed that he slipped and fell in the shower, but a source told the Sunday World that he is refusing to tell officers who assaulted him. From trouble with Brexit and tax rates to ever-rising house prices and falling US investment, we could be in for a bumpy 2018 as we look into our crystal ball. 1. THE BREXIT NEGOTIATIONS WILL FAIL Expand Close Theresa May and EU President Jean-Claude Juncker (PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Theresa May and EU President Jean-Claude Juncker (PA) DONT be fooled by the EUs decision to allow the Brexit negotiations to move on to the second stage. The key to any successful negotiation is both sides knowing what they want from the talks. With the British cabinet yet to hold a meeting on its desired final shape of Brexit, its clear that Theresa Mays government and the ruling Conservatives are hopelessly split. The Brits dont know what they want from Brexit. This makes an agreement with the EU on Brexit extremely unlikely and increases the probability of a disorderly Brexit in March 2019. 2. THE DEMOCRATS WILL WIN AT LEAST ONE OF THE HOUSES OF CONGRESS IN THE MID-TERM ELECTIONS Expand Close Donald Trump / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Donald Trump AMERICANS go to the polls on November 6 to elect all 435 members of the House of Representatives and 33 of the 100 Senators. With the Republicans having ruthlessly used their dominance of most state legislatures to gerrymander House districts and Democrats defending 25 of the Senate seats up for grabs, it had been thought that the Republicans would retain control of both Houses. That was before Doug Jones shock victory in Alabama the first Democrat senator elected from the state since 1992. If the Democrats can win in Alabama, they can win anywhere. Democrats gaining control of the Senate and/or House would be a game change and greatly increase the chances of Donald Trumps eventual impeachment and removal from office. 3. THE ITALIAN ELECTION RESULTS WILL TRIGGER THE NEXT EUROZONE CRISIS Expand Close The Italian flag. Stock photo: Deposit / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Italian flag. Stock photo: Deposit AN Italian general election is scheduled to take place by May 20 at the latest. All of the three main opposition parties Five Star, the Northern League and former prime minister Silvio Berlusconis Forza Italia are Eurosceptic, with both Five Star and the Northern League having called for a referendum on Italian membership of the euro. With the Italian economy having not grown during almost two decades of euro membership, theres a good chance that Italians would vote to leave the single currency. 4. TRUMPS CORPORATE TAX CHANGES WILL HIT AMERICAN INVESTMENT IN IRELAND Expand Close Members of the executive and board of the IDA, accompanied by senior staff of the county council / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Members of the executive and board of the IDA, accompanied by senior staff of the county council THE reduction in the US corporate tax rate from 35pc to 21pc is potentially very bad news for Ireland. This narrows the gap between the Irish and US tax rates from 22.5pc to only 8.5pc. This will make it much harder for the IDA to attract US multi-nationals to locate in Ireland and to retain those already here. 5. THE EU WILL MAKE ANOTHER ATTEMPT TO SCRAP IRELANDS 12.5PC TAX RATE AS if the US tax cut wasnt bad enough, the EU is gearing up for another attack on our 12.5pc corporate tax rate. Seamus Coffey, the chairman of the Fiscal Advisory Council, has estimated that the EUs latest tax harmonisation plans could cost Ireland up to 4bn in lost revenue. Replacing this lost tax revenue could push up average income tax and USC bills by at least a quarter. 6. IRELAND WILL HAVE TO PAY MORE TO THE EU Expand Close Stock image / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Stock image WITH the UK having been the second-largest net contributor, Brexit will leave a 10bn hole in the EUs budget. As one of the wealthier member countries, Ireland will be expected to pick up some of the slack, both through increased contributions and reduced payments from EU programmes. As negotiations begin for the EU budget cycle starting in 2020, Irish taxpayers should brace themselves for a hefty increase in our European membership fee. 7. MICHAEL OLEARY WILL QUIT AS RYANAIR BOSS Expand Close CONTROVERSIAL: Ryanair chief executive Michael OLeary, who has vowed to remain at the airline, angered pilots by saying that they are not hard-worked. Picture: Bloomberg / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp CONTROVERSIAL: Ryanair chief executive Michael OLeary, who has vowed to remain at the airline, angered pilots by saying that they are not hard-worked. Picture: Bloomberg MAKE no mistake about it, Ryanairs decision to recognise trade unions was an enormous humiliation for the low-cost airline and its abrasive boss Michael OLeary, who had long boasted that Hell would freeze over before he had any truck with the unions. Well, following last Septembers rostering fiasco, which forced the airline to cancel nearly 20,000 flights and pay out 25m in compensation to the affected passengers, Hell has experienced a very severe episode of climate change. The last thing Ryanair needed was a pre-Christmas pilots strike. The decision could well bring forward OLearys departure from Ryanair, where he has been boss since 1994. I reckon he will be gone well before the end of 2018. 8. THE GOVERNMENT WILL WALK AWAY FROM PTSB Expand Close Stock image / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Stock image THE ever-worsening tracker mortgage scandal demonstrates that, almost a decade on from the crash, the Irish banks still arent fit for purpose with their loan books still shrinking. With AIB and Bank of Ireland profitable once more, mortgage bank PTSB is easily the worst of the bunch, having lost 434m in 2015 and 226m in 2016. Fixing the tracker mess could push it into the red again 2017. Which begs the question: if the Permo cant make money with house prices rising at 12pc a year, when will it ever do so? With the ECB having recently banned it from paying a dividend for the foreseeable future, will the Government finally put this mutt out of its misery in 2018, by either flogging it off for a pittance to a vulture fund or closing it to new business and gradually running down its loan book? 9. HOUSE PRICES AND RENTS WILL CONTINUE TO RISE SHARPLY Expand Close Rents are still rising at double-digit rates around the country, according to the Daft.ie rental report out earlier this week. Both nationally and in Dublin, this is the sixth quarter in a row that rents have been at least 10pc higher than a year previously. Photo: Stock / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Rents are still rising at double-digit rates around the country, according to the Daft.ie rental report out earlier this week. Both nationally and in Dublin, this is the sixth quarter in a row that rents have been at least 10pc higher than a year previously. Photo: Stock THE latest figures from the CSO show that average house prices rose by 12pc in Dublin in the 12 months to last October. Meanwhile, rents are barrelling ahead, with daft.ie estimating that Dublin rents are now 23pc above pre-crash levels. With at least 25,000 new houses and apartments needed every year, supply is running way behind demand. While new housebuilding at about 15,000 was well up in 2017, this was still well short of underlying demand and comes after a decade during which virtually no new houses were built. This means that, with the economy and the number of people at work still growing strongly, house prices and rents will continue to rise sharply in 2018. 10. WAGE INCREASES WILL PICK UP WITH workers finding that an ever-larger proportion of their incomes is going to pay the mortgage or the rent and unemployment forecast to fall to pre-crash levels by the end of 2018, they in turn are demanding higher wages from their existing employers or switching to a higher-paying job with another. Average earnings, which were virtually flat for several years after the crash, rose by 2.2pc in the 12 months to last June, almost four times the increase recorded a year earlier. The ESRI is forecasting a further rise in the rate at which wages are increasing in 2018. While this is good news for workers in the short term, will they erode our international competitiveness at a time when a messy Brexit means that we will need every advantage that we can get? AMERICAN CANYON New laws, new people and new developments marked 2017 in American Canyon, a community that continued to grow and change over the past 12 months. This past year saw changes in leadership at City Hall, the police department and the local high school. Education, always an important issue in American Canyon, brought surprising developments as well as prospects for new schools in town. New residential projects got under way this year for seniors, veterans and the affluent, demonstrating the diverse needs for housing in the area. The year, like most, also brought new laws, both temporary and permanent, addressing recreational marijuana, wireless utilities and more. Changing of the guard American Canyon said goodbye to three key leaders who either retired or moved on to new opportunities. City Manager Dana Shigley, who had overseen city operations since 2012, announced she was retiring in September. The move came unexpectedly for the 54-year-old, who purchased a home in Santa Rosa and moved there after stepping down. She was replaced on an interim basis by Jason Holley, director of public works, while the City Council conducts a search for a permanent city manager. A restaurant has come under fire for advertising a job looking for a "bright, open" girl and requesting that applicants send a photo of themselves. Pizza Soprano, which is located in Navan, Co Meath, posted the ad on Facebook over the weekend, which has been criticised as "shallow" and "sexist." The controversial post read: "Due to the development of Pizza Soprano we are looking for a girl to work with us. "I'm looking for a bright, open and hardworking girl. "A girl that is not afraid of challenges and is very open to people. "She also needs to be outgoing and positive. "Please contact me if interested and send me your CV and a photo of yourself." Expand Close The controversial ad, which was posted by Pizza Soprano / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The controversial ad, which was posted by Pizza Soprano The ad was slated by social media users, with one saying: "Thats incredibly sexist of you and shallow to ask for a photo. Pizza Soprano's owner Grzegorz Grzegorzewski, who is from Poland, has since apologised and stressed that he never meant to offend anyone. He said: "Hi all, Greg here from Pizza Soprano, Navan. I recently posted an advertisement looking for a new member of staff. "As a Polish man living and working in Ireland I have been humbled by the age old saying, Ireland, the country of a thousand welcomes. "Ireland, in particular Navan has welcomed myself and my family with open arms. We have made a home here and whenever the people of Navan fancy a pizza we are here with open doors to cater for one and all. "I would like to take this opportunity to apologise for the wording of my job advertisement. "Anyone who knows me from coming into the restaurant, knows that I am a warm and friendly guy with a big heart and knows that I would not knowingly offend anyone." Christine Kenny wants to know what happened to her niece Amy Fitzpatrick (inset) Family and friends of missing teenager Amy Fitzpatrick marked the tenth anniversary of her disappearance by releasing doves outside Dublins Mansion House this afternoon. Amys aunt Christine appealed for anyone with information on what happened to Amy to come forward saying: Somebody needs to know something. Amy was 15-years-old when she went missing as she walked home from a friends house in the Spanish resort of Mijas Costa, near Malaga, on the evening of New Years Day 2008. The Dublin teenager had been living in Spain with her mother Audrey Mahon, Audreys partner Dave Mahon, and her brother Dean. Dean was stabbed to death in May 2013. Deans stepfather, Dave Mahon, is currently serving a seven-year prison sentence for his manslaughter. Speaking at the poignant ceremony at the Mansion House, Christine said her brother Christopher, dad to Amy and Dean, was too unwell to attend. Expand Close Billy Kenny, Christine Kenny and Paul Donohoe release doves into the sky during a Vigil for Amy Fitzpatrick / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Billy Kenny, Christine Kenny and Paul Donohoe release doves into the sky during a Vigil for Amy Fitzpatrick The way it happened with Dean, were broken-hearted over that. Christopher is devastated, said Christine. She appealed for people who knew Amy to come forward with any information they might have that will help the family find their beloved daughter and niece. Direct rule should be imposed in Northern Ireland within weeks if its political crisis cannot be solved, the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party has said. Arlene Foster put the Stormont stalemate near the top of Theresa Mays New Year problem list, as she blamed Sinn Fein for the failure to re-establish a devolved executive. The Prime Minister has sought to avoid the draconian step of rule from Westminster, despite it being almost exactly a year since Northern Ireland had a functioning administration. In her New Year message, Mrs Foster said the return of locally elected and accountable politicians remained the best way to run Northern Ireland. However, she added: A return to direct rule would be an inferior alternative, but it would be a government. But the people of Northern Ireland deserve a government and if Sinn Fein persist with their intransigence then the Secretary of State [James Brokenshire] should move to appoint direct rule ministers early in the New Year. In demanding a quick solution, the DUP leader also rejected calls for the talks to be shifted outside of Northern Ireland to a hothouse format in England. Recent rounds of talks have been bedevilled by the setting of pre-conditions by Sinn Fein, Mrs Foster claimed. And she added: Let's set ourselves a short time frame. And let's do it here at home, rather than in some fancy English stately home. The power-sharing institutions collapsed last January over the DUP's handling of a green energy scheme that was left with a 490m (550m) overspend. The rift with Sinn Fein widened after the DUP refused to agree to a stand-alone Irish Language Act, to put Irish on an equal par in law to English. Fearing criticism from more hardline unionists, the DUP insisted on an all-embracing Culture Act, which would also guarantee the rights of Ulster Scots speakers. Sinn Fein claimed the DUP had been emboldened by propping up the Conservatives in power at Westminster - making it less willing to compromise at Stormont. In November, Mr Brokenshire imposed a budget on Northern Ireland, warning the local civil service would otherwise run out of money, but stepped back from full direct rule. Meanwhile, Mrs May has been criticised for not stamping her authority on the talks, even as the DUP cash-for-votes deal keeps her in Downing Street. In her New Year message, Sinn Fein's Stormont leader Michelle O'Neill made clear the party would only return to Stormont if the DUP gave ground on both the Irish language and on gay marriage. She argued renewed power sharing was possible soon, but only if the institutions represent genuine and equal partnership government for all our people. That will require the British Government and the DUP accepting the political and democratic reality which has already been made abundantly clear by the electorate, Mrs ONeill said. Both London and Dublin must pave a pathway to restore the institutions on the basis of equal partnership and respect in the terms set out almost 20 years ago, she added. A voluntary rural resettlement scheme could be considered to help address the country's housing crisis, Leo Varadkar has said. Such a scheme would see families moving from local authority housing in congested urban areas to homes in rural Ireland. The Taoiseach said the move would only be "part" of the solution to the housing shortage. "It's eminently logical that parts of the country where there's been rural depopulation, where there are properties available, where there are places in schools, where there are services available, I can certainly see a place for a rural resettlement scheme," said Mr Varadkar. "But I think it would only be a small part of the solution because ultimately as people leave the cities and move to a very rural area, they are often breaking their connections with their family and their neighbours and the people that they know. "That's not always an easy thing to do. So certainly I think there's room for it. Obviously, it would have to be voluntary and maybe part of the solution, but I don't think it's going to be a major part of it," he added. A second housing conference involving local authorities is due to take place in early January amid claims from campaigners that the homelessness crisis in Ireland has worsened This autumn there were 1,463 families accessing emergency accommodation, including children. Expand Close Stock image / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Stock image The housing conference, which follows on from the first one in September, will examine how local authorities can use their powers to bring vacant housing back into use. Mr Varadkar said that work has been done on a vacant home tax to help address the crisis, and that work is expected to be completed next year. But he warned that it "isn't as straightforward as it seems". "There are wildly varying estimates as to what a vacant home is. And then bear in mind why sometimes a home is vacant, somebody might be away for a few months working in Dubai or working in America, or somebody may be in a nursing home. There's lots of different reasons why a home may be vacant," he said. Mr Varadkar added that before vacant properties are taxed an understanding is needed as to the number of vacant homes there really are, where they are and why they are vacant. "I know two local authorities have actually gone out to look at the vacant homes and find out there are people living in them, so there may not be as many as we think," he said. In its attempts to address the housing crisis, Louth County Council used compulsory purchase orders (CPOs) to bring 51 vacant properties back into use. Mr Varadkar said he believes that is a good model which could be followed in the future. Seven people were killed when a minibus crashed into the sea in a city north of Shanghai, a Chinese state news agency has said. Ten people were aboard the minivan when it crashed in Qidong, the Xinhua News Agency said. One survivor is being treated in hospital and the other two had no life-threatening injuries, Xinhua said. It said the cause of the accident is under investigation. The scene on the Dublin-bound carriageway of the N7 between Naas and Johnstown on Thursday evening. Photo: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin Gardai were last night searching for a 16-year-old burglary suspect who escaped from hospital in the capital before investigators were able to question him about a crash on the N7. The boy, who was being treated for a head injury, was sprung from Tallaght Hospital by his associates at 2pm on Saturday. The youth is believed to be one of four teenagers in a car that crashed on the N7 on Thursday. Three were arrested while the injured 16-year-old was taken to hospital - he was deemed not fit for interview due to his head injury. A second 16-year-old appeared in court on Friday on charges relating to the crash. The juvenile, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was before judge Desmond Zaidan at a special sitting at Naas District Court. The youth, who is from Tallaght, Dublin, was charged with dangerous driving; driving without a licence or insurance; and possession of articles with intent to commit burglary. Garda Kevin Williamson gave evidence that when charged the defendant made no reply. Judge Zaidan asked Gda Williamson for the particulars of the allegations, and he said that gardai had gone to the N7 because they were aware of a suspicious vehicle in the area. He said a vehicle was stopped by gardai, but it drove away when approached. He said the vehicle crashed into another car after driving away. "There were four young men in the car that was in collision with another car. One young man remained at the scene, injured, and the other three fled on foot before being arrested," he told Judge Zaidan. There was no objection to bail based on strict conditions agreed with the defendant's barrister Gerard Kennedy. The youth was released on his own bond of 100. He also has to carry a phone with him on which gardai can contact him at any time. He has to observe a curfew between 9pm and 8am and sign on daily at Tallaght Garda Station between 4pm and 6pm. The judge also made it a condition of bail that he not drive any vehicle for which a licence is required. He is due back before Athy court on January 9. The other two youths arrested in the same incident were released on Thursday night with a file being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions. Missing Amy Fitzpatricks heartbroken dad has spoken out on the 10th anniversary of his daughters disappearance in Spain to say: I will not rest until I find answers." Amy went missing from Riviera del Sol, in Mijas Costa, near Fuengirola on New Years Day 2008. Amy who was then just 15 had moved to Spain with her mum Audrey following the break-up of her parents marriage. Today Amys dad Christopher and her family and friends will attend a vigil in Dublin. Dave Mahon, who was living with Amy and Audrey in Spain, is serving a seven year prison sentence after he stabbed Amys brother Dean to death in Dublin in 2013. Dean (23), was killed by Mahon during a row over a water bottle on Mahons bike. Expand Close Christopher Fitzpatrick. Photo: RTE / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Christopher Fitzpatrick. Photo: RTE Mahon was sentenced to seven years in jail for manslaughter, with the jury dismissing his claims that Dean had deliberately took his own life by running into the knife Mahon was brandishing. Christmas and New Years will never be the same again, Amy's dad Christopher told the Sunday World. I am still devastated over the loss of my two children, Amy and Dean. Things will never be the same again." He appealed for friends of Amy who have information to come forward. I would like to ask people, who were there 10 years ago when Amy went missing and may have information they can now share, to contact the police, he said. People went back to the UK and different parts of the world afterwards, and they should come forward. We just want to find Amy. We know where Dean is, but to bring Amy home would be great. Expand Close (L to r) Christopher Fitzpatrick (father of Amy Fitzpatrick) & Dean Fitzpatrick (brother of Amy Fitzpatrick) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp (L to r) Christopher Fitzpatrick (father of Amy Fitzpatrick) & Dean Fitzpatrick (brother of Amy Fitzpatrick) Amy spent New Years Eve with her friends Ashley and Debbie Rose near her Spanish home. She was never seen again after leaving the Rose house around 10pm on New Years night to walk a few minutes back to her home. Amys aunt, Christine, said Amys disappearance has had a devastating impact on the family. The family are is still devastated over all this. Who would expect two people in the one family to be the victims of such tragic circumstances? Amys friends and much of her family will attend todays vigil at the Mansion House in Dublin at 2.30pm, at which the Lord Mayor will also be present. Premium Brendan O'Connor Opinion Mid-life Crisis: Theres a reason I fit here this is where my people make sense I was finally understanding what people are talking about when they talk about running. I was running around through woods, across dunes, on to beaches. I knew roughly where I was at all times, but not exactly. Each turn in the path I came to, each fork in the road, each entrance to a beach, I was making decisions. Go this way and that way, go up here a bit, suss it out, back down, maybe I can get back by going this way. There was only one rule. Do not cut the Japanese knotweed. And there were enough signs to remind me of that and besides, I didnt have any equipment on me. I was humming, vibrating with the landscape and the surroundings. Cast member Barry Keoghan arrives for the UK Premiere of "The Killing of a Sacred Deer" during the British Film Institute (BFI) London Film Festival at the Odeon Leicester Square in London, Britain October 12, 2017 REUTERS/Peter Nicholls It's time to reflect on those who changed 2017 for the better and whose success are about to reach new, deserved heights over the next 12 months. Sinead Burke Expand Close Sinead Burke attends the gala dinner during #BoFVOICES on December 1, 2017 in Oxford, England. (Photo by John Phillips/Getty Images for The Business of Fashion ) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Sinead Burke attends the gala dinner during #BoFVOICES on December 1, 2017 in Oxford, England. (Photo by John Phillips/Getty Images for The Business of Fashion ) You might know this 27-year-old as her online alter ego Minnie Melange, well it's not so much an alter ego as a username that has stuck. A vocal advocate for inclusivity, after years of making waves in Ireland, she was recognised internationally for her efforts last month when she was invited to speak at the Business of Fashion's annual VOICES event London, which is "an annual invitation-only event bringing together the movers, shakers and trailblazers of the fashion industry". It's safe to say the future is bright. Clara McSweeney Expand Close Clara McSweeney walks the runway at the Jenny Packham show during New York Fashion Week: Bridal on April 21, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Albert Urso/Getty Images) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Clara McSweeney walks the runway at the Jenny Packham show during New York Fashion Week: Bridal on April 21, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Albert Urso/Getty Images) She's only 20 years old but already somthing of an industry veteran after being snapped up by Andrea Roche at an agency open day when she was just 15. Clara, from Maccroom, Co Cork, is now based in New York and has walked for everyone from Badgley Mischka to BCBG Max Azria - not to mention landing a coveted beauty campaign with Sephora this summer. "I think she's the most successful Irish model in the last few years and not just because she's my own," Andrea told me in September. Aoibhinn Lane Expand Close Model Aoibhinn Lane / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Model Aoibhinn Lane This 19-year-old from Cork has spent most of the last year travelling across Europe for work and after finishing her Leaving Cert, went straight for it full-time. She's represented by Lockdown and MiLK in London and has featured at LFW and New York Fashion Week and is working with that quiet confidence so rarely seen in Irish modelling. Barry Keoghan Expand Close Cast member Barry Keoghan arrives for the UK Premiere of "The Killing of a Sacred Deer" during the British Film Institute (BFI) London Film Festival at the Odeon Leicester Square in London, Britain October 12, 2017 REUTERS/Peter Nicholls / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Cast member Barry Keoghan arrives for the UK Premiere of "The Killing of a Sacred Deer" during the British Film Institute (BFI) London Film Festival at the Odeon Leicester Square in London, Britain October 12, 2017 REUTERS/Peter Nicholls This one hardly comes as a surprise given Variety and The Hollywood Reporter beat us to it, but at 25, Kegohan, from Dublin's Summerhill is a star on the rise worthy on the praise bestowed upon him by critics, co-stars and just about everyone he meets. In addition to his brand ambassadorship with Dior to carry him through to next year, he's preparing for the release of another two films: Black 47 and American Animals. Not to mention whispers of an Oscar nomination for Killing Of A Sacred Deer. Aaron Hurley Expand Close Aaron Hurley is a photographer. Picture: Kelly Horrigan / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Aaron Hurley is a photographer. Picture: Kelly Horrigan Aaron's name is already a familiar one in Irish media circles - he's a respected photographer who has shot countless campaigns, editorials and model headshots this year. His work is beautiful and inspiring and his Instagram stories are a proper look into behind the scenes life. Not to mention he's still only 20. Hannah Rose May This model-turned-actress has been US-based for most of her career, but it looks like she might be achieving the near impossible, a successful career on the big screen. In 2018, she's preparing for the release of her first feature film, The Recall opposite Wesley Snipes. Daniel Paul Expand Close Daniel Paul / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Daniel Paul "If you could invent something tomorrow, what would it be?" If your answer was "Airbnb for parking in Dublin", I hate to break it to you, but Daniel Paul beat you to it. This 22-year-old student is convinced he's got a relatively easy solution to the parking crisis in the city centre in his Parkpnp app, which was officially launched in January of this year. Lisa and Vanessa Creaven Expand Close Lisa and Vanessa Creaven / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Lisa and Vanessa Creaven We're a sucker for a good start-up success story, but this one is made all the more special by the fact that Vanessa and Lisa Creaven are sisters. Smart sisters - they're both dentists and launched their successful Spotlight whitening strips in 2016 and have already become market leaders, reaching sales of 500,000 online in this last year. Prepare for more from this glamorous pair who prove some people do have it all. Colin Horgan This Irish designer is no stranger to celebrity endorsements, but Lady Gaga wearing his liquid trousers at the Toronto International Film Festival and Little Mix's Perrie Edwards being photographed in his work in October means new, exciting heights. And we can't wait to see who wears him next. TV3's Elaine Crowley says she was like a "kid in a candy store" after trying dating app Tinder. However, she said that she couldn't use the social networking site here in Ireland, as the country is too small. "I tried Tinder once when I was in London but it only lasted for three hours," she said. "It was just after one of my fitness boot-camps so I was looking good. It was a complete eye-opener. "I didn't actually meet up with anyone in the end but it was a nice confidence booster to get matched up with some nice-looking blokes. "Ireland is too small for me to go on Tinder and start looking for dates. "If I did go on they'd think, 'Oh there's that crazy, fat, depressed girl off the telly' and would swipe left immediately!" One of Ireland's best-known stars, she has been dubbed the queen of daytime TV thanks to her panel chat show. However, the Operation Transformation star, who turned 40 last August, said that she thought she would be married at this stage of her life. She has spent the past few weeks happily ensconced in family life down in her native town of Mallow and comes from a big clan herself, as one of 10 children. Expand Close Elaine Crowley at TV3's new season launch at The National Concert Hall. Picture: Gareth Chaney Collins / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Elaine Crowley at TV3's new season launch at The National Concert Hall. Picture: Gareth Chaney Collins "I love my nieces and nephews so much. There must be at least 20 of them at this stage," she said. "But I do wonder how different my life would be if I was married and had kids of my own. "I thought it would have happened by now and it hasn't. I think that ship has sailed. "My hormones are flying off the cliff. I know I can physically and medically still have kids of my own but it's very unlikely now. I am resigned to the fact. "It upsets me when I think about it but then I have to tell myself to cop on and be grateful for what I have," she told the Sunday World. "Plus, I am very impulsive. I have been known to fly off to Thailand at the drop of the hat from time to time. "I couldn't do that with kids obviously. So I have to adapt to the reality that I'll never be a mum." The broadcaster is currently in a relationship, which she said it going "great". "It's a new-enough relationship, so I don't want to jinx it. But I'd by lying if I said this time of year was easy for me," she said. "But I am happy and I am with someone." Elaine has plenty of plans for 2018, with the globe-trotting star hoping to do even more travelling in the new year. "I promised myself that I would visit every continent at some point, so I want to head to South America and then eventually to Antarctica to complete the list," she said. "I'm not a big New Year's resolution-type person but travel-wise, I have plans." The latter rivalry has been especially nettlesome because it has prevented students who cannot, for economic or familial reasons, attend a four-year college, from achieving the educations they seek and we need. Many of the states 100-plus community colleges stand ready to offer four-year degrees but they have been restricted to a pilot program that allows a very few schools to offer baccalaureate programs in a very few obscure fields that CSU deigns to ignore. Community college-based four-year degrees are common in many other states, but in California, CSU has stoutly resisted efforts to expand the notion. This past week, the Legislatures budget analyst, Mac Taylor, issued an interim evaluation of the pilot program that was inconclusive. It said that allowing community colleges to offer degrees in a few fields appears to be expanding access to students who would otherwise not be able to seek them, but that the fields themselves are often those that may not require bachelors degrees to pursue. Basically, it concluded that more experience is needed to have data that would prove whether expansion of the pilot program is warranted. I am a married man, with a wife and two teenagers. I was born and live in a large provincial town. My wife is from the city. From the outside I'm sure many people would say we have it all - two good jobs, nice house and lovely children. But on the inside I'm in turmoil. My wife works in a multi-national company, is attractive, vivacious and a charmer. I've always tried to be loving, considerate, caring and a good husband. Seven years ago my world was turned upside down when I discovered my wife was having an affair with a colleague. As she was in management she worked long hours and was away often at meetings and conferences. I was mother and father to the two children. I cooked, cleaned, helped with homework and attended camogie matches. I felt very alone in this relationship. Initially I was shocked, hurt and very angry. I felt a failure as a husband and a man. I adopted the view that she had been taken advantage of by her colleague. I took her back, nobody ever knew, though my mother was suspicious something was wrong. I thought over time we could recover as a couple. I organised romantic weekends away, bought her flowers, and was attentive. Intimacy was always an issue as we both come from strict Catholic backgrounds and had very little intimacy before we got married. When we were first married I thought things would improve, but sex was functional. After the affair, I thought with time that we might reignite intimacy but we only ended up having rows. We went for counselling but that did not help. About four years ago I stopped trying and now make no overtures. We live like flatmates and share a bed but there are no hugs or kisses so we have a celibate marriage. Things are mostly calm but from time to time, the issue of intimacy comes up and we have a big row but nothing is ever resolved. I accepted this but lately I have days where I am on the verge of tears. Is no intimacy a good enough reason to leave a marriage? I fear for the future. I'm not a sex maniac but I crave to be touched, hugged and made to feel special. We have never recovered as a couple from the affair. I am very strongly thinking of separating, as I am very unhappy. What do I tell the children? What will become of the house which I built with the help of my brothers and cousins on my parents' land? Am I to end my days in an apartment or just be thankful for all I have? I have suggested going to another counsellor but she refuses. I am very tempted to seek intimacy outside this marriage. I fantasise about some of the ladies I meet in the town, especially a former girlfriend who is separated and is always chatty when we meet up. I often lie awake at night thinking how lonely it is. My feelings towards my wife have died or are, at best, suppressed. Am I being selfish and should I forget my own needs and put up? Mary replies: I have some questions concerning your wife's affair. Did it end naturally or because you found out? What caused her to have the affair in the first place? Why did you allocate the blame to the other man rather than to them both? It seems as if you are unable to see any faults at all in your wife, which is not healthy. If the affair finished because they were found out then possibly it still has not finished in your wife's head. Was all of this thoroughly covered in counselling, particularly the reasons why she had it and how she felt when it was over? I ask about all of this because of the inability of both of you to move on in the marriage, which should be possible but is not happening. As a result you are 'stuck' as a couple and you are feeling miserable. None of the options you list is ideal but you will have to let your wife know that you are seriously thinking of either leaving the marriage or having an affair yourself. It will then be up to her to either give things another chance, ideally by going to a different counsellor, or end the marriage. You are getting progressively more down about things, and whereas it is possible for people to exist with little or no intimacy, they both have to feel that they can cope with this, and you clearly cannot. Your children will have other friends whose parents have separated and while they would be very unhappy if you were to break up, in a few short years they will have left the family home and it will just be yourself and your wife who are left. You have to be sure that you would be happy with this. If not, then things will have to change. You can contact Mary OConor anonymously by visiting www.dearmary.ie or email her at dearmary@independent.ie or write c/o 27-32 Talbot Street, Dublin 1. All correspondence will be treated in confidence. Mary OConor regrets that she is unable to answer any questions privately. Heavy clashes are taking place between Syrian government forces and insurgents east of Damascus amid at least a dozen air strikes, activists said. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and Syrian activist Mazen al-Shami said the fighting was concentrated inside a military installation near the suburb of Harasta, where a government force has been trapped for a day. The Observatory said the Syrian air force conducted at least a dozen air strikes on Harasta and nearby suburbs. Mr al-Shami reported dozens of air strikes, saying the government had brought in reinforcements overnight and is trying to reach the trapped forces. The Observatory said three days of violence in the suburbs of Damascus known as eastern Ghouta has killed 35 civilians, as well as 24 government troops and 29 insurgents. A seaplane crashed into a Sydney river yesterday, killing six people on a "wine and dine" sightseeing flight ahead of the city's harbour-centred New Year's Eve celebrations. Four Britons were feared dead in the crash. New South Wales Police Force said divers had recovered six bodies from the scene and an investigation was under way to identify the victims and determine the cause of the crash. Six people including the pilot were on board the plane when it crashed off Jerusalem Bay near Cowan, north of Sydney, at around 3.10pm (4.10am Irish time) yesterday, police said. Police said they did not immediately know the cause of the crash, nor the identities of the five passengers, but were speaking with several witnesses who were in boats on one of the waterways' busiest days of the year. The pilot was the sixth victim. The aircraft was operated by Sydney Seaplanes, a major tourism operator in the city. Several visiting celebrities have flown on the company's sightseeing planes, including pop stars Ed Sheeran and Sam Smith, tech mogul Bill Gates, comedian Jerry Seinfeld and actor Cuba Gooding Jnr. Police said the seaplane was returning the party of five people from a waterside restaurant in Sydney's north to the Sydney Seaplanes headquarters in Rose Bay in the city's east when it crashed into the water, immediately sinking. "We have spoken to a number of witnesses," Acting Superintendent Michael Gorman told reporters, adding that forensic police would inspect the plane to assess when it could be raised from the seabed. "It's too early in the investigation so we don't know why the plane crashed." Mr Gorman said police were liaising with Sydney Seaplanes to identify the victims and their families would be contacted before they were named publicly. Sydney Seaplanes has been operating since 1938, originally flying from Australia to Britain, a journey that required 30 refuelling stops along what became famous as the "Kangaroo" route. Local reports said four Britons were among the dead. The UK foreign office was unable to confirm any details of the crash, but said British officials are in contact with authorities in Sydney. A spokeswoman said: "Officials from the British consulate are in contact with local authorities. We stand ready to provide consular assistance." New South Wales Police Force and the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) are investigating the cause. The ATSB said the single-engine plane operated by Sydney Seaplanes is reported to have "sunk rapidly" after hitting the water. "At around 3pm this afternoon, a DHC-2 Beaver Seaplane, VH-NOO, operated by Sydney Seaplanes was flying in the vicinity of Jerusalem Bay (near Cottage Point)," the bureau said. "It is understood that there was one pilot and five passengers on the aircraft on a return flight to Rose Bay. "The sequence of events leading up to the accident are not yet understood, however following the impact with the water, the aircraft is reported to have sunk rapidly." Syrian President Bashar Assad reshuffled his government on Monday, replacing the ministers of defence, information and industry, state news agency SANA has reported. SANA did not give a reason for the government reshuffle that comes at a time when Mr Assad's forces have been gaining ground over the past two years under the cover of Russian airstrikes and with the help of Iran-backed fighters. It said army commander General Ali Ayoub has been named defence minister replacing Fahd Jassem al-Freij, who had held the post since 2012. Mr Ayoub had been the army chief of staff since July 2012 until he became defence minister. The agency added that Imad Sarah has been named information minister while Mohammed Mazen Youssef was chosen as the new minister of industry. The announcement came as different parts of Syria witnessed violence, mostly in the suburbs of the capital Damascus and north-western Syria, where troops are on the offensive on the southern edge of Idlib province. Heavy clashes broke out between Syrian government forces and insurgents east of Damascus when troops tried to reach under the cover of a dozen airstrikes a force trapped inside, opposition activists said. The clashes have been ongoing for three days but, on Sunday, rebels backed by al-Qaida-linked fighters attacked troops and pro-government gunmen, capturing parts of a military installation and surrounding a force inside. The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and Syria-based activist Mazen al-Shami said Monday's fighting was concentrated inside the military installation near the suburb of Harasta, where the government force has been trapped. The Observatory said the Syrian air force conducted at least a dozen airstrikes on Harasta and nearby suburbs. Mr Al-Shami reported dozens of airstrikes. He said the government brought in reinforcements overnight and is trying to reach the trapped force. The Observatory said three days of violence in the suburbs of Damascus known as eastern Ghouta has killed 35 civilians as well as 24 government troops and 29 insurgents. An official with the ultra-conservative Ahrar al-Sham insurgent group said the government is negotiating the passage of its fighters trapped in the military installation. Syria's state media did not mention the trapped force but blamed insurgents for the violence, saying they are firing shells into government-controlled areas killing at least one civilian. The UN says government forces are holding nearly 400,000 people under siege in eastern Ghouta. The region was once a hotbed of protest against Mr Assad's government. AP The prosecutor said the teenager's grandfather and brother were not targeted and left the home unharmed A 16-year-old New Jersey boy armed with a semi-automatic rifle shot and killed his parents, sister and a family friend inside the home where they lived, authorities have said. Monmouth County prosecutor Chris Gramiccioni said the teen will be charged with four counts of murder and a weapons offence stemming from the shooting that occurred late on Sunday night, less than 20 minutes before midnight on New Year's Eve, in the shore town of Long Branch. A possible motive for the shooting has not been disclosed. The rifle used in the shooting was legally registered to a resident of the house, Mr Gramiccioni said. The teen's name has not been disclosed and it was not known on Monday if he has retained a lawyer. The victims were identified as the boy's parents Steven Kologi, 44, and Linda Kologi, 42; his 18-year-old sister Brittany and 70-year-old Mary Schultz, who lived with the family. Mr Gramiccioni said police responded to a 911 call of shots fired at the home just after 11.30pm on Sunday. He described the shooting as an isolated domestic incident and said the teen was taken into custody without issue. The teen's grandfather and brother were not targeted and left the home unharmed. "It's a terribly tragic incident," Mr Gramiccioni said. He said the teen is expected to make an initial court appearance on Tuesday. AP Armed protesters tried to overrun military bases and police stations in Iran before security forces repelled them, killing 10 people, state television has reported. Iran's semi-official Mehr news agency said an assailant using a hunting rifle killed a policeman and wounded three other officers during a demonstration in the central city of Najafabad, about 200 miles south of Tehran. It was the first report of a police officer dying during five days of unrest and raised the death toll to at least 13. The demonstrations, the largest to strike Iran since its disputed 2009 presidential election, began on Thursday in Mashhad over economic issues and have expanded to several cities, with some protesters chanting against the government and the supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Hundreds of people have been arrested. Iranian state television aired footage of a ransacked private bank, broken windows, overturned cars and a fire engine that appeared to have been set ablaze. It said 10 people were killed by security forces during clashes on Sunday night. In a later report, state TV said six people were killed in the western town of Tuyserkan, 185 miles south-west of Tehran, and three in the town of Shahinshahr, 195 miles south of Tehran. It did not say where the 10th person was killed. Earlier on Monday, the semi-official ILNA news agency quoted Hedayatollah Khademi, a representative for the town of Izeh, as saying two people died there on Sunday night. He said the cause of death was not immediately known, though authorities later described one of the deaths as the result of a personal dispute. Two protesters also were killed during clashes late on Saturday in Doroud, some 200 miles south-west of Tehran in Lorestan province, authorities have said. On Sunday, Iran blocked access to Instagram and the popular messaging app Telegram used by activists to organise. President Hassan Rouhani acknowledged the public's anger over the Islamic Republic's flagging economy, though he and others warned the government would not hesitate to crack down on those it considers lawbreakers. Mr Rouhani also stressed Iran "has seen many similar events and passed them easily". US President Donald Trump, who has been tweeting in support of the protesters, continued into the new year, describing Iran as "failing at every level despite the terrible deal made with them by the Obama Administration". "The great Iranian people have been repressed for many years," he wrote. "They are hungry for food & for freedom. Along with human rights, the wealth of Iran is being looted. TIME FOR CHANGE!" Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, calling the protesters "brave" and "heroic," said in a video posted to YouTube on Monday that the protesters sought freedom, justice and "the basic liberties that have been denied to them for decades". Iran's economy has improved since its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, which saw the country agree to limit its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the end of some international sanctions. Tehran now sells its oil on the global market and has signed deals to purchase tens of billions of dollars' worth of western aircraft. That improvement has not reached the average Iranian, however. Unemployment remains high and official inflation has crept up to 10% again. AP As thousands celebrated New Year's Eve at Berlin's iconic Brandenburg Gate last night, a team of medical professionals in a white tent only yards away were standing by, waiting for possible victims of sexual assault and harassment to seek their help. After mass sexual assaults occurred on New Year's Eve in several German cities two years ago, Berlin officials now work on the assumption that prevention efforts alone may no longer be sufficient at such large-scale events. Women were able to speak to psychologists immediately after being assaulted or harassed in a "safe zone" at the New Year's Eve event. While the presence of medical professionals and police officers at crowded event sites is nothing new, it is the first time such a dedicated area with experienced staffers had been set up in Berlin, and the first time that such an effort was undertaken on New Year's Eve in Germany. "Assaulted women can stay here and calm down or speak to someone trained to offer psychological support," said Anja Marx, the spokeswoman of Berlin's main New Year's Eve celebrations. On New Year's Eve 2015, about 1,200 women became victims of sexual assault in several major German cities, with more than 600 women attacked in Cologne and about 400 victims in the northern city of Hamburg. Prosecutors established that more than 2,000 men were involved in the assaults, but only a tiny fraction - about half of them foreign nationals who at the time had only recently arrived in the country - had been identified a year later. It took months for the full scale of the 2015 assaults to emerge, but when prosecutors released their final estimates, Germans' attitudes toward refugees changed dramatically. To many, New Year's Eve 2015 is the night Germany'swelcoming attitude toward newcomers ended. Leading politicians called for tougher deportation laws soon after. Far fewer cases of sexual assault were registered last year after authorities sent out thousands of additional police officers onto the streets and banned the use of fireworks in several locations. Privately purchased fireworks can create intense smoke, potentially hindering police operations to prevent or stop sexual assaults and other crimes. Germany's parliament also passed stricter sexual assault laws last year that addressed complaints that German codes had been too lax. Previously, prosecutors had to prove that alleged perpetrators used force or made threats. Most of the alleged perpetrators responsible for the 2015 New Year's Eve assaults stood accused of offenses such as facilitating sex assaults as part of a group or groping, accusations that were difficult to prosecute under the old laws. This year, authorities have doubled down on efforts to not only prosecute but also prevent assaults. Apart from an increased police presence, authorities have installed more CCTV cameras across major cities. Far fewer sexual assaults occurred in Berlin during the 2015 celebrations than in other cities, partially due to the experience authorities in the capital have in dealing with crowds. Still, authorities there have taken more preventative measures since, this year adding the safe zone. A similar effort was made at the rowdy Oktoberfest celebration. However, Berlin's safe zone has come under some criticism. The chairman of Germany's police union, Rainer Wendt, criticised Berlin's planned safe zone for women in an interview with a German newspaper last week, saying: "Whoever came up with this idea did not understand its political dimension. It implies there are zones of security as well as zones of insecurity." Mr Wendt's criticism was shared by others who believe that the introduction of women's safe zones would essentially come close to accepting sexual violence as a reality of life, and that it could lead to the "end of equality, freedom and self-determination", in Germany, as Mr Wendt phrased it. But experts on sexual assault prevention disagree with that assessment. "Germany's efforts are a step in the right direction - they counter the expectation that sexual violence should be treated as a private problem, not a public concern," said Rachel Davis, managing director at the Prevention Institute in Oakland, California, even though she emphasised that "more can be done to prevent it in the first place". "It's also important to counter the promotion of other norms, such as rigid gender norms that associate masculinity with control and femininity with compliance; acceptance of abuse of power over others; and acceptance of aggression and violence," Ms Davis said. ( 2017, The Washington Post) A police tent is erected in Norwood Road in Tulse Hill, south London after a 17 year old boy died after a fatal stabbing Four people have been killed in a spate of unrelated stabbings across London on New Years Eve. Police are appealing for information after a 17-year-old boy, 18-year-old man and two others aged 20 died within hours as millions celebrated the start of 2018. Investigators called the murders heart-breaking while vowing to crack down on a rise in knife crime and other violence in the capital. The first victim, an 18-year-old man, was stabbed in Larmans Road, Enfield, at around 11.30am and died later in hospital. Shortly after 7.30pm, a 20-year-old man was stabbed to death in Memorial Avenue, West Ham, east London. Three hours later, a 17-year-old boy was fatally stabbed near Tulse Hill railway station in south London, dying on the pavement from a single wound. Detectives said they had an open mind over possible motives but that the victim was involved in an argument on a bus travelling through the area shortly before the attack. Then in the early hours of the New Year, at around 2.30am, a 20-year-old man died of knife injuries in Bartholomew Court, Old Street, near the City of London boundary. A fifth man aged in his 20s was stabbed in the same incident and remains in a critical condition in hospital. Scotland Yard said none of the killings were being treated as linked after launching four separate murder investigations. Commander Neil Jerome, of the Metropolitan Polices Territorial Policing Command, said thousands of officers had been on duty across London to keep the public safe during celebrations. However, there were small groups who chose to engage in disorder and violence, and whose actions have had utterly tragic consequences, he added. "It is heart-breaking that, at a time when so many of us are contemplating what lies ahead in 2018, four families are dealing with the grief of losing a loved one to senseless violence and the callous use of knives as lethal weapons. I can assure Londoners - and the families and friends of the four males killed and the fifth who remains in hospital - that detectives will work tirelessly to bring to justice those responsible for such despicable acts of violence. Five male suspects have been arrested in connection with the murder in Enfield but no one has been detained over the three other cases. Mr Jerome said police were supporting grieving families and had reinforced the determination to tackle knife crime and violence among young people. "I would urge anyone with information about these attacks, and more generally about anyone who routinely carries a knife, to urgently pass that information to police or Crimestoppers, he urged. If you've hesitated to do so before, then these four tragic deaths at the start of a new year may persuade you to act now to make London safer for your family and friends in 2018. Police are also investigating a mass stabbing at a Great Gatsby-themed New Year's Eve party in Sheffield. Two men were critically wounded in a fight at Crystal Bar at around 2.20am and remain in hospital, while three other people suffered superficial knife injuries. A spokesperson for South Yorkshire Police said all five men were in their 20s, adding: An investigation is in its early stages and officers remain in the Carver Street area carrying out inquiries. In Worcestershire, a man was arrested on suspicion of murdering a woman shortly before midnight on the same evening. West Mercia Police said officers were called to a home in Bromsgrove at 11.52pm, where a woman with knife injuries was pronounced dead around 20 minutes later. A 49-year-old local man was arrested at the scene. The latest deaths come amid mounting concern and anger over a spike in knife attacks in London, alongside rises in moped-enabled violent crime including acid attacks and robberies. Cressida Dick, the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, said stabbings had risen by 15 per cent in the capital in 2017. Speaking in November, she said the crime wave was being driven by a core group of young offenders repeatedly committing assault and robbery with relative impunity. Ms Dick argued that an increasing number of young people do not fear state action and are not deterred by the threat of imprisonment because they do not believe they will be jailed, or that it would be for a short time. One in three robbery victims is aged 10 to 19, while the 26 per cent of rape victims are in the same age group, along with 16 per cent of sexual offenders, the Commissioner said. Crime reported to police has risen by 13 per cent across England and Wales in the past year, with the increase partly attributed to a genuine rise in violent crime. Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. British Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has suggested in his New Year message that his party is "staking out the new centre ground" in British politics and that he is leading a "government in waiting". He insisted: "The old political consensus is finished." In her New Year message, British Prime Minister Theresa May said 2018 would bring "renewed confidence and pride" to Britain as she sought to heal Brexit divisions and draw a line under a tumultuous 12 months. She used her message to hail the "good progress" made in the Brexit negotiations, but also made clear that the EU withdrawal was "not the limit of our ambitions". In his video message, Mr Corbyn said the UK was being "held back by a self-serving elite, who look after themselves and their friends". He continued: "I'd like to wish you all a Happy New Year. "Ours is a fantastic country - full of wonderful, caring and talented people, with the hope of a great future ahead of us, where we all share in the wealth we create." Highlighting last year's general election - where Labour did much better than many commentators had predicted - Mr Corbyn said "the establishment" had "no idea" how to fix the "broken system". He continued: "In 2017, we said, 'No more.' There is an alternative and millions joined our cause in the general election. And now the establishment's secret is out: they're not as strong as they appear. Let's face it, they have no idea how to fix their broken system or upgrade our stagnant economy. "In 2018, Labour's mission is to give our people support and security and use their talents, unleash their creativity and fulfil their hopes." In an attack on Mrs May and the Conservatives, Mr Corbyn described her government as "weak and divided" and "stuck in an outdated rut". "We are a government in waiting," said Mr Corbyn. "The hope of a new Britain, run in the interests of the many, not the few, is closer than ever before. Together, we can, and we will, deliver it." Mr Corbyn also said that it was a "moral imperative" for people to pay their "fair share" of tax as he warned that vital public services were threatened by a lack of resources. The Labour leader said his message to the middle classes was that they too would need the NHS and so they must be prepared to fund it. The government was "hanging on by a thread" and his party was ready for another election - but Mr Corbyn also acknowledged: "We must do more to broaden our appeal." In an interview with the 'Sunday Mirror', he defended Labour's plans to hike income tax for the wealthy. "We must all pay our fair share," he said, adding: "There is a moral imperative. We will raise tax at the top end in order to invest for the rest of society. I want to lead a Labour government that will do that." At the general election, Labour set out plans for the threshold at which people start paying the 45p rate of income tax to be reduced to 80,000 (90,000) from 150,000, with a new 50p rate for people earning more than 123,000. Explaining why extra funding was required, Mr Corbyn said: "I do say to the middle classes and the well-off one day you will be ill. You'll need the NHS. "And your kids may not be able to buy a house. They're not going to get a council place because they're not in desperate need. Taxes "Think about it. Are we a society that houses everybody? Or are we going to be a society that is the lowest-paid, worst-housed, most indebted country in Europe? Because that's where we are heading at the moment." Mr Corbyn also said it was "incredibly reprehensible" to attempt to dodge taxes by putting money in offshore havens. Labour was "ready to have an election at any point" if Theresa May's administration collapsed and its leader was "relishing the opportunity to campaign across the country with our message of hope". Mr Corbyn said Labour had to build on its progress in last June's election. He concluded: "Winning 13 million votes was a great achievement, but there is more convincing to be done." Ousted Catalan president Carles Puigdemont has demanded Madrid reinstate his regional government, which was deposed after an independence referendum that Spanish courts judged illegal, as part of a political settlement. "As president, I demand the Spanish government and those who support it... restore all they have expropriated from the Catalans without their say-so," Mr Puigdemont said from Brussels. A solid showing by pro-independence parties in the December 21 poll strengthened the hand of the secessionists, albeit they did not capture a majority. In a recorded message, Mr Puigdemont insisted he was still Catalonia's "legitimate" leader. After the divisive regional elections, how the independence camp intends to rule remains a mystery, with other secessionist leaders, including Mr Puigdemont's former deputy Oriol Junqueras, behind bars pending trial. "The ballot box has spoken," said Mr Puigdemont, who said he hoped the election outcome could kickstart moves towards "dialogue and negotiation". Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy last Friday denounced as "absurd" any idea Mr Puigdemont could govern from exile and Ines Arrimadas, regional head of the anti-independence Cuidadanos party, agreed. "He believes he can be president via internet and WhatsApp," he said. 4. He fired James Comey. If he wanted a change in FBI leadership, he should have announced it the day after the election. Comey's belated firing led directly to the Mueller probe, which hangs over the Trump presidency like the Sword of Damocles. 3. He has dismissed Russian interference in the 2016 election. During his trip to Asia, Trump said he really believes that when Vladimir Putin tells him Russia did not interfere in the 2016 election, Putin believes it. This is patently absurd. Putin directed Russia's meddling. It is possible to accept that Russia sought to influence our election without accepting that there was any collusion. The fact that a foreign government tried to undermine our democracy should outrage all Americans, regardless of party - including the president. 2. He stood by Roy Moore. His endorsement of an alleged sex predator was morally indefensible and sent a message to women everywhere that Republicans do not believe that credible allegations of a grown manmolesting teenage girls are disqualifying. And that message has been received. Polls show a significant increase in the percentage of women who favor Democrats over Republicans in 2018. Fireworks light up the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House as part of new year celebrations Photo: REUTERS/David Gray The New Year rang in around the world both hot and cold. In hot Australia, fireworks lit up the sky above Sydney Harbour a few hours before midnight, kicking off the city's New Year's celebrations. Around one million people were expected to gather to watch the festivities. Security was tight, but officials said there was no particular alert. But in China those willing to brave the cold in Beijing joined a countdown at the tower at Yongdingmen Gate, a rebuilt version of the Ming dynasty-era landmark gate at the southern end of the city's north-south axis. Bells will be rung and prayers offered at temples in Beijing, but the Gregorian calendar's New Year's celebrations are typically muted in China compared to the Lunar New Year, or Spring Festival, a time of fireworks, feasts and family reunions. Authorities throughout China are also on high alert for stampedes or terror attacks at large public gatherings. Many Japanese are celebrating the arrival of the Year of the Dog in the traditional way of praying for peace and good fortune at neighbourhood Shinto shrines, and eating New Year's food such as noodles, shrimp and sweet black beans. Barbecued beef and octopus dumpling stalls were out at Tokyo's Zojoji Temple, where people take turns striking the giant bell 108 times at midnight, an annual practice repeated at other Buddhist temples throughout Japan. North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes cast a shadow over Japan's hopes for peace, said 33-year-old cab driver Masaru Eguchi, who was ready to be busy all night shuttling shrine visitors. After spending an exhausting year that saw a presidency toppled by a corruption scandal and nuclear-armed North Korea firing missile after missile, South Koreans enter 2018 in need of a happy distraction. The upcoming winter Olympics just might do it. Thousands of people are expected to fill the streets near Seoul's City Hall for a traditional bell-tolling ceremony to usher in the new year. The group of dignitaries picked to ring the old Bosingak bell at midnight includes Soohorang and Bandabi - the tiger and bear mascots for the Pyeongchang Winter Games and Paralympics in February and March. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of revellers will ring in the new year in Las Vegas under the close eye of law enforcement just three months after the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history. Tourism officials expect about 330,000 people to come to Las Vegas for the festivities, which are anchored by a roughly eight-minute fireworks display at the top of seven casino-hotels. Smoke and fire seen at the site where a plane crashed in the mountainous area of Punta Islita, in the province of Guanacaste, in Costa Rica December 31, 2017 in this picture obtained from social media. Ministerio de Seguridad Publica de Costa Rica/via REUTERS A family of five from the New York City suburb of Scarsdale was aboard a plane that crashed into woodland off a popular tourist beach in Costa Rica on Sunday, killing all 12 people aboard, a family relative said. Ten US citizens and two Costa Rican pilots were killed when the Cessna 208B Grand Caravan aircraft crashed minutes after takeoff into a mountainous area off the beach town of Punta Islita, the Costa Rican government said. The town is in the province of Guanacaste, about 230 km (140 miles) west of the capital of San Jose. The dead included the Steinberg family, consisting of a couple and their three sons. Expand Expand Previous Next Close Fire seen at the site where a plane crashed in the mountainous area of Punta Islita, in the province of Guanacaste, in Costa Rica December 31, 2017 in this picture obtained from social media. Ministerio de Seguridad Publica de Costa Rica/via REUTERS Wreckage in flames after a plane crashed in the mountainous area of Punta Islita, in the province of Guanacaste, in Costa Rica in this still image taken from social media video December 31, 2017. Ministerio de Seguridad Publica de Costa Rica/via REUTERS / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Fire seen at the site where a plane crashed in the mountainous area of Punta Islita, in the province of Guanacaste, in Costa Rica December 31, 2017 in this picture obtained from social media. Ministerio de Seguridad Publica de Costa Rica/via REUTERS "We are in utter shock and disbelief right now," Tamara Steinberg Jacobsen, the sister of the father, Bruce Steinberg, said on Facebook, where she posted pictures of the family and thanked people for their condolences. "This will be our last post until we know further details. At this time we ask for privacy other than from immediate family and closest friends," she said in a subsequent post. The family was identified as Bruce and Irene Steinberg and their sons William, Zachary and Matthew, The New York Times reported, citing relatives and a family friend. Nature Air, the Costa Rican company that operated the flight, identified the five Steinbergs and five other passengers: Thibault Astruc, Amanda Geissler, Charles Palmer, Leslie Weiss and Sherry Wuu. All 10 passengers were US citizens, the State Department confirmed on Monday. They all died along with Costa Rican pilots Juan Manuel Retana and Emma Ramos, Nature Air said. Expand Expand Previous Next Close People standing at the site of a plane crash near in Punta Islita, Guanacaste, Costa Rica (Costa Rica's Public Safety Ministry via AP) Smoke rises from wreckage after a plane crashed in the mountainous area of Punta Islita, in the province of Guanacaste, in Costa Rica December 31, 2017 in this picture obtained from social media. Ministerio de Seguridad Publica de Costa Rica/via REUTERS / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp People standing at the site of a plane crash near in Punta Islita, Guanacaste, Costa Rica (Costa Rica's Public Safety Ministry via AP) Bruce Steinberg worked in investment banking and Irene Steinberg volunteered for many nonprofit groups, The Times said, citing a family friend, Lyn Kaller. Matthew was an eighth-grader at a private school, William attended the University of Pennsylvania and Zachary was at Johns Hopkins University, the Times reported. "They were a very loving, close family. They were devoted to their children. Any picture you see of them, it was full of smiles," Kaller was quoted as saying by The Journal News, which covers the Lower Hudson Valley area of New York state. Reached by Reuters on Sunday, Kaller declined to comment. Officials as of Sunday had yet to determine the cause of the crash, said Enio Cubillo, director of Costa Rica's civil aviation agency. Punta Islita, on Costa Rica's Pacific Coast, is popular among North American and European tourists for its pristine beaches and lush landscape. Shelling and rocket fire in the suburbs of Damascus have killed 19 civilians, according to first responders, the day after medical evacuations saved the lives of 29 others. The Syrian Civil Defence - volunteer rescuers also known as the White Helmets - said pro-government forces shelled the rebel-held eastern Ghouta suburbs on Saturday, killing six children and 13 adults. On Friday, the Red Cross and Red Crescent evacuated 29 patients from the besieged suburbs to receive urgent medical care in government hospitals in the capital. The UN says about 400,000 people are trapped under the government's siege of eastern Ghouta. Meanwhile, it has also emerged that Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan will visit Paris on Thursday to meet his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, with the conflict in Syria set to be high on their agenda. Among the regional crises the two leaders plan to discuss, there would be a particular focus on Syria as well as on the Palestinian situation, a source in Mr Macron's office said, weeks after US President Donald Trump recognised Jerusalem as Israel's capital. That move stirred concern among Western allies and outrage in the Arab world. Mr Erdogan made some of his harshest comments earlier this week regarding Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, calling him a terrorist and saying it was impossible for peace efforts in Syria to continue if he did not leave power. Jerusalem Mr Macron said recently that France would push for peace talks involving all parties in the six-year-old Syrian conflict, including al-Assad, and promised "initiatives" early next year. The Elysee source said: "The question of human rights will also be raised" when Erdogan and Macron meet. A security crackdown in Turkey after a failed coup in 2016 has drawn criticism from campaigners and the European Union, which is overseeing Ankara's halting bid to join the EU. Dozens of Syrian militants and their families departed aboard buses from the village of Beit Jin, which is besieged by government forces, near the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights on Saturday as part of a deal to clear yet another district of insurgents. The evacuations came as government-controlled media said two mass graves were discovered in the northern province of Raqqa, where the Isil terrorist group held sway for more than three years. A protester shot and killed a policeman during demonstrations in Iran, police said on Monday, the first reported fatality among security forces struggling to contain unrest challenging the clerical leadership. Demonstrations continued for a fifth day, after 13 people were reported to have been killed on Sunday in the worst wave of unrest since 2009 when huge crowds took to the streets to condemn the re-election of then-president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The protests put pressure on the clerical leaders in power since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, as well as President Hassan Rouhani who made a televised call for calm on Sunday, saying Iranians had the right to criticise but must not cause unrest. The killing of the police officer happened when a demonstrator opened fire with a hunting rifle in the central city of Najafabad, police spokesman Saeed Montazer al-Mahdi was quoted as saying by state TV. Three policemen were wounded. It was not clear when the incident took place. State TV said armed demonstrators on Sunday had tried to seize police and military bases but were stopped by "strong resistance from security forces." It gave no further details and there was no independent confirmation. Ten people were reported killed in protests on Sunday, a death toll that rose on Monday when the deputy governor of the western Hamadan Province, Saeed Shahrokhi, told ISNA another three protesters were killed on Sunday in the city of Tuyserkan. "NO TOLERANCE" Hundreds of people have been arrested, according to officials and social media. Online video showed police in the capital Tehran firing water cannon to disperse demonstrators, in footage said to have been filmed on Sunday. Protests against economic hardships and alleged corruption erupted in Iran's second city of Mashhad on Thursday and escalated across the country into calls for the religious establishment to step down. Some of the anger was directed at Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, breaking a taboo surrounding the man who has been supreme leader of Iran since 1989. Video posted on social media showed crowds of people, some chanting "Death to the dictator!", walking through the streets. Reuters was not immediately able to verify the footage. The Fars news agency reported "scattered groups" of protesters in Tehran on Monday and said a ringleader had been arrested. "The government will show no tolerance for those who damage public property, violate public order and create unrest in society," Rouhani said in his address on Sunday. Unsigned statements on social media urged Iranians to continue to demonstrate in 50 towns and cities. The government said it was temporarily restricting access to the Telegram messaging app and Instagram. There were reports that internet mobile access was blocked in some areas. TRUMP, NETANYAHU VOICE SUPPORT Iran is a major OPEC oil producer and regional power but frustrations have grown at home - where youth unemployment reached 28.8 percent last year - while the country is deeply involved in Syria and Iraq as part of a battle for influence with rival Saudi Arabia. Those foreign interventions are resented by many Iranians who want their leaders to create jobs instead of engaging in costly proxy wars. Among the reports of fatalities, two people were shot dead in the southwestern town of Izeh on Sunday and several others were injured, ILNA news agency quoted a member of parliament as saying. "I do not know whether yesterday's shooting was done by rally participants or the police and this issue is being investigated," Hedayatollah Khademi was quoted as saying. Regional governor Mostafa Samali told Fars that only one person was killed in an incident unrelated to the protests, and the suspected shooter had been arrested. Almost nine years since the "Green movement" reformist protests were crushed by the state, Iran's adversaries voiced their support for the resurgence of anti-government sentiment. U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted: "The great Iranian people have been repressed for many years. They are hungry for food & for freedom. Along with human rights, the wealth of Iran is being looted. TIME FOR CHANGE!" Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the "brave Iranians" taking to streets to protest at a regime that "wastes tens of billions of dollars spreading hate". "I wish the Iranian people success in their noble quest for freedom," he said in a video posted on his Facebook page. German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel urged "all sides (to) refrain from violent actions". A Utah art teacher was fired amid complaints that images of classical paintings containing nudity were passed out in a classroom and seen by sixth-graders, a newspaper reported. Mateo Rueda said he wasn't aware that a set of educational postcards from the elementary school library contained a few works depicting nudity when he handed them out during a lesson, the Herald Journal newspaper said on Thursday. He removed the cards when they made students uncomfortable, the paper reported. "This is not material at all that I would use. I had no idea," Rueda said. He said he has requested a hearing and plans to appeal his termination to clear his reputation. A few days after the lesson on 4 December, police went to Lincoln Elementary School in Hyrum, about 80 miles north of Salt Lake City, to investigate a complaint that Rudea was showing pornography to students. Cache County deputies found Principal Jeni Buist shredding postcards at the request of the school district that contained nudity, said Sheriff Chad Jensen. Deputies showed some of the images to prosecutors, who decided they were not pornography, Jenson said. The Cache County School District declined to comment, saying it's a personnel matter. The two images seen by students were the Impressionist-era portrait "Iris Tree" by Italian painter Amedeo Modigliani and the Rococo-style partial nude "Odalisque" by 18th-century artist Francois Boucher, the teacher said. Parent Venessa Rose Pixton said she's upset because Rueda's handling of the situation belittled students, including her 11-year-old son. "He said Mr Mateo even told the class 'There's nothing wrong with female nipples. You guys need to grow up and be mature about this,'" Pixton said. Rueda denied making that statement and said he simply explained the human body is often portrayed in art displayed in museums. Some parents are supporting Rueda. Kamee Jensen wrote a letter to the Herald Journal defending him and said her daughter wasn't offended by the pictures. "She was just very upset that her teacher was in trouble," Jensen said. Tourists gathered in Las Vegas on Sunday to ring in the new year under the close eye of police just three months after the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history rattled the city. Tourism officials expected New Year's Eve to see about 330,000 people on the Las Vegas Strip and downtown's Fremont Street. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department had every officer working on Sunday and was aided by the Nevada National Guard and federal agents. "One bad incident is not going to deter us from having a good time," Honolulu resident Pettra Stark, who planned her trip after the October 1 shooting, said while standing underneath the massive video canopy on Fremont Street. For Ms Stark, the heavy presence of armed officers was reassuring. But not everyone felt the same way, including Adrian Dominguez, who travelled for the festivities with 10 other relatives. "It's not pleasant to see so many officers," Mr Dominguez, a resident of the northern Mexico border city of Ciudad Juarez. "They are everywhere." The heightened security comes after a high-stakes gambler killed 58 and injured hundreds more after he shattered the windows of his suite on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel-casino on the Strip and unleashed gunfire on a country music festival below. He then killed himself. On Saturday, two security guards were fatally shot while investigating a disturbance at Arizona Charlie's Decatur, a hotel-casino just west of the Strip. The suspect was taken to hospital with a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said. Authorities described it as an isolated incident and assured that it was not terrorism-related. New Year's Eve festivities at this gambling oasis are anchored by a roughly eight-minute fireworks display at the top of seven casino-hotels. Some of the biggest names in music including Bruno Mars and Britney Spears had shows scheduled on venues on the Strip, while several bands performed throughout the night on Fremont Street. AP Supermarket giant Tesco ensured the year got off to a strong start when it announced a 3.7 billion swoop for food wholesaler Booker (PA) Brexit uncertainty failed to choke off a string of deals in 2017, with Britains fiercely competitive grocery sector booking a number of high-profile transactions. Supermarket giant Tesco ensured the year got off to a strong start when it sent a shockwave through the industry in January by announcing a 3.7 billion swoop for food wholesaler Booker. Dubbed a defensive move by some analysts, the deal was designed to beef up Tescos dominant position by creating the UKs leading food business. Rival wholesalers rallied against the move, claiming it would hand Tesco an incontestable power and urged regulators to shift the takeover onto the scrap heap. However, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) gave the final all-clear to the deal in December, saying it would not lead to higher prices or hit service for shoppers. The industry was given more food for thought come June when Amazon sealed an all-cash deal worth 13.7 billion US dollars (10.7 billion) to buy Whole Foods, causing shares in British supermarkets to tumble. The acquisition ramped up Amazons stake in the UK grocery market following the launch of AmazonFresh and its deal to sell a raft of Morrisons products online. Sainsbury mulled a takeover of convenience store operator Nisa, as it looked to push through its second major retail deal in as many years. But the groups reluctance to pull the trigger meant the Co-operative Group emerged victorious, tabling a 137.5 million bid for Nisas 3,200 stores, which is set for regulatory approval next year. Jonathan Boyers, KPMG head of corporate finance in the North of England, said the Tesco and Co-op deals signalled a push from the major players to tackle the convenience sector more effectively. He said: They have all sort of dabbled in developing their own chains of convenience stores, but the independent convenience stores sector has remained independent. Obviously the Tesco-Booker deal was a game changer and that forced the Co-op to look at Nisa. It caused a shake-out in the whole end of that sector and I just think that it was almost waiting to happen because the supermarkets hadnt cracked what their solution for convenience was. Standard Life and Aberdeen Asset Management ushered in one of the biggest deals of 2017 in March when it inked an 11 billion merger to create a combined company with a 16-strong board. While the merger formed Europes second-biggest fund manager, it also paved the way for swingeing cost savings of 200 million a year and 800 job cuts. The wider financial services sector also proved a bright spot for deal making, with the focus landing on fin-tech and payment processing firms. Private equity pair Blackstone and CVC Partners secured a 2.96 billion takeover of Paysafe in July, as they looked to capitalise on the insatiable demand for online shopping. Worldpay followed suit a month later when it agreed a 9.3 billion merger deal with US rival Vantiv, creating a global payments processing giant with a value of 22.2 billion. While Brexit uncertainty took its toll on deal-making in the aftermath of the EU referendum result, there was a renewed vigour for mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in the third quarter of this year. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said there were 163 M&A deals involving a UK company between July and September, with a total value of 86.4 billion. It proved a significant jump on the second quarter when 241 transactions worth 33.2 billion were given the go-ahead. US group McCormicks 4.2 billion US dollar (3.2 billion) takeover of Reckitt Benkisers food brands was one of the bigger deals sealed during that period. It propelled McCormick to the number one position in Americans condiments market as it gobbled up Frenchs mustard and Franks hot sauces. It marked a year-long trend for deal-making in the consumer goods sector, which kicked off in February with Kraft Heinzs failed swoop for Unilever. The Anglo-Dutch company snubbed the opportunity to secure one of the biggest deals in corporate history by rejecting a 115 billion mega-merger with the US maker of Heinz Tomato Ketchup and Philadelphia cheese. In an effort to boost shareholder value, the Marmite and PG Tips owner launched a comprehensive review of the business, leading to the 6.8 billion euro (6 billion) sale of its under-performing spreads business to private equity firm KKR in December. Despite occurring on the other side of the Atlantic, Walt Disneys 52.4 billion US dollar (39 billion) December deal for 21st Century Fox is set to have wider implications for the British media landscape. Fox said it will press ahead with attempts to buy the 61% of broadcaster Sky it does not already own before the deal closes in 12 to 18 months time, which could hand Disney total control of the Sky News broadcaster. Donald and Melania Trump arrive for a New Year's Eve gala at the US president's Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida (Evan Vucci/AP) President Donald Trump is returning to Washington after his holiday break to face a hefty legislative to-do list, critical mid-term elections and perilous threats abroad. Mr Trump is starting his second year in office after a lengthy sojourn at his private Palm Beach club in Florida capped by a New Year's Eve bash. Before his departure, he fired angry tweets at Iran and Pakistan, criticising Islamabad for "lies & deceit" and saying the country had played US leaders for "fools", a reference to frustrations that Pakistan is not doing enough to control militants. Pakistani foreign minister Khawaja Asif tweeted that his government was preparing a response that "will let the world know the truth". North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said on Monday the US should be aware that his country's nuclear forces are now a reality, not a future threat. To that, Mr Trump only said: "We'll see." The president is hoping for more legislative achievements after his pre-Christmas success on taxes. He plans to host Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and House Speaker Paul Ryan of Wisconsin at Camp David next weekend to map out the 2018 legislative agenda. Republicans are eager to make progress before attention shifts to the mid-term elections. The GOP wants to hold House and Senate majorities in 2018 but must contend with Mr Trump's historic unpopularity and some recent Democratic wins. The president concluded 2017 with his first major legislative achievement - a law to cut taxes, beginning this year, for corporations and individuals at an estimated cost of 1.5 trillion dollars (1.1 trillion) added to the national debt over 10 years. The tax overhaul also will end the requirement, in 2019, that all Americans buy health insurance or pay a fine. The White House has said Mr Trump will come forward with his long-awaited infrastructure plan in January. Mr Trump has also said he wants to overhaul welfare and recently predicted Democrats and Republicans will "eventually come together" to develop a new healthcare plan. Mr Ryan has talked about overhauling Medicaid and Medicare and other safety-net programmes, but Mr McConnell has signalled an unwillingness to go on that route unless there is Democratic support for any changes. Republicans will have just a 51-49 Senate majority - well shy of the 60 votes needed to pass most bills - giving leverage to Democrats. Congress also has to deal with a backlog from 2017. It must agree on a spending bill by January 19 to avert a partial government shutdown. He spent his last day in Florida as he spent most other days - visiting his golf course and tweeting. On Pakistan, he said: "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!" The US has long accused Islamabad of allowing militants to operate relatively freely in Pakistan's border regions to carry out operations in neighbouring Afghanistan. In August, the US said it would hold up 255 million dollars (188 million) in military assistance for Pakistan until it cracks down on extremists threatening Afghanistan. On Iran, Trump kept up his drumbeat in support of widespread anti-government protests. He tweeted Monday that Iran is "failing at every level" and it is "TIME FOR CHANGE." AP The Supreme Court, on December 12 ordered that National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET) will have similar papers across all languages, meaning that the papers in languages such as Bengali, Tamil, Assamese, among others will just be a translation of the paper made in English Language. A petition was filed against CBSE and the bench slammed it for having different question papers in English, Hindi and other languages of the exam and wondered how the evaluation would have been possible. The bench said, we want a commonality in exam and identical question papers across all languages. We want you to consult experts and file an affidavit stating how you (CBSE) are going to implement uniformity in standards. However, Additional Solicitor General Maninder Singh, in defense of CBSE argued that the question papers were evaluated by experts and were of similar difficulty level for Hindi, English and other languages. He also said that CBSE requested states to provide translators for respective languages. But as there was no co-operation from states, it went on preparing different question papers. Speaking on the matter, Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar said, The vernacular question papers for NEET the all India entrance examination for medical colleges will just be a translation of the question paper in English. Dr Sanyam Bhardwaj, Joint Secretary, NEET informed the bench that the recommendations have been sent to Principal of Board and Advisory Committee of NEET to introduce further uniformity in the exam. The whole matter arose when question papers of NEET 2017 in vernacular languages were found to be of higher difficulty level than the English language paper. This caused dissatisfaction amongst students appearing for the exam. How will it benefit students? Having a similar set of papers will prove to be very helpful to students. NEET is currently conducted in 10 different languages and thus 10 different question papers are made. Even if CBSE tries to make all the question papers of similar difficulty level, there will still be some scope for variations which is proved by the fact that the difficulty level of NEET 2017 differed for students based on their choice of language. Having a similar set of question paper will make evaluation process easier and ensure uniformity. This is a brilliant step for bettering NEET and bringing about transparency. About NEET National Eligibility cum Entrance Test is conducted to grant admissions to MBBS and BDS courses. The exam covers all the medical colleges of the country, except AIIMS and JIPMER Puducherry. Around 11.4 lakh candidates registered for NEET in 2017. From these, around 10.4 lakh candidates took the exam in English language and rest in other languages and 6 lakh candidates passed the exam to be eligible for securing seats in various colleges across the country. Expected date NEET 2017 was conducted on May 7, 2017. NEET 2018 is expected to be conducted on May 10, 2018. The registration process is going to begin in January, 2018. However, no official announcement regarding the schedule has been made yet. Candidates above 25 years of age allowed for exam Earlier this year, Supreme Court had allowed candidates above the age of 25 years to apply for NEET, citing the lack of doctors in the country. No major changes expected in examination pattern Since no notice has been issued regarding any changes in examination pattern, it is expected that the examination pattern will remain the same. Guwahati, Jan 1 (IBNS) : The Assam government on December 31 midnight published the much-awaited first draft of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) recognising as legal citizens 1.9 crore out of the total 3.29 crore applicants. Registrar General of India S Sailesh, who made public the draft NRC said the names of the rest 1.39 crore applicants are under verification process. This is just a partial draft. It covers 1.90 crore people out of total 3.29 crore applicants, who submitted their documents to include their names in the NRC. We have published the first draft after completion of verification of 1.90 crore people. The rest 1.39 crore people are under different stages of verification and we will come out another draft after completion of verification process, RGI Sailesh said. RGI Sailesh and NRC State Coordinator Prateek Hajela had briefed media on December 31 night in Guwahati just ahead of first draft publication through four government websites. NRC State Coordinator Prateek Hajela said those, whose names are not included in the first draft, need not worry. There is no need to panic. Verification process is going on and after its completion we will publish another draft, Hajela said. People can check their names in the part draft online and NRC authorities published the part draft in www.nrcassam.nic.in, www.assam.mygov.in, www.assam.gov.in, www.homeandpolitical.assam.gov.in, www.partdraftnrcassam.in, www.partdraftnrcassam.com, www.draftnrcassam.net, www.partdraftnrcassam.net, www.draftnrcassam.in, www.draftnrcassam.com, www.nrcassamonline.net, www.nrcassamonline.in. The draft NRC was also released at 2500 NRC Sevakendra across the state at around 8 am on Monday. The applicants can check their name in the draft NRC at NSKs from 8 am to 4 pm on Monday and from 10 am to 4 pm from Jan 2 to Jan 31. RGI Sailesh said the entire process will be completed within 2018. Meanwhile, tight security has been arranged at all NSKs across the state. The application process for the NRC updation started in May 2015 and around 6.5 crore documents were received from 68.33 lakh families across the state. According to reports, the names of All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) Chief and Lok Sabha MP Badaruddin Ajmal, former Assam Congress Minister Dr Ardhendu Dey have been excluded from the first draft of NRC. On the other hand, the names of Paresh Baruah, the elusive commander of the banned outfit ULFA (I) and the members of his family have been included. part from Paresh Baruah, another top ULFA (I) leader Arunodoi Dohutia's name figures in the draft. (Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath) Srinagar, Jan 1 (IBNS): The 24-hour-long gunfight ended after security forces shot dead third militants this afternoon in Lethpora Puwlama of South Kashmir, central reserve police officials said. According to reports, on Sunday night three heavily armed militants entered the training center of central reserve police force 185 battalion in Lethpora pulwama some 24 kilometers from Srinagar. Reports further added, militants stormed camp at around 2:30 am on Sunday by opening indiscriminate firing and lobbed grenades on deployed forces and buildings. All three armed militants later entered inside camp and engaged the troops in a gun battle. In the initial exchange of gunfight, three paramilitary CRPF were injured and one, Constable Sharief-ud-din Ganaie of Chadoora Budgam died at 92 Base hospital. The injured were shifted to hospital for treatment. The two injured constable, Narender, who sustained bullet injuries on his calf muscle and Malve Samadhan (bullet injuries on his right shoulder) were admitted in the hospital and they are stated to be out of danger. Later, four other personnel sustained bullet injuries and three of them Tufail Ahmed of Rajouri, Rajendra Nain of Churu Rajasthan and Pradeep Kr Panda succumbed to injuries while Kuldip Roy (inspector), a resident of Tikkar Khatrian HP, died of cardiac arrest. Police identified two of the fidayeens of Jash-e-Mohammad, as Manzoor Ahmad Baba son of Ali Mohammad Baba of Drubgam Pulwama and Fardeen Ahmad Khanday son of Ghulam Mohammad Khanday, a serving police constable, resident of Nazeen Pora Tral. The slain duo, they said, had joined militant ranks only three months ago. While third militant who was killed early today reportedly are foreigner, however police not share any details about him. (Reporting by Saleem Iqbal Qadri) New Delhi, Jan 1 (IBNS): Vice President of India M. Venkaiah Naidu has said that Indian culture gave divine status to "alphabet" in vedas is an indication to the importance we give to Books and Literature. He was addressing the gathering after inaugurating the 29th Vijayawada Book Festival, in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh on Monday. The Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, N. Chandrababu Naidu and other dignitaries were present on the occasion. The Vice President said that books are our good friends and good books raise our living standards. He further said that when we are in trouble, they show the way. Those who are well educated they are highly regarded in the society and opening a book means opening a new world, he added. The Vice President said that even women in the Vedic literature are equally involved in writing books and Gargi, Maitreya and others have written several books. He further said that there are many female writers right from the Buddhist era to Tamil Sangam era. In the Vaishnava tradition there are even Dalits and women among Alwars who wrote books, he added. The Vice President said that cinema has a tremendous impact on us and cinema, music and other forms of art to promote peace and tranquility. He further said that everyone to stay united for the development of our great nation. The Vice President complemented the Andhra Pradesh government for taking to promote Telugu language and said that he is delighted to know the government has dedicated the year 2018 for Telugu language protection. Image: Facebook Guanacaste, Jan 1 (IBNS): At least 12 people were reported dead after a plane crashed in Guanacaste province of Costa Rica. The incident took place on Sunday after the single-engine plane carrying all 12 crashed that afternoon into a mountain near the Punta Islita Airport. Authorities said that among the deceased were 10 Americans, five of whom were from the same family, and two Costa Rican pilots. The family has been identified as the Steinbergs- Bruce and Irene , the parents, and their three sons, William, Zachary and Matthew. Condoling the loss, Costa Rica's President, Luis Guillermo Solis Rivera, said in a Facebook post, "The government of Costa Rica deeply regrets the death of 10 American passengers and two Costa Rican pilots in the aircraft crash. Former Costa Rican President Laura Chinchilla, who served as the head of the nation from 2010-2014, said on Twitter that one of the pilots killed was her cousin. Image: Facebook "But we still have a lot of hard work left to do. In 2018, lets continue to celebrate the values that unite us openness, compassion, equality, and inclusion. Lets move forward together, put those values into practice, and work to build a better future for all of us," he said in his New Year message. The PM also highlighted the performance of his government as he said: "In 2017, we made real progress toward these goals. Our government took action to build a better future for families across Canada from taking steps to strengthen the Canada Child Benefit and investing in early learning and child care, to creating new opportunities for young people, to advancing reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples and protecting the rights of LGBTQ2 communities. We made gender equality a priority at home and abroad, and took strong steps to fight climate change and protect our environment, for generations to come. We launched Canadas first ever National Housing Strategy and lowered the small business tax rate and together, we continued to create jobs, grow our economy, and strengthen the middle class." He said the country and his government should work to ensure people gets oppurtunity to taste success. "The 150th anniversary of Confederation was also a chance to reflect on the moments Canada has not lived up to its ideals. Indigenous Peoples, and many Canadians, have faced prejudice and oppression in our history. In the New Year and the years to come, we must continue to work to right these wrongs, and make sure everyone has a real and fair shot at success," he said. The full statement of Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is given below: "Happy New Year, Canada! This past year, we marked the 150th anniversary of Confederation, and looked back on the remarkable achievements Canadians have made throughout our history. We recommitted ourselves to our shared values, and we celebrated the diversity that makes us strong. Millions of people of every background, origin, culture, and faith have come together to make Canada the diverse, open, and prosperous country it is today. The 150th anniversary of Confederation was also a chance to reflect on the moments Canada has not lived up to its ideals. Indigenous Peoples, and many Canadians, have faced prejudice and oppression in our history. In the New Year and the years to come, we must continue to work to right these wrongs, and make sure everyone has a real and fair shot at success. In 2017, we made real progress toward these goals. Our government took action to build a better future for families across Canada from taking steps to strengthen the Canada Child Benefit and investing in early learning and child care, to creating new opportunities for young people, to advancing reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples and protecting the rights of LGBTQ2 communities. We made gender equality a priority at home and abroad, and took strong steps to fight climate change and protect our environment, for generations to come. We launched Canadas first ever National Housing Strategy and lowered the small business tax rate and together, we continued to create jobs, grow our economy, and strengthen the middle class. But we still have a lot of hard work left to do. In 2018, lets continue to celebrate the values that unite us openness, compassion, equality, and inclusion. Lets move forward together, put those values into practice, and work to build a better future for all of us. On behalf of the Government of Canada, Sophie and I wish you a wonderful night and all the best in 2018." Image: Justin Trudeau Facebook page Washington, Jan 1 (IBNS); US President Donald Trump on Monday gave a strong message to Pakistan when he said his nation 'foolishly' gave more than 33 billion dollars in aid for the past 15 years but the south Asian nation only provided safe heavens to terrorists. He said Pakistan only gave 'lies and deceit' to the US in return to the 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. The Afghanistan government last month welcomed US President Donald Trump's new national security strategy and said it affirmed the enduring U.S. Afghanistan strategic partnership. "The NSS and the U.S. South Asia strategy are the cornerstones upon which our shared efforts to defeat terrorism and bring stability to Afghanistan are built. Our partnership, which reflects a renewed U.S. commitment, will set the conditions to end the war and finally bringing peace to Afghanistan," read a statement issued by Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani's Office. "We welcome that the strategy aims to strengthen peace and stability in the region especially through diplomatic means," read the statement. "The National Unity Government is committed to the principle of mutual respect and cooperation among states in the region. We have always worked and shall continue to do so for a peaceful region with increased connectivity for the shared economic development of our people in this region. To this end, we will continue to work with our neighbors close and far in the region," it said. US President Donald Trump has shared new national security strategy on Monday. The newly unveiled strategy asked Pakistan to take decisive action against terrorist groups operating on their territory. Islamabad, Jan 1 (IBNS): Soon after US President Donald Trump's strong message to Pakistan regarding funding, Islamabad on Monday said they will respond to the tweet by the former. Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja M. Asif tweeted: We will respond to President Trump's tweet shortly inshallah...Will let the world know the truth..difference between facts & fiction.. Khawaja M. Asif (@KhawajaMAsif) January 1, 2018 Earlier in the day, Trump gave a strong message to Pakistan when he said his nation 'foolishly' gave more than 33 billion dollars in aid for the past 15 years but the south Asian nation only provided safe heavens to terrorists. He said Pakistan only gave 'lies and deceit' to the US in return to the 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! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 1, 2018 The Afghanistan government last month welcomed US President Donald Trump's new national security strategy and said it affirmed the enduring U.S. Afghanistan strategic partnership. "The NSS and the U.S. South Asia strategy are the cornerstones upon which our shared efforts to defeat terrorism and bring stability to Afghanistan are built. Our partnership, which reflects a renewed U.S. commitment, will set the conditions to end the war and finally bringing peace to Afghanistan," read a statement issued by Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani's Office. "We welcome that the strategy aims to strengthen peace and stability in the region especially through diplomatic means," read the statement. "The National Unity Government is committed to the principle of mutual respect and cooperation among states in the region. We have always worked and shall continue to do so for a peaceful region with increased connectivity for the shared economic development of our people in this region. To this end, we will continue to work with our neighbors close and far in the region," it said. US President Donald Trump has shared new national security strategy on Monday. The newly unveiled strategy asked Pakistan to take decisive action against terrorist groups operating on their territory. Infosys announced that it had signed an agreement for divestment of its entire investment in ANSR Consulting Holdings, Inc., for a total consideration of $1mn in 2017. This is with reference to the announcement made by Infosys earlier this year on July 21, 2015 to exit the stake in its minority investment in ANSR Consulting Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation. The company had picked up a 5% stake in the ANSR in 2015 for $1.4mn, with no board rights, as per media reports. ANSR services include establishment and operations of global in-house centres, and captive units of MNCs. The venture is backed by Accel Partners, who had infused $9mn in June 2015. Media reports suggests that Accel Partners bought back the minority stake from Infosys. Infosys, the second largest IT company, derived major share of 27.1% of its revenue from BFSI vertical in FY17. Other drivers included energy & utilities, communication and services 22.5%, followed by retail consumer packed goods and logistic 16.4% in FY17. North America accounted for 61.9% of the revenue followed by Europe (22.5%) in FY17.Infosys Ltd ended at Rs1,031.95, down by Rs7.35 or 0.71% from its previous closing of Rs1,039.3 on the BSE. If you haven't been living under a rock, you must have come across news of an online email scam wreaking havoc in people's lives. An email from a certain 'Nigerian Prince' has been promising folks a sizeable portion of his multi-million dollar inheritance. Do remember receiving such an email? If yes, how many? Well, there have been too many emails and too many receivers. And people, sadly, felt lured into believing that the Prince was real and that his inheritance would make them several times richer. facebook/Slidell Police Department A fraudster has been arrested in the case who allegedly played a part in the scam. But he is neither Nigerian nor a prince! Also read: Thai Fraudster Sentenced To 13,000 Years In Jail, Gets Only 6,600 Years After Pleading Guilty After investigating for 18 long months, the Slidell Police Department arrested 67-year-old Michael Neu on 269 counts of wire fraud and money laundering. 'The man is believed to have played a middleman in several such online financial scams', read a Facebook statement by Slidell Police Department. A part of the money that the culprit promised innocent people was wired to co-conspirators in Nigeria. The Department doubted any of those scammers belonged to the royal family. Randy Fandal, Slidell police chief, has warned people to be careful about such emails. Also read: Gurugram Couple, Wanted In Multiple Fraud Cases Holidays Abroad, Parties In Delhi But Remains Untraceable For Police "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Never give out personal information over the phone, through e-mail, cash checks for other individuals, or wire large amounts of money to someone you don't know. 99.9 percent of the time, it's a scam," he said. Yes, people. Be extra careful while going through such emails. Don't part with your precious money over an offer that sounds too tempting to be true. Instagram Anushka is accompanying Virat for his test series and looks like they are also taking some time out to roam around and doing tourist(y) things. The couple wrote, "wishing you all a very happy , healthy and prosperous new year ! Love and light to all" The reports of them spending their new year time together were true as latest reports hint that Ranveer landed in Sri Lanka on Thursday, along with Deepika, the couple is spending most of their time together. While DP was in Vienna, she flew down to Sri Lanka to join Ranveer. Instagram Recently, Suhana and her mother Gauri Khan were in Delhi to attend a family wedding and the pictures that have flooded the internet define perfection. Wearing a sage green Monisha Jaisingh Lehenga with hand-embroidered, white, silk floral motifs, Suhana looked like a royal princess in most of the pictures. In case you're wondering how Suhana hogged all the limelight at the wedding functions, have a look at the pictures and the videos that have resurfaced on the internet. Nothing will change unless people change their mindset, the 'Amar Prem' actress said, seeking the involvement of Anganwadi workers and social activists in the promotional activities for gender equality. "We have to look at the root cause. Just depending on government initiatives won't do, we must make efforts to change our attitude at the domestic level," she said. Instagram The couple might have ringed in the new year surrounded by snow-capped and picturesque mountains but their royal photograph is what is winning our hearts!But one picture that has taken the cake this time is this click of Taimur. It doesn't matter if they have accepted their relationship status or not, for the world Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh still remain one of the most stylish and loving couples of the B-Town. Pinterest The rumors of them dating started when they were shooting for Bhansali's Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram Leela and with time, they have only grown stronger together. The break-up rumors have been consistent but their PDA and interviews about each other have always proved that they are very much together, and in love. Pinterest The controversies surrounding their upcoming film Padmavati fail to cease but reports claim that Deepika had flown out of India in order to avoid media glare. Viral Bhayani When fans and media tried to know where they had gone missing, They should wear masks or go underwater", a source was quoted saying in a Deccan Chronicle report. Pinterest The reports of them spending their new year time together were true as latest reports hint that Ranveer landed in Sri Lanka on Thursday, along with Deepika, the couple is spending most of their time together. While DP was in Vienna, she flew down to Sri Lanka to join Ranveer. A source was quoted in a Deccan Chronicle report saying, Pinterest The couple is going snorkeling and will spend time with each other. There are people in Sri Lanka who can identify them, but then its also a country that lets people be at peace and doesnt intrude on privacies. So, they will be able to spend quality time with each other. They might be off to South Africa for meeting professional commitments and spending some quality time together but newlyweds Virat and Anushka surely know how to keep everyone happy. Also known as Virushka, the couple tied the knot in Italy at a Tuscan resort on December 11, that was attended by family and close friends. They shared the news with the world by posting, "Today we have promised each other to be bound in love forever. We are truly blessed to share the news with you. This beautiful day will be made more special with the love and support of our family of fans & well-wishers. Thank you for being such an important part of our journey," they wrote. The couple today took to their social media accounts to send across 'love and light' to all their fans, followers, and loved ones. They wrote, Anushka is accompanying Virat for his test series and looks like they are also taking some time out to roam around and doing tourist(y) things. After spending some time together, Sharma will return to India to finish her pending projects, that includes a film with Shah Rukh Khan and Katrina Kaif, YRF's Sui Dhaaga and the promotions of her home production Pari. While BJP celebrates the passage of the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage Bill, 2017) in the Lok Sabha and claims credit for it, not many may be aware of the struggle of Muslim reformist Hamid Dalwai, who first raised the demand to scrap triple talaq. Interestingly, when Dalwai proactively initiated a Muslim reform movement, the BJP was not even in the picture and its earlier political avatar, the Jan Sangh, had not even thought of any such move. The Congress was wary of undoing archaic community laws when Dalwai stirred social circles by demanding the scrapping of all forms of talaq and polygamy in the 1960s. Marriage and divorce must be governed by constitutional provisions, he insisted. An ardent atheist and rationalist, Dalwai faced opposition from all quarters during his lifetime. Without any backing from political parties and organisations, he organised the first march of Muslim women in Mumbai demanding equal rights and scrapping of the talaq system. Despite considerable effort, he could get together a mere seven Muslim women to participate in the march organised on April 18, 1966, but it was a first step. "That was the beginning of the Muslim reform movement. Women submitted a memorandum to then chief minister of Maharashtra Vasantrao Naik demanding justice for Muslim women, ban on polygamy and execution of a common civil code. A copy of the demand was sent to the central government," recalls current Muslim Satyashodhak Mandal president Shamsuddin Tamboli. Also Read: Misery Doesn't End For Triple Talaq Petitioner Ishrat Jahan As She Faces Social Boycott Now Born at Mirjoli in the Konkan area of Maharashtra on September 29, 1932, Dalwai got connected with the Rashtra Seva Dal, a wing of the Socialist Party and came close to socialist veterans like Bhai Vaidya. Influenced by Ram Manohar Lohia, Jaiprakash Narayan and Mahatma Gandhi, Dalwai started writing about the need for reform among Muslims. Realising that writing alone would not suffice, he established the Indian Secular Society along with A B Shah in 1968 and went on to form the Muslim Satyashodhak Mandal in Pune on March 22, 1970. The idea of the Mandal came from the Satyashodhak Samaj truth-seeking society formed by 19th century social revolutionary Mahatma Jotirao Phule. "Raising the demand to scrap triple talaq, polygamy and halala was a revolutionary step at that time. Nobody came in his support and we were a few people fighting for the cause. It was an isolated battle all these years till political parties recently jumped into the action with political motives," says 83-year-old Sayed Mehboob Shah Qadri alias Sayedbhai, who recalls his long association with Dalwai and his movement. Qadri joined Dalwai when his sister was given talaq at the age of 18. He describes how Dalwai faced physical attacks, threats, social boycott and isolation during his lifetime. Dalwai and his wife Mehrunnisa were ostracised by the community and dubbed as 'enemies' of the religion as they organised meetings, conferences and agitations demanding that Muslim women not be discriminated against in the name of religious law. Octogenarian socialist leader Bhai Vaidya who facilitated Dalwai's movement says that, unlike today, there was no political motive to Dalwai's reform movement. Vaidya says Dalwai believed in the Constitution and secularism. His movement was aimed at reforms, not politics. In fact, when the RSS tried to make common cause with him, he gave a scathing reply saying that those who intend to make Muslims second-class citizens and treat them as an internal threat to India can never empathise with the community. Also Read: SC Verdict On Instant Triple Talaq Makes All Pending Cases Invalid, Restores Marital Status Of 'Divorced' Women Vaidya told TOI, "The RSS was always supportive of personal law and M S Golwalkar insisted on personal laws for Hindus. The RSS never talkedof Muslim reforms as their official stand was that Muslims are enemies of the nation. Hamid Dalwai criticised the RSS for its stand and it tried to thwart one of his meetings in Nagpur as Dalwai was insisting that the majority in the country must be secular and not religious." Arunachal Pradesh welcomed 2018 by keeping its promise of making the state Open Defecation Free. It has become the second state in North-East after Sikkim to achieve ODF status. Upper Subansiri, Siang and Changlang -- were declared Open Defecation Free (ODF) officially today, an official release said. Arunachal Pradesh has managed to do this before the deadline of October 2, 2019. The state government had cut short the national ODF target by one year and ten months ahead of the national target and set 31 December, 2017, as the final target to achieve ODF status in Arunachal Pradesh. The project undertaken under Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin) SBM (G) saw the light of day only after the state government extended an incentive of Rs 8,000 per toilet. This is in addition to the Centres support of Rs 12,000, raising the grant for constructing a toilet to Rs 20,000. The state government also launched Swachh Arunachal Mission on October 2 this year at Tawang which envisaged the Swachh Protocol (Cleanliness Protocol) aimed at ensuring sustainability of assets created under SBM (Gramin). "I am personally overwhelmed to find people participating in construction of toilets even in remote villages along the international borders like Vijaynagar, Taksing, Pipsorang despite communication bottlenecks requiring strenuous trekking for days together carrying construction materials along with ration on head load," Chief Minister Pema Khandu said. International Space Staion will become the king of celebrating New Year. Six astronauts boarding the International Space Station (ISS) will experience New Year's eve 16 times as they orbit the Earth once every 90 minutes, NASA said. That is 16 sunrise and sunsets 402 kilometers above Earth, the US space agency said in a blog post. afp Three US astronauts, two Russian cosmonauts and a Japanese astronaut will go into the last weekend of 2017 with light duty and family conferences before taking New Year's Day off. Ahead of the New Year, the astronauts are researching life science studies to help mission doctors keep astronauts healthier and stronger while living in outer space. flickr Japanese astronaut Norishige Kanai took his turn on the exercise bike for a study researching physical exertion in space, it said. Doctors measure the astronauts breathing and other parameters during exercise to ensure they have the strength to perform strenuous activities such as spacewalks and even emergency procedures. Scientists are exploring how plants respond to microgravity and observe molecular and genetic changes. The US space agency is planning longer human missions beyond low-Earth orbit and learning how to keep crews self- sustainable. On the first day of New year, BJP MLA from Rajasthan ML BL Singh sparked controversy and said hindus give birth to only one or two children and remain busy worrying about their well being, but Muslim are worried about increasing their population. "Hindus giving birth to only 1 or 2 children & are worried about educating them.But Muslims worried about how to take over the nation by increasing their population,education & development has no significance to them. Its my personal opinion."says Rajasthan BJP MLA BL Singhal pic.twitter.com/Jstjr5R5zN ANI (@ANI) January 1, 2018 BJP MLAs have come to the headlines after this statement. The inferior Muslim community has also objected to this statement. NASA will turn 60 this year and to welcome 2018, the agency is looking forward to launching a slew of important missions, including one to "touch" the Sun. NASA's Parker Solar Probe is scheduled for launch in 2018 to explore the Sun's outer atmosphere. The Parker Solar Probe will use Venus' gravity during seven flybys which will take roughly seven years to gradually bring its orbit closer to the Sun, according to a NASA statement. NASA spacecraft will fly as close as 6.2 million kilometers to out star's surface which is well within the orbit of Mercury and closer than any shuttle has ever gone in past. The Parker Solar Probe will perform its scientific investigations in a hazardous region of intense heat and solar radiation. The major goal of the mission is to trace how enery and heat move through the solar corona and what accelerates the solar wind as well as solar energetic particles. In 2018, NASA will also add to its existing robotic fleet at the Red Planet with the InSight Mars lander designed to study the interior and subsurface of the planet. The US space agency's first asteroid sample return mission, OSIRIS-REx, is scheduled to arrive at the near-Earth asteroid Bennu in August 2018, and will return a sample for study in 2023. Launching no later than June 2018, the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) will search for planets outside our solar system by monitoring 200,000 bright, nearby stars. To continue the long-term record of how Earth's ice sheets, sea level, and underground water reserves are changing, NASA will also launch the next generation of two missions - ICESat-2 and GRACE Follow-On - in 2018. The talk is of madness. The powerful hold it can take on one, and how the fear caused by the idea of madness can in itself be maddening. Mohammad Amir, physically nondescript, with a triple Masters in History, Political Science, and English, and an itinerant pilgrim, should know what he is talking about: Long ago, 25 years to be precise, he had a dalliance with insanity. We are sitting, deep into the night, in the well-carpeted office of one of Amirs well-wishers in Malegaon. Among those ringed around him are a mechanic, a fruit-vendor, some traders and the loquacious principal of a junior college in Malegaon with a penchant for the dramatic and for hijacking the conversation. mumbaimirror Earlier that evening, Amir had addressed a gathering at the Mecca Masjid at Madhavpura. Woh toh zameen ke neeche ki, aur aasman ke upar ki baate karte hain, says one of his admiring audience. Meditations on the afterlife and on the ethics of Islam and social conduct of Muslims might dominate his talks, but Mohammed Amir is often at the pulpit because of the torturous chrysalis he has emerged from, he now says. Twenty-five years ago he was not Mohammad Amir but a certain Balbir Singh, and the highlight of his life until then was that he was among the handful of kar sevaks who had clambered up the dome of Babri masjid to strike the first blows. The same kar sevaks who were lionised by Bal Thackeray as his men. I am a Rajput. I was born in a little village close to Panipat, he discloses. My father, Daulatram, was a school teacher and a man of deep Gandhian leaning. He had witnessed the horrors of Partition, and went out of his way to make the Muslims in our area feel secure. He had wanted me and my three elder brothers to do the same. mumbaimirror When he was ten, Balbirs family moved from the village to Panipat so that the children could complete their secondary education. Panipat, he says, was a hostile city, especially to children from rural Haryana. Barbs were made about their clothes and gaucheness, and none of the other children played with them. The only place Balbir found he was not discriminated against was at the local RSS shakha. I remember the first time I was there, they addressed me as aap. That made me feel so good. It marked the beginning of my association with them. About a decade or so later, Balbir, who had by then joined the Shiv Sena, started working with his brother in the familys loom business and got married. He continued his studies on the side, garnering the triple MA degrees from Rohtaks Maharishi University. To all appearances, it was the life of normal middle class householder. But a rank bitterness, unseen to the outside eye, ran through the family because of his political views. In that Gandhian household, he was the chaddiwallah. The truth of the family lay somewhere in between. People thought I was a hard-core Hindu fanatic, but that was not really the case. As my father never believed in idol worship, we didnt go to temples, he says. There was a copy of the Gita at home but he rarely, if ever, read it. His anger at the beginning of the tragically momentous Nineties was against historical wrongs, against Babur, Aurangzeb and the other conquerors. Brainwashing me was easy, because yeh bhavnayen (these emotions), they are deep-rooted. Back where I come from, if you did something that was not considered acceptable, even a simple thing like eating a roti with your left hand, people would ask, Tu Mussalman hai ke? (What is this? Are you a Muslim?) I thought that these Muslims came from outside India and had snatched our land and destroyed our temples. Plus, in a state like Haryana that valorises machismo, he said he wanted to do something that would effectively show his mardangi. When I left for Ayodhya in the first week of December, my friends told me, kuch kare bina wapas na aana (Dont come back without achieving something), says Balbir who was among those being tracked by the Intelligence Bureau. Ayodhya was abuzz on December 5, he recalls. The men from VHP ruled the town and Faizabad. We stayed with thousands of other kar sevaks, heard the chatter going around. Advaniji was not important because he worshipped Jhulelal (the community god of Sindhis), and hence was not considered to be a Hindu; Uma Bharati was a drama queen. I was there with my close friend Yogender Pal. We were all impatient, we wanted to get going. A few distinct shards of the following day are still embedded painfully in his memory of it. One of them is an aural one, of the rousing slogans (Saugandh ram ki khai hai, mandir yahin banayenge; Kalyan Singh kalyan karo, mandir ka nirmaan karo); he remembers mocking senior police officials as he walked along with the other kar sevaks towards Babri Masjid on that cold afternoon; and then the final rush and the frenzied scramble atop the central dome. I was like an animal that day. Only briefly, I got scared when I saw a helicopter approach us from a distance. Then, the rallying cries from below reached my ears and I felt emboldened again and plunged my pick-axe into the dome. mumbaimirror A heroes welcome awaited Balbir and his friend Yogendra Pal when they returned to Panipat. Two bricks that they brought back from the rubble in Ayodhya were kept at the local Shiv Sena office, he says. At home, though, his father issued an ultimatum. It was either him or me. One of us had to leave the house, and I decided that it would be me. I looked at my wife but she just stood there, so I left home alone. As riots erupted across the country, Amir sought places of refuge where Muslims wouldnt be able to get him. He remembers solitary wintry nights spent in fields, decrepit old buildings, drains I would be scared of anyone with a beard. He was on the run for a couple of months and only returned home when he learnt that his father had passed away. But his other family members no longer wanted him. His father had specifically instructed that his second-born son shouldnt be allowed to attend his funeral. They said I was the reason for his death. But an even bigger shock awaited Balbir. His close friend and collaborator at Ayodhya, Yogendra Pal, had become a Muslim. The aftermath of the December 6 frenzy and the riots had left Pal deranged. When Balbir went to meet him, Pal told him that embracing Islam had helped soothe his mad thoughts and fears. While talking to him, it occurred to me, would I too go mad because of the sin I had committed and what I had helped unleash? In fact, was I already going mad? It was at Pals instance that in the June of 1993, six months after the climax at Ayodhya, Balbir travelled to Sonepat to meet Maulana Kalim Siddiqui who had converted his friend Yogendra Pal. Siddiqui heads the Jamiat Imam Waliullah Trust for Charity and Dawah, which is based in Phulat, near Muzzafarnagar, and runs several madrasas and schools across north India. Siddiqui was in Sonepat for an event, and Amir went up to him and told him what he had done. He asked the maulana if he could come and stay at the madrasa in Phulat for some time. I was still not sure if I wanted to convert, but he accepted my request. He told me that I had contributed to the destruction of one mosque, but I could always help build several others. They were such simple words. I sat down and began to cry. After spending a few months at the madrasa, Balbir converted and was given the name Mohammed Amir. Aur meri zindagi phir se chal padi (my life got back on the rails again), he says simply. While at Phulat, Amir learnt Arabic and read the Quran, and, since he had majored in English, he taught at the madrasa. In August 1993, he reconciled with his family, and his wife joined him at the madrasa the same year. She converted to Islam soon after (Amir claims that she did it of her own accord). Their four children were all born in Phulat. His life, anything but calm, took another turn in the early 2000s when his elder brothers wife died. Amir convinced his own wife to get remarried to his elder brother. My brother had children who would have become motherless. If not for her they would not have been able to cope. I owe her a great debt. His brother, too, converted to Islam before marrying Amir's wife. After his wife left, though, his health began to fail and he was advised to move to the more salubrious south, which he did before going on to remarry, a widowed woman called Shahnaz Begum. But Amir, whose family sends him a monthly stipend, still often travels to Panipat to meet with them and his friends. Between 1993 and 2017, he claims to have identified and restored several decrepit mosques in north India, especially in Mewat, with the help of the Waliullah Trust. Forty so far, he says, adding that he is especially proud of the work that he has done at a mosque in Mendu, near Hathras, Uttar Pradesh. There are several mosques in various stages of disrepair across north India that even the Waqf Board is not aware of. I seek out such places, clear them of encroachments, tidy them up and get people to start worshipping there again. At some places, I also set up madrasas, and that is especially important for me, since I believe the bane of the Muslim community is their total disregard for education. Sometimes, he says, he is helped by Muslims in and around the area; at others, he does it alone. His goal is to repair and rebuild 100 mosques. That would get him something close to atonement. mumbaimirror People associated with the Jamiat Imam Waliullah Trust, describe Amir as a quiet, committed man. I met him in the early 2000s, and I would call him a gentleman and a social worker. He renovated the mosque near Hathras, which was abandoned after Partition. Some sixty students are now taught at the madrasa in Mendu, says Zia-ul-Islam, a former section officer at the Aligarh Muslim University. Maulana Wasi Sulaiman Nadvi, who still teaches at Phulat, remembers Amir as a studious man who preferred his own company. Presently, he says to the gathering at Malegaon, When my health allows me and when I am not busy restoring decrepit mosques, this, talking to members of my community, is what I do. I always travel on my own money and return home as soon as my commitments are through. What does he talk to them about? Look at me, sir, Im a ghissa-pita aadmi (a man who is worn out). What can I preach about but aman (peace)? That is what Islam has given me, and that is what I want to talk about. I tell my people that I was once a Hindu filled with hatred towards Muslims and ignorant about them, but people like me were, and are, in a minority. He advises them on the importance of not getting provoked. I fear the worst, but I also tell them that Muslims are strong, too, and that while they can retaliate, a better way to engage with your oppressor is to forgive. It is a difficult thing to do when you consider yourself strong, but it sends out such a powerful message. Would it be accurate to describe his last 25 years as a quest to forgive himself? That would be one way to look at it, for letting down my father, for contributing to the deaths of so many people. But I also know that its a work in progress. The toughest kind of forgiveness is self-forgiveness and the road that leads to it is a lonely one, but it is also where mad meets the divine. Aditya Hegde, 34, the Bengalurean who was in the news recently for saving a pregnant woman in Chennai by donating blood, was unaware about the rarity of his group Bombay blood group till 2003. Bombay blood group is believed to be present in 0.0004% of the global population and belongs to O blood group. In India, one in 10,000-17,000 people has this group. Such individuals can only be transfused with similar blood. Hegde, who has donated blood 55 times so far, says he'd been doing so even before he was aware of the rarity of his group. Hailing from a village near Siddapur, Hegde grew up in Hubballi, where he joined donation drives in college. Twitter "That's when I realized that I'm O negative (universal donor). I had registered myself with NGOs and organizations that'd routinely conduct blood donation drives. In 2003, when I went for a blood test, I was told I have the rare Bombay blood group. That's when I started learning about it. When I came to Bengaluru in 2005, I networked with blood banks and became a regular donor," says Hegde. Hegde has also donated blood to foreigners. "It was he who helped us assist a patient in Sri Lanka," recalls Rajat Agarwal, co-founder, Sankalp India Foundation, a network of blood banks. Today, with social media, it's easier to learn about requirements and reach out to those in need, says Hegde. He recalls helping an 80-year-old woman suffering from a heart ailment at a private hospital near Hebbal and a pregnant woman from Raja Rajeshwari Nagar, among others. Representational Image Every time he donates blood, Hegde can relate to the small network of people having this rare group and feels a sense of belonging. He also alters the recipient, especially if young, to register himself/herself with the group of Bombay blood donors. Though a generous donor himself, Hegde is well aware that he may not always find a donor in case he is ever in need of blood. Recently, when he met with an accident and fractured his left elbow, the thought worried him. "I was wondering how to arrange for blood if I were to undergo a surgery. Luckily, the fracture healed and no operation was required," he adds. Hedge, who is now working towards starting his own company, donates once in three months or depending on requests. Why it's the rarest of rare Unlike other blood groups, those with Bombay blood group lack H antigen in their red blood cells. As this group doesn't have either A or B antigen, it is usually read as group O. It's only when a specific test for H antigen is done that one can differentiate between O and Bombay blood group. Representational Image Despite it being rare, www.bomabybloodgroup.org, an initiative of the active Bombay blood group donors and Sankalp India Foundation, have made the task of finding donors easier. This platform networks all known Bombay blood group donors and maintains their history of donation, eligibility status and availability information. It has networked with blood banks to receive alerts at the time of collection of any Bombay blood group unit. The terrorists that attacked the CRPF camp in Pulwama were neutralised and the body of the third attacker was recovered after the counter-operation that was launched by the security forces. Finally, the operation has concluded with the recovery of the body of the third terrorist, director general of police S P Vaid said. The bodies of two terrorists had been recovered yesterday. AP In a pre-dawn strike, five CRPF men were killed while three others injured when heavily armed terrorists stormed the camp of the paramilitary force at Lethpora in Pulwama district yesterday. The attack was claimed by Pakistan-based outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed. Reuters The two ultras whose bodies were recovered yesterday were Manzoor Ahmad Baba from Drubgam (Pulwama) and Fardeen Ahmad Khanday from Nazeempora (Tral). Khanday was the son a serving policeman. The identity of the third was yet to be ascertained. US President Donald Trump just tweeted that Pakistan will receive no more aid money, as the country had done nothing to further US interests in the region, only returning lies and deceit. REUTERS In the same tweet, Trump also slammed previous US presidents and US foreign policy with respect to Pakistan, saying that the US had "foolishly" given Pakistan $33 billion in aid in the last 15 years. The move doesn't come as a surprise. The US, which has provided Pakistan more than $33 billion in aid since 2002, said in August that it was withholding the $255 million until Pakistan did more to crackdown on terrorist groups. 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 Trump said that the US had only gotten lies and deceit in return for the monetary aid it had provided. Trump also said that US operations in Afghanistan were being hindered by the "safe haven" that Pakistan was providing to terrorists. And just last week, Vice President Mike Pence told American troops during a visit to Afghanistan: "President Trump has put Pakistan on notice." "For too long Pakistan has provided safe haven to the Taliban and many terrorist organisations, but those days are over," Pence told American troops at the Bagram airbase in Afghanistan where he made an unannounced trip on December 21. Revellers around the world gathered outside their homes to celebrate New Year's Eve and welcome 2018. The scenes were spectacular with fireworks lighting up the sky and people kissing the last page of the calendar goodbye to usher in a brand new year. Also read: Burj Khalifa Welcomes 2018, Sets New Guinness World Record For The Largest Laser Show! Here's a glimpse of the spectacular celebrations from all around the world. 1. Fireworks explode next to the Quadriga sculpture atop the Brandenburg gate during New Year celebrations in Berlin, Germany, January 1, 2018. Reuters 2. People fly lanterns at Borobudur temple during New Year celebrations in Magelang, Indonesia. Reuters 3. Fireworks light up the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House during new year celebrations on Sydney Harbour, Australia. Reuters 4. People watch the first sunrise on New Year's Day at a beach in Tokyo, Japan. Reuters 5. Fireworks explode over the ancient Parthenon temple atop the Acropolis hill during New Year's day celebrations in Athens, Greece. Reuters 6. Revellers enjoy themselves during Hogmanay celebrations in Edinburgh, Scotland. Reuters 7. People watch as the Burj Khalifa is lit up during the new year celebrations in Dubai. Reuters 8. People watch fireworks in the rain ahead of the New Year at Marina Bay in Singapore. Reuters 9. Fireworks explode over Victoria Harbour and Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre during a pyrotechnic show to celebrate the New Year in Hong Kong, China. Reuters 10. Fireworks explode around National Monument during New Year celebration in Jakarta, Indonesia. Reuters 11. People celebrate New Year at Eastwood Mall in Quezon City Metro Manila in the Philippines. Reuters 12. Fireworks light the sky over the Kremlin and St. Basil's Cathedral during the New Year's Day celebrations in central Moscow, Russia. Reuters 13. Fireworks explode over Chao Phraya River during New Year's celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand. Reuters 14. Fireworks explode over Victoria Harbour and Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre during a pyrotechnic show to celebrate the New Year in Hong Kong, China. Reuters 15. People enjoy as fireworks explode over Lotte Group's 123-storey skyscraper Lotte World Tower during New Year celebration in Seoul, South Korea. Reuters 16. Fireworks explode over Chao Phraya River during New Year's celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand. Reuters 17. Fireworks explode near the Sydney Opera House as part of new year celebrations on Sydney Harbour. Reuters 18. People watch fireworks in the rain at the Marina Bay ahead of the New Year in Singapore. Reuters 19. Fireworks explode over Lotte Group's 123-storey skyscraper Lotte World Tower as it is illuminated during New Year celebration in Seoul, South Korea. Reuters 20. A spectator laughs as she waits for the annual new year fireworks as part of celebrations on Sydney Harbour. Reuters Also read: New Zealand Welcomes 2018 With Spectacular New Year's Eve Firework Display In Auckland Stunning, aren't they? Wish you all a very Happy New Year! Apart from solar, wind, water and nuclear fission, humanity's almost at the cusp of unlocking a revolutionary new way of generating limitless power without any impact to the environment. ITER fusion power experiment / REUTERS It only need hydrogen to generate energy just like our sun does. Sounds impossible, right? Better start believing the amazing possibilities of fusion reactors, as it may very well power our homes in just over 20 years. All thanks to the monumental efforts of scientists from 35 nations that are contributing to the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) currently being built at Saint-Paul-les-Durance in southern France. And according to the geniuses hard at work at ITER, fusion power could be an energy source to our homes in just over 20 years -- if everything goes to plan. Unlike a nuclear reactor which splits uranium atoms, a fusion reactor combines hydrogen atoms to release massive amounts of energy. The same nuclear fusion process fuels our sun, where hydrogen atoms fuse together to form helium, and the process releases all the energy on the sun. No doubt, ITER is described as "the most complex science project in human history." ITER can help us unlock limitless energy When the fusion reactor will finish and be operational, hydrogen plasma is expected to be heated to 150,000,000 degree celsius (or temperature 10 times hotter than the centre of the sun) to kickstart the fusion reaction. While the fusion reactor is 50% complete right now, first plasma or a cloud of electrically charged gas as hot as the sun is expected to be generated at the core of the machine only by December 2025. While the EU pays 45% of ITER's building cost, China, India, Japan, Korea, Russia and the US each contribute 9% equally. Great to see the world's best minds trying to solve one of humanity's biggest needs. SA NUMSA New Year Statement: A clarion call to build a Revolutionary Workers Party by SA NUMSA Monday Jan 1st, 2018 1:01 PM South African NUMSA New Year's Day Statement Listen now: Copy the code below to embed this audio into a web page: SA NUMSA New Year Statement: A clarion call to build a Revolutionary Workers Party Press Release 1 January 2018 NUMSA New Year Statement: A clarion call to build a Revolutionary Workers Party Comrades 2017 was a year where the global crisis of capitalism deepened. Just like the 2008 global financial crisis, capitalism demonstrated once more that it has failed humanity and has no solutions for problems that are confronting society. Therefore the future is socialism and the struggle in 2018 is to build a revolutionary mass vanguard party led by professional revolutionaries. The working class has no reason to celebrate the leadership changes in the ANC. The recent leadership changes that have resulted in the Deputy President of the country Cyril Ramaphosa ascending to the presidency of the ANC is not a reason to celebrate, particularly for the working class. NUMSA refused to endorse one faction of the ANC over another. We have always known that regardless of who emerged the winner, the governing party will continue to pursue backward, right wing, neo-liberal macro-economic policies which are hurtful to the working class and the poor. For the last two decades, the ANC government has waged an all-out assault on the African working class in order to defend White Monopoly Capital. The ANC has faithfully implemented the National Partys neo-liberal capitalist economic policies, starting with the Growth Employment and Redistribution policy (GEAR) and now the National Development Plan (NDP), both of which are the DAs economic policies in disguise, in order to please international rating agencies. These policies have resulted in massive job losses and long-term mass unemployment. They have created a society of extreme inequality. The majority suffer as they did under Apartheid, living crammed together with cockroaches and rats in townships and shacks, without sanitation, water and electricity. NUMSA shares SAFTUs view that Cyril Ramaphosa is a deeply compromised capitalist billionaire, with hands stained with the blood of the 34 victims of Marikana who were shot in cold blood by the state to shield White Monopoly capital in general and Lonmin in particular. Furthermore, it is naive to believe that the cronyism and corruption which is a hallmark of the ANC will disappear. The very same people who stood by quietly whilst the state was actively looted by various factions of capital including the Gupta and the Rupert families are the ones who make up the top leadership structures of the ANC, and this includes Ramaphosa himself. They cannot extricate themselves from the corrupt tendencies of the party. Furthermore the ANC has been enabled in its corruption by the leadership of the South African Communist Party (SACP) and trade union federation COSATU who actively continue to mislead members of the working class into supporting their worst butchers, for their own selfish narrow political agenda. It is for this reason that as the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) we are calling on all those who genuinely see themselves as Communist to swell the ranks of the Workers Party we are crystallizing. If you have no New Years resolution for 2018, we are sponsoring this one. Be part of the revolutionary forces working with NUMSA, the biggest trade union in South Africa, and one of the largest worker-controlled unions in Africa. We call on you to help us build a Workers Party which will fight in the interests of the working class and the poor. Its vision is subordinate to the working class and the poor of our country. The struggle for socialism is not an end in itself, it is a struggle for a communist classless society which Karl Marx correctly described as: from each according to his ability, to each according to his needs. We are resolute, we want no confusion in our ranks. We are furthering the aims of the revolution and by this we mean we want a fundamental change. Forward with the class struggle in 2018! We will occupy the streets and fight for the following: 1. NUMSA demands a living wage which will allow the African majority to live a life of dignity. We reject the National Minimum Wage (NMW) of R20 per hour because it is not designed to abolish the Apartheid wage gap. NUMSA demands a living wage, not just a minimum wage. The miners of Marikana were murdered by the state for daring to demand a living wage of R12500 per month. The amount of R20 per hour which has been proposed by the state is an insult to their memory. Furthermore, R20 per hour does not even begin to bridge the wage gap between the African majority and the white minority which was caused by the dehumanizing system of Apartheid. StatsSA confirmed that white households which make up only 8 per cent of the population earn five times more than African households which make up more than 80 per cent of the population! Proving once more that the ANC has become nothing more than a defender of white wealth and privilege. 2. NUMSA will defend the right to strike. We reject the proposed changes to the Labour law which will tamper with our right to strike. This is nothing more than the ANC governments way of attacking our constitutional right to strike. We also reject the proposal which gives the Minister of the Labour Department the power to approach the Labour Court in order to suspend a lengthy strike. This takes away the right of ordinary workers to decide whether to continue or to end a strike. Ramaphosa is personally implicated in the mass murder of the miners of Marikana and therefore it should come as no surprise that he has been driving the process at NEDLAC to roll back on the rights which the working class fought and died for during Apartheid. Sadly the leadership of trade union federations COSATU, FEDUSA and NACTU are also complicit in selling out the working class as they have endorsed these outrageous proposals which have been designed to undermine the power of ordinary workers. 3. NUMSA demands the nationalization of the commanding heights of the economy and all minerals. We reject the ANCs governments neo-liberal macro-economic policies (GEAR) and the (NDP). We demand that all our minerals must be beneficiated to diversify and drive a job led industrial strategy. The economy must be designed to benefit the majority, not just the wealthy elite. 4. NUMSA demands that all State Owned Enterprises (SOE) boards must be removed and replaced by new board members with direct representation of labour, government, business, and civil society. All procurement processes must champion localization and job creation. 5. NUMSA will defend the rights of temporary and contract workers in court and in the streets. In 2017 NUMSA won a Labour Appeals Court decision which re-enforced the rights of temporary workers. NUMSA took a case involving Assign Services a Labour Brokering company to the Labour Appeals Court (LAC). The LAC confirmed that contract workers automatically become full-time employees of the main employer after the three month period has lapsed. The Confederation of Associations in the Private Employment Sector (CAPES), representing labour brokers, is appealing this decision at the Constitutional court. They want the freedom to exploit workers through this form of modern-day slavery. As NUMSA we will fight them every step of the way in order to ensure that the rights of temporary workers everywhere are protected. We also demand a ban on labour brokers as it is pointless to allow the practice to continue especially in light of the recent court decision. The announcement by President Jacob Zuma on free higher education and training for poor and working-class undergraduate students is a positive development. Students categorized as poor and working class, under the new definition, will have their education funded and supported by government grants, not loans. However, we wish to remind Zuma that genuine free education does not mean shifting state resources from other pressing social needs in order to offer grants to a portion of working class and poor students. The sustainability of free education will come from resources obtained by the state from a combination of massive nationalization as well as by imposing a hefty tax on the rich. It seems the state intends to cut social spending in order to fund this policy. We will reject any attempt to take resources away from the poor and the working class in order to fund free education. The resolution to expropriate land without compensation will have to be implemented with speed to fund free education. The ANC government will only be able to sustain this program if it implements the Freedom Charter in its entirety. The resolution to expropriate land without compensation which was adopted at the ANCs national conference last month will have to be implemented with speed if the governing party is to succeed in providing free higher education. Unfortunately, the ANC has a long history of failing to implement the resolutions adopted at its conferences. We remain highly skeptical until we see decisive action on the part of the governing party in this regard. History teaches the working class one fundamental lesson: they shall always be victims of the elite class unless they learn to see the class interests behind all phrases, proclamations, and political processes. The struggle for freedom and equality for all South Africans is far from over. 2018 will be the year to remind the right wing ANC government that true power resides with the working class majority. It was the working class which destroyed the Apartheid government, and only the working class can free itself from the Capitalist chains of economic oppression. Aluta continua! The struggle continues! Issued by Irvin Jim For more information contact: Phakamile Hlubi Majola NUMSA National Spokesperson 0833767725 Virtually every business student dreams of life as the managing director (MD) of a major investment bank, and it is easy to see why. Top investment banking directors can earn several million dollars per year, travel all over the world, and get to see their names printed in publications such as The Wall Street Journal. In terms of respect, lifestyle, and prestige, managing directors are at the upper echelons of the finance world. Key Takeaways Becoming a managing director (MD) at a financial firm like an investment bank means high compensation and status, but there are only a few such positions available in each department. To become an MD, you first have to land an entry-level job and then survive the highly competitive corporate culture of investment banks. Through hard work, commitment, and keen social skills, one can hope to get promoted through the ranks, all the way up to MD. Managing directors are responsible for the day-to-day operations of their groups and report directly to either the CFO, COO, CRO, or CEO. Most managing directors are responsible for bringing in clients and closing deals, also while overseeing directors, vice presidents, associates, and analysts in their group. What a Managing Director Does Managing directors are at the highest levels in the corporate structure of an investment bank except for the executive positions, such as the CFO, COO, and CEO. Managing directors are typically the heads of the different divisions of a group. For example, a managing director could be the head of the credit risk department, overseeing the department's day-to-day activities and reporting to the chief risk officer (CRO). Managing directors have many people working under them, including directors, vice presidents, associates, and analysts. Typically, a managing director will work with the directors of their groups that report to them, and the directors deal directly with the VPs, associates, and analysts. The managing director will ensure that the group's responsibilities are being met, depending on the division, such as sales targets, budget goals, and the implementation of risk policies. Most divisions in an investment bank have managing directors, which includes operations, risk management, sales and trading, and information technology. Typically, in the context of an investment bank, however, a managing director refers to those working in the mergers and acquisitions department. These MDs are responsible for bringing in clients, traveling, and closing deals. A Long-Term Proposition There are not many of these jobs, so competition is fierce, and it takes a grueling amount of work to get that far. The salary benchmarking firm Emolument has released a report on how long it takes to become a managing director (MD) at an investment bank. The results were not surprising. It takes over 12 years at all major investment banks. Most take over 14 years while others over 16 years. And for some, even over 18 years. Twelve to 18 years may not sound like a long time to wait to make an extremely high salary, but this amount of time is likely to come after undergraduate school, a two-year internship, and an MBA program. Once work begins, most investment bankers work an average of 105 hours per week as analysts, often working the entire weekend. It's a grueling lifestyle but If you can make it to MD, expect a 6-figure salary along with perks, status, and job security. Breaking Into Investment Banking Ivy league business schools, places such as Wharton, Harvard, and Columbia are the go-to breeding grounds for entry-level investment banking jobs. Students begin the process of attracting investment banks at an early age by targeting internships, strategically networking with older professionals, and taking classes to get into a good master's program. Typically classes that undergrads take to enter the investment banking world include economics, business management, finance, econometrics, statistics, and accounting. Even the lowest-level analysts are the brightest, highest-achieving business students. It is a grind to get an analyst job since banks are looking for those who can willingly build active schedules and show they can work long hours with superb results. The first step toward becoming managing director is getting in on the ground floor. Surviving the Investment Banking Culture Investment banking has a well-earned reputation for difficulty and cutthroat meritocracy. Bankers are expected to work as many hours as needed and are virtually never off the clock. The culture is, in a word, intense. Career advancement comes from embracing the challenge. Most banks have a "put up or shut up" mentality, even for junior analysts. Low-level analysts are treated as commodities, and most report being told they are easily replaceable. This is actually true, as there are hundreds of eager business students pining to take every available slot. Advancement is as much on you as your senior co-workers. Investment banks are not known for holding hands or emphasizing training. Andrew Gutmann, author of How to Be an Investment Banker: Recruiting, Interviewing, and Landing the Job, frankly states that "a junior banker's career development also takes a backseat. As a junior banker, you are there to work, not to learn." At an investment bank, it is difficult to make it to the top without a mentor who is more senior than you and well respected. Finding a good mentor is critical in moving up the corporate ladder at an investment bank. Your friends are likely going to be your co-workers, with whom you spend almost all of your time. This can lead to a great deal of camaraderie among analysts, especially those who make it to the associate level together. From an emotional and interpersonal perspective, the most important aspect of surviving the first few years is to develop strong relationships inside the firm. Putting In the Time The great majority of managing directors were senior vice presidents, sometimes called principals or directors, at the same firm for several years. Most senior vice presidents were vice presidents for three or four years and had proven their skills at executing deals and managing relationships. Vice presidents come from a pool of top investment banking associates, usually after their third year with that title. And most associates are selected from analysts who managed to survive for a few years. It seems a little odd that such a results-based industry has a de facto graduation schedule for promotions of three years here, two years there. But banks want to know an analyst or associate can keep pace and produce year in and year out. To make it as managing director, you are going to have to prove you can help the bank make money, and part of that process is mastering every level of bank operations. What Investment Banks Want From a Managing Director Part of becoming a managing director is putting in the time, but a bigger part is convincing the bank you are what it is looking for. Each managing director has to know the bank and its clients inside and out and, more importantly, has to be able to tactfully balance all of the personal relationships. An effective managing director knows when to delegate and when to interfere, when to hire and when to fire, and even when to walk away from a deal. Investment banks are businesses in search of profits, but the managing director cannot just have the bank's short-term bottom line in mind. The bank's clients need to trust the managing director, who acts as the spokesman for the bank in a deal. Effective managing directors know that the clients are the ones who really pay their huge salaries. Managing directors drive revenue by looking for and winning deals. They do not spend a lot of time executing deals, so most investment banks are far more interested in a great schmoozer and prospector than a technical mastermind. Other Factors There are a few primary reasons an analyst may never work their way to become managing director. The first and most common is burnout. Even if an analyst is able to adjust to the long hours and demanding work, there are tremendous exit opportunities, meaning there are other excellent jobs with good firms that are fighting to pick up the scraps from investment banks. It is very tempting to accept an outside offer and leave the 100-hour weeks behind you, especially if you do not make associate or vice president as quickly as you expected. Many other analysts and associates never reach the managing director's office because life gets in the way. They might get married or have children, they might have to take care of aging parents, or they may get sick or hurt. Investment banking does not leave much time for life outside the firm. When presented with hard choices, many choose to focus on everything else and leave the bank behind. Managing Director FAQs What Is the Difference Between a CEO and Managing Director? A CEO is responsible for the overall direction of a company and its health. CEOs are not responsible for the day-to-day aspects of a business. For that, they rely on their subordinates to carry out their vision and strategy, ensuring all is going well to achieve the intended goals of the company. The CEO reports to the board of directors. A managing director, on the other hand, is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the department they oversee. They report directly to the CEO, CRO, COO, or CFO, depending on their department. How Many Managing Directors Does Goldman Sachs Have? There are hundreds of managing directors at Goldman Sachs. In 2019 alone, Goldman promoted 465 people to managing director status. How Much Does a Managing Director at Goldman Sachs Make? The average base salary for a managing director at Goldman Sachs is $432,602 annually. On top of this is additional pay at an average of $287,143, which can include a cash bonus, stock bonus, a profit-sharing plan, and commissions. The Bottom Line Becoming a managing director at an investment bank is a difficult path, one that requires hard work, dedication, sacrifice, and intelligence. To many who love their jobs, the path is worth it, particularly with the amount of wealth and prestige that comes with the title. Quantitative analysts, or "quants," working in the financial industry use mathematical and statistical techniques to study, measure, and evaluate financial instruments, financial markets, and the behavior of market participants. Quantitative financial analysts work in all kinds of firms in the securities industry, including commercial banks, investment banks, wealth management firms, and hedge funds. Insurance companies, management consulting firms, accountancy firms, and financial software companies also employ quantitative analysts. While a quantitative analyst's focus can vary quite a bit from job to job, the basic work typically revolves around the development and construction of mathematical models designed to provide insight into complex financial systems. These models may be used to price securities and derivative instruments, to inform the timing of trades, or to assess and manage various types of financial risk. Whatever the focus of the job, the information and insight produced by quantitative analysis are generally used to develop and carry out investment strategies and to inform the decision-making of the firm's investment managers or its investment clients. Key Takeaways Quantitative analysts that work in the financial sector use statistical and mathematical techniques to evaluate economic data, financial instruments, and markets. Quantitative financial analysts work in commercial banks, investment banks, wealth management firms, and hedge funds, among many others. Earning a degree in physics, engineering, computer science, or applied math will help hone one's quant chops before entering the workforce. Career Path Some quantitative financial analysts begin working in entry-level roles as research analysts after completing a bachelor's degree in a field that provides practical quantitative skills, such as statistics, finance, or economics. However, these positions do not typically lead to long-term, permanent careers in the field. Rather, junior quantitative research analysts usually either return to school or transition into closely related jobs, such as investment analyst positions researching companies and stocks. In the securities industry, quantitative analysts are typically hired for their expertise in complex mathematical modeling techniques, skills that require many years of training to develop. Consequently, most quantitative analysts come to the field after completing a master's degree or doctorate. Top candidates for analyst positions typically hold doctorates and have experience conducting independent research and designing mathematical models. 2:11 What does a Quantitative Analyst Do? Educational Qualifications A long-term career as a quantitative analyst generally requires a graduate degree in a quantitative field such as finance, economics, mathematics, or statistics. Degrees in theoretical physics, engineering, computer science, and other fields that deliver high-level training in mathematical modeling and other advanced quantitative techniques may also be acceptable. Some doctorate-level professionals who want to transition into the financial industry from quantitative careers in non-finance fields choose to return to school to earn a master's degree in majors such as financial engineering or mathematical finance. $106,751 The average quantitative analyst salary in the U.S. as of May 2020, according to Glassdoor.com. Other Qualifications and Skills Few employers in this field require job candidates to hold a professional certification. However, some positions may require an appropriate license from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), the organization in charge of oversight for securities firms and brokers in the United States. To begin the FINRA licensing process, a candidate typically must have official sponsorship from his or her employer. As a result, any licensing requirements for a position are usually handled after a new employee begins work. Most quantitative financial analysts must have high proficiency in the database management skills and computer programming skills used to develop and implement mathematical models. The C++ programming language is generally considered the most important in the field, although requirements vary depending on the position. Other programming languages used in the field include Python, SQL, C#, Java, .NET, and VBA. Quantitative financial analysts should also have expertise in a statistical analysis software package, such as Matlab, R, S-Plus, or SAS. Advanced skills in Excel are also required.T Analysts must have excellent written and verbal communication skills. In addition to developing new mathematical models and analytical approaches, analysts must be able to document and present the results of their work to others in the firm so that it can be put to use in day-to-day business. Analysts may be required to work with technical staff to design appropriate systems to run the models they create. Analysts should also expect to communicate with firm management and various business units to set research and design priorities. Financial Analyst vs. Equity Analyst: An Overview Young professionals who are quantitatively inclined, skilled problem solvers, logical thinkers, and who keep up to date with the markets should consider a career as a financial analyst. In a broad sense, financial analysts examine financial data to help companies make investing decisions. Some financial analysts work internally and help their employers make investments, while others work for third-party firms hired by outside clients to lend their expertise. The field of financial analysis is a rather broad category. Some financial analysts look at the big picture, analyzing overall market trends to locate profitable investments in different industries and market segments. Others take a micro approach, breaking investment opportunities down company-by-company to try to pinpoint the investment potential of each. These professionals are called equity analysts. Financial Analysts Financial analysts look at a company or sector's overall performance using a variety of metrics. They review financial decisions based on current economic and market trends, stated business objectives, and possible investment options. Importantly, a financial analyst is interested in both the equity and debt of a firm, as well as economic data. A degree in finance is probably most beneficial for aspiring financial analysts, although mathematics or economics could also suffice. A Master of Business Administration (MBA) may help for a financial analyst, but it is not always required. Financial analysts earned a median annual salary of $85,660 in 2018, the most recent year for which figures are available, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Top earners brought home nearly $167,420 and the lower rung made approximately $52,540. Financial analysts tend to earn the most in large financial hubs, such as New York City or San Francisco. Bridgeport, Connecticut is also a lucrative destination for analysts. Increased regulations and market complexity are driving the growth for financial analysts, particularly among larger firms with a lot of assets to manage. Equity Analysts While financial analysts consider a broad scope, equity analysts focus on the stocks of companiesthe equity portion of the capital structure. Equity analysts start off by doing financial modeling and analysis and are responsible for coverage of a specific sector or group of companies. They produce research reports, projections, and recommendations concerning companies and stocks. Typically, an equity analyst specializes in a small group of companies in a particular industry or country to develop the high-level expertise necessary to produce accurate projections and recommendations. These analysts monitor market data and news reports and speak to contacts in the companies and industries they study to update their research on a daily basis. Issuing buy, sell, or hold recommendations is a key job of the equity analyst. Associates and junior analysts often receive recognition for their work by being named on research reports that are distributed to a firm's sales force, clients, and media outlets. Since senior analysts are recognized experts on the companies they cover in a sector, they are sought after by the media outlets for comments on these companies after they report earnings or announce a material development. Buy-Side and Sell-Side Analysts Equity analysts come in two types: buy-side analysts and sell-side analysts. Buy-side analysts work for fund managers at mutual fund brokers and financial advisory firms. They research companies in their employers' portfolios, as well as other companies that may represent profitable investment opportunities. Based on this research, they prepare reports that offer buy and sell recommendations to management. Sell-side equity analysts often work for the big investment banks, such as Goldman Sachs. Their jobs entail researching the financial fundamentals of companies the bank is considering taking public and determining which ones have the strongest potential to become profitable. For aspiring financial analysts, one of the most important decisions is whether to specialize as an equity analyst or pursue another niche under the broader umbrella of financial analysis. The following comparison explains some of the subtle differences between a career as a financial analyst and an equity analyst. Education Requirements No licensing board or regulatory authority has set hard-and-fast educational minimums for financial analysts or equity analysts. However, a bachelor's degree has become a de facto minimum for receiving an offer to work in either field. Beyond this, the individual firms doing the hiring set the standards. Because financial analysis is the broader of the two careers, there are more employment opportunities abound from huge Wall Street investment banks to insurance companies and small, local firms. Educational standards can vary depending on which of these routes an applicant pursues. At the very least, they should have a bachelor's degree, with the most preferable majors being economics, finance, and statistics. Equity analysts are much more concentrated on Wall Street at the big investment banks. The big banks are known to look for the best of the best when hiring those right out of college. Because of this, they focus their recruiting efforts almost exclusively on top-tier schools, such as the Ivy League schools, Duke University and the University of Chicago. While applying with a degree from a lesser-rated school is short of a death knell in the field, the plain fact is, statistically, a Princeton University grad has a much stronger shot at landing an equity analyst position compared to a graduate of a typical large state university. For graduates of non-top-tier schools who still want to pursue equity analysis, their best bet is getting into, and graduating from, an elite MBA program. Skills Needed Financial analysts and equity analysts need strong analytical and quantitative skills, problem-solving ability and, equally importantly, a love for the markets. Just as a financial advisor or stockbroker keeps a finger constantly on the pulse of the market, analysts who study investment data must do the same to draw accurate conclusions from the data. While both careers require hard work and dedication, equity analysts in particular, due to the nature of their likely employers, should be prepared for a tough grind and a lot of work hours. A job at a big investment bank is not a 9-to-5 gig with weekends off. The average workweek, particularly during the first few years, could very well be upward of 80 or 90 hours. In fact, some banks have bunk rooms so that analysts working into the night can crash for a few hours before being back at their desks before the following day's opening bell. Starting Salary An equity analyst almost invariably makes more money than a traditional financial analyst, but they put in a lot more hours to earn that money. According to Salary.com, the average base salary for a financial analyst is $58,800 per year. Bonuses, when given, are usually small and tied to company performance, not individual metrics. Equity analysts, by contrast, earn a median base salary of $86,400. When you add in potential bonuses, the median pay rises to $92,400 annually. Most financial analysts, though they make above-average incomes, have to work many years before getting to the income an equity analyst can make their first year, and some never get there. Job Outlook According to the BLS, the job outlook for financial analysts is strong through 2028. Projected job growth in the field is 6%, about as fast as other occupations. The BLS lumps equity analysts with financial analysts when making employment projections. It's worth noting that the job market for equity analysts is, for obvious reasons, tied to the health of the big banks. This health was tenuous for a period beginning in 2008, but thanks to restructuring, along with an injection of taxpayer-funded aid, investment banks are doing much better. Assuming no subsequent turbulence, equity analysts should continue to enjoy a strong job market. Which One to Choose These careers require similar skills, education and background. One consideration is what kind of employer you want to work for. If you prefer a smaller or mid-sized company, you have a much better shot as a financial analyst given the aforementioned fact that most equity analyst jobs are at big investment banks. Another consideration is, of course, money. If your main goal is a big paycheck, become an equity analyst at a big bank. Keep in mind you are probably going to be settling in at the office for an evening of work while your financial analyst friends are at the gym, happy hour, or playing rec league softball. If work-life balance is at the top of your list, lean toward financial analysis, and definitely stay away from the big investment banks. The global economy is growing and oil prices have rallied to a point where companies feel compelled to drill. Added to that, confidence in what lies beneath Irish waters amongst explorers has heightened considerably in the past 12 months. That would lead one to believe that it is all systems go again for Irelands offshore. However, unrest and caution exist when explorers turn their thoughts to Ireland. While Brexit remains a worry, as it does for many sectors, the real threats facing the development of an Irish oil industry may well lie even closer to home. The countrys reputation and regulatory regime are seen to be concerns. While it took years to come on stream massively over budget, to boot the Corrib gas field has, for the past 12 months, been providing close to 50% of Irelands gas requirements. However, its turbulent journey to production marked by opposition and, at times, violent protests has had an effect. While the continued successful operation of the Corrib field is a good news story, it is clear that the difficulties experienced during its development continue to cast a shadow over Irelands reputation internationally, according to Ronan Mac Nioclais, author of PwCs annual Irish oil and gas sector survey. That survey forecasts that 502m will be invested in the Irish oil and gas sector in the next two years, with nearly three quarters of companies with an Irish interest rating the overall outlook for the sector, here, as encouraging up from 28% this time last year. Furthermore, nearly 90% of companies said they are optimistic about the level of petroleum reserves yet to be discovered in Irish waters. However, when asked what the Government could do to help the industry, improvements to the regulatory framework and fiscal/tax take terms were high on the agenda. In times of economic uncertainty it is crucial that the Government takes positive steps to encourage investment into the Irish oil and gas industry, said Mr Mac Nioclais. It is clear that steps need to be taken to improve the regulatory and planning processes to fast-track developments, as these are causing companies difficulties and impacting on Irelands reputation internationally. The survey calls for a clear commitment from the Irish Government to facilitate developments, with changes to the planning and regulatory regime required, as it is felt that the current regime is not fit-for-purpose to enable large-scale developments, he added. Just under half of respondents who have had experience with the Irish licensing authorities indicated that they have had good or excellent experiences. This leaves room for improvement as over half of those have not had a positive lasting impression, which is likely hindering development. It was clear that maintaining if not enhancing the fiscal terms was seen as the most important measure. The planning and regulatory regime also came in for particular criticism and it was noted that this was an area requiring significant overhaul to make it more efficient and streamlined, Mr Mac Nioclais said. Ronan MacNicolas: 502m expected to be invested in Irish Oil and Gas in next two years. Photo: Maxwell Photography Representative body the Irish Offshore Operators Association concurs. Brexit continues to cast a shadow of uncertainty around Irelands long-term energy security and against that backdrop, it is important that the current balanced fiscal environment remains to ensure Irelands international competitiveness as an exploration destination for industry investment, its chairman Pat Shannon said. A lack of commercial discoveries, the negative impact of the developments at Corrib, more attractive investment opportunities elsewhere, and the current regulatory regime, rank as the main hurdles to the development of the sector in Ireland, according to Mr Mac Nioclais. There are significant linkages between commercial discoveries and costs and opportunities elsewhere, as investors will choose locations with proven track records and lower cost bases, he said. On an operational level, 2017 was a mixed bag for the Irish offshore. Farm-out deals returned Providence selling tranches of licences to French oil giant Total, and Europa Oil and Gas striking a deal with Scottish explorer Cairn Energy, and saying it remains on course for further partnerships regarding its Irish assets. Providence also had an end-of-year fillip by being able to announce that it has after so many near-misses almost got a deal with an unnamed development partner for its much-touted Barryroe field in the Celtic Sea over the line. However, drilling proved a failure, with water discovered at Providences much-anticipated Druid-Drombeg prospect in the southern Porcupine Basin off the south-west coast. That didnt dampen spirits though and the Porcupine Basin both north and south parts is still viewed as the favoured location for the Governments next licensing round by the bulk of explorers with an interest in Ireland. This well, 220km off the southwest coast, was located in 2,233 metres of water and was the deepest water ever for an exploration well offshore Ireland. While the well was not a discovery, it provided valuable information on the geological development of the basin and its results have not impacted adversely on the prospectivity or potential of the basin, said Mr Shannon. He added: There were several large 3D multi-client seismic surveys acquired in the southern Porcupine Basin during 2017. The exploration momentum of recent years has also been boosted by the arrival of Total back into the Irish offshore. Oil prices are expected to remain close to the $60 per barrel mark in 2018, with producers who have largely adhered to Opecs production cutback agreement ready to raise production to stabilise the market should any number of global factors cause a price spike. During the past year the oil price has stabilised and risen steadily from $55 per barrel last December to approximately $64 per barrel 12 months on. This has provided increased investment confidence to the global oil and gas industry, said Mr Shannon. Oil may be trading at its highest level for two and a half years, but doubts to its recovery remain with US shale likely to dominate production again. The tug-of-war between Opec and the US will continue to pressure oil from trading above $60 a barrel in 2018, said Kim Kwangrae, a Seoul-based commodities analyst at Samsung Futures. Like weve seen this year, geopolitical risks will be the key factor going forward for oil to breach $60, added Mr Kwangrae. Burma Analysis: Prospects for Peace in the New Year Union Peace Conference representatives from the government, Parliament, the Myanmar Army, political parties, and ethnic armed groups that are signatories to the nationwide ceasefire agreed to 37 of 41 basic federal principles and signed part 1 of the Union Accord. / Myo Min Soe / The Irrawaddy YANGON Last year saw intensified fighting and friction between the Myanmar military (Tatmadaw), the government and ethnic armed groups, continuing through to the end of the year. In December, the Tatmadaws obstruction of public consultations for the Shan national-level dialogue deepened this friction. The Tatmadaw deterred the Committee for Shan State Unity (CSSU)-led public consultations in Panglong, Kyauk Mae, Keng Tung and Lashio in Shan State and in Mandalay, and the CSSU could not complete its plan to hold talks in these areas. A different understanding between the government and the Tatmadaw, and ethnic armed groups (EAOs) regarding the public consultations caused the block and stakeholders said they would have to negotiate to reach a common understanding. The government and the Tatmadaw do not want public consultations under the title of national-level dialogue, while the EAOs see it is a necessary step to go through prior to gathering for the national dialogues (NDs), according to observers and stakeholders. EAOs understand that the public consultations are related to the NDs and thus necessary. But the government and Tatmadaw say the NDs should only be conducted once, said Khun Myint Tun, the chairman of the Pa-O National Liberation Organization, which is a signatory to the NCA. The government-led NDs on theme and region were done as one dialogue each without pre-consultations. Observers noted that these were rushed and lacked time to prepare and understand the political, social, economic, security, land and environmental aspects. On Dec. 30, the Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee (UPDJC)s secretariats met to talk about preparations for the third session of the 21st Century Panglong Union Peace Conference (UPC), planned to convene later this month. They will further negotiate the ND and the consultations at the upcoming UPDJC meeting in the next two weeks, he said. Prior to the second session of the UPC in May 2017, ethnic Karen, Chin and Pa-O were allowed to hold public consultation and ethnic-based NDs; while the Arakan Liberation Party (ALP) and the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) were not permitted due to security issues in Rakhine State and a non-negotiable venue in Shan State, respectively. In November, the Joint Implementation Coordination Meeting for the NCA was able to negotiate that the RCSS led NDs could be held in Langkho (Lin Khay) Township in Shan State. The government wants NCA non-signatories to sign the pact soon, but the non-signatories the United Nationalities Federal Council and the Northern Alliance are closely observing how freely the NCA implementation can be carried out. The Shan experience has given them something to think about. The Shan ND experience will give them additional insight before making their decision to sign the NCA pact, said Ja Nan Lahtaw, a facilitator in the governments peace negotiation. New Year, Old Challenges As 2017 ends, the New Year will begin with old challenges. We dont see any promising indicators, Ja Nan Lahtaw said, adding that the peace process will not see any drastic changes if the current pace and approach continue. As a peace advocate, she is far more optimistic than many who have been disheartened by the way the government peace negotiators have performed regarding the peace talks. Despite the governments efforts, more fighting continues to break out in Kachin and northern Shan states. Observers have blamed this on fewer informal talks held under the National League for Democracy (NLD) administration than in the past under former President U Thein Sein. Lamai Gum Ja, a Kachin peace negotiator, recently told The Irrawaddy the way to bring both sides to the negotiation table has been lost, referring to his unsuccessful efforts to find a way to negotiate between the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and the National Reconciliation and Peace Center (NRPC) led by the state counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Only changes in the peace process implementation will accelerate peace building in the new year, observers said unanimously, and all in agreement that the expectation for peace is very low given the current approach. Mi Kun Chan Non, an ethnic Mon peace advocate, said the stakeholders strong commitment kept her belief in the process strong, but that there seemed to be a lack of expectations regarding peace given that 2017 ending with continued fighting and friction in the northern and northeast of the country. Nothing is expected regarding peace because fighting has been ongoing in my constituency, said Nang Kham Aye, a Lower House lawmaker representing Namtu Township in Shan State. She said her constituents have long suffered abuses of the Tatmadaw, as well as other ethnic armed groups in the area including the Taang National Liberation Army (TNLA), Shan State Progressive Party/Shan State Army-North (SSPP/SSA-N) and the RCSS. During the current parliamentary recess, she traveled around her constituency and said she heard gunfire day and night. On Dec. 26, a village in Namtu faced artillery shelling and three houses were destroyed. My people were afraid and fled their homes, when they heard that Tatmadaw troops were coming toward their village, which the TNLA was already occupying, she recently told The Irrawaddy. The TNLA, which has been active in the area including Namtu, is not allowed to participate in the peace process like its two other allies the Arakan Army (AA) and the Kokangs Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) due to the Tatmadaws reluctance to accept them as peace partners. The government wanted the UPC to be held twice a year, despite challenges to this. But this also limits the opportunity for national-level political dialogue. In 2018, national-level political dialogue should be held more widely instead of holding the UPC twice a year, said political analyst Dr. Yan Myo Thein. He explained that the more talks are held between key stakeholders, including civil society, the better the political transition. Despite 2017 not being the year of peace, he said that there were some positive developments. The groups based in the northeast, including the KIA and the United Wa State Army, traveled to Naypyitaw in May and met with State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Also, the first part of the Union Accord was signed. The NLD government plans to change the military-drafted Constitution through the Union Accord drawn up through the UPC, and will seek approval from Parliament to do so. The Tatmadaw has so far agreed to the plan. But observers doubt its effectiveness, in part because the first part of the Union Accord lacks key federal principles and is similar to the current 2008 Constitution. Concerns remain as to whether the UPC is an effective venue to change the Constitution, said Dr. Yan Myo Thein, The government must plan how to move forward. Reddit Email 572 Shares TeleSur | This is a historic event that we have been waiting for, an extremist member of Prime Minister Netanyahus Likud Party said. The latest radical move by hardline Zionists in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus Likud Party could see Israels government annex all of the occupied West Bank, incorporating most of historic Palestine into the Israeli state. The central committee of the right-wing party overwhelmingly voted on Sunday for a resolution urging Likud parliamentarians to push for the annexation of the territories that are already illegally-held. The non-binding vote by the partys decision-making committee also called on its MPs to spread Israeli sovereignty over Judea and Samaria (the West Bank), the biblical terms used by Jewish radical settlers to refer to the occupied Palestinian regions. This is a historic event that we have been waiting for, Likud extremist Natan Engelsman told Focus Information Agency. If the president of the United States believes Jerusalem is ours, there is no reason why a right-wing party and coalition cannot. Its important for us to show Trump what the ruling party in Israel wants, and since he loves the Jewish people, sooner or later, he will come to the same conclusion, the activist added. Netanyahu, a member of the central committee, was not present for the vote. While the prime minister claims he still supports a two-state solution with the people of Palestine who have faced seven decades of continuous dispossession, he has also pushed for Jewish settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank, a move that is illegal even in the courts of the Israeli occupation state. According to Palestines Land Research Center, this year alone the Israeli government illegally seized approximately 2,500 acres of Palestinian land, destroyed 500 buildings and constructed eight new Jewish settlement units in 2017, according to Palestines Land Research Center. The expansionist moves also saw 900 incidents of Israeli violence, including attacks by Israeli security forces on East Jerusalems Al-Aqsa Mosque. Settlement activity also tripled this year compared to the previous year: in 2015, 1,982 homes were built for settlers; in 2016, 2,627; and in 2017, around 6,500 houses were built. In October, Netanyahu postponed a vote on a controversial bill that critics say would amount to the de facto annexation of Israeli settlements surrounding Jerusalem. On Christmas Eve, Israeli Minister of Public Works and Housing Yoav Galant declared that a plan would be put into place to build 300,000 new houses in East Jerusalem under the name of housing on the land of united Jerusalem, the capital of Israel. Many analysts expected bolder expansionist moves by the right-wing head of state, especially in light of U.S. President Donald Trumps announcement that Washington would move its embassy to Jerusalem a gesture that was tantamount to a U.S. recognition of unilateral Israeli claims to the divided and unlawfully-held Arab city. The U.S. announcement was welcomed by the Israelis, who have been working alongside Saudi Arabia in hopes to pressure the Palestinian Authority to accept Donald Trumps so-called Arab-Israeli deal of the century that has not yet been announced. The deal would see the Palestinian question settled in exchange for the normalization of ties between Tel Aviv and the Gulf monarchies and the integration of Israel into the regional family of nations that the Saudis claim leadership over. According to regional reports, Saudi King-in-waiting and Crown Prince Mohamed Bin Salman has attempted to present Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas with an ultimatum whereby he must accept the U.S.-Israeli-Saudi plan for the region or resign. Abbas has also faced Israeli and Saudi pressure to halt the rapprochement process between Palestinian factions Hamas and his own Fatah movement but has rejected such pressure. In early December, a Palestinian official told The New York Times that the Saudis floated the idea of compensating the Palestinians for the loss of West Bank territory by adding territory to the Gaza Strip from Egypts Sinai Peninsula, an arid and rocky desert territory plagued by attacks by the Islamic State group, who frequently attack Palestinian targets. The Egyptians have rejected the idea, according to a western official. Netanyahu is also eager to secure a mandate from an increasingly racist public in an early election as he awaits possible criminal indictments against him on corruption suspicions for abusing his power for personal benefit. He denies wrongdoing. Although parliamentary elections are not due until November 2019, police investigations in the two cases of alleged corruption against Netanyahu and tensions among partners in his governing coalition could hasten a poll, increasing pressure for the beleaguered leader to secure right-wing support. The bill had been expected to be voted on by a ministerial committee in a move that would fast-track its progress through parliament. Israel occupied the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, in the Six-Day War of 1967. It later annexed East Jerusalem in a move rejected by the international community. The occupation is still unrecognized. It claims the entire city as its indivisible capital, but the Palestinians want the eastern sector as the capital of their future state. About 600,000 Israelis live in over 230 illegal settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem among 2.9 million Palestinians, with frequent outbreaks of violence and brutal repression by the occupation authority. By enacting civilian law over settlements, the move could streamline procedures for their construction and expansion. That land is currently under military jurisdiction and Israels defense minister has a final say on building there. In 1981, Israel enacted a civilian law on the Golan Heights, territory captured from Syria in 1967, a de-facto annexation of the strategic plateau. The move has not won international recognition. Likuds central committee counts around 3,700 members, and according to Israeli media, some 1,500 were present for Sundays vote. Via TeleSur - Related video added by Juan Cole: Haaretz.com from last fall: Who are the Netanyahu supporters? | at the Netanyau rally 306 Shares Share Its been 21 years since Drs. Robert Wachter and Lee Goldman, in an article in the New England Journal of Medicine, first described a new delivery model called hospitalists clinicians whose primary professional focus is the care of hospitalized patients. Since that time the healthcare system has seen rapid growth of hospitalist programs across a variety of specialties. In the OB world, I have had the opportunity to observe the entire transition from both sides. In my opinion, the addition of a unit (OB emergency department, or OBED) where every patient presenting to labor and delivery for unscheduled care is seen by a provider capable of doing a medical screening exam and handling the worst emergency as a first responder is a critical supplement to patient safety. It should also be acknowledged that changing the status quo can be disruptive. For better or worse, disruption breeds resistance. A well-known primary care physician recently criticized hospital-based doctors who know nothing about the patients for whom they care which suggests that there is residual suspicion, or perhaps professional competition, regarding what hospitalists actually do. This opinion does not account for the fact that the two roles are different and complementary. The unfortunate myth of hospitalists as interfering stand-ins degrades the role of these clinicians. It also does little to advance the potential for hospitalists and community physicians to partner on healthcare delivery. That relationship has to be respected and nurtured by the hospitalist for the model to work to enhance patient safety. Attention to patient safety issues such as SBAR (situation, background, assessment, recommendation) communication, good documentation, availability of medical records and provider to provider communication provide a safety net that enhances patient care across the spectrum of care. After 34 years in a private community OB/GYN practice, I now work to provide local hospitals with hospitalist focused on the care of women in labor and delivery. It is a different job than our internal medicine or pediatric colleagues perform. Our hospitalist team evaluates and triages patients, acts as an emergency first responder on the labor and delivery, provides care to unassigned emergent obstetric and gynecologic patients, and supports the patients and practices of community OB/GYNs. Far from being competitors, we are first responders who optimize the safety net by providing emergent care until the primary provider is in place and knows the story. Most OB/GYN providers still provide hospital care for their own patients. At other times, they check out their entire practice. The secret is respecting the doctor-patient relationship that attendants have with their patients and only serving when asked. When caring for a patient whose provider is not present at that hospital, we provide seamless care then pass the patient to their community physician or designee with appropriate communication to ensure continuity. Because they are at the hospital 24/7, an OB hospitalist can relieve some of the pressure and urgency on a community provider. A private OB/GYN practice requires being available to deliver a baby or handle an obstetrical emergency at any point during the day or night, which hampers the ability to smoothly run a private practice and often leads to OB/GYN burnout, the rate of which is among the highest of all physician specialties. Having an OB hospitalist available to handle routine care and rapidly evolving emergencies lessens time out of office, away from practice and patients, and promotes a healthy life balance to increase the length of a professional practice. Hospitalists help optimize the community providers practice and life style. When a hospital contracts with the right hospitalist team, the hospitalists can leverage best practice protocols with community physicians to ensure a rapid assessment and care in emergency situations, direct communication and a seamless transition of patient care. That can only benefit patients. In our experience, this model, with practices based on our large national database, has produced measureable improvements in care and safety, including significantly decreased rates of C-section and a 31 percent reduction in high severity incidents. Finally, disparaging hospitalists minimizes their professional dedication and commitment to patient care. A few months ago, Hurricane Harvey slammed the U.S., causing catastrophic damage to the Gulf Coast. The hurricane also disrupted medical care for millions of Americans, including those who needed emergency care. In those days before, during and after the hurricane, there were remarkable acts of courage among healthcare professionals serving individuals in need of care. Some physicians on my team of obstetric hospitalists worked three straight days in Labor and Delivery to cover for physicians who couldnt physically get to the facility. Neither patients nor community clinicians drew a distinction between assigned physicians and hospitalist in this state of emergency when collaboration was the difference between life or death. So should it be in non-emergency times. Last year, Dr. Wachter and Dr. Goldman revisited 20 years of hospitalist programs, noting that, Today, hospital medicine is a respected field whose greatest legacies may be improvement of care and efficiency, injection of systems thinking into physician practice, and the vivid demonstration of our health care systems capacity for massive change under the right conditions. Healthcare stakeholders, including health systems, clinicians and patients, are best served when we are willing to disrupt the traditional model of care delivery and embrace improved evolutions that enhance organizations and outcomes. When OB hospitalist and community OBs communicate and collaborate, we can optimally achieve those most important goals. Charles Jaynes is an obstetrical hospitalist and senior director of medical operations, Ob Hospitalist Group. Image credit: Shutterstock.com What would you do if you won the lottery? Heres one physicians plan. 169 Shares Share Yup, I won the lottery! $785 million dollars. Pinch me because I must be dreaming. I am a physician finance blogger; I would not recommend buying a lottery ticket. But I did. So screw all the people who said it was a waste of $2. So here I am, the big time winner: What to do now? Well, that is what this post is about. (In reality, I did not win the lottery. I am still slaving away at a day job; but a person can dream, cant they?) Step 1: Sign the back of the ticket and put it somewhere safe I do not want to lose this gravy train. That would be tragic. Money I had not earned vanishing and leaving me just as poor today as I was yesterday. Step 2: Consider talking to a lawyer to set up a revocable living trust that will accept the prize money. I want to keep anonymity in my big win. I dont want to become a celebrity and target of scammers as is oh too common. So how can I keep my anonymity? Well, a trust may help, and if set up right, I can still have full control of the cash. Sure I have already set up a trust, but now that I am super loaded I want to just get a little lawyer backup. Step 3: Claim prize in an anonymous fashion into the trust Step 4: Quit my job I am not a saint. Happily, I will quit my current life in clinical practice if I won the big bucks. I figure if I took a year off and really missed it then I could go and work for a not for profit caring for uninsured or underinsured patients. I would not leave my job the next day. As a department of six cardiologists, my sudden departure would greatly impact my colleagues. So I would give my notice and let my boss know I would stick around until a new person was hired and started. That way, my departure would be less painful for my colleagues. Step 5: Figure out my tax burden Face it, I am taking the lump sum. The $780 million becomes $480 million. Not too shabby. Now the taxman cometh. Out of the $480 million, the federal government takes out 25%, and states have their own percentage. Luckily, California does not tax lottery winnings, which is pretty crazy if you ask me. So the government gets $120 million of my cash, leaving me with $360 million. Step 6: Set up a donor-advised fund If I had $360 million in cash, I can promise you a large chunk of it, likely half, would be going to donations. So I would take $180 million and place it into a donor-advised fund. If interested, Physician on Fire goes over how to do this. The beauty of the donor-advised fund is I can take a tax write off this year and reduce my income tax. All of a sudden I dont owe the federal government $120 million anymore. Now I owe them somewhere in the nature of $75 million dollars in taxes. Plus, I have a large pot of money that I can donate over the course of my life. It will sit in an aggressive stocks only fund and hopefully grow. I can use all of that money, and its growth, tax-free to donate to causes we find important. I will never have to worry about wanting to donate. Step 7: I have $225 million left after taxes and donation plans. Now what? Now comes the hard part. What to do with all of the leftover cash? I would probably start by paying off my home and my parents and in-laws homes. Then I would pay off my school debt. So I still have $224 million left. I would take a few million and hold it as cash amongst various banks. I dont mind losing the interest to make sure the money is secure. With the other $200 plus million I would probably put it in a 50/50 portfolio bonds/stocks and let it ride. There is no way I am going to spend $200 million. I would go on a sweet trip around the world with my family on a chartered plane. After my trip I would probably spend my time between California and Tennessee, enjoying time with both my wife and my families. When we come back, I can figure out what else to do with all that cash. Not too exciting, but what would you do? Dads Dollars Debts is a cardiologist who blogs at his self-titled site, Dads Dollars Debts. Image credit: Shutterstock.com PORT LOUIS, Dec 29 (Reuters) - The weighted average yield on Mauritius' 91-day Treasury bill fell to 2.41 percent at auction on Friday from 2.48 percent at the last sale on Dec. 22, the central bank said. The Bank of Mauritius offered a total of 1.4 billion Mauritius rupees ($42 million) worth of the 91-day and 364-day papers. It sold 575.9 million of the 91-day instruments. Complete auction results were as follows: MATURITY 91-DAY 182-DAY 364-day WEIGHTED AVERAGE PRICE THIS AUCTION 99.403 98.749 97.539 LAST AUCTION 97.385 98.725 97.350 WEIGHTED AVERAGE YIELD (PCT) THIS AUCTION 2.41 2.54 2.53 LAST AUCTION 2.48 2.59 2.73 BIDS ACCEPTED (RUPEES)575.9(MLN)600(MLN)824.1 (MLN) (The table includes both government (182-day) and Bank of Mauritius (91-day, 364-day) bills) ($1 = 33.5000 Mauritius rupees) (Reporting by Jean Paul Arouff; Editing by Katharine Houreld) These folks have been in Times Square since Sunday morning. Photo: Kena Betancur/AFP/Getty Images The large crowds already gathered in Times Square are going to get a long dose of one of the citys coldest New Years Eve celebrations on record, according to the National Weather Service. The temperature is expected to reach as low as nine degrees Fahrenheit with a wind chill as much as ten-below overnight Sunday in New York City. The forecast for midnight in the city is a little warmer as low as ten degrees with a wind chill of four-below which would still make it the second-coldest ball drop on record, pushing 1962s 11 degrees to third place. Times Square view of crowds already forming at 2:45 pm et. THESE PEOPLE ARE CRAZY!! pic.twitter.com/ESfaHvHm6R frazier moore (@tvfrazier) December 31, 2017 New York authorities are obviously advising revelers to bundle up and cover exposed skin. They additionally suggest that people lay off the booze if they are going to stay outside, since drinking alcohol can cause faster body-heat loss. As always, native New Yorkers are also warning non-drunk nonNew Yorkers to stay away from Times Square in the first place, since it was already a bad idea to head there on New Years Eve, regardless of what happens with the cold or Mariah. But for those that do go, the good news is that it wont be anywhere near as cold as it was approximately 100 years ago. In 1917, it was one degree with a wind chill of 18-below in Times Square at midnight. 2017 was not undoubtedly worse than 1917 in every other way, either: America entered World War I that spring. Could this be the coldest midnight temperature on NYE in #NYC since 1962? Sure looks like it could be! We are currently forecasting a temperature of 10 with a wind chill temperature of -4 at midnight tonight in Central Park. pic.twitter.com/GGTONb7bq6 NWS New York NY (@NWSNewYorkNY) December 31, 2017 If current forecasts hold for the next week, its also possible that New York City could end up experiencing a near-record number of consecutive days with below-freezing temperatures, so hurrah for Arctic blasts. New York wont be alone in the cold. Nearly two-thirds of the U.S. home to some 150 million people face wind-chill advisories, watches, and warnings on Sunday night, and cold-weather records are already being set across the country. Some New Years Eve fireworks shows have been cancelled in the Midwest, and everything but the fireworks has been cancelled in Boston, where it will be about two degrees by the time midnight strikes. Even in Maine, the annual New Years Day Lobster Dip in Old Orchard Beach had to be rescheduled for the first time in the events 30-year history, since organizers were worried about swimmers safety. (Other polar plunges across the Northeast have also been cancelled or rescheduled.) And, no, it being super-cold on New Years Eve does not disprove the science of climate change. As Weather Underground meteorologist Bob Henson explained last week in response to one of the years final dumb tweets from the president, the U.S. is not the world; climate change doesnt eliminate cold waves (and could actually make them worse in the eastern U.S.); and 2017 was the third warmest year on record in the country. NEW DELHI - On a recent Thursday, an emotional family reunion played out in a Delhi courtroom. A weeping 32-year-old woman finally embraced the sister she had barely seen in 14 years. The meeting, as recalled by the older sibling, was an emotional high point in an unfolding investigation into a secretive religious sect that has shocked this country. At least 48 underage girls have been rescued in police raids on the sect's ashrams in New Delhi since December 19, officials say. Officials say they have found women and girls kept in jail-like conditions, behind barbed wire and multiple locked gates. Authorities say there are hundreds more properties and potentially thousands of women and girls living in them. The sect, Adhyatmik Vishwa Vidyalaya (AVV) preaches that its leader is an incarnation of various Hindu gods and has descended to earth to unite people of all faiths and transform them into deities. Little is known about the sect's origins or its leader Virendra Dev Dixit, though followers say it is an offshoot of Brahma Kumaris - a large, international sect with over three dozen centers in the United States and millions of followers worldwide. Brahma Kumaris distanced itself and denounced Dixit's organization decades ago. AVV came under scrutiny after three families filed a case in Delhi's High Court saying that their female relatives had vanished after joining the sect. The 32-year-old is from one of those families. She told The Washington Post that she was raped by Dixit at the sect's headquarters in June 2000, while taking a summer religion course as a teenager. Then, three years later, she said, her parents "surrendered" her youngest sister to the sect. Since then, the woman has tried repeatedly to contact her sister, now 25, and have her released. "I would never have told anyone all this if my sister wasn't in there," she said. The Washington Post does not identify victims of sexual assault, and the 32-year-old's identity is also shielded by Indian law protecting rape victims. The sect issued a statement saying the investigation was part of a "defamatory campaign." It says "no activity detrimental to female devotees or to any other members of the society is conducted in the Vidyalaya." Dixit's whereabouts are currently unknown. It was not possible to further corroborate the woman's story. Dixit claims to be an incarnation of, among others, the Hindu god Krishna, who according to myth has 16,000 wives. Swati Maliwal, chairwoman of Delhi's government agency for women's affairs, said that investigators found 200 women and girls in miserable conditions. "The ashram has been running illegal activities," said Maliwal. She said investigators found dizzyness-inducing substances and unprescribed medicines which may have been used to drug and pacify women. She also said religious texts found during a raid instruct women to "surrender" their bodies to Dixit. Maliwal accompanied police on the December 19 raid on one of AVV's flagship ashrams in a rundown northwest Delhi neighborhood. She described the main building as a "fortress," with multiple locked gates and barbed wire enclosing residents. She recounted finding a room full of medicines, unlabelled substances and syringes, suitcases full of devotional letters written by the sect's women to Dixit, as well as books and posters that describe Dixit as a god. "All the girls appeared to be in a trance," Maliwal said. Authorities removed 41 minors from the facility. Court documents say that at least 168 adult women remain at the site, and 25 adult men live in an annex. Investigators said in court documents that the women lived in "animal-like conditions" and many were in poor health and appeared to be under the influence of narcotics. Maliwal said ashram workers told investigators that the adult women had chosen to stay on the sect's properties. The court's order to search the premises did not give investigators the authority to remove adults without their consent, she said. Two days after the initial raid, the sect's lawyer brought the 32-year-old woman's sister to court on the instructions of a judge. It was a highly charged moment. The sisters had not seen each other since 2007, and their last meeting had been closely supervised by the sect's senior followers, according to the older sibling. She described her joy at seeing her younger sister . "I asked her, can I hug you? And I stuck to her. I couldn't stop crying," she said. And then, the younger woman returned to the sect. Her sister, who took a sabbatical from work to fight for her release, said she believes her 25-year old sibling is suffering from years of emotional trauma and will eventually leave the sect. "I am a very good counselor," she said. "I can get the fear out of her head. I can give her a lot of love and make her okay." The AVV case comes months after the rape conviction of another popular guru, Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh. The sect's existence for more than a decade, despite at least 10 complaints to police over the years, illustrates the unaccountability of holy menin India, where religious leaders have huge financial and political power. The inquiry into AVV offers hope to hundreds of families whose relatives are currently in the sect. Police all over northern India are raiding other ashrams associated with Dixit. In Delhi, Maliwal said, five of at least eight ashrams have been searched by authorities. But many of the sect's ashrams are in still unknown locations. A sign outside the sect's headquarters reads, "God Fatherly Spiritual University," a loose English translation of the sect's name. Neighbors said they rarely talk to the sect's members, that truckloads of food and other materials are delivered every week. People inside never appear at the building's windows or balconies, all reinforced with metal grills. Sounds of televised spiritual broadcasts start blaring from the building around 2:30 a.m. every day, the neighbors said. Sporadically, relatives of the residents come and cry outside the building, demanding that their daughters be released, a neighbor said. "People come, they shout insults, they cry, they bang on the door, they roam up and down the streets, sometimes they stay for days, and then they leave," said Rajesh Goyal, who lives across the street. by Larissa Faw , January 1, 2018 After 31 years, DAS Group of Companies COO Brian Curran is exiting Omnicom. Last year, Curran decided "the time was right" to move on to new opportunities independent of the holding company. He shifted to a reduced schedule within the marketing-services division to allow for an orderly transition. Currans responsibilities have been assumed by other Omnicom and DAS executives, including Luke Taylor, who joined Omnicom in the summer as CEO of the newly organized Omnicom Precision Marketing Group. Curran has been a familiar face within Omnicom for many years. In 1986, he joined WWAV, a major CRM agency in the UK to lead finance and operations across the group. He was also the architect of WWAVs sale to Omnicom and its subsequent integration into the RAPP network in January 1994. Then, in 1998, he moved into the role of CFO, DAS International, overseeing finance of DASs agencies across Europe and Asia. In 2004, Curran moved to New York and assumed the role of COO for DAS focusing on operations and strategy, including many agency acquisitions. advertisement advertisement Since 2013, he has has been responsible for the oversight and development of DASs CRM, shopper, experiential and sales agencies. In an internal email, DAS president John Doolittle says Curran has had a "far-reaching impact on DAS for many years. I am especially grateful for Brians dedication to developing leaders at all levels in the company. That speaks volumes about Brians character and integrity, as well as about his unyielding commitment to the success of our agencies." As for his future plans, Curran says he intends to remain in the industry, making his experience in agency operational management and in mentoring leaders available to independent entrepreneurs and private-equity agency owners. He is also active in New York's digital arts and theatre community and will continue to serve as executive director of the nonprofit Broadway Education Alliance. by Tanya Gazdik , December 31, 2017 Honda is playing up its long-time Rose Parade sponsorship with a social campaign from RPA that gives to children in need. In honor of 58 years of Honda celebrating the New Year on Jan. 1 in the Rose Parade, for every rose emoji shared on Facebook and Twitter Dec. 31 through Jan. 3, Honda will donate $1 to charity up to $25,000, because every child deserves the chance to pursue their dreams, according to the automaker. To contribute, posters can leave a rose emoji in the comments of Hondas Rose Parade video. For each rose left in the comments, Honda will donate to the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation, The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the National Youth Project Using Minibikes, the Nicklaus Childrens Hospital and Childrens Hospital of Orange County. The 38-second video on the automakers Facebook page shows Hondas float entries in the parade over the years. Consumers can also take part in the promotion by leaving a rose on Twitter. As of Sunday evening, Dec. 31, Honda was 25% to its goal. The holiday season is always a time of joyous over-indulgence with loved ones. But now that we are past Christmas and into January, you may want to consider cutting back on unhealthful food as one of your New Years resolutions. Share on Pinterest Researchers say that the harmful effects of being overweight may have been underestimated in previous studies. This is because a new study published in the International Journal of Epidemiology has suggested that the harmful effects of being overweight have been underestimated in previous studies. Some believe that being mildly overweight is good for health. This is because older studies have found that the optimum body mass index (BMI) associated with the minimal risk of death appears to be above the range that is normally recommended by doctors, which is between 18.5 and 25 kilograms per square meter. But other scientists are less convinced by this, suspecting that these studies do not accurately reflect the full effect of BMI on health. They argue that other factors, such as smoking or early stages of illness, can both lower BMI and increase risk of death, which makes figuring out BMIs influence on risk of death more difficult. Studying parent-child pairs The new study, which was conducted by researchers from the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom, attempted to assess the causal link between BMI and risk of death by examining the health records of 32,452 mother and child pairs and 27,747 father and child pairs. The BMI of parents and children is related due to genetic factors. The reason why the team used parent and child pairs was because the BMI of adult children is not influenced by illnesses their parents might have. Therefore, analyzing this information will avoid some of the problems that previous research has encountered in simply relating BMI to risk of death. For example, some observational studies may accidentally have included data in their results from cases wherein illness leads to low BMI rather than when BMI influences illness. Scientists call this reverse causation. Prof. George Davey Smith, a professor of clinical epidemiology and director of the MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit (MRC IEU) at the University of Bristol, explains the benefits of this methodology. We are used to seeing conflicting studies purporting to show that something is either good or bad for our health. These generally come from naive observational studies, which can produce seriously misleading findings, he says. More robust approaches for identifying the causal effects of factors influencing health, such as the methods applied in this study, are required if we are to make recommendations for public health based on reliable evidence. Living in the world's tallest building might be a part of almost everyone's ideal life. Sure, it sounds impressive. And OWNING an apartment in the world's tallest building would definitely be a dream come true. But what if someone tells you that they own 22 apartments in that very building? You'd probably laugh in his face. However, for this Indian man, this is actually true and is in fact, just the beginning. Burj Khalifa George V Nereaparambil, a businessman from Kerala owns 22 apartments out of the 900 in Burj Khalifa and says that he isn't stopping at this number. "If I get a good deal, I'll buy more. I am a dreamer and I never stop dreaming," he said in an interview to Khaleej Times. Facebook Now you must be wondering how and why exactly did he go on to own a staggering number of apartments in the same building. Well, it all started with a joke that George took a little too personally. How can a short man like you even see the Burj Khalifa fully, let alone enter the world's tallest tower? Can you enter this building? a friend of him once said. But George was determined to prove his friend wrong. So in 2010, when he saw an advertisement in a newspaper about an apartment for rent in the building, he went ahead and rented the apartment the same day and started living in it from the next day. But of course, he didn't always have so much money at his disposal to just go ahead and rent out expensive apartments. At the age of twelve, George began assisting his father in his family business, in his native hamlet in Trichur. His father was running a traditional family business related to cash crops trading and George's job involved transporting the materials to the market and bargaining with the traders while juggling with his school. However, he wanted to be an independent trader and soon he set up his own little side business too, making money from waste. And what he did has left us really impressed, People in my hometown used to trade cotton, but they'd throw away the cotton seeds. Not many people knew at that time that you could make gum from those seeds. He revealed that he'd often make a "90 per cent profit selling them on". Then in 1976, he arrived in Sharjah to work as an automobile mechanic. However, he soon realized that due to the high rise in temperature, the place was the perfect market for air-conditioners, which eventually became his core business. Within a decade, the business showed steady progress after which he decided to expand the company by setting up GEO electrical Trading and Contracting Co LLC. GEO Group's presence now extends far beyond the Gulf into other countries across the Globe and it has emerged as a major competitor for all MNC's in rental cooling and power solutions. GEO Group Global What's more is that back in the day, he made significant efforts to make the Cochin International Airport a reality and the second-biggest shareholder in Cochin International Airport Ltd., after the Kerala government. His next big plan is to build a canal from Trivandrum to Kasarakod, and he's inviting others to step forward and help make his dream a reality. His hard work and positive attitude towards taking risks has proved that for anyone who is as determined as he has always been, nothing is impossible. It is always fascinating to find a time capsule hidden in plain sight. With every new discovery about mankind's past, you start to paint your own version of the people you have never met. In any which way, the discoveries are only a window into a long-forgotten civilization as we come to terms with how little we are really aware of our own kind and just how many secrets the earth holds. Archaeologists, with the help of satellite-mapping technology, have discovered ancient lava domes in the Middle East. These mysterious structures have been found to run in different shapes, well into a number of thousands across Saudi Arabia. Thanks to Google earth, the newfound archaeological puzzle is the Middle East's own Nazca Lines and now has an equally curious name, 'The Works of the Old Men'. Flickr/ilkerender So what are these mysterious structures and why are archaeologists so intrigued by their presence? Geoglyphs, as they are called, are ancient structures that resemble a certain shape or form when viewed from a higher ground. These are usually found on lava fields and run between 25 to 70 metres which makes the comprehensibility of the structure on ground level almost impossible. More than anything, geoglyphs should remind you of the crop circle phenomenon that Hollywood has romanticised over the decades. Even though they are miles apart on the reality scale, you do tend to wonder about the strangers that are stencilling their artwork onto our planet. History While researchers argue and contrast the purpose of these geoglyphs with their age and culture, they are nonetheless shrouded in eerie mystery. Estimated to have been created 2,000 years ago, the recently discovered domes are being referred to as 'wheels', because of the recurring design of a common circle with spokes inside. The existence of the geoglyph from over centuries ago makes it an antiquity that has been lying in plain sight of the people. Imagine walking and living by a heritage site for years without even knowing of its existence. Unlike the self-explanatory Rakesh loves Sunita inscriptions that we have popularised, the geoglyphs come with a purpose and these actually made life easier for the people. Scattered across continents, here is a list of geoglyphs that have managed to astound researchers and ordinary folks alike for decades since their discovery. The Nazca Lines in Peru Youtube/Destination Tips The Nazca Lines was discovered in 1939 and is believed to date back to 200 BC to 500 AD. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is believed by many to have 'ritual astronomical functions'. Some theorists even believed it to be a medium of communication with alien visitors. Initially, researchers also theorised that the designs were aligned with astronomy; however, the theory was quickly dissolved and it continues to pique the imagination of archaeologists and researchers till date. Even though no conclusive proof was achieved on the subject, it remains to be an extraordinary feat of an ancient civilization. Marree Man Marreehotel.com Found in Australia, the geoglyph is a gigantic impression of an indigenous man hunting birds with a stick. Touted to be the second largest geoglyph, it is currently at the mercy of geographical and natural forces that are slowly adding to the gradual fade of the Marree man. Theories suggest that it was created in the modern times. Discovered in 1998, there were suggestive reports that the Marree Man was the creation of American troops. However, upon the discovery of the site, miscellaneous items were found in a small pit nearby, which included a satellite photo of the Marree Man, a jar with a small flag of the US, and a note referring to the Branch Davidians; a religious group known for the Waco raid in 1993. In 1999, an anonymous fax from a hotel in Oxford, England, mentioned a plaque that was buried five meters south from the nose of the Marree Man that was intended to be dug up for a 'prominent US Media figure' before the Sydney 2000 Olympics. Officials discovered the plaque in the mentioned location, and it read In honor of the land they once knew. His attainments in these pursuits are extraordinary; a constant source of wonderment and admiration. Intriguing to say the least! Uffington White Horse Wikimedia Commons Believed to be a representation of the legend of St. George slaying a dragon on the Dragon hill or his horse, this geoglyph was found in Oxfordshire, probably first created during the Bronze Age between 1200 B.C. and 800 B.C. The Uffington White Horse is the only geoglyph with a known prehistoric origin. Over the stretch there are close to 24 of these hill figures. Believed by many to date back to the Iron Age due to the similarity in the images found on coins from that period, more recent studies by the Oxford Archaeological Unit have placed the Uffington White Horse in the Bronze Age, around 3000 years ago. Other theorists however believe that it represents Epona, a Celtic horse goddess. Paracas Candelabra Wikimedia Commons Dated back to around 200 BCE, the Paracas Candelabra is a geoglyph from the Andes region of Peru. The purpose and the people responsible for creating the geoglyph are still under study and consideration. The design appears to be a three-pronged fork, debated to resemble a cactus or a candle stand, hence the name. There are a number of theories surrounding the significance and meaning of the geoglyph, the most common one associating it with the symbol of the Incan creator god Viracocha; the trident. Believed to be the creator of the universe, his trident held magnificent reverence from the tribes. However, another popular theory is that the geoglyph is a symbol of the local Jimson weed, a hallucinogenic herb that may have held ritualistic significance. The gigantic design is a supposed beacon for people tripping on the drug. Atacama Giant Wikimedia Commons Suggestive of its name, the Atacama Giant lies in the Atacama Desert, Chile, covering an area of 86 metres in height alone making it the largest geoglyph in the world. Believed by many to be a depiction of a deity of the local inhabitants from 1000-1400 AD, the producers of this geoglyph have been the dwellers of the region, the Tiwanaku and the Inca. According to some theorists, the geoglyph could be an astronomical calendar that would track the movement of the moon. Other theorists suggest more controversial purposes to the geoglyph, which is alien visitations. However, most historians argue that Atacama Giant does not only have a ritualistic significance but also a practical one, owing to the large number of geoglyphs scattered around the area. Suggestive of land marking by the ancient tribes, researchers believe that many of these geoglyphs served as markers for water sources and salt flats. Nevertheless, with its robot-like face, this one continues to baffle researchers and history enthusiasts alike. Like many other ancient structures, the geoglyphs seem to bring out as many questions without much answers, the most recent addition to them being the 'Works of the Old Men'. Perhaps there was a three-eyed raven at some point on this planet, and an army of dead people that fought many Jon Snows, but for now, all we have are these pretty drawings on the ground. How unbelievably far we have come as a race is the possibly the most important take away from every new discovery of an ancient past. Congress Wants to Know How the Air Force Will Get a Better F-35A Engine The legislation calls on the Pentagon to tell lawmakers how it would integrate the propulsion system being developed under... The Archbishop of Kampala, Cyprian Kizito Lwanga has wasted no time in responding to President Yoweri Museveni's harsh criticism against the clergy in his New Year's message. Yesterday, Museveni said religious leaders are behaving as if they are an authority on everything, speaking in favour of people they fancy so they can get them into political power. But less than 24 hours later, Archbishop Lwanga in his New Year's homily at Rubaga cathedral today hit back at the president, saying the clergy are simply playing their cardinal role as citizens to participate in nation building, and as well as resisting bad politics as President Museveni himself once asked Ugandans to. "The president, one day said all of us belong to the Movement system and he explained to us why he started the National Resistance Movement. He said; 'I want people to resist [] bad politics'. So he commanded people to resist bad politics. He said we should resist bad politics, and I think he was right there. Clap for it [loud and long clapping]. Let us resist bad politics, let us resist bad politics and promote national unity because were all interested in this country and also to build a strong future for this country", Lwanga said. This was the gist of Dr Lwanga's New Year's message that hinged on promoting democracy, good governance and resisting bad politics. Since the tabling of the age limit bill in September and its subsequent passing by parliament in December last year, religious leaders have increasingly become more critical of the political leadership especially members of parliament for ignoring the views of their people on the bill. The controversial and largely unpopular bill, lifts the upper age limit previously capped at 75 years. It also lowered the lower age limit from 35 to 18 years. Following the clergy's fierce criticism, government spokesperson Ofwono Opondo said the religious leaders had overstepped their mandate. He implored them to stand for political positions if they want their views to be considered. Today, every time Archbishop Lwanga quoted the Constitution on freedom of expression or Museveni's historical remarks, he was loudly cheered by the congregation. He referred to the National Resistance Movement (NRM's) 10-point Programme stipulated by Museveni in his book, Sowing the Mustard Seed, as a good guide in the work of national renewal. Lwanga said as he read the 10-point programme that in democracy, people give in their views and then governments choose the best. "All these ten points are very good for nation building," he said amidst applause. Lwanga noted that all Ugandans have the duty to promote not division or bad politics but national unity for the development of the country. "Another good guide in this country in our work of national renewal, is the 10-point programme of the National Resistance Movement stipulated by the president in his book, Sowing the Mustard Seed. He enumerated the 10 points, By the way, they are very interesting . The first one is to restore democracy. What does that mean? People trade in views and then you choose the best. Two; restoration of security of person and propertyconsolidation of nation unity and elimination of all forms of sectarianism. So we all have a duty to promote nothing else, not divisions but national unity. These 10 point programme are very good for nation building. We thank our dear president for having highlighted them in his book. Let us implement them and do nothing else but for God and our country," Lwanga said. Not done, Archbishop Lwanga went on to remind the president and Ofwono Opondo, the Uganda Media Centre executive director and government spokesperson, who last week argued that religious leaders, who, think they command people's thoughts are deceiving themselves that the Constitution grants everyone the freedom of expression. Opondo accused Lwanga last week of letting his congregation heckle the Vice President Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi as he delivered his Christmas message. Lwanga said religious leaders are citizens whose freedom of expression is enshrined in Article 29 of the Constitution "if it has not also been amended." "We have all the right to speak, Article 29 stipulates the protection of freedom of conscience, freedom of own expression, freedom of movement. This means, that every citizen or every person has a right to freedom of speech and expression, freedom of thoughts. All of us should therefore be aware that the life of our nation is not a responsibility of a few individuals alone but a common social responsibility of all citizens of this country. I therefore appeal to all concerned especially politicians or even journalists, please read and understand the Constitution of Uganda before making abusive utterances on innocent people - be it religious leaders, politicians or others. That Constitution is for all us without any category of people," he added. On Opondo's suggestions that the clergy remove their cassocks and join the murky waters of politics, Lwanga said religious leaders are not and will not be interested in politics but their views must be respected as well. "Today people are calling us, especially religious leaders names and even at times abusing us, saying religious leaders must not talk about national issues. 'If they want to talk about them, let them come out and stand for political posts'. I would like to assure everybody, don't get worried of us. Were not interested in political posts. What were just doing is our work. So whoever maybe worried that we do what we do and say what we say because we want to stand, it is not true. Were not interested and we shall not have interest either. What is being said is a wrong approach which diverts people from the sovereignty of the people which the national Constitution gives us allAmongst the duties stipulated of a citizen in the Constitution, is to respect the freedom and rights of others to speak" "Some of our religious people are so full of arrogance. They talk most authoritatively on all and everything even when they have not bothered to find out the truth. This is assuming they do not have evil intentions which would be worse. That would make them into the Kayaffas, the Chief Priest, that betrayed Jesus", Museveni said. RIP: Jimmy Anguyo The Uganda Police Force is investigating circumstances under which one of their own, a probation police constable was killed by a mob in Makindye division, Kampala. Jimmy Anguyo, 27, who was attached to Katwe police station was found dead by his colleagues at 3;00am, a few moments after he was reportedly lynched by an angry mob over allegations of stealing a motorcycle. Reports indicate that the policeman had only withdrawn from duty around Kibuye Clock Tower at around 2:00am. He had reportedly complained of headache and his colleagues asked him to go home and rest. It's reported that when Anguyo returned from duty, he put off his police uniform and left his gun in his house at Katwe police barracks and moved out. Sources indicate that Anguyo then walked to a bar in Makindye where he was mobbed over claims that he had stolen a motorcycle. It is not clear yet if police recovered any motorcycle in regards to the incidence. Anguyo's colleagues say he recently bought three motorcycles auctioned by police in Katwe but had not yet started using any of them. Luke Oyesigire, the Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson, says two people have been arrested in connection to the incident and that the suspects were nabbed red-handed in the act. "We are still interrogating them and they are helping us with investigations on how we can get the rest," he said. Asked if the deceased had any identification on himself, Oyesigire said although Anguyo had a police identity card, he was not given time to present it. He says police is investigating the matter to bring all the suspects to book. The two suspects are being held at Central Police Station in Kampala. Anguyo leaves behind a widow and one child. Motorists will have to fork out a little more to purchase diesel after government banned the importation of Diesel 500 parts per million (ppm) and directed all fuel dealers to adopt Diesel 50 ppm instead. The ban is with effect from May 1, 2018. Diesel 50 a low sulphur fuel that contains 50ppm compared to 500ppm in regular diesel is marginally more expensive, with its price ranging about 1,5 percent more on the Zimbabwean market. However, government hopes the new legislation will go a long way towards environmental protection and embracing cleaner fuels. Low sulphur diesel significantly contributes to reduced emissions of particulate matter into the atmosphere from vehicles exhaust fumes. In a Government Gazette published on Friday, Energy minister Simon Khaya Moyo moved to amend the Petroleum Act. Notice is hereby given that the Minister of Energy and Power Development, after consultation with the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (Zera), has adopted the amended ZWS751:2012 9 (Automative Diesel Fuel) as the standard for diesel 50 ppm and that with effect from 1st January, 2018, all fuel importers shall be required to import only Diesel 50ppm into the country, he said. He added: Diesel 50 ppm has much lower sulphur content and reduces vehicular emissions. The consequence of the adoption of the amended ZWS751:2012 is that Diesel 500 will be phased out progressively over a period of four months and by the 1st of May 2018, no fuel licensee shall be allowed to import, distribute or sell any diesel other than Diesel 50 ppm. This comes as Zera sampled the quality of diesel 50 on the market and found it compliant with Standards Association of Zimbabwes ZWS 751 diesel quality standard. In its assessment of Diesel 50, the Authority said Diesel 50 is used world-wide in most developed countries, including our neighbouring countries South Africa and Botswana, while most European countries have already moved to using diesel with 10ppm sulphur as they escalate their drive to reduce harmful exhaust emissions by using cleaner fuels. Diesel 50 has much better combustion quality than regular diesel because of its high cetane number. Diesel 50 therefore burns much more efficiently resulting in great potential for improved fuel consumption and engine performance to be realised, Zera said, adding using regular diesel in vehicles or equipment designed to use diesel 50 can result in diesel particulate filter damage, early fuel filter blockages, damage to fuel pump and injectors. All these problems lead to vehicle driveability problems and are expensive to rectify. DailyNews Breaking News via Email Loading... Related Zimbabwe Latest News (Natural News) Rates of breast cancer may be on the rise, but the number of women with the condition who opt for conventional chemotherapy as treatment is reportedly in serious decline. New research published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute suggests that an increasing number of breast cancer patients are wary of the adverse effects associated with the slash and burn protocols pushed by mainstream oncologists. Many of them, it seems, are turning to more natural options instead, hoping for safer and more effective outcomes. Dr. Steven Katz, a medical doctor and professor of medicine, health management and policy at the University of Michigan, pored over data collected on 5,080 women from Georgia and Los Angeles who were treated for early stage breast cancer between the years of 2013 and 2015. Of these, 2,926 women were diagnosed with stage-1 or -2 breast cancers that were positive for estrogen receptor expression, but negative for human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 expression. After categorizing the women based on how their cancers affected neighboring lymph nodes, Dr. Katz and his team asked them whether or not their oncologists had recommended chemotherapy as treatment, and whether or not they had agreed to take it. The researchers also surveyed 504 of the womens oncologists to determine how they came up with recommendations either for or against chemotherapy. Based on their calculations, the team identified a 38 percent decrease in chemotherapy use from 2013 and 2015 from 34.5 percent of diagnosed women to just 21.3 percent. During this same time period, recommendations to get chemotherapy from oncologists also dropped from 44.9 to 31.6 percent a nearly 30 percent decrease. Chemotherapy causes more cancer; why would anyone choose to do it? In patients with no lymph node involvement, chemotherapy use dropped from 26.6 percent to 14.1 percent. And in patients with lymph node involvement, a decline was seen from 81.1 percent to 64.2 percent. For women with lymph node-positive diagnoses who rejected their doctors advice to undergo chemotherapy, 67.4 percent of oncologists surveyed indicated that they would order tumor genomic testing to determine their risk of cancer recurrence. In contrast, only 17.5 percent said they would order the test if both patient and doctor agreed about undergoing chemotherapy. For patients with early stage breast cancer, weve seen a significant decline in chemotherapy use over the last few years without a real change in evidence, stated Dr. Allison Kurian, M.D., associate professor of medicine and health research and policy at Stanford University, about the findings. This likely reflects a change in the culture of how physicians are practicing, and a move toward using tumor biology to guide treatment choices rather than solely relying on clinical measures. Two of the biggest concerns today with regards to cancer are false diagnoses and overtreatment. What breast cancer patient would want to needlessly subject herself to drastic interventions that will destroy her immune system, cause her to lose her hair, and even increase her risk of developing more cancer? Recognizing the many risks associated with conventional cancer treatments, many patients and doctors alike are moving in new directions that offer more benefits with less risk. Where theyre going and what theyre doing instead is outside the scope of this particular study, but one things for sure: The probable harm incurred from chemotherapy is demonstrably greater than any possible gain. We believe this study indicates that physicians are attempting to be more selective in their recommendations and to spare patients toxicity when possible, Dr. Kurian added. As personalized medicine becomes more widely available, doctors are using test results as part of their dialogue with patients about their preferences and overall treatment goals. But the long-term outcomes of these recent changes in chemotherapy use are uncertain. Sources for this article include: ScienceDaily.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) On December 14th the Federal Communications Commissions voted 3-2 along party lines to do away with the so-called net neutrality rules that were first implemented back in 2015 by the Obama administration. This was seen as a rather significant victory for conservatives and free speech advocates alike, who were deeply troubled by the idea of the federal government playing more of a role in an otherwise free and open Internet. Under the Obama-era regulations, Internet service providers like AT&T, Verizon and Comcast were not permitted to block, slow access to or charge more money for faster Internet speeds above a certain threshold. Now that these rules have been repealed, however, the Internet is once again a free and open network for corporations and individual users alike. Not everyone is happy about this change, however. In fact, in a surprising twist, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) has come out against the repeal of net neutrality, arguing that the move is a direct attack on the homosexual community. As GLAAD president and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis stated, Stripping away net neutrality is the latest attempt by the Trump Administration to silence voices of already marginalized communities and render us invisible. The Internet is a lifeline for LGBTQ people to build community support networks and access LGBTQ resources on history, suicide prevention, and health allowing broadband providers to regulate access is a direct and unconscionable attack on freedom of expression. Of course, all of these concerns that GLAAD has over the repeal of net neutrality are primarily rooted in emotion and not in fact. Youll notice that Ellis never stated which broadband provider has targeted the LGBTQ community and intentionally regulated access to Internet content regarding LGBTQ history, suicide prevention and health; instead, her argument was framed as this could happen, so we should all condemn President Trump and the FCC. The reason why she had to bring up what could happen rather than what has happened is because Internet service providers like AT&T and Verizon have never done that before, and they wouldnt dare do it in the future, either. The amount of negative attention it would bring to these companies would be far greater than even the most skilled public relations teams could handle. The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, which claims to be the worlds largest LGBTQ media advocacy organization, says that in addition to condemning the Federal Communications Commission, Congress needs to be urged to step up and listen to advocates who are leading the fight to preserve this lifeline. In addition, GLAAD is beginning to collect testimonials from the LGBTQ community about how the open Internet has affected their lives. If GLAAD is so concerned about the freedom of expression on the Internet, then surely they feel very strongly whenever giant corporations like Google, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube intentionally modify their algorithms and set up politicized fact checkers to censor conservative voices, right? After all, everybody knows that there really arent many other factions who get silenced on the Internet more than those on the right side of the political spectrum. Where was Sarah Kate Ellis when Rep. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee had her pro-life political ad removed from Twitter due to the fact that it may have resulted in a strong negative reaction? Where was she when countless conservatives on YouTube, from Dennis Prager to Diamond and Silk, were seeing their right-leaning videos become demonetized? Where was she when several former Facebook employees came forward and admitted that they had been instructed to suppress conservative content? The answer is simple: Sarah Kate Ellis was nowhere to be found. If she is concerned about preserving the freedom of expression on the Internet, perhaps she should sit down with a few conservatives and learn a little bit more about it. Sources include: FrontPageMag.com TruthRevolt.org (Natural News) When Alexander Fleming discovered the first antibiotic penicillin in 1928, the world of medicine was changed forever. His discovery led to the development of medicines that could treat cuts, abrasions and bacterial infections, saving millions, if not billions, of lives. Sadly, however, misuse and overuse of antibiotics have fostered the development of antibiotic resistance by superbugs that are immune to even our most powerful antibiotics. We are now facing what experts call the post-antibiotic age, where even minor wounds can kill once more. Statistics indicate that close to 2 million Americans are currently infected with drug-resistant bacteria each year, resulting in the deaths of around 23,000 people. And these figures are likely to soar in the near future. Experts have identified three key driving factors behind the antibiotic crisis: Overuse of antibiotics by humans; misuse of antibiotics, including to prevent illness in farm animals; and a lack of interest by pharmaceutical companies in developing innovative new antibiotics to treat these deadly bacteria. Doctors have been working hard to educate their patients about only using antibiotics for bacterial infections, not viruses, and even then, only when truly necessary. Nonetheless, to start turning the tide of the antibiotic crisis, far more emphasis will have to be placed on addressing farming practices. Sustainable Table reports that fish, poultry and livestock in this country are routinely administered antibiotics to prevent illness and to promote growth. In fact, 80 percent of all antibiotics administered in the United States are given to farm animals. Only a measly 20 percent of antibiotics consumed annually actually go to humans. The U.K.s Daily Mail recently revealed that a report by the United Nations (U.N.) is now warning that, in addition to being fed directly to animals, these antibiotics are also ending up in the worlds waterways, and from there, spreading far and wide. This is escalating the antibiotic crisis and putting millions of lives at risk. (Related: Fight antibiotic-resistant superbugs with these six powerful and natural alternatives to antibiotics.) Around the world, discharge from municipal, agricultural and industrial waste in the environment means it is common to find antibiotic concentrations in many rivers, sediments and soils. It is steadily driving the evolution of resistant bacteria, warned Erik Solheim, the U.N.s environment chief. The U.N. is urging that antibiotics only be prescribed as a last resort in humans, and never in animals. So far, a lot of attention has focused on reducing antibiotic use, and that is a key factor, but its equally important to understand more about how resistance is spread through our natural environments, so that we can find ways to prevent that happening, noted William Gaze, an associate professor at the University of Exeter, who contributed to the report. A report by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), explained that humans ingest antibiotics whenever they eat the meat of animals which have been administered antibiotics. This results in the transfer of resistant bacteria a problem which was recognized by scientists nearly four decades ago. (Related: Be prepared and stay up-to-date with Superbugs.news.) The report notes: 1) [A]ntibiotic use in food-producing animals kills or suppresses susceptible bacteria, allowing antibiotic-resistant bacteria to thrive; 2) resistant bacteria are transmitted to humans through the food supply; 3) these bacteria can cause infections in humans that may lead to adverse health consequences. Additionally, nearly all the antibiotics consumed by these animals up to 90 percent are excreted in their urine and stools, and then widely dispersed through fertilizer, groundwater, and surface runoff. Alarmingly, in spite of knowing that we are on the brink of an outright antibiotic apocalypse, farmers do not seem to be changing their practices. According to an earlier Natural News article, a report published this year in the journal Science, warned that antibiotic use in animals raised for human consumption is expected to rise by 52 percent by 2030. Clearly, drastic steps need to be taken and quickly if we are to stem the tide of the antibiotic crisis. Sources include: DailyMail.co.uk NaturalNews.com NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov SustainableTable.org Customers lined up early to purchase recreational marijuana legally for the first time in California as the new year brought broad legalization some two decades after the state was the first to allow pot for medical use. Jeff Deakin, 66, his wife Mary and their dog waited all night and were first in a line of 100 people when Harborside dispensary, a longtime medical pot shop in Oakland, opened at 6 a.m. and offered early customers joints for a penny and free T-shirts that read "Flower to the People Cannabis for All." "It's been so long since others and myself could walk into a place where you could feel safe and secure and be able to get something that was good without having to go to the back alley," Deakin said. "This is kind of a big deal for everybody." The nation's most populous state joins a growing list of other states, and the nation's capital, where so-called recreational marijuana is permitted even though the federal government continues to classify pot as a controlled substance, like heroin and LSD. California voters in 2016 made it legal for adults 21 and older to grow, possess and use limited quantities of marijuana, but it wasn't legal to sell it for recreational purposes until Monday. Finding a retail outlet to buy non-medical pot in California won't be easy at least initially. Only about 90 businesses received state licenses to open New Year's Day. They are concentrated in San Diego, Santa Cruz, the San Francisco Bay Area and the Palm Springs area. Los Angeles and San Francisco are among the many cities where recreational pot will not be available right away because local regulations were not approved in time to start issuing city licenses needed to get state permits. Meanwhile, Fresno, Bakersfield and Riverside are among the communities that have adopted laws forbidding recreational marijuana sales. Just after midnight, some raised joints instead of champagne glasses. Johnny Hernandez, a tattoo artist from Modesto, celebrated by smoking "Happy New Year blunts" with his cousins. "This is something we've all been waiting for," he said. "People might actually realize weed isn't bad. It helps a lot of people." Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguin and state Sen. Nancy Skinner were on hand for a ribbon-cutting ceremony as his city began selling marijuana legally. Customers began lining up before dawn Monday outside Berkeley Patients Group, one of the oldest dispensaries in the nation. Chris Conrad and Mikki Norris, who have both spent the past 29 years fighting for marijuana legalization, were all smiles at 6 a.m. sharp as they made the first purchase at Berkeley Patients Group. "It's so great to be here," Conrad said. "What a moment for California. One small joint for us, a giant leap for California." Anthony Moraga was also up before the sun in Berkeley to celebrate the momentous occasion. "To me, it's just an exciting time in California's history," Moraga said. "We've been living in the shadows, in the black market and now we can be proud to be a part of a regular industry." Los Angeles officials announced late last month that the city will not begin accepting license applications until Jan. 3, and it might take weeks before any licenses are issued. That led to widespread concern that long-established businesses would have to shut down during the interim. However, attorneys advising a group of city dispensaries have concluded that those businesses can continue to legally sell medicinal marijuana as "collectives," until they obtain local and state licenses under the new system, said Jerred Kiloh of the United Cannabis Business Association, an industry group. It wasn't immediately clear how many of those shops, if any, would be open New Year's Day. "We are trying to continue to provide patient access," said Kiloh, who owns a dispensary in the city's San Fernando Valley area. With the new licensing system stalled in Los Angeles "my patients are scared, my employees are scared." The status of the Los Angeles shops highlights broad confusion over the new law. State regulators have said shops must have local and state licenses to open for business in the new year. But the city's top pot regulator, Cat Packer, told reporters last month that medicinal sales can continue to consumers with a doctor's recommendation until new licenses are issued. The state banned "loco-weed" in 1913, according to a history by the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, the pot advocacy group known as NORML. The first attempt to undo that by voter initiative in 1972 failed, but three years later felony possession of less than an ounce was downgraded to a misdemeanor. In 1996, over the objections of law enforcement, President Clinton's drug czar and three former presidents, California voters approved marijuana for medicinal purposes. Twenty years later, voters approved legal recreational use and gave the state a year to write regulations for a legal market that would open in 2018. Today, 29 states have adopted medical marijuana laws. In 2012, Colorado and Washington became the first states to legalize recreational marijuana. Since then, five more states have passed recreational marijuana laws, including Massachusetts, where retail sales are scheduled to begin in July. Even with other states as models, the next year is expected to be a bumpy one in California as more shops open and more stringent regulations take effect on the strains known as Sweet Skunk, Trainwreck and Russian Assassin. The California Police Chiefs Association, which opposed the 2016 ballot measure, remains concerned about stoned drivers, the risk to young people and the cost of policing the new rules in addition to an existing black market. "There's going to be a public-health cost and a public-safety cost enforcing these new laws and regulations," said Jonathan Feldman, a legislative advocate for the chiefs. "It remains to be seen if this can balance itself out." At first, pot shops will be able to sell marijuana harvested without full regulatory controls. But eventually, the state will require extensive testing for potency, pesticides and other contaminants. A program to track all pot from seed to sale will be phased in, along with other protections such as childproof containers. Jamie Garzot, founder of the 530 Cannabis shop in Northern California's Shasta Lake, said she's concerned that when the current crop dries up, there will be a shortage of marijuana that meets state regulations. Her outlet happens to be close to some of California's most productive marijuana-growing areas, but most of the surrounding counties will not allow cultivation that could supply her. "Playing in the gray market is not an option," Garzot said. "California produces more cannabis than any state in the nation, but going forward, if it's not from a state-licensed source, I can't put it on my shelf. If I choose to do so, I run the risk of losing my license." In 2016, the state produced an estimated 13.5 million pounds of pot, and 80 percent was illegally shipped out of state, according to a report prepared for the state by ERA Economics, an environmental and agricultural consulting firm. Of the remaining 20 percent, only a quarter was sold legally for medicinal purposes. That robust black market is expected to continue to thrive, particularly as taxes and fees raise the cost of retail pot by as much as 70 percent. In order to legally purchase recreational marijuana, buyers must be at least 21 years old. Law enforcement officials are also reminding folks that they cannot smoke weed in public and that driving high will result in driving under the influence punishments. NBC Bay Area's Pete Suratos and Brendan Weber contributed to this report. A Vallejo man was arrested on suspicion of crimes including hit-and-run resulting in great bodily injury after he allegedly hit a pedestrian in Vallejo during a pursuit Saturday, police said. Jamal Kemp, 31, was arrested on suspicion of crimes including obstructing a police officer, assault with a deadly weapon and felon in possession of a firearm, according to police. Around 2:30 p.m., Deputy Sheriff Walt Walker attempted to make a traffic enforcement stop on a black Mercedes-Benz that allegedly ran a stop sign at the intersection of Lincoln Road East and Steffan Street. The driver sped onto northbound Interstate Highway 80, and the deputy gave chase, police said. With Walker in pursuit, the suspect drove on the right-hand shoulder, weaving in and out of traffic, according to police. The suspect got off the freeway and back into Vallejo, running a stop sign at the intersection of Tennessee Street and Admiral Callaghan Lane, police said. As the suspect zoomed down Tennessee Street westbound at around 60 mph, he hit a man who was crossing the street at Tennessee and Tuolumne, according to police. The impact threw the pedestrian, 56-year-old Michael Nelson of Vallejo, some 25 yards, police said. Weaving in and out of traffic, the suspect hit two vehicles, a Nissan Altima and a Ford F-350, according to police. All three vehicles spun out and were left inoperable, police said. The suspect jumped out of the Mercedes and fled, tossing away a handgun as he ran, according to police. Officers found the suspect hiding in an alleyway about a block from where the traffic collision happened, police said. The suspect was taken to the hospital, where he was treated for injuries that happened during the crash and then released. He was arrested on suspicion of a number of crimes. Police said investigation revealed that the suspect is on parole in California. The incident remains under investigation and anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Andrew Hendrix at (707) 421-7090. Logan Couture returned from a concussion, but that was just about the only positive for the San Jose Sharks in a 6-0 loss to the Dallas Stars on New Year's Eve. Martin Jones allowed four goals on 24 shots, and Aaron Dell replaced him in net after 40 minutes. San Jose failed to score on the power play, ending their season-long streak at nine games. The Sharks have now allowed five or more goals in three of their last four trips to Dallas, and are 0-4 over that span. The Stars won for the fourth time in their last five games. John Klingberg, Tyler Pitlick, Stephen Johns, Tyler Seguin, and Devin Shore scored for Dallas. The Sharks next head north of their border to continue their five-game road trip on Tuesday against the Montreal Canadiens. Just over one dozen dispensaries across the Bay Area on Monday rang in the new year by opening early to finalize some of the first recreational marijuana sales following the passage of Proposition 64 in 2016. Some dispensaries in Berkeley and Oakland opened as early as 6 a.m. after being licensed by California and their respective cities for recreational sales. Chris Conrad and Mikki Norris, who have both spent the past 29 years fighting for marijuana legalization, were all smiles at 6 a.m. sharp as they made the first purchase at Berkeley Patients Group. "It's so great to be here," Conrad said. "What a moment for California. One small joint for us, a giant leap for California." Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguin was in attendance for the official ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Berkeley dispensary located at 2366 San Pablo Ave. Anthony Moraga was also up before the sun in Berkeley to celebrate the momentous occasion. Anthony Moraga was also up before the sun in Berkeley to celebrate the momentous occasion. "To me, it's just an exciting time in California's history," Moraga said. "We've been living in the shadows, in the black market and now we can be proud to be a part of a regular industry." "To me, it's just an exciting time in California's history," Moraga said. "We've been living in the shadows, in the black market and now we can be proud to be a part of a regular industry." Harborside's location at 1840 Embarcadero in Oakland also opened at 6 a.m., while its San Jose location at 1365 N. 10th St. will open at 9 a.m. Another Oakland dispensary, Purple Heart Patient Center at 415 Fourth St., opened at 6 a.m. and said it was offering free tacos for early-rising customers. While Oakland, Berkeley, Richmond, San Jose, Sebastopol and Santa Cruz signed off on various dispensaries to begin recreational sales starting Monday, other cities including San Francisco did not approve legislation for it in time for the start of the new year. For a dispensary to legally open up shop, it must receive approval from the city it calls home and also receive a retail license from the state. "Part of the reason there's so few permits is just with the difficulty of staying within the regulations," Alfred Oleson from Berkeley Patients Group said. "They wanted to make sure the people who were getting into it would set a positive example and be a good example to follow going forward." In San Francisco's case, legislation was not signed until early December following lengthy debates over regulatory issues for the dispensaries. Ultimately, the board opted for a 600-foot buffer zone around city schools and did not institute bans or caps for the number of dispensaries in each supervisorial district. The city's existing 45 medical marijuana dispensaries and delivery services will be able to begin recreational sales as early as Saturday. In order to legally purchase recreational marijuana, buyers must be at least 21 years old. Law enforcement officials are also reminding folks that they cannot smoke weed in public and that driving high will result in driving under the influence punishments. A man fired more than 100 rounds at officers early Sunday, killing one sheriff's deputy and injuring four other officials, before being fatally shot himself in what authorities called an ambush. Two civilians were also injured. Douglas County Sheriff's Office identified the suspect Sunday night as 37-year-old Matthew Riehl. Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock said the shooting occurred at a home at the Copper Canyon Apartments, a landscaped complex in Highlands Ranch, 16 miles south of Denver. Authorities had left the home about four hours earlier to address a noise complaint and returned to in response to reports of a disturbance at the home. Spurlock said earlier Sunday Riehl was well-known to authorities. No other details on the suspect was available. "I do know that all of them were shot very, very quickly. They all went down almost within seconds of each other, so it was more of an ambush-type of attack on our officers," Spurlock said. "He knew we were coming and we obviously let him know that we were there." The wounded officers tried to pull the fallen deputy, identified as Zack Parrish, out of the line of further gunfire but were unable to because of their own injuries and to "crawl to safety," Spurlock said. Parrish, 29, a married father of two young children, had been with the department for about seven months. Spurlock called him a "good kid" who was eager to work. "His wife told me today that he loved this job more than he had loved any job he ever had," the sheriff said. The three deputies and one police officer injured were listed in stable condition. Authorities identified them as deputies Michael Doyle, 28; Taylor Davis, 30; Jeffrey Pelle, 32; and Castle Rock police officer Tom O'Donnell, 41. The two civilian injuries were not life-threatening. Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle said his son, Douglas County sheriff's deputy Jeff Pelle, underwent surgery from injuries suffered in the attack and was recovering. President Donald 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!" The shooting occurred on the final day of a year that saw the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history in Las Vegas. The sheriff's office had advised people in the area "to shelter in place, avoid windows and stay away from exterior walls." An emergency shelter was set up "due to the size" of the incident, the sheriff's office said. "If anyone has been displaced from their homes due to this event please feel free to head there." Multiple agencies were on accident alert due to the incident, including Douglas County, Parker Police Department, Lone Tree Police Department, Castle Rock Police Department and Colorado State Patrol. NBC affiliate 9News reported that drivers involved in accidents were asked "not to call law enforcement unless a driver is impaired, it's a hit and run, someone is injured or dead or if damaged vehicles are blocking the road." The new year is starting with new bundles of joy for some Connecticut moms and dads. Yale New Haven Childrens Hospital welcomed their first baby of the new year, born at midnight and 58 seconds to Harrison and Amelia Levy of Branford. Their daughter, Layla Rose, is the familys first child. Mother and baby are doing well and sent their wishes to all for a healthy and happy 2018. Yale-New Haven Childrens Hospital welcomed their first baby of the new year at midnight and 58 seconds to Harrison and Amelia Levy of Branford. Their daughter, Layla Rose, is the familys first child. Mother and baby are doing well and sent their wishes to all for a healthy and happy 2018. Amari Lee Rosado was the first baby born at the Hospital of Central Connecticut in 2018. Amari Lee, of New Britain, was born at 12:04 a.m. to mom, Lahquitta Weaver, and dad, Mike Rosado. Your first breath took ours away, her parents said. Her siblings are 10-year-old Michael Rosado, 8-year-old Maleiah Rosado and 2-year-old Sanai Rosado. Nico Anthony Mastronardi, of Shelton, was the first baby born in 2018 at Bridgeport Hospital. He was born at 8:30 a.m. to mom and dad, Lisa and Michael Mastronardi. Nico has a 2-year-old big brother, Luca. The first baby born at Saint Francis Hospital in 2018 arrived at 6:25 a.m. No additional information was released. Two men were arrested Saturday on murder charges in the deaths of two women and two children who were found dead in their upstate New York apartment. Justin Mann and James White were arrested in their hometown, Schenectady, and pleaded not guilty in Troy City Court. According to the Times Union, Troy Police Chief John Tedesco said one of the defendants knew one of the victims. He declined to elaborate. Information given in court said the killings took place at about 9 p.m., Dec. 21. It wasn't until Tuesday, five days later, that a property manager found 36-year-old Shanta Myers; her children, 11-year-old Jeremiah Myers and 5-year-old Shanise Myers; and 22-year-old Brandi Mells in a basement apartment along the Hudson River, just north of Albany. Meyers and Mells became engaged earlier this year, Mells' cousin, Sharonda Bennett, told the newspaper. Myers' family described her as a good-natured woman who could not have done anything to provoke such violence, NBC News reported. "She is so sweet," her sister, Shakera Symes, previously told NBC News. "She goes out of her way to want to be loved. She wouldn't be involved in anything that would be close to deserving this. She's very mild-mannered." Tedesco and District Attorney Joel Abelove, who appeared at a press conference, declined to answer questions about a possible motive and the method of the killings. They also would not say how the defendants know each other, but said that both have records and Mann is on parole. More than two dozen people were in court Saturday, some wearing Troy Boys & Girls club sweatshirts. Mann appeared to break down as he was led out of court. A man and a woman in the courtroom became visibly distraught. The suspects were sent to the Rensselaer County Jail to await their next court appearance, on Thursday. Neither man said anything as the charges were read. Tedesco said no more arrests are expected. "I don't have to tell you what a good feeling it is to have these two in custody," he said. "It's a great relief." "After being in this business for almost 42 years I can't describe the savagery of a person like this," Tedesco said earlier this week as police searched for those responsible. "The rapid apprehension and arrest of two suspects in connection with this tragic crime is welcome news for our community and the victims' families impacted by this senseless tragedy," Troy Mayor Patrick Madden, a Democrat, said in a statement. "My heart remains with both the Myers and Mells families," said Madden, who expressed hope that "with the support of the Troy community, they can begin to heal." Police identified a 21-year-old U.S. Marine Saturday who was stabbed to death in a fight in downtown San Diegos Gaslamp Quarter a day earlier. According to the San Diego Police Department (SDPD), the stabbing victim was Ryan Evan Harris, a Northern California native assigned to Camp Pendleton in San Diego County. Military officials said Harris was assigned to the 1st Marine Logistics Group. Harris was wounded in a fight just after 1:30 a.m. Friday on Island and 5th avenues, near the OMNIA Nightclub San Diego in an area known for its nightlife. When police officers arrived, they found the Marine on the sidewalk, suffering from stab wounds to his upper body. The officer and bystanders tried to help him while paramedics arrived. Despite those efforts, Harris died at the scene. Investigators said one other person was wounded in the Gaslamp Quarter fight: a man found with stab wounds on J Street and 5th Avenue, about a block away from where Harris was found. The SDPD said that man was involved in the altercation but he was hospitalized and is expected to survive his wounds. As of Saturday morning, the suspect in the stabbing remained at large. There is no suspect description at this time but police said the suspect is a man who was possibly accompanied by a second man at the time of the fatal stabbing. SDPD Homicide Lt. Todd Griffin said the stabbing victims were in the Gaslamp as part of a group of military personnel, but the victim who survived is a civilian. The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with details on this case can reach out to the SDPDs Homicide Unit (619) 531-2293 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477. WHAT'S THE CHEESIEST DAY OF THE YEAR? We're not talking in terms of corniness or of overly sentimental moments, though such occurrences do happen in every life. Nor are we talking about official food holidays, like National Cheese Pizza Day (Sept. 5) or National Cheese Doodle Day (March 5). We're talking about times when people straight up gobble a lot of creamy triangles and tangy dips and bowls of cheddar-type nibbles. Christmas is probably a good candidate for this, given all of the snacks and appetizers that often proceed the big meal, and New Year's Eve, with its fancy appetizers and frequently seen fondue, also qualifies. Which means this: Come the end-of-the-year holidays, a lot of people are in a highly cheesy mood, having consumed a variety of dairy products in recent days. So the fact that tickets for the California Artisan Cheese Festival will go on sale on New Year's Day makes tangy, creamy, and beautiful sense, as an air of cheeseness is already pervading many lives. If the annual springtime meet-up of California's craft-major cheese pros tempts you, best land on a ticket beginning on... MONDAY, JAN. 1: That was the on-sale date for the 2018 affair, which sets out the crackers and toothpick'd cubes from Friday, March 23 through Sunday, March 25 at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds. The Santa Rosa spectacular draws about 2,500 people ready to find their next favorite cheesemaker or author or brewer or all of the above. Ah, yes, libations make an appearance, so plan on sipping a chard as you try a host of gooey goat cheesery or a slice of something that's both peppery and jacky, simultaneously. There are also separately ticketed farm and creamery tours to consider, and demonstrations, too, in addition to the popular Artisan Cheese Tasting & Marketplace. For all of the events, and what you can expect to find over the first spring weekend in Santa Rosa, unhand that cheese spreader and breadstick and take a quick look. Maybe New Year's Day is one of the cheesiest days of the year, but we'll call the fourth weekend in March a flavorful contender. What to Know Four people are dead after a shooting with an assault rifle in Long Branch, New Jersey, sources tell NBC 4 New York Sources say a 16-year-old boy is in custody A motive for the shooting is not known Three family members and a family friend are dead after a shooting with a semi-automatic rifle in Long Branch, New Jersey, according to the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office. Officials say a 16-year-old boy related to three of the four victims is in custody after the shooting on Wall Street. The teenager is expected to be charged with four counts of murder. He will also be charged with the posession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, according to the county's prosecutor, Chris Gramiccioni. The victims have been identified by officials as the 16-year-old's parents, Steven and Linda Kologi, 44 and 42 respectively, his sister, 18-year-old Brittany Kologi and a 70-year-old family friend, Mary Schultz, who lived in the home. Officials say the teen's grandfather and brother were at the home but left. The shots rang out just before midnight Sunday. The Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office tweeted just after 2 Monday morning that there is no threat to the public as they believe it was a domestic incident. Officials say police recovered a semi-automatic rifle at the home, which was legally owned and registered to the address where the shooting happened. MCPO running an ongoing homicide investigation with 4 dead in Long Branch. No threat to the public as it is believed to be an isolated domestic incident. More to follow stay tuned. Monmouth Prosecutor (@MonCoProsecutor) January 1, 2018 A motive for the shooting is not known. What to Know More subzero weather is in the forecast for the first week of the New Year after an Alberta clipper brought snow Saturday Wind chills were well below zero in Times Square on New Year's Eve The dangerously cold weather is set to continue into the second week of the New Year Times Square had the second-coldest New Year's Eve celebration on record and coldest in 100 years with a forecast of nine degrees as the ball dropped. The teeth-chattering forecast didn't put off some party-goers who planned to ring in the New Year in Times Square. Iyann Holley said she was going to be one of the hundreds of thousands of people watching the ball drop in person. "I love the cold. I'm a December baby," Holley said. The coldest Times Square New Year's Eve was 100 years ago in 1917, when the temperature was one degree at midnight. The second coldest was in 1962, when it was 11 degrees at midnight. This year had the temperature at nine degrees, with a wind chill at five below zero, at midnight, according to Storm Team 4. Across the tri-state, overnight temperatures dropped into the single digits to slightly below zero. Wind chills into Monday will run as low as 10 to 20 degrees below zero for much of the area and struggle to get much above zero on Monday. As of 5:30 Monday morning, Newark, Bridgeport, JFK and Laguardia airports and Islip have recorded the coldest New Year's Day on record. A wind chill advisory was issued for inland parts of northeastern New Jersey, the lower Hudson Valley and southern Connecticut from Sunday night into Monday morning. The National Weather Service warned of wind chills as low as 10 below zero to 20 below zero. The following week remains frigid, with only Wednesday feeling less harsh at with a high in the low 30s. You'll have to wait until the second week in January to feel milder temperatures. About 1 to 3 inches of snow fell throughout the tri-state Saturday, with parts of Long Island seeing the highest accumulations, Storm Team 4 says. In Babylon, 2.5 inches was recorded, while over in Howell Township, New Jersey, 2.8 inches was measured. In Bedford, New York, a 40-year-old man and his 3-year-old son were killed when a box truck, whose driver was unable to stop because of icy road conditions, plowed into their vehicle in a six-vehicle, chain-reaction crash, police said. The man's 40-year-old wife survived the crash and was taken to Westchester Medical Center for minor injuries. In Manhattan, an FDNY paramedic is being called a hero after he saved a man from the Hudson River. And in New Jersey, firefighters rescued a dog from a freezing lake. At a public housing building on East 141st Street in the Bronx, residents said they had been without heat for more than a week. In a statement, NYCHA said, "Our residents deserve safe, warm homes in the winter and our staff is working diligently to repair outages as quickly as possible. What to Know Cuomo was celebrating progressive laws that go into effect in New York for the New Year An increase in the minimum wage and paid family leave take effect in New York for 2018, as does a tax cut for the middle class Cuomo condemned a lack of progress on homelessness and Rikers Island reform in New York City, an apparent jab at de Blasio Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Sunday praised changes coming to New York for the New Year, including paid family leave, a tax cut for the middle class and increases in the states minimum wage. Cuomo applauded the legislative accomplishments, which take effect this week, while at the West Side YMCA on West 64th Street. There is nothing we cannot do if we focus on it. Its our apathy that stops us from solving these problems, Cuomo said. At one point Cuomo decried a lack of progress on homelessness and reform on Rikers Island in an apparent shot at Mayor Bill de Blasio, a fellow Democrat with whom he has feuded repeatedly. There is no reason you have homeless people on the street in 2018, theres no reason, but you choose not to do anything about it, Cuomo said. He went on to say: Theres no reason why you leave young black men locked up on Rikers Island 75 percent havent even been convicted of a darn thing and youre leaving them locked up. Cuomo never mentioned de Blasio by name. The mayor has vowed to curb a surge in homelessness and to shut down Rikers Island. A spokeswoman for de Blasio told the New York Post: The mayors made dramatic progress in creating a corrections system thats smaller and safer, and hes following through on his commitment to close Rikers Island. Cuomo has been contrasting his progressive agenda with Trump's agenda, and there is speculation Cuomo may run for president someday. On Sunday, he also proposed measures to fight the crushing burden of student loan debt. Changes to the minimum wage take effect Sunday. The minimum wages goes up to $13.50 for large companies and up to $13 for small companies. In Nassau, Suffolk and Westchester counties, the minimum wage for all companies rises to $11. For the rest of the state, it rises to $10.40. And on Monday, New York will join California, New Jersey and Rhode Island in requiring employers to give workers paid leave to bond with a baby, care for a close relative with a serious illness or help loved ones during a family member's military deployment. A new middle class tax cut also goes into effect on Monday. Click here for more information about paid family leave, and click here for more information about the new minimum wage. Gov. Andrew Cuomo is proposing measures to fight the crushing burden of student loan debt. The Democratic governor says his proposed reforms build on the Excelsior Scholarship, which makes New York's public universities tuition-free for middle class families. Cuomo proposes creating a student loan ombudsman in the state Department of Financial Services to help resolve student complaints, educate borrowers and assist students in default. He also proposes requiring colleges to provide truth-in-lending facts for students, and increasing consumer protection standards in the student loan industry. Cuomo proposes prohibiting state agencies from suspending professional licenses of people behind or in default on their student loans. The proposals will be part of his State of the State address on Wednesday. What to Know Bruce and Irene Steinberg and their three sons were killed while vacationing in Costa Rica The family was apparently on a sightseeing trip when the plane they were on crashed Sunday They are from Scarsdale, about 25 miles north of New York City Five family members from Westchester were among 10 Americans killed when a plane crashed in Costa Rica this weekend, a family member and neighbors confirmed. A mother, father and their three children from Scarsdale, New York, were aboard the plane. It's believed the five were on a sightseeing tour at the time. Five family members from Westchester were among 10 Americans killed when a plane crashed in Costa Rica, family members say. Ida Siegal reports. Bruce and Irene Steinberg, and their teenage sons, Matthew, William and Zachary, were killed, Bruce Steinberg's sister confirmed with NBC News on Sunday night. "They were the most amazing family," Tamara Steinberg Jacobson told NBC News. Ministerio de Seguridad Publica Several neighbors confirmed a photo of the Steinbergs and said the community was devastated by the news. "Inconceivable that a whole family should meet with such a disaster," neighbor Susan Alder said. Grief counselors will be on hand at Scarsdale High School to help students and graduates cope with their death. Rabbi Jonathan Blake of the Westchester Reform Temple in Scarsdale said in a statement that the Steinbergs were involved in philanthropy and local Jewish groups. "This tragedy hits our community very hard," Blake wrote. The plane was carrying five other U.S. citizens and two local crewmembers when it crashed in a wooded area, killing everyone on board, authorities said. In St. Petersburg, Florida, Rabbi Jacob Luski of Congregation B'nai Israel said Monday that victims' relatives had informed him that four members of his congregation were also on the plane. "It is a tragedy that the Drs. Mitchell Weiss and Leslie Weiss and their two children, Hannah and Ari, died in that terrible crash," he said. "They were a wonderful family who will be missed." Hannah Weiss was a sophomore in List College's Joint Program with Columbia University, according to a statement from the school. Also killed was Amanda Geissler, who worked for a travel company called Backroads, the company's spokeswoman said. The other tourists were Backroads guests, the company confirmed. @raddiolapampa At a news conference, Enio Cubillo, director of Costa Rica Civil Aviation, said the Nature Air charter flight took off just after noon Sunday from Punta Islita and was headed for the capital of San Jose when it crashed. Cubillo said the cause was under investigation. He identified the pilot as Juan Manuel Retana and described him as very experienced. Former Costa Rican President Laura Chinchilla said via Twitter that Retana was her cousin. The same plane had arrived in Punta Islita on Sunday morning from San Jose and was delayed in landing by strong winds, Cubillo said. Nature Air did not respond to phone and email messages. The Public Safety Ministry posted photographs and video of the crash site showing the burning wreckage of the plane in Guanacaste, in northwest Costa Rica. Costa Rican investigators said strong winds or mechanical problems most likely caused the crash. "No possibility can be left out for certain," said Michael Soto, deputy director of Costa Rica's Judicial Investigation agency. "We have two aspects: The principle one would be some weather condition and if there was a mechanical issue." A mother still recovering from jumping into a pool to save her child welcomed a new addition to the family Monday: the first baby of the new year born in San Diego. This New Year's baby is possibly the first infant born across the county this year, said a hospital spokesperson for Kaiser Permanente. The parents welcomed their child, noting that the pregnancy was not without its challenges. Our 2-year-old fell in the pool at grandmas house on Christmas morning," the father, Matt Thoma, a firefighter, recounted as his wife Jessica Thoma held their newborn. "That was a traumatic event for obvious reasons." When the clock struck midnight, 31-year-old Jessica gave birth to her new daughter Reese Wryan Thoma at the San Diego Kaiser Permanente Medical Center. Reese weighs 7 pounds, 15 ounces and is 19 inches long, said the hospital spokesperson. The parents, both San Diego natives, told NBC 7 that it was a complicated pregnancy because of the traumatic event. Jessica was late in her term when her first daughter plunged headfirst into the pool. In her peripheral vision, she saw her daughter's boots go straight up from the water. Without hesitating, she jumped in. "You don't think," Jessica said, explaining that instincts took over. She forgot how pregnant she was until she struggled to get out of the pool. It was the most traumatizing thing Ive ever experienced, she said, pausing for a moment. But shes okay. Shes fine. Matt has worked as a firefighter for the city of San Diego for the past five years. Usually with firefighters, people think were doing the heroic work," Matt said. "But seeing your wife do it is on a whole other level. He also jumped into the pool to help his wife, but this time, he said, she was the first responder. "I jumped in as well, but she was the first responder," Matt said, gazing at his wife. "And I'll always be thankful for her taking that action." Reese will also be welcomed by her 22-month-old sister Charlotte, said the hospital spokesperson. Jessica said her older daughter is one of those rare children who could fully grasp that there was a baby inside of her, regularly rubbing her belly and affectionately calling her "Eesy." "I can't wait to get to know her," Jessica said. One man was found stabbed to death and another injured Monday in the San Diego Police Department's first homicide investigation of the new year. Homicide investigators inspected the fifth floor of the Market Street Village apartment complex after police discovered a body lying in a hallway, confirmed police. The investigation is underway on the corner of 14th and G Street in downtown San Diego. The victim's roommate was treated at a nearby hospital for minor injuries and was later taken to the police station for questioning. He is considered a "person of interest" at this time. Police have identified the victim, but his name will not be released until relatives are notified. A few hours before this incident, police were responding to a brawl in the outdoor lounge of the same complex. It was not yet clear if the incidents were connected. Police said they are not looking for other suspects, and there is currently no threat to the community. No other information was immediately available. Please refresh this page for updates on this story. Details may change as more information becomes available. Here's a look at some of the new California laws for 2018: SALARY INFORMATION (Assembly Bill No. 168): Under the new bill employers are prohibited from asking salary information of an applicant. Employers are also prohibited from relying on salary history as a factor in determining salary for a new employee. View the new bill here. EMPLOYERS BANNED FROM ASKING CRIMINAL HISTORY ON APPLICATIONS (Assembly Bill No. 1008): This new law bans employers, state agencies, and public utilities with five or more workers from including, on any application, any questions about an applicants conviction history. Employers are not to consider a persons criminal background until the applicant has received an offer. And if an employer then decides to take back the offer, the employer is required to notify the applicant in writing, with specific information, as to why the offer is being rescinded. Applicant is allowed to challenge, and the employer is required to review that challenge. Check out the bill here. AMMUNITION SALES (Assembly Bill No. 693): Under this law all ammunition sales and transfers has to be made in person through a licensed vendor approved by the States Department of Justice. Out of state purchases and internet purchases must also go through a vendor. The law does not apply to police officers, and law enforcement officers of a city, county, city and county, and state or federal government. View the bill here. WORK SITE IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT AND PROTECTIONS (Assembly Bill No. 450): This law protects workers from immigration enforcement while on the job. An employer or someone acting on behalf of an employer is not allowed to let an immigration agent enter non-public areas of a work place unless the agent has a warrant. Public and private employers can face fines up to $10,000 for each violations. Read the bill here. MINIMUM WAGE: Minimum wage increases to $10.50 per hour for employers with 25 or fewer workers, $11 per hour for employers with 26 or more employees. More info here. LGBT RIGHTS FOR LONG-TERM CARE FACILITY (Senate Bill No. 219): This new law strengthens an existing law and makes it unlawful for a facility to act against an individual on the basis of their sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression or their HIV status. Facilities cannot deny admission, transfer, refuse transfer, discharge or evict LGBT residents. Facilities must use a residents preferred name or pronouns. Get to know the bill here. RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA: The legal use of recreational marijuana goes into effect Jan. 1. While its up to individual cities to create their own rules, the state has some broad rules, such as pot shops have to be at least 600 feet away from schools and must close by 10 p.m. The states website is under construction, but there is some information on there check out the Marijuana goes legal in California on Jan. 1 what you need to know. View the website here. Maryland officials are considering extra precautions to ensure students who walk to school are safe. State legislators will consider ordering a sweeping review of pedestrian safety at every public school in Maryland, News4 has learned. The request will be made as soon as the Maryland legislature returns to Annapolis this month. Gwendolyn Ward used to worry about her daughter, Christina Morris-Ward, walking to Seneca Valley High School. The 10th grader regularly crossed a state highway on foot to get to class. Then, in October 2012, the 15-year-old was fatally struck by a car at the intersection of Germantown Road and Wisteria Drive while walking to school one morning. "She was deceased by the time I got there. I kissed her, I touched her," Ward said. "They were like, 'You can't touch her.' I said, 'This is my child. I'm going to touch her and give her my last goodbye kiss.'" Ward said students regularly cross the street in the area where her daughter died. "They don't always cross in the crosswalk, but they pay attention," she said. A police investigation found the driver was not at fault. But in the years since, Morris-Ward's death has raised concern about the safety of the roads students walk throughout our region. The Maryland State Legislature will consider new safety measures when it convenes in a few weeks, News4 has learned. Those measures could include requiring the State Highway Administration to review the engineering of the roads and pedestrian crossings at every school in the state. "In my district, there are very few schools that do have sufficient sidewalks or bike access," said Delegate Eric Luedtke. Luedtke says he's heard concerns from parents, including near Blake High School in Silver Spring. "You go to almost any elementary, middle, high school -- public or private --and you'll see what you see behind me: busy roads, no sidewalks, no bike paths, no safe routes," Luedtke said. News 4 obtained a 2016 report by internal auditors in Montgomery County which showed "pedestrian and bicycle collisions near schools decreased" following an "engineering" review of signs and markings near some Montgomery County schools months earlier. Ward supports the state review but says drivers must be diligent too to help prevent a tragedy like hers. "We have to pay close attention. You have to pay attention to your surroundings," Ward said. Police are investigating a shooting death in Lawrence, Massachusetts. The male victim, who has not been identified, was shot Sunday night. His body was found in a Honda Odyssey in the area of 170 Reservoir Street. No arrests have been made at this time. Lawrence police are being assisted in their investigation by the Essex District Attorney's office and the Essex State Police detective unit. No other information was immediately available. Residents of an apartment building in Gardner, Massachusetts, were forced out in the cold Monday morning after elevated levels of carbon monoxide were detected. Firefighters were called to the multi-unit building on Elm Street at about 9 a.m. after a carbon monoxide detector was activated inside the building. Residents were evaculated while crews measured what fire officials said was a dangerous level of CO. "At that time, they found nearly 2,000 parts per million which is extremely high," said Gardner Fire Captain Gregory Lagoy. A malfunctioning heating unit in the basement was determined to be the cause of the high CO levels. Fire officials shut off the heating until and began ventilating the building. Residents were evaluated outside by a number of first responders. No one had to be taken to the hospital. Lagoy said once the building is ventilated, the building manager will begin working on having the heating unit fixed. Until then, residents cannot be let back inside. Medstar Ambulance provided a shuttle to keep residents warm. Thanks for new Messianic Jewish synagogue in Norwich Thanks for new Messianic Jewish synagogue in Norwich The Adat Yeshua Messianic Jewish congregation in Norwich are giving thanks for having moved into their own premises on Essex Street and would warmly welcome visitors to the new synagogue to experience their form of worship. China's President Xi Jinping promises to continue China's economic reforms, global prominence in 2018 Beijing : China's President Xi Jinping on Sunday pledged to continue domestic economic reforms and maintain the country's international prominence in 2018. In his annual end-of-year televised message, Xi Jinping spoke about a prosperous China, both economically and technologically, a country that is a good global citizen and one that seeks to solve problems affecting people, Efe news agency reported. "China will strongly defend the authority and status of the United Nations and actively fulfil its responsibilities," he said. Xi said that being a responsible global power meant China must speak clearly and defend world peace and international order. He also said his country would keep up the fight against global climate change and that in 2018 the country would continue its process of economic reforms. These would include China's announcement of an almost complete opening up of its financial sector for the next few years. Xi recalled that the decisions announced in the XIX Communist Party Congress, which serve as a guideline for development in the next three decades, will begin to be applied in 2018 as well. He added that by 2020 China will have achieved the historic accomplishment of having lifted its entire population from extreme poverty and hailed the important technological successes achieved by the country in 2017, such as the first flight of a large sized Chinese passenger plane, the launching of the first Chinese manufactured aircraft carrier and the country's first quantum computer. However, Xi also recognized that despite these achievements, efforts to improve people's welfare have not always been satisfactory and better work is required in this regard. Indian, Pakistani National Security Advisor's met in Thailand on December 27 Islamabad : A meeting between Pakistan's National Security Advisor Lt Gen Nasser Khan Janjua (retd) and India's National Security Advisor Ajit Doval took place on December 27 in Thailand, a media report said. According to Dawn online, this was confirmed to the daily by a senior National Security Division official. During the meeting, Janjua raised the issue of targeting of civilians along the Line of Control while Doval spoke of infiltration. "The meeting was good. Mr Doval's tone and tenor was friendly and positive," the source who had been briefed about the meeting told Dawn. According to the Pakistani official, the context of the meeting was important as it came after Islamabad allowed death row convict and suspected Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav to meet his family members. However, India and Pakistan later got into a diplomatic spat over the treatment of the wife and mother of Jadhav and the way the meeting was conducted by the Pakistani side. "But when seen together, it becomes clear that both sides are secretly working to mend fences," the daily said. Both sides had also agreed to keep the meeting secret, but once reports about it began appearing in Indian media, Pakistani officials started sharing details about the interaction. Pakistani officials are of the view that the meeting was useful and it might help in restarting some sort of engagement at the diplomatic level. Gen Janjua had on Thursday met with former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif at his Jati Umra residence in Raiwind, which lasted five hours, and included discussions on matters of national security, relations with Pakistan's neighbouring countries and terrorism. Dawn had cited a PML-N leader quoting Sharif as saying at the meeting: "There is a dire need to improve ties with the neighbouring countries." US alert to possible human rights violations in Iran: Donald Trump Washington : US President Donald Trump has said his government is on the alert for any human rights violations that could occur within the context of protests in Iran. "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," said Trump on Twitter on Sunday, Efe news reported. "The USA is watching very closely for human rights violations!" he added. Thousands of people have taken to the streets in different Iranian cities since Thursday (December 28) to protest the economic policy of the Hassan Rouhani government, the cost of living and corruption. Trump had warned on Saturday that the world "is watching" what is happening in Iran, noting that "Oppressive regimes cannot endure forever, and the day will come when the Iranian people will face a choice." On Friday, Trump had also blamed the protests in Iran on "Iranian citizens fed up with regime's corruption and its squandering of the nation's wealth to fund terrorism abroad." "Iranian government should respect their people's rights, including right to express themselves," he had tweeted. The Iranian government on Saturday called upon its citizens not to participate in unauthorized demonstrations, which are proceeding amid heightened security and in which two people have died. Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy VINDICATED after federal judge declares mistrial in case involving widespread federal corruption Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy has long claimed he was wronged by the Obama administrations overly aggressive prosecution of him and his family in 2014 over his refusal to pay bogus grazing fees he said he never owed. Turns out he was exactly right. As reported by The Daily Caller, court documents unsealed last week provide details about how a team of prosecutors assigned to convict Bundy and his sons Ammon and Ryan, along with family friend Ryan W. Payne, following an armed standoff near their Nevada ranch failed to hand over exculpatory evidence to a federal court. As such, their case ended in a mistrial Dec. 20 after U.S. District Judge Gloria Navarro ruled that the prosecutors violated the defendants civil rights after withholding evidence that would have supported their case. Now, Navarro is considering tossing the case out altogether with prejudice, a ruling which would block prosecutors from retrying the case. A decision is expected Jan. 8, The New York Times reported. Two earlier trials against other defendants ended in hung juries, the Times noted further. Among the exculpatory evidence the prosecution failed to turn over was a video taken from within the Bundy range during the standoff by a federal informant, evidence that the FBI had agents involved in the standoff, and a threat assessment of the Bundys that the government drafted. There were approximately 3,000 pages that were provided to us only after we started trial, Bret D. Whipple, one of Cliven Bundys lawyers, told the Times. I personally have never seen anything like this, especially in a case of such importance. Weve told everyone all along, the truth will set us free, said Angie Bundy, the wife of Ryan Bundy. It was the lies were worried about. Other evidence withheld from the court was an assessment by government officials that the Bundys were not violent people. She cited all of that, Angie Bundy said of Navarro. At this point, I dont know what kind of case they have against us. The Oregonian reported that attorneys for Ryan Payne requested in a July 5 email that prosecutors turn over all threat assessments prepared before the 2014 standoff, but prosecutors characterized the defendants frequent push for the assessments as one in a long list of frivolous and vexatious pleadings. As such, prosecutors withheld those assessments until the defendants were actually in court and in the midst of their trial. The existence of the assessments was confirmed by a government witness under cross-examination. Failure to hand over the assessments was just one example of the prosecution teams callous disregard of its constitutional obligations to share with the defense any potentially favorable evidence, according to Paynes lawyers, The Oregonian reported. (Related: REPORT: BLM used incredible bias during overly aggressive RAID of Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy.) For more than 20 years Cliven Bundy has grazed his cattle on federal land in Nevada but refused to pay grazing fees, insisting he was not obligated to do so because he had inherited water rights on the land. In response, the BLM, during a heavily-armed raid, seized his cattle, killing some of them, in an attempt to force him to pay. The Bundys were supported immediately by dozens of armed neighbors who showed up to help protect and defend them. In April 2014, Natural News founder/editor Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, wrote a column that was critical of the BLM for the way its agents handled the standoff with Bundy, noting prophetically that the federal government is out of control yet again. A subsequent report in December substantiated Adams claims. BLM special agent Larry Wooten issued a report indicating that government agents very likely broke federal laws and used incredible bias against Bundy and his family during the incident while engaging in tactics of intimidation during the operation. J.D. Heyes is a senior writer for NaturalNews.com and NewsTarget.com, as well as editor of The National Sentinel. Sources include: NaturalNews.com DailyCaller.com NYTimes.com Japan will convert two helicopter carriers into aircraft carriers by enabling them to launch F35B stealth fighters. South Korea and Japan are considering having F-35B stealth aircraft launch from the deck of amphibious assault ships. The F-35B a fighter jet capable of short takeoffs and vertical landings would be used on navy vessels originally designed to carry helicopters. The reports come amid increasing threats from nuclear-armed North Korea and as China modernizes its armed forces and demonstrates growing maritime ambitions in the region. Japan is having some discussions and political drama before they convert the carriers. This is due to Japans non-aggression constitution and WW2 history. However, Japan will justify the changes and proceed to develop a stronger navy. Japans Izumo class carrier is 19,500 tonnes empty 27,000 tons fully loaded. The Izumo would be able to operate up to ten F35B aircraft on board. US Carriers The US Navy has already modified the 40500 ton LHD to operate the F-35B. The USS Wasp, amphibious support ship, has been deployed in the Pacific. The Wasp is leading the Up-Gunned Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG), a beefed-up naval force comprising three amphibious support ships, 2,200 personnel strong Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) and some Fifth Generation F-35B stealth fighters. The second America-class big-deck amphib, the USS Tripoli (LHA 7), is now being engineered with the needed F-35B modifications built in from the start. The USS Tripoli will deliver to the Navy in 2019. America class ships are outfitted with a group of technologies called a Ship Self Defense System. This includes two Rolling Aircraft Missile RIM-116 Mk 49 launchers; two Raytheon 20mm Phalanx CIWS mounts; and seven twin .50 cal. machine guns. The ships have upgraded sensors and electronics. The US has 11 big CATOBAR carriers: Nimitz class: ten 101,000-ton nuclear-powered supercarriers, the first of which was commissioned in 1975. A Nimitz-class carrier is powered by two nuclear reactors providing steam to four steam turbines and is 1,092 feet (333 m) long. The decommissioned supercarrier Kitty Hawk is being held in inactive reserve, and Gerald R. Ford, the first of her class came into service in 2017. Nine amphibious assault ships: America class: a class of 45,000-ton amphibious assault ships, although the lead ship in this class does not have a well deck. One ship in service out of a planned 12 ships. Ships of this class can have a secondary mission as a light carrier with 20 AV-8B Harrier II, and in the future the F-35B Lightning II aircraft after unloading their Marine expeditionary unit. Wasp class: a class of eight 41,000-ton amphibious assault ships, members of this class have been used in wartime in their secondary mission as light carriers with 20 to 25 AV-8Bs after unloading their Marine expeditionary unit. The 100,000 ton Gerald R. Ford-class carriers cost $1214.5 billion (plus $12 billion for development and research). The smaller 45,000 ton America-class amphibious assault ships cost $2 billion. The first of this class, USS America, is now in active service with another, USS Tripoli, under construction and 9 more are planned. USS America will be able to hold up to 20 F35Bs. Impact Versus China and North Korea Ultimately Japans carrier ship will not matter against Chinas Navy. However, Japans navy will be more competitive for the next five years. China will then have a couple more advanced super-carriers. At present, Japan only has the F-35A the conventional takeoff and landing variant but is considering whether to purchase the F-35B fighter. Japan took delivery of its first F-35A in 2016 and is assembling more than three dozen others domestically at a facility in the Nagoya area. Meantime, South Korea also is looking at the F-35B for use aboard a roughly 14,000-ton warship scheduled to get deployed in 2020. The plan would be to essentially refit the so-called Dokdo-class vessel to become medium-sized aircraft carrier. Seoul already has a Dokdo-class amphibious assault ship in operation. The F-35B could attack ballistic missiles on the ground in North Korea, especially since Pyongyang has been relying mostly on liquid fuel for missiles and that fueling process can take time and slows down launch time. John Pike, globalsecurity.com analyst, is confident the U.S. and its Asian allies could monitor large swaths of North Koreas flat terrain where the TEL missiles could possibly be launched and spot something pretty quick. Signs of an ICBM or another ballistic missile launch would in part come from a caravan of vehicles, including fuel trucks, as they move toward the TEL with the missile, the analyst said. We cannot assume that were going to see a 12-vehicle convey strung out on a highway coming out of a tunnel, all nice and lined up, said Pike. That would be too easy. The elements of the convoy are going to be dispersed, and you will have a flash mob of a dozen vehicles converging simultaneously at a pre-arranged location. So its only when the flash mob assembles that the kill chain will perk up. Minutes before Sunday Mass at St. Martin of Tours Roman Catholic Church in the Bronx, as the music began, a man approached the Rev. Cosme Fernandes. Good morning, Father, the man said. I used to live in this neighborhood and I just drove in a truck full of clothes, but they told us they cant take any more donations. What do I do? Father Fernandes had no answer for the man, who had brought the donations for the survivors of a fire that killed 12 people on Thursday. The fire, the deadliest in New York City in more than 25 years, destroyed an apartment building in the mostly-immigrant neighborhood of Belmont, two blocks from the church. A collection drive organized by the Police and Fire Departments turned into a remarkable outpouring of support that was ended after just one day because of the overwhelming response. On Sunday, people were turned away. Maria stood outside the Metropolitan Detention Center in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, on a recent evening, looking up. The jail loomed above, a concrete bulwark more than a dozen stories high and lined in narrow windows. Behind one of them was her husband. Maria, who wished to be identified only by her first name because of her husbands notoriety, had been standing there for hours. She had flown in from Bogota, Colombia, for the weekend, only to learn she would not be allowed inside. The sun was going down and it was time to go; she had a flight to catch. But first, she went to her rental car and pulled out what looked like a rolled-up poster and some packing tape. A little message for my husband, said Maria, 33, in Spanish, walking over to a warehouse across the street from the jail. A section of the wall had been covered in signs. Happy Fathers Day Chris B. Happy Thanksgiving Luchie. I Love You Payroll. Stay Strong Hubberz. We Got This. There were signs in Spanish, posters in Hebrew. Some were handwritten and covered in tape to protect them from the elements. Others were printed on durable plastic. They hung amid scraps of tape, deflated balloons and the tattered remnants of even older signs. To the Editor: Re Derailed Infrastructure (editorial, Dec. 25): The rail tragedy near Tacoma, Wash., was preventable. Why did it happen? Congress is the primary culprit. For many decades, it has appropriated billions to develop, implement and operate our air traffic control system, and it has spent even more trying to make an inherently unsafe mode of transportation highways a little less unsafe. But railways are essentially told to fix the problem with your own dollars. Railroads in Europe began to focus on crash avoidance back in the 1930s, and today most rail systems throughout the world manage to prevent such accidents. In Japan, the high-speed Shinkansen system has operated since 1964 without a single significant-injury accident. In the United States, we pay far too little attention to crash avoidance. Congress and the Federal Railroad Administration are responsible. And the media is guilty of failing to educate. Arseny Roginsky, a founder and the longtime head of the Memorial organization in Russia who died on Dec. 18, was no doubt familiar with the admonition of the Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel that to forget a holocaust is to kill twice. Mr. Roginskys father died in prison, and Mr. Roginsky himself spent four years in three different Soviet labor camps in the 1980s for printing an underground journal whose goal was to rescue from oblivion all those historical facts and names that are currently doomed to perish or disappear. That remained his mission to his dying day, briefly with the support of the Russian state in the 1990s, then again in defiance of it as Russia under Vladimir Putin set about creating a narrative of Russian greatness in which historical facts could be a handicap. For Mr. Roginsky, historical memory meant more than compiling records; it also meant giving a name to the culprits the interrogators, the guards, the state itself and sounding the alarm at violations of human rights. In recent years, Memorial was targeted with searches, threats of closing and identification as a foreign agent. It is not only in Russia, of course, that reckoning with a nefarious past has been a struggle. Germanys Nazi past, Americas Confederate monuments, Turkeys refusal to recognize the Armenian genocide, Chinas censoring talk about the Tiananmen massacre and many other examples bear witness to the difficulty of confronting a troubling history. The reasons are many. Those who lived through hell, as Russians of an older generation did, may prefer to blot out the horrors they endured or inflicted. Younger generations prefer to live for today. Political leaders prefer to project a noble history, sometimes by turning complicity in atrocities into claims of victimhood. In Russia, Mr. Putin and many of his lieutenants came from the K.G.B. and resisted fully confronting its repressive history. And they, like many of their countrymen, prefer to portray Stalin not only as the architect of the Gulag but also as the leader who built Russias industrial might and led it to victory in the Great Patriotic War, as World War II is known in Russia. The number should be zero. As the nation enters 2018, the Supreme Court is considering whether to hear at least one case asking it to strike down the death penalty, once and for all, for violating the Eighth Amendments ban on cruel and unusual punishments. Whether the justices take that or another case, the facts they face will be the same: The death penalty is a savage, racially biased, arbitrary and pointless punishment that becomes rarer and more geographically isolated with every year. In 2017 the total number of people sitting on death rows across America fell for the 17th straight year. In Harris County, Tex., the nations undisputed leader in state-sanctioned killing, the year passed without a single execution or death sentence the first time thats happened in more than 40 years. Still, Texas was one of just two states Arkansas is the other responsible for almost half of 2017s executions. And nearly one in three of the nations 39 new death sentences last year were handed down in three counties: Riverside in California, Clark in Nevada and Maricopa in Arizona. It would be tempting to conclude from this litany, which is drawn from an annual report by the Death Penalty Information Center, that capital punishment is being reserved for the most horrific crimes committed by the most incorrigible offenders. But it would be wrong. The death penalty is not and has never been about the severity of any given crime. Mental illness, intellectual disability, brain damage, childhood abuse or neglect, abysmal lawyers, minimal judicial review, a white victim these factors are far more closely associated with who ends up getting executed. Of the 23 people put to death in 2017, all but three had at least one of these factors, according to the report. Eight were younger than 21 at the time of their crime. The current opioid crisis underlines the importance of curbing demand. This approach, with sufficient resources and the right message, could have a major impact similar to the campaign to reduce tobacco use. We should also decriminalize the small-scale possession of drugs for personal use, to end the flow of nonviolent drug addicts into the criminal justice system. Several states have taken a step in this direction by decriminalizing possession of certain amounts of marijuana. Mexicos Supreme Court has also declared that individuals should have the right to grow and distribute marijuana for their personal use. At the same time, we should continue to make it illegal to possess large quantities of drugs so that pushers can be prosecuted and some control over supply maintained. Finally, we must create well-staffed and first-class treatment centers where people are willing to go without fear of being prosecuted and with the confidence that they will receive effective care. The experience of Portugal suggests that younger people who use drugs but are not yet addicted can very often be turned around. Even though it is difficult to get older addicted people off drugs, treatment programs can still offer them helpful services. With such a complicated problem, we should be willing to experiment with solutions. Which advertising messages are most effective? How can treatment be made effective for different kinds of drugs and different degrees of addiction? We should have the patience to evaluate what works and what doesnt. But we must get started now. As these efforts progress, profits from the drug trade will diminish greatly even as the dangers of engaging in it will remain high. The result will be a gradual lessening of violence in Mexico and Central American countries. We have a crisis on our hands and for the past half-century, we have been failing to solve it. But there are alternatives. Both the United States and Mexico need to look beyond the idea that drug abuse is simply a law-enforcement problem, solvable through arrests, prosecution and restrictions on supply. We must together attack it with public health policies and education. We still have time to persuade our young people not to ruin their lives. To the Editor: Salma Hayeks desire for equality in the movie industry (Harvey Weinstein Is My Monster Too, Sunday Review, Dec. 17) will be realized only when screenwriters stop writing scripts in which men control the narrative. In Casablanca (1942), Humphrey Bogart has to make up Ingrid Bergmans mind for her when she is torn between staying with him and going off with her freedom fighter husband. Not that much has changed. In La La Land (2016), Emma Stone has given up on an acting career until Ryan Gosling persuades her to return to Los Angeles and drives her to an audition that impresses the producer, and she becomes a star. For starters, someone, preferably a woman, should revise the star is born template so that a famous actress makes it possible for a talented man who is languishing as a movie extra to achieve stardom. That would really be a breakthrough. To the Editor: A Tuition-Free College Takes a Hit (news article, Dec. 21) correctly identifies the polarized and flawed decision-making process in Congress. It misses the mark, however, by saying the goal of the 1.4 percent excise tax on certain private university endowment earnings is to encourage them to provide more funding for financial aid and lower tuition. In fact, the tax includes no incentives for spending that would in any way make college more affordable. Rather, the tax is a blanket transfer to the federal government of funds that support student aid, research and other programs. Targeting the endowment funds of colleges and universities that provide the most generous student aid packages undermines the goal of making higher education more affordable and accessible to all students. The rhetoric claiming that this tax is pro-student is simply that, and it is unfortunate that politics have come to outweigh sound policy decisions. MARY SUE COLEMAN, WASHINGTON The writer is president of the Association of American Universities. President Trump is vowing to return to two of his favorite goals in 2018: a crackdown on immigration and the dissolution of the Affordable Care Act. When congressional Republicans passed the sweeping tax bill in December, they eliminated the A.C.A.s health care mandate. But President Trump wants to knock out the entire program. As I have learned in the past four years, immigration and health care in America have an organic relationship that may escape the president and his supporters if they experience health care only from the outside looking in. Ive been an active pilgrim in our medical culture, as a cancer patient, a kidney stone carrier, a victim of a mysterious vertigo condition and the owner of a battered elbow resulting from a hard fall on a New York City street. To the Editor: Andrew Miller and Richard Sokolsky (Actually, Egypt Is a Terrible Ally, Op-Ed, Dec. 19) belittle Egypts importance to the United States. Egypt is resolute in its fight against terrorism, militarily as well as through modernizing religious discourse and increasing tolerance. Egypt is also undertaking a challenging economic reform program that has been applauded by international observers and is strengthening its national institutions in a region plagued by eroding nation-states. These efforts are aligned with Americas long-term interests in the region. A country diligently working to this end should be supported, not alienated. America reaps many benefits from supporting Egypt and advancing our shared priorities. The assistance that the writers want to reduce has always been, and should remain, a tool to support allies, not one to extract concessions. This is not to say that Egypts journey toward a modern nation-state is complete. But the resolve of the Egyptian people and government is unshakable, and I hope we will be able to reflect and say that the United States was our partner along the way. The Reader Center is one way we in the newsroom are trying to connect with you, by highlighting your perspectives and experiences and offering insight into how we work. Some stories stay with you long after deadline. Long after publication. Long after the headlines fade and readers move on to the next big news event. Yet in the kinetic media world, it is rare that a journalist gets to return to those people and places and continue the conversation. I was fortunate recently to be able to do just that. Many months after Id finished my reporting, I still wondered how Sunayana Dumala and Mindy Corporon were rebuilding their lives after their loved ones were killed three years apart in Kansas hate crimes. SEOUL, South Korea North Koreas leader, Kim Jong-un, moved Monday to ease his countrys isolation by offering to send a delegation to the Winter Olympics in South Korea next month, even as he claimed to have accomplished the ability to launch a nuclear missile at the mainland United States. Mixing the nuclear threat with an overture for easing tensions on the divided Korean Peninsula, Mr. Kim proposed immediate dialogue with South Korea to discuss the Norths participation in the Olympics. If such talks were held, they would mark the first time the two Koreas have had an official dialogue since the Souths new president, Moon Jae-in, took office in May. Mr. Moon has doggedly championed dialogue with the North, even as President Trump has threatened military action to stop the Norths nuclear weapons program. I am willing to send a delegation and take necessary measures, and I believe that the authorities of the North and South can urgently meet to discuss the matter, Mr. Kim said in his annual New Years Day speech, broadcast on North Koreas state-run television. We sincerely hope that the South will successfully host the Olympics. In Sydney, rainbow fireworks sparkled off the Harbour Bridge in celebration of Australias recent legalization of gay marriage. (Sydney was among the first major cities to celebrate with fireworks at the stroke of midnight.) The feud has cast a pall over what was billed as an intimate and revelatory tell-all. Ms. Stevens drew on her own conversations with Avedon over the decades, and interviewed many of his prominent friends and collaborators, including Calvin Klein, David Remnick, Twyla Tharp, Donatella Versace, Jann Wenner and Isabella Rossellini. Some of Ms. Stevenss revelations about Avedons personal life are so juicy that they leaked to the gossip pages in advance of the books release on Nov. 21: (The New York Posts Page Six reported on the books description of Avedons secret affair with the director Mike Nichols and his sometimes withering views of his colleagues and the celebrities he photographed.) In a release issued on Dec. 20, the foundation compiled a list of factual errors from the book, among them, Ms. Stevenss claim that she was by Avedons side when he died (he was attended only by his family when he died in San Antonio, while Ms. Stevens was in New York City at the time, according to the foundation); that Avedon was paid $1 million a year to join Vogue as a fashion photographer (he signed a contract with Conde Nast that awarded him $1 million over 20 years); and that Avedon photographed his terminally ill father relentlessly, taking 50 portraits of him during fraught sittings (according to foundation, there were just six portrait sessions). The foundation also claims that Ms. Stevens based parts of the book on an unfinished, semiautobiographical novel that Avedon was working on for years before his death, in which he blended elements of his past with fiction. Stevens appears to be lifting various stories out of this fictional work, lightly editing and rewriting them, and then presenting them as both her own work and as biographical fact, James Martin, the executive director of the Richard Avedon Foundation, said in a statement. Image Credit... Alessandra Montalto/The New York Times Mr. Martin said he read parts of Avedons novel in progress after his death, when he was sorting through his files and packing them up. He said he asked Ms. Stevens what she wanted him to do with the manuscript, and she said she would take care of it, and took the box and put it under her desk. (When asked to provide examples of overlapping passages from the novel and the biography, the foundation declined to do so.) This time, there were no malfunctions. And there was no hot tea either, but hey, it could have been worse. It couldve been last year. Mariah Carey, wearing a white fur coat, long earrings and a gold-colored glittery dress, took the stage in Times Square to close out 2017, one year after a debacle of a performance that could be a contender for the Mount Rushmore of live-television moments, right alongside Janet Jacksons Super Bowl wardrobe malfunction. This time, Ms. Careys performance did not feature the backup dancers of last year. There was minimal choreography, as she stayed in mostly one spot onstage during a frigid New York City night. She started a two-song set at 11:38 p.m. Eastern with Vision of Love, her first single, from 1990. Before her second song Hero, from 1993 it seemed all was not well from Ms. Careys point of view. She wanted her tea. She wanted it then. Happy New Year! Ms. Carey said, addressing the crowd. Just want to take a sip of tea if theyll let me. They told me there would be tea. Oh! Its a disaster. O.K. Well, well just have to rough it. Im going to be just like everybody else with no hot tea. But were going to try and do this one for you. COPENHAGEN A Danish biotechnology company is trying to fight climate change one laundry load at a time. Its secret weapon: mushrooms like those in a dormant forest outside Copenhagen. In the quest for a more environmentally friendly detergent, two scientists at the company, Novozymes, regularly trudge through the mud, hunting for oyster mushrooms that protrude from a fallen beech or bracken fungi that feast on tough plant fibers. They are studying the enzymes in mushrooms that speed up chemical reactions or natural processes like decay. There is a lot going on here, if you know what to look for, said Mikako Sasa, one of the Novozymes scientists. Their work is helping the company develop enzymes for laundry and dishwasher detergents that would require less water, or that would work just as effectively at lower temperatures. The energy savings could be significant. Washing machines, for instance, account for over 6 percent of household electricity use in the European Union. It all started in late November, when, like every journalist in Lebanon, we were digging to find out what, precisely, had just happened to the prime minister, Saad Hariri. The basics were not in question: He had abruptly flown to Saudi Arabia and resigned; officials came to realize he was being coerced; and after a diplomatic scramble, he flew home and declared he was not quitting after all. He wanted what happened in Saudi Arabia to stay in Saudi Arabia. We, of course, did not. One Lebanese official compared his task, and ours, to examining the black box: We knew the had plane crashed, but we wanted to know how and why. We eventually told the tale here as best we could, with new details like Mr. Hariri being physically manhandled by Saudi security agents. I put out feelers to my contacts, and so did Maria Abi-Habib. Maria is an old friend, but a new colleague, just hired from The Wall Street Journals Beirut bureau. She is headed to The Timess Delhi bureau, but has not moved yet. So now, instead of competing, we combined our sources. That was how one story led to another. From the start, the Hariri story opened new doors. One reason we rarely write about Lebanese politics is that many officials here stand on great ceremony: Despite wielding diluted power in a deadlocked government in a tiny state, they require long preparations and faxed questions before the simplest interview. This time, though, they kept telling us to come right over. They wanted to dish. It was Maria who got the most tantalizing early tip. But it was a confusing one. She went to see a senior Lebanese official who, instead of talking about Mr. Hariri, began a tale about the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, and his recent trip to the Saudi capital, Riyadh. Maria looked so confused that the official paused to make sure she recognized Mr. Abbass name. A teenager in New Jersey was taken into police custody after his parents, sister and a family acquaintance were found dead inside the familys home late on Sunday, the Monmouth County prosecutor said in a statement on Monday. The statement said that it appears that the teenager, 16, had used a semiautomatic rifle to kill his father, Steven Kologi, 44; mother, Linda Kologi, 42; sister, Brittany Kologi, 18; and an acquaintance, Mary Schultz, 70, at 11:43 p.m., the prosecutor, Christopher J. Gramiccioni, said. The police went to the home in Long Branch, a seaside New Jersey town of about 30,000 people, after a 911 call reporting a shooting. The Associated Press quoted Mr. Gramiccioni as saying that the teenager was expected to face four counts of murder and other charges. There was no immediate information about a motive, but the statement described the shooting as an isolated domestic incident. Calls and emails to the prosecutors office early on Monday were not immediately returned, and the teenager was not named. TETERBORO, N.J. There was a time when Teterboro Airport was the crown jewel of the New York region. Charles Lindbergh often flew into the New Jersey airport, 12 miles northwest of Midtown Manhattan, to meet with the president of Wright Aeronautical, which built the engine that powered his historic trans-Atlantic flight. Amelia Earhart flew here to prepare for her own trans-Atlantic trip. The F-32, the worlds biggest passenger plane when it was built in 1930, roared to life at Teterboro, as did the Barling Bomber, then the largest American-made bomber. At that time, there was nothing but pride for having a facility like that, said Shea Oakley, executive director of the Aviation Hall of Fame of New Jersey, which is on the airports grounds. Today, Teterboro, the first airport in the metropolitan area when it opened in 1919, is more likely to conjure grimaces than pride. Growing like a monster, some neighbors say of the airport, which sits on 827 acres and handles general aviation, industry-speak for noncommercial flights. Horrific is a word used by others. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates Teterboro, received more than 2,300 noise complaints about the airport in 2016 an average of about one every four hours. To the Editor: I found Dreamers, in Jeopardy, Get Support From Range of Stars and Businesses (news article, Dec. 8) morally encouraging. But the success stories of young people in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program are not being recognized and are being denied by a substantial number of Republican politicians in Congress. Among todays Dreamers it is possible to identify future architects, engineers, social workers, lawyers, doctors, scientists, artists, business executives and so forth. Such a precious educational investment in these talented youths by thousands of teachers should not be underestimated. Tragically, the Dreamers deportation clock is still ticking. If thousands of educated Dreamers get deported as a result of politics in Washington, it will be at our own peril, particularly in the coming decades of global competition. Todays Dreamers grew up American, socially, culturally and educationally! Legalization, and a clear path to United States citizenship, should be granted immediately to this vibrant sector of our future leadership. Which is to say: However much China denounces Western countries colonial legacy, it, too, has a long past as an imperialist power, and Hong Kongs life in the Chinese empire began as a spoil of bloody conquests, as a colony. The year of the handover from Britain, 1997, marked at least the third time that the city was subjected to the sovereignty of a central kingdom of China. And Hong Kongers know colonialism when they see it. Government leaders in both Beijing and Hong Kong, as well as the more clever Communist sympathizers here, are aware of this perception problem. It is one reason, for example, they want to revise the Chinese-history curriculum in Hong Kong schools in order to bring it in line with that on the mainland. But doubling down on political brainwashing this way is unlikely to serve their cause. It was an attempt to promote this so-called patriotic education in Hong Kong in 2012 that sparked the student protest movement Scholarism, which later became part of the 2014 Umbrella Movement, which in turn helped spawn new political parties that today advocate varying degrees of self-determination. Beijings recent efforts to get the Hong Kong government to punish expressions of disrespect for the Chinese national anthem also seem to be backfiring. In one school commencement ceremony after another, newly minted graduates have flouted the hymn, even at the risk of jeopardizing their job prospects in a market increasingly dominated by firms from the mainland. Scorn for the Chinese Communist Party is extending to symbols of the Chinese state. Yet even as the political schism deepens between Beijing and Hong Kong separatists, the traditional pan-dems seem to be losing their power to mobilize protests. What would once have been hot-button issues now draw only thin crowds into the streets. When throughout the fall, a self-described concerned group backed by the major pan-dem parties called for various marches to oppose a plan to enforce Chinese immigration law at a new train terminal in Hong Kong, only a few hundred people participated. This disconnect reveals a rift within the pro-democracy camp. All democrats here essentially hate the authoritarian Chinese government, its bullying and its meddling with Hong Kongs autonomy. But they disagree over the nature of their own Chinese heritage, and Hong Kongs. According to a recent poll by the University of Hong Kong that asked local residents if they identified as Hong Kongers, Hong Kongers in China, Chinese in Hong Kong or Chinese, nearly 70 percent of respondents aged 18-29 called themselves Hong Kongers. Just 0.3 percent called themselves Chinese by far the lowest such figure since the poll was first conducted, in August 1997. For all age groups combined, almost 68 percent of respondents identified as Hong Kongers or Hong Kongers in China, compared with less than 31 percent who identified as Chinese or Chinese in Hong Kong. In mid-2008, more respondents had identified as the latter than the former. More and more Hong Kongers seem to feel less and less Chinese. The sociologist Chan Kin-man, a founder of Occupy Central the precursor to the Umbrella Movement told an interviewer this summer that if Chinese nationalism ever required him to suppress the quest for democracy and freedom for Hong Kong, he would without hesitation commit treason. By an honest reading of the citys history, he would be blameless. WORCESTER, Mass. With Democratic control of Congress after 2018 increasingly plausible, those who most intensely seek the impeachment of President Trump are organizing, agitating and conducting a veritable clinic in how not to exercise one of the Constitutions most solemn powers. Investigations are still underway, but 58 House Democrats have already voted to consider impeaching Mr. Trump. Tom Steyer, a Democratic megadonor, is running a multipronged campaign calling for Mr. Trumps impeachment on grounds ranging from his North Korea policy to allegations of obstruction of justice. It is true that impeachment is a political rather than a criminal device, but not like this. It requires the kind of political judgment concerned with the public good, not with gaining electoral advantage. The prudent path forward lies somewhere between fiat justitia, ruat caelum and Vox populi, vox Dei let justice be done though the heavens fall on one hand and the voice of the people is the voice of God on the other. Mr. Trump may well have committed impeachable offenses. Many presidents have. The nature of the office, whose governing rules cannot speak to every exigency, inevitably requires risking oneself in the manner Thomas Jefferson described: An officer is bound to obey orders; yet he would be a bad one who should do it in cases for which they were not intended, and which involved the most important consequences. So South Dakota essentially created a tax to provide a vehicle for the Supreme Court to reverse the Quill decision. The state required certain online retailers that did more than $100,000 worth of business in sales in South Dakota to collect the 4.5 percent state sales tax. When the online furniture retailer Wayfair challenged the tax, the South Dakota Supreme Court ruled against the state, citing Quill. In early January, the Supreme Court will decide whether it wants to revisit the Quill case by taking up South Dakotas appeal in the Wayfair case. I am one of the economists and law professors who have filed a brief urging the court to do so. There are compelling reasons to overturn Quill. Most important, according to market analysis, state and local governments will lose about $34 billion in revenue in 2018 because of the physical presence requirement, a number that will rise to nearly $52 billion by 2022. In 1992, in e-commerces infancy, the loss was $700 million to $3 billion. For their part, retailers say that out-of-state retailers should not be deputized as an agent of the state. That job, they say, is for the state to do, through the enforcement of the use tax. This is essentially the same argument made in Quill. But Quill arguments are less compelling now than in 1992. For example, the administrative and record-keeping burden didnt disappear under the physical-presence rule it was merely shifted to consumers, who are left to comply with tax obligations on their own. And improvements in technology mean that collecting sales tax for different states isnt nearly the burden for retailers that it would have been in 1992. The Quill decision has now not only hurt states but also distorted behavior of big retailers: It discourages them from establishing a brick-and-mortar location (and creating jobs) in a new state and being liable for collecting its sales tax. Online retailers also enjoy state services like roads that allow their products to be delivered efficiently to customers without contributing to their upkeep. To the Editor: #MeToo, Say Wary Afghan Women (news article, Dec. 11) exposes the disturbing plight of Afghan women who face public humiliation for bringing instances of sexual abuse to light. But the consequences can be even more serious than being shamed by their community, as the state often brings criminal charges against women who speak up. Public defenders at my organization, the International Legal Foundation, recently represented a 14-year-old Afghan girl charged with adultery after she told her parents that she was raped by her uncle. Because of the outstanding advocacy of our Afghan lawyers, trained and supported by international experts, the charges were dismissed, but only after the girl was incarcerated for four months. The #MeToo movement must prioritize action, including where state institutions are the offender. As countries around the world seek to strengthen the rights of women, support should focus on organizations attacking this problem from all sides: protecting victims and fostering confident, capable female advocates who will shape society and the legal system. JENNIFER SMITH, NEW YORK The writer is executive director of the International Legal Foundation. To the Editor: I Am Proud of Our Diplomacy, by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson (Op-Ed, Dec. 28), is as interesting for what it leaves out as it is for what it claims. There is, for example, no discussion of the United States withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the withdrawal from the Paris climate accord, the decision to name Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, immigration restrictions for Muslim countries that have not, in fact, exported terrorists, and the flight of highly trained diplomats from the State Department. Mr. Tillerson may (as my former ambassador friend claims) be a fine fellow, but the Trump administration is clearly making major mistakes. PETER K. FROST WILLIAMSTOWN, MASS. The writer is emeritus professor of international studies at Williams College. To the Editor: Like Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, I, too, am proud of United States diplomacy. But as a recently retired career diplomat, I am deeply concerned by his support for 30 percent reductions to the State Department and the United States Agency for International Developments budgets. These, in addition to the extensive personnel cuts in both organizations that Mr. Tillerson is unwisely pursuing, will do long-term harm to our countrys diplomatic capacity. At the time, he seemed like the perfect fit: a tall, articulate, handsome paladin. His posture was always ramrod straight, his uniform constantly and precisely starched. He had punched all the right tickets: Eagle Scout, first captain of the West Point class of 1936, commander of both the elite 504th Parachute Infantry of the 82nd Airborne Division and later the 101st Airborne Division, superintendent of West Point and honorary member of the Society of Cincinnati. So when Lyndon Johnson went looking for someone to command the overall anti-Communist crusade in Vietnam in 1964, Gen. William Westmorelands name was at the top of a shortlist. Johnson had taken over the presidency, and the challenges in Southeast Asia, from John Kennedy in November 1963. Kennedys plan to contain Communism in that part of the world had been to supply aid both monetary and in the form of American military advisers to the anti-Communist regime of President Ngo Dinh Diem of South Vietnam. By the time of Kennedys death, the United States had more than 16,000 soldiers advising the Army of the Republic of Vietnam, and it wasnt working. At the Battle of Ap Bac, in January 1963, a force of 1,500 South Vietnamese, despite superior firepower, was decimated by a few hundred Vietcong. Johnsons top aides offered two solutions to the American president: get in or get out. Clad in the panoply of American exceptionalism, Johnson opted for the former and turned to Westmoreland to lead the charge at the head of the Military Assistance Command, Vietnam MACV for short. In the first major engagement under Westmorelands leadership, the Battle of the Ia Drang Valley in November 1965, American forces killed 10 enemy soldiers for every one of their own lost. The hard-fought victory persuaded Westmoreland to adopt a strategy of attrition if American troops killed enough North Vietnamese and Viet Cong, the enemy would have to sue for peace. Westmoreland explained his plan to an old friend, Senator Fritz Hollings of South Carolina. Westy, Hollings explained, the American people dont care about the 10, they care about the one. Westmorelands opposite number in North Vietnam, Gen. Vo Nguyen Giap, had also punched the right tickets. A former history teacher and a self-taught military strategist, he had led the Viet Minh resistance against the Japanese during World War II and later commanded the Viet Minh troops who defeated the French forces at Dien Bien Phu in 1954. Considered one of the greatest military strategists of the 20th century, Giap had as his goal not a classic military victory, but rather, as he wrote later, to break the will of the American government just as he had done against the French. If you love space and astronomy, 2018 will be an exciting year. NASA has announced windows of time for sending spacecraft to Mars and the sun. Japanese and American probes already in space are set to enter orbit around two near-Earth asteroids. And a variety of eclipses and meteor showers offer ample opportunities for skygazing. Weve put dates for these events and more on The Timess Astronomy and Space Calendar. But while some dates are certain or proximate, theres a lot to be unsure about down here on Earth. Sometimes spacecraft arent ready on time for launch. Or their launches get scrubbed because of weather. Some terrestrial space agencies dont always give much notice when they blast off. While we arent ready to say some space launches will happen on a particular date, these are some of the events were watching out for, and well update the calendar when we know more. Successful policymaking must take into account peoples feelings, he believed. When Professor Juma helped design a stove for use in developing countries, its metallic cylinder was replaced with a clay lining to improve efficiency. But the prototype caused less smoke attracting more mosquitoes and villagers worried that metal workers could lose their jobs. A later model used metal and clay. Ultimately, all development is experimental; no one knows what they are doing, Professor Juma said with a laugh in 2014. Africans need the chance to experiment as well. They will make mistakes, but they can learn from them, too. Professor Juma could be lighthearted in the classroom or in public in order to make his points. With more than 100,000 followers on Twitter, he shared with them cartoons that teased skeptics of science and innovation. One of his last posts featured a game show called Facts Dont Matter. In it, a contestant is told: Im sorry, Jeannie, your answer was correct, but Kevin shouted his incorrect answer over yours, so he gets the points. Calestous was very serious about getting his work right, but he was not serious about himself, Mr. Elmendorf said. He shared his enjoyment of the research and teaching, though he was working on life-or-death issues for many people. He was incredibly optimistic. Professor Juma was born to John Kwada Juma and Clementina Nabwire Juma in the village of Busia, in western Kenya, on June 9, 1953. He grew up nearby in Port Victoria. Port Victoria was as remote as it gets a small fishing village on Lake Victoria at Kenyas westernmost point, said Ken Kobe, who taught Professor Juma while serving as a Peace Corps volunteer there in 1969-70. After graduating from Egoji Teachers Training College in central Kenya in 1974, Professor Juma became a science teacher in Mombasa, a port city on the Indian Ocean. He went on to write so many letters to the editor of the Nairobi-based newspaper The Daily Nation that it hired him in 1978 to be its first full-time science and environment correspondent. It has been a secret, long known to intelligence agencies but rarely to consumers, that security software can be a powerful spy tool. Security software runs closest to the bare metal of a computer, with privileged access to nearly every program, application, web browser, email and file. Theres good reason for this: Security products are intended to evaluate everything that touches your machine in search of anything malicious, or even vaguely suspicious. By downloading security software, consumers also run the risk that an untrustworthy antivirus maker or hacker or spy with a foothold in its systems could abuse that deep access to track customers every digital movement. In the battle against malicious code, antivirus products are a staple, said Patrick Wardle, chief research officer at Digita Security, a security company. Ironically, though, these products share many characteristics with the advanced cyberespionage collection implants they seek to detect. In January 2011, the musician Dane Terry packed up his earthly possessions and drove from his native Ohio to New York, reaching his destination in a blizzard. I parked my car with all my things in a snowbank, he said. When it melted out, I sold it. Selling your car is a true sign you are here to stay, and Mr. Terry has since embedded himself in a downtown scene that joyfully straddles the worlds of theater, pop music, performance art and cabaret. The 34-year-old (I dont lie on my Grindr profile, he quipped) has appeared at genre-hopping venues like La MaMa and Joes Pub, and his new musical show, Jupiters Lifeless Moons, running Jan. 12 to 17 as part of the 13th Annual Coil Festival, is helping reopen Performance Space 122. Growing up in Columbus, Mr. Terry wanted to be a magician. I was interested in the idea of performing tricks, but what I actually wanted was real magic, he said at a cafe in Park Slope, Brooklyn, a few subway stops from his home in Kensington. When I found music, I realized that was the closest thing you could get. ROSEBURG, Ore. An 81-year-old veteran hobbled into the emergency room at the rural Veterans Affairs hospital here in December, malnourished and dehydrated, his skin flecked with ulcers and his ribs broken from a fall at home. A doctor examining the veteran a 20-year Air Force mechanic named Walter Savage who had been living alone decided he was in no shape to care for himself and should be admitted to the hospital. A second doctor running the inpatient ward agreed. But the hospital administration said no. Though there were plenty of empty beds, records show that a nurse in charge of enforcing administration restrictions said Mr. Savage was not sick enough to qualify for admission to the hospital. He waited nine hours in the emergency room until, finally, he was sent home. The doctors were mad; the nurses were mad, said Mr. Savages son-in-law, Mark Ridimann. And my dad, he was mad, too. He kept saying, Ive laid my life on the line, two years in Vietnam, and this is what I get? OAKLAND, Calif. Retail cannabis shops in California opened their doors on Monday for the first time, inaugurating what proponents say will become the worlds largest market for legalized recreational marijuana. A transaction that remains illegal in many parts of the country seemed almost banal on Monday for the customers at a dispensary in Oakland who picked out their marijuana, showed their drivers licenses and walked into the brisk morning air with their drugs in a paper bag. This is a whole new world opening up, said Diana Gladden, 48, who bought marijuana for herself and her aging parents. My mother, a very strict Southern Baptist, now thinks its O.K. because its legal. One customer left with more than $1,000 worth of cannabis in a large grocery bag. Medical marijuana has been legal in California for more than two decades but the arrival of full legalization in the state is a milestone for the nations fast-growing cannabis industry. Pot is now sold legally down the entire length of the West Coast, plus Alaska. The contract in Mr. Byrds case, from Budget, was typical. It said that the only ones permitted to drive the vehicle other than the renter are the renters spouse, the renters co-employee (with the renters permission, on company business) or a person who appears at the time of the rental and signs an additional driver form. Mr. Byrd was none of those. But he testified that he and the woman who rented the car, Latasha Reed, had been together for 17 years, had five children and were engaged to be married. In rejecting Mr. Byrds appeal, the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, in Philadelphia, acknowledged that federal appeals courts have differed about whether the sole occupant of a rental vehicle has a Fourth Amendment expectation of privacy when that occupant is not named in the rental agreement. The Third Circuits own precedents, the court said, determined such a person has no expectation of privacy and therefore no standing to challenge a search of the vehicle. Mr. Byrds lawyers said this ignored reality. Widespread noncompliance with authorized-driver provisions is an open secret, they wrote, which is why rental agreements often specify that the renter will carry greater risk of loss when an unlisted driver operates the vehicle. The Supreme Courts decision in the case, Byrd v. United States, No. 16-1371, is very likely to have an outsize effect on black and Hispanic drivers, according to a brief from the American Civil Liberties Union and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. Poor people rent a lot of cars. There is a commonly held misconception that car rental is a luxury reserved for the wealthiest individuals, a 2010 tax study found, noting that more car rentals occur at neighborhood locations than at airport locations. African-Americans generate over four times as many retail rental transactions as otherwise comparable Caucasians, the study said. Other reports have demonstrated that black drivers are more likely than white ones to be pulled over by the police and more likely to be searched during the stop. KHORGOS, Kazakhstan Chinas largest shipping company has poured billions of dollars into buying seaports in Greece and other maritime nations around the world. But the location of its latest big foreign investment has given a curious twist to the expanding ambitions of the China Ocean Shipping Company: The nearest ocean is more than 1,600 miles away. The state-owned Chinese shipping giant, known as COSCO, became the 49 percent owner this past summer of a patch of frost-covered asphalt bisected by railway tracks and lined with warehouses in landlocked Kazakhstan. The barren wilderness close to the border with China stands near the Eurasian Pole of Inaccessibility, meaning that nowhere on the landmass of Europe and Asia is more distant from the sea. But it is here, where huge, Chinese-made cranes load containers onto trains instead of ships, that China and Kazakhstan are embracing what they see as the new frontier of global commerce. Forbidding as it is, the place is a central link in what President Xi Jinping of China trumpets as the project of the century a $1 trillion infrastructure program known as One Belt, One Road, which aims to revive the ancient Silk Road and build up other trading routes between Asia and Europe to pump Chinese products to foreign markets. SEOUL, South Korea Beyond a New Years declaration by North Koreas leader, Kim Jong-un, that he would move to the mass production of nuclear weapons and intercontinental missiles in 2018 lies a canny new strategy to initiate direct talks with South Korea in the hope of driving a wedge into its seven-decade alliance with the United States. Mr. Kim, perhaps sensing the simmering tension between President Trump and President Moon Jae-in of South Korea, called for an urgent dialogue between the two Koreas before the opening of the Winter Olympics in the South next month. The strained relationship between the allies has been playing out for months, as Mr. Moon, a liberal, argued for economic and diplomatic openings with the North, even as Mr. Trump has worked hard to squeeze the North with increasingly punishing sanctions. Mr. Moon also angered Mr. Trump and his aides in recent months by suggesting he holds what he called a veto over any American pre-emptive military action against the Norths nuclear program. Until now Mr. Kim has largely ignored Mr. Moon, whom the North Korean media has portrayed as a spineless lackey of the United States. But the dramatic shift in tone and policy, toward bilateral talks between the two Koreas, suggests that Mr. Kim sees an opportunity to develop and accentuate the split between Mr. Moon and Mr. Trump, betting that the United States will be unable to mount greater pressure on the North if it does not have South Korean acquiescence. The Korean War has been called the Forgotten War in the United States, where coverage of the 1950s conflict was censored and its memory decades later is often overshadowed by World War II and the Vietnam War. But the three-year conflict in Korea, which pitted communist and capitalist forces against each other, set the stage for decades of tension among North Korea, South Korea and the United States. It also helped set the tone for Soviet-American rivalry during the Cold War, profoundly shaping the world we live in today, historians said. The frustrations that led to the protests also appear different from the sentiments in 2009. That year, a wave of demonstrations broke out after the contested election of a hard-line president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and then turned into a wider protest movement against Irans leaders. This time, it is the failure of President Rouhani, a moderate, to deliver greater political changes and economic opportunity, despite the lifting of some of the sanctions against Iran as part of the nuclear deal. Young people are especially angry. The average age of those arrested is under 25, one official said. The poor economy especially affects Irans young people more than 50 percent of the population is under 30, according to official statistics. Officially, youth unemployment is near 20 percent, but experts say it is really closer to 40 percent. When the protests started last Thursday in the city of Mashhad, demonstrators chanted slogans about the weak economy. But as the protests spread, they have taken on a far more political cast. Increasingly, they are being directed at Irans entire political establishment. Some demonstrators have even called for the death of Mr. Rouhani and of the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The strength and volatility of the protests have caught Iranian politicians by surprise. Some have denounced them as riots, while others have acknowledged that the widespread frustrations at their root can no longer be ignored. On Monday in Tehran, the atmosphere was tense and security forces were out in large numbers. Protests occurred sporadically, with people shouting slogans and leaving. The day before, protesters in provincial towns tried to storm police stations, military and installations, and also attacked a seminary, state television reported, showing footage of burned cars and fires. The map of external pressures has changed dramatically, said Menachem Klein, a political scientist at Bar-Ilan University. Instead of Obama, we have Trump. The European Union is divided, Brexit occupies the British agenda, Germany has coalition problems. Theres no consensus in Europe, no single policy putting pressure on Israel. So this is a very easy arena in which we can go ahead. At the same time, corruption investigations into Mr. Netanyahu and his advisers have weakened him politically and led to speculation that he could be indicted. That has spurred ambitious members of his party, and of his governing coalition, to behave as though 2018 were an election year, staking out positions intended to appeal to their base. The next parliamentary elections are not due until November 2019, but they could come sooner if the government were to fall. I dont discount that people are saying, Maybe we can get away with more now because nobody in the international community seems to care, said Shalom Lipner, an analyst at the Brookings Institution who was an aide to several prime ministers. But the more impactful motivating factor seems to be politics. Theres a certain amount of blood in the water right now, and everybodys smelling it. Arguably the most provocative, though least substantive, of the flurry of Israeli actions was a nonbinding but unanimous vote on Sunday by the central committee of Mr. Netanyahus party, Likud, to support the free construction and application of Israeli law and sovereignty in all liberated areas of settlement in the West Bank. If such a measure became law, it would effectively annex Israeli settlements on land that the Palestinians demand for a future state and leave them with an archipelago of disconnected territory. The West Bank is now under military jurisdiction, though settlers are subject to civilian law, as Israeli citizens. Mr. Netanyahu, who at the height of his political powers could have been expected to quash the vote, was not present for it. But most of the Likud ministers in his government endorsed the proposal, which was roughly equivalent to the adoption of a plank in a party platform. Party leaders acknowledged that Mr. Trumps hard-line support of Israel had created an urgency to seize the moment. Sync your calendar with the solar system Never miss an eclipse, a meteor shower, a rocket launch or any other astronomical and space event that's out of this world. Andhra Pradesh: Navy rescues 6 missing trekkers in Simhachalam hills India oi-Chennabasaveshwar By Chennabasaveshwar Search and Rescue mission by Naval Chetak rescued six trekkers who went missing in Simhachalam hills in Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh on Sunday. On getting the distress call from local authorities, the Navy swung into action by launching a Chetak helicopter from INS Dega. The Navy stated that known as the "Angels", the helicopter piloted by Cdr B Vijay Kumar and Lt Nilabh spotted the stranded trekkers within minutes of getting airborne. With the light failing and flying over the thick jungle, the pilots quickly decided to winch up the trekkers and move them to safety. According to reports, of 20 persons went to trekking and 14 of them returned midway, while six of them went missing as they were unable to find their way back. They communicated the message to their parents who alerted the local MLA Vishnu Kumar Raju and the police. Whilst they quickly managed to move three to safety, a police team guided by the presence of the helicopter managed to rescue the remaining three thereby reuniting the young trekkers with their friends and relatives well before onset of darkness. pic.twitter.com/SkExMIca24 SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) December 31, 2017 OneIndia News Bengaluru: Two workers from Bihar killed, three injured after boiler blast at food factory in Magadi road Cut traffic to work due to Metro work, extend work from home: Karnataka govt to IT firms Bengaluru Police denies molestation incident on New Year's Eve India oi-Chennabasaveshwar By Chennabasaveshwar Bengaluru police Commissioner denies any case of molestation on New year's eve | Oneindia News The Bengaluru Police has denied reports of alleged molestation incidents at Brigade Road junction on New Year's Eve. Private TV channel and news websites reported that a woman was seen crying at the place. Media reports also clarified that there was no confirmation whether such an episode had taken place. Reports did not show complaint or First Information Report copy alleging that a girl had been molested. However, City Police has denied media reports. T Suneel Kumar, Bengaluru Police Commissioner, said, "There have been no cases of molestation, 1300 traffic violators were booked." New year 2018: Kudos to Bengaluru Police for impeccable bandobast The elaborate bandobast in the city included drone camera surveillance, night vision binoculars, CCTV, LED screens, patrol vehicles and mobilisation of a maximum number of officers and staff. Across the city, a 15,000-strong security force was deployed and a large number of the personnel were at Brigade Road and M.G. Road to avert incidents. OneIndia News Bring stability to economy, end divisive politics: Indias wish list in 2018 India oi-Oneindia By Oneindia New Delhi, Jan 1: A new year means new dreams and goals to be fulfilled. 2018 is no different, as India tries to catch up with the rest of the world; countrymen have already prepared their wish list to be accomplished by the end of the year. Will the wishes be fulfilled? Only time will be able to give the answer. But the fear of failure to achieve our targetted goals should not deter us from dreaming. India, although had a 'bad' 2017, is aspiring big to march ahead for a brighter future and rectify the past mistakes. OneIndia spoke to a couple of people on Monday to know and understand what India is actually looking for in 2018: Jyoti Tripathi, a Delhi-based entrepreneur "I am 28 years old and single. I would hope to get married by the end of 2018. Professionally, I wish my business grows. I run a boutique that deals with traditional garments from various parts of the country. Because of the demonetisation and Goods and Services Tax (GST), my business has suffered a lot. I wish the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government brings some stability to the economy in 2018." Narayan CR, a Chennai-based artist "I did not party on the New Year's Eve. What is there to celebrate so much? We had a bad 2017. Peace of the country was torn apart because of the divisive politics unleashed by the supporters of the ruling BJP. Attacks on minorities in the form of mob lynchings are heart-numbing. I want the Narendra Modi government to rein in such anti-social forces." Phol Kumar, a Lucknow-based labourer "I don't have any wish. I just want to work and earn money. Hope I get work every day, because if I don't work for a day, my wife, children and I can't eat. From late 2016 to mid-2017, I did not get work regularly and that caused a lot of trouble. Because of notebandi (demonetisation), flow of work was less as businesses suffered a lot." Hibu Anyo, an Itanagar-based teacher "I pray for everyone's happiness and peace. In Arunachal Pradesh, things are good in terms of food security and law and order situation. But in the rest of the country, it's different and hardships are more for common man. Here in Arunachal, youths don't have jobs. They are angry, especially the educated ones as the government has failed to ensure them jobs." Saifullah Khan, a Kashmir-based retired government employee "The government has stopped us from airing our views. We all know the situation in Kashmir. I wish all my countrymen a happy and prosperous new year. Hope peace prevails in Kashmir." OneIndia News 18 dead in fire at Pune sanitiser firm, search on for missing staff Pune lockdown: Officials release new guidelines for restaurants, religious events and more Unable to get job due to Covid-19, 24-year-old MPSC aspirant commits suicide in Pune Pune: Dalits heading to Bhima Koregaon memorial attacked, Athawale seeks govt protection India oi-Deepika By Deepika The event to mark the 200th anniversary of the Bhima Koregaon battle in Pune district, in which the British Army comprising Dalits had defeated upper-caste Peshwas, was marred by incidents of stone pelting and vandalism on Monday. Union Minister Ramdas Athawale has asked Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to intervene, set up an inquiry and ensure that the Dalits had police protection for the event. Bhima Koregaon battle : Section 144 imposed around Koregaon Bhima park in Pune | Oneindia News "The incident occurred in Bhima Koregaon in the afternoon when people were heading towards a war memorial in the village", police said. The violence erupted after a group and some members of the crowd on its way to visit the memorial had an argument over some issue. "Stone pelting started after the argument. During the violence, vehicles and a house in the vicinity were damaged," a police officer deployed for bandobast at Bhima Koregaon said without elaborating. He said the police blocked the vehicular traffic on Pune-Ahmednagar highway for some time following the incident. "More police personnel, including companies of the SRPF, have been deployed to avoid any untoward incident," the officer said. Newly elected Vadgam MLA, Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani, attended the event on Sunday to commemorate the victory of 200 years of Battle of Bhima Koregaon in Maharashtra. JNU student leader Umar Khalid, late Dalit research scholar Rohit Vemulas mother Radhika, Bhim Army president Vinay Ratan Singh and Prakash Ambedkar, former MP and grandson of Dr B R Ambedkar were present at the event. The Battle of Koregaon was fought on 1 January 1818 between the British East India Company and the Peshwa faction of the Maratha Confederacy, at Koregaon Bhima. The 28,000-strong Marathas, led by Peshwa Baji Rao II intended to attack Pune. On their way, they were met by an 800-strong Company force that was on its way to reinforce the British troops in Pune. The Company troops included predominantly Mahar Dalit soldiers belonging to the Bombay Native Infantry, and therefore the Dalit activists regard the battle as a heroic episode in Dalit history. Ahead of an event on '200 years of Bhima Koregaon battle' section 144 has been imposed around Koregaon Bhima park in Pune. OneIndia News Kejriwal inaugurates Delhi 1st smog tower today: All you need to know Delhi: People in lakhs throng India Gate on New Year, cripple traffic India oi-Deepika By Deepika Delhi on Monday witnessed massive traffic jam after over 2 lakh visitors gathered at India Gate to celebrate the New Year. There are snarls all over Lutyens Delhi due to people travelling from south to north Delhi. The Delhi traffic police has issued an alert asking people to avoid the India Gate C-Hexagon stretch saying the traffic will remain 'heavy' in the area. Parking facilities have been withdrawn from India Gate and surrounding areas. Police advised people to take alternative routes and avoid the crowd. "Traffic will remain very heavy near India Gate C-Hexagon due to gathering of more than 1 lakh pedestrian and heavy volume of motorist. No parking available around India Gate . Advised to avoid India Gate and take alternate route," tweeted Delhi traffic police. Meanwhile, news agency ANI reported that the jam stretched to several kilometers and even ambulances were finding it difficult to cut across the thick traffic. Total number of pedestrian who reached Rajpath must be around 2.5 lakhs. It's 7 times of what was expected. Due to their movement around Rajpath movement of cars was blocked: Delhi Traffic Police. By evening, even adjoining areas like Barapullah, ITO and Delhi-Noida-Delhi flyway witnessed massive jams. An ambulance was seen stuck in traffic jam near Delhi's Mandi House circle. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, January 1, 2018, 20:20 [IST] From god, money to politics, read Rajinikanths full speech while announcing his political debut India oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Chennai, Jan 1: Finally, the long wait is over. Superstar Rajinikanth on Sunday announced his political debut in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. While fans heaved a sigh of relief, detractors denounced the 67-year-old's entry into politics. Rajinikanth said he would set up a party and contest the next state assembly elections. "Those who don't go to war will be considered cowards," the veteran began his speech to a large crowd of fans at the Raghavendra Mandapam in Chennai on Sunday. Here is the full text of the actor's address to his fans: "Ennai Vazhai Vaikkum Tamizh makkale (People of Tamil Nadu who sustain my life). I am not afraid of entering into politics, but I am afraid of the media. If I say something, they will make it a point for debate. Cho sir used to advise me to be careful with the media. Had he been alive, I would have had the strength of ten elephants. Kannan said (Lord Kannan in Bagavath Geetha) do your best and he will take care of the rest. Won't people call us cowards, if we don't get into the battlefield? My entry into politics is now certain (fans erupt cheering). It's only a matter of time. I will launch a new party and contest from 234 constituencies across Tamil Nadu in the coming election. However, I will not contest in the locals elections, as there isn't enough time. I am not entering into politics, for money or fame...you have already given it to me in plenty. Had I wanted only the power, I would have entered politics in 1996 itself. However, I waited. If I didn't have a desire for power at the age of 45, would I have it now at 68? Won't I be called mad? Then what? Politics in the state have become rotten. Political incidents in the last one year have made Tamils put down their heads (in shame). People from other states are laughing at us. If I don't take this decision now, the feeling of guilt for not doing well for the Tamil people will kill me. My intention is to create caste and religion-less, spiritual politics. It's not that easy to bring such politics. Tamil people should make it possible. That is what my intention is and that is what my target is. I am aware that is not easy to launch a party and win the election. It is as difficult as diving into the sea to collect pearls. With the blessings of God, love, and the support of people, we will be able to achieve this. I am confident that I will get both. In olden days, kings loot the jewels and people by invading other countries. But, in democracy, they loot their own countrymen. I don't want partymen, but guards. Guards who will ensure that benefits and rights reach the common man. I want guards who will work selflessly for the welfare of the society. In our party, we need guards who will question those who make mistakes, be it an official or a politician. Such guards will be promoted I will only be a representative of the people and my job will be to monitor those guards. We need a potent force to build the guard and the party. There are thousands of registered fans clubs in rural and urban parts of Tamil Nadu. The number of unregistered clubs maybe even 1.5 times higher than this. Our first duty to is to get the unregistered fan clubs to register and create a network by integrating them across the state. We are going to be the guard... you should bring all the people..women, elderly, youngsters, educated and uneducated people under the ambit of the fan club. Every street in the village of Tamil Nadu should have our fan club. This is my first duty to you. We all should come under one umbrella. We all should maintain discipline. Until such time, we will refrain ourselves from speaking about politics, including myself. Don't scold politicians... Don't criticize them.. there are a lot of people who do just that. There are a lot of people in the political pond, they have to swim in the pond to survive. We are yet to get into the pond. At the right time before the assembly elections, we will launch our party. We will reveal our plans to people. We will tell them what we can do and what cannot. If we cannot fulfil our promises within three years, we will leave the government. Our mantra will be the truth, hard work, and growth (Progress). Our ideology: think good, do good and good will happen. Our force will be there in the coming democratic war, that is in the assembly election." OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, January 1, 2018, 7:12 [IST] New Year celebrations: Strict measures in place in Bengaluru, rest of Karnataka Let us work together towards creating an inclusive society: Kovind's New Year message COVID-19: New Year eve celebrations in Kerala only till 10 pm; drones to monitor violations 'May spirit of hope and wellness prevail': PM Modi greets nation on new year Happy New Year, 2018: Modi, Rahul wish joy, prosperity, good health to all India oi-Oneindia By Oneindia New Delhi, Jan 1: As India welcomed 2018 with a bang, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday wished the nation a happy and prosperous new year. While sending New Year greetings, Modi prayed for everyone's joy, prosperity and good health in 2018. "Wishing you all a happy 2018! I pray that this year brings joy, prosperity and good health in everyone's lives," the PM tweeted. Wishing you all a happy 2018! I pray that this year brings joy, prosperity and good health in everyone's lives. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 1, 2018 "I convey greetings for a happy 2018. I also convey my best wishes for the various festivals we will mark in January 2018. #MannKiBaat," Modi had tweeted earlier on Sunday. I convey greetings for a happy 2018. I also convey my best wishes for the various festivals we will mark in January 2018. #MannKiBaat https://t.co/sZbHO82uRG Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 31, 2017 Congress president wished everyone a "happy and prosperous 2018". " Wishing everyone a very happy and prosperous year 2018. ," tweeted Rahul on Sunday. Wishing everyone a very happy and prosperous year 2018. Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) December 31, 2017 Rahul also took a dig at "Modi bhakts" (Modi supporters) on the New Year's Eve. "Dear Modi bhakts, Out of 9,860 crores for the Smart Cities only 7% has been used. China is out competing us while your master gives us empty slogans. Please watch this video and advise him to focus on what matters- job creation for India #BJPEmptyPromises," tweeted Rahul. Dear Modi bhakts, Out of 9,860 crores for the Smart Cities only 7% has been used. China is out competing us while your master gives us empty slogans. Please watch this video and advise him to focus on what matters- job creation for India.#BJPEmptyPromiseshttps://t.co/o6C0NzteqX Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) December 31, 2017 OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, January 1, 2018, 9:07 [IST] How Telangana made a miraculous turnaround in the power sector India oi-Vicky By Vicky For the state of Telangana, the turn around in the power sector is nothing but a miracle. Providing 24/7 power to the agriculture sector, Telangana, when it was formed, had a power deficit of 2,000 million units. This year the state is projected to have a surplus of 3,282 million units. Incidentally, Telangana is the only state which provides round the clock power to the agriculture sector. In the year 2014, the total power demand was 50,916 MU and the government could supply 48,788 MU. Devulapally Prabhakar Rao, chairman and managing director of Transco and Genco who oversaw the turnaround says that the state will have a surplus power of 3,282 MU though the demand is projected to grow to 64,291 MU for 2018-19. The per capita power consumption in the state is 1,394 units, above the national average of 1,010 units. The state has added a record 18,785 MU in four years, taking the power availability from 48,788 MU in 2014 to an estimated 67,573 MU next year. A report in the Deccan Chronicle said that TS Genco has set a target of producing 27,000 MW of power by 2020, a major portion earmarked for lift irrigation projects and agriculture pump sets. Lift irrigation projects will need 11,500 MW, up from a mere 400 MW four years ago. To meet this demand, TS Genco has taken up work on six new power projects with total capacity of 6,840 MW. The 600 MW Kakatiya Thermal Power Project Stage II was commissioned and synchronised with the grid in October 2015. In the next three years, power officials are expecting the capacity will be about 16,306 MW, the additional power coming from Kothagudem Thermal Power Station (800 MW), Bhadradri (,1080 MW), NTPC (4,000 MW), Yadadri (4,000 MW), Singareni Collieries (800 MW) and from central generating stations (800 MW). The government has signed agreements with Chhattisgarh to purchase 1,000 MW to 2,000 MW. In solar power generation, the state stood topped in the country with 3,000 MW, the report also stated. OneIndia News 'Implement one-plus-one strategy at any cost', Amit Shah tells Karnataka BJP leaders India oi-Vicky By Vicky The one-plus-one strategy has to be implemented at any cost, said BJP's national president Amit Shah during a meet with his party legislators from Karnataka. This strategy mandates that a legislator looks after his own constituency and also the one allotted to them by the party. Shah during his visit to Bengaluru sought to know why this had not been implemented. It is not acceptable that one simple task given had not been implemented, Shah told the BJP legislators. Shah said that he wanted this strategy implemented at any cost. I will be visiting Bengaluru on January 9 again and by that time all legislators will have to ensure that this is implemented, Shah also said. On the Mahadayi row, Shah expressed unhappiness over the manner in which the situation was handled. You had an advantage, but the backlash by the farmers could have been handled better, Shah further said. "I expect more from all of you, Shah told a core committee meeting that comprised B S Yeddyurappa, Ananth Kumar, D V Sadananda Gowda, Jagadish Shettar and K S Eshwarappa. If we need to win the Karnataka Assembly Elections, then more is expected from all of you", Shah further added. Shah, however, had a word of appreciation for the Parivarthana Yathra that is being led by Yeddyurappa. All leaders must actively take part in the yathra actively, Shah further instructed. "On the ticket distribution, he said that the central leaders would take a call. No announcement of candidates must be made during the yathra", Shah further said. Shah further said that the BJP must aggressively speak about the misrule by the Congress in Karnataka. The shortcomings of the Congress government has to be highlighted and all BJP leaders must strengthen the party at the grass-root level, he also said. The next two months must see an aggressive push by all leaders and we must ensure that the Congress is uprooted. All of you must frame a charge sheet against the Congress legislators and highlight the same. OneIndia News Karnataka Assembly Elections 2018: What are the caste equations? All you should know India oi-Vicky Nanjappa By Vicky The caste equations in the Karnataka assembly elections 2018 would be crucial. While during every election, it is the Vokkaliga and Lingayat vote banks that are spoken about. However, this time around there is a difference. The leaked reports of the caste census that was conducted in Karnataka shows that the Lingayats are at 9.8 per cent. This could be quite a concern for those parties relying on these votes as the Lingayats are down from 17 per cent which used to be the top slot. The Vokkaligas on the other hand who was at 12 per cent are down to 8.16 per cent as per the leaked reports of the caste census. The Dalits, on the other hand, are at the top now with 18 per cent. The question is will the Dalits vote in favour of the Congress? Through his Ahinda politics, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has made all the right noises and doled out sops for the backward classes and Dalits. He has even gone ahead and promised a scaling up of the reservation from 50 to 70 per cent. However, these moves by Siddaramaiah may not be an assurance that he will bag the votes from the BCs and Dalits. While a large number of them are likely to back the Congress, the fact is that Siddaramaiah may not be able to live upon his reservation promise. The reservation issue could prove to be a two-edged sword for Siddaramaiah. First and foremost, it would need a constitutional amendment and none see that happening in the next four months. Secondly, Siddaramaiah has raked up other issues such as a separate identity for the Lingayats. Any further move on the issue of reservation could anger the forward communities. The Karnataka government has also deliberately kept the caste census under wraps. Releasing the census could earn the wrath of the Vokkaligas and Lingayats who have accused the government of deliberately reducing their numbers. The Congress would, however, continue to woo the BCs, Dalits and minorities. A large part of the Lingayat and Vokkaliga vote banks are divided between the BJP and JD(S) respectively. However, for the BJP one needs to see if the Lingayats vote them to power like they did in 2007. During the 2013 elections, the Congress bagged 15 per cent of the Lingayat vote share. The Congress may hope to better its tally this time and would rely on the division there is among the community owing to the issue of separate identity. However, the year 2018 may not be similar to 2013 for the Congress where the Lingayat vote bank is concerned. In 2013 the BJP was a divided house and Yeddyurappa considered to be the tallest Lingayat leader in the state was not part of the party. He had broken away from the BJP to form the KJP. It would be interesting to see how the Lingayats vote this time around. Will they increase their vote share in favour of the Congress or back the BJP completely? The next month would be crucial. OneIndia News Amit Shah sets fresh targets for state BJP, 'Panna Pramukhs' to take charge India oi-Anusha By Anusha Ravi Five months after he assigned tasks to his MLAs and MPs in Karnataka, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National President Amit Shah was in Bengaluru on Sunday to review progress. Fresh targets, strategies and poll campaign planning have been charted out for the party's state unit. Introduction of the 'Panna Pramukhs'- a BJP poll strategy to appoint one party worker for every 20 voters in every constituency- was one of the primary decisions during Sunday's special meeting. After a less than impressive win in Gujarat, senior leaders of the BJP have shifted focus to poll-bound Karnataka. Union Minister and senior party leader Ananth Kumar said that the single point agenda of the meeting was to chalk out campaigns to oust the Siddaramaiah led Congress government. "Chargesheets will be prepared for every single constituency to highlight the shortcomings of the Congress government. The only agenda of today's meeting was to discuss campaign strategies to oust the corrupt and anti-Hindu Siddaramaiah government and bring B S Yeddyurappa-led BJP back to power," Ananth Kumar said. As part of their reworked strategy, the BJP will introduce the concept of "Panna Pramukhs". Similar in nature to booth level workers who engage with voters of specific booths, the Panna Pramukhs will engage with voters of a specific page of the voter list in every booth. With this, the BJP will be able to appoint one worker for every 20 voters in all 224 constituencies. Apart from the appointment of Pranna Pramukhs, the BJP will organise Dalit, OBC, women and youth rallies in the month of February in every assembly constituency. A charge sheet highlighting Congress government's alleged failures, constituency-wise, will be taken to the people's doorstep- an attempt to clearly counter the Congress' 'Mane Mane ge Congress' campaign that is distributing a booklet to every household highlight the Siddaramaiah government's achievements. Refusing to reveal what Shah had to say about BJP state unit's poll preparedness, Ananth Kumar maintained that the party chief was happy with the response Yeddyurappa's Parivarthana rally has been eliciting. OneIndia News Bihar Unlock 3: Nitish Kumar eases COVID curbs, allows all offices to function at 100% capacity from 23 June Mound spotted by CM Nitish Kumar yields 3000-year-old potsherds in Bihar India pti-PTI Patna, Jan 1: A mound spotted by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar at a village in Sheikhpura district has yielded potsherds, perhaps dating back to 1000 BC. Potsherds are pieces of broken ceramic pot or other earthenware that have archaeological significance. "We visited the site yesterday and were thrilled to discover a number of potsherds which give a hint about the antiquity of the mound," Executive Director of the K P Jayaswal Research Institute, Bijoy Kumar Chaudhary, said yesterday. The state-run institute, located in the Patna Museum building, researches in the field of history and archaeology. "Black slip wares and black and red wares found at the site appear to be of a period around 1000 BC. We also found some red furnished ware that could date back to the Neolithic period," Chaudhary told PTI. A team of archaeologists conducted preliminary explorations at Pharpar village in Ariyari block after getting a call from Chief Secretary Anjani Kumar Singh. The chief secretary, who was accompanying the chief minister during his visit to the village on Friday, telephoned Chaudhary after Kumar noticed the mound and observed that it looked like a site of historical and archaeological importance, he said. The village is about 120 kilometres from the state capital. The archaeologists also found some fragmented sculptures of Buddha, Lord Vishnu and some female deities. "Fragmented sculptures had been found in the village earlier also when our institute was carrying out state-wide explorations. But the mound was overlooked at that time," Chaudhary said. Preliminary exploration have established the archaeological significance of the spot, he said. "We now plan to conduct a comprehensive exploration which may yield many more artefacts and shed light on the historical significance of the obscure spot," Chaudhary said. The spot was noticed by the chief minister on Friday when he was there on his 'Vikas Samiksha Yatra', to take stock of the development work carried out by his government. Nitish Kumar is known for his interest in archaeology. At his instance, a "Bihar museum" has been set up in the state capital, which was inaugurated a couple of months ago while museums across the state are being given a face-lift. After the ancient Nalanda University got the UNESCO World Heritage status in 2016, Kumar is now making efforts to get the same tag for the cyclopean wall at Rajgir. A cyclopean wall is constructed without mortar, using enormous blocks of stone. PTI Bengaluru: Two workers from Bihar killed, three injured after boiler blast at food factory in Magadi road Cut traffic to work due to Metro work, extend work from home: Karnataka govt to IT firms Bengaluru: 7 people killed in a car accident in Koramangala area as Audi car rams into electric pole New year 2018: Kudos to Bengaluru Police for impeccable bandobast India oi-Chennabasaveshwar By Chennabasaveshwar Bengaluru city Police made elaborate arrangements for New year 2018, Watch | Oneindia News On the eve of new year, a reveller tweeted the Bengaluru City Police, " Dear @BlrCityPolice actually brigade road fills with a lot of cops, more than the people." Then a prompt reply came from the police, "to celebrate Happy New Year2018 peacefully". Bengaluru city Police were floored with the appreciation for their impeccable security arrangements keeping in view last year's shameful incident which shook the conscience of the nation. The elaborate bandobast in the city included drone camera surveillance, night vision binoculars, CCTV, LED screens, patrol vehicles and mobilisation of a maximum number of officers and staff. Across the city, a 15,000-strong security force was deployed and a large number of the personnel were at Brigade Road and M.G. Road to avert incidents. @CPBlr @AddlCPEast We have done elaborate bandobast using drone camera surveillance, night vision binoculars, CCTV, LED screens,patrol vehicles and mobilising maximum no of officers and staff. pic.twitter.com/QF0HXxYQ5F Dr. Boralingaiah,IPS (@DCPSEBCP) December 31, 2017 Bengaluru police tweeted, "This New Year's Eve, if you are not feeling safe, if any miscreant is troubling you and calling someone is not your option, then just one click on Suraksha app. We will be there at your assistance." At the stroke of midnight, bandobust was personally supervised by Bengaluru Police Commissioner, Additional Commissioner of Traffic, Bengaluru East Additional Commissioner of Police on Central Business District roads. OneIndia News Importance of killing TRF bosses, Abbas Sheikh, Manzoor: Here are the 33 heinous crimes they committed Talibans win a victory for Islam would be JeM, LeTs tagline to recruit in J&K In the Talibans victory at Kabul, Al-Qaeda has a loud message on Jammu and Kashmir The deadly Jaish squad that struck CRPF centre had infiltrated in November India oi-Vicky By Vicky Five jawans were martyred in a horrific fidayeen strike at Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday. The Jaish-e-Mohammad claimed responsibility for the attack. Intelligence Bureau officials tell OneIndia that these terrorists were part of an 8 member squad which had infiltrated into the Valley in November. In November a high alert had been sounded after inputs suggested the presence of 8 Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists in Kashmir and Punjab. The 8 terrorists who infiltrated into India through the Line of Control at Poonch, Jammu and Kashmir also managed to slip into Punjab and had planned an attack on the lines of Pathankot. Fresh Intelligence Bureau inputs suggested that 4 of the 8 terrorists had moved towards Punjab and were planning an attack on the scale of Pathankot. The Punjab police have been intimated about the alert and directed to up security and also ensure that high profile installations are sensitised and secured. The intelligence also suggested specifically that the terrorists were headed towards Gurdaspur. The Intelligence Bureau says that there has been a slight shift and Pakistan has been aiding infiltrations of the Jaish terrorists more. The Jaish is sent in ahead of major attacks and the group is known to hit security establishments. Incidents such as Pathankot and the Parliament attacks were attributed to the Jaish-e-Mohammad. The first time the input regarding the infiltration of the Jaish terrorists was reported on August 23. A second alert was sent a day later. It was stated that these terrorists had entered India through the Line of Control at Poonch. The alert also stated that the terrorists had split into two groups and infiltrated into the Valley. The second alert pointed out that one batch was headed to Punjab and inputs suggested that they were planning a major strike. OneIndia News Will Ishrat Jahan, triple talaq petitioner, joining BJP help the party in West Bengal? India oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Triple Talaq petitioner Ishrat Jahan joins BJP in West Bengal | Oneindia News Kolkata, Jan 1: It's not just superstar Rajinikanth who has joined politics before 2017 came to an end on Sunday. Although not as popular as the 67-year-old veteran actor, who has formally joined politics and is likely to float his own political party soon, one of the petitioners in the triple talaq case, Ishrat Jahan, has entered the political arena by joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in West Bengal. The news was revealed by BJP's West Bengal unit general secretary Sayantan Basu. "Ishrat Jahan has joined the BJP at our Howrah office on Saturday," Basu told PTI. Sources said Ishrat was felicitated by the Howrah BJP unit on Saturday and inducted into the party. Basu said a state-level programme to felicitate her was yet to be organised. Ishrat was one of the five petitioners in the triple talaq case. Her husband had divorced her over the phone from Dubai in 2014 by uttering the word "talaq" thrice. The controversial Islamic practice was struck down by the Supreme Court on August 22. Recently, the Lok Sabha has passed the triple talaq bill. Now, the bill has to be passed by the Upper House of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, to become a law. The passage of the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill will make the practice of triple talaq criminal. West Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh, who is touring various districts in the state, said he had also come to know from party sources that Ishrat had joined the BJP in Howrah. However, Ishrat is yet to issue any official statement in this regard. Political experts say Ishrat joining the BJP will definitely help the party in West Bengal where it is trying hard to emerge as a dominant force. Experts add that with Ishrat coming to the BJP fold, the saffron party will be able to win the vote and trust of Muslim women in the state as well as the country. Ishrat could be the BJP's Muslim mascot in West Bengal, where the party is regularly challenging the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) after the Mamata Banerjee government came to power in the state after winning the Assembly elections in 2016. Along with several Muslim women, who have been fighting for long to end the practice of triple talaq, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the ruling BJP are given most of the credit for the passage of the triple talaq bill in the Lok Sabha recently. OneIndia News Well this stunt by Rajinikants duplicate didnt go quite as expected: Watch hilarious video Will Rajinikanths political party join BJP in 2019 Lok Sabha elections? India oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Chennai, Jan 1: On the last day of 2017, all eyes were fixed on Rajinikanth, who on Sunday announced his entry into politics in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Politics in Tamil Nadu, which since the death of former chief minister and AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa in 2016 is witnessing chaos and confusion, got a lot of hope after Rajinikanth became a part of the political fraternity in the state. From the ruling AIADMK to the opposition DMK, every party and political leader in the state reacted to the latest political development where Rajinikanth stated that he would soon float his own political party and contest all the seats in the next Assembly elections. While the 67-year-old's supporters welcomed his political debut, critics remained skeptical about the whole affair. What is most interesting is the way the BJP reacted immediately after Rajinikanth announced that he has entered politics with a 'bang'. All along, the BJP has been keen that the 67-year-old joins politics. On Sunday, when Rajinikanth became a part of political fraternity, the BJP said that his political outfit will join the NDA before the Lok Sabha elections in 2019. BJP state president Tamilisai Soundararajan told the media that Rajinikanth's political outfit will be a part of the NDA in the 2019 polls. However, Rajinikanth maintains that he will take a call on Lok Sabha polls "when the time comes". The BJP, which has been trying hard to gain its foothold in Tamil Nadu politics, is banking a lot on Rajinikanth's support. Although the actor has never publicly said anything in support of the BJP, he shares close proximity to many in the saffron party. Rajinikanth also shares good rapport with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. According to The Indian Express, a senior PMK leader said Rajinikanth may do a repeat of what Captain Vijayakanth's DMDK did to the PMK and other smaller parties a decade ago. The leader added, "Rajinikanth may get a maximum of 10 per cent votes in his first election but he cannot sustain for long (in Tamil Nadu politics), as his pro-BJP stand is already being questioned." Claiming that Rajinikanth has been given an "assignment" by the BJP, D Ravikumar, general secretary of VCK, said his political entry is not a threat for parties in the entire state, "unlike" that of MG Ramachandran. "Rajinikanth acting as a front of the BJP will not help him in Tamil Nadu politics," Ramu Manivannan, senior professor of politics at University of Madras, told The Indian Express. Now, only time will reveal whether Rajinikanth, as he stated in his speech on Sunday that he is only banking on his fans' support in his political journey, or the BJP is also backing the 67-year-old actor-turned-politician. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, January 1, 2018, 8:17 [IST] US to join Ukraine airliner crash probe, says got notification from Iran Iran: 200 arrested during protests in Tehran: official International pti-PTI Tehran, Jan 01: The semi-official ILNA news agency reported that around 200 people were arrested during the previous night's protests in the Iranian capital. "These individuals are now with the judiciary and some others have been freed out of clemency," Ali Asghar Nasserbakht, a security deputy for Tehran's governor, told ILNA. He said 40 of those arrested were "leaders" and that their protests had not been related to the economy. "Some opposition groups from abroad make our youth emotional," he said. Several hundred people protested around the University of Tehran on Friday, and there were reports of vandalism during the night, including an attack on a town hall. The protests in Tehran appear to be smaller than many of those seen in towns and cities around the country since Thursday, where there have been few reports about the number of arrests. PTI Not possible to order release, deport Rohingyas detained in Jammu without following law: SC Are Rohingya refugee camps perfect recruitment grounds for terrorist groups? International oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Dhaka, Jan 1: Intelligence officials have warned that Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh are being eyed by Islamic terror organisations for new recruits. The recent arrest of an Islamic terrorist near Rohingya refugee camps in the country in a way proves the fear of intelligence officials true. On Sunday, the Bangladesh police arrested a suspected Islamic terrorist from the border district of Ukhia, near camps where thousands of Rohingya Muslims fleeing a military crackdown in Myanmar have taken shelter. The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), an elite police tasked with tackling Islamic extremism in the Muslim-majority country, said it detained 30-year-old Sharful Awal for allegedly communicating with international Jihadist groups. Awal was freed on bail in January last year after he was charged with anti-terrorism and explosives-related offences in the Chittagong region, RAB local chief Ruhul Amin said in a statement. But after his release, Awal "communicated with various international militant groups through social media in an effort to establish Khilafat (a caliphate) through so-called Jihad," Amin said. Police allege Awal is a member of a new faction of the Jamayetul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), a homegrown Islamic terrorist group, and was involved in organising local extremists. The new JMB faction has been blamed for a wave of attacks on foreigners and religious minorities, including the deadly attack on a posh Dhaka cafe last year in which 18 foreigners were shot and hacked to death. But the RAB's Amin said authorities have not found any connections so far between Awal and Rohingya refugees. An estimated 655,000 Rohingya have left Myanmar since late August to escape what UN officials have termed ethnic cleansing with possible "elements of genocide". Most of the refugees have settled in Bangladesh's southeastern border areas like Ukhia. Bangladeshi authorities have stepped up security and surveillance efforts in the Rohingya camps over fears the squalid settlements could be perfect recruitment grounds for homegrown and international extremist groups. The country's border forces have also tightened patrols to prevent Rohingya militants -- who have carried out a series of attacks on Myanmar security posts since October last year -- from entering Bangladesh territory. However, activists working for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh stated that the camp inmates are poor and vulnerable people and they need help from one and all to bring normalcy into their lives. "The idea that refugees could be easily recruited by terrorist organisations is a false impression. Rohingyas are poor and homeless, but they are not terrorists," said a local activist, who works for the children in Rohingya refugee camps. OneIndia News The don is depressed, brother in charge and not all is well in Dawood paradise Chhota Shakeel is dead: Here is the ISIs impersonator who runs the D-Syndicate now International oi-Vicky By Vicky Chhota Shakeel is dead and the entire D-Syndicate has been taken over by the ISI. There were doubts whether Shakeel the man who ran the India operations for the D-syndicate was dead or not. Highly placed sources have now confirmed that Shakeel had indeed died in January 2017. The Karachi bungalow belonging to Shakeel wears a deserted look (see images). The house, D-48, 15th Lane, Khayaban-Seher, DHA Colony has been taken over by the ISI and currently none are living out there. The ISI has moved Shakeel's daughter, Zoya and his brothers to South Africa. They are currently residing in a penthouse that Shakeel had purchased a few years back in Johannesburg. After Shakeel died on January 6, 2017, his second wife Ayesha was moved by the ISI to a house at the Lahore cantonment. The whereabouts of the first wife, Zehra remain unknown. However, sources confirm that Zehra too is under the control of the ISI. Shakeel's brother Anwar is based out of Dubai and has a Pakistani passport. Who is running the D-syndicate? For almost 14 years now, a person by the name Rahim Merchant was running the business. Rahim Merchant was a petty thug and was running the extortion racket and contract killings in the name of Shakeel for close to a decade and a half now. He was, in fact, the one giving interviews to the media in India in the name of Shakeel. If Dawood aide Chhota Shakeel is dead, then who has been speaking to the media Officials say that Merchant has been able to call frequently and not get tracked as he has the blessings of the ISI as they wanted the extortions and contract killings to continue. Shakeel never used roaming or made calls to India as there was every chance of him being tracked. Instead, he used highly sophisticated satellite phones which are military grade encrypted and almost impossible for security agencies to intercept. Rahim Merchant was roped in by the ISI to run the business in the name of the syndicate. He would call builders in Mumbai and extort money from them. This entire operation was set up by the ISI. The entire game plan was to break the D-syndicate and take over the business. Merchant in a very short span of time rose in the ranks and became the blue-eyed boy of the ISI. Merchant is known for his lavish lifestyle and drives around in a black SUV and is surrounded by Russian women. Always sporting a headscarf Merchant also travels a lot. The image of Merchant was shot in October 2017. He is said to based out of Dubai and has two passports- UAE and Pakistan. He drives around in a black Lexus and also owns a Hayabusa motorbike. A hashish addict, he was initially close to Shakeel when he worked for the other local mafia. He travels only between Dubai and Karachi. The last time he travelled to Dubai was on January 8, 2017, two days after the death of Shakeel. He returned to Karachi on February 13, 2017. He has been making roaming calls for a prepaid UAE number listed on True Caller as Chhota Shakeel. The number is +971504265138 and he made calls at the behest of those who worked for Shakeel. He is a creation of the ISI's rogue faction and not of Shakeel or the Pakistan army. These are clear indications that he along with the ISI and Anees Ibrahim have taken over the empire that Shakeel left behind. Earlier there were indications that Merchant was a Dawood man, but sources now confirm that he is ISI. Where is Dawood Ibrahim? Contrary to reports that Dawood has been running the show, it is now confirmed that he is immobile. His health had taken a beating, but over the past few months, he has shown signs of recovery. An audio clip in the possession of OneIndia gives subtle details of how Dawood has been sidelined and how he is not in the best of health. Sources reveal that the entire operation of the D-Syndicate was taken over by the ISI. With Dawood's health failing, he had put Shakeel in charge. With Shakeel being in the way, the ISI carried out a hit job on him on January 6, 2017, to get him out of the way. The audio clip confirms that Shakeel is dead and some other person (Merchant) is using up all the money and also running the racket in the name of Shakeel. Dawood struggles for life at hospital, IB keeps a watch Dawood, on the other hand, is confined to his Clifton bungalow in Karachi. He is unwell, depressed over the turn of events. The death of Shakeel and his son becoming a Maulana has led him to depression according to the intelligence agencies. He currently holds passports of St Kitts, Malawi, Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Saudi Arabia and Yemen. He has not travelled out of Pakistan in a long time. Sources say that he only travels to Mecca for the annual Haj in a chartered aircraft under the supervision of the ISI. Chhota Shakeel is dead: While it is confirmed that Chhota Shakeel died in January there is still no clarity on how he died. A conversation between Bilal and a relative of Shakeel confirms the news of his death. Bilal calls the relative in Mumbai and tells him that Shakeel had died of a heart attack. Bilal says, " I am speaking from Peshawar and used to work for bhai. Bhai has passed away and the news has been hidden from you. My name is Bilal," he also says. The relative responds, " I know everything. I do not want trouble." Bilal says, " I am doing my duty. Look into this or else all the money will go away." The relative once again says, " I know everything. Keep me out of this. Our government will come after us. Please don't drag me into this." Bilal says, " they have hidden everything from you. Don't let the money go away. I have worked for Bhai, and it was my duty to tell you." While the conversation is yet to be authenticated by the Indian agencies, the news of Shakeel's death is certain. Officials in India say they won't confirm or deny the news. Shakeel died in Islamabad on January 6 2017. He died when he had gone for a meeting with the members of the Ukrainian Mafia- Odessa to Kiev. He had gone in a private plane. At the party he said to have consumed a huge quantity of Hashish and suffered a heart attack. He was flown immediately the Combined Medical Hospital in Rawalpindi by the same aircraft and was declared brought dead by the hospital. The other version to the death of Shakeel was that he was killed on the instructions of the ISI in Islamabad. His body was kept in a morgue for two days and then flown to Karachi in a C-130 transport aircraft. He was buried at the Defence Housing Authority in Karachi at an unmarked graveyard. OneIndia News Indias humanitarian pact, Hafiz Saeed on the discussion table at secret NSA meet International oi-Vicky By Vicky The secret meeting of the National Security Advisors of India and Pakistan ended on a positive note. Various issues were raised at the meeting between Ajit Doval anad Nasir Khan Januja which lasted over 2 hours. The meeting was held on December 27, 2017, at Bangkok, a neutral venue chosen so that it was not hounded by the media glare. Sources say that the tone was positive. A host of issues was discussed which included the issue of infiltrations. Doval pointed out to the increased number of infiltrations to Januja. Doval made it clear that the issue of infiltration of terrorists was a concern. He further stated that this was taking place with the support of the Pakistan army. Both sides reiterated the need to maintain peace, but Doval said that stopping the infiltrations would be a step in that direction. Doval also handed out statistics of violations along the Line of Control. There have been 820ceasefiree violations. There has been the use of indirect firing weapons and cross-LoC raids by the Border Action Teams. The Indian Army has lost 31 of its soldiers as a result of this, the Indian NSA also pointed out. Further, Doval reminded Pakistan about the humanitarian pact offer that was made to Pakistan. As part of this pact, those children and elderly who inadvertently cross the border would be returned to their home land quickly. While this offer was made sometime back, Pakistan has not responded to it as yet. Doval once again reiterated this during the December Bangkok meeting. Doval also raised concerns about Lashkar-e-Tayiba chief, Hafiz Saeed who was recently released from house arrest and launched a political outfit. Doval raised concerns over this development. He also said that the fact that Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi remaining on bail was a major concern. OneIndia News Pakistan to allow Sikh pilgrims to visit Kartarpur Sahib next month under strict COVID-19 protocols World must brace for huge mess if its advice on Afghanistan ignored: Pakistan 'No more': Trump accuses Pakistan of giving lies, deceit in return for billions in aid International oi-Deepika By Deepika US Cuts Off Aid To Pak Post Trump's Tweet | Oneindia News Coming down heavily on Pakistan, US President Donald Trump on Monday said that America got only lies and deceit from Islamabad in retun for billion in aid. Trump said that the US had only gotten lies and deceit in return for the monetary aid it had provided. Trump also said that US operations in Afghanistan were being hindered by the "safe haven" that Pakistan was providing to terrorists. In August the Trump administration said that it was withholding the $255 million until Pakistan did more to crackdown on terrorist groups. Today's statement can be seen as a formal announcement that his country was stopping any and all financial aid to Pakistan. It said the relations between the US and Pakistan, long vital for both, have chilled steadily since the president declared that Pakistan "gives safe haven to agents of chaos, violence and terror." Pakistan's military on Thursday warned the US against the possibility of taking unilateral action against armed groups on its soil, in its strongest response yet to tensions between the two allies. Pakistan military spokesman Major-General Asif Ghafoor rejected the notion that Pakistan is not doing enough to fight armed groups. He said Pakistan would continue to fight armed groups in the region in Pakistan's self-interest, rather than at the behest of other countries. Trump says India has just been devastated by COVID-19 Collapse of Kabul will go down as one of the greatest defeats in American history: Donald Trump Thousands of terrorists might have been airlifted out of Kabul: Trump slams Biden Never in history has withdrawal from war been handled so badly: Trump Pakistan summons US Ambassador over Trumps tweet, seeks explanation International oi-Deepika By Deepika In an unusual gesture, Pakistan has responded hard to the US President Donald Trump's tweet, wherein he accused Pakistan of "lies and deceit." The Pakistan Foreign Office summoned US Ambassador on Monday and lodged its protest against US President Donald Trump. The ministry has sought an explanation from the ambassador over the American president's tweet. US President Donald Trump said on Monday the United States has "foolishly" handed Pakistan more than $33 billion in aid over the last 15 years while getting nothing in return and pledged to put a stop to it. "They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!" Trump wrote on Twitter. "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." Pakistan's foreign minister, Khawaja M. Asif, wrote on Twitter: "We will respond to President Trump's tweet shortly inshallah...Will let the world know the truth..difference between facts & fiction." The Trump administration said in August that it was delaying sending the $255 million in aid to Pakistan. Last month, Trump said in a speech the U.S. government makes "massive payments every year to Pakistan. They have to help." OneIndia News World must brace for huge mess if its advice on Afghanistan ignored: Pakistan US aid reimbursement for support in fight against Al-Qaeda: Pakistan International oi-Deepika By Deepika In a strong worded reaction to US accusations the Pakistan Army spokesman, Major General Asif Ghafoor asserted that aid Pakistan received from the US was "reimbursement for support Islamabad gave to the coalition for its fight against Al Qaeda." The Pakistan defence ministry has also warned against the malicious campaign being used to trivialize Pakistan's achievements in the war against terrorism. Allies do not put each other on notice, it added. Pak as anti-terror ally has given land and air communication, military bases and intel cooperation free to US that decimated Al-Qaeda over last 16 years, but they have given us nothing but invective and mistrust. They overlook cross-border safe havens of terrorists who murder Pakistanis, it said. Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Pakistan said that the United States should not put blames for its failure in Afghanistan on Pakistan. Pakistan has rendered unmatched sacrifices in the war against terrorism and there is no ambiguity about it, it added. Meanwhile, Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif called on Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, a Pakistani media report said. "The meeting held a detailed review of the Trump's statement," the Geo TV reported, citing its sources. In November, the US had strongly condemned release of the Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed by Pakistan and had demanded his immediate re-arrest and prosecution, warning that there would be "repercussions" for bilateral ties if Islamabad fails to take "decisive action" against the JuD chief. Saeed, who carries a USD 10 million American bounty on his head for terror activities, walked free after the Pakistan government decided against detaining him further in any other case. In his new South Asia Policy in August, Trump had called for tougher measure against Pakistan if it fails to cooperate with the US in its fight against terrorism. "We can no longer be silent about Pakistan's safe havens for terrorist organisations, the Taliban, and other groups that pose a threat to the region and beyond. Pakistan has much to gain from partnering with our effort in Afghanistan. It has much to lose by continuing to harbor criminals and terrorists," Trump had said in his South Asia Policy speech. Noting that in the past, Pakistan has been a valued partner, Trump had accused it of providing shelter to the same organisations that try every single day to kill Americans. OneIndia News (with agency inputs) For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, January 1, 2018, 22:44 [IST] Pakistan to allow Sikh pilgrims to visit Kartarpur Sahib next month under strict COVID-19 protocols World must brace for huge mess if its advice on Afghanistan ignored: Pakistan World will know the truth: Pakistan on Trump's attack International oi-Deepika By Deepika Reacting quickly to United States President Donald Trump, who accused Islamabad of harboring terrorists and lying about it, Pakistan foreign minister Khawaja Asif said the world will know the truth. We will respond to President Trump's tweet shortly inshallah...Will let the world know the truth..difference between facts & fiction..., Asif tweeted. We will respond to President Trump's tweet shortly inshallah...Will let the world know the truth..difference between facts & fiction.. Khawaja M. Asif (@KhawajaMAsif) January 1, 2018 In a scathing attack, President Donald Trump today accused Pakistan of giving nothing to the US but "lies and deceit" in return for USD 33 billion aid and said Islamabad has provided "safe haven" to terrorists. Trump took to Twitter to accuse Pakistan of fooling US politicians in the past, and said that he'd take steps to stop US aid from going to Pakistan in the future. 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!, he tweeted. Trump's harsh tweet is in sync with the White House's increasingly hardening stance on Pakistan. This is the strongest attack that has come from the US president. His remarks came days after the New York Times reported that the US is considering withholding USD 225 million in aid to Pakistan reflecting its dissatisfaction with the latter's reluctance in the war against terrorism. In November, the US had strongly condemned release of the Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed by Pakistan and had demanded his immediate re-arrest and prosecution, warning that there would be "repercussions" for bilateral ties if Islamabad fails to take "decisive action" against the JuD chief. In his new South Asia Policy in August, Trump had called for tougher measure against Pakistan if it fails to cooperate with the US in its fight against terrorism. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Monday, January 1, 2018, 19:52 [IST] Want solution to border dispute with China through talks, won't allow unilateral action on LAC: Rajnath Singh Year 2018 to see China position itself as major superpower International oi-Vicky By Vicky China has decided to go the extra mile and have a say on all major international issues. In a New Year message, Chinese President, Xi Jinping said that his country would have a say on all major international issues. Jinping also said that China would also actively push its Belt and Road Initiative. Xi said China will resolutely uphold the authority and status of the UN, actively fulfil China's international obligations and duties. He also said that China will remain firmly committed to the pledges to tackle climate change, actively push for the BRI and always be a builder of world peace, contributor of global development and keeper of international order. "As a responsible major country, China has something to say," Xi said in his first New Year address of his second-five year term, telecast live all over the country. The BRI through which China seeks to build its influence in the world through a host road, rail and port connectivity projects also incorporates China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). India has objected to the CPEC as it traverses through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. China defends it saying that it is a connectivity project and it will not impact its stand on the Kashmir issue. Xi said the Chinese people are ready to chart out a more prosperous, peaceful future for humanity, with people from other countries. On the domestic front, Xi, in a surprise admission, said there were areas where the government's work fell short of expectations. Though progress has been made, he said, issues of public concern remain, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. "That is why we should strengthen our sense of responsibility and do a good job of ensuring the people's well-being," Xi said. "The well-being of our people is the Party and the government's greatest political achievement. Our cadres should put the people's state of living at the heart, and help them live a better life," he said. He vowed to eradicate poverty. China claims it has eradicated poverty among over 650 million people in the last three decades. By 2020, all rural residents living below the current poverty line would be lifted out of poverty, Xi said, adding that it will be the first time in China's history that extreme poverty will be completely eliminated. "It is our solemn promise. Only three years are left to 2020. Every one of us must be called to action, do our best, take targeted measures to secure victories one after another," he said. "This is a great cause, important to both the Chinese nation and humanity. Let's do it together and make it happen," he said. He also said China would resolutely carry out reform in 2018. "We will take the opportunity of celebrating the 40th anniversary of the reform and opening-up in 2018 to further carry out reform, as reform and opening-up is the path we must take to make progress in contemporary China and to realise the Chinese dream," Xi said. China's great achievement of development was made by the people and for the people, and that among the people's most pressing concerns were education, employment, income, social security, healthcare, elderly care, housing and environmental protection, he said. OneIndia News Concerns were raised over progress of Modi government's ambitious Smart City Mission after government data pointed out severe under-utilisation of alloted funds under the scheme. Only seven per cent of Rs 9,860 crore, amounting to Rs 645 crore, released to 60 cities under the urban overhauling project has been utilised so far. Of the Rs 196 crore released to each of around 40 cities, Ahmedabad has spent the maximum amount of Rs 80.15 crore, followed by Indore (Rs 70.69 crore), Surat (Rs 43.41 crore) and Bhopal (Rs 42.86 crore), according to data of the Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry. On the other hand, the data revealed that of the sanctioned funds, Andaman and Nicobar could utilise only Rs 54 lakh, Ranchi 35 lakh, and Aurangabad Rs 85 lakh. A HUA official recently said the ministry was concerned about the "unsatisfactory" progress of the project in some of the cities. He had said that the ministry would approach the cities that are lagging behind to find out the "bottlenecks" with an aim for speedy implementation of the projects. Among cities which got around Rs 111 crore each from the Centre, Vodadara has spent Rs 20.62 crore, Namchi in Sikkim spent Rs 6.80 crore, while Salem, Vellore and Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu could utilise only Rs five lakh, Rs six lakh and Rs 19 lakh, respectively. Ninety cities have so far been selected by the government under the smart city mission and each of them will get Rs 500 crore as central assistance for implementing various projects. The cities are required to set up Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to get funds from the Centre for the implementation of the project. In a review meeting recently, the official said cities in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar were found to be "performing well", while those in Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Maharashtra needed to speed up the implementation process. Hardeep Singh Puri, the Minister of State (independent charge) for Housing and Urban Affairs, had earlier this month said the impact of projects undertaken under the scheme would be visible by mid next year. To instill competition among cities and push them for faster implementation of projects, the Centre will also present 'Smart City awards' in June next year to well performing cities. Reviewing the progress of the Smart City Mission on August 30, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that the challenge before everyone was to ensure implementation and expeditious completion of the work in the 90 identified cities. From Greg Swank, 12-4-2 You are about to read a list of 45 goals that found their way down the halls of our great Capitol back in 1963. As... Would you like to know how many people have read this article? Or how reputable the author is? Simply sign up for a Advocate premium membership and you'll automatically see this data on every article. Plus a lot more, too. From Consortium News Image created from image crediting (Image by Robert Parry) Details DMCA For readers who have come to see Consortium News as a daily news source, I would like to extend my personal apology for our spotty production in recent days. On Christmas Eve, I suffered a stroke that has affected my eyesight (especially my reading and thus my writing) although apparently not much else. The doctors have also been working to figure out exactly what happened since I have never had high blood pressure, I never smoked, and my recent physical found nothing out of the ordinary. Perhaps my personal slogan that "every day's a work day" had something to do with this. Perhaps, too, the unrelenting ugliness that has become Official Washington and national journalism was a factor. It seems that since I arrived in Washington in 1977 as a correspondent for The Associated Press, the nastiness of American democracy and journalism has gone from bad to worse. In some ways, the Republicans escalated the vicious propaganda warfare following Watergate, refusing to accept that Richard Nixon was guilty of some extraordinary malfeasance (including the 1968 sabotage of President Johnson's Vietnam peace talks to gain an edge in the election and then the later political dirty tricks and cover-ups that came to include Watergate). Rather than accept the reality of Nixon's guilt, many Republicans simply built up their capability to wage information warfare, including the creation of ideological news organizations to protect the party and its leaders from "another Watergate." So, when Democrat Bill Clinton defeated President George H.W. Bush in the 1992 election, the Republicans used their news media and their control of the special prosecutor apparatus (through Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist and Appeals Court Judge David Sentelle) to unleash a wave of investigations to challenge Clinton's legitimacy, eventually uncovering his affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky. The idea had developed that the way to defeat your political opponent was not just to make a better argument or rouse popular support but to dredge up some "crime" that could be pinned on him or her. The GOP success in damaging Bill Clinton made possible George W. Bush's disputed "victory" in 2000 in which Bush took the presidency despite losing the popular vote and almost certainly losing the key state of Florida if all ballots legal under state law were counted. Increasingly, America -- even at the apex of its uni-power status -- was taking on the look of a banana republic except with much higher stakes for the world. Though I don't like the word "weaponized," it began to apply to how "information" was used in America. The point of Consortiumnews, which I founded in 1995, was to use the new medium of the modern Internet to allow the old principles of journalism to have a new home, i.e., a place to pursue important facts and giving everyone a fair shake. But we were just a tiny pebble in the ocean. The trend of using journalism as just another front in no-holds-barred political warfare continued -- with Democrats and liberals adapting to the successful techniques pioneered mostly by Republicans and by well-heeled conservatives. Barack Obama's election in 2008 was another turning point as Republicans again challenged his legitimacy with bogus claims about his "Kenyan birth," a racist slur popularized by "reality" TV star Donald Trump. Facts and logic no longer mattered. It was a case of using whatever you had to diminish and destroy your opponent. We saw similar patterns with the U.S. government's propaganda agencies developing themes to demonize foreign adversaries and then to smear Americans who questioned the facts or challenged the exaggerations as "apologists." This approach was embraced not only by Republicans (think of President George W. Bush distorting the reality in Iraq in 2003 to justify the invasion of that country under false pretenses) but also by Democrats who pushed dubious or downright false depictions of the conflict in Syria (including blaming the Syrian government for chemical weapons attacks despite strong evidence that the events were staged by Al Qaeda and other militants who had become the tip of the spear in the neocon/liberal interventionist goal of removing the Assad dynasty and installing a new regime more acceptable to the West and to Israel.) More and more I would encounter policymakers, activists and, yes, journalists who cared less about a careful evaluation of the facts and logic and more about achieving a pre-ordained geopolitical result -- and this loss of objective standards reached deeply into the most prestigious halls of American media. This perversion of principles -- twisting information to fit a desired conclusion -- became the modus vivendi of American politics and journalism. And those of us who insisted on defending the journalistic principles of skepticism and evenhandedness were increasingly shunned by our colleagues, a hostility that first emerged on the Right and among neoconservatives but eventually sucked in the progressive world as well. Everything became "information warfare." The New Outcasts That is why many of us who exposed major government wrongdoing in the past have ended up late in our careers as outcasts and pariahs. Legendary investigative reporter Seymour Hersh, who helped expose major crimes of state from the My Lai massacre to the CIA's abuses against American citizens, including illegal spying and LSD testing on unsuspecting subjects, has literally had to take his investigative journalism abroad because he uncovered inconvenient evidence that implicated Western-backed jihadists in staging chemical weapons attacks in Syria so the atrocities would be blamed on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The anti-Assad group think is so intense in the West that even strong evidence of staged events, such as the first patients arriving at hospitals before government planes could have delivered the sarin, was brushed aside or ignored. The Western media and the bulk of international agencies and NGOs were committed to gin up another case for "regime change" and any skeptics were decried as "Assad apologists" or "conspiracy theorists," the actual facts be damned. So Hersh and weapons experts such as MIT's Theodore Postol were shoved into the gutter in favor of hip new NATO-friendly groups like Bellingcat, whose conclusions always fit neatly with the propaganda needs of the Western powers. The demonization of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russia is just the most dangerous feature of this propaganda process -- and this is where the neocons and the liberal interventionists most significantly come together. The U.S. media's approach to Russia is now virtually 100 percent propaganda. Does any sentient human being read the New York Times' or the Washington Post's coverage of Russia and think that he or she is getting a neutral or unbiased treatment of the facts? For instance, the full story of the infamous Magnitsky case cannot be told in the West, nor can the objective reality of the Ukraine coup in 2014. The American people and the West in general are carefully shielded from hearing the "other side of the story." Indeed to even suggest that there is another side to the story makes you a "Putin apologist" or "Kremlin stooge." Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Would you like to know how many people have read this article? Or how reputable the author is? Simply sign up for a Advocate premium membership and you'll automatically see this data on every article. Plus a lot more, too. Video clip from El Paso Congressman Beto O'Rourke's Town Hall Meeting in Odessa, West Texas, especially strong on helping the Dreamers and DACA so we don't lose them to other nations! Introduction from Stephen Fox: After reading a superb article in the Houston Chronicle by Jeremy Wallace, a reporter in the Austin Bureau, about this changing tide in Texas politics, I realized what a bellwether state this could be, not only for Bernie Sanders in 2020, but long before, with Congressman Beto O'Rourke's strong challenge to Senator Ted Cruz. We will explore these matters for as long and for as many words as it takes to do justice to this vast topic of what can only be termed the journalism describing a "sea change," partly because change and solutions are inevitable, but also partly in response to the actions of Donald Trump and how they resonate in a state like Texas or Alabama. I will directly excerpt some of these articles so the reader can get a much clearer picture, although I must intersperse my own observations and my own "gonzo" journalism here and there... From Jeremy Wallace's article: "To some, Bernie Sanders is the answer. To others, he could be the problem. As Texas Democrats prepare for 2018, Democratic hopefuls for all offices face a balancing act. Embracing Sanders supporters can tap a much-needed energy that 18 months ago turned a little-known self-proclaimed Democratic socialist from Vermont into a legitimate contender for the White House. But embrace the Sanders movement too much, and a candidate can quickly get labeled a socialist by Republican rivals in a general election - an albatross in parts of a red state like Texas. While Sanders conceded the Democratic nomination for president in the summer of 2016, the followers he cultivated haven't gone home and have vowed to remain engaged in politics and reshape the Democratic Party and its platforms. "This wasn't a one-shot deal," said Chris Kutalik-Couthren, a Sanders supporter who is now a statewide coordinator for Our Revolution Texas, a coalition of former Sanders supporters. "Many of us wanted to keep going." They have since created nearly 500 chapters throughout the nation with a proclamation: Campaigns end. Revolutions endure. Could Texas turn blue in 2018? Stranger things have happened Filing is over, now hard part begins - raising money and wooing." Bernie's organized efforts have pushed candidates and energized voters in city council races in San Antonio and in school board races in Houston. One of Sanders' most prominent supporters is Jim Hightower, former Texas agriculture commissioner, and he believes that the Bernie Sanders movement manifests the kind of economic populism that was the way Texas Democrats resonated with working men and women. Access to health care, free (or affordable) college education and a strong contempt for all forms of corporate greed are part and parcel of Sanders' ascendancy, which could be politically profitable for Democrats in Texas to retake that state, by reaching out to workers and farmers. In short: "We can turn people out." Hightower believes Beto is becoming appreciated by Bernie Sanders' Our Revolution folks. Perhaps as a symbol and manifestation of Bernie's being the 2020 Democratic frontrunner already is the fact that Senator Cruz has already had 3 debates in 2017 on CNN, making bravado-like statements like how he appreciates that Bernie is honest about being a socialist, clearly playing to the folks back in Texas and all over the South for whom "socialist" is a label that used to be a razor across the throat of any political opponent. (Smart move, Ted: after all, you went to Princeton, and graduated from Harvard Law School, Magna Cum Laude, and perhaps there in those elegant ivory towers in the Ivy League, you learned to jam and jimmy an opponent by apparently heaping solipsistic praise upon him, but doing this with a just a single word like "socialist." However, even in Texas, with his sterling examples, his leading by example with such admirable remarkable consistency, Bernie has made "socialist" and "independent" not such bad words, after all...) "It's really not a word that scares people anymore," Hightower said, with voters looking for candidates with credible populist campaigning. Hightower's "getting people out" was successful in a city council race in a conservative district in San Antonio with John Courage winning, and in Houston recently, Our Revolution's candidate Elizabeth Santos won the runoff for the School Board. However, Dallas saw different results in the school board race, because Republican operatives painted Lori Kirkpatrick as a liberal and sent out mailers scaring voters with the prospect of her bringing "Bernie Sanders-style liberalism to Dallas Schools." There is no doubt that Sanders campaign efforts have influenced Texas Democratic politics, stated Lillie Schechter, Harris County (Houston) Democratic Party Chairman. "It has brought a lot of young people into the party, and it's also opened a dialogue on a lot of issues. We're building a movement, a grassroots movement. The momentum is just growing as we get closer to the 2018 cycle." >>>>>>>>> After putting to rest Roy Moore in Alabama, Texas is the political race that interests me the most as both a political and intellectual challenge, like a chess game from afar, is El Paso Congressman Beto O'Rourke's challenge of Cruz. I have had to learn to see past the fact that Beto was an obligatory and enthusiastic Clinton super-delegate, but so were many prominent Senators and former Senators, like one of my own favorites, former New Mexico Senator Jeff Bingaman. Anyway, Beto's campaign points these days sound more like what Bernie has been saying for 40 years, like affordable higher education and health care for all, with strong opposition to foreign trade deals that end up that harm the American work force. He has declined taking PAC money and makes loud noises against accepting money from big donors, much the same as Bernie both in speeches and in practice with his $27 donation requests. >>>>>>>>> Also in the Houston Post, Kevin Diaz's article on December 29, 2017 (Diaz is the Houston Chronicle's Washington Correspondent) Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Would you like to know how many people have read this article? Or how reputable the author is? Simply sign up for a Advocate premium membership and you'll automatically see this data on every article. Plus a lot more, too. From The Nation "Resistance" was the watchword for 2017. Resistance not just to Donald Trump, but to a status quo that gave our most powerful bully pulpit to an actual bully. Progressives not only refused to go backward in 2017; they demanded a new conversation that challenged old orthodoxies. The hashtag #MeToo became the bellwether for a national dialogue about sexual abuse, workplace discrimination, and equal rights that is opening the way for societal transformation. The stunning electoral victories of nontraditional candidates in unexpected places signaled that a new politics really is possible. What began as a frightening and frustrating year ended with Alabama voters rejecting one of Trump's most vile allies in favor of a decent Democrat, Doug Jones, who claimed his victory in that state's senatorial contest by citing one of Martin Luther King Jr.'s favorite quotations: "The moral arc of the universe is long, but it bends toward justice." Here are some of the progressives who bent the arc in 2017. ELIZABETH WARREN When Steve Bannon declared last February that the Trump administration was working toward "the deconstruction of the administrative state," Warren recognized precisely what was at stake. The senator from Massachusetts knew that while the Trump agenda might frequently be hobbled by GOP disarray in Congress and judicial pushback, it would be advanced by the president's appointees to cabinet posts and regulatory panels. Warren made it her mission to challenge Trump's picks. Her diligence (along with that of the unions) helped prevent one of Trump's worst nominees, fast-food executive Andrew Puzder, from becoming labor secretary. Her probing questions in confirmation hearings and searing speeches on the Senate floor so rattled Republicans that they tried to shut her down. When Warren opposed Trump's nomination of Jeff Sessions as attorney general by reading, from the Senate floor, a 1986 statement by Coretta Scott King opposing Ronald Reagan's nomination of Sessions to serve on the federal bench, majority leader Mitch McConnell rushed to silence her. Charging that she had "impugned the motives and conduct of our colleague from Alabama," the Republican got his colleagues to bar Warren from participating in the remainder of the debate. "She was warned," McConnell announced. "She was given an explanation. Nevertheless, she persisted." The majority leader had unwittingly created a meme; the "she persisted" line, which now adorns T-shirts, posters, and bumper stickers, became the preeminent rallying cry of 2017. Click Here to Read Whole Article Would you like to know how many people have read this article? Or how reputable the author is? Simply sign up for a Advocate premium membership and you'll automatically see this data on every article. Plus a lot more, too. From Gush Shalom NOBODY DESCRIBED the outbreak of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict better than the historian Isaac Deutscher. A man lives in a house that catches fire. To save his life, he jumps out of the window. He lands on a passer-by in the street below and injures him grievously. Between the two a bitter enmity arises. Who is to blame? Of course, no parable can reflect reality exactly. The man who jumped out of the burning house did not land on this particular passer-by by chance. The passer-by became an invalid for life. But on the whole, this parable is better than any other I know. Deutscher did not provide an answer to the question of how to solve the conflict. Are the two condemned to fight each other forever? Is there a solution at all? COMMON SENSE would say: of course there is. True, the injured person cannot be restored to his former condition. The man who caused the injury cannot return to his former home, which was destroyed by the fire. But... But the man can -- and must -- apologize to his victim. That is the minimum. He can -- and must -- pay him compensation. That is what justice demands. But then the two can become friends. Perhaps even partners. Instead, the man continues to harm the victim. He invades the victim's home and throws him out. The victim's sons try to evict the man. And so it goes on. Deutscher himself, who fled the Nazis from Poland to England in time, did not see the continuation of the story. He died a few days after the Six-day War. INSTEAD OF quarreling endlessly about who was right and who was wrong, how wonderful we are and how abhorrent the others are, we should think about the future. What do we want? What kind of a state do we want to live in? How do we end the occupation, and what will come after? Israel is divided between "Left" and "Right." I don't like these terms -- they are obvious misnomers. They were created in the French National Assembly more than 200 years ago by the accidental seating of the parties in the hall at the time, as seen by the speaker. But let's use them for convenience sake. The real division is between those who prefer the people to the land, and those who prefer the land to the people. Which is more sacred? In the early days of the state there was a joke making the rounds. God summoned David Ben-Gurion and told him: you have done great things for my people, make a wish and I shall grant it. Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Would you like to know how many people have read this article? Or how reputable the author is? Simply sign up for a Advocate premium membership and you'll automatically see this data on every article. Plus a lot more, too. From Wallwritings A slap is a physical act not meant to wound, maim nor kill. It is rather, an act born of frustration, of indignation and a stinging rebuke for unwanted action. Ahed Tamimi is a 16-year-old Palestinian girl who lives in the Palestinian village of Nabi Saleh where villagers have resisted the Israeli occupation. The Israeli occupying army functions as the military defenders of Jewish settlers in the nearby Jewish village of Halamish. This is a settler village whose residents steal the Nabi Saleh villagers' water, and illegally confiscate their farm land to expand the settlement. I was introduced to the area in 1977 when Palestinian leaders encouraged a group of foreign journalists with whom I was traveling, to visit an abandoned "Tegart Fort," one of a series of military installations placed on strategic hills, first by the British during the Mandate period and later used as police outposts by Jordan. The Tegart fort above the village of Nabi Saleh had been empty until Israeli Prime Minister Begin authorized six outposts of Gush Emunim Orthodox Jewish families to move into occupied Palestinian land. Gush Emunim translates from Hebrew to English as "bloc of the faithful." The fort overlooking Nabi Saleh later became the Jewish Orthodox settlement of Halamish. It was the most recent of the six outposts authorized by Prime Minister Begin. So we decided to drive north to visit with the Gush Emunim Jewish settlers living comfortably and secure on a hill above the village of Nabi Saleh. What we saw was that the IDF had established a tented military outpost within sight of the fort to "protect" the settlers. The obvious plan was for the families to be joined by other Jewish families in a future Jewish settlement (Halamish). I discussed this 1977 visit to the future Halamish in a posting for Wall Writings on April 3, 2010, which I called "Nabi Saleh Has Endured Land Confiscation Since 1977." In one of the rooms I found an entire family recently arrived from Chicago. The mother had been born in Israel and then moved to Chicago. Now she was back, this time in the West Bank, land she believed was given by God to the Jewish people. On that day in 1977 when we went to the Tegert Fort, we saw Jewish settlers occupying Palestine land by living in an abandoned Jordanian police post. We also saw the IDF standing guard. It was on that day that we saw a carefully planned future for Israel's invading settlers living under Israeli army protection. That isolated outpost appeared harmless enough to us in 1977. Now, flash forward to this new year of 2018. The IDF continues with its "protection" of Jewish settlements which are anything but "harmless." The settlements are an established movement through which Israel plans to totally control Palestine. What a small group of foreign journalists failed to grasp in 1977, was a dark future which Palestinians suspected and feared. Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Would you like to know how many people have read this article? Or how reputable the author is? Simply sign up for a Advocate premium membership and you'll automatically see this data on every article. Plus a lot more, too. From Truthdig Image created from image crediting (Image by Chris Hedges) Details DMCA Imagine yourself in early 2019. The Democrats, despite never articulating a political vision other than not being Donald Trump and refusing to roll back Republican legislation such as the 2017 tax bill, have regained the House of Representatives by a slim majority. They vote articles of impeachment. The Senate Republicans, pressured by many within their own party to abandon Trump because of his ineptitude, increasingly erratic behavior and corruption, call on the president to resign. Trump refuses. He uses the megaphone of his office to incite violence by his small, fanatic base. The military, whose deployment as a domestic police force is authorized by Section 1021 of the National Defense Authorization Act, is called into the streets to quell unrest. The United States, by the time the violence is snuffed out, is a de facto military dictatorship. That such a scenario is plausible to public figures such as Ralph Nader is a sign of the deep decay of democratic institutions. The two major political parties lack a coherent vision. They are subservient to corporate power. They have abandoned the common good. They have turned politics into burlesque. They have rendered the citizenry impotent. The press, especially the electronic press, has transformed news into a grotesque reality show filled with trivia, gossip and conjecture. The elites in both parties, along with the rich and corporations, profit from a naked kleptocracy. Everything is for sale, from public lands to public education. And the juggernaut of corporate power impoverishes the people as it willfully destroys the facade of the hollowed-out democratic state. "There is no democracy," Nader said when I reached him by phone in Connecticut. "The only democracy left in this country is they don't haul you to jail for speaking out. What's left of democracy is a significant due process, habeas corpus, freedom of speech and probable cause, and that's violated when there's a terrorist attack and people are rounded up, like Muslim Americans. "Can there be a democracy when you don't have a competitive electoral system?" he asked. "No. Can there be a democracy when people who come in second win the election? No. Can there be a democracy when it's tougher to get on the ballot than in any other Western country in the world by an order of magnitude? No. Can there be a democracy when money rules? And not just the money that politicians raise, but the third-party money. No. Can there be a democracy when people have no influence on the military budget? No. It's not subjected to hearings. It's ratified on the floor of the House and Senate, but it doesn't go through the appropriations process. It's subject to the most anemic, pathetic, servile questioning you can imagine. The Congress has destroyed any kind of democratic participation ... in the military and foreign policy. The Congress is [supposed to be] invested in the sovereignty of the people. They [those in Congress] do not comply with the Constitution and the declaration of war authority. They don't comply with the appropriations process. They have increasingly less public hearings. They are cocooned on Capitol Hill with a force field of money, militarism and materialism. Self-interests block the American people, who can hardly call their member of Congress [because the calls are diverted to voicemail]. This is the latest racket. "Trump is playing rope-a-dope with the Democrats," Nader continued. "He's such an inviting target -- all the lies, the stupidity, the outrage, the racism, the misogyny -- they can't resist. As a result, they're weakening themselves by not having an affirmative agenda. They're still talking about how they can learn how to connect with the average person. Can you imagine? It's now the end of 2017. They're trying to figure out a message." House Democratic Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Nader noted, has adopted the mantra "money, message, and mobilization" for the party. "If you start with money, what kind of a message are you going to have?" he asked. "If you don't have a message, what are you going to mobilize around? So here it is. They still haven't learned because they will never learn. The party will always be weak, flabby, indentured and dialing for the same commercial dollars as long as the four-time losers continue to run the party.... The country is spinning into the abyss." The Democrats have never called for an audit of the Pentagon's massive and bloated military budget. They do not address corporate crime, champion consumer protection, promote the rights of workers or demand a living wage or full Medicare for all. And because they stand for nothing other than the politesse of identity politics and high-blown liberal rhetoric they have been unable to protect the country from the worst generation of the Republican Party in the nation's history. "They don't even know how to have sonorous political language," Nader said. "They're stealing from you -- my fellow Americans. A handful of corporate, greedy bosses controlling your government on this national stage and local level, gouging out whole communities, sending industries to fascist communist regimes abroad. They have no loyalties to this country. They have no allegiance to communities other than to exploit them, abandon them. They rose to power on the backs of you, the workers. They were subsidized by Washington and state capitals, by you the taxpayer. The Marines bailed them out when they got into hot water, palling around with dictators and monarchs. Why do you allow them to rule you?" Nader said the ruling elites have "lost the fear of the people." This has given rise to "a multifaceted dictatorial government indentured to the plutocratic class symbolized by Wall Street." Corporations, enjoying a new tax code that reduces corporate income taxes to 21 percent while individuals pay up to 37 percent, have been awarded the constitutional rights of individuals while individuals have been stripped of their rights. "The Constitution is increasingly a dead letter," Nader said. Corporate media companies view the news division as a revenue stream. They collude with Trump in the daily Gong Show that masquerades as news. "Trump took the press from profanity to obscenity," Nader said. "He learned some lessons from 'The Apprentice.' He realized the media, with a few exceptions, will do anything for ratings and money. What does he do? He goes down the sensuality ladder. He starts talking openly about racism, rapists and sex, grab them wherever you want and get away with it. They [the media] go wild. That destroyed all the opponents in the Republican primary. Knocked them out day after day, as the press went after sensuality. The coarseness, the brutishness. There's always a novel attack. He kept them catching up with him. One day he goes after [Sen. Marco] Rubio. Another day, he goes after Hillary. Another day, a veteran family. "When The New York Times has two pages of tiny print of Trump's lies, what impact does it have unless there are remedies and mobilizations that use that material to strengthen the opposition to replace him?" Nader asked. "After a while, people just shrug their shoulders and go back to playing video games. The margin for the defeat of the Democrats by the Republicans can be attributed sufficiently to Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Michael Savage and all these creeps. They have a massive soliloquy, day after day after day with no rebuttal. And they've got the blue-collar worker that way. What kind of a population on the left of center would have allowed that to happen? Using our public airwaves for free." Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Would you like to know how many people have read this article? Or how reputable the author is? Simply sign up for a Advocate premium membership and you'll automatically see this data on every article. Plus a lot more, too. Who defeated the Islamic State In Syria? Before answering that question. What is the ISIS? Can the public overcome its chronic amnesia and think back to the sudden appearance of ISIS dressed in brand new black uniforms, gleaming white NIKE's and driving Toyota trunks? They seemed to appear out of nowhere in 2014. ISIS looked as if it were a mirage when it appeared, or more likely a CIA staged scene from Hollywood. No sooner had ISIS appeared than it went on a head chopping binge that repulsed and frightened the US public. Washington officials, including Secretary of State John Kerry rang the alarm that this hoard of Islamic crazies wanted to invade the US and "kill us all". A well-compliant mainstream media swallowed Washington's script and regurgitated it to frighten a US public. The public gave its silent consent for more war really aimed at Bashar al-Assad. The next question is who created ISIS? ISIS "can trace its roots back to the late Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, a Jordanian. In 2004, a year after the US-led invasion of Iraq, Zarqawi pledged allegiance to Osama Bin Laden and formed al-Qaeda in Iraq" [ BBC News December 2, 2016 ]. Al-Qaeda in Iraq did not exist until after the US invasion by the Bush-Cheney administration. The US invasion of Iraq was based on pure unadulterated lies that Saddam Hussein supported al-Qaeda, was involved in the September 11, 2001 attacks on the US and had weapons of mass destruction. Al-Qaeda in Iraq was predictable blowback, resistance against a US illegal invasion. Bush who admitted that he creates his own reality, had hallucinations of a grateful Iraqi people, who had just been bombed back to the Stone Age with Shock and Awe, throwing kisses and flowers at the US expeditionary force as liberators. Then came the failed Surge in 2007 [ The Nation], when the US allied with Sunnis to defeat the remnants of the Iraqi Ba'ath Party, which was an Arab Nationalist Party neither Sunni nor Shia. The cynical sponsoring and siding with radical Islam goes back to the British "Great Game" of the early 1900's. It was the British double-dealing with both Sunnis and Shias to supplant the Ottoman Empire, and turn Sunni against Shia to divide and conquer Southwest Asia. It is the story of Lawrence of Arabia, Winston Churchill and World War One. One could then pick up the story after World War Two when the US was opposing Arab anti-colonial nationalism and communism during the Cold War. It was the "Grand Chessboard" strategist Zbigniew Brzezinski who convinced Jimmy Carter in 1980's to back the Islamic radical mujahideen mercenaries and destroy Afghanistan in order to lure the Soviet Union into a Vietnam-type trap. Brzezinski was so proud of his success that he would later rhetorically ask to his shame, which is more important "Some stirred-up Moslems" or winning the Cold War. If Brzezinski was so clever he would have learned from the British early 1900's Southwest Asia super spy Gertrude Bell. As she would later say, the British Empire encouraging and sponsoring of radical Islam backfired into a big failure. But the US does not know history, even its own history of repeated blunders of encouraging and sponsoring radical Islam against Arab anti-colonial nationalism. So instead the US enlisted the most radical right-wing fascist regime in the history of the world, the Absolute Monarchy of Saudi Arabia to bankroll Sunnis against Arab nationalism. They gladly funded US regime change projects against secular Arab states. The US flush with cash from the Saudis went about encouraging, training and paying mercenaries from all over Southwest Asia to overthrow Bashar al-Assad. Assad did not share the US role as the world leader of capitalist globalization. Instead Assad was using Syria's wealth for the benefit of the Syrian people, just as Saddam Hussein and Muammar Gaddafi. " Assad must go", chanted Obama, Clinton, Kerry and Saudi Wahhabis. To the US it did not matter how many Syrians, Libyan or Iraqis died. As Madeleine Albright had said, "500,000 dead Iraqi children are worth it". It was the US and its allies the Absolute Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States that created ISIS. Mercenaries from all over the Muslim world were recruited and even supported with their own air force, the United States Airforce. The mainstream media gave the US the cover story the US was backing "well-vetted moderate ['Jeffersonian democrats' really] Islamists". The mainstream media are criminal coconspirators for spreading war propaganda, the Guardian being one of the worst offenders, with a few rare exceptions, such as Trevor Timm's reporting. Now with the ringing in of the 2018 New Year, we can expect the US to be patting itself on the back for defeating ISIS in 2017 . The real story is that it was Assad, Russia, Hezbollah and Iran that defeated ISIS (so far). For those without amnesia they may remember back to when Russia released videos of endless convoys of black-market ISIS oil tankers heading into Turkey. ISIS was partially funding itself with stolen oil and enriching black marketeers of Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Somehow, the US with all of its technology and thousands of bombing missions in Syria never saw all those tankers. Nor could they find ISIS fighters, so instead they bombed the Syrian army. The US only saw what it wanted to see and what it wanted to bomb. It was not ISIS. Here are the videos of Russian jets taking out ISIS oil tankers: Russian jets bomb ISIS oil tankers in Syria (Click HERE). Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Would you like to know how many people have read this article? Or how reputable the author is? Simply sign up for a Advocate premium membership and you'll automatically see this data on every article. Plus a lot more, too. I started out this recent Christmas holiday by traveling with my family to Southeast Missouri. We stayed at a Holiday Inn resort while I took time to visit a maximum-security prison here in the Midwest for the first time in my life: the Potosi Correctional Center. At Potosi Correctional Center, actually located near Mineral Point, Missouri, I visited an inmate, whom my family has been corresponding with for over a decade. The man has been in prison for 26 years and is there because of Missouri's infamous 3-Strike laws (plus owing to his own crimes). The prison-industrial complex has fed on such three-strikes legislation over the past 4 decades in states across the nation. We are hopeful that the man I visited (whom I knew vaguely as a child back in Wentzville, Missouri, when I was in grade school) may soon get out on parole as the state of Missouri is constantly considering and re-considering early release of some offenders in the state's over-crowded institutions--even those who had three strikes against them according to the state's own statutes. Personally, as a lifelong educator, I have been concerned about our nation's school-to-prison pipeline system for decades, i.e. dating back to the early 1980s and 1990s--when I once lost a job for raising my voice on this issue in Great Bend, Kansas. Too many small towns across America depend on imprisoning peoples to offer wages and employment to their locals. One can see this in the case of many small prison communities, where there has been a recent increase in incarceration of even refugee and asylum immigrants across America. The infamous town of Ferguson, Missouri, which helped bring attention to the extent of "offender-funded" criminal-justice services, is not too far from Potosi--less than an hour drive. That city of Ferguson "was relying on fees and court costs for 20 percent of its budget, effectively turning it into an occupied territory, with a 95-percent white police force supporting itself by forcibly preying on a nearly 70-percent black population." The man whom I visited at the Potosi Corrections Institution in late December was diagnosed properly for the first time (and treated for the first time) for Intermittent Explosive Disorder about 5 years ago. Prior to his current life sentence, this same prisoner had been involved on-and-off in acts of misbehavior since the 1970s. Unlike many men of my generation in such prisons today, though, his family had financially tried to get him proper treatment for his unexplained disorders since he was a child in St. Charles County. Alas, until the past decade or so, neither the proper therapies nor the proper medication were offered in Missouri prisons. The proper balance of long-term therapy and medication has enabled this particular man to get within-a-hair-of-a-chance of an early release. His next hearing before the parole board is this January 2018. We wish him the best. His transition to a changing world after a quarter of a century will not be easy, but the man deserves a break--and community supports of all kinds. Mary Price has noted that this man's problem is not rare in America of our century. She wrote, "One of the saddest byproducts of our nation's addiction to incarceration is the graying of our federal prison population, a development comprehensively documented in a scathing Justice Department report that shows caring for aging prisoners is fast becoming a fiscal nightmare." Would you like to know how many people have read this article? Or how reputable the author is? Simply sign up for a Advocate premium membership and you'll automatically see this data on every article. Plus a lot more, too. From Smirking Chimp People living now in Yemen's third largest city, Ta'iz, have endured unimaginable circumstances for the past three years. Civilians fear to go outside lest they be shot by a sniper or step on a land mine. Both sides of a worsening civil war use Howitzers, Kaytushas, mortars and other missiles to shell the city. Residents say no neighborhood is safer than another, and human rights groups report appalling violations, including torture of captives. Two days ago, a Saudi-led coalition bomber killed 54 people in a crowded market place. Before the civil war developed, the city was regarded as the official cultural capital of Yemen, a place where authors and academics, artists, and poets chose to live. Ta'iz was home to a vibrant, creative youth movement during the 2011 Arab Spring uprising. Young men and women organized massive demonstrations to protest the enrichment of entrenched elites as ordinary people struggled to survive. The young people were exposing the roots of one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world today. They were sounding an alarm about the receding water tables which made wells ever harder to dig and were crippling the agricultural economy. They were similarly distressed over unemployment. When starving farmers and shepherds moved to cities, the young people could see how the increased population would overstress already inadequate systems for sewage, sanitation, and health care delivery. They protested their government's cancellation of fuel subsidies and the skyrocketing prices which resulted. They clamored for a refocus on policy away from wealthy elites and toward creation of jobs for high school and university graduates. Despite their misery, they steadfastly opted for unarmed, nonviolent struggle. Dr. Sheila Carapico, an historian who has closely followed Yemen's modern history, noted the slogans adopted by demonstrators in Ta'iz and in Sana'a, in 2011: "Remaining Peaceful Is Our Choice," and "Peaceful, Peaceful, No to Civil War." Carapico adds that some called Ta'iz the epicenter of the popular uprising. "The city's relatively educated cosmopolitan student body entertained demonstration participants with music, skits, caricatures, graffiti, banners and other artistic embellishments. Throngs were photographed: men and women together; men and women separately, all unarmed." In December of 2011, 150,000 people walked nearly 200 kilometers from Ta'iz to Sana'a, promoting their call for peaceful change. Among them were tribal people who worked on ranches and farms. They seldom left home without their rifles, but had chosen to set aside their weapons and join the peaceful march. Yet, those who ruled Yemen for over 30 years, in collusion with Saudi Arabia's neighboring monarchy, which fiercely opposed democratic movements anywhere near its borders, negotiated a political arrangement meant to co-opt dissent while resolutely excluding a vast majority of Yemenis from influence on policy. They ignored demands for changes that might be felt by ordinary Yemenis and facilitated instead a leadership swap, replacing the dictatorial President Ali Abdullah Saleh with Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi, his vice-president, as an unelected president of Yemen. The U.S. and neighboring petro-monarchies backed the powerful elites. At a time when Yemenis desperately needed funding to meet the needs of starving millions, they ignored the pleas of peaceful youths calling for demilitarized change, and poured funding into "security spending" -- a misleading notion which referred to further military buildup, including the arming of client dictators against their own populations. And then the nonviolent options were over, and civil war began. Now, the nightmare of famine and disease those peaceful youths anticipated has become a horrid reality, and their city of Ta'iz is transformed into a battlefield. What could we wish for Ta'iz? Surely, we wouldn't wish the terror plague of aerial bombardment to cause death, mutilation, destruction, and multiple traumas. We wouldn't wish for shifting battle lines to stretch across the city and the rubble in its blood-marked streets. I think most people in the U.S. wouldn't wish such horror on any community and wouldn't want people in Ta'iz to be singled out for further suffering. We could instead build massive campaigns demanding a U.S. call for a permanent cease fire and an end of all weapon sales to any of the warring parties. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Ice Skates Industry Development Trends and Strategic Plan for Positive Growth discuss in research report 2017. http://qyreports.com/request-sample?report-id=27287 http://qyreports.com/ask-for-discount?report-id=27287 www.qyreports.com QYReports has as of late announced the addition of another statistical study to its extending depository. The examination report, titled "Worldwide Ice Skates Market Report 2025," offers an unmistakable comprehension of the subject matter. Continuous technological advancements and the tenacious entrance of Internet in the remote corners of the world are additionally in charge of the noteworthy growth of the Global Ice Skates Market.Top Key Vendors: MCRO, ROCES, COUGAR, MESUCA, Rollerlade, TIAN-E, JINFENG, POWERSTAR, Decathlon, GoldenHorse, Joerex, HEALTH, ACTION, SUPER-K etc.In this Ice Skates measurable surveying report, the leading dynamic factors of this market were perceived and the business partners and end-clients were protracted. The structure of the business sector, cases, and complexities monitoring the market ordinarily are also a trace of this extensive study. Precise social affairs and meetings were driven by the obvious pioneers of this industry to get dedicated and fortified bits of information in regards to the market.Get Sample Copy @The report provides a fundamental outline of the business including definitions, characterizations, applications and industry chain structure. The market analysis is delivered to the worldwide Ice Skates market including competitive background analysis, development patterns, and fundamental regions development status. Development policies and plans are discussed about and manufacturing processes and cost structures are likewise investigated. This report likewise states supply and demand figures, cost, value, import/ export consumption, income, and gross margins.The growing demand for Ice Skates from emerging economies over the globe is anticipated to contribute broadly towards the improvement of the general market. Moreover, the market has been grouped on the premise of topography into the U.S., China, Japan, and Europe. The demand, supply, and evaluated development rate of each provincial market have been talked about in the exploration report to give an unmistakable picture of the worldwide market.Know more about this Report @The report emphases on the prominent manufacturing players giving data, for example, business profiles, product pictures & portrayal, capacity, manufacture, value, cost, income, and contact data. Upstream raw materials & equipment and downstream demand analysis are additionally carried out. The Ice Skates business growth trends and distribution channels are investigated. At long last, the practicability of new investment projects are assessed and overall research conclusions advertised.Table of Content:Global Ice Skates Market Research Report 2017-2022Chapter 1 Global Ice Skates Market OverviewChapter 2 Global Economic ImpactChapter 3 Competition by ManufacturerChapter 4 Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2017-2022)Chapter 5 Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Regions (2017-2022)Chapter 6 Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by TypeChapter 7 Analysis by ApplicationChapter 8 Manufacturing Cost AnalysisChapter 9 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream BuyersChapter 10 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/TradersChapter 11 Market Effect Factors AnalysisChapter 12 Ice Skates Market Forecast (2017-2022)Chapter 13 AppendixAbout QYReports:We at, QYReports , a leading market research report publisher accommodate more than 4,000 celebrated clients worldwide putting them at advantage in todays competitive world with our understanding of research. Our list of customers include prestigious Chinese companies, multinational companies, SME's and private equity firms whom we have helped grow and sustain with our fact-based research. Our business study covers a market size of over 30 industries offering unfailing insights into analysis to reimagine your business. We specialize in forecasts needed for investing in a new project, to revolutionize your business, to become more customer centric and improve the quality of output.Contact:QYReportsJones John(Sales Manager)+91-9764607607sales@qyreports.com The mathematical (and other) thoughts of a (now retired) math teacher, Get the SC business stories that matter. Our newsletter catches you up with all the business stories that are shaping Charleston and South Carolina every Monday and Thursday at noon. Get ahead with us - it's free. Hannah Alani is a reporter at The Post and Courier covering race, immigration and rural life across the Palmetto State. Before graduating from Indiana University and moving to Charleston in 2017, her byline appeared in The New York Times. Angie Jackson covers crime and breaking news for The Post and Courier. She previously covered the same beat for the Grand Rapids Press and MLive.com in Michigan. When shes not reporting, Angie enjoys teaching yoga and exploring the outdoors. Syndicated and guest columns represent the personal views of the writers, not necessarily those of the editorial staff. The editorial department operates entirely independently of the news department and is not involved in newsroom operations. Editorials represent the institutional view of the newspaper. They are written and edited by the editorial staff, which operates separately from the news department. Editorial writers are not involved in newsroom operations. On Friday, Aug. 13 (OMG, if I only knew it would be Friday 13!), my letter to the editor stated, given the increasing dramatic risk of the del Read more The U.S. Department of Labors Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited USA Fanter for serious confined space violations after three employees died from exposure to hydrogen sulfide gas. On July 7, 2017, USA Fanter employees, who were recruits from the Philippines, were working in and around a well that was not identified as a permit-required confined space. When one employee was overcome by fumes after entering the well, two other employees attempted to rescue him, and were also overcome by the gas. An OSHA investigation found that the company failed to conduct atmospheric testing, control atmospheric hazards, provide rescue and emergency services, and provide employee training, OSHA announced in a press release. The company faces $59,576 in proposed penalties. This penalty is separate from any compensation for the families of the dead workers. OSHA doesn't have a role in compensating the families, the agency stated. This case demonstrates how failing to follow necessary procedures in confined spaces can have deadly consequences, said OSHA regional administrator Barbara Goto. Employers must recognize the dangers of assigning work in confined spaces, and take appropriate precautions to protect workers safety and health. The company has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with OSHAs area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov. The report offers a detailed insight into the upstream raw material analysis and downstream demand analysis along with crucial elements Research Trades PR-Inside.com: 2018-01-01 07:27:18 Press Information Research Trades Office No.10, Wing C, Rajhans, Baner, Pune-45, India Deepak Chaudhari Digital Marketing Executive 7507349866 email https://www.researchtrades.com/ # 401 Words Office No.10, Wing C, Rajhans, Baner, Pune-45, IndiaDigital Marketing Executive7507349866 The report offers a detailed insight into the upstream raw material analysis and downstream demand analysis along with crucial elements of Mattress Market report for furthermore highlights key proposals for new project development along with offering an assessment of investment feasibility analysis. This study is a useful guide to all investors to identify the lucrative market avenues across different segments and geographical regions. The market entry conditions along with emerging avenues will help the new entrants to gauge the pulse of the market. Furthermore, the study tracks industry news in terms of new mergers and acquisition made by prominent companies to expand their product offerings across various countries. The report is a useful guide to market players, all stakeholders, interested market participants and investors to formulate their strategies.Get exclusive sample copy of this report @ https://www.researchtrades.com/request-sample/1385228 Scope of the Report:This report studies Mattress in Global market, especially in North America, China, Europe, Southeast Asia, Japan and India, with production, revenue, consumption, import and export in these regions, from 2012 to 2016, and forecast to 2022.This report focuses on top manufacturers in global market, with production, price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer, covering Serta, Sealy, Tempur-Pedic, King Koil, Restonic, Musterring, McRoskey, EIG, Sleemon, Jisi Group, Good Night, Vanbo...On the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split into Foam Mattress & Bladder MattressesBy Application, the market can be split into Private Households, Hotels, Hospitals.By Regions, this report covers (we can add the regions/countries as you want) North America, China, Europe, Southeast Asia, Japan, India.Buy a Copy of this report for a single user price of USD 3500 @ https://www.researchtrades.com/checkout/1385228 Key Chapters of This Report:1 Industry Overview of Mattress1.1 Definition and Specifications of Mattress1.1.1 Definition of Mattress1.1.2 Specifications of Mattress1.2 Classification of Mattress2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Mattress2.1 Raw Material and Suppliers2.2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Mattress2.3 Manufacturing Process Analysis of Mattress2.4 Industry Chain Structure of Mattress3 Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of Mattress3.1 Capacity and Commercial Production Date of Global Mattress Major Manufacturers in 20163.2 Manufacturing Plants Distribution of Global Mattress Major Manufacturers in 20163.3 R&D Status and Technology Source of Global Mattress Major Manufacturers in 20163.4 Raw Materials Sources Analysis of Global Mattress Major Manufacturers in 2016ContinueBrowse this complete report @ https://www.researchtrades.com/report/global-mattress-market-professional-survey-report-2017/1385228 Shigella Vaccines Market PR-Inside.com: 2017-12-28 11:25:32 Press Information Coherent Market Insights 1001 4th Ave, #3200 Mr Shah CEO 2067016702 email http://www.coherentmarketinsights.com # 809 Words 1001 4th Ave,#3200CEO2067016702 Shigella is a gram-negative pathogenic enterobacteria that causes severe diarrhea and dysentery in humans. Symptoms associated with Shigella infection includes fever, stomach pain, tenesmus, watery diarrhea, vomiting, dehydration, and convulsions. Various strains of Shigella are encompassed, such as S. dysenteriae, S. flexneri, S. sonnei and S. boydii. Each species of Shigella has different serotypes classified on the basis of the structure of O-antigens repeats that are the polysaccharides moiety of the lipopolysaccharide, a virulence factor consist of toxic lipid. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2013, the average annual incidence of shigellosis in the U.S. was around 5 cases per 100,000 individuals. Bacillary dysentery with brutal epidemics are caused by S. dysenteriae by the production of shiga toxins whereas, the endemic form of disease is caused by the S. flexneri and S. sonnei. The bacillary dysentery is accompanied with fever, rectal inflammation, and abdominal cramps.According to World Health Organization (WHO), nearly one million people die from Shigella infection annually. Moreover, the high incidence rate is seen among children less than five years age, travelers, and military personnel from industrialized economies. Shigella species have been identified from centuries and it represents a major threat to public health, due to non-availability of licensed vaccine and thus affecting overall Shigella vaccines market.Developing vaccine against Shigella infections is difficult, due to the diversity of Shigella species and their serotypes. Shigella genome is continuously modified by deletion and acquisition of genes mediated by the mobile genetic elements, such as plasmids, insertion sequences, and integrons. These modifications are the major foundation for the generation of novel antibiotic resistant strains and it also leads to the formation of novel Shigella serotype variants. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in April 2017, warned the physicians and public health officials in the U.S. by stating that the recent strains of Shigella bacteria shows the reduced susceptibility to ciprofloxacin, which is one of the main antibiotics recommended by WHO for the treatment of shigellosis.Geographically, S. flexneri is the most frequent species occurred worldwide accounting for most cases in emerging economies. Whereas, the S. sonnei is prevalent in Brazil, China, Vietnam, and Bangladesh, due to rapid industrialization of these economies. The primary prevention of Shigella is based on the universal provision of portable sanitation and water methods along with personal and food hygiene. However, a low cost and effective vaccine would accelerate disease reduction across the globe.Request For Sample Copy@Joint ventures and collaborations of major players to develop and commercializes the vaccine are expected to propel the Shigella vaccines market in near futureJoint ventures and partnership of the players to develop and commercialize Shigella vaccine is expected to provide momentum to the Shigella vaccines market. For instance, in March 2017, Hilleman Laboratories, a non-profit organization established with joint venture partnership between Merck & Co., and Wellcome Trust has entered into an agreement with National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Disease (NICED) for the development and commercialization of vaccines against Shigella by 2024. Besides, in June 2016, Immuron- an Australian biopharmaceutical company entered into an agreement to produce Shigella vaccine with the U.S Armys biomedical research lab-Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR).Prokarium and Probiomed in January 2017, collaborated to manufacture orally-administrated vaccine to prevent diarrhea. The new vaccine is expected to be manufactured as a part of two-year collaboration having thermostable capabilities for a longer period. The new vaccine is expected to be delivered to the people living in the remote areas. Thermostable vaccine, which is manufactured approximately one third of the price of the conventional injectable vaccines helps to facilities the growth of Shigella vaccines market.The new research trial drives the Shigella vaccines marketThe University Of Maryland School Of Medicine (UM SOM) in August 2017 received US$ 2.47 Million grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) to develop vaccine against Shigella and Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) for the treatment of diarrheal disease. The researchers in the UM SOMs Center for Vaccine Development (CVD) have developed Shigella-ETEC prototype vaccine, which has been tested in animals successfully. Moreover, the latest funding helps to translate prototype to a human vaccine for Phase 1 clinical trials.The key players present in the global shigella vaccines market include MSD Wellcome Trust Hilleman Laboratories Pvt. Ltd., Novartis (Novartis Vaccines Institute for Global Health), and GlaxoSmithKline plc.Get More Details On this Report:About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact Us:Coherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email:sales@ coherentmarketinsights.com Visit our news Website: http://www.coherentnews.com ADVERTISEMENT Mavin Records first lady, Tiwa Savage, has blasted the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria over its statement debunking allegations of theft she made as baseless and untrue. On Tuesday, a private jet purportedly conveying two top Nigerian musical artists, Ayodeji Balogun aka Wizkid and Tiwa from Uyo, the capital of Akwa Ibom State, was allegedly attacked and robbed while taxiing on Lagos airports runway. The Bombardier Challenger 605 jet with registration number T7-A00 arrived Lagos from Uyo at about 8:33 p.m. and was slowly taxiing to the arrival hangar when the cargo compartment was allegedly burgled. Reports said upon arrival at Quits Aviation Center, a private jet hangar, the pilot discovered that two bags belonging to Ms. Savage and Wizkid had allegedly been stolen. The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, on Wednesday, debunked allegations of theft at the airport as baseless and impossible. Reacting to FAANs claims, Tiwa took to her Snapchat account saying, How dare FAAN try to claim that I would lie about my luggage being stolen.We have made several attempts to reach out and make official but Ive just been told that someone would get back to us. I wasnt going to continue with this as its just material things, which can be replaced, but FAAN saying my claim is baseless and untrue is disgusting. FAAN there is a serious security issue so dont try and shut me up by making public feel Im just making some kind of celebrity noise. While Wizkid has remained mute about the incident, Tiwa took to her various social media accounts to vent her frustration. Henrietta Yakubu, FAAN spokesperson, in a statement Wednesday evening, said that in both instances of alleged theft, preliminary findings from investigations conducted by an inter-agency committee set up to probe the allegations could not substantiate the claims. In his address to Nigerians to mark the New Year, President Muhammadu Buhari, spoke extensively about how his administrations aggressive push of long-pending infrastructural projects is yielding dividends. Below is what he said on the subject, illustrated with relevant infographics. DOWNLOAD INFOGRAPHICS HERE. THEY ARE ALSO INSERTED BELOW. My address to fellow Nigerians this morning is devoted mainly to informing you about the intense efforts this Administration is putting to address our countrys huge infrastructural deficit. We are going to make significant in-roads in advancing road, rail and power projects across the country. The Ministry of Power, Works and Housing is one of the drivers of this Governments commitment to renew and increase Nigerias stock of infrastructure in order to achieve global economic competitiveness as targeted under the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan. With regards to Railways, we have set ourselves ambitious targets. Already in construction stage is the Lagos-Kano Standard Gauge Railway. The line should reach Ibadan from Lagos by the end of 2019 and will carry two million passengers per year and five million tons of cargo will be transported every year giving a substantial boost to the countrys economy. Construction of the Kano Kaduna segment is expected to commence this year and reach Kaduna by the end of 2019. By the end of 2021 the two ends will be joined so that we will have standard gauge railway across the main North-South trading route. The Abuja Kaduna route will be boosted by additional rolling stock next Thursday and will be able to handle one million commuters annually. At the same time I have approved and negotiations will be concluded in the first part of this year for the Port Harcourt to Maiduguri line covering Aba, Owerri, Umuahia, Enugu, Awka, Abakaliki, Makurdi, Lafia, Jos, Bauchi, Gombe, Yola and Damaturu. The Abuja to Itakpe line will go through Baro and terminate in Warri with construction of a new seaport at Warri. Negotiations are also advanced for the construction of other railway lines, firstly from Kano to Maradi in Niger Republic passing through Kazaure, Daura, Katsina, Jibia to Maradi. Secondly, Lagos to Calabar the Coastal Rail through Ore, Benin, Agbor, Asaba, Onitsha, Sapele, Ughelli, Warri, Yenagoa, Otuoke, Port Harcourt, Aba, Uyo and Calabar. In the next few years, all these Nigerian cities will be linked by functional modern rail systems, giving enormous boost to the social and economic life of our people. With respect to the Abuja Capital Light Rail, progress has reached 98% completion, as at 64% completion when we assumed office. Only test runs remain before start of operations. This train service will stimulate economic activities in the Federal Capital and provide residents with an efficient and safe transportation system. Twelve railway sub-stations around the capital over a 45.2 kilometre route will serve as a catalyst and a pull factor to the economy of the area. The Light Rail System will reduce traffic congestion and carbon emission in line with the Administrations policy on climate change. Management of the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) has been reconstituted and has been charged with a 12 week rapid intervention in road repairs to cover all the geo-political zones. Government is undertaking repairs and maintenance of 44 roads within the six geo-political zones. Twenty five major highways will be funded under the N100b SUKUK facility. Each geo-political zone will benefit by an equal amount of N16.67b. The following major highways are to receive special attention: a. Oyo Ogbomosho, b. Ofusu Ore Ajebandele Shagamu, ADVERTISEMENT c. Yenagoa Road Junction Kolo Otuoke Bayelsa Palm, d. Enugu Port Harcourt Dual Carriage Way, e. Onitsha Enugu Expressway, f. Kaduna Eastern Bypass, g. Dualization of Kano Maiduguri Road, h. Dualization of Abuja Lokoja Benin Road, i. Dualization of Suleja Minna Road. In addition, Government has approved work to start on the re-construction of Abuja Kaduna Zaria Kano road which is in a state of disrepair. Work will soon start and is expected to be completed in 2019. More Nigerians across the country are experiencing improved power supply to their homes and businesses. However, power remains a concern to this government because too many people still do not have regular and reliable supply. The Payment Assurance Guarantee Scheme which started in January 2016 has enabled the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trader to raise so far N701 billion to assure Generation Companies of at least 80% payment for any power delivered to the national grid. Consequently, generation has now reached 7,000MW. On December 8, 2017 the country achieved 5,155MW of power delivered to consumers, the highest level ever recorded. Several moribund projects have been revived. Repairs of Afam Power Station added 110MW in 2017 and another 240MW will be added this year through a private investment partnership. Katsina Power Project is now being tested and producing 10MW of power from wind for the first time in Nigeria. It should be fully operational this year. The Zungeru 700MW Hydroelectric Power Project, stalled by court cases is due for completion in 2019. The transmission and other requirements to operate the 30MW Gurara Phase 1 Hydroelectric Plant, the 40MW Kashimbilla Hydroelectric Plant and the 215 MW Kaduna Gas/LPG/Diesel Power Plant will also be completed this year. A landmark project, Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project is at last taking off. This project has been on the drawing Board for 40 years, but now the engineering, procurement and construction contract for the 3,050MW project has been agreed with a Chinese joint venture Company with a financing commitment from the government of China. Completion is targeted for 2023. As I mentioned earlier, the Transmission Company of Nigeria can now distribute all the 7,000MW that can be generated. TCN and the Niger Delta Holding Company have added 1,950MVA of 330 down to 132KV transformer capacity of 10 transmission stations and 2,930MVA of 132 down to 33KV transformer capacity of 42 sub-stations including Ikot Ekpene, Aba, Alagbon, Ajah, Ejigbo, Funtua and Zaria. This Administration is working with the privatised distribution Companies to overcome the continuing challenges of distribution. These massive public works should spearhead the recovery and lead millions back to employment. You will recall that it was not until last year that we got out of the economic recession into which the country had fallen as a consequence of past unsustainable economic policies which projected short-term illusory growth. DOWNLOAD INFOGRAPHICS HERE. Several serving and former public office holders have sent their New Year messages to Nigerians, wishing citizens the best of 2018. A former Nigerian military leader, Ibrahim Babangida, in a statement he personally signed, urged Nigerians to use the new year to renew their commitment to collective prosperity, growth and development by contributing more to nation building and shunning all forms of negative tendencies. I have the hope that the nation we so sacrifice to keep going and to this age can only be better notwithstanding various security and economic challenges that has become a world order ; confronting every country of the world in different magnitude and in different way. As Nigerians our unique strengths and characters to overcome our challenges collectively have never been in doubt, what we need now more than ever is to galvanise these unique qualities for the good of all as permissible under a democratic set up. In his message, a former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, called for unity amongst Nigerians. It is my hope that this year will bring out the empowerment of Nigerians and that through increased job opportunities Nigeria will be working again, he said in a statement by his media office. It is my hope that all Nigerians will live in a safe and secure country, he said. He said he hopes that all Nigerians will live in an economy that provides them the quality of life they deserve. My commitment in this new year is to help ensure that Nigeria will rise again and that the hopes of all Nigerians become a reality, he added. Also in a new year goodwill message, a former senate president, David Mark, urged the governments and citizens alike to brace up to the challenges of nationhood and work harmoniously to make 2018 a year of fulfillment. In a statement signed by Paul Mumeh, his media assistant, Mr. Mark expressed optimism that 2018 would be fulfilling if governments at all levels make the people the centre point of its policies and programmes despite the challenges faced in 2017. He acknowledged the resilience and perseverance of citizens in the midst of socio-economic and political difficulties in 2017 and urged them to reignite their undying spirit and enter 2018 with vigor and hope. Mr. Mark reminded the present administration that the period of buck-passing should be over for a more purposeful governance in order to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people. Former Senate President, Senator David Mark I think the period of blame-game should be over by now. It is time this administration give Nigerians purposeful leadership and deliver the dividends of Democracy to the Nigerian people, he said. He also advocated an urgent review of the security arrangement in the country in order to curtail the multi-faceted security challenges ravaging the nation. I believe that Nigerians deserve to live in peace, in any part of the country without fear of intimidation or molestation. We need to cooperate with each other to make progress . We can work together to make our nation great again. In his new year message, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, enjoined Nigerians to review and renew their resolve and commitment to the unity and progress of Nigeria. In a statement by Turaki Hassan, his special adviser on media and public affairs, the speaker urged Nigerians to draw on the lessons learnt in the outgoing year to strengthen the bonds of unity, solidarity and peace. ADVERTISEMENT He urged Nigerians to continue to demonstrate love and exhibit compassion towards one another and extend hands of support to the less privileged and vulnerable members of the society. As a people, we must continue to imbibe the spirit of togetherness and love for one another. We must also support government at all levels by contributing our quota in the generation of wealth and alleviation of poverty in the land, he said. Former Speaker, House of Representative, Yakubu Dogara. Also, the Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, urged all Nigerians to have positive attitude going into the New Year, saying every available indices indicate that the country is on the brink of greatness. In a statement by his spokesperson, Imam Imam, Mr. Tambuwal said the prospect of a better nation will be realised if the people cooperate and work together for the betterment of the nation. 2018 would be a year of great significance for Nigeria as such working together with a united purpose will guarantee success for our nation. This is imperative not just for our well-being, but for the benefit of the future generation of Nigerians. He expressed confidence in efforts put in place by his administration to continue to impact positively on the lives of the people of Sokoto State. Were expecting increased output from our farmers and with crops like rice, sorghum and wheat, we hope to maintain our position as one of the leading producers in Nigeria, he said. The Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, in his message assured the people of his state of accelerated development in 2018. In a statement by the state commissioner for information and strategy, Dayo Adeneye, the governor noted that the mission to rebuild Ogun State, embarked upon by his administration, has continued to gather momentum, and is yielding bountiful results across our state. According to him, his government would leave no stone unturned in developing the state and improving on the lives of the people. Our eyes are firmly set at finishing high; finishing strong and finishing well, he said. The ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, in a statement by its National Chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun, said though the year which is winding up was eventful and challenging, they were grateful to Nigerians for their support. 2017 was indeed an eventful, yet challenging one for many Nigerians. We thank Nigerians for their continuous support and prayers for the President Muhammadu Buhari administration and indeed the Party. John Odigie-Oyegun We urge Nigerians to collectively look to the New Year 2018 with renewed optimism and vigour. Brighter days are ahead of us. Our great party sends warmest greetings to all Nigerians on the occasion of the 2018 New Year. President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday delivered a national broadcast to Nigerians. In the speech, the president spoke on issues like the ongoing fuel scarcity, calls for restructuring, the electricity situation, among others. Read the presidents full speech below I join my fellow citizens this morning to welcome and celebrate the New Year 2018. This year promises to be pivotal in our quest for CHANGE. Unfortunately, I am saddened to acknowledge that for many this Christmas and New Year holidays have been anything but merry and happy. Instead of showing love, companionship and charity, some of our compatriots chose this period to inflict severe hardship on us all by creating unnecessary fuel scarcity across the country. The consequence was that not many could travel and the few who did had to pay exorbitant transport fares. This is unacceptable given that NNPC had taken measures to ensure availability at all depots. I am determined to get to the root of this collective blackmail of all Nigerians and ensure that whichever groups are behind this manipulated hardship will be prevented from doing so again. Such unpatriotism will not divert the Administration from the course we have set ourselves. Our governments watch word and policy thrust is CHANGE. We must change our way of doing things or we will stagnate and be left behind in the race to lift our people out of poverty and into prosperity. My address to fellow Nigerians this morning is devoted mainly to informing you about the intense efforts this Administration is putting to address our countrys huge infrastructural deficit. We are going to make significant in-roads in advancing road, rail and power projects across the country. The Ministry of Power, Works and Housing is one of the drivers of this Governments commitment to renew and increase Nigerias stock of infrastructure in order to achieve global economic competitiveness as targeted under the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan. With regards to Railways, we have set ourselves ambitious targets. Already in construction stage is the Lagos-Kano Standard Gauge Railway. The line should reach Ibadan from Lagos by the end of 2019 and will carry two million passengers per year and five million tons of cargo will be transported every year giving a substantial boost to the countrys economy. Construction of the Kano Kaduna segment is expected to commence this year and reach Kaduna by the end of 2019. By the end of 2021 the two ends will be joined so that we will have standard gauge railway across the main North-South trading route. The Abuja Kaduna route will be boosted by additional rolling stock next Thursday and will be able to handle one million commuters annually. At the same time I have approved and negotiations will be concluded in the first part of this year for the Port Harcourt to Maiduguri line covering Aba, Owerri, Umuahia, Enugu, Awka, Abakaliki, Makurdi, Lafia, Jos, Bauchi, Gombe, Yola and Damaturu. The Abuja to Itakpe line will go through Baro and terminate in Warri with construction of a new seaport at Warri. Negotiations are also advanced for the construction of other railway lines, firstly from Kano to Maradi in Niger Republic passing through Kazaure, Daura, Katsina, Jibia to Maradi. Secondly, Lagos to Calabar the Coastal Rail through Ore, Benin, Agbor, Asaba, Onitsha, Sapele, Ughelli, Warri, Yenagoa, Otuoke, Port Harcourt, Aba, Uyo and Calabar. In the next few years, all these Nigerian cities will be linked by functional modern rail systems, giving enormous boost to the social and economic life of our people. With respect to the Abuja Capital Light Rail, progress has reached 98% completion, as at 64% completion when we assumed office. Only test runs remain before start of operations. ADVERTISEMENT This train service will stimulate economic activities in the Federal Capital and provide residents with an efficient and safe transportation system. Twelve railway sub-stations around the capital over a 45.2 kilometre route will serve as a catalyst and a pull factor to the economy of the area. The Light Rail System will reduce traffic congestion and carbon emission in line with the Administrations policy on climate change. Management of the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) has been reconstituted and has been charged with a 12 week rapid intervention in road repairs to cover all the geo-political zones. Government is undertaking repairs and maintenance of 44 roads within the six geo-political zones. Twenty five major highways will be funded under the N100b SUKUK facility. Each geo-political zone will benefit by an equal amount of N16.67b. The following major highways are to receive special attention: a. Oyo Ogbomosho, b. Ofusu Ore Ajebandele Shagamu, c. Yenagoa Road Junction Kolo Otuoke Bayelsa Palm, d. Enugu Port Harcourt Dual Carriage Way, e. Onitsha Enugu Expressway, f. Kaduna Eastern Bypass, g. Dualization of Kano Maiduguri Road, h. Dualization of Abuja Lokoja Benin Road, i. Dualization of Suleja Minna Road. In addition, Government has approved work to start on the re-construction of Abuja Kaduna Zaria Kano road which is in a state of disrepair. Work will soon start and is expected to be completed in 2019. More Nigerians across the country are experiencing improved power supply to their homes and businesses. However, power remains a concern to this government because too many people still do not have regular and reliable supply. The Payment Assurance Guarantee Scheme which started in January 2016 has enabled the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trader to raise so far N701 billion to assure Generation Companies of at least 80% payment for any power delivered to the national grid. Consequently, generation has now reached 7,000MW. On December 8, 2017 the country achieved 5,155MW of power delivered to consumers, the highest level ever recorded. Several moribund projects have been revived. Repairs of Afam Power Station added 110MW in 2017 and another 240MW will be added this year through a private investment partnership. Katsina Power Project is now being tested and producing 10MW of power from wind for the first time in Nigeria. It should be fully operational this year. The Zungeru 700MW Hydroelectric Power Project, stalled by court cases is due for completion in 2019. The transmission and other requirements to operate the 30MW Gurara Phase 1 Hydroelectric Plant, the 40MW Kashimbilla Hydroelectric Plant and the 215 MW Kaduna Gas/LPG/Diesel Power Plant will also be completed this year. A landmark project, Mambilla Hydroelectric Power Project is at last taking off. This project has been on the drawing Board for 40 years, but now the engineering, procurement and construction contract for the 3,050MW project has been agreed with a Chinese joint venture Company with a financing commitment from the government of China. Completion is targeted for 2023. As I mentioned earlier, the Transmission Company of Nigeria can now distribute all the 7,000MW that can be generated. TCN and the Niger Delta Holding Company have added 1,950MVA of 330 down to 132KV transformer capacity of 10 transmission stations and 2,930MVA of 132 down to 33KV transformer capacity of 42 sub-stations including Ikot Ekpene, Aba, Alagbon, Ajah, Ejigbo, Funtua and Zaria. This Administration is working with the privatised distribution Companies to overcome the continuing challenges of distribution. These massive public works should spearhead the recovery and lead millions back to employment. You will recall that it was not until last year that we got out of the economic recession into which the country had fallen as a consequence of past unsustainable economic policies which projected short-term illusory growth. The government is slowly stabilizing the economy. It was in order to change the steady and steep decline that we adopted the more sustainable policies and programmes captured in the Economic Recovery Plan. Diversification efforts have resulted in improved output particularly in agriculture and solid minerals sectors. The relative exchange rate stability has improved manufacturing sector performance. We have got to get used to discipline and direction in economic management. The days of business as usual are numbered. Two years ago I appealed to people to go back to the land. I am highly gratified that agriculture has picked up, contributing to the governments effort to re-structure the economy. Rice imports will stop this year. Local rice, fresher and more nutritious will be on our dishes from now on. By the same token, I am today appealing to enterprising Nigerians with ideas and unemployed graduates and other able-bodied and literate men and women with ideas not to just sit and wait for employment from the government or the Organized Private Sector. Great nations are built by enterprising people who turn their hands to anything that circumstances dictate. In respect of political developments, I have kept a close watch on the on-going debate about Restructuring. No human law or edifice is perfect. Whatever structure we develop must periodically be perfected according to changing circumstances and the countrys socio-economic developments. We Nigerians can be very impatient and want to improve our conditions faster than may be possible considering our resources and capabilities. When all the aggregates of nationwide opinions are considered, my firm view is that our problems are more to do with process than structure. We tried the Parliamentary system: we jettisoned it. Now there are shrill cries for a return to the Parliamentary structure. In older democracies these systems took centuries to evolve so we cannot expect a copied system to fit neatly our purposes. We must give a long period of trial and improvement before the system we have adopted is anywhere near fit for purpose. However, there is a strong case for a closer look at the cost of government and for the public services long used to extravagance, waste and corruption to change for the better. I assure you that government is ever receptive to ideas which will improve governance and contribute to the countrys peace and stability. As the electioneering season approaches politicians must avoid exploiting ethnicity and religion by linking ethnicity with religion and religion with politics. Such must be avoided at all costs if we are to live in harmony. In this respect the rest of Nigeria could learn from the South Western States who have successfully internalized religion, ethnicity and politics. Political discourse should be conducted with civility, decorum and in a constitutional manner. We all have a collective responsibility to strengthen our democracy and entrench the rule of law. We should draw encouragement from the series of bye-elections conducted by INEC last year which were generally violence free and their outcomes adjudged to be free and fair. Before I conclude my address I must reassure my fellow citizens that security of life and property is still top of our governments agenda. We have since beaten Boko Haram. Isolated attacks still occur, but even the best-policed countries cannot prevent determined criminals from committing terrible acts of terror as we have seen during the past years in Europe, Asia, Middle East, elsewhere in Africa and in America. Our government remains determined to protect all Nigerians in line with our election pledge and promises. On behalf of all Nigerians let me offer our thanks to the Armed forces, the Police, other para-military forces and traditional authorities who are working round the clock to ensure that you and I go about our normal business in reasonable safety. Terrorism and urban crimes are world-wide phenomena and our security forces are continuously adapting their responses to changing threats. With regard to rampant cases of kidnappings, we are taking immediate short-term measures to combat this new evil creeping into our societies. Tighter police methods and swift and severe punishment for those proved to be engaged in kidnapping are on the way. With respect to Niger Delta, Government is still engaging responsible leadership of the Communities to help in identifying and addressing genuine grievances of the region. Our clean-up programme in collaboration with the United Nations is making satisfactory progress. I am grateful to all the Governors and other Political & Community leaders of the Niger Delta States for their part in bringing relative peace to the areas. Finally let me again express my heartfelt thanks to all Nigerians who prayed for me during my illness last year. I feel deeply humbled by your prayers and good wishes and I am more determined than ever to serve you to the best of my ability. Good morning. And I wish everyone a Happy New Year. In his New Year address to the nation, President Muhammadu Buhari dismissed calls for a holistic new look at Nigerias political structure, saying he does not see it as a priority. When all the aggregates of nationwide opinions are considered, my firm view is that our problems are more to do with process than structure, the president said. No human law or edifice is perfect, Mr. Buhari insisted in the State House announcement which lasted for nearly 20 minutes. The president said Nigeria should continue to operate its current presidential system, but welcomed ideas on how to make it less permeable to extravagance, waste and corruption largely. There is a strong case for a closer look at the cost of government and for the public services long used to extravagance, waste and corruption to change for the better. I assure you that government is ever receptive to ideas which will improve governance and contribute to the countrys peace and stability, he said in the address, which is his first to the nation since August 21, 2017. The president urged Nigerians to be patient with the current presidential system and allow it to evolve until it becomes suitable enough to accommodate the countrys peculiarities. The comments appeared targeted at shutting down back-end insinuations that the president may eventually yield to growing agitations for fundamental changes in Nigerias political structure. Critics argue that Nigerias current federal system has become too centralised and its expenses have become bloated overtime. Powers such as policing and control of natural resource, have resided almost exclusively in the federal government, a situation that has left the states largely subservient to the centre, critics say. They favour a more decentralised structure in which state and local authorities are allowed to keep most of the resources generated within their respective boundaries, while remitting only a fraction good enough to keep the federal government running to the centre. It is not immediately clear how the presidents party would take the latest rejection of restructuring by its leader. The ruling party constituted a committee last year to look into calls for restructuring and prepare modalities for the parties approach to the issue. The panel is led by Nasir El-Rufai, an APC governor and key ally of the president. Bolaji Abdullahi, the partys national spokesperson, and Joe Igbokwe, who speaks for the Lagos State chapter, were not immediately available for comments Monday morning. However, Phillip Obin, an APC member, appeared miffed by the absolute dismissal of restructuring by the president. Even a union between a husband and wife could be re-negotiated, Mr. Obin told PREMIUM TIMES Monday morning. He said the president should have avoided taking a definitive position that could be seen as undermining the supremacy of the party. ADVERTISEMENT The presidents comments came a few weeks after another APC leader asked those clamouring for restructuring to forget it. To hell with restructuring, said Kashim Shettima, the partys governor in Borno State. The APC set-up the committee following condemnation that it had abandoned one of its major campaign promises. Its leaders had rejected the outcome of a 2014 national conference that produced hundreds of resolutions on how to address the countrys protracted political crisis. A political analyst, Victor Okhai, said the president missed the fundamentals of restructuring in his speech. The president said Nigerians want to go back to the parliamentary system which they had once abandoned. This shows that he doesnt understand the fundamentals, Mr. Okhai said. He failed to mention that Nigerian did not willingly abandon the regional system in the sixties. It was the military who seized power and dismantled a working system, he added. Nigeria ran a regional system with a federal prime minister and federal parliament between 1960 after its independence and 1966 when the first military coup occurred. The country would be controlled for the ensuing 13 years, during which several states were created and more powers concentrated at the centre. The system was not reversed when a democratic president was elected in 1979 until 1983 when it was again deposed in a military coup. The military remained in charge from then until 1999 when Nigeria returned to democracy, but the Constitution that was adopted has been criticised as a carry on of military edicts. Mr. Okhai said advocates of restructuring are keen on giving more control to the states and a reintroduction of regional system if possible. This would make the states be in charge of their resources and development and no one would need to wait for a sick president at the centre to come and approve nearly everything for them, Mr. Okhai said. He said Mr. Buharis statement showed how insincere the APC has become. The president has always made it clear that hes not interested in restructuring. It is the APC using propaganda to deceive the people, Mr. Okhai said. Lets not forget that he had since distanced himself from the partys campaign promises. This shows that the president has a mind of his own and will go ahead with whatever he decides, he added. But since Nigerians did not willingly abandon the regional system in the first place, its now left to the citizens to show the president that he cannot control their destiny in a democratic system. If they want restructuring, they will get it. The issue could play a serious role in the 2019 elections, as some of the major hopefuls, including Atiku Abubakar, have already tailored their messages towards a decentralised system. Mr. Obin said pro-restructuring campaigners should be more vocal and lucid in their agitations if they want to have the ears of the citizens. When they say they want restructuring, they need to be clearer about the specifics, he said. ADVERTISEMENT The New Year celebration turned tragic in Rivers State as gunmen opened fire indiscriminately at people returning from the church in the early hours of Monday where they had gone to usher in the New Year. The incident occurred at Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni (ONELGA) Local Government Area of the state. The police spokesperson in the state, Omoni Nnamdi, who confirmed the incident to PREMIUM TIMES, said it was difficult for the police to give the exact number of people killed in the shooting. We can only confirm the incident, but we cant confirm the number of casualties. We are still working on that because some people were taken to the hospital and some of them are recuperating, said Mr. Nnamdi, a deputy superintendent of police. The police said normalcy has returned to the area and that they would let the public know the number of casualties after an investigation. However, the Director-General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Dakuku Peterside, who is an indigene of the state, said that 21 people were killed in the incident. Mr. Peterside, in a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES, blamed the incident on the fight for supremacy among rival cult groups in the area. Mr. Peterside said that cultism and cult-related killing thrived in the area because of the backing from powerful politicians. My heart goes the people of ONELGA and the immediate families of the deceased. This is an act that must be condemned. The good people of Omoku have suffered enough and this has dealt a further blow on their sufferings, he said, adding that the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, lacked the capacity to tackle the states security challenge. I have said it time and again that Governor Wike lacks the capacity and competence to guarantee the safety and security of Rivers people. It is unfortunate that over 1,000 persons have been killed in questionable circumstances in the last two years under his watch. He should stop playing politics with the lives of Rivers people and face governance. Since the governor is not rising to the occasion to show competence, we will henceforth partner with all relevant security agencies to bring peace, law, and order to ONELGA and other parts of Rivers State. This is indeed a sad day for the people of ONELGA and the only way we can assuage their feelings is to ensure that this does not happen again. Governor Wike can rise above his partisan politics and display the hallmark of a statesman by openly condemning this murderous act and stop at nothing to arrest the criminals, Mr. Peterside said. ADVERTISEMENT The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, has called on Nigerians to continue to support President Muhammadu Buhari administration in the efforts to turn around the nations economy. Tunde Akinsanya, the CAN chairman in Ogun, told the News Agency of Nigeria in Abeokuta on Monday that the support became necessary to realise the plan of God for the country. Mr. Akinsanya, a bishop, also urged Nigerians to intensify prayers on the presidents efforts to realise the policies and programmes for the country, as prayers and support remained the only way to achieve greatness. The cleric called on Nigerians to be grateful and thankful to God for witnessing the New Year despite the challenges that faced the nation in 2017. The masses should always pray for the country for Gods protection, and also put God first in all their endeavours. Prayer is the only key that can solve the problems of Nigeria, if we all join hands in praying sincerely for the country, all the challenges facing the country will be a thing of the past, he said. Mr. Akinsanya advised political office holders to be ready to give account of their stewardship to God on the day of judgment, in respect of the service they rendered to the people while in office. The cleric, however, called on the government not to relent in its efforts to fight corruption to a halt. He also urged government to tackle the perennial herdsmen/farmers clashes as well as find a lasting solution to the worrisome fuel crisis in the country. Mr. Akinsanya, however, congratulated Nigerians for witnessing another year, adding that Nigerians should continue to pray for the country and its leaders. (NAN) ADVERTISEMENT Rev. Samson Ayokunle, President, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), has urged Nigerians to return to God in repentance with a view to heal the Land and restore all losses in the past years. Ayokunle made the appeal in a statement signed by the CAN head of media, Bayo Oladeji, on Monday in Abuja. As we begin a New Year together, I congratulate every Nigerian, both the leaders and the led, on being among the living who entered this New Year. As we enter into this New Year, its natural to reflect over the previous year and consider gains and losses. In spite of the economic recession, our God did not allow depression to consume us all. We feel with those innocents who met their untimely death within the year as a result of Communities, farms, Churches and Mosques attacks. The CAN president, however, urged politicians to avoid hate and inciting speeches to maintain the unity, peace and tranquility enjoyed by citizens. He called on every eligible voter to register for the voters card, adding that it would empower them to elect the right people. If you are involved, you get the leader you demand and if you failed to be involved, you get the leader you deserved. My appeal to the security agencies is to be dedicated and loyal to the nation in their duties. Let there be rooms for gainful employment for our youths roaming the streets. They have what it takes to stop the needless bloodletting in the country. Let there be peace and unity. The three tiers of government should strive hard to make the much-awaited dividends of democracy available to the people. He noted that Nigeria would be a better country if only both the government and the governed upheld justice and the fear of God. Ayokunle prayed for God to direct the leaders to get it right in every facet of life and wished the country peace and unity in 2018. (NAN) ADVERTISEMENT President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday reiterated his administrations stance that the Boko Haram terror group has been defeated. The president spoke in his New Year broadcast to Nigerians. We have since beaten Boko Haram, he said. The presidents statement appears a continuation of his controversial declaration in December 2015 that the insurgent group has been technically defeated. Since Mr. Buhari made the statement, hundreds of Nigerians have been killed in suicide attacks, and coordinated attacks on communities in the North-east region. On Monday, the president, however, said he was aware there were still isolated attacks by the terror group. Isolated attacks still occur, but even the best-policed countries cannot prevent determined criminals from committing terrible acts of terror as we have seen during the past years in Europe, Asia, Middle East, elsewhere in Africa and in America, he said. Despite the presidents claims, however, governors in the country recently approved the withdrawal of $1 billion to fight Boko Haram. The federal government later explained that the money was meant to not only fight the terror group, but also address other security concerns across the country. That planned expenditure has however been criticised, including by Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti who questioned how such money would be used to fight a defeated group. On Monday, Mr Buhari said that despite the security challenges being experienced across the country, the law enforcement agencies are working round the clock to secure lives and properties in line with his government campaign promises. Our government remains determined to protect all Nigerians in line with our election pledge and promises. On behalf of all Nigerians let me offer our thanks to the Armed forces, the Police, other para-military forces and traditional authorities who are working round the clock to ensure that you and I go about our normal business in reasonable safety. Terrorism and urban crimes are world-wide phenomena and our security forces are continuously adapting their responses to changing threats. With regard to rampant cases of kidnappings, we are taking immediate short-term measures to combat this new evil creeping into our societies. Tighter police methods and swift and severe punishment for those proved to be engaged in kidnapping are on the way. With respect to Niger Delta, Government is still engaging responsible leadership of the Communities to help in identifying and addressing genuine grievances of the region. Our clean-up programme in collaboration with the United Nations is making satisfactory progress. I am grateful to all the Governors and other Political & Community leaders of the Niger Delta States for their part in bringing relative peace to the areas, he said. Enoch Adeboye, the General Overseer World-wide of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, has prophesied that proverbial significant goliaths will fall this year. He did not explain who the goliaths are. Mr. Adeboye, noted for his careful choice of words, reeled out his 2018 prophecies for individuals, Nigeria, and the world at the churchs Cross-Over Service held at its Redemption Camp and watched in over 198 countries, where the church has branches. I have to put it carefully so I am not misunderstood he said as he prophesied that, Many people will wake up to realise that their future is not in the hand of any government and as a result a lot of lost ground will be reclaimed. Continuing the prophecies for individuals, he said Erstwhile stubborn mountains will move; while saboteurs who pretend to be friends will be disgraced and displaced. The international prophecies are as follows: This year there will be less fire outbreaks but there will be more floods. There will be misunderstandings amongst nation but no major wars. There is need for prayers against assassination attempts globally. There will be record breaking temperatures both high and low. There will be a handful of breakthroughs, both scientific and medical. Global warming, sexual perversion and others signal the countdown to the end. Enforcing Victory The prophecies came towards the end of his ministration, which centred on Enforcing your Victory. Expressing his displeasure about passive attitude to prophecies and Gods promises, he challenged members of the church, and Christians in general, to possess their victories and live them with boldness and thanksgiving. Cross-Over Service held at its Redemption Camp. [Photo credit: Segun Komolafe, CEO SK enhanced image ventures] Cross-Over Service held at its Redemption Camp. [Photo credit: Segun Komolafe, CEO SK enhanced image ventures] It is one thing to be victorious and another thing to possess it, he stressed, citing the example of the hen that still remained at the spot where it had been tied for days even when the rope was cut, until someone kicked it to make it move away. Referring to the last Holy Ghost Congress where he said God promised the congregation a victory song, he wondered why some people were not looking victorious and singing victory songs. Cross-Over Service held at its Redemption Camp. [Photo credit: Segun Komolafe, CEO SK enhanced image ventures] Cross-Over Service held at its Redemption Camp. [Photo credit: Segun Komolafe, CEO SK enhanced image ventures] Cross-Over Service held at its Redemption Camp. [Photo credit: Segun Komolafe, CEO SK enhanced image ventures] He explained that it was God who chose the theme of the Holy Ghost Congress and that everything he did during the programme had Gods authority. ADVERTISEMENT He said that prior to every monthly Holy Ghost Service, he shuts himself in for three days to communicate with God and that although he sleeps off sometimes, they communicate enough to know what to do during the service. He taught the congregation that to enforce their victory, they have to exercise unshaken faith that what God has said is as good as done. Victory, he said, is also enforced by confession; quoting relevant Bible passages about the devil. The problem with some Christians is that the devil believes the written word more than they do. When the devil hears it is written it shuts him up, he said. Cross-Over Service held at its Redemption Camp. [Photo credit: Segun Komolafe, CEO SK enhanced image ventures] Cross-Over Service held at its Redemption Camp. [Photo credit: Segun Komolafe, CEO SK enhanced image ventures] Cross-Over Service held at its Redemption Camp. [Photo credit: Segun Komolafe, CEO SK enhanced image ventures] Other ways of enforcing victory, he explained, are through giving, hard work, praying and fasting. He urged the congregation not to ask for small things from God during prayers, buttressing his point with his testimony on his request for a flat when he moved from the University of Ilorin into a one room apartment in Mushin to be the General Overseer of the church. Redemption Camp Testimony The testimony: Prior to becoming the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, I was the head of Department of Mathematics at the University of Ilorin, Nigeria. I was living in a mansion with a two-bedroom guest quarters. I also had servants quarters with four bedrooms. All these were not part of the main house. But when I became the General Overseer, I had to live in a one-room apartment at Mushin (a relatively poor suburb in Lagos). I left my wife and children in Ilorin to be in Lagos to work in the church. Due to my difficult living conditions at that time, I had to tidy up things before my family could join me. Before bringing them over, I went to God in prayers and explained the challenges I was facing to Him. I told God to build a house for me. Left to me I did not mind using the one-room apartment, but the thought of housing my entire family in one room posed a great challenge to me. Gods response to me was, Son, dont ask for house because I have decided to build you a city. Pastor E.A Adeboye [Photo: Segun Komolafe, CEO SK enhanced image ventures] Pastor E.A Adeboye [Photo: Segun Komolafe, CEO SK enhanced image ventures] Pastor E.A Adeboye [Photo: Segun Komolafe, CEO SK enhanced image ventures] That response was beyond what I could comprehend. After this encounter, I began to dream of a city where everybody would be a Christian; a city where there would be no molestation; a city where there would be no power failure or water shortages. God began to stretch my mind to see a city where His praises would fill every mouth. That is The Redemption Camp, which is now a large town or city. The beginning Noted for punctuality, the church kicked off the days programme at 7 p.m. with worship and praise songs, even when the congregation was well below the sitting capacity of the expansive auditorium because the various parishes held similar events. Nothing much had changed though. Mr. Adeboye, who has attended every major programme of the church since he was appointed its General Overseer, and perhaps before then, since he was the interpreter of the founder of the Church, was present. So was his wife, Folu, who is also a pastor, as were many elders of the church. While the singing was on going, arrangements were made for the administration of Holy Communion. There was no formal introduction of Mr. Adeboye, who was to administer the Holy Communion, but as his voice sliced through the air with a song, You are the Mighty God, the great I am..It was obvious that he was already kneeling at the pulpit to pray. To pray along with him, all knees in the twin auditoriums at the original Camp, and the new three-kilometre-by-three-kilometre auditorium went down. It ended shortly after with the popular Let somebody shout Halleluyah! Preaching from Exodus 12, he said a time comes in everyones life when God decides that enough is enough enough of pain, enough of weakness, enough of life in bondage, enough of poverty, enough of oppression. Giving the examples of the Israelites who laboured in slavery for years, and the man at the pool of Bethesda, who lay there helpless for 38 years, he said that God was going to step into peoples lives to put an end to their suffering before daybreak. Cross-Over Service held at its Redemption Camp. [Photo credit: Segun Komolafe, CEO SK enhanced image ventures] Cross-Over Service held at its Redemption Camp. [Photo credit: Segun Komolafe, CEO SK enhanced image ventures] Since sinners are barred from taking the Holy Communion, there was an altar call, which was responded to by over 600 people. The Holy Communion was taken with prayers of: Enough of sickness; enough of pain; enough of weakness after which Pastor Adeboye also prayed. There was a break for the choir to prepare for the next session. The colourful over 1,200-strong Mass Choir of the church was not assembled because of the holiday season and the need for some of the members to attend their local parishes. But those who were present did well, churning out inspirational songs. They were later commended by the pastor, who is himself a musician, and the composer of many of the songs sang during the programme Cross-Over Service held at its Redemption Camp. [Photo credit: Segun Komolafe, CEO SK enhanced image ventures] Cross-Over Service held at its Redemption Camp. [Photo credit: Segun Komolafe, CEO SK enhanced image ventures] Pastor E.A Adeboye [Photo: Segun Komolafe, CEO SK enhanced image ventures] The second part of programme began with songs and prayers after which Folu Adeboye and a group of women, all dressed in white, rendered three thanksgiving songs on behalf of all parishes/branches of the church around the world. A play re-enacting the freedom of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt by the churchs Drama Group, entitled Songs of Victory, was beautifully performed to a loud ovation. And as the cast left the stage, Mr. Adeboye clapped in admiration, while his wife followed them. Songs and more songs by the choir followed, with the congregation singing along. Many more people, targeting the midnight prayers, poured in as the programme went on. The New Year was welcomed with loud cheer, jubilation and prayers. Mr. Adeboye revealed that in 2018, the church is going to take the battle to the enemy, starting with the first Holy Ghost Service on Friday. ADVERTISEMENT The Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, has condemned the midnight attack on worshippers on the eve of the New Year on Ibrahim Taiwo Road in Ilorin. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that some churches on lbrahim Taiwo Road were attacked by some yet-to-be identified persons in the early hours of Monday during the New Year service. The governor, in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Abdulwahab Oba, described the dastardly attack as criminal, satanic and alien to the state. Mr. Ahmed, however, commended those who made efforts to protect some of the victims regardless of their religious inclination. He therefore called on security agencies to immediately launch an investigation into the incident and unravel the perpetrators of the unholy act with a view to bringing them to book. Peace is sine qua non for the development of any society and the government will not tolerate any act capable of breaching peace, unity and tranquility of the state, he said. The governor called on the people of the state to imbibe spirit of tolerance and harmonious relationship for sustenance growth and economic development in the state. Mr. Ahmed also called on parents and guardians to monitor their children and wards with a view to curtailing their likely excesses. The Speaker of Kwara House of Assembly, Ali Ahmad, has also condemned the attacks. The Speaker, in a statement jointly signed by his Special Assistant (Media), Shuaib Abdulkadir, and the Chief Press Secretary to the State House of Assembly, AbdulRahman Sanni, expressed disgust over the attacks. Mr. Ahmad, however, called for calm, adding that the attack was not religiously motivated, but believed to have been carried out by some hoodlums. They must be brought to book to serve as deterrent to others. Peace is the pivot of socio-economic transformation of any society and one of the indices of development, he said. He commended the Police Commissioner, Ado Lawan, for police prompt intervention which brought the situation under control. The speaker called for investigation into the incident with a view to apprehending those behind the attacks on the innocent worshippers. He urged the State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Kamaldeen Ajibade, to ensure that those arrested were prosecuted. (NAN) ADVERTISEMENT Gunmen have killed the Chief of Numana in Sanga Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Gambo Makama, and his wife. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the incident occurred on Sunday at his residence at Gwantu town. One of the chiefs sons was also injured and his residence burnt to ashes during the attack. The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mukhtar Aliyu, confirmed the attack. Mr. Aliyu said the police command received the report of the attack around midnight on Sunday, but said that the assailants had fled before the police arrived the scene,hence no arrest had been made. He appealed for calm as the command was doing everything possible to get to the root of the matter. Meanwhile, the killing has thrown the residents of Gwantu town and its environs into a mourning mood. (NAN) ADVERTISEMENT The Kaduna state governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has condemned the killing of Numana chief and his wife which occurred on the eve of the new year. PREMIUM TIMES reported how gunmen killed the chief in Sanga Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Gambo Makama, and his wife. One of the chiefs sons was also injured and his residence razed during the attack. The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mukhtar Aliyu, confirmed the attack. Mr. Aliyu said the police command received the report of the attack around midnight on Sunday, but said that the assailants had fled before the police arrived the scene, hence no arrest had been made. He appealed for calm as the command was doing everything possible to get to the root of the matter. Meanwhile, the killing has thrown the residents of Gwantu town into mourning. In a press briefing in Kaduna by Mr. El-Rufais spokesperson, Samuel Aruwan, Monday, he described the late Etum Numana as a peacemaker who was committed to peace and development in his chiefdom. The government commiserates with the immediate family of the royal father and his wife, the people of Numana Chiefdom and the entire Sanga Local Government. The government condemns this double murder as a calculated threat to peace, and a most unfortunate attempt to intrude into a new year a pattern of criminality that needlessly threatens the right of citizens to security, life and liberty. All those with useful information are enjoined to forward to the relevant security agencies and the information will be treated with utmost confidentiality. Government has directed the security agencies to investigate this criminal incident and bring the assailants to justice. We urge the people of Numana Chiefdom to remain calm and to support the security agencies as they investigate this latest threat to the hard-won peace in the area. The statement added that security agencies had also taken necessary measures to assign more personnel to the area to ensure peace. ADVERTISEMENT A Senator has protested against the killing of her constituent by the police in Cross Rivers State. Rose Oko, who represents Cross River North Senatorial District, accused officers of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, of killing her constituent, one Edward Alibishi, in Gakem community, Cross River State. The senator made the allegation on Sunday in a tweet she sent out from her Twitter handle @rose__oko. The senator posted on Twitter a photo of the victims corpse and said the incident happened on December 28. She said Mr. Alibishi was killed during a fracas over the control of a revenue post in the community. A situation where operatives of law enforcement agencies are being used to terrorise individuals and communities over personal squabbles is in the very least regrettable, condemnable and against the tenets and aims of the establishment, the senator said in her tweet. The senator called on the inspector general of police to investigate the killing and bring the perpetrators to justice. She took a swipe at SARS. SARS has become uncontrollable and should either be scrapped or better trained to eliminate rogue officers. The recklessness and indiscipline of these officers is growing. Must the nation endure more innocent deaths and acts of hooliganism before decisive action is taken? Senator Oko said. The police have, however, denied responsibility for the killing of Mr. Alibishi. The police spokesperson in the state, Irene Ugbo, said the officials of SARS were attacked by the youth of Gakem community who she said tried to prevent the police from taking away a suspected criminal. What happened is that the police went for an arrest and succeeded in arresting a criminal. As we were taking him away, some of the youth of the community came out and blocked the road. They didnt allow the police to pass. They started shooting at the police and the police fired back in self defence, said Ms. Ugbo, an assistant superintendent of police. The person that died was not shot by the police; he died through a stray bullet during the exchange of fire between the hoodlums and the police. Where did the youth get their arms and ammunition from? We shouldnt just draw conclusions on issues; we should ask questions. A policeman cannot pull out a gun and just shoot at anybody, the police spokesperson said. He added that the policemen were still able to take the suspect to Calabar, despite the alleged attack on them. She said the SARS operation in the community had nothing to do with any fracas, over a revenue post as alleged by Senator Oko. There has been a nationwide outrage of late in the country against the operations of SARS. Several Nigerians have embarked on street protests, demanding for the scrapping of the dreaded police squad. NEW YORK, Jan. 1, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- This year's Times Square New Year's Eve celebration was extra special as the Sino-American Friendship Association and the Times Square Celebration Committee invited Chongqing, China to present a cultural feast themed: "Beautiful Chongqing, a City with Mountains and Rivers." Distinguished guests Zhang, Qiyue, Consul General of the Consulate General of PRC in New York; Liu, Qi, Chairman of Chongqing Tourism Administration; Peter Zhang, President of Sino-American Friendship Association; along with New York City government officials presented and celebrated the event last night in Times Square. The Dragon Dance from Tongliang, Chongqing China was the highlight of the cold night for everyone as performers danced with a 15-meter long magnificent dragon. This is the same type of dance performed at the Beijing Olympic Games, but the giant dragon dancing this time was faster and more intricate. Performers from China brought the dragon to life and made an amazing impression on the Times Square audience. The beauty of Chongqing belongs to both China and the world. Chongqing, with 3,000 years of history, is the largest and one of most populous cities in the world and boasts beautiful sceneries. It has three major world heritage sites, namely: Dazu Rock Carvings, Wulong Three Natural Bridges and the Nanchuan Jinfo Mountain. It also has the world's grandest inner-river Grand Canyon - the "Three Gorges" of the Yangtze River, a must see for every tourist. Chongqing is the only city in China to be rated as one of the "World's Top Ten Tourist Destinations" and the "World's Top Ten Fastest-Growing Tourism Cities" by the World Travel & Tourism Council, (WTTC) 2017. This fascinating tourism and cultural event of Chongqing captured the attention of many Americans, with six U.S. government officials including New York Governor, Andrew.M.Cuomo, sending greetings to celebrate and congratulate the contribution of SAFA for promoting friendship and communication between East and West. Media Contact: Cimagine Media Group, LLC [email protected] SOURCE Chongqing Tourism HSINCHU, Taiwan and WUHAN, China, Jan. 1, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- JHL Biotech announced that Rong Chen has been appointed Chief Medical Officer effective January 1. As CMO, Dr. Chen will oversee JHL's medical and clinical development work as part of its mission to make world-class biopharmaceuticals affordable and available to more patients. Dr. Chen joins the company from his previous role as Chief Medical Officer at Phagelux, a biologics company in Shanghai. "We are excited to welcome Dr. Chen to JHL Biotech. His deep experience in leading medical affairs and clinical development at biopharmaceutical companies will help further our mission to make biologics affordable to more people throughout the world," said Racho Jordanov, CEO, JHL Biotech. "Dr. Chen is an expert in medical affairs and clinical research with comprehensive knowledge and experience in regulatory affairs. He will have a vital role in shaping JHL's future and will guide our medical, clinical, and regulatory work." Prior to Phagelux, Dr. Chen was Chief Medical Officer at CASI Pharmaceuticals, Vice President and Head of Regulatory Excellence for China/HK area at GlaxoSmithKline, Medical Director for the Asia Pacific region at Beyer Schering Pharma, and Medical Director for China at Sanofi. He also previously held several clinical and research positions in Australia. "JHL Biotech is a company creating new space in the biologics market and by doing so, more patients will have access to affordable medicines," said Dr. Chen. "I look forward to being part of this experienced team and leading medical affairs and clinical development for JHL." Dr. Chen received his PhD from the Royal Adelaide Hospital, University of Adelaide in Australia and both his bachelor's and master's in medicine from Shandong Medical University in China. Media Contact: Jill Liu, [email protected], phone: +886 3-658-3899 Amber Chen, [email protected], phone: +886 3-658-3899 About JHL Biotech JHL Biotech Inc. (Stock Code: 6540.TWO) is a biopharmaceutical startup founded by a group of industry veterans with deep experience in pharmaceutical development and operations. JHL is backed by premier financial firms, including Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Sequoia Capital, Biomark Capital, Milestone Capital, Fidelity, and the China Development Industrial Bank. JHL Biotech's mission is to provide the world with low-cost medicines of exceptional quality. JHL is focused on research and development of new protein-based therapies and biosimilars. JHL Biotech has two world-class facilities built in accordance with United States, European Union, and ICH cGMP regulations and standards. For more information, please visit www.jhlbiotech.com. SOURCE JHL Biotech, Inc. Related Links http://www.jhlbiotech.com WASHINGTON, Jan. 1, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- January 2: The Team Robin Renucci (LEFT), Audrey Fleurot (RIGHT) in 'A FRENCH VILLAGE' season 7 on MHz Choice. Lars Mikkelsen (Borgen, 1864) stars as the leader of a joint Danish-German-Belgian investigative team tasked with solving a series of murders in this gripping crime thriller from the writers of The Eagle. January 2: Baantjer Mysteries (Season 4) Baantjer Mysteries, from The Netherlands and starring Piet Romer, evokes vintage US shows like Dragnet and Columbo with its moral, but not moralizing, straight-shooting central character who just wants to get the job done and downplays the fact that he's the smartest guy in the room. Season 4 features the same ensemble from previous seasons, Detective Baantjer's got the same rumpled raincoat, he retreats to the same Cafe Lowietje to drink cognac and ponder the case and Amsterdam continues to have plenty of crimes to solve. January 16: Wataha An intense six-part Polish thriller about a border patrol unit specializing in human trafficking cases. After the group falls victim to a bomb attack, the lone survivor sets out to hunt down those responsible and clear his name. Wataha marks the first series from Poland to premiere on MHz Choice. January 30: A French Village (Season 7) Almost a decade in the making, this absolutely superb historical series comes to an emotional and dramatic end when season 7 premieres exclusively on MHz Choice on January 30th. Noted by the NY Times as "the first major French television series seriously to address collaboration during the Nazi occupation in World War II", A French Village skips a conventional retelling of the War and instead, turns the WWII genre on its head by stripping away battle sequences and exploring the complicated moral choices foisted upon ordinary people in an extraordinarily difficult time in world history. Watch a teaser clip here: A French Village Season 7 Teaser. Direct all inquiries and screening link requests to Kelly Hargraves at [email protected]. About MHz Networks MHz Networks offers U.S. viewers access to a library of the best international television mysteries, dramas, comedies and documentaries subtitled in English on DVD and its digital platform, MHz Choice. MHz Networks' unique international programming is also available on its national channel, MHz Worldview. MHz Worldview is available nationwide on DirecTV ch. 2183 and on 25+ select public television affiliates. New MHz Choice customers receive a free 30-Day Trial. For more information or to subscribe, go to mhzchoice.com. SOURCE MHz Networks "Planet Smoothie offers a variety of protein options all year-round and to kick off the New Year, we're highlighting them in three delicious protein packed smoothies," said Nicole Butcher, national marketing manager for Planet Smoothie. "Our Planet Pro proteins have been reformulated to remove sweeteners and additives, leaving a superior, clean flavor while still packing a protein punch." According to WebMD, Protein is an important component of every cell in the body, which helps to build and repair tissues. It is an important building block of bones, muscles, cartilage, skin, and blood, making it a "macronutrient," meaning that the body needs relatively large amounts of it. With up to 26 grams of protein, Planet Smoothie features three great options to help achieve your body's protein needs. Pick Your Protein Promotional Smoothies Strawberry Powerhouse (new) Planet Pro Whey protein, strawberries, bananas, Greek yogurt, whole grain oats, chia seeds (21g total protein*) Planet Pro Whey protein, strawberries, bananas, Greek yogurt, whole grain oats, chia seeds (21g total protein*) Power Kale Kick (new) Planet Pro Veg pea protein, almond milk, leafy greens, passion fruit, pineapple (16g total protein*) Planet Pro Veg pea protein, almond milk, leafy greens, passion fruit, pineapple (16g total protein*) Peanut Butter Power Up all-natural peanut butter, bananas, whole grain oats, chia seeds, frozen yogurt (26g total protein*) *Based on 22oz size Planet Smoothie also offers LeanLeaf sweetener, made from stevia, one of the sweetest plants on the planet. This unique, all-natural sweetener utilizes only naturally-occurring sugars that do not adversely affect blood glucose levels, providing a more natural option for those seeking to live a healthier lifestyle. Planet Smoothie's Pick Your Protein promotion runs from Jan. 1, through April 29, 2018. About Planet Smoothie Planet Smoothie, intent on redefining the smoothie category, is among the country's top smoothie concepts. The brand appeals to a demographic of loyal, active and occasion-driven customers who want to live a healthier lifestyle. Planet Smoothie offers real fruit smoothies with lower calorie, lower sugar, and higher protein options, giving customers a quick, portable snack or meal replacement. The brand's menu is organized into lifestyle categories to assist customers in finding the smoothie that helps them to achieve their personal goals, including protein, energy, and Planet Lite categories. The Planet Smoothie brand operates approximately 120 locations in over 20 states. In 2015, Planet Smoothie was acquired by Scottsdale, Arizona-based Kahala Brands, one of the fastest growing franchising companies in the world with a portfolio of 22 quick-service restaurant brands and approximately 2900 locations in 28 countries. For more information about Planet Smoothie, Please visit: www.PlanetSmoothie.com. For more information about Kahala Brands, please visit: www.KahalaBrands.com. SOURCE Planet Smoothie Related Links http://www.PlanetSmoothie.com A vacant residential property tax (VRPT) was introduced from 1 January 2018 in Victoria. From January 1, the new 1 per cent Vacant Residential Property Tax will apply to properties in 16 councils that are not occupied for six months of the year. The Victorian Government introduced this tax with the claim it would help address the lack of housing supply in Victoria. If you own a property in one of the affected Melbourne council areas and it was unoccupied for six months or more between 1 May and 31 December 2017, you must notify State Revenue Victoria by 15 January 2018. As the legislation was only introduced into the Victorian Parliament in May 2017, homes will be considered to have been occupied between 1 January and 30 April 2017. This means, for the 2017 calendar year, homes will only need to be occupied for a further two months between 1 May and 31 December to be considered to have been occupied for more than six months. Its compliance program will look at both non-reporting of vacant properties and incorrect exemption claims. What is the vacant residential land tax? The vacant residential land tax (commonly referred to as the vacant residential property tax or vacancy tax) is a tax on residential properties in the inner and middle suburbs of Melbourne which are unoccupied for more than six months a year. What is meant by "vacant"? A property will be considered vacant if it was unoccupied for more than six months in the preceding calendar year by: The owner, or the owners permitted occupier, as their principal place of residence, or A person under a lease or short-term letting arrangement The six months does not need to be continuous. When does the tax start? The tax will apply from 1 January 2018 and is based on use and occupation in the preceding year. For example, tax liabilities for the 2018 tax year will based on vacancy in 2017, tax liabilities for the 2019 tax year will based on vacancy in 2018 and so on. Does the tax apply to all residential properties in Victoria? No. The tax will only apply to vacant residential properties located in the following local council areas: Banyule Bayside Boroondara Darebin Glen Eira Hobsons Bay Manningham Maribyrnong Melbourne Monash Moonee Valley Moreland Port Phillip Stonnington Whitehorse Yarra How much is the tax and how is it calculated? This is an annual tax of 1 per cent of the capital improved value (CIV) of taxable land. For example, if the taxable land has a CIV of $500,000, the tax will be $5000, if the taxable land has a CIV of $1,000,000, the tax will be $10,000. The CIV of a property is the value of land and buildings as determined by the general valuation process. The CIV of a property is displayed on your council rates notice. It is not always displayed on all four quarterly rates notices, but will always appear on the first notice issues in the financial year. Are there any exemptions? Yes. In addition to existing exemptions for land tax purposes, there will be several new exemptions which will apply to the vacant residential land tax. These include exemptions for: Holiday homes, (see point 7 below) City apartments/homes/units used for work purposes, (see point 8 below) Property transfers during the year, (see point 9 below) and New residential properties (see point 10 below) When is a holiday home exempt? The holiday home exemption will apply to properties which are occupied as a second home by the owner for at least four weeks in the year. This exemption will be subject to the following conditions: The land owner must have had a principal place of residence in Australia in the preceding year, and The Commissioner of State Revenue must be satisfied that the property for which the exemption is being sought is a genuine holiday home An owner will only be able to claim the exemption in respect of one holiday home in a calendar year. When is a residential property used for work purposes exempt? This exemption is designed for properties owned and used by people who stay in the inner and middle suburbs of Melbourne for work purposes, but whose principal place of residence is elsewhere in Australia. The exemption will apply to properties that are occupied for at least 140 days a year for the purpose of attending the owners workplace. This exemption will be subject to the following conditions: The land owner had a principal place of residence in Australia in the preceding tax year, and The place of work must be in one of the specified local council areas What if a property changes ownership during a year? Land that changes ownership during the year will be exempt from the tax in the following calendar year. For example, if a property is sold and transferred during 2018, it will be exempt from the tax for the 2019 tax year. What if a property is converted to residential premises during a year? Land that becomes residential land during the year will not be subject to the vacant residential land tax in the following calendar year. For example, if a warehouse is converted into residential apartments during 2018, it will be exempt from the vacant residential land tax for the 2019 calendar year. How will the SRO know if you have vacant property? Owners of vacant residential properties located within the specified local council area will be required to notify the Commissioner of State Revenue by 15 January in each year, and provide any information that the Commissioner requests. If a property is eligible for an exemption, the land owner will be asked to notify the SRO and advise which exemption applies. If an owner fails to make a notification by 15 January, it will be a notification default and may be subject to penalty tax under the Taxation Administration Act 1997. The State Revenue Office will conduct monitoring and compliance activities to ensure that vacant residences are being declared as required. Their compliance program includes comparing their data with other state and federal agencies, and conducting investigations into suspected avoidance. For example they may check water usage with relevant water authorities as a lack of water usage is a good indicator that a property is vacant. Does the tax apply to properties leased through online platforms? Yes. If a property in one of the specified local council areas is leased through an online platform such as AIRBNB, it will be subject to the tax if it is unoccupied for more than six months in a calendar year. The six months does not need to be continuous. Personal credit growth was negative again in November 2017, as it was in October 2017, and on an annual basis it has been negative since 2015 as Aussies elect to cut up their credit cards (or at least, apply for fewer cards and personal loans). Housing credit continues to swing across from investors to owner-occupiers - in part due to loan switching - but in aggregate the annual rate of growth at 6.4 per cent remains higher than a year earlier when it was 6.3 per cent. Annual credit growth was steady year-on-year at 5.4 per cent. Cross-checking to APRA's monthly figures we can see that ADIs grew their investment loan exposures at just 2.8 per cent, miles below the arbitrary 10 per cent speed limit, so there is plenty of potential capacity for investment loans to pick up again in 2018. On the other hand, APRA's figures showed that monthly owner-occupier credit grew by an up-tempo 0.56 per cent to $1.04 trillion, suggesting that non-banks have picked up the slack created by tighter lending standards. Low mortgage stress The unemployment rate contin ued to trend lower in 2017, now down to its lowest level in 4 years with further declines to come in 2018, and S&P has its 30-day prime mortgage arrears at the lowest level we've seen. Arrears may or may not pick up a bit in 2018, but they are presently tracking at such a remarkably low level it could hardly be a surprise if they did. The Reserve Bank's figures suggest that the ratio of household debt to disposable income will likely tick past 200 per cent in 2018, but serviceability remains very comfortable for most households, with the cost of living indexes very benign and household income growth passed its nadir. It was interesting to see that the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) incorporated the two uppermost points I raised at the UBS Conference panel debate, namely on Australia's household debt distribution by quintile and the tremendous growth of mortgage offsets (see borrowers and buffers) in its latest paper on household debt (though it appears to have given the buffers point relatively short shrift!). The fact is, though, that mortgages are easier to service than they used to be, and overall households are managing pretty well, while the outlook is improving nicely in the resources states. Roll on 2018 and the 'surprisingly resilient' articles... An independent investigation has determined the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) could not have prevented convicted Bosnian Croat war criminal Slobodan Praljak from committing suicide live on television during a court hearing. The review, released by the ICTY on December 31, concluded that "without specific intelligence (which there was none)...there are no measures that would have guaranteed detection of the poison at any stage." "My review has not exposed any gaps or flaws in the ICTY legal framework with regard to the treatment of detainees at the UNDU [United Nations Detention Unit] and the ICTY premises and I am therefore not proposing any changes to ICTY rules and regulations," Justice Hassan Jallow wrote in the review. The 72-year-old Praljak drank from a vial containing potassium cyanide during a live television broadcast as a UN appeals judge upheld his 20-year sentence on war crimes charges at the ICTY on November 29. He died later the same day. While Dutch prosecutors are still investigating the incident, the review noted it was not possible to "conclusively state" how and when Praljak acquired the poison and that there was no intelligence indicating he possessed any dangerous substances. "Had such intelligence been available, further intrusive measures (with regard to searches of cells and of Mr. Praljak) could have been taken," the review said. "However, even if such intelligence had been available, the nature and quantity of poison was such that it could easily have remained undetected even through the most intrusive searches of persons, cells, and other areas," it added. Under court rules, "intrusive searches" including strip and body-cavity searches, "should be undertaken only if absolutely necessary." The review recommends introducing a 30-minute delay in the broadcasting of judgements at war crimes courts and cell searches to help avoid similar incidents in the future. A former commander of Bosnian Croat forces in Bosnia-Herzegovina's 1992-95 war, Praljak was convicted in 2013 of crimes including murder, persecution, and deportation for his role in a plan to carve out a Bosnian Croat ministate in Bosnia in the early 1990s. He was one of six Bosnian Croat defendants in court on November 29 to hear rulings on the appeal of their sentences at the ICTY. Croatian political leaders seized upon Praljak's suicide as evidence of the failings of the war crimes tribunal, which was in the process of handing down its final judgment on November 29 before shutting down. More than a million New Yorkers and tourists in Times Square braved the minus-12 degree Celsius weather to welcome in 2018, just one of the cities worldwide to celebrate New Year's Eve with midnight celebrations. It was second-coldest New Year's Eve recorded at New York's Times Square, matching 1962. The coldest was in 1917, when it was minus-17. People gathered more than 12 hours before midnight to count down to midnight, when a giant ball descended from atop One Times Square. Officials said the crowds appeared smaller than many previous New Year's Eve celebrations, most likely because of the cold. Security was extremely tight throughout Manhattan after a year in which several deadly terror attacks on large crowds took place. Elsewhere around the world, revelers welcomed 2018 with fireworks, celebrations, and street parties. Russian had the longest celebration with midnight passing in each of the countrys 11 time zones. President Vladimir Putin called on Russians to "say the most cherished words to each other, forgive mistakes and resentment, admit love, warm up with care and attention." Amid intermittent rain in Moscow, fireworks and outdoor gatherings welcomed in the New Year. Tens of thousands of people converged around Berlin's Brandenburg Gate as Germany ushered in 2018 while fireworks lit up the sky at midnight. Fireworks also lit up Paris at the Arc De Triomphe as hundreds of thousands of people welcomed the new year along the Champs-Elysees. Security was high in the French capital after several deadly terror attacks over the past two years, with nearly 100,000 soldiers and police on patrol in popular areas. A dozen chimes from Big Ben, the bell in the clock tower at the British parliament, greeted 2018 in central London. The clock, which has been shut down for restoration work, was temporarily put back in operation for New Years Eve, as it was for Christmas. One of the first countries to celebrate was Australia, where fireworks exploded over the famed Sydney Opera House to usher in the New Year. But the very first celebrations were in the Pacific nations of Samoa, Tonga, and Kiribati, where local midnight came at 1000 GMT/UTC on December 31. Thailand resumed its colorful New Year celebrations as the country ended a year-long mourning period for late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who died in October 2016. With reporting by AP, AFP, and Reuters U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to cut off billions of dollars in aid to Pakistan, accusing Islamabad of being a safe haven for extremists. In his first tweet of 2018, Trump said on January 1 that 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 & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!" he added. Pakistani Defense Minister Khurram Dastgir Khan said in a tweet that Islamabad "as anti-terror ally has given free to US: land & air communication, military bases & intel cooperation that decimated Al-Qaeda over last 16yrs, but [the United States has] given us nothing but invective & mistrust." Foreign Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif told Pakistan's Urdu-language Geo Television that "the United States should hold its own people accountable for its failures in Afghanistan." "America is frustrated over defeat in Afghanistan. America should take the path of dialogue instead of using military might in Afghanistan," he was quoted as saying. Asif added that all financial aid from the United States had been "properly audited" and that "services [were] rendered." The Afghan Ambassador to the United States Hamdullah Mohib welcomed Trump's tweet. "A promising message to Afghans who have suffered at the hands of terrorists based in Pakistan for far too long," Mohib tweeted on January 1. Trump and U.S. Vice President Mike Pence have in the past accused Islamabad of supporting terrorist groups that the U.S. president once called agents of chaos." U.S. officials have also demanded that Pakistan act against the Taliban and Haqqani network. The frequency of suspected U.S. drone attacks near the Pakistani-Afghan border has increased notably since Trump introduced his Afghanistan strategy in August. After a meeting with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and Chief Executive Officer Abdullah Abdullah at the presidential palace in Kabul late on December 21, Pence had sharp words for Islamabad, saying that while Pakistan had much to gain from working with the United States, it also has much to lose by harboring "criminals and terrorists." "President Trump has put Pakistan on notice," Pence said at the time. KYIV -- "Try the Black Sea shrimp tartare," Dima Borysov entreats as he slides a bowl of the shelled crustaceans toward me. I'm usually wary of eating seafood in Ukraine, where much of what is served by restaurants is days old and imported from god-knows-where or else fished from contaminated local lakes and rivers. But Borysov, one of Ukraine's premier chefs and restaurateurs, insists this experience will be different. We are sitting in Bessarabia, not the southwestern seaside region of Ukraine but Borysov's new restaurant of the same name in central Kyiv that features an array of products sourced from the area. The shrimp, a fingernail-size species Borysov says is available only in Bessarabia and which now rests in front of me, dressed in a tomato-and-mango sauce, are, as promised, pleasantly delicate and sweet. That I'm eating this in Kyiv seems remarkable. What passed for fun, affordable dining out as recently as five years ago were dual Italian-Japanese restaurants with names like Mafia, where undercooked pasta carbonara would be served beside rubbery sushi rolls. Don't get me wrong, Ukraine has always had high-end dining establishments. But many of them lack distinct character, original offerings, and decent food -- and with prices closer to those in Moscow or London, they cater predominately to the country's elite. Ukrainian cuisine, or at least what most think of it -- famously stodgy, with a heavy amount of potatoes, dough, beetroots, and sour cream, often topped with copious amounts of dill -- remained confined to household kitchens, pubs, and cheap, cafeteria-style chain diners. The idea that it could feature on the menus of swankier cafes and restaurants seemed out of the question. But over the past three years -- leavened by a wave of patriotism stemming from the 2014 Euromaidan unrest that swept a pro-Western government into power, Russia's annexation of Crimea, and the war against Russia-backed insurgents in eastern Ukraine that has largely united Ukrainians like never before in its independent history -- Ukrainian cuisine, with a focus on locally sourced products, has come to the fore. More Than Mere Circumstance At least one of the trend's leaders is Borysov, who admits it's somewhat ironic that Ukraine has the recent turmoil to thank, at least in part, for the burgeoning movement and the success of his dozen restaurants -- all of which are located in Kyiv. But it would be unfair to say that this success was born only of circumstance. Borysov's grand plan to reinvent Ukrainian cuisine can be traced to his return to Kyiv in 2010, following years of lengthy visits to Italy and Spain, as well as New York and London, where he visited some of the best-rated kitchens in the world. As Borysov, who says he has always been patriotic, stewed over what to do back home, he remembered something that had struck him on his adventures: "I asked myself, 'Why do Spanish people dine at Spanish restaurants, Italian people dine at Italian restaurants, but Ukrainians don't go to Ukrainian restaurants?'" Part of the reason, he says, is that "the Soviet Union destroyed our national food. They reduced food to sustenance instead of an experience and culture." Opening the Ukrainian-themed gastropub Barsuk that year was his first attempt at reintroducing national cuisine. However, located in Kyiv's wealthier Pechersk neighborhood, surrounded by more exotic dining experiences, it was slow to take off. But a second attempt a year and a half later would prove to be more successful. Ukrainian With A Twist Kanapa is a fine-dining establishment located on Kyiv's historic Andriyivskyy Descent that Borysov says does "Ukrainian cuisine, but with a twist." Its signature dish is a hearty borscht served in a hollowed-out cabbage, but perhaps its most popular menu item is the black "varenyky," or dumplings filled with smoked pork fat and topped with herring caviar. But it took time to catch on. Ukrainians, he says, "advised foreigners to visit Kanapa to get a taste of Ukrainian food. But they didn't eat there themselves." Most Ukrainian guests, he adds, "made jokes" about the food "or they found the modern takes on Ukrainian food offensive or strange." Then came Euromaidan, Russia's military response to the more Western-oriented political leadership in Kyiv, and a wave of Ukrainian national pride. Kanapa's reservation book filled up as Ukrainians filed in. Since then, Borysov has opened a handful of other restaurants, each with its own distinct style and menu, but all Ukraine-focused in one way or another. Besides Bessarabia and Kanapa, there's the meat-centric Vatra, which boasts aged and smoked Ukrainian meats as well as more than a dozen aged local cheeses; and the swanky Chicken Kyiv, a bistro in 1920s Art Deco style that houses a speakeasy in its basement that serves quirky cocktails with local fruit and herbs; along with other themed eateries. But Borysov's proudest achievement is Ostannya Barikada, or OB for short, which translates from Ukrainian as Last Barricade. It is perhaps the best example of Borysov's love of food partnered with his eccentric style. Located directly beneath Kyiv's Independence Square -- ground zero for major protests since the dying days of the Soviet Union -- diners are granted entrance after giving a password (hint: It's a line from a poem by Ukrainian poet Taras Shevchenko about winning your battles) and pushing through an "iron" wall adorned with 70 outstretched hands symbolizing the seven decades Ukraine spent under Soviet control. Inside, memorabilia from the 1990 student-led demonstrations, the 2004 Orange Revolution, and 2013-14 Euromaidan protests adorn the walls. If kitschy for some, OB's broad and adventurous menu makes up for it. Each and every food product is locally sourced, down to the butter. And that includes the alcohol. On a recent trip, I found the fried veal brains to be surprisingly melt-in-my-mouth good. But it was the Perch "Chicken" Kyiv -- a take on the famous original, with a fin jutting out instead of a bone -- that left a real impression. Others Having Success, Too Olesia Chornaya, head of Le Silpo and restaurant projects at the Fozzy Group, Ukraine's largest supermarket and retail food operator, says Borysov doesn't deserve all the credit for popularizing Ukrainian cuisine. But she affords him some credit for defining a successful "niche." Chornaya tells me there has been a slow-burning movement toward locally sourced and traditional food at mid- to high-end restaurants under way for a while that caught fire following the revolution. "It's blossoming at the moment, and this is just the beginning," she says. The trend is also reflected in Fozzy Group's businesses, Chornaya says, and in others' too. In western Lviv, for instance, the !Fest holding company, a project of three Ukrainian men, has enjoyed success -- and dealt with some controversy -- with its concept restaurants that highlight the region's history through food and decor. The Next Big Food Trend? At Bessarabia, as I scrape my plate for the last of the shrimp, Borysov slides in front of me plates of trout ceviche (marinated in fresh citrus, with mango sauce, tomatoes, peppers, and cilantro), shrimp tartare (with sauce from red tomatoes and mangoes), and what he calls lolli-frogs (fried frog legs with citrus-honey sauce). As I dig in, he makes a bold prediction: Ukrainian cuisine will follow Georgian cuisine in becoming the next hot global food trend. In an attempt to fulfill the prophesy, Borysov says he's planning to open a Kanapa restaurant soon in Warsaw, Poland. "Hopefully it will lead to opening a restaurant in London," he adds. A lawyer has been found dead in Ukraine days after helping to make sure the man convicted of causing the death of her sister was not released from prison. The body of Iryna Nozdrovska was found in a district of Kyiv on January 1, days after she was reported missing after leaving work on December 29. Nozdrovska was the target of threats for her efforts in the case of Dmytro Rossoshanskyy, who was convicted of causing the death of Nozdrovskas sister, Svitlana Sapatinska, in 2015 when he hit her while driving his car. Judges rejected an appeal by Rossoshanskyy, the nephew of a Kyiv region judge, to overturn under an amnesty his seven-year prison term on December 27, thanks in large part to efforts by Nozdrovska to raise public awareness about the case. Nozdrovska and others mentioned that the young mans "drug-addict mates" had come to the court to take him home ahead of his expected release. She thanked the judges for what she called "one of the extremely rare just court rulings." Based on reporting by Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres issued a "red alert" to the world and urged it to come together in unity to face the dangers of inequality, nationalism, xenophobia, and potential nuclear war. "On New Year's Day 2018, I am not issuing an appeal. I am issuing an alert -- a red alert for our world," Guterres said in his New Year's message on December 31. "We can settle conflicts, overcome hatred, and defend shared values. But we can only do that together," he added. He said that when he took office a year ago, he "appealed for 2017 to be a year for peace. Unfortunately, in fundamental ways, the world has gone in reverse." "Conflicts have deepened and new dangers have emerged. Global anxieties about nuclear weapons are the highest since the Cold War," he said in an apparent reference to the crisis over North Korea's tests of ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons. He also lamented the increased speed of climate change, economic inequalities, and "horrific violations of human rights." He concluded by saying that "unity is the path" to "bringing people together around common goals." Based on reporting by AFP and dpa In the mini segment, where Maruti offers Alto, S-Presso and Old WagonR the company managed to sell 23,883 units. This when compared to sales in Dec 2018, is a decline of 13%. In the compact segment (New WagonR, Swift, Celerio, Ignis, Baleno, Dzire) sales grew by 27% as the company registered sales of 65,673 in Dec 2019. In the mid sized sedan segment, Maruti sold 1,786 units of Ciaz. This is a decline of 62.3% when compared with sales of Dec 2018. In the utility vehicles segment, Maruti offers Ertiga, XL6, S-Cross, Vitara Brezza. Sales in this segment grew by 17.7% to 23,808 units in Dec 2019. In the vans segment, Maruti registered sales of 7,634 units. This is a decline of 51.8%. Maruti used to offer Omni and Eeco in this segment. But now, only Eeco is on offer as Omni has been discontinued from sales. In the commercial vehicle segment, where Maruti sells the Super Carry, sales were at 1,591 units. This is a 5% decline in sales as against 1,675 units sold in Dec 2018. Sales to other OEM (Baleno sold to Toyota) stood at 1,360 units. This brings the total domestic sales of company to 125,735 units in Dec 2019, as against 121,479 units in Dec 2018. This is a 3.5% growth. Total exports stood at 7,561 units in Dec 2019, as against 6,859 units. This is a 10% increase in exports. Including exports, total Maruti Suzuki sales for Dec 2019 stood at 133,296 units, as against 128,338 units, thus growing by 3.9%. Maruti Suzuki hasnt been having a great year but has managed to end the CY in a somewhat positive note. December 2019 domestic sales growth is reported ta 2.5 percent. This despite the brand having already introduced BSVI models. MSIL also introduced S-Presso recently. While initial reception has been good as per company standard, its left to be seen if it effects the sales of other cars in the segment by the company. As of December 2019, segment sales declined considerably despite S-Presso sales, which has been positive through the first few months of business. In the coming months, Maruti Suzuki India will be phasing out diesel engine powered cars, as they will not be updated to BS6 norms. The diesel cars which will be discontinued include Brezza, Swift, Dzire, Ciaz, Ertiga, etc. At the 2020 Auto Expo, Maruti is expected to showcase new electric mini SUV, and a mid-sized SUV to rival Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos. Later in 2020, launch of Maruti WagonR electric is also expected. Looking to expand its portfolio, Royal Enfield is currently working on an entirely new engine platform Just last month, Royal Enfield discontinued their 500 cc motorcycle range. They were not updated to BS6 norms. Now, the company has a huge gap in the range of motorcycle it offers. On one end is the 350 cc range, and on the other is 650 cc range. The company is reportedly working on a new platform, most likely for the launch of Royal Enfield Classic 500. The purpose of the new platform is to essentially fill the gap between the companys bestselling 350 cc and 650 cc product range. This space is largely unexplored as of now in the country, so Royal Enfield can gain the first mover advantage. The challenge for the company is to develop something as good as its existing popular motorcycles. Royal Enfield is currently the market leader in 350 cc segment, with a massive 95 percent market share. However, competitors like Jawa, Benelli, Kawasaki, Honda, Triumph and Husqvarna are working hard to grab their own share in the pie. In view of these developments, portfolio expansion by Royal Enfield seems to be the right thing to do. When more choices are available, it reduces the probability of customers opting for competitor products. With portfolio expansion, Royal Enfield will be in a better position to cater to varied needs and preferences of buyers. Royal Enfield has reaffirmed that it will continue to focus on the mid-sized motorcycle segment in both domestic and international markets. The affordability factor, which has been one of the key reasons for the companys success, will also remain a top priority for Royal Enfield. In the Indian market, most RE motorcycles are priced lower than their respective rivals. The mid-sized motorcycle segment is expected to witness strong growth in the coming years. Users with lower capacity motorcycles are aspiring to own something more substantial whereas many potential big bike users are settling for mid-sized machines. So, there will be an increase in customer additions from both ends of the spectrum. As may be recalled, Royal Enfields Continental 650 cc and Interceptor 650 cc twins have emerged bestsellers in India as well as in overseas markets in the segment. Since the launch of the twins in 2018, the above 500 cc motorcycle segment has registered almost four-fold growth. It is possible that new products between 350 cc to 650 cc can help attract customers, as these would be offering an entirely new experience. In addition to the new platform, Royal Enfield could also be experimenting with its existing 350 cc and 650 cc platforms. The companys product development teams in India and UK are currently evaluating the possibility of doing more with infrastructure already available such as existing engines and frames. In case the plan works out, we could see new products based on the popular 350 cc and 650 cc platforms. The first of this new gen RE is expected to be launched next month, as the Meteor 350. For every human being who looks up at the moon in the nights to come will know that there is some corner of another world that is forever mankind. So concludes the poetic speech, written by William Safire, that President Nixon would have delivered had the Apollo 11 astronauts not made it back to Earth in the 1969 moon-landing mission. Though not well known it obviously never had to be given the line inspired In Event of Moon Disaster (which is also the title of Safires speech), created by theater ensemble Mugwumpin and beginning previews Wednesday, Jan. 3, at Z Below. If an undelivered speech from almost 50 years ago sounds a little ephemeral to merit two years of research and development and, eventually, a whole theater piece, thats exactly the combination of whimsy, curiosity and dedication for which 14-year-old Mugwumpin is known. The troupe devotes years to each single project, creating a unique, fully fleshed-out world for each. Their audiences have roamed a Tyvek maze in The Great Big Also, spelunked in the basement of the Old Mint for Future Motive Power and crammed into an actual hotel room for Get This Go. A single commonality: Youre probably not going to get the chance to sit down and stare passively at a proscenium stage. Theater is the opportunity to be a human in a room with other humans, says Moon Disaster performer Erin Mei-Ling Stuart. And you can definitely do that in theater seats, and youre all facing the same direction. But I think (Mugwumpin is) asking (the audience) to stay in their humanness just a little bit more, by being where they can see us, but we can also see them. Soren Santos, a space exploration enthusiast and a Mugwumpin company member, estimates hes been noodling on Safires speech for about six or seven years. But recently, the speech led him to an unexpected place: the 2016 presidential election. Unless youre a conspiracy theorist, everybody sort of takes the moon landing for granted, Santos says at a group interview before a recent rehearsal. Seeing this speech in the context of a historical what-if ... it makes you think about, Oh yeah, what if that hadnt happened? That reminded him of Trumps election because everybody took the results for granted, and history ended up going the other way, and now youre not living in a historical what-if; youre living in plan B. Youre in the contingency plan now. Wolfgang Lancelot Wachalovsky, one of the shows video designers and producers, points out that Mugwumpins past two shows, 2013s The Great Big Also, about a spiritual movement confronting its end-of-world prophecy, and 2015s Blockbuster Season, about Hollywood disaster movies, were also about disasters and about contingency plans. Theres this greater sense of overarching danger and feeling of unease, Wachalovsky says. Were living in this world, were making work in this world, so our work is reflecting that unease, the fear of things going wrong, the fear of not being able to connect. For Natalie Greene, whos served as Mugwumpins artistic director since 2016 and who also directs In Event of Moon Disaster, Santos germ of an idea immediately sounded like a Mugwumpin show, for the way it could straddle the real and not real, the known and the unknown, the way it could weave science and magic i.e., different cultures mystical notions about the moon together through theater. Paul Kuroda/Special to The Chronicle Creating material from scratch as a group is easy, says Stuart, but shes a Mugwumpin company member. Performer Don Wood, whos working with Mugwumpin for the first time, is used to a play thats already written, and a script that you dont question, he says. Like, if its, Im not sure what Im saying here, you dont go, Well, I think Ill just go into the computer and rewrite it. In our very early workshop phase, recalls Stuart, we started with the actual text of the speech as a jumping off point, and everybody independently made little moments with it. ... And then the person who generated something might continue to develop it, or somebody else might become the outside eye for that section and develop it. Greene thinks of the whole development process as like a funnel, where at the beginning of the process, its fair game for everyone to contribute ideas and research, to write things, to lead and facilitate exercises and improvisations that help us find something. And then as time goes on, the contribution of the performers is less on the inside, decision-making part of the funnel, and its more in the hands of designers and myself as director. The result is an immersive piece it does not invite the audience to sit in traditional seats, says Greene brought alive through projection mapping, by Wachalovsky and Darl Andrew Packard. The show juxtaposes the macho ethos of space exploration with mythologies of the moon as feminine. (As part of the shows development, the group enacted a full moon ceremony with witches, says Greene.) It also investigates multigenerational responses to the moon landing, with one cast member whos a teenager, and another who remembers witnessing that moment in history. Still another theme, taken directly from Safires speech, is the fear of getting lost. Now Playing: Surveying the visual inspirations for Mugwumpin's "In Event of Moon Disaster." Video: SFChronicle Mugwumpin as a company has always concerned itself more with questions than answers, says Santos. Thats enshrined in its mission statement, and its part of what motivated Greene, 35, to accept the position as artistic director, first as an interim, then permanently as of April 2017. Whats great is having been a longtime company member, I had helped revise and rewrite the mission statement before I knew I would be the one enacting it, Greene says. So I was actually able to go back to the mission and say, No, I believe in this. What we do a lot of in meetings and decision making and reflection, and also in the art making, she says, is to ask, Whats the right question to ask? We hold out that we dont need the right answers right away or maybe ever, but we want to ask the right questions. Lily Janiak is The San Francisco Chronicles theater critic. Email: ljaniak@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @LilyJaniak In Event of Moon Disaster: Directed by Natalie Greene. Wednesday, Jan. 3-28. $15-$25. Z Below, 470 Florida St., S.F. (415) 626-0453. www.zspace.org After four days of rare protests in Iran, President Hassan Rouhani tried to calm the nation Sunday, saying people had the right to protest and acknowledging public worries over the economy and corruption. We are a free nation, and based on the constitution and citizenship rights, people are completely free to express their criticism and even their protest, Rouhani said, according to the state-run PressTV. He exhorted Iranians not to resort to violence, after reports of protesters attacking banks and municipal buildings across the nation, including a local government building in Tehran. The protests are the first major demonstrations in Iran since 2009, when people took to the streets to challenge the results of a presidential election that kept a hard-liner in power and was widely regarded as fraudulent. Rouhani, a moderate, came to power in 2013. The recent unrest began as a protest over rising prices and other economic difficulties, and quickly grew into a nationwide outpouring of anger against the government, including over corruption. Two protesters were reported killed in recent days in the city of Dorud, and there have been reports of dozens arrested across Iran. With Irans media tightly controlled, information about the protests had been shared through social media and messaging apps. But on Sunday state television said Iran would temporarily restrict access to Instagram and the messaging app Telegram, to maintain peace. Telegrams chief executive, Pavel Durov, confirmed that the app had been blocked, posting a statement on Twitter that said, Iranian authorities started blocking Telegram in Iran today after we publicly refused to shut down channels of peaceful Iranian protesters. President Trump doubled down on his frequent criticism of the Iranian government Sunday. He posted on Twitter: The people are finally getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism. The unauthorized protests have challenged authorities, with crowds turning revolutionary slogans against the government of the Islamic Republic, which took power after a revolution in 1979. Protesters in Tehran and elsewhere have called for the resignation of Irans supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and witnesses described crowds chanting, Death to the dictator and Clerics should get lost. Martin Fackler is a New York Times writer. ISLAMABAD The Palestinians have withdrawn their envoy to Pakistan after he appeared at a rally with a radical cleric linked to the 2008 Mumbai attacks. Palestinian envoy Walid Abu Ali shared the stage with Hafiz Saeed, the head of the hard-line Jamaat-ud-Dawa movement, at Fridays rally, which was held to protest U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital. The rally in Rawalpindi, attended by thousands, was organized by the Defense of Pakistan Council, an alliance of religious parties dominated by Saeeds group. Jamaat-ud-Dawa is believed to be a front for Lashker-e-Taiba, a militant group that fights Indian troops in the disputed region of Kashmir, and which was blamed for the November 2008 Mumbai attacks, which killed 166 people. Saeed, the founder of Lashker-e-Taiba, is wanted by the United States, which has offered a $10 million reward for his arrest, but Pakistan has refused extradition requests and allows him to operate relatively freely. He was recently placed under house arrest for 11 months but was released after a court ruled in his favor. Saeed denies involvement in the 2008 attacks, and Pakistan says India has not provided enough evidence to charge him. U.S. officials have long accused Pakistan of harboring extremists, allegations denied by Islamabad. In a statement addressed to India, the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the envoys participation in the presence of individuals accused of supporting terrorism was an unintended mistake, but not justified. It said the envoy has been recalled. India had lodged a protest with the Palestinians on Saturday, calling the envoys association with Saeed unacceptable. Pakistans Foreign Ministry defended the envoy, saying it welcomed his active participation in events organized to express solidarity with the people of Palestine. Near-daily rallies have been held in Pakistan and elsewhere across the Muslim world since President Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israels capital last month, a move seen as siding with the Jewish state against the Palestinians, who claim east Jerusalem as the capital of their future state. Zarar Khan is an Associated Press writer. Santee Cooper board chairman Leighton Lord thanks InterTech Group executives at the dedication of the Colleton Solar Farm in 2014. Lord resigned Dec. 29 in a letter to Gov. Henry McMaster, months after the state-owned utility and SCANA pulled the plug on the construction of two new nuclear reactors in South Carolina. On this first day of 2018, at 5 p.m. EST (2200 GMT), the January full moon will arrive at perigee, its closest point to Earth in an orbit. Today, our lunar companion reaches an extreme perigee distance of 221,559 miles (356,565 kilometers). When these events coincide (a full moon at perigee), some people refer to the event as a "supermoon." This will be the "biggest full moon of 2018," and the difference in the moon's apparent size, compared with when it is positioned at its average distance from Earth, will be 7.3 percent. But that variation is not readily apparent to observers who are viewing the moon directly. And then there is the other facet: the oft-cited statistic that the perigee full moon is 30 percent brighter than a "normal" full moon. But that translates to only a 0.1 or 0.2 magnitude difference in brightness. When added to the glow of a full moon, the difference is hardly perceptible to the human eye. (In fact, most observers can't discern a truly "full" moon from a nearly full moon, and for a day or two before and after peak fullness, many people who see the moon will assume it is full.) [Supermoon 2018 Guide: When and How to See January's Two Full Moons] Put another way, if you didn't hear that the New Year's Day full moon was going to be the biggest and brightest one of the year, would you notice it? Probably not. A supermoon a full moon that occurs at lunar perigee rises behind the Washington Monument on June 23, 2013. The New Year's Day supermoon full moon of Jan. 1, 2018 will be the biggest and brightest of the year. (Image credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls) You can watch webcasts of January's New Year's Day supermoon live today and tonight. First, the Virtual Telescope Project by astrophysicist Gianluca Masi will host a free webcast of the full moon rising over Rome, Italy at 11 a.m. EST (1600 GMT). You can watch that webcast live here. At 9 p.m. EST (0100 GMT), the online observatory Slooh.com will offer a live webcast from its remotely operated telescopes around the world. You can watch the Slooh supermoon webcast here, though registration for the website - which is free - is required. You can also watch the January supermoon webcast on Space.com here, courtesy of Slooh.com. Bigger brighter or just hyperbole? Most media outlets love to treat a "supermoon" as some sort of special or unusual occurrence. Upon hearing that a specifically selected moon comes with the prefix "super" attached, people rush outside to get a look and come away thinking that they have just witnessed something akin to a rare cosmic alignment. Such feelings put a new spin on the whimsical tale penned in 1837 by Hans Christian Andersen, "The Emperors New Clothes." In fact, I once took a phone call at New York's Hayden Planetarium from a young woman who sounded as though she had been cheated. "I went outside last night to look at that so-called 'super' moon and was very much disappointed. It didn't look at all brighter than normal." When I queried her on what she had expected to see, she replied, "I thought it was going to be something like those three-way light bulbs. Like when you go from 100 to 150 watts; I thought the moon was going to appear noticeably brighter last night, but it really wasn't at all!" Of course, once somebody is told that the moon is closer than normal to Earth and that it will consequently appear somewhat larger, they might respond with something like, "Oh yeah! It does look bigger than normal!" This is especially true if someone sees the moon near to the horizon, where the enigmatic "moon illusion" always comes into play. A supermoon every month? If the criteria for a supermoon is chiefly dependent on the moon's arrival at its closest point in its orbit relative to Earth, then the "super" branding is a bit of a misnomer. Indeed, the moon arrives at perigee every month and sometimes twice in a calendar month. Indeed, now the full moons that immediately flank the Jan. 1 perigean full moon are also being branded as supermoons. The full moon on Dec. 3 was "super," and the one later this month, on Jan. 31, will be, too. And the margin for a supermoon seems to be widening, as full moons that occur within one or two days of perigee are sometimes given the "super" moniker. So why can't we have a supermoon at other phases? This year on Halloween, for instance, the last-quarter moon will come within less than 4 hours of perigee. But nobody ever gets excited about a "super" half-moon. The popular astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson probably said it best: "In the overall scheme of things, is this relatively small increase in the moon's apparent size really so meaningful? I mean, if you turned a 14-inch pizza into a 15-inch pizza, would you then call it a "super-pizza?" Maybe when it comes to our natural satellite, size doesn't really matter after all. Editor's note: If you capture an amazing photo of the Jan. 1 New Year's Day supermoon and would like to share it with Space.com for a story or gallery, send images and comments to: spacephotos@space.com. Joe Rao serves as an instructor and guest lecturer at New York's Hayden Planetarium. He writes about astronomy for Natural History magazine, the Farmer's Almanac and other publications, and he is also an on-camera meteorologist for Verizon Fios1 News, based in Rye Brook, New York. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com. F ears are growing that the so-called Croydon cat killer has struck again after two animals were found dead within a mile of each other on Christmas day. The bodies of the cats were found in south London and there are concerns they may have been deliberately killed by the notorious figure. One cat was found in Wallington and a second in Carshalton. An animal rescue charity that has been working with the police investigating the killings said the recent deaths are believed to be linked to the killer. South Norwood Animal Rescue and Liberty (SNARL) said the Met had confirmed the death of the pet in Carshalton is being considered part of Operation Tahake the investigation into the killings. The death of the second cat is possibly linked. The charity wrote on its Facebook page: Two cats were found on Christmas Day, within a short distance of each other, one in SM5 1 and the other in SM6 7. The death of the cat in SM5 1 is confirmed as part of the Operation Takahe series, SM6 7 is under investigation as a suspicious death, possibly linked. Both families have no desire to have their locations or identities made public and we would ask residents who are aware of the incidents not to post road names on social media. We would like to thank officers from Surrey who went out yesterday and attended whilst we were out of London and also those who attended the incident reported today. Rest in peace little ones. The killer is thought to have attacked more than 400 animals since 2015. The cases are linked by the manner in which the animals are mutilated and displayed, believed to be aimed at creating maximum shock and distress. The attacks initially took place in and around Croydon, but there have since been similar style killings in other parts of the UK. F our people have been stabbed to death in a spate of New Year's killings across London. Separate murder investigations have been launched by police, who believe the stabbings to be unrelated. Three of the victims were killed on New Year's Eve and a fourth in the early hours of New Year's Day, Scotland Yard said. A fifth victim is in a critical condition in hospital. The stabbings happened in north, east and south London and are not being treated as linked. Detectives investigating the killings, described as acts of "senseless violence", are appealing for information from the public. The first killing happened at around 11.30am. A teen, aged 18, died in hospital after being knifed in Larmans Road, Enfield. At 7.30pm in Memorial Avenue, West Ham, a 20-year-old man was fatally stabbed. At around 10.40pm, a third man aged just 17 died after being stabbed in Norwood Road, Tulse Hill. And in the early hours of January 1, at around 2.30am, a 20-year-old man was fatally stabbed in Bartholomew Court, Old Street. A second male, aged in his 20s, was taken to hospital suffering critical stab injuries. Outdoor gym made from seized and surrounded knives is offering young people a way out of gang culture Five males have been arrested in connection with the murder in Enfield. At this very early stage, there have been no arrests in the other three cases. Commander Neil Jerome, of the Met's Territorial Policing Command, said: "There were thousands of officers on duty across London yesterday and throughout the night, all determined to play their part in keeping the public safe. "I am grateful to Londoners and visitors to the capital who co-operated with police - both at major celebrations in Westminster and at thousands of organised and private events across London - to enable the vast majority of people to enjoy New Year's Eve. "However, there were small groups who chose to engage in disorder and violence, and whose actions have had utterly tragic consequences. "It is heart-breaking that, at a time when so many of us are contemplating what lies ahead in 2018, four families are dealing with the grief of losing a loved one to senseless violence and the callous use of knives as lethal weapons." He said police are working "tirelessly" to catch those responsible for "such despicable acts of violence" and said the Met is determined to tackle London's knife crime - especially among young people. Commander Jerome appealed for information on the attacks or about anyone who routinely carries a knife. "If you've hesitated to do so before, then these four tragic deaths at the start of a new year may persuade you to act now to make London safer for your family and friends in 2018," he said. S adiq Khan has condemned the horrific spate of stabbings and warned criminals face the full force of the law after four people were knifed to death in one night. The stabbings, which all occurred within hours of each other as most people were enjoying New Years festivities, are not believed to be connected. Four people were killed in the violence, which happened in south, east and north London, and a fifth is in a critical condition in hospital. In a statement issued following the police appeal, Mr Khan said his thoughts were with the families of those killed. The Mayor said: "The police have today assured me that everything is being done to bring to justice those responsible for these appalling acts of violence. Stabbing: emergency services at the scene of one of the killings in Tulse Hill "The police were out in force helping people enjoy our city's fantastic celebrations last night, and I thank them. However, it is horrific that knife crime has claimed another four young lives as the New Year begins. "We will work tirelessly in 2018 and beyond to stamp out this scourge. "I want to be absolutely clear - if you use a knife the full force of the law will be brought down on you. You will be caught and prosecuted." At his last Mayor's Question Time, Mr Khan had said: "Every death on the streets of London is an utter tragedy and I'm deeply concerned about the rise in knife crime. "I am supporting the delivery of community-led solutions and delivering interventions at critical points to offer real opportunities to exit offending behaviour as well as coming down hard on those who habitually carry knives." Three of the victims were killed on New Year's Eve and a fourth in the early hours of New Year's Day, Scotland Yard said. Detectives investigating the killings, described as acts of "senseless violence", are appealing for information from the public. The first killing happened at around 11.30am. A teen, aged 18, died in hospital after being knifed in Larmans Road, Enfield. At 7.30pm in Memorial Avenue, West Ham, a 20-year-old man was fatally stabbed. At around 10.40pm, a third man aged just 17 died after being stabbed in Norwood Road, Tulse Hill. And in the early hours of January 1, at around 2.30am, a 20-year-old man was fatally stabbed in Bartholomew Court, Old Street. A second male, aged in his 20s, was taken to hospital suffering critical stab injuries. Five males have been arrested in connection with the murder in Enfield. Commander Neil Jerome, of the Met's Territorial Policing Command, said: "It is heart-breaking that, at a time when so many of us are contemplating what lies ahead in 2018, four families are dealing with the grief of losing a loved one to senseless violence and the callous use of knives as lethal weapons." He said police are working "tirelessly" to catch those responsible for "such despicable acts of violence" and said the Met is determined to tackle London's knife crime - especially among young people. Commander Jerome appealed for information on the attacks or about anyone who routinely carries a knife. "If you've hesitated to do so before, then these four tragic deaths at the start of a new year may persuade you to act now to make London safer for your family and friends in 2018," he said. A ban on the sale of fur at one of Londons most historic markets could destroy the age-old livelihoods of traders, an expert said. The sale of new and vintage fur, any part of vulnerable, exotic and endangered species, bone horn shell or teeth are also included in the ban. Now, the chief executive of the British Fur Trade Association has hit out at the ban. Old Spitalfields Market rings in Christmas 2017 Mike Moser claimed that banning fur could lead to calls from ideological animal rights campaigners to protest against the sale of leather, silk and sheepskin from the capitals market stalls. Mr Moser called for clarity on the extent of the ban and said: I have seen very good quality fur for sale in Spitalfields, its expensive stuff. Its old, vintage fur. I dont think fur can solely be targeted, Im all for people expressing their opinion and Id fight for that but what you risk here are the questions are going to ban leather, silk, wool or sheepskin? This does pose a risk to peoples livelihoods. He added that the ban by markets and huge fashion labels such as Gucci, which pledged to go fur-free next Spring, could affect an age-old trade. Mr Moser added: Fur has been traded for thousands of years and what we have to remember here is this is a years and years old market. Fur is the first material we had contact with as humans. An argument for a ban by fashion companies, like Gucci, is sustainability but thats not a reason to ban fur, how can replacing natural material with synthetics be more sustainable? However, the announcement was hailed a victory for animal rights campaigners who called for fur to be banned at London Fashion Week in September. Director of Corporate Projects at animal rights group PETA Yvonne Taylor said: The British public is saying no to fur and Old Spitalfields Market has listened. Today's consumers want cruelty-free fashion and PETA urges those markets still peddling real fur of any era to follow in Old Spitalfields Market's footsteps so that they, too, can become shopping destinations fit for Britain in 2018. A spokeswoman for Old Spitalfields Market told the Standard: "Following a number of Facebook posts at the beginning of October, the owners of Old Spitalfields Market reviewed the position regarding the sale of animal fur by stall holders. E mergency services descended on an Islington street after reports of an illegal rave at a job centre. Police were called to the JobCentre Plus building on Elthorne Road, Archway, on New Year's Eve after reports of an unauthorised event. Eager crowds of ravers were dispersed and told to leave as police closed the venue and music equipment was seized. A teenager was injured after he attempted to climb across a roof to get into the rave. Eager ravers were dispersed by police (Twitter/999 London) / Twitter "Police were called to reports of disorder at the scene of an unlicensed music event at a JobCentre Plus building at Elthorne Road, Archway at around 9.30pm," a police statement said. "A number of police units attended and closed the venue and music equipment was seized. The illegal rave took place at a JobCentre plus building in Archway / Twitter "A 17-year-old male who attempted to enter the venue through a neighbouring rooftop fell through a skylight and was taken to an east London hospital. "His injuries are not life threatening." Police cleared the scene by 11.30 pm (Twitter/999 London) / Twitter The scene was cleared by around 11.30 pm. N ew Year's celebrations across the world have ushered in 2018 with dazzling fireworks displays and crowded streets. Crowds swamped the banks of the River Thames in London for the 12-minute display after Big Ben's bongs rung out across the capital at midnight, having been turned back on for the festive period. In Edinburgh, revellers braved blustery conditions to enjoy Hogmanay celebrations, after Storm Dylan earlier threatened to cause disruption. More than 100,000 ticket-holders watched London's New Year's Eve fireworks, which featured a soundtrack dominated by women to mark the centenary of women being granted the vote. Highlights from the 2017 New Year's Eve fireworks in London 1 /16 Highlights from the 2017 New Year's Eve fireworks in London Highlights from the 2017 New Year's Eve fireworks in London Highlights from the 2017 New Year's Eve fireworks in London Getty Images Highlights from the 2017 New Year's Eve fireworks in London Getty Images Highlights from the 2017 New Year's Eve fireworks in London Getty Images Highlights from the 2017 New Year's Eve fireworks in London PA Wire/PA Images Highlights from the 2017 New Year's Eve fireworks in London PA Highlights from the 2017 New Year's Eve fireworks in London Highlights from the 2017 New Year's Eve fireworks in London Highlights from the 2017 New Year's Eve fireworks in London Getty Images Highlights from the 2017 New Year's Eve fireworks in London Getty Images Highlights from the 2017 New Year's Eve fireworks in London Getty Images Highlights from the 2017 New Year's Eve fireworks in London PA Wire/PA Images Highlights from the 2017 New Year's Eve fireworks in London Getty Images Highlights from the 2017 New Year's Eve fireworks in London PA Wire/PA Images Highlights from the 2017 New Year's Eve fireworks in London PA Wire/PA Images Highlights from the 2017 New Year's Eve fireworks in London PA Wire/PA Images Songs by Aretha Franklin, Annie Lennox, Ariana Grande, Dua Lipa and Florence Welch were among those included in the women-only second half of the world-famous show. More than 10,000 fireworks lit up the capital's sky during that sold-out event, prompting huge cheers from the lively crowd. Scotland Yard confirmed fewer Metropolitan Police officers were working during this year's celebration, but security at the event appeared tight, with armed police on patrol and security barriers erected. Getty Images The huge event took place at the end of the year which saw London hit by four terror attacks. But those trying to get home from the fireworks have been warned to prepare for rail disruption due to strike action, including to services in and out of London Waterloo. Sadiq Khan praises the response of Londoners to a tough 2017 Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union on South Western Railway and CrossCountry walked out on Sunday for 24 hours in long-running disputes on issues including the role of guards on trains. Getty Images Andy Mellors, managing director of SWR, said spectators may face "long queues and crowded stations on the way home". Many cities across the world, including Tokyo, Dubai and Beijing, have already rung in 2018. Getty Images In Sydney, spectacular fireworks lit up the sky above Sydney Harbour in Australia, where an estimated 500,000 spectators gathered to watch the display. Police in London said they had "developed and reviewed" their plans in response to terror attacks throughout the year, working to protect spectators from nearly 100 countries who flocked to watch the night sky. London Mayor Sadiq Khan said he was looking forward to "a bright 2018" ahead of the celebrations, praising the work of the emergency services in dealing with incidents such as the Westminster attack and the Grenfell Tower disaster. He told Sky News: "I'm excited to see Big Ben bong twelve times to welcome in the New Year. The Torchlight Procession marking New Year in Edinburgh / PA Wire/PA Images "I want to say that the way our city has responded to these terror attacks and the awful, awful fire at Grenfell Tower makes me incredibly proud to be the mayor of this great city." A Met Police spokesman told the Standard: "New Year's Eve is a celebratory time for people, and we have been working hard with the organisers and event security team to ensure it's a safe and enjoyable evening. New Year fireworks around the world "The policing plan has been developed and reviewed following the tragic incidents that have occurred through the year. Whilst there is no specific threat to this event, we ask people to remain vigilant and report anything suspicious to an officer or event staff." Around the world, peoples of all nations welcomed the beginning of 2018. Tens of thousands of New Zealanders took to streets and beaches, watching as fireworks boomed and crackled above city centres and harbours, and party-goers sang, hugged, danced and kissed. Security measures were ramped up across Turkey, which was hit by a New Year's attack a year ago that killed dozens. In Istanbul alone, 37,000 officers were on duty, with multiple streets closed to traffic and large vehicles barred from entering certain districts. Several New Year's Eve street parties were canceled for security reasons. Many Japanese celebrated the arrival of the Year of the Dog in the traditional way of praying for peace and good fortune at neighborhood Shinto shrines, and eating New Year's food such as noodles, shrimp and sweet black beans. Barbecued beef and octopus dumpling stalls were out at Tokyo's Zojoji Temple, where people take turns striking the giant bell 108 times at midnight, an annual practice repeated at other Buddhist temples throughout Japan. A British woman has died after falling from her boat in an upmarket marina in Majorca. The body of Christina Marston, 43, was found in the water at Club de Mar in Palma after a four-hour search by divers and the Civil Guard on Saturday. Her husband reportedly raised the alarm when he awoke at 11am that day to find her missing. It is understood the couple, originally from Southampton, lived on the boat. A Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokesman said: "We are in contact with the family of a British woman who has died in Majorca, Spain, and will continue to provide support at this difficult time." P ope Francis has advised people to cast off life's "useless baggage" in 2018 and cautioned everybody to avoid the "banality of consumerism" and "empty chatter". The pontiff offered his reflections about the true meaning of life as he celebrated New Year's Day Mass in St Peter's Basilica. His recommended method for getting down to the essentials includes setting aside a moment of silence every day to be with God. He said doing so would help "keep our freedom from being corroded by the banality of consumerism, the blare of commercials, the stream of empty words and the overpowering waves of empty chatter and loud shouting". The Catholic leader recommended leaving behind "all sorts of useless baggage" to "rediscover what really matters". In December, Pope Francis commented on President Trumps recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and his announcement that he plans to relocate the US embassy there from Tel Aviv. B een missing big-budget thrillers on the BBC since The Night Manager ended? Us too. Luckily the broadcaster is looking to repeat the success of that high-stakes organised crime offering with a new drama centred around the Russian mafia - McMafia. Where last time we had Tom Hiddleston, who memorably stuffed his chances of being Bond thanks to a cringeworthy show-mance with Taylor Swift soon after, this time we have James Norton of Happy Valley and Grantchester fame. Heres everything you need to know about the new series. 1. It's being called James Nortons audition for Bond BBC WorldWide In the way that The Night Manager was widely considered to be Hiddlestons tryout for 007, McMafia is being tipped as Nortons demonstration that he has what it takes to embody the most famous of fictional British spies. While thats as yet unconfirmed, the actor certainly seems to have been taking the part seriously. Norton plays Alex Godman, the shows central player and revealed that he went full method when preparing for the role - even buying milk in character and training in the Russian martial art of systema so as to make his fight moves look extra convincing. I did this bizarre thing where I spent time as Alex doing really mundane stuff, such as buying milk or brushing my teeth, in his headspace with his demons, his conflicts, desires and passions, he told the BBC. 2. Its based on Misha Glennys book of the same name The story focuses on Alex Godman, the English-raised son of Russian exiles who has trying to escape the shadow of his familys mafia connections by building himself a legitimate business and life with his girlfriend Rebecca. Despite his efforts, you guessed it, his familys shady past returns to wreak havoc in the present, seeing Godman drawn further and further into the world of gang crime and violence he wanted so much to avoid. Glenny is a British journalist turned author, who specialises in organised crime and cybersecurity. BBC/Cuba/Nick Wall 3. It was shot in over a dozen countries The mafia knows no borders, so nor does McMafia. The thriller is a no-expense spared foray into the world of organised crime which means locations far and wide. Set mainly between London and Russia, theres also pitstops in Mumbai, Qatar, Croatia, Prague, Istanbul and Belgrade. 4. It starts on New Years Day Tensions between Cairo and Addis Ababa have risen recently to set alarm bells ringing. Ministers from Ethiopia and Egypt met on December 26 in an attempt to resolve a dispute over the Construction of Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). Once more the nations failed to reach an agreement on the burning problem. The issue of the Nile generated a great deal of friction between the two countries in recent months. The dam is 63 % complete to become the biggest hydro-electric plant in Africa. The cost is nearing $5-billion about 10% of Ethiopias GDP. 86 percent of the volume of Nile water originates from Ethiopia. The Nile provides over 90 per cent of Egypts water supply. It already receives the lions share of the Nile waters more than 55 billion of the around 88 billion cubic meters of water that flow down the river each year. Cairo fears the dam construction will cut into its water supply, destroying parts of its precious farmland and squeezing its population of 94 million people, who already face water shortages. According to political analyst Andrew Korybko, the dam would allow Ethiopia to control downstream Egypts access to this resource and thus place it in a strategically vulnerable position. Another source of disagreement is whether Ethiopia should be allowed to complete construction of the dam before the negotiations over ensuring water flows have finished. Egyptian officials say this would violate an agreement signed by all three countries in 2015 meant to ensure diplomatic cooperation. Egypt, which is almost totally reliant on the Nile for irrigation and drinking water, says it has historic rights to the Nile, guaranteed by treaties from 1929 and 1959. Cairo argues that the treaties grant it 87 percent of the rivers flow, as well as the power to veto upstream projects. After the Cairo trilateral talks regarding impact assessment of GERD between Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan failed in September of this year, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Egypts president, said the Nile was a matter of life and death for his country and that no one can touch Egypts share of the water. Ethiopia retorted that the dam was a matter of life and death for it too. Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan have yet to approve a May report on the social and environmental impacts of the dams construction on downstream countries Sudan and Egypt. Sudan realigns towards Ethiopia in this dispute and does it more broadly in a larger One Belt One Road context. Its high time Egypt pays what it owes and for Sudan to get its full share, said Ibrahim Ghandour, Sudanese Foreign Minister, in late November to make Egyptian media accuse Sudan of siding with Ethiopia on its row over the Nile. The Niles basin covers eleven countries: Tanzania and Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Ethiopia, Eritrea, South Sudan, Sudan and Egypt. The countries that share the river have been divided by the dispute over its waters for decades. Many times it has been predicted that the disagreements could eventually lead to an armed conflict. Tanzania, Kenia, Ruanda and Uganda and Burundi support Ethiopia pinning their hopes on cheap energy to be available after the dam is operational. Many other countries are also involved in the dispute. Secretary-General of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul Gheit, an Egyptian diplomat, transmitted a warning from the league to Ethiopia during the opening session of the fourth Arab Water Forum Nov. 26, saying, Water security for Egypt the biggest Arab country in terms of population is part and parcel of the Arab national security. Saudi Prince Khalid bin Sultan, the honorary president of the Arab Water Council, called for holding a water summit to face water piracy and terrorism. Water terrorism is as dangerous as any other kind of terrorism. We have to be armed with all methods to fight it he said emphasizing that a force is needed to prevent water extortion. Egypt wants to establish an international coalition for the downstream countries harmed by the dam projects conducted by upstream countries. The measure was proposed during the Arab Water Forum, which was organized by the Arab Water Council and held in Cairo on Nov. 26-28, under the umbrella of the Arab League. The construction of the Ethiopian dam is supported by Qatar one of the reasons Egypt joined the Saudi Arabia-led group of states that declared a boycott against Doha. Egypt has demonstrated its preparedness to go to war on a number of occasions. In the 1970s Ethiopia tried to establish projects in the Blue Nile without consultation with other fluvial states. Back then the Egyptian air force now has the capability to strike the dam at a distance of up to 1,500 kilometres, following the purchase of 24 Rafale fighter jets from France. The dam site is completely surrounded by Ethiopian anti-aircraft batteries ready for any attacking fighter jets. In 2013, Egyptian politicians inadvertently discussed sabotaging the dam in a live broadcast on state-owned television. In April, Sudanese newspapers quoted members of an Eritrean opposition group who suggested that Egypt had made a secret deal to open a new naval base on Nora Island in the Red Sea off the coast of Eritrea, Ethiopias northern neighbor. The move has angered Addis Ababa, even though Egyptian military has denied it. Ethiopia has invested into the project too much to roll it back. Egypt believes too much is at stake to make it take a tough stand opposing the construction. It will go to any length to prevent its completion. Diplomacy does not work. The possibility of conflict is high. Only urgent mediation from outside can prevent the worst. On Dec. 26, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry suggested to Ethiopia and Sudan that they all call in international experts to help settle the dispute. It provides some hope but it takes two to tango. The other side has not welcomed the initiative, at least not yet. While Syria, Iran and North Korea keep on grabbing headlines, dangerous conflicts may rather unexpectedly break out in Africa. A broad overview of Russias military capability in 2017 shows that the countrys reorganized and rearmed military is radically different from what it once was. The lessons have been learnt to make it much more efficient than the force that defended South Ossetia and Russian peacekeepers from Georgias attack in 2008. The armed forces are going through the period of transformation with sophisticated cutting-edge high-precision weapons given high priority. Addressing the Defense Ministry Board, Russian President Vladimir Putin said the new 2018-2027 State Armament Program puts special emphasis on equipping forces with high-precision air, land and sea weapons. 2017 was the year when the Russian military used sea-launched Kalibr, air-based Kh-101 and Iskander surface-to-surface missiles in Syria. The December 2017 board meeting was the first time the use of Iskander in Syria was admitted publicly. In 2017, the system entered service with the 152nd Guards Brigade stationed in the Kaliningrad region as a response to NATO beefing up forces near Russias border. Is Syria, Iskander was used to knock out high priority targets. Sufficient accuracy, range and reliability allow it to function as an alternative to air forces operating under the conditions enemys active countermeasures, including fighters and air defenses. The Iskander-M has a range of 500 km and achieves a circular error probable (CEP) of 57 meters. The ballistic missile travels at hypersonic speed of 21002600 m/s (Mach 67) at a height of 50 km and can be re-targeted during flight in case of engaging mobile targets. It needs only about 10 minutes to take position and fire. The systems range is enough to cover almost the entire territory of Syria. It can fire cruise missiles to hit stationary targets and ballistic missiles to knock out enemys high value assets on a battlefield. Iskander can strike long before an aircraft, which has to take off, overcome the distance and take position to launch its weapons. In 2017, it was announced that the Iskanders will replace the aging Tochka-U ballistic missile systems by 2020 as part of an ongoing refurbishment and improvement scheme. Last year, Russian military started to form and train special operations units of spotters used to provide coordinates to guide the Iskander-launched missiles as they streak toward the target. In Syria, spotters operate in the enemys rear. The Kh-101 stealth air-to-surface missile launched by Tu-95MS and Tu-160 strategic bombers has become a battle-proven weapon in 2017 used to achieve an overwhelming level of shock and awe against the adversary in Syria. The experience shows it is very reliable. The range is 5,000 km. Video evidence provided by drones confirms the fact that all the targets were hit directly. The missile was tested in 2015 and 2016 to be used as part of operational plans in 2017. In 2017, Kh-101 missiles destroyed the enemys infrastructure in Deir-ez-Zor. In July, the missiles destroyed three large arms and ammunition depots, and a terrorist command center near the city of Uqayribat in the province of Hama. The strike was delivered from the range of about 1,000 kilometers. The Syrian experience is used to develop a new cruise air-to-surface missile. Russias Tactical Missiles Corporation is working on the Article 715 or 9--2362. The missile is actually a smaller version of Kh-101 destined for the Tu-223 long-range bombers as well as the Su-34, Su-30, Su-35 and Su-57 tactical aircraft. Sea-based Kalibr missiles have been used since 2015. Its range exceeds 1,500km less than the range of the Kh-101. The strong point the missile can be installed on almost of types of ships. The Russian sailors call it calibration the ability to be adapted to various types of surface ships and submersibles. In 2017, it was announced that the Kalibr missiles will be installed on the new Steregushchiy-class corvettes (project 20380). At present, the ships of this class are armed with Kh-35U anti-ship missiles. The calibration process includes Leader, the new ice breaker, which is destined to break through ice up to 4.5 metres thick, and keep the Northern Sea Route and Arctic coast open all year round. This is very unusual something nobody else has done. Leader is not a warship but it will carry special containers with weapon systems, including anti-ship Kh-35 and Kalibr anti-ship missiles. As one can see, the Kalibr allows to have well-armed fleet at relatively small cost capable of striking surface and land targets from various platforms at thousands of miles away. 3M22 Zircon, a hypersonic cruise missile was going through testing in 2017, so it could enter in production this year as planned. It is capable of speeds of around Mach 5.0-Mach 6.0 (7,400 kilometer per hour (4,600 mile per hour). At a cruising altitude of 30,000 m its kinetic energy at impact is 50 times higher than existing air-ship and ship-to-ship missiles. The projectile can travel covering 155 miles in 2.5 minutes, which is faster than a sniper's bullet. The enemy will not have enough time to get scared, let alone react. The missile is expected to enter into production this year. 2017 will be remembered by the Russian military as the year of making great strides towards arming the military with high tech long-range precision guided conventional weapons. This is a qualitative leap to make the Russian military second to none. NUCLEAR, BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL WEAPONS January 1, 2018: A North Korean soldier who recently defected to South Korea was found to have Anthrax anti-bodies in his blood. This came at about the same time as rumors of North Korea planning to equip its long range ballistic missiles with warheads containing Anthrax. The reality is that Anthrax does not make a very effective biological weapon, but it is an easy one to obtain and hardy enough to survive delivery via ballistic missile. Moreover, Anthrax is not contagious but it does occur naturally in many parts of the world and many people acquire immunity by surviving exposure (not uncommon) or receiving a vaccination (less common). North Korea could not afford to vaccinate the entire population against Anthrax, or even all its troops. Only those assigned to guard facilities storing Anthrax filled bombs, shells or warheads, or manufacturing facilities would need the vaccination. If used in a combat zone troops moving into the contaminated area would need vaccination. What was not reported was any more details of the North Korean soldier with the Anthrax anti-bodies. That was done to prevent North Korea from figuring out what South Korea knew of their biological and radiological weapons programs. It is known that South Korea gives defectors thorough physical exams including world class analysis of blood and tissue samples. Over 30,000 North Korean have managed to reach South Korea, most of them in the last twenty years and all have been thoroughly examined. All South Korea will reveal is that the data has been very useful, not only in treating the defectors for the many infections and maladies they have, but also it getting idea of what, so to speak, is in the air, water and soil up there over time and where. One bit of information that was recently released involved recent defectors who showed signs of radiation poisoning. Since they came from the area where North Korea tests its nuclear weapons (underground) it indicates that rumors of massive radiation leaks are true. The Chinese certainly believed it and ran TV and print ads warning citizens near the border to get checked if they showed certain symptoms. There were also illustrations on how to clean oneself to avoid accumulating enough exposure to get infected. Meanwhile there was a North Korea biological weapon scare in 2015 when a PR video of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visiting a recently refurbished North Korean Pyongyang Biotechnical Institute became available. Western analysts noted in the background there were some industrial equipment for making large quantities of new biological agents. North Korea said it was doing some research on biological pesticides for some local crops. But that expensive equipment could make biological weapons like militarized Anthrax. North Korea denies that is the case but it was noted that sanctions never banned pesticides or medicine and North Korea could always have large quantities of some new pesticide made in China much more cheaply than doing it themselves. Then again, a lot of what North Korea does makes no economic sense and they keep doing it anyway. That is likely the case with this Anthrax scare. Then again, there is some danger. For thousands of years Anthrax was known as a livestock pest, regularly killing animals that grazed on land infested with Anthrax spores. The animals breathed in the spores as they pulled up grass and released the spores from the soil. Humans could get infected as well, usually by getting spores on a cut. This skin (cutaneous) form of Anthrax is fatal in up to 20 percent of the victims, depending on how potent the Anthrax strain was and how many spores got into the sore. People who worked with sheep's wool also got cutaneous Anthrax, as did those working with the hides of animals that grazed in areas containing Anthrax. In the 1970s, imported wool from an Anthrax area, improperly cleaned, infected a number of Americans. Anthrax has long been pitched as an effective bio-warfare weapon. Britain developed a military form of Anthrax during World War II. At the time it was seen as an effective weapon because the Germans didn't have antibiotics (only the Allies had this then-new medication that cured Anthrax infections). Since then, work has continued on militarized Anthrax, developing more potent strains (so less of it was needed to kill) and making Anthrax resistant to antibiotics (difficult to do, although current genetic engineering techniques make this easier to do if you have the qualified scientists and engineers). The major problem with Anthrax-as-a-weapon is delivering it. The spores, in their natural form, don't travel well in the air. "Militarizing" Anthrax consists of processing the spores so they don't clump together and thus can more easily float away in a breeze. But sunlight and heat can kill the spores, and even if they float through the air they can disperse so that anyone breathing them in will not get a fatal dose (10,000 to 50,000 spores). All this created the need for militarized Anthrax to be grown from more powerful strains. Naturally occurring Anthrax (which exists in most parts of the world) varies in its potency. Wealthier nations, like the United States, give animals in Anthrax ridden areas a vaccine that protects them. There have long been vaccines for humans as well, to protect farmers and veterinarians. Agricultural researchers have collected many strains of Anthrax, and the more potent ones are kept and cultured to provide material to test new vaccines. Even the most potent militarized Anthrax isn't that powerful. We know this from a military Anthrax accident in 1979. A Russian biological warfare plant outside the city of Sverdlosk accidentally released some militarized Anthrax. Thousands of people in the area were infected. But fewer than a hundred died. What was particularly discouraging to Russian military bioweapon scientists was that only one of the dead was of military age and he was already ill from other ailments. All of those that died from the Anthrax were old and usually sick. All the victims had weakened immune systems. Many had lung ailments. The Russians initially denied that there was an accident and did not treat the locals for Anthrax. Later they said the deaths were caused by people eating meat infected with Anthrax (a common way for people to die from Anthrax). It was only after the Soviet Union fell apart that Western researchers were able to get into the area and interview survivors and discover that people with normal immune systems were able to fight off an Anthrax infection. In mid-2016 there was another outbreak of Anthrax in northern Siberia. This one made at least 40 people sick but so far none have died. What is unusual about this outbreak is that it was apparently caused by dead reindeer from the last outbreak in the area, back in 1968. Whats the connection? Most of the victims in 1968 were reindeer and many froze during an early freeze, before they could decompose. These corpses were buried in ground that is normally frozen year round (permafrost) and only thaws every few decades (or longer) when another incidence of unusually warm weather occurred. In 2016 it was hot enough long enough (35 degrees C/96 Fahrenheit) to defrost some of the reindeer and reactivate the Anthrax. This is a reminder that Anthrax still remains a favorite deliberate, or accidently, biological weapon. Anthrax outbreaks are not common in Siberia and Central Asia but they do occur every few years. During mid-2012 a rural area of southern Siberia had an Anthrax outbreak in which several people were infected and one of them died. Further south in there was an outbreak 20 kilometers from a Russian airbase in Kyrgyzstan. Anthrax is a bacteria and some people and animals can fight off infections and even develop an immunity. But there are usually some fatalities during a major outbreak and Russian troops in Kyrgyzstan are unlikely to have any natural immunity. Russia leases space at the Kant Airbase in Kyrgyzstan and reported that it had disinfected many areas of the base and vaccinated personnel against Anthrax. Kyrgyzstan public health officials admitted that there had been numerous people infected in the area. The Kant Airbase incident brought back memories of Russian efforts to militarize (weaponize) Anthrax during the Cold War. Back then, when Kyrgyzstan was part of Russia (then called the Soviet Union) it was believed that weaponized Anthrax was tested in remote areas like Kyrgyzstan. But the Anthrax threat, as a biological weapon, turned out to be greatly exaggerated. The 2001 Anthrax attacks in the United States, delivered by letter, killed one and infected less than a dozen others. A form of natural Anthrax was used. More will die and get ill but not from Anthrax. Millions of people are taking powerful antibiotics just in case they were infected. This massive use of antibiotics will cause other bacteria to become resistant to antibiotics and the resulting "super bugs" will kill a lot of people (a trend that has been noted over the last decade or so). The problem with Anthrax as a weapon is that you have to use it in secret and get a lot of people to breathe in the spores. While the less lethal cutaneous form announces itself with an ugly sore (which can then be treated with antibiotics), the pulmonary (breathed in) form announces itself with flu like symptoms a few days after the infection. By then it is too late and death almost always follows. But if you know you have breathed it in (and a test can confirm this), you can be treated with antibiotics. So far, Anthrax has not really made the jump from livestock pest to biological warfare weapon. ATO 'Making Systems More Resilient' After Outages by Mary Swire, Tax-News.com, Hong Kong 01 January 2018 The Australian Taxation Office has hailed the "strong progress" made in ensuring the performance standard of its IT systems, following a series of outages earlier this year. The ATO suffered major system outages in December 2016 and February 2017, caused by multiple failures on its primary Storage Area Network (SAN). In June, the ATO confirmed that the storage system had been rebuilt. The ATO released its own report into the outages in June. It also commissioned professional services firm PwC to investigate the causes and impact of the system failures. The PwC report has now been released in full. It confirmed that the disruption was caused by "multiple component failures on the data storage system." The SAN was unable to "auto recover" from these component failures and to provide read/write services to the applications and services it supported. This led to a significant outage, PwC said. PwC added that the ATO was then unable to restore services, due to a previously unknown issue with one of the SAN components, and because aspects of the SAN design and build adopted by the service provider had made the SAN less resilient in the face of potential technical failures. However, PwC did note that "the absence of definitive evidence on the specific conditions (or combination of conditions) that led to technical failures means that a level of residual risk still exists." It made a number of recommendations designed to minimize the risk of a recurrence of the issues experienced, including the replacement of the existing infrastructure with a new SAN. The ATO said that it is "well-advanced in implementing the recommendations of both reports, including fixing irritants and enhancing systems performance, refreshing the tax and BAS Agent Portal to better meet the needs of the tax profession, and improving our IT design and governance." The ATO added that it will "build on this progress in 2018 to provide a better experience for all taxpayers, tax and super professionals, and digital service providers who use our systems." Canadian Gov't Promotes Small Business Tax Cut by Mike Godfrey, Tax-News.com, Washington 01 January 2018 The upcoming 0.5 percent cut to the Canadian small business tax rate will save SMEs up to CAD7,500 (USD5,699) in federal taxes a year, the Finance Department has said. The Government has proposed reducing the small business corporate tax rate from 10.5 percent to 10 percent, effective January 1, 2018. This is intended as a first step toward lowering the rate to nine percent in 2019. According to the Finance Department, as a result of these cuts, Canada's combined federal-provincial-territorial average tax rate for small business will be the lowest in the G7 and fourth lowest among OECD countries. The Government hopes that, as a result of the rate cut, entrepreneurs will be able to retain more of their earnings to reinvest, grow their businesses, and support job creation. Finance Minister Bill Morneau said: "Over the last two years Canada's economy has created nearly 600,000 jobs and today we lead the G7 in growth. Our ambitious plan to help strengthen the middle class is having a real and positive impact for families and the job creators who support communities from coast to coast to coast." "In 2018, we are doubling down on that plan, by cutting taxes for small businesses and keeping them low for middle-class families." The Liberal Government announced its intention to lower the rate in October, in the wake of a controversial consultation on proposed changes to tax planning rules used by private corporations. The Government was accused of unfairly targeting small businesses. The small business tax rate was last cut by the Conservative government in its 2015 Budget. Effective January 2016, the rate reduced from 11 percent to 10.5 percent. The Conservatives had planned to reduce the rate by 0.5 percent each year, until it reached nine percent in 2019. The Liberals pledged at the 2015 election to reduce the rate to nine percent, but their 2016 Budget deferred any further reductions. Hong Kong Gazettes BEPS, Profits Tax Bills by Mary Swire, Tax-News.com, Hong Kong 01 January 2018 Hong Kong published two bills in its Official Gazette on December 29 to introduce provisions to counter base erosion and profit shifting and to alter its business tax regime. The bills are to be tabled before the Legislative Council on January 10, 2018, and must pass through three readings before they will be enacted. The base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS) changes will involve an update to the territory's transfer pricing framework and the implementation of the BEPS minimum standards. In implementing the minimum standards, agreed as part of the OECD's BEPS project, territories agree to remove any harmful tax provisions from their domestic tax regimes, amend their tax treaty rules to prevent treaty abuse, implement country-by-country reporting rules and exchange these reports with other countries, and work together to improve cross-border tax dispute resolution mechanisms. The changes to the profits tax regime provided in the second bill will involve a cut to the profits tax rate for the first HKD2m (USD256,000) of profits of corporations to 8.25 percent. Profits above that amount will continue to be subject to the tax rate of 16.5 percent. For unincorporated businesses which are mostly partnerships and sole proprietorships, the two-tiered tax rates will correspondingly be set at 7.5 percent and 15 percent. A tax-paying corporation or unincorporated business may save up to HKD165,000 and HKD150,000 each year, respectively, the Government says. Hungary Introduces Cut-Rate VAT For Internet Access by Ulrika Lomas, Tax-News.com, Brussels 01 January 2018 Hungary has gone ahead with plans to cut the value-added tax rate on internet access services to five percent. The move comes despite the fact that the measure could be in breach of EU law, given that such services are not included in Annex III of the EU VAT Directive, which sets out a restrictive list of those goods and services that may be subject to a VAT reduced rate. The change to Hungary's value-added tax regime in this respect was announced in Hungary's 2017 Budget, in which Hungary announced that it would cut the VAT rate on such services to 18 percent from 27 percent. Despite unofficial calls from the EU tax commissioner Pierre Moscovici for Hungary to hold off on the changes, the country has proceeded regardless. Concurrently it has pushed for the inclusion of internet access services to be included in Annex III of the EU VAT Directive as part of the Commission's ongoing proposal to allow a reduced rate of VAT for certain digital supplies such as for e-books. Latvia Introduces Reduced VAT For Fruit, Vegetables by Ulrika Lomas, Tax-News.com, Brussels 01 January 2018 Latvia introduced a reduced rate of value-added tax on certain locally grown fruit, berries, and vegetables on January 1. A five percent rate is newly in place, instead of the 21 percent rate on all other foodstuffs but baby food, which is subject to a 12 percent rate. Several political parties had proposed a reduction for a broader range of goods. However, proposals to reduce VAT on bread, fresh meat, milk products, and fish were rejected, as was a proposal to establish a higher VAT rate for unhealthy food. Latvia also lowered its value-added tax registration threshold on January 1, 2018, from EUR50,000 to EUR40,000 (USD47,060). Seychelles Approves Tax Law Changes by Lorys Charalambous, Tax-News.com, Cyprus 01 January 2018 At an extraordinary meeting of the Seychelles Cabinet in December, a number of legal and tax policy proposals were approved, continuing the jurisdiction's progress in reforming its tax regime and bolstering its economy. According to a Ministry of Finance statement released following the meeting: "Cabinet approved policies relating to the Progressive Income Tax Law. The aim of these policies are to simplify income tax collection. Cabinet also approved the amendment to the Excise Tax Bill. The amendments would harmonize the categories of business and persons entitled to fuel concessions under the Excise Tax Act 2009." Administrative changes were also approved to the Seychelles Revenue Commission Act and the Customs Management Bill to allow for the renaming of certain posts, and to allow for the creation of a Revenue Commission Board. Then, on December 13, the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved a new Policy Coordination Instrument (PCI) for Seychelles. The three-year arrangement with the IMF will allow the Government of the Seychelles to receive intensive support with regard to developing and implementing pro-growth economic policies. In a previous review of the economy, concluded in October 2017, the IMF had observed that while the Seychelles has made "remarkable progress" on strengthening its economy and finances, it "...still faces vulnerabilities and pressures, as a small island economy in a challenging global economic environment." Switzerland Introduces Landmark VAT Changes by Ulrika Lomas, Tax-News.com, Brussels 01 January 2018 Switzerland introduced numerous significant changes to its value-added tax rules on January 1, including measures aimed at leveling the playing field for domestic businesses in competition with overseas, online retailers. Under the changes, a company's global turnover will now be taken into account when calculating its liability to VAT. Companies with a global turnover of at least CHF100,000 will be liable to VAT from the first franc of turnover in Switzerland. Before the change, a foreign company providing services in Switzerland did not have to pay VAT on Swiss turnover up to a CHF100,000 (USD103,726) threshold. This led to competitive disadvantages for Swiss businesses, especially in the border regions. The change will be introduced a year later for mail-order businesses, to allow Swiss Post more time to implement the necessary systems. From 2019, mail-order companies will be liable to VAT if their annual turnover from import-tax-free small consignments is at least CHF100,000. These companies will be required to bill customers for VAT and customers will no longer have to pay the taxes and fees levied by Customs upon importation. On January 1, 2018, Switzerland also introduced a reduced rate of VAT for electronic newspapers, magazines, and books, and margin taxation for collectors' items. It also cut the headline rate to 7.7 percent. United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia Introduce Value-Added Tax by Lorys Charalambous, Tax-News.com, Cyprus 01 January 2018 Having introduced value-added tax on January 1, 2018, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia became the first two states of the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council grouping to follow through on the bloc's commitment to introduce a harmonized value-added tax. In the UAE, the VAT must now be administered by businesses whose taxable supplies exceeded the mandatory registration threshold of AED375,000 (USD102,000) in the past twelve months. Businesses that were not yet required to register but whose supplies will exceed this threshold within a period of 30 days must register. Taxpayers are allowed to register voluntarily if the total value of their taxable supplies exceeded AED187,500 in the past twelve months, or if the business expects its turnover to exceed that threshold within the next 30 days. The mandatory registration threshold is SAR1m (USD266,667) in Saudi Arabia. The deadline for registration expired on December 20, 2017. Although GCC member states are afforded some flexibility on what goods and services may be subject to zero rated or exempt treatment, both regimes feature a five percent headline rate and concessionary treatment, in line with international norms, for certain transport, financial services, real estate, education, and healthcare goods and services. Guidance on the particulars of the respective regimes has been released by Saudi Arabia's General Authority of Zakat and Tax (GAZT) and the UAE's Federal Tax Authority. The other GCC states are Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, and Qatar. Although they committed at GCC level to introduce VAT, none of the remaining states has announced a timeline for introducing the levy. President Maduro's delegation seeks the devolution of 31 tons of gold bars held in the United Kingdom and US$8 billion in frozen funds. | Read More 2 Officers Shot on New Years at Tennessee Club, Say Officials Two police officers and a civilian were shot during a party at a Tennessee club on Monday morning, officials said. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said in a news release that shots were fired at a club in Newbern, Tennessee, causing the injuries. The incident took place at Douglas Cafe, also known as Bettys, the release said. The officers were responding to a disturbance call when the shots rang out. When officers arrived at the scene, shots were being fired, and the two officers were shot, as well as another individual at that location. Both officers and the civilian have been transported to Regional One Medical Center in Memphis for treatment. Their specific conditions are not available at this time, the news release stated. No suspects were named in the shooting. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said it is responding to the scene to collect evidence and document the scene, adding that agents will investigate. Tennessee Gunfire: 2 Police Officers Shot, Suspect Arrested https://t.co/aaxB2MNhSd And so it begins. Shocking news two officers Vera shot. Thank God There r injury es are not life threatening. We shine them a speedy recovery. #blesstheblue #irishangel Blue Irish Angel (@BlueIrishAngel) January 1, 2018 The State Gazette reported that officers Alex Martin and Cranston Fisk were injured in the shooting. Both are in stable condition as of Monday morning. Two suspects reportedly remain at large. Officers Alex Martin and Cranston Fisk showed great bravery and courage in the face of these horrific events. Their willingness to serve helped to protect the well being and lives of many individuals, said Mayor Justin Wright. I would also like to thank the Dyer County Sheriffs Office, Tennessee Highway Patrol, and the TBI for the support they have provided in this difficult time. Our thoughts and continued prayers are with our officers and their families. Newbern is located about 90 miles north-northeast of Memphis. Boiling water turns to snow 4 People Found Shot Dead in NJ Home; 16-Year-Old Arrested Officials in Monmouth County said a 16-year-old is in custody after his parents, sister, and a family friend were found shot and killed inside a Long Branch, New Jersey, home. Prosecutor Chris Gramiccioni told The Associated Press that the teen is expected to face four counts of murder in the shooting deaths. The victims were identified as 44-year-old Steven Kologi and 42-year-old Linda Kologi. His 18-year-old sister, Brittany, and 70-year-old family friend, Mary Schultz, were also found dead. MCPO running an ongoing homicide investigation with 4 dead in Long Branch. No threat to the public as it is believed to be an isolated domestic incident. More to follow stay tuned. Monmouth Prosecutor (@MonCoProsecutor) January 1, 2018 Police responded to a 911 call of shots fired at the residence at 11:30 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017. A teenager was taken into custody without incident, Gramiccioni stated. The teens grandfather and brother werent targeted and left the home, CBS reported. The home was left unharmed, the prosecutor said. Charges against the teen are being filed, AP reported. UPDATE: Video of the Long Branch shooting scene. pic.twitter.com/TVJDTn7Da7 The Lakewood Scoop (@LakewoodScoop) January 1, 2018 NBC New York reported that officials recovered a semi-automatic rifle at the house. The gun was legally owned and registered to the address when the incident unfolded. A motive for the shooting was not detailed. Those with information about the case are asked to call Detective Andrea Tozzi, of the Monmouth County Prosecutors Office at 800-533-7443, or Detective Michael Verdadiero of the Long Branch Police Department at 732-222-1000. 2017 Year in Review After Family Spends Christmas Searching for Father, His Body Is Found The body of a missing Vancouver, Washington, man, James Rennells, was discovered near a park after his family spent Christmas searching for him. Rennells, 41, had not been seen since Dec. 22, prompting Vancouver police to ask the public for help. He was last seen at work around Leverich Park, police said, adding thats where his car was found, KATU reported. A search crew discovered his body Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2017, hiding in bushes. His fiancee, Kashala Wilkinson, spoke to the man right before his disappearance, saying that their 7-month-old daughter suffers from heart problems. Im just in shock right now. I dont know how to feel. Our baby needs him, she said, reported Dearly.com. I love him and I miss him. I wish he was here, and I wish I could say goodbye, she said. His cause of death is not clear. Rennellss sister, Janice Kreier, added to KATU: Its the hardest thing Ive ever been through in my life. Its like someone took the breath from my chest. Friends of the family set up a GoFundMe, saying that he had provided all the financial means to his fiancee Kashala and daughter Jessie Mae. It added that the outcome is beyond explanation. On Dec. 30, hundreds of people mourned Rennellss passing at a vigil, The Columbian reported. I just dont understand it, Rennellss father, Dan Rennells, told the publication. There was no reason for him to be out here that we can conceive. His father said that it appears that Rennells died of hypothermia. As a recovering addict, Rennells was active in his addiction recovery group, his sister told the Columbian. He meant the world to me. No matter what, he was always there for me and my other brothers that are my sponsee brothers. He worked the steps. He did what he is supposed to do. He took care of his family. He was there for his baby, a man, who said that he was his sponsor, told the crowd. But the bottom line is that hes with God and thats what counts. Im glad they are finally getting the word out about James Michael Rennells, all of this is heartbreaking. I am hoping for the best outcome with this messed up situation. I hope he makes its home to his daughter. Im praying for you jimmy, this hasnt left my mind since i heard. pic.twitter.com/kxdkaiMiuj auty (@AutymnNowik12) December 26, 2017 PLEASE RT: 41-year-old James Rennells was last seen Dec. 22, car found at Leverich Park in Vancouver https://t.co/NaLt3YaSlF Portland Now (@TopPortlandNow) December 25, 2017 2017 Year in Review A procession of police vehicles escorts the hearse carrying the body of a deputy killed in a domestic disturbance where multiple deputies and civilians were shot in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, on Dec. 31, 2017. (REUTERS/Rick Wilking) Colorado Police Shooting: Details Revealed on Suspect Officials in suburban Denver are now investigating why a 37-year-old man fired more than 100 rounds at sheriffs deputies on Sunday, killing one and wounding four others. Matthew Riehl was identified as the suspect in the case. A YouTube user with the name Matthew Riehl posted a YouTube video on Dec. 13, saying that he wanted to replace Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock, CBS News reported, adding that he criticized the sheriff and officers in profane terms. Riehl was an Army veteran who served briefly in Iraq, according to Fox 31 Denver. In the video, hes seen wearing an Iraq combat hat. You know whos going flub big time next election, Spurlock, Riehl said in a video called, Fire Sheriff Spurlock. Riehl was killed in the incident, according to the Douglas County coroner. Douglas County Coroner confirms shooting suspect in #CopperCanyonOIS as Matthew Riehl DOB 9/09/80 (pictured). Investigation still ongoing and being investigated by @DA18th Critical Response Team. pic.twitter.com/H6wT0klSQv DC Sheriff (@dcsheriff) January 1, 2018 Officials left the home in response to a verbal disturbance involving two people, the sheriffs office stated. The suspect, according to officials, was acting bizarre and might be having a mental breakdown, the report said. The officers left the scene because no crime was committed, Reuters reported. Deputies were called back, and a man gave them a key to enter the home and left again before shots were fired. The suspect was just making a ton of noise and annoying everyone around him, Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock said. The suspect then opened fire very, very quickly, and deputies were shot after they tried talking to the suspect, who was inside a bedroom, the sheriff said. It was not immediately clear why the incident had escalated, Spurlock said, Reuters reported. He described it as an ambush-type attack. They all went down almost within seconds of each other, so it was more of an ambush-type of attack on our officers, Spurlock said. He knew we were coming and we obviously let him know that we were there. Deputy Zackari Parrish, 29, was killed in the shooting. Parrish, who was married with two young children, had joined the force seven months earlier, Reuters reported. When he was shot and went down, the other officers went down right around him and they tried to pull him out, but were unable to because of their injuries, Spurlock said. At about 7 a.m., a SWAT team entered the apartment and more shots were exchanged. Riehl was killed and a fourth officer was wounded. All told, Riehl fired more than 100 rounds before he was shot by police. The injured officers were identified as Mike Doyle, 28; Taylor Davis, 30; Jeffrey Pelle, 32, and Tom ODonnell, 31. They were taken to the hospital in stable condition. Pelle, who had emergency surgery, is the son of Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle, according to an online statement from the family. The identities of the two injured civilians were not immediately disclosed, but Spurlock said he believed they are residents from other apartments. Their injuries were not life-threatening, he said. The housing complex in an affluent suburban community near Littleton is described on its website as one of the friendliest apartments in the area. Reuters contributed to this report. Melania Trumps First Year as First Lady [/epoch_video] North Koreans listen to a television broadcast of a statement by communist dictator Kim Jong-Un, in Pyongyang, North Korea, on Sept. 22, 2017. (ED JONES/AFP/Getty Images) Dictator Kim Jong Un Claims He Has Nuclear Button on His Desk, Able to Strike America North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un said in his new years speech that he has a nuclear button on his desk and that the entire United States is within the range of its nuclear weapons. The threat comes after decades of failed U.S. policy that has been unable to prevent the communist regime from developing its nuclear weapons. The entire United States is within range of our nuclear weapons, and a nuclear button is always on my desk, Kim said in his speech. No matter how much America wants to attack us with their military might and nuclear power, they know that now we possess such great nuclear power and therefore they will not dare. U.S. government officials have not yet publicly confirmed whether North Korea is now in possession of working nuclear weapons that can reach the United States. The big remaining obstacle facing the communist regime is developing a warhead that can survive re-entry. However, in October, CIA Director Mike Pompeo said that North Korea was just months away from perfecting its nuclear capabilities. Also, following North Koreas latest launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in November, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said that North Korea now has the ability to reach any place in the world with its missiles. A picture released by North Korean state media showing dictator Kim Jong-un standing next to what appears to be a miniaturized version of a nuclear bomb. (STR/AFP/Getty Images) Since coming to office in January last year, President Donald Trump has tried to find a diplomatic solution to the North Korea threat. Simultaneously he has increased Americas military presence in the region and ordered his top military officials to prepare a range of military options. While the United States is far superior militarily, a conflict with North Korea has the potential to cause hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of deaths. This is something Trump has been trying to avoid all along. I have been soft on China because the only thing more important to me than trade is war, Trump said in an interview with The New York Times last week. Trump has pressured both Chinas Xi Jinping and Russias Vladimir Putin to increase sanctions on North Korea. But despite two U.N. Security Council Sanctions that limit the oil that can be sold to North Korea, both Chinese and Russian ships have been spotted illegally supplying North Korea with oil. The transfers were reportedly conducted at sea where the oil was transferred from Chinese and Russian vessels to North Korean ones. Trump called out China, saying that it had been caught red-handed sending the oil. It is unclear whether the Chinese and Russian governments were involved in the transfers, or whether they were conducted by rogue smugglers. Both China and Russia have denied the transfers. Decades of Inaction Despite North Korea having pursued nuclear weapons for decades, it has been able to fool U.S. administrations into making deals with it that it later broke. In 1994, then-President Bill Clinton reached a deal with North Korea which would see the regime abandon its nuclear weapons program in exchange for financial and material aid. Under the agreement, South Korea, Japan, and other nations provided two light nuclear reactors to North Korea, costing close to $4 billion, in addition to other forms of aid. Bill Clinton said at the time, This is a good deal for the United States. North Korea will freeze and then dismantle its nuclear program. South Korea and our other allies will be better protected. The entire world will be safer as we slow the spread of nuclear weapons. The program failed, however. North Korea accepted the aid, but continued developing nuclear weapons. President George W. Bush initially took a hard line, famously naming North Korea as part of an axis of evil with Iraq and Iran. He then engaged in six-party talks with the rogue regime, resulting in offers of aid in exchange for North Korea giving up its nuclear program. Throughout the talks, North Korea continued its nuclear program, and in 2006 conducted its first nuclear test. In 2007, North Korea again accepted aid in exchange for disabling its nuclear program. Again, the regime did not keep its end of the bargain. Under former President Barack Obama, multiple attempts to reach out to North Korea in an attempt to slow or halt its nuclear weapons program failed. Given North Koreas rapid development of its nuclear weapons program in 2017, it appears the threat had been downplayed by Obama and his administration. A leaked assessment by U.S. intelligence officials in July this year showed that North Korea had already successfully produced a miniaturized nuclear warhead that can fit on a missile. President Trump has demanded the complete denuclearization of North Korea as the solution to the crisis. 2017 Year in Review Driver Overdoses and Crashes Car into Pennsylvania Home, Killing Family Dog A driver overdosed and crashed his vehicle into a Bucks County, Pennsylvania, home and injured a man and killed a family pet, according to police. The driver of a red Honda Civic was unconscious when he left the road, hit a tree stump, went airborne, hit a fence, and then smashed into the glass doors of a home on Gun Road in Levittown, 6ABC reported. A man in the house was sitting near the door when it flew on top of him and hit him in the head, officials said. The mans wife ran across to a neighbor for help. The neighbor helped get the door off the man, and he was taken to a nearby hospital, officials told 6ABC. I just ran across the street and she was more concerned about her husband Mr. Jim, said neighbor Vincent Gonzalez. He was bleeding from the head and the young man who was in the car was still in the car unconscious. Apparently he was sitting in a La-Z-Boy chair right behind the door when the car came in, said Bristol Township Police Sgt. Tom Gaffney of the scene. He had a head laceration and was bleeding pretty profusely. The familys yellow Labrador retriever escaped from the home during the crash. It was then hit by another car. The driver of that car left the scene of the accident, officials said. Its just adding insult to injury. Theyre hurt. Theyre propertys hurt. They were doing nothing wrong. And on top of all that, they lose their pet. How much worse can it get for them? asked Gaffney, according to the ABC affiliate. The driver of the car that crashed into the home was revived with the opioid-reversal agent Narcan. He was taken to a nearby hospital. Officials said, however, that hell likely face a number of other charges. According to Drugabuse.gov, Naloxone, or Narcan, is a medication designed to rapidly reverse opioid overdose. It is an opioid antagonistmeaning that it binds to opioid receptors and can reverse and block the effects of other opioids. It can very quickly restore normal respiration to a person whose breathing has slowed or stopped as a result of overdosing with heroin or prescription opioid pain medications. And a report from HHS.gov said that in 2015, 12.5 million people in the United States misused prescription opioids, 33,000 died from overdosing on opioids, 12,989 died from heroin overdoses, and 15,281 died from overdosing on commonly prescribed opioids. Melania Trumps First Year as First Lady [/epoch_video] First New York City Baby Born in 2018 After 30-Hour Labor The very first baby born in 2018 in New York City was identified as Ariana, born in Flushing, Queens, at 12:01 a.m. The 25-year-old mother, Tania Shirin, gave birth to the 4-pound, 11.5-ounce, 18 inch-long girl, officials told the New York Daily News. A spokesman for the hospital, Dr. Andrew Rubin, said the mom and child are doing fine, the Daily News reported. Its an absolute thrill to have the honor of being the hospital where the first baby of the new year is born, he said. Its the second year in a row for the hospital. The family, however, said that the pregnancy was fraught with difficulty. Ariana stopped growing more than a week before her Jan. 10 due date. Her labor also lasted 30 hours. First baby of 2018 born at Flushing Hospital in Queens https://t.co/J4IWUwvjX6 #itsinqueens Christopher Donovan (@dailynewschris) January 1, 2018 The doctor said to come to the hospital immediately or she would [lose] her child [I] was so worried, new father Imran Nazir, 28, told the New York Post. This is my miracle baby. This is my blessed baby, said Nazir, who is a taxi driver and student at York College. Hes originally from Bangladesh. Praise the Almighty. I cried [when I first saw her] I saw her little fingers, I felt very happy. She was in so much pain she told me, I am going to die. I cant tolerate the pain. Forgive me, Nazir told the newspaper about the delivery. She was so tired because it had been almost 30 hours. She didnt sleep, she did not eat. She lost her voice. Nazir said that they celebrated with the staff after the birth. It was a big celebration. Not only the doctors and nurses shouting but all the staff, they came, we clapped. We all celebrated we felt so amazed. We felt special, Nazir said. I was crying but Im so happy now, said the mother. Im feeling very excited for my first baby, my New Years baby, Shirin added. It comes hours after a Guam couple welcomed the first baby in the United States in 2018. Guam Couple Welcomes First U.S. Baby of 2018, Joining Other New Year's Babies Born Worldwide https://t.co/IZA5bUUb4i People Babies (@PEOPLEbabies) January 1, 2018 And in Auckland, New Zealand, a couple is believed to have given birth to the first baby born 2018named Rex. Baby Rex was born one minute past midnight on Jan. 1, 2018, according to Stuff.co.nz. Auckland is the first major city in the world to celebrate the New Year. It doesnt appear that there were any babies born on Samoa, Tonga, Kiritimati, or on any other Pacific islands. Meanwhile, there have been no reports so far of any other babies born in New Zealand before Rex. Ena and Chien Lu, both 32, the parents, were beaming. Everyone was saying that there was a good chance that he was the first but we dont know for sure, yet, Ena told the news website. Its a bit surreal. When he came out it was just magical, she added. Hes actually a really good baby, when he came out he was really loud, but once I fed him he went to sleep and now hes been asleep for four hours. So I got some decent sleep. Recommended Video: New Years Parties Thousands of Years in the Making A giant clock counts down the seconds to midnight on Dec. 31, 2017, in London (Yann Caradec/Flickr) Four Die in Separate New Year Stabbings in London Four young men were stabbed to death in London over the New Year in separate incidents that reflect the capitals growing struggle with knife crime. London police say that four separate murder investigations are underway. The victims were aged between 17 and 20, fitting the pattern of increasing numbers of young victims of knife crime in the capital. These latest deaths bring the number of teenagers stabbed to death in 2017 in the capital to 20, the highest in a decade, and nearly double the 12 recorded in 2016. According to a statement by the Metropolitan police, the stabbings all occurred between the evening of Dec. 31, 2017, and the morning of Jan. 1, 2018. Police believe one of the stabbings, in Tulse Hill, South London, may have been sparked by an altercation on the local number 68 bus, which resulted in a 17-year-old male dying from a single stab wound. Fight that led to fatal stabbing of teen in Tulse Hill may have started on a bus, police have saidhttps://t.co/XenkUueIMv Croydon Advertiser (@CroydonAd) January 1, 2018 Police have arrested five males in relation to the murder of an 18-year-old, which occurred at 11:30 pm in Enfield, North London. There have been no arrests in relation to the other murders, which occurred in South and East London. Commander Neil Jerome, of the Mets Territorial Policing Command, said the following in the statement: It is heart-breaking that, at a time when so many of us are contemplating what lies ahead in 2018, four families are dealing with the grief of losing a loved one to senseless violence and the callous use of knives as lethal weapons. There were small groups who chose to engage in disorder and violence, and whose actions have had utterly tragic consequences, he said. According to the Evening Standard, national statistics for 2017 show knife crime is on the rise, with incidents in London nearly doubling in a year. The scene of another fatal stabbing last night, this time in West Ham. Lena, a student nurse, attempted CPR on the 20 year old victim. She told me hed been stabbed three times in the chest pic.twitter.com/R23pIbM3fl Jon Ironmonger (@JonIronmonger) January 1, 2018 London Mayor Sadiq Khan has previously said he was deeply concerned about the rise in knife crime Khan said in a statement posted on Twitter, We will work tirelessly in 2018 and beyond to stamp out this scourge. I want to be absolutely clearif you use a knife the full force of the law will be brought down on you. You will be caught and prosecuted. Meanwhile, in the West Midlands, two sons found their mother had been stabbed to death just before midnight on New Years Eve when they returned home from a party. Local police confirmed in a statement that a 49-year-old man had been arrested after a 44-year-old woman was found with a knife injury at a property in Bromsgrove. She was declared dead at the scene at 12:12 am, Jan. 1. 2017 Year in Review Guam Couple Welcomes Likely First American Baby of 2018 The first baby born in the United States of 2018 likely is a baby boy born in Guam. Two seconds after midnight on New Years Day, Jennica Lynch and Davante Perez welcomed Logan James Lynch Perez, People magazine reported. Guam Couple Welcomes First U.S. Baby of 2018, Joining Other New Year's Babies Born Worldwide https://t.co/IZA5bUUb4i People Babies (@PEOPLEbabies) January 1, 2018 Guam is a U.S. territory in the western Pacific. It was painful, but it was worth it, Lynch told the Pacific Daily News. Hes a handsome, healthy baby. Dr. Thomas Shieh said the birth was all natural, not induced. And he added that the hospital has a policy against inducing labor close to the turn of the new year, People reported. Its exciting, were blessed, Lynch told the Pacific Daily News. Were thankful for everything. In the U.S. mainland, a little girl born at the Flushing Hospital in Queens, New York, might be the first. First baby of 2018 born at Flushing Hospital in Queens https://t.co/J4IWUwvjX6 #itsinqueens Christopher Donovan (@dailynewschris) January 1, 2018 The girl, who doesnt yet have a name, was born at 12:01 a.m. on New Years Day, Fox5 reported. Shes 4 pounds, 11.5 ounces, and is 18 inches long. The mother is 25-year-old Tania Shirin. The baby and mother are doing fine, hospital staff told the Fox affiliate. Theyre very happy to have a little baby girl and shes adorable, theyre just thrilled to be parents, Dr. Andrew Rubin, of the Flushing Hospital in Queens, told the New York Post. Another baby born in New York at one minute past midnight was Kazi Ariana to parents Tania Shirin, 25, and father Imran Nazir, 28, a taxi driver and student at York College from Bangladesh. Baby Kazi gave her parents a scare when she stopped growing 10 days before her Jan. 10 due date. Shirin was rushed to the hospital and was able to give birth naturally as the new year rolled in. Meanwhile, the very first baby born in the world might be a child born in Auckland, New Zealand, about one minute after midnight. Auckland is the first major city to celebrate the New Year. Baby Rex was born one minute past midnight on Jan. 1, 2018, according to Stuff.co.nz. Islands in the western Pacific Ocean like Samoa, Tonga, and Kiritimati are the first places to welcome the New Year. But Auckland is the first major city in the world to celebrate the New Year. It doesnt appear that there were any babies born on Samoa, Tonga, and Kiritimatior on any other Pacific islands. Meanwhile, there have been no reports so far of any other babies born in New Zealand before Rex. Ena and Chien Lu, both 32, are the parents of Rex. Everyone was saying that there was a good chance that he was the first but we dont know for sure, yet, Ena told the website. Its a bit surreal. When he came out it was just magical, she added. Hes actually a really good baby, when he came out he was really loud, but once I fed him he went to sleep and now hes been asleep for four hours. So I got some decent sleep. I was in there during the whole birthing experience with her, I cut the cord and when the baby came out, it was a big wow, Chien said. They took him and put him on her skin and he started breathing immediately it was amazing. Im quite scared of babies, I always thought they were quite fragile but they are actually very resilient, and very cute and Im very happy to be a father. Recommended Video: Toddler With Rare Heart Condition Gets to Go Home After 402 Days in the Hospital Aaron and Beth Mangum were charged with endangering the welfare of a child after a neighbor found their naked toddler outside on Dec. 30, 2017. (Seneca Falls Police Department) Naked 2-year-old Found Walking Outside on Extremely Cold Night; Parents Charged After their 2-year-old was found walking outside naked on a frosty night, two parents were arrested in upstate New York on Saturday, Dec. 30. The 2-year-old, a girl according to Aarons Facebook page, had ventured outside in extremely cold weather on Friday night, police told Syracuse.com. A neighbor discovered the toddler outside during an extremely cold night, according to a police officer speaking to Syracuse.com. It was unclear how long the child had been outside, but she was found in good health by North Seneca ambulances crews. Naked 2-year-old found walking in 'extremely cold weather;' Upstate NY parents charged https://t.co/EeHaavHVE1 syracuse.com (@syracusedotcom) January 1, 2018 Aaron Mangum, 35, and Beth Mangum, 29, were arrested and charged with the endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanor. According to Weather Underground, the temperature for the day in the geographical where the toddler was found was about 15 degrees Fahrenheit. She was discovered at 8:26 p.m. The Mangums were released on an appearance ticket; their court date is Jan. 10 in Seneca Falls Town Court. Child Protective Services are conducting an investigation as well, reported WHEC. Commenters on Syracuse.coms article were dismayed with the situation. Others, however, said it wasnt a big deal. My mother worked nights. While she was taking a nap after work I got out. I was four years old, said one. These things happen. Stop making judgments. That poor kid needs new parents, said one commenter. I have to say this is miraculous because how often do people spot things, look out their windows, said another. Thank God the child is alive. The town of Seneca Falls is in upstate New York and has a population of around 9,000, according to the 2010 census. Its around 5 hours driving distance northwest of New York City. From NTD.tv 2017 Year in Review Nigerian Prince Scammer From Louisiana Faces 269 Charges After Arrest Police in Louisiana arrested a Nigerian Prince scammer and charged the man with 269 counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering, the New Orleans Advocate reported. Michael Neu, 67, was identified as the as the suspect. Police say Neu scammed people out of thousands of dollars as a middleman for one of the notorious Nigerian prince internet scams. The Nigerian prince scam usually starts with an email purportedly from a Nigerian prince or another exotic figure who reaches out for help in transferring a sizable inheritance they are about to receive. If the unsuspecting victim responds, the scammer proceeds to furnish personal information for the money transfer which is then used to steal funds. Most people laugh at the thought of falling for such a fraud, but law enforcement officials report annual losses of millions of dollars to these schemes, the news release from the Slidell Police Department said. The news release says the Slidell resident has participated in hundreds of scams and has wired money to Nigeria to his co-conspirators. Slidell police said that the investigation is ongoing, but is extremely difficult as many leads have led to individuals who live outside of the United States. Slidell Police Chief Randy Fandal says the case should serve as a warning for people to be careful with their personal information. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is, Fandal said. Never give out personal information over the phone or through email, cash checks for other individuals, or wire large amounts of money to someone you dont know. 99.9 percent of the time, its a scam. This scam, along with others, are becoming a common practice all across the United States, the police department wrote on Facebook. If someone calls you claiming to be an official of a government agency, your local utility company, a law enforcement official, or anything similar, ask for a callback number and verify the person is legitimate. According to Neus Facebook profile, he is divorced. He left a job at the Pitney Bowes Management Services in 2005 and has no other jobs listed since. Slidell is 33 miles northeast of New Orleans. From NTD.tv Suggested video: 2017 Year in Review The area surrounding the 23000 block of SW Main Street in Sherwood, Ore., where a teen allegedly killed himself while playing Russian roulette. (Screenshot via Google Maps) Oregon Teen Dies Playing Russian Roullette An Oregon teenager killed himself while playing a game of Russian roulette. The teen showed up at a mobile home in Sherwood, Oregon, with a gun. He then proceeded to play Russian roulette by himself, KOIN reported citing police witness interviews. The teen was already dead by the time police arrived at 4 a.m. at Carriage Park Estates, a mobile home community. The boys body was removed after the medical examiner arrived on the scene. BREAKING: Teenager dies in Sherwood, possibly by Russian roulette, according to police on scene. https://t.co/g8CdkJqniR #KOIN6News pic.twitter.com/ACIvMOEdPd Brent Weisberg (@BrentKOIN) January 1, 2018 Police initially responded to a report of a suicide with a weapon, but additional calls to 911 said that the teen was playing Russian roulette. Sherwood Police Capt. Ty Hanlon told KOIN that there was at least on click of the weapon before it fired. Police described the handgun as a .357 revolver. The gun was not fully loaded. It is unclear where the gun came from and how the teen got it. It appears that he brought a handgun with him and from witnesses accounts that he was playing a game known as Russian roulette, Hanlon said. We believe that he showed up and initiated this all on his own. Sherwood Police now probing background of teen shot dead during game of Russian roulette to determine if he was suicidal. https://t.co/qAzAFW2iKg #KOIN6News pic.twitter.com/dVL9ik0XGi Brent Weisberg (@BrentKOIN) January 1, 2018 Russian roulette is an act of bravado consisting of spinning the cylinder of a revolver loaded with one cartridge, pointing the muzzle at ones own head, and pulling the trigger, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary. Several other young adults were present when the teen shot himself, according to Hanlon. All were around 20 years of age. The deceased teen was related to those present and is believed to be from Marion County. Police are now looking into the boys background to determine if he had any suicidal tendencies. Sherwood Police now confirm, based on witness interviews, that a teen boy showed up to mobile home with gun, played Russian roulette and fatally shot himself. https://t.co/qAzAFW2iKg #KOIN6News pic.twitter.com/UGo8Kio37F Brent Weisberg (@BrentKOIN) January 1, 2018 Ken McPherson, a neighbor who lives nearby, told KOIN he didnt hear the shooting. McPherson said teens regularly hang out at the home where the shooting occurred, but that there has never been any trouble. Its usually kids younger than 20 that I see down there, McPherson said. Police are interviewing the other people present at the time of the incident to attempt to determine the cause. The victims name has not been released and police described him as being in his mid-teens, according to the Sherwood Gazette. From NTD.tv Recommended Video: 2017 Year in Review Penniless Man Who Sold Blanket for $1.5 Million Has New Troubles A rags-to-riches story hit shaky ground as a man barely scraping by on a disability became a millionaire thanks to an old blanket. Now he discovers a lot of money doesnt always go a long way, as taxes and family drama threaten to upend his newfound lifestyle. Loren Thomas Krytzer had been unable to work after losing a foot in a near-fatal car accident, MSN reported. But after managing to sell an old family heirloom for $1.3 million, he went from roughing it in a shack, to living in a stylish $250,000 home. But with high property taxes in California, and relatives clamoring for a cut, Krytzer says hes starting to feel the squeeze. Its not like it was 40 or 50 years ago, he says. If Id have gotten $1 million 50 years ago, Id be rich right now. I would literally be rich. Krytzer was watching a television show about antiques when he saw an expert say that a blanket similar to his could fetch a hefty price tageven $500,000, according to an interview on the JohnMoranAuctions channel. He then approached several auction houses about selling his blanket before John Moran Auctioneers in Monrovia, California, agreed to put it under the hammer, according to CNBC. The sale of the what turned out to be an original Navajo blanket from the 1800s gave me a new lease on life, Krytzer told CNBC. It truly did. He bought a car, a motorbike, and two houses in Central California, which is taking its toll. Were getting taxed to death here. I cant afford it, he says. Im from California, I grew up here, but without working, its just hard to survive. Krytzer has no income as his disability checks were cut after receiving the big windfall. He says he spends about $10,000 a year on property taxes and insurance. He said he and his wife are thinking of moving to Idaho, where taxes and living costs are lower. Krytzer also had to contend with family troubles, as relatives have come out of the woodwork asking for a cut of the take. I had people calling me and bugging me and stuff, Krytzer says. People you havent seen in years, family members that dont talk to you. . . . You get some money and theyre like Wheres mine?' He says his sister even threatened to sue him. Krytzer says its also been a challenge explaining to his children that even though he received $1.3 million, he cant afford to buy them whatever they want. When I first got the money, I helped them out, Krytzer said. But now its like I cant do it, I dont have it, and they are like You have millions of dollars, youre being selfish. He says aside from splurging on a few toys, hes spent his money wisely, putting it in real estate, stocks, and bonds. But now, with no steady income stream, Krytzer says he knows he needs focus and self-discipline to make it in the long-term. I tell people its a strong faith and a strong mind. Without those things youre not going to make it. New Years Parties Thousands of Years in the Making Revelers Panic as Fireworks Display Goes Dangerously Wrong A New Years Eve fireworks display went wrong on a beach in Australia, injuring two people and terrifying revelers. Social media posts show footage of the 9pm family session of fireworks going wrong at Terrigal Beach on the central coast of the state of New South Wales. #PMLNYE Barge caught on fire at terrigal beach and big explosion occurred pic.twitter.com/5gJbl36ykX Emilie Shapiro (@emilie1002) December 31, 2017 Police said that a barge caught fire during the 9:oo p.m. fireworks. The fire set off a slew of explosions as multiple fireworks ignited at once, reported the ABC. Video shows some kids screaming and running away, while others commented, that supposed to happen? as the fireworks went ballistic. We were front row on the beach, was very scary for my two boys and trying to grab all our stuff and the kids and get up the beach with the crowds. Fireworks were just randomly going off, said one woman after the incident on the Facebook page of the Central Coast Express Advocate. Hope the two guys that were onboard [the barge] got off in time to have no serious injuries. The greatest this to happen to Terrigal since 1974 pic.twitter.com/dt51XJj9de Zac Rowley (@ZacRowley) December 31, 2017 Two men operating the fireworks were reported to have suffered minor injuries and some 5,000 6,000 revelers needed to evacuate the beach. Despite it all, people still had fun on the night. It was an awesome night, despite the fact my daughter thought the world was coming to an end. Well done to everyone involved, said one Facebook user. Caught the moment of the explosion and the barge caught on fire. Everyone started screaming and running while evacuating after this. damn terrigal fireworks ? #NYE pic.twitter.com/VfJGLxYfnh Jess Winley (@jesswinley) December 31, 2017 Local community group Time For Terrigal, which organized the fireworks as part of their New Years Eve celebrations, said that it is believed that an ordinance exploded in a firework canister which caused multiple detonations. From NTD.tv New Years Parties Thousands of Years in the Making A seaplane crashed into the Sydney River on Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017, killing six people on a wine and dine sightseeing flight ahead of the citys New Years Eve celebrations at the harbor. (Reuters video screenshot) Sydney Plane Crash: Families of Engaged British Couple Die in New Years Eve The families of an engaged British couple were confirmed as victims of a New Years plane crash in Australia. Five people and a pilot were on the seaplane when it crashed into the Hawkesbury River north of Sydney on Sunday. No one survived, New South Wales police confirmed. In all, five Britons and one pilot were killed in the accident, according to The Independent. Richard Cousins, 58, fiance to Emma Bowden, 48, died along with Bowdens 11-year-old daughter Emma and Cousinss two sons William Cousins, 25, and Edward Cousins, 23. Gareth Morgan, 44, was identified as the pilot, and he worked for Sydney Seaplanes. The cause of the crash has not yet been determined, and an investigation is currently pending. Sydney Seaplanes said it was deeply shocked by the tragic accident in a statement, The Independent reported. A U.K. Foreign Office spokeswoman told publication: Officials from the British consulate are in contact with local authorities in relation to a seaplane accident near Sydney. We stand ready to provide consular assistance. Cousins, who was the head of Compass for the past 11 years, was slated to retire in March before the crash took place. Richard was known and respected for his great humanity and a no-nonsense style that transformed Compass into one of Britains leading companies, company chairman Paul Walsh said in a statement, reported the New York Daily News. The Sydney Seaplanes aircraft is still submerged in the water. It wont be taken out for several days, according to reports. Police said the seaplane was returning the party of five people from a waterside restaurant in Sydneys north to the Sydney Seaplanes headquarters in Rose Bay in the citys east when it crashed into the water, immediately sinking, Reuters reported. We have spoken to a number of witnesses, acting Superintendent Michael Gorman told reporters, adding that forensic police would inspect the plane to assess when it could be raised from the riverbed. Its too early in the investigation so we dont know why the plane crashed. The deaths of the six people come as a plane crashed in Costa Rica on New Years Eve, killing an American family of five and seven others. Five of the victims were identified as the Steinberg family of Scarsdale, New York. Father and mother Bruce and Irene Steinberg died along with their children Matthew, William, and Zachary. Our deep condolescenses to Steinberg family.Irene,Bruce and 3 children, from #NewYork are part of the 12 victims #plane #accident#CostaRica pic.twitter.com/2Tcl5eAXV5 Glenda Umana (@GlendaAhora) December 31, 2017 Reuters contributed to this report. Melania Trumps First Year as First Lady [/epoch_video] Teen Shot Dead by Party Crasher at Sweet Sixteen Party in Bronx A teenager was shot to death and another wounded at a sweet sixteen birthday bash in the Bronx after more than 300 uninvited guests crashed the party and an argument broke out, the Daily News reported. Sincear Sin Williams, 16, died after being struck in the neck with a bullet at the event at Maestros Caterers on Bronxdale Avenue, New York, on Thursday, Dec. 28. The lethal bullet was fired by an unidentified individual who fired multiple shots from his car as he was leaving the event. Word of the party spread quickly on social media, prompting many uninvited guests to show up at the venue, police sources said. A fight reportedly broke out at around 12:20 a.m. between invited guests and the gate crashers. After the altercation a male individual leaving the scene in a black Honda fired into the crowd. Williams, who was hit in the neck, was taken to the Jacobi Medical Center and pronounced dead. Trey Neverson, 17, a friend of the deceased and an invited guest at the party, was reportedly shot in the arm in the same incident. Neverson was taken to the hospital and is said to be in stable condition. He later posted this farewell message to his slain friend. The mother of a 15-year-old girl who left the party shortly before the shooting started was shocked by the incident. Its devastating, said Wandy Lugo, the girls mother, according to Daily News. My daughters 15 years old. Shes going to celebrate her 16th birthday next summer. It couldve been her, said Lugo. Destiny Ayala, Williamss cousin, shared this heartbreaking message: All I wanna do is cry but I know that aint gone help anything! I just cant believe we walked into 2018 without you .. this doesnt feel real! My heart literally hurts; I hate that I cant bring you back, what do we do now sin!? The family of the teen set up a GoFundMe page for Williams. They wrote Williams was full of life and full of enjoyment. A viewing has been arranged Jan. 8-9 at Eternity Funeral Services in the Bronx. This was so unexpected we werent prepared for this. No arrests have been made in connection with the incident, as police continue to investiagate. 2017 Year in Review Tennessee Teen Accidentally Shoots Friend With Stolen Pistol A 12-year-old girl was charged on Dec. 31 by the Nashville, Tennessee Metro Police Department with fatally shooting her 16-year-old friend with a gun they stole together from a parked car. According to police, a group of girls was staying in the home of the 12-year-olds grandmother at Falcon View Apartments at 201 East Palestine Avenue in Madison. Sometime around 3 a.m. on Dec. 31, the girls snuck out of the apartment. The girls then began burglarizing cars in a parking lot near her grandmothers home. In one of the cars the girl found a loaded semi-automatic pistol. Back at the apartment the 12-year-old playfully pointed the gun at various friends before accidentally firing it, reported Fox17 Nashville. The bullet struck and killed 16-year-old Brentrice Wilson, one of the girls in the group. Metro Police responding to a call around 3:25 a.m. pronounced her dead at the scene, according to The Tennessean. After consultation with the District Attorney, the girl, whose name has not been released due to her age, was charged in Juvenile Court with criminal homicide, according to a tweet by the Nashville Metro Police. BREAKING: 12-year-old girl being charged with criminal homicide at Juvenile Court for the overnight fatal shooting of Brentrice Wilson, 16, at Falcon View Apts on E. Palestine Avenue. 12-year-old allegedly handling gun taken in car burglary when it fired, killing Wilson. Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) December 31, 2017 In response to the tweet, James Cothron posted: This makes at least 2 of these this year. These kids need to be locked up, and taken away from the influence. Making adult decisions, adult consequences. Clayton Gangji now this young person, dead. Such a shame ruined 2 lives. Cothrons tweet references 14-year-old Clayton Gangji, another teen shot while he and his friends were playing with a handgun. Gaangji, 19-year-old Zachary Able, and two other friends were playing with a pistol in an SUV parked at the intersection in Nashville around 6 a.m. on the morning of June 24, 2017, The four had apparently been up all night, according to The Tennessean at the time. Able accidentally pulled the trigger. The bullet pierced Ables hand and lodged in Gangjis body. Both boys were taken to TriStar Summit Medical Center, in Hermitage, Tennessee, where Gangji died a short time later. Able was charged with criminal homicide. Clayton Gangji had been a football and soccer player at Dupont Hadley Middle Prep School in Old Hickory, Tennessee. Recommended Video: Dishwasher Ensures 500 Foster Kids Have Toys for Christmas President Donald Trump departs the White House en route to Florida on Dec. 22, 2017. Trump has signed an Executive Order declaring a national emergency over severe human rights abuses and corruption around the world. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times) Trump Says US Was Foolish to Provide Pakistan With Billions in Aid Says country has been harboring terrorists that operate in Afghanistan President Donald Trump said that the United States has been foolish in providing Pakistan with over $33 billion in aid over the past 15 years. They have given us nothing but lies & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools, Trump wrote on Twitter. 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 Last month, Vice President Mike Pence said that Pakistan, which is known to harbor terrorists, had been put on notice. For too long Pakistan has provided safe haven to the Taliban and many terrorist organizations, but those days are over. President Trump has put Pakistan on notice, Pence told U.S. troops in Afghanistan during a visit there last month. Vice President Mike Pence returns from a surprise visit to Bagram Air Field in Afghanistan, on Dec. 22, 2017. (MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images) The top U.S. general in Afghanistan, John Nicholson, said in November that he had not seen a change in Pakistans behavior toward terrorists, despite the Trump administrations tougher line against Islamabad. The leader of the al-Qaeda terror group, Osama Bin Laden, was able to hide undetected in Pakistan before he was killed in a raid by U.S. special forces in 2011. The New York Times reported on Dec. 29 that the Trump administration was strongly considering withholding $255 million in aid to Pakistan. It said U.S. officials had sought but had been denied access to a member of the Taliban-linked Haqqani network captured in Pakistan who potentially could provide information about at least one American hostage. Then-al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden on Sept. 20, 2003. (Salah Malkawi/Getty Images) The Trump administration said in August that it was delaying sending the $255 million in aid to Pakistan. Last month, Trump said in a speech the U.S. government makes massive payments every year to Pakistan. They have to help. Pakistan has for years denied allegations that it is harboring terrorists. Trump announced Americas new strategy for Afghanistan last August, saying that the United States would stay in the country to win the war. U.S. soldiers board an Army Chinook transport helicopter in the Korengal Valley, Afghanistan, on Oct. 27, 2008. (John Moore/Getty Images) Part of what prompted Trumps change of mind, after he had initially wanted to pull the troops out, was the vacuum it would create for terror groups, similar to how Iraq saw the rise of ISIS after American troops pulled out. I concluded that the security threats we face in Afghanistan and the broader region are immense. Today, 20 U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organizations are active in Afghanistan and Pakistanthe highest concentration in any region anywhere in the world, Trump said in the speech on Aug. 21, 2017. Trump said that Pakistan often gives safe haven to agents of chaos, violence, and terror. Reuters contributed to this report. Recommended Video: 2017 Year in Review President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, and their son Barron arrive for a New Year's party at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, on Dec. 31, 2017. (NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP/Getty Images) President Trump Sends Out New Years Wishes President Donald Trump sent New Years wishes on Twitter, wishing both his supporters and detractors a Happy New Year. As our Country rapidly grows stronger and smarter, I want to wish all of my friends, supporters, enemies, haters, and even the very dishonest Fake News Media, a Happy and Healthy New Year, Trump wrote on Twitter. 2018 will be a great year for America! As our Country rapidly grows stronger and smarter, I want to wish all of my friends, supporters, enemies, haters, and even the very dishonest Fake News Media, a Happy and Healthy New Year. 2018 will be a great year for America! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 31, 2017 Trump and his family celebrated the New Year at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida. Among those attending the party were Trumps daughter, Ivanka, and her husband Jared Kushner, as well as their two oldest children, Arabella and Joseph; Eric Trump and his wife, Lara; Donald Trump Jr., and his oldest son, Donald Trump III. President Donald Trump attends a New Years party at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, on Dec. 31, 2017. (NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP/Getty Images) Fox Business host Lou Dobbs was also in attendance, as was former New York Mets first baseman Keith Hernandez. In a separate Tweet, Trump wrote, HAPPY NEW YEAR! We are MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, and much faster than anyone thought possible! HAPPY NEW YEAR! We are MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, and much faster than anyone thought possible! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 31, 2017 Since Trump came to office in January last year, the stock market has added over $5 trillion in value, and the unemployment number has dropped to the lowest number since 2000. GDP growth is growing at its fastest pace in two years, and deregulation is driving business optimism. A tax bill passed in December is expected to further drive economic growth and lower taxes for most middle-income families. But despite Trumps long list of achievements in his first year in office, most media reporting on him has been negative. Pew Research Center found that only 5 percent of coverage during Trumps first 100 days in office was positive. Recommended Video: 2017 Year in Review Two Hotel Security Guards Killed; Gunman Fled Then Shot Himself as Police Closed In Two hotel security guards are dead after a gunman shot them in one of the hotels rooms on Saturday, Dec. 30, then fled the scene. He later reportedly shot himself. A little before 6:35 a.m., security was called to a room in Arizona Charlies Decatur, at 740 S. Decatur Blvd. where a woman said two men had forced her out of her room after she had invited them in, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police said. When two security guards, a man and a woman in their forties, arrived at the room, only one of the men was still there. The suspect, 29-year-old Christopher Olague, briefly argued with the guards before opening fire and killing them, homicide detective Lt. Dan McGrath said, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Only the female security guard was armed, he said, and she did not draw her weapon. The gunman then ran to a neighborhood west of the hotel where he attempted and failed to steal two cars. He jumped over the backyard wall of a home and tried to break in through the back door, but the homeowner kept him from entering, police said. Officers were already on scene, and as theyre closing in on him, he enters the garage, which had a laundry room, and shoots himself in the head, McGrath said, according to the Review-Journal. Olague was taken to the hospital and as of Saturday evening was still alive, but McGrath said he isnt expected to survive. Im at Arizona Charlies Decatur where 2 security guards were shot to death in a hotel room. #RJnow pic.twitter.com/rnXlstnVS9 Kevin M. Cannon (@kmcannonphoto) December 30, 2017 Police have not been able to get in contact with either the woman who made the call to security that morning or the other man who allegedly forced her out of her room. The identity of the two security guards has not yet been released pending notification of their next of kin. Everything seems normal inside Arizona Charlies Decatur where 2 security guards were shot dead in a hotel room earlier this morning. pic.twitter.com/0se0VF0NRB Kevin M. Cannon (@kmcannonphoto) December 30, 2017 McGrath said Olague would have faced a number of felony charges, the Review-Journal reports, including murder, attempted murder, burglary, and attempted robbery. Olagues motive wasnt known, but investigators believe it was an isolated incident. I want you to know right now that this has nothing to do with terrorism, Capt. Robert Plummer of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, said, according to Fox News. 2017 Year in Review From NTD.tv Visitors at the entrance to the Sydney Seaplanes terminal in Rose Bay, Sydney, on Jan. 1, 2018. Six people were killed when one of the companys seaplane crashed into a river on New Year's Eve. (Peter Parks/AFP/Getty Images) Young Girl Among Six Dead in Seaplane Crash in Australia Police have confirmed that five British nationals on holidays in Australia have been killed in a seaplane crash along with the pilot on New Years Eve. An 11-year-old girl was the youngest among the fatalities. The crash occurred mid-afternoon on Sunday, Dec. 31 during what would have been a 20 minute return flight to Rose Bay in the iconic Sydney Harbour. The passengers had just finished having lunch at a restaurant on the Hawkesbury River in Sydneys north. The victims of the crash were 44-year-old pilot, Gareth Morgan, and family-to-be Heather Bowden, 11, Emma Bowden, 48, her fiance Richard Cousins, 58, and his two sons, Edward Cousins, 23, and William Cousins, 25, reported the ABC. Richard Cousins was the chief executive of catering giant Compass and was planning to step down from his post in the new year, reported The Telegraph. NSW Police confirm six people killed in a seaplane crash north of Sydney were from overseas, with officers still investigating the cause of the crash. https://t.co/jPGKRNMYIc pic.twitter.com/KNCC5vi6cD ABC News (@abcnews) January 1, 2018 The seaplane was a joy flight for the British tourists from the Sydney Seaplanes charter company which has been in operation since 2005. The bodies were recovered on Sunday. The planes wreckage on Monday remained submerged in about 13 meters (42 feet) of water. Mark Hutchings, Commander of the Marine Area Command NSW Police, told the ABC that the passengers of the joy flight were on holiday in Australia and the accident was nothing more than just tragic. We have in the course of this investigation, already been in contact with the UK, Hutchings said. UPDATE: 44yo Gareth Morgan was the pilot on board the Sydney Seaplane. He perished along with Richard Cousins, his two sons, fiance and her 11yo daughter who were visiting from the UK @7NewsSydney pic.twitter.com/wR3AGfD2yV Jessica Ridley (@jessicaridleytv) January 1, 2018 Myles Baptiste, an eyewitness, saw the seaplane make a sharp turn before hitting the water. It made a tight right hand turn and as it actually turned around, the wings dipped and it nosedived straight into the water, Baptiste told 9 NEWS. The seaplane reportedly sank very quickly. Search and rescue vessels from three@MarineRescueNSW units are responding to a report of a seaplane crash at Jerusalem Bay on the Hawkesbury. Aircraft reported to be upside down. pic.twitter.com/e6aPiY228Z Marine Rescue NSW (@MarineRescueNSW) December 31, 2017 Sydney Seaplanes have had suspended their operations until further notice. The companys managing director Aaron Shaw said they are deeply shocked. The pilot, Gareth, was an employee of Sydney Seaplanes. We wish to pass on our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the passengers and pilot who were tragically killed, Shaw said in a statement. We do not yet know the cause of the accident. From NTD.tv Next: Snowboarder Survives Avalanche in Canada Bond remains at $100K for Watertown woman charged in toddler's death A Watertown woman has been arrested on the charges of second degree murder of a 16-month-old child that was in her care. ST. JOHNS, N.L.An Inuk activist has been released from hospital for a second time since her health struggles raised awareness about an Ontario rule that requires alcoholics to be sober for six months before they can be eligible for a liver transplant. Delilah Saunders, 25, posted to Facebook on Sunday saying she feels better and is ready to go home after spending several days at the Health Sciences Centre in St. Johns, N.L. Saunders, a prominent Indigenous womens activist from Labrador, was diagnosed with pancreatitis on Wednesday night, just a few days after she was released from a Toronto hospital where she was being treated for acute liver failure. She has said doctors initially told her she was ineligible for a liver transplant because she had not abstained from alcohol for the prior six months, but later said it appeared the procedure wouldnt be necessary. Her case put a spotlight on an Ontario transplant programs six-month abstinence policy, which doctors have defended by citing research that suggests some alcoholics return to drinking after the procedure. Saunders told her social media followers that she is over hospitals, but says the nurses and doctors in St. Johns could not have provided her with better care. She told The Canadian Press in a Facebook message that she has been in touch with other advocates about reforming the Ontario rule. Read more: Indigenous activist with liver disease improves but family hopes for wider policy change Indigenous womans liver assessed in Toronto after outcry over earlier transplant refusal Indigenous activist rejected for liver transplant showing signs of improvement Walking up a dusty path towards Fort York in 1935, a 10-year-old school girl noticed a pinkish-white, pointy object, a little larger than a quarter, lying in the sand. Jeanne Carter picked it up, put it in her pocket and held on to it for 80 years before turning it over to city historians. I thought it was an arrowhead or something, but nothing more than a souvenir, said Carter, now 92. A few weeks ago she learned it is not only an arrowhead, but also between 4,000 and 6,000 years old, originating from some of the regions first Indigenous people from the Archaic period (8,000 to 1,000 BC). I nearly fainted, Carter said of when she heard the news. The arrowhead, almost perfectly preserved, is now quite possibly the oldest artifact in the citys collection, and rare, said a city historian. The material its made out of, quartzite, is strange for this part of Ontario, Richard Gerrard, a historian with Museum and Heritage Services and a trained archeologist. And finding anything that old sitting on the ground is special and has a wonderful story. The arrowhead, with slightly rippled, sharpened edges, would have been attached to a wooden shaft and used for hunting, but because of its age, its impossible to know what tribe would have used it, or any other details, said Gerrard. Its one of four arrowheads in the citys collection from Fort York, but the only one thats been discovered by a member of the public, not an archeologist, Gerrard said. Around the time Carter found the arrowhead, Fort York was transitioning from a military site to a public museum and the city likely dug it up accidentally when it was installing a sewer line or water pipe. The arrowhead couldve been moved around as the city graded the grounds and laid sod, until it finally ended up at the feet of a young Carter who thought, oh wonderful. She put the arrowhead in her mothers foot-long mahogany box and, when she grew up, put the box on her living room coffee table. Over the years she added other treasures to the box a pair of small golden scissors shaped like a bird, a glass ornament of some kind, a spoon from India. From time to time her three children peeked inside and held the objects in their hands. The arrowhead was always there, said Carters daughter Terry. Meanwhile, Carter was delving deep into history as a volunteer at the Royal Ontario Museum. In 1957 she and 35 others founded a ROM volunteer committee and led tours all over the world, including China. Sixty years later, Carter is the ROMs longest-serving volunteer. One day, about two years ago, Carter opened the mahogany box, picked up the arrowhead and once again put it in her pocket. She brought it to a friend who works at a city museum. Nothing spurred Carter to part with the arrowhead, other than she thought her friend would like it, she said. I never dreamed it was important to Toronto or Ontario, Carter said. Her friend passed it along to an archeologist who eventually gave it to Gerrard who had it analyzed. The arrowhead is now among the more than 1 million historical objects and archeological artifacts held by the city. The vast majority are in storage, while some are on display at the citys 10 site museums, like Fort York. Many of the citys artifacts were found in archeological digs at historic sites or development projects throughout Toronto, and will be held and preserved indefinitely. Material recovered archeologically tells the citys story and reflects the First Nations presence over thousands of years, said Wayne Reeves, the chief curator of Museums and Heritage Services for the City of Toronto. No paper record was left by those early inhabitants, so knowing their story through archeological specimens is essential. The arrowhead will be put on display at Fort York, likely this summer, and Carter plans to go see it. Lurking beneath Torontos 61 homicides in 2017 a drop from last years 73 but about average over the past two decades is the continuing troubling trend of declining clearance rates. Police this year arrested, or issued arrest warrants, for murder suspects in 25 of Torontos 61 homicides recorded in 2017, a clearance rate of 41 per cent which is one of the lowest on record. The solve rate jumps to 82 per cent when something other than a gun was used to end a life. (These figures do not include the shocking hanging deaths of Barry and Honey Sherman. Toronto police continue to investigate and have said only that the deaths are suspicious.) The number of suspects arrested in homicides involving a firearm this year most linked to street gang activity plummets to just 18 per cent, though Chief Mark Saunders cautions a year-end tally is an unfair characterization for that discussion. Give it more time, these cases do take time, and they are solved, Saunders said recently during a sit-down interview. During the 1980s and early 90s, police solved between 85 and 95 per cent of homicides a year. Clearance rates began nosediving in the mid 1990s to the mid-50s, tied to the rise in gang-related and stranger-to-stranger killings which are harder to solve. Low clearance rates, especially connected to gang-related homicides, is not unique to Toronto and is a phenomenon experienced by police forces throughout North America. They typically involve a gun, elusive motives and fewer direct connections between the victim and killer. So homicide investigators, arguably more than anything else, need community co-operation which Saunders insists police are getting. In 95 per cent of the cases detectives do know who did it, based on what theyre hearing in the street, he said. Saunders is a former homicide detective and one time unit commander of the squad. He rejects the suggestion that a fragmented relationship between police and marginalized communities is at the root of the problem. Members of the community are talking to us . . . but theyre not talking to us from a Im going to get in the stand and testify and go on video, he says. Witnesses and people in the know have very real fear of retaliation and intimidation. Ive had homicide cases where Ive had the entire street gang in court every day giving cut eye to the witnesses. Its not an unwarranted fear. Ask family and friends and police of 2009 murder victim Kenneth Mark, killed in the west end by young men after testifying against them in court. There are other explanations for the lower clearance rate for gun and gang crime. Toronto Police Association president Mike McCormack has suggested the ban on the controversial practice of carding where front-line officers used to stop, question and document their random interactions has made the force reactive not proactive. One Toronto Police Service insider familiar with homicide cases, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said while officers are still encouraged to talk and built rapport with members of the public, some dont bother because they fear theyll be accused of racial profiling. Honestly, officers are scared to do that approach, the person said. But even brazen downtown shootings remain unsolved. On Sept. 16, a video camera captured a suspected gunman moments before and after realtor Simon Giannini, 54, was shot while dining at Michaels steak house on Simcoe St. Saunders says the conviction rate is the truest measure of the homicide squads performance. Its up to the broader justice system to come up with ways to encourage witness participation. For instance, he would like witnesses to be able to appear in court via satellite, somewhere else, why does it have to be right there in that location, he said. There are concerns with the processes that we have in place right now to register a conviction. Read more about: A Western University graduate is suing the London school for $11 million, alleging that the poor quality of its residency program cost him his dream of becoming a medical microbiologist. James Stuart alleges that the Schulich School of Medicine provided substandard education in its post-graduate medical training, causing him to fail the medical microbiologist qualifying exam three times, according to the statement of claim filed in court. The 42-year-old is suing for breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty. Dr. Stuart has been deprived of his livelihood and career potential in medicine, has lost his competitive advantage and suffered emotional distress, humiliation and anguish, says the statement of claim. Stuart was insufficiently supervised and infrequently tested, and key faculty members quit during his five years as a post-graduate resident, the court document states. By the time he was in his third year as a resident, Stuart was the only one left in the medical microbiology specialist program. The program is now inactive and has accepted no students since Stuart completed it, the statement says. The claims have not been proven in court. The university, formerly known as the University of Western Ontario (UWO), has not filed a statement of defence and does not comment on ongoing litigation, Alexander Pettingill, a Toronto lawyer and the university counsel, wrote in an email. Western is seeking permission to appeal a November ruling by Superior Court Justice E.M. Morgan that gave Stuart permission to proceed with the lawsuit, calling the decision inconsistent with the manner in which the law has developed in this area. The pith and substance of the plaintiffs claim, which consists of complaints regarding the implementation and organization of the residency program, are academic decisions within the discretion of universities, reads Westerns notice of motion for leave to appeal. The (court) decision suggests that any disappointed student who fails to obtain a professional licence or accreditation (a law student, for example, who failed the bar exam) can sue his or her university for failure to educate. Michael Miller, a veteran Bay Street litigator representing Stuart, said Canadian case law is clear that you cant sue universities because you got a D, or an F. But that is not what this lawsuit is about, Miller said Wednesday. In this case, were not arguing about a mark. Were saying UWO didnt deliver a program. The judge, who called the claim a relatively novel one for a novel situation, made that distinction in his November ruling, Miller noted. The defendants program was in the process of falling apart around the plaintiff, and the action alleges that what remained was really no educational program whatsoever, the judge wrote. The failure and ultimate disappearance of an entire course of study is, with all due respect to the defendant and its counsel, in a qualitatively different category than the appeal of a single failing grade. The judge added it was incumbent on the court at this stage to read the pleading in a light that is generous to the plaintiff. Stuart, interviewed with Miller in his downtown law office, said he was a good student who has three degrees: a bachelor of science, for which he earned a gold medal for high marks, a bachelor of engineering science and a medical doctorate received from Western in 2007. Hoping to follow his father into the specialized field, Stuart was accepted into Westerns medical microbiology residency program, but became trapped in the residency program while it collapsed around him. Stuart said he trusted the assurances of administrators that things would improve. Its hard to complain to the microbiologists to say, Hey, youre not teaching me when youre the only resident. Theres a power differential and people can make life very difficult, he said. The university certified that Stuart had successfully completed his residency training, allowing him to take the specialty qualifying exam in medical microbiology offered by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons. He wrote and failed it on three occasions the latter two times, in May 2013 and May 2014, while working as a clinical fellow at Western. If they dont supply you with the essential components how do you go and write an exam? he asked. The stress took a toll and cost Stuart his marriage, he said. He was out of work for 18 months, finding himself overqualified for many positions. As a testament to his abilities to study independently, Stuart passed the Canadian College of Microbiologists exam and is currently working as a clinical microbiologist. He makes much less money than he would as a licensed medical microbiologist, a role he describes as a physicians physician. Fighting a lawsuit, with the financial help of his parents, has brought additional strain, particularly as Western has unsuccessfully tried to have the lawsuit thrown out three times, he said. But hes undeterred. I dont want another student to go through what I went through. And, really, its a David-and-Goliath type of story. SABRATHA, LIBYAFor nearly two years, this ancient, beachfront city, famed for its Roman ruins, was one of North Africas largest smuggling hubs, a gateway for tens of thousands of migrants seeking better futures in Europe. Now, there are none on the beaches where hundreds of rickety boats once ferried them to Italy illegally, none in the migrant detention centre where they ended up when an attempt failed. At the five-star West Taleel resort, the white, two-storey villas once housed as many as 3,000 migrants at a time waiting to set sail. Their traffickers had erected sand dunes along the beach to hide them from Libyan coast guard patrols and curious swimmers. The resort is now empty, as are the smugglers other safe houses. Ferocious street battles among rival armed groups erupted this fall, ultimately driving out the young warlord Ahmed Dabbashi, whose militia ran the trade in migrants. The victors then expelled the migrants. A rare visit by a reporter to Sabratha in December revealed how the massive trafficking of Africans, which has roiled European countries and raised concerns about widespread abuses of the migrants, is tied up with Libyas internal power struggles. The ebb and flow of migration reflect the shifting fortunes of the citys civil war, emblematic of the strife afflicting Libya since the Arab Spring. Dabbashi, a black-haired and bearded fighter from a prominent tribe, had been above the law. As a teen, he had stolen cars and robbed shops, then graduated into trafficking arms and fuel. By the summer of 2015, he had entered the burgeoning migrant trade, according to local officials, tribal leaders and United Nations investigators. His control over that trade deepened as Libyas weak, UN-installed government in the capital, Tripoli, looked the other way. He was a vicious fighter, Col. Najmi Farah, a police investigator, said of Dabbashi. He always carried two revolvers. Locals say he once killed two men and dumped their bodies on the street to stir fear in people. From then on, residents were too scared to look him in the eye. The fierce urban clashes broke out after one of Dabbashis cousins was killed in September in a skirmish with a competing armed group. Soon, other militias and tribes joined the fray, making common cause against Dabbashis forces, called the Anas Al-Dabbashi Brigade. Read more: Some 100 migrants missing after shipwreck off Libyas coast Some migrants were killed in the crossfire, their bodies strewn in the streets. Thousands more fled to neighbouring areas. When the migrants re-emerged, an unlikely coalition of Libyan National Army soldiers and ultraconservative Muslim fighters were in control of Sabratha. Known as the Anti-ISIS Fighting Room, they swiftly dispatched most of the migrants to detention centres in other cities. Its finished for now, said Muhammed Amma, 32, a migrant from Chad who fled the fighting and was now cleaning streets for the municipality. The boats to Europe have stopped. Amid the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings, Dabbashi helped lead a rebel brigade during the NATO-supported revolt that toppled Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi. When Dabbashis cousin, Anas, was killed in one clash, the brigade was renamed in his honour. In the ensuing chaos, criminal and smuggling networks expanded. Human smuggling became the most lucrative. Its easy money, said Hussein Dhwadi, Sabrathas mayor. Its better than trafficking in drugs. In August 2015, more than 200 migrants drowned off the coast of Zuwahra, 25 kilometres west of Sabratha. That disaster triggered an angry backlash by locals in Zuwahra, who pushed the smugglers out. Thousands of migrants headed toward Sabratha, generating even more wealth for Dabbashi. Though Dabbashi was known to smoke and drink whiskey and seldom prayed at the mosque, members of his clan aided or sympathized with Daesh, also known as ISIS, which had by then turned Sabratha into a clandestine haven, according to interviews with local officials, police and tribal leaders. In a report this year, UN investigators said the Dabbashi militia had links with local elements of Daesh. Neither Dabbashi, who is in hiding, nor a senior member of his militia could be reached either by phone or through messages left on his Facebook page. After U.S. airstrikes pummelled a Daesh compound in Sabratha in February 2016, killing scores of militants, tribal and local armed groups rose up to push out the remaining extremists. Dabbashi himself turned forcefully against Daesh, a strategic decision to preserve his trafficking. He also nominally aligned himself with the Western-backed government in Tripoli, one of three regimes competing for authority in the country. The Dabbashi militia was in control of everything, said Khalid Muhammed Hassan, an influential leader of a rival tribe. They had money and power. Dabbashis fighters manned round-the-clock checkpoints at the entrance and the exits to Sabratha and sometimes demanded bribes. They parked their tanks and trucks at a former Daesh camp. They also trained there, using an obstacle course with tunnels to crawl through, spiked fences to jump over and climbing ropes. Anyone deemed a threat to their trade in humans was a target. In April, gunmen followed Jamal Ali to his office. An aid worker, he had worked with the United Nations to expose beatings and sexual assaults against migrants. They fired bullets at me, Ali recalled. But I got out of my car and ran. Resentment against Dabbashis militia was on the rise. We were against them, Hassan said. War was inevitable. On Mayor Dhwadis desk at the Sabratha Municipal Council, his wooden nameplate is marred by a pair of bullet holes. In the summer, Dabbashis gunmen entered the building searching for the mayor, who was out of town. It was an aggression not against me, but against the whole municipality, Dhwadi said. Tensions between the militia and the wider community, including local authorities and influential tribal leaders, finally boiled over. When the killing of Dabbashis cousin touched off a full-blown war, rival tribes and even ordinary citizens picked up arms to fight alongside the Anti-ISIS Fighting Room. Fierce battles between militiamen armed with Russian-made Kalashnikov rifles, rocket-propelled grenades and heavy artillery raged through Sabrathas neighbourhoods. Shells pounded the walls of Sabrathas ancient outdoor theatre, built by the Romans more than 1,500 years ago. Artillery and rifle fire tore into schools, municipal buildings, hospitals and storefronts. On Oct. 6, after 19 days of fighting, Dabbashi was ousted from the city. When the Room captured a tan-and-black military building that had been Dabbashis operations centre, they made a disturbing discovery. There were 15 African migrants locked inside what had become a makeshift jail. Some were sick, recalled Sgt. Shaqir Oshash, who now guards the site. Others couldnt move. They hadnt eaten in a long time. Silence now fills the large warehouse that served as the government-run detention centre. On the floor are worn-out mattresses, blankets, ragged shoes and empty water bottles debris left behind by thousands of migrants. Since Dabbashis militia was ousted, more than 10,000 migrants have been expelled from Sabratha, local anti-migration officials said. Those who arrive are quickly detained and placed on a bus to detention centres elsewhere in Libya. In Tripoli, many are being put on planes to be deported back to their home countries. While the battle for Sabratha choked off the flow of migrants bound for Europe, it had already been declining in the months before hostilities broke out. Italy and the European Union had begun training and equipping the Libyan coast guard, which increased patrols in the summer to intercept and return migrants to Libya, often to face more abuse. Leading figures in Sabratha provide another explanation for the reduction. They say they believe Dabbashi had received a significant payment from Italy to stop the migrant smuggling trade. In a telephone interview, Italys ambassador to Libya, Giuseppe Perrone, disputed that account. We dont fund militias, he said. The number of migrants crossing the Mediterranean to reach Europe this year has declined 47 per cent from 2016. But more than 170,000 migrants still arrived, and more than 3,000 drowned this year. Around Sabratha, thrilled residents said prices of food and other goods have gone down because of the sharp reduction in migrants. On a recent day, uniformed soldiers manned checkpoints, carefully searching vehicles. More residents are driving their cars at night, no longer afraid of drugged-up militia fighters. In an enclave once dominated by Dabbashi, graffiti on a wall reads: Libya is back. Sabratha is back. Sabrathas residents said they feel more secure. Previously, we couldnt walk at night, said Abdul Hakim Al Mashawat, who lives across the road from the rubble of the Daesh compound destroyed by the U.S. airstrike. By sunset, we locked ourselves inside. Sometimes, the militiamen can take your car. But few believe Sabrathas woes are over. The commanders of the Anti-ISIS Fighting Room said they are getting little assistance from the Tripoli government. At stake, they said, is their control over the city. We need support, said Col. Ibrahim Majoub. Otherwise, things could deteriorate at any moment. The groups allegiances are also in question. Some officers openly express support for Gen. Khalifa Hiftar, a strongman based in eastern Libya who doesnt recognize Tripolis authority. Dabbashi, meantime, is sending threats to local authorities and tribal leaders and calling his supporters to stage an uprising, community leaders said. In a Dec. 5 Facebook post, Dabbashi wrote: We will return to the city during these days with our weapons and force. African migrants who were trapped in the middle of the street fighting said they now have another journey in mind: After seeing a few bullet-riddled bodies of fellow migrants, Muhammad Amma wants to return to Chad. There are too many problems now, he said. Once I have the money, I will go home. Read more about: DETROIT Let me ask you this: Would a story that unpacks a list of tiresome words and phrases be impactful or a nothingburger? Worse, could it just be fake news? Northern Michigans Lake Superior State University on Sunday released its 43rd annual List of Words Banished from the Queens English for Misuse, Overuse and General Uselessness. The tongue-in-cheek, non-binding list of 14 words or phrases comes from thousands of suggestions to the Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., school. This years list includes let me ask you this, unpack, impactful, nothingburger, tons, dish, drill down, let that sink in and the top vote-getter, fake news. The others are pre-owned, onboarding/offboarding, gig economy and the redundant hot water heater. Also on the list is the Trumpian Twitter typo covfefe. While the list contains a little political flavour, Lake Superior State spokesman John Shibley said he had expected more, given the highly divisive 2016 United States presidential election followed by a year of deepening divisions both in government and the electorate. It wasnt as focused on politics in a very dirty sense, he said. Most of the nominations were well-thought-through ... considering how the year was. As evidence, he points to fake news, which garnered between 500 and 600 votes. The phrase has been levelled against entirely fabricated reporting, stories that contain errors or inaccuracies, and those with a critical tone. It has even been wielded as a cudgel against entire news networks. It was also found to be the second-most-annoying word or phrase used by Americans in an annual Marist College poll, behind whatever. I think a lot of people know fake news when they see it. It can be propaganda, it can be satire, Shibley said. Its used deliberately to paint a certain story or notion as not being true. While some words are perennial nominees, others really speak to a particular time and may soon lose relevance. Covfefe which was contained in a fragmented Tweet sent from U.S. President Donald Trumps account on May 31 became shorthand for a social-media mistake, Shibley said. Its the pet rock of this years list, Shibley said, referring to the fad product born and banished in the 1970s. Lake Superior State and Marist have company in tracking and trumpeting mass word usage. Youthquake, defined as a significant cultural, political, or social change arising from the actions or influence of young people, is Oxford Dictionaries word of the year. Oxford lexicographers said there was a fivefold increase in use of the term coined a half-century ago by then-Vogue editor Diana Vreeland between 2016 and 2017. The word has been used to describe youth support for Britains Labour Party and the election of 30-something leaders in France and New Zealand. Merriam-Websters 2017 word of the year is feminism. Lookups increased 70 per cent over 2016 on Merriam-Webster.com and spiked several times after key events, such as the Womens March on Washington in January. Another Michigan school takes the opposite approach: Detroits Wayne State University attempts through its Word Warriors campaign to exhume worthy words that have fallen out of favour. This years list included blithering, gauche and mugwump, which refers to a person who remains aloof or independent especially from party politics. As 2017 drew to a close, world leaders began to reflect on the past year, look toward 2018 and offer New Years messages to their respective countries. Here is a selection of their tributes: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is calling on Canadians to put the values he says unite the country openness, compassion, equality and inclusion into practice heading into the new year. In a New Years statement released Sunday, Trudeau says the 150th anniversary of Confederation in 2017 celebrated how people of different backgrounds, origins, cultures and faiths came together to make Canada the country it is today. But he says it was also a chance to reflect on the moments when Canada has not lived up to its ideals. Trudeau says Indigenous Peoples, and many Canadians, have faced prejudice and oppression and the country must continue to work to right those wrongs in the years ahead. He says his government made progress in 2017 on issues such as creating new opportunities for young people and advancing reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples, but notes there is still a lot of work to do in 2018. Trudeau says every Canadian should have a real and fair shot at success. Lets move forward together, put those values into practice, and work to build a better future for all of us, Trudeau said. U.S. President Donald Trump President Donald Trump capped 2017 on Sunday with a video self-tribute touching on what he sees as the high points of his achievements and rhetoric from his first year in office. He gave a plug to American exceptionalism, too. In the video running 3-1/2 minutes, scenes of Trump with military personnel, Border Patrol agents and other world leaders are set to a stirring soundtrack as he declares of his country: We gave birth to the modern world and we will shape tomorrows world with the strength and skill of American hands. Trump cited his success in placing a new justice on the Supreme Court, his efforts to cut regulations and his big win on overhauling taxes, which he falsely described as the largest tax cut in the history of our country. Trump offered the video with a New Years Eve message, saying What a year its been, and were just getting started. Together, we are MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! Happy New Year!! The president is spending the holidays in Palm Beach, where his Mar-a-Lago club hosts an annual New Years Eve bash. At the event last year, hundreds of guests gathered in the clubs grand ballroom, including action star Sylvester Stallone and romance novel model Fabio. The White House said Trump been briefed on New Years Eve security precautions around the country and will continue to monitor those efforts. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Sunday issued a red alert for more unity in 2018 after what he called a year of setbacks. Nationalism and xenophobia are on the rise, inequality is growing, climate change is accelerating and the world is seeing horrific violations of human rights, he said. Global anxieties about nuclear weapons were the highest since the Cold War. The Portuguese diplomat made no mention of specific countries in his brief New Years message. Guterres said he took office a year ago with an appeal that 2017 would be a year of peace Unfortunately in fundamental ways, the world has gone in reverse, he said. On New Years Day 2018, I am not issuing an appeal. I am issuing an alert a red alert for our world. German Chancellor Angela Merkel German Chancellor Angela Merkel said shell team up with France to hold the European Union together and pledged to form her next government without delay. In a New Years Eve speech to the nation, Merkel outlined a vision for her fourth term that includes an alliance with French President Emmanuel Macron to strengthen Europes economic clout and control migration, while upholding values of tolerance and pluralism within the EU and abroad. Twenty-seven countries in Europe must be impelled more strongly than ever to remain a community, Merkel said in a copy of the speech provided by her office in advance of the televised address Sunday. That will be the decisive question of the next few years. Germany and France want to work together to make it succeed. Merkels effort to combine the strengths of the eurozones two biggest economies has been hamstrung by Germanys longest post-election party deadlock since the Second World War, which has left her a caretaker chancellor since September. Exploratory talks on renewing her coalition with the Social Democratic Party begin Jan. 7. The chancellor sought to put her stamp on the political debate after a poll this week suggested Germans increasingly dont want her to serve another full term. Merkel, 63, said shes committed to forming a stable government for Germany without delay in the new year. French President Emmanuel Macron Frances Emmanuel Macron declared 2018 a decisive year and said co-operation between France and Germany is necessary for Europe to become economically stronger and be a global leader on equal footing with China and the U.S. Europe is good for France, and France cannot succeed without a stronger Europe, Macron said in a nationally televised address Sunday. Our dialogue with Germany is the necessary condition for Europe to move forward, he added. Macron reiterated earlier calls to European voters to get involved in continent-wide parliamentary elections due in 2019. Macron called on EU members to stand together and become more sovereign in the near future. Europe can become this global power economically, socially, on the fight for climate, scientifically, that can face China and the U.S., with its own values. The French leader also promised to press ahead with economic and social reforms at the same fast pace since his election in May, including a change in French laws to push toward more gender equality. He also said France would become more strict in its immigration policies with more controls, without providing details. Macron pledged to listen and respect the countrys political opposition, but he added that in the end I will do what you are expecting me to. The 40-year-old leader ended the 17-minute address from his office calling on French people to ask themselves what they can do for the nation every day channelling the words of U.S. president John F. Kennedys 1961 inaugural address. Pope Francis Bidding 2017 farewell, Pope Francis on Sunday decried wars, injustices, social and environmental degradation and other man-made ills which he said spoiled the year. Francis presided at a New Years Eve prayer service in St. Peters Basilica, a traditional occasion to say thanks in each years last hours. In his homily, the pope said God gave to us a whole and sound year, but we humans in so many ways ruined and hurt it with works of death, with lies and injustices. The wars are the flagrant sign of this repeated and absurd pride, he said. But so are all the little and big offences against life, truth, brotherhood, that cause multiple forms of human, social and environmental degradation. Francis added: We want to, and must assume, before God, our brothers and Creation our responsibility for the harm. Despite the gloom, Francis said gratitude prevails thanks to those who co-operate silently for the common good. He singled out parents and educators who try to raise young people with a sense of responsible ethics. After the solemn basilica service, Francis strolled outside, briskly criss-crossing St. Peters Square to shake hands and banter with well-wishers, and kiss babies held by some of the thousands of faithful who waited for hours for a glimpse of him. The evening was warm, and Francis went without the white coat an aide carried for him. During his nearly hour-long walkabout outdoors, he stopped to admire a life-sized Nativity scene in the middle of the square. In keeping with past practice, the pope will celebrate Mass dedicated to the theme of world peace on New Years Day. Read more about: SAN JOSE, COSTA RICACosta Rican investigators said Monday that strong winds or mechanical problems most likely caused a charter aircraft to crash in woods, killing two crew members and 10 U.S. citizens, including families from New York and Florida. The families from the New York City suburb of Scarsdale and from Belleair, Florida, accounted for nine of the dead and were part of a tour organized by Berkeley, California-based Backroads. Their American guide was the 10th U.S. victim. Michael Soto, deputy director of Costa Ricas Judicial Investigation agency, said strong winds were reported Sunday in the area of the crash and were being looked at as a possible factor in the crash of the Nature Air flight in Guanacaste. Read more: Plane crash in Costa Rica kills 10 U.S. citizens, two locals No possibility can be left out for certain, Soto said. We have two aspects: The principle one would be some weather condition and if there was a mechanical issue. Soto said authorities would begin identifying the remains through DNA testing and dental records Tuesday. Forensic workers recovered the bodies from the wooded site Sunday night. A family in the suburbs of New York City said five of the dead were relatives on vacation. They identified them as Bruce and Irene Steinberg and their sons Matthew, William and Zachary, all of Scarsdale. We are in utter shock and disbelief right now, Bruce Steinbergs sister, Tamara Steinberg Jacobson, wrote on Facebook. Rabbi Jonathan Blake of the Westchester Reform Temple in Scarsdale said in a statement posted on the temples Facebook page and emailed to The Associated Press that the Steinbergs were involved in philanthropy and local Jewish groups. This tragedy hits our community very hard, Blake wrote. In St. Petersburg, Florida, Rabbi Jacob Luski of Congregation Bnai Israel said victims relatives had informed him that four members of his congregation were also on the plane. It is a tragedy that the Drs. Mitchell Weiss and Leslie Weiss and their two children, Hannah and Ari, died in that terrible crash, he said. They were a wonderful family who will be missed. The Morton Plant Hospital in Clearwater, where both the Weiss parents practiced mourned their loss in a statement Monday. We were deeply grieved this morning to learn of the deaths of two beloved members of our team Drs. Mitchell and Leslie Weiss, Kris Hoce, president of Morton Plant Hospital, said in the statement. Their lives and medical skills have touched so many in and around our community, and we are forever grateful to them. Our sympathies go out to their extended family and many friends who are also trying to process this tragic news. The hospital said Mitchell Weiss was a vascular and interventional radiologist and Leslie Weiss was a pediatrician. Their 19-year-old daughter was earning a joint degree at Columbia University and List College, the undergraduate school of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America. List College Dean Shuly Rubin Schwartz told the Daily News of New York that Weiss had emerged as a student leader and ardent environmental activist. She was driving by a real sense of social justice, Schwartz said. In a statement, Backroads spokeswoman Liz Einbinder said their employee on the flight was Amanda Geissler, a native of Thorp, Wisconsin. Aboard the flight were nine Backroads guests, a Backroads Trip Leader and two flight crew members, the statement said. A second Nature Air flight carrying Backroads guests and another Trip Leader arrived safely in San Jose. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families impacted by this tragedy, the companys statement said. Mark Noll, womens basketball coach at the University of Dubuque, said Geissler played point guard for the University of Wisconsin-Stout when he coached there and he last saw her around Thanksgiving. She was home for like 18 hours, and her and her sister came to the tournament, Noll recalled Monday. They knew I was playing and came to watch Stout and see me. Amanda was a sweetheart, a great player, Noll said. At a news conference Sunday, Enio Cubillo, director of Costa Rica Civil Aviation, said the Nature Air charter crashed shortly after taking off from Punta Islita on a planned flight to the capital of San Jose. Cubillo identified the pilot as Juan Manuel Retana and described him as very experienced. Former Costa Rican President Laura Chinchilla said via Twitter that Retana was her cousin. The co-pilot was identified as Emma Ramos. Cubillo said the plane flew from San Jose without passengers on Sunday morning, but was unable to land at Punta Islita because of high winds and diverted to Tambor. When the winds decreased, it landed at Punta Islita without problems, he said. It took off from Punta Islita with the crew and 10 passengers at 12:10 p.m. and crashed about 10 minutes later. Winds of 20 knots or 37 km/h were reported at the time, Cubillo said. Nature Air did not respond to phone and email messages. At the turn of every year we on the Stars editorial board suggest a few resolutions that public figures might want to adopt to make the coming 365 days better than the previous ones. As you can tell from the garbage year that was 2017, with its rising tide of hate and looming nuclear war, people dont tend to listen. Nevertheless, undaunted as usual by the absence of desire for our advice, we offer this recipe for a less hellacious 2018. Justin Trudeau: Resolve to find a new vacation spot. Sure, Bells Cay, the private island belonging to the religious leader, billionaire and registered lobbyist the Aga Khan, is lavish and beautiful. And, of course, you have a known soft spot for sunny ways. But given that your yuletide trip to the island contravened Canadas conflict of interest law and contributed to a larger narrative about your governments coziness with billionaires, you might want to consider an alternative. We understand your finance minister has a lovely villa in the south of France Bill Morneau: Resolve to spend time with the hoi polloi. Want to understand why your failures to adequately distance yourself from your considerable finances or, yes, to disclose information about your villa in Provence are not mere distractions, as you claim? Find an ordinary Canadian and ask. Theyll be more than happy to explain that your important talk of tax fairness will ring hollow as long as you and your fellow ultra-rich appear to be exempt. Andrew Scheer: Resolve to break up with The Rebel actually. After winning the Tory leadership, you vowed to stop granting interviews to the far-right news organization, which was then under fire for its not-entirely-negative coverage of neo-Nazis. But The Rebels objectionable editorial policies didnt stop you from hiring one of the outlets directors, Hamish Marshall, as your campaign manager. You have promised a positive vision for Canadas future, one that unites rather than divides the country. The Rebel, meanwhile, sometimes runs columns that seem to deny the Holocaust happened. Do these seem consistent to you? Donald Trump: Resolve to lie more. The startling compendium of mendacity compiled this year by the Stars Washington bureau chief and presidential fact-checker, Daniel Dale, shows that since taking office youve uttered more than 1,000 falsehoods. Sure, this debases your countrys political discourse and undermines American democracy but your wanton disregard for truth is also having another, more felicitous effect. Polls show that two-thirds of Americans dont believe your fabrications and roughly the same proportion disapproves of your presidency. Keep it up in 2018! Men: Resolve to stop sexually harassing people. Its so important - and really not that difficult. Kathleen Wynne: Resolve to go out, if you are indeed going to go out, with a bang, not a whimper. At this time last year, your support was hitting record lows. But as you enter this election year youre seeing a notable resurgence, no doubt in part because of the significant push finally to become the social-justice premier you once promised to be. In particular, your governments labour reforms, including a significant minimum-wage hike, and your plan for partial pharmacare are important steps toward a more just and prosperous Ontario. You even have Patrick Brown talking like a progressive. Dont stop now. Daylight Saving Time: Resolve to disappear. Another year promises another two time changes, which in turn promise yet more danger and misery and for what? Studies show that, by messing with our sleep patterns, time changes significantly increase the risk of heart attack, stroke, depression and sleep disorders not to mention the massive toll DST takes on our economy in the form of lost productivity. Enough! Please be gone and let us join the sensible 79 per cent of the global population who are already free of your foolishness. Beverley McLachlin: Resolve to enjoy the writers life. As you retire after nearly three decades as chief justice of the Supreme Court of Canada and prepare to publish your first novel this year, we are confident you will bring the skills that defined your remarkable judicial career to bear in your literary pursuits as well. The key to good judging, you once said, is empathy, to put yourself in the shoes of the different parties, and think about how it looks from their perspective. That, of course, is also the key to good fiction. Plus, like judges, writers often work in robes. Youll be great. Jagmeet Singh: Resolve to hit the books. Your charisma, sartorial style and positivity propelled you to the NDP leadership, but you havent always shown an enthusiasm for that pesky other part of politics: public policy. Study up. Halfway through their mandate, the Liberals have left themselves vulnerable on the electorally all-important left. You can ensure that the battle for the progressive terrain over the next two years is a rich policy competition, not a contest between empty slogans and nice suits. Beings of Trappist-1: Resolve to make room for us. Your planetary system, discovered by an international research team early last year, appears to be among the most Earth-like ever examined. Scientists say life may well exist on at least a few of your seven planets. After another overheated, super-storm-beset year here on Earth one in which the global community took as many steps backward as forward on climate action - it seems were pretty committed to destroying our own planet. Do you mind if we crash on one of yours? After all, youre only 39 light-years away. We can be there in 800,000 years! Read more about: If nothing else, 2018 promises to be an interesting year; but we all know what the Chinese say about interesting times. When its over, Toronto will be a city transformed. The change will begin at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 6, with the opening of the skating track at the Bentway, the very 21st-century civic amenity that runs beneath the Gardiner Expressway for 1.75 kilometres between Strachan and Spadina. It was kicked off in 2015 when Toronto philanthropists Judy and Will Matthews donated $25 million to start the project. The Bentway represents Torontos new appreciation of public space. Expectations are understandably high. The designers Ken Greenberg and Public Works have done great work. Our only question is why a global design competition wasnt held. Speaking of the public realm, in May the Re-Imagining Yonge Street report will be released. It will recommend how the stretch of Torontos most famous thoroughfare should be remade between Sheppard and Finch. Developed during Mel Lastmans tenure as mayor of North York, it was intended to be a second downtown but ended up an unresolved gaggle of office towers and residential highrises each constructed in defiance of its neighbours, not a place youd choose to take a walk. Local councillor John Filion wants to change that and reintroduce pedestrians into the equation. As he points out, most of us would rather live next to a main street than a highway. No doubt; but until now, many Torontonians didnt have a choice. The addition of three new city councillors all from downtown could have a big impact on civic politics. Since 1998, when then premier Mike Harris forcibly amalgamated Toronto and its surrounding suburbs, the old city has been under-represented on council. Little wonder nine of 12 members of the executive committee are from the suburbs. The new councillors could redress this imbalance, and perhaps change a civic culture that has become increasingly polarized along suburban/urban lines. The most obvious examples are the $3.55-billion Scarborough Subway Extension and the $1.5-billion expansion of the east end of the Gardiner Expressway. How exciting, then, that in October, Torontonians will vote for the newly enlarged 47-member council. Many will be curious to see whether the electorate remembers those two councillors Giorgio Mammoliti and Justin Di Ciano of Etobicoke who whined all the way to the Ontario Municipal Board about changes intended to make Toronto more democratic. Di Ciano, who led the charge against ranked ballots, now wants to take OMB to court. And who could forget that come July, pot, or as we prefer, cannabis, will be legal in Toronto and the rest of the country? Legalization was intended to help bring Canada out of the Dark Ages and rid us of the cost human and economic of such antiquated laws. While politicians bicker over who will get what share of the massive marijuana market, police say legalized pot laws will cost more to enforce than did illegal pot. Go figure. Speaking of cops, the brain (dead) trust of the Toronto Police Service sparked outrage last year when it cracked down on parking enforcement officer Kyle Ashley. Using Twitter to name and shame offenders, the citys favourite cop apparently fell afoul of his bubble-dwelling bosses for the enthusiasm with which he served and protected. Clearly, Ashley forgot that Toronto police reserve the right to choose which laws to take seriously and which to ignore. Finally, theres NAFTA, now being renegotiated by Canada, Mexico and the US. When even Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland admits talks have been troubling, its pretty clear that things arent going well. At this point, the world knows that whenever U.S. President Donald Trump is involved, disaster cant be far away. According to Jerry Dias, president of Canadas largest private sector union, Unifor, NAFTA is going to blow up in 2018. For many Canadians, thats a scary scenario. Then again, that was the case when the agreement came into effect in 1994. As Freeland has also pointed out, however, Canada is kind of like the girl next door. Its easy to take us for granted. Trump isnt the first U.S. president to fall into that trap; but none of his predecessors have managed to make Canada look so good in the process. For all the pain the demise of NAFTA would cause in the short run; long term, like the girl next door, it could be best thing ever, for Canada and Canadians. Correction: Jan. 2, 2018: This article was updated from a previous version that mistakenly said the Bentway runs between Bathhurst and Spadina. In fact, it runs from Strachan to Spadina. Read more about: Most of my prayers are said in the first person plural. The worship services I attend are usually in a congregation. My religious life is largely, though by no means exclusively, communal. Lord Jonathan Sacks, the former chief rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations in the United Kingdom, makes a strong case for community as the core of religious life. In a lecture he gave last summer to the Chautauqua Institution in New York he quoted Robert C. Putnam, the American political scientist: Social capital does exist in America. But where will you find it? In churches, in synagogues, in temples, in houses of worship. Whats true of America is equally true of other countries, including Canada. Rabbi Sacks understands Putnam to say that religion is the great source of community in the contemporary world. It matters less what you believe and more, much more, that you belong. Over the years Ive ministered to many women and men who told me that they didnt believe much but had a great need to belong to a community of worshippers. Lord Sacks tells us why: Religion as a consecration of the bonds that connect us, religion as the redemption of our solitude, religion as loyalty and love, religion as altruism and compassion, religion as covenant and commitment, religion that consecrates marriage, that sustains community and helps reweave the torn fabric of society. None of us can aspire to be like the Biblical Moses who climbed Mount Sinai to find God. But each of us can be part of the people who stood at the foot of the mountain awaiting God to descend to be among them. Thats how we all can be touched by the divine. Though each religious tradition knows of individuals who seek solitude in order to be with God, the norm in Judaism, Christianity and Islam is to find a community in the hope that God will be there for us. Charlatan leaders may seek to pervert their communities into exclusive clubs, the members of which are subjected to rigorous and eccentric practices, but mercifully the overwhelming majority of religious communities welcome new members and are open to the world. Jonathan Sacks spells out what this means: If you are a regular goer to church, synagogue or other place of worship, you are more likely to help a stranger in need, give a meal to the hungry, shelter someone whos homeless, find somebody a job, give to charity (whether the cause is religious or secular), get involved in voluntary work. Looking back at some four decades of service in congregations in Britain and in Canada, I recall many projects in which we were involved with churches and secular groups in order to make life more bearable for those in need. Of particular significance was the involvement of the congregation I served, Holy Blossom Temple in Toronto, in the Out of the Cold project that provided food and shelter from the winter cold for some of the citys homeless women and men. Similarly I found common ground with colleagues in the Interfaith Social Assistance Reform Coalition (ISARC) that aptly describes itself as representing the solidarity of the diverse faith communities in Ontario engaged in advocacy efforts for the elimination of poverty in this province. When representatives of different religions come together to articulate their respective theological positions, the atmosphere is at best esoteric and the result is often more division than understanding. But when they meet to help people in need, they almost invariably develop respect for the others faith. Though theology deepens ones own faith, community transforms it into holy work. Dow Marmur is rabbi emeritus of Torontos Holy Blossom Temple. His column appears every four weeks. The push for $15 an hour as a starting wage for low-income workers began in New York City in 2012 and has spread to 300 cities on six continents. What used to seem like a pie-in-the-sky pay rate$15 an hour, to startgains momentum for low-wage American workers in key locales now that 2018 has officially begun. A new minimum wage has gone into effect in Seattle, paying new hires $15.45 per hour, and in the Seattle suburb of Seatac, a $15.65 floor, the highest in the land. Among other locales where the wage will be raised Jan. 1 are San Francisco, starting out at $15. New York City workers receive a floor minimum wage of $13 as of Sunday, Dec. 31. Washington, D.C., already has more generous hourly pay now than many other places and is on track to hit $15 an hour in 2020. In addition, 18 states will give unskilled workers more money starting on Jan. 1., in wages that range from $8.85 to $11.50 an hour. Some of those higher rates are nearly double the federal minimum wage, which has been stuck at $7.25 an hour since 2009. Congressional action is required to raise the wage. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., and Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., cosponsored a bill this spring to raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2024. The $15-an-hour idea was also a rallying cry for Sanders when he ran for president during the last election cycle. The federal minimum wage is the least a company can pay workers starting out if they don't work for tips. If a locale, such as Seattle or New York City, has not upped its minimum wage, the federal rate applies. The push for $15 an hour as the floor wage began six years ago when the Fight for $15 pro worker group targeted fast food companies, especially McDonald's Corporation (MCD) - Get McDonald's Corporation (MCD) Report . It was then that 200 McDonald's workers walked off the job in New York City to demand higher pay and union rights. Today, the organization represents workers in 300 cities on six continents. McDonald's has declined to reveal its hourly wages. Glassdoor.com has reported that an average McDonald's crew member makes $8.26 to $8.47 an hour, while cashiers earn $8.47. Trainers tend to draw more an hour, while shift and swing managers generally make slightly over $10 an hour. The broader business community has taken a more gradual approach to upping rates. Target Corporation (TGT) - Get Target Corporation Report , for example, committed to up the starting wage to $11 an hour in October and plans to go to $15 an hour by the end of 2020. Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) - Get Amazon.com, Inc. Report is also tight-lipped about its wages. According to Glassdoor.com, fulfillment center workers in the U.S. are paid around $11 an hour or a little higher. Takeaway: profit margins for retailers and fast-food companies could be pressured in 2018 due to new minimum wage laws. More of What's Trending on TheStreet: Cantel Medical Corp. provides infection prevention and control products and services for the healthcare market. The company's Medical segment offers automated endoscope reprocessing systems; disinfectants and sterilants; detergents; leak testing and manual cleaning products; storage cabinets and transport systems; manual cleaning products; endoscope process tracking products; other consumables, accessories, and supplies for use in disinfect rigid endoscopes, flexible endoscopes, and other instrumentation; and technical maintenance services. Its Life Sciences segment provides dialysis water purification and bicarbonate mixing systems; hollow fiber filters, and other filtration and separation products; liquid disinfectants and cold sterilization products; dry fog products; room temperature sterilization equipment and services; and clean-room certification and decontamination services for the dialysis and other healthcare, research laboratories, food and beverage, and commercial industrial customers, as well as microbiological testing services. The company's Dental segment offers hand and powered dental instruments, instrument reprocessing and sterility assurance products, towels, bibs, tray liners, sponges, nitrous oxide/oxygen sedation equipment and related single-use disposable nasal masks, face masks, and shields. It also provides hand sanitizers, germicidal wipes, disinfectants, surface disinfectants, waterline treatment products, saliva ejectors, evacuator tips, plastic cups, prophy angles, and prophy paste. The company's Dialysis segment provides hemodialysis concentrates and other ancillary supplies; medical device reprocessing systems; and sterilants and disinfectants. The company sells its products through its direct distribution network in the United States; and directly or under various third-party distribution agreements internationally. Cantel Medical Corp. was founded in 1963 and is headquartered in Little Falls, New Jersey. Read More 18 hours ago | September 3rd | 2021 6:00 AM You Can Buy Five Below At Discount Prices, But Wait Fairly Valued Five Below Gets Cheaper Shares of Five Below (NASDAQ: FIVE) entered a correction two weeks ago when Morgan Stanley downgraded the stock to Equal Weight from Over Weight. The reasoning was simple and shouldnt have sparked the correction it did. According to Morgan Stanley, the stock was fairly valued at $230 with a balanced risk-reward ratio. The following companies are subsidiares of Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft: 87 Leonard Development LLC, ABFS I Incorporated, ABS MB Ltd., Acacia (Luxembourg) S.a r.l., Accounting Solutions Holding Company Inc, Alex. Brown Financial Services Incorporated, Alex. Brown Investments Incorporated, Alfred Herrhausen Gesellschaft mbH, Amber Investments S.a r.l., Ambidexter GmbH, Ambidexter GmbH i.L., Argent Incorporated, BHW - Gesellschaft fur Wohnungswirtschaft mbH, BHW Bausparkasse Aktiengesellschaft, BHW Holding GmbH, BHW Kreditservice GmbH, BNA Nominees Pty Limited, BT Globenet Nominees Limited, BTAS Cayman GP, BTD Nominees Pty Limited, Baincor Nominees Pty Limited, Bainpro Nominees Pty Ltd, Baldur Mortgages Limited, Bankers Trust Investments Limited, Barkly Investments Ltd., Bayan Delinquent Loan Recovery 1 (SPV-AMC) Inc, Bayan Delinquent Loan Recovery 1 (SPV-AMC) Inc., Berkshire Mortgage Finance, Betriebs-Center fur Banken AG, Biomass Holdings S.a r.l., Birch (Luxembourg) S.a r.l., Blue Cork Inc, Blue Cork Inc., Borfield Sociedad Anonima, Breaking Wave DB Limited, Cape Acquisition Corp., CapeSuccess Inc., CapeSuccess LLC, Cardales UK Limited, Cardea Real Estate S.r.l., Career Blazers LLC, Career Blazers Management Company Inc, Career Blazers Management Company Inc., Career Blazers Personnel Services Inc, Career Blazers Personnel Services Inc., Career Blazers Personnel Services of Washington D.C. Inc. Washington D.C., Caribbean Resort Holdings Inc, Caribbean Resort Holdings Inc., Carpathian Investments Designated Activity Company, Cathay Advisory (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Cathay Advisory (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Cathay Asset Management Company Limited, Cathay Capital Company (No 2) Limited, Cedar (Luxembourg) S.a r.l., Centennial River 2 Inc., Centennial River Corporation, Chapel Funding, Charlton (Delaware) Inc, China Recovery Fund LLC, China Recovery Fund LLC, Cinda - DB NPL Securitization Trust 2003-1, City Leasing (Thameside) Limited, City Leasing Limited, Consumo S.p.A., Consumo Srl in Liquidazione, Cyrus J. Lawrence Capital Holdings Inc., Cyrus J. Lawrence Capital Holdings Inc., D B Investments (GB) Limited, D&M Turnaround Partners Godo Kaisha, D.B. International Delaware Inc., D.B. International Delaware Inc., DAHOC (UK) Limited (in members' voluntary liquidation), DAHOC Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, DB (Barbados) SRL, DB (Malaysia) Nominee (Asing) Sdn. Bhd., DB (Malaysia) Nominee (Tempatan) Sendirian Berhad, DB (Pacific) Limited, DB (Pacific) Limited New York, DB (Pacific) Limited New York, DB Abalone LLC, DB Alex. Brown Holdings Incorporated, DB Alps Corporation, DB Aotearoa Investments Limited, DB Asia Pacific Holdings Limited (in voluntary liquidation), DB Asset Finance I S.a r.l., DB Asset Finance II S.a r.l., DB Aster II LLC, DB Aster III LLC, DB Aster Inc., DB Aster LLC, DB Beteiligungs-Holding GmbH, DB Boracay LLC, DB Capital Investments Sarl, DB Capital Markets (Deutschland) GmbH, DB Capital Partners Inc., DB Capital Partners Inc., DB Cartera de Inmuebles 1 S.A.U., DB Cartera de Inmuebles 1 S.A.U., DB Chestnut Holdings Limited, DB Commodity Services LLC, DB Consorzio S. Cons. a r. l., DB Corporate Advisory (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., DB Covered Bond S.r.l., DB Credit Investments S.a r.l., DB Delaware Holdings (Europe) Limited, DB Direkt GmbH, DB Elara LLC, DB Energy Commodities Limited (in members' voluntary liquidation), DB Energy Trading LLC, DB Enfield Infrastructure Holdings Limited, DB Equipment Leasing Inc., DB Equipment Leasing Inc., DB Equity Limited, DB Finance (Delaware) LLC, DB Finance (Delaware) LLC, DB Finance International GmbH, DB Ganymede 2006 L.P., DB Global Markets Multi-Strategy Fund I Ltd., DB Global Technology Inc., DB Global Technology Inc., DB Global Technology SRL, DB Group Services (UK) Limited, DB HR Solutions GmbH, DB Holding Fundo de Investimento Multimercado Investimento no Exterior Credito Privado, DB Holdings (New York) Inc., DB Holdings (New York) Inc., DB Holdings (South America) Limited, DB IROC Leasing Corp., DB Immobilienfonds 1 Wieland KG, DB Immobilienfonds 2 KG i.L., DB Immobilienfonds 4 KG i.L., DB Immobilienfonds 5 Wieland KG, DB Impact Investment (GP) Limited, DB Impact Investment Fund I L.P., DB Impact Investment Fund I L.P., DB Industrial Holdings Beteiligungs GmbH & Co. KG, DB Industrial Holdings GmbH, DB Intermezzo LLC, DB International (Asia) Limited, DB International Investments Limited, DB International Trust (Singapore) Limited, DB Investment Managers Inc., DB Investment Managers Inc., DB Investment Partners Inc., DB Investment Partners Inc., DB Investment Resources (US) Corporation, DB Investment Resources Holdings Corp., DB Investment Services GmbH, DB Io LP, DB Litigation Fee LLC, DB London (Investor Services) Nominees Limited, DB Management Support GmbH, DB Managers LLC, DB Municipal Holdings LLC, DB Nexus American Investments (UK) Limited (in members'voluntary liquidation), DB Nexus Investments (UK) Limited (in members' voluntary liquidation), DB Nominees (Hong Kong) Limited, DB Nominees (Singapore) Pte Ltd, DB Omega BTV S.C.S., DB Omega Holdings LLC, DB Omega Ltd., DB Omega S.C.S., DB Operaciones y Servicios Interactivos Agrupacion de Interes Economico, DB Overseas Finance Delaware Inc., DB Overseas Finance Delaware Inc., DB Overseas Holdings Limited, DB PWM, DB Portfolio Southwest Inc., DB Print GmbH, DB Privat- und Firmenkundenbank AG, DB Private Clients Corp., DB Private Wealth Mortgage Ltd., DB RC Holdings LLC, DB Re S.A., DB Service Centre Limited, DB Service Uruguay S.A., DB Services Americas Inc., DB Services Americas Inc., DB Servizi Amministrativi S.r.l., DB Strategic Advisors Inc., DB Strategic Advisors Inc., DB Structured Derivative Products LLC, DB Structured Derivative Products LLC, DB Structured Finance 1 Designated Activity Company, DB Structured Finance 2 Designated Activity Company, DB Structured Holdings Luxembourg S.a r.l., DB Structured Products Inc., DB Structured Products Inc., DB Trustee Services Limited, DB Trustees (Hong Kong) Limited, DB U.S. Financial Markets Holding Corporation, DB UK Bank Limited, DB UK Holdings Limited, DB UK PCAM Holdings Limited, DB USA Core Corporation, DB USA Corporation, DB Valoren S.a r.l., DB Value S.a r.l., DB VersicherungsManager GmbH, DB Vita S.A., DBAB Wall Street LLC, DBAH Capital LLC, DBAH Capital LLC, DBCIBZ1, DBCIBZ2, DBFIC Inc., DBFIC Inc., DBNZ Overseas Investments (No.1) Limited, DBOI Global Services (UK) Limited, DBOI Global Services Private Limited, DBR Investments Co. Limited, DBRE Global Real Estate Management IA Ltd., DBRE Global Real Estate Management IB Ltd., DBRE Global Real Estate Management IB Ltd., DBRE Global Real Estate Management US IB L.L.C., DBRMS4, DBRMSGP1, DBUK PCAM Limited, DBUKH No. 2 Limited, DBUSBZ1 LLC, DBUSBZ1 LLC, DBUSBZ2 S.a r.l., DBUSBZ2 S.a r.l., DBX Advisors LLC, DBX ETF Trust, DBX Strategic Advisors LLC, DBO Vermogensverwertung GmbH, DEBEKO Immobilien GmbH & Co Grundbesitz OHG, DEE Deutsche Erneuerbare Energien GmbH, DEUFRAN Beteiligungs GmbH, DEUKONA Versicherungs-Vermittlungs-GmbH, DEUTSCHE BANK A.S., DG China Clean Tech Partners, DI Deutsche Immobilien Treuhandgesellschaft mbH, DIB-Consult Deutsche Immobilien- und BeteiligungsBeratungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., DISCA Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, DNU Nominees Pty Limited, DSL Portfolio GmbH & Co. KG, DSL Portfolio Verwaltungs GmbH, DTS Nominees Pty Limited, DWS Alternatives France, DWS Alternatives Global Limited, DWS Alternatives GmbH, DWS Asset Management (Korea) Company Limited, DWS Beteiligungs GmbH, DWS CH AG, DWS Distributors Inc., DWS Distributors Inc., DWS Far Eastern Investments Limited, DWS Group GmbH & Co. KGaA, DWS Group Services UK Limited, DWS Grundbesitz GmbH, DWS International GmbH, DWS Investment GmbH, DWS Investment Management Americas Inc., DWS Investment Management Americas Inc., DWS Investment S.A., DWS Investments Australia Limited, DWS Investments Hong Kong Limited, DWS Investments Japan Limited, DWS Investments Shanghai Limited, DWS Investments Singapore Limited, DWS Investments UK Limited, DWS Management GmbH, DWS Real Estate GmbH, DWS Service Company, DWS Trust Company, DWS USA Corporation, De Heng Asset Management Company Limited, De Meng Innovative (Beijing) Consulting Company Limited, DeAM Infrastructure Limited, Deloraine Spain S.L., Delowrezham de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Deposit Solutions, Deutsche (Aotearoa) Capital Holdings New Zealand, Deutsche (Aotearoa) Foreign Investments New Zealand, Deutsche (Mauritius) Limited Port, Deutsche (New Munster) Holdings New Zealand Limited, Deutsche Access Investments Limited, Deutsche Aeolia Power Production Societe Anonyme, Deutsche Alt-A Securities Inc., Deutsche Alt-A Securities Inc., Deutsche Alternative Asset Management (France) SAS, Deutsche Alternative Asset Management (UK) Limited, Deutsche Asia Pacific Holdings Pte Ltd, Deutsche Asset Management (India) Private Limited, Deutsche Asset Management (Japan) Limited, Deutsche Asset Management (Korea) Company Limited, Deutsche Asset Management S.A., Deutsche Asset Management S.G.I.I.C. S.A., Deutsche Australia Limited, Deutsche Bank (Cayman) Limited, Deutsche Bank (Chile), Deutsche Bank (China) Co. Ltd., Deutsche Bank (China) Co. Ltd., Deutsche Bank (Malaysia) Berhad, Deutsche Bank (Suisse) SA, Deutsche Bank (Uruguay) Sociedad Anonima Institucion Financiera Externa, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft, Deutsche Bank Americas Holding Corp., Deutsche Bank Bauspar-Aktiengesellschaft, Deutsche Bank Capital Finance LLC I, Deutsche Bank Capital Finance Trust I, Deutsche Bank Europe GmbH, Deutsche Bank Financial Company, Deutsche Bank Holdings Inc., Deutsche Bank Holdings Inc., Deutsche Bank Insurance Agency Incorporated, Deutsche Bank Insurance Agency of Delaware, Deutsche Bank International Limited, Deutsche Bank Investments (Guernsey) Limited, Deutsche Bank Luxembourg S.A., Deutsche Bank Luxembourg S.A. - Fiduciary Deposits, Deutsche Bank Luxembourg S.A. - Fiduciary Note Programme, Deutsche Bank Mutui S.p.A., Deutsche Bank Mexico S.A. Institucion de Banca Multiple, Deutsche Bank Mexico S.A. Institucion de Banca Multiple, Deutsche Bank National Trust Company, Deutsche Bank National Trust Company Los, Deutsche Bank Nominees (Guernsey) Limited, Deutsche Bank Nominees (Jersey) Limited, Deutsche Bank Polska Spolka Akcyjna, Deutsche Bank Representative Office Nigeria Limited, Deutsche Bank S.A. - Banco Alemao, Deutsche Bank S.A. - Banco Alemao Sao, Deutsche Bank SPEARs/LIFERs Series DBE-8011 Trust, Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Deutsche Bank Securities Limited, Deutsche Bank Services (Jersey) Limited, Deutsche Bank Sociedad Anonima Espanola, Deutsche Bank Sociedad Anonima Espanola, Deutsche Bank Societa per Azioni, Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, Deutsche Bank Trust Company Delaware, Deutsche Bank Trust Company National Association, Deutsche Bank Trust Company National Association, Deutsche Bank Trust Corporation, Deutsche CIB Centre Private Limited, Deutsche Capital Finance (2000) Limited, Deutsche Capital Hong Kong Limited, Deutsche Capital Management Limited, Deutsche Capital Markets Australia Limited, Deutsche Capital Partners China Limited, Deutsche Cayman Ltd., Deutsche Colombia S.A.S., Deutsche Custody N.V., Deutsche Domus New Zealand Limited, Deutsche Equities India Private Limited, Deutsche Finance Co 1 Pty Limited, Deutsche Finance Co 2 Pty Limited, Deutsche Finance Co 3 Pty Limited, Deutsche Finance Co 4 Pty Limited, Deutsche Finance No. 2 Limited, Deutsche Foras New Zealand Limited, Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Immobilien-Leasing mit beschrankter Haftung, Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Immobilien-Leasing mit beschrankterHaftung, Deutsche Global Markets Limited, Deutsche Group Holdings (SA) Proprietary Limited, Deutsche Group Services Pty Limited, Deutsche Grundbesitz Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Deutsche Grundbesitz Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., Deutsche Grundbesitz-Anlagegesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Deutsche Holdings (BTI) Limited, Deutsche Holdings (Grand Duchy), Deutsche Holdings (Luxembourg) S.a r.l., Deutsche Holdings (Malta) Ltd., Deutsche Holdings Limited, Deutsche Holdings No. 2 Limited, Deutsche Holdings No. 3 Limited, Deutsche Holdings No. 4 Limited, Deutsche Immobilien Leasing GmbH, Deutsche India Holdings Private Limited, Deutsche International Corporate Services (Ireland) Limited, Deutsche International Corporate Services Limited, Deutsche International Custodial Services Limited, Deutsche Inversiones Dos S.A., Deutsche Inversiones Limitada, Deutsche Investments (Netherlands) N.V., Deutsche Investments India Private Limited, Deutsche Investor Services Private Limited, Deutsche Knowledge Services Pte. 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IB-US Management L.L.C., G918 Corp., GAC-HEL Inc., GWC-GAC Corp., Galene S.a r.l., Gemini Technology Services Inc., German American Capital, German American Capital Corporation, Gladyr Spain S.L., Global Markets Fundo de Investimento Multimercado, Global Markets III Fundo de Investimento Multimercado - Credito, Greenwood Properties Corp., Grundstucksgesellschaft Frankfurt Bockenheimer Landstrae GbR, Grundstucksgesellschaft Kerpen-Sindorf Vogelrutherfeld GbR, Grundstucksgesellschaft Leipzig Petersstrae GbR, Grundstucksgesellschaft Wiesbaden Luisenstrae/Kirchgasse GbR, HTB Spezial GmbH & Co. KG, Hollandsche Bank-Unie, IOS Finance EFC S.A., ISTRON Beteiligungs- und Verwaltungs-GmbH, IVAF I Manager S.a r.l., IVAF I Manager S.a r.l., Immobilienfonds Buro-Center Erfurt am Flughafen Bindersleben I GbR, Immobilienfonds Buro-Center Erfurt am Flughafen Bindersleben II GbR, Immobilienfonds Mietwohnhauser Quadrath-Ichendorf GbR, Immobilienfonds Wohn- und Geschaftshaus Koln-Blumenberg V GbR, J R Nominees (Pty) Ltd, Joint Stock Company Deutsche Bank DBU, Jyogashima Godo Kaisha, KEBA Gesellschaft fur interne Services mbH, Kidson Pte Ltd, Konsul Inkasso GmbH, Kradavimd UK Lease Holdings Limited, LA Water Holdings Limited, LAWL Pte. Ltd., Latitude Australia Secured Personal Loans Trust, Leasing Verwaltungsgesellschaft Waltersdorf mbH, Leonardo III Initial GP Limited, Lindsell Finance Limited, London Industrial Leasing Limited, MEF I Manager S. a r.l., MEF I Manager S. a r.l., MHL Reinsurance Ltd., MIT Holdings Inc., MIT Holdings Inc., MPP Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Maher Terminals Holdings (Toronto) Limited, Morgan Grenfell & Company, MortgageIT, MortgageIT Inc., MortgageIT Inc., MortgageIT Securities Corp., Motion Picture Productions One GmbH & Co. KG, NCW Holding Inc., Navegator - SGFTC S.A., Navegator - SGFTC S.A., New 87 Leonard LLC, Nordwestdeutscher Wohnungsbautrager Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, OOO "Deutsche Bank TechCentre", OOO "Deutsche Bank", OPB Verwaltungs- und Beteiligungs-GmbH, OPB Verwaltungs- und Treuhand GmbH, OPB-Holding GmbH, OPB-Nona GmbH, OPB-Oktava GmbH, OPB-Quarta GmbH, OPB-Quinta GmbH, OPB-Septima GmbH, OPPENHEIM Capital Advisory GmbH, OPPENHEIM Flottenfonds V GmbH & Co. KG, OPPENHEIM PRIVATE EQUITY Manager GmbH, OPPENHEIM PRIVATE EQUITY Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, OPS Nominees Pty Limited, OVT Trust 1 GmbH, OVV Beteiligungs GmbH, Opal Funds (Ireland) Public Limited Company, PADUS Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, PARTS Funding LLC., PB Factoring GmbH, PB Firmenkunden AG, PB International S.A., PB Spezial-Investmentaktiengesellschaft mit Teilgesellschaftsvermogen, PBC Banking Services GmbH, PCC Services GmbH der Deutschen Bank, PT Deutsche Sekuritas Indonesia, PT. Deutsche Verdhana Sekuritas Indonesia, Pan Australian Nominees Pty Ltd, Peruda Leasing Limited, Plantation Bay Inc., Plantation Bay Inc., Postbank Akademie und Service GmbH, Postbank Beteiligungen GmbH, Postbank Direkt GmbH, Postbank Filialvertrieb AG, Postbank Finanzberatung AG, Postbank Immobilien GmbH, Postbank Immobilien und Baumanagement GmbH, Postbank Immobilien und Baumanagement GmbH & Co. Objekt Leipzig KG, Postbank Leasing GmbH, Postbank Service GmbH, Postbank Systems AG, QR Tower 2 LLC, Quantiguous, R.B.M. Nominees Pty Ltd, REO Properties Corporation, RREEF, RREEF America L.L.C., RREEF China REIT Management Limited, RREEF European Value Added I (G.P.) Limited, RREEF Fund Holding Co., RREEF India Advisors Private Limited, RREEF Management L.L.C., RTS Nominees Pty Limited, Reference Capital Investments Limited, RoPro U.S. Holding Inc., RoPro U.S. Holding Inc., Route 28 Receivables LLC, Route 28 Receivables LLC, SAB Real Estate Verwaltungs GmbH, SAGITA Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, SAPIO Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, SCUDO Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., SEDO Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., SENA Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH & Co. Objekt Kamenz KG, SIFA Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, SOLIDO Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, SP Mortgage Trust, SPINO Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., SPV I Sociedad Anonima Cerrada, SPV II Sociedad Anonima Cerrada, STATOR Heizkraftwerk Frankfurt (Oder) Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Sal. Oppenheim, Sal. Oppenheim Alternative Investments GmbH, Sal. Oppenheim jr. & Cie. AG & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft auf Aktien, Sal. Oppenheim jr. & Cie. Beteiligungs GmbH, Sal. Oppenheim jr. & Cie. Komplementar AG, Sechste Salomon Beteiligungs- und Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, Sechste Salomon Beteiligungs- und Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., Service Company Four Limited, Sharps SP I LLC, Singer Island Tower Suite LLC, Somkid Immobiliare S.r.l., Stelvio Immobiliare S.r.l., Structured Finance Americas LLC, Structured Finance Americas LLC, Swabia 1. Vermogensbesitz-GmbH, Suddeutsche Vermogensverwaltung Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, TAKIR Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, TELO Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, TEMATIS Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., TERRUS Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., TESATUR Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH & Co. Objekt Halle I KG i.L., TESATUR Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH & Co. Objekt Nordhausen I KG i.L., TOSSA Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, TRIPLA Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, TRS Aria LLC, TRS Leda LLC, TRS Maple II LTD, TRS Oak II LTD, TRS SVCO LLC, TRS Scorpio LLC, TRS Tupelo II LTD, TRS Venor LLC, TRS Walnut II LTD, Tagus - Sociedade de Titularizacao de Creditos S.A., Tasfiye Halinde Deutsche Securities Menkul Degerler A.S., Tempurrite Leasing Limited, Thai Asset Enforcement and Recovery Asset Management Company Limited, Tianjin Deutsche AM Fund Management Co. Ltd., Treuinvest Service GmbH, Triplereason Limited, UKE Beteiligungs-GmbH, UKE Grundstucksgesellschaft mbH, UKE s.r.o., Ullmann - Esch Grundstucksgesellschaft Kirchnerstrae GbR, Ullmann - Esch Grundstucksverwaltungsgesellschaft Disternich GbR, Ullmann Ullmann Krockow Krockow Esch GbR, VCJ Lease S.a r.l., Vesta Real Estate S.r.l., VOB-ZVD Processing GmbH, WEPLA Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, WEPLABeteiligungsgesellschaftmbH, Wealthspur Investment Ltd., Whale Holdings S.a r.l., World Trading (Delaware) Inc., World Trading(Delaware)Inc., Zumirez Drive LLC, db PBC, and norisbank GmbH. Oshkosh Corp. engages in the design, manufacture, and market of specialty vehicles and vehicle bodies. It operates through the following segments: Access Equipment, Defense, Fire & Emergency, and Commercial. The Access Equipment segment consists of JerrDan and JLG, which manufactures aerial work platforms; and telehandlers that are used in construction, industrial, institutional, and general maintenance applications to position workers and materials at elevated heights. The Defense segment produces tactical wheeled vehicles; and supply parts and services for the United States military and other militaries around the world. The Fire and Emergency segment sells commercial and custom fire vehicles; simulators and emergency vehicles primarily for fire departments, airports and other governmental units; and broadcast vehicles for broadcasters and television stations. The Commercial segment includes McNeilus, CON-E-CO, London, Iowa Mold Tooling Co., Inc (IMT), and Oshkosh Commercial. The company was founded in 1917 and is headquartered in Oshkosh, WI. Read More Lockheed Martin Corp. operates as a global security and aerospace company, which engages in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration, and sustainment of technology systems, products, and services. It operates through the following business segments: Aeronautics, Missiles and Fire Control (MFC), Rotary and Mission Systems (RMS) and Space. The Aeronautics segment researches, designs, develops, manufactures, integrates, sustains, supports, and upgrades advanced military aircraft, including combat and air mobility aircraft, unmanned air vehicles, and related technologies. The MFC segment provides air and missile defence systems; tactical missiles and air-to-ground precision strike weapon systems; logistics; fire control systems; mission operations support, readiness, engineering support and integration services; manned and unmanned ground vehicles; and energy management solutions. The RMS segment offers design, manufacture, service, and support for a variety of military and commercial helicopters; ship and submarine mission and combat systems; mission systems and sensors for rotary and fixed-wing aircraft; sea and land-based missile defence systems; radar systems; the Littoral Combat Ship; simulation and training services; and unmanned systems and technologies. The Space segment comprises of the research and development, design, engineering and production of satellites, strategic, and defensive missile systems and space transportation systems. The company was founded in 1961 and is headquartered in Bethesda, MD. Read More I love to check out new apps and in fact spent more than a few hours checking OsmAnd. As I will be spending a few weeks in Zwolle later this year I used it for a side by side comparison with Google. The first thing I noticed was how long it took to load. Then when pulling up the map one notices it has a different look and feel than Google Maps. It uses a blending of information from both Wikipedia and Bing. Next I noticed the detail showing traffic lights and bile/walking paths. That detail is definitely there. As ASW says, addresses are there. When clicking on a point of interest the delay is only momentary before relevant information appears. With only a couple exceptions that information is very similar to the information appearing on Google. So far I think all this is very positive compared to Google. However, I was quite surprised at the lack of "points of interest". Looking for several restaurants they simply did not appear on OsmAnd. Doing a search, they still did not show up. When I first logged in I saw a few restaurants I had not seen on Google. When I drilled down on Google they eventually appeared. I'm not not talking small tokos or cafes here but rather major restaurants. Going back to Lionheart's point about a "tourist map" I think it is a valid one. Especially when visiting a new town something I really appreciate is a review score for businesses. When clicking on a business I like to immediately see the review score and have the ability to read the reviews. Quite often it is the determining factor as to whether or not I go in. All other information supplied by the two apps appears to be similar. All the addresses being supplied is definitely a plus and is more handy than Google's option. By clicking on a location on Google Maps the address appears but it is an extra step. Getting directions from one point to another is a rather cumbersome process within OsmAnd compared to Google requires extra steps. The process of saving the route however is nice. The bottom line for me would be that while walking around a new town I would prefer Google because of its more extensive database and reviews. The detail provided for traffic lights, biking paths, and listed addresses is definitely a plus for OsmAnd especially for biking. As for over the road navigation I would have to check that out with personal experience. "Not all those who wander are lost. J.R.R. Tolkien We are planning a roughly 2 week trip to Australia October 2018. The only part of the trip that is booked and set in stone is one week from 24th Oct on Phillip Island for MotoGP. We would also like to get in a trip to Sydney Harbour, Great Barrier Reef and Uluru - we are flexible as to whether we do this before or after the week on Phillip Island. I have a few questions and would be grateful for some advice... We were planning on hiring a car and driving around, but honestly, it's such a vast country and I don't want to "waste" too much time driving, so flying is probably quicker/easier to the destinations we would like to visit on this trip I guess? SO, what is the best order to do this in? Fly London to Melbourne, hire a car, head to Philip Island for a week, then take the coastal drive to Sydney and fly from there to stay on the islands at the great barrier reef? then fly across to Ailce Springs?.... arrrrgh my brain is going to burst with options :-D Are the Whitsunday Islands the best place to stay for a few days? We want somwhere we can chill and take in the sights. Any advice as to how long we will need in each place? I imagine we are going to be tempted to stay other places along the way too. I am just trying to figure out where to book flights to and from at the moment - London to Australia and back - I guess the interal flights are easy enough to book when we are there? Thanks in advance... Red kangaroos are only found in the arid to semi arid zones, you might see them around Flinders Ranges but north of the main tourist areas. A lot depends on which areas still have suitable food for them, Around Broken Hill could be another area but away from any settled areas. But the key word is might. Dusk or dawn are your better viewing times. Hello, My fiance and I are arriving in Melbourne Friday Feb 1st for my cousin's wedding on Sunday Feb 4th. I think we will stay in Melbourne until Tues Feb 6 or Wed Feb 7 then we are unsure where we should head to next. We were thinking New Zealand but many forums say that you need over a week for New Zealand. We are flying out of Sydney the morning of Thu Feb 14th to go back home. I figure we need maybe 3 days in Sydney towards the tail end of our trip which leaves us with 4-5 days in the middle of trip to decide where to go. I've been to Caines before for the great barrier reef so if there is another good location for the great barrier reef, I would consider it. We like nature, beautiful landscapes, historical architecture, sightseeing, hiking and of course eating. Not so much into night life, shopping, or perching on a resort. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Annie For those that aren't able to be in Sydney for this amazing show, me included, do watch it on youtube! I am sitting here, six hours away from our New Year's, wishing that I could make it to Oz one more time, for this incredible evening. But, just in case I win the lottery, is the Opera House area still the best place to watch? Or out on one of the many boats? What time do the trains run, in the wee hours of the morning? Are the hotels downtown still asking for three night minimum stay? Or has that changed? (( Updated with Itinerary!!! )) Please add on what I've missed out or things you highly recommend. We have a 1yr old so want to take it easy, can't do much adventurous stuff, and prefer animals and nature! Thanks a lot! Covering: Perth / Swan Valley / Busselton / Dunsborrough (MR) / Farmstay (Harvey or Pemberton) / Fremantle / Mandural / Back to Perth Day of arrival: Plane lands 1230am, go straight hotel via taxi (stay CBD) Day 1: Pick up car, stock up daily & baby stuff from Coles/Woolsworth, explore a bit of Perth, drive to Swan Valley (stay SV) Day 2: Cuddly Animal Farm, lunch somewhere, baby nap, Woodbridge Riverside Playspace at Midland (stay SV) Day 3: Caversham Wildlife Park, and similar to previous day (stay SV) Day 4: SV drive towards Busselton. Jetty, tram, lunch @ The Goose, Underwater Observatory, maybe shop @ Fig Tree Lane. Depending on time, either check in Airbnb @ Dunsborough first before heading out later again. Or check out Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse and Meelup Beach first before Airbnb @ Dunsborough. (Stay Duns) Day 5: Picnic brunch (Maybe Point Dalling according to MR site recommendation. But anywhere else good for picnic with a baby & a view?), visit Canal Rocks, drive through Boranup Forest, Caves Rd. Eventually arrive Augusta region, Hamelin Bay, Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse. (Stay Duns) Day 6: Either Bluehills Farmstay @ Harvey or Diamond Forest @ Pemberton Day 7: Either Bluehills Farmstay @ Harvey or Diamond Forest @ Pemberton Day 8: Either Bluehills Farmstay @ Harvey or Diamond Forest @ Pemberton (not sure if we are doing a 3rd day farm) Day 9: Mandurah or Fremantle (depends which allows Fremantle to fall on a weekend in this trip). Fremantle for markets, and Mandurah for dolphin cruise. Day 10: Mandurah or Fremantle (depends which allows Fremantle to fall on a weekend in this trip). Fremantle for markets, and Mandurah for dolphin cruise. (A bit confused should I stay around Mandurah or Fremantle, to break up the drive from Farmstay to Perth, and also fit our itinerary to explore both places)? Day 11: Fly out Perth In Arenal, we enjoyed the views, grounds and own trails of . In case you are looking for one room: they have 1 Family room in their La Casona building, located 1/2 km from the reception (property map - ) with 2 bigger beds and 1 bunk bed. You can also try to rent two different rooms. The few rooms located inside La Casona house of a budget category and share 1 bathroom. This living arrangement is not for everyone. But it gives you access to the wonderful property, an included guided morning hike for 2.5 hrs, included breakfast with the views of the volcano less than 2 miles away from you, and their various beautiful trails, waterfall, wildlife viewing opportunities, a small outdoor pool and a jaccuzi by the pool. Some room categories at this hotel seem to be completely booked for Mar. 1-2 or 3, but you can call their toll free phone # or try the on-line booking feature for your exact dates. OK, still working on next November's itinerary. I have three set locations (Arenal, Tortuguero, Cahuita), and I have come up with two choices for a fourth (Turrialba, Sarapiqui) that are very different but both interesting to me, and having trouble eliminating/choosing one of them. I am wondering if I add a day or two (was originally looking 13-14 days), whether I can fit them all. There are admittedly a lot of travel days in this, but most are not huge distances and thus are not completely blown days, as we can do things at the first location before leaving, or at the destination once we arrive, or in-route (for example, we would likely visit Catarata Del Toro on the Arenal-to-Sarapiqui day). Plus, we enjoy the 'going there' part of things, in general. Would look something like this... Day 1, Arrival, stay near airport Day 2, to Arenal, stay Arenal Oasis Days 3, 4 in Arenal, stay Arenal Oasis Day 5 to Sarapiqui, stay Chilamate Rainforest Eco Retreat Day 6 in Sarapiqui, stay Chilamate Rainforest Eco Retreat Day 7 to Tortuguero, stay Casa Marbella Day 8 in Tortuguero, stay Casa Marbella Day 9 to Cahuita, stay Kelly Creek Hotel Day 10, 11 in Cahuita, stay Kelly Creek Hotel Day 12 to Turrialba, stay Guayabo Lodge Day 13, 14 in Turrialba, stay Guayabo Lodge Day 15 to airport and fly home Depending on inbound flight, it may be possible to travel to Arenal that day, which would allow an added night somewhere else (likely Chilamate). I know different people have different ideas of what an enjoyable trip is, but just looking for thoughts or impressions. I know it is workable; is it crazy? You don't need a tour for Tam Coc. Just take a taxi from Ninh Binh to the boat dock, and there'll certainly be a boat available to take you for the standard ride. Better yet, substitute Trang An for Tam Coc (better experience by all accounts); same advice above. If booking with Sinh Tourist make sure you get the correct one above, as there are no copyright laws in Vietnam and you can see many Sinh tourist agencies, on one occasion i saw 4 next to each other, and luckily for me i knew who were the original and legitimate one. Back in 1993 when Mr, Sinh set up his company in Saigon i mat the guy and took two tours with him. We were in VN just over a year ago and took two tours from Hanoi---well worth it and good service. In Sapa you could take the overnight train and hang around by the church where you will be approached by Hmong ladies offering to guide you on a day trek or overnight homestay. We were not intending to trek as i had been there in 1993 when it was a tiny village and no hill tribe person spoke English and i wandered into the hills by myself. We enjoyed speaking to one of the ladies so we decided to trek with her the next day. She met us at the appointed time, asked what we anted to eat for lunch, bought the fresh produce from the market and off we went. We were so surprised as she produced a wonderful meal with 5 different dishes at her home. Afterwards we continued trekking and got a taxi home to Sapa. One advantage of doing this is that the money goes directly to her instead of the agency taking the majority and leaving the guide with a pittance. >>My wife and me want to be together in the Onsen. We are happy to do it the traditional way - naked without a bathing suit - in a public bath To do so in a public onsen with both genders mixed is rare. There are some wild onsens such as Gero onsen, Shirahone onsen etc in JP Alps, Tsuta onsen in Tohoku and Kussharo-ko in HOkkaido East but mostly occupied by men if any. If there were women they are likely elderly. As mentioned by Sammy above, the Kashikiri onsen is a public onsen that can be rented for less than 1 hour, where couples or families may enjoy privately w/o sharing with others in that session. Edited: 3 years ago I would think you'll wind up staying someplace very very far from the Strip and it will not be cheap. It is also unlikely you'll get a good view of the fireworks. This is a very confusing part of your sentence, "...we get there right around 11 and plan to drive either till 11 or maybe 1am." Not only does the time make no sense, but drive where? Edited: 3 years ago For whatever reason UK people are reluctant to have credit cards, I would never travel without one. What is it with you UK people - Im fairly confident if addressed in a similar way, youd be the first to complain of racism. Steady on. If Ive posted it once, Ive posted it a hundred times: the general attitude towards credit cards (and credit card debt) is very different from one side of the Atlantic to the other. As others have hinted at, just being able to have a credit card here in the UK is not guaranteed- and if youve never had one before; applying for one to take on vacation is pretty pointless; as regardless of your credit rating, when first applying for a card- the limit on your card is typically very low, just a few hundred pounds / dollars. The term fee free credit cards are banded about here often- the reality is that there are 2-3 cards that offer this in the UK, and theyre hard to get. You cant just fill in an application today and have a fee free card with $10k limit by the end of the week. Its also worth remembering that the typical fee charged by banks is 3%, so is you spend $2,500 on your normal bank card, youd pay less than 60 in bank fees. Would it be a better world if you didnt have to lay that? Sure. But the world wont come to an end if you have to pay those fees, its a relatively small cost for not having to apply for a credit card. A Revolut Card or similar is a great thing to have, as you can move money between your bank account and the card pretty easily, and theres no fee for using that in shops and restaurants - its accepted almost everywhere too, just very small street vendors and occasional deli etc that dont take cards. Anywhere that takes cards normally accepts them. Things like appropriate travel insurance are way more important to UK/ worldwide travellers than a credit card. If youve got a new credit card with a 500 limit and break your leg (typically treatment costs a few grand), what good will your credit card do you? But good travel insurance; and youll be much better off. Edited: 3 years ago Khe Yo lunch special is very good and affordable, but it can be spicy. Hard to predict what the OP wants. Tribeca where this resto is located has a lot of varied choices. Brushstroke, the Japanese restaurant that is part of the Bouley chain, serves a limited seating Ramen selection at its bar. If you want something special in a lovely room, (reservations are hard to get) Id pick Le Coucou. One restaurant in my list which has proven elusive for the past few years is Uncle Boons. Ive sort of given up trying and will focus on Cote instead (great Steaks with a Korean touch, and one Michelin Star). Its just the weather being an impediment to fine nighttime dining. Any of the David Chang restaurants from Ko to Nishi. Yes, an ESTA visa waiver should be what you need. Here's the official site for applying for the ESTA. It should cost US$14 each. (Be aware there are copycat sites that show up in web searches that will overcharge.) Side trips to adjacent countries (Canada, Mexico, and various islands such as your destinations) only really matter for people who are traveling for longer than 90 days because travel to those areas does not reset the 90 day admission limit from your initial arrival in the US.. - President Uhuru Kenyatta adressed the nation in a televised presser on Sunday, December 31 - He wished Kenyans a happy new year as he hoped for personal and national growth in 2018 - He also took the opportunity to remind Kenyans of all of his government's successes in the last 5 years he was president President Uhuru Kenyatta's new year's speech was televised on Sunday, January 31 as Kenyans prepared to usher in 2018. Speaking from State House Nairobi, Uhuru took a moment to wish all Kenyans a happy, safe and prosperous 2018, a year in which everyone's plans and efforts yielded bountiful fruit. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens' He also said he was celebrating 2017, an extra ordinary year, and was looking to grow both personally and nationally in 2018. "Kenya has come a long way since our first President wished the country a happy new year fifty-four years ago. Once they wrested our freedom from empire, our fathers turned to the war against poverty, disease and ignorance. Their vision and their hopes have guided us for a half century, READ ALSO: Raila Odinga calls for street protests in 2018 in his new year message to Kenyans President Uhuru Kenyatta addressing the nation on Sunday, December 31, 2017, from State House Nairobi. Photo: Uhuru Kenyatta/Facebook. READ ALSO: NTSA, police suspend night travel for long distance vehicles after 37 were killed at Migaa "Even when we have stumbled and encountered hardships, we, the Kenyan people, have never lost sight of our destination: a country in which every citizens talents and dreams are achieved; in which every Kenyan shares in our prosperity; and a Kenya secure and at peace with the world," said Uhuru The President then proceeded to list a number of things his government achieved and they included: 1. Building a world-class railway line on time and within budget. He also mentioned that by Tuesday, January 2, the SGR will begin carrying commercial cargo therefore cutting costs and delay in the trade across East Africa 2. His government undertook the most aggressive expansion and upgrading of roads in Kenya's history. 3. Facilitated the rapid growth of Kenyan homes being connected to the electricity grid in the success of the last mile project. He mentioned that this project is being studied globally because it was one of the fastest expansions internationally. READ ALSO: Uhuru discriminating some communities - Wetangu'la hits out at Uhuru President Uhuru (l) and DP William Ruto unveiling the connecting of a home to the national electricity grid under their last mile connectivity project. Photo: Uhuru Kenyatta/Facebook. Install TUKO App To Read News For FREE 4. Supplying digital learning devices to hundreds of thousands of school going children whom he hopes will now perform better in the reformed exam system 5. Delivering new and upgraded technical institutes throughout the country for secondary school leavers who did not manage to make it on to university. 6. Successfully reforming the National Health Insurance Fund scheme and offering free maternal care 7. His government also equipped hospitals with modern diagnostic equipment and intends to work on preventing hospitals from bankrupting families seeking medical attention. 8. Successfully rolling out devolution that has seen all counties receive proportional share of revenue 9. Strengthening the country's response to security challenges, revealing terrorists now have a difficult time in succeeding in their evil plans after security officers were empowered. READ ALSO: Death toll rises to 36 following road accident at Migaa on Nakuru-Eldoret Highway Kenya's Defence Forces have been protecting the country's borders especially from terrorists from Somalia. Photo: MSNBC READ ALSO: Moses Kuria afichua njama ya Jubilee kumwiba Kalonzo Musyoka kutoka NASA "We have made remarkable progress; the journey continues, for there are Kenyans who worry about low incomes, the cost of food and shelter. We will continue to work each and every day to ease the life of every Kenyan. We laid a foundation, as we promised; we will build on it to bring prosperity and dignity to every Kenyan. That is the driving motivation of my Big Four Plan, "Let us enter this New Year with glad tidings in our heart, and be able to see ourselves as the world beaters that we are as Kenyans. Friends, Let me conclude by again wishing you a prosperous, peaceful and happy 2018. I urge you to say a prayer for our country tonight. May the Almighty God protect your family, and our great nation, as we walk in faith that better days are ahead for all of us. Happy New Year!" said President Uhuru. He concluded by asking God to bless Kenya and all those who live in the country and for God to bless Africa and every human being on this planet. Have something to add to this article? Send to news@tuko.co.ke Source: Tuko Breaking News - DP Ruto paid tribute to four special groups of people who saw Kenya through 2017 - He did this in his new year's message to Kenyans - Ruto also recognised that it was by the grace of God that Kenya navigated uncharted waters in 2017 Kenyans from across the country ushered in the new year, some with pomp and colour, on Monday, January 1. Among them was Deputy President William Ruto who took to social media with a message for Kenyans as they embarked on a new year. Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens In the Sunday, December 31, post seen by TUKO.co.ke, DP Ruto was especially grateful for a group of people who made Kenya great in 2017. READ ALSO: Luhya elders apologise to Wamalwa after Vihiga attack by Mudavadi supporters DP Ruto greeting sportsmen who paid him a courtesy call in the past. Photo: William Samoei Ruto/Facebook. READ ALSO: Kwa Waluhya mimi ndiye kusema na hamna mwingine Ken Lusaka "We have negotiated 2017 through God's enabling power, boundless mercy and love. His divine presence has meant we are a blessed nation. We applaud the people for their patience and perseverance as the country navigated uncharted waters, which left us more experienced and stronger," wrote DP Ruto. He then proceeded to identify people who made efforts in making Kenya great: 1. The Church - For its untiring efforts to preach peace, unity and harmony 2. Sportsmen and women- For their exemplary performances and raising the Kenyan flag high 3. Patriots - For their selfless acts 4. Kenyan citizens- For playing their part in making Kenya great READ ALSO: Miguna Miguna sends chilling message to Uhuru over what will befall Jubilee in 2018 DP Ruto with President Uhuru Kenyatta on the day they were declared presidential election winners by the IEBC. Photo: Uhuru Kenyatta/Facebook Install TUKO App To Read News For FREE "As we usher in 2018, let us rededicate ourselves to the service of our nation and be mindful of the well being of your neighbour, friend and family. In the words of our National Anthem: "Let all with one accord, In common bond united, Build this our nation together." #HappyNewYear," wrote DP Ruto. Have something to add to this article? Send to news@tuko.co.ke Source: Breaking News Ihor Romanenko The question of the U.S. granting lethal aid to Ukraine has two components to it military and military-political. As for the purely military component, first of all, it should be understood what kind of weapons the U.S. decided to sell or supply Ukraine with. Among them there will be small arms: modification of the assault M16-M4 assault rifle, an upgraded RGD7 grenade launcher, and Barrett sniper rifles. Washington provided to Ukraine an export license for the sale of Barrett (M-107) rifles, components and ammunition to them. The rifle is capable of hitting targets at a 2km distance, and it is so-called "material" weapon, that is, it leads not so much to the destruction of manpower at great distances, but to the disabling of light armored vehicles and suppression of bunkers. When Russia is aware of the fact that its adversary has a very effective remedy, it will behave a bit differently Also, people often talk about the Javelin missiles. This is a modern effective anti-tank weapon, or rather an anti-tank guided missile system. The main principle of its operation is "fire-and-forget", that is, you take aim, fire, and go on dealing with some other routine. For example, the Ukrainian-made "Stuhna" is guided by a laser beam, that is, you shoot and then need to keep the target in crosshairs until the missile hits it. However, a sniper might take down the shooter during this period. But, once you launch a Javelin missile, you can just get back in the shelter. Another feature of Javelin is that the missile is capable of hitting armored vehicles from above where they are most vulnerable. So that really is a great weapon. The delivery of Javelins this year will be included in the $350 million military aid to Ukraine provided for by the U.S. budget. Some $50 million will be allocated for 10 missiles and 35 Javelin launchers. Not much, really. This amount of Javelins is unlikely to fundamentally affect the situation in Donbas. However, once Russia is aware of the fact that its adversary has a very effective remedy, it will behave a bit differently. Besides, Ukraine is constantly increasing its own anti-tank forces, and it is important for the country to win some more time. As for the military-political component, it boils down to the fact that this decision by the U.S. to provide Ukraine with lethal weapons will serve as a starting point for the further development and deepening of relations between Kyiv and Washington. And, in addition, this move will be an example for other countries. Canada has already green-lighted the step to supply small arms to Ukraine. A number of other countries will act the same when they see that Washington has given a go-ahead on these issues. Now Russia will have to take into account the fact that such actions will turn into unacceptable losses for it, so this will be deterring Moscow Some have strange fears in connection with the U.S. decision. Thats suggesting that if the Americans start supplying lethal aid to Ukraine, the Russians will start supplying exactly the same weapons to the LPR and DPR. But Russia cannot start doing it simply because they have been doing it since 2014, trying to cover up their efforts with supposedly humanitarian convoys. In general, Ukrainian citizens should not have any illusions that something like that will begin. What can Russia provide militants with? What, will they deploy nuclear arms in the occupied territory? Of course, not. Thanks to Russia, everything has already been brought into Donbas. Russia and its proxies have not yet carried out massive air strikes, massed missile strikes or nuclear attacks, but every other weapon has already been used on their part. They even engaged elements of chemical weapons in this war, in particular, in the Donetsk Airport. In addition, we shouldnt forget that Moscow is using military operations in the east of Ukraine as a training ground where it uses both expired shells and weapons, and tests new types of arms. Certainly, to some extent the realization of the fact that Ukraine will henceforth have more effective weapons will serve as a deterrent for Russia. After all, the use of such weapons will mean unacceptable losses for Russia. Moscow will have to take into account the fact that the potential of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has increased significantly, therefore it will not be possible for Moscow to carry out military operations as easily as in Crimea or in the first days of war in Donbas. Now Russia will have to take into account the fact that such actions will turn into unacceptable losses for it, so this will be deterring Moscow. Ihor Romanenko is a Ukrainian Army Lt. Gen (Rtd), Candidate of Military Sciences, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor, ex-Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces "I wish Ukrainian citizens and Ukrainians all over the world peace, happiness and prosperity!" he said, closing out the year on December 31. "As President, I will provide the political conditions necessary for the economic growth," he said. He also warned against destabilization of the situation in the country and called on the Ukrainians to be united. "We should take away the matches from those who want set fire to the house from the inside. We should open fire on those who will attack us from the outside. We should cherish our unity as the apple of one's eye," he said. "Let Crimea and Sevastopol, Donetsk and Luhansk hear my sincere wishes through the artificial delimitation lines. Brothers and sisters, your home is Ukraine At some point we will banish and punish the robber who plundered our home," he said. "Optimism, faith in our country, our forces are our main resource. Everything will be alright," he said. He also greeted the international partners of Ukraine. Read alsoPoroshenko releases video of Ukraine's major achievements in 2017"I convey sincere greetings to our international partners. The United States has just announced a decision to supply modern defensive weapons to us. A step in this direction was made by Canada and other states. The European Union extended sanctions against the aggressor country as well," he said. "And the decision of the Stockholm arbitration tribunal was made as if it is a Christmas gift. It protected us from the extremely unfavorable conditions of the gas contract of the ninth year," he said. Poroshenko also mentioned EU visa-free travel for Ukrainians as an achievement of 2017. "Once again, I greet hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians who have already used the visa-free regime. And millions who will take the advantage of it in the future. I congratulate all of us on our resolute and irreversible movement towards Europe. Last year's festive night we only made a wish for the visa-free regime and now it came true," he added. Biometric monitoring systems will operate at 157 international border crossing points, including airports. It not only allows the Ukrainian security agencies to control the length of foreigners' stay in the country, but is also connected to INTERPOL's databases. Read alsoBiometric passport control for Russians to be introduced earlier than planned, from Dec 27Such data will be gathered by the National Verification and Identification System of Ukrainian citizens, foreigners and stateless persons. Border crossing rules for Russian citizens will be even tougher: along with biometric control at the border, they'll need to additionally register in the corresponding electronic system before visiting Ukraine and notify about their visit at least a month before. Further, the Ukrainian authorities planned to introduce mandatory registration by Russians at the place of stay in Ukraine and inform in detail about the route of their travel through Ukrainian territory. However, only the verification of biometric data will work to the full extent from January 1, 2018. Read alsoBiometric control launched in test mode at Ukraine border checkpoints"Ukraine has not yet decided which agency will be in charge of preliminary electronic registration. Moreover, this issue has not been regulated legislatively, so there is no understanding of how this decision should be implemented," a source in the Foreign Ministry told the news agency RBC Ukraine. Foreigners and stateless persons of the following countries are subject to obligatory scanning of biometric data at the checkpoints across the state border of Ukraine: 1. Algeria, 2. Angola, 3. Afghanistan, 4. Bangladesh, 5. Benin, 6. Botswana, 7. Burkina Faso, 8. Burundi, 9. Vietnam, 10. Gabon, 11. The Gambia, 12. Guyana, 13. Ghana, 14. Guinea, 15. Guinea-Bissau, 16. Equatorial Guinea, 17. Papua New Guinea, 18. Djibouti, 19. Eritrea, 20. Ethiopia, 21. Egypt, 22. Yemen, 23. Zambia, 24. Zimbabwe, 25. Iraq, 26. Iran, 27. Jordan, 28. Cape Verde, 29. Cameroon, 30. Kenya, 31. Kyrgyzstan, 32. The Comoros Islands, 33. The Republic of the Congo, 34. The Democratic Republic of the Congo, 35. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea, 36. Cote d'Ivoire, 37. Lesotho, 38. Liberia, 39. Lebanon, 40. Libya, 41. Mauritania, 42 Madagascar, 43. Malawi, 44. Mali, 45. Morocco, 46. Mozambique, 47. Namibia, 48. Niger, 49. Nigeria, 50. Pakistan, 51. Palestine, 52. The Russian Federation, 53. South Sudan, 54 Rwanda, 55. Sao Tome and Principe, 56. Swaziland, 57. Senegal, 58. Syria, 59. Somalia, 60. Sudan, 61. Sierra Leone, 62. Tajikistan, 63. Tanzania, 64.Togo, 65 Tonga, 66. Tunisia, 67. Uganda, 68. The Central African Republic, 69. Chad, 70. Sri Lanka. Collecting biometric data from other foreigners and stateless persons at the checkpoints across the state border of Ukraine will be based on the results of analysis and risk assessment, the Foreign Ministry noted. At the same time, Ukrainian citizens who arrive from the occupied areas will not be subject to biometric control. "This will not be introduced at the administrative border with the occupied areas, as citizens of Ukraine live there. Russian passports issued in Crimea are not considered a legal document, but if a Russian citizen arrives by a ferry crossing service and wants to get to mainland Ukraine through the administrative border, he or she violates Ukrainian legislation because they have travelled via a closed border checkpoint. They will be refused entry into Ukraine and will most likely be barred from entering Ukraine for three years," speaker for the State Border Service of Ukraine Oleh Slobodyan told Espresso.TV. The following groups of travelers will not be subject to scanning of biometric data: heads of state and government of foreign countries, members of parliamentary and government delegations, technical personnel serving such delegations (persons) and members of their families who arrive in Ukraine at the invitation of the President of Ukraine, the Verkhovna Rada or the Cabinet of Ministers, the Verkhovna Rada of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea or the Council of Ministers of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, ministries, other central agencies of executive power of Ukraine; persons and family members of persons who arrived in Ukraine on the basis of authorization documents of the United Nations and organizations of the United Nations system; foreigners or stateless persons under the age of 18; foreign tourists who travel on a cruise; members of the crews of foreign warships (aircraft) who arrive in Ukraine in keeping with established rules; persons who are members of the crews of foreign non-military vessels; persons who are members of the crew of civil aircraft of international airlines and international trains, in case of staying at airports or at railway stations indicated in schedules; heads of foreign diplomatic missions and consular offices, members of diplomatic staff, consular officials, administrative and technical and maintenance personnel of diplomatic missions and consular offices, employees of the military attache offices and trade missions, as well as their wives (husbands), children, parents; employees of foreign affairs agencies of foreign states who arrive in Ukraine on a business trip and have a diplomatic or service passport, and members of their families; officials of international organizations that arrive in Ukraine on a business trip, employees of representative offices of such organizations in Ukraine, as well as employees of representative offices of states under international organizations that have headquarters in Ukraine and enjoy diplomatic privileges and immunity in accordance with the statutory documents of these organizations or relevant international treaties, as well as members of their families. "The number of applicants eligible for multiple short-stay visas with business purposes, those for cultural and scientific figures will be expanded. What is more, the duration of the visa will be increased from three to five years the longest. In addition to the existing single-entry visas, multiple visas (valid for three years and with up to 30 days of stay) for short-term stays with various purposes, including tourism will be introduced," the press service of the Embassy of Japan in Ukraine told 112.ua. Read alsoJapan to simplify visa requirements for Ukrainians"If applicants pay for their trip on their own, there is no need for providing documents from a guarantor," the embassy said. After the liberalization, conditions for tourists and entrepreneurs are expected to improve, while the number of citizens visiting Japan repeatedly are expected to increase and interpersonal contacts will be strengthening. New conditions of the visa regime between Japan and Ukraine were discussed in Kyiv on November 9 during Japanese Foreign Minister Kazuyuki Nakane's visit to Ukraine. As UNIAN reported, visa-free travel for Ukraine was launched by the United Arab Emirates as of December 31, 2017. The decision was taken by judge Valentyna Bozhko on December 31. "A preventive measure in the form of detention in Kharkiv's penalty facility No. 27 for 60 days, until February 27, 2018, should be applicable to Volodymyr Bezukh. No bail is envisaged," she said. The judge said no milder measures could be applicable to the suspect. Bezukh said, in turn, he would appeal against the ruling, but added he saw no point in that. The suspect did not admit his guilt and asked the court for house arrest. Read alsoMan with explosives takes 11 hostages in KharkivUkrainian police on Saturday, December 30, freed the hostages being held in a post office by a man believed to be strapped with explosives, and arrested the hostage taker after an hours-long standoff in the city of Kharkiv, according to Reuters. None of the hostages was harmed. A Reuters witness saw special force police in green camouflage rushing to the entrance of the post office, a yellow-and-white building at a road junction in the northeastern city near the Russian border. In earlier statements, police said the man had entered the post office wearing a mask and taken 11 people hostage with the intention of robbing the place. Five of the hostages three women and two children were released early. Regional police chief Oleg Bekh told reporters the man had a history of antisocial behavior and drug-related offences. "He probably needs the help of a psychiatrist," Bekh said. "During the detention, he received minor injuries. He was not in a normal state ... the hostages said he was drinking alcohol." Police were able to enter the building after one of the hostages opened the door for them, Kharkiv regional prosecutor Yuriy Danylchenko told reporters. Police earlier said they had been in contact with the man via the telephones of the hostages, describing his manner as calm and not making any demands. Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser to Interior Minister Arsen Avakov, said employees at the post office and customers had been among the hostages. One of them had managed to call the police from inside the building. "The patrolmen came to the place of the robbery in a few minutes," Gerashchenko wrote on Facebook. "The robber realized that he could not now safely leave the crime scene with the loot and he decided to declare that he was taking everyone hostage." One of the children released by the hostage taker told local media that the man had put explosives into two bottles and threatened to blow himself up if police did not listen to him. The man also said he had brain cancer, according to the child. The man at one point voiced concern about the recent prisoner exchange between the Ukrainian authorities and pro-Russian separatists and thought more prisoners should have been released, police said. The vessel was detained on December 31 as part of an operation of the SBU Security Service of Ukraine, the State Border Service and the Ukrainian Navy of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, it said. Read alsoMassive anti-smuggling law enforcement operation underway in ZakarpattiaThe dry cargo vessel flying the flag of Tanzania was heading from Ochamchire, a city on the Black Sea coast of Abkhazia, Georgia, to Varna, Bulgaria. After the SBU informed that the ship might have been involved in illegal activities, it was stopped 11.5 miles away from the village of Kurortne. As the vessel had not followed the request to stop, a Ukrainian Pryluky-class missile boat had to send a warning shot from an artillery system across its bow, the press center of the Ukrainian Navy said. When the vessel stopped, it was escorted by ships of the Ukrainian Armed Forces to the Odesa seaport. Armored Gurza-class Akkerman and Berdiansk artillery boats with an inspection team on board, as well as coastal patrol boats with SBU officers on board took part in the operation. There were 1,737 boxes of cigarettes without excise stamps on board the ship. The cargo had no accompanying documents. In addition, it was established that two of the 11 crew members could not produce seaman's identity cards. At present, the vessel has been detained. Relevant measures are being taken. The cargo is being assessed. An investigation is currently under way. Investigators are working on the scene. Nozdrovska's case is investigated on charges of murder, the Ukrainian Interior Ministry said on Facebook on Monday, January 1. The body will be sent for forensic autopsy to establish the cause of death, it said. Nozdrovska went missing on Friday, December 29, having succeeded in blocking the release of the convicted killer at the last hearing on December 27. Her last call to her mother was registered on the way home from Kyiv to the village of Demydiv in Vyshgorod district. Read alsoAmina Okueva killed, her husband survives assassination attempt outside KyivAn eye witness, Oleksandr Tysnovets, said his dog had found the victim's body in the river, TSN said. Nozdrovska was reported to have regularly received death threats from friends and relatives of Dmytro Rossoshansky, who was convicted of causing the death of Nozdrovska's sister, Svitlana Sapatynska, 26, in September 2015 when he hit her while driving his car under the influence of drugs. Rossoshansky is a nephew of a judge who headed the Vyshgorod district court at that time. After two-year litigation in Obukhiv, Rossoshansky was sentenced to seven years in prison but expected amnesty on December 27, 2017, yet Nozdrovska's efforts resulted in a ruling by Kyiv region's court of appeals to return the case to the court of first instance and in the extension of the convict's arrest for another 60 days. Journalists actively helped Nozdrovska with coverage of the case, and here is footage from the courtroom where she gave her last interview. Nozdrovska had an 18-year-old daughter. "He was rushed to a military hospital where he received medical aid," the ATO HQ said in an update on January 1. "The past day has proven once again that the Russian occupation troops continue disregarding the agreements on the so-called New Year and Christmas truce," the ATO HQ said. Read alsoEnemy attacks Ukraine forces in Donbas four times in last dayEnemy attacks on positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine have not stopped, it said. The enemy used 82-mm mortars, grenade launchers and heavy machine guns near the village of Luhanske in the Luhansk sector. Small arms were used to provoke Ukrainian defenders stationed near the village of Stanytsia Luhanska into firing back. At night, Russian-backed militants resorted to small arms and grenade launchers to repeatedly fire at Ukrainian defensive fortifications near the village of Verkhniotoretske in the Donetsk sector. The villages of Hnutove and Shyrokyne in the Mariupol sector came under mortar fire, while grenade launchers and light infantry weapons were used near the village of Vodiane. As UNIAN reported, a Ukrainian soldier was injured in a booby-trap blast near the village of Krymske in Donbas on December 30. The nationwide protests have drawn in tens of thousands of people and represent the boldest challenge to Iran's leadership since pro-reform unrest in 2009, Reuters said. Calls for more demonstrations on Monday raise the possibility of prolonged instability. "In the events of last night, unfortunately, a total of about 10 people were killed in several cities," state television said while showing footage of damage from the demonstrations. It gave no further details of the deaths. Unsigned statements posted on social media urged Iranians to demonstrate again in the capital Tehran and 50 other urban centers. Iran is a major OPEC oil producer and regional power but frustrations have grown at home while the country is deeply involved in Syria and Iraq as part of a battle for influence with rival Saudi Arabia. Those foreign interventions are also fueling anger in the Islamic Republic because Iranians want their leaders to create jobs instead of engaging in costly proxy wars. The unrest erupted in the second city of Mashhad against price rises but it swiftly spread and turned into political rallies. Some called on Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to step down and chanted against a government they described as thieves. Demonstrators say they are angry over corruption and economic hardship in a country where youth unemployment reached 28.8 percent last year. Protests continued overnight even though President Hassan Rouhani appealed for calm. In remarks carried on state TV, he said Iranians had the right to criticize authorities but also warned of a crackdown. "The government will show no tolerance for those who damage public properties, violate public order and create unrest in the society," Rouhani said. Hundreds of people have been arrested but security forces have largely shown restraint. Iran's leaders believe they can count on support from many of the generation that took part in the 1979 revolution because of their ideological commitment and the economic gains they have made under the government, analysts say. Read alsoProtests hit Tehran, two demonstrators reported killed mediaTwo people were shot dead in the southwestern town of Izeh on Sunday and several others were injured, ILNA news agency quoted a member of parliament as saying. It was not clear if the two dead were part of the 10 cited on state television. "I do not know whether yesterday's shooting was done by rally participants or the police and this issue is being investigated," Hedayatollah Khademi was quoted as saying. Regional governor Mostafa Samali told the semi-official news agency Fars that just one person had been killed and that the incident was unrelated to the protests and the alleged shooter had been arrested. Police in the center of Tehran fired water cannon on Sunday to try to disperse demonstrators, according to pictures on social media. Demonstrations turned violent in Shahin Shahr in central Iran. Videos showed protesters attacking the police, turning over a car and setting it on fire. Reuters could not immediately verify the authenticity of the footage. There were also reports of demonstrations in the western cities of Sanandaj and Kermanshah as well as Chabahar in the southeast and Ilam and Izeh in the southwest. The protests were the biggest since unrest in 2009 that followed the disputed re-election of then-President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Thousands braved a frigid New York night to celebrate the start of 2018 in Times Square, an annual celebration that dates back to 1904. Tarana Burke, a social activist who started the #MeToo movement to draw attention to sexual abuse, pushed the button that started the famed ball drop a hallmark of the New York celebration for 110 years.2017 saw a sea change in attitudes and awareness of sexual assault and sexual harassment, as millions of people used the hashtag to show how pervasive abuse is in the wake of accusations made against dozens of high profile men, including celebrities, members of Congress and business leaders. We need to go into the new year as a new beginning, with a new set of commitments to a better world, Burke told the New York Daily News. As they do each year, the crowd counted down as the crystal ball slid down a pole, arriving at the bottom as 2018 began, accompanied by confetti and fireworks. Hundreds of thousands of people watched over by thousands of police and other security personnel crowded the square, despite temperatures around -12 C (10 degrees Fahrenheit). "Our toes are frozen, so we're just dealing with it by dancing," Remle Scott told the Associated Press. She traveled to New York with her boyfriend from San Diego to ring in the new year. The frosty festivities in Times Square included performances by Mariah Carey, Sugarland and Nick Jonas. Fireworks around the world In London, fireworks and the sound of Big Ben the massive bell in the Elizabeth Tower clock welcomed the start of 2018 for about 100,000 revelers near the River Thames.Big Ben has been silent since August, when a renovation project on the clock began.It's not scheduled to return to regular service for about four years. Fireworks were also part of the celebrations in Paris and Moscow.In the Russian capitol, fireworks lit up the sky over the Kremlin, while in Paris the display was held at the Arc de Triomphe. Thousands gathered around Hong Kong's Victoria Harbor to watch a 10-minute musical firework display, which included "shooting stars" fired from rooftops and revelers dancing to "Auld Lang Syne." In the Indonesian capital of Jakarta, over 400 couples participated in a New Year's mass wedding provided for free by authorities. Nearly 1.5 million people gathered to watch a rainbow fireworks display above Sydney's iconic Harbour Bridge and the opera house, as the country celebrated legalizing gay marriage. Security tight In preparation for celebrations in cities around the world, hundreds of thousands of law enforcement, military and security officials are being deployed to keep New Year's Eve revelers safe. In Australia, officials were out in full force on the ground, air and sea as part of the largest security operation in the country. Police in Melbourne last month arrested a man for planning to shoot revelers on New Year's Eve. In the United States, New York City officials used two-step screening, snipers, street closures and specially trained dogs to secure Times Square. U.N. Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres warns the world is likely to face many complex and new dangers in 2018. In a year-end message, Guterres appeals for greater unity to overcome these threats and create a more peaceful world. When Guterres assumed office one year ago, the world was in the midst of a hopeful moment. Negotiations to end more than four decades of division on the island of Cyprus appeared to be moving toward a successful resolution. Guterres jumped into the fray and worked tirelessly to produce that outcome. Unfortunately, the Greek and Turkish Cypriots were unable to bury their differences and live as one nation together. The UN chief acknowledges his hopes for a peaceful 2017 have not materialized. Unfortunately, he says the world in many ways has gone in reverse. Reflecting this darkened mood on the eve of the New Year, Guterres says he is issuing what he calls a red alert for our world. Conflicts have deepened and new dangers have emerged. Global anxieties about nuclear weapons are the highest since the Cold War and climate change is moving faster than we are. Inequalities are growing and we see horrific violations of human rights. Nationalism and xenophobia are on the rise and as we begin 2018, I call for unity, he said. During this past year, Guterres has had many catastrophic events landing on his desk begging for resolution. These include: Yemen the worlds worst humanitarian crisis with some eight million people on the brink of famine, and one million infected with cholera. Persecution and violence in Myanmar that forced more than 650,000 Rohingya refugees to flee for their lives to neighboring Bangladesh. Syria, approaching its seventh year of civil war, which has killed hundreds of thousands of people and displaced more than 11 million. Conflicts in South Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Afghanistan, Iraq and many others that continue to take a heavy toll in lives and property. As the worlds leading diplomat, Guterres must retain his sense of optimism that things can get better. He says the world can be made safer and more secure; conflicts and hatred can be overcome. But, only, he adds if world leaders unite to bridge divides and bring people together around common goals. WASHINGTON - U.S. President Donald Trump, who has been quick and forceful in his support for Iranian anti-government protests, will have a chance later this month to further step up pressure on Tehran. In mid-January, Trump faces another series of congressionally mandated deadlines to certify whether Iran is complying with the terms of the nuclear agreement between Iran and six world powers. Many Iran watchers say Trump may use the deadlines to reimpose or enact new sanctions in an attempt to deliver a blow to Iran's government at a moment of vulnerability. Andrew Peek, the U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state for Iran and Iraq, told VOA further sanctions are possible against Iranian government elements that crack down on protesters. In this photo taken by an individual not employed FILE - In this photo taken by an individual not employed by the Associated Press and obtained by the AP outside Iran, university students attend a protest inside Tehran University while a smoke grenade is thrown by anti-riot Iranian police, in Tehran, Dec. 30, 2017. FILE - In this photo taken by an individual not employed by the Associated Press and obtained by the AP outside Iran, university students attend a protest inside Tehran University while a smoke grenade is thrown by anti-riot Iranian police, in Tehran, Dec. 30, 2017. "We will hold accountable those people and entities who are committing violence from the top to the bottom against the [Iranian protesters]," Peek said Monday. While it is far from certain Trump will formally abandon the nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), he could use the protests as further justification to chip away at it. In October, Trump chose to "decertify" the nuclear deal, a decision that provided a 60-day window in which it was easier for Congress to apply sanctions on Iran. Congress declined to do so. Trump this month could decide to re-open that window. Perhaps more importantly, Trump must also decide whether to continue issuing a waiver that keeps old Iran sanctions from snapping back into place. Reimposing those sanctions would effectively kill the nuclear agreement, which Trump has called an "embarrassment" and "one of the worst deals ever." A middle ground could be applying new sanctions in a more limited fashion. The White House hasnt previewed its decision. While Trump's top national security officials have warned against abandoning the nuclear agreement, many congressional Republicans have remained vocal in opposing it. But Trump's long-stated opposition to the deal, combined with his outspoken support for the ongoing Iranian protests, suggests to many observers that Trump could be seeking a new pressure point to squeeze further concessions from Tehran. "What many Iranians are fearing is that these protests, which are stemming mostly from economic pressures, might be an inspiration for the U.S. to put extra sanctions, to put extra pressure on Iran," says Negar Mortazavi, an Iranian-American commentator and journalist with Iran International. At least 12 people have been killed in the nationwide protests, which began last week as a response to rising food prices but quickly morphed into sometimes violent displays of discontent with Iran's conservative leaders. Shortly after the protests began, Trump tweeted his support, saying the U.S. is "watching very closely for human rights violations!" and insisting it is "TIME FOR CHANGE!" in Iran. What a year its been, and we%27re just getting started. Together, we are MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! Happy New Year!! pic.twitter.com/qsMNyN1UJG Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 31, 2017 While the protests may not "materially affect" the Trump administrations stance on the JCPOA, they could make Washingtons European partners more open to the U.S. idea of further pressure, says James Carafano, a foreign policy specialist at the Heritage Foundation. "The administration is already working to pressure and isolate the regime. So, supporting the protests just adds more pressure," says Carafano, who worked on the Trump transition team. "I think that what we are next likely to see is an executive order including additional sanctions and restrictions," he added. Trita Parsi, president of the National Iranian American Council, views it as "quite likely" that Trump will refuse to renew the waivers. "He is a person that likes to make snap decisions, so whatever thing that has happened to him lately is going to have a disproportionate influence on his decision," Parsi said. The U.S., which cut off relations with Irans theocratic leaders after they came to power in 1979, has imposed sanctions on Tehran for decades. Though the measures severely damaged the country's economy, they failed to curb Irans nuclear ambitions. FILE _ In this photo released by official website In this photo released by official website of the office of the Iranian Presidency, President Hassan Rouhani speaks in a cabinet meeting in Tehran. Dec. 31, 2017. In this photo released by official website of the office of the Iranian Presidency, President Hassan Rouhani speaks in a cabinet meeting in Tehran. Dec. 31, 2017. ?After the slightly more moderate government of President Hassan Rouhani came to power in 2013, Tehran agreed to scale back its nuclear program temporarily in exchange for sanctions relief. However, U.S. critics have said the deal failed to deliver a permanent solution to the standoff over Irans nuclear program, and say Irans support for militants across the Middle East has gone unaddressed. But Trumps top defense officials including National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson have all cautioned against abandoning the deal. Trumps decision must come soon. According to Politico, the first of the sanctions waiver deadlines will come on Jan.12. Mark Dubowitz, who heads the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, which has close ties to the White House, says the protests are unlikely to change the president's decision on sanctions waivers. "The protests, however, may increase the incentive for all sides to come together and find a legislative solution," he said. "The protests reinforce the administration's view that the Iranian regime is an odious, expansionist and destructive force in the Middle East." OFER PRISON, WEST BANK - Israel indicted a 16-year-old Palestinian girl on Monday on charges including assault for punching an Israeli soldier in the face two weeks ago, an incident which made her into a hero for Palestinians and was seen as humiliating by right-wing Israelis. Israel has held Ahed Tamimi since arresting her three days after she was filmed punching the soldier at the entrance to her family home in a village in the occupied West Bank. The confrontation took place after what Israel says was a stone-throwing assault on its troops. The case has made her into such a potent symbol for Palestinians that a commentator in Israeli left-wing newspaper Haaretz said Israel risked turning her into the "Palestinian Joan of Arc." Right-wing Israelis, meanwhile, have debated whether the soldier had appeared weak by opting not to strike back. The Israeli army said he "acted professionally" by showing restraint. The charge sheet against Tamimi, seen by Reuters, included counts of aggravated assault against a soldier, who the army said was bruised on his brow by her punch, obstructing a soldier in the performance of his duty and throwing stones at troops. "Tamimi threw stones at them [the soldiers], threatened them, obstructed them in fulfilling their duty, took part in riots and incited others to take part in them," the military said on its public affairs Twitter account. Qadoura Fares, chairman of the Palestinian Prisoners Club, which advocates on behalf of Palestinians in Israeli jails, said the charges were false. "Their aim is to terrorize people, and they are trying to deter children and others, he said. Tamimi's lawyer, Gaby Lasky, said she was certain some of the charges would eventually be dismissed, but nonetheless prosecutors may seek the maximum penalty for other counts. "I am sure they want to keep her as long as possible because they don't want the voice of resistance outside prison," Lasky told Reuters at the military courtroom in Ofer prison near the Palestinian city of Ramallah. Tamimi was not asked to enter a plea at this stage. The military court gave her lawyer more time to study the charges. An adult found guilty of assaulting a soldier could be jailed for up to 10 years, but such an outcome would be unlikely for Tamimi as a minor. The incident occurred at the entrance to Tamimi's family home in the West Bank village of Nabi Saleh, where weekly protests against Israeli settlement policy have been held for years. Tamimi's father is a prominent Palestinian activist. Tamimi made news two years ago when she was pictured biting a soldier who tried to arrest her younger brother. In 2012 she was presented with an award in Turkey and met its president, Tayyip Erdogan, after images of her confronting an Israeli soldier went viral. More than two decades after California became the first U.S. state to legalize medical marijuana use, on January first it becomes the final West Coast state to legalize pot for recreational purposes a move approved by California voters in November 2016, in a referendum known as Prop 64. While this is good news for cannabis enthusiasts, those with visions of unencumbered marijuana use in the California sunshine will find that reality is not quite so cut-and-dried meaning, simple referring to the processing of tobacco leaves. A pro-cannabis activist holds up a marijuana cigar FILE - A pro-cannabis activist holds up a marijuana cigarette during a rally on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. FILE - A pro-cannabis activist holds up a marijuana cigarette during a rally on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. Most importantly, while seven U.S. states and the District of Columbia have legalized recreational marijuana use, the U.S. federal government still considers it a controlled substance, classified with heroin and LSD as illegal drugs. Elsewhere, 29 states have legalized medical marijuana, and Maine and Massachusetts are set to legalize recreational pot in 2018. Federal versus state law Former White House spokesman Sean Spicer told reporters in February 2017 that the Department of Justice may be looking into legal marijuana use in the future. "When you see something like the opioid addiction crisis blossoming around so many states... the last thing we should be doing is encouraging people," Spicer said. U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, an opponent of legalized pot, said in November that he is taking a close look at federal enforcement of anti-drug laws that include marijuana. Good people dont smoke marijuana," he said at a Senate hearing in 2016. FILE - Trucks wait in the queue for border customs FILE - Trucks wait in the queue for border customs control to cross into U.S. at the Bridge of Americas in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, Aug. 15, 2017. FILE - Trucks wait in the queue for border customs control to cross into U.S. at the Bridge of Americas in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, Aug. 15, 2017. Federal and state laws come more into play in California, which has several U.S. Border Patrol checkpoints, at which federal agents, mainly searching for illegal immigrants, are also empowered to seize pot stashes and prosecute the owners. The Associated Press quotes Ronald Vitiello, acting deputy commissioner of the federal Customs and Border Protection agency, as calling drug seizures at border checkpoints an "ancillary effect"of enforcing immigration laws. In addition to 34 permanent checkpoints along the U.S. border with Mexico, Border Patrol operates more than 100 "tactical" stops that may appear or disappear as needed, as far as 161 kilometers inside the U.S. border. AP reports that people found with pot at those checkpoints are typically photographed and fingerprinted, and their stashes seized. The report says those people often aren't charged with a crime, however, because pot possession in small amounts is considered a low-priority offense. The checkpoints are legal. Border Patrol agents say they help catch illegal immigrants who have made it past the U.S. border and might disappear into a large city; and the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that agents can question people at checkpoints even if they have no reason to believe anyone inside the car is in the country illegally. Bureau of Cannabis Control Meanwhile, California has created its own Bureau of Cannabis Control to regulate the growing and sale of cannabis. Bureau spokesman Alex Traverso told the Los Angeles Times that about eight enforcement officers will be in place by January 1. In this Dec. 29, 2017, photo, various kinds of mar In this Dec. 29, 2017, photo, various kinds of marijuana strains are displayed at the KindPeoples dispensary in Santa Cruz, Calif. In this Dec. 29, 2017, photo, various kinds of marijuana strains are displayed at the KindPeoples dispensary in Santa Cruz, Calif. The bureau has issued fewer than 200 temporary business licenses so far, although cities such as Los Angeles and San Francisco are expected later to issue their own local licenses, which will be required to get a state permit. Only a few dozen retail outlets are expected to be up and running by January 1. Many localities inside California have not yet approved recreational pot use and some may choose not to do so at all. Cannabis Control did not start issuing licenses to sell recreational cannabis until mid-December, so many applications are still in the works. San Diego, San Jose, Oakland, Berkeley and Eureka are among the towns where pot stores can open on January 1. Golden State Greens "budtender" Olivia Vugrin (R) Golden State Greens "budtender" Olivia Vugrin (R) waits on a customer in San Diego, Calif., Dec. 27, 2017. Golden State Greens "budtender" Olivia Vugrin (R) waits on a customer in San Diego, Calif., Dec. 27, 2017. Still proponents of legalized pot say bringing the drug out into the open makes it possible to tax sales of cannabis which lawmakers hope will result in $1 billion a year in new tax revenue for the state. The money will come from a 15 percent state excise tax on every cannabis purchase. Local governments can place additional taxes on top of that or they can ban pot shops entirely, if they choose. Daniel Yi, a spokesman for the L.A.-area dispensary Med Men, says he expects an eighth of an ounce of pot to go for about $35 when two Med Men shops begin selling to recreational users on January 2. He told Reuters news agency that three other locations will probably not begin selling to recreational users for a few more weeks. Keeping out of trouble Further moves to keep control on the industry include guidelines for retailers, and age and use limits for consumers. Pot sales will be restricted to people who are age 21 or older, but anyone visiting the state who is of age may buy and consume marijuana at legal outlets. Prop 64 specifically prohibits marketing of pot products to minors. Pot shops cannot be within 180 meters (600 feet) of a school and they must maintain 24-hour surveillance. They also cannot open before 6 a.m. and must close by 10 p.m. California anti-smoking laws make it illegal to smoke pot in places where regular tobacco smoking is banned. Employers may still subject employees to drug tests to ensure a drug-free workplace. Marijuana plants are displayed at the Green Goat F FILE - Marijuana plants are displayed at the Green Goat Family Farms stand at "The State of Cannabis," a California industry group meeting in Long Beach, California, Sept. 28, 2017. FILE - Marijuana plants are displayed at the Green Goat Family Farms stand at "The State of Cannabis," a California industry group meeting in Long Beach, California, Sept. 28, 2017. Drivers are being warned not to drive after using pot. While it is harder to measure a person's intoxication level after smoking pot than it is after alcohol consumption, Hound Labs of Oakland is developing what it says is a "marijuana breathalyzer" for cops and employers to gauge whether a person has been using while driving or on the job. L.A. County Sheriff Jim McDonnell says he worries about people getting behind the wheel while high. "The public's perception is that weed is innocuous, that this is something they did 40 years ago and it is no big deal," he told the Los Angeles Times. "Well, today's marijuana is not yesterday's marijuana. The active ingredient, THC, is so much higher today than back 40 years ago." As for food products containing THC, Californians will be able to consume them in any public place where food is normally consumed. The publishers of Mother Jones magazine say at least one of their readers wrote in to ask if there will be cannabis ice cream and the answer, they say, is yes. Medical marijuana users have been consuming it for years. But there's a catch: the amount of THC allowable in such items is limited to 10 milligrams per serving. One other effect of the new pot law is that it will reduce penalties on people who have been convicted for pot crimes in the past. In addition to making pot more available, the law that legalized it, known as Prop 64, also makes pot crimes once viewed as felonies into lower-level misdemeanors. That means some people currently in California jails for selling or possessing pot could see their sentences reduced. YAOUNDE - Cameroon President Paul Biya says he will destroy all terrorists whom he says are fighting to separate his country or using it as a hiding place for armed attacks on neighboring states. In a message, Biya reiterated he was open for dialogue with the disgruntled English speaking minority in the bilingual country but that his military would deal with armed separatists fighting for the independence of the English speaking regions. FILE - A still image taken from a video shot on Oc FILE - A still image taken from a video shot on Oct. 1, 2017, shows protesters waving Ambazonian flags in front of a road block in the English-speaking city of Bamenda, Cameroon. FILE - A still image taken from a video shot on Oct. 1, 2017, shows protesters waving Ambazonian flags in front of a road block in the English-speaking city of Bamenda, Cameroon. President Paul Biya says it is his duty to ensure public order, social peace, the unity of the nation and Cameroons integrity, and so he has issued instructions that all those who have taken up arms, who perpetrate or encourage violence should be fought relentlessly and held accountable for their crimes before the courts of law. "It is my firm belief that fast-tracking our decentralization process will enhance the development of our Regions," he said. "To that end, I have ordered the implementation of the necessary measures to speedily give effect to this major reform. We will contribute towards consolidating the rule of law and open a new page in our democratic process." Many Cameroonians had expected Biya to be lenient towards armed insurgents and invite them to the negotiation table. FILE - Soldiers patrol in Bafut, in the northwest FILE - Soldiers patrol in Bafut, in the northwest English-speaking region of Cameroon, Nov. 15, 2017. FILE - Soldiers patrol in Bafut, in the northwest English-speaking region of Cameroon, Nov. 15, 2017. Biya said he requested the government engage in constructive dialogue with English speakers to seek solutions to their demands. But he added that he will destroy all those who have taken arms against the state, which he reiterated will remain one and indivisible. He however pledged to make Cameroon a decentralized unitary state by implementing decentralization as spelled out in the country's constitution. Rene Emmanuel Sadi, Cameroon's minister of territorial administration and decentralization, says the decentralization Biya spoke about encounters many challenges. "We started implementing this process effectively since 2010, but of course we can ascertain the fact that the there are still some difficulties, there are still some problems," he said. "The councils complain that the resources put at their disposal do not allow them to respond to the needs of the populations and to the implementation of their projects." In this photo taken Feb. 19, 2015, Cameroon soldie FILE - In this photo taken Feb. 19, 2015, Cameroon soldiers check a truck on the border between Cameroon and Nigeria as they combat regional Islamic extremists force's including Boko Haram. FILE - In this photo taken Feb. 19, 2015, Cameroon soldiers check a truck on the border between Cameroon and Nigeria as they combat regional Islamic extremists force's including Boko Haram. Until a few years ago, Cameroon was referred to as a peace haven because it had never experienced major challenges. But the Boko Haram insurgency on its northern border with Nigeria that started four years ago has killed more than 25,000 people, and displaced millions of people in Cameroon, Chad, Nigeria and Niger according to the United Nations. FILE - Refugees sit at the door of their home at t FILE - Refugees sit at the door of their home at the Minawao Refugee Camp in northern Cameroon. FILE - Refugees sit at the door of their home at the Minawao Refugee Camp in northern Cameroon. The spillover of the carnage in the Central African Republic (CAR) is also felt on the central African state's border with CAR with repeated cases of kidnappings for ransom and attacks by armed men. Adolph Deben Tchoffo, governor of Cameroon's English speaking north west region, says he supports Paul Biya's determination to eliminate the armed separatists so that schools can reopen and businesses pick up in the English speaking areas of Cameroon more than one year after they were hampered by the crisis. "We are begging for peace and we are leaving no stone on turned to maintain long lasting security, securing the population, asking the population to mobilize themselves to support government to make sure the economic activity, the social activity in the region comes back to normalcy," he said. Biya said Cameroonians desire greater participation in managing their affairs, especially at the local level and as such he will make sure the constitution is respected fully. Cameroon will hold local council, parliamentary and presidential elections in 2018. Many hope the polls will be transparent. Biya has been president for 35 years, winning in elections opposition political parties say are always rigged to favor him. CAIRO - A masked gunman shot dead two Christian brothers at their alcohol shop south of Cairo on Monday, security sources said. The incident took place just days after attacks on a Coptic church and another Christian-owned shop also south of the Egyptian capital that killed more than 10 people, as security forces brace for attacks against the Arab worlds largest Christian minority ahead of Orthodox Christmas celebrations. The gunman used a rifle in the attack, shooting at the shop from outside after pulling up on a motorcycle, two security sources said. The attacker fled the scene afterwards. An image on social media showed the body of what purported to be one of the victims, covered in blood from the waist down. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack. People gather at the site of attack on a church in People gather at the site of attack on a church in the Helwan district south of Cairo, Egypt, Dec. 29, 2017. People gather at the site of attack on a church in the Helwan district south of Cairo, Egypt, Dec. 29, 2017. Islamic State claimed Fridays attack on a Coptic church in Helwan, east of Giza on Cairos outskirts and on the opposite side of the Nile river. Egypts large Christian minority has increasingly been targeted in recent years by Islamist militants including so-called Islamic State, which is waging an insurgency in the north of the remote Sinai Peninsula. Sale and consumption of alcohol in Egypt is legal, and it is sold in specialist shops or licensed premises. Some Islamists say it should be banned because it is forbidden by Islam. SANDY HOOK, KENTUCKY - The regulars amble in before dawn and claim their usual table, the one next to an old box television playing the news on mute. Steven Whitt fires up the coffee pot and flips on the fluorescent sign in the window of the Frosty Freeze, his diner that looks and sounds and smells about the same as it did when it opened a half-century ago. Coffee is 50 cents a cup, refills 25 cents. The pot sits on the counter, and payment is based on the honor system. People like it that way, he thinks. It reminds them of a time before the world seemed to stray away from them, when coal was king and the values of the nation seemed the same as the values here, in God's Country, in this small county isolated in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. Steven Whitt opens the Frosty Freeze restaurant th Steven Whitt opens the Frosty Freeze restaurant that he runs with his wife in Sandy Hook, Ky., Dec. 13, 2017. Steven Whitt opens the Frosty Freeze restaurant that he runs with his wife in Sandy Hook, Ky., Dec. 13, 2017. Everyone in town comes to his diner for nostalgia and homestyle cooking. And, recently, news reporters come from all over the world to puzzle over politics because Elliott County, a blue-collar union stronghold, voted for the Democrat in each and every presidential election for its 147-year existence. Until Donald Trump came along and promised to wind back the clock. "He was the hope we were all waiting on, the guy riding up on the white horse. There was a new energy about everybody here," says Whitt. "I still see it." Despite the president's dismal approval ratings and lethargic legislative achievements, he remains profoundly popular here in these mountains, a region so badly battered by the collapse of the coal industry it became the symbolic heart of Trump's white working-class base. The frenetic churn of the national news, the ceaseless Twitter taunts, the daily declarations of outrage scroll soundlessly across the bottom of the diner's television screen, rarely registering. When they do, Trump doesn't shoulder the blame because the allegiance of those here is as emotional as it is economic. It means God, guns, patriotism and saying "Merry Christmas," not Happy Holidays. It means validation of their indignation about a changing nation: gay marriage and immigration and factories moving overseas. It means tearing down the political system that neglected them again and again in favor of the big cities that feel a world away. On those counts, they believe Trump has delivered, even if his promised blue-collar renaissance has not yet materialized. He's punching at all the people who let them down for so long the presidential embodiment of their own discontent. "He's already done enough to get my vote again, without a doubt, no question," Wes Lewis, a retired pipefitter and one of Whitt's regulars, declares as he deals the day's first hand of cards. He thinks the mines and the factories will soon roar back to life, and if they don't, he believes they would have if Democrats and Republicans and the media all "crooked as a barrel of fishhooks" had gotten out of the way. What Lewis has now that he didn't have before Trump is a belief that his president is pulling for people like him. "One thing I hear in here a lot is that nobody's gonna push him into a corner," says Whitt, 35. "He's a fighter. I think they like the bluntness of it." He plops down at an empty table next to the card game, drops a stack of mail onto his lap and begins flipping through the envelopes. "Bill, bill, bill," he reports to his wife, Chesla, who has arrived to relieve him at the restaurant they run together. He needs to run home and change of out his Frosty Freeze uniform, the first of several work ensembles he wears each day, and put on his second, a suit and tie. He also owns a local funeral home and he's the county coroner, elected as a Democrat. The Whitts, like many people here, cobble together a living with a couple of jobs each sometimes working 12 or 15 hours a day because there aren't many options better than minimum wage. There's the school system, and a prison, and that's pretty much it. Outside of town, population 622, roads wind past rolling farms that used to grow tobacco before that industry crumbled too, then up into the hills of Appalachia, with its spectacular natural beauty and grinding poverty that has come to define this region in the American imagination. Whitt slides a medical bill across the table. Chesla Whitt, right, takes off a helmet her nine-m Chesla Whitt, right, takes off a helmet her nine-month old son, Tommy Joe, must wear after being born with a rare condition where his skull bones didn't fuse together properly, at their home in Sandy Hook, Ky., Dec. 14, 2017. Chesla Whitt, right, takes off a helmet her nine-month old son, Tommy Joe, must wear after being born with a rare condition where his skull bones didn't fuse together properly, at their home in Sandy Hook, Ky., Dec. 14, 2017. "Looks like this one is the new helmet," he says, and his wife tears the envelope open and reports the debt: $3,995. They will add it to a growing pile that's already surpassed $40,000 since their son was born nine months ago with a rare condition. His skull was shaped like an egg, the bones fused together in places they shouldn't be. Tommy, their baby boy with big blue eyes, has now outgrown three of the helmets he's been required to wear after surgery so his bones grow back together like they should. They pay $800 a month for insurance. But when they took their baby to a surgeon in Cincinnati, they learned it was out of network. In-network hospitals offered only more invasive surgeries, so they opted to pay out of pocket. At the hospital they were told that if they'd been on an insurance program for the poor, it would have all been free. This represents the cracks in America's institutions that drove Whitt, a lifelong Democrat, from supporting President Barack Obama to buying a "Make America Great Again" cap that he still keeps on top of the hutch. Many of their welfare-dependent neighbors, he believes, stay trapped in a cycle of handouts and poverty while hardworking taxpayers like him and his wife are stuck with the tab and can't get ahead. "Where's the fairness in that?" he asks. But Whitt doesn't blame Trump for the failure this year to repeal the health care law and replace it with something better. He blames the "brick wall" in Washington, the politicians he sees as blocking everything Trump proposes while "small people" like them in small places like this are left again to languish. A third of people here live in poverty. Just 9 percent of adults have a college degree, but they always made up for that with backbreaking labor that workers traveled dozens of miles to neighboring counties or states to do, and those jobs have gotten harder to find. Chesla and Steven Whitt shop for holiday cookies w Chesla and Steven Whitt shop for holiday cookies with their nine-month old son, Tommy Joe, in Morehead, Ky., Dec. 14, 2017. Chesla and Steven Whitt shop for holiday cookies with their nine-month old son, Tommy Joe, in Morehead, Ky., Dec. 14, 2017. Many here blame global trade agreements and the "war on coal" environmental regulations designed by Obama's administration to curb carbon emissions for the decline of mining and manufacturing jobs. When Trump bemoans the "American carnage" of lost factories and lost faith, it feels like he's talking to the people in these Appalachian hills. When he scraps dozens of regulations to the horror of environmentalists and says it means jobs are on the way, they embrace him. Coal has ticked up since Trump took office; mining companies have added 1,200 jobs across the country since his inauguration, more than 180 of them in Kentucky. But industry analysts say that was tied largely to market forces and dismiss Trump's repeated pledges to resuscitate the coal industry as pie in the sky. Coal has been on the decline for many decades for many reasons outside of regulation: far cheaper natural gas, mechanization, thinning Appalachian seams. Whitt leans back in his chair and ponders whether his community has so far sensed any relief. "I don't think we're seeing anything yet," he says, and asks around. "Do you?" The stock market is surging, one of his regulars at the next table says. The tax reform plan will help them, they hope. The unemployment rate here has dipped slightly to 7.6 percent, still higher than the state and national average but better than it had been. "With the opposition he's had, I think he's pulling the plow pretty good," offers Wes Lewis from the card table. A few months ago, he says, he saw four brand-new coal rigs going through town. "For the longest time, under Obama, all we saw were trucks being pulled on wreckers, because people turned belly up, they went broke." Lewis says he's heard about friends of friends being called back to work. He's noticed new trucks in people's driveways, too, which he takes as evidence that his neighbors are feeling confident about their futures. These tiny signs stack up to him as proof. Lewis fishes the tag out of the bib of his overalls: "Made in Mexico," it reads. Wes Lewis plays cards with fellow regulars at the Wes Lewis plays cards with fellow regulars at the Frosty Freeze restaurant in Sandy Hook, Ky., Dec. 13, 2017. Wes Lewis plays cards with fellow regulars at the Frosty Freeze restaurant in Sandy Hook, Ky., Dec. 13, 2017. "Trump's bringing them back," he says. Lewis, a registered Democrat, trusts Trump because he trusts his values. And because of that, he trusts Trump's other promises so strongly he can't think of anything that would shake that faith in him. If the factories and mines don't come back, he'll blame the opposition. If there isn't a wall on the Mexico border, he says, it won't be because Trump didn't try. If investigators find his campaign colluded with Russians, it's because so many people are so determined to bring him down. He watches all the news stations, he says, toggling back and forth as he performs his own calculations to figure out what he wants to believe. He almost always sides with Fox News and anchors who dismiss allegations of Russian collusion as a "witch hunt" and tout the president's declarations of accomplishments. The people against Trump are, by extension, against people like him, too, Lewis figures. "They don't care if we starve to death out here, because they don't care the first thing about anybody other than their pockets being full," he believes. "Donald Trump doesn't care about that because Donald Trump's pockets are already full. That's the reason I've stuck with him." Lewis leaves the diner like he does every day as the midmorning lull tapers into the lunch rush, and Chesla Whitt scurries from the kitchen to the register to the walk-up window to the ringing phone. Soup beans are on the menu today, like they are every Wednesday. The daily specials have been the same as long as anyone can remember, cooked by a woman they all call "Nanny" who has worked in the kitchen for 35 years. People here like tradition, says Gwenda Johnson, retired after nearly 40 years in community development. That's why the decades-old pinball machines are still in the back room of the Frosty Freeze and ashtrays sit on the tables, because smoking is still allowed. But Johnson acknowledges one painful and irrevocable change in the region: Coal will never be what it once was, no matter what promises Trump makes to turn back time. Appalachia should be looking for a new path, she says, not the old one. She rattles off all the things the community stands to lose under this administration: The region relies on programs like the Appalachian Regional Commission and Economic Development Administration that provide federal money for job-training, anti-poverty efforts and beautification initiatives aimed at transitioning to a tourism economy. Trump proposed a budget that wipes out those programs. Many depend on food stamps, disability coverage and health insurance through the Affordable Care Act all of which could be upended. "I fear that when they finally realize that Donald Trump is not the savior they thought he was if they ever come to that realization - the morale in these rural areas will be so low that they will not ever put faith in anyone again," she says. Many families here can trace their ancestry back generations on the same land. Almost everyone is white, and almost everyone is Christian. At the Frosty Freeze, a plaque with a Bible verse hangs under the television, from the book of Romans: "Owe no man nothing but to love one another." Steven Whitt says that most people he knows fret about transgender bathrooms and their Second Amendment rights being snatched away. Sometimes, people from out of town find themselves in this diner. "They think we're the most conservative Republicans they ever met," Whitt says. "And we say, no, we're all Democrats." That's just the way it's always been. Until recently, the number of Republicans in the whole county of 7,600 people was listed in the double-digits. Whitt never considered changing his registration. He thinks his own mom and dad wouldn't vote for him in his next election for county coroner if he were a Republican. He hasn't had the heart to tell them he's a Trump supporter. "Around here, you hear, 'The Democrats were for the guys carrying a lunch pail,'" he says. Now, it seems to him, Trump has become the lunch pail party in the minds of many. But not all. "I damn sure didn't vote for Trump. I'd rather walk through hell wearing gasoline britches," barks Terry Stinson, a retired construction worker. He has come to the Frosty Freeze almost every evening for dinner since his wife died. Terry Stinson, left, talks with Deborah Harmon at Terry Stinson, left, talks with Deborah Harmon at the Frosty Freeze restaurant in Sandy Hook, Ky., Dec. 14, 2017. Terry Stinson, left, talks with Deborah Harmon at the Frosty Freeze restaurant in Sandy Hook, Ky., Dec. 14, 2017. He can barely bring himself to watch the news because it makes him mad, and he howls with laughter at the idea that the Republican tax cuts to corporations will eventually help the little guys. The country has been sold trickle-down economics before, he says, "And it's never trickled down to Sandy Hook. Why would it this time?" Chesla is working the counter alone, running between the ringing phone and the register. Steven had business at the funeral home, so she scrambled together someone to watch Tommy while she stays at the restaurant for the supper crowd. "I hate rushing," she says. "It seems like that's all we ever do." She isn't quite sure how much faith to put in Trump to improve things in her own life. She liked him on "The Apprentice." She liked that he was funny and knew how to make money, and so she thinks everyone ought to calm down and give him a chance. Steven didn't get home until nearly midnight. Then he was back at the diner before sunrise to power up the coffee pot and turn on the open sign and start the whole routine again. Lewis arrived and headed for his table the next morning, and he said he'd been thinking about whether Trump would pull off his promises. "Here's the big thing," he says, shuffling the deck of cards, "if Trump lies to us, it won't be anything different than what the rest of them always did." Timeline of Unrest in Iran 2013 June Cleric Hassan Rouhani becomes president. September Rouhani tells U.S. news channel NBC that Iran will not build any nuclear weapons. He offers "time-bound and result-oriented" talks on the nuclear issue during a speech at the United Nations. November Iran agrees to stop all uranium enrichment above 5 percent and allow U.N. inspectors access to its nuclear facilities. In return, the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council the U.S. Britain, Russia, China and France in addition to Germany, agree to lift $7 billion of economic sanctions. 2014 April The International Atomic Energy Agency confirms Iran has neutralized 50 percent of its stockpile of highly enriched uranium. 2015 July Iran and the P5+1 reach a final deal on curbing Iran's nuclear program in exchange for lifting international economic sanctions. 2016 January Economic sanctions on Iran are lifted. December Economic sanctions remain lifted, though the U.S. Senate extends the Iran Sanctions Act, which penalizes U.S. companies for doing business with Tehran. 2017 May Rouhani is re-elected president. Dec. 28 Protests erupt in Mashhad, Iran's second-largest city. Small rallies are held in smaller cities nearby. In addition to demanding economic reform, protesters shout "Death to Rouhani." "Death to the dictator." Dec. 29 Protests spread to larger cities, including Qom, Isfahan and Zahedan. A few people are arrested in Tehran where smaller rallies are taking place. Dec. 30 Two protesters are killed in western Iran. At least 200 people are arrested in Tehran, but information on the number of people arrested around the country is unavailable. Videos posted on social media show unprecedented images of protesters taking down banners and posters of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Internet access is shut down in many parts of the country. Dec. 31 Rouhani acknowledges the protests. U.S. President Donald Trump tweets support for the protesters and warns that the world was watching. Should Western leaders be offering loud rhetorical support for Iran's anti-government protesters? The five days of protests that have seen a dozen people reportedly killed since the unrest broke out last Thursday has prompted different responses from Western governments, with some restraining their comments for fear of feeding into Tehran's efforts to label protesters fifth columnists who are following the instructions of foreign powers. U.S. President Donald Trump, who has railed against the Iranian regime since entering office and has deepened Washington's ties with Iran's bitter rival in the region Saudi Arabia has offered fulsome praise in a series of tweets praising the anti-government protests. "The world is watching!" he tweeted, adding: "Oppressive regimes cannot endure forever." Oppressive regimes cannot endure forever, and the day will come when the Iranian people will face a choice. The world is watching! pic.twitter.com/kvv1uAqcZ9 Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 30, 2017 In another tweet Saturday, Trump echoed comments he made at the United Nations last September, saying, "The entire world understands that the good people of Iran want change, and, other than the vast military power of the United States, that Iran's people are what their leaders fear the most." The entire world understands that the good people of Iran want change, and, other than the vast military power of the United States, that Irans people are what their leaders fear the most.... pic.twitter.com/W8rKN9B6RT Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 30, 2017 But other leaders have decided circumspection is the better approach, with some European officials arguing that to do otherwise might inadvertently boost the most hostile anti-Western elements in Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and discredit the protesters. Others say it is unclear exactly what is driving the unrest and worry hardliners might be encouraging the demonstrations in order to undermine the reformists' government currently in power. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks d Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a dedication ceremony of the "Assuta" hospital in Ashdod, Israel, Dec. 21, 2017. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a dedication ceremony of the "Assuta" hospital in Ashdod, Israel, Dec. 21, 2017. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who might have been predicted to be as outspoken as Trump, has been more cautious about the biggest protests to roil Iran since the crushing of the pro-democracy "Green Movement" in 2009. He has pursued, so far, the strategy adopted by the Obama administration in 2009 namely to observe and say little. Netanyahu's office has asked government ministers to restrain their comments on the unrest, which began Wednesday in Iran's third most important city, Mashhad, initially over the harsh economic conditions ordinary Iranians are facing, and has spread to other cities, including the Iranian capital Tehran. The call for restraint came after two Israeli ministers posted on Twitter emphatic support for the protesters, with one minister Tzachi Hanegbi applauding Iranians who have taken to the streets, saying they are "courageously risking their lives in the pursuit of freedom" and that the "civilized world" should support them. The Iranian people are courageously risking their lives in the pursuit of freedom and a better, more peaceful future for themselves and their children. The civilized world must support the #Iranprotests. Tzachi Hanegbi - (@Tzachi_Hanegbi) December 30, 2017 On Monday, Israel's intelligence minister, Israel Katz, also praised the protesters. Testifying before a parliamentary panel in Jerusalem, Katz said, "We want to see the repressive regime removed and replaced with a democracy." While he insisted Israel isn't involved, he focused most of his testimony on the threat Tehran poses to Israel rather than what's unfolding on the streets of Iran. The different responses between Israeli and American leaders reflect partly different assessments about the likely outcome of the unrest, including whether outspokenness by Western leaders will do more harm than good. Analysts are also divided. "If Iranians do choose to rise up and push aside their government, it will not be the result of support from Washington," argued Philip Gordon, who served as White House coordinator for the Middle East during the Obama administration. Writing in The New York Times on Saturday, Gordon argued, "Whatever Iranians think of their own government, they are unlikely to want as a voice for their grievances an American president who has relentlessly opposed economic relief for their country and banned them from traveling to the United States." Others, including James Robbins, a former special assistant in the U.S. Department of Defense during the George W. Bush administration, take issue with that view, arguing the Iranian protesters deserve Western support. "Whether the protesters can sustain their momentum, and whether security forces will start to desert the regime, remains to be seen. The demonstrators deserve every encouragement from the free peoples of the world, with the hope that they may soon drive out the tyrants in Tehran," Robbins said in a dueling opinion article written for USA Today. U.S. officials say not offering rhetorical support for the protesters would appear inconsistent and fly in the face of previous encouragements of pro-democracy aspirations. "How would it look if Trump backed away from his comments last September at the U.N. when he argued against the rule of the mullahs and said, 'The entire world understands that the good people of Iran want change?'" a U.S. official told VOA. FILE _ In this photo released by official website In this photo released by official website of the office of the Iranian Presidency, President Hassan Rouhani speaks in a cabinet meeting in Tehran. Dec. 31, 2017. In this photo released by official website of the office of the Iranian Presidency, President Hassan Rouhani speaks in a cabinet meeting in Tehran. Dec. 31, 2017. Some Iranian liberals argue they could live with the inconsistency, arguing that Trump's threat to tear up the 2015 deal struck with foreign powers over Iran's nuclear program was exploited by regime hardliners and conservatives to attack the country's reformist president, Hassan Rouhani, during his re-election campaign earlier this year. Trita Parsi of the Washington-based National Iranian American Council argues, "The fastest way to discredit these legitimate grievances expressed by the Iranian people is for Trump to throw himself in the mix." Some current and former U.S. officials are highly critical of the more cautious statements on the unrest being expressed by European governments. The Europeans generally have confined their remarks to urging Iranian authorities to observe international norms on human rights, arguing Iranians have the right to protest. But they have avoided encouraging the protesters or mentioning regime change. Britains foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, posted Monday on his official Facebook page, The UK is watching events in Iran closely. We believe that there should be meaningful debate about the legitimate and important issues the protesters are raising and we look to the Iranian authorities to permit this. European caution has been met with open scorn by some former U.S. officials, including Alberto Fernandez, a former diplomat and now the president of the Middle East Broadcasting Networks, a non-profit news organization funded by the U.S. Congress, tweeted his astonishment at the reticence of the Europeans. He said, though, it makes perfect sense from their perspective. They are betting this thuggish regime will survive. And the corrupt engagement process [and money-making] will continue. 1/1/18 8:45 p.m. -- A man "creating a disturbance" shot at police Monday with a hunting rifle, killing one officer and wounding three others, according to state media. The shooting happened in Najafabad. -- Iranian President Hassan Rouhani called out U.S. President Donald Trump after a series of tweets in support of the protests. -- Russia weighed in, saying the demonstrations are an "internal affair" for Iran and external interference is unacceptable. -- Media cited Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, as blaming the violence on social media. "Hashtags and messages about the situation in Iran come from the United States, Britain and Saudi Arabia," he said. "What is happening on social networks concerning the situation in the country is a proxy war against the Iranian people." -- Rouhani has acknowledged that Iranians have the right to protest legally, but urged national unity Monday as "the first and most important step at this stage." -- A significant internet outage was reported across Iran on Monday afternoon, but some users said later it was working again. 1/1/18 5:53 p.m. -- Andrew Peek, U.S. State Department deputy assistant secretary for Iraq and Iran, tells VOA that there could be sanctions against those who are responsible for attacks against the protesters: "We're considering a variety of options to hold those people accountable, including sanctions."? 1/1/18 4:15 p.m. -- Andrew Peek, U.S. State Department deputy assistant secretary for Iraq and Iran tells VOA: "Well, these protests are indicative of what the United States government has said all along. The biggest victim of the Iranian government are the Iranian people. We are watching the events extremely closely. We continue to support the Iranian people, the president has been very clear about that. We call on the Iranian government to respect the right of their people to protest peacefully, to respect the right of free-flow information and not to use violence against peaceful protesters. These are basic human rights we think they should uphold." 1/1/18 3:15 p.m. -- Security forces in Iran on motorcycles attacking people on Workers Street in Tehran. 1/1/18 3:00 p.m. -- Video sent by unknown person to VOA Persian appears to show protesters using fire extinguishers. ?1/1/18 2:01 p.m. -- Video sent by unknown person to VOA Persian appears to show Tehran's Revolution Square, where protesters appealed to security forces for help. "Police force, support [us]!" 1/1/18 1:53 p.m. -- VOA Persian links to video reportedly showing security forces firing weapons during a protest in Takestan, a city near Tehran. 1/1/18 1:22 p.m. -- Iranian Policeman Reported Killed, 3 Hurt Jan 1. (Reuters) -- One police officer has been shot dead during protests in Iran and three have been wounded, a police spokesman said on Monday, the first reported security force fatality since anti-government demonstrations began last week. "A rioter took advantage of the situation in the city of Najaf Abad and fired shots at police forces with a hunting rifle. As a result, three were wounded, and one was martyred," Saeed Montazer al-Mahdi was quoted as saying by Iranian state television. It did not say when the incident took place. 1/1/18 1:19 p.m. -- With Telegram closed, much tougher to speak to people on the ground in #IranianProtests. Pic I%27ve gotten is split. Some say protests are shrinking, partly as a response to Rohani acknowledging their right to protest, yet at same time, death count has gone up. Lots of unclarity. Trita Parsi (@tparsi) January 1, 2018 1/1/18 1:10 p.m. -- VOA Persian Service: Gathering in #Tehran, Revolution Square, as mass protests in #Iran entered its fifth day. Some protesters chanting "death to dictator." # # @sendVOA pic.twitter.com/9od0yKonyR VOA Farsi (@VOAIran) January 1, 2018 1/1/18 12:06 p.m. -- Supporters of Iranian protesters gather outside Iran's embassy in London. pic.twitter.com/94SM0gSrQt VOA Farsi (@VOAIran) January 1, 2018 1/1/18 11:14 a.m. -- (2/2)...The bold and growing resistance of the Iranian people today gives hope and faith to all who struggle for freedom and against tyranny. We must not and we will not let them down. #IranProtests Vice President Mike Pence (@VP) January 1, 2018 1/1/18 11:06 a.m. -- Im back in Iran after a long flight from Japan, where I was on vacation. Im now driving through the centre of Tehran. Lots and lots of anti-riot police, a watercannon, but no protests for now. Thomas Erdbrink (@ThomasErdbrink) January 1, 2018 1/1/18 10:55 a.m. -- #IranProtests continue these are two videos that @RadioFarda_ received yesterday. They show people protesting in #Tehran%27s Enghelab square. pic.twitter.com/sP35s15nXN RadioFarda (@RadioFarda_Eng) January 1, 2018 1/1/18 10:44 a.m. Central Tehran, today. "Death to the dictator." So far, rather small gatherings. pic.twitter.com/1ucGZny19X Borzou Daragahi (@borzou) January 1, 2018 1/1/18 9:54 a.m. -- What we know so far: -- Iran is experiencing its largest anti-government protests since the countrys disputed presidential election in 2009 -- Iran State TV reports at least 12 people have been killed during demonstrations in cities across the country since Thursday -- Videos and photos posted on social media have shown groups of largely peaceful protesters criticizing the government and demanding freedom. Some videos have shown protesters clashing with police and vandalizing property -- Iranian authorities have warned protesters against violence, but President Rouhani has also said people have the right to protest and criticize the government -- Iranian authorities have blocked popular social-media websites. -- President Donald Trump has criticized authorities for the social media controls, and on Monday tweeted support for the protesters, saying they want food and freedom. -- The protests initially appeared to be a reaction to high food prices and unemployment. But they quickly evolved into expressions of anger against Iran's clerical leadership, including President Rouhani, who won re-election in May with promises to revive the economy. 1/1/18 8:58 a.m. -- Video sent to VOA Persian: Reportedly of Sunday midnight protests in Rasht, the capital city of northern Gilan province. pic.twitter.com/3qpJlVy848 VOA Farsi (@VOAIran) January 1, 2018 1/1/18 8:50 a.m. -- RFE/RL: A wide range of amateur video clips posted on social media from the evening of December 31 showed anti-government protests growing across Iran. RFE/RL cannot independently confirm the authenticity of each video clip. 1/1/18 8:34 a.m. -- Iran's president and judiciary chief issued fresh comments Monday about the ongoing protests. The semi-official Fars News Agency reports that President Hassan Rouhani told a meeting with parliamentary committee heads that, "We believe what has been happening over the past several days may seem to be a threat, but it can be turned into an opportunity to see what the problem is." State TV broadcast comments from Ayatollah Sadegh Amoli Larijani, the country's judiciary chief, who said, "Those who carry out acts of sabotage, riot and unrest, and set fire to public and private venues and properties, should be dealt with strongly." 1/1/18 7:44 a.m. -- Iran is failing at every level despite the terrible deal made with them by the Obama Administration. The great Iranian people have been repressed for many years. They are hungry for food & for freedom. Along with human rights, the wealth of Iran is being looted. TIME FOR CHANGE! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 1, 2018 1/1/18 7:26 a.m. -- Iran State TV reports 12 killed in protests Jan 1. (AP) -- At least 12 people have been killed in the ongoing protests in Iran, and armed protesters have tried to take over police stations and military bases, state TV reported Monday. The protests began Thursday in Mashhad over economic issues and have since expanded to several cities, with some protesters chanting against the government and the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Hundreds of people have been arrested. The state TV report said 10 were killed during clashes Sunday night, without elaborating. Two demonstrators were killed during a protest in western Iran late Saturday. "Some armed protesters tried to take over some police stations and military bases but faced serious resistance from security forces," state TV reported. It did not say where those attacks occurred. 1/1/18 6:50 a.m. -- AFP: Rouhani Says Citizens will 'Deal With This Minority' President Hassan Rouhani said Monday that the Iranian people would "respond to rioters and lawbreakers" protesting around the country in recent days. "Our nation will deal with this minority who chant slogans against the law and people's wishes, and insult the sanctities and values of the revolution," he said in a statement on his official website. "Criticism and protest are an opportunity not a threat. The nation will themselves respond to the rioters and lawbreakers." 1/1/18 6:36 a.m. -- Protests in Izeh, Khuzestan Province 1/1/18 6 :11 a.m. Iran%27s ICT Minister says on Twitter, blocked inside the country, "rumors" about permanent banning of social media networks are not true.He says the claims are aimed at creating discontent. 2 popular social media apps --Telegram+Instagram are currently restricted. #IranProtests https://t.co/ZZr3JXafRp Golnaz Esfandiari (@GEsfandiari) January 1, 2018 1/1/18 5:40 a.m. -- State TV says 10 killed "in several cities": Jan. 1 (Reuters) - Ten people were killed during the street protests in Iran on Sunday, state television said on Monday without giving details. "In the events of last night, unfortunately a total of about 10 people were killed in several cities," it said, while showing footage of damage from anti-government demonstrations. 1/1/18 4:51a.m. -- AP reports that Iranian state TV says 10 people have been killed amid nationwide protests, without elaborating. 1/1/18 3:22 a.m. -- ?(Reuters) Two people were killed in Iran's protests in a southwestern town, ILNA news agency on Monday quoted a local parliament member as saying. That brought to at least four the number of fatalities in the most serious unrest in the country since 2009. 1/1/18 3:00 a.m. -- AP: Israeli minister wishes Iranian protesters 'success' JERUSALEM (AP) A senior Israeli minister has wished Iranian protesters "success" but insists his country is not involved in the mass demonstrations that erupted in recent days. In a radio interview on Monday, Intelligence Minister Yisrael Katz said Israel is "not getting involved, but I certainly wish the Iranian people success in the struggle for freedom and democracy." Israel has long viewed Iran as its greatest security threat because of Tehran's nuclear program, its support for regional militants and Iranian leaders' frequent calls for Israel to be eliminated. Iran has long accused Israel, the United States and Britain of meddling in its internal affairs and working to overthrow its government. 1/1/18 1:43 a.m. -- AFP, quoting local media, reports that new protests were held in Iran overnight: Police used tear gas and water cannon to disperse a small protest in Tehran's Enghelab Square on Sunday evening, according to unverified social media videos. Protesters in the small northwestern town of Takestan torched a school for clergy and government buildings, the ILNA news agency said, while the state broadcaster said two people had died in Dorud after crashing a stolen fire engine. There were also reports of protests in the cities of Izeh (southwest), Kermanshah and Khorramabad (west), Shahinshahr (northwest) and Zanjan (north). More live blogs: VOA Persian Service coverage of Iran Protests in Farsi Follow @VOAIran breaking news coverage in Farsi on Twitter LONDON - Britain may impose new taxes on tech giants like Google and Facebook unless they do more to combat online extremism by taking down material aimed at radicalizing people or helping them to prepare attacks, the country's security minister said. Ben Wallace accused tech firms of being happy to sell people's data but not to give it to the government which was being forced to spend vast sums on de-radicalization programs, surveillance and other counter-terrorism measures. "If they continue to be less than co-operative, we should look at things like tax as a way of incentivizing them or compensating for their inaction," Wallace told the Sunday Times newspaper in an interview. His quotes did not give further details on tax plans. The newspaper said that any demand would take the form of a windfall tax similar to that imposed on privatized utilities by former Prime Minister Tony Blair's government in 1997. Wallace accused the tech giants of putting private profit before public safety. "We should stop pretending that because they sit on beanbags in T-shirts they are not ruthless profiteers," he said. "They will ruthlessly sell our details to loans and soft-porn companies but not give it to our democratically elected government." Facebook executive Simon Milner rejected the criticisms. "Mr. Wallace is wrong to say that we put profit before safety, especially in the fight against terrorism," he said in an emailed statement. "We've invested millions of pounds in people and technology to identify and remove terrorist content." YouTube, which is owned by Google, said it was doing more every day to tackle violent extremism. "Over the course of 2017 we have made significant progress through investing in machine learning technology, recruiting more reviewers, building partnerships with experts and collaboration with other companies," a YouTube spokeswoman said. Deadly attacks Britain suffered a series of attacks by Islamic extremists between March and June this year that killed a total of 36 people, excluding the attackers. Two involved vehicles ramming people on bridges in London, followed by attackers stabbing people. The deadliest, a bombing at a concert in the northern city of Manchester, killed 22 people. Following the second bridge attack, Prime Minister Theresa May proposed beefing up regulations on cyberspace, and weeks later interior minister Amber Rudd traveled to California to ask Silicon Valley to step up efforts against extremism. "We are more vulnerable than at any point in the last 100 years," said Wallace, citing extremist material on social media and encrypted messaging services like WhatsApp as tools that made life too easy for attackers. "Because content is not being taken down as quickly as they could do, we're having to de-radicalize people who have been radicalized. That's costing millions. They can't get away with that and we should look at all the options, including tax." Facebook said it removed 83 percent of uploaded copies of terrorist content within one hour of its being found on the social media network. It also highlighted plans to double the number of people working in its safety and security teams to 20,000 by the end of 2018. YouTube said that progress in machine learning meant that 83 percent of violent extremist content was removed without the need for users to flag it. Somali prosecutors have filed charges against five men in connection with the Oct. 14 truck bombing in Mogadishu that killed 512 people the single deadliest terrorist attack in African history. Four of the accused men are in government custody and appeared before a military tribunal in Mogadishu on Monday, while the fifth defendant is on the run. Among those charged is Hassan Aden Isak, who is accused of driving a vehicle that allegedly was intended to be used in a second suicide bombing that day. The chief of the military tribunal, Col. Hassan Ali Nur Shute, also accused Isak of coordinating the attack and working as head of explosions and assassinations in the Mogadishu area for the militant group al-Shabab. Defendants Abdiweli Ahmed Diriye, Abdul Abdi Warsa Defendants Abdiweli Ahmed Diriye, Abdul Abdi Warsame, Hassan Aden Isak, and Mukhtar Mohamud Hassan appear before a military tribunal in Mogadishu, Jan. 1, 2018, in connection with the Oct. 14 truck bombing in Mogadishu that killed 512 people. Defendants Abdiweli Ahmed Diriye, Abdul Abdi Warsame, Hassan Aden Isak, and Mukhtar Mohamud Hassan appear before a military tribunal in Mogadishu, Jan. 1, 2018, in connection with the Oct. 14 truck bombing in Mogadishu that killed 512 people. Somali authorities have said they have no doubt al-Shabab was behind the October attack, although the group did not claim responsibility. Al-Shabab has carried out dozens of deadly suicide bombings by car and on foot in Mogadishu over the past decade, often targeting hotels, restaurants and other public places where casualties are bound to be high. Isak was arrested on the day of the attack by security forces after trying to walk away from a Toyota Noah minivan. The minister of internal security, Mohamed Abukar Islow, said Isak did not intend to detonate the minivan himself but was waiting for another driver to take over from him. According to Somali intelligence sources, al-Shabab intended the big truck to pass through road checkpoints, link up with the minivan and launch a complex attack on the recently opened Turkish military training base in Mogadishu. Others charged Also charged Monday was Abdullahi Ibrahim Hassan Absuge, who is listed as the owner of the truck that exploded. He was charged in absentia for terrorism. According to the case against him, Absuge purchased the truck on Aug. 18. The following month on Sept.13, the truck started making trips between Mogadishu and the Lower Shabelle region, bringing farm produce and other goods into the capital. The man behind the wheel at the time was Hussein Aden Madey, the suicide bomber who eventually detonated the explosives at K-5 junction. Intelligence officials say the trips were a "dry run" for the attack and an attempt to familiarize the driver with government forces manning security checkpoints along the road linking Mogadishu to Lower Shabelle farmlands where al-Shabab eventually loaded the truck with explosives. According to a security source, Absuge was also the owner of a second truck that was detonated at a vegetable market in Mogadishu's Waberi district on Nov. 26, 2016. That explosion killed 20 people. Absuge's whereabouts are not known, and the government is offering an unspecified reward for information leading to his capture. Two others Abdiweli Ahmed Diriye, 32, and Mukhtar Mohamud Hassan, 43 also appeared before the military court on Monday. They are accused of talking to the security forces at the Siinka Dheer checkpoint to "bail out" the driver and helping him pass through. The fifth defendant, Abdul Abdi Warsame, 35, is accused of paying a tax at a second checkpoint where upon receipt, security forces let the truck pass through. Only at the third checkpoint near the old U.S. embassy in Mogadishu did Madey, the driver, find it difficult to pass. When soldiers at that checkpoint became suspicious,Madey sped away. Moments later, he detonated hundreds of kilograms of explosives at the busy K-5 junction. Shute said on Monday that a total of 776 people were either killed or maimed in the explosion. 2013 June Cleric Hassan Rouhani becomes president. September Rouhani tells U.S. news channel NBC that Iran will not build any nuclear weapons. He offers "time-bound and result-oriented" talks on the nuclear issue during a speech at the United Nations. November Iran agrees to stop all uranium enrichment above 5 percent and allow U.N. inspectors access to its nuclear facilities. In return, the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council the U.S. Britain, Russia, China and France in addition to Germany, agree to lift $7 billion of economic sanctions. 2014 April The International Atomic Energy Agency confirms Iran has neutralized 50 percent of its stockpile of highly enriched uranium. 2015 July Iran and the P5+1 reach a final deal on curbing Iran's nuclear program in exchange for lifting international economic sanctions. 2016 January Economic sanctions on Iran are lifted. December Economic sanctions remain lifted, though the U.S. Senate extends the Iran Sanctions Act, which penalizes U.S. companies for doing business with Tehran. 2017 May Rouhani is re-elected president. Dec. 28 Protests erupt in Mashhad, Iran's second-largest city. Small rallies are held in smaller cities nearby. In addition to demanding economic reform, protesters shout "Death to Rouhani." "Death to the dictator." Dec. 29 Protests spread to larger cities, including Qom, Isfahan and Zahedan. A few people are arrested in Tehran where smaller rallies are taking place. Dec. 30 Two protesters are killed in western Iran. At least 200 people are arrested in Tehran, but information on the number of people arrested around the country is unavailable. Videos posted on social media show unprecedented images of protesters taking down banners and posters of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Internet access is shut down in many parts of the country. Dec. 31 Rouhani acknowledges the protests. U.S. President Donald Trump tweets support for the protesters and warns that the world was watching. ISLAMABAD - U.S. President Donald Trump is again accusing Pakistan of sheltering terrorists whom American forces are fighting in neighboring Afghanistan. In his first Twitter message of 2018, Trump wrote, "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 & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!" Washington has long accused Islamabad, particularly its security institutions, of turning a blind eye or covertly helping the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani Network to stage cross-border attacks against Afghan and U.S.-led forces. It is not immediately clear whether Trump is threatening to cut financial assistance to Pakistan. The United States suggested in August it would hold up $255 million in military assistance until Pakistan cracks down on extremists. The U.S. Congress has authorized up to $700 million in a Coalition Support Fund to reimburse Pakistan for activities carried out in support of U.S. operations in Afghanistan. FILE - Pakistani Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif bri FILE - Pakistani Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif briefs the media at the end of a three-day conference in Islamabad, Pakistan, Sep. 7, 2017. FILE - Pakistani Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif briefs the media at the end of a three-day conference in Islamabad, Pakistan, Sep. 7, 2017. Pakistani Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif told the local Geo News television station, "We have already told the U.S. that we will not do more, so Trump's "no more" does not hold any importance." The government late Monday summoned U.S. ambassador David Hale to the foreign ministry to protest and seek an explanation for Trump's remarks, reported local media. "I can confirm the Ambassador was asked to come to the Foreign Office tonight. He did and met with officials there. I don't have any comment on the substance of the meeting, " a U.S. embassy spokesman told VOA. Meanwhile, an emergency meeting of the National Security Committee has also been convened for Wednesday where the country's top civilian and military leadership will discuss the situation in the aftermath Trump's statement. Islamabad denies allegations it is harboring Afghan insurgents and instead complains anti-state militants are using the neighboring country for terrorist attacks against Pakistan. Trump unveiled his new South Asia policy last August, in which Pakistan was blamed for providing "safe haven" to terrorists. American officials have also warned that if Islamabad does not take actions against terrorist havens on Pakistan soil, Washington will do so unilaterally. The Pakistan military last week warned Washington against any unilateral military action on its soil, saying U.S. allegations of terrorist sanctuaries in the country are "unfounded" and "no more valid" because "indiscriminate" security operations have targeted all terrorist groups. "We have paid a huge price both in blood and treasure. We have done enough and we cannot do anymore for anyone," said the chief military spokesman, Major-General Asif Ghafoor. Bidding farewell to 2017 with a lavish party at his private club, President Donald Trump predicted 2018 will be a "tremendous year." Trump said Sunday that the stock market will continue to rise and that companies are going to continue to come into the U.S., at "a rapid clip." He also cited several accomplishments, including the tax overhaul, opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling, and repealing the individual mandate from the national health care law. "It will be a fantastic 2018," a tuxedoed Trump said, as he entered the gilded ballroom at Mar-a-Lago, accompanied by first lady Melania Trump and son Barron. Asked for his reaction to North Korea leader Kim Jon Un's remarks about having a nuclear button on his desk, Trump responded by saying, "We'll see." Guests gathered in the decorated ballroom included senior White House advisers Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, Trump's sons Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. Since taking office, President Trump has made frequent visits to his for-profit properties. He has refused to divest from his real estate and hotel empire, drawing criticism from ethics experts. Earlier in the day, Trump capped 2017 with a video self-tribute touching on what he sees as the high points of his achievements and rhetoric from his first year in office. He gave a plug to American exceptionalism, too. In the video running 3 minutes, scenes of Trump with military personnel, Border Patrol agents and other world leaders are set to a stirring soundtrack as he declares of his country: "We gave birth to the modern world and we will shape tomorrow's world with the strength and skill of American hands." Trump cited his success in placing a justice on the Supreme Court, his efforts to cut regulations and his big win on overhauling taxes, which he falsely described as the "largest tax cut in the history of our country." Trump offered the video with a New Year's Eve message: "What a year it's been, and we're just getting started. Together, we are MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! Happy New Year!!" He later offered another Twitter message, loaded with his signature bombast: "As our Country rapidly grows stronger and smarter, I want to wish all of my friends, supporters, enemies, haters, and even the very dishonest Fake News Media, a Happy and Healthy New Year. 2018 will be a great year for America!" The White House said Trump been briefed on New Year's Eve security precautions around the country and will continue to monitor those efforts. Trump offered his condolences Sunday to the victims of a shooting in suburban Denver that killed one sheriff's deputy and wounded six other people, including four deputies. He tweeted: "We love our police and law enforcement - God Bless them all!" Just about everyone in Turkmenistan showed up at the polls Sunday to retain their current president. Election commission officials say more than 97 percent of voters cast their ballots for incumbent President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov. Eight opponents were considered token candidates. Changes to the country's Constitution last year removed presidential age limits and extended the president's term from five years to seven. Political analysts say the changes will make it easy for Berdymukhamedov to hold on to the presidential office for as long as he likes. The United Nations is calling on Democratic Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila to keep his promise to step down amid protests throughout the country over delayed elections. "The Secretary-General urges all Congolese political actors to remain fully committed to the 31 December 2016 political agreement, which remains the only viable path to the holding of elections, the peaceful transfer of power and the consolidation of stability in the DRC," a statement by U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said late Sunday. That agreement called for Kabila to step down after elections. But the elections, once promised to be held in 2017, have been repeatedly delayed, inciting civil unrest and prompting fears that Kabila may seek to further extend his rule. Kabila, 46, has ruled the DRC for 17 years and has remained in office, even though his second term officially expired in December 2016. Sunday's U.N. statement also condemned "violent dispersion of protests by national security forces," particularly in the capital city of Kinshasa, where five protesters were killed in clashes with police on Sunday, according to the U.N. Police fired shots and tear gas to break up a Catholic mass and arrested altar boys who were among protesters gathering at a Kinshasa church to rally against Kabila. Residents and visitors across East Asia welcomed 2018 with fireworks and parties Sunday. Thousands gathered around Hong Kong's Victoria Harbor to watch a 10-minute musical firework display, which included "shooting stars" fired from rooftops and revelers dancing to "Auld Lang Syne." In the Indonesian capital of Jakarta, over 400 couples participated in a New Year's mass wedding provided for free by authorities. New Zealand, Australia and the surrounding Pacific Islands were among the first places to ring in 2018 hours earlier. Nearly 1.5 million people gathered to watch a rainbow fireworks display above Sydney's iconic Harbour Bridge and the opera house, as the country celebrated legalizing gay marriage. Thousands lined the streets of Auckland, New Zealand's biggest city, for the annual street party and fireworks show above the Sky Tower. In preparation for celebrations in cities around the world, hundreds of thousands of law enforcement, military and security officials are being deployed to keep New Year's Eve revelers safe. In Australia, one of the first places to ring in the new year, officials were out in full force on the ground, air and sea as part of the largest security operation in the country. Police in Melbourne last month arrested a man for planning to shoot revelers on New Year's Eve. In the United States, New York City officials announced they will use two-step screening, snipers, street closures and specially trained dogs to secure Times Square, as an estimated 2 million people gather to watch the annual ball drop at midnight. Top News Photos of the Year 2017 1/1/18 8:34 a.m. -- Iran's President and Judiciary Chief issued fresh comments Monday about the ongoing protests. The semi-official Fars News Agency reports that President Hassan Rouhani told a meeting with parliamentary committee heads that, "We believe what has been happening over the past several days may seem to be a threat, but it can be turned into an opportunity to see what the problem is." State TV broadcast comments from Ayatollah Sadegh Amoli Larijani, the country's judiciary chief, who said, "Those who carry out acts of sabotage, riot and unrest, and set fire to public and private venues and properties, should be dealt with strongly." 1/1/18 7:44 a.m. -- 1/1/18 7:26 a.m. -- Iran State TV reports 12 killed in protests Jan 1. (AP) -- At least 12 people have been killed in the ongoing protests in Iran, and armed protesters have tried to take over police stations and military bases, state TV reported Monday. The protests began Thursday in Mashhad over economic issues and have since expanded to several cities, with some protesters chanting against the government and the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Hundreds of people have been arrested. The state TV report said 10 were killed during clashes Sunday night, without elaborating. Two demonstrators were killed during a protest in western Iran late Saturday. "Some armed protesters tried to take over some police stations and military bases but faced serious resistance from security forces," state TV reported. It did not say where those attacks occurred. 1/1/18 6:50 a.m. -- AFP: Rouhani Says Citizens will 'Deal With This Minority' President Hassan Rouhani said Monday that the Iranian people would "respond to rioters and lawbreakers" protesting around the country in recent days. "Our nation will deal with this minority who chant slogans against the law and people's wishes, and insult the sanctities and values of the revolution," he said in a statement on his official website. "Criticism and protest are an opportunity not a threat. The nation will themselves respond to the rioters and lawbreakers." 1/1/18 6:36 a.m. -- Protests in Izeh, Khuzestan Province 1/1/18 6 :11 a.m. 1/1/18 5:40 a.m. -- State TV says 10 killed "in several cities": Jan. 1 (Reuters) - Ten people were killed during the street protests in Iran on Sunday, state television said on Monday without giving details. "In the events of last night, unfortunately a total of about 10 people were killed in several cities," it said, while showing footage of damage from anti-government demonstrations. 1/1/18 4:51a.m. -- AP reports that Iranian state TV says 10 people have been killed amid nationwide protests, without elaborating. 1/1/18 3:22 a.m. -- Reuters: Two killed in protests in southwest DUBAI, Jan 1 (Reuters) - Two people were killed in Iran's protests in a southwestern town, ILNA news agency on Monday quoted a local parliament member as saying. That brought to at least four the number of fatalities in the most serious unrest in the country since 2009. 1/1/18 3:00 a.m. -- AP: Israeli minister wishes Iranian protesters 'success' JERUSALEM (AP) A senior Israeli minister has wished Iranian protesters "success" but insists his country is not involved in the mass demonstrations that erupted in recent days. In a radio interview on Monday, Intelligence Minister Yisrael Katz said Israel is "not getting involved, but I certainly wish the Iranian people success in the struggle for freedom and democracy." Israel has long viewed Iran as its greatest security threat because of Tehran's nuclear program, its support for regional militants and Iranian leaders' frequent calls for Israel to be eliminated. Iran has long accused Israel, the United States and Britain of meddling in its internal affairs and working to overthrow its government. 1/1/18 1:43 a.m. -- AFP, quoting local media, reports that new protests were held in Iran overnight: Police used tear gas and water cannon to disperse a small protest in Tehran's Enghelab Square on Sunday evening, according to unverified social media videos. Protesters in the small northwestern town of Takestan torched a school for clergy and government buildings, the ILNA news agency said, while the state broadcaster said two people had died in Dorud after crashing a stolen fire engine. There were also reports of protests in the cities of Izeh (southwest), Kermanshah and Khorramabad (west), Shahinshahr (northwest) and Zanjan (north). Dec. 31, 2017 Live Blog Mthwakazi Republic Party (MRP) youth, who protested at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair in Bulawayo while President Emmerson Mnangagwa was attending a church service saying he was part of the Gukurahundi massacres of the 1980s, were on Sunday allegedly beaten up by armed soldiers and police. According to MRP spokesperson, Mboniso Gumbo, the 10 youth were detained at Brady Barracks before they were dumped at Bulawayo Central Police Station. Mthwakazi Republic Party youths have been removed from the Brady Military Barracks (and taken) to Bulawayo Central Police Station, but they are badly injured. The police insist that they are detaining them and charging them with breach of peace. We are now looking for medication to help them with first aid. ZANU PF and its leaders will be made to pay for their crimes God is in control of everything. The youth, who stormed the church session, claimed that Mnangagwa participated in the killing of more than 20,000 Zapu supporters in Matabeleland and Midlands provinces when then Prime Minister Robert Mugabe deployed the North-Korean trained Fifth Brigade to eliminate what he said were dissidents linked to Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo. The two provinces were Zapu strongholds. There was no immediate comment from the police. MRP claims that a well-known Zanu PF youth, Magura Charumbira, also participated in the beating up of their members. Charumbira is believed to have been one of the people who started booing former First Lady Grace Mugabe at White City Stadium recetly during a Presidential Youth Interface Rally when she started attacking then Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa before he was sacked by former President Robert Mugabe. Charumbira was not available for comment. Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking I agree below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service. left What's the Big Idea? If you had unlimited time, money and resources, what's the big question you would pursue? Weinberg College faculty take up the challenge Could the Next Paradigm-Shifting Historical Research Come From ... You? Unveiling the mysteries of the past developing genealogies from Census records, pinpointing photos of long-forgotten places, unearthing and identifying maps and advertisements from dusty attics sometimes requires nothing more than time and patience, not millions of dollars or PhD-level expertise, says Daniel Immerwahr, an associate professor of history who studies empires and the history of ideas. Amateurs can make important discoveries, and sharing their work would have many pedagogical benefits, he says. If I had my druthers, thered be a searchable, widely used repository where all the historical research that doesnt make it into journals could permanently live. Could We All Become Multilingual? If youre reading this article, youre fortunate to be fluent in one of the worlds most dominant languages. But imagine if you could easily pick up an additional language Mandarin or Hindi, Spanish or French. It could open up new job opportunities, help you see the world through a new lens and make international travel easier and more enjoyable. Matt Goldrick, a linguistics professor who studies language processing in mono- and multilingual speakers, dreams of a world in which researchers can study real-world interactions between native speakers and language learners with the same precision that they can achieve in the lab. With the help of wearable, non-intrusive recording devices and big data processing, such work could help us understand how we learn languages and speed up the process exponentially. A clearer picture of how learning unfolds in the real world would give us new insights into why learners sometimes fail to master second languages and how we might design better teaching strategies to help them reach their highest potential, he says. Could Every College Student Become a World Traveler and Explorer? In a world allegedly divided between us and them, its not always easy to feel empathy for views we dont fully understand. That gap can feel even more insurmountable when we speak a different language, live in a different country and are immersed in a different culture, observes Brian Edwards, the Crown Professor in Middle East Studies and a professor of English, comparative literary studies and American studies. But when we bridge those borders, we can de-escalate tensions and generate mutual respect and sometimes even friendship, says Edwards, who studies how U.S. literature and culture is understood by the larger world. Thats why we should aim to make study abroad a universal experience for college students. It should be available to all students via subsidies and stipends, and it should be truly immersive, he says. I believe deeply in cultural immersion and intellectual exchange as a way to keep those doors of perception open. There's no question that many of our days are filled with the mundane conversations and humdrum activities of everyday life. But every once in a while, we as individuals and as a society raise our eyes toward loftier goals and work to achieve them. It's what led us to put a person on the moon, map the human genome and enact human rights policies that make the world a more compassionate place. And we just might benefit from more of that big thinking today. For this story, we turned to Weinberg College faculty to help us think about life in a world driven by big ideas ideas that have the potential to change the world and how we see our place in it. We asked them to look at the work they're doing in their own field and imagine how they would expand it immeasurably. If they had all the time, money and resources they needed, what's the big idea they'd like to see come to fruition? What question would they love to answer? Their ideas are energizing and often unexpected. And we hope they will inspire bigger thinking in your life, too. Could we create memories that last beyond our lifetime? Daniel Dombeck, an associate professor of neurobiology, studies spatial navigation in mammals. The starting point: Our brains navigation systems the processes that help us remember how to get from our house to the grocery store parking lot are remarkably complex. To understand how our brains neurons store and retrieve such memories, associate professor of neurobiology Daniel Dombeck sends mice through virtual reality mazes, using laser-scanning microscopes to zoom into the areas of the brain that are activated during these exercises. Were looking at the neurons that are encoding those memories, as well as the synapses the connections between the neurons where we think these memories are stored. Researchers once believed that a large fraction of a neurons 10,000 synapses had to react to form a new memory, but Dombecks research has shown otherwise. Were learning that just a tiny fraction of those synapses maybe just a few percent change to form a new memory. The big idea: As scientists learn more about how our memories are stored and recalled, Dombeck sees a future in which memories can be downloaded, uploaded and minimized. The implications: Someday, the knowledge that Dombeck and his colleagues are discovering could lead to a computer chip for our brains to expand our memory. That could make it easier to remember the names of people we meet or build essential skills more quickly. He imagines technology that could allow people who are experiencing mental decline to download their memories for themselves and for their families. For those suffering from PTSD, advances could help them minimize traumatic memories to prevent them from overtaking their everyday lives. These kinds of ideas were unfathomable even 10 years ago, but as technology progresses, they seem less like science fiction, he says. In many ways, our brains are still a black box, but our understanding is advancing very rapidly. Could We Breathe New Life Into Our Past? Kelly Wisecup, an associate professor of English, is developing Archive Chicagoua, a collaborative digital research project that tells Chicago's Indigenous stories. The starting point: When we think about important literature, we often think of autobiographies, sermons, novels and poetry. But this narrow focus on just a few creative forms may be leaving out entire genres, says Kelly Wisecup, an associate professor of English. For example, Wisecup has studied the work of Native American leader Joseph Laurent, who led an Abenaki tribe in Quebec. In 1884, Laurent published a vocabulary book, New Familiar Abenakis and English Dialogue, to help Abenaki children learn English and to teach English readers about the Abenaki language. The book features lists of words in both Abenaki and English. Although the lists appear utilitarian and the words randomly arranged, there is power in their deliberate sequencing. "Through the arrangement of the words, Laurent retold Abenaki stories about the arrival of English colonists in America," Wisecup says. "As people used the book as they said the words out loud and practiced speaking them with others they were retelling the story. That ensured the survival and circulation of Abenaki histories and language for future generations." At a time when U.S. colonists were obsessed with placing Native stories, bodies and languages in museums and libraries, Native writers like Laurent created their own repositories for safekeeping their histories and languages. Wisecup notes that the failure to widely recognize this and other types of creative work is just one example of how numerous forms of Native American creative expression become unnecessarily sidelined, separated from meaningful context or discarded. The big idea: It's time to reimagine what counts as literature in America. The implications: Broadening our scope changes what we read and how we read it, Wisecup says. The creative storytelling that we find in unexpected places, for example, complicates our view of the past as a time of removal and loss for Native Americans. How might we interact with those ideas if we knew more about the long history of Native literary opposition to being erased and removed? How might we be able to see the places where we live and work as shaped by Native people? Reimagining what we think of as literature changes our perception of the stories we tell about the United States and colonialism. It also inspires us to look at our narratives about immigrants and other marginalized groups with new eyes. Could We Turbocharge the Pace of Social Change? Celeste Watkins-Hayes, a professor of sociology and African American studies, studies urban poverty, social policy, HIV/AIDS, nonprofit and government organizations, and race, class and gender. The starting point: While working on a book about the transformation of HIV/AIDS over the past 35 years from a death sentence to a manageable chronic illness, Celeste Watkins-Hayes had a surprising insight. The professor of sociology and African American studies had long known that improved HIV/AIDS treatment options and services were the result of an enormous influx of private and government resources. But it wasn't just money that spurred the support widespread public empathy was an equally important factor. "Gay white men might have been at the forefront [of the disease], but we also saw lots of other people with HIV/AIDS speak up, including Ryan White, Magic Johnson and Arthur Ashe," she explains. "There were many different cultural touchpoints." In other words, the public seemed to be much more likely to support research and services when the disease affected people they admired or to whom they could relate. The big idea: Social change can be driven by encouraging people with vastly different experiences and platforms to band together to illuminate important social issues. The implications: It's possible to see the beginnings of such broad-based coalitions already: advocates for transgender rights, for example, now span the racial and political spectrum, from Laverne Cox to Chaz Bono to Caitlyn Jenner. "The strategies that the AIDS community used successfully to shed light on issues that disadvantaged people experience can be replicated today," Watkins-Hayes says. "When we can see the common ground that unites us, it's easier to push through challenges." Could We Literally Create An Alternative Reality? Krista Thompson, a professor of art history, studies art and photography of the African diaspora. The starting point: For researchers studying Jamaica's past, the process can be an exercise in frustration, says art history professor Krista Thompson. " There's a history of not saving documents related to black populations in Jamaica," she notes. But what fascinates Thompson are the things that emerge to represent those missing documents and objects. For example, historians would love to get their hands on the original mugshot of Ivanhoe Martin, a Jamaican fugitive in the 1940s. The image appears to be gone for good, but Thompson is fascinated by all the material that has filled in that gap: oral histories of its existence and loss, references to it in classic Jamaican movies and mentions in barely legible newspaper reprints. "The point is not to lament the disappearance, but to understand what stories fill the space of those absences," she says. The big idea: Using written and oral accounts and partial fragments, we could open a "speculative archive" that recreates lost, incomplete or unarchived documents. The archive could also examine the factors that led to the disappearance of certain materials. The implications: In addition to helping us see what certain objects may have looked like, we could envision the alternative futures that might have arisen from art, literature and inventions. What would an alternate history of art look like if certain unsung artists had been able to show their work? Perhaps we have fragments of work that artists wanted to create, but never got funding to complete. Speculative archives would call attention to things that we have allowed to disappear and help us see what important things the world might be missing or have disavowed. Could We Predict the Effects of Climate Change with Pinpoint Precision? Yarrow Axford, an associate professor in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, studies climate and environmental change through lake sediments and past lake environments. The starting point: The polar ice sheet in Greenland is one of just two ice sheets on Earth, and it may help us understand some of the secrets of climate change, including a potential 20-foot rise in sea levels. Yarrow Axford, an associate professor in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, uses lake sediment records from Greenland to investigate how the area's glaciers responded to climate warming between 6,000 and 10,000 years ago. It's no easy feat, since ice sheets have many interlocking parts that influence the whole. "Ice sheets don't melt like an ice cube," she says. "They're the size of continents; they make their own weather. Our work is to develop records from an older time period that can show us how this complicated system works." The big idea: It's time to aggressively pursue new and more collaborative methods to understand the previous impact of climate change, so that we can better predict what may lie ahead for humanity. The implications: Thanks to rising sea levels and other environmental changes, life 20 years from now may look dramatically different than it does today. Science is a necessarily slow and methodical process, Axford notes, but significantly increasing the support for bold, innovative and collaborative research could help us keep pace with the changes. The more that researchers know about climate shifts in the planet's history not just in temperature, but also rainfall and snowfall, for example the better models they can create to more accurately forecast the future. "For a challenge that is as urgent as climate change, we need to accelerate the pace of discovery and understanding," says Axford. Could We All See the World Like the Smartest Experts Do? Steven Franconeri, a professor of psychology, studies visual thinking and communication. The starting point: When an organic chemistry professor sketches out a diagram of a complex molecule on a whiteboard, it makes perfect sense to her: it's a series of meaningful lines and letters, organized in a coherent way. But to her students, that same drawing may seem more tangled than the yarns in A Beautiful Mind. Teasing out the visual patterns that help experts grasp the deeper meaning of an image is the work of psychology professor Steven Franconeri. Using eye-tracking, electrophysiology and interviews, he probes how pros literally see the world in a different way than amateurs do when they look at charts, for example, they move their eyes across important patterns while ignoring the irrelevant. Learning how to see can multiply your abilities in any domain, he says. "As researchers learn how experts cut images into different pieces, we try to find the best ways to teach those concepts to non-experts from adults down to six-year-olds," he says. The big idea: Build the library of visual thinking techniques and tools to open up more opportunities to create the "visual Velcro" that makes nearly every topic easier to learn and recall. The implications: The wider use of visual cognition techniques could transform teaching at every level, from kindergarten through graduate school, as teachers apply the most effective visual methods to communicate concepts. Researchers looking to inform the public on complicated but essential topics like global warming or public health would have more tools to make sure they get their messages across effectively. These tools would also be available to anyone who interacts with the public business leaders, scientists and politicians who could use them to persuade their audiences to see the world from their point of view. "We need more effective ways to transfer expertise and perspectives from your head into somebody else's head," Franconeri says. OTTAWA Manitobas northern First Nations are starting the year with hope of reforming how they access health care, amid unprecedented federal momentum towards more Indigenous autonomy. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 1/1/2018 (1341 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. OTTAWA Manitobas northern First Nations are starting the year with hope of reforming how they access health care, amid unprecedented federal momentum towards more Indigenous autonomy. "If we keep going the same way we're going now, we're going to have people that are just as sick, if not sicker, and a health-care system that's going to balloon even more," said Grand Chief Sheila North Wilson of the Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak, which represents 30 Cree nations in the provinces north. "Whereas, if we start creating systems that are more tailored to what the needs are and what the solutions are, then I think we're all going to be better for it in the long run." Since at least the 1980s, First Nations groups in Manitoba have been angling to take over health-care dollars and responsibilities from the federal government. Major groups have passed motions, signed memoranda and held conferences about the issue. Generally, the federal government pays for on-reserve health care, often through nurses that give advice and basic treatments, but fly patients down to cities for more complex treatment. They generally cover the tab for treatments in province-run hospitals, because Manitobans living on reserves fall under a federal health plan instead of a provincial one. But now, Ottawa has pledged a "nation-to-nation relationship," and has budgeted funds to achieve a longstanding vision of giving health care autonomy to Indigenous groups. "This is not a new concept, this is just one that has been building," said North Wilson. "I don't know if we've gone this far before." Chiefs from around the province have expressed interest, coming together five years ago to push health transformation as a priority. But the need and potential are greatest in the north, which reports more illness and a lack of prevention initiatives. "It's a long-overdue solution to a health-care crisis in the north." This fall, Ottawa gave MKO funding to survey its 30 First Nations groups, to hear what services they want to be brought into local hands. Valerie Gideon, a senior official in the new federal Indigenous Services Department, says theres momentum in Manitoba. "We are having very exciting conversations; First Nations are taking the lead, and they are developing these new models," said Gideon, the acting senior assistant deputy minister of the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch. North Wilson says the idea is gaining traction at both levels of government, after some reticence from the province. "I do think the federal government, and even the provincial government, sees the value in allowing First Nations-led services. Because it will save money in the long run, because it will prevent illnesses," she said. MKO has submitted a proposal to Ottawa and the provincial government, which theyve called the "Clinic Care Transformation Initiative." The proposal focuses on having physicians available to northern communities, instead of just nurses. The province says that it's reviewing the proposal, and that its experts will meet with MKO officials early next year to learn more. Sources familiar with the past years health-funding negotiations between Ottawa and Manitoba said that the funding of First Nations services was a frequent sticking point. They say the province has been worried that changing the system could off-load expensive federal obligations onto Manitoba. North Wilson claimed those talks held up the idea, but shes optimistic the province will seriously consider the proposal this year, after discussing it last July with Premier Brian Pallister. "We're also Manitobans; even though a lot of jurisdictions are still considered federal, we're all still part of our province." On paper, MKO is catching up to a similar group in northern Ontario, though the Manitoba group appears to have more hands-on experience with delivering health care. Last July, northern Ontarios Nishnawbe Aski Nation an agreement with Ottawa and the Ontario government, pledging to examine funding shortfalls and bureaucratic hurdles and eventually devolve health care planning to local groups. A year prior, Ottawa put up $69 million in funding for First Nations mental-health projects, $10 million of which the MKO used to employ crisis-intervention workers. The funding came amid a wave of suicide crises, and the teams combine conventional counselling with sharing circles and traditional prevention programs. The teams have since spread outside MKO jurisdiction to hubs in the provinces south, and even to respond to crises in northern Ontario. In terms of working with the province, Gideon says her department wants to build on good relationships it already has with officials. Her colleagues are working with the Northern and Winnipeg Regional Health Authorities to make sure the province gets its fair share of midwifery and mental-health dollars, as it has for tuberculosis programming. She says the chiefs are leading the health-transformation process, but that theres been "some starts and stops" with the province. "Any time that there is that interest from the Manitoba government, we will absolutely jump right into those conversations. So I don't think that there are any very real barriers; I think we've just had difficulty maintaining momentum." She said its a problem elsewhere. "We've also had a lot of challenges with respect to bringing provinces and territories at the table. In some cases we've had a lot of success, but in other cases we haven't seen a lot of movement over the last two decades." A northern Saskatchewan group told the Free Press last fall it shelved the idea entirely, out of concern that provinces health reform would leave First Nations people in a worse shape. Gideon has followed health transformation for decades, through graduate studies and high-level work within Health Canada. She pointed out that the governments instructions to Indigenous Services Minister Jane Philpott call for allowing Indigenous people to develop and deliver their own services. Thats amid criticisms that top-down approaches dont always match communities needs and can even be patronizing. "The accountability will be between Indigenous governments and their members. Versus accountability to federal or provincial governments." Gideon says her colleagues have had some success by letting First Nations and Inuit groups design their own programming, but that giving further autonomy, and stable funding, has allowed them to outperform services administered from Ottawa. For example, First Nations groups in British Columbia largely replaced federal health-care services with a health authority, similar to regional boards that control hospitals and doctors. Thats allowed them to collaborate with the province on programs like pharmacare and data collection, while keeping other parts autonomous. This devolution could ultimately extend to social services and education. This past October, Canadas first school board operated exclusively by First Nations opened near Brokenhead, Man. North Wilson says that when health services do end up in local hands, she expects care costs to rise, but ultimately be cheaper. "Initially it may cost more to start [delivering] health care, but it's essential if we want people in future to be healthier, rather than just catching illnesses at the end, in Stage 4 [cancer] when there's little chance of survival. That's the reality we're facing when we look at this work." She said longer-term, health devolution would mean less reliance on strained facilities in Winnipeg, thanks to northern facilities like the planned health centre in Cross Lake, while Gideon noted that reserves surrounding Island Lake have requested a hospital, which might serve patients from more remote communities too. She said theres also been a proposal to set up a 24/7 clinic in Winnipeg to provide after-hours support to patients flown into Winnipeg, and help with the adjustment for those staying for long-term medical procedures. North Wilson says new clinics and hospitals could generate employment that has a low chance of being threatened by advances in technology. The number of health-care jobs is rising across the continent, and is the top sector in many northern communities. "We can also create jobs, high-quality, high-paying jobs for people that need them in the north," said North Wilson, noting an uptick in First Nations people enrolling in medical programs. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. "It is a myth that there are no jobs in the north, because there are, but you need a good education to do most of them." She says the success of local mental-health teams speaks to First Nations potential. "People might not think our community is ready to take over a complex and extensive system as a health-care system, but that's what we're doing now, is enhancing the capacity that we already have." "We have a real opportunity here. If we're all interested in lowering costs of the healthcare system in our province, and making people healthier, then this is the way to do it, is to work with us, as First Nations who know what the solutions are." dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca A man has been arrested in Los Angeles in connection to a hoax phone call that led to the death of an unarmed man in Wichita, Kansas, according to multiple reports. ABC 7 reported that the Los Angeles Police Department arrested 25-year-old Tyler Barriss on Friday. Barriss was reportdly arrested on suspicion of having made a false phone call about a shooting and kidnapping that resulted in the death of a man authorities in Wichita identified as Andrew Finch, 28. On Friday, Wichita Police Department Deputy Chief Troy Livingston said that police believed the call was a case of swatting, which occurs when somebody makes a prank call to authorities in the hopes of getting a SWAT team response, according to KWCH12. Due to the actions of a prankster, we have an innocent victim, Livingston said. The LAPD and the Wichita Police Department did not immediately respond to PEOPLEs request for comment. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter. According to the 911 recording which was released by the Wichita Police Department, the caller said his father had been shot in the head and that the shooter was holding him and the rest of his family his mom and a sibling at gunpoint. The caller also added that the shooter had threatened to light their house on fire. KWCH12 reported that the Wichita police said that after they arrived at the address given by the 911 call, Finch came to the door. According to the BBC, one round was fired by a police officer after the 28-year-old appeared to move his hands towards his waistband multiple times after being told to keep his hands in the air. Finch was pronounced dead at a local hospital and was found to be unarmed. KWCH12 reported that Finchs mother Lisa said that her son was not given a verbal warning prior to the shooting. For more compelling true crime coverage, follow our Crime magazine on Flipboard. Story continues According to Los Angeles arrest records, Barris had been arrested before in 2015. According to Fortune, Barris had been accused for making hoax calls to the police in the past, including bomb threats. He also was reportedly behind a bomb threat during the FCC hearing on net neutrality earlier this month that briefly delayed the meeting, according to Fortune. A person claiming to the perpetrator said in an interview with YouTube channel DramaAlert that he had been asked to make the call by one of the people in the Call of Duty argument but wasnt actually involved in the argument himself. The Kansas City FBI, which is also investigating the case according to multiple reports, did not immediately respond to PEOPLEs request for comment. The incident was a nightmare for everyone involved, including the family and our police department, said Wichita Police Department Deputy Chief Troy Livingston according to the BBC. We dont see it as a joke, its not a prank. It heightened the awareness of the officers, and we think it led to this deadly encounter. Gordon Pryor (right) found this young man sleeping on his couch. Rather than calling the police, he decided to let him sleep and find out what his story was. (Photo: Gordon Pryor/Facebook) Gordon Pryor, of Mangawhai, New Zealand, woke just before dawn on Dec. 29 to make an alarming discovery: A complete stranger was passed out on his sofa. But rather than toss the man out or call the police, Pryor, 60, let the man sleep. He turned out to be a university student whod gotten lost at night after attending a local music festival. With nowhere to go he stumbled upon the Pryor residence and decided hed stay the night. Ive traveled the world a bit and you know a few things, and you know your capabilities if you have to deal with somebody and if you need assistance, Pryor told the New Zealand Herald, I wasnt unduly concerned. If anything, Pryor was curious to hear more of the young mans story. The music festival hed been attending, the Northern Bass Festival, was in Kaiwaka a little more than 8 miles away. The student had been trying to get back to where he was staying in Waipu, which is 15 miles north, but boarded the wrong shuttle bus. I dont know where he got dropped off and he doesnt know either, Pryor said. The young man decided hed try to walk the rest of the way. He then cut through farms and tracks and then thought, Theres a house, Ill just go and crash in that. To get to our place, you have to cover a fair bit of mileage to get through the farms, said Pryor. He says the young man, an engineering student at the University of Canterbury, was more tired than drunk, and Pryor eventually woke him to offer him a cup of coffee and some toast. He said, Thatd be good, cheers, so I said to him, Theres the f***en jug, you get over there and sort it out because youve had a free nights kip and Im not making you coffee. You get up there and help yourself, Pryor recalls. Before he woke the man, he shared photos of his unexpected guest snoozing on the couch to social media. Photo: Gordon Pryor/Facebook The reactions were mostly positive, with one woman writing: Lol Ive done the same thing in mangawhai years ago I got a hell of a fright wen I wokeup and some lady had put a blanket on me haaha was very awkward next morning.. Story continues Despite having a laugh over the whole situation, Pryor made it clear to the young man that what hed done still wasnt right. I just slowly wound him up and teased him a bit and made it quite clearly known that what hed done was not exactly acceptable, but at the end of the day it was seen as a harmless thing to do, says Pryor. Despite the awkward first meeting, Pryor describes the young man as apologetic and really humble, a helluva nice kid. Before parting ways, the two took a selfie together (shown above). Pryor is apparently not the only one with late night visitors. After his post, two similar ones cropped up on the Mangawhai Locals Facebook group, including one person who found a stranger sleeping on the backyard trampoline and another who found two strangers asleep in the bed of his truck. Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. Scott Disick and his girlfriend Sofia Richie are still going strong! The twosome, who made their relationship Instagram official back in October, are trading in the California sun for a little snow-filled coziness this New Years Eve on holiday in Aspen, Colorado. The duo got their vacay started right, boarding a private jet to their wintery destination. Im on a whole New Year vibe, Disick, 34, wrote on a cute shot of the two cuddled up in matching down parkas. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Richie, 19, shared a similar snap outside the plane, writing, Ready for 2018. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. According to E!, the couple plans to stay at the private estate of pal Richie Akiva, owner of the 1OAK nightclubs, where Disick makes regular appearances. The pair was also snapped strolling through the city in their winter finest, with the father of three showing off the sights to his enamored lady. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. They also took some time out for what appeared to be a good old-fashioned snow fight, with the reality star grabbing the model as she laughed gleefully. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. As the outlet points out, its not the first New Years Eve Disick has spent in the snowy mountain town: Just last year, he packed up his ex, Kourtney Kardashian and their three kids, eight-year-old Mason, five-year-old Penelope and newly turned three-year-old Reign, and boarded a private jet for the winter playground. With Kardashian reportedly whooping it up in LA with boyfriend Younes Bendjima, however, we hardly doubt she minds! Happy New Years to the happy couple! Do you prefer warm weather or cold weather vacations? Tell us @BritandCo! (Photos via Romain Maurice/Getty) You Might Also Like Woman Battling Breast Cancer Dies Just Hours After Her Hospital Wedding Her diagnosis came last year. A Connecticut couple was staying true to the vows of marriage - in sickness and in health - before they ever said "I do." But, David Mosher, 35, and Heather Lindsay, 31, did get to say those words to each other just hours before Lindsay passed away after a one-year battle with breast cancer. It was more like a funeral than a wedding to be honest. It was the hardest hour of my life, Mosher told InsideEdition.com. Mosher had planned to propose to Lindsay on Dec 23, 2016 after dating more than two years. David and Heather David and Heather That morning, the pair went to the doctor and Lindsay was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer that had already spread to her lymph nodes. The diagnosis didnt stop Mosher, however. I left the plans as they were. I proposed to her, Mosher said. We had the toughest year of our life. She struggled with her cancer through the traditional chemotherapy. Lindsay and Mosher thought the cancer was under control but in September 2017 doctors informed her that it had spread to her brain and lungs. They were in shock. We realized it was something that needed to happen because she probably wasnt going to make it, Mosher said. So the couple set a date for Dec. 30., but as the date neared, doctors at St. Francis Hospital in Hartford explained that Lindsay would probably not make it until then. On Dec. 22, dressed in her wedding dress and lying in her hospital bed, Lindsay was wheeled down to the hospital's chapel, and she and Mosher said their vows to one another. Eighteen hours later, Lindsay died. Her funeral was held Saturday, on the day she was supposed to be married. We had a great love, Mosher said. Dont take your love for granted because it could be taken away. Photos taken by Christina Karas RELATED STORIES Bride Stages Wedding in Hospital So Her Dying Father Can Walk Her Down the Aisle Dad Dies 2 Weeks After He Got to Walk Daughter Down the Aisle in Hospital Wedding Mascot Officiates Wedding Held on Football Field Ahead of Indianapolis Colts' Game Story continues This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Related Articles: A family of five from New York lost their lives in a New Year's Eve sightseeing plane crash in Costa Rica, authorities said. Five other U.S. citizens were killed, including a Florida couple and their 19-year-old daughter. There were no survivors after a single-engine Cessna hurtled into a mountainous area while en route to the capital city of San Jose on Sunday. Two crew members also died, bringing the death toll to 12. Investigators were trying to determine the cause of the crash. Bruce and Irene Steinberg, of Scarsdale, N.Y., were on vacation with their sons, Matthew, 13, William, 18, and Zachary, 19. "We are in utter shock and disbelief right now," wrote Bruce's sister, Tamara Steinberg Jacobsen, on Facebook. The family was on a much-anticipated trip to the Pacific Coast and then a tour through Costa Rica's lush forests and gorgeous beaches, relatives told The New York Times. Witnesses told authorities the plane smashed into the base of a mountain not long after taking off, and appeared to flip over before impact, NBC News said. "The government of Costa Rica deeply regrets the death of 10 American passengers and two Costa Rican pilots in the aircraft crash," Luis Guillermo Solis Rivera, the island country's president, said on Facebook. Mitchell and Leslie Weiss, both Florida doctors, were also reportedly on the plane with the their 19-year-old daughter, Hannah, a Columbia University student. The identities of the other two Americans were not immediately released. Though the cause of the crash remains a mystery, bad weather had prompted the Nature Air chartered plane to abort its first attempt to land in Punta Islita to pick up the Americans. The aircraft returned to another airport, then came back at about 11 a.m., according to the country's civil aviation director. The small plane boarded the 10 Americans and then took off for San Jose, about 140 miles to the east. Images posted on Facebook by aviation officials show smoking debris strewn several hundred yards form the runway's end. Story continues Laura Chinchilla, former president of Costa Rica, said on social media that her cousin was one the crew members killed in the crash. Bruce Steinberg, 50, worked in investment banking and his wife, Irene, 51, was a diligent volunteer for several charitable organizations. Matthew was in 8th grade. William attended the University of Pennsylvania and Zachary went to Johns Hopkins University, according to a family friend. RELATED STORIES 4 Americans Among 5 Killed When Plane Crashes Into Australia Shopping Mall Backlash Erupts Against DJ After He Says Roy Halladay 'Got What He Deserves' in Plane Crash 3-Year-Old Girl Is Sole Survivor of Plane Crash This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Related Articles: Police said a 12-year-old girl in Tennessee shot and killed a 16-year-old girl with a stolen gun early Sunday. The suspect, whose identity has not been released, is being charged with criminal homicide in juvenile court over the shooting death of Brentrice Wilson, according to the Nashville Police Department. Authorities said the younger girl was allegedly holding the gun inside an apartment in Nashville when it went off and struck Wilson. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. The two girls and other youngsters had allegedly taken the gun from a vehicle in a nearby parking lot, the Associated Press reported. The 12-year-old suspect was pointing the gun at the others in the group, according to the AP. (Photo: HuffPost Illustration/Getty Images) Many fascinating and, at times, disturbing truths about our world were uncovered in 2017, thanks in large part to the ingenuity and dogged reporting of dozens of journalists. While President Donald Trump would have you believe the press is the enemy of the people, much of 2017s most important journalistic initiatives proved otherwise. From explosive revelations in the Trump-Russia investigations to dramatic accounts of sexual misconduct, this years investigative reporting helped keep powerful figures in check. These 14 stories, in chronological order, show what an influential and essential tool great journalism can be in starting conversations, shaping society, and helping mold a safer, more transparent world for its consumers. Former Fox News Channel host Bill O'Reilly (Photo: Brendan McDermid / Reuters) Rumors about conservative pundit Bill OReillys pattern of sexually harassment towards women staffers at Fox News, where he was a star for two decades, were confirmed by The New York Times reporters Emily Steel and Michael S. Schmidt in April. The Times investigation revealed at least $13 million had been paid out to five women over the years about his inappropriate behavior. OReilly denied the allegations, but less than two weeks later, Fox News biggest name was fired. The story likely empowered other women to come forward about their own sexual harassment experiences, helping to ignite the #MeToo movement months later. It also shed light on the questionable ethics of non-disclosure agreements that prevent many women from speaking out. Memorable line: The women who made allegations against Mr. OReilly ... complained about a wide range of behavior, including verbal abuse, lewd comments, unwanted advances and phone calls in which it sounded as if Mr. OReilly was masturbating, according to documents and interviews. 2. The New York Times: Comey Memo Says Trump Asked Him To End Flynn Investigation (May 16) Story continues Former FBI Director James Comey (Photo: Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images) Americans were captivated when the Times published an explosive report describing memos written by former FBI director James Comey about his interactions with President Trump. Comey, who had been fired by Trump a week before the Times story, alleged the president had urged him to shut down the federal investigation into his former national security adviser, Michael Flynn. The report was published just weeks prior to Comeys testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee, which was part of a federal investigation into whether Trumps 2016 presidential campaign colluded with the Russian government. Some lawmakers and political commentators suggested Trumps remarks to Comey, which the president has denied making, constitute obstruction of justice. Flynn pleaded guilty earlier this month on charges of lying to the FBI about his interactions with Russian officials. Memorable line: I hope you can see your way clear to letting this go, to letting Flynn go, Mr. Trump told Mr. Comey, according to the memo. He is a good guy. I hope you can let this go. A boy attends a march through the streets of Norwalk agains the epidemic of heroin. (Photo: Spencer Platt via Getty Images) In this eye-opening report, Mother Jones Julia Lurie highlighted one of the many heart-breaking side effects of the United States opioid epidemic: the growing number of children in foster care. More and more parents using or overdosing on drugs are losing custody of their children, burdening an already under-resourced foster care system. Between 2012 and 2015, children in foster care grew by roughly 30,000, according to the report. Luries piece caught the attention of lawmakers and advocacy groups across the country, including Rep. Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) and The Marshall Project. Memorable line: Then there was Jake, a 16-year-old with boy-band looks who holed up for months in a motel ... while his mom went out to use. I just want her to go into rehab and get right, he told me over chicken nuggets at Dairy Queen. If that could be my birthday present or my Christmas present, thats what it would be. Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. Donald Trump Jr. (Photo: Jeff Vinnick via Getty Images) On July 8, the Times published a report describing a previously undisclosed meeting between Russian operatives and Donald Trump Jr. during his fathers 2016 presidential campaign. Trump Jr. dismissed the meeting as one simply about an adoption program. But three days later, the Times published an even more damning report. The story included details from an email chain between Trump Jr. and the Russian meeting attendees, in which he describes his eagerness to get Kremlin-produced dirt on his fathers political opponent Hillary Clinton. For some lawmakers and their constituents, this revelation fueled their growing concerns over potential links between Trumps 2016 presidential campaign and Russia. Memorable line: If the future presidents eldest son was surprised or disturbed by ... the notion that it was part of a continuing effort by the Russian government to aid his fathers campaign ... he gave no indication. He replied within minutes: If its what you say I love it especially later in the summer. R. Kelly (Photo: Rick Kern via Getty Images) R. Kelly is no stranger to sexual misconduct and abuse allegations. Despite decades of accusations against the R&B star, including sex with underage girls and battery, Kelly has come out relatively unscathed and managed to keep a low-ish profile for the past few years. And then Buzzfeed News contributor Jim DeRogatis published a shocking report alleging several women between the ages of 31 and 19 are being held against their will in a cult run by Kelly, in which he dictates how they dress, what they eat, when they sleep and how they sexually pleasure him while he records it. R. Kelly has denied the accusations vehemently, but parents of the women involved with his cult say hes a monster and claim their daughters have been brainwashed. Over 36,000 people have signed an online petition calling on Sony Music to drop Kelly from its record label. Memorable line: It was as if she was brainwashed. [She] looked like a prisoner it was horrible ... I hugged her and hugged her. But she just kept saying shes in love and [R. Kelly] is the one who cares for her. Vice correspondent Elle Reeves video coverage of the deadly white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, created a buzz on the internet over its up-close look at the horrifying beliefs of a hate movement. The enthralling documentary followed several white nationalists, including Christopher Cantwell, an unabashedly racist alt-right personality. Cantwell made many alarming statements throughout the video, but perhaps most sickening was his remark that a fellow white nationalist at the rally was justified in ramming his car into a crowd of counterprotesters, killing 32-year-old Heather Heyer. Cantwell posted a tearful video days after Vice released the video, claiming his band of white nationalists have been treated unfairly. Social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram disabled his accounts following the Vice report. By Aug. 21, Cantwell turned himself into police on warrants of illegal use of teargas during his time in Charlottesville. Memorable line: As you can see, we greatly outnumbered the anti-white, anti-American filth and, at some point, we will have enough power that we will clear them from the streets forever. That which is degenerate in white countries will be removed. North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un (Photo: KCNA KCNA / Reuters) Seasoned North Korea correspondent Evan Osnos dissected the possibility of a nuclear war between the U.S. and North Korea in this deep dive into the two feuding countries tumultuous relationship. His on-the-ground perspective from Pyongyang offered an enlightening and unique look into the enigmatic, authoritarian regime. Osnos gained rare access to North Korean military leaders and citizens, who offered reactions to President Trumps bombastic rhetoric and threats to the countrys leader Kim Jon Un. Military conflict with the U.S. was not a goal, they said, but certainly not out of the realm of possibility if provoked. Memorable line: A few thousand would survive, Pak said. And the military would say, Who cares? As long as the United States is destroyed, then we are all starting from the same line again. He added, A lot of people would die. But not everyone would die. Pentagon (Photo: Phototreat via Getty Images) Despite the militarys promise to crackdown on sexual misconduct, the Posts Craig Whitlock uncovered one womans chilling account of an Air Force colonel relentlessly harassing her, sending her X-rated recordings and essentially getting away with it. Col. Ronald S. Jobo avoided criminal charges and even walked away with a hefty pension after bombarding his female subordinate with inappropriate, sexual messages and requests. The victim filed a report to the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, who found evidence that Jobo sexually harassed her. But Jobos commander, Lt. Gen. John F. Thompson, took a lenient approach in disciplining him. Jobo was merely demoted and forced to retire, which allowed him to collect a pension worth roughly $72,000 per year, according to the report. The reported prompted outrage from lawmakers, including Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), who demanded a review of the Air Forces adjudication process for cases of sexual assault and harassment. Memorable line: The woman said that she tried once more to leave but that he told her he wouldnt let go of her arm until she agreed to respond to his texts. Instead, crying, she swore at him again. Penn State University (Photo: Rick Diamond via Getty Images) Caitlin Flanagan, contributing editor for The Atlantic, put the spotlight on some fraternities harmful and, at times, deadly hazing rituals taking place on college campuses across the U.S. Her findings made her question why such institutions even continue to exist. Flanagan focused on one particularly horrifying case, in which Penn State University sophomore Tim Piazza fell down a flight of stairs at a Beta Theta Pi hazing event. It wasnt until 12 hours later that some of the fraternitys members called 911 when they noticed their pledge looked fucking dead. The student underwent surgery, but died the next day. Penn State shut down the fraternity in February and over two dozen people have been charged in relation to the students death. Since Flanagans report, at least two other fraternity-related deaths have occurred, according to The New York Times. Memorable line: Once again, a student is dead and a family is shattered. And all of us are co-authors of these grim facts, as we grant both the fraternities and their host institutions tax-exempt status and allow them to carry on year after year with little change. Is it time we reconsidered what were doing? 10. The New York Times: Harvey Weinstein Paid Off Sexual Harassment Accusers For Decades (Oct. 5) Harvey Weinstein (Photo: YANN COATSALIOU via Getty Images) This is the explosive report that helped catapult the #MeToo movement into existence. The Times Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey unearthed previously undisclosed allegations that Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein used his position of power to sexually harass women for decades, telling women to accept his sexual advances if they wanted his help with their careers. Days later, the New Yorker published Ronan Farrows disturbing investigation into Weinsteins history of sexual abuse, revealing the film producer had been accused not only of sexual harassment, but of rape as well. The reports prompted the firing of Weinstein from his company, as well as the rescinding of several awards. The NYPD announced in October that it was investigating sexual assault claims against him. Since the Weinstein allegations, a powerful man has been publicly accused of sexual misconduct once every 20 hours, according to the Los Angeles Times. Memorable line: In interviews, eight women described varying behavior by Mr. Weinstein: appearing nearly or fully naked in front of them, requiring them to be present while he bathed or repeatedly asking for a massage or initiating one himself. 11. International Consortium of Investigative Journalists: Paradise Papers (Nov. 5) Activists stage a protest on a mock tropical island representing a tax haven. (Photo: Francois Lenoir / Reuters) Journalists from 96 media organizations across the world worked together to investigate over 13 million leaked documents that revealed elaborate offshore assets of politicians and corporations. The investigation, known as the Paradise Papers, concluded that such assets allowed the high-profile figures and companies to dodge millions of dollars in taxes. One of the most notable findings for U.S. politics is a report that Trumps Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross shares business interests with Russian President Vladimir Putins son-in-law. Ross previously failed to disclose the connection during his confirmation hearing. Many U.S. lawmakers expressed dismay over the findings. Several senators, including Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) called for an investigation into the findings. The Paradise Papers raise serious questions about the integrity of our tax system and the ability of the top one percent to rig it in order to benefit themselves at the expense of everyone else, Sanders wrote in a letter to the chairman of the Senate Budget Committee last month. Memorable line: In the United States, the files reveal personal or corporate offshore ties of key Trump associates who are charged with helping to put America First. Roy Moore (Photo: Bloomberg via Getty Images) Judge Roy Moore had all but cinched his position as Alabamas next senator, despite his overtly racist and homophobic views. But then the allegations of sexual assault on minors began rolling in. Leigh Corfman told the Post that she was 14 when Moore, then a 32-year-old district attorney, kissed her, touched her breast and forced her to touch him over his underwear. Corfmans accusation prompted other women to come forward, though Moore has denied accusations of wrongdoing. The report likely cost Moore the race, despite having Trumps endorsement. He lost to Democratic opponent Doug Jones, but has yet to officially concede. Memorable line: He took off her shirt and pants and removed his clothes. He touched her over her bra and underpants, she says, and guided her hand to touch him over his underwear. I wanted it over with I wanted out, she remembers thinking. Please just get this over with. Iraqi forces (Photo: MOHAMED EL-SHAHED via Getty Images) An on-the-ground account from veteran investigative reporter Azmat Khan and writer Anand Gopal found coalition airstrikes in Iraq are not nearly as precise as U.S. officials claim, with more civilians dying from the bombs than previously reported. Khan and Gopal discovered flawed or outdated intelligence contributed to accidental bombing of Iraqi civilians by the U.S. military. According to the report, one in five airstrikes resulted in the death of civilians a rate more than 31 times acknowledged by the coalition. The report prompted Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) to send a letter to Defense Secretary James Mattis, requesting he take corrective actions in light of the investigation. Memorable line: When Basim asked who in his home survived, he was told: nobody. The blast killed Mayada and Tuqa instantly. A second strike hit next door, and Mohannad and Najib were also dead. Only Azza, Najibs mother, was alive, because the explosion had flung her through a second-story window. (Photo: Jason Wong/HuffPost) The impending financial doom facing most millennials has been a hot topic for the past few years, but no report has laid out the disaster quite as effectively and hauntingly as HuffPost contributor Michael Hobbes. Hobbes explained how decades of irresponsible political and corporate decisions have led this generation into a downward spiral of financial ruin. One in five millennials live in poverty, according to the report, and people ages 26 to 34 are more likely than any other age bracket to not have health insurance. Some lawmakers called on Congress to make a more concerted effort to help millennials, including Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), whose cornerstone issue is tackling wealth inequality. This is the direct result of an economy built to maximize corporate profits and protect the assets of the wealthyan economy that is rigged against working class people who also cannot count on a stable safety net like generations before, Sanders wrote in a Facebook post. Memorable line: Donald Trump, Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell are not interested in our innovative proposals to lift up the systemically disadvantaged. Their entire political agenda, from the Scrooge McDuck tax reform bill to the ongoing assassination attempt on Obamacare, is explicitly designed to turbocharge the forces that are causing this misery. Also on HuffPost Las Vegas Shooting Stephen Paddock, 64, of Mesquite, Nevada, brought an arsenal of weapons into the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas before opening fire on a crowd at a country music festival on Oct. 1. According to Las Vegas police, Paddock began shooting at about 10 p.m., as an estimated 22,000 people attended the festival, which was headlined by country music star Jason Aldean. Mandalay Bay Resort is adjacent to the concert venue. Paddock was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound when police breached his room on the 32nd floor. His motives remain unclear. The 58 deaths and nearly 600 injuries make the attack the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history. New York City Truck Attack Authorities in New York City identified 29-year-old Sayfullo Saipov as the man responsible for a deadly truck attack that left eight people dead and nearly a dozen injured. According to police, on Oct. 31, Saipov drove a rented pickup truck onto the Hudson River Park's bike path in lower Manhattan and intentionally steered the vehicle into cyclists and runners. After traveling about a mile, the truck crashed into a school bus. Police say Saipov was shot in the abdomen when he exited the vehicle wielding what were later determined to be a paintball gun and a pellet gun. Authorities allegedly found evidence in the truck indicating his allegiance to terrorist groups. Saipov, who immigrated to the United States from Uzbekistan in 2010, pleaded not guilty in November to numerous criminal charges, including eight counts of murder. He is awaiting trial. Charlottesville Vehicle Attack On Aug. 12, James Fields Jr. plowed his car into a crowd of pedestrians in Charlottesville, Virginia, killing 32-year-old Heather Heyer and injuring multiple people, police said. At the time of her death, Heyer was among a large group of anti-racist demonstrators who were gathered to protest a white supremacist rally in the city. "If you're not outraged, you're not paying attention," reads Heyer's last public post on Facebook. Heyer's mother, Susan Bro, told HuffPost that her daughter attended the rally because she "was about bringing an end to injustice." Heyer "was not about hate," she said. "Heather was about stopping hatred." Fields, 20, was reportedly known to hold racist and anti-Semitic views. The suspect has been charged with second-degree murder and is awaiting trial. Texas Church Shooting On Nov. 5, Devin Patrick Kelley committed the deadliest shooting in Texas history when he attacked a Baptist church in Sutherland Springs with a semi-automatic rifle, killing 26 people and wounding 20 others. A pregnant woman and several children including the 14-year-old daughter of church pastor Frank Pomeroy were among the dead. The ages of the wounded and dead ranged from 18 months to 77 years. An armed citizen halted the attack when he shot Kelley in the leg and torso, causing the 26-year-old gunman to flee in his car. The suspect was later found dead in nearby Guadalupe County. Authorities said that in addition to the injuries Kelley sustained when he was shot at the church, he had a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. "We have the freedom to choose, and rather than choose darkness like the young man did that day, we choose the light," Pomeroy said during a Sunday service held one week after the tragedy. Daniel Shaver Police Shooting In December, an Arizona jury chose not to convict former Mesa police Officer Philip Brailsford in the fatal shooting of Daniel Shaver. On Jan. 18, 2016, Brailsford and several other officers had responded to the La Quinta Inn & Suites in Mesa to investigate a report that someone had pointed a gun out a fifth-floor window. They suspected Shaver was involved. Shaver, a 26-year-old father of two, can be heard crying and appears confused in video recorded by Brailsford's body camera. In the footage, he says "Please do not shoot me" as he obeys a command to crawl toward the officers. As he inched forward, Shaver reached toward his waistband, according to Brailsford, who then fired five rounds from his AR-15 rifle. Court documents obtained by HuffPost indicate the weapon was inscribed with the words "You're fucked." Shaver died at the scene. No weapon was found on or near Shaver's body. A detective assigned to investigate the case said it appeared Shaver was attempting to pull his pants up when he was shot. Brailsford was fired from the police department and accused of second-degree murder and reckless manslaughter. The Maricopa County jury that sat through the six-week trial found Brailsford not guilty on Dec. 7. "I just don't understand how anybody could... say, 'not guilty,' that this is justified, that Daniel deserved this, and that Philip Brailsford doesn't deserve to be held accountable for his actions," Shaver's wife, Laney Sweet, told CBS News. 'Seminole Heights Slayer' Howell Emmanuel Donaldson III has been identified by Florida police as the so-called "Seminole Heights Slayer who terrorized a central Tampa neighborhood for six weeks. The accused serial killer, police said, killed four people -- Ronald Felton, 60; Anthony Naiboa, 20; Monica Hoffa, 32; and Benjamin Mitchell, 22 between Oct. 9 and Nov. 14. The victims were all fatally shot within one mile of each other. Donaldson, 24, was arrested on Nov. 28, after the manager of the Tampa McDonald's he worked at contacted police and said Donaldson had brought a handgun to work. The caliber of the weapon matched cartridge casings found at the crime scenes, and a hoodie found in Donaldson's car had blood on it, police said. The suspect has pleaded not guilty to four counts of premeditated murder. He is scheduled to return to court in January so the state can determine whether to seek the death penalty. Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn has made his views clear on the penalty Donaldson should face if he's convicted. "If he is found guilty, he should die," Buckhorn told The Washington Post. "It's that simple." Serial Killer Todd Kohlhepp In May, 46-year-old Todd Kohlhepp, a registered sex offender from Spartanburg County, South Carolina, pleaded guilty to seven counts of murder, two counts of kidnapping and one count of criminal sexual assault. Kohlhepp, authorities said, confessed to murdering seven people between 2003 and 2016. He was arrested after police found a missing woman chained inside a storage container on his property. Authorities suspect Kohlhepp, who is serving seven consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole, is responsible for other unsolved crimes something the serial killer alluded to in a recent letter sent to the Spartanburg Herald-Journal in South Carolina. "Yes, there is more than seven," Kohlhepp wrote, according to the newspaper. "I tried to tell investigators and I did tell FBI, but it was blown off." He added: "At this point, I really don't see any reason to give numbers or locations." The investigation into the confessed killer is ongoing. Teacher Kidnapping Case For 38 days in 2017, former Tennessee teacher Tad Cummins, 50, managed to evade capture as he crisscrossed the country with a 15-year-old girl he kidnapped, according to police. Authorities issued an Amber Alert for the teen after her parents reported her missing on March 13. At that time, authorities said they suspected Cummins, a former Culleoka Unit School health science teacher, had abducted her. A witness allegedly saw him kiss the teen prior to her disappearance. On April 20, the teenager and Cummins were found on the other side of the country, in a remote area of Siskiyou County, California, more than 2,000 miles from where the search began. Cummins faces charges of taking a minor across state lines for sex, and obstruction of justice. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges. A trial date has not yet been set. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Kyle Mizokami Security, It would have been World War III. In 1969, Nuclear War Almost Broke Out Between Russia and China On the minus side, a nuclear strike against China would have earned the Soviets worldwide condemnation. An attack into Manchuria would have also played to Chinas Peoples War strategy of slowly dissolving invading forces with a combination of Chinese army forces and peasant militias. Chinas leadership, which had already proven itself bloody minded against its own people, would have had little compunction in sacrificing millions in a war against the Soviets. From the Soviet perspective, a grinding, never-ending war with China had no clearly defined ending. A Soviet attack against China would have been a tactical success but a strategic failureor worse, an open-ended strategic commitment that would have dwarfed the invasion of Afghanistan. In 1969 the two pillars of the communist bloc, the Soviet Union and the Peoples Republic of China, nearly went to full-scale war. Years of deteriorating ties between the two countries, once the staunchest of allies, finally led to skirmishing on the long mutual border between the two countries. While tensions were eventually de-escalated, what if the two countries had gone to war? On March 2, 1969 Soviet troops patrolling Damansky Island (Zhenbao) on the Ussuri River came under fire from Chinese troops. The attack, just 120 miles from the major Soviet city of Khabarovsk, killed fifty Soviet troops and wounded many more. The Moscow believed that the attack was premeditated, with Beijing bringing in a special combat unit to ambush Soviet forces. Alleged atrocities against wounded Soviet troops made the Soviet leadership furious. Recommended: This Video Shows What Happens if Washington, D.C. Is Attacked with Nuclear Weapons Recommended: 8 Million People Could Die in a War with North Korea Recommended: Why North Korea Is Destined to Test More ICBMs and Nuclear Weapons Soviet border guards counterattacked Chinese forces in and around the island on March 15, according to the CIA killing hundreds of Chinese troops. Clashes continued through the spring and summer, and by August, CIA director Richard Helms had informed the press that the Soviet leadership had been discreetly inquiring with foreign governments about their opinion on a preemptive strike on China. Story continues While the crisis between the Soviet Union and China was eventually de-escalated, what if it hadnt? The Soviet Union regarded Chinas leadership, as Robert Farley has pointed out, as abjectly insane, and may have wanted to nip a festering problem in the bud (whether that would have increased security in the long term is another question). While China did not appear to want war nor have the resources to prosecute one, the Soviets indeed had the option of doing so. The Soviet Union had been steadily growing its ground forces in the region since the first signs of a split in the early 1960s. The number of ground combat divisions increased from thirteen in 1965 to twenty-one divisions by 1969. While a considerable amount of firepower, this paled compared to the sheer size of the 2,500-mile-long border. Soviet forces in the region were also in large part defense-oriented machine-gun and artillery divisions, and incapable of offensive action. Meanwhile, over the border, the U.S. State Department estimated Chinese forces in Manchuria to consist of two divisions of border guards, twenty-four infantry divisions, two tank divisions and six artillery divisions. If the Soviet Union had chosen war, it would have had two choices. The first choice would have been a conventional mechanized attack into Manchuria, where much of Chinas industry was located, coupled with a limited counterforce nuclear strike against Chinese nuclear forces and nuclear-research facilities. A Soviet attack into Manchuria in 1969 would have resembled the invasion of the same region in 1945 against Japanese forces, and would likely have followed the same invasion routes. Such an attack would likely have been more modest in scope and focusedthe 1945 attack had been carried out by 1.5 million troops by a fully mobilized Soviet Union. An attack in 1969 would likely have been carried out by half as many troops but with more firepower, supported by modern armor, artillery, tactical air forces and possibly even tactical nuclear weapons. A second option would have been the same nuclear strikes against Chinas new nuclear-weapons program without an accompanying invasion of Manchuria. China had tested its first nuclear weapon in 1964 and conducted its first underground nuclear test in 1969. It is not clear whether or not any of Chinas nuclear weapons would have been useable in a war with the Soviet Union, but Moscow could not have afforded to find out the hard way. One major question is whether or not the Soviet Union would have coupled an attack on Chinas nuclear weapons with a thermonuclear attack on Beijing and Chinas leadership. An attack on Beijing by just one Soviet SS-8 intercontinental ballistic missile, armed with a 2.3-megaton thermonuclear warhead, would have obliterated the city and killed more than half of the citys 7.6 million residents. On the plus side, Soviet attacks would have played to Moscows strengths in both nuclear and conventional forces. The Soviet Army would have made rapid gains on the battlefield, pitting modern mechanized forces against poorly equipped Chinese infantry and obsolete tanks. On the minus side, a nuclear strike against China would have earned the Soviets worldwide condemnation. An attack into Manchuria would have also played to Chinas Peoples War strategy of slowly dissolving invading forces with a combination of Chinese army forces and peasant militias. Chinas leadership, which had already proven itself bloody minded against its own people, would have had little compunction in sacrificing millions in a war against the Soviets. From the Soviet perspective, a grinding, never-ending war with China had no clearly defined ending. A Soviet attack against China would have been a tactical success but a strategic failureor worse, an open-ended strategic commitment that would have dwarfed the invasion of Afghanistan. A war with China would also weaken the Soviet Union in Europe. In order to marshal the forces to fight an offensive war, Moscow would have been forced to send tank armies east from their bases in Warsaw Pact countries and European Russia. This could have emboldened protesters in Poland, Czechoslovakia and Hungary to attempt to throw off the Soviet yoke yet againwith fewer Soviet forces to put down any rebellion. For Chinas part, there was no no upside to fighting a country that had overwhelming conventional and nuclear superiority. China, a massive country with a large standing army and militias, could not lose the war, but it also lacked the offensive forces to actually win. A war that ended with the occupation of Manchuria and a destroyed Beijing would have erased any of the so-called gains of the Great Leap Forward and the ongoing Cultural Revolution. While Beijing would have eventually been rebuilt and Manchuria eventually made Chinese again, there was no upside, only yet another struggle to survive. The de-escalation of the Sino-Soviet crisis in 1969 avoided what could have been yet another large, destructive war of the twentieth century. The current friendship between Moscow and Beijing is a reflection of that crisis and the realization that its much better for both countries to be allies than enemies. This is particularly in Moscows interests: given Beijings rapid military and economic progress over the past thirty years, next time, the Kremlin may find the tables turned. Kyle Mizokami is a defense and national-security writer based in San Francisco who has appeared in the Diplomat, Foreign Policy, War is Boring and the Daily Beast. In 2009 he cofounded the defense and security blog Japan Security Watch. You can follow him on Twitter: @KyleMizokami. This first appeared in 2016. Image: Creative Commons. Read full article Information shared by Australia helped spark the FBI's probe into Russia's attempts to disrupt the US presidential election and possible collusion by Donald Trump's campaign, The New York Times reported Saturday. George Papadopoulos, a former Trump campaign foreign policy advisor who has pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI, told Australia's ex-foreign minister Alexander Downer that Russia had "dirt" on Hillary Clinton, information that Australia later passed on to its close ally the United States, the Times said. The conversation between Papadopoulos and Downer, then Australia's high commissioner to Britain, took place at an upscale London bar in May 2016, the Times said, after Papadopoulos had been told that Moscow had thousands of emails that would embarrass Hillary Clinton, the Democratic presidential challenger in the election which Trump won. "Two months later, when leaked Democratic emails began appearing online, Australian officials passed the information about Mr Papadopoulos to their American counterparts," the Times said, citing four current and former American and foreign officials with direct knowledge of the Australians' role. "It was firsthand information from one of America's closest intelligence allies" that alarmed the FBI and helped prompt them to begin investigating, the Times said. The investigation was also spurred by intelligence from other allies, including the British and Dutch governments, the Times said. The report added that it was unclear whether Downer was "fishing" for information during the Papadopoulos meeting, which came about because of a series of connections that began with an Israeli embassy official. It is also not clear why the Australian government waited two months to pass the information to the FBI, the Times said. Trump fired FBI director James Comey in May, citing Comey's probe into possible links between the presidential campaign and Russian interference, as well as Comey's alleged protection of Clinton. Story continues Comey's firing led to the appointment of Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who is carrying on the investigation, a wide-ranging probe that includes whether Trump's campaign team colluded with Moscow, and whether there was possible obstruction of justice related to the firing of Comey. Mueller's team has already charged four people, including Papadopoulos, who pleaded guilty to lying over his Russian contacts and agreed to cooperate with the investigation. Trump has repeatedly said there was "no collusion" between his campaign and Russia. Downer was Australia's foreign minister from 1996 to 2007 and became high commissioner to Britain in 2014. Richard Cousins, the CEO of one of Britains biggest companies, was among those killed in Sydney on New Years Eve when their sightseeing seaplane plunged into a river, according to multiple reports. Cousins, 58, was the chief executive of the worlds largest catering company, the Compass Group. According to Bloomberg, Cousins who was ranked 11th in Harvard Business Reviews 2017 list of best-performing CEOs in the world had intended to step down as Compass CEO in March. The Briton was on a chartered sightseeing flight in Australia on Sunday afternoon with his fiancee, 48-year-old Emma Bowden; her daughter, 11-year-old Heather; and his sons, 23-year-old Edward and 25-year-old William, when their seaplane crashed into a river near Jerusalem Bay. The group had been on a sightseeing tour with Sydney Seaplanes, a popular tour operator, reported The Guardian. All six people on board, including the pilot, identified as 44-year-old Gareth Morgan, were killed, local police said in a statement. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. The cause of the crash remains unknown but the Australian Transport Safety Bureau said it was launching an investigation into the accident. The managing director for Sydney Seaplanes, Aaron Shaw, said the aircrafts pilot had more than 10,000 hours of flying experience. The company, he added, had an unblemished flying record. The weather on Sunday afternoon had been perfect, Shaw said, telling The Guardian that the company was cooperating with law enforcement in its investigation. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull offered his condolences to the loved ones of those who perished, calling the crash a tragic accident. Our hearts go out to the families of those whose lives were lost, he said on Monday. Paul Walsh, chairman of Compass, said in a statement that the company was deeply shocked and saddened by Cousins death. The late CEO, who had led Compass for 11 years, was known and respected for his great humanity and a no-nonsense style that transformed Compass into one of Britains leading companies, Walsh said. Story continues Compass, which operates in about 50 countries, reported an annual revenue of $31 billion in 2017. Several tragic aircraft crashes have made headlines this holiday season. On Christmas Eve, a Florida attorney and four members of his family, including his two daughters, died after their twin-engine plane crashed shortly after takeoff in Polk County. On New Years Eve, a plane carrying 10 American tourists, including a family of five, and two Costa Rican pilots crashed in northwestern Costa Rica, killing everyone on board. Also on HuffPost Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. By Keith Coffman DENVER (Reuters) - A gunman opened fire on sheriff's deputies at an apartment complex near Denver on Sunday, killing one officer before the suspect was shot and killed, the Douglas County Sheriff's Office said. Four other deputies and two civilians were shot and wounded by the suspect, identified as 37-year-old Matthew Riehl, who had had numerous run-ins with the law, according to Sheriff Tony Spurlock. It was not immediately clear why the incident had escalated, Spurlock said. "All of them were shot very, very quickly and they all went down almost within seconds of each other," Spurlock told reporters at a news conference, calling it an "ambush-type" attack. President Donald Trump said on Twitter: "My deepest condolences to the victims of the terrible shooting in Douglas County @dcsheriff, and their families." The deputies first responded to a "verbal disturbance" at the apartment complex in Highland Ranch, about 16 miles (26 km) south of Denver, at about 3 a.m., the sheriff's office said in a statement. Two men were in the apartment, and one of them told the officers that the other was "acting bizarre and may be having a mental breakdown," the statement said. The officers left the scene after determining no crime had been committed. About 5:15 a.m., officers returned after a second complaint. After they entered the residence, the suspect opened fire from a bedroom, killing Deputy Zackari Parrish, 29, and wounding three others. Parrish, who was married with two young children, had joined the force seven months earlier. "When he was shot and went down, the other officers went down right around him and they tried to pull him out, but were unable to because of their injuries," Spurlock said. At about 7 a.m., a SWAT team entered the apartment and more shots were exchanged. Riehl was killed and a fourth officer was wounded. All told, Riehl fired more than 100 rounds before he was shot by police. The injured officers were identified as Mike Doyle, 28; Taylor Davis, 30; Jeffrey Pelle, 32, and Tom O'Donnell 31. They were taken to hospital and were in stable condition. Pelle, who had emergency surgery, is the son of Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle, according to an online statement from the family. The identities of the two injured civilians were not immediately disclosed, but Spurlock said he believed they are residents from other apartments. Their injuries were not life- threatening, he said. The housing complex in an affluent suburban community near Littleton is described on its website as "one of the friendliest apartments" in the area. (Additional reporting by Gina Cherelus and Frank McGurty in New York and Roberta Rampton in Florida; Writing by Gina Cherelus and Frank McGurty; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe and Peter Cooney) A gunman holed up in a Colorado apartment who killed a deputy and wounded four others has been identified as an Iraq War veteran with a grudge against the local sheriff, authorities said. Matthew Riehl, 37, fired more than 100 rounds in an "ambush-style" attack that killed Zackari Parrish, 29, and wounded fellow deputies Michael Doyle, 28, Jeff Pelle, 32, and Taylor Davis, 30. Castle Rock Police Department SWAT member Thomas O'Donnell, 31, was also injured. The survivors remained hospitalized Monday in stable condition. Sunday's barrage of gunfire began with a domestic disturbance call. Parrish and three colleagues entered a Highlands Ranch residence and began talking with its two occupants, according to the Douglas County Sheriff's Department. Riehl barricaded himself in a bedroom and opened fire with a rifle. Parrish was killed and the other deputies were wounded, the department said in a statement. Other law enforcement officers, including the Castle Rock SWAT team, stormed the apartment, dragged out Parrish's body, and killed Riehl, according to authorities. At a Sunday evening press conference, Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock called Parrish a "smiley kid" eager to do his job, which he had held for only seven months. He is survived by his wife and two young daughters. Spurlock tried to comfort the new widow, he said. "When I sat with his wife and held her hand, I could see in her eyes that her life was over," an emotional Spurlock said. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Two civilians from a neighboring apartment also suffered non-life-threatening injuries, the sheriff said. "They all went down almost within seconds of each other, so it was more of an ambush-type of attack on our officers," Spurlock said, according to CBS News. "He knew we were coming and we obviously let him know that we were there." A YouTube user identified as Matthew Riehl posted a video Dec. 13, demanding the firing of sheriff Spurlock and listing several personal insults against him. Another deputy was called a "pimp." Story continues Riehl said he would run as a libertarian against Spurlock in 2018 as part of a plan to "fire all these bums come early next year." A Nov. 28 video showed a traffic stop by an officer in Lone Tree, which Riehl said was done illegally. "Scumbag, dirtbag, liar," he says as the officer questions the driver. "He's the boss, huh? He's the Nazi in charge with the stripes on his shoulder and the fake badge." The video appeared to have been taken from inside the stopped vehicle, according to The Associated Press. Riehl served as an Army reservist in Iraq for one year and once practiced law in Wyoming. University of Wyoming law students were warned in November to immediately notify officials if Riehl was seen on campus. "The UW Law School has received information about suspicious behavior involving a former student," read an email from the college's assistant dean. "There have been no direct threats to faculty, staff, or students, but as a precaution, students are being notified of this situation," KTWO radio reported. President Donald 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!" A GoFundMe account set up for Parrish's family raised $195,550 in one day. "Zack fed off adrenaline. From snowboarding in the back country, to his job as a Douglas County police officer. Zack didn't back down to any challenges or fear," reads the tribute to Parrish on the donation page. "Zack was always there for his friends. Giving scriptural advice to friends in need of advice, or offering up his free time to help his buddies with home projects. Zack was selfless and a true friend to anyone that knew him." RELATED VIDEOS Hero on Why He Chased Texas Gunman: 'He Hurt So Many People' Exclusive: Texas Gunman's Ex-Wife Reveals How He Bragged About Killing His Dog Substitute Teacher and Custodian Hailed Heroes After Gunman Opens Fire At School, Killing 2 This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Related Articles: KCRA - Sacramento Videos The Natomas Unified School District has put a teacher with Inderkum High School on paid leave and says it is taking steps to fire the teacher for actions the district described as inappropriate and irresponsible. In a more than two-page statement, superintendent Chris Evans said an investigation into an undercover video recently produced by conservative activist group Project Veritas led them to question the teachers methods inside the classroom. At a school board meeting, the teacher was identified as Gabriel Gipe. Several parents and community members spoke passionately about the teacher's actions Wednesday during the evening. A family of five from New York and five other U.S. citizens were among the 12 killed in a plane crash in Costa Ricas Guanacaste province on New Years Eve. A single-engine Cessna that was carrying the 10 Americans and two local pilots crashed into the side of a mountain shortly after takeoff from Punta Islita Airport. According to aviation officials quoted by local media, the Nature Air plane first encountered difficulties due to strong winds when coming in to land at the airport to pick up the passengers, but the exact cause of the crash is so far unknown. Images of the wreckage were released by Costa Ricas Civil Aviation press office. Trending: The Moon Was the Distraction America Needed in 2017 costa rica plane crash victims EZEQUIEL BECERRA/AFP/Getty Images Costa Ricas president, Luis Guillermo Solis Rivera, said in a Facebook post on Sunday that emergency services responded to an alert in the early afternoon after fire and smoke were spotted in a forested area near the airport. The government of Costa Rica deeply regrets the death of 10 American passengers and two Costa Rican pilots, Solis said. The government expresses its commitment to doing everything necessary to cooperate with the families of the victims in what they require at this difficult time and conveys the solidarity of the entire Costa Rican people. Don't miss: Hacked Sex Robots Could Murder People, Security Expert Warns Costa Ricas state department is yet to provide any details about the victims, but Tamara Steinberg Jacobson confirmed on Facebook and to multiple news organizations that her brother died in the plane crash. Read more: Costa Rica struck by 6.5-magnitude earthquake, causing landslides Story continues Bruce and Irene Steinberg and their three sons, William, Zachary and Matthew, lived in Scarsdale, New York. They were on vacation in the Central American country, Steinberg Jacobson said. Most popular: Its So Cold in Canada That a Zoo Has to Bring Its Penguins Inside For those reaching out to us who have heard about my brother and sister-in-law and my 3 amazing nephews, Steinberg Jacobson wrote on Facebook, we are in utter shock and disbelief right now. Those reaching out to my Mom and Dad it is very special thank you. Steinberg Jacobson on Monday morning used Facebook to ask for privacy other than from immediate family and closest friends. The New York Times reported that a friend of the Steinbergs said Bruce Steinberg worked as an investment banker, Irene Steinberg volunteered at nonprofits, William Steinberg was studying at the University of Pennsylvania, Zachary Steinberg attended Johns Hopkins University and Matthew Steinberg was in eighth grade at a private school. This article was first written by Newsweek More from Newsweek A decorated soldier died while rescuing his neighbors from the deadly apartment building fire in the Bronx earlier this week. The father of Private Emmanuel Mensah, 28, told CNN that his son went in and out of the building twice while trying to bring neighbors to safety, but on the third time he couldnt find his way out. Mensahs uncle told the New York Times that his nephew brought four people out to safety, but died while trying to save a fifth. Mensah immigrated to the Bronx from Ghana five years ago, the New York Times reports. The decorated soldier, who was planning to become a military policeman, was reportedly stationed in Virginia, but had returned to his apartment in the Bronx after graduating from bootcamp in December. Though he lived in apartment 11, the Times reports that Mensahs body was found in apartment 15. He apparently died of smoke inhalation. On Saturday, Mayor Bill de Blasio thanked the soldier for his sacrifice on Twitter. Private Emmanuel Mensah was a first-generation immigrant, a soldier and a New Yorker, de Blasio wrote. He gave his life rescuing his neighbors in the Bronx fire. His heroism exemplifies the best of our city. Rest in peace. Eleven other people, including several young children, perished in the fire on Thursday. The fire, which was started by a 3-year-old child playing with a stove, was the citys deadliest in almost 30 years. Washington (AFP) - A sheriff's deputy was killed and six others, including four deputies, were wounded Sunday in what police called a "disturbance" in a residential suburb near Denver, Colorado. The lone suspect was killed at the end of a two-hour standoff at an apartment complex in Highlands Ranch, 12 miles (20 kilometers) south of Denver, Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock told reporters in a televised briefing. Spurlock said he believed the suspect, whose identity had not yet been confirmed, was someone who had had "law enforcement contact on a number of occasions ... but no criminal history." He said the man used a rifle and fired at least 100 rounds, catching deputies off guard. "They all went down almost within seconds of each other," Spurlock told reporters. The dead deputy was identified as Zackari Parrish, 29, a married father of two young children. He had been on the force only seven months. - 'Her life is over' - Spurlock, who had never lost a deputy before, described the agony of holding the hand of Parrish's wife and "seeing in her eyes her life is over." All four wounded deputies were in stable condition, Spurlock said. He said all had been wearing protective vests. Two civilians were also wounded, but did not suffer life-threatening injuries. Spurlock was unclear on their identities. Deputies had responded to an early-morning call of a disturbance and, arriving at the scene, initially conducted talks with the suspect, who was barricaded in a bedroom, when he suddenly opened fire on the officers. "It was more of an ambush type of attack on our officers," Spurlock said. The wounded deputies tried to pull Parrish out of the line of fire but, hampered by their own wounds, were able only to crawl to safety. Police dispatched a heavily armed SWAT team. Officers from a total of five jurisdictions, including Colorado state police, responded. As the incident unfolded, the sheriff's office advised local residents to shelter in place and stay away from windows. Story continues "My deepest condolences to the victims of the terrible shooting in Douglas County ... and their families. We love our police and law enforcement - God Bless them all!" President Donald Trump said on Twitter. The toll among deputies appeared to be one of the highest in a police-involved shooting since five officers in Dallas, Texas were shot to death and several others injured in July 2016 by a man angered by police shootings of black men. The area near Sunday's shooting has been scarred by dramatic mass shootings in recent years, including the Columbine school shooting in 1999, which left 15 people dead, and the 2012 shooting at a movie theater in Aurora that claimed 12 lives. Both are within a half-hour's drive of Highlands Ranch. Spurlock said the Aurora police chief met him at the hospital where his men had been taken to offer his support. Donald Trump has accused Pakistan of lies and deceit, saying the US was foolish to have given the country more than $33bn in aid. The American President launched the scathing attack in his first tweet of 2018, claiming Pakistan give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt and think of our leaders as fools. It follows reports the US is considering denying Islamabad $255 million in aid in a show of discontent with its efforts to fight terrorism. Mr Trump wrote: 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 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 President made no further comment on the issue and it was not immediately clear if his tweet signalled a decision to cut off aid to Islamabad. Relations between the US and Pakistan have soured since Mr Trump entered the White House. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Earlier this year the President announced a a change in our approach to Pakistan, which he claimed often gives safe haven to agents of chaos, violence and terror. In a televised speech in Washington in August, he said: We can no longer be silent about Pakistans safe havens for terrorist organisations, the Taliban, and other groups that pose a threat to the region and beyond. Pakistan has much to gain from partnering with our effort in Afghanistan. It has much to lose by continuing to harbour terrorists. The Trump administration later attached new conditions to financial assistance given annually to Pakistan. Washington said Islamabad would only receive the $255 million military aid if it did more to crack down on terror networks launching attacks on neighbouring Afghanistan. The New York Times last week reported the White House was strongly considering withholding the delayed money after Pakistan refused to allow the US access to a captured militant from the Taliban-linked Haqqani network. Story continues The militant was arrested in October by Pakistani forces as they rescued a Canadian-American family who had been held captive for five years, and the US had hoped he could provide valuable information of other American hostages. In November, Washington strongly condemned Pakistans release of the alleged militant accused of masterminding the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks that killed more than 160 people. The White House said Hafiz Saeeds release from house arrest after Pakistans failure to prosecute or charge him sends a deeply troubling message about Pakistans commitment to combatting international terrorism. If Pakistan does not take action to lawfully detain Saeed and charge him for his crimes, its inaction will have repercussions for bilateral relations and for Pakistans global reputation, added press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders. Pakistan has since reportedly drafted plans to seize control of charities and financial assets linked to the Islamist leader, who is designated a terrorist by Washington. The Financial Action Task Force, an international body that combats money laundering and terrorist financing, had warned Islamabad it faced inclusion of a watch list for failing to crack down on funding terrorism. Pakistani Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal said he he had ordered authorities to choke the fundraising of all proscribed outfits in Pakistan. He denied the Islamabad was taking action under US pressure, telling Reuters in a statement: Were not pleasing anyone. Were working as a responsible nation to fulfil our obligations to our people and international community. President Donald Trump slammed Pakistan for lies & deceit in a New Years Day tweet that said Islamabad had played U.S. leaders for fools. No more, Trump tweeted. Trump in his tweet said the U.S. had given Pakistan $33 billion in the last 15 years, yet Afghanistan and the U.S. have long accused Pakistan of providing safe havens for militants. Meanwhile, Pakistan had no official comment but Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif tweeted that his government was preparing a response that will let the world know the truth. Pakistans Urdu language Geo Television quoted Asif as saying: We have already said no more to America, so Trumps no more has no importance. We are ready to give all account for every single penny to America in public. Asif said Trumps tweet was borne out of frustration and that the United States should pursue dialogue with Afghanistans insurgents rather than military force. America is frustrated over defeat in Afghanistan. America should take the path of dialogue instead of using military might in Afghanistan, Asif was quoted as saying. The Afghan Ambassador to the U.S. Hamdullah Mohib welcomed Trumps tweet. A promising message to Afghans who have suffered at the hands of terrorists based in Pakistan for far too long, Mohib tweeted. The uneasy relationship between the United States and Pakistan has been on a downward spiral since the 2011 U.S. operation that located and killed Osama bin Laden in the military garrison town of Abbottabad. Trump ratcheted up the pressure last year when he announced his Afghan strategy that called out Pakistan for harboring Afghan Taliban insurgents warning it would have to end. Vice President Mike Pence in a surprise visit to Afghanistan on Dec. 22 said the U.S. administration was putting Pakistan on notice to end its support for Taliban insurgents, a comment that generated a chorus of criticism from the Pakistani civilian and military establishment, which has denied harboring Afghan militants. Story continues In a news conference last Thursday the Pakistani military spokesman, Gen. Asif Ghafoor said Pakistan wouldnt bow to coercion. What kind of friends are we that we are being given notices? he asked at the news conference. Much of the money Pakistan has received from the U.S. has been through its Coalition Support Funds which gives money to its coalition partners in Afghanistan and Iraq. Pakistan has been one of the largest recipients. 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. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more! Ghafoor denied that Pakistan allowed training camps or organizational headquarters on its territory. We have started the construction of forts and posts on the Afghan border for effective border management what more does the U.S. and Afghanistan want from us? Ghafoor was quoted by the English-language Dawn newspaper as saying at the news conference. Yet Afghanistan and the U.S. have long accused Pakistan of providing safe havens and Pakistans former adviser on foreign affairs Sartaj Aziz had previously publicly stated that Afghan militants have been living for decades in Pakistan. The Taliban are believed to run several leadership councils out of Pakistan, in southwestern Quetta and northwestern Peshawar, two cities on the border with Afghanistan Meanwhile, Pakistan has accused Afghanistan of harboring its militants and has sent a list of wanted terrorist to the Afghan government demanding they be returned. Kabul too sent a list of wanted insurgents to Islamabad as well as locations of training camps. President Donald Trump dedicated his first tweets of the new year to lashing out at Pakistan and Iran. The president first blasted Pakistan on Monday for giving the United States nothing but lies & deceit. Minutes later, he tweeted that Iran was failing at every level. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Pakistani officials were preparing a response to the accusations, the countrys foreign minister said about an hour after Trumps tweet. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Trump has been severely critical of the Pakistani governments handling of terrorist networks. The New York Times reported Saturday that his administration was considering withholding $225 million in aid from Pakistan to punish the country for failing to cooperate with counterterrorism operations. Vice President Mike Pence said last month that Trump had put Pakistan on notice. For too long Pakistan has provided safe haven to the Taliban and many terrorist organizations, but those days are over, Pence said during a speech to troops in Afghanistan. As the president said, so I say now: Pakistan has much to gain from partnering with the United States, and Pakistan has much to lose by continuing to harbor criminals and terrorists. Trumps heated criticism of Iran on Monday was the latest attack in a war of words between the president and Iranian leadership. The countrys supreme leader, Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, on Wednesday accused the U.S. government of supporting ISIS and the like and spending a tremendous amount of money to sow discord among Americans. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Trump tweeted Sunday that it was TIME FOR CHANGE in light of deadly nationwide protests sweeping across Iran. Iranian demonstrators, frustrated by government corruption and a lack of improved economic conditions following the 2015 nuclear deal, have called on Khamenei to step down. Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Trump has been staunchly against the Iran nuclear deal negotiated under the Obama administration. He has threatened to kill the agreement, which required Iran to reduce its nuclear capabilities in exchange for the lifting of nuclear-related economic sanctions. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Malabo (Equatorial Guinea) (AFP) - The president of Equatorial Guinea said a war is being organised against his regime, days after a government official warned of a "destabilisation attempt". A "war" is being prepared "because they say I have spent a lot of time in power," President Teodoro Obiang Nguema said Saturday, without saying who he was referring to. On Wednesday neighbouring Cameroon arrested a group of nearly 40 heavily armed men who were headed into Equatorial Guinea. Equatorial Guinea's Ambassador to France, Miguel Oyono Ndong Mifumu, said the incident was an "invasion and destabilisation attempt". The country shut its north-eastern border shared with Cameroon and Gabon on Wednesday and has sent reinforcements from the army to the area, sources said. "The Kye Ossi border between Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon is still closed, even the border with Gabon," residents of the border town Ebibeyin, in Equatorial Guinea, told AFP. The arrests were followed by the detention of "dozens" of activists on Thursday, according to the main opposition party. Citizens for Innovation (CI) party said the activists were detained at its headquarters in the capital Malabo and the port city of Bata. Obiang, Africa's longest-serving leader, called on his supporters to be "vigilant". "I want a happy transition, I do not want war," the 75-year-old told state television. "I am not in power because I want to be. When you want to, you can tell me: 'President, you have already worked a lot' and I will go away." The CI said at least 50 activists had already been detained since a November 12 general election that saw Obiang's ruling party win a landslide victory with 92 percent of the vote. The election was widely criticised by opposition groups as fraudulent. Equatorial Guinea, which also borders Gabon, is one of sub-Sahara's biggest oil producers but a large proportion of its 1.2 million population still lives in poverty. The uncle of two men killed in a seaplane crash near Sydney on New Year's Eve has paid tribute to the victims, saying his family had been "wiped out". The crash killed Richard Cousins, the chief executive of Compass, the world's largest contract catering company; his fiancee Emma Bowden, 48; and his two sons, Edward, 23 and William, 25. The fifth British victim was Ms Bowden's daughter Heather, who was 11 years old. The plane came down in the Hawkesbury River off Jerusalem Bay, killing all those on board. Ian Thorpe, the brother of Mr Cousins' first wife Caroline, told Sky News his former brother-in-law and nephews were "a very close knit-unit" and that he "would miss them terribly". Mr Thorpe said the crash has "wiped out nearly all my family", leaving him with just his 14-year-old daughter. He talked about Mr Cousins, 58, who was due to step down from his company position at Compass, in March, as "determined" and a "real credit". Calling his nephews "the boys", he said they "had the world at their feet". "I look back and I'm very proud of all of them," he said of his family. "I feel thrilled to have known them, they've been wonderful people." "It's a "huge shock knowing they're no longer there. I never thought I'd start 2018 like this. Never ever." Gareth Morgan, the Australian pilot, was the sixth person to die in the crash - with officials describing the Sydney Seaplanes employee as "experienced". William Cousins had worked for Open Britain, a pro-EU group set up in the aftermath of the Brexit referendum. The group's chairman, Roland Rudd, paid tribute to him saying: "Will was an extraordinary young man who was passionate about what he did; who took deep pride in his work; and came into the office every day with enthusiasm, energy and determination." "All of us at Open Britain are devastated by the tragic loss of Will and his family." Story continues Detective Superintendent Mark Hutchings, from New South Wales Police, told reporters the family had been visiting from the UK. He said: "These people had come over on holiday to one of most beautiful parts of world and for this to happen at a place like this is just tragic." Mr Hutchings has appealed for any witnesses to come forward, as 10 recreational boats were believed to be in the area at the time. An investigation into the deadly crash has begun - but although a preliminary report is expected within 30 days, officials have warned it may take up to a year to find out what happened. Work is continuing to recover the wreckage of the plane, which is submerged in 13m (42ft) of water. A spokeswoman from the UK's Foreign and Commonwealth Office said: "We are providing consular assistance to the families of five British tourists who have sadly died in a seaplane accident near Sydney. "Our sympathies are with their families and friends at this difficult time." Sydney Seaplanes, which has flown passengers including Ed Sheeran and Pippa Middleton in the past, has cancelled flights until further notice. The company said it was "deeply shocked" by the incident, with managing director Aaron Shaw adding: "We wish to pass on our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the passengers and pilot who were tragically killed." Four Britons and an 11-year-old boy are believed to be among six people killed when a sea plane plunged into a river on a New Years Eve scenic flight north of Sydney. Authorities are investigating the cause of the crash, which occurred as the party was returning to the city after lunch at an exclusive waterside restaurant. Conditions for yesterdays flight were cloudy and windy and, according to Channel Seven, the plane, which was at least 50 years old, may have clipped trees before crashing. All six bodies, including that of the pilot, were recovered by police divers following the crash at a quiet inlet of the Hawkesbury River at 3.10pm local time. We saw a seaplane coming towards us, said Myles Baptiste, an eyewitness who watched the aircraft make a sharp turn before hitting the water and quickly sinking. He told 9News: It made a tight right hand turn and as it actually turned around, the wings dipped and it nosedived straight into the water. The five passengers, that included a child aged about 11, had been dining at Cottage Point Inn restaurant. Foreign Office sources confirmed last night that British nationals had been onboard. Rescue workers recover the body of a passenger and plane debris Credit: Reuters The single-engine DHC-2 Beaver aircraft was operated by Sydney Seaplanes, which offers round trips to Cottage Point Inn for 310 per person that includes the meal. Pippa Middleton and her husband James Matthews took the same Sydney Seaplanes flight to Cottage Point Inn during their honeymoon in June. Other celebrity passengers have included Jeremy Clarkson, Ed Sheeran and Jerry Seinfeld. New South Wales police have not publicly named the victims and were waiting to ensure that next of kin had been notified. The plane is about 40 feet below the surface and is being kept under guard until it can be recovered on Monday. We dont know why the plane crashed, said Acting Superintendent Michael Gorman. Its early in the investigation, we are working with the plane company and getting investigators to look at how the plane crashed into the water. Forensic officers are on their way to confirm the identification of those on board, to let their relatives and next of kin know. Story continues The restaurant, about 20 miles north of Sydney, is in a suburb of only 113 people and is difficult to reach by road. The sea plane crashed off Jerusalem Bay near Cowan, north of Sydney on Sunday afternoon The Foreign Office said officials from the British Consulate were in contact with local authorities and it was ready to provide consular assistance. Sydney Seaplanes said it did not know the cause of the crash but was assisting authorities with investigations. It has suspended all flights until further notice. All at Sydney Seaplanes are deeply shocked by this incident and the resulting loss of life, it said. We wish to pass on our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the passengers and pilot who were tragically killed Sydney Seaplanes has been operating since 2005, have undertaken thousands of flights in that period and have had an unblemished safety record until now. The plane crashed near the Jerusalem Bay inlet, about two miles from the restaurant. The de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver owned by Sydney Seaplanes that crashed into the Hawkesbury River, north of Sydney Credit: https://www.seaplanes.com.au/aircraft Helicopter footage captured by local television showed an oil slick where the plane entered the water and an aircraft door floating nearby. Sydney Seaplanes runs regular flights to and from the restaurant. On its website, the company says: Leave the hustle of Sydney behind as you take to the air for a stunning flight to the award-winning Cottage Point Inn... Upon landing, the aircraft taxis to the restaurants exclusive seaplane dock, where staff from Cottage Point Inn will welcome you. Barbara Amoroso, who was due to take the next flight from the restaurant, told Channel Nine: I saw people sitting in the front of the plane and I saw the pilot, about six of them. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau said it was investigating the ditching of a single-engine seaplane and was sending three investigators to the site from Canberra. Police said they were hoping that passengers aboard some of the numerous boats in the area can provide information. If people have any footage in this day of social media we would be very interested to see any footage people may have taken of the plane prior to or at the time it crashed into the water, said Superintendent Gorman. Sydney Seaplanes said its DHC-2 Beaver aircraft can take seven passengers, along with a pilot, and have a cruising speed of 158 miles an hour. Despite production stopping forty years ago, there are hundreds of these timeless classics still gracing the skies, the companys website says. Our own Beavers have been lovingly restored, equipped with the latest technology and refitted for comfort and style. Police said they will prepare a report for the state coroner. New South Wales Police Force said divers had recovered six bodies from the scene and an investigation was under way to identify the victims and determine the cause of the crash. Six people including the pilot were on board the plane when it crashed off Jerusalem Bay near Cowan, north of Sydney, at around 3.10pm (4.10am GMT) on Sunday, police said. Local reports said four Britons were among the dead. The Foreign Office was unable to confirm any details of the crash but said British officials are in contact with authorities in Sydney. To get 2018 started on a festive note, heres TIMEs guide to the history behind some of the major dates on the 2018 American holiday calendar: January Martin Luther King Day: For Jan. 15, learn why the holiday didnt become law until 1983, though the civil rights leader died in 1968. February Valentines Day: On Feb. 14, impress your date with your knowledge of how the heart symbol became associated with love. Ash Wednesday: And for the other Feb. 14 holiday, see where the ashes come from and what they represent. Presidents Day: Mark the Feb. 19 holiday but remember that its real name is Washingtons Birthday. March St. Patricks Day: On Mar. 17, remember how the color green became associated with Ireland. Passover: Beginning the evening of Mar. 30, you might want to know the roots of the holidays food and traditions, and how celebrants in different regions of the world conduct their seders. April Easter: For April 1, heres how Easter eggs and the Easter rabbit became associated with the Christian holy day. April Fools Day: But watch out, because April 1 is also this day for pranks an idea with mysterious origins. May Mothers Day: While celebrating mothers on May 13, remember how a mother who lost nine of her 13 children inspired the push for a holiday devoted to moms. Memorial Day: The May 28 date has a somber origin story, but heres how the holiday got its party-hardy reputation. June Fathers Day: For June 17, heres why dads didnt get their own holiday until more than half a century after Mothers Day was proclaimed. July Canada Day: The July 1 holiday is not to be confused with Canadian Independence Day. Independence Day: Ironically, on July 4 you might want to know that the real Independence day is July 2nd and why Americans celebrate it on the Fourth instead. August Womens Equality Day: On Aug. 26, meet Bella Abzug, the Congressperson who introduced the bill that designated the day as such. September Labor Day: For Sept. 3, read up on how a bloody railroad strike led to the first Labor Day celebration. Plus, why its OK to wear white after Labor Day. Story continues Rosh Hashanah: Beginning of the evening of Sept. 9, welcome the Jewish New Year with the surprising story of how a Danish rabbi saved the lives of about 7,000 local Jews on Rosh Hashanah in 1943. Yom Kippur: And starting the evening of Sept. 18, remember how Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Sandy Koufax refused to play on the Jewish holy day. October Columbus Day: The Oct. 8 holiday is rife with history, from how the idea that Columbus discovered America spread to how a movement started replace the holiday with Indigenous Peoples Day. Canadian Thanksgiving: For the same day, Oct. 8, heres how the Canadian holiday differs from the U.S. version and why it takes place a whole month earlier than the more southerly version. November Veterans Day: The Nov. 11 date still commemorates the World War I armistice, but heres how the name got changed from Armistice Day to Veterans Day. Thanksgiving: For Nov. 22, heres why we know so little about the first Thanksgiving, and how one woman lobbied Abraham Lincoln to make it a national holiday 200 years later. December Hanukkah: Beginning the evening of Dec. 2, celebrate the festival of lights with the knowledge that its origins are more mysterious than you might think, as is the history of some of its most beloved traditions. Christmas: For Dec. 25, gift yourself the story of how Christmas became a national holiday. Kwanzaa: For Dec. 26, remember how the holiday was conceived during a key moment in the civil rights movement. New Years Eve: Ring in 2019 at the close of Dec. 31 with the origins of the traditions to ring in the new year, such as the ball drop and singing Auld Lang Syne. By Bozorgmehr Sharafedin LONDON (Reuters) - Iran warned of a crackdown on Sunday against demonstrators who pose one of the biggest challenges to the government and clerical leadership since a revolution in 1979. Tens of thousands of Iranians have protested across the country since Thursday against the Islamic Republic's unelected clerical elite and Iranian foreign policy in the region. They have also chanted slogans in support of political prisoners. Demonstrators initially vented their anger over economic hardships and alleged corruption but they have also begun to call on Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to step down. There were no sign of protests on Sunday and the government said it would temporarily restrict access to the Telegram and Instagram messaging apps, state television quoted an informed source as saying. Video from earlier days posted on social media showed people chanting: "Mullahs, have some shame, leave the country alone." The demonstrators also shouted: "Long live Reza Shah". Such calls are evidence of an unprecedented level of anger and break a taboo. The king ruled Iran from 1925 to 1941 and his Pahlavi dynasty was overthrown in a revolution in 1979 by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the Islamic Republic's first leader. The protests are the biggest since unrest in 2009 that followed the disputed re-election of then-President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. They are particularly troublesome for the government of President Hassan Rouhani because he was elected on a promise to guarantee rights to freedom of expression and assembly. Rouhani's main achievement is a deal in 2015 with world powers that curbed Iran's nuclear program in return for a lifting of most international sanctions. But it is yet to bring the economic benefits the government promised. "Those who damage public property, violate law and order and create unrest are responsible for their actions and should pay the price," state media quoted Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli as saying. Story continues Ali Asghar Naserbakht, deputy governor of Tehran province, was quoted as saying by Tasnim news agency that some protesters had been arrested on Saturday. Videos posted on social media showed families gathering in front of Evin Prison in Tehran, asking for information about relatives arrested in recent days. PROTESTS APPEAR SPONTANEOUS Protesters defied the police and Revolutionary Guards who have used violence to crush previous unrest. The demonstrations could be more worrying for authorities because they seem spontaneous and lack a clear leader. No political party has urged Iranians to take to the streets and opposition leaders who galvanised Iranians during 2009 are under house arrest. In addition, the range of slogans suggests discontent across social classes with government policies. Iran has a dual system of clerical and republican rule, in which each faction vies for control. The supreme leader rules for life and is commander-in-chief of the armed forces. He also appoints the head of the judiciary and, in all, has more power over foreign and economic policy than the elected president. In apparent response to the protests, the government backed down on plans to raise fuel prices, promised to increase cash handouts to the poor and create more jobs in coming years. "We predict that at least 830,000 jobs will be created in the new year," government spokesman Mohammad Baqer Nobakht said on state television on Saturday night. He gave no details. Around 3.2 million Iranians are jobless. Iranians also expressed anger over their country's costly interventions in Syria and Iraq where it is engaged in a proxy war for influence against regional rival Saudi Arabia. Videos on social media showed protesters in the city of Shiraz tearing down a banner of Qassem Soleimani, the powerful head of the Quds Force, the branch of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards' that overseas operations in Iraq, Syria and elsewhere. The United States condemned the scores of arrests of protesters reported by Iranian media. President Donald Trump tweeted: "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!" Trump refused in October to certify that Tehran is complying with its 2015 nuclear deal and said he might terminate the agreement. He also detailed a more aggressive approach to Iran over its nuclear and ballistic missile programs and its support for militant groups in the Middle East. Canada said it was encouraged by the protests. The country suspended diplomatic relations with Iran in 2012 and called Tehran the biggest threat to global security. Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi was quoted as saying by state media that "Canadas intervention in Iranian affairs is a violation of international conventions". Protesters have attacked banks and government buildings and burned police vehicles. Two demonstrators were shot dead in the western town of Dorud on Saturday night. The deputy governor of Lorestan province blamed foreign agents for the deaths. "No shots were fired by the police and security forces. We have found evidence of enemies of the revolution, Takfiri groups and foreign agents in this clash," Habibollah Khojastehpour said on state television. Takfiri is a term for extreme Sunni militants such as Islamic State. Ahmad Khatami, a hardline cleric who leads Friday prayers in the capital Tehran, called for capital punishment for those chanting slogans against the values of the Islamic Republic. (Writing by Michael Georgy; Editing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg) Israel's government has approved a $72 million plan to combat the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement (BDS) in the court of public opinion. The plan was announced last week and was approved on Friday by executive decree, Ynet news site reported. It calls for setting up a non-profit organization managed by a board made up of both government officials and private donors from Israel and abroad. Trending: What to Watch on TV This Week: 'The X-Files,' 'Will & Grace,' 'The Good Place' As noted by Forward, the board will oversee the first major civil-society infrastructure servicing the State of Israel and the pro-Israel community in the fight against the de-legitimization of Israel, according to a notice sent to government officials on Friday. 12_25_Benjamin_Netanyahu Amir Cohen/Reuters The Times of Israel reported that $36 million for the plan will come from government coffers. The rest will be fundraised by private donors, some of whom have pledged "to give $2 and $3 to any dollar put in by the Israeli government beyond the initial funding." Don't miss: Is Trump Prepared to Lose $1 Trillion to Tackle China on Trade? According to the Israeli government, the monies will be spent on public campaigns and lobbying efforts that will seek to discredit the BDS movement. The government envisions enlisting pro-Israel influencers as well as international organizations that disagree with the movement's aims. The plan comes a week after pop superstar Lorde decided to cancel her performance in Tel Aviv in June 2018 after being called on by activists to forego performing in Israel as a protest against the country's treatment of Palestinians living in the West Bank. Story continues Most popular: Video: Mariah Carey Asks for Hot Tea in Triumphant Return to New Years Eve Stage in Times Square This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. The goal of the BDS movement is to put economic and social pressure on Israel to cease its occupation of land where Palestinians have historically resided in, as well as acknowledge Palestinians' so-called "right to return" to lands currently under Israeli control. The BDS movement has been the subject of routine criticism by Zionists and other supporters of Israel. In a 2014 blog post for the Gatestone Institute, Alan Dershowitz posits that the BDS movement "is highly immoral, threatens the peace process and discourages the Palestinians from agreeing to any reasonable peace offer." This article was first written by Newsweek More from Newsweek Getty A teenager has been arrested after four people, including his parents, were found shot in their New Jersey home, police said. The four dead include the 16-year-olds sister and a 70-year-old family friend who lived at the same residence, according to local news reports. Police had responded earlier to a call from inside the house that there had been shots fired, and found that a semi-automatic weapon had been used in the attack. The deaths came on New Years Eve in Long Branch, a small city on the Jersey Shore, police had said earlier. The police and prosecutors office had previously confirmed on Twitter that an incident had occurred but that it was believed to be a domestic dispute and posed no danger to residents. The county prosecutor stressed in a press conference later that they were confident that it was a domestic incident. The police department in Monmouth County, where the shootings took place, said it was conducting a homicide investigation following the deaths. The 16-year-old has not yet been named because he is underage, police said. By Enrique Andres Pretel SAN JOSE (Reuters) - A plane crash in Costa Rica on Sunday killed 10 U.S. citizens and two local pilots, the Costa Rican government said. The cause of the crash was not yet known, the country's security ministry said. It took place in the mountainous area of Punta Islita, which is popular with tourists, in the province of Guanacaste, about 230 km (140 miles) west of the capital of San Jose. Enio Cubillo, director of Costa Rica's civil aviation agency, told local media that the deceased included 10 foreign tourists and two Costa Rican pilots for the aircraft, which was operated by local company Nature Air. Nature Air could not immediately be reached for comment. Laura Chinchilla, who was president of Costa Rica from 2010 to 2014, said on Twitter that her cousin, one of the crew members, had died in the accident. "There are no people alive," Security Minister Gustavo Mata said, adding that autopsies would be needed to confirm the total number and identities of victims because their remains were badly burned. Punta Islita, on Costa Rica's Pacific Coast, is popular among North American and European tourists for its pristine beaches and lush landscape. (Writing by Daina Beth Solomon; Editing by Bill Rigby, Lisa Von Ahn and David Gregorio) Paris (AFP) - President Emmanuel Macron vowed to pursue his reform agenda with the "same intensity" in 2018 and kickstart a "French renaissance" in his first New Year's address as leader, which comes as the economy picks up. Despite winning May's presidential election on a promise to ditch politics as usual Macron stuck with tradition in Sunday's televised address from the Elysee Palace, which began and ended with the national anthem. Seated at his desk, wearing a dark suit and tie, Macron cited some of his achievements in his first seven months in his office, including his overhaul of the labour code. "These profound transformations... will continue with the same strength, the same rhythm and the same intensity in 2018," the 40-year-old centrist said, promising to "continue to do that for which you elected me." But the former investment banker, who has been labelled the "president of the rich" by the leftist opposition, also attempted to reach out to those who feel left behind by his pro-business policies. Sitting in front of a wall-hanging marked "fraternity" Macron said: "I believe in success but what good is success if only a few succeed, feeding into selfishness and cynicism?" Announcing a "grand social project" in 2018 that would cover the health sector and housing for the homeless among other areas, he also extolled the virtues of work as a way of "helping everyone find their place" in society. Lamenting the "irreconcilable divisions that are corroding our country," he appealed to the French to not reason solely in terms of what the traditionally protectionist French state could do for them. "Ask yourselves every morning what you can do for the country," he urged, echoing former US president John F. Kennedy's inaugural speech in 1961, in which he told Americans: "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country." Story continues That "conquering French spirit" would help breathe life into a "French renaissance," he said. He also pledged to continue to work with Germany to reform the European Union, insisting "Europe is good for France." - Poll surge - France's youngest-ever president enters 2018 on a high note, with polls showing voters warming to him again after having soured on him in his first months in office. A Harris Interactive poll published Friday gave him a 52 percent approval rating, up seven points. The turnaround has been attributed both to the weakness of the opposition, to his record in implementing his campaign pledges and his leadership on the international stage. In his first months in he office he pushed through labour and tax reforms with only mild resistance, played good cop and bad cop with US President Donald Trump and Russia's Vladimir Putin, acted as mediator in Lebanon's political crisis as well as hosting a global climate summit. He has also benefitted from an upswing on the economic front. Europe's second-biggest economy is projected to grow by 1.9 percent in 2017 -- up from a previous estimate of 1.6 percent -- and unemployment is at its lowest level in three years, albeit still at relatively high 9.4 percent. An elderly man has died after being mowed down during a car rampage in Melbourne last week, police said Saturday, with one of 18 attempted murder charges expected to be upgraded to murder. Afghan-Australian Saeed Noori, who has a history of drug abuse and mental problems, is accused of ploughing his car through a busy intersection earlier this month, careering into tourists and shoppers. He has been charged with 18 counts of attempted murder, but now faces at least one murder charge after 83-year-old Antonios Crocaris, an Australian national, died from his injuries late Friday. Six others remain in hospital. "A man has died following an incident on Flinders Street on December 21 where a number of pedestrians were struck by a vehicle," Victoria state police said. "Homicide squad detectives are expected to upgrade one of those charges to murder." Nine foreigners were among those hurt, including from South Korea, China, Italy, India, Venezuela, Ireland, and New Zealand. Police have alleged Noori made "utterances" to them about voices, dreams and the "poor treatment of Muslims" after his arrest, but no link to any terrorist group has been found. The Melbourne Magistrates' Court heard on Wednesday that he may be suffering psychiatric issues or have an undiagnosed illness. He is due back in court on May 30. The incident came less than a year after a car rammed into pedestrians in Melbourne's busiest mall, killing six people. That driver, whose case is still before the courts, also had a history of drug issues. Like other countries, Australia has been taking steps to prevent vehicle attacks in crowded public places since the Nice truck incident in southern France last year that killed 86 people. They include deterrent options like fencing and closed circuit cameras, and using delaying tactics such as trees and bollards to slow down vehicles. Updated: Matthew Riehl was identified as the Denver shooter who fired more than 100 hundred rounds, killing one deputy and injuring four others, CBS4 reported on Sunday. Two civilians were wounded during the barrage of gunfire, too. Their injuries were not life threatening. The incident started at 5:15 a.m. ET. Authorities responded to a "verbal disturbance" between two men from Riehl's apartment, located 16 miles south of Denver. One suspect said the Riehl "was acting bizarre and might be having a mental breakdown." Authorities left after they didn't find any evidence of a crime. Trending: Supermassive Black Holes Suffocate Star Formation By Sucking The Energy From Their Galaxies But they were called back. A man, who was not named, gave police keys to the home and permission to enter the apartment. They tried to talk to Riehl, who locked himself up in his room. That's when he opened fire. "They all went down almost within seconds of each other, so it was more of an ambush-type of attack on our officers," Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock said, according to CBS News. "He knew we were coming and we obviously let him know that we were there." Deputy Zackari Parrish, 29, was confirmed as the deputy killed by Riehl. His wife and two children survive him. He joined the force several months ago. A GoFundMe account was started in Parrishs honor. A true God fearing man, who was a role model, father, husband, and public servant, Zack and his family are dear friends of ours that we met and became close with through our church-home Mission Hills. All proceeds of this campaign are going directly to his wife Gracie and their two daughters. If there is any question whatsoever of the legitimacy of this campaign you are welcome to call me at (720) 445-1310 or email me at tyler.m.scott@outlook.com, the page read. matthew riehl Douglas County Sheriff Story continues Don't miss: Trump Impeachment Odds in 2018 Predict President May Not Finish First Term At the time this article was written, the page raised 146,000 of its 250,000 goal. Zack fed off adrenaline. From snowboarding in the backcountry, to his job as a Douglas County police officer. Zack didnt back down to any challenges or fear, the GoFundMe page continued. After an early career in sales, Zack fulfilled his dream of becoming a law enforcement officer. First serving for Castle Rock Police Dept, Zack was eager to accept a position with Douglas County Police Dept. The gunman, 37, was shot and killed by authorities. The injured deputies were wearing vests, but were shot in areas that were not covered. They were identified as Mike Doyle, 28; Taylor Davis, 30; Jeffrey Pelle, 32; and Tom ODonnell, 31. The FBI in Denver took to Twitter to issue statements. We urge you to remain vigilant, maintain awareness of your surroundings, and report any suspicious activity to law enforcement. The FBI will continue working with our federal, state, and local partners should there be any potential threat to public safety, they tweeted on Sunday. Most popular: 2018 Could Bring Increase in Severe Worldwide Earthquakes They added: @FBIDenver has been monitoring the events that occurred this morning and have offered our full support to @dcsheriff. Our thoughts and prayers are with our law enforcement partners and all those impacted by todays senseless act of violence. Nearly two weeks earlier, Riehl said he was a libertarian candidate for the Douglas County Sheriffs position in a YouTube video, which was titled, Fire Sheriff Spurlock. In the clip he claimed Deputy Brian Briggs was a pimp. Riehl was a veteran who did a tour of Iraq in 2009 until 2010. He was honorably discharged two years later. The shooter was a graduate of University of Wyoming, KGWN reported. He graduated from the school in 2010, making the Deans list in 2008. He was reportedly a practicing lawyer in Rawlins, Wyoming. President Donald Trump responded to the New Years Eve shooting, writing: 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. Before the attack, Riehl did not have a criminal record. This story was updated to include details of the attack. This article was first written by Newsweek More from Newsweek Vice President Mike Pence has indefinitely postponed a visit to Israel due to scheduling conflicts, an Israeli newspaper reported Monday. Pence had planned to visit Israel in late December, but he postponed the trip in order to be in the U.S. when Congress was voting on a tax reform bill, White House officials announced last month. A spokesperson from Pences office later told reporters the vice president would be visiting Israel in January, but Israeli officials have said nothing has been scheduled, and Pence was not included on a list of foreign officials who would visit the country in January, the Israeli newspaper reported. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to leave Israel for a visit to India in mid-January, meaning he would not be available to meet with the vice president for some time. Trending: Colorado Shooter Matthew Riehl Shared Alt-Right Memes on Facebook Some have speculated that Pence is avoiding the visit because Muslim and Christian leaders vowed not to meet with him following President Donald Trumps decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. 460888362 Getty Images Before the trip was postponed, Pence was to meet with Netanyahu and to address the Israeli parliament. He had also planned to go to Ramallah, where he would meet with Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority. Abbas canceled after Trumps Jerusalem announcement on December 6. Likewise, Christian and Muslim leaders in neighboring Egypt, where Pence was also scheduled to visit, have said they would refuse to meet with Pence. Don't miss: U.S. Ignores Terrorists, Pakistan Says, as Ambassador Summoned Over Trump Lies and Deceit Tweet Members of the international community, including U.S. allies such as Turkey and Jordan, widely condemned Trumps decision because the eastern part of Jerusalem has been envisioned as the future capital of a Palestinian state if a two-state solution is reached. Many critics say Trump's Jerusalem announcement put an end to any hope of a peace deal. Story continues On December 21, the United Nations held an emergency session and 128 members voted in favor of a resolution that condemns Trumps Jerusalem decision. Nine members supported the U.S. The Trump administration claims a peace agreement is still a priority. Trump has placed his son-in-law, White House adviser Jared Kushner, in charge of the peace negotiations. Most popular: NFL Black Monday Could Hurt Patriots Super Bowl 52 Run 894384280 Getty Images The U.S. is Israels most important backer, supplying it with billions of dollars in aid in addition to its diplomatic backing. The Trump administration has been especially emphatic about its support for Israel, and Trump has described Jerusalem as the Jewish people [capital] established in ancient times. This article was first written by Newsweek More from Newsweek Mom takes sexy selfies for money and she loves it. (Photo: Socalsummers/Instagram) Yahoo Lifestyle first profiled Summers VonHesse July 2017. The mother of two opened up about her life and her job of selling sexy selfies to strangers on the internet in exchange for cash. VonHesse is married to a military veteran. He is her biggest fan and even helps her with the creative process of her craft. We caught up with the 30-year-old to see how her life has changed since the article, which helped skyrocket her Instagram following from 110,000 to nearly 190,000. It also helped bump up her monthly income from $5,000 to $12,000 per month. The extra income has changed her life. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. This feels like a fairytale. We are not living paycheck to paycheck. We had spent many years just scraping by, VonHesse tells Yahoo Lifestyle. Its allowed some dreaming. For the first time in my life, I have bought a new pair of shoes without feeling guilty or spending an hour looking for the best deal. However, for the Nebraska native, money isnt everything. She knows that she was happy before the money and will continue to be happy if it all goes away. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. If it were all to disappear tomorrow I would be fine. I would be sad because ultimately I plan on doing some good in the world with it, but there are many ways to do good. Being a positive force is not reliant on how much money you have. Some of the good she plans on doing is setting up and saving for a horse sanctuary. Since July, she has been setting the foundation and adopted her first mustang. VonHesse plans on adopting a second horse in February. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Major changes have happened in VonHesses life. Her two small children are now going to school. Also, she and her husband of seven years have decided to have an open marriage. We decided to go public with our decision to try out an open relationship, she confesses. So far it has been awesome. Its strange living your life online. One thing has remained the same, she is still not in touch with her family and does not know if they are aware of her job. But her in-laws do. Story continues This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. My in-laws have zero use for me after finding out though, and I dont really care. My husband has my back 100 percent on this; its sad they are such judgmental people. Also, VonHesse is now transitioning to a new online platform to sell her selfies. Her old site, Patreon, demanded that she and other users adhere to new guidelines regarding adult content. She says Patreon gave her and her followers a way to make a real connection, and her new privately owned site will do the same. There are literally thousands of other websites that very happily host adult content that I could earn more money on. That was not what was important to me. Having my followers involved in my life and my goals is so special, she says. People crave that connection, it is why I have been so successful. There is a large section of society, especially men, that are in need of something real. I was able to provide that on Patreon. If they just wanted porn, well PornHub is very free and endlessly stocked. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. She will now be connecting with her followers, and her content will be available on socalsummers.org. It operates as a membership site, just like Patreon did. The more you pay, the more you get to see of VonHesse. Despite being an online sensation, VonHesse has been able to maintain a low profile in her real life. People are blown away when they find out because I am so normal. I wear jeans, an old pair of cowboy boots, and a Stetson most days. You would never guess I earn money by taking my clothes off on camera, she says. I think the fact that I cook dinner, wash dishes, you know, all the good wholesome stuff, that throws people for a loop. It is still hard for many folks to wrap their minds around a woman who can bake a loaf of bread from scratch one minute and be doing a striptease on camera the next. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. VonHesse has a message her naysayers, who she says she pays no mind to: What I do may be for you, if it is great. If it isnt, then its not for you move on. She adds: There are many women that miss feeling sexy. Being a mom and a wife has sucked the life out of them. Giving those women hope and a look at the fact that you can exist as a great mom, a wonderful wife, and a sexy being at the same time is amazing. Those are the people I care about, this is for them. Her supportive husband has a more provocative take. He says, I like to ask people why when they have a negative reaction to my wife or what our choices are. Why is nudity wrong? If sex is OK, then why can we only talk about it in backrooms? Marriages should only be monogamous? Why? How about live and enjoy your life, not base it on 2,000-year-old morals. Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle: Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. Wallace C. Gregson Security, Asia U.S. President Donald Trump greets South Korea's General Kim Byeong-joo (L) and U.S. Army General Vincent Brooks (C) as he arrives to receive a briefing from military commanders at the U.S. Eighth Army Operation Command Center at U.S. military installation Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, South Korea North Korea has been an existential threat to our allies, Japan and the Republic of Korea, for quite some time. North Korea: It's About America's Allies (or Should Be) Throughout the Cold War, the Soviet Union and China supported North Korea. When the Soviet Union collapsed their support to North Korea ended, we assumed that our problems with North Korea would end. They didnt, and in some ways, they became more intractable. This would not be our last intelligence failure. In 1994 we seriously considered going to war with North Korea over their nuclear program. We opted instead for negotiations. Former President Jimmy Carter secretly went to North Korea to convince them to negotiate. This eventually led to the Agreed Framework agreement, in which North Korea agreed to freeze their nuclear program in exchange for two proliferation-resistant nuclear power reactors along with fuel oil to keep them comfortable while the reactors were built. This would not be the last former U.S. president to honor North Korean leadership with a visit. Recommended: North Korea Has 200,000 Soldiers in Its Special Forces Recommended: Why Doesn't America Kill Kim Jong Un? Recommended: 1.2 Million Casualties: If North Korea Attacked Los Angeles with a Nuclear Weapon North Korea eventually broke this agreement, but perhaps it did some good. Many believe that they would have hundreds of nuclear weapons by now without the agreement. This episode established a pattern used with subsequent nuclear and missile provocations. First, we consider preemptive military attack. Thus far we have always concluded that this is impractical. Our allies would likely suffer catastrophic damage, and North Korea does not present vulnerable, unitary targets like the Osirak reactor in Syria before the Israelis destroyed it. Given our actionable intelligence difficulties with North Korea, we can assume their assets are distributed, fortified, and defended. Massive numbers of artillery tubes, ammunition, and missiles are in deeply buried and hardened installations in the Kaesong Heights overlooking Seoul. At least five large tunnels suitable for mass military movements are under the DMZ, allowing rapid movement of forces to the South. Japan lies within easy range of North Korean missiles, demonstrated as early as August 31, 1998. After looking at the hazards of preemption, we offer concessions to get North Korea back to a negotiating table. Various theories are proposed about what Kim really wants. (At a minimum, he wants deliverable nuclear weapons. Its highly likely that he wants to unify the peninsula on his termsa much more difficult challenge for our alliance.) Story continues If North Korea agrees to anything, they always break the agreement. The last resort is always sanctions, always with the promise that this time they will bite. The very existence and the success of their nuclear and missile programs shows the failure of sanctions over the decades since 1994. So, how does an impoverished state with an autarkic economy, unreliable or non-existent energy grids beyond the capital, a woeful national GDP, food-production struggles including widespread malnutrition and famine, and unparalleled human rights abuses continue to defy all national and international efforts to become, as some now allege, an existential threat to the United States? It must be noted here that North Korea has been an existential threat to our allies, Japan and the Republic of Korea, for quite some time. They must be wryly amused to see the United States fully alarmed only now. Two powerful factors, among innumerable others, underwrite North Koreas successful weapons programs. They are the nature of the regime, and the power dynamics of East Asia. The Democratic Peoples Republic of North Korea is less a country as we understand that term than a family-run criminal enterprise. Their homegrown Juche (self-reliance) replaced Marxism/Leninism, the Workers Party of Korea is their single party, and their constitution calls for a dictatorship of the peoples democracy. This structure produced the only hereditary leadership transitions in the Communist world not once but twice. Lacking, by design, the usual attributes, and vulnerabilities, of nations engaged in and profiting from global commerce, the DPRK maintains a global network to provide resources to the centerthe Kim family. Such efforts are both overt and covert. The overt include overseas workers, embassies, consulates and declared businesses. The covert efforts include businesses with false identities, false-flag shipping and other means. Resources are generated by overseas worker remittances, cybercrime, counterfeit currency production, narcotics trafficking, weapons sales, nuclear proliferation, sale of chemical weapons, gambling receipts, rhino horn and ivory smuggling, and many other unregulated operations. Far from being isolated, this is a global effort working alongsideor underneathlegitimate commerce and trade. Indeed, many DPRK efforts have infiltrated legitimate business and clandestinely operate within those structures. East Asias power dynamics provide a warm, if not congenial, environment for North Korea. Beijing can apply pressure on North Korea, but only up to a point. North Koreas existence is part of Chinas heroic narrative of China standing up following Maos 1949 victory in their civil war, and their emergence from the Century of Humiliation. The entry of Chinese forces into North Korea in 1950 is part of the heroic narrative. Maos son, Mao Anying, lies buried in North Korea. A statue to the Chinese Peoples Volunteers at a martyrs cemetery commemorates his service. Former premier Wen Jiabo paid his respects there in 2009. Even more compelling in Chinas calculation is the strategic value of North Korea to Chinas security. They most surely have their own set of frustrations with North Koreas leadership and their nuclear weapons program, but that does not extend to toleration of any other powers gaining influence, much less a presence, there. The United States is not the only party choosing among lousy options here. There are those in all nations in Asia and around the world that profit handsomely from North Koreas operations, legal and illegal. Absent strong will to enforce laws, and the ability, they see little reason to sacrifice current economic gain to aid a fight over the water. ASEANs nations and othersnotably in Africahost many North Korean workers. Expelling workers is no simple task, or without serious consequences. Perhaps the fear of retaliation is why the latest UN sanctions direct workers to be removed in two yearshardly a meaningful timeline in this crisis. North Koreas successful February deployment and employment at Kuala Lumpur Airport, Malaysia, of a weapon of mass destructionVX, the most potent nerve gas yet deviseddemonstrated both skill and will. This was a sophisticated, precise attack with a weapon capable of massive destruction. It removed an irritant to the family, half-brother Kim Jong Nam, and served notice of North Koreas reach and determination throughout Southeast Asia. It also served notice to China that they can be hit. Kim Jong Nam was under Chinas protection. Imagine the effect on Malaysia, the rest of Southeast Asia, and the world, if this weapon is deployed against populations. Perhaps most troublesome, China now has considerable leverage to demand reward for services rendered with North Korea, assuming they would decide to apply pressure. Chinas Belt and Road initiative, the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank, the 16+1 initiative in Europe, President Xis assumption of international development leadership at the Davos meeting, and others, fill the vacuum created when we abandoned our own Trans Pacific Partnership. Chinas growing military power reinforces perceptions of American political, economic and military withdrawal from Asia. China is again pressing the Republic of Korea over the installation of Theater High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), an action taken in response to the missile and nuclear capability made manifest by North Korea. They will soon challenge Japans adoption of Aegis Ashore, punishing Japanese business. Chinas territorial acquisition efforts in the South China Sea went unmentioned in the most recent leaders meeting in Beijing. Many interpreted this as a signal. China may demand concessions elsewhere in Asia for help with North Korea. Taiwan should be very nervous, as should other regional powers. Threatening military destruction of North Korea is not enough. And not needed. Our capabilities are well known, and even exaggerated. A credible and convincing U.S. policy must focus on the safety and the security of our allies, not just on our ability to punish an enemy. We need to realize that U.S. credibility is damaged. We made statements about red lines in the past, and failed to follow through. More recently we openly disparaged allies and alliances, as well as the components of a liberal democratic order. Our value to alliances has been damaged by abandonment of existing agreements and threats to abandon our trade agreement with South Korea. We need to speak far more about our values and far less about concessions, especially when security is at stake. Its no accident that South Korean president Moon Jae-in speaks of "balanced diplomacy" repeatedly, poised between the historically powerful United States and the newly ascending China. A recent approval of Korean military technology to China for export is troublesome. We should pay attention. Deterrencean ability to defeat attacks not just punish after the factmust be greatly strengthened in the near term, beginning yesterday. We must ensure that the people of South Korea and Japan remain convinced of our undoubted ability to prevail, promptly and efficiently. We must redouble our efforts in air and missile defense, and ensure other avenues to deploy weapons of mass destruction are closed off. Urgently needed are energetic and meaningful U.S. effortspolitical, economic, diplomatic, intelligence, legal and most importantly law enforcementto find and destroy the North Korean support networks. They are hiding in plain sight and existing through our inattention. U.S. leadership on-the-spot in cooperation with allies and friendsby, with and throughis essential. Eye contact and handshakes in the arena with our allies and friends is far more productive than hectoring in Washington and New York. Wallace C. Gregson, a retired Marine and former assistant secretary of defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs (200911), is currently senior advisor at Avascent International and senior director for China and the Pacific at the Center for the National Interest. Image: Reuters Read full article Zachary Keck, Leon Whyte Security, Asia It is easy to imagine how the two nationalist presidents could butt heads. North Korea's Greatest Wish: How the U.S.South Korea Alliance Could Die With North Korea rapidly expanding its nuclear and missile capabilities, maintaining a robust U.S.South Korean alliance is vital. Unfortunately, there is a ticking time-bomb that threatens to throw the alliance in a tailspin. This time-bomb is the upcoming renegotiation of the burden sharing agreement known as the Special Measures Agreement (SMA). The current five-year SMA, negotiated in 2014, will expire in 2018, meaning negotiations will need to begin soon. Financial matters between allies can always be touchy, and the combination of Donald Trumps America First foreign policy and Moon Jae-ins Korean nationalism could make this round particularly toxic. If handled correctly, however, Trump and Moon can revitalize the alliance and put it on a more sustainable footing for years to come. Under the current SMA, South Korea covers approximately 50 percent of nonpersonnel costs (about $821 million in 2016) and contributes $9 billion towards the relocation of U.S. bases in South Korea. Negotiations of the 2014 agreement were tense, with anti-American protests and some South Korean lawmakers calling the talks humiliating. During the process, Seouls primary concern was a lack of transparency and control over how South Korean contributions were used. These concerns were addressed in the 2014 SMA by requiring the United States to report to the Republic of Korea (ROK) on how the funds are used. Nonetheless, they are certain to reappear in the new negotiations, especially with Moons party now in control. Recommended: Why North Korea's Air Force is Total Junk Why Doesn't America Kill Kim Jong Un? The F-22 Is Getting a New Job: Sniper For the United States, the biggest concern is getting Seoul to contribute more to its own defense. This concern long predated the current U.S. administration, but it will be especially important to President Trump. As a presidential candidate, Trump went so far as to suggest that if Seoul did not cover 100 percent of alliance costs the United States should be prepared to walk, leaving South Koreans to defend themselves. As president, Trump has made increased alliance contributions a cornerstone of his foreign policy, meaning he is unlikely to back down in SMA talks. Story continues Interestingly, however, the U.S. president might find his South Korean counterpart to be an ideal partner. While Trump and Moon have widely divergent views on how to deal with the North Korean threat, both agree that South Korea should have more responsibility for its own defense. Despite widely being thought of as a dove, Moon is calling for a 7 percent increase in defense spending in 2018. He has also pushed the United States to loosen restrictions on South Koreas missile capabilities and is seeking nuclear submarines. Moons interest in strengthening South Koreas military capabilities is part of his desire to regain wartime operational control (OPCON) over ROK forces. The United States first gained OPCON over ROK forces during the Korean War and has made the transfer of wartime OPCON conditional on increased South Korean military capabilities. President Moon and much of his South Korean left-wing base are Korean nationalists who consider OPCON a pressing sovereignty issue. It is easy to imagine how the two nationalist presidents could butt heads in the upcoming burden sharing negotiation. President Trump is widely unpopular in South Korea and could easily make undiplomatic comments that could inflame latent ROK anti-Americanism. President Moons left-wing allies are already distrustful of the United States and will likely press him to drive a hard bargain. Perceptions of bad faith on either side flamed by public comments or protests in Seoul could easily poison alliance relations. However, the combination of Trump and Moon offers some promising possibilities. President Moons push for more defense spending could help offset U.S. basing and personnel costs. This is entirely appropriate for a wealthy country like South Korea, especially when one considers that other countries, like Japan, pay a higher portion of U.S. alliance costs. One mutually beneficial way to increase burden sharing is to count a portion of U.S. arms sales to South Korea as part of Seouls contributions to the alliance. This would appeal to President Trump, who has touted increased arms exports as a way to bolster the American economy. Purchasing high-tech American military systems would be in line with President Moons desire to strengthen South Koreas military and regain wartime OPCON. At the same time, Americas willingness to sell South Korea more advanced weaponry and transfer wartime command to ROK forces must be not be unconditional. In particular, just as President Moon has said America cannot conduct military operations against North Korea without Seouls approval, the United States must retain a share of military decision-making as long as it has troops on the peninsula. That way, U.S. forces will not be dragged into a war by risky unilateral actions by South Korea, such as preventive or decapitation strikes on North Korea. In sum, the governments in Seoul and Washington must ensure that the upcoming SMA negotiations dont disrupt the alliance at a time when they must be laser-focused on dealing with the North Korean threat. Beyond that, however, they should look for opportunities to modernize the alliance to secure its longevity into the future. Leon Whyte (@Leon_Whyte) is the Research Coordinator at the Nonproliferation Policy Education Center, where Zachary Keck (@ZacharyKeck) is the Wohlstetter Public Affairs Fellow. Image: Reuters Read full article An ice sculpture of a Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile seen during New Year's Eve celebrations in the North Korean capital Pyongyang - AFP The United States is closer than ever before to war with North Korea, according to Mike Mullen, a retired admiral who served as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under President Barack Obama. In an interview broadcast by ABCs This Week programme he said he did not see any diplomatic resolution to the stand-off with Pyongyang as it goes about developing its nuclear missile capability and Donald Trumps continues with his provocative rhetoric. We're actually closer, in my view, to a nuclear war with North Korea and in that region than we have ever been, he said on Sunday. I don't see the opportunities to solve this diplomatically at this particular point. Mr Trump has threatened to totally destroy North Korea if the US was forced to defend itself and repeatedly warned that all options are open to him. Meanwhile, South Korean authorities revealed they had seized a Panama-flagged vessel suspected of delivering oil products to North Korea in violation of international sanctions. Former Joint Chiefs chair Adm. Mike Mullen to @MarthaRaddatz: "We're actually closer, in my view, to a nuclear war with North Korea and in that region than we've ever been." https://t.co/aCXTlIgyPppic.twitter.com/fPAEQWFMYk This Week (@ThisWeekABC) December 31, 2017 The seizure was the second to be announced by South Korea within a few days, as the United Nations steps up efforts to squeeze essential oil supplies to the reclusive North following its nuclear or ballistic missile tests. Mr Mullen, who also headed the Joint Chiefs under President George W Bush, said the crisis on the Korean peninsula was an example of the dangerous climate created by a president intent on upending Washingtons traditional approach to foreign policy. "I'm just more inclined to see over time that the rhetoric seems to be where the President is," he said. However, he added that for now the likes of James Mattis, defence secretary, John Kelly, White House chief of staff, HR McMaster, national security adviser, had managed to rein in the president. An investigator heads to the scene of a shooting that claimed the life of a sheriff's deputy in Highlands Ranch, Colorado - AP A man fired more than 100 rounds at sheriff's 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. Tony Spurlock, Douglas County Sheriff, said deputies came under fire almost immediately after entering a suburban Denver apartment and trying to talk with the suspect, who was holed up inside a bedroom. "I do know that all of them were shot very, very quickly. They all went down almost within seconds of each other, so it was more of an ambush-type of attack on our officers," Mr Spurlock said. "He knew we were coming and we obviously let him know that we were there." The wounded deputies tried to pull the fallen officer, identified as Zack Parrish, out of the line of further gunfire but were unable to because of their own injuries and only managed to "crawl to safety," Mr Spurlock said. The incident occurred around 5:15 am at Copper Canyon Apartments, a landscaped apartment complex in Highland Ranch, 16 miles south of Denver. Authorities had left the home about four hours earlier to address a noise complaint but returned in response to reports of a disturbance at the home. A procession of police vehicles escorts the hearse carrying the body of a law enforcement officer Credit: Reuters There were two men inside the home when deputies arrived and someone let them inside, Mr Spurlock said. He added that the disturbance was initially reported to be domestic but turned out to be noise-related. "The suspect was just making a ton of noise and annoying everyone around him," he said. Resident Steven Silknitter, 50, told The Denver Post that he heard 15 to 20 shots. "It was back and forth unbelievable," said Mr Silknitter, who lived in the Denver suburb of Aurora during a 2012 movie theater shooting that left 12 dead. "Where do you move to?" he said, shaking his head in exasperation. "It's everywhere." Story continues The suspect was well known to authorities in the Denver area but had no criminal record, said Mr Spurlock, who declined to name him until his identity was confirmed. The sheriff did not release any details about the weapons and ammunition used except to say the suspect had a rifle. Parrish, the slain officer, was 29 and a married father of two young children. He had been with the department for about seven months. Mr Spurlock called him a "good kid" who was eager to work. "His wife told me today that he loved this job more than he had loved any job he ever had," the sheriff said. The four injured officers, who range in age from 28 to 41, were in stable condition, and the two civilian injuries were not life-threatening. Joe Pelle, Boulder County Sheriff, said his son, Jeff Pelle, Douglas County sheriff's deputy, underwent surgery from injuries suffered in the attack and was recovering. President Donald Trump expressed his sorrow on Twitter. This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. The shooting occurred on the final day of a year that saw the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history in Las Vegas. Six people, including a prominent U.K. businessman and four members of his family, were killed Sunday when a seaplane crashed into a river about 30 miles north of Sydney, Australia. The plane was returning to Sydney when it crashed into the Hawksbury River, near the town of Cowan, at around 3:15 p.m., according to the Sydney Morning Herald. New South Wales (NSW) police reclaimed wreckage from the plane and the bodies of all six people who were aboard by evening on Dec. 31: all of the passengers, including an 11-year-old girl and the pilot, an Australian national, were killed in the crash. Police named the victims as pilot Gareth Morgan, 44, Richard Cousins, 58, the C.E.O. of catering company Compass Group, his fiance Emma Bowden, 48, Bowdens daughter Heather Bowden, 11, and Cousins sons Edward and William Cousins, 23 and 25, the BBC reports. The family was visiting the area from the U.K. for the holidays and were reportedly returning from lunch at a waterfront restaurant, New South Wales marine area command Detective superintendent Mark Hutchings, chief of the NSW marine area command told reporters. These people had come over on holiday to one of the most beautiful parts of the world and for this to happen at a place like this is just tragic, he said. Police have not yet determined the cause of the crash. Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) officials arrived at the scene on Jan. 1 to coordinate the investigation with NSW police. According to ATSB, the plane sunk rapidly after colliding with the water. An eyewitness told Local 9News that the plane veered sharply before it nosedived straight into the water. The plane was reportedly operated by Sydney Seaplanes, a travel company that offers scenic sightseeing flights over local tourist attractions, including the Sydney harbor, Opera House, and surrounding countryside. The company announced it was suspending operations until further notice in a statement posted to Facebook. All at Sydney Seaplanes are deeply shocked by this incident and the resulting loss of life, the company said. Story continues Sydney Seaplanes managing director Aaron Shaw said the company was devastated by the deaths, adding Morgan, the pilot, was a lovely guy, a gentle guy, deeply liked by all the staff, the Sydney Morning Herald reported. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull expressed his condolences in a statement on Jan. 1, the Australian Associated Press reports. It is a tragic accident and our hearts go out to the families of those whose lives were lost, Turnbull told reporters in Sydney. We dont know yet what caused it, but its just a tragedy. We grieve for those who lost their lives. LA-based doom unit SIXES is proud to announce the impending release of their aggressively heavy debut album, Methistopheles, due out March 2018 via Black Bow Records. Recorded by Brent Wisdom at 13 O'Clock Studios in what was one of the harshest winters to hit California in decades, Methistopheles was mastered by Brad Boatright and contains over an hour of seriously depressing and angry sludge. Doomed & Stoned says "... the approach to their core focus, even in this day and age, is taboo, violent, and abrasive." With riffs aplenty and a grim blend of black metal and stoner doom, SIXES is carving out their own niche within an already vast subgenre. With cover artwork designed by Ryan Bartlett, Methistopheles will see additional releases on multiple formats via Poisoned Mind Records, Forbidden Place Records, and Medusa Crush Recordings. "The writing and recording process for this album was an exorcism of sorts, we put it all out there. I don't think it took," says vocalist and guitarist Stephen Cummings. "It's heavy, it's dark, and it's miserable." SIXES is a blackened doom/sludge unit based out of Southern California, whose mantra is "Worship Amps. Not Gods." Formed in early 2016, the band released its first single, "A Cross To Burn," which was met with wide acclaim from various music press. After releasing this single, SIXES dominated shows in SoCal, showcasing their talents by performing sonic rituals in support of Conan, North, Young and In The Way, Goya, In The Company of Serpents, Year of the Cobra, and many more. Track listing: 1. Acid God 2. A Cross To Burn 3. Voidkiller 4. Motherless 5. Fogbreather 6. Methistopheles SIXES is: Stephen Cummings - Vocals, Guitar Hannes Bogacs - Guitar Zander Reddis - Bass Dustin Daniels - Drums Links: Press: "Like all good sludge bands, SIXES know their way around menacing feedback that will probably give you an irregular heartbeat..." - Metal Injection "A barrage of vibrating distortion..." - Doomed & Stoned "It'll make your sunny day dark." - The Obelisk Paul Iddon Security, Middle East Thanks to the Syrian Civil War. Russia's Military Is Proving Just How Dangerous It Really Is (And Testing New Weapons) Russia this month announced another draw-down from its combat operations in Syria, which began on Sept. 30, 2015. The Russian military will retain troops in the country, likely indefinitely, where it has demonstrated the capabilities of new weapons and tactics which together show it has learned from its shortcomings in past operations. Nevertheless, as experts told War Is Boring, many of the Russian militarys old habits were also on display throughout this campaign. Its no secret that Russia used its military campaign to both demonstrate and test hardware, and furnish its forces with some actual combat experience. In March 2016, Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin said that combat operations in Syria are the best form of training for his countrys armed forces. The Russians quickly began to see Syria as a testing ground for various weapon systems that hadnt been used in combat before as well as an opportunity to give various branches of the military experience in an actual war zone, Michael Kofman, a specialist on the Russian military at the Wilson Centers Kennan Institute, told War Is Boring. Recommended: 1.2 Million Casualties: If North Korea Attacked Los Angeles with a Nuclear Weapon Recommended: Uzi: The Israeli Machine Gun That Conquered the World Recommended: The M4: The Gun U.S. Army Loves to Go to War With This included Russia firing its ship and submarine-launched Kalibr cruise missiles into Syria, all the way from the Caspian and Mediterranean Sea, and long-range Russian Tu-95MS and Tu-160 strategic bombers flying from Russia itself striking targets with Kh-555 and new Kh-101 air-launched cruise missiles. Russian combat aircraft in Syria averaged 40-50 sorties per day, with peaks as high as 100 such as which occurred in January 2016. Russia achieved this without deploying more than 30-50 combat aircraft and 16-40 helicopters to Syria throughout the campaign, which Kofman notes is a much smaller deployment than the Soviets had in Afghanistan. Mechanical failures and combat losses in the air been magnitudes less than previous Russian or Soviet air operations, Kofman added. Story continues Russia only lost a small number of aircraft, largely due to the success of Russian technicians who kept both new Russian aircraft and Soviet-era aircraft based in Syria airborne an exception being the recent loss of a single Su-24M2 to mechanical failure on Oct. 10. The most well-known loss of a Russian plane during the war was the 2015 shootdown of an Su-24M by a Turkish F-16. This is illustrative of improved flexibility in the Russian military, which has demonstrated it can achieve more with fewer forces than past in past wars. Neil Hauer, an expert on Russia-Syria relations who has followed the conflict closely, also pointed out some of the improvements the Russian military has demonstrated in Syria compared to past conflicts. I think theres been an implicit focus on using fewer frontline units than in the Donbass conflict, Hauer told War Is Boring. While Russian army units were engaged in full frontline battles there, theres been nothing of the sort in Syria. Instead, Russian forces have acted in support roles in the guise of advisers, light infantry (reconnaissance and artillery spotting), and air support. The only real combat roles to date have been played by Wagner [Group, private Russian] mercenaries. Hauer points out that Russia quickly adapted early on in Syria, re-scaling their ambitions after realizing just how little offensive action pro-regime forces were capable of. The first months of the Russian intervention saw broad attempts to advance on a number of fronts, but many of the results were disastrous especially in north Hama, where the regime lost dozens of tanks in a few weeks for zero gain, despite heavy Russian strikes, he noted. Since then, Russia has largely focused on supporting one regime offensive at a time, while suppressing rebel and Islamic State forces elsewhere. Kofman pointed out that when Russia first intervened in Syria it worked to help the regime secure key roads, infrastructure and isolated Syrian bases while destroying every piece of heavy military hardware they could find in opposition hands. Most of that hardware had been captured from the Syrian army. While Russian initial airstrikes in late 2015 and early 2016 reportedly helped the Syrian regime recapture a mere two percent of its territory, air strikes were already having a decisive effect on the battlefield. Kofman argues that the two percent figure proved misleading since control over territory in Syria has proven elusive, largely because local leaders sided with whoever seemed likely to win. Therefore, Russia helped swing the balance in favour of Damascus through its bombing campaign across Syria, along with its subsequent sponsorship of ceasefire arrangements between regime forces and the opposition. Furthermore, the regimes grip on most of the population centers in Syria and the depopulation of opposition-held areas explained how Russia went from helping Damascus regain a mere two percent of Syrian territory to appearing the victor in the conflict in less than two years. More broadly Russias showcasing of hitherto unused hardware in Syria, particularly its long-range bombers and cruise missiles, demonstrated to NATO its long reach and potential to target the alliances military assets in Europe were war to break out between the two. Dumb bombs While these improvements are certainly significant, the Russian military has yet to shed nor improve upon some of its older habits from past conflicts. Even though the Russian air campaign was certainly effective, it may have resulted in between 8,324 and 11,282 civilian deaths through February 2017, according to the conflict monitoring group Airwars. As well as inflicting excessive civilian casualties, Russia is credibly reported to have extensively targeted civilian infrastructure in Syria with water treatment plants, bakeries, food distribution depots and aid convoys all struck, Airwars noted. Civilian areas were also systematically targeted across rebel-held territories, often on consecutive days. Many of Russias bombs had far greater payloads than necessary for their targets, Kofman noted. This indicates that Russia still, more-or-less, fights the same way it did in the early 1990s. The proportion of precision-guided weapons used by Russia in Syria amounts to perhaps less than five percent of the total, Kaufman said. While its campaign in Syria proved that Russia is capable of using long-range guided weapons and also demonstrated other improvements in the air since its 2008 war with Georgia, it also revealed serious limitations. For instance, Russia carried out most of its bombings in Syria with older Su-24M2 and Su-25SM aircraft, which lack targeting pods needed to drop precision-guided bombs. The use of newer Russian Su-34 Fullback multi-role fighters were the only exception to this general trend since they are capable of dropping KAB-500S satellite-guided bombs. Furthermore, the ability of Russian warplanes to hit small, moving targets with precision-guided munitions has proven extremely limited. Instead, these aircraft relied on unguided weapons and bombs far too big for their intended targets, which Kofman describes as overkill. As with its Soviet predecessor, the Russian military can maul its enemies in close quarters, but continues to struggle when it comes to actually finding and seeing its intended targets, Kaufman said. Russia lagging in the production of drones also havent helped. While the Russian military does possess domestically-produced reconaissance and surveillance drones, along with some license-built Israeli models, it has no armed drones to speak of therefore lacks a recon-strike capability, Kaufman added. Also Moscows use of naval aircraft in Syria failed to impress given the abysmal deployment of the aging Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier in late 2016, which lost an Su-33 and a MiG-29K in accidents. Overall, Russias campaign in Syria has been a mixed bag. It certainly showed improvements in tactics, strategy and capability. At the same time it demonstrated that Moscow has plenty of room for improvement when it comes to conducting conventional military operations beyond its vast frontiers. This first appeared in WarIsBoring here. Image: Creative Commons. Read full article Washington (AFP) - Police in Houston, Texas said Sunday they had arrested a belligerent man in possession of a number of guns at a high-rise hotel where a major New Year's celebration is planned. The arrest, coming as cities across the country and around the world were preparing New Year's Eve celebrations, sparked fears of a repeat of the Oct. 31 mass shooting from a hotel room in Las Vegas, Nevada, that left 58 killed and hundreds wounded. Houston police said they had yet to determine whether the man had any ill intent. They have yet to release his identity. Police Lieutenant Gordon Macintosh said police were called to the Hyatt Regency Hotel shortly after midnight to deal with a "drunk, belligerent suspect." The first officers to respond had to call for backup when the man refused to comply with their orders, Macintosh said in a video interview carried on the Houston Chronicle website. When police escorted the man back to his room, they found "several guns," Macintosh said. Other news media described these as including an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle, a shotgun and a handgun, as well as a large quantity of ammunition. The suspect was arrested for unlawfully carrying a weapon as well as for trespassing, Macintosh said. But he said the man was so intoxicated that police were not immediately able to interview him. The Hyatt says its New Year's Eve party spans four floors, featuring live performances and the dropping of 50,000 balloons at midnight. A hotel employee said the party was still on despite the "disturbance." The Oct. 31 shooting from a high-rise hotel in Las Vegas by a heavily armed 64-year-old man, who killed himself as police closed in, was the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history. Police in other cities have said they are taking extraordinary security measures around the year-end celebrations, most prominently at Times Square in New York, where police said they would deploy rooftop observers and counter-snipers in more buildings than usual, as well as patrolling hotels. By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday the United States has "foolishly" handed Pakistan more than $33 billion in aid over the last 15 years while getting nothing in return, and pledged to put a stop to it. "They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!" Trump wrote on Twitter. "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." A National Security Council official on Monday said the White House does not plan to send $255 million in aid to Pakistan "at this time" and said "the administration continues to review Pakistans level of cooperation." In August, the administration had said it was delaying the payment. Pakistan's foreign minister, Khawaja M. Asif, wrote on Twitter "We will respond to President Trump's tweet shortly inshallah...Will let the world know the truth..difference between facts & fiction." It was not immediately clear what prompted Trumps criticism of Pakistan but he has long complained that Islamabad is not doing enough to tackle Islamist militants. The New York Times reported on Dec. 29 that U.S. officials had sought but been denied access to a member of the Taliban-linked Haqqani network captured in Pakistan who potentially could provide information about at least one American hostage. In countering U.S. criticism, Pakistan says it has launched military operations to push out militants from its soil and that 17,000 Pakistanis have died fighting militants or in bombings and other attacks since 2001. Michael Kugelman, senior associate for South Asia at the Woodrow Wilson Center, cautioned that people should not "overstate the significance of Trump's tweet for policy." Kugelman noted Trump tweeted in October that relations with Pakistan were improving, when some experts suggested they were not. "Still, this is an administration that has repeatedly vowed to take a harder line and has strongly considered an aid cut. So was Trump's tweet meant to preview a coming shift in policy? I'd certainly bet on the possibility," Kugelman said. In a speech last month in Afghanistan to U.S. troops, Vice President Mike Pence said "for too long Pakistan has provided safe haven to the Taliban and many terrorist organizations, but those days are over. President Trump has put Pakistan on notice." Hamdullah Mohib, Afghanistan's ambassador in Washington, said in a Twitter posting that Trump's tweet was a "promising message to Afghans who have suffered at the hands of terrorists based in Pakistan for far too long." U.S. Senator Rand Paul said on Twitter he would lead the charge in the Senate to end aid to Pakistan. "Let's make this happen," he said. The Pakistan embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday. (Reporting by David Shepardson; Additional reporting by Roberta Rampton in West Palm Beach, Florida and David Brunnstrom in Washington; Editing by James Dalgleish and Andrea Ricci) Washington (AFP) - US President Donald Trump lashed out at Pakistan on Monday in his first tweet of 2018, threatening to cut off aid over what he said were its "lies and deceit" in offering "safe haven to terrorists." "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 said as the new year kicked off. "They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!" Last week, The New York Times reported that the Trump administration was seriously weighing whether to withhold $255 million in already delayed aid to Islamabad over its failure to crack down more effectively on terror groups in Pakistan. US-Pakistani ties, long contentious, have taken a nosedive under Trump, who in August declared that "Pakistan often gives safe haven to agents of chaos, violence and terror." Last month, Trump had already hinted that he may cut off the aid. "We make massive payments every year to Pakistan. They have to help," he said in unveiling his national security strategy. - 'Pakistan on notice' - And in late December, Vice President Mike Pence told American troops during a visit to Afghanistan, "President Trump has put Pakistan on notice." Thee Trump administration told Congress in August it was putting $255 million in aid earmarked for Pakistan on hold until Islamabad could show progress toward eliminating cross-border havens to Taliban factions operating in Afghanistan as well as armed jihadist groups fighting US troops and their Afghan allies. Of foremost concern is Islamabad's attitude toward the powerful Haqqani network, accused of some of the most lethal attacks on US forces in Afghanistan and dubbed by America's former top military officer Mike Mullen as a "veritable arm" of Pakistani intelligence. Story continues The group was responsible for kidnapping a Canadian-American couple and holding them from 2012 to 2017, when Pakistani forces secured their release in what they said was as a rescue operation but some US officials reportedly described as a "negotiated handover." Trump hailed their return as a clear sign of progress, but his attitude has hardened since. Pakistani Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif responded to Trump's tweet Monday, telling Geo television in an Urdu-language interview, "The United States should hold its own people accountable for its failures in Afghanistan." He said all funds from the US had been "properly audited" and that "services (were) rendered." Islamabad has repeatedly denied the accusations of turning a blind eye to militancy, lambasting the United States for ignoring the thousands who have been killed on its soil and the billions spent fighting extremists. Lisa Curtis, who is the South and Central Asia director on Trump's National Security Council, co-authored an article with former Pakistani ambassador Husain Haqqani last February that the "activities and operations of diverse terror groups on and from Pakistani soil, and the government's failure to rein them in, threaten vital US national security interests in the region." "To accomplish US counterterrorism objectives in the region and to reverse extremist trends in Pakistani society, Pakistani authorities - specifically the country's military leaders, who control its foreign and security policies - need to take a comprehensive approach to shutting down all Islamist militant groups that operate from Pakistani territory, not just those that attack the Pakistani state," they said. Trump first signaled that the US was reassessing its fractious relations with Pakistan in August, when he accused Islamabad of harboring "agents of chaos." The remarks triggered a series of high-level diplomatic meetings in the US and Pakistan, but Islamabad has given few signs of concessions. After the September 11, 2001 terror attacks in the United States, Washington forged a strategic alliance with Islamabad to help in its fight against terrorists. But US leaders have often complained that Pakistan, which once supported the Taliban, has done too little to help. By Shenequa Golding Troy, N.Y Police Chief John Tedesco spoke with reporters after his department arrested the two men responsible for the gruesome murders of a mother, her partner and her two children. Having been in law enforcement for nearly 50 years, Tedesco says the crime scene was unlike any hes witnessed. After being in this business for almost 42 years, I cant describe the savagery of this, Tedesco said. Nobody thats been involved in this case is going to ever forget this, I can tell you that. Shanta Myers, 36, along with her 5-year-old daughter Shanise, her 11-year-old son, Jeremiah and her partner, 22-year-old Brandi Mells were found dead inside a basement apartment. Tedesco hasnt revealed details about the murder or the cause of death but says it was horrific. According to The Washington Post, the murder took place on Dec. 21. The buildings property manager discovered the bodies six days later after relatives worried none of the family returned any phone calls. Myers son Isaiah Smith was away when he learned of what happened to his family and said he now fears for his life. Im scared to go to the corner store, he told reporters, according to the Times Union. Im not sure if theyre coming for me next, the 15-year-old said. Police said they do not have any motive for the brutal killings, but are confident there isnt another suspect. James W. White and Justin C. Mann each have been charged with one count of first-degree, which carries a penalty of life in prison without the possibility of parole, along with counts of second degree murder. Both men are from Schenectady, N.Y. and one of the men has a connection to the family. White and Mann are scheduled to appear back in court Jan. 4 This post Two Men Have Been Charged In A Multiple Murder Of An Upstate New York Family first appeared on Vibe. Two security guards shot in Las Vegas hotel - Getty Images North America Two Las Vegas security guards were fatally shot Saturday while investigating a disturbance in a room at a hotel-casino and the suspected shooter is facing critical injuries after turning the gun on himself, police said. The gunmans motive wasnt known but investigators believe it was an isolated incident. "I want you to know right now that this has nothing to do with terrorism," Capt. Robert Plummer told reporters outside the scene of the shooting. The shooting happened before 7 a.m. at Arizona Charlies Decatur, which is located west of the Las Vegas Strip. According to police, the suspect ran from the hotel-casino after the shooting and into a nearby neighborhood where he tried to enter two homes but the residents were able to keep him out. Police found him in a laundry room accessible through a garage of the second home after he appeared to have shot himself in the head, Lt. Dan McGrath said. According to McGrath, the suspect tried to enter the first home with the intention of stealing a car and also tried to take a vehicle on the street. The gunmans condition wasnt immediately known but police said his wound was life-threatening. The victims identities were not released. Police said the uniformed security guards were a man and a woman in their 40s and that one was armed. McGrath said the circumstances of what happened in the hotel room still unclear. The hotel-casinos office did not immediately return a message seeking comment. The shooting comes a day before law enforcement officers expect tens of thousands of New Years Eve revelers on the Strip and three months after the city dealt with the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history. Officials have been trying to reassure residents and visitors that the city is safe, especially in the wake of the Oct. 1 shooting. A high-stakes gambler killed 58 people and injured hundreds more after he shattered the windows of his suite on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel-casino on the Strip and unleashed gunfire on a country music festival below. He then killed himself. In his end-of-the-year address, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that the world is on "red alert" over a litany of issues, including nuclear proliferation and climate change, and that world leaders should prioritize unity and cooperation in 2018. The statement, transcribed by Newsweek from a video posted on Guterres' official Twitter account, reads as follows: When I took office a year ago, I appealed for 2017 to be a year for peace. Unfortunately, in fundamental ways, the world has gone in reverse. On New Year's Day in 2018, I'm not issuing an appeal, I'm issuing an alerta red alert for our world. Conflicts have deepened and new dangers have emerged. Global anxieties over nuclear weapons are the highest since the Cold War, and climate change is moving faster than we are. Inequalities are growing, and we see horrific violations of human rights. Nationalism and xenophobia are on the rise. And as we begin 2018, I call for unity. I truly believe we can make our world more safe and secure. We can settle conflicts, overcome hatred and defend shared values but we can only do that together. I urge leaders everywhere to make this New Year's resolution: Narrow the gaps. Bridge the divides. Rebuild trust by bringing people together around common goals. Unity is the path. Our future depends on it. Trending: Will Trump Start Deporting Dreamers If No Deal Is Reached In 2018? This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it. Guterres' comments come a week after the United States slashed the upcoming two-year budget for the U.N. by $285 million. The budget cuts capped a tumultuous year between the U.S. and the international body. Since coming into office in January, President Donald Trump has removed the U.S. from many U.N.-led international agreements and summits, including the Paris climate accords. Most recently, tensions between the two flared once again as the U.N. General Assembly overwhelmingly voted to denounce Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Story continues Despite not mentioning countries by name, Guterres' comments on the "anxiety" over nuclear weapons most likely refers to tensions between the U.S. and North Korea. Many experts warn that war between the two countries might lead to a nuclear shootout that would endanger the entire planet. Don't miss: North Korea Sanctions: South Korea Seizes Ship Suspected Of Providing Oil to the North Concerns over the effects of climate change were also prevalent throughout 2017. In the U.S., climate change has been linked to rising sea levels, endangering coastal cities, wildfires scorching much of California, and the outsized destructiveness of this year's hurricane season. RTX3R9IY REUTERS/Toru Hanai A rise in inequality has also been observed in the U.S. Earlier this year, Philip Alston, the Special Rapporteur to the United Nations Human Rights Council, conducted a two-week investigation of poverty in America. Alston concluded that the "American Dream is rapidly becoming the American Illusion" as the country now has the "lowest rate of social mobility of any of the rich countries." Experts have also noted that Trump's first year in office has ushered in a new era of American nationalism, with the President himself leading the charge. This article was first written by Newsweek More from Newsweek Nikolas K. Gvosdev Security, Europe U.S. President Donald Trump and Russia's President Vladimir Putin talk during the family photo session at the APEC Summit in Danang, Vietnam If the current U.S. policy approach towards Russia fails, might Trump revert to his instincts and seek to cut a deal? What Will U.S.-Russia Relations Look Like in 2018? If, a year ago, someone had predicted that the incoming Trump administration would launch a military strike on Syria, approve the shipments of lethal military aid to Ukraine, preside over a tightening of sanctions on the Kremlin, the buildup of U.S. and NATO forces in eastern Europe and designate Russia as a strategic rival of the United States, the foreign policy commentariat would have had a field day. After all, Donald Trump was the "Siberian candidate" who was going to preside over a twenty-first century version of Yalta with his good friend Vladimir Putin. These were the steps that a Hillary Clinton team was expected to make, not someone who had run on a platform of seeking better relations with Moscow. Yet here we are. The situation has changed over the past year from what was expected of Trump (when champagne corks popped in the Duma after the results of the November 2016 election were broadcast) to reports that Russian officials quietly admit that they miss dealing with their Obama-era counterparts. So what does this portend for the future? The strategic ethos of the Trump administration appears to be settling in to a variant of the old "selective cooperation" approach, buttressed by Trump's own personal assessment that U.S. diplomats were too keen to offer concessions and inducements to other countries to get their support when that support would have materialized in the end. As I previously noted, the gamble that the Trump team is taking vis-a-vis North Korea is that Russia and China have too much at stake to permit an unraveling of the situation on the Korean peninsula, and therefore there is no need for Washington to offer compromises in other areas to get Beijing and Moscow on board for tough new measures directed against Kim Jong-un. When it comes to Ukraine, the logic appears to be that Russia has too much to lose to restart the conflict and that U.S. efforts to rebuild the Ukrainian security forces will not provoke Russian steps to ascend the ladder of escalation. Likewise, the administration sees no reason for the U.S. to abandon its operations in Syria and does not feel any need to step back from the reiteration of the Obama-era policy that Bashar al-Assad has no political future in Syria. Story continues So the starting point for U.S.-Russia relations in 2018 is the Trump administration's insistence that improved U.S.-Russia ties, while desirable, are not essentialand that the ball is in Moscow's court to make a series of up-front concessions and policy reversals. This is based on the analysis that Russia will face continued economic problems, will not be able to sanctions-proof its economy and will find it increasingly difficult to sustain its current international position. In some ways, this is a variant of the strategy pursued by the Obama administration: to wait for the moment when Russia can, proverbially, no longer pay the bills. Putin's starting pointbased on his experience in dealing with four previous U.S. presidents, and now having a better sense of how U.S. domestic politics worksis not to offer any first moves given the lack of confidence he has that any gestures would be reciprocated. There will always be some Russian transgression that Congress will use as the excuse for not authorizing sanctions relief. The Russians are also aware that the Trump administration has added additional stress to the fractures in the trans-Atlantic alliance, with the previously warm and strong relationship between President Obama and German chancellor Angela Merkel now replaced by a degree of disdain in both Berlin and Washington for the other country's leader. America's Asian allies are likewise concerned about the reliability and staying power of the United States. So Putin might feel it a better strategy to concentrate his efforts on de-linking key U.S. partners from Washington's preferred agenda, a strategy that has already produced some early returns in the strategic reorientation of Turkey towards a closer working relationship with Russia. If the current U.S. strategy seems to workRussia, undertaking a cost/benefit analysis, decides that its current trajectory is not sustainable and signals its willingness to pull back on a number of the issues which have led to the current impasse in the relationshipthen the advisors around Trump who have argued for holding to a stronger line on Russia will have been vindicated.The possibility for political turmoil in Russia around the presidential elections may also lead Russia to focus more in an inward direction for a while, which would produce a similar result. But the real question that has not yet been answered is how personally invested the president himself is in this strategy on Russia. As with the Afghan surge decision, Trump seems to have taken the position that his generals and their people have promised that they can achieve results. If their approacheswhether with regards to Afghanistan, or to Russia, or to Chinado not work, or at least do not bring what Trump would view as successful outcomes, will he start passing pink slips around the national security establishment? Moreover, would it mean that he would return to the themes he outlined during his presidential campaign; reversing course to start cutting deals with the Kremlin? In 2018, will we see the authentic Trumpian preferences on Russia policy emerge? Nikolas K. Gvosdev is the Captain Jerome E. Levy chair of economic geography and national security at the Naval War College. He is also a contributing editor to the National Interest. The views expressed here are his own. Image: Reuters Recommended: Why North Korea's Air Force is Total Junk Why Doesn't America Kill Kim Jong Un? The F-22 Is Getting a New Job: Sniper Read full article A Virginia man under scrutiny for possible ties to ISIS was arrested Friday for allegedly destroying evidence related to a federal investigation. Sean Andrew Duncan was arrested when federal agents carried out a warrant to search his Sterling home, apparently prompting Duncan to attempt to dispose of a bag containing broken parts of a thumb drive submerged in liquid, NBC News reports. Duncan faces a charge of destroying evidence to impede a federal investigation, according to the report. Duncan does not face any terrorism-related charges, NBC News adds. The FBI was searching his home as part of an investigation into possible attempts to provide material support for a terror organization, according to NBC. Court documents suggest that Duncan may have converted to Islam and become interested in joining ISIS and carrying out an attack in the U.S., NBC Washington reports. Phone and computer records obtained by law enforcement also showed that Duncan had searched extensively for information about ISIS and counterterrorism. Last year, Duncan deleted his Facebook and changed his phone number shortly after being barred from entering Turkey and undergoing an FBI interview, according to NBC News. Authorities obtained a large chunk of evidence in June of 2016, when Duncans infant child died and authorities in Pennsylvania, where he lived at the time, investigated, the Washington Post reports. The childs autopsy declared the cause of death inconclusive. The Givatayim municipality approved Sunday an amendment to the municipal bylaws that will allow the opening of businesses on Shabbat, referring to supermarkets and convenience stores. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The council hastened to do so before the Knesset votes on the Supermarkets Bill on Monday, which could prevent it from taking effect, as Deri stated that, should the bill pass, the status quo in cities already allowing businesses to open on Shabbat will remain intact. A convenience store in Givatayim (Photo: Yuval Hen) Givatayim is the second city to approve the amendment to the bylaw, after Rishon LeZion did so last week. The decision was passed with a majority of ten to three, with three council members absent. According to this decision, businesses will undergo an examination by a public committee that will approve them according to criteria such as location, distance from synagogues and disturbance to residents. "It is not easy to deal with this issue and the subject of religion is sensitive and emotional," Givatayim Mayor Ran Kunik said at the council meeting. "Any discussion related to the feelings of residents is complex and always leads to quarrels and disagreements in the public. The Givatayim city council meeting, before the vote "Promotion of the Knesset's Supermarkets Bill was done without consulting the heads of the local authorities, who requested in a letter to meet with the (interior) ministera letter that was not answered. "The Supermarkets Bill is a terrible piece of legislation that we will all be sorry for, and will mean the transfer of power from city mayors the Minister of the Interior. It aims to impose a religious lifestyle on a secular public that is not suitable for most of the residents of Givatayim. "We will not agree to religious coercion." Mayor Kunik kissing a mezuzah after the vote The Supermarkets Bill, which grants the Minister of the Interior the power to revoke municipal bylaws, effectively determining that supermarkets in city centers will remain closed on Shabbat, is expected to head for a second and third reading on Monday afternoon. The bill was initiated at the request of the Minister of the Interior and Shas Chairman Aryeh Deri, and will force the government to consider Jewish tradition and heritage prior to the granting of a permit to work on Shabbat. With the exception of Tel Aviv-Jaffa, the Minister may order the closure of supermarkets on Shabbat in every city nationwide. An IDF soldier was lightly wounded by rock throwing during a riot in the Khalat al Amoud village in the West Bank and taken to receive medical attention. The perpetrators were identified and are in the custody of security forces. In addition, 38 Palestinians were arrested overnight in the West Bank on suspicion of involvement in violent clashes with other civilians and security forces. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus Likud party unanimously urged legislators in a non-binding resolution on Sunday to effectively annex Israeli settlements in the West Bank, disputed land that Palestinians want for a future state. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter By enacting civilian law over settlements, the move could streamline procedures for their construction and expansion. That land is currently under military jurisdiction and Israels defense minister has a final say on building there. The settlers are subject to Israeli civilian law. Likud Central Committee votes on annexation (Photo: Motti Kimchi) We will now promote the recognition of our sovereignty of the Jewish settlements in Judea and Samaria ... We must begin to enact this sovereignty, we have the moral right and obligation towards our settler brothers, Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan told a special meeting of 1,500 members of the Likuds Central Committee. Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein urged US President Donald Trump to "continue the backing you are giving to historical justice and truth! Support the connection of Jerusalem to Ma'ale Adumim. There is no move more necessary and vital than that." "A year ago we signed a bill proposal to apply Israeli sovereignty to Ma'ale Adumim in order to create territorial contiguity between it and Jerusalem. There are those who seek to divide Jerusalem; we intend to expand it," Edelstein added. Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein (Photo: Motti Kimchi) Labor and Welfare Minister Haim Katz, who also serves as the chair of the Likud Central Committee, lamented the fact that "50 years after liberating our ancestor's land Judea and Samaria, Greater Jerusalem, the Cave of the Patriarchs, Rachel's Tomb and the Western Wall ... some half a million Israeli citizens who fulfill all of their dutiesin taxes and military serviceare discriminated against in construction and personal security." "Judea and Samaria and Greater Jerusalem ...are an inseparable part of the land of Israel and will remain so forever," Katz added. Haim Katz (Photo: Motti Kimchi) Education Minister Naftali Bennett, the leader of the pro-settlement Bayit Yehudi party, welcomed the decision, saying, "We've passed another stage in disengaging from the dangerous idea of a Palestinian state, which brought with it only security damage and boycotts against Israel. I call on the Yesh Atid party to join this important initiative and renounce the idea of an ISIS state on Highway 6." On the other end of the political spectrum, Zionist Union leader Avi Gabbay criticized the decision. "The Alon Moreh voters have completed their takeover of the Likud and are further stressing the difference between the worldview that believes in annexing millions of Palestinians, and our worldview that believes in separating from them." "The Likud has completed the task of sabotaging the diplomatic peace process, which Trump began with the fake declaration of Jerusalem as capital," said Meretz leader MK Ilan Gilon. The Palestinian terror group Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, said "the Likud's decision to annex the West Bank is the continuation of the violation of Palestinian rightsdone under American auspicesand will lead to more resistance." Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah faction, which controls some areas of the West Bank, said, "The Likud decision to force Israeli control on the occupied West Bank results in the end of what was left of the peace process." Netanyahu is not bound to follow the resolution. He did not attend the meeting, which attracted several hundred delegates including ministers, legislators and party officials. The Likud Central Committee is the partys governing body. At least two previous Likud Central Committee decisions have been ignored by party leaders: In 2002, it voted against the creation of a Palestinian state, but then-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said he would act as he saw fit, while Netanyahu in 2009 voiced conditional support for the establishment of a Palestinian state in a landmark speech. Political commentators said the decision might bolster right-wing support for Netanyahu, who could seek a public mandate in an early election as he awaits possible criminal indictments against him on corruption suspicions. He denies wrongdoing. Although parliamentary elections are not due until November 2019, the police investigations in two cases of alleged corruption against Netanyahu and tensions among partners in his governing coalition could hasten a poll. Most countries view settlements that Israel has built on land captured in the 1967 Six-Day War as illegal. Israel disputes that and cites biblical, historical and political links to the West Bank, as well as security interests. About 400,000 settlers and 2.8 million Palestinians live in the West Bank. The Palestinians want to establish a state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip with east Jerusalem as its capital. In 1981, Israel enacted civilian law on the Golan Heights, territory captured from Syria in 1967, a de-facto annexation of the strategic plateau. The move has not won international recognition. Israeli settlements have been one of the main points of contention in Israeli-Palestinian peace talks that have been frozen since 2014. Efforts by US President Donald Trumps envoys to restart them have not yet shown any progress. Trump this month recognized Jerusalem as Israels capital, reversing decades of US policy. Around the worldand in Israelpeople gathered early Monday to celebrate the New Year. One of the highlights came, as always, in New York City with the traditional ball drop in Times Square, where thousands gathered despite inclement weather. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The revelers gathered in New York's famous landmark 12 hours before the big moment, braving one of the coldest New Year's Eves the city had ever seenwith a frosty 12 degrees below zero. Only once in history was the New Year welcomed in colder weatherin 1917, when 17 degrees below were measured. The ball dropping in NYC's Times Square (: ) X City and state health officials advised people to cover all exposed skin, and wear a hat, scarf and gloves. Drinking alcohol, on the other hand, was discouraged because it causes the body to lose heat faster. A splendent Times Square (Photo: AP) A cold front hit other regions in the US as well. In Ohio, for instance, where some communities saw digit temperatures on Saturday, fireworks have been canceled and events moved inside. The ball dropping in NYC (Photo: AP) 22-year-old Remle Scott and her boyfriend, Brad Whittaker, of San Diego, arrived shortly after 9am, trying to keep a positive attitude as temperatures hovered in the teens. Each wore several layers of clothing. "Our toes are frozen, so we're just dealing with it by dancing," Scott said. New Year's Eve celebrations in Israel (: , , ) X This year, the Times Square ball was 12 feet (3.5 meters) in diameter, weighed 11,875 pounds (5,385 kilograms) and was covered with 2,688 triangles that change colors like a kaleidoscope, illuminated by 32,256 LED lights. When the first ball drop happened in 1907, it was made of iron and wood and adorned with 100 25-watt light bulbs. The first celebration in the area was in 1904, the year the city's first subway line started running. Fireworks over Rio de Janeiro (Photo: Reuters) Celebrations in the US and Europe took place under tight security this year, for fear of terror attacks by the Islamic State and al-Qaeda that promised to carry out attacks to disrupt the festivities. In Germany, people in 2018 under tight security from police mindful of widespread sexual abuse of women in Cologne two years ago and of a terrorist attack on a Christmas market about a year ago. Paris's Arc de Triomphe (Photo: EPA) Police in Berlin added 1,600 officers on duty and said that large bags and knapsacks would not be allowed on the Party Mile leading from Brandenburg Gate, where thousands of people celebrated at midnight. Police in Frankfurt imposed similar restrictions in the celebration area along the Main River in the country's financial capital. New Year's Eve celebrations around the world (: : ) X Two years ago, New Year's in Cologne was marred by groping and theft committed against hundreds of women, in most cases by migrants. On Dec. 19, 2016, Tunisian asylum seeker Anis Amri drove a stolen truck into a Christmas market in Berlin, killing 12 people. Berlin's Brandenburg Gate (Photo: Getty Images) In the Vatican, in a speech bidding 2017 farewell, Pope Francis has decried wars, injustices and environmental decay which he says have "ruined" the year. The London Eye (Photo: AP) Francis on Sunday presided at a New Year's Eve prayer service in St. Peter's Basilica, a traditional occasion to say thanks in each year's last hours. A Tel Aviv New Year party (Photo: Motti Kimchi) He says God gave to us a 2017 "whole and sound," but that "we humans in many ways ruined and hurt it with works of death, lies and injustices." The New Year in Beijing (Photo: Getty Images) But, he added, "gratitude prevails" thanks to those "cooperating silently for the common good." In keeping with past practice, the pope on New Year's Day will celebrate Mass dedicated to the theme of world peace. Early fireworks in Sydney (Photo: EPA) Countries on the other side of the globe began ringing in 2018 the earliest, as usual, with the Pacific Ocean island nations of Tonga, Samoa and Kiribati were the first to welcome the new year at 12pm Israeli time, with celebrations kicking off in New Zealand at 1pm with an Auckland fireworks display. Two hours later the countdown was on in Sydney, the world's first major city to celebrate the New Year. An American Jewish family was killed on Sunday when a charter aircraft crashed in woods in Costa Rica's northwest soon after takeoff. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Costa Rican investigators said Sunday evening that they were still seeking to establish the names of the 10 Americans who died when the plane went down at midday in Guanacaste. They said Nature Air had provided a passenger list, but the names on it had not been confirmed. Two local crewmembers were also killed in the crash. Crash site in Costa Rica (: ) X A family in the suburbs of New York City said five of the dead Americans were relatives on vacation. They identified them as Bruce and Irene Steinberg and their sons Matthew, William and Zachary, all of Scarsdale. Scene of the crash (Photo: EPA) "We are in utter shock and disbelief right now," Bruce Steinberg's sister, Tamara Steinberg Jacobson, wrote on Facebook. She also confirmed the deaths in an interview with NBC News. Scene of the crash (Photo: AFP) Rabbi Jonathan Blake of the Westchester Reform Temple in Scarsdale said in a statement posted on the temple's Facebook page and emailed to The Associated Press that the Steinbergs were involved in philanthropy and local Jewish groups. "This tragedy hits our community very hard," Blake wrote. The Steinbergs At a news conference, Enio Cubillo, director of Costa Rica Civil Aviation, said the Nature Air charter flight crashed shortly after taking off just after noon Sunday from Punta Islita on a planned flight to the capital of San Jose. He said investigators were looking into possible causes. The Steinbergs Cubillo identified the pilot as Juan Manuel Retana and described him as very experienced. Former Costa Rican President Laura Chinchilla said via Twitter that Retana was her cousin. Scene of the crash (Photo: AFP) Scene of the crash (Photo: AFP) The same plane had arrived in Punta Islita on Sunday morning from San Jose and was delayed in landing by strong winds, Cubillo said. Nature Air did not respond to phone and email messages. Yaffa Glick, the wife of Likud MK Yehuda Glick, passed away early Monday at the age of 51 after six months in a coma. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Mrs. Glick, who supported her husband as he was recuperating from the attempt on his life, is survived by her husband and their eight children, of which two are foster children. "Several minutes ago, the love of my life drew her final breath. Baruch dayan haemet," MK Glick wrote on his Facebook page Monday morning. Yehuda (L) and Yaffa Glick last year (Photo: Dana Kopel) Yaffa was laid to rest hours later. "Yaffa, I love you," Glick said at the opening of his eulogy. "Before I start talking, I must first ask for forgiveness. If there's anything you hated it was when I complimented you in front of others. But Yaffa, I have no choice," he said, going on to tearfully speak about her kind heart and compassion. The funeral (Photo: Yoav Dudkevitch) Sending his condolences, President Reuven Rivlin wrote, "My condolences go out to MK Yehuda Glick on the passing of his wife. I have followed her tragic story, as did the rest of Israel's people, and was in awe of her family's dedication. I embrace all of you." Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also expressed his sorrow, saying, "I spoke with our friend, MK Yehuda Glick, and gave him my condolences over the passing of his wife. Along with all of Israel, we mourn her passing and lend our support to his and his family's strength in this time of deep grief. May her memory be for a blessing." Yaffa Glick had been comatose over the past few months and was intermittently hospitalized in Jerusalem's Shaare Zedek Medical Center and Misgav Ladach Hospital. Her funeral will be held at 3:30pm at Jeruaslem's Har HaMenuchot cemetery. In more earthly affairs, the supermarket bill is expected to be put to a Knesset vote on Monday for its second and third reading. Opposition Coordinator MK Yoel Hasson (Zionist Union) has announced the opposition will not offset Glick's vote. "Let them delay the vote," he said. Yaffa Glick's medical woes began on a Friday six months ago, when the couplewho reside in the Otniel settlementfinished their Shabbat preparations. Yehuda Glick returned from a dip in a nearby pool and found his wife in dire condition, unconscious on the floor. Glick's Facebook post announcing his wife's passing His daughter had called in emergency services while Glick's sona Har Hevron Regional Council emergency responder and a paramedic by trainingheard the call go out on the radio while he was in his room and went out to help his mother. "My son was the first to begin treating Yaffa until the ambulance came," his father told Yedioth Ahronoth at the time. "There was immense shock," Glick said. "There were no outbursts of crying, but a lot of pain and shock. Our married daughter sent her children away to her mother-in-law, because she couldn't cope with it, while our youngestwho was on his way to friendsturned his car around and wanted to come back home. I told him he should continue driving, because there wasn't much he could have done." Paramedics tried saving Yaffa Glick in her home until Shabbat began, at which point they removed her to a hospital with serious brain damage. She had been in a coma ever since. "The ramifications of the brain damage are still in God's hands, and I'm sure Yaffa is negotiating with him about it right now," Glick said in the interview. "I look at her lying in that hospital bed with all the machinery around her, and think she's no longer in pain. At least she has found some rest." "Reality weighed too heavily upon her," her husband explained. "She was with me when the terrorist shot me and stood by me when my life was in danger. She has had a rough go of it since my recovery two years ago. Her father and brother-in-law passed away, a baby whose family she was caring for drowned in the bathtub and two neighbors who were very close friends of ours were murdered in separate terrorist attacks." "A third neighbor was killed in a car accident, and Yaffa took it very hard. Since my own attack, she took everything very deeply to heart," the now-widowed MK said. The department of international affairs in the State Attorney's Office submitted a petition to the Jerusalem District Court to declare 35-year-old Palestinian Authority resident Ramadan Madani capable of being extradited to the Ukraine so that may be face serious charges in the country. Madani attacked an Egyptian national in 2007 while he was residing in the Ukraine. DUBAI Two people were killed in Iran's protests in a southwestern town, ILNA news agency on Monday quoted a local parliament member as saying. That brought to at least four the number of fatalities in the most serious unrest in the country since 2009. The contentious supermarkets bill , which would give the interior minister authority to strike down city bylaws including ones allowing store openings on Shabbat, was set to go up to a vote in its second and third Knesset readings on Monday, but several obstacles forced the coalition to postpone the vote to Tuesday morning. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The Haredi parties thwarted an attempt on Monday to change the legislation's wording by excluding convenience stores at gas stations and stores in the southern resort city of Eilat from the bill's purview. Ahead of a vote on the legislation at the Knessets Internal Affairs and Environment Committee, coalition and committee chairman MK David Amsalem (Likud) submitted three new reservations to the bill: It would serve as a temporary provision and be limited to five years; it would not apply to free trade areas (specifically the tax-free city of Eilat); and it would not include convenience stores at gas stations. Knessets Internal Affairs and Environment Committee votes on supermarket bill (Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg) The committee voted to adopt two of Amsalem's reservations to exclude convenience stores at gas stations and in Eilat from the bill. It then approved the bill for a Knesset vote. But hours later, the previous version of the legislationwhich does include convenience stores under the bill's purviewwas approved after objections and pressure from the ulta-Orthodox parties. The bill will go up to a vote in the Knesset on Tuesday at 9am. Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein (Likud) decided to bar a filibuster by the opposition under article 98 of the Knesset's Rules of Procedure, according to which the agenda for the Knesset's discussions is determined in advance, including the exact time of votes. This provision limits the opposition's time at the podium. No vote offsetting In a last-ditch effort to postpone the vote on Monday, both the opposition and the Yisrael Beytenu party, which is part of the coalition but opposes the bill, said they will not offset the vote of MK Yehuda Glick (Likud), whose wife Yaffa passed away Monday morning. Vote offsetting is a common practice in the Israeli parliament, according to which a member of Knesset who cannot attend an important vote reaches an agreement with a lawmaker on the other side of the aisle that they would both not vote. "I deeply sympathize with MK Glick in his great sorrow over the death of his wife," Opposition Coordinator MK Yoel Hasson (Zionist Union) wrote on Facebook. "But the supermarkets bill is not urgent. We've lived without it for 70 years. There are no offsets, and the coalition can just postpone the voteit's in their hands." The Knesset plenum during the filibuster against the Recommendations Law last week (Photo: Hadas Parush/Knesset Spokesman's Office) Knesset Speaker Edelstein was outraged by the opposition's decision. "It is the opposition's right not to offset Yehuda Glick. It is my right to say I know a different kind of behavior. I call on the opposition to take back its insensitive decision for all of our sakes." Tourism Minister Yariv Levin (Likud) also slammed the opposition's decision, calling it "an unprecedented moral low point." "In a democracy, the votes in the Knesset should reflect the wish of the voter and not distort the balance of power by showing complete insensitivity and inhumanity in cases when a man is in his grief, or in his sick bed," Levin said. "The members of the opposition, who speak much of human rights and boast the fact they are apparently the champions of humane behavior on earth, behave as common politicos when announcing they won't offset Minister David Azoulay and MK Glick, after last week they blatantly vilified their friend MK Ilan Gilon who had shown compassion and helped Minister Azoulay. Such a disgrace," Levin added. Glick, meanwhile, took to Twitter to urge Knesset members not to turn his wife's funeral to a political feud. "I beg and beseech you not to turn my dear wife's funeral into something to fight over. Please, have more love and positive energies," he wrote. Drumming up a majority According to the supermarkets bill proposal, a municipality would only be able to allow trade on Saturday, the Jewish day of rest, with the approval of the interior minister. Interior Minister Aryeh Deri of the ultra-Orthodox Shas party is the one who proposed the legislation in an effort to close down supermarkets and convenience stores that operate on Shabbat. Interior Minister Aryeh Deri (Photo: AFP) While the coalition was able to resolve the internal disagreements over the bill's wording by approving a final version that will go up to a vote on Tuesday, and did away with hundreds of opposition reservations by limiting its ability to filibuster the bill, the legislation still faces on crucial problem: difficulty in drumming up a majority to pass it. Even though the coalition has 66 of the 120 Knesset seats, coalition partner Yisrael Beytenu is expected to vote against the legislation. Yisrael Beytenu Minister Sofa Landver will have to miss the vote, as a minister voting against the coalition's position faces immediate dismissal. In addition, Minister David Azoulay from Shas will also miss the vote, as he is recovering from surgery, and MK Glick will miss the vote in the wake of his wife's passing. This leaves the coalition with 59 votes, while the opposition has 58 votes, making it a close call. Opposition members have been working to convince some coalition MKs to either miss the vote or vote against the bill, including Likud MK Sharren Haskel who opposes the bill and abstained in its first reading; and Kulanu MKs Rachel Azaria and Merav Ben-Ari, who oppose the bill in principle, but it remains unclear how they would vote due to party and coalition allegiance. Unruly mayor Haim Bibas, the chairman of the Federation of Local Authorities and mayor of Modi'in, attended the committee meeting and was the center of several confrontations. During a two-minute break, Yisrael Beytenu MK Yulia Malinovsky criticized Bibas for remaining silent rather than voicing his support to MKs who came out against the legislation. Bibas responded, "You MKs are disgraceful. You have no idea what you're voting on." He later also confronted MKs from the ultra-Orthodox Shas party. Zionist Union MK Merav Michaeli tried to let Bibas speak, but MK Amsalem would not allow it. Bibas attacked Amsalem in response, saying "You're deciding about my political home here. You're interfering in something central and fundamental to us. You're leading to the desecration of Shabbat, not the observance of Shabbat. Are you going to interfere in my city?" He was removed from the room as a result. Israel saw heavy rainfall Monday morning in the northern and central regions accompanied by thunder storms, with flood warnings in the communities of the Coastal Plain. The rain will be spreading to the Negev later Monday, with flood warnings in the streams of the Judea Desert, Dead Sea and Negev. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter In the first night of 2018, the Israel Meteorological Service measured more than 30 millimeters of rain in the Western Galilee's Ayalon kibbutz. In Beit Dagan in the Shfela, meanwhile, 15 millimeters were registered in a single hour. Rain in the Nahal Oz kibbutz (Photo: Roee Idan) The Meteo-Tech company said 30 millimeters of rain were measured in Majdal Shams in the northern Golan Heights, with Haifa and Netanya seeing 28 millimeters and Acre, Zikhron Ya'akov and Kfar Saba enjoying 20 millimeters or more of rainfall, while 14 millimeters were measured in Tel Aviv. Meteo-Tech meteorologist Tzachi Waxman said the rain will spread to the central and northern Negev and be accompanied by thunder storms. Snow falling on the Hermon (: ) X Haifa, a major northern city, saw nearly 15 millimeters of rainfall in only two hours, and 40 millimeters overall in recent days. As a result, both the city and its bay area saw multiple floods, with a car in the city's Student Beach near a drainage ditch being swept away to the sea. The driver was able to extricate himself from the car and was unharmed. Elsewhere in Haifa, emergency teams were called to extricate drivers who were stranded in enormous puddles, with a mother and daughter rescued from their vehicle, which was submerged in water. Floods in Ashkelon An underground pass in the city was closed due to the floods. The pass is flooded nearly every time the city sees serious rain, and a Kiryat Ata resident drowned there two years ago when he could not leave his vehicle. The unoccupied car being swept to sea (: " ") X The Haifa municipality said most of the flooding occurred in areas hit by last year's fire, as they remained exposed without any vegetation to mitigate the storm's effects. Ashkelon also saw heavy rainfall, with a supermarket in the southern city flooded. Flooding in Ashkelon supermarket (: ) X Snow accumulated on Mount Hermon, with 15 centimeters of the white stuff piling up on its upper slopes and eight centimeters on the lower slopes. A temperature of two degrees below zero was measured at the site Monday morning, with more snow expected to fall until the afternoon. The site will not, however, be opened to visitors due to fog and ongoing snowfall. Snow on Mount Hermon (Photo: Hermon site) The country's Water Authority announced the Kinneret's level rose a single centimeter overnight Monday as a result of direct rainfall. The level now stands at -214.365 meters, or 1.365 meters below the lower red line, with 5.565 meters of water required to fill the lake. Gushing waters in Nahal Mizra (: , ) X Haifa's main sewage line, which runs near one of the Kishon River's tributaries, overflowed because of the heavy rainfall and contaminated the creek. The Kishon River Drainage Authority said unauthorized connections from homes in the area to the sewage system have led to the overflowing of the waste water. Rainbow in Pardes Hanna-Karkur (Photo: Nettanel Sason) The matter was reported to the Environmental Protection Ministry, and Kishon River Drainage Authority officials said they will continue monitoring the situation and work with local authorities to move the sewage line away from the creek. More light rain is in the forecast Tuesday in central and northern Israel, while Wednesday will be clear skies with a rise in temperatures. Rain will return Thursday morning to northern Israel and spread out to the center by the afternoon. Referring to the passing of Likud MK Yehuda Glick's wife Yaffa, President Reuven Rivlin wrote, "My condolences go out to MK Yehuda Glick on the passing of his wife. I have followed her tragic story, as did the rest of Israel's people, and was in awe of her family's dedication. I embrace all of you." Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also expressed his sorrow, saying, "I spoke with our friend, MK Yehuda Glick, and gave him my condolences over the passing of his wife. Along with all of Israel, we mourn her passing and lend our support to his and his family's strength in this time of deep grief. May her memory be for a blessing." The rift between the Palestinian Authority and the United States following President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital widened Sunday, with Palestinian Minister of Foreign Affairs Riyad al-Maliki recalling his envoy to the US Husam Zomlot back to Ramallah for consultations, the Palestinian news agency Wafa reported. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter While the reasons for Zomlot's impending return were not specified, it is fair to assume it was done in response to President Trump's declaration, as well as his intentions to move the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Palestinian President Abbas (R) recalled his US Envoy to Ramallah following President Trump's recognition of Jerusalem (Photo: AFP) Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas declared at a rally Sunday marking the anniversary of his Fatah movement's founding that "Jerusalem will remain the eternal capital of the Palestinian people, despite any attempts to change its history and geographyto enable others to claim it as their own." "None will stand in the way of achieving our goal, and we will not revisit the stupid mistakes of the past. We will remain here until the land of Palestine is liberated and east Jerusalem is our eternal capital ," the Palestinian leader added. In a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, the Palestinian president announced that "The United States is no longer an honest mediator in the peace process, we will not accept any plan put forward by the United States because of this partisan spirit." A joint operation by Shin Bet, the IDF and the police led to the arrest of five members of a Hamas terror cell who planned to carry out attacks under the direction of a Hamas operative from the Gaza Strip. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter In its investigation, the Shin Bet learned the group's handler was Abdullah Arar, a Hamas operative who was involved in the kidnapping and murder of Israeli Sasson Nuriel 12 years ago. Arar was deported to Gaza following the Gilad Shalit prisoner swap deal and has since returned to terrorist activity. The cell's Gaza commander Abdullah Arar (Photo: Shin Bet Communications) Salim later contacted Rian Touam, also a Jaba' resident, and asked him to assist him in procuring the M16, providing him with thousands of shekels to do so. Salim also contacted Shehadeh Touam and asked for his help in recruiting more members. Touam, in turn, contacted Mahmoud Abu Arkov, a young Hamas operative from A-Ram, and recruited him to the cell. Arar was involved in the kidnapping and murder of Sasson Nuriel The investigation was carried out in coordination with military prosecution, which examined the investigation's materials before deciding to indict the suspects. A Shin Bet official said, "The Hamas command in the Gaza Strip has been increasingly motivated of late to promote attacks via Hamas members in Judea and Samaria. Security forces will continue to take determined action to foil Hamas's efforts to carry out attacks in Israel and wish to make it clear that Hamas in Gaza will be held responsible for any attack carried out at its behest." President Reuven Rivlin received Monday the 2018 Strategic Assessment for Israel produced by the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS). At the meeting, the institutes Executive Director, Major-General (res.) Amos Yadlin presented the President with the report, while the institutes researchers reviewed key security and policy issues addressed in the report. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter "The entrenchment of Iran and its proxies in Syria and the expectation it will try gaining a foothold in the Golan Heights, raise the likelihood of escalation to war, in light of the Israeli government's red lines regarding Iranian presence in southern Syria," the evaluation said. "The IDF is therefore required to improve its readiness for escalation and even war in the northern theater against Syria and Lebanon. Conflictwhether limited or totalbetween Israel and Hezbollah with Iranian backing constitutes the security challenge to which Israel must gird itself," the institute's evaluation further said. INSS Executive Director Yadlin (L) with President Rivlin (Photo: GPO) The northern front the First Northern War? Neither Israel nor Hezbollah are interested in another war, Yadlin said. However, Israeli activities aimed at crippling Iran's entrenchment in Syria, alongside Hezbollah freeing itself of the task to save Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria, may deteriorate the situation towards the "First Northern War," which will not necessarily be limited to Lebanon. This potential war may safely be assumed to expand to conflict with Iranian forces and their vassals in Syriaperhaps even conflict with the Syrian army itselfpossibly concurrently to a war against Hamas in the south. The above factors will turn into conflict in the country's northern frontier into a war the breadth of which Israel has not experienced since the Yom Kippur War of 1973. The INSS said Israel must therefore prioritize any strategic and operative matters relating to waging war against three hostile entities in the north: Syria, Hezbollah and Iran. In the backdrop, Russia's military presence and involvement, while seemingly neutral, will more than likely impose limitations on Israeli freedom of action. Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah Israel must thus make ready for three alternative scenarios for war in the north: a war limited to Lebanon, a combined war with Syria and Lebanonincluding Iranian and Shiite elements operating in Lebanonand an all-out war that involves Iranian forces as well. Moreover, wrongly interpreting the other party's intentionseither by Israel or Hezbollahmay lead to widespread escalation. A war against Hezbollah will lead to a heavy toll deep into Israeli territory; thousands of missiles and rockets will be launched at the north and deeper in-state, with simultaneous infiltration attempts into Israel by terror and guerilla squads for the purpose of harming border communities and essential infrastructures. Under current conditions, the INSS stipulated, Lebanon and Syria must be treated as a single theater, as escalation on one front will invariably lead to escalation on the other, with some launches expected to come from Syria while Shiite militias and Syrian army forces likely attacking through the Golan Heights. As that conflict is waged, Iran will be encouraging Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad to lob rocket from Gaza at Israel and carry out terrorist attacks by breaching the border fence and by using cross-border tunnels, in addition to also encouraging West Bank terrorists to carry out terror attacks. The incendiary potential of conflict with Hamas persists While Hamas is under effective deterrence, the INSS said it was continuing to gather its strength and that a conflict may break outeven if neither side wants itover uncontrollable escalation stemming from a local incident, an initiative by jihad elements, difficulties in implementing the Palestinian reconciliation agreement causing to lash out at Israel or tensions surrounding the Jerusalem issue. Regardless of the specific trigger, it must not be forgotten that socioeconomic hardship and humanitarian difficulties in Gaza will surly persist, further enflaming the mood. Somewhat ironically, the IDF's solution to Hamas's offensive tunnelscurrently being developed and deployed on the bordermay push the organization to an earlier conflict to head off harm to this important facet of its strategic deployment. IS near the border While the Islamic State (IS) may have been defeated and lost its main strongholds in Syria and Iraq, it was this defeat that caused it to move its base of operations to regions that have not yet seen a concerted military effort to combat it. Syrian soldiers after the Islamic State's fall (Photo: Reuters) IS presence in southern Syria near the Golan Heights, then, and especially in Sinai (in addition to the southern Syrian Golan Heights) has already been translated to numerous attacks against the Egyptian army and civilian populations. The radical organization's presence also points to a growing potential threat to Israel, with a large terrorist attack possibly planned. Challenges and opportunities Israel is strong, stable and its borders are calm. It maintained its military supremacy in the Middle East throughout 2017, as well as its deterrence against its enemies on the borderstate and non-states alikeincluding Hezbollah, Hamas and the Islamic State. The INSS's evaluation also said President Donald Trump's administration was extremely friendly and accommodating to Israel, and is in complete agreement with the country over most regional strategic interests. However, the American influence in the region continues to erode. The Trump administration has yet to put together an overall strategy to realize its goalswhich it has defined in principlewhile its attention is constantly diverted to other, non-Middle Eastern issues. In the past two years, Russia has been the clear winner in the Middle East, achieving primacy as the foremost state actor to shape and stabilize the Syrian theater while pushing out and weakening the US. Moscow has taken root in Syria with a ground, naval and air presence shoring up its strategic control of the country for generations to come. In doing so, Russia has been judicious to maintain a good rapport with all other actors in the region. However, a broad examination of the region leads to the inevitable conclusion that Israel and Russia's interests will end up colliding due to the backing the latter is providing to Iran's entrenchment in Syria. Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) with Syrian President Assad (Photo: AP) On Iran's nuclear issue, the INSS said that despite hostility to the 2015 nuclear deal within the Trump administration, the agreement has been upheld by both parties throughout the past year. In addition, improving the agreement unilaterallythrough Congressional legislation for examplewill be difficult, with the other powers party to it not likely to cooperate. The Palestinian theater The institute's evaluation said the past year was characterized by a continued freeze on the Israeli-Palestinian arena, while Israel has been successful in continuing to preserve what is a convenient reality as far as it's concerned, security-wise. The failure of the Palestinians' two main alternatives over the past two decadesthe terror strategy on the one hand and internationalizing the conflict on the othermay lead to the adoption of a "one-state strategy." In the intra-Palestinian arena, meanwhile, several developments took place that may lead to meaningful moves against Israel, namely the continued disconnector even escalationbetween the parties or the restarting of the peace process. At the center of the political process is Trump's desire to close the "ultimate deal" between Israel and the Palestinians. The question of whether the president will decide to stick with this ambitious goal yet remains, and his staff will draft a statement of principle regarding any US-brokered agreement early in 2018. In such an eventuality, both Israel and the Palestiniansfearing the actions of an unpredictable presidentwill most likely focus their efforts on responses aimed at levying the burden of guilt over the president's failure on the other party. The Institute for National Security Studies' recommendations The "war between wars" against the Iranian axis on the northern front Israel will be required to deal with its enemies for a prolonged period of time by drawing and demarcating the new environment's rules of engagement, especially by integrating military action and strategic communications, both vis-a-vis its enemies and Russia, as the most important actor in the region not considered an enemy. Israel does have significant leverage opposite Iran and Russia, which is its ability to damage their success in preserving the Assad regime and Syrian stability. The regime's survivability and Syria's economic resurgence are both Russian-Iranian interests Israel would do well to leverage for its own benefit. President of Iran Hassan Rouhani (Photo: AFP) The "First Northern War" Israel must prioritize the formation of practical strategies involved in conducting a campaign against three hostile actors in the northSyria, Hezbollah and Iran, while taking Russia's presence into account. It is a possible confrontation that requires preparation for it from the level of the Israeli government downwards, from the political through the military-strategic to the practical-technological, while adapting to the conditions of the arena and to the arms the enemy has managed to amass in recent years: Ballistic missiles, air defense systems, unmanned aerial vehicles and armed units that will try to seize settlements in the Galilee. The Iranian threat: The Nuclear Program and Iran's aspirations for regional hegemony Israel must seek formal understandings with the United States, anchored in a bilateral agreement, on a common strategy against the multitude threats by the Iranian regime in the Middle East. This joined strategy should have three objectives: To prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons , to stop Iran's subversive activity in the region and its support of terrorism, and to undermine efforts to strengthen the Iranian military's conventional capabilities. The renewal of the peace process and the "ultimate deal" Israel's strategic strength, the willingness of the Arab world to contribute to the political process and the degree of sympathy shown by the US president have never been so positive for Israel, and they constitute a historic opportunity the State of Israel should not miss. However, the chances of reaching a permanent agreement are slim if not impossible, but agreed moves with the United States and the rest of the world's superpowers may lead to vital achievements in setting future parameters for an agreement, promoting conditions for a future agreement and its successful implementation, and most importantly stopping the current shift towards a one-state solution, which will necessarily be non-Jewish and / or undemocratic. It is important that the Israeli government adopts a pro-active plan that will ensure the ability to reach an agreement in the future in which the four pillars of the vision of the Jewish State will be preserved: A Jewish, democratic, secure and just state. Israel is also required to promote the rehabilitation of the Gaza Strip for moral reasons and to safeguard its interests. Rehabilitation efforts should be examined against two criteria: the ability to prevent a significant military buildup by Hamas because of its ability to seize the funds and materials allocated for rehabilitation, and to prevent the political strengthening of the terrorist organization. A proper rehabilitation process, combined with strong political backing by the Arab states and with the necessary caution, could also serve as a platform for a gradual change in the structure of government in the Strip. Hamas political and military leaders Ismail Haniyeh (L) and Yahya Sinwar (: AFP) Strengthening Israel's alliance with the Sunni Arab world the key to moving from limited contacts to open cooperationmeaning collaboration against common enemiesis, of course, progress on the Palestinian issue. Urgent action should be also taken to rectify the dispute with Jordan following the embassy incident and to tighten diplomatic relations (alongside security ones) so the two countries can cooperate against common threats. In this context, joint projects should be promoted for the benefit of both peoples. The Islamic State It would be correct to act to end the presence of the Islamic state in the southern Golan Heights as part of Syria's stabilization arrangements, and to continue to support Egypt in its battle to destroy the organization in the Sinai Peninsula. It is also necessary not to assume, from an intelligence and operational standpoint, that the organization is no longer a threat. The Defense Budget and Security Concept Given the threat of war on the northern front and in the Gaza Strip, preparations for a possible confrontation must be accelerated by examining and promoting key projects that will be required in a future confrontation with Hezbollah and Iran. Within this framework, the senior political and military echelon must discuss the objectives and purposes of a possible campaign, circumstances under which it will start or end, and what are its limitations. It is important for the Cabinet to discuss and prepare for a long time before the confrontation, and not to deal with these complex and fateful issues for the first time during the campaign itself. Preserving and promoting Israel's legitimacy in the world The response to the challenge of delegitimization requires an integrated governmental and civil approach in Israel and abroad, of Jews and non-Jews, while improving coordination and cooperation between pro-Israel actors in the Western world. Reaching renewed understanding with US Jewry In order to close the rift that was torn open between Israel and US Jewry over the issues of the Kotel agreement and the Conversion Bill , an open and empathic dialogue must be initiated, along with leadership decisions aimed at rehabilitating relations. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas denounced the "racist decision on which the Israeli ministers members of the Likud Central Committee voted, which calls to annex the occupied Palestinian territories and expand construction in illegal settlements." Abbas's announcement further said, "Israel would not have made such grave decisions if not for the absolute support of the American administration." US President Donald Trump said Monday Iran was "failing at every level," and voiced his support for the protesters there, saying it is "TIME FOR CHANGE." "Iran is failing at every level despite the terrible deal made with them by the Obama Administration. The great Iranian people have been repressed for many years. They are hungry for food & for freedom. Along with human rights, the wealth of Iran is being looted. TIME FOR CHANGE!" he wrote on Twitter. Palestinian teenager Ahed Tamimi, 17, and her mother Nariman were indicted on Monday for assaulting IDF soldiers in the West Bank village of Nabi Salih. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Ahed was charged with 12 different counts for six different incidents, including aggravated assault, hindering a soldier in the line of duty, incitement, threatening a soldier's life and stone-throwing. According to the indictment, which was filed at the Judea Military Court, Ahed Tamimi threw stones at Israeli security forces, threatened them, participated in violent rioting and incited others to participate in the clashes. Ahed Tamimi in court (Photo: AFP) Her mother, Nariman Tamimi, was also indicted for her involvement in the assault, as well as for another incident she was involved in along with her daughter last month. She was also charged with incitement to terrorism on Facebook. The 21-year-old Nur Tamimi, Ahed's cousin, was charged on Sunday with aggravated assault of a soldier and hindering a soldier in the line of duty. The military prosecution asked to hold Ahed, Nur and Nariman Tamimi in remand until the end of legal proceedings against them. Neriman Tamimi, in brown, and Nur Tamimi, in red (Photo: AFP) A short video of the incident showed the young Tamimi women, with one of them provoking soldiers stationed in Nabi Salih, pestering them and attempting to kick and punch them, while the soldiers maintained their composure and did not respond. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas telephoned Ahed's father Bassem Tamimi last week to encourage him and inquire as to his daughter's wellbeing. Tamimi, a well-known Fatah activist, told Abbas his daughterwho was arrested when the video was publishedwas in good spirits, remained strong and firm in the belief of the righteousness of her ways and stood ready to "challenge the Israeli occupation." The incident two weeks ago was not the first time Tamimi was filmed provoking soldiers. Several years ago, she was filmed biting a soldier who came to arrest her brother during a weekly Nabi Salih protest. In another instance, she was shown screaming at a member of Israel's security forces during a demonstration in an attempt to provoke him to lose his cool. Egyptian security officials say a gunman has killed two Coptic Christian brothers in an attack on a liquor store in Giza province, just days after nine people were killed in an attack on a church and store in Cairo. The officials said Monday the attack took place on New Year's eve, a busy night for liquor stores. They say it is unclear whether the attacker was an extremist. The officials requested anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media. Mike Pence's office on Monday said the US vice president still plans on visiting Israel this month, despite an apparent delay in the schedule. Pence had been scheduled to come during the week of Jan. 14. But Israel's Foreign Ministry said Monday that the visit was no longer on its schedule for January. "The visit is not included in our provision of scheduled visits of high-level dignitaries in January," said ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon. He gave no reason for the apparent delay, but said it was still possible that Pence could decide to come. Later Monday, Pence's deputy chief of staff, Jarrod Agen, said the visit was still on. "As we said, we are going later this month," he said, without providing specific dates. Militants in Gaza sent a rocket hurtling towards the Eshkol Regional Council in southern Israel Monday evening . No Code Red alarm was sounded and the rocket landed in an open field with no injuries. In a festive twist, the first 2018 birth at Hillel Yaffe Medical Center in Hadera was by Dr. Hila Sharabi (35), a senior physician in the hospital's obstetrics department, who gave birth to a daughter, her fifth child, at 1:23 am, weighing in at 2.65 kg. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The birth was on time, but nevertheless fell out on an auspicious occasion according to Dr. Sharabi. A week before the (bar mitzvah and) calling to the Torah of her oldest son. Dr. Sharabi, Hadera "I was worried that I would not be able to make it to the important occasion, but now we have a double celebration: the birth and the upcoming bar mitzvah," said Dr. Sharabi happily. The first Israeli birth of 2018 was at Rambam Hospital in Haifa. Adi Sharban (27) from Kiryat Ata gave birth to her firstborn son about a half an hour into the New Year. The healthy baby weighed 3.1 kilograms. Adi Sharban, Rambam Hospital Adi and her spouse, Liran Menachem, said that the birth was five days early. "Apparently he wanted to join the New Year festivities," they said with a smile and made a wish that all the New Year's children "should grow up and make this country and the world a better place to live." Yevgenia and Andrei Danor from Beer Sheva were delighted to welcome their firstborn daughter into the world at 00:34 at Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon. She was named Tahel. During 2017, there were 4,721 births at Barzilai. Yevgenia and Andrei Danor, Beer Sheva The first birth of 2018 at Poria Medical Center in Tiberias was at 00:35, a son was born to Raz and Nadav from Yokneam. "Apparently due to the cold and rain it was a very quiet night at the birthing ward," said midwife Urit Segal. "The night shift was very quiet, only three births and one set of twins. We wish everyone a productive year." Raz Avital, Poria Rinat (32) and Raviv Doron from Rishon LeZion became the happy parents to a newborn daughter, born at Assaf Harofeh Medical Center. The baby, weighing 3.69 kg., will soon join her one year-old brother Avishai at home. The birth was smooth thanks to the skilled and good-natured midwife, Ranana Brisk. Rinat and Raviv Doron, Risho Lezion "We waited and hoped to begin the civil New Year with good news and sure enough we received a great gift for 2018, a beautiful daughter," said the mother Rinat after the birth. "I am happy and thank God the birth was uneventful. I wish us all a year of good tidings, some luck and plenty of health. All the rest will come I am sure." At the newly opened Assuta Medical Center in Ashdod, Esty and Rudy Sassportas had a son at 2:20 am. The parents thanked the hospital staff for the great treatment. Esty Sassportas , Ashdod At Meir Medical Center in Kfar Saba. 2018 began with the birth of a second son to Ronny and Avrahami Sender-Yisraeli from Kfar Saba. "I planned to give birth a week ago but somehow I got to my 41st week. It is definitely a great way to complete a pregnancy and begin a new exciting chapter in our lives. The birth was quick and I want to thank our midwife, Gali Shimshon who was there with me for support and assistance." Roni Sender, Kfar Saba The Meir Medical Center had a very fruitful year in 2017 with 8,000 births including 200 sets of twins and three sets of triplets. At Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem, Lishar and Idan Farhi celebrated the birth of their daughter, the first in Jerusalem. Lishar, who chose to give birth without an epidural, said that she had a great experience with wonderful staff. "Everybody was encouraging and so helpful." L to R: Lishar and Idan Farhi Shirel and Elichai Ben Shushan from Acre welcomed n 2018 with a huge smile on their face. The two arrived at the Galilee Medical Center in Nahariya and close to six am Shirel gave birth to a son, the couple's third child. The hospital saw 5,450 births this past year, 117 of them twins and three sets of triplets. Shirel, Elchai Ben Shushan, Nahariya Adi banon (35) from Netanya gave birth for the second time at Laniado Hospital. She blessed all of Israel with health, happiness and free love, shortly before giving birth. Adi Banon, Netanya The first birth at Beer Sheva's Soroka Medical Center was by Dr. Shani Arutzker (33). Shani is a pediatrician at the hospital and this is the first child born to her and her husband Nathan, a doctor of internal medicine at Soroka. The hospital had a record 17,144 births in 2017. Dr. Shani Arutzker At Ziv Medical Center in Safed, Olga (29) and Ziv Aharfi from Carmiel were the happy couple who brought a new daughter into this world; she will join her brother Uri Yosef of one year eight months. Olga and Ziv Aharfi, Safed Olga described the smooth and natural birth, assisted by the midwife and personnel of the birthing room. "We arrived at the hospital during the first rainy night of this winter season. These are rains of blessing that predict a blessed birth. Rachel the midwife accompanied me from the first moment with skill and concern I felt so safe." During 2017 there were 3,516 births at Ziv Safed Medical Center; 1,782 boys and 1,734 girls, among them 69 pairs of twins and one triplet. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Iranian anti-government protesters on Monday, while denying as "laughable" Tehrans apparent accusations that Israel was behind the demonstrations. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Five days of protests in Iran have posed the boldest challenge to its clerical leadership since pro-reform unrest in 2009. At least 12 people have been reported killed as some confrontations with police turned violent. "I wish the Iranian people success in their noble quest for freedom," Netanyahu said in a video posted on his Facebook page. Protest in Tehran, Saturday (Photo: AP) "Brave Iranians are pouring into the streets. They seek freedom. They seek justice. They seek the basic liberties that have been denied them for decades. Irans cruel regime wastes tens of billions of dollars spreading hate," he said in remarks that echoed similar praise from U.S. President Donald Trump. Netanyahu slams Rouhani, compliments Iranian people (: "") X On Monday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani was quoted by state media as apparently blaming Irans arch enemies, the United States and Israel, for provoking unrest. "Our success in the political arena against the United States and the Zionist regime was unbearable to (Irans enemies). Irans success in the region was unbearable to them. Dont you expect that they would seek revenge? Dont you think they would provoke some people?" Rouhani was quoted as saying in a meeting with lawmakers. President of Iran Hassan Rouhani (Photo: AFP) Netanyahu said Rouhanis suggestion that Israel was involved was "not only falseits laughable". Netanyahu added that more Western countries should condemn Tehran for trying to put down the protests. "Sadly many European governments watch in silence as young heroic Iranians are beaten in the streets. Thats just not right. And I, for one, will not stay silent," he said. Riots break out in Iran X Following Rouhani's accusation, fresh protests broke out as night fell with reports of a policeman shot dead. Monday's protest in Tehran (Photo: AFP) State television said one policeman had been killed and three others wounded by fire from hunting rifles in the city of Najafabad in central Iran. There was a heavy police presence in Tehran as small groups of protesters ran through the city centre shouting anti-regime slogans, local agencies reported. The latest demonstrations came despite President Hassan Rouhani's vow that the nation would deal with "rioters and lawbreakers". Germany has called on the government of Iran to let people exercise their right to peaceful protest. German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said in a statement Monday that he was "very concerned" about reports of 12 deaths and numerous arrests. He said that "we appeal to the Iranian government to respect the rights of demonstrators to assemble and raise their voice freely and peacefully." He added that "after the confrontation of the past days it is all the more important for all sides to refrain from violent action." Germany is one of the world powers that agreed to the landmark 2015 nuclear deal with Iran in which sanctions were lifted in return for Iran taking steps to limit its enrichment of uranium. A rocket fired from the Gaza Strip exploded in open space near a community in the Eshkol Regional Council Tuesday, catching nearby residents by surprise as no alarm was sounded to warn them ahead of time. Israel Air Force aircrafts attacked a Hamas military compound in the southern Gaza Strip in retaliation. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter IDF Spokesperson's Unit said the target was attacked since the army considers Hamas solely responsible for any fire emanating from the strip. Fragments of the rocket were found near a paved road. No one was injured and no property was damaged. File photo (Photo: Roee Idan) The police stated that "sappers are on their way to the location of the fall to deal with the remaining fragments." It is not yet clear why no alarm was sounded prior to the blast. The rocket's fragments in Eshkol (Photo: Eshkol Regional Council Security) Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated Sunday at the start of the weekly cabinet meeting that "Israel views Hamas as responsible for any rocket fire coming from the Gaza Strip." "Since we destroyed the terror tunnel that penetrated our territory a few weeks ago, the IDF attacked about 40 Hamas targets," he added. On Saturday, Israeli jets attacked a Hamas observation post in northern Gaza in response to rockets that were fired Friday morning at Israel during a ceremony held in memory of IDF soldier Oron Shaul, whose body has been held by Hamas in Gaza since Operation Protective Edge. Footage of the alarm and explosions at Oron Shaul's ceremony (: ) X One of the rockets hit a structure in the Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council, while the Iron Dome system intercepted two other rockets. In a statement released after the fresh strike, the IDF Spokespersons Unit said that the latest round of aggression from the strip was evidence of Iranian involvement. The fire on Friday proves again that Iran, using rogue and extremist terror organizations, is working to undermine the regional situation, is playing with the lives of the Gazan residents that could lead the strip to an escalation after years of quiet on the security front, the statement read. Looking at enduring challenges in Miller's application in Louisiana and elsewhere | Main | "American Exceptionalism in Crime and Punishment" January 1, 2018 Prez Reagan's Secretary of State laments "The Failed War on Drugs" There is nothing really all that notable about this recent New York Times op-ed, headlined "The Failed War on Drugs," save for its authors. George Shultz, who served as Secretary of State in the Reagan Administration, penned the piece alon with Pedro Aspe, a former secretary of finance in Mexico. Actually, the op-ed is also notable because it is has some shaky statements (like its suggestion Nancy Reagan tried to charge the modern US drug war), but it is still worth seeing how it makes its case for modern reform in the Americas: The war on drugs in the United States has been a failure that has ruined lives, filled prisons and cost a fortune. It started during the Nixon administration with the idea that, because drugs are bad for people, they should be difficult to obtain. As a result, it became a war on supply. As first lady during the crack epidemic, Nancy Reagan tried to change this approach in the 1980s. But her Just Say No campaign to reduce demand received limited support. Over the objections of the supply-focused bureaucracy, she told a United Nations audience on Oct. 25, 1988: If we cannot stem the American demand for drugs, then there will be little hope of preventing foreign drug producers from fulfilling that demand. We will not get anywhere if we place a heavier burden of action on foreign governments than on Americas own mayors, judges and legislators. You see, the cocaine cartel does not begin in Medellin, Colombia. It begins in the streets of New York, Miami, Los Angeles and every American city where crack is bought and sold. Her warning was prescient, but not heeded. Studies show that the United States has among the highest rates of drug use in the world. But even as restricting supply has failed to curb abuse, aggressive policing has led to thousands of young drug users filling American prisons, where they learn how to become real criminals. The prohibitions on drugs have also created perverse economic incentives that make combating drug producers and distributors extremely difficult. The high black-market price for illegal drugs has generated huge profits for the groups that produce and sell them, income that is invested in buying state-of-the-art weapons, hiring gangs to defend their trade, paying off public officials and making drugs easily available to children, to get them addicted. Drug gangs, armed with money and guns from the United States, are causing bloody mayhem in Mexico, El Salvador and other Central American countries. In Mexico alone, drug-related violence has resulted in over 100,000 deaths since 2006. This violence is one of the reasons people leave these countries to come to the United States. First the United States and Mexican governments must acknowledge the failure of this strategy. Only then can we engage in rigorous and countrywide education campaigns to persuade people not to use drugs. The current opioid crisis underlines the importance of curbing demand. This approach, with sufficient resources and the right message, could have a major impact similar to the campaign to reduce tobacco use. We should also decriminalize the small-scale possession of drugs for personal use, to end the flow of nonviolent drug addicts into the criminal justice system. Several states have taken a step in this direction by decriminalizing possession of certain amounts of marijuana. Mexicos Supreme Court has also declared that individuals should have the right to grow and distribute marijuana for their personal use. At the same time, we should continue to make it illegal to possess large quantities of drugs so that pushers can be prosecuted and some control over supply maintained. Finally, we must create well-staffed and first-class treatment centers where people are willing to go without fear of being prosecuted and with the confidence that they will receive effective care. The experience of Portugal suggests that younger people who use drugs but are not yet addicted can very often be turned around. Even though it is difficult to get older addicted people off drugs, treatment programs can still offer them helpful services.... We have a crisis on our hands and for the past half-century, we have been failing to solve it. But there are alternatives. Both the United States and Mexico need to look beyond the idea that drug abuse is simply a law-enforcement problem, solvable through arrests, prosecution and restrictions on supply. We must together attack it with public health policies and education. We still have time to persuade our young people not to ruin their lives. January 1, 2018 at 02:13 PM | Permalink Comments "The war on drugs in the United States has been a failure that has ruined lives, filled prisons and cost a fortune." The Prohibition debacle taught us this long ago, but we buried our heads in the sand. Posted by: Michael R. Levine | Jan 1, 2018 5:33:23 PM Schultz and Aspe, not lawyers. Posted by: David Behar | Jan 1, 2018 6:24:09 PM Thank goodness he said that now, and not 30 years from now when he's no longer relevant. Posted by: C.E. | Jan 1, 2018 6:55:56 PM This would only be notable if he took some responsibility for the problem on behalf of the administration he served in, which executed the platform of political party that elected Reagan. The defense of Nancy Reagan's simplistic 'just say no' campaign, without noting his administration's and party refusal to fund treatment, destroys much credibility of the piece. It would be refreshing to see a Republican/Right on Crime type say, "My party lead the charge in making a mess of the war on crime and drugs," noted much of the problematic rhetoric and police, THEN discussed the need for reform. It's a bit like the Catholic Church talking about the need to protect young people from sexual abuse without noting their own history. Posted by: Paul | Jan 2, 2018 2:35:31 AM Paul. What false propaganda attacking dead people for policies of 30 years ago. The War on Drugs is a welfare program for worthless government make work lawyers and other worthless make work government worker rent seekers. Most of this thieving scum, as the overwhelming majority of criminals do, vote for the Democratic Party. They resist all attempts to shrink government. The War on Drugs will end soon, as most addicts will pass away. Their fecundity will also be decreased by their early deaths. You lawyer rent seekers should seek employment elsewhere. You would make compelling high school American History teachers. You have insider knowledge of what is destroying our country. Your pay and retirement will also be more, average. Posted by: David Behar | Jan 2, 2018 6:47:29 AM Mr. Behar, when I read the first reports of your escape from the asylum, i thought they were fake news, but now, regretfully, I see they were correct. Posted by: anon2 | Jan 2, 2018 10:42:41 AM Anon2, they just don't make straightjackets the way they used to. I understand that Behar was able to slip out of his quite easily. Posted by: Emily | Jan 2, 2018 10:44:25 AM Ironic personal insults from people holding supernatural beliefs. Cuckoo, cuckoo, cuckoo. Ding. Posted by: David Behar | Jan 3, 2018 12:22:52 AM Post a comment The permission aims at improving the exploitation efficiency of the seaport infrastructure in the north central province of Ha Tinh. Wharf No. 2 was put into operation in 2010, at first receiving Vietnamese vessels and foreign cargo ship of about 50,000 tons. By mid 2016, the administration permitted the wharf to receive general cargo vessels of up to 55,000 tons or container ship of 45,000 tons with the total length of 215 meters and water line suitable to get in and out from the wharf to load and deliver goods and perform other marine services. By DUONG QUANG Translated by Hai Mien For the first time, the Military Hospital 103 and their Japanese counterparts February 21 performed a successful lung transplant on a six year old boy. Next, Vietnamese surgeons carried out ten-hour heart transplant operation on ten year old boy Nguyen Thanh Dat who suffered the last stage of heart disease on March 15 in Viet-Duc ( Vietnam - German) hospital. Leading hospital Cho Ray in Ho Chi Minh City sets eight records cofirmed by the national record association. These records are "The hospital performed first kidney transplant from brain-dead donors in Vietnam; The hospital conducted first kidney transplant with donor whose heart stopped beating in Vietnam; The hospital performed most kidney transplants in the country; The hospital transported donted organs in long distance from South to North to save people; The hospital firstly carried out cross-kidney transplantation. The Ministry of Health considered the incident in kidney dialysis in the general hospital in the northern province of Hoa Binh the most serious event of the year. Eighteen patients May 29 undergoing renal dialysis at a hospital in northern Vietnam suffered a mass anaphylactic shock on Monday, resulting in the death of eight of them. Ten others escaped the death; later, they were transferred to Bach Mai hospital in Hanoi for further treatment. Worse, the Ministry said that in the year, medical workers on duty in some localities were attacked by patients and their relatives; for instance, the attacks happened in Thach That Hospital in the North, hospital 115 in the central province of Nghe An, medical center Huong Long in the central province of Ha Tinh, Vietnam-Cuba Hospital in Dong Hoi in the Central and the hospital 115 in the northern province of Thai Binh. When it comes to policies relating to healthcare mission, the decree 21-NQ/TW on healthcare and population is selected as an outstanding event in 2017. Along with this, the increase of medical fee to improve medical quality and the rise of insurance coverage rate to nearly 86 percent are selected into ten outstanding events of the sector in 2017. In the field of preventive health, whiel outbreaks of dengue re-occurred in the country, Vietnam became one of four Asian countries to produce meales- rubella vaccineafter China, Japan and India. This entered ten outstanding events also. By NGUYEN QUOC Translated by UYEN PHUONG Until five or six thousand years ago, the Red River flowed through Ha Long Bay, which was then dry land, and down through a vast fertile plain that ended near the tip of what is now Hainan Island. Most of this plain is now buried under the waters of the Gulf of Tonkin. In those ancient times, the river flowed into a sea that was about 120 metres below its present level, like most seas and oceans around the world. However, as the earth began warming 27,000 years ago at the end of the last ice age, seas around the world began rising gradually until they reached their present levels about 5,000 years ago. The inundation, part of a world event referred to in ancient Mesopotamian texts and the Bible, swamped a vast area of coastline around the world, particularly in South-east Asia and Australia to the South. This gave birth to oral histories still repeated by native people in Australia and New Guinea and by all ethnic groups throughout Vietnam. An article on the subject by the late ethnologist Dang Nghiem Van, The Flood Myth and Origin of Ethnic Groups in South-east Asia, was published in 1993. Van, director of the Center for Study of Religion and former vice-director of the Institute of Ethnology in Ha Noi, collected 300 stories of an ancient flood in his travels throughout Vietnam. They were published by the American Folklore Society in its journal. Van, Vietnams prominent historian and ethnologist, died in 2016. Geologists today refer to the two pre-flood land masses as Sundaland (Southeast Asia) and Sahul (Australia, Tasmania and New Guinea). Southeast Asia was then basically one large land mass stretching like a giant udder from what is now Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam to embrace Malaysia, Sumatra and most of the islands as far as Java. It was a vast, fertile region fed by silt from rivers flowing for millenia from the slowly rising Himalayas including the Red River and the Mekong. The rich plains, including what is today the Gulf of Tonkin, now home to Ha Long Bay, are believed to have held a large population of Austronesian speaking people, including the small, dark Negritos who still remain in pockets throughout former Sundaland and once even as far as the rainforests of northern Australia and Tasmania. The seas rose slowly for thousands of years, but at times advanced quite rapidly, as the ice sheets around the world continued to melt. When the warming stopped, somewhere around 5,000 to 7,000 years ago, the shorelines of Asia, Australia and the world had altered dramatically. (Some argue that the warming is an on-again off-again work in progress, like even more ancient ice ages). In the giant Sahul landmass, Australia was cut off from Tasmania and New Guinea, stranding people and animals such as the Tasmanian Tiger. In Sundaland, the solid land mass was broken into a patchwork of islands stretching from mainland Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and Malaysia to Sumatra, Java and Borneo in Indonesia. The world flood, as it has been called, is believed to have slowly submerged Sundaland, a vast and fertile cradle of mankind that evolved after early people began a long journey out of Africa 60,000 to 100,000 years ago. According to historians, the route they took was along the coast of the Middle East and India to Southeast Asia. Why? Because it was the simplest and safest way to migrate and fishing mostly kept them alive. It is interesting to note that large conch shells were used by these ancient wanderers to communicate with each other along the shores. The conch is still a vibrant symbol in Asian cultures as far away as Tibet. Some anthropologists believe that the flood led to forced migrations out of Sundaland into the hills and valleys of the Southeast Asia we know today. They compare the high genetic diversity of Southeast Asia to a comparable lack of diversity in northern Asia. In other words, the spread of the Sundaland peoples after the flood triggered the spread of people north into the Eurasian landmass. The rising waters also isolated elephants, tigers and rhinoceros and even certain types of river fish, often leading to the evolution of a smaller species on smaller territory. Developed culture During the Ice Age, Ha Long Bay was connected to Sundalands version of the cradle of mankind by a much broader coastline down Vietnam. Excavations reveal pottery and ceramics made on turntables, plus metal instruments dating back 5,000 years. Based on all the artifacts collected so far, Ha Long can be said to possess a developed culture with a complete set of production tools for hunting and harvesting plus jewelry and woven handicrafts. One of the ancient stories of the Vietnamese people relates to the frog and its connection with and power over water. Con Coc Isle (Toad Isle) in Ha Long Bay was named after a toad who asked all animals to complain to heavenly gods to end a drought ravaging the land. This meant that the gods had to accept the toad as their uncle. Since then, whenever toads grind their teeth (croak) the gods have to send down rain. In China, it is the dragon who needs appeasing during a drought. This is one of the old stories that distinguish Vietnamese from their neighbours. Some scholars hold that the toads often found on the ancient bronze drums of the highly creative ong Son culture on the Red River plains demonstrate that ancient Vietnamese were different. Surveys around Ha Long Bay have shown the presence of prehistoric humans in the area for tens of thousands of years. The successive ancient cultures are the Soi Nhu culture (18,000-7,000 BC), the Cai Beo culture (7,000-5,000 BC) and the Ha Long culture (5,000-3,000 years before the present). These cultures appear related to those that spread around the Gulf of Tonkin and up the coast as far as Guangdong. A study from Leeds University has suggested that humans have been occupying the islands of Southeast Asia for longer than previously believed. Population dispersals seem to have occurred at the same time as the sea levels rose, which may have resulted in migrations from the Philippines to as far north as Taiwan. This forced migration would have caused these humans to adapt to forest and mountain environments. They were the ancestors of todays Southeast Asian peoples. Research held in 2009 by the HUGO Pan Asian SNP Consortium, conducted within and between the different populations of the Asian continent, show that genetic diversity clearly increases the closer one gets to old Sundaland. It also suggests that Southeast Asia was a major geographic source of East Asian, Australasian and North Asian populations. Vietnamnews Items gaining high export turnover include agricultural products and seafood, fuel, minerals and processing items. Of these, wooden product export was estimated to reach $7.6 billion, increasing 10.23 percent over 2016. Seafood was up 6 percent to $7.4 billion and farm produce hit $35 billion. In HCMC, cargo export turnover was estimated to total $35.2 billion in 2017, up 15.1 percent over the same period last year when it posted the growth rate of 5.2 percent, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade. Items with high growth rates include vegetables and fruits 20.3 percent; rubber 32.6 percent; computers, electronic products and components 29.6 percent; transport means and parts 55.7 percent. The city saw a strong increase in the export turnover to Singapore, Myanmar and Thailand. Import turnover hit $43.1 billion, up 13.2 percent. The country most imported from India, China and the Philippines. Major import items include equipment and materials for production such as electronic parts and metals. By MINH XUAN Translated by Hai Mien Callie Anne Whitney, age 19, of Leonardtown Carla Rachelle Dyson, age 29, of Lexington Park Cedric Mellam Long, age 24, of Lexington Park Christopher Michael Wall, age 42, of Hagerstown Darren Edward Cole, age 30, of St. Inigoes Dominique Damitrus White, age 26, of Lexington Park Donald Emmanuel Wilson, age 49, of La Plata Jessy James Snead, age 38, of Mechanicsville John Davidson Justice, age 32, of Hollywood Joseph Elisha Norwood, age 20, with no fixed address Karen Anne Granville, age 28, of Mechanicsville Marvin Jerome Smith, Jr., age 46, of Lexington Park Matthew Joseph Hatcher, age 32, of Mechanicsville Michael Antoine Johnson, age 24, of Lexington Park Oliver Glenn Malone, age 40, of Lexington Park SeanPaul Monroe McMillon, age 36, of Great Mills Timothy James Burnett Parker, age 19, of Waldorf Turez Lydell Creek, age 29, of Lexington Park Wendell Ignatius Ford, Jr., age 28, of Lexington Park William Ambrose Fenwick, age 27, of Lexington Park Previous Next LEONARDTOWN, Md. Disclaimer: In the U.S.A., all persons accused of a crime by the State are presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. See: so.md/presumed-innocence. Additionally, all of the information provided above is solely from the perspective of the respective law enforcement agency and does not provide any direct input from the accused or persons otherwise mentioned. You can find additional information about the case by searching the Maryland Judiciary Case Search Database using the accused's name and date of birth. The database is online at so.md/mdcasesearch . Persons named who have been found innocent or not guilty of all charges in the respective case, and/or have had the case ordered expunged by the court can have their name, age, and city redacted by following the process defined at so.md/expungeme. (January 01, 2018)The St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office released the following incident and arrest reports.FALSE STATEMENT: On December 20, at approximately 1:30 a.m., DFC. Steinbach observed Suspect, walking in and out of the roadway in the 27000 block of Budds Creek Road in Mechanicsville. DFC. Steinbach stopped to check his welfare at which time Hatcher provided false identifying information to avoid apprehension for open warrants. DFC. Steinbach was able to positively identify Hatcher and he was arrested for the following: FTA/Child Support, FTA Violate Exparte Protective Order. Subsequent to his arrest, Hatcher was found to have CDS paraphernalia and suspected cocaine residue on his person. Hatcher was charged with CDS- Possess- not Marijuana and CDS- Possess Paraphernalia, and False Statement to Peace Officer. CASE# 67337-17.VIOLATION OF PROTECTIVE ORDER: On December 20, DFC. Maguire responded to the 18000 block of Matthews Drive in Lexington Park for a report of a violation of a protective order. Suspect, was on the victim's property after being served an order prohibiting him to be on the premises. Cole fled into the woods, but was located a short time later and charged with Violate Exparte/Protective Order. CASE# 67368-17.ASSAULT: On December 20, DFC. Roszell responded to the St. Mary's County Detention and Rehabilitation Center, in Leonardtown, for a report of an assault between two inmates. Investigation revealed Suspect, grabbed the victim and attempted to strike the victim. Wall was charged with Assault 2nd Degree. CASE# 67435-17.ASSAULT: On December 20, Dep. McClure responded to the 46000 block of Hilton Drive, in Lexington Park, for a report of a disturbance. Upon arrival contact was made with a victim who indicated Suspect, had assaulted the victim by grabbing the victim's arm. Injury was observed to the victim and Malone was arrested and charged with Assault 2nd Degree. CASE# 67503-17.ASSAULT: On December 20, Dep. Sidorowicz responded to the 48000 block of Compass Circle, in Lexington Park, for the report of an assault. Contact was made with the victim who indicated Suspect, had assaulted the victim by pushing the victim to the ground. Injury was observed to the victim, and Smith Jr. was arrested and charged with Assault 2nd Degree. CASE# 67470-17.BURGLARY: On December 21, Dep. J. Smith, made contact with a victim who reported Suspect, was not abiding by the terms of the protective order the victim had against him. While interviewing the victim, Suspect Norwood contacted the victim in Dep. Smith's presence and further investigation revealed Norwood kicked in a door to a residence in the 38000 block of Mt. Wolf Road, in Charlotte Hall, looking for the victim. Norwood was located and arrested; Norwood was charged with Burglary 3rd Degree, Burglary 4th Degree, Violate Exparte/Protective Order, and Malicious Destruction of Property. CASE# 66705-17.On December 13, at approximately 9:13 p.m., the victim was in the parking lot of Dollar General, located in Charlotte Hall, when she was approached by a white female. The female suspect then attempted to take the victim's purse. After a brief struggle the suspect was able to obtain the purse and fled on foot. The victim was transported from the scene to MedStar St. Mary's Hospital for routine medical observation. The suspect was last observed fleeing the area and running toward Mohawk Drive, in Charlotte Hall. The suspect was described as a white female in her 20's, with blonde hair, approximately 5'0"-5'2" in height, and at the time of this incident was wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt, with a puffy black jacket over the sweatshirt, and black pants/leggings. Through further investigation by Corporal Kerby, two suspects were developed;and. It was determined Granville had committed the robbery, while Snead acted as the getaway driver. On December 27, Cpl. Kerby located both suspects and placed them under arrest. Granville was charged with Robbery, Assault 2nd Degree, and Theft. Snead was charged with Robbery, Assault 2nd Degree, Theft, and Access after Statute (Accessory after the Fact to a Felony).On December 24, at approximately 4:04 p.m., deputies and Maryland State Police from the Leonardtown Barrack, responded to a report of a shooting in the 38000 block of Dukeharts Creek Road in Coltons Point. Detectives and crime lab technicians from the sheriff's office responded to the scene to continue the investigation.The investigation determined Roger Allen Bruce, age 66, of New Market, Va. was visiting relatives at the residence when an argument ensued. Roger Bruce, began discharging a firearm towards the homeowner, Michael Allen Bruce, Sr., age 45, of Coltons Point. The homeowner returned fire striking Roger Bruce. Lifesaving efforts were initiated by responding law enforcement and rescue squad personnel which were not successful. Roger Bruce, succumbed to his injuries at the scene, and was later transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for an autopsy.12/19/2017:, was arrested on an outstanding warrant for FTA/Child Support by DFC. Tirpak# 270. CASE# 67166-17.12/19/2017:, was arrested on an outstanding Department of Natural Resources Warrant for failure to pay fine for possession of undersized crabs, by Dep. J. Davis# 269. CASE# 67179-17.12/20/2017:, was arrested for an outstanding warrant for FTA/Assault 2nd Degree by Cpl. Corcoran# 129. CASE# 67366-17.12/20/2017:, was arrested on an outstanding warrant for Burglary 1st Degree by Dep. Bare# 307. CASE# 64649-17.12/20/2017:, was arrested on an outstanding Child Support warrant by Dep. T. Payne# 320. CASE# 67491-17.12/21/2017:, was arrested on an outstanding warrant for Theft and Theft Scheme by Cpl. Potter# 255. CASE# 67683-17.12/21/2017:, was arrested on an outstanding warrant for Child Abuse and Assault by Cpl. Foor# 235. CASE# 67667-17.12/21/2017:, was arrested on a Violation of Probation Warrant for Burglary by Cpl. Foor# 235. CASE# 67651-17.12/21/2017:, was arrested on an outstanding Child Support Warrant by Cpl. White# 200. CASE# 67652-17.12/21/2017:, was arrested on an outstanding warrant for Driving While Suspended, Driving Uninsured, and Fail to Stop at an Accident by DFC. Roszell# 296. CASE# 67691-17.12/21/2017:, was arrested on an outstanding warrant for Assault 1st Degree and Assault 2nd Degree by Cpl. Potter# 255. CASE# 13613-17.12/19/2017:, was charged with Driving/Attempt to Drive Vehicle While Impaired by Drugs & Alcohol and Driving While Impaired by Controlled Dangerous Substance by Dep. Sidorowicz# 328. CASE# 67275-17.12/20/2017:, was charged with Driving Vehicle While Under the Influence of Alcohol and Driving While Impaired by Alcohol by Dep. Bare# 307. CASE# 674170-17.12/20/2017:, was charged with Driving While Impaired by Alcohol and Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol by Dep. M. Beyer# 319. CASE# 67478-17. Yes, you can transfer your domain to any registrar or hosting company once you have purchased it. Since domain transfers are a manual process, it can take up to 5 days to transfer the domain. Domains purchased with payment plans are not eligible to transfer until all payments have been made. Please remember that our 30-day money back guarantee is void once a domain has been transferred. For transfer instructions to GoDaddy, please click here. The Heart of Harness Racing Calendar is back for 2018 and the I Love Canadian Harness Racing Fan Club would like to thank everyone who sent submissions for the calendar! First out of the gate for our January photo is this unique shot captured by Jackie McManus of Komoka, Ont. The image was taken at Dorchester Downs where two horses that Jackie owns shares in are stabled. Jackie goes to the barn every Saturday regardless of the weather. On this day it was -15 degrees and snowing. I was coming out of the infield on my way back to the barn and I saw a horseshoe just under the snow. I picked it up and put it on the fence post and with that I knew what I wanted to do next. I waited for a horse to come into the frame with the horse shoe, she explained. According to McManus, who is VP of Finance for a property management/real estate development company in London, Ont., she was a horse crazy kid who was able to spend her childhood at the track with her father. She has owned and showed hunter/jumpers but has returned to her first love, the Standardbred. Currently Jackie is part owner of several horses in fractional ownership groups with the Standardbred Breeders of Ontario Association (SBOA), Landmark 11, theStable.ca, Larry Fitzsimmons and Taylor Fritz. She started photographing horses in 2005 at horse shows in Southwestern Ontario. I had not picked up a camera in almost a decade until this year when I started to purchase shares in Standardbreds. I feel like I have a part of my life back now being around the horses and having a camera around my neck again, she stated. Jackie liked to take photos with a key element in the foreground in focus and something in the background out of focus. I always say photography is 50% luck (being in the right place at the right time) and 50% patience (you always have to wait for that right moment and that can take a very long time). Standardbred Canada members can stop by the SC Field Reps office at tracks racing in January to pick up a FREE calendar. For anyone who would like to purchase calendars to be mailed out, please contact the Industry Marketing Department at (905) 858-3060 x243. Calendars are $10 each (Including postage to anywhere in Canada). You must pay via credit card. In what was their final day of eligibility for a pari-mutuel race, a pair of 14-year-old veterans bucked the odds and posted the last win of their careers on Sunday, December 31 at Truro Raceway. The first of the elder statesmen to turn the trick was the Joseph Baxter-reined and trained Intrepidus ($9.60), who laid off the early speed in Race 1 and came calling late for the win. Intrepidus, a 14-year-old Intrepid Seelster gelding, was making the 305th start of his career. He and Baxter watched the action unfold from fourth through the :31 opening quarter and the 1:02.3 opening half. The pair sat at the back of the pack in fifth, three and a quarter lengths from the point at the 1:34.3 three quarters, before they made their move. They were still fifth at the head of the lane, but less than three lengths from pay dirt. After having finished with a flurry, Intrepidus got up to post a half-length win in 2:06.4 over both Eye Forty Seven (driven by Marc Whebby, who finished second) and Dontstandinmyway (Kenny Parker Jr., third). Intrepidus (5) pictured retiring with a hard-fought win at Truro Raceway on December 31, 2017 (Image courtesy Kyle Burton) Intrepidus, who is owned by Jennifer Baxter of Windsor, Nova Scotia, retires with a slate of 39-47-35 from 305 career starts, good for over $209,000 in purse earnings. Fast forward to Race 4 and it was the Devin OConnor-trained and Robert Laffin-driven Sharon The Moment ($5.10) that utilized different tactics, but still hit the wire first in his tilt. After having started from Post 2 in the six-horse affair, the 14-year-old Artiscape gelding tucked into third, observed the opening fractions (:31, 1:02.1), and launched a three-high attack at the 1:33.1 three quarters. The move was more than effective, as Sharon The Moment was ahead by two and a half lengths at the head of the stretch. The final margin of victory was one and a half lengths. Ideal Ticket (Dale Spence) finished second and Draft Seelster (Paul Langille) finished third. Sharon The Moment fires home full of pace on December 31, 2017 at Truro Raceway in his last-ever career race (Image courtesy Kyle Burton) Sharon The Moments career slate will now settle at 44 wins, 63 seconds and 72 thirds from 387 starts, good for more than $261,000 in career purse earnings. Devin OConnor co-owns Sharon The Moment with fellow New Glasgow, Nova Scotia resident Charles OConnor. Along with fellow 14-year-old Bagel Man, Intrepidus and Sharon The Moment were also recently featured in the December 2017 issue of TROT Magazine. To view the harness racing results for Sunday at Truro Raceway, click the following link: Sunday Results Truro Raceway. On Sunday (December 31), Propulsion, the six-year-old son of Muscle Hill that raced under the tutelage of trainer Tony Alagna while in North America, captured the Grade II 120,000 Prix de Bourgogne at Vincennes in a mile-rated 1:53.2. Via the win, Propulsion has now gained entrance to the Prix dAmerique, which will be raced on January 28 at Vincennes. Propulsion faced off against a scratch-reduced 14 rivals in the 2,100-metre event (one mile and five sixteenths of a mile) and started from Post 6 behind the mobile starting gate. Driver Orjan Kihlstrom gave his horse a front-end trip through the fractions, and it didnt seem to faze the bay late, as Propulsion was steady, fluid and strong through the lane. The Daniel Reden trainee did not seem bothered at all by the fact that the great Bold Eagle last years winner that will be searching for his third consecutive Prix dAmerique next month closed through the middle of the track with a solid late kick to finish second for pilot Franck Nivard. The Matthieu Abrivard-driven Briac Dark finished third. Propulsion, who sold for a quarter-million dollars at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale in 2012, was later sold to Swedish interests in the 2015 Meadowlands Summer Mixed Sale for $210,000. Propulsion, bred by Fredericka Caldwell of Georgetown, Kentucky, and Bluestone Farms of Hopewell, New Jersey, is out of the Hambletonian Oaks-winning Andover Hall mare Danae, and is a full brother to Dream Together and a half brother to Dorsay. Coptic Solidarity Condemns Attack on Mar Mina Church in Helwan, Egypt Contact: Lindsay Griffin, 801-512-1713, coptadvocacy@copticsolidarity.org WASHINGTON, Jan. 1, 2018 /Standard Newswire/ -- Coptic Solidarity condemns the cowardly attack by armed gunmen on Mar Mina Church on December 29, in Helwan, a suburb south of Cairo, Egypt. This incident is just the latest in an increasingly dangerous environment for Egypt's Copts. At least two gunmen attacked worshippers leaving a Friday mass, when they were unable to gain entrance to the church. They killed at least 10 individuals including two policemen. Additionally, a reported eight Copts were injured. Earlier in the day, a gunman murdered two people at an appliance shop owned by a Copt in Helwan. It is believed the gunman is the same who later attacked Mar Mina parishioners. Egyptian security forces arrived during the attack and killed one of the gunmen and took the other into custody. It was reported that at least one of the attackers came from Etfeih*, the town where fanatics, with the complicity of State Security, attacked last week a church after a rumor that a bell-tower would be built. This proves, once more, that terrorism against Copts in Egypt is homegrown and is often sanctioned by state organs. Egregious acts of violence against Copts receive the most media attention. Yet, it is the mundane daily discrimination, oppression and harassment, which has the most pernicious effect, and which receives virtually no media attention or condemnation resulting in a war of attrition on Copts. It is no less heinous in breaking Copts down into a state of submission, hopelessness, and drives the dramatic rise of Coptic emigration from their homeland. To address this ongoing persecution of the Copts, Coptic Solidarity supports a newly introduced Congressional resolution, H. RES. 673 which condemns attacks on Egypt's Copts and seeks their equality. The outright denial and bizarre accusations against Members of Congress and Coptic Solidarity in a plethora of Egyptian media reports demonstrates the need for continued attention and advocacy to achieve security and equality. * www.coptstoday.com/Copts-News/Detail.php?Id=245948 Coptic Solidarity is an organization seeking to help minorities, particularly the Copts, of Egypt and we support those in Egypt working for democracy, freedom, and the protection of the fundamental rights of all Egyptian citizens. It advocates in cooperation with the affiliated organizations in Canada and in Europe (Solidarite Copte). For more information, contact Lindsay Griffin at 801-512-1713 or coptadvocacy@copticsolidarity.org Likud party calls for de-facto annexation of Israeli settlements Likud party members vote during a Likud Central Committee meeting in Airport City, Israel. Reuters, Israel : Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party unanimously urged legislators in a non-binding resolution on Sunday to effectively annex Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, land that Palestinians want for a future state. By enacting civilian law over settlements, the move could streamline procedures for their construction and expansion. That land is currently under military jurisdiction and Israel's defense minister has a final say on building there. The settlers are subject to Israeli civilian law. "We will now promote the recognition of our sovereignty of the Jewish settlements in Judea and Samaria (the West Bank). ... We must begin to enact this sovereignty, we have the moral right and obligation towards our settler brothers," Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan told a meeting of Likud's Central Committee. Netanyahu is not bound to follow the resolution. He did not attend the meeting, which attracted several hundred delegates including ministers, legislators and party officials. The Likud Central Committee is the party's governing body. In 2002, it voted against the creation of a Palestinian state, but then-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said he would act as he saw fit and Netanyahu in 2009 voiced conditional support for the establishment of a Palestinian state in a landmark speech. Political commentators said the decision might bolster right-wing support for Netanyahu, who could seek a public mandate in an early election as he awaits possible criminal indictments against him on corruption suspicions. He denies wrongdoing. Although parliamentary elections are not due until November 2019, the police investigations in two cases of alleged corruption against Netanyahu and tensions among partners in his governing coalition could hasten a poll. Most countries view settlements that Israel has built on land captured in the 1967 Middle East war as illegal. Israel disputes that and cites biblical, historical and political links to the West Bank, as well as security interests. About 400,000 settlers and 2.8 million Palestinians live in the West Bank. The Palestinians want to establish a state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip with East Jerusalem as its capital. In 1981, Israel enacted civilian law on the Golan Heights, territory captured from Syria in 1967, a de-facto annexation of the strategic plateau. The move has not won international recognition. Israeli settlements have been one of the main stumbling blocks in Israeli-Palestinian peace talks that have been frozen since 2014. Efforts by U.S. President Donald Trump's envoys to restart them have not yet shown any progress. Trump this month recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital, reversing decades of U.S. policy. RANGPUR: Mustafa Sohrab Chowdhury Titu, President, Rangpur Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) addressing the AGM of the Organisation at RCCI Auditorium on Sunday. BUBT observes Victory Day-2017 Campus Report : The Victory Day-2017 was observed at Bangladesh University of Business and Technology (BUBT). Discussion and cultural function was arranged to mark the occasion on Saturday at the Hall Room of the University Permanent Campus, Rupnagar, Mirpur in the capital. The chief guest at the event was freedom fighter Major General (Retired) Jamil D Ahsan, Bir Protik, psc, while AFM Sarwar Kamal, Chairman of BUBT Trust, Prof Mian Lutfar Rahman, Proctor of BUBT and Chief Coordinator of the BUBT Extra Curricular Activities and Prof Syed Anwarul Huq, Dean, Faculty of Arts and Humanities attended as special guests. Treasurer of BUBT Prof Md. Enayet Hossain Miah presided over the program. Major General (Retired) Jamil D. Ahsan, Bir Protik delivered the keynote presentation on Liberation War and elaborated the steps of the War showing visual documents. He said, "Young generation should see the Liberation War documents for inspiration, otherwise they cannot hold the National Flag tightly to move the country forward." He also said, "Muktibahini has the great contribution to the Liberation War and the Victory in 9 month fight was possible only for the sacrifice of the freedom fighters." AFM Sarwar Kamal, Chairman of BUBT Trust, described the Victory Days Details and said that the War was against discrimination to East Bengal by West Pakistan, Kamal said, "Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Father of the Nation, unified the nation for participating in the freedom fight against the Pakistani rulers and exploiters. Bangabandhu was the leader as a great patriot and a strong rebel voice against injustice." Deans of various faculties, Registrar of BUBT, Controller of Examinations, Director, CGO, Chairmen of all Departments, Faculty members, Officials and a large number of students of BUBT were present in the event. Md. Sabbir Ahmad, Assistant Professor, Department of English anchored the program. Murray will be happy to be playing at '30 Former world number one Andy Murray says he doesn't mind if he is playing at "30 in the world level" as he prepares to return from six months out. The 30-year-old Briton's ranking has dropped to 16th in the world having been out since July with a hip injury.Murray is set to make his return at the Brisbane International as he prepares for the Australian Open in January. "Right now the hip is the only thing that is any concern. The rest of my body feels really good," he said."I just want to enjoy playing again. I've really missed it the last six months or so." Streamline banking sector for accelerating economic development Dr. Anu Mahmud : The government is going to allow three more private banks to be added to the already existing 40 commercial banks operating in the country. It has been learnt from observation that private banks are increasingly becoming involved in corruption. With the banking sector already plunged into deep crisis due to the involvement of many private banks in corruption and irregularities, analysts believe that reform of the banking sector is more important at this moment rather than adding more in the row. It is risky. Banks play pivotal roles in financial inclusion of the people, which is essential for accelerating economic development of the country. But the current situation in the banking sector poses a big challenge to achieving this target. In fact, billion of taka being siphoned off through the channels of the banking system due to the involvement of many private banks in irregularities. And the economy has been suffering from the burden of banking malpractices. As reported in media, many members of the governing body of private banks, especially those who represent the owners, are found involved in disbursing loans to dubious entities that in many cases fail to repay the loan and become defaulters. As a result, the amount of default loans has become huge and default loan culture has become synonymous with a malignant cancer in the banking sector. Mobile banking is an essential element of today's technology-based banking system which has been playing significant roles to reach banking facility to the grassroots level in society. But, this service has been misused and has become risky as well. It is clear that improving the level of efficiency of banks is more important than increasing their number. Notably, nine banks that got operating licenses the latest are found involved in corruption. And this is a convincing argument in favour of the fact that issuing license for setting up more private banks is likely to deteriorate the situation further. The government recently has taken praiseworthy steps to terminate high officials of some banks in an effort to curb corruption in the banking sector. It is essential to streamline the banking system with strong hands to get the optimum benefits. Political Connections For Defaulted Loans: Defaulted loans in the banking sector are spreading growing concerns about the stability of the country's bank's and financial institutions. It recorded a rise of over 191 per cent in the past eight years and a big shoot in recent years, although it started much earlier. The situation is only worsening under political shelter instead of any attempt by the government to improve governance in the banking sector. Bank loan is an easier way now of amassing illegal wealth but it can't go this way. That said - it is clear that the deviant rise is directly linked with politically linked loan sanctioning and illegal capital flight as both have marked substantial rise in recent years. What is frustrating is that the Finance Minister at once point blames bad loans destroying the banking sector while on another occasions he takes it lightly saying grabbing of Tk 4000 crore as such from a bank is a small money. He even said, capital flight from the country is not too big which rose by 19 per cent last year to Swiss Bank alone when India was substantially able to reduce it. Vested interest group have already grabbed almost aii state owned banks and grabbing deposits from private banks now; which they control as family banks. It is clear that ruling party politics and loan sanctioning have direct links. What is at stake is depositors' money while the country is losing huge resources that could be used for development. We have requisite laws and law courts as we see to recover bad loans but they are not functioning because they are not allowed to function. Powerful people around the government are not allowing it to function. So defaulted loans are growing and capital flights are soaring. The government is keeping its eye almost shut. The non-recovered loans now stands at Tk 1,11,347 crore and the point is why the government is failing to stop faulty loan sanctioning and money laundering from banks. Why it is failing to show success in the recovery of defaulted loans. The public has the right to know about it. Finance Minister has told the Parliament that more than two lakh individuals or companies are defaulters in the country but he had no courage even to name the top 100 although he mentioned about them. We must say mere voicing concern will not serve any purpose unless the government takes strong resolve to recover the bad loans. Its political weakness is deterring it from bringing pressure on powerful people and business houses to repay the loans. We must say defaulters are by no means loyal friends or supporters of the regime except the fact that they are using political cover to grab money from banks. The government must prove its credibility to the people without sheltering people grabbing banks and financial institution. Misuse SME Loans Be Checked: Thirteen banks have exceeded their annual (Small and Medium Enterprises) SME loan disbursement targets in just six months; which seems to be suspicious in the eyes of the central bank. They disbursed 105 per cent to 242 percent of their annual targets in January-June period of this year. It is good that the banks have disbursed a hefty amount of loans to small and medium enterprises but the central bank should keep watch on these banks to see if they showed other credits as SME loans. Moreover many remain skeptical whether such credit is being used as cover to grabbing loans by influential people closer to power corridor. It needs extra care when default loans in the SME sector have increased by more than eight times in the last seven years. In 2016, Tk 22,494 crore out of the Tk 1,36,176 crore disbursed became defaulted; the amount of such default loans was only Tk 2,644 crore in 2010. The commercial banks should restraint the rise in suspicious banking to arrest the rising trend of default loan in the SME sector. For example, Exim Bank's disbursement target for the entire year was Tk 5,375 crore but it has already disbursed Tk 5,666 crore or 105 per cent of the target in six months. Meghna Bank disbursed 200 per cent of its annual SME lending target of Tk 265 crore in the period while NCC Bank achieved 242 per cent of its target of Tk 900 crore. Likewise Trust Bank has disbursed 115 per cent of the target of Tk 600 crore and NRB Commercial Bank achieved 205 per cent of its target of Tk 250 crore. The nine other banks that overshot their SME loan target are Bank Al-Farah, Citibank NA, State Bank of India, Woori Bank, Modhumoti Bank, NRB Bank, City Bank, Bank Asia and Exim Bank. On the other hand, 19 banks, including eight state-run lenders, could not reach over 50 per cent of their SME loan disbursement targets in the first half of the year. Together, banks and non-bank financial institutions (NBFIs) lent 62 per cent of their yearly SME loan target of Tk 1,33,854 crore in the first six months. The Bangladesh Bank sat with banks and non-bank financial institutions in separate meetings between October 09 and 11 and asked them not to disburse loans excessively in the trading sector. Banks and NBFIs were also asked not to disburse more than 55 per cent of their SME loans to the trading sector in a single year. The central bank will not consider any loans exceeding the 55 per cent threshold as SME credit. SME financing does not contribute much to banks' profit but banks will have to concentrate more lending to small and medium enterprises which may grow as big business in future. But more such loans must not go to trading, the focus should be on productivity sector to produce new goods and create more jobs. In our view the central bank must strengthen monitoring to avoid fake loans under the SME cover. Rise Of NPLs In SME Sector: Almost everyone wanted the banks to make available more loans to the small and medium enterprises that are seen as keen drivers of the country's economy. But the current state of loan situation involving banks and SMEs is quite confusing. Some banks have beefed up their SME-loan disbursement in recent years and many others are still lagging far behind. A few banks are found to be hyperactive as they have overshot their respective annual targets as disbursement of SME-loan is concerned. But what has alarmed many is the abnormal rise in the volume of non-performing loans (NPLs) in the SME sector in recent years. Statistics made available in a paper presented at a seminar in Dhaka showed that the volume of NPLs in the SME sector had increased more than eightfold to Tk 220 billion between 2010 and 2016. In line with the performance of their overall loan operations, the rate of NPLs in areas of SME loans in the case of state-owned banks is very high - 40 per cent for commercial banks and 35 per cent for specialized ones. In case of a few private banks that have expanded their SME loan portfolio aggressively, the NPL situation is also pretty bad, if not critical like that of their public sector counterparts. The developments surrounding SME loans have given rise to opposing views in the banking industry. Some people do strongly feel that SME financing has caused erosion in the banks' profitability. But many senior bankers, who support the emergence of a strong SME sector for greater benefit of the national economy, are not ready to accept this proposition. The latter tend to feel that wrong selection of borrowers and failure to take appropriate measures for supervision and recovery of loans by the banks concerned are responsible for the rise in default rates in SME loan operations. That some banks are more interested in meeting SME loan disbursement targets than quality lending is evident from their reported aggressive lending. A total of 13 banks over short their annual SME loan disbursement targets in just six months, between January and June this year. A couple of banks disbursed SME loans to the tune of over 200 per cent of their respective targets. Allegations have it that a section of banks are resorting to foul play to meet their SME loan targets and diverting funds to trade financing. Such diversion of fund, as many observers are of the view, is responsible for the rise in the NPL rate in the SME loans. It is the job of the central bank to see that banks follow a standardized model in areas of SME loan disbursement and ensure their proper use through regular and effective supervision. Many banks shy away from SME loan operations because of high cost involved in their management and supervision. But that should not be the case. The saying, 'small is beautiful' will come out to be true in the case of SMEs if the banks finance the right kind of small entrepreneurs and help them overcome initial odds and grow smoothly. Most banks do not want to take the pains involved in accomplishing the latter part of the job and turn out to be mechanical. Then again, there are also limits to banks' role in doing these, as other government agencies or authorities bear also responsibility to address both economic and non-economic factors that continue to impede sustainable growth and development of the SMEs, including other enterprises. Notwithstanding this, banks on their part should put enough emphasis on both financing and supervising SME operation in order to facilitate emergence of a strong SME sector. (To be continued) Children's smiling faces 35.42 cr books distributed on New Year's Day Students rejoicing with new books on first day of the New Year 2018. Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid holding the book among the students. This photo was taken from city\'s Azimpur Girls School and College ground on Monday. M M Jasim : It was a very happiness and joyful moment for the children as on the first day of the New Year they received new books from their respective schools and madrasas. Smiling faces of the children were seen at each and every distribution centre across the country. A festive mood prevailed among the delightful students when they joined book distribution ceremony at their respective educational institutions. They were also seen cheerful while receiving of the new textbooks. Sinthia Afrin, a six-grade student of Bohanuddin High School in Bhola, expressed her jovial emotion after getting the new books. "I was waiting with much eagerness to receive the new textbooks. Now I am very happy to get the books," she said. Farhan Shahriar, a four-grade student of Hazrat Shah Ali Model High School in the city, said, "It is very joyful day for me as I have gotten new books. I love new books and like to read. Now I am felling very well." Rakibul Hasan Chowdhury, a guardian, told The New Nation, "I have seen many smiling faces of the children. They were very excited. I will never forget it." "It's a praiseworthy job of the government as well as the Education Ministry. It is also a great initiative to provide the new textbooks to the students on the first day of the New Year," he said. Meanwhile, about 44 million schoolchildren celebrated the Textbook Festival receiving books free of cost for their new classes on the first day of the New Year joining the festivity at schools and madrasas across the country. Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid inaugurated the National Textbook Festival on Monday morning at Azimpur Govt Girls High School and College in Dhaka. Secretary (Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Division) of the Education Ministry Md Sohrab Hossain, Secretary of Madrasa and Technical Education Board Md Alamgir and senior officials of the Education Ministry, among others, were present on the occasion. "This (festival) is the outcome of our (government's) sincere commitment to reach the books on the first day of the year," Nahid said. He said, "Free textbook is the gift of the New Year of the present government... Distribution of free textbook is the milestone initiative of the government to check drop-out rate of students." Nahid said Bangladesh has set a rare example in the world through distribution of free textbooks among a large number of students on the first day of January. He said in the past seven years, Bangladesh also made significant progress in education fulfilling different global targets, including achieving gender parity, in education before scheduled time. Meanwhile, Primary and Mass Education Minister Mostafizur Rahman distributed free textbooks among the students at Dhaka University Playground on Monday. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina formally inaugurated the distribution of free textbooks among students up to the secondary level for the academic year 2018 on Saturday. Education Ministry officials said about 35,42,90,162 textbooks were distributed among 4,37,06,895 students of pre-primary, primary, ebtedayee, secondary, dakhil and technical students for the 2018 academic year as the schools and the other equivalent educational institutions staged ceremonies at their compounds to hand them over the newly printed books. Distribution of free textbook started since 2010 at both primary and secondary level, he said, adding 260,85,91,290 copies of textbooks were distributed from 2010 to 2018. The4 officials said 18,73,85,921 copies of textbooks were distributed among 1,30,35,574 students at the secondary level students. A total of 10,36,24,405 copies of textbooks were distributed among 2,17,21,129 students at the primary level, they added. A total of 1,49,276 textbooks were printed for 58,255 students of ethnic groups at the pre-primary school, they added. New faces in Cabinet From Left: Narayan Chandra Chanda, Mustafa Jabbar, AKM Shahjahan Kamal, Kazi Karamat Ali Four years into its term, the government is set to add new faces to the cabinet amid speculations over a shuffle on Tuesday. State Minister for Fisheries and Livestock Narayon Chandra Chanda said he was invited to the president's office, the Bangabhaban, suggesting he would be sworn in as a minister. Lawmakers Kazi Keramat Ali and AKM Shajahan Kamal have also confirmed receiving the cabinet secretary's invitations by phone. All of them have told bdnews24.com that the oath-taking ceremony is set to take place Tuesday evening. The Cabinet Division has also called IT entrepreneur Mustafa Jabbar. The fisheries and livestock portfolio fell vacant after the death of Minister Muhammed Sayedul Hoque in mid-December. Chanda is likely to succeed Hoque. Jabbar, the president of Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services or BASIS, will be made a technocrat minister as he is not a lawmaker. Chanda, the MP from Khulna-5, told bdnews24.com, "The cabinet secretary asked me to be at the president's office Tuesday evening." Kazi Keramat Ali, elected from Rajbari-1, said: "I have been asked to be at the Bangabhaban." Laxmipur-3 AKM Shajahan Kamal confirmed that he was also invited to the oath-taking ceremony scheduled for 6pm. Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam did not provide details on the cabinet expansion, but said: "You will get to know when it happens." Triple talaq petitioner Ishrat Jahan joins BJP PTI : Ishrat Jahan, one of the petitioners in the triple talaq case, has joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday. Ms. Jahan, a resident of Howrah district, was inducted into the party at its Howrah office. She was among the five petitioners in the triple talaq case, that led to Union government tabling a bill to criminalise talaq-e-biddat. Ms. Jahan was divorced by her husband over phone from Dubai by uttering talaq consecutively three times in 2014. The practice of instant triple talaq was struck down by the Supreme Court on August 22 last year. "She (Ms. Jahan) joined BJP at our Howrah office on Saturday. However, she has not been allotted any posts in the party so far," Locket Chatterjee, president of the State BJP's Mahila Morcha told The Hindu. Ms. Chatterjee also said that Ms. Jahan's induction into the BJP was not a "sudden development" and the party was assisting her in her legal battle for a long time. "We have been collaborating with her and providing her legal assistance in her battle against triple talaq for a long time. It would be wrong to assume that her move join BJP was a sudden decision," said Ms. Chatterjee. 6 Sr lawyers express grave concern over undermining judiciary Staff Reporter : Six Senior Lawyers of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh have expressed grave concern over the disciplinary rules for the lower court judges regarding which the government recently issued a gazette notification. The six lawyers in a joint statement said that the protection extended by that decision to the independence of the judiciary has been undermined by three cardinal Rules as are to be made under Article 115 and 116 for the subordinate judiciary now framed under Article 133 under the Executive Chapter, thereby treating the Judges of the subordinate judiciary having been made subordinate to the Executive Branch. They have reminded that " We are observing Supreme Court Day on 2nd January 2018, in commemoration of the opening of this Supreme Court by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on 18th December 1972. At this juncture the Supreme Court is without its Head (Chief Justice) and judicial organ of the Republic continue to remain without the Chief Justice." The rules have "thus violated the scheme for separation of power further sanctified by the judgement in Masder Hossain Case. Those Rules as are mandated under the Constitution now framed in a non-transparent manner and without due deliberations, nor following effective consultations with both Divisions of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh," they said. Dr Kamal Hossain, Barrister Rafiqul Huq, Barrister M Amir-ul Islam, Barrister Mainul Hosein, Advocate A F Hassan Ariff, Barrister Fida M Kamal signed the statement issued on 31st night in 2017. The statement was issued on the occasion of observing Supreme Court Day today (2nd January, 2018) for the first time under the banner of "Our Message on the Supreme Court Day." The statement said, "The subordinate judiciaries' appointment and transfer have thus been placed under the Executive Branch (Chapter-II- The Prime Minister and Cabinet). This being done while the seat of Chief Justice kept vacant creating a void thereby in the Republic itself. In the process judiciary has been placed under the authority and control of the Executive Branch taking the country back in 1999 in the Pre 'Masder Hossain' era." It added, "Yet, on this occasion we feel proud in sharing the rich heritage of Bangladesh Supreme Court while protecting and defending fundamental rights of the people also rose to the occasions in preserving, protecting and defending the Constitution along with integrity, independence and separation of Judiciary, with particular mention to some of those judgments, among many others, (a) holding the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution purporting to fragment the High Court Division having been declared as ultra vires to the unitary character of the Republic when the High Court Division was fragmented in Seven Divisional Head Quarters, (b) the Fifth & Seventh Amendment Case, declaring Martial Law proclamation ultra vires to the Constitution, (c) the decision which saved the Chittagong Port from being leased out for over 100 years to a foreign company, (d) the decision which declared void the voters' list which had contained more than 1,40,00,00 false votes in 2007 and indeed the recent judgment holding the Sixteenth Amendment (parliamentary removal of judges of Supreme Court) to be void. These landmark decisions continue to act as the beacon light for upholding the supremacy of the Constitution for all times to come by defining & identifying basic structure of the Constitution which are not amenable to any amendment." "What then are we to celebrate on Supreme Court Day other than to seek unitedly and with determination, mobilizing all our efforts to be united on the basic structure of the Constitution to be protected for safeguarding the rights of the people based on universal consensus for an independent & competent judiciary guaranteed and protected by the Constitution, not to be subordinated by the executive Branch in any manner," also read the statement. Anti-govt protests sweeping Iran: 12 killed Twelve people have been killed overnight in anti-government protests sweeping Iran, according to state TV. "In the events of last night, unfortunately a total of about 12 people were killed in several cities," it said. At least 12 people have now died since protests began on Thursday. On Monday, President Hassan Rouhani said the protests and criticism were an opportunity, not a threat. He said the country should work together to fix its economic problems. He said: "Our nation will deal with this minority who chant slogans against the law and people's wishes, and insult the sanctities and values of the revolution." He previously said that citizens were free to protest, but not violently. Nevertheless, protests continued overnight. Police used tear gas and water cannon to quell a rally in Tehran's Engheleb Square and demonstrations were reported in Kermanshah and Khorramabad in the west, Shahinshahr in the north west and the northern city of Zanjan. The demonstrations, which erupted on Thursday in Iran's second city of Mashhad, are the biggest show of dissent seen since the huge rallies of the Green Movement were brutally suppressed in 2009. Judiciary Chief Ayatollah Sadeq Amoli-Larijani called for a crackdown on "rioters" and "vandals" on Monday, according to state television. "Some individuals are exploiting the situation. This is wrong," he said. State TV said armed protesters had tried to take over some police stations and military bases, but faced serious resistance from security forces. Mr Rouhani has acknowledged popular grievances, though he warned that the government would show "no tolerance for those who damage public properties, violate public order and create unrest in the society". And Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) has warned anti-government protesters they will face the nation's "iron fist" if political unrest continues. The IRGC is a powerful force with ties to the country's supreme leader, and is dedicated to preserving the country's Islamic system. Correspondents say it would be a significant escalation were they to become officially involved in policing the protests. Up to 400 people are reported to have been arrested in recent days, including 200 in Tehran on Saturday night. And authorities continue to sporadically suspend social media websites they fear will be used to organise protests, including Telegram and Instagram. State media have now begun broadcasting some footage on the protests, though focuses on young men attacking banks and vehicles or burning the Iranian flag, reported AFP news agency. On Sunday police used water cannon to disperse protesters at a major intersection, as captured in a video obtained by BBC Persian. There is widespread and seething discontent in Iran where repression is pervasive and economic hardship is getting worse - one BBC Persian investigation has found that on average Iranians have become 15% poorer in the past 10 years. Protests have remained confined to relatively small pockets of mostly young male demonstrators who are demanding the overthrow of the clerical regime. They have spread to small towns throughout the country and have the potential to grow in size. But there is no obvious leadership. Opposition figures have long been silenced or sent into exile. Some protesters have been calling for the return of the monarchy and the former shah's son, Reza Pahlavi, who lives in exile in the United States, has issued a statement supporting the demonstrations. But there are signs that he is as much in the dark about where these protests are going as anyone else. BBC Persian, which broadcasts on TV, on radio and online from London, is banned in Iran - where staff and their families routinely face harassment and questioning from the authorities. Mr Rouhani described the US president as an "enemy of the Iranian nation from the top of his head to his very toes" after Mr Trump said Iranians were "finally getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism". And late on 31 December, Mr Trump tweeted more criticism of events in Iran. Mass demonstrations - referred to as the Green Movement - were held by millions of opposition supporters against the disputed election victory of incumbent president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. At least 30 people were killed and thousands arrested in the wave of protests, which drew the largest crowds in Iran since the Islamic Revolution in 1979. Capital shortfall alarming Sonali Bank seeks Tk 6000cr from govt Kazi Zahidul Hasan : Sonali Bank Limited (SBL), the country's largest public sector bank, has sought Tk 6,000 crore as fresh capital from the government to enable the bank to maintain a minimum Tier-I Capital to Risk Weighted Asset Ratio by this year. The bank recently sent a proposal to the Finance Ministry's Bank and Financial Institutions Division, seeking the recapitalisation fund. At the end of September last year, SBL reported Tk 3,140 crore capital shortfall and it's capital adequacy ratio stood at 3.26 per cent by this time which was far below the required 10 per cent of the Risk Weighted Asset. The Risk Weighted Asset of the bank stood at Tk 46,617.89 crore as of September 30 last year, according to Bangladesh Bank (BB). "The bank is now running with an alarming capital shortfallIt needs immediate recapitalisation," a senior SBL official told The New Nation yesterday seeking anonymity. According to him, the bank in its proposal showed alternative ways to raise Tk 6,000 crore for the bank. "The fund could be raised by selling shares or issuing recapitalization bonds or direct capital injection by the government," he added. He further said if the government approves the fund raising by selling shares or issuing bonds it would not go for injecting liquid fund to the bank. "Bad loans piled up at the bank over the years forcing it to suffer an immense capital shortfall," said the official, adding, "This pushed the bank to squeeze their lending capacity to productive sectors of the economy." The SBL official said the recapitalization is necessary to boost the bank's capital base, restore depositors' confidence and to follow the Basel-III guidelines. It will also help the bank to accelerate its lending activities to the productive economic sectors. The government has provided Tk 9,639 crore to the state-owned banks as recapitalization fund over the last four years. In the current fiscal year (2017-18), Tk 2,000 has been set aside for the purpose. The total default loans from six state-owned commercial banks stood at Tk 38,517 crore as on September last year from Tk 34,581 crore as on June 30 the same year, recording an 11.38 per cent rise. Taking to The New Nation, a Finance Ministry official said the government is planning to inject fresh funds to state-owned banks that are weighed down by bad loans in a bid to stimulate the flow of credit to spur investment. "The funds may be provided to them after applying stringent conditions. Reforms in the public banks' governing systems will also put in place to improve their fianncail health," he added. When asked, he said, "We will seek approval on SBL's funding mechanism from the government's high-ups within the shortest possible time." US gives Israel go-ahead to kill Iranian general Al-Jarida News : US intelligence agencies have given Israel the green light to assassinate the senior Iranian responsible for coordinating military activity on behalf of the Islamic Republic in Lebanon, Syria and Iraq, according to the Kuwaiti newspaper al-Jarida. For the past 20 years or so, Qassem Soleimani has commanded the Quds Force - the branch of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards responsible for military and clandestine operations outside of the Islamic Republic. Soleimani is a key figure in efforts to prop up Syrian President Bashar Assad and to enable him to retake cities and towns from rebel groups during his country's ongoing civil war. He is also responsible for providing military aid to the Lebanese terror group Hezbollah and the Palestinian Hamas in Gaza - both of which are committed to the destruction of Israel - as well as to Shia and Kurdish groups in Iraq. Thursday's report by al-Jarida, which has been known to publish improbable-sounding stories about Israel, was widely picked up by Israeli media. There was no immediate reaction to the report from Jerusalem or Washington. Three years ago, Israel came close to assassinating Soleimani near Damascus, al-Jarida quoted unnamed source as saying, but the Americans tipped off the Iranians against the background of intense disagreement between Washington and Jerusalem. That was during the Obama administration, which, according to reports at the time, was so focused on securing the 2015 Iran nuclear accord that it chose to overlook and even obstruct efforts to clamp down on Iranian-backed terror organizations. It's not clear if the reported tip-off was related to efforts to secure the Iran deal. Today, the Trump and Netanyahu administrations see eye to eye on Iran. Just four days ago, the two countries signed a joint memorandum of understanding laying the groundwork for full cooperation to deal with Iran's nuclear drive, its missile programs and its other threatening activities, an Israeli TV report said recently. The source was quoted by the paper as saying that Soleimani's assassination would serve both countries' interests and that US authorities have given Israel the go-ahead to carry it out. The Undead Archives I have finally salvaged my pre-Blogger TDR archives and added them into Blogger. They are almost totally in the form of one giant post for each month. And the formatting strayed from the originals. Sorry. But historians everywhere can rejoice that this treasure trove of my thoughts is restored to the world. John Coulter is a unionist political commentator and former Blanket columnist. Follow John Coulter on Twitter @JohnAHCoulter Dr Coulter is also author of An Sais Glas: (The Green Sash): The Road to National Republicanism, which is available on Amazon Kindle. The German dream of European domination is now is tatters with Brexit, and the trade talks must head in only one workable solution the creation of a new European Economic Community (EEC) based entirely on trading relations. The old EEC worked when the modern day EU is failing.The United Kingdom has sparked a new political revolution across Europe which has the potential to take at least eight other current EU nation states into a new EEC.Already there are rumblings in Poland supported by Hungary against EU diktats. Perhaps the only way Spain can resolve the Catalonian crisis and remain as a united nation is to follow the UK out of the EU.With the emergence of the Far Right in Austria once again, serious questions will be asked about that nations future in the EU. Add in Ireland (cleared worried about the Brexit Bounce on its economy), and other states with strong Euro skeptic communities, such as Denmark, Italy and Greece and you have the basis of the EEC Mark 2.During this years trade talks about UK withdrawal from the EU, all eyes will obviously be focussed on the reaction of the Germans. For Germany, history plays a major role.It is very clear the Germans have never forgotten the crushing defeat which French Emperor Napoleon inflicted on Prussia in the 1806/07 War of the Fourth Coalition, which saw the French march proudly into Berlin.It was equally clear the Prussians had learned nothing from Napoleons equally serious defeat of the combined Russian and Austrian forces at the Battle of Austerlitz in 1805, which paved the way for the French march on Berlin.Twice in the first half of the 20th century, Germany has tried to rule Europe by military means. Kaiser Bill failed in 1918 and Hitler was defeated in 1945 with both wars costing millions of lives.But with the fall of the Berlin wall and the reunification of the country, Germany was once more in a position to challenge for the position of top dog in Europe. But this time, there would be no tanks or planes it would be purely economic.The 2018 trade talks are not so much about how much the UK will have to pay the EU to guarantee its economic divorce, but are more about how much control can Germany have on its EU partners.The other major factor which the current German government seems incapable of coming to terms with is the steady growth of the populist Far Right across many EU states, based on the concept of reclaiming national sovereignty. The rise of the Hard Right AfD party in Germany alone has proven that the fascist fox is once more in the moderate chicken coup!Germany cannot even rely too much on neighbour France given the Far Right Front Nationals continued strength. Throw in the Freedom Party in Austria, Golden Dawn in Greece and Jobbik in Hungary and the German economic blanket which once covered virtually all of the EU is starting to rapidly unravel at the seams.Assuming British Prime Minister Theresa Mays minority Conservative Government survives with the help of the DUP MPs until at least Brexit in March 2019, how should the embattled Tory PM play the trade talks?The tactic must be divide and conquer rather than well go it alone. She must fuel the ethos of Euro scepticism throughout the so-called Gang of Nine nations under the strategy one oorut, eight still to follow. Yes, in a worst case scenario, the UK may have to pay huge economic reparations for daring to follow the democratic wishes of its citizens in a referendum and walk away from the EU. True, other nations particularly within the Gang of Nine which boast a strong Euro skeptic tradition may be also privately pondering their economic future within the EU, but are equally wondering what the financial bill will be for quitting the EU.If the pro-German Europhiles have their way, the EU will make an economic example out of the UK by making the UK pay such a heavy financial divorce that other unofficial members of the Gang of Nine will be too afraid to leave.However, if May and her colleagues especially if she can allow MPs from the staunchly Euro skeptic DUP to be part of those trade talks can play the strategy of united we stand and we can all get out of the EU, then the foundation of a new EEC will become a reality.Its not so much a question of how much will we have to pay? but how much can we pull the financial rug from under Germanys feet which will be the key factor in 2018. Supplementary question does the Tory/DUP coalition have the Maggie Thatcher-style courage to go head-to-head with Germany? Tosun deal hangs in the balance Monday, 1 January, 2018 The striker travelled to England on Saturday and had been expected to complete his move to Goodison Park tomorrow after a deal worth a reported 25m had been struck with the Turkish club. It appears, however, as though Besiktas have upped their asking price after being told to increase their bid for the man they want to replace Tosun. "We've done all we can to try to secure the player," Allardyce said after today's defeat to Manchester United during which his team failed to register a shot on target for the second home game in succession. "Whether that is enough, only time will tell in the next 24 hours. "Our [bid] is in there and it's up to them whether they accept our deal or not. "Our ratio of chances created is very limited and that's because we need to strengthen that front line. I think we all know that. "We're trying to do the hardest job of all in trying to secure a player in that position... it may not get achieved this January." About these ads First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), the UAEs largest bank and one of the worlds largest and safest financial institutions, has been named UAE Asset Manager of the Year by the Global Investor Group. FAB representatives received the award during the Mena Asset Management and Trading Summit held in Dubai, UAE. Jointly organised by the Global Investor Group and Futures & Options World (FOW), the Mena Asset Management and Trading Summit brought together financial industry experts to discuss and debate asset management, derivatives and the wider capital markets across the region. Over 200 delegates attended the conference, representing asset managers, hedge funds, banks and brokers from across the Mena region. David Rothon, head of Investment Management at FAB, said: This award-win reflects the efforts of all team members and recognises our position as a leading asset manager in the UAE. With our firm focus on establishing FAB as the regional wealth advisor of choice, we are committed to providing the market-leading expertise, products and services to meet both the financial needs and goals of our clients, as well as their risk profile. FAB was one of the gold sponsors for the Mena Asset Management and Trading Summit this year. During the conference, Saleem Khokhar, head of Equities, represented FAB on the panel discussion covering asset management in the GCC. TradeArabia News Service Al Rajhi Capital, a leading financial services provider in Saudi Arabia, has launched the initial public offering (IPO) of its Al Rajhi Real Estate Investment Traded Fund (REIT) which will have a fund size of SR1.62 billion($431.6 million). The IPO will run from January 1 to 14. The fund manager will offer 42.67 million units at SR10 each. Subscription will be available through Al Rajhi Bank website and Al Rajhi Capital investment centres at a minimum value of SR 1,000. The Sharia-compliant fund aims to acquire or invest in income generating commercial, office, and educational assets, as well as warehouses, which are mainly located in the Kingdom, except for Makkah and Madinah. The funds investment target is to invest in developed, income-generating assets, and to lease and distribute at least 90 per cent of the funds annual net income in cash over the fund term on a semi-annual basis, Al Rajhi Capital said. Al Rajhi REITs preliminary portfolio comprises 13 high-quality assets that generate income at the end of January and July of every year. The funds assets are spread across various sectors in the Kingdom, namely: retail (54 per cent), warehouses (12 per cent), offices (26 per cent) and education sector (8 per cent). Eligible investors are Saudis, GCC nationals, foreigners residing in Kingdom, institutions, companies, and investment funds operating in the Kingdom, along with Qualified Foreign Investors (QFIs). Al Rajhi REIT Fund leverages Al Rajhi Capitals extensive experience in real estate sector and comprises of a well-diversified portfolio of 13 real estate properties spread across multiple four strategic sectors and locations in the Kingdom. As a listed and traded instrument, Al Rajhi REIT Fund offers a convenient way for investors to access real estate market by collectively owning real estate properties generating periodical rental income, and with a potential to benefit from long-term capital appreciation, a statement said. TradeArabia News Service GE held talks with Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) on some of its innovative solutions and technologies in the clean and renewable energy sector. The meeting is part of Dewas keenness to enhance co-operation with international companies in order to share best practices and developments in the energy sector, particularly in clean and renewable energy, said a statement from the Dubai utility. Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, the managing director and CEO of Dewa welcomed the delegation comprising Russell Stokes, the president and CEO of GE Power; Dr Dalya Al Muthanna, the president and CEO of GE Gulf; Joe Anis, the president and CEO of Power Services Middle East and Africa; Mohammed Mohaisen, the president and CEO of Grid Solutions Mena and Turkey; and Michael Keroulle, the chief operating officer of GE Power Steam Power System. Speaking at the meeting, Al Tayer said: "This visit will boost co-operation with Dewas private sector partners in the field of energy, and also enhance infrastructure as per the highest standards and best international practices." "The strategy, announced by the Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, aims to provide 75 per cent of Dubais energy through clean sources by 2050. It also aims to explore promising opportunities in the renewable and clean energy sector, to diversify energy sources, and establish Dubai as a global hub for clean energy and green economy," he stated. Al Tayer later reviewed Dewas most important projects, initiatives, and programmes, highlighting its commitment to achieve the objectives of the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050.-TradeArabia News Service Al Shirawi FM, a leading single-source provider of integrated facilities management (IFM) in the UAE, has won the IFM contract for Prism Tower, located in Business Bay, Dubai. Al Shirawi FM will provide mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP), housekeeping and security services for the commercial property, which boasts a total built-up area of 85,000 sq m. This is the fourth property that the company will be managing in this area, in addition to Volante, Windsor Manor and 118 Luxury Tower. In the last three months of 2017, the facilities company won a spate of new contracts, including the re-tender of Shindagha Tunnel facilities maintenance contract. Airport Tunnel and Rashid Hospital Tunnel are the other two key assets of RTA that are managed by Al Shirawi FM. Pramodh Idicheria, COO, Al Shirawi FM, said: As we head into a new calendar year, we at Al Shirawi FM backed by these significant wins are brimming with confidence. We have embarked on a new operational excellence strategy that is yielding good results. The commitment and hard work of our teams, however, remain the key driver of our success and I take this time to applaud their efforts. Charalampos Sarafopoulos, general manager, Al Shirawi FM, said: It is an exciting phase for us as we have much to look forward to in the new year. We have projects within different sectors, with very different requirements. Nevertheless, we are geared up to the challenge and will ensure client satisfaction across the board. We are also hoping to venture into new areas such as theme parks facilities management. TradeArabia News Service Aluminium Bahrain (Alba), the Bahrain-based international aluminium smelter, recently hosted a high-level delegation comprising the head of the Republic of Komi Sergey Gaplikov, and Ahmed Abdulrahman Al Saati, the ambassador of Bahrain to the Russian Federation. Albas deputy chief executive officer Ali Al Baqali received the head of the Republic of Komi and the ambassador at Al Dana Hall, said a statement. The Komi Republic is a federal subject of Russia. Present during the meeting were the chief administration officer Waleed Tamimi, acting chief operations officer Hassan Noor along with other Alba officials it said. During this visit, areas of common business interests and strategic partnerships between the Republic of Komi and Bahrain were explored, it added. Information on Albas pioneering role as the first smelter in the Middle East and its landmark Line 6 Expansion Project was also presented. Al Baqali said: We were honoured to welcome Gaplikov and Al Saati. Such visits help us to share our companys success story on many fronts as well as promote the business-friendly environment of Bahrain. We look forward to establishing bilateral relations at all levels with the Republic of Komi in the future, he added. TradeArabia News Service Parker Aerospace, a global leader in motion and control technologies, has entered into an agreement with Emirates to provide the hydraulic engine-driven pump and AC motor pump on the airlines fleet of 777X wide-body airplanes. Emirates is the launch customer of the new Boeing aircraft with an order book of 150 777X, one of the single largest aircraft orders by value in the history of US commercial aviation. Emirates, currently the largest operator of the Boeing 777 aircraft, expects to take delivery of the first 777X in 2020. Parker Aerospace pumps offer a weight advantage, based on a design that utilizes material and manufacturing methods to reduce pump weight. For airline operators, this weight savings means the airplane has less mass to move. As a result, the aircraft burns less fuel, provides fuel savings over time, and creates fewer emissions. We are pleased to receive this order from Emirates, said Greg Norris, business unit director, who oversees the EMEA region for Parkers Customer Support Operations (CSO). Our organizations have a good relationship that continues to grow and strengthen. Emirates choice reflects our belief that Parkers engineering expertise and processes result in better products that outperform the competition. Parker Aerospace is a business segment of Parker Hannifin Corporation, a Fortune 250 global leader in motion and control technologies. TradeArabia News Service Al Badayer Shopping Mall opened yesterday (December 24) in Al Madam, Sharjah offering offers a variety of shopping options for Emirati citizens and residents of the region as well as visitors. The first of its kind in the Eastern Region, the mall was inaugurated by Sheikh Salem bin Abdul Rahman Al Qasimi, head of the Office of the Ruler of Sharjah, reported Emirates news agency Wam. The opening ceremony attracted a multitude of people who spent thrilling moments of recreational activities organised for families and children. Several senior officials and a host of Emiratis and residents attended the opening ceremony. Anantara Spa received a total of 12 wins in the World Spa Awards 2017 held recently at a glittering ceremony in Phu Quoc, Vietnam. Three sought after Words Best awards hailed Anantara Spa as the Worlds Best Hotel Spa Brand, accompanied by two individual resorts being named the best in the world. Adding to the impressive award bank, nine additional hotel, resort, safari and wellness spas saw the brand shine across Asia, the Middle East, Indian Ocean and Africa, said a statement. Epitomising authentic luxury, Anantara Spa journeys embrace the indigenous culture and nature of each locale through a passionate integration of architecture, treatments, service and ambience. Recognising the success of this brand philosophy, Anantara Spa won the prestigious accolade of World's Best Hotel Spa Brand 2017 as part of a hat trick of Worlds Best awards, it said. Two individual Anantara Spas also shone on a global stage. Providing a palatial oasis of rich Arabian traditions in the heart of the worlds largest desert, Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara in the UAE was named the World's Best Desert Spa. Offering island exclusivity in Qatar, Banana Island Resort Doha won World's Best Private Island Spa. Nine national awards highlight uniquely luxurious sanctuaries in iconic destinations. Anantara Spa was born in Thailand and two spas proudly upheld the brands roots each offering exotic Thai treatments in striking locations. Boasting a prestigious address in the capital, Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel received the title of Thailand's Best Hotel Spa 2017. Overlooking a lotus-filled lagoon in the royal seaside town of Hua Hin, Anantara Hua Hin Resort was named Thailand's Best Resort Spa. Showcasing the brands authentic spa journeys across Asia, Anantara Sanya Resort is revered for its precious pearl and tea-infused treatments, and shone as China's Best Resort Spa. In the Indian Ocean, Anantara Veli Maldives Resort was crowned the Maldives's Best Wellness Retreat, an honour impeccably bestowed to inaugurate its new Balance Wellness Sanctuary offering a multidimensional approach to relaxation and health. Coaxing blissful seclusion in an African island paradise, Anantara Bazaruto Island Resort was awarded Mozambique's Best Resort Spa. Bringing a second award to Africa, the Royal Livingstone Hotel by Anantara celebrated the title of Zambia's Best Safari Spa, pampering guests with indigenous African treatments in sumptuous colonial spa suites, as well as poolside massages overlooking the Zambezi River and Victoria Falls, it said. In the Middle East, three Anantara Spas shone in the award limelight. Perched on the rim of a great canyon, Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort is famed for its local rose oil, frankincense and pomegranate spa journeys, and proudly scooped Oman's Best Resort Spa award. Bestowed with two desirable awards, in addition to World's Best Private Island Spa, Banana Island Resort Doha by Anantara was also hailed Qatar's Best Hotel Spa. While on stunning Sir Bani Yas Island, Desert Islands Resort & Spa by Anantara lavishes guests with ancient Arabian rituals, and was honoured with the accolade of Abu Dhabi's Best Resort Spa. Launched in 2015, the dynamic World Spa Awards sets a benchmark in excellence. TradeArabia News Service Oman Air, the national carrier of the Sultanate of Oman, has launched a new dedicated Oman homepage on its website. The new homepage has been designed to specifically cater for the travel needs of the people who live in Oman by making it even easier for Omani nationals and residents to access information about Oman Air. The website can be found at omanair.com/om/ar for Arabic and omanair.com/om/en for English, respectively. Visitors to the site can view the Oman version of the homepage by selecting it from the drop-down menu at the top of the page. The page is available in both English and Arabic. The new dedicated Oman homepage offers an extremely user friendly ticket booking facility so guests can easily make and manage bookings and check in online. The homepage also provides useful information and showcases the airlines latest promotional offers. The dedicated Oman focused homepage demonstrates Oman Airs ongoing commitment to local guests enabling them to easily navigate all fares and promotions that are available only to those who are based in Oman. TradeArabia News Service Since becoming Leader of the Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn has certainly encouraged a new kind of politics, but it is not the 'kinder, gentler' image he proclaims to represent. Since Momentum's birth, they have done nothing but encourage a new, nasty and negative political culture that is beginning to redefine what Labour stands for. "Momentum followers are using social media as a platform to bully Labour MPs" Momentum followers are using social media as a platform to bully certain Labour MPs into being deselected and removed from the Labour Party. The latest victim of this culture is Stella Creasy. After tweeting that she was attending a concert with Conservative MPs, she was approached by The Skwawkbox, a pro-Corbyn blog, which suggested there was a public interest for Labour members to know why she was mixing with Tories. This was after she said David Cameron should be judged for the company he keeps. The Skwawkbox does not understand what the public interest is. According to the IPSO Code, the public interest is anything which jeopardises people's safety to exposing hypocrisy among public officials. Ms Creasy's actions are not hypocritical. Her attack then was directed at David Cameron himself, not Tory MPs generally. It is a great display of open-mindedness for MPs of all parties to socialise with each other. There is no public interest here. It is a pathetic excuse by Momentum trolls to bully a moderate Labour MP. The worst thing is, Mr. Corbyn does nothing to distance himself from their actions. "His new year's resolution should be to disband Momentum altogether" Towards the end of 2017, the Labour Leader was asked by Chuka Umuna MP why he won't dissolve Momentum. Mr. Corbyn refused to condemn this group for their horrific actions. In an ideal world, his new year's resolution should be to disband Momentum altogether. These Corbynistas are making moderate Labour supporters feel politically homeless and abusing them for having different views. The Labour Party's unifying belief is social justice. Why can't all of Labour's activists and politicians unite around achieving this aim before the party transforms into a Marxist movement? However, the problem with new year's resolutions is that not many people fulfill them. In this case, don't even expect Mr. Corbyn to make a resolution to end Momentum. It's about as imaginative as his socialist utopia. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are scheduled to get married on Saturday, May 19, 2018, at St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. Their wedding is five months away, and an Australian psychic has predicted the worst for them. On Sunday (Dec. 31), Kerrie Erwin told the morning show "Sunrise" that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's marriage won't last. A report by The Daily Mail provided most of the facts in this article. Psychic's prediction Erwin is predicting that the 33-year-old prince and the 36-year-old former actress will split after they get married in May. Erwin claims it will be a struggle for Meghan to adjust to royal life. The psychic went so far as to pinpoint when the breakup will take place. Kerrie believes the couple will go through with the wedding, but within five years they will divorce because they are both strong people with a lot going on that will prevent them from focusing on each other. She admits that the couple might not think they will separate because they are so involved in their fairytale romance right now. However, a happy ending is not in their future, according to the psychic. Erwin is not the only psychic to predict a bad ending for Harry and Meghan. Psychic twins Terry and Linda Jamison claim Harry will cheat on Meghan. Psychic predicts Meghan Markle and Prince Harrys marriage wont last https://t.co/0522l87o4y pic.twitter.com/Cra7iici9o Ibrahim Salawu (@UnilagOlodo) December 31, 2017 The couple's journey Harry and Meghan announced their engagement on November 27, even though the proposal took place earlier in the month. Meghan showed off her engagement ring with diamonds once owned by Harry's mother Princess Diana. Just a day later, the date for their wedding was announced. They dated for 16 months before they became engaged. Meghan said even though they lived in different countries they never went more than two weeks without seeing each other. Meghan gave up her acting career on the hit legal drama "Suits" to move to the United Kingdom to be with Prince Harry. They live in Nottingham Cottage in Kensington Palace next door to Prince William, Duchess Kate, Prince George, and Princess Charlotte. Even though psychics are predicting the couple's future, Harry and Meghan don't seem to be concerned. During their engagement interview, Prince Harry said he believes the stars are aligned for them to wed and have a happy marriage. Queen Elizabeth gave her blessing for the couple to marry. Meghan spent the three-day Christmas holiday with the royal family. This was the first time an unmarried guest was allowed to be with the family on such a major holiday. Meghan was allowed to attend all the festivities, including going to church on Christmas Day with her future family. Psychics have made wrong predictions before. This just might be one of them. Lindy Lou Layman was on her first and no doubt last date with millionaire Houston lawyer Anthony Buzbee on December 23 when it happened. The 29-year-old was reportedly very intoxicated and Buzbee called an Uber to take her home from his River Oaks home. However, Layman refused to leave and hid from Buzbee. After becoming aggressive, she attacked his valuable Andy Warhol art, leading to a charge of criminal mischief. Valuable artwork damaged on first date Layman and Buzbee had been out on a date on December 23, but late in the evening headed to his home in River Oaks. As Layman was very intoxicated, Buzbee called for an Uber to take her home. Layman was reportedly not in the mood to leave just yet, so she hid inside his home. Eventually Buzbee tracked her down and called a second Uber, but then Layman became very aggressive, still refusing to leave the Houston home. A woman allegedly got drunk, tore down two original Andy Warhol paintings, and threw two sculptures across a room. In a $14 million mansion. On a first date.https://t.co/Xd7a8be6Vy BuzzFeed News (@BuzzFeedNews) December 28, 2017 According to Buzbee, Layman began yelling obscenities and started tearing down two of his original Warhol paintings from the wall of his home, estimated at a value of $500,000 each. According to court documents, she then continued her rampage by throwing two Warhol sculptures, worth around $20,000 each, across the room. When Layman was arrested, it was estimated that she had done around $300,000 damage to the artwork. Woman receives charge of criminal mischief Layman appeared in court this week on charges of criminal mischief and was released on a bond of $30,000. She stated in court that she had been a freelance court reporter for some nine years and that she hailed from Dallas. Woman on first date gets drunk, tears down Andy Warhol paintings and throws $20,000 sculptures, police say https://t.co/sBprb9Zjvp TIME (@TIME) December 29, 2017 Houston lawyer is no stranger to the news Meanwhile Buzbee has been in the news before. As reported by KHOU, the high-profile lawyer made headlines in 2016 by parking a World War II tank in front of his Houston home, causing a problem with the homeowners association. The Houston lawyer purchased the fully functioning tank in 2015 for $600,000 and parked it temporarily outside his home. At the time he said the tank helped to liberate Paris and ended up going all the way to Berlin, adding that it had a lot of history. Fellow homeowners in the area were reportedly not interested in its history, saying the tank was impeding traffic and causing a safety issue. HOA fight over World War II tank in River Oaks https://t.co/LNeYi8WNAK pic.twitter.com/hmZTvWpuhs KHOU 11 News Houston (@KHOU) October 1, 2017 Buzbee is also known for hosting President Donald Trump at his River Oaks home last year during a presidential fundraiser campaign in the run up to the U.S. presidency. Buzbee has also in the past represented the former Texas Governor, Rick Perry. To ring in the new year, Donald Trump, Melania Trump, and Barron Trump arrived at the president's privately owned resort in south Florida. As the first family made their way inside Mar-a-Lago, the president stopped to say a few words. Trump on 2018 Over the last year, the presidency of Donald Trump has changed the direction of American politics and of the country in general. Trump's victory over Hillary Clinton stunned not just those in the United States, but also around the world, and the opposition to his presidency was made loud in clear in 2017. While Trump was able to close out the year having signed his tax reform bill into law, not much more was done in the form of legislative accomplishments, as the president spent much of the year rolling back Obama-era laws, recklessly sending out tweets, and denying the controversy and scandals surrounding his administration, mostly over the ongoing investigation into Russian election interference. Despite this, Trump appears to be optimistic heading into 2018, and elaborated further as he made his way to his private Florida resort for New Year's Eve, as reported by NBC News on December 31. JUST IN: Pres. Trump shares his New Year's Eve thoughts on 2018 during a gala at his south Florida estate tonight. https://t.co/PmGtnMvFGk pic.twitter.com/g5osPXl14A NBC News (@NBCNews) January 1, 2018 With First Lady Melania Trump and his son Barron Trump by his side, Donald Trump entered Mar-a-Lago on Sunday night to party for New Year's Eve. Before entering, the president gave a few thoughts to reporters. "Happy New Year everybody," Trump said, "we have a great crowd." "We're gonna have a great year. It's gonna be a fantastic 2018," Donald Trump went on to say. "We are off to a very good start with the great tax cuts and getting rid of the individual mandate which was very unpopular as you know," he continued. "We are going to have a tremendous year. The stock market I think is going to continue to go up. Companies are going to continue to come into the country," he added. "We look forward to seeing you inside, " Trump said, while adding, "come on along!" Instant reaction Following the Trump family arrival at Mar-a-Lago, it didn't take long before critics made their opinion known. "His voice makes me nauseous," one tweet read. His shape reminds me of the blueberry girl from Willy Wonka Cory Georgia (@Cory_Georgia) January 1, 2018 I know it's expensive as hell but it is also ugly as hell. I think Donald picked it out Sherri (@MarkumWheeler) January 1, 2018 "Melania has been replaced by a cyborg! The real Melania is watching TV in her room with Barron.'Pretend you're asleep if u hear daddy coming,'" another tweet noted. "What is with Malarias dress, it looks like she cant move," one Twitter user wrote. "@FLOTUS looks like she was designed for @WestworldHBO," a social media user added. Good movie..and yes she does June Randolph (@Junerandolph18) January 1, 2018 Je suis Melania Mitch Wood (@mitchw7959) January 1, 2018 That's exactly y I don't listen to the creature. Never have never will. Can't afford to get sick. Liz (@omraweal) January 1, 2018 "The corporate puppets are so lifelike. You might think for a second that you aren't in an episode of the Twilight Zone," an additional tweet noted. "His shape reminds me of the blueberry girl from Willy Wonka," yet another tweet pointed out. It was just last week that Donald Trump called a meeting with members of his cabinet where the president made sure to gloat about what he perceives as "accomplishments" during his first year in office. During the meeting, Vice President Mike Pence went on a long speech in praise of the president, which continued during a series of new tweets this week. Pence on Trump After Donald Trump locked up the nomination for the Republican Party, it didn't take long before he announced then Indiana Gov. Mike Pence to be his running mate. Pence was a logical choice as the mild-mannered conservative Christian appeared to be chosen to offset the big city bravado of the former host of "The Apprentice." Due to his ties to the religious right, Pence was also picked to gain ground among Evangelicals, an area where Trump struggled early on to gain support. Since then, Pence has kept a relatively low profile, letting Trump take the majority of the spotlight with his outspoken speeches and reckless postings on social media. However, over the last week, Pence has been mocked for his high praise of the president, which continued during a pair of tweets on December 28. The U.S. economy is already responding to @POTUS' bold actions this first year: 1.7 million new jobs 22 regulations eliminated for every one new regulation Biz/Consumer confidence at new highs Largest tax cut in U.S history pic.twitter.com/1ljtMDhdk4 Vice President Mike Pence (@VP) December 28, 2017 Taking to Twitter this week, Mike Pence continued his non-stop praise of Donald Trump over a variety of issues. "The U.S. economy is already responding to @POTUS' bold actions this first year," Pence tweeted. "1.7 million new jobs, 22 regulations eliminated for every one new regulation," he wrote, before adding, "Biz/Consumer confidence at new highs" and "Largest tax cut in U.S history." In just one year, @POTUS fulfilled promise after promise: Neil Gorsuch on the Supreme Court Repealed the Obamacare individual mandate 1.7 million new jobs ISIS on the run Largest tax cut in American history#MAGA pic.twitter.com/bephpImYHR Vice President Mike Pence (@VP) December 27, 2017 In an additional tweet posted just one day earlier, Mike Pence added to his list of compliments in regards to the commander in chief. "In just one year, @POTUS fulfilled promise after promise," Pence claimed. "Neil Gorsuch on the Supreme Court, Repealed the Obamacare individual mandate, 1.7 million new jobs," he tweeted. Not stopping there, Pence also listed "ISIS on the run" and the "Largest tax cut in American history" as some of the highlights of Trump's first year in office. Quick reaction After Mike Pence sent out his tweets summing up the last year of the Trump administration through the eyes of conservatives, those who oppose had a different view point. "Thank you President Obama for the economy. Good bye to the environment and say hello to the elite rich via the current administration," one tweet read. Thank you President Obama for the economy. Good bye to the environment and say hello to the elite rich via the current administration Kishor (@Kishor_Blue) December 28, 2017 Fake News ... you had very little to do with the new jobs ... the regulations actually hurt us and the environment ... but one thing is true your biggest tax cut FOT THE RICH is the biggest ever ... you will regret all that you done to the US Robert W. Dutton (@SailorBob43) December 29, 2017 "How did that work out for the Carrier employees in #Indianapolis - you and @POTUS promised they would keep their jobs," one Twitter user wrote. "Cant follow this man anymore. The false prophet spews nothing but lies," another Twitter user wrote in response to Mike Pence. Money can't buy everything! Greed is a sin. Money can't buy Americans clean air or water with the regulations you are gutting. The clean up bill for #climatechange inaction is way worse than $$$$ now. jimmy malecki (@jimmymalecki) December 28, 2017 Built on Pres. Barack Obama's work after the deep recession that began under the last GOP pres. NOTHING to do w/anything Trump did.People now are flocking to pay their property taxes if they can b/c that deduction is ELIMINATED BY TRUMP,GOP V. Hare (@hareme2) December 28, 2017 *45 taking credit for the economy and jobs report is like the last guy on the bench of a basketball team taking credit for his team's 110-50 blow out win after playing the last 30 seconds of the game...and didn't touch the ball once. Danny Morrow (@dpmorrow) December 28, 2017 "Since i know you're a bible thumper...you should probably consider the fact that you're lying and God doesn't look fondly upon that," yet another tweet stated. "Money can't buy everything! Greed is a sin. Money can't buy Americans clean air or water with the regulations you are gutting," a social media user wrote. As 2017 comes to a close, the political world has their sights set on the upcoming midterm elections in November. Speaking out on this was Donald Trump who did so in a pair of tweets on New Year's Eve. Trump on midterms The 2016 election cycle will be remembered as one of the most controversial in recent American history. From the emergence of Donald Trump to his surprising win over Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, politics and culture in the United States has drastically changed since the former host of "The Apprentice" made his campaign announced on the floor of Trump Tower in the summer of 2015. Over the last year, Trump's presidency has caused and even greater divide in the country, as critics have pushed in full force to oppose his, while supporters have stayed loyal. Despite this, several state and local elections this past November went in favor of the Democrats, hinting at a possible change in momentum heading into the 2018 midterms. With the calendar turning over at midnight, Trump decided to give his thoughts on December 31 on Twitter. Why would smart voters want to put Democrats in Congress in 2018 Election when their policies will totally kill the great wealth created during the months since the Election. People are much better off now not to mention ISIS, VA, Judges, Strong Border, 2nd A, Tax Cuts & more? Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 31, 2017 Taking to Twitter on Sunday morning, Donald Trump started his push to get ahead of the Democrats in regards to the aforementioned midterms. "Why would smart voters want to put Democrats in Congress in 2018 Election when their policies will totally kill the great wealth created during the months since the Election," Trump tweeted. "People are much better off now not to mention ISIS, VA, Judges, Strong Border, 2nd A, Tax Cuts & more," he wrote. If the Dems (Crooked Hillary) got elected, your stocks would be down 50% from values on Election Day. Now they have a great future - and just beginning! https://t.co/9TzSC8F8vY Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 31, 2017 In another tweet, the president promoted an article from Fox Business that highlighted the record-breaking numbers put up by the stock market in 2017, while adding a few comments of his own. "If the Dems (Crooked Hillary) got elected, your stocks would be down 50% from values on Election Day," Trump claimed, before stating, "Now they have a great future - and just beginning!" Trump's conscious effort to highlight the 2018 elections comes at a time when Democrats are seeing an upward trajectory in popularity in comparison to their Republican counterparts, and only time will tell if they can translate that into wins at the ballot box. Moving forward As Donald Trump tries to position himself heading into 2018, the commander in chief has many other issues to worry about besides the next elections. With the Russian investigation heating up, the president's poll numbers with the American people continue to drop, hitting just 32 percent in the most recently released survey by CNN. In recent days, one of the biggest stories to come out of the Middle East have been the protests taking place in Iran. To kick off the new year, Donald Trump returned to Twitter to give his thoughts. Trump on Iran The Iranian people took to the streets last week in protests of a failing economy in the country, but the demonstrations quickly expanded into opposition against the clerical rule of law under President Hassan Rouhani and Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Protesters have burned images of the two leaders, with women taking to the streets to remove their hijab as a sign of pushing back against forced oppression through religious fundamentalism. As 2017 came to a close, the protests spread to dozens of cities in the country, including the capital of Tehran, leading to the Iranian government shutting down access to the internet. Commenting on the issue was Donald Trump during a tweet on January 1. Iran is failing at every level despite the terrible deal made with them by the Obama Administration. The great Iranian people have been repressed for many years. They are hungry for food & for freedom. Along with human rights, the wealth of Iran is being looted. TIME FOR CHANGE! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 1, 2018 Taking to Twitter on Monday morning was Donald Trump who attacked the Barack Obama administration while praising the people of Iran. "Iran is failing at every level despite the terrible deal made with them by the Obama Administration," Trump tweeted. "The great Iranian people have been repressed for many years," he wrote, while listing some of the hardships in the country before concluding "TIME FOR CHANGE!" The Iranian government previously responded to Trump's initial reaction to the protests, as they blasted the White House for speaking out and taking the side of the protesters over the government, especially during a time of civil unrest in the region and around the world. Trump on Pakistan In an additional tweet, Donald Trump turned his attention to another country in the Middle East, this time setting his sights on Pakistan. "The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years," the president wrote, before stating, "they have given us nothing but lies & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools." Trump went on to accuse Pakistan of harboring terrorists in the region and ended by writing, "No more!" As of press time, the Pakistani government have not issued an official response to the president's comments. 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 Next up As Donald Trump kicks off 2018 with strong words against the Middle East, only time will tell if he will turn his tweets into action. Trump's popularity has not seen a positive change despite his hard-line on foreign policy affairs, with his favorability hovering around just 35 percent after one year in office. After news broke that the FBI had obtained a warrant to search the email address of David Clarke, the controversial former Milwaukee Sheriff attacked the media for allegedly spreading "fake news." After his tirade on Twitter went viral, actor Alec Baldwin decided to give his thoughts. Baldwin on Clarke Heading into the weekend, one story that got brief mention on cable news was the search warrant executed by the FBI against David Clarke, the former Milwaukee sheriff who had been accused of abuse of power. This past February Clarke was sued by a man named Dan Black who accused Clarke of abusive treatment after being taking into custody following a plane ride. The FBI searched Clarke's email but ultimately dropped the case citing a lack of evidence. Once the news was reported this week, Clarke condemned the reports before threatening the media in a series of aggressive Twitter posts, which included a photoshopped image of himself and Donald Trump performing a tag team wrestling move on an a wrestler edited as CNN. Clarke's posts quickly went viral and caused instant backlash, including a response from Alec Baldwin during a pair of December 30 tweets from the official Twitter account of his ABFoundation. ...@SheriffClarke Not gonna complain to Twitter, Sheriff. Gonna complain to the voters. Youre so fucking stupid, youre only gonna help our cause of MAKE AMERICA AMERICA AGAIN by flushing out fascists like you. ABFoundation (@ABFalecbaldwin) December 31, 2017 Giving his two cents in response to David Clarke's outburst was Alec Baldwin, who recently has been known for playing a satirical version of Donald Trump on "Saturday Night Live." With Clarke being a strong defender of the president, it didn't come as a surprise that Baldwin would be at odds with his messaging. "You talk so tough, 'Sheriff.' Not for long when you get arraigned," Baldwin tweeted out. ...@SheriffClarke You talk so tough, Sheriff. Not for long when you get arraigned... ABFoundation (@ABFalecbaldwin) December 31, 2017 In another message, Alec Baldwin didn't hold back his thoughts about David Clarke while throwing some shade at Donald Trump in the process. "Not gonna complain to Twitter, 'Sheriff,'" Baldwin wrote. "Gonna complain to the voters. You're so fu**ing stupid," he continued, before concluding, "You're only gonna help our cause of MAKE AMERICA AMERICA AGAIN by flushing out fascists like you." This isn't the first time that Baldwin has been critical of Trump and his supporters outside of "SNL," as the veteran actor has been known to attend protests in opposition of the current administration. Sheriff Clarke Says He Plans to Bitch Slap and Make Media Bleed After Report of FBI Warrant https://t.co/QmsgEMNfKY pic.twitter.com/5BYNEz5oRT Mediaite (@Mediaite) December 31, 2017 Moving forward As Donald Trump and David Clarke continue to wage a war of words against the majority of the mainstream media, high-profiled critics aren't showing any signs of letting up. While Alec Baldwin is speaking out on social media, he's expected to return in front of the camera as a mock version of the president when "Saturday Night Live" returns in the new year. Happy New Year. It's 2018, and we have the first new project from Nicolas Cage and Selma Blair called "Mom And Dad." It's a dark suburban comedy about two homicidal parents who attempt to murder their children. The film also stars Anne Winters and Zachary Arthur as the two kids in the movie. The film will be released on VOD and in limited release in theaters on January 19. Nic Cage and Brian Taylor reunite with 'Mom and Dad' The film is written and directed by Brian Taylor, who worked with Cage previously on 2011's "Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance. " The film was well-received at the Toronto Film Festival with the audience. It got an 81 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes with the critics and a 67 percent audience approval rating. In the trailer, Cage and Blair get extremely violent when a virus in the town they live in erupts and causes them to want to murder their kids. It's a cross between a dysfunctional "Addams Family" and "Home Alone." The highlight of the trailer is when Cage is screaming a vulgar rendition of "Hokey Pokey" while in full nutzoid mode destroying a pool table with a sledgehammer. He's just the way we love him! If you pause the video, you can get a glimpse of his underwear! Gives the Peter Gabriel song, "Sledgehammer," a whole new meaning. Check out the official trailer below. 'Mom and Dad' premiered at Toronto Film Festival Cage seems to be enjoying himself killing his on-screen kids. This dark-sarcastic comedy is twisted and sickening to the core. But at the same time, its pure insanity and mad fun. Believe it when Cage says its his all-time favorite film. Now we know why. Hes a passionate man on a mission. The real Nic Cage is back! Unhinged and uncaged in a wicked roller-coaster ride and bloody-thirsty good fun. Cage admits in interviews that horror films are his favorite genre so when the opportunity strikes to make a horror film, he doesn't hesitate. The film almost didn't exist according to an interview at the Toronto Film Festival, where it premiered. Cage turns 54 on January 7. Happy birthday Mr. Cage. What better way to celebrate his birthday than to watch him in a horror film in full Cage-rage mode. By the looks of the trailer, Cage rocks and is not only scary but he's hilarious. It's destined to become a cult-classic for every Cage fan. Cage's other film projects in the works include, "Between Worlds," "The Humanity Bureau," "211," "Looking Glass," "Primal," and in 2020, he lends his voice to the animated film, "The Croods 2." I will have a full review of the film when it's released on January 19. Christmas and New Year holidays is the period of premieres and tours for theaters. The actress of the Moscow Academic Theater of Satire, Honored Artist of Russia, People's Artist of the Russian Federation Alena Yakovleva told Vestnik Kavkaza about her New Year's plans and shared her vision of the development of the Russian theater. - What are your plans for New Year's Eve? - I will spend the New Year's Eve at work - I will have two performances in the beautiful city of St. Petersburg. I could fly back to Moscow at night, but I would not want to be struck by the fate of the character of the film 'The Irony of Fate'. So I'll stay there, take a stroll through Palace Square, and came back on January 1, because I will perform in Moscow on January 2, 3 and 5. We do not have a vacation, we work. - You mentioned the 'Irony of Fate'. Do you think such films should be streaming for the New Year to continue the tradition? - There are no films better than these ones. I grew up on that quality of humor. I came to the Satire Theater when there were a lot of people there who really knew about it - Andrei Mironov, Anatoly Papanov, Olga Aroseva, Vera Vasilyeva, Spartak Mishulin, our great art director Alexander Shirvindt, Mikhail Derzhavin. The film 'Grandads-Robbers' can not be imagined without Evstigneev, Nikulin, 'Ivan Vasilievich changes profession' - without Yuri Yakovlev. This is a comedy of the highest class, so I think children should watch it today, although they have a different source of information, gadgets. My 25 year old daughter grew up on these films. I'm not retrograde, I love modern things, the only thing I cannot stand is vulgarity in theater and cinema. - In your opinion, what is the historical era for Russian theater now? - As long as I can remember, they have said that theater will disappear soon. The theater is forever. Because it's a living history. Movies are math after all. They can be more interesting in something, they have more extensive means of expressiveness, but the theater took a great step forward. Now there is a trend towards the western theater, but it is cold. Our theater is soul and nerves. Nobody in the world knows how to do it. American and European actors have a wonderful technique, but we put our soul. For many years I was in the play 'Katerina Ivanovna' at the 'Modern' theater. The foreigners said: "We do not understand how you work, you just have to die after that. You are tearing yourself up so much, turning yourself inside out for three or four hours, which is even scary. " I do not really like to solve puzzles in the theater. I want to have a living emotion in the theater, so that they make me cry, laugh, empathize. Now they try to combine the European theater and ours. Some people succeed in it, some do not. When they succeed - it's great, like in the play 'Quay' in the Vakhtangov Theater, where my dad [Yuri Yakovlev], Yulia Konstantinova, Maksakova and Etush played. They combined acting skills and a soul of the Russian actor, everything was united there. And when a performance has no internal reinforcement, it's boring for me. I can watch it, but it does not touch me. I do not like naked bodies on the stage, I do not understand turning the classics upside down, because Dostoevsky or Gogol cannot be asked how they would react to this, and their writings contain an author's worldview. Why it is necessary to get into the psychology and ideology of the author? I think this is wrong. - Can you name contemporary directors and actors, who in your opinion determine the face of the Russian theater? - Of the known ones - Zhenya Mironov, Yulia Peresild, Chulpan Khamatova. Olya Prokofieva and Tanya Augshkap, my friends, great actresses. Of the young actresses - Olya Lerman, who worked for us. The Maly Theater is famous for its classics, now I'm going to see 'The Visit of the Old Lady' with Lyudmila Titova. It's always interesting when you see good acting. For me, the theater is interesting not only for directing, because a stage direction can be extremely diverse, I'm really interested in acting. Georgia officially established a free trade regime with China, in accordance with an agreement signed in May last year. From now on, many Georgian goods will be exported to China and its market of 1.4 billion consumers, with zero tariffs, without additional customs fees and without any transition period, Sputnik-Georgia reported. The final Free Trade Agreement between Georgia and China was signed in May, making Georgia the first country in the region to have such an agreement with China. New Year in Russia starts with a lot of positive changes in the social sphere, related primarily to various federal payments to individual groups of citizens. The most important innovation of 2018 is the introduction of benefits for the first child. The will only be provided for disadvantaged persons, the size of the benefit will depend on the region (in particular, the residents of Moscow will receive 14252 rubles every month for the first child during 1.5 year, but only if the total income of the family is not above 84.3 thousand rubles per month). About 340 thousand families may receive a new social benefit, on average the amount of monthly payments will be 10.5 thousand rubles this year. As for the maternity capital for the second child, from now on it can be received every month. The second important event for Russians is an increase in the minimum wage, which is equal to 9489 rubles now. The government undertook to raise the minimum wage to a subsistence level within a year. The retirement pension of 40 million non-working pensioners will be indexed by 3.7%, on average this means an increase of 500 rubles. Pensions of working pensioners will be still frozen. Salaries of the military increased by 4%, combined with military pensions, this is important for 2.6 million Russian citizens, since police officers, employees of the National Guard and firemen are now equated with military pensioners. Children of unknown parents will receive a payment of 10068 rubles until the age of 18, for full-time students this payment will be extended until the age of 23. Salaries of federal officials and diplomats (about 500 thousand people) will be indexed by 4%,which would be the first indexation for them since 2013. Excise tax on fuel increased by 0.5 rubles ($0.0087) per liter. All software and websites related to circumventing internet filtering are banned in Russia, including anonymizers and VPN services which do not implement the blacklist of the regulator agency Roskomnadzor, and instructional material on how to do so. Two people were shot dead in demonstrations in Iran on Sunday evening, bringing the death toll to four. The two were killed in the southwestern city of Izeh, the areas local member of parliament, Hedayatollah Khademi said. Khademi told the ILNA news agency that he did not know whether the deadly shots were fired by security officials or protesters. The violence continued for a fourth day on Sunday despite President Hassan Rouhanis appeal for calm. In a pre-recorded address aired on state TV, Rouhani said that while Iranians had the right to criticize authorities, the government would show no tolerance for those stoking unrest, CNN reported. 010118BOMB DISTURBS EDUCATION RESULTS SAYS FATHER MOKELA By Aloysius Laukai A local Catholic Priest from HANGAN village on Buka island has blamed communities that gamble as disturbing school students. FR.MOKELA made these comments at the Holy Family Day celebrations at the Hangan Mass Centre yesterday. He said that the BINGO or Housie money games must be stopped following education results from the Hangan students attending Hahela Primary School last year. The FATHER said that from a total of EIGHTEEN Students only Three secured spaces in High Schools. He said he would be talking to parents and citizens this week to find ways of reversing education results in future. Father Mokela questioned the parents what these FIFTEEN dropouts will do in the village. He said HANGAN wants more educated people and not illiterate people in the village. Ends HA NOI Viet Nams leading internet security firm, Bach Khoa Internetwork Security Centre (BKAV), announced that Vietnamese users lost some VN12.3 trillion (US$540 million) in 2017 due to viruses. The figure released by BKAV on its website on Wednesday showed that this years figure was much higher than last years VN10.4 trillion. It is expected that Viet Nam would continue to face malware attacks, such as ransomware and malware containing crypto-mining tools, BKAV said. The results were calculated from BKAVs network security assessment in December. It said that losses from viruses in Viet Nam reached record levels in recent years. In big economies such as the United States, China, Japan and Germany, it caused damages of $200 billion a year. The network security in Viet Nam in 2017 saw issues of increasing attacks on Internet of Things (IoT) devices, a boom of fake news and malware containing crypto-mining tools. Specifically, this year saw a surge in cryptocurrencies worldwide. This has promoted hackers to strengthen their network attacks on computers to turn them into crypto-mining tools. There are two popular attacks, including taking advantage of website flaws and of social networks to spread viruses. Hacker often choose websites with a high number of users to install malware containing crypto-mining tools. When people access the websites, the malware is activated. As more than 40 per cent of websites in Viet Nam have flaws, they would be the targets of hackers in spreading malware containing crypto-mining tools. Hackers also spread the virus through social networks. On December 19, malware broke out on Facebook in Viet Nam. BKAVs statistics showed that over 23,000 computers in Viet Nam were affected with malware. It also showed that the virus would be strengthened through Facebook, email, an operating systems flaws or a USB in the time to come. Ransomware was also another threat for network security in 2017. The WannaCry malware spread viruses to computers in more than 90 countries within a few hours. In Viet Nam, over 1,900 computers contain WannaCry and some 52 per cent of the total have flaws, which could be attacked by the virus. Passwords have been a widely used certification solution. However, Vietnamese users have not realised their importance. In recent years, some cases of losing money in bank accounts in Viet Nam were due to users not being cautious while entering their password on websites, clicking on strange links or using only one password for different accounts. These habits should be changed to ensure safety of users, BKAV added. Its statistics revealed that up to 55 per cent of users use only one password for different accounts at many online services. In addition, IoT connecting devices such as Router Wifi and Camera IP could be the targets of hackers. BKAVs experts forecast that in addition to the spread of malware to create botnet for cryptocurrency mining, hackers would attack cryptocurrency transaction floors in 2018. Currently, most of the transaction floors have not been guaranteed by government. People joining in such floors are at the risk of losing money in case of attacks. VNS In Trump Country, His Base's Faith is Unshaken By Claire Galifaro/The Associated Press SANDY HOOK, KY - The regulars amble in before dawn and claim their usual table, the one next to an old box television playing the news on mute.Steven Whitt fires up the coffee pot and flips on the fluorescent sign in the window of the Frosty Freeze, his diner that looks and sounds and smells about the same as it did when it opened a half-century ago. Coffee is 50 cents a cup, refills 25 cents. The pot sits on the counter, and payment is based on the honor system.People like it that way, he thinks. It reminds them of a time before the world seemed to stray away from them, when coal was king and the values of the nation seemed the same as the values here, in Gods Country, in this small county isolated in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains.Everyone in town comes to his diner for nostalgia and homestyle cooking. And, recently, news reporters come from all over the world to puzzle over politics because Elliott County, a blue-collar union stronghold, voted for the Democrat in each and every presidential election for its 147-year existence.Until Donald Trump came along and promised to wind back the clock.He was the hope we were all waiting on, the guy riding up on the white horse. There was a new energy about everybody here, says Whitt.I still see it.Despite the presidents dismal approval ratings and lethargic legislative achievements, he remains profoundly popular here in these mountains, a region so badly battered by the collapse of the coal industry it became the symbolic heart of Trumps white working-class base.The frenetic churn of the national news, the ceaseless Twitter taunts, the daily declarations of outrage scroll soundlessly across the bottom of the diners television screen, rarely registering. When they do, Trump doesnt shoulder the blame because the allegiance of those here is as emotional as it is economic.It means God, guns, patriotism, saying Merry Christmas and not Happy Holidays. It means validation of their indignation about a changing nation: gay marriage and immigration and factories moving overseas. It means tearing down the political system that neglected them again and again in favor of the big cities that feel a world away.On those counts, they believe Trump has delivered, even if his promised blue-collar renaissance has not yet materialized. Hes punching at all the people who let them down for so long the presidential embodiment of their own discontent.Hes already done enough to get my vote again, without a doubt, no question, Wes Lewis, a retired pipefitter and one of Whitts regulars, declares as he deals the days first hand of cards.He thinks the mines and the factories will soon roar back to life, and if they dont, he believes they would have if Democrats and Republicans and the media all crooked as a barrel of fishhooks had gotten out of the way. What Lewis has now that he didnt have before Trump is a belief that his president is pulling for people like him.One thing I hear in here a lot is that nobodys gonna push him into a corner, says Whitt, 35. Hes a fighter. I think they like the bluntness of it.He plops down at an empty table next to the card game, drops a stack of mail onto his lap and begins flipping through the envelopes.Bill, bill, bill, he reports to his wife, Chesla, who has arrived to relieve him at the restaurant they run together. He needs to run home and change of out his Frosty Freeze uniform, the first of several work ensembles he wears each day, and put on his second, a suit and tie. He also owns a local funeral home and hes the county coroner, elected as a Democrat.The Whitts, like many people here, cobble together a living with a couple jobs each sometimes working 12 or 15 hours a day because there arent many options better than minimum wage. Theres the school system, and a prison, and thats pretty much it. Outside of town, population 622, roads wind past rolling farms that used to grow tobacco before that industry crumbled too, then up into the hills of Appalachia, with its spectacular natural beauty and grinding poverty that has come to define this region in the American imagination.Whitt slides a medical bill across the table.Looks like this one is the new helmet, he says, and his wife tears the envelope open and reports the debt: $3,995. They will add it to a growing pile thats already surpassed $40,000 since their son was born nine months ago with a rare condition. His skull was shaped like an egg, the bones fused together in places they shouldnt be. Tommy, their baby boy with big blue eyes, has now outgrown three of the helmets hes been required to wear after surgery so his bones grow back together like they should.They pay $800 a month for insurance. But when they took their baby to a surgeon in Cincinnati, they learned it was out of network. In-network hospitals offered only more invasive surgeries, so they opted to pay out of pocket. At the hospital they were told that if theyd been on an insurance program for the poor, it would have all been free.This represents the cracks in Americas institutions that drove Whitt, a lifelong Democrat, from supporting President Barack Obama to buying a Make America Great Again cap that he still keeps on top of the hutch. Many of their welfare-dependent neighbors, he believes, stay trapped in a cycle of handouts and poverty while hardworking taxpayers like him and his wife are stuck with the tab and cant get ahead.Wheres the fairness in that? he asks.But Whitt doesnt blame Trump for the failure this year to repeal the health care law and replace it with something better. He blames the brick wall in Washington, the politicians he sees as blocking everything Trump proposes while small people like them in small places like this are left again to languish.A third of people here live in poverty. Just 9 percent of adults have a college degree, but they always made up for that with backbreaking labor that workers traveled dozens of miles to neighboring counties or states to do, and those jobs have gotten harder to find.Many here blame global trade agreements and the war on coal environmental regulations designed by Obamas administration to curb carbon emissions for the decline of mining and manufacturing jobs. When Trump bemoans the American carnage of lost factories and lost faith, it feels like hes talking to the people in these Appalachian hills. When he scraps dozens of regulations to the horror of environmentalists and says it means jobs are on the way, they embrace him.Coal has ticked up since Trump took office; mining companies have added 1,200 jobs across the country since his inauguration, more than 180 of them in Kentucky. But industry analysts say that was tied largely to market forces and dismiss Trumps repeated pledges to resuscitate the coal industry as pie in the sky. Coal has been on the decline for many decades for many reasons outside of regulation: far cheaper natural gas, mechanization, thinning Appalachian seams.Whitt leans back in his chair and ponders whether his community has so far sensed any relief.I dont think were seeing anything yet, he says, and asks around. Do you?The stock market is surging, one of his regulars at the next table says. The tax reform plan will help them, they hope. The unemployment rate here has dipped slightly to 7.6 percent, still higher than the state and national average but better than it had been.With the opposition hes had, I think hes pulling the plow pretty good, offers Wes Lewis from the card table. A few months ago, he says, he saw four brand-new coal rigs going through town. For the longest time, under Obama, all we saw were trucks being pulled on wreckers, because people turned belly up, they went broke.Lewis says hes heard about friends of friends being called back to work. Hes noticed new trucks in peoples driveways, too, which he takes as evidence that his neighbors are feeling confident about their futures. These tiny signs stack up to him as proof. Lewis fishes the tag out of the bib of his overalls: Made in Mexico, it reads.Trumps bringing them back, he says.Lewis, a registered Democrat, trusts Trump because he trusts his values. And because of that, he trusts Trumps other promises so strongly he cant think of anything that would shake that faith in him. If the factories and mines dont come back, hell blame the opposition. If there isnt a wall on the Mexico border, he says, it wont be because Trump didnt try. If investigators find his campaign colluded with Russians, its because so many people are so determined to bring him down.He watches all the news stations, he says, toggling back and forth as he performs his own calculations to figure out what he wants to believe. He almost always sides with Fox News and anchors who dismiss allegations of Russian collusion as a witch hunt and tout the presidents declarations of accomplishments. The people against Trump are, by extension, against people like him, too, Lewis figures.They dont care if we starve to death out here, because they dont care the first thing about anybody other than their pockets being full, he believes. Donald Trump doesnt care about that because Donald Trumps pockets are already full. Thats the reason Ive stuck with him.Lewis leaves the diner like he does every day as the midmorning lull tapers into the lunch rush, and Chesla Whitt scurries from the kitchen to the register to the walk-up window to the ringing phone.Soup beans are on the menu today, like they are every Wednesday. The daily specials have been the same as long as anyone can remember, cooked by a woman they all call Nanny who has worked in the kitchen for 35 years. People here like tradition, says Gwenda Johnson, retired after nearly 40 years in community development.Thats why the decades-old pinball machines are still in the back room of the Frosty Freeze and ashtrays sit on the tables, because smoking is still allowed.But Johnson acknowledges one painful and irrevocable change in the region: Coal will never be what it once was, no matter what promises Trump makes to turn back time. Appalachia should be looking for a new path, she says, not the old one.She rattles off all the things the community stands to lose under this administration: The region relies on programs like the Appalachian Regional Commission and Economic Development Administration that provide federal money for job-training, anti-poverty efforts and beautification initiatives aimed at transitioning to a tourism economy. Trump proposed a budget that wipes out those programs. Many depend on food stamps, disability coverage and health insurance through the Affordable Care Act all of which could be upended.I fear that when they finally realize that Donald Trump is not the savior they thought he was if they ever come to that realization the morale in these rural areas will be so low that they will not ever put faith in anyone again, she says.Many families here can trace their ancestry back generations on the same land. Almost everyone is white, and almost everyone is Christian. At the Frosty Freeze, a plaque with a Bible verse hangs under the television, from the book of Romans: Owe no man nothing but to love one another. Steven Whitt says that most people he knows fret about transgender bathrooms and their Second Amendment rights being snatched away.Sometimes, people from out of town find themselves in this diner. They think were the most conservative Republicans they ever met, Whitt says. And we say, no, were all Democrats.Thats just the way its always been. Until recently, the number of Republicans in the whole county of 7,600 people was listed in the double-digits. Whitt never considered changing his registration. He thinks his own mom and dad wouldnt vote for him in his next election for county coroner if he were a Republican. He hasnt had the heart to tell them hes a Trump supporter.Around here, you hear, The Democrats were for the guys carrying a lunch pail, he says. Now, it seems to him, Trump has become the lunch pail party in the minds of many. But not all.I damn sure didnt vote for Trump. Id rather walk through hell wearing gasoline britches, barks Terry Stinson, a retired construction worker. He has come to the Frosty Freeze almost every evening for dinner since his wife died.He can barely bring himself to watch the news because it makes him mad, and he howls with laughter at the idea that the Republican tax cuts to corporations will eventually help the little guys. The country has been sold trickle-down economics before, he says, And its never trickled down to Sandy Hook. Why would it this time?Chesla is working the counter alone, running between the ringing phone and the register. Steven had business at the funeral home, so she scrambled together someone to watch Tommy while she stays at the restaurant for the supper crowd.I hate rushing, she says. It seems like thats all we ever do.She isnt quite sure how much faith to put in Trump to improve things in her own life. She liked him on The Apprentice. She liked that he was funny and knew how to make money, and so she thinks everyone ought to calm down and give him a chance.Steven didnt get home until nearly midnight. Then he was back at the diner before sunrise to power up the coffee pot and turn on the open sign and start the whole routine again.Lewis arrived and headed for his table the next morning, and he said hed been thinking about whether Trump would pull off his promises.Heres the big thing, he says, shuffling the deck of cards, if Trump lies to us, it wont be anything different than what the rest of them always did.On the Net: WEB Notes: Before we could even publish our 2017 in Review article, Iran is already shaking Now into the fifth day of protests they are calling this the largest public display of discontent in Iran since the 2009 Green Movement, when people took to the streets to dispute the election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Every media outlet I have seen is calling this a spontaneous uprising. There are no spontaneous uprisings. If the people did this all on their own, then it was planned out. If this has been performed by another nation (entity, CIA) as it was suspected during the Green Movement then it was planned out as well. At this point I highly doubt the people did this on their own. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani acknowledged the nation has a very bad economy which is hurting the people. Why do you think Iran has a bad economy? How many years now has the United States and other Global Powers placed sanctions on Iran? For years and years is the answer and it has and is taking its toll on the nation and its people. When we saw an uprising in Syria they called it a grassroots movement and they will probably call this a grassroots movement as well. You should also be aware of a terrorist attack that just took place in one of the cities where the so called protesters are. A pipeline was blown up by Sunni jihadists. On many levels we are seeing Iran infiltrated at this point in time. In other articles they are saying the Iranian protesters are armed and trying to take over military bases. Does that perk your ears up a bit? It should. According to Iran Economics, It is close to impossible to own a firearm in Iran. So where are these protestors acquiring these firearms and ammunition? Regardless of who is doing what, the fact of the matter is Global Powers want the regime changed in Iran and one way or another that will happen. We could very well be witnessing the setup for the next global stage We talked about an Iranian conflict in Chapter 2 of The Timeline of the Tribulation. 010118MOMIS CALLS FOR ALL TO UNITE By Aloysius Laukai The ABG President, CHIEF DR. JOHN MOMIS has called on the people of Bougainville to unite despite their differences as Bougainville has one noble ambition to fulfil that is to vote on the future status of Bougainville at the coming referendum. In his New Year message to the people of Bougainville, PRESIDENT MOMIS said that Bougainville has progressed despite the National Governments failure to fulfil the Bougainville Peace Agreement. He said that the Bougainville Peace Agreement is a joint creation of the PNG Government and the ABG and therefore the two governments must work together and implement the Peace Agreement. PRESIDENT MOMIS said despite this Bougainville has continued to move forward with policies and laws that will enable the ABG to operate in the future. With the Bougainville Mining law and the approval of Exploration licenses for three local joint venture companies the government has started getting some monies to support the government. President MOMIS praised Prime Minister PETER ONEIL and his members and the ABG delegation for agreeing to speed up development issues in 2018. He said that the National Government has agreed to complete the Buka Ring road sealing, KOKOPAU to Arawa road upgrading and sealing, the Arawa to Buin road sealing in 2018. President Momis also announced that the National Government will finally fund the SIARA TO KORIPOVI road that has been neglected for a long time. He said that the West Coast of Bougainville is one economical road that the government has not looked into in a long time. Ends Allu Arjuns highly-anticipated film, Naa Peru Surya Naa Illu India, has wrapped up a majority of its shoot and is gearing up for a summer release. Bunny and the films unit have taken a small break for Christmas and New Year celebrations. The latest update is that the Stylish Star will resume the shoot from January 4. Bunny will be seen in the role of a military man in NPSNIS and the curiosity levels on his role and the films story are quite high among fans. Popular writer Vakkantham Vamsi is making his directorial debut with Naa Peru Surya Naa Illu India. Anu Emmanuel is the films heroine. Action King Arjun is essaying a pivotal role in the movie. Lagadapati Sridhar produces the film and Naga Babu presents it. Bollywood music composers duo Vishal and Shekar are scoring the soundtrack. Articles that might interest you: Jan 1, 2018 | By David The study of the natural world is something that 3D technology has helped to advance significantly in the last few years, as the accuracy of scanning and 3D printing methods enable scientists to get a closer, more hands-on look at the complex and fascinating structures and patterns developed by animals and plants of all kinds. The latest breakthrough in this field concerns the Australian rainbow peacock spider. A team of researchers used 3D nano-printing to figure out exactly how it produces its multi-coloured iridescent display, and their discoveries could now be useful for various engineering applications. The Australian peacock spider is probably the most visually striking member of the arachnid family, and the rainbow peacock spider is the most impressive species of them all. Much like the bird that the species is named after, the male rainbow peacock spider uses an eye-catching color display to attract a mate. The five-milimeter spider goes one step further than the peacock, however, as it is capable of showing a full rainbow of colors. Its the only creature in nature known to be capable of this, and a team of researchers wanted to know exactly how it is possible. The research project was inter-disciplinary, led by Bor-Kai Hsiung, a postdoctoral scholar at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego. He made a start on it when he was a Ph.D. student at The University of Akron under the mentorship of Todd Blackledge and Matthew Shawkey. For his dissertation, Hsiung was studying how nature modulates iridescence, and he approached the question from the extreme opposite ends of the spectrum. Along with rainbow peacock spiders, he also investigated the anatomy of the non-iridescent blue tarantulas. He went on to assemble an international team that included biologists, physicists and engineers from the University of Akron, California Institute of Technology, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the University of Ghent in Belgium, University of Groningen in Netherlands, and Australia. They set to work on determining exactly how rainbow peacock spiders rainbow coloring functions. The teams investigations made use of light and electron microscopy, hyperspectral imaging, imaging scatterometry and optical modelling. These techniques allowed them to make some general hypotheses about how the spiders intense iridescence was created by its scales, and then they turned to 3D printing in order to test these hypotheses out. Building prototypes using specialized nano 3D printing technology and carrying out experiments on them eventually proved that the rainbow coloring was generated by specialized abdominal scales. The spiders scales combine an airfoil-like microscopic 3D contour with nano-scale diffraction grating structures on the surface. The interaction between the surface nano-diffraction grating and the microscopic curvature of the scales leads to the separation and isolation of light into its component wavelengths, and this generates the intense rainbow display that grabs our attention, and more importantly, that of eligible female spiders. The separation and isolation of the light is enabled by the scales at much finer angles and smaller distances than are currently possible with man-made engineering technologies. As an engineer, what I found fascinating about these spider structural colors is how these long evolved complex structures can still outperform human engineering, said Radwanul Hasan Siddique, a postdoctoral scholar at Caltech and study co-author. Even with high-end fabrication techniques, we could not replicate the exact structures. I wonder how the spiders assemble these fancy structural patterns in the first place! The discovery of how the rainbow peacock spider generates its own little rainbow might prove to be a significant development for engineering and other fields, as the mechanism in its scales could influence new breakthroughs in color and light technology. The results of the research may prove helpful for overcoming current limitations in spectral manipulation, as well as for reducing the size of optical spectrometers. This could be used for applications where fine-scale spectral resolution is required in a very small package, notably instruments on space exploration missions, or wearable chemical detection systems for industrial environments. Posted in 3D Printing Applications Maybe you also like: by Maniza Naqvi Sue Hubbard's lovingly mapped novel Rainsongs is a gentle gem of quietly shimmering intellect. I read it twice to savor its sense of place. It is rooted in the abstractions of land and memory, the magical thinking of a bereaved woman. Hubbard's expressive talent is in full display through her descriptions of the south western Irish landscape of Kerry, so that the reader feels a sense of belonging and a resonance with its emotional and social fabric. I read this book the week before the year changed, curled up in bed, tucked in against the winters bone-chilling cold outside, deeply aware that I was savoring a rarity, seeing through words a remote land. Seeing it through the eyes of the main character, Martha Cassidy who, herself not Irish, has returned after a period of decades of absence. In the end of December 2007 Martha Cassidy is a woman in mourning who returns to her late husband's cottage in search of solace from grief. Rainsongs approaches the peril and remoteness of relief through the certitude of both storm and calm and its attendant pain on the journey towards consolation. Martha is a beautiful, mature-minded, self-assured woman in her fifties, focused on her own inner journey. Yet she is neither weak nor in need of comforting or saving. And perhaps because of her demeanor, is orbited by men who knew her husband and, as in the case of the young poet-musician, Colm Nolan, is the same age as her son. Driving rain and wind are the song and silence of the inner drama where Rainsongs will take you. That place within yourself of sorrows, solitudes and solaces, the spaces you have been through, the ones you are passing through, the ones you surely will go through. That place is lit up momentarily like a revelation, then gone and, in the novel, searched out metaphorically through the beam of a lighthouse beckoning, saving, warning on Skellig island as it sweeps across the darkened sea and landscape on Bolus Head and shines into the room in the cottage where Martha sleeps. Periodically, as if a monitor for a heartbeat. The lighthouse, and a promise not kept and to be kept, are the central metaphors to Rainsongs as in Virginia Woolf's To The Light House, which Sue Hubbard quotes from and writes into her novel. The child forever a child, a promise forever a promise, left to be fulfilled. A void but also a reason. Here, when there is nothing else left, there is always the ocean. Martha finds her husband's writing in a notebook, speaking these words to himself as to her, as she feels their common sorrow for what, for a long time, remains the book's central unnamed loss. Yet it is Martha's husband, who seemed to be a creature of cities, whose homeland this is, whose ancestors belonged here, who Martha discovers did, after all, most belong here in this cottage where he came so often without her to face his own demons. Here, in his ancestral land she tries to reclaim him and what he, himself, may have tried to reclaim and, in doing so, intensely, notes the presence of every small, new and ancient detail of the place, both absent and present. But it is towards the sea, the ever-present vast and changing sea, and the Skelligs that Sue Hubbard, an accomplished, poet, novelist and art critic, grounds us, in the fragility of a curragh in the 6th century, amongst monks and food supplies and sacred texts, in lashing seas churned by a sudden weather change as the weather here is wont to do seeking pain and peril, on their way to sacred solitude, in her remarkable and poetically crafted novel: The sails of their curragh are full. The rowlocks slick. Ten young alders have been felled for timber and eight oxen hides soaked for days in ash-filled water. The yellow fat scraped off with knives, then dressed with sheep tallow and polished smooth with round stones. Wet wood creaks against leather. In Ulysses, Joyce had us facing the sea from a position of strength and surety in a tower. A Martello tower built as fortresses of defense by the British Empire inhabited by likeminded friends with a cynical and cheerful Buck Mulligan, a medical student, irreverently quoting scripture in Latin, Introibo ad altare Dei, "I shall go in to the altar of God." Hubbard opens her novel with the monks on their way to establish a monastery, courting grim peril over choppy waters with the certitude of seeing the face of God. Whatever may come they will seek the Guidance of God, Domine dirige nos. Rainsongs is a fast paced and captivating story of love for individuals and ideas, expressed through fealty to land and the recognition of the stories that have gone before and will most likely follow, watched over and protected by the beam of a lighthouse tower. A land that mourns all those who are lost, through death or emigration, to cities or further on past the end, the edge to America. And forever will it be so. Beyond this edge of Europe the Skellig Islands lie a destination that awaits us, towards which we are bound, with the baggage of everything we know and value from the beginning of the novel. On the larger of the two the Christian monastery established in the 6th century provided the monks with pristine and punishing isolation. There is also a lighthouse. The islands are home and sanctuary, like the ancient ark, to endangered species. Colonies of seabirds: puffins, gannet and peregrine nest and breed here. The surrounding waters are abundant with wildlife, minke and beaked whale, dolphin, grey seal and leatherback turtle. But this region has, in the past decades, felt the windfall and fall out of economic prosperity experienced by Ireland's Celtic Tiger. Its rural stone cottages, country lanes and fields of peat, bog, bracken and gorse have begun to vanish; endangered by the flood of street lights disappearing the dark night and stars, and the new bungalows and their attendant concrete lions guarding paved driveways, which cater to the new rural residents: holiday makers and those commuting to their urban job centers. Hubbard describes, reverentially, this landscape: the bog, the bracken, the glens, the wet gorse, the warmth of tea and whiskey and burning turf in the fireplace. But it is the landscape and seas which are the novel's sacred protagonists. Their moods of fog, mist and rain and sudden sunlight, mirroring the emotions and character of Martha and the other main characters, Paddy O'Connell a neighboring dairy farmer, Eugene Riordan a real estate developer, Colm Nolan the poet-musician and smallholder. Brendan, her husband, and Bruno, her son. Rainsongs reveals the physical layers of the land through its historical structures, as well as through the recalling of Irish writers who have woven and mapped its poetic and lyrical emotional narrative. Hubbard describes Ballinskellig and Bolus Head with such loving detail, as though memorizing by heart its actual geography and, by doing so, makes herself and the reader belong to it as only a foreigner can do in full knowledge that the stay is temporary, and they must remember and take with them all there is to know of its factual history. She writes lyrically and poetically, as much as she paints with her words, for she is a published poet as well as a novelist. Her tale of loss and solace gently unfolds as though a poetic historiography. It is a soulful book, endowing with a spiritual reverence the description of landscape as only a poet and an informed writer's secular eye can do. Rainsongs' will create a longing in your heart to retreat to that place, from where you can see the two rocks beyond which lies the vast ocean and the certitude of America. Ahead the sky and ocean merge in a grey veil that stretches away towards America. How he loves this place. The savagery, the untamed wildness. Here on the edge of the land, the edge of Europe. He can feel it in his bones, the threads and connections running back through the centuries. James Joyce, John Bannville, William Trevor, too, brought in the sea to mirror mood-swings, emotional upheaval and transition. Sue Hubbard joins them in taking me to Ireland and it will remain a part of me, though perhaps I will never be fortunate enough to go there. Rainsongs unfolds and reveals itself, as an act of consolation, the land will endure long after Martha is gone, long after the others are gone. The place is both animate and inanimate. It breaths and is the soul of everything that will be when they are no more. The landscape is. It is memory. Without end. Rainsongs can be ordered here: Sue Hubbard's other books include: Poetry: Everything Begins with the Skin (Enithtarmon), Ghost Station (Salt), The Forgetting and Remembering of Air (Salt) Fiction: Depth of Field, (Dewi Lewis), Rothko's Red (Salt), Girl in White (Cinnamon Press) Art: Adventures in Art (Other Criteria) Kick off the New Year with a little more partying, some restorative activities and lots of comfort food. Duna hosts a Russian feast. (Courtesy of Duna) Monday, January 1st: Breakfast of Champions @ The Midway When: 6am to 6pm Where: Midway, 900 Marin St. (Bayview) Why: Continue NYE shenanigans starting at 6am. Dance at three stages with live DJs, have breakfast at the cafe or one of the food trucks, and shop a local designer pop-up. // Tickets ($20 - $45) are available at ticketfly.com. Monday, January 1st: New Year's Day Bottomless Brunch When: 11am to 3pm Where: Spark Social SF, 601 Mission Bay Boulevard North (Mission Bay) Why: Recover from ringing in the New Year with bottomless mimosas and 10+ food trucks. Soothing eats like tonkatsu ramen from Torraku and cheesy chicken katsu melts from Koja Kitchen will surely cure any lingering hangover. // Admission is free, bottomless sangria and mimosa tickets ($22 presale, $25 day of) are available at eventbrite.com. Monday, January 1st: Supermoon Silent Disco Beach Yoga @ Baker Beach When: 3pm to 4:15pm Where: Baker Beach, exact location will be emailed the morning of the event. Why: Start the New Year right and get outside to stretch and strengthen on the beach. You'll wear headphones to hear the yoga instruction and music. All levels are welcome. // Tickets ($28) are available at facebook.com. Monday, January 1st: See Tonight's Supermoon aka Wolf Moon When: 5pm Where: Multiple locations Why: The New Year begins with not just a full moon, but a supermoon. Take the time to be one with nature and go on a sunset hike, a night hike to see the moon at full capacity, or just step outside. // See our list of the best places and activities to take in the moon. Tuesday, January 2nd: Trio Bop Jazz @ Mr. Tipple's Recording Studio When: 7:30pm to 10:30pm Where: Mr. Tipple's Recording Studio, 39 Fell St. (Civic Center) Why: Let your second day of the year be filled with the sounds of new and avant jazz by Jason Gillenwater on Tenor, with drums and Bass. // Admission is free, mrtipplessf.com Wednesday, January 3rd: Basic Knife Skills, Vietnamese Eats + Booze at 18 Reasons When: 6pm to 9pm Where: 3674 18th St. (Mission) Why: If one of your new years resolutions is to cook more, then you're going to need some solid knife skills. Join 18 Reasons as they show you the basics of using a knife. You'll also make a Vietnamese-inspired salad with the vegetables you cut in class, and wine, beer, and bread will be served. // Tickets ($70) are available at 18reasons.org. Thursday, January 4th: Opening of Object & Outcome @ Everyday When: 7pm-11pm Where: Everyday, 936 Geary St. (TenderNob) Why: While strolling the Lower Polk/Tenderloin first Thursday art walk, be sure to pop into the opening for Object & Outcome. See paintings and photos by San Francisco-based artist Charlie Mirador and listen to music by See Night. // 35mmirador.tumblr.com, sffirstthursday.com Friday, January 5th: Salt & Straw Launches 5 New Vegan Flavors When: 11am -11pm Where: 586 Hayes St. (Hayes Valley) and 2201 Fillmore St. (Pacific Heights) Why: Salt and Straw is starting the New Year with five new vegan flavors. There's Happy Birthday Elvis with banana coconut ice cream swirled with marionberry jam and peanut butter fudge, chocolate hazelnut fudge with hazelnut milk and gluten-free brownies, and mint chip whoopee pie with coconut ice cream, crackled chocolate, and pure peppermint, and more. // saltandstraw.com Friday January 5th: Modern Istanbul 10 Course Winter Meal When: 7pm-10pm Where: Pop-up location released upon ticket purchase Why: Join Eleven Madison Park and Le Bernadin alums and husband-and-wife duo, Laura and Sayat, as they host a 10-course winter feast. There'll be meze spreads galore of beet salad and cured tuna, black hummus with beef short ribs, lamb belly, roasted branzino in grape leaves, and more. // Tickets ($65) are available at eatfeastly.com. Saturday, January 6th: Pottery Date Night (Half Off) @ Terra Mia Ceramic Studio When: 6pm to 9pm Where: Terra Mia Ceramic Studio, 1314 Castro St. (Noe Valley) Why: Bond with a friend or a date over pottery-making, for half off studio prices and later hours at that. // Tickets ($6 per person) can be reserved by calling 415-642-9911, facebook.com. Sunday, January 7th: A Russian Feast @ Duna When: 5:30pm-9pm Where: Duna, 983 Valencia St. (Mission) Why: Duna is collaborating with chef Bonnie Frumkin Morales of Portand's Kachka to celebrate the release of her new book, Kachka: A Return to Russian Cooking. The 4-course menu will showcase signature dishes, including the one and only Herring Under a Fur Coast. // Tickets ($65) are available at duna.kitchen/story/kachka. Interior designer Ann Lowengart describes the home she created for a stylish couple and their two young children as "hip and edgy but family-style." Glossy finishes and high-impact details are mixed with family-friendly materials and lounge-worthy furniture to create a home that emphasizes glamour but doesn't lose sight of functionality. This is a dwelling for a family who wasn't afraid to make bold choices and have a little fun. When she met the homeowners, Lowengart was immediately taken by their casual but refined personal style and how their newly purchased house in Marin County didn't reflect that at all. She wanted the home to embody their sense of style, so she removed the dated trappings of the 1990s house and put its large rooms, tall ceilings, natural light and well-executed floor plan to good use. "It was the perfect blank slate," Lowengart says. Lucite chairs: custom designed by Ann Lowengart Interiors; High on Wood Dining Table: H.D. Buttercup; Alber Hide Rug: One Kings Lane; 3-Piece Mango Wood Guardian Set: CB2 (David Duncan Livingston, original photo on Houzz) Houzz at a Glance Who lives here: A couple with 2 young children Location: Tiburon, California Designer: Ann Lowengart Size: 3,700 square feet (about 344 square meters); 4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms Lowengart prepped her canvas by painting many of the interior walls "decorators white" in an eggshell finish and the floors a high-gloss black. "Every time you use a flat paint, it sucks the light," she says. These finishes keep light moving. In the dining room, Lowengart used a high-gloss paint in a gray called "deep space." The dining room doubles as a library. "We didn't want it to be just a dining room," says Lowengart, reinforcing the idea that often rooms serve more than one purpose. The gray walls emphasize the couple's colorful collection of books, and the niche backed with Glow Wallpaper from Flavor Paper stands out as a bold move. Whether they're dining or reading, the sturdy dining table and acrylic chairs invite the family members to take a seat. Lowengart replaced an existing half wall that split up the living room and dining room with a brass balustrade, opening the dining room up to more light and introducing a more glamour feel. Prometheus Chandelier: Christopher Boots; painting: Kim Ford Kitz; Ashra Rug: Restoration Hardware; Dean Rectangular Side Table: Gabriel Scott; Skull Gold Pillow: Alexander McQueen; round acrylic bowl: Alexandra Von Furstenburg; fabric for both sofas: Ritz Blue Velvet, Cowtan & Tout (David Duncan Livingston, original photo on Houzz) The living room sits just below the dining room. Lowengart had the custom couch on the right filled with a softer material so the homeowners could lie down on it and relax while watching TV on the opposite wall. A second sofa gives friends and family a spot for gathering and lounging in front of the two-way marble-surround fireplace. Like the dining room, the living space has a sophisticated edginess but still feels casual and comfortable. Lowengart kept the color palette subdued, primarily using neutral pieces to fill the space. Dark sofas pick up the home's charcoal theme and anchor the room, while accessories from Alexander McQueen and Alexandra Von Furstenburg add playful color and pattern. A crystal chandelier by Christopher Boots hangs above the room like a glittering tree topper. Designer tip: "Pick one bold piece for the room," Lowengart says. She set the tone here with the dramatic light fixture and built everything around that. The rest of the bigger furnishings were kept subtle, but she punched up the edginess with accessories. "That's where you can really play," she says. Large Hicks Pendant: Circa Lighting; countertops: Super White Honed Quartz, Pental Quartz; Henson Counter Stool: Arteriors Home (David Duncan Livingston, original photo on Houzz) The kitchen called for a little more work, and Lowengart rearranged the layout and replaced the finishes. "We wanted to inject some fun and whimsy," she says. The key to having the kitchen read family as well as modern was to avoid extremes. Lowengart used a high-gloss charcoal paint for the cabinets but chose ceramic tiles from Ann Sacks in a honeycomb pattern for the backsplash to make the kitchen appear less severe. Instead of sleek metal bar stools, she used wood furniture. She decorated with neutral wall art, and the breakfast nook looks like a place where you'd want to kick back and eat. Since the couple has two young children, Lowengart selected quartz countertops instead of glossy white marble or another natural stone. "We chose a quartz because that's as tough as countertops come," she says. The original kitchen included a fireplace. When the homeowners decided they didn't need a fireplace in their kitchen, Lowengart suggested they turn the nook into a bar. She installed a wine cooler and mini refrigerator and lined the bar's interior with gold and turquoise Monaco wallpaper from Flavor Paper to give the kitchen a playful tone. When the bar isn't in use, it can be closed off with a custom Macassar ebony door that Lowengart designed. Wallpaper: Circus, Cole & Son; Pruitt Sconce: Arteriors Home; mirror: custom; vanity top: Super White Honed Quartz, Pental Quartz; sink: Verticyl, Kohler (David Duncan Livingston, original photo on Houzz) Lowengart played again with wallpaper in the downstairs powder room, covering all four walls in a bright geometric pattern. "Wallpaper has come back big," she says, and in general she is particularly daring in bathrooms. "When you use a big pattern in a large room, it can be overwhelming," she says, but bathrooms and other smaller rooms can benefit from wallpaper's drama. "It's a great way to inject color, whimsy and pattern," she says, especially since bathrooms are mostly about utility and essentials. Carpeting: Bargello, Stark; chandelier: Phasmida, Christopher Boots (David Duncan Livingston, original photo on Houzz) Natural light, towering ceilings and expansive rooms made for beautiful spaces, but Lowengart wanted to make sure this house would feel like a home. "The combination of a tall ceiling and a large room can feel cavernous and unwelcoming," she says, particularly for the entry and the staircase, areas that should feel especially inviting. "We wanted that space to read beautiful, warm and welcoming." Part of that involved hanging the light fixture over the staircase lower than normal, giving the illusion of a more intimate space. Instead of focusing on the 20-foot ceiling, visitors could focus on the light sculpture. All the other details are bright and simple. Designer tip: "If you love dark, pick one thing that's dark," Lowengart says. That way you achieve drama without overwhelming the room. Wherever she uses dark colors, Lowengart makes sure they have a sheen or a gloss, and keeps all the other colors in the room bright and light. She covered an upstairs guest bathroom with Scalamandre's iconic zebras wall covering in black. Throw pillows: Fornasetti, linen duvet, shams: Matteo; Avery Bed, Infinity Leaning Mirror: Room & Board; wallpaper: Nuvole, Fornasetti (David Duncan Livingston, original photo on Houzz) The master bedroom turns away from some of the details Lowengart used throughout the rest of the house. It features no dark or colorful accents and instead has a serene, muted palette. Lowengart covered one wall with wallpaper, but instead of introducing a bold or colorful pattern, she reinforced tranquility. With the rest of the house designed for family and entertaining, the bedroom is a refuge for the couple. The couple's two kids share a bedroom that has as much of a casual modern vibe as the rest of the house. This article was written by Annie Thornton for Houzz. You might also like: Learn How to Layer Neutral Colors at Home Stunningly Beautiful Wallpaper to Fit Your Style Stylish Floor Mirrors That Elongate Tall Spaces Laptops are considered as the perfect mixture of work and portability. GearBest has launched a laptop promotion recently, and this e-commerce giant has flash sale every day. Today, the website of Mini PC News releases its new post in title of Best 13.3 inch Laptops 2017 from China. People can save at least $50 now when buying any of the models mention. Check: http://www.minipcnews.com/best-13-3-inch-laptops-2017/ China laptops/notebooks are getting more and more popular now, thanks to the China laptops/notebooks brands like Chuwi, Xiaomi, Cube, Teclast, Onda, and so on. Want to buy a great Windows 10 laptops or tablets without breaking the bank? Take a look at this collection of quality, affordable laptops. John from Mini PC News says. Best 13.3 inch Laptops 2017 from China: NO. 1 Xiaomi Notebook Air 13.3 8GB + 256GB + GEFORCE MX150 (Best Xiaomi Notebook for Home) Mi Notebook Air 13.3 is a cost-effective notebook which supports fingerprint recognition. Equipped with a 13.3 inch FHD display, brings your photos and videos to life. Powered by Intel Core i5-7200U processor, featuring NVIDIA GeForce MX150 graphics, ensures high performance. 256GB huge hard disk storage brings you smooth using experience. Dual band 2.4GHz / 5.0GHz WiFi supported, ensures you high-speed surfing. Check Price and More No. 2 ASUS U310UQ7200 Notebook (Intel i5-7200U, 4+256GB SSD) ASUS U310UQ7200 Notebook features powerful Windows 10 operating system, which makes it easy to check E-mail and manage digital files. Powered by Intel Core i5-7200U processor, designed with HDMI output, featuring powerful dedicated graphics, all of this give users a full suite for using dominance and offer users a truly seamless using experience. Check Price and More No. 3 ENZ C16BI76240G Laptop (Intel i7 6500U, 8+240GB SSD) ENZ C16BI76240G Laptop is equipped with a 13.3 inch FHD display, powered by Intel Core i7-6500U processor, designed with HDMI output, featuring powerful graphics, all of this give users a full suite for using dominance and offer users a truly seamless using experience. Check Price and More In addition, GearBest has recently introduced another hot model. ACEPC AK1 mini PC, which is designed as a compact computing solution, and it can change what people think a traditional desktop computer should look like. It fits comfortably on an outstretched hand, and weighs roughly enough for users to know that it is packing some hardware. This companys another model ACEPC T11 has been a good example of Mini PC that can explain why Mini PCs are getting more and more popular at the official website of the IT giant IBM company. Find more here: http://www.minipcnews.com/best-mini-pc-for-gaming-2017-2018/ About Mini PC News Mini PC News (MiniPCNews.com) is a technical blog talking about Mini PC products including other electronic gadgets, tech knockoffs, and more. The team of Mini PC News is the folks working hard to provide in-depth reporting, commentary and a daily dose of Mini PCs and other electronics news for readers worldwide. Media Contact Company Name: Mini PC News Contact Person: JOHN Schneider Email: info@tvbma.com Phone: 1-530-395-2035 Country: United States Website: http://www.minipcnews.com/ 010118MOMIS TO VISIT BOUGAINVILLE By Aloysius Laukai The ABG President Chief DR. JOHN MOMIS says that he will try to visit all Constituencies in 2018. In his New Year Message to the people of Bougainville, PRESIDENT MOMIS said that he will make an attempt to visit all constituencies in the new years to make them aware of the coming Referendum scheduled for June 15th 2019. He said that he wants to personally involve in explaining to the people the importance of voting in the coming Referendum. The ABG President says he is not worried which ways the cookies crumble as long as the people know which way they have voted in the referendum. He says what happens later is up to the two governments to negotiate on how they can work on a transitional period. President Momis also said that all ABG members have been allocated funds for awareness in their respective constituencies in 2018. This is to make sure no one is left behind in preparation towards the Referendum preparedness. Ends Some West Michigan Marines deployed overseas will be bringing home a little piece of Afghanistan to Michigan. They found two puppies and with the help of loved ones back home, they raised enough money for vet bills and the long trip back home to Michigan. Hayden Gort is currently deployed to Helmand Province, Afghanistan. His team found a puppy going through their garbage a few weeks ago. Another platoon found a different puppy on the side of the road while out on patrol. They've been taking care of them ever since and soon they'll be on a plane back to West Michigan. It all started three weeks ago. "Me and my team were taking the trash out in the morning as we do every morning," said Gort. "We saw one of the trash bags moving and was somewhat empty. There was a puppy laying in it trying to dig through the trash to find food." That's when they found the puppy they would name Sabula. "We tried to walk up to her and she was very skiddish at first and nervous to see us," said Gort. "After a couple of minutes talking to her and trying to show her love and get her attention she finally let us touch her and pick her up. We brought her back to our base and just kind of loved on her and gave her some food. From there we just fell in love with her." They named her Sabula after a local Afghan girl that lives near their base. Just a few weeks before they found Sabula, other Marines from the Grand Rapids area found another dog they would name Nala. "They were out on a patrol and found her on the side of the road kind of doing the same thing looking for food, said Gort. Hayden says they couldn't leave the dogs alone. "When you first saw her you could just tell she needed some help," said Gort. "She had a pretty bad cut on the side of her which is now just fully healing," said Gort. "She has a scar there. She was really limping on her back-left leg and it seemed like she got kicked by one of the nationals. The people here do not treat dogs very well, so we just wanted to come feed her and show her some love and show her what she could be getting and she just wouldn't leave." The Marines made fundraising pages to help bring the dogs back to Michigan. They needed almost $4,000 for veterinary care, vaccines and the trip home. They would raise that money in less than a week. "We have to fly these puppies in a helicopter to Kabul where they will spend 30 to 45 days in quarantine to make sure that these Afghan puppies don't have any animal diseases that they could bring home to American dogs," said Gort. "They'll see a vet there, get all of their vaccinations and stuff there and then this company will send the puppies over to Detroit where our families will go and pick them up from there." In the meantime, Hayden says the puppies keep them going. "It definitely keeps our morale much higher," said Gort. "Being here in Helmand Province, it's not the greatest place to be. there's threats all over us, so having this little bit of freedom and happiness around definitely helps us a lot. We go through the days and anything could happen. It's nice getting back from a mission or back from work and having that little bit of happiness to come home to." Hayden says he can't wait to get home and have Sabula by his side. "It'll be a good reminder of how there are good things that can come out of this country," said Gort. "There's a lot of bad stigma about this country I feel like. There's a lot of people here that are good people. It'll be weird having her home, but it'll be a good reminder of what we're doing over here and how we're helping." Hayden says he should be home sometime before the start of summer. Sabula and Nala should arrive in Michigan sometime in February. Dress in layers lay off the booze and bring some hand warmers. In New York City it's expected to be one of the coldest ball drops on record, Sunday. And as we count down the final hours of 2017, police around the world are working to make New Years Eve celebrations safe for everyone. From Rome to Rio, Madrid to New York City. Police in cities around the world are working to keep New Years Eve celebrations safe. In Berlin, workers spent Saturday setting up barriers around the Brandenburg gate, where hundreds of thousands are expected to ring in the New Year. Large bags and suitcases are banned from the event. In Brazil, two million people are expected to attend a fireworks show on Rio's Copacabana beach. 2,000 officers will watch over the festivities from surveillance towers. Tourists seemed more concerned about the weather, than security. In New York, keeping two million people safe Sunday night is the top priority for the NYPD. This is going to be one of the most well policed, best-protected events, at one of the safest venues in the entire world, said James O Neill, NYPD commissioner. This month, a would-be suicide bomber tried to set off a bomb in a walkway under Times Square. Now, all officers working New Year's Eve will have additional training with help in clearing crowds if they detect a threat. Stopping the bomber with lethal force, treating the wounded if a bomb goes off. Neither the threat of terrorism, nor the brutal cold seemed to lessen the crowds in Times Square Saturday. The countdown to -the- countdown is on. Clearing skies, above average temperatures, and dry weather are ahead for your first day of 2018! The showers that tracked through the region last night are mostly off to our East this morning, and will continue to track away from our region today. Clouds have helped to keep temperatures warmer this morning. Valley areas are mostly starting out in the 40's, while mountain areas have dipped into the 20's to 30's. Skies are starting out cloudy but should clear through the day. Winds are expected to stay light. High temperatures will end up in the 60's for the valley this afternoon, and mountain areas are projected to climb into the mid to high 50's. Tuesday will be mild across Northern California. Temperatures will start out warm like today, but may be a couple degrees cooler. High temperatures will be slightly cooler on Tuesday, but will still be above average. Big changes return to Northern California on Wednesday. Warmer low temperatures, cooler high temperatures, and showers will all be ahead for Wednesday. Showers will likely hold off until late in the day Wednesday, and will extend into Thursday. Wednesday's wet system will then merge with another wet system approaching the coast Friday, and that will continue the wet weather into Saturday. Sunday currently looks dry, but that is subject to change over the next few model runs. I hope everyone is ready for the rain to return, and had a very Happy New Year! Afternoon Voice is a parallel and emerging media house that addresses and brings to you the well-analysed and detailed form of everyday issues in the city and its suburbs. Since last eight years we have been working hard to report about various news and other important incidents happening in Mumbai and other parts of the country. We are proud to address ourselves as a parallel media which continues to thrive in a commercialised world due to hard work. Stories covered by us have created an impact in the society and we have received positive feedback from our readers. As we enter the year 2018, we will continue to work hard and enlighten our readers with various issues which affect the lives of the common men. Deliver justice to deceased contractual railway workers: Kirtikar On November 21, 2017 we had published a lead story, Railways should provide compensation to contractual workers. In this report, we had mentioned about how three contractual women labours lost their lives after being run over by an express train near Malad. We also raised our concern regarding hardships faced by contractual workers family members after they lose the breadwinner of their family. Often it has been observed that railways turn a blind eye towards the safety of contractual workers and fail to provide compensation to them after the occurrence of a mishap. The kin of deceased workers have to run from pillar to post for claiming compensation from railways which is a tedious task. After we published the story, Gajanan Kirtikar, Shiv Sena MP and member of Railway Board intervened in this matter and forwarded a letter to the Railway Board, New Delhi urging them to offer compensation to the kin of deceased women labourers. Mr Kirtikar has also assured us that he will look into this matter and ensure justice to contractual workers. Error free online assessment system? We had published this story on November 4, 2017. Through this report we had mentioned about Mumbai University going ahead with online assessment system for the winter semester exams despite facing severe technical hardships earlier. University officials had claimed that they are better prepared this time to identify any technical glitches and resolved past mistakes. Additional manpower has been deployed and training has been imparted to personnel for evaluation of 452 winter examinations. Despite this students were worried that results will be declared on time. Earlier students had to undergo severe hardships due to delay in declaration of results. Many of them had paid fees for seeking admission in colleges but were unable to produce their mark sheet and passing certificates. As per the Maharashtra Universities Act, 1994, results must be declared within 30-45 days from the concluding date of the examinations. We received good feedback from students and legislators for publishing this report and they said that AV is highlighting about the hardships faced by students due to no fault of theirs. Mumbai BJP President Ashish Shelar had earlier admitted that the Government had introduced the online evaluation system in haste and assured us that the government will be more prepared for next academic year and I am hopeful to avoid such repetitions in future. Punish mangrove destroyers Through our story Punish mangrove destroyers published on October 9, 2017 we had reported about how Illegal construction and encroachment activities have resulted into the destruction of mangroves in Kanakia Park, Mira Road. Even though residents and activists had filed complaint with the Mira-Bhayander Municipal Corporation against BJP MLA Narendra Mehta, for hacking mangroves to construct realty projects, they have turned a blind eye towards this issue. Mehta is the founder of Seven Eleven Group of Companies with business interests in construction, healthcare and education projects. Mangroves act as a natural barrier and prevent soil erosion and flooding in a city like Mumbai which witnesses heavy rainfall. However, sand and building construction materials are dumped to destroy mangroves to make way for realty projects in the city. Infrastructure development is essential for the citys development but it should not come at the cost of the environment. Environmentalists have called for the protection of mangroves, wetlands and waterbodies which will prevent flooding in the city. Megastar Amitabh Bachchan said he is hooked to the period drama The Crown and feels being transported to the era of late 1940s while watching the show, which depicts the reign of Queen Elizabeth II. The 75-year-old actor took to his personal blog to praise the Netflix series. Been watching The Crown lately and inadvertently I find myself becoming a character in the times of Queen Elizabeth, and royalty and the events of those years We become a bit regal too in our demeanour hehehahaha Bachchan wrote. The Pink star lauded the team of the show for creating the historical drama in its authenticity. But no you cannot but admire the amount of effort taken to present some of the works of these serials In its authenticity, in its content and in the reality of events they cover or talk about With great frankness and honesty he wrote. This item is available in full to subscribers. Attention subscribers We have recently launched a new and improved website. To continue reading, you will need to either log into your subscriber account, or purchase a new subscription. If you are a digital subscriber with an active subscription, then you already have an account here. Just reset your password if you've not yet logged in to your account on this new site. If you are a current print subscriber, you can set up a free website account by clicking here. Otherwise, click here to view your options for subscribing. Mumbai gets its first AC local train In a Christmas gift to Mumbaikars, the countrys first air-conditioned (AC) suburban train commenced its services on December 25 thus realising the long-awaited dream of lakhs of commuters. The train, operated by the Western Railway (WR) is running between Borivali Station to Churchgate Station in South Mumbai. Built in Chennai at a cost of Rs. 54 crore, the 12-car rake of the AC local, initially was meant to be run on the Central Railway (CR) corridor. The commuters are excited at the launch of the AC local which is expected to bring them respite during the scorching summer. BJP MPs Kirit Somaiya, Gopal Shetty, State minister Vinod Tawde, Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar and WR General Manager Anil Kumar Gupta flagged off the train. HC sets aside Guvs nod to prosecute Chavan in Adarsh case The Bombay HC, on December 22, set aside the sanction granted to the CBI by Maharashtra Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao to prosecute senior Congress leader Ashok Chavan in the Adarsh housing society scam. The CBI has accused Chavan of approving additional floor space index (FSI) for the Adarsh society in posh south Mumbai, and accepting two flats for his relatives in return when he was the chief minister. The bench was hearing a petition filed by Chavan, challenging the sanction granted by the governor in February 2016 to prosecute the former chief minister of Maharashtra under various sections of the IPC related to criminal conspiracy and cheating, besides provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act. Chavan, currently the president of the Maharashtra unit of the Congress, had served as the chief minister between December 2008 and November 2010 before he was asked to step down on charges of corruption in the Adarsh scam. 22 dead, over 30 injured in stampede at Elphinstone Railway Station FOB Twenty-two people died and over 30 sustained injuries in a stampede on a foot overbridge at Mumbais Elphinstone Railway Station in Parel in the suburban section of Western Railway on September 29. It was raining heavily and trains steamed into both stations at the same time. That led to overcrowding on the narrow foot-overbridge and commuters panicked upon hearing a rumour that a bridge had collapsed, eyewitnesses said. According to some others, there was a short circuit leading to overcrowding on the bridge. Ensure transactions in Marathi also: MNS to banks Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena has trained guns on banks, asking them to conduct transactions in Marathi. MNS functionaries on November 20 met officials of various banks and handed over letters to the bank managements, asking them to ensure that transactions are conducted in Marathi as well. You are aware that Marathi is the rajbhasha (state language) of Maharashtra. That is why, our party is firm that all formal transactions in the state should be carried out in Marathi, the letter said. BJP MP Nana Patole quits party and Lok Sabha BJP MP from Maharashtra Nana Patole, who has been critical of the state government and taken pot-shots at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said he has resigned from the party and the Lok Sabha on December 8. Patole had denounced the BJP over a host of issues, including farmers distress. He has been a member of other parties, including the Congress, in the past. He had joined the BJP before the 2014 Lok Sabha elections in which he defeated NCP heavyweight Praful Patel from Bhandara-Gondiya constituency. MNS activists drive away illegal hawkers from Rail Bridge A group of activists claiming to be affiliated to the MNS on October 21 drove away more than two dozen illegal hawkers from a railway bridge in Mumbai. Around 25 activists descended on the Satis Bridge and evicted the hawkers, numbering about two dozen, who were selling their wares there. The activists were lead by Avinash Jadhav, president of the MNS Thane city unit, and the partys local youth wing chief Sandeep Panchange. Mumbai rains: Doctors missing body found in nullah in Worli The body of renowned doctor Deepak Amrapurkar, who had gone missing on August 29 following heavy rains in the city, was recovered from a nullah near the Coast Guard office in central Mumbais Worli on August 31. The Bombay hospital gastroenterologist had slipped into an open manhole while wading through the water-logged streets near Elphinston Road station. Dr Amarapurkar (58) had left for home on 29th August evening in his car, but due to waterlogging he left the vehicle near the Elphinstone Road station and started walking, a senior police official had said. 12 workers charred to death in Mumbai shop fire At least 12 workers were killed and one injured when a massive fire broke out at a snack shop in Saki Naka-Kurla area on December 18. The police arrested the owner of the shop for culpable homicide. The blaze erupted in the Bhanu farsan (snack) shop in Makaria Compound on the Khairani Road around 4.25 am following which the structure collapsed. As per the official, it is suspected that a short circuit, followed by a LPG cylinder blast, triggered the fire. RERA Act comes into Force on May 1 The much-awaited Real Estate Act came into force but only in 13 states and Union Territories have so far notified rules under the Act which Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu said will enable only regulation of the sector and not strangulation. The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act or RERA promises to bring in the much-desired transparency, accountability and efficiency in the real estate sector and the government has described the implementation of the Act as the beginning of an era where the consumer in king. Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu said, This is a landmark legislation becoming a reality nine years after regulation of real estate sector was first mooted in 2008. According to him all efforts were made to delay this legislation from becoming a reality. Tata Teleservices to merge consumer mobile business with Bharti Airtel Tata Teleservices will merge with Bharti Airtel as the Tata group firm looks to tide over its financial woes by exiting the mobile telephony business. The companies said the deal is on a no-debt, no-cash basis, implying Airtel is not taking over any of the about Rs 40,000 crore debt with Tata Teleservices and is neither paying any cash. Even 70-80 per cent of the Rs 9,000-10,000 crore deferred payments for spectrum that TTSL holds, will be paid by Tatas. The deal, subject to regulatory approvals, will see over 40 million customers of Tata Teleservices (TTSL) and Tata Teleservices Maharashtra (TTML) joining Bharti Airtel and mark further consolidation in one of the worlds largest telecom markets. The merger will be on a debt-free, cash-free basis and all past liabilities and dues to be settled by Tata, the companies said in a statement. Air Deccan takes wings again, flies to Jalgaon Indias first low-cost carrier Air Deccan, which ceased operations after being acquired by erstwhile Kingfisher Airlines in 2008, took wings again as a commuter airline on December 24, 2017 with its maiden flight taking off for Jalgaon from Mumbai. The flight was inaugurated by Maharashtra Revenue Minister Chandrakant Patil along with Air Deccan chairman Captain G R Gopinath. Addressing a small function at the Jalgaon airport to mark the arrival of the first scheduled flight, Gopinath said the objective of the relaunch of Air Deccan was to realise an unfulfilled dream, and to provide connectivity to all parts of Maharashtra as well as other regions of the country. We plan to connect Satara, Solapur, Latur and many more cities of the state with Mumbai, he said. In the first phase, it will operate 36 flights per week. RCom announces debt revival plan, ropes in new investor Crippled Reliance Communications (RCom) announced yet another debt revival plan on December 26, 2017 claiming full debt resolution by March but without involving any conversion of debt into equity and exiting the SDR framework, apart from coming on-board of a strategic investor. But the company did not name the new investor. Announcing the resolution plan, company Chairman Anil Ambani told reporters that the new plan has the support of a Chinese lender that had dragged it to the NCLT for dues running into $1.8 billion, and would see RCom bringing down its mountain of debt by Rs 25,000 crore. Debt resolution involves Reliance Communications exiting SDR framework with no conversion of debt into equity and zero write-off by lenders, Ambani said, adding he expects full closure by March 2018. He said the deal involved an eight-stage asset monetisation process under an oversight committee headed by former RBI deputy governor S S Mundra with members from Trai and the whole process will be completed in 40 days flat. After a busy, eventful and successful diplomatic year 2017, India gets ready for yet another calendar year of diplomatic engagements. The first month of 2018 is itself packed with two blockbuster events. Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is visiting India from 14th to 17th January. The second event is the Heads of 10-member ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries will be the Chief Guests at the Republic Day ceremony. With such a start 2018 promises to be a year to eagerly look forward to. Netanyahus visit to India holds significance from two aspects. Firstly on bilateral level. The friendship between India and Israel is only growing since establishment of diplomatic relations in 1992. In this relatively short span of time Israel has quickly established itself as a major defence partner of India. Israel is Indias second largest supplier of defence equipments after Russia. For Israel, India is its largest buyer of defence equipments. The trade between the two countries is also increasing with each passing year. So Netanyahus visit would be an important step towards strengthening the bilateral relations. It is significant to note that Netanyahu will only be the second Israeli Prime Minister to visit India after Ariel Sharon who visited in 2003. This visit is also important from the point of view of addressing the instability that both South Asia and Middle East are facing due to terrorism. The second aspect of Netanyahus visit deals with Indias broader policy with respect to Middle East. With the developments taking place in the Middle East region, it is necessary for India to respond to these changes and make alterations to its policy. The issues of Jerusalem and the growing divide between Saudi Arabia and Iran are driving the region towards instability. As far as Israel is concerned India has been balancing its relations with Israel and Palestine. While Prime Minister Modis de-hyphenating visit to Israel indicated that India is looking to deal with both separately. However in the United Nations India voted in favour of resolution which opposed recognizing Jerusalem as Israels capital. So Netanyahus visit offers India an opportunity to (once again) balance its relations. The second event in January 2018 is the visit of Heads of the 10-member ASEAN countries. This is a unique event since it is the first time that there would be multiple guests for the Republic Day function. It has been a convention of inviting a Head of State of any country as a guest on Republic Day. Inviting the Heads of ASEAN countries indicates another step in Indias Act East Policy. The Modi Government, after coming to power in 2014, had made Look East Policy as Act East Policy in order to give an increased thrust to Indias engagement with the Southeast Asian Region. The new Act East Policy seeks to increase focus on the strategic aspect of India-Southeast Asia relations. China pursuing an expansionist policy in the South China Sea poses a strategic challenge to the Southeast Asian countries. From Indias point of view Southeast Asia has its strategic importance on its own as well as a region that connects Indian Ocean Region and the Indo-Pacific. Since there has been emphasis on strategic aspect in foreign policy it is in Indias interest to engage with Southeast Asia. Southeast Asian countries also demand more involvement from India in the region. India is taking steps towards becoming an important stakeholder in the Indian Ocean Region and the Indo-Pacific. Strategic engagement with Southeast Asia would strengthen Indias position in all the three regions. It would also pose a competition to China and eventually protect Indias strategic and economic interests in these regions. The New Year is starting with Indias interaction with two regions where India is looking to increase its participation in the strategic sphere. This aspect is relatively new in Indias foreign policy. But it is an important step for India to be a major power at regional and global level. Such a promising start to a new diplomatic year can certainly make one hope for yet another fruitful year ahead. Niranjan Marjani (The Author is an Independent Researcher based in Vadodara and can be reached at [email protected]) Presidential Inauguration of Donald Trump Donald Trump was sworn in as the 45th president of the United States on January 20, 2017, outlining his forceful vision of a new national populism and echoing the same America first mantra that swept him to victory last November. He has been good to his word since getting to the White House. He has cancelled U.S. participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership, withdrawn the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement, refused to certify that Iran is in compliance with its nuclear obligations, recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and relegated democracy and human rights to the sidelines of U.S. foreign policy. To be sure, Trump hasnt enacted all of his campaign promises. He beefed up rather than withdrew U.S. troops from Afghanistan, and he hasnt declared China a currency manipulator or kicked NAFTA to the curb. Trumps dismissal of traditional foreign policy practices even has some fellow Republicans questioning whether America First means embracing a doctrine of retreat. Many of Americas closest allies are worried. They fear the era of U.S. global leadership is ending. If so, the consequences are epic. Xi Jinpings Extraordinary Elevation Not even Adele with her five Grammy awards had as good a year as Xi Jinping. Although China blatantly exploits international trade rules, Xi won applause for his January speech at Davos championing globalisation and likening protectionism to locking oneself in a dark room. In April, President Donald Trump feted him at a two-day summit meeting at Mar-a-Lago and quite noticeably avoided his typical China-bashing rhetoric. In June, Xi won more global accolades for doubling down on his commitment to the Paris climate agreement. But his biggest success came in October at the nineteenth Chinese Communist Party Congress. It was a coronation. Xi was named to his second five-year term as party general secretary. He wa also named a core leader, a title denied to his immediate predecessor, Hu Jintao. North Korea Defies the World Successive U.S. presidents have insisted that they would prevent North Korea from acquiring nuclear weapons. They backed that up by offering carrots, imposing sanctions, and threatening military action. North Korea hasnt listened. In early September, North Korea conducted its sixth nuclear test. Three months later it tested a ballistic missile that looks capable of hitting any U.S. city. President Trump says he will stop North Korea in its tracks, vowing that North Korea will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen, tweeting that military solutions are now fully in place, locked and loaded, and calling North Korean leader Kim Jung-un Little Rocket Man. Trump has also pushed China to solve the problem. The Globe Continues to Warm The news is not good. The earth is getting warmer, whether people believe it or not. In September, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced that 2017 was shaping up as the second warmest year on record. What is the warmest year? 2016. The other eight warmest years on record have all occurred since 1998. The dramatic melting of the Arctic and Antarctic and of glaciers around the world is something that climate scientists have been predicting for decades. And its basic physics that warmer oceans temperatures mean bigger storms. President Trump announced in June that the United States would leave the Paris Climate Agreement, and words have been more common than deeds in other foreign capitals. The trend is not our friend. Global Growth Picks Up Ten years after the Great Recession started, global economic growth is accelerating and stock markets around the world are hitting record highs. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said in October that The outlook is strengthening, with a notable pickup in investment, trade, and industrial production, together with rising confidence. The IMF added the caveat that recovery is not yet complete. However, even cautious optimism has been in short supply for nearly a decade. Mohammad bin Salman Remakes Saudi Arabia Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman (MBS) is a young man in a hurry. Back in June, his father, Saudi Arabias King Salman, made the 32 year-old his heir, after deposing the previous crown prince, the kings nephew and MBSs cousin, Mohammed bin Nayef. MBS immediately got to work. His vehicle for remaking the country is Vision 2030, a two-year-old initiative that seeks to modernise Saudi Arabias economy and society. The idea is to prepare the country for a post-oil future and to loosen its conservative social strictures. The Rohingya Crisis The Rohingya may be the most persecuted minority group in the world. They have lived in Myanmar for centuries. Most of them are Muslims, though some are Hindus, in a country in which nearly nine out of ten people are Buddhists. The Rohingya have long been discriminated against, often violently so, and the Myanmar government refuses to acknowledge them as citizens. The latest and ugliest surge of violence began in August when Rohingya began fleeing into neighbouring Bangladesh telling stories of mass killings, systematic rape, and torture. At last count, more than 400,000 have fled Myanmar and thousands more have been displaced internally. Aung San Suu Kyi, a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize and Myanmars most prominent official, has done little publicly to end the violence. Thats probably because the military still runs the country despite the political opening of the past few years. India Successfully Test Fires Agni-IV Ballistic Missile On January 2, India successfully test-fired its nuclear-capable strategic ballistic missile Agni-IV with a strike range of 4,000km as part of a user trial from a test range off Odisha coast. Supported by a mobile launcher, the surface-to-surface missile was flight tested from launch complex-4 of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Dr Abdul Kalam Island, formerly known as Wheeler Island, at about 11.55 hours. DRDO says this was the 6th trial of the indigenously developed Agni-IV missile which met the mission objectives Assembly Elections 2017; 5 States, 690 Seats BJPs victory trend started in February after the party won Goa and Uttarakhand. A month after that in March, the BJP swept through Uttar Pradesh and Manipur. The party however lost against the Congress in Punjab in 2017 Assembly polls. INS Viraat Decommissioned after 30 Years of Service to Indian Navy Aircraft carrier INS Viraat was decommissioned on March 6, after 30 years with the Indian Navy, at an impressive ceremony onboard and in the presence of Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba and top armed forces officials. INS Viraat was the second centaur-class aircraft carrier, after INS Vikrant. The aircraft carrier, in its earlier avatar, had won Falklands War against Argentina in 1982 for the Royal British Navy. It weighs about 27,800 tonnes and served in the British Navy as HMS Hermes from November 1959 to April 1984 and after refurbishment, was commissioned into the Indian Navy. Indian Navy purchased it at the cost of $65 million and was recommissioned on May 12, 1987. Darjeeling Unrest Through much of 2017, the picturesque Darjeeling Hills once a dreamy tourist gateway simmered with violence over the revived demand for a separate Gorkhaland state. The agitation that started against the alleged imposition of Bengali language on the locals, snowballed into an intense movement for statehood, triggering widespread arson and vandalism, massive clashes, multiple casualties, political blame games, and the longest-ever shutdown of 104 days that brought the entire northern West Bengal hills to a standstill. On August 19, 2017 two separate bomb blasts within 24 hours in Darjeeling and Kalimpong rocked the hills. One civic volunteer was killed while two security personnel were injured in the Kalimpong explosion. India has launched its Biggest Tax Reform Goods and Services Tax (India) launched in India on July 1, 2017. The Indias biggest tax reform in 70 years of Independence, was launched at midnight of June 30, 2017. The GST weaved 29 states into a single market with one tax rate but while traders and small business complained of increased compliance burden, voices of dissent rose on high tax rate on some common use goods. GST tax slabs of 5, 12, 18 and 28 per cent were decided going by the principle of fitting each item into a category most close to cumulative pre-GST taxes. More than 250 died in Gujarat Floods Following heavy rain in July 2017, the Indian state of Gujarat was affected by severe flooding. The floods were reported to have caused more than 250 deaths between June 1 and July 31, 2017. 16 people had died in neighbouring Rajasthan state by July 31, 2017. Ram Rahim From Cave to Jail Controversial Godman Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was convicted of rape by a special CBI court on August 25, 2017. This was followed by widespread violence will killed over 38, injured 300. He has been sentenced to 20 years in jail for rape. Nirmala Sitharaman named Indias 2nd woman defence minister after Indira Gandhi on September 7, 2017 becoming the first full-time woman Defence Minister of the country. Senior journalist Gauri Lankesh shot dead by unidentified assailants at Bengaluru residence on September 5, 2017. Gauri Lankesh was the editor of Lankesh Patrike, a weekly Kanna The Bharatiya Janata Party, on December 18, 2017, wins majority of the seats in the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh assembly elections. Anny Divya became worlds youngest woman commander to fly Boeing 777 at the age of 30. A second line for the China-Russia oil pipeline began commercial operation Monday, raising China's annual imports of Russian crude oil from 15 million to 30 million tonnes annually through the pipeline. [File photo:gzcoal.gov.cn] Construction on the 941.8-km-long second line from Mohe, which borders Russia, to the city of Daqing in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province began in August 2016. The line passes north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. The second line was built in parallel to the first line between Mohe and Daqing, said Jiang Changliang, general manager of PetroChina Pipeline Company. The project is intended to deepen energy cooperation between China and Russia and serve the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative. Originating in the Russian town of Skovorodino, the new line enters China at Mohe and terminates at Daqing. It operated smoothly and its transmission was 3,812 cubic meters per hour at the Mohe station, according to a Xinhua reporter at the scene Monday morning. The first line from Mohe to Daqing was put into use on Jan. 1, 2011, with an annual capacity of 15 million tonnes. It has transported a total of 110 million tonnes of oil so far. The United States yesterday announced plan to donate new MD 530G light attack helicopters to Lebanon, the US Embassy in Beirut released. "With General Votel, we discussed with the Prime Minister and earlier today with the Army Commander, three new U.S. Department of Defense programs that we are announcing today," declared US Ambassador in Lebanon Elizabeth Richard and Commander of the U.S. Central Command, General Joseph Votel on December 13, 2017. "This advanced equipment will help the Army build on its steady strong capability to conduct border security and counterterrorism operations and importantly to defend the country and the people of Lebanon," the Embassy added. The United States has given the Lebanese Armed Forces more than $1.5 billion in assistance over the past ten years, the Embassy has said previously. In 2017, Lebanon received the first batch of six A-29 Super Tucano light attack aircraft from the US, which also announced it would deliver 32 M2A2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles to the LAF. The six MD 530Gs will give Lebanon its first first attack helicopters. They will bolster the Lebanese Air Force's close air support, precision targeting, surveillance and intelligence gathering capabilities. The MD 530G is the latest addition to the MD 500 family of military helicopters. The MD 530G incorporates the FN Herstal Heavy Machine Gun Pod (HMP) housing a 12.7 mm (.50 caliber) FN M3P machine gun, Dillon Aero M134D-H Gatling Gun, and Raytheon TALON 2.75-inch (70 mm) Laser-Guided Rocket. It is also fitted with L-3 Wescam MX-10 series sensor and LASER designator. These systems valued at more than $120 million include six new MD 530G light attack helicopters , six new Scan Eagle unmanned aerial vehicles, and leading edge communication and night vision devices."This advanced equipment will help the Army build on its steady strong capability to conduct border security and counterterrorism operations and importantly to defend the country and the people of Lebanon," the Embassy added.The United States has given the Lebanese Armed Forces more than $1.5 billion in assistance over the past ten years, the Embassy has said previously. In 2017, Lebanon received the first batch of six A-29 Super Tucano light attack aircraft from the US, which also announced it would deliver 32 M2A2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles to the LAF.The six MD 530Gs will give Lebanon its first first attack helicopters. They will bolster the Lebanese Air Force's close air support, precision targeting, surveillance and intelligence gathering capabilities.The MD 530G is the latest addition to the MD 500 family of military helicopters. The MD 530G incorporates the FN Herstal Heavy Machine Gun Pod (HMP) housing a 12.7 mm (.50 caliber) FN M3P machine gun, Dillon Aero M134D-H Gatling Gun, and Raytheon TALON 2.75-inch (70 mm) Laser-Guided Rocket. It is also fitted with L-3 Wescam MX-10 series sensor and LASER designator. Designed to be the world's largest amphibious aircraft, the AG600 will be mainly used for maritime rescue, fighting forest fires and marine monitoring. The AG600 is the third member of China's "large aircraft family" following the large freighter Y-20 and large passenger aircraft C919, which made maiden flights in 2013 and 2017. The AG-600 is reportedly the largest amphibious aircraft currently being built. It has been announced that the aircraft will have a maximum takeoff weight of 53.5 t (53,500 kg; 118,000 lb) and a maximum range of over 5,000 km (3,100 mi). The aircraft will have a wingspan of 40 metres (130 ft) and will be powered by four turboprop engines. It is believed to be the world's largest in-development amphibious aircraft. More than two dozen people were arrested in a multi-agency drug roundup in Walker County, authorities announced Sunday. The Walker County Sheriff's Office, the Jasper Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Agency on Thursday, Dec. 28, took 25 suspects into custody, said Sheriff Jim Underwood. The arrests culminated several months of undercover work by deputies and police officers. In addition to the 25 arrested, Underwood said lawmen are still searching for 12 more people. "These drug investigations often cross jurisdictional boundaries, leading narcotics investigators into other areas of the county and different police jurisdictions. The cooperation between the sheriff's office and Jasper Police Department, along with other police departments in the county, is essential when targeting drug dealers,'' Underwood said. "The drug problem weighs heavily on people's minds, especially during the holidays, when family members who are addicted to drugs can't participate in family gatherings as well as those families who have lost loved ones to drug addiction. We work every day to improve public safety for the citizens of our county." Jasper Police Chief J.C. Poe agreed. "I'm proud of the work our department is doing working with the sheriff's office,'' he said. "It's very important that we all work together, and I feel like we've got a lot accomplished by doing that." Those arrested were: -Patricia Elain Key, 51, of Jasper, distribution of a controlled substance -Joey Lee Aderholt, 51, of Pineywoods, distribution of a controlled substance -Brian Tremain Hankins, 37, of West Jasper, distribution of a controlled substance -Tomaka Nicole Vinson, 41, of West Jasper, unlawful possession of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia -Jeffery Dewayne Townley, 52, of Jasper, two counts of distribution of a controlled substance -Joseph Vance Sherer, 55, of Jasper, third-degree criminal mischief, third-degree criminal trespass -Gregory Dewayne Pugh, 25, of Carbon Hill, distribution of a controlled substance -Alanna Nichole Poe, 19, of West Jasper, distribution of a controlled substance -Steven Campbell, 49, of Empire, third-degree criminal mischief -Kimberly Ann Groce, 42, of Carbon Hill, distribution of a controlled substance -Kenya Davis Pugh, 23, of Carbon Hill, distribution of a controlled substance, possession of controlled substance -Joshua Anthony Wideman, 26, of Nauvoo, possession of a controlled substance, second-degree theft of property, unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia, third-degree criminal trespass -Ashley Nicole Harris, age 29, of Jasper, distribution of a controlled substance -Kathrin Roshell Canada, 30, of West Jasper, distribution of a controlled substance -Posey Dillon Browning, 32, of Oakman, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia -Timothy Richard Robertson, 49, of Jasper, possession of a controlled substance -Nicholas Jermaine Poe, 35, of West Jasper, possession of a controlled substance -Brandon Thomas German, 20, of Nauvoo, distribution of a controlled substance -Randall Lawayne Owens, 26, of Empire, domestic violence - Harassment, second-degree assault -Brian Darnell Casey Sr., 45, failure to appear on second-degree assault -Matthew Barton Clark, 44, of Parrish, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia -Shanese Tashae Hubbard, 25, of West Jasper, two counts of distribution of a controlled substance -Tyler Johnson, 29, of Jasper, failure to appear -Jensen Lefan, 18, of Cordova, resisting arrest -Elizabeth Hope Guthrie Wright, 30, of West Jasper, failure to appear Anyone with any information on drug dealing may contact the Walker County Sheriff's Office at 205-302-6464 and the Jasper Police Department at 205-221-2121. A link to Crime Stoppers can be found on the sheriff's website at www.walkercountysheriff.com. They may also send a text message to 847411. In the body of the message type "walker" and then the tip itself. H. Brandt Ayers, former publisher and now chairman of the company that publishes The Anniston Star, spanked female employees in the 1970s, several former staffers claim. The allegations come from female employees who said they were targeted and sexually abused by Ayers, now 82, while working in the paper's newsroom. One of the women, Veronica Pike Kennedy, told the Alabama Political Reporter she was working at the newspaper early one Saturday when Ayers approached her about an editorial he had written and then told her she was being a "bad girl" and he would "have to spank" her. Kennedy said Ayers pulled her out of her chair, bent her over a desk and spanked her 18 times with a metal ruler. The incident was witnessed by another Star reporter who allegedly confirmed the account. Kennedy was 22 at the time of the alleged incident; Ayers was in his early 40s. Several other female Star staffers reported similar contact with Ayers. Ayers issued a statement through a Jan. 1 story published in The Star. "As a very young man with more authority than judgment, I did some things I regret," Ayers said. "At my advanced age I wish I could relive those days again, knowing the seriousness of my position and with the accumulated judgment that goes with age." The allegations against Ayers were first detailed in an article in the Alabama Political Reporter by Eddie Burkhalter, a former Star reporter who left the newspaper in November after allegedly being prevented from reporting on the story. The Star's current staff began looking into the story when Joey Kennedy, an Alabama Political Reporter columnist and Veronica Kennedy's husband, mentioned the incident - both not the publisher or the newspaper involved - in November, The Star said. Ayers, the son of the newspaper's founder Harry Ayers, took over as publisher of the The Star in 1969, remaining in the position until 2016. He now serves as chairman of the board of Consolidated Publishing, publisher of The Star, The Daily Home and several weekly newspapers, and writes a column for the newspapers. Among his recent subjects was Roy Moore, the failed Republican Senate candidate who has been accused of having improper sexual contact with teenage girls in the 1970s. Palestinians will not accept any peace initiative coming from Riyadh that infringes on their rights. Dr Adnan Abu Amer is the head of the Political Science Department at the University of the Ummah in Gaza. Palestinians have been carefully watching Saudi Arabia drawing closer to Israel. The past few months have seen not only a flood of Saudi statements on social media supporting normalisation with Israel (some saying that Saudi is more important than Palestine and others apparently dreaming of Israel becoming Saudis top vacationing spot), but also a flurry of diplomatic activity between Riyadh and Tel Aviv. Saudi and Israeli political leadership agree on a number of issues, the most important of which is the need to curb Irans growing influence and to keep the US engaged in the Middle East. Pursuing these common interests, the Saudis and the Israelis have intensified their efforts for a formal normalisation of relations. In June 2017, Anwar Eshki, former Saudi general and current head of the Middle East Center for Strategic and Legal Studies, said that Saudi Arabia would accept normalisation with Israel if it, in turn, accepted the Arab peace initiative. He also said that if Saudi Arabia did so, the rest of the Islamic world would follow suit. In October, former head of Saudi intelligence Prince Turki al-Faisal took part in a forum in New York with the former head of Mossad, Efraim Halevy. In November, Israeli Chief of Staff General Gadi Eizenkot had an interview with Saudi website Elaph. The same month, the Israeli minister of communications, Ayoub Kara, invited Saudi Mufti Abdulaziz Al Sheikh to visit Tel Aviv. The Saudi plan will eventually crumble, as will Saudi Arabia's reputation in the Middle East and beyond. In early December, the New York Times published details of an alleged Saudi proposal for a Palestinian state on parts of the West Bank and the Jerusalem village of Abu Dees as its capital. Just a few days later, US President Donald Trump declared officially that the US is recognising Jerusalem as the capital of the Israeli state. At the time of the declaration, a delegation from a Washington pro-Israeli think-tank was in Riyadh meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who demonstrated that he didnt want to talk about Jerusalem. And while Riyadh and Tel Aviv have been engaged in public and secret overtures, they have also been pushing the Palestinian political leadership into a corner. In November, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas made a sudden visit to Riyadh and returned visibly perturbed. Rumours in Ramallah had it that the Saudis had pressed him to accept their plan for Palestine, and that this was likely tied to an agreement between US presidential envoys Jared Kushner and Jason Greenblatt and the Saudi crown prince, reached during their unannounced meeting at the end of October. Then, in December, after Trumps announcement on Jerusalem, Mohamed Ashtieh, member of the Fatah Central Committee, said that unnamed Arab countries had refused to hold an Arab summit about Jerusalem. It was also rumoured that Saudi Arabia and Egypt were pressuring Abbas not to attend the Organisation for Islamic Cooperation summit in Turkey. Abbas resisted this pressure and attended the summit and followed it with a visit to Qatar, which Saudi Arabia is currently imposing a blockade on. By now, Palestinians have no illusions about what Saudi Arabia is pushing for. It is clear to all of us that Riyadh is not working for a just peace solution and an end to Israeli occupation of Palestinian land. Unsurprisingly, Palestinian social media has exploded in anger at Saudi actions; Twitter, for example, has seen a popular hashtag Normalisation is betrayal emerge. Some have called for burning pictures of the Saudi king; others have said Saudis calling for normalisation are Zionists in Arab clothes. The anger also spread beyond social media, with portraits of Saudi King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman being torn at a Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine rally, amid chants like King Salman sold Jerusalem! The image of Saudi Arabia and its allies has suffered immensely within Palestine. A survey conducted by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research in Gaza and the West Bank showed that 82 percent of Palestinians do not trust the Saudis would defend their rights, and 75 percent and 70 percent do not trust, respectively, the UAE and Egypt both major Saudi allies. What the Saudis are not factoring in, in their foreign policy calculations, is that Palestinians will resist any attempt for an unjust settlement. There is enough mistrust towards Riyadh already and whatever peace initiative comes out of its negotiations with the US and Israel will be outright rejected. Even if the Palestinian leadership is pressed into concessions, people on the ground will continue their resistance. The Saudi plan will eventually crumble, as will Saudi Arabias reputation in the Middle East and beyond. The region has already been through two intifadas and an Arab Spring. Arab youth have proven that they can face off with local regimes and superpowers. They will not accept more injustice, and heavy-handed repression would only inflame their anger. An unjust settlement will not bring peace. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy. In California, legalisation scheme allows people previously convicted of a marijuana offence to apply for resentencing. Christopher Dean Smith was arrested on a marijuana farm in northern California in 2014. Smith, now 28, said he was with a friend on the property in the town of Chico, about 145km north of Sacramento, when two vehicles pulled up. Federal law enforcement agents approached the pair and told them to get on the ground. Smith was arrested and accused of cultivation of marijuana plants and possession with intent to sell a controlled substance. He told Al Jazeera he was not working on the farm at the time, but after fighting the charges in court for a year, he accepted a deal and pleaded no contest to cultivation. Since then, Ive had to change my life around, he said. Smith, 28, accepted a plea deal for a marijuana-related felony [Courtesy Christopher Dean Smith] He was sentenced to three years of probation, which came with a series of restrictions. It also put a felony on his criminal record. Since Ive had the charges on my record, its completely changed everything that Ive had going for me. I lost my place. I lost my job, Smith said. Honestly, I didnt know how much of a negative impact it would have on the rest of my life. Resentencing past offences The state of California legalised recreational marijuana use in November 2016, and it will become legal state-wide on Monday. That means anyone 21 and older will be able to buy marijuana from a licensed store, known as a dispensary. The legislation also allows people who, like Smith, were previously convicted of a marijuana-related offence to apply for resentencing. Smith said he has filed to have his case reheard by a judge, who may then rule to have his conviction reduced from a felony to a misdemeanour on his criminal record. The resentencing provisions of Proposition 64, Californias marijuana legalisation initiative, have been in effect since last year, said Eunisses Hernandez, a policy coordinator at the Drug Policy Alliance, a group working to end drug prohibition. But few people know about the resentencing provision, which applies to people who are currently imprisoned or out on parole, Hernandez told Al Jazeera. Individuals who apply for resentencing may be released from prison or have the charge on their criminal record reduced. Felonies may be lowered to misdemeanours, misdemeanours to infractions, or infractions to an outright dismissal of charges. Resentencing will likely affect thousands of lives, since at least 500,000 marijuana-related arrests have been recorded in California over the last decade, Hernandez said. By [Proposition] 64 passing, we not only are able to repair some of the damages that have already occurred but were also preventing a lot more people from getting put into the criminal justice system because of these laws, she said. Between 2001 and 2010, more than eight million marijuana-related arrests were recorded in the United States, 88 percent of which were for possession, according to a report by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) released in 2013. This year, Nevada allowed recreational cannabis use for anyone over 21 [Ethan Miller/AFP] Individuals with a recorded criminal conviction face thousands of barriers across all areas of life. If you got convicted of a simple possession of marijuana [charge] that could prevent you from getting jobs, getting housing, getting supportive services, Hernandez said. Marijuana arrests also disproportionately affect people of colour. Black people are 3.73 times more likely to be arrested for possession of marijuana than white people, even though both groups consume the drug at similar rates, according to a report by the ACLU. Pros and cons California is one of fewer than a dozen US jurisdictions that have passed motions to legalise recreational marijuana use in the past decade. The others include Colorado, Oregon, Alaska, Maine, Washington state, Washington, DC, Nevada and Massachusetts. More states have already legalised medical marijuana, requiring people to have permission from a doctor to buy the drug. By contrast, when recreational use is legalised, customers do not need a special permit. The US state of Oregon, which legalised recreational marijuana use in 2015, also passed legislation that allows people to apply to have their possession convictions erased from a computerised criminal history database, under certain conditions. Several groups in the US have urged authorities to include changes to drug-related criminal offences in their efforts to legalise recreational marijuana. Eric Sterling, executive director of The Criminal Justice Policy Foundation, a non-profit group specialising in drug policy issues, said criminal sentencing reform was not part of the conversation in early efforts to legalise recreational marijuana in the US. Proponents of marijuana legalisation feared that allowing people with past drug convictions to get out of jail or reduce their sentences would lower the chance that the laws would pass at all. There was, in many cases, a reluctance to bring this up, he told Al Jazeera. Today, opponents of resentencing provisions often argue that retrying these cases puts a very, very large potential burden on the courts, Sterling said. Law enforcement officers may also contend that a guilty plea to marijuana possession may follow the dropping of more serious charges, such as possession with the intent to distribute and so to make a blanket change without looking at all of the underlying facts of the arrest would mean that more serious offenders would have their records expunged, Sterling said. Second chance Ultimately, Sterling said it is most important to make sure people who may be affected by a resentencing law are aware that the law exists in the first place. The key thing, I think, is the ability for people to re-enter the economy and society free of those encumbrances, he said. We would also say they are eligible to vote, they are eligible for jury duty, that all of their civil rights are restored. Meanwhile, Christopher Dean Smith, who now works as a chef in California, said getting his felony drug conviction expunged or reduced would allow him to go back to what he loves. I can go back into the industry for recreational marijuana, which is one of my passions helping people, he said. And for Smith, that would ultimately be a second chance. At least 15 people have been reportedly killed and hundreds arrested as protests show no sign of letting up. New protests have erupted in Iran as a wave of anti-government rallies that began last week shows no sign of losing its momentum. Iranian state media has said that 14 people and one policeman have been killed after five days of demonstrations in different cities across the country. Some 400 protesters have reportedly been arrested. The reports, which have not been independently verified, also said security forces repelled armed protesters who tried to take over police stations and military bases. In the capital, Tehran, police on Monday evening used tear gas and water cannon to disperse a small protest near Engheleb Square. This is better than staying silent, Milad, a young protester told Al Jazeera, his eyes red from tear gas. Nearby, Aslan, a 52-year-old man in the area who was not demonstrating, said protesters need a chance to show they are not happy. The government should let them protest, he told Al Jazeera. Also on Monday, a report by Irans semi-official Mehr news agency said a police officer was killed, and three others were wounded in the central city of Najafabad after being shot by an assailant using a hunting rifle. It was not clear when the incident took place. A still image taken from a video showing protesters in Tuyserkan on Sunday [Reuters] Shake people in power Sparked by anger over the state of the economy and the high cost of living, the rallies began on December 28 in the second-largest city of Mashhad. Despite threats by the Republican Guards to put down the demonstrations, protesters have continued taking to the streets in other parts of Iran, in what has been described as the biggest show of dissent in the country since huge rallies took place in 2009. We cannot predict a time when the protests will come to an end, said Sadegh Zibakalam, an author and academic. But the protests will shake the people in power who must give priority to the peoples demands and needs. On Sunday, President Hassan Rouhani said Iranians have the right to protest but not violently. People are free to express their criticism and to protest, he said in televised remarks, his first since the rallies began. However, we need to pay attention to the manner of that criticism and protest. It should be in such a way that it will lead to the improvement of the people and state, he added. People have the right to protest, but those demonstrations should not make the public feel concerned about their lives and security. In May 2017, Rouhani, who belongs to the reformist bloc of Irans political spectrum, decisively won re-election after garnering 57 percent of the vote in the countrys presidential election. That poll was the first since Rouhani negotiated a historic deal with world powers in 2015 to curb Irans nuclear programme in exchange for sanctions relief. Many in Iran hoped that the deal, by lifting many international sanctions, would ease the countrys financial struggles. Yet, the benefits do not seem to have trickled down, leading many to protest against rising unemployment, income inequality and the high cost of living. Ali Vaez, the Iran project director at the International Crisis Group who worked with all sides during the negotiations for the nuclear deal, said the fact that the nuclear deal did not quite deliver the results people expected played a key part in what is happening currently in Iran. The government inflated public expectations a lot, Vaez told Al Jazeera, noting that factors such as falling oil prices and doubts over the US commitment to the deal were also adversely affecting the Iranian economy. The reality is, however, that President Rouhani failed to pave the ground for the potential the nuclear deal created, and that has led to a lot of frustration in Iran, he said. President Rouhani over-promised and under-delivered. Mohammad Ali Shabani, an Iranian political analyst and scholar, agreed. The issue is elevated expectations, thats where the danger comes in, he told Al Jazeera. People have been expecting better lives, partly as a result of Rouhanis promises in connection with the nuclear deal, explained Shabani. Its not a matter of absolute poverty driving people into the streets. Its mostly about people thinking that We need more than this, we were actually promised more than whats happening, and we dont have the jobs that we were anticipating. Varied demands, varied responses Protesters have railed at the ruling religious elite, whom they blame for economic hardships and alleged corruption. Anger, however, has not been limited to financial grievances; it has also shifted to Irans foreign policy. Some protesters have been critical of Irans regional policies in countries such as Syria and Lebanon, while others have chanted slogans against Rouhani as well as Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Unlike the mass protests of 2009 that followed the disputed re-election of then-President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the recent demonstrations appear to be more spontaneous, decentralised and without clear figureheads. We dont know who precisely is behind the protests they do not have the same kind of leadership as in 2009, said Shabani, underlining the protesters different complaints. You have varied demands, and also you have varied responses from Iranian leaders, he added. Initially they were opposed to high prices, some now say Death to Khamenei and Death to Rouhani, so they are targeting different political figures, different power centres and they have different demands. What the Iranian leaders have been saying is that there are two types of protesters: those with genuine economic grievances who have the right to protest, and those who are after a different thing which we do not accept, referring to people who call for Khameneis death for instance, so that dynamic is quite interesting. Netanyahu echoes Trump US President Donald Trump has been quick to respond to the protests, saying Washington is watching very closely for human rights violations. The people are finally getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism, he said on Twitter on December 31. Rouhani has hit back at Trump on Sunday, accusing him of having forgotten that he has called the Iranian people terrorists a few months ago. On Monday, the Iranian president was quoted by state media as apparently accusing Irans enemies the US and Israel of being behind the protests. Our success in the political arena against the United States and the Zionist regime was unbearable to (Irans enemies). Irans success in the region was unbearable to them. Dont you expect that they would seek revenge? Dont you think they would provoke some people? Rouhani said in a meeting with politicians. In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Rouhanis suggestion that Israel was involved was not only false its laughable. Netanyahu added that more Western countries should condemn Tehran for trying to put down the protests. Sadly many European governments watch in silence as young heroic Iranians are beaten in the streets. Thats just not right. And I, for one, will not stay silent, he said. With additional reporting by Saeed Jalili UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres calls for restraint after at least seven people are killed in DRC rallies. The UN chief has called on Joseph Kabila, president of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), to peacefully leave office in accordance with an agreement in late 2016. The comments by Antonio Guterres late on Sunday came after security forces killed at least seven people and arrested more than 120 during protests against Kabilas rule. Catholic protesters rallied in the capital, Kinshasa, and other cities after Sunday mass to demand Kabila, whose second term as president ended in December 2016, step down. A year ago, the president committed to holding an election to choose his successor by the end of 2017. That vote has now been delayed until December 23, 2018. This has raised concerns that Kabila will try to remove constitutional term limits that forbid him to run again and extend his rule. In a statement, Guterres urged all Congo political actors to remain fully committed to the 31 December 2016 political agreement, which remains the only viable path to the holding of elections, the peaceful transfer of power and the consolidation of stability. The UN Secretary-General also called for restraint, urging security forces to uphold the rights of the Congolese people to the freedom of speech and peaceful assembly. This guy has to go {articleGUID} Kabila, in power since 2001, says he will stay in power until the December 2018 vote to account for delays in voter registration. However, opposition leaders have called for Kabila to step down. We are telling everybody, all over the world, this guy has to go, Martin Fayulu, an opposition leader, said on Sunday. This guy doesnt like Congo. This guy has nothing to do with Congo and his time is up. During Sundays rallies, state police and military officials in Kinshasa repressed peaceful protesters, a coalition of human rights groups said, leading to deaths, injuries and the arbitrary arrests of individuals who joined the demonstrations. Before the protests, internet and SMS services were shut down by the telecommunications ministry. Tourists flood a subway platform in Hangzhou on December 31, 2017. [Photo: www.vcg.com] 133 million tourists traveled around China during the countrys three-day New Year's Day holiday, an increase of 11.08% year on year, according to the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA). The tourism authority also says the tourists generated 75.5 billion yuan (about 11.6 billion U.S. dollars) in tourism revenue, a year-on-year uptick of 11.22%. CNTA notes trips to rural areas as well as snow and ice-related travels were popular among tourists. The booming tourism was accompanied by busy traffic. On Sunday, 8.732 million passengers traveled by train, 17.3 percent higher year on year, according to China Railway Corporation (CRC). CRC had to add 261 temporary trains on Monday to meet the demand. China's domestic tourism industry generated 3.9 trillion yuan in 2016. The Chinese government plans to raise this figure to 7 trillion yuan, accounting for around 12% of China's GDP growth, by 2020. Christian churches in sharp decline in South Korea More than half the population of South Korea describe themselves as non-religious, an interesting statistic for a country that is among the worlds biggest exporters of missionaries. Anti-government demonstrations met with force by authorities even as president defends peoples right to protest. At least 12 people have been killed in Iran, according to local news media reports, as anti-government demonstrations continued across the country for a fourth night. Thousands have engaged in protests since the first rallies against the high cost of living on December 28, marking the biggest show of dissent in Iran since huge rallies took place in 2009. State TV reported on Monday that 10 people were killed in several cities on Sunday, and showed footage of damage allegedly caused by protesters. The report did not provide further details about the deaths. Local media reports said that of those who died, six were killed in Twiserkan, in Hamedan province, and three others in Shahin Shahr, in Esfahan province. Another person was killed in Izeh, while two others died in Dorud, in western Iran, late on Saturday. On Monday evening, a small protest broke out in a central part of the Iranian capital, Tehran. Police used tear gas and water cannon to disperse crowds who were chanting anti-establishment slogans. This is better than staying silent, Milad, a young protester told Al Jazeera. His eyes were red from tear gas and he had brought masks to give to others demonstrating. Nearby, Aslan, a 52-year-old man who was not among the protesters but was in the area, said those rallying need a chance to show they are not happy. The government should let them protest, he told Al Jazeera. Some 400 people have been arrested across Iran in the protests, state news agencies have reported. Rouhanis first comments On Sunday, Irans President Hassan Rouhani said people in the country have the right to protest but warned that violence is unacceptable. It should be clear to everyone that we are people of freedom. According to the constitution and citizens rights, people are free to express their criticism and to protest, Rouhani said in televised remarks, his first since the rallies started However, we need to pay attention to the manner of that criticism and protest. It should be in such a way that it will lead to the improvement of the people and state. People have the right to protest, but those demonstrations should not make the public feel concerned about their lives and security. Iranians began protesting in the second-largest city of Mashhad, railing at the ruling religious elite, whom they blame for economic hardships and alleged corruption. The rallies have since gained momentum and spread to other cities, including Tehran. Several videos posted on social media have shown protesters calling for the fall of Rouhanis government. Angry at the high cost of living, some protesters have rallied against rising prices, unemployment and economic inequality. These demonstrators hoped that Irans nuclear deal in 2015 with world powers, which led to the lifting of many international sanctions, would ease their financial struggles. But life for many has not improved. The issue is elevated expectations, thats where the danger comes in, Mohammad Ali Shabani, an Iranian political analyst and scholar, told Al Jazeera. Shabani said that inflation had been reduced in recent years, but unemployment and the cost of living had gone up. People have been expecting better lives, partly as a result of Rouhanis promises in connection with the nuclear deal, he explained. Its not a matter of absolute poverty driving people into the streets, its mostly about people thinking that, We need more than this, we were actually promised more than whats happening, we dont have the jobs that we were anticipating. Other protesters have said it is time for the government to focus on domestic issues, chanting anti-government slogans against the countrys foreign policy, as well as Rouhani and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Varied demands, varied responses Unlike the mass protests of in 2009 that followed the disputed re-election of then-President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the recent demonstrations appear to be more spontaneous, decentralised and without clear figureheads. We dont know who precisely is behind the protests, they do not have the same kind of leadership as in 2009, said Shabani, underlining the protesters different grievances. You have varied demands, and also you have varied responses from Iranian leaders, he added. Initially they were opposed to high prices, some now say Death to Khameini and Death to Rouhani, so they are targeting different political figures, different power centres and they have different demands. What the Iranian leaders have been saying is that we have two types of protesters out on the streets: there are some with genuine economic grievances who have the right to protest, and there are others who are after a different thing which we do not expect, referring to people who call for Khameinis death for instance, so that dynamic is quite interesting. US watching very closely US President Donald Trump has been quick to respond to the protests, saying Washington is watching very closely for human rights violations. The people are finally getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism, he said on Twitter on December 31. 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 Rouhani has since hit back at Trump, accusing him of having forgotten that he has called the Iranian people terrorists a few months ago, on Sunday. Canada has also commented on the demonstrations, with the countrys ministry of foreign affairs saying it was closely monitoring the protests, and calling on the Iranian authorities to uphold and respect democratic and human rights. Canada is encouraged by the Iranian people who are exercising their basic right to protest peacefully, the ministry said in a short statement on December 31. Canada will continue to support the fundamental rights of Iranians, including the right to freedom of expression. A spokesperson for Irans Foreign Ministry has condemned Canadas response as interventionist, saying it violated the countrys international commitments. [It is] devoid of any legal justifications, Bahram Qasemi said, according to Irans official state news agency, IRNA. At least seven people have been killed and more than 120 arrested in protests calling for DRC president to step down. Several people have been killed and more than 120 others arrested in the Democratic Republic of Congo as security forces violently dispersed protests by opposition and religious groups calling for the resignation of the countrys president. At least seven people were killed on Sunday after opposition leaders and Catholic protesters rallied in the capital, Kinshasa, and other localities demanding that President Joseph Kabila step down. State police and military officials in Kinshasa repressed peaceful protesters, a coalition of human rights groups said, leading to deaths, injuries and the arbitrary arrests of individuals who joined the demonstrations. If your term is over, give opportunities to others to run. Youre a son of the country, you belong in the senate. Give the others the opportunity to lead; maybe theyll do it better than you did, Lotika Nelly, an injured protester, said from a makeshift clinic. Two men were killed outside Saint Alphonse church in Kinshasa after security forces tried to disperse the protesters, Human Right Watchs Ida Sawyer said. #RDC: Deux hommes tues par balle devant leglise Sainte Alphonse a Matete a Kinshasa pendant que forces de securite dispersent manifestants pacifiques, exigeant depart de Pres Kabila. Fort deploiement des militaires a travers la capitale; acces a linternet et SMS coupe @hrw_fr pic.twitter.com/6W0BIVhZE1 Ida Sawyer (@ida_sawyer) December 31, 2017 Security forces also arrested clergy members and altar boys, and fired tear gas into churches. A video shared on social media showed a female parishioner fainting in the aisle of a church in Kinshasa, as others threw water on their faces to try to counter the effects of the tear gas being fired outside by security forces. Serge Mutumbo, a Catholic protester, told Al Jazeera that the protesters have come in order to pray, to pray for our nation. Term expired Tensions have been high in the DRC since Kabila refused to relinquish power after his second term as president expired in December 2016. Anti-government protests at that time led to at least 40 deaths and hundreds of arrests. The president made an agreement with opposition leaders last year, brokered by the Catholic church, to hold elections some time this year. Signed in October 2016, the Saint Sylvestre Accord stipulated that presidential, legislative and provincial elections would be held in December 2017 at the latest. Kabila now says he will stay in power until December 2018 to account for delays in voter registration. The election is scheduled for December 23. Martin Fayulu, an opposition leader, said on Sunday that Kabila must step down. We are telling everybody, all over the world, this guy has to go. This guy doesnt like Congo. This guy has nothing to do with Congo and his time is up, he told Al Jazeera. A spokesperson for United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres, meanwhile, expressed concern about reports that security forces had violently dispersed the protests. The secretary general calls on the government and national security forces to exercise restraint and to uphold the rights of the Congolese people to the freedom of speech and peaceful assembly, Stephane Dujarric said in a statement. Dujarric said the secretary general urged all political parties to remain committed to the 2016 agreement, which he said is the only viable path to the holding of elections, the peaceful transfer of power and the consolidation of stability in the DRC. Internet, SMS blocked The protests come after the countrys telecommunications ministry ordered a countrywide shutdown of internet and SMS services ahead of the anti-government rallies. It was not the first time the government has cut internet and SMS access amid opposition protests. The services were interrupted in January 2015 following protests opposing Kabilas government. The same thing happened in August when opposition leaders sought to pressure the state to publish an election schedule. Every time problems arise, [the government cuts] the internet without thinking of the consequences, said Henri Christin Longendja of Collectif 24, a group that promotes the right to information in the DRC. Its not acceptable because what we hide from the population today will always end up being revealed tomorrow. Its foolish to keep cutting the internet at any time for political reasons, Longendja said at the time, according to local news outlet Actualite. Hong Kong: Protesters call for democratic reform Demonstrations in the streets of Hong Kong are calling for their government to resist pressures from mainland China to clamp down on democracy. Companies and government agencies employing at least 25 people will have to obtain certification of equal-pay policies. A new law making it illegal to pay men more than women has taken effect in Iceland. The legislation came into force on Monday, the first day of 2018. Under the new rules, companies and government agencies employing at least 25 people will have to obtain government certification of their equal-pay policies. Those that fail to prove pay parity will face fines. The legislation is basically a mechanism that companies and organisations evaluate every job thats being done, and then they get a certification after they confirm the process if they are paying men and women equally, said Dagny Osk Aradottir Pind, a board member of the Icelandic Womens Rights Association. Its a mechanism to ensure women and men are being paid equally, she told Al Jazeera. We have had legislation saying that pay should be equal for men and women for decades now but we still have a pay gap. {articleGUID} Iceland, an island country in the North Atlantic Ocean that is home to approximately 323,000 people, has a strong economy, based on tourism and fisheries. For the past nine years, it has been ranked by the World Economic Forum (WEF) as the worlds most gender-equal country. The Global Gender Gap Report uses markers such as economic opportunity, political empowerment, and health and survival to gauge the state of gender equality in a country. Since the reports began in 2006, Iceland has closed around 10 percent of its total gender gap, making it one of the fastest-improving countries in the world. The new legislation was supported by Icelands centre-right government, as well as the opposition, in a parliament where nearly 50 percent of all members are women. I think that now people are starting to realise that this is a systematic problem that we have to tackle with new methods, said Aradottir Pind. Women have been talking about this for decades and I really feel that we have managed to raise awareness, and we have managed to get to the point that people realise that the legislation we have had in place is not working, and we need to do something more, she added. The Icelandic government plans to completely eradicate the wage gap by 2020. Gender inequality worldwide According to the latest WEF report, the top five best performers in the global gender gap are Iceland, Norway, Finland, Rwanda and Sweden. Yemen, on the other hand, is currently the lowest-ranked of the 144 countries measured in the report. The war-torn country has been low-performing in terms of economic participation and opportunity for several years. Fifty-two countries fell below the global average in 2017, including China, Liberia and the United Arab Emirates, while 60 saw their overall gender gap decrease. Hungary was the only European country to be ranked lower than the global average, having scored poorly on political empowerment. Irans leaders have hit back at criticism from Western countries, including the US, over anti-government protests. A spokesperson for Irans foreign ministry has condemned Canadas interventionist response to widespread demonstrations taking place in the country, the latest critique lobbed by Tehran against countries that have shown support for the protesters. Canadas interventionist position violates its international commitments and is devoid of any legal justifications, Bahram Qasemi said, according to Irans official state news agency, IRNA. Widespread anti-government protests, the biggest show of dissent in Iran since 2009, broke out in several Iranian cities earlier this week. {articleGUID} While the demonstrations began as a response to rising living costs, unemployment and inequality, they have since taken on an anti-government message. Several videos posted on social media showed protesters calling for the fall of Hassan Rouhanis government. The Canadian ministry of foreign affairs released a short statement on Saturday, saying it was closely monitoring the protests and calling on the Iranian authorities to uphold and respect democratic and human rights. Canada is encouraged by the Iranian people who are exercising their basic right to protest peacefully, Global Affairs Canada said. Canada will continue to support the fundamental rights of Iranians, including the right to freedom of expression. Canada is closely monitoring the ongoing protests in #Iran https://t.co/MsSQILL0XI Foreign Policy CAN (@CanadaFP) December 30, 2017 Qasemi said Canadas statement does not align with its efforts to reestablish diplomatic ties with Tehran. Canadas former prime minister, Stephen Harper, suspended diplomatic relations with Iran in 2012 and Ottawa kicked Iranian diplomats out of the country and shuttered its embassy in Tehran. After being elected in 2015, Justin Trudeau made restoring relations with Iran one of his governments foreign policy priorities. US response condemned The United States has also responded to the protests, drawing the anger of Iranian leaders. In a tweet, President Donald Trump said the US is watching very closely for human rights violations. Oppressive regimes cannot endure forever The world is watching! the US president wrote in another social media post. 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 Rouhani hit back at Trump on Sunday, saying the US president has forgotten that he had called Iranian people terrorists a few months ago. Making his first comments since the protests began, Rouhani said Iranians had the right to protest but cautioned that violence is unacceptable. It should be clear to everyone that we are people of freedom. According to the constitution and citizens rights, people are free to express their criticism and to protest, Rouhani said in a televised address. Under Trumps administration, the US and Iran have grown further apart, clashing on foreign policy issues such as the wars in Syria and Yemen and the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal with world powers. Trump has also sought to ban Iranian nationals from entering the US. Ahed Tamimi, 16, of Nabih Saleh indicted by military court for assaulting soldier and interfering with soldiers duties. Bethlehem, occupied West Bank Israeli authorities are seeking 12 charges against Ahed Tamimi, a prominent 16-year-old Palestinian activist filmed slapping and kicking two Israeli soldiers in the occupied West Bank. The teenager was detained on December 19, four days after the video showing her confronting the soldiers outside her familys home in the village of Nabi Saleh went viral. The incident occurred moments after Israeli forces had shot Aheds 15-year-old cousin point-blank in the face with a rubber bullet. The wounded minor experienced severe internal bleeding and was put in a medically-induced coma for 72 hours. Aheds 20-year-old cousin Nour, who also appeared in the video, as well as her mother Nariman, were arrested soon afterwards. During a hearing on Monday at Israels Ofer military court near Ramallah, Ahed faced 12 charges, including assaulting an Israeli soldier, interfering with a soldiers duties and two past instances of stone-throwing, according to her lawyer Gaby Lasky. Lasky told Al Jazeera that Nariman was charged with incitement for uploading the video on social media, as well as another charge of assault. The lawyer said that Ahed and Narimans charges include older incidents unrelated to the video. Nour was charged on Sunday with allegedly assaulting a soldier and interfering with a soldiers duties, said Lasky. The Tamimi family are well-known activists in Nabi Saleh. While this is the first time Ahed has been detained by Israeli forces, Nariman has been arrested at least five times in the past. On Thursday, Manal Tamimi, who is related to the women, was also arrested during a demonstration outside the Ofer detention centre demanding the release of her relatives and Munther Amira, another prominent Palestinian activist from Bethlehems Aida refugee camp who was arrested last week. Lasky said that she was able to secure the release of Nour and Manal who has not been charged with a crime. However, the Israeli armys prosecutors have until Tuesday to appeal the decision. Theres a possibility of her facing a lot of time {articleGUID} Aheds father, Bassem, told Al Jazeera that it was very likely his daughter would be sentenced and imprisoned over the charges. They built the case around her specifically to try to keep her in prison as long as they can, he said. I am very worried about my daughter, added Bassem, who has also been arrested numerous times by Israeli forces. Her fate is now in the hands of people who dont even see Palestinians as full human beings. Lasky told Al Jazeera that owing to the charges against Ahed, theres a possibility of her facing a lot of time. She noted that Palestinian teenagers typically face about six to nine months in prison for charges of stone-throwing. Prisoners rights group, Addameer, has reported that stone-throwing is the most common charge levied against Palestinian children. In the occupied West Bank, where Palestinians are governed by Israeli military law, stone-throwing is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. {articleGUID} The group says that Israel routinely targets the youngest and most vulnerable members of politically active Palestinian families to exert pressure on their family and the entire community to put an end to all social mobilisation. Bassem told Al Jazeera that Israel is attempting to break Ahed because she is a symbol of the resistance. Israel wants to show other young Palestinians what will happen to them if they try to resist. Data from the US and Mexico shows Obama removing more Mexican citizens, though Trump has stepped up interior removals. The administration of President Donald Trump is still pursuing a dangerous anti-immigrant agenda, activists have warned, despite recent figures showing a significant decrease in the number of deportations of Mexican citizens from the United States. According to data by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency, deportations of Mexican citizens for the 2017 fiscal year which run from October 1, 2016, to September 30, 2017 stood at 128,765. In the same period the year before, the administration of ex-President Barack Obama deported 149,821 Mexican citizens, a difference of more than 21,000. The government of Mexico tracks the numbers of its citizens who were repatriated from the US, and it placed the 2017 number at roughly 151,000 through November. Official Mexican data from 2016 said repatriations stood at about 190,000 over the same period. These figures are striking, as Trumps election campaign platform took a tough stance on immigration, including from Latin America. At a 2015 rally announcing his intention to run for the presidency, Trump controversially said that Mexican immigrants were bringing drugs. Theyre bringing crime. Theyre rapists, before going on to say he assumed that some are good people. Trump, who was sworn in as US president on January 20, has also repeatedly promised to build a wall on the US-Mexico border to limit immigration. The broader picture Despite the decrease in numbers of Mexicans being deported, Salvador Sarmiento, legislative director for the National Day Laborers Organization, told Al Jazeera that these numbers are not the only aspect by which people should judge Trumps immigration policies. {articleGUID} There are increased detention contracts at private detention centres, while racist profiling and police collusion are all expanding, and will affect us for years to come, said Sarmiento, whose group aims to further the civil, labor and human rights of the largely undocumented and Latino day labourer workforce. Immigrant communities increasingly feel under threat, not only from ICE but from law enforcement in their own communities, he added. Local law enforcement is increasingly asking to be deputised by ICE, which allows state and local police to enforce federal immigration law. Sarmiento said its wishful thinking to say the Trump administration is not moving a dangerous anti-immigrant agenda. Last month, the US Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to fully enforce the third version of a controversial travel ban that prohibits people from six Muslim-majority countries from entering the US. The ban applies to people from Chad, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen. Interior and exterior While the numbers of Mexican citizens and deportations overall have seen a decrease, the Trump administration increased deportations from the interior of the country by roughly 25 percent, or 16,271 people. Trump has stepped up immigration enforcement noticeably, said Jessica Vaughan, director of policy studies at the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) told Al Jazeera. Part of the increase is because officers are no longer required to look the other way at illegal aliens they identify who are not the most serious criminals, she told Al Jazeera. CIS was labelled last year a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center for its alleged ties to John Tanton, the father of the modern nativist movement which is anti-immigrant. The group describes itself a low-immigration but pro-immigrant nonprofit. In 2017, ICE increased deportations of people with a criminal record by about 7,000, while non-criminal interior removals rose by nearly 9,000. The overall decrease comes from the border, where removals have been counted towards total deportations since 2008. The Obama administration removed far more undocumented migrants from the border during both the 2015 and 2016 fiscal years. Vaughan said this could mean that fewer people are trying to cross illegally, most likely because they are deterred by Trumps promises of more serious enforcement. The White House did not address deportation numbers during its press briefing on year-end accomplishments in December. Migrants in Europe: Desperate journeys across mountains Over the last three months, at least 1500 migrants have embarked on a dangerous journey over the Alps, crossing from Italy into France, defying freezing temperatures and heavy snow. South Korea welcomes talks overture made via New Years speech in which Kim also hinted at nuclear button on his desk. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un says he is open to dialogue with South Korea in the New Year, but has warned the US he has a nuclear button on his desk to use if threatened. Tensions escalated on the Korean Peninsula throughout 2017 over a series of missile tests conducted by the North, and Pyongyangs pursuit of a nuclear weapons programme. In a televised New Years speech on Monday, Kim said improving ties between the North and South is an urgent issue. Its a grave matter to which the entire Korean nation needs to put its efforts towards resolving, he said. Contacts and dialogues between the North and the South will expand exchanges and cooperation and we should dispel mutual misunderstanding and distrust, and take responsibility in our role as the main agent for reunification. South Koreas presidential office welcomed Kims speech, which included a proposal to send North Korean athletes to Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang next month, the countrys state news agency, Yonhap, reported. We welcome that Kim expressed willingness to send a delegation and proposed talks as he acknowledged the need for improvement in inter-Korean ties, presidential spokesperson Park Soo-hyun said on Monday. Possible motives Al Jazeeras Florence Looi, reporting from Seoul, said South Korea is willing to hold talks any time, in any form with Pyongyang. But we have to ask ourselves what is Kim Jong-un hoping to gain from this and some analysts have said that he is perhaps hoping to drive a wedge between the US and South Korea because these two are traditional allies, she said. It is also possible that North Korea is trying to buy more time as it tries to improve its nuclear capabilities. Kim says improving ties between the North and South is an urgent issue [Reuters] North Korea will continue to focus on mass producing nuclear warheads and ballistic missiles for operational deployment in 2018, Kim said in his address. He repeated previous claims that the entire US is now within range of North Koreas nuclear arsenal, warning this is a reality, not a threat. Responding to Kims comments, US President Donald Trump said well see, well see at his New Years Eve celebration, held at his Mar-a-Lago residence, in Florida. Atmospheric nuclear test Our correspondent said analysts were watching Kims speech closely to see if he would mention an atmospheric nuclear test. Weapons experts believe that North Korea has the capability to strike anywhere on the US mainland using an ICBM but they dont yet believe that North Korea has yet the technology to miniaturise a nuclear warhead and mount it on a missile that can re-enter earths atmosphere intact, she said. To find out whether he has the technology to do so he would have to conduct such a test, but there was no mention of that. North Korea said it had successfully launched a new ICBM capable of reaching the US mainland, the third test of its kind in 2017, on November 29. The missile is the most powerful ICBM yet to be tested by the country, according to North Korean state television Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). The UN Security Council imposed a fresh round of sanctions on North Korea in December following the test. The latest sanctions, proposed by the US to prevent Pyongyang from furthering its nuclear weapons development, were the third set of restrictions imposed in 2017. The US has said no diplomatic talks with North Korean can take place without a full cessation of the countrys nuclear programme. At least seven people and one security policeman were killed in Iran's ongoing unrest, local media reported on Sunday. People protest in Tehran, Iran on December 30, 2017. [Photo: VCG] Deputy Governor of Hamedan Province, Saeed Shahrokhi, told state IRINN TV that three people were killed in the protests in Tuiserkan city. Tasnim news agency reported that one security policeman was killed by the rioters in Iran's Najaf Abad city, while three others were injured. Mashallah Nemati, governor of Doroud confirmed the death of four people in the recent unrest in Doroud city in the western Lorestan Province of Iran. Over the past days, anti-government protests erupted in some Iranian major cities. In a number of cases, they turned into violence and clash between the protesters and police. Unconfirmed foreign reports said that at least 10 protesters were killed in the clashes. Fatah and Hamas denounce ruling Likuds resolution that calls for formal annexation of parts of the occupied West Bank. Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas have denounced Israeli plans to annex large parts of the occupied West Bank, saying they represented an end to the remnants of the peace process and would lead to more Palestinian resistance. On Sunday, about 1,500 members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus Likud party voted unanimously to impose Israeli sovereignty over Judea and Samaria, referring to the Israeli name for the occupied Palestinian territory. The non-binding resolution also called for the unlimited construction of settlements in the occupied West Bank, land that Palestinians want for a future state. Likuds decision to impose Israeli control over the occupied West Bank represents an end to the remnants of the peace process, Fatah, which is headed by Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas, said in a statement. This decision is a blow to all previously signed agreements, and an unforgivable violation of UN resolutions, the latest of which was resolution 2334, that the West Bank, including Jerusalem, is occupied territory. Hamas also condemned Likuds move, calling it a policy of aggression against the Palestinian people that was taking advantage of American positions, including [Donald] Trumps dangerous declaration a reference to the US president recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital on December 6. Trumps move prompted deadly protests in the occupied Palestinian territories and major rallies in support of the Palestinians across the Muslim world. A resounding majority of UN member states also defied unprecedented threats by the US to declare the US recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital null and void. It would really mean that there is no more attempt to try to find a two-state solution to the crisis, Al Jazeeras Mohammed Jamjoom, reporting from West Jerusalem, said. We also spoke with many analysts, who said that there is no way that such an inflammatory resolution would actually get to the Knesset in its current form. He said there were many more questions at this hour than answers about what is going to happen next. Ali Abunimah, the co-founder of Electronic Intifada, an online magazine that documents Israels occupation, said the vote signaled a desire to deepen the colonisation and occupation of Palestinians. Were just starting 2018 Is this going to be another year of hand-ringing and empty statements about a two-state solution from the so-called international community, or are they going to impose a cost on Israel for its continued international violations, Abunimah told Al Jazeera. If governments continue to drag their feet, what were going to see is an escalation and growth of the BDS movement and Israel treated more like a pariah state, like South Africa was a decade ago. Through this vote, Israel is sending a signal, through the Likud Party, that it is only interested in entrenching apartheid and occupation. Israel is not interested in peace. Stumbling block Israeli settlements are considered illegal under international law, and are seen as a major stumbling block to peace efforts as they are built on land the Palestinians see as part of their future state. Palestinian leaders want occupied East Jerusalem as the capital of a future state, while Israel says the city cannot be divided. Israel occupied East Jerusalem in 1967 and proceeded to effectively annex it, in breach of international law. The separation wall, which Israel started building in 2002, snakes through the occupied West Banks territory, dividing villages, encircling towns and splitting families from each other. Today, 86 percent of East Jerusalem is under direct control of the Israeli authorities and Jewish settlers. Around 200,000 settlers live in settlements that have been mostly built either entirely or partially on private Palestinian property. Of that number, 2,000 settlers live in the midst of Palestinian neighbourhoods under army protection. Based on the law in the West Bank, a state is only allowed to expropriate private land for public Palestinian needs. Israel uses this law, however, to confiscate private land for building Jewish-only settlement roads, connecting them with one another and to Israel. In this way, 12 settlements were built in East Jerusalem on Palestinian property declared for public needs. In October, Israels civil administration approved for the first time in 15 years the construction of 31 settlement housing units in the occupied Palestinian city of Hebron. International law views the West Bank and East Jerusalem as occupied territories and considers settlement construction activities there as illegal. New York police on high alert for New Years Eve New York is among the major cities around the world on high alert, especially before its annual New Years Eve celebrations in Times Square. The New Iranian Revolution: Is It Possible? Nineteen seventy-nine was a momentous year. In my little world, college graduation was celebrated with enthusiasm and zeal. In the world at large, the Iranian revolution occurred and wreaked havoc and destruction in ways neither the Iranians nor the rest of the world could have ever imagined. At the time, being an educated and low-information voter, as we know they are synonymous, I paid little attention to these circumstances except to understand that the Shah and his secret police, the Savak, were deposed; a medieval-looking, menacing ayatollah took over the country; and Americans were held hostage, eventually being released. Fast-forward several years. Glimpses of this backward country were revealed through various media. The movie Not Without My Daughter revealed the riveting account of an American woman married to an Iranian and her attempts and eventual success in escaping the hellhole where she found herself. Geraldine Brooks's fabulous book, Nine Parts of Desire, about women of the Middle East, also offered a picture of life for women in Iran. The fatwa declared by Ayatollah Khomeini on Salman Rushdie, forcing him into hiding, became worldwide news. The Iranian film festival was brought to the United States on an annual basis exposing many of us to the inner workings of Iranian society and their yearning for a freer way of life. We came to discover that the Iranians, including women, next to the Israelis, were some of the most educated people in the Middle East. Like many of the readers of these pages who have become more informed call it a true education I learned the truth about the repercussions of the Iranian revolution. Jimmy Carter's naive and dangerous proclamations against the Shah, a U.S. ally, were the fuel that ignited the Shah's overthrow. Investors Business Daily had a wonderful piece in the mid-2000s summarizing the hideous consequences. The Shah's executions over twenty-five years were less than those under Ayatollah Khomeini's in one year. The ayatollah, purported religious man that he was, supported Hamas, the Palestinian terrorist organization, and promised to fund families of suicide bombers attacking Israel. Hezb'allah (Party of God), a Lebanese Shiite terrorist organization, originated because of a radical Iran. People suffered gravely under this regime. In the book Children of Paradise by Laura Secor, there is a section that chronicles the events surrounding the mass executions of political prisoners during the early and later 1980s. Along the way, I became sympathetic to the plight of the Iranian people. I used to donate to Freedom House and asked that the funds be directed to Gozaar, an Iranian web portal that provided information to the Iranian people. Shortly after Mr. Obama was elected, the State Department stopped funding this organization. Excuses were made for this action. Some people, especially on the left, believed that Gozaar endangered Iranian NGOs fighting for reform and supported Mr. Obama's decision to engage rather than fund. Well, it goes without saying how effective that has been to promote freedom for the Iranian people. Those of us who see Mr. Obama for who he is were disturbed but not surprised about the events surrounding the 2009 Iranian uprising. The Green Revolution took hold, and all they asked from our globalist president was rhetorical support. The response from our commander-in-chief was a deafening silence. The Iranian people understood the message loud and clear: not "no can do," but "no will do." Soon their spirits deflated, their will withered, and their oppressors crushed what was left. Would it have made a difference if Mr. Obama had used his silver tongue and given some support? We will never know, but being the interloper he has been with so many other countries, it is ironic or maybe not that the most powerful leader of the free world could not wish the same for others. We learned more about Mr. Obama's motives when he circumvented Congress with a so-called executive treaty by returning billions to the Iranian government in exchange for a promise of nuclear disarmament. Hasn't Mr. Obama ever heard of "taqiyya"? Perhaps he knows it better than we think. Most important, how did this or any of his actions help the Iranian people? If anything, it emboldened the tyrannical mullahs. As of late we heard about Project Cassandra, an investigation into Hezb'allah-linked drug-dealings within our borders, having been stymied by the Obama administration to prevent the nuclear deal from being aborted. Who knows what else will be uncovered about Mr. Obama's dealings with the Iranians or those of his Rasputin, Iranian-born Valerie Jarrett? We may never get the full truth. Now we have a new sheriff in town. Unlike Mr. Obama, Mr. Trump does not deliver his message with such mellifluousness, and unlike the elitists of left and right, we "deplorables" are most thankful for that. He is bold, honest, and direct. Perhaps, with the help of social media and the internet, his message of freedom through strength is permeating the walls of censorship and reaching the Iranian people. Their rumblings and discontent are heard loud and clear by this president. Already, he is tweeting his message of support to the people. Could the Iranians risk another uprising? Time will tell. If they have the will and strength to do so, they should know that freedom-loving Americans support their cause. Could 2018 be the year? If so, we could eventually see the beginnings of a new Middle Eastern landscape. Now, that might seem like a dream, but who would have dreamt that a daring businessman could take on every other GOP candidate; a queen in waiting; and a corrupt, biased press to win the office of president of the United States? Yes, dreams can and do come true. Here is to the Iranian people. One wonders what would have happened if the Sweet Cakes by Melissa case involved not the owners refusing to be coerced to violate their religious conscience by providing a cake not to two same-sex people celebrating their union and calling it a marriage, but rather a Muslim bakery being forced to bake a cake decorated with a cartoon picture of the prophet Muhammad covered with bacon sprinkles. Would the bakery in that scenario be forced to pay a heavy business-killing fine for actually believing that the Founding Fathers meant freedom of religion when they enshrined it in the First Amendment? Probably not, even if the ruling was made by a liberal Oregon judge who forget that this country was founded by people fleeing religious persecution and governmental war on their religious conscience: The Oregon Court of Appeals has ruled against Aaron and Melissa Klein, owners of the Sweet Cakes by Melissa bakery who in 2013 refused to design and bake a cake celebrating a lesbian couple's same-sex wedding [sic]. The Kleins felt that designing and making the cake to celebrate the 2013 same-sex wedding [sic] would violate their Christian faith. On Thursday, however, the appeals court upheld the decision by the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries to fine the Kleins $135,000. The hefty financial penalty ultimately forced the couple to close their bakery[.] ... "Freedom of expression for ourselves should require freedom of expression for others. Today, the Oregon Court of Appeals decided that Aaron and Melissa Klein are not entitled to the Constitution's promises of religious liberty and free speech," First Liberty CEO Kelly Shackelford stated. Creative expression in any form is free speech, which, along with freedom of religion, is supposedly protected in the First Amendment. People should not be compelled to write or say things they do not believe or agree with, whether it be in the form of ink on paper or frosting on wedding cakes. The Supreme Court has heard oral arguments in a similar case, Masterpiece Cake Shop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, in which the shop refused to make a cake for a same-sex couple to celebrate their ceremony, saying it would be an endorsement that would violate their religious beliefs. The Colorado courts thought otherwise: It started over five years ago with a simple request for a wedding cake. And now, after wending its way through the system, Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission is finally having its day before the U.S. Supreme Court. Many legal experts believe [that] it will be the most significant case of the term. It involves a clash of our rights as citizens, as well as our ideals. Two of the most precious rights Americans possess are freedom of expression and freedom to practice their religion as they see fit. Both are enshrined in the First Amendment[.] ... It began in July 2012, when Charlie Craig and David Mullins asked Jack Phillips, who owned the Masterpiece Cakeshop, to create a custom wedding cake to celebrate their same-sex marriage [sic]. Phillips refused, saying he didn't wish to promote a same-sex wedding [sic] due to his religious beliefs. Craig and Mullins filed a complaint with the Colorado Civil Rights Commission. The commission decided against Phillips, declaring he had discriminated on the basis of sexual orientation. The commission ordered Masterpiece Cakeshop to change its policies, give its staff training on discrimination, and provide quarterly reports for two years on steps taken to comply with the order. The Colorado Court of Appeals upheld the decision and the Colorado Supreme Court declined to hear the case. Last year, Phillips petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court, claiming [that] the Colorado ruling violates the Free Speech and Free Exercise Clauses of the First Amendment. In this case, as Jordan Lawrence writes in National Review, the line between providing a service and expressing a view is being deliberately blurred by liberals to destroy both free speech and religious liberty: The government must not force creative businesses to create messages that they oppose. During the Masterpiece Cakeshop oral arguments at the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday, the two attorneys opposing cake artist Jack Phillips argued that the justices should not protect Phillips's freedom to abstain from creating expression he disagrees with. Their primary argument was that, in their opinion, it is too difficult to draw lines protecting people's First Amendment right against compelled speech, so the high court should not protect Jack's rights[.] ... David Cole of the American Civil Liberties Union argued that the Supreme Court should conclude that anything Phillips would create under some circumstances, he must create in all contexts[.] ... [But] a cake artist who agrees to design a rainbow cake for a Noah's Ark-themed Sunday-school party should not be forced against his will to make the same cake for a same-sex wedding [sic] (like the one that the same-sex couple who visited Masterpiece Cakeshop eventually got for their wedding [sic] reception). Neither should a cake artist who would craft an elephant-shaped cake for a party at the zoo be forced to create the same cake for a Republican[ P]arty celebration. Nor should a cake artist who is willing to design a cake saying "I'm dreaming of a white Christmas" for a Christmas party be required to make that cake for a party hosted by Aryan Nations. The Masterpiece Cakeshop case is different from saying a hotel or restaurant cannot refuse service to people based on their sexual orientation. Baking is a wedding cake is a creative process, and you cannot force a baker to create something that violates his religious beliefs anymore than you can force a writer to put on paper opinions he or she vehemently disagrees with. That the judiciary's attempt to redefine marriage is a looming threat to religious liberty, as observed here, and may lead to an era of religious persecution not seen in since the days of the Roman Empire is seen in the chilling redefinition of the First Amendment's guarantee of religious liberty by Sen. Tammy Baldwin, Democrat of Wisconsin and the Senate's only lesbian. Baldwin made her remarks on the June 27, 2015 broadcast of Up With Steve Kornacki on MSNBC. In a transcript of her remarks posted on Newsbusters, Baldwin ignored the fact that it was religious persecution in Europe that led to people fleeing here seeking religious freedom on an individual as well as an institutional level: Certainly the [F]irst [A]mendment says that in institutions of faith that [sic] there is absolute power to, you know, to observe deeply held religious beliefs. But I don't think it extends far beyond that. We've seen the set of arguments play out in issues such as access to contraception. Should it be the individual pharmacist whose religious beliefs guides [sic] whether a prescription is filled[?] [O]r in this context, they're talking about expanding this far beyond our churches and synagogues to businesses and individuals across this country. I think there are clear limits that have been set in other contexts and we ought to abide by those in this new context across America. Baldwin, in arguing that there is no individual right to religious liberty and expression, misreads the Constitution with its mandate saying Congress shall pass no law prohibiting the free exercise of religion. It is a key phrase in the First Amendment, leading off the Bill of Rights. These are individual rights fought for in the American Revolution. These rights are not limited to institutions; rather, they apply to all individuals, just as the Supreme Court has decided that the Second Amendment applies to individuals and not just to state-ordained militias. Baldwin had been asked the question, "Should the bakery have to bake the cake for the gay couple getting married [sic]? Where do you come down on that?" She came down on the side of government coercion and the proposition that church is something you do on Sunday for an hour and otherwise shouldn't act on your religious beliefs in your daily life. The owners of Sweet Cakes by Melissa tried to act on their faith but were ordered to pay $135,000 to a lesbian couple based on an order from the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries. As the Washington Times reported: The order affirms an initial ruling in January that found Aaron and Melissa Klein had violated Oregon civil-rights law by refusing to bake a wedding cake for a same-sex ceremony in 2013 and ordered them to pay damages to Rachel Cryer and Laurel Bowman. In Iran, gay "wedding" cake and pizza requests are handled a bit more harshly and with more finality than a simple statement from a business owner that his or her faith won't allow him to cater the affair. If two men or two women contemplating attempting a marriage had walked into a Tehran pizza shop like Memories Pizza in Walkerton, Indiana, the pizza shop that refused to cater a hypothetical event attempting to celebrate a wedding between two people of the same sex, hanging in the public square and not a simple refusal would have been a likely outcome. Crystal O'Connor, member of the family that owns Memories Pizza, told a local ABC news affiliate that she agreed with Indiana's version of the federal RFRA, signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1993. "If a gay couple came in and wanted us to provide pizzas for their wedding [sic], we would have to say no, "she told ABC 57. Her beliefs and rights and the beliefs and rights of the owners of Sweet Cakes and Masterpiece Cakeshop should be respected The Hobby Lobby case revolved around the belief of the owners that people should be free to act on their faith in their daily lives, which includes their business life. It is a belief shared by many, including the Founding Fathers. As Investor's Business Daily observed: So do scores of Catholic and non-Catholic institutions and businesses who argue either that the way they run their private businesses is an extension of their faith or that a church, something the federal government seeks to redefine, is not something that happens one hour a week on a Sunday[,] but 24/7 through the hospitals, schools, soup kitchens[,] and charities they may operate. They argue that acting out their faith through their works should not be illegal. To gay advocates, acting on your sincerely held religious beliefs is bigotry. They ask that their lifestyles be respected as well as their newly discovered right to the benefits of marriage, found in the "penumbras and emanations" of the Constitution that also gave us the right to abortion. Neither abortion nor marriage is mentioned specifically in the Constitution, but religious liberty and those who say acting on your faith is bigotry are physicians sorely in need of healing themselves. Liberals' definition of religious liberty is not very different from Lenin's and Stalin's. Investor's Business Daily once quoted Cardinal George regarding Obamacare and its imposition of the contraceptive mandate on religious institutions: "Freedom of worship was guaranteed in the Constitution of the former Soviet Union," Chicago's Francis Cardinal George recently wrote. "You could go to church, if you could find one. The church, however, could do nothing except conduct religious rites in places of worship no schools, religious publications, health care institutions, organized charity, ministry for justice[,] and works of mercy that flow naturally from a living faith. We fought a long Cold War to defeat that vision of society." One wonders what would happen, or should happen in Sen. Baldwin's view, if a gay couple walked into a bakery owned by black Americans and asked for a Confederate flag on their wedding cake. The irony here is that those who profess to be the most tolerant exhibit the most intolerance. If you demand tolerance of your lifestyle, you should exhibit tolerance of other people's religious beliefs. Otherwise, it is you who are the hypocrite and the bigot. Justice Anthony Kennedy may have tipped his hand in the Masterpiece Cakeshop case, noting in comments during oral arguments: According to the Wall Street Journal's live blog, Kennedy wanted to know how the state tried to accommodate the baker's rights to speech and religious expression, and he expressed his dissatisfaction with the response: Justice Anthony Kennedy told a lawyer for the state that tolerance is essential in a free society, but it's important for tolerance to work in both directions. "It seems to me the state has been neither tolerant or respectful" of the baker's views, he said. Well said. Indeed, the road to oppression and the end of liberty is paved with political correctness. Daniel John Sobieski is a freelance writer whose pieces have appeared in Investors Business Daily, Human Events, Reason Magazine, and the Chicago Sun-Times among other publications. The notion of academic rigor has fallen on evil times. In a typical instance of continuing epistemic degradation, Donna Riley, of Purdue University's School of Engineering Education, insists that rigor must be eliminated since rigor is a "dirty deed" fraught with "exclusionary implications for marginalized groups and marginalized ways of knowing." It matters little, apparently, if our bridges collapse so long as "men of color and women, students with disabilities, LGBTQ+ people, first-generation and low-income students" are welcomed into the new holistic community defined by "other ways of knowing" whatever these may be. Similarly, Rochelle Gutierrez, of the University of Illinois, fears that algebra, geometry, and math perpetuate white male privilege and discriminate against minorities. Indeed, minority under-performance is often disguised as a form of "mismatching" that is, the fault lies with the institution for being beyond the student's intellectual means. Clearly, the dire situation we are in can only deteriorate as the concept of excellence bites the dust and students are deliberately coaxed into pre-planned intellectual darkness. The precipitous decline in educational quality in North American schools, colleges, and universities has been amply documented in a plethora of articles and books over the last 20 or so years, including my own efforts in such volumes as Education Lost, Lying about the Wolf, and The Turtle Hypodermic of Sickenpods. One of the places where we can find real "climate change" is the educational establishment, from kindergarten to graduate school, a mind-sphere where heated rhetoric and frozen accomplishment go hand in hand. The pedagogical and scholarly climate has become almost unlivable. Like far too many teachers, I have witnessed the debacle from the trenches as a supply teacher in the high schools, an ESL instructor, a college professor, a visiting lecturer, a guest professor on the international circuit, and a university writer-in-residence. The scenario never changed. Here I am especially concerned with university education. Wherever we may decide to lay the blame for the disaster of abysmal academic achievement helicopter parents, substandard public school teachers, the self-esteem movement, a culture of entitlement the dilemma is compounded by the drumming indoctrination of the political left upon the untutored minds of an increasingly lost generation. As Jack Kerwick correctly states, "[most of] today's academics, far from being deep, curious thinkers, are in reality joint-members of a thought-collective." The current syllabus in the arts, humanities, and social sciences is dedicated not to a consideration of the Western library, traditional subjects, and "the best that has been thought and said," to quote Matthew Arnold from Culture and Anarchy, but to the grand social struggles that claim the allegiance of radical ideologues who have come to dominate the classroom. Rigor, of course, is anathema to them. Their mandate is not to "educate" in the traditional sense of the term, but to conscript and train an army of immature grievance-mongers (snowflakes), shock troops (Antifa), and future leaders of the social Comintern. They resemble the "reformers" whom the great Greek poet Constantine Cavafy depicts in a wry little poem, "In a Famous Greek Colony, 200 B.C." (translation mine, some lines conflated): Whatever the hindrance and the difficulty these Reformers immediately suggest radical reforms, demanding that they be implemented without delay. And when, finally, they finish their work it will be a miracle if anything survives at all. As Janice Fiamengo of the University of Ottawa explains in an article for PJ Media, traditional course content is often replaced by non-academic material dealing with race, class, and gender, "specifically a devotion to 'social justice' that masquerades as critical analysis[.] ... Many professors devote themselves less to teaching their particular disciplines than to decrying the presumed crimes of the United States, sympathizing with Islamic terrorists and other violent dissidents, calling for the overthrow of the capitalist world order, and condoning plans for the destruction of Israel." They teach students to sympathize with the "victims" of the day in the noble cause of social equity and to feel "appropriately empowered in grievance or guilty by association." And, of course, to conform to their instructor's causes, prejudices, and partisanship. Students have also been afflicted with the sanctimonious foolishness of presentism, in which current social and cultural fads, beliefs, and ideologies are superimposed upon the past. The actions of our predecessors are judged in the light of our own dogmatic assumptions, as if these were perennial the end point of history and not merely transitory. Thus, Shakespeare is regarded as a straight white male patriarch asserting his cultural authority, to be replaced in portrait and curriculum by black radical lesbian Audre Lorde, by any criterion surely one of the worst poets ever to put pen to paper. To take an example closer to my home, a student-writer denounces Susanna Moodie's 1852 Roughing It in the Bush for the crime of "othering" that is, for having "unduly corrupted reader's [sic] perceptions" of Ontario's indigenous tribes in the 1830s as "other" rather than equal or superior, as unlettered hunters and gatherers rather than victims of hegemonic white settler oppression. In the same way, Confederation poet Duncan Campbell Scott, who worked in the federal Department of Indian Affairs and lobbied for the assimilation of the native populations into the social mainstream in order to improve their social and economic prospects, is bitterly condemned as a white supremacist, a racist and an enemy of "social justice." To believe that cultures without writing or the wheel or antibiotics or technology or science are equal or superior to a culture that gave us the Magna Carta; developed cures for smallpox and polio; discovered electricity; put a man on the moon; invented the computer; and produced a Homer, Dante, Dostoevsky, Bach, Michelangelo, Newton, and Einstein is, not to put too fine a point on it, the very depths of fatuous imbecility. But this is the agenda of the academic left: to create a dumbed down, alliterate and illiterate, and politically indoctrinated generation, which had already arrived at the ivory gates incapacitated for disciplined study, intellectual rigor, and scholarly accomplishment. I suspect that the decline wrought by a deficient home life, substandard public school teachers, and the lamentable denizens of the university thought-collective expressions of a rapidly plummeting culture has gone too far to be reversed and must be allowed to complete its journey into rubble and scree. Only then may some degree of restitution and rebuilding become possible and the concept of academic rigor return to its rightful place in the cognitive milieu. The following poem was written by Dan Sheahan, an Irish sugarcane-farmer of Ingham, North Queensland, Australia (originally from Newmarket, Ireland). It is a story about a cane-farmer who rode his horse into town on Saturday morning during the Second World War in 1943. At that time, everything butter, bread, etc., including beer was rationed, as an invasion by Japanese forces was a possibility. A garrison of U.S. troops was stationed outside Ingham, and on this particular Friday night, they were given liberty and descended upon the many pubs in the town. They drank the town dry of beer. After going about his business, he attended the Day Dawn Hotel, now known as the Lees Hotel, to have a quiet drink before riding home. The cane-farmer learned from the publican, Gladys Harvey, that the Yanks had drunk the town dry the night before. She offered him a house wine to console him. He retreated to a table with the glass of wine and penned this poem: A Pub With No Beer It's lonesome away from your kindred and al By the campfire at night where the wild dingos call But there's nothin' so lonesome, so dull or so drear Than to stand in the bar of a pub with no beer Now the publican's anxious tor the quota to come There's a faraway look on the face of the bum The maid's gone all cranky and the cook's acting queer What a terrible place is a pub with no beer The stockman rides up with his dry, dusty throat He breasts up to the bar, pulls a wad from his coat But the smile on his face quickly turns to a sneer When the barman says suddenly: "The pub's got no beer!" There's a dog on the verandah, for his masters waits But the boss is inside drinking wine with his mates He hurries for cover and he cringes in tear It's no place tor a dog round a pub with no beer Then in comes the swagman all covered with flies He throws down his roll, wipes the sweat from his eyes But when he is told he say, "What's this I hear? I've trudged fifty flamin' miles to a pub with no beer?" Old Billy, the blacksmith, the first time in his life Has gone home cold sober to his darling wife He walks in the kitchen: she says: "You're early, me dear" Then he breakes down and tells her that the pub's got no beer It's lonesome away from your kindred and all By the campfire at night where the wild dingos call But there's nothin' so lonesome, so dull or so drear Then to stand in the bar of a pub with no beer My father died two years ago. My mother is now living with my sister. Nevertheless, there is something eerie about January 1 for Cubans. My brother, sister, and I would always find a minute to hear another story of that fateful January 1, 1959, when our lives were turned upside-down. We didn't dwell in the past, but memories of that day would come up with anecdotes or just simple family stories. The events of that day are not as depicted in The Godfather II. People did not rush to their boats. You didn't have suicide bombers among the anti-Batista rebels. Most Cubans spent the early hours on the phone or following the news on radio and TV. My specific memory is watching my father on the phone and my mom listening to his conversations amid the breakfast she was feeding us. Cuba became an independent country in 1902. You can divide the island's history into two periods: the pre-Castro years and the current regime's period in power since 1959. I was born in the last decade of pre-Castro Cuba. My story is so typical of the other kids born in the 1950s. We were the grandchildren of immigrants from Spain or elsewhere. In my father's case, his family came from Spain in the 1840s and settled in Sagua La Grande, a town in the central part of the island. On my mother's side, they came from Asturias, Spain and settled around the island. They got off the boat with no money and became successful entrepreneurs, from owning a hardware store to managing several coastal restaurants. All of that was "nationalized" in the name of the revolution. Our ancestors came to Cuba because it was a prosperous island, an attractive place for Spaniards seeking a better life, for Jewish refugees from Europe, hardworking Asians, and others. It was a young and vibrant country with hope and a future. In other words, the island of Cuba attracted people rather than drove its citizens away looking for a future. It is really sad to watch Cuba today. The young escape and look for a better life, preferably in the U.S. The old get stuck and left behind. As I saw yesterday, Cuba is on track to have the oldest population in Latin America. It is even more painful when you realize that pre-Castro Cuba attracted thousands of immigrants from all over the world, as our friend Dr. Carlos Eire wrote: Between 1900 and 1930, the first three decades of Cuban independence, about one million immigrants flooded into the island, mostly European, and mostly northern Spaniards. This population tsunami also included Asians, Levantines, and Jews. These immigrants doubled the population of the island and changed its complexion, literally. Tens of thousands of immigrants continued to flow into Cuba every year after that, up to 1958. Immigration from the U.S. was comparatively slight, but in 1958 there were more Americans living in Cuba than Cubans in the [USA]. Emigration from Cuba was minimal during this half[-]century. Rates of immigration as high as this and of emigration as low require a robust and growing economy, and a considerable degree of political stability. The regime is still in power, but it is dying minute by minute. The young look for a raft to get out. The old just die away. To wither is to shrivel, fade, decay, or lose the freshness of youth. Cuba is indeed withering today. PS: You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter. Occasionally, I like to browse left-wing websites to see the Rant of the Day. Recently, I found myself on CNN.com. It took only a few lines down the list of articles before I came across an opinion piece written by Peter Bergen. The writer declared in the title, "America's Unyielding Plague of Gun Violence," that we are a sick country. Since this was CNN, I wasn't too shocked. Bergen stated that 2011 was a deadly year in terms of gun violence with 11,000 deaths. While this is a large number, unsurprisingly, Bergen failed to mention how many of these deaths were a result of self-defense. He failed to spot a few lines down the passage stating that from 2007 to 2011, there were 29,618,300 firearm uses in self-defense. The statistics are staggering and advocate for citizens, but in typical leftist fashion, those numbers were left out. Bergen called for greater government control of guns. But that tactic has already failed. Look at Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, and so forth. Maybe it is time to let the individual citizen decide, as it was originally intended. When leftists talk about gun control, they often bring up the United Kingdom. Bergen mentioned that the average number of gun deaths in Britain is around 50 to 60 a year. That's a feel-good number, but he omitted knife attacks. A seven-year study shows that knifings have risen 20% to 34,703 in total. I suppose Bergen finds no problem with not being able to defend yourself or someone else from robbery, assault, or rape at the point of a knife. The problem with the left is that leftists' value system omits responsibility for actions. For instance, Bergen brought up the states of Nevada and Texas as open-carry states. He mentioned that the Las Vegas massacre shooter, Steven Paddock, hailed from Nevada, as if being able to openly carry was the reason for Paddock's rampage. Paddock committed his heinous crime because of his depraved, evil heart not because Nevada allows open carry. Instead of offering a solution, Bergen said there is no hope for change in the American gun culture. There should be change, though. Many of the mass murders he mentioned in the article occurred in gun-free zones or gun-controlled cities. There is a pattern with mass murders occurring in gun-free zones and hundreds of murders occurring in heavily gun-controlled cities. When will the ones who are responsible for these zones decide to change? Thomas Jefferson knew it better than anyone else when he said: "I prefer dangerous freedom over peaceful slavery." In an effort during the campaign to get women accusing Donald Trump of sexual harassment to step forward, two Hillary Clinton cronies ponied up $700,000, paid to celebrity lawyer Lisa Bloom, who was handling several of the harassment claims. Fox News: Susie Tompkins Buell, the founder of Esprit Clothing and a major Clinton campaign donor for many years, gave the money to celebrity lawyer Lisa Bloom[,] who was working with a number of Trump accusers at the time, according to the paper's bombshell report. Bloom solicited donors by saying she was working with women who might "find the courage to speak out" against Trump if the donors would provide funds for security, relocation[,] and possibly a "safe house," the paper reported. Former Clinton nemesis turned Clinton operative David Brock also donated $200,000 to the effort through a nonprofit group he founded, the paper reported in an article entitled, "Partisans, Wielding Money, Begin Seeking to Exploit Harassment Claims." Bloom told the Times that the effort was unproductive. One woman requested $2 million then decided not to come forward. Nor did any other women. Bloom said she refunded most of the cash, keeping only some funds for out-of-pocket expenses accrued while working to vet and prepare cases. The lawyer told the paper she did not communicate with Clinton or her campaign "on any of this." She also maintained that she represented only clients whose stories she had corroborated and disputed the premise that she offered money to coax clients to come forward, the paper reported. Huh? One of the women "demanded" $2 million to tell her story, but Bloom wasn't trying to "coax clients to come forward"? I'm dying to know how much in "out-of-pocket expenses" Bloom pocketed. There's nothing illegal in this. Even if the women are lying, there is no criminal activity associated with paying people to come forward. But you have to admit that it looks pretty bad. The credibility of these women and Lisa Bloom has taken a huge hit. Were the women reluctant to come forward after seeing how the Clintons destroyed female accusers? Perhaps they believed that Trump would do the same thing. Regardless, you might note that since the Alabama Senate election, Democrats have gone silent about sexual harassment. They've even stopped calling on Trump to resign. Funny how that works. On the fourth day of the nationwide uprising of the Iranian people, regime officials are acknowledging popular anger against and abhorrence of the regime and the uprising spreading across the country. The people are seeking regime change in Iran, and this has a major impact for the U.S.'s and the international community's foreign policy in the Middle East and possibly beyond. Maryam Rajavi, the president-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), which is a major force behind the protests, released a statement in which she said, in part, "The ongoing protests in different cities against the regime reveal the explosive state of Iranian society and the people's desire for regime change," Fox news reported. Fox news: Maryam Rajavi released a statement in which she said, in part, "The ongoing protests in different cities against the regime reveal the explosive state of Iranian society and the people's desire for regime change."https://t.co/LLP8jqvDiG#Iran#Iranprotests Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) December 31, 2017 That stands in contrast to the dolorous musings of the mullahs. "The events of the last few days have caused concern, sadness[,] and discomfort for our dear people, and ... the created atmosphere ... has damaged the security of the country," according to the Iranian interior minister Rahmani Fazli. In Iranian regime terminology, "dear people" and "the country" are references to the ruling clerical establishment, who have destroyed Iran's assets, killed the people for 39 years and plunged the entire region into havoc. Iran's regime has also led a policy of targeting U.S. and coalition forces stationed across the region for the past 15 years. "Those who attempt to destroy public property, cause unrest and lawlessness, and undermine the people's security will be held accountable," Fazli added. "Those who misused the [i]nternet for the purpose of destroying security, irregularity, lawbreaking[,] and destruction of the people's property have shown it was just an excuse to use in this regard," he continued. The semi-official Mehr news agency wired a report accusing the Iranian Opposition People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK), which is closely affiliated with the NCRI to the point that the mullahs consider them synonymous, of being "behind the recent turmoil and managing ongoing developments." The PMOI/MEK is a longtime opponent of the mullahs, in opposition since the dawn of Iran's 1979 revolution that brought the mullahs to power. Ali Asghar Nasser, the security and law enforcement deputy of Tehran governorate, knew that the protests had reached crisis levels. For that, he sought to downgrade the massive impact of the rallies. "Yesterday, a few individuals disrupted the people's comfort and were quickly apprehended," he said, adding that these individuals hurled "stones at the police, damaged police vehicles[,] and broke windows of banks[.]" #Khorramabad Iranian #Lorestan uprising and clashes after security forces of the regime attack people - Happening right now #Iranprotests #FreeIran pic.twitter.com/slv724pgPo Hossein Abedini (@HoAbedini) December 31, 2017 Meanwhile, developments inside the regime are indicating increasing concerns and confusion within the regime apparatus more than ever before regarding the Iranian people's uprising. Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei remains silent. Iranian president Hassan Rouhani canceled his scheduled speech today this despite the fact that Iran Daily, associated with Rouhani's faction, posted a piece this morning saying, "In light of recent events and several days of conflict in different cities across the country, the president will speak about these incidents in a couple of hours." However, one of Rouhani's spokesmen issued a statement two hours later saying, "There is no speech in Rouhani's program today." Authorities have also shut down schools for today and tomorrow in Tehran and many cities under the pretext of "air pollution." These latest developments are indicating major changes in the making in Iran, as the people are showing they have reached their ultimate limit with the ruling regime. The Obama administration, loyal to a policy of appeasement, failed to come to the support of the Iranian nation during their uprising back in 2009 and missed a historic opportunity. U.S president Donald Trump, his administration, and Congress have expressed their support for the Iranian protesters. This may signal enough of a difference that the Iranians now feel emboldened to demand their freedom. Europe is following Trump's lead. British foreign minister Boris Johnson and other officials in Europe have voiced support. The European Parliament, which enjoys the support of many MEPs, calls on "the E.U. High Representative Ms. Mogherini and the European governments to publicly express solidarity with the current uprising of the Iranian people and to strongly condemn the brutal reaction of the Iranian government and the security forces against the peaceful demonstrators." The Iranian people must be assured that the international community will support their demand for fundamental regime change in Iran to the very end. Shahriar Kia is an Iranian human rights activist. See more videos of the Iranian protests on his Twitter feed at @shahriarkia. On Tucker Carlson's show on December 29, Brian Kilmeade interviewed Lindsey Graham, who made some interesting statements about the Christopher Steele "dossier." [E]very prosecutor has a duty to the court to disclose things that are relevant to the request. So any time a document is used to go to court, for legal reasons, I think the Department of Justice owes it to the court to be up-and-up about exactly what this document is about, who paid for it, who's involved, what [his] motives might be. And I can just say this: [a]fter having looked at the history of the dossier, and how it was used by the Department of Justice, I'm really very concerned, and this cannot be the new normal. Hillary Clinton and the DNC through a law firm paid the British ex-spy Christopher Steele for a concoction of discredited anecdotes on Donald Trump referred to as a "dossier" to make it sound important. Graham said the Obama DOJ attorneys who obtained the warrant should have informed the court about the source of the dossier, the fact that Hillary paid for it, and the fact that she obviously had a motive to make Trump look bad. The bottom line is that the court was used to allow spying on the Trump campaign by using opposition research paid for by Hillary that is full of lies. Graham further stated that a special counsel is needed to investigate the Obama DOJ's use of the dossier: I've spent some time in the last couple of days, after a lot of fighting with the Department of Justice, to get the background on the dossier[.] ... I'm very disturbed about what the Department of Justice did with this dossier, and we need a special counsel to look into that, because that's not in Mueller's charter. And what I saw ... bothers me a lot, and I'd like somebody outside DOJ to look into how this dossier was handled and what they did with it. If the dossier was used to obtain the FISA warrant, then any evidence obtained as a result should be suppressed, which means that it cannot be used in any criminal prosecution. For example, if Michael Flynn's guilty plea was procured through evidence obtained, his plea is subject to be vacated. The dossier cannot be the basis for probable cause for the warrant because the information is not reliable. It is difficult to believe that Graham would make such a statement if he did not know that the dossier was used to obtain warrants. The question now is whether Mueller has used or is using information that was developed as a result of the warrant based on the dossier. Senator Graham is calling on Attorney General Jeff Sessions to appoint a special counsel to investigate how the "dossier" was used. This will involve who ordered the dossier, who paid for it, that person's or entity's motives, and who stood to benefit, to which the answer is Hillary, Hillary, and Hillary. It will involve who prepared the request for the warrant and who made the decision to use the dossier information, which means that Strzok, McCabe, Comey, and Loretta Lynch, and ultimately Obama, will have to be questioned under oath. Finally, a bit of good news from the Middle East! A groundbreaking Lebanese male belly dancer is giving transgendered Muslims the confidence to be themselves in their own bloomers! Alexander Paulikevitch first came out to his classmates and friends when he was 16. Now 35, he is a choreographer and dancer specializing in contemporary baladi, a type of belly dancing. An old dance form, it was traditionally performed by women for women. More recently, it has been viewed as a dance by women to seduce men. Alexander performs for many in Beirut. Alexander gets up early in the morning to practice gyrating his hips before Hezb'allah sharpshooters have had their first cup of coffee. In the photo above, Alexander waves to one of his many fans. Alexander is not exactly transgendered . He is a man who calls himself a man who is attracted to men but dresses like a woman. This is distinctly different from men who call themselves women who are attracted to men and also dress like women, as well as men who call themselves women who are attracted to women and also dress like women (the lattermost group being trans-lesbians ). Nor is Alexander a Muslim. But a lot of Muslims in Beirut come to see him perform, and he inspires them with his transsexual boldness. Here's a review of one of his performances: The ambiguity and inscrutability continues until the musical tempo accelerates. By now the stage is brighter, and Paulikevitch with his lion mane emerges fully cross-dressed in a champagne-colored sequined evening dress. He whirlwinds [sic] around the stage, pulling again at the sculptural figure, which may be a monumental tuft of hair or, conceivably, a fundamentalist's beard. The dance stops. The artist starts to undress, and then, completely naked except for his string underwear, he trembles and quivers. White gloved hands grab at him from all sides, violating him and reminding us of the women raped in Tahrir Square. I think it's great that the LGBTQ community is making such inroads in the Middle East. I just wonder how much progress it has made in specific areas such as these: 1) We know Sunnis and Shi'ites are in conflict with each other. Does that mean they have separate gay pride marches every year? 2) In progressive madrassas, are transitioning students asked what pronouns they prefer to be called by? 3) Does the Taliban or Islamic State pay for "sex change" operations for its transgendered soldiers? 4) If a transgendered Muslim man starts dressing as a woman, does Saudi law require him to wear a burka? 5) If a gay couple walk into a bakery in Tehran to buy a wedding cake, will they have a choice of different flavors of icing? 6) What happens if a suicide bomber starts calling himself a woman before he detonates? Does he still get 72 virgins, or does he get 72 virgin men? Former secretary of state (and Vietnam veteran) John Kerry and former national security adviser Susan Rice seem to be shuddering. So does Ben Rhodes. Iran is having another freedom revolution, following the 2009 one the Obama administration flubbed, and they don't want President Trump to get his big bumbling hands on it. He might just...mess it up. Kerry emphasized that it is an "Iranian moment," meaning America's White House should say nothing. With humility about how little we know about what's happening inside Iran, this much is clear: it's an Iranian moment and not anyone else's. But the rights of people to protest peacefully and voice their aspirations are universal and governments everywhere should respect that. John Kerry (@JohnKerry) December 31, 2017 Rice had the same message, just more direct: How Can Trump Help Irans Protesters? Be Quiet. https://t.co/w0MNlWMkxG Susan Rice (@AmbassadorRice) December 31, 2017 Obama's "narrative" master, Ben Rhodes, who crafted the Iran deal, got in on the act, too: The Iranian people are rightfully demanding dignity, less corruption, more opportunity, and greater control over their lives. In looking at US twitter, it seems lost on too many that this is about what Iranians want for Iran, and not about us. Ben Rhodes (@brhodes) December 31, 2017 This comes as 300,000 Iranians have hit the streets demanding democracy. So the specter of failed leftists who threw in their troth with the mullahs, forking over billions for them in exchange for the easily violated Iran deal, pretty well throws that Obama legacy of appeasement and negotiation for its own sake onto the trash heap of history. Iranians in the streets just don't like it. It's actually worse than that: the billions that went to the mullahs, from Obama and friends, on pallets from secret flights, actually served to enrich the mullahs, not the people of Iran, as Rhodes and the rest of Team Obama assured would be the case. As Iranian mismanagement similar to Venezuela's takes hold in the country, with oil prices down and sanctions biting, together with shortages and high prices, ordinary Iranians see the mullahs living high on the hog and doing well based on those Obama dollars, and they want the whole disaster to stop. That's what's fueling protests, like gas on a flame. And why did it happen now? Because President Trump crushed ISIS, bombed Syria for chemical weapon attacks, pressed the Saudis to reform, and moved the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, showing U.S. muscle and strength. A strong America is emboldening Iran's democrats because they see, suddenly, that democracies can be strong. Trump's words of encouragement for them, contrary to the gibberings of the jealous and bitter Obamatons, are only encouraging the Iranians to press the mullahs further and take their fate into their own hands. What revolution out there wouldn't welcome words of encouragement from the world's biggest superpower? What we are seeing here is change for the better in the Middle East because Trump made America strong. That has got to cheese off these backseat drivers from the Obama administration, who made America weak. Their plaintive cries to Trump to stay out of this are nothing more than a desperate bid to preserve their own status quo and Obama legacy. Sorry, pals it's the trash heap for you. With the Trump Russia collusion "narrative" rapidly falling apart, and questions about the perpetrators of the myth getting more obvious, what should we see here but a Deep State effort to strike out at the man who's trying to get to the bottom of the whole story and expose it: House Intelligence Committee chairman Devin Nunes? Monday, the Washington Post ran a long expose about how Nunes "alarms Democrats and some Republicans" over his Russia investigation, citing the most stupid, insubstantial, and jejeune of reasons. Frankly, this looks like a Deep State hit job with just scraps and crumbs to work with. Although Nunes has not officially wrested his panel's Russia probe back from the Republicans he deputized to run it, the chairman's reemergence as a combative Trump loyalist has raised alarm among Democrats that the future of the investigation may be clipped short or otherwise undermined. Even some of Nunes's GOP allies have expressed concern about his tactics, prompting rare public warnings that he should temper his attacks on federal law enforcement. Those "some of Nunes's GOP allies" don't seem to be doing anything of the sort, based on the interviews the Post has made, and you know they tried to cherry-pick the most damaging parts. And actually, it's only one ally, Trey Gowdy, not multiple ones. "I'm interested in getting access to the information and not the drama," Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) said last month, when Nunes began threatening contempt citations for FBI [d]irector Christopher A. Wray and Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein in the wake of revelations that former Mueller team members had exchanged anti-Trump texts. Kind of a vague statement from Gowdy in any case how exactly is Nunes to get the information from an unwilling agency that Congress funds without warning the agency's members that they'll be in contempt if they don't comply? Sweet talk? Somehow, that doesn't sound like something Gowdy would say. I suspect that something was either distorted in the interview or taken out of context. Gowdy goes on to criticize Democrats for attempting to subpoena and interview, as Tom Wolfe vividly put it in The Right Stuff, "the dog, the cat, the rhododendrons." It's not exactly alarm at Nunes. The other criticisms of Nunes causing such alarm are that he sent staffers into Russian collusion meetings he recused himself from earlier and that he seemed to horrors! want to hold the FBI leadership accountable. Big, big deal. None of this stuff was either illegal or unethical. What we are seeing here is a dogged congressman who is someone to be reckoned with, using his powers to do his job and get to the bottom of a complicated case of embittered Executive Branch agencies that refuse to accept the presidency of President Trump. That is all. Democratic intelligence committee chairmen had their heyday with the likes of the Church committee against the CIA in the 1970s and the Iran Contra investigations. Now Nunes is doing the same job from his party's side, against corrupt officials who thumb their noses at subpoenas and plot on their cell phones to develop "insurance policies" against President Trump. That howls for an investigation, and Nunes is doing it. This WaPo report is nothing but a Deep State project to obstruct that effort and put the spotlight on those who are trying to overturn rocks and hose things out. Are the protests that have broken out all over Iran because the economy is so bad? I have yet to see anyone risk getting gunned down in the street by the government for a better job. There is much more to these protests than the left is trying to make us believe, and yet the almost universal advice coming from liberals is to keep quiet. Meanwhile, at least a dozen Iranians have been killed by authorities during the protests, and, instead of intimidating the people, the violence has had the opposite effect. Demonstrations against the regime are growing, and the focus is definitely on kicking the clergy out of government. Associated Press: The state TV report said 10 were killed during clashes Sunday night, without elaborating. Two demonstrators were killed during a protest in western Iran late Saturday. "Some armed protesters tried to take over some police stations and military bases but faced serious resistance from security forces," state TV reported. Earlier Monday, the semi-official ILNA news agency quoted Hedayatollah Khademi, a representative for the town of Izeh, as saying two people died there Sunday night. He said the cause of death wasn't immediately known. Many in Izeh, some 455 kilometers (280 miles) southwest of Tehran, have hunting rifles in their homes. On Sunday, Iran blocked access to Instagram and the popular messaging app Telegram used by activists to organize. President Hassan Rouhani acknowledged the public's anger over the Islamic Republic's flagging economy, though he and others warned that the government wouldn't hesitate to crack down on those it considers lawbreakers. Donald Trump has placed the presidency of the United States clearly and unequivocally on the side of the protesters: Many reports of peaceful protests by Iranian citizens fed up with regime's corruption & its squandering of the nation's wealth to fund terrorism abroad. Iranian govt should respect their people's rights, including right to express themselves. The world is watching! #IranProtests Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 30, 2017 Oppressive regimes cannot endure forever, and the day will come when the Iranian people will face a choice. The world is watching! pic.twitter.com/kvv1uAqcZ9 Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 30, 2017 But there are many on the left who are advising Trump to stay out of Iranian internal politics. An op-ed in the New York Times by Phillip Gordon suggests that Trump remain silent: Mr. Trump, after all, has said Iran is responsible for nearly all the problems of the Middle East, and accuses the country of spreading "death destruction and chaos all around the globe." The president would no doubt love to announce that his tough approach has delivered results by undermining the repressive Iranian government, and that his predecessor's more conciliatory approach failed. I, too, want to see the government in Tehran weakened, moderated[,] or even removed. So let me offer Mr. Trump some unsolicited advice: [k]eep quiet and do nothing. That seems to be the best advice being offered by liberals: sit down and shut up. No one denies that the government of Iran would be livid with the kind of rhetorical interference being offered by Trump. In fact, Trump's statements may be used to incite support for the regime against the "Great Satan." But how successful would they be? John Kerry says this is an "Iranian moment" and that we don't know what's happening there: With humility about how little we know about what's happening inside Iran, this much is clear: it's an Iranian moment and not anyone else's. But the rights of people to protest peacefully and voice their aspirations are universal and governments everywhere should respect that. John Kerry (@JohnKerry) December 31, 2017 "Humility" won't stop the Iranian government from murdering its own citizens. Barack Obama showed "humility" in 2009, when the nation erupted in protests after the government of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad stole the presidential election. Obama's studied silence and indifference deflated the protesters and allowed the government crackdown to succeed. Now Iranians are in the streets again, and an American president is encouraging them. I suppose there's a chance Trump's support will backfire. There is no doubt a risk in Trump stepping up and encouraging Iranians to protest. But considering the stakes, isn't it a risk worth taking? Obama didn't think so, and the 2009 "Green Movement" was crushed with nary a peep from the president. While the Iranian government might take a dim view of Trump's interference, what about the protesters themselves? What do they think of the president's rhetoric? Perhaps we should ask someone who battled the oppression of the Soviet Union. Dissident Anton Sharansky, who spent ten years in the Gulag, recalls how he felt when he read of Ronald Reagan's "Evil Empire" speech in 1983. In 1983, I was confined to an eight-by-ten-foot prison cell on the border of Siberia. My Soviet jailers gave me the privilege of reading the latest copy of Pravda. Splashed across the front page was a condemnation of President Ronald Reagan for having the temerity to call the Soviet Union an "evil empire." Tapping on walls and talking through toilets, word of Reagan's "provocation" quickly spread throughout the prison. We dissidents were ecstatic. Finally, the leader of the free world had spoken the truth a truth that burned inside the heart of each and every one of us. At the time, I never imagined that three years later, I would be in the White House telling this story to the president. When he summoned some of his staff to hear what I had said, I understood that there had been much criticism of Reagan's decision to cast the struggle between the superpowers as a battle between good and evil. Well, Reagan was right and his critics were wrong. The Iranian protesters now know they have a powerful and influential ally in the president of the United States. We can't know whether Trump's words of encouragement will make a difference. But we can be certain that Trump's failure to speak out would doom any resistance to the Iranian regime. The economic vector of West Virginia (and parts of Pennsylvania and Ohio adjoining it) has reversed course since the election of President Donald Trump, going from depressed (and forgotten) to growing and attracting huge structural investments from overseas. You can see the changes on the ground, not just in dry economic statistics. It is one thing to read about GNP growth roughly doubling since President Trump reformed the oppressive regulatory environment and devoted attention to reviving King Coal to his former majesty in West Virginia (and then some). Casey Jenkins of the Wilkes-Barre Times Leader writes from Wheeling, W.Va. about what is already visible and what is on the way for one of the most depressed areas of the nation: As 2017 closes, the wait is on to see how the announcement by China Energy to spend $83.7 billion to build petrochemical plants and electricity[-]generators in West Virginia will unfold in 2018 and beyond. The proposed PTT Global Chemical ethane cracker for Belmont County, meanwhile, a project with an estimated price tag of up to $6 billion, will eventually realize an affirmative or negative decision, as well. Still, even before these "downstream" investments, new pipelines continue to be built, new wells are being drilled and fracked, and more coal continues to be shipped out of the region. Keep in mind that the China Energy proposed investment is larger than the state domestic product of West Virginia. But already things are visibly booming: Virtually anywhere one goes in the Upper Ohio Valley, he or she will likely see signs of the oil and natural gas industry. Whether one sees rigs rising above the horizon in Belmont County, pipelines being installed in Marshall County, pickup trucks and sport-utility vehicles parked at hotels in Ohio County, flaring at processing plants in Harrison County, or "sand can" trucks traveling between fracking operations along highways, the signs are clear[:] ... - the 36-inch[-]diameter Nexus Pipeline, which will travel 255 miles to connect the Marcellus and Utica shale region to the Detroit area at a cost of nearly $2 billion for developer[] Spectra Energy; - the $4.3[-]billion Rover Pipeline, which will ship up to 3.25 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day in pipe up to 42 inches in diameter from West Virginia and Ohio to Michigan; - the $3.5[-]billion Mountain Valley Pipeline, which would run southward from the MarkWest Mobley plant in Wetzel County toward Virginia; and - the $5.1[-]billion Atlantic Coast Pipeline, which is planned to be 564 miles long with the 42-inch pipeline diameter in stretching from West Virginia to North Carolina. These investments are structural, meaning they pave the way for regular, continuing flow of a product in this case, clean-burning natural gas. The downstream consumers of this gas will use it to create even more economic activity. Gas is the best fuel for electric power production, as the capital investment required to generate electricity is far less than for alternative fuels, and no emissions take place other than water vapor and CO2 (which helps plants grow better and raises global temperature only in climate models, not in the real world). Natural gas can also be used to provide feedstock for many plastics and other useful materials. And what are the new jobs like? We Believe, in this Fight for Life, it is Now Time to Build a Healthcare System that Respects and Defends Life at All Stages Contact: Eden Gordon, 202-714-6014 WASHINGTON, Jan. 1, 2018 / Christian Newswire / -- On January 18, 2018, Solidarity HealthShare will be hosting a pre-celebration dinner for March for Life festivities in Washington, DC; Solidarity HealthShare's "Celebration of Life" Cocktail Reception at Osteria Bibiana at 1100 New York Ave NW., featuring emcee Lauren Ashburn, EWTN News Nightly News anchor. Most recently, Solidarity HealthShare has been featured on Breitbart Radio with host Curt Schilling, LifeSiteNews, the Lars Larson Radio Show, Red State Radio, Fox News Radio and will be featured in upcoming TV interviews across the globe. Solidarity HealthShare is proud to take part in the March for Life 2018. Solidarity HealthShare, whose mission is to restore and rebuild an authentic health care system that respects and defends the sanctity of all human life. Solidarity HealthShare will honor several key leaders in the pro-life movement who have created innovative solutions that promote life. "We believe, in this fight for life, it is now time to build a healthcare system that respects and defends life at all stages, lowers costs for families, and provides access to high-quality care where the patient and doctor relationship is respected and encouraged," stated Solidarity HealthShare CEO, Brad Hahn. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 1) The Department of Health on Monday shared the good news that it has recorded zero deaths and fewer firecracker injuries during the holiday season. Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said there was a 68 percent decrease in firecracker injuries from December 21, 2017 to January 1, 2018, as compared to the same period last year. The DOH has recorded 191 cases, majority of which came from Metro Manila with 115 cases. The figure is 77 percent lower than the five-year average from 2012 to 2016. "The government's campaign against fireworks has reduced the number of injuries," Duque said in a media briefing on Monday. There was no reported death nor any case of firecracker ingestion, Duque noted. But he said there was one case of stray bullet injury in Caloocan City. Piccolo remains as top cause of injuries with 94 cases, followed by kwitis with 14 cases. The Health Department will continue monitoring firecracker injuries until Saturday. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 1) The Department of Finance (DOF) clarified there will be no immediate increase in gas prices with the implementation of the tax reform law. "The increase is not expected to take effect immediately on January 1 as it takes a few days for the 2017 oil stock to be used up," the DOF said in Twitter post Sunday. This is because excise tax is imposed at the port of importation or refinery, the DOF said. It said motorists should remain vigilant against oil companies who hike gas prices. "Oil increase done by companies on January 1 might be considered profiteering," the DOF added. The Department of Energy (DOE) also issued an advisory to the oil industry, saying: "Please ensure and advise your dealers that pump prices should only reflect stocks that have actually had the new excise tax rates imposed. Old stocks should be sold on the old excise rate or at zero-rated excise tax for diesel product." The tax reform law signed by President Rodrigo Duterte on December 19 imposes higher fuel prices starting January 1, 2018. Regular and premium unleaded gas will go up by 7 per liter this year, 9 in 2019, and 10 in 2021. While diesel and fuel for public transportation will increase by 2.50 per liter in 2018, 4.50 the following year, and 6 in 2020. For liquefied petroleum gas, prices will rise by one peso annually from 2018 to 2020. Kabayan Party-list Representative and Assistant Majority Leader Ron Salo on Sunday said it should take weeks for the impact of the higher taxes to be reflected at the pump. Salo, a member of the House Committee on Economic Affairs, asked Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi to "take preemptive action to head off any attempt" by any oil firm in the country to raise fuel prices using fuel stocks imported before January 1, 2018. Businesses have been finding it difficult to assess tax liability correctly after India moved to the GST regime with effect from July 1. This relaxation will give an opportunity to businesses to claim tax credit correctly by rectifying the mistakes made initially while computing GST liability. New Delhi: The Finance ministry has permitted businesses to rectify mistakes in their monthly returns GSTR-3B and adjust tax liability, a move that will help them file correct returns without fear of penalty. This relaxation will give an opportunity to businesses to claim tax credit correctly by rectifying the mistakes made initially while computing GST liability. Businesses have been finding it difficult to assess tax liability correctly after India moved to the GST regime with effect from July 1. Industry bodies have been demanding relaxation of norms and easier compliance provisions to help businesses adapt to the new system of filing tax returns online. The CBEC in a recent communication to field officer has said as return in Form GSTR-3B does not contain provisions for reporting of differential figures for past month(s), the said figures may be reported on net basis along with the values for current month itself in appropriate tables.... It also said while making adjustments in the output tax liability or input tax credit, there can be no negative entries in GSTR-3B. The amount remaining for adjustment, if any, may be adjusted in the returns in Form GSTR-3B of subsequent months and, in cases where such adjustment is not feasible, refund may be claimed, CBEC said. As per the new circular, Rajat Mohan, partner in AMRG and Associates said all rectifications can be made in the same months GSTR3B and GSTR -1 The photo captures a boy carrying his dead brother on his shoulders while waiting for his turn at a crematory. Vatican, Rome: Pope Francis is having cards printed and distributed showing a 1945 photo of victims of the nuclear bombing of Nagasaki along with the words the fruit of war. The photo captures a boy carrying his dead brother on his shoulders while he waits for his turn at a crematory. It was taken by US Marine photographer Joe ODonnell shortly after the US dropped atomic bombs on Japan. The leader of the worlds Roman Catholics asked that the fruit of war be written in the back of the card along with his signature, Franciscus. A short caption explains the content and origin of the photo, it reads in part: The young boys sadness is expressed only in his gesture of biting his lips which are oozing blood. The gesture is consistent with Pope Franciss effort since his election to speak out against what he describes as a Third World War being fought in piecemeal fashion in various parts of the world. The pontiff has also spoken about the disproportionate suffering children often experience in conflicts, including the risk of being enrolled as child soldiers. The gesture with the photo of Nagasaki also comes at the close of a year in which the threat of nuclear conflict once again had the world on edge, in light of North Koreas threat to use nuclear weapons, and US President Donald Trumps vow that America would unleash fire and fury should that happen. Nitin Patel agreed to take charge after Amit Shah assured him that he will be given a portfolio fitting his stature as Number 2 in the government. New Delhi/ Gandhinagar: A crisis in the newly-elected Gujarat government ended on Sunday with BJP president Amit Shahs intervention. The party president managed to placate deputy CM Nitin Patel whose displeasure over not getting portfolios of his choice had exposed the cracks in the party and invited overtures from the Opposition Congress and Patidhar leader Hardik Patel. After a telephonic discussion with Mr Shah, Mr Patel was allotted the finance portfolio and he took charge in office, ending his abstention frome office in protest against low-profile portfolios. Mr Patel agreed to take charge after Mr Shah assured him that he will be given a portfolio fitting his stature as Number 2 in the government. BJP president Amit Shah called up in the morning and assured me that I will be given a portfolio which befits my stature as the number two in the Cabinet and as the deputy chief minister, Mr Patel told reporters at his residence. Mr Patel, who was allocated road and building, health, medical education, Narmada portfolios, also took charge of the finance portfolio in the afternoon and left for his Assembly constituency, Mehsana. Shortly after his arrival at Mehsana, chief minister Vijay Rupani announced in Gandhinagar that the finance portfolio has been given to Mr Patel. The finance portfolio was earlier allocated to Saurabh Patel. We have made certain changes in the portfolios. We have given finance to Nitinbhai. With this, the issue is over now. Such small things happen in a big family like the BJP. I have already sent a letter to the governor O.P. Kohli, informing him of this change in the portfolios, the chief minister told reporters. Earlier, Mr Patel had expressed his displeasure over his portfolios and said maintained that the issue was not about some departments, but about self-respect. I had conveyed to the party high command to either give me respectable departments or relive me from the Cabinet, he said. Mr Patel said that he had been serving the party like a loyal and disciplined soldier. While announcing the portfolios two days back, Mr Rupani had said, It is not true that the minister, who has the finance portfolio, is the number two in the Cabinet. Nitin Patel is our senior leader and will remain the number two. After the row erupted, Patidar quota leader Hardik Patel had suggested to Mr Patel to talk to the Congress to get the respect he deserved. Senior Congress MLA Virji Thummar had said that Mr Patel could be made the chief minister with the Congress support if he quit the BJP. The Opposition party, however, clarified that Mr Thummar was speaking in his personal capacity and described the row over portfolio distribution as the BJPs internal matter. Ishrat was one of the 5 petitioners in the triple talaq case. Her husband had divorced her over the phone in 2014 by saying 'talaq' thrice. BJP's state unit general secretary, Sayantan Basu said Ishrat Jahan, one of the petitioners in the triple talaq case, has joined the BJP party. (Photo: Twitter | ANI) Kolkata: Ishrat Jahan, one of the petitioners in the triple talaq case, has joined the BJP, the party's state unit general secretary Sayantan Basu said on Sunday. "Ishrat Jahan joined the BJP at our Howrah office yesterday," Basu told news agency PTI. Sources said Ishrat was felicitated by the Howrah BJP unit on Sunday and inducted into the party. Basu said a state-level programme to felicitate her was yet to be organised. Ishrat was one of the five petitioners in the triple talaq case. Her husband had divorced her over the phone from Dubai in 2014 by uttering 'talaq' thrice. The controversial practice was struck down by the Supreme Court on August 22. West Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh, who is touring various districts in the state, said he had also come to know from party sources that Ishrat had joined the BJP in Howrah. Repeated calls to Ishrat for a reaction went unanswered. For every egg lover in existence, there is one elusive dish that has not been tried. But egg-specific eateries are shortening the quest. One such place is Egg Factory in Kandivali known for its unique takes on this humble ingredient like egg sizzler, egg desi gravy, egg lollypop, roll gravy omelette, to name a few. Boil it, scramble it, poach it, bake it or fry it an egg tastes delicious in any form. While the eggs partnership with bread makes for a delicious breakfast, its pairing with spices and a pav makes for a filling evening snack. Though there are debates over eggs being purely a non-vegetarian dish, you will find egg lovers among the vegetarians as well, who call themselves eggetarians. While roadside stalls selling anda pav and boiled eggs have been a common sight in Mumbai, a number of more formal eateries serving only egg specialties have mushroomed across the city. One such place is Egg Factory in Kandivali known for its unique takes on this humble ingredient like egg sizzler, egg desi gravy, egg lollypop, roll gravy omelette, to name a few. Gogo master pavlet egg Explaining the idea behind opening an egg-specific eatery, Jaymeet Patel, owner of Egg Factory, says, The concept of only egg dishes is popular in Surat and you get variety of them. So I thought of opening one here as well. Among the 120 variants of egg dishes served at the restaurant, Jaymeet points out the unique ones. One such favourite is Jannat a plate of cheese omelette and a sunny-side-up egg with gravy on the side. Another is Hilsa, named after the famous Bengali fish, which is an omelette in the shape of the fish stuffed with secret ingredients and served with four types of gravy. Unlike Jaymeet, who just thought it was a good business model, Jay Shah and Keerthana Arcot, founders of Anda Apna Apna, founded their restaurant simply because they love eggs. Back then when we started, there were no egg speciality restaurants. As egg lovers, we thought we should start something egg-specific, says Keerthana. Having taken inspiration from the 1994 comedy Andaz Apna Apna, all dishes in their menu are named after the characters of the film. The Teja double egg role, Gogo master pavlet egg, Raveena egg sandwich and Karishmayi egg rocket are just a few instances. Keerthana confesses that all the 18 dishes are handpicked and created by the founder duo, adding that they have their own take on several dishes. Aside from regular dishes like egg burgers and egg pizza, we also have the egg pavlet. This dish is made from boiled eggs, spices, cheese and fit between two pavs, she explains. Experimentation is vital for egg eateries, since they need to always be a notch above regular bhurji stalls. The overall response has been great. For the longest time, we have had common egg dishes but nothing beyond that. Now I see people really coming forward to experiment, says Jaymeet. Keerthana adds that the egg is unique as an ingredient, since many vegetarian eaters consider it to be all right to try this dish, even as they stay away from meat. We will keep experimenting with eggs and keep looking for innovative dishes. It is our love for the egg that keeps giving birth to all the dishes, she smiles. While Keerthana and Jaymeet definitely have the corner on experimental dishes, one can also visit Anda Mental in Azad Nagar for its Chinese omelette, and Eggalicious in Borivali for its tangy Russian sunny-side-up and bhurji preparation called nimbu-mari omelette. Interior designer Hamsini Hariharans works are immensely inspired from her deep love for Indian folk art . Space designer Hamsini Hariharan takes inspiration from the daily things in life. For instance, she has revived Kancheevaram saris into bedspreads. The idea to reinterpret the traditional sari came up when she decided to experiment with her mothers nine-yard garment. It made sense to utilise them if one doesnt intend to wear them, explains Hamsini, adding that the bedspreads can be made out of one or multiple saris. Hamsinis brush with arts started during her pre-teens. My school holidays meant attending arts and crafts summer camps or working with crafts at home, she recalls. Soon after the designer completed her high school, she was confident about doing something in this field. In 2009, she started out with paper products and customised wedding invitations. With a small rented studio and two tailors, she started working on decor, cushion covers and accessories. Soon, I started getting requests from close friends and relatives to make bedspreads on an order basis. Thats when I finally thought about starting a home linen design company, she adds. The eponymous label recently added the Gond collection, which went on to define the designers work. She admits that the collection is one that she is extremely proud of. Incidentally, this idea struck her when she wasnt looking for one. This collection was actually supposed to be depicted through dots and dashes but that wasnt really working. So we instead added a kantha-inspired stitch, explains Hamsini. The designer, who doesnt have a formal training in design or tailoring, admits that she took a while to understand the intricacies of design from across the world. She says, It took me a while to understand designs. Watching my embroiderer and tailor work over the years has helped me understand their work process. The Indian folk art has steered her to consciously include these styles in her work. Embroideries have been inspired from my love for Indian folk art, she states, adding that visited exhibitions in her hometown, Bangalore also inspired her. Some other times, inspiration strikes her after she gets fabrics. Everything happens organically. I just buy a lot of mix and matched colours. I mainly pick up the raw silk bits from leftover creations rather than fresh bundles of fabric. Thats one of the reasons why we sometimes have limited pieces in each colour. However, there are quite a few setbacks that she faces. I want to recreate Indian prints onto fabric. But sometimes what can be done on paper is never quiet the same on fabric she rues, concluding that design for her is functional and practical, no matter what. Pakistan has already endured so much sectarian conflict that it is largely resigned to the persistence of such violence. Happy New Year. Or is it? It is difficult to celebrate a fresh start when challenges are mounting on every front political, social, economic, environmental, demographic. The multiplicity of issues, the 24/7 news cycle, the incessant chatter on social media all these make it hard to focus on which problems to prioritise. But events can sometimes clarify whats really at stake. The recent attack by the militant Islamic State (IS) group on a Shia cultural centre and news agency in Kabul is a reminder of one of the greatest challenges for the region over the coming year and beyond: sectarianism. The attack highlights the resurgence in sectarian conflict in Afghanistan (while the Afghan Taliban may engage in sectarian violence, primarily against Hazaras, it does not persecute Shias as a defining policy). The attack crystallises the need to tackle the scourge of sectarianism. Pakistan has already endured so much sectarian conflict that it is largely resigned to the persistence of such violence. But we have forgotten the 1990s, and we have not spent enough time considering how much worse it can get. Further inflaming sectarianism will irrevocably fragment society, making Pakistan weaker, more lawless and more violent. This internal security challenge arguably poses a greater threat than any external actor. In the short term, increased IS activity will exacerbate poor Pak-Afghan relations. Prior to last years run of IS attacks, Kabul experienced a sectarian attack in 2011, which was claimed by a Lashkar-i-Jhangvi offshoot. At the time, the Hamid Karzai administration accused Pakistan of stoking sectarian conflict in Afghanistan to prolong instability there. Further IS activity can provoke similar accusations by the Ashraf Ghani administration, particularly in the context of the Pak-Afghan blame game. The allegations would be fuelled by reports that ISs ranks include LJ fighters escaping the security crackdown against the group within Pakistan. In addition to the diplomatic fallout with Kabul, Pakistan is likely to face a spillover effect of increased sectarianism in Afghanistan. Military, paramilitary and extrajudicial efforts against sectarian groups in Pakistan have over recent years weakened the LJ and reduced the frequency of sectarian violence. But the heightened activity of anti-Shia groups in Afghanistan could help them rally recruits and resources to be eventually (re)deployed in Pakistan. Broader regional trends will also continue to intensify sectarianism. The Saudi-Iran rivalry is playing out through proxy groups in the Middle East and, increasingly, South Asia. It is perhaps only a matter of time before Pakistan sees a return to the sectarian proxy conflict that claimed hundreds of lives in the 1990s. Saudi support has already bolstered anti-Shia groups, but they have so far faced little resistance. This is likely to change over the coming years as Iran steps up its use of proxies in Pakistan. Pakistani Shias have been recruited since 2013 to fight in Syria; as the conflict there subsides these fighters are likely to return home, inflaming a sectarian battleground. Recognising the pitfalls of deepening sectarian divides, Pakistans initial approach to the Middle Eastern power struggle was sensible: neutrality as exemplified in the parliamentary decision not to join the Saudi coalition attacking Yemen. But as our civilian government has weakened, so has that diplomatic posture. Ex Army chief Raheel Sharif is the head of Saudi Arabias counterterrorism alliance, while the politician Sharif brothers have flocked to Riyadh recently, presumably to seek the kingdoms help in reconciling with the establishment, and thereby ensuring a tighter Saudi stranglehold over our domestic affairs. Such a strong tilt towards Saudi Arabia would not be tenable for Pakistan, which would further shred the fabric of our diverse society, already fraying at sectarian and sub-sect levels. It doesnt help that we have created an environment that is permissive for hate, whether through dharnas, prime-time television, or toxic and divisive parliamentary debate. Nor have we reviewed the blasphemy laws whose misuse lead to allegations being levelled against members of other sects or religious groups with often fatal consequences, eliminating all possibilities for inter- and intra-faith dialogue. Looking forward, these divisions will prove increasingly deadly in a country facing severe resource shortages on all fronts water, land, energy, employment. Sectarian identity may become the basis on which groups organise, mobilise and fight over resources, particularly in our fast-growing cities, where ethnic, linguistic and tribal identities are eroded. Is this the future we want for our country? A bleak thought on New Years day, but one we should consider as we make our resolutions, particularly on entering a year during which well have some agency, through the ballot, to change course. By arrangement with Dawn The number of terrorists killed in 2017 (till December 1) is now over 200 and the highest in seven years. The year that has gone by is best forgotten. It was a year gone wrong by manmade injuries, mostly made by one man. Its true demonetisation was ordered in 2016, but the backbreaking consequences were debited to 2017. Then we had the double whammy of the ineptly and mangled GST rubbing salt into the nations open wounds. The loss of GDP is estimated, by most serious and unbiased economists, to be around 2 per cent of the GDP (2016-17) of Rs 152.51 lakh crores, which translates into a huge Rs 3.05 lakh crores or about $70 billion. In terms of PPP GDP, we are looking at a humungous amount of 2 per cent of $8721 trillion or a deemed loss of over Rs 12 lakh crores. These are mind-boggling numbers and there is no question of ever recovering this loss. Even recovering the pre-November 8 GDP growth trajectory will take a number of years. The economy has been on the skids since 2012, which was the one big reason the UPA, whose decade-long tenure scaled giddying heights of GDP growth to average 7.8 per cent, was shown out and the growth revival promising Narendra Modis NDA was ushered in. For a bit it was looking as if we were getting back to the dizzy heights of January 2010 when it was over 11 per cent. In January 2016 we were back at 9.2 per cent. But in January 2017 we were at 6.2 per cent and now we are at 5.7 per cent. And dont forget the NDA-2 GDP growth should be read as being on a trajectory flying at 2.2 per cent less, because the current regime tweaked the figures to look better. We can thus say relative GDP growth in October 2017 was actually 3.5 per cent. From here one can say things will only get better. I will hence make a prediction, without sticking my head too much, that GDP growth should be up by about 1.5-2 per cent in 2018. In the Modi accounting system that would be around 7 per cent. Unless of course, if Mr Modi in his irrational exuberance, once again decides to take a chop at the economy in its other foot too. The job creation figures for the organised sector have just come out. We have had 4.16 lakh new jobs in the past year. The IT sector pink slipped around 50,000 high-spending techies in these past few months and more are expected to beached this year. The job situation overall is going to get bleaker. A sharp increase in public investment as capital expenditure, to smartly lead the economy out of the doldrums may be too much to expect considering that the Government of India has just entered the market to borrow another Rs 50,000 crores to make ends meet. However, it was a good tax collection year and congratulations are due to the tax collectors who apparently took a little more from what they usually let go. According to the finance ministry, the tax collection of Rs 17.10 lakh crores is a growth of around 18 per cent compared to last year. While direct tax mop up during the April-March period grew 14.2 per cent at Rs 8.47 lakh crores, indirect tax kitty swelled by 22 per cent over last year to Rs 8.63 lakh crores. Our Tax/GDP ratio is at about 11.2 per cent. I feel hopeful that we will do even better this year as the frantic linking of PAN, Aadhaar and bank accounts will improve tax compliance. But India spends a whopping Rs 10.18 lakh crores on salaries of its Central and state government employees, including the amount spent on implementation of the Seventh Pay Commissions recommendations. This is a staggering 8.15 per cent of the countrys GDP. But as Arun Jaitley famously said when announcing the consequences of the Seventh Pay Commission, it will spur consumption demand and so we can expect a good year for cars, white goods and upper class consumables. The external situation has been a bit bleak also. Till December 15, 2017, there were 310 infiltrations from across the LoC, a four-year high and up from 270 the previous year. The number ceasefire violations reported by the home ministry this year was 820,598 more than the previous year and up 667 since 2014. This clearly suggests that things with Pakistan are getting worse, and things in Jammu and Kashmir too are getting worse. After all more terrorists are coming from across because they feel there is much unfinished business here and the fire needs to be turned up. The number of terrorists killed in 2017 (till December 1) is now over 200 and the highest in seven years. The number of civilians killed in crossfires was 54, up from 14 in 2016. We lost 47 officers and jawans till December 24, 2017, of which 12 were in suicide attacks. Security forces lost 60 killed the previous year of which 36 were in suicide attacks the previous year. Clearly the other side is struggling with getting suicidal jihadis. It would thus be safe to infer that Pakistan did not have a particularly good year last year. Now read this with the increased numbers of infiltrations reported and we can expect 2018 to be a busier year for security forces inside the state and on the border. I think the number of actions will keep increasing to reach a high towards the end of 2018, as security forces will also be pushed to become more proactive in anticipation of 2019. In the voter perception, a cross-border raid has a far higher valence than knocking off terrorists inside our territory. There are also no signs that the Pakistani Army outsourcing to terrorist gangs is going to diminish. On the contrary with President Donald Trump breathing down its back, the Pakistan Army might ease off pressure in Afghanistan and open the valves on the Indian side. So it looks like 2018 will be much more interesting. There is an old Chinese curse may you live in interesting times. There is a typically Chinese subtlety in this curse. While sounding like a good wish or even a benediction, the allusion to interesting times is clearly suggestive on less tranquil times ahead, because tranquility is a highly desirable state of mind. The Chinese will almost certainly make life more interesting for us. The intensity and duration of crises provoked incidents at Depsang, Chumar and Doklam now suggest a new tactic to ratchet up public agitation, both in India and in China. In China the regime seeks to increasingly pander to rising jingoism, just as it is the same in India. With both sides quite apparently keen to use external tensions to rally domestic support, we can expect the India-China border to become a more interesting place. With economic prospects still suffering from the self-hamstringing, the external situation will play right into the Modi playbook. The Army did well in handling the Doklam and Chumar incidents. Such incidents unleash our animal spirits and such nationalism releases patriotism combined with religiosity. Which makes me believe that this will be the year when the Ram Mandir building will start. This will also be the year when the legislation of Uniform Civil Code will be attempted for often the attempting is better than the doing. Mr Modi can be trusted to make it an interesting year. And I think that it will be a good year too for him, politically. When you cant give people jobs, you can always give them a good show. It usually works. But unlike Ghalib, I will not be able to say: Zulm ki raat bahut jaldi dhalegi/ Abto aag chulho mein har ek roz jalegi/ Abto bhukh ke maare koi bachcha nahi royega/ Chain ki neend har ik shaksh yahan soyega/ Aandhi nafrat ki chalegi na kahin/ Ab ke baras pyaar ki fasl ugaayegi zamin ab ke baras. Kim says he always had nuclear launch button on his desk, has presided over multiple missile tests in recent months. The North says its weapons programme is designed to be able to target the US mainland and tested increasingly longer-range intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) throughout 2017. (Photo: AP) Seoul: Kim Jong-Un urged North Korea to mass-produce nuclear warheads and missiles in a defiant New Year message on Monday suggesting he would continue to accelerate a rogue weapons programme that has stoked international tensions. Pyongyang dramatically ramped up its efforts to become a nuclear power in 2017, despite a raft of international sanctions and increasingly bellicose rhetoric from the United States. Kim, who said Monday that he always had a nuclear launch button on his desk, has presided over multiple missile tests in recent months and the North's sixth and most powerful nuclear test -- which it said was a hydrogen bomb -- in September. "We must mass-produce nuclear warheads and ballistic missiles and speed up their deployment," said Kim in his annual address to the nation, reiterating his claims that North Korea had achieved its goal of becoming a nuclear state. The North says its weapons programme is designed to be able to target the US mainland and tested increasingly longer-range intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) throughout 2017. US President Donald Trump has responded to each test with his own amplified declarations, threatening to "totally destroy" Pyongyang and taunting Kim, saying the North Korean leader was on "a suicide mission". But far from persuading Kim to give up his nuclear drive, analysts say Trump's tough talk may have prompted the North Korean leader to drive through with his dangerous quest. "(The North) can cope with any kind of nuclear threats from the US and has a strong nuclear deterrence that is able to prevent the US from playing with fire," Kim said Monday. "The nuclear button is always on my table. The US must realise this is not blackmail but reality." 'Act of war' His comments come after a former top US military officer warned that the United States is now closer than it has ever been to a nuclear war with the North, with little hope of a diplomatic solution to the crisis. Mike Mullen, a former chairman of the US joint chiefs of staff, said the Trump presidency had helped create "an incredibly dangerous climate", in an interview on ABC's "This Week". "We're actually closer, in my view, to a nuclear war with North Korea and in that region than we have ever been," he said. Pyongyang claims it needs nuclear weapons to protect itself from a hostile US and sees American military activities in the region -- such as the joint drills it takes part in with the South -- as a precursor to invasion. As tensions spiked in the region in recent months, the international community has slapped a range of sanctions on the North aimed at curbing its weapons programme and squeezing the country's leadership. In December the United Nations Security Council unanimously passed new, US-drafted sanctions to restrict oil supplies vital for the impoverished state. The third raft of sanctions imposed last year, which the North slammed as an "act of war", also received the backing of China -- the North's sole major ally and economic lifeline. But the embargoes have shown little sign of dampening Kim's enthusiasm for his weapons drive. Observers say Washington must open talks with the North to defuse tensions -- but that remains a challenge. The North has always said it will only deal with the US from a position of equality as a nuclear state. Washington has long insisted that it will not accept a nuclear-armed North and Pyongyang must embark on a path towards denuclearisation before any talks. During the Angelus, Pope Francis called on everyone to "be committed to ensuring a future of peace for refugees, migrants and everyone [else]. He also expressed appreciation "for the many initiatives of prayer and action for peace" all over the world, and offered his greetings for the New Year. Vatican City (AsiaNews) Let us not suppress hope in their hearts; let us not stifle their expectations of peace, said Pope Francis in his address to tens of thousands of believers and pilgrims gathered in St Peters Square for the Angelus of the first day of 2018 in which the Church celebrates Mary Mother of God and World Day of peace, whose theme this year is Migrants and refugees: men and women in search of peace. Speaking about Marys intercession for "the weakest and the most disadvantaged", Pope Francis added: "It is precisely to these people that the theme of World Day of Peace is dedicated, which we celebrate today: 'Migrants and refugees: men and women in search of peace'. I would like once again to be the voice of these brothers and sisters who ask for a horizon of peace in their future. For such peace, which is everyones right, many of them are willing to risk their lives on a journey that in most cases is long and dangerous, and to face hardships and suffering (cf. Message for World Day of Peace 2018, 1). Let us not supress hope in their hearts; let us not stifle their expectations of peace! It is important that everyone civic, educational, welfare and Church institutions be committed to ensuring a future of peace for refugees, migrants and everyone [else]. May the Lord grant us [the opportunity] to work with generosity in this new year to realise a more supportive and welcoming world. I invite you to pray for this, whilst together with you I entrust to Mary, Mother of God and our Mother, the year 2018 that has just begun: Under your protection we seek refuge, Holy Mother of God: do not despise our supplications, we who are being tested, but deliver us from all danger, O glorious and blessed Virgin." After the Marian prayer, the pontiff, citing in particular Italian President Sergio Mattarella, offered everyone "cordial wishes for every good thing in the new year". He then expressed "appreciation for the many initiatives of prayer and action for peace organised in every part of the world on the occasion of today's World Day of Peace". "Dear friends, he said in concluding, I encourage you to carry forward with joy your commitment to solidarity, especially in the outskirts of cities, to favour peaceful coexistence". Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 1) It's a rainy new year for most parts of the country as a low pressure area (LPA) hovers Monday off the eastern coast of Mindanao. The low pressure area was spotted 385 kilometers east southeast of Surigao City, Surigao del Norte, the state weather bureau Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in its 11 a.m. update. "May posibilidad itong maging bagyo dahil nasa Pacific Ocean mismo itong LPA. Within 48 hours, ngayon or bukas, maaaring maging bagyo itong LPA," PAGASA Weather Forecaster Aldczar Aurelio told CNN Philippines on Monday. [Translation: Theres a possibility it can develop into cyclone because this LPA is over the Pacific Ocean. Within 48 hours, today or tomorrow, this LPA can strengthen into a cyclone.] Once a low pressure area gains maximum wind speeds of up to 61 kilometers per hour (kph), it is a considered a cyclone known as a tropical depression. It will then be considered the first cyclone of the year, and will have a name beginning with the letter A or"Agaton." The Bicol region, the Visayas, and Mindanao may likely experience cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms today due to the low pressure area, PAGASA added. Northern and Central Luzon will also experience rain due to the northeast monsoon, typical this time of the year, it added. by Papa Francesco At Mass for the Solemnity of Mary Mother of God and of the 51st World Day of Peace, Pope Francis exalts the figure of Mary, through whom "God is close to humanity as a child to the mother who bears him in her womb". "Humanity is dear and sacred to the Lord". " The Gospel does not report a single word of hers in the entire account of Christmas.... His Mother joins her Son and keeps these things in silence". The Church is " is mother and woman. While a man often abstracts, affirms and imposes ideas, a woman, a mother, knows how to keep, to put things together in her heart, to give life". Vatican City (AsiaNews) - " The year opens in the name of the Mother. Mother of God is the most important title of Our Lady": thus begins Pope Francis meditative homily in today's Mass in St. Peter's Basilica. On January 1, the Church celebrates the solemnity of the Blessed Mother of God and the World Day of Peace, now in its 51st edition. This year's theme is "Migrants and refugees: men and women seeking peace". However, the Pope's homily was centered on Mary, Mother of God, who confirms that "there is no longer God without man" and therefore " Man is no longer alone; no more an orphan, but forever a child". And after some emphases on the silence and meditation on Mary's part, and on the importance of the female dimension in the Church, "which is mother and woman", he concluded by inviting all those present to praise Mary with the title used "by the faithful [ at the Council] of Ephesus: Holy Mother of God, Holy Mother of God, Holy Mother of God ". Here is the homily of Pope Francis: The year opens in the name of the Mother. Mother of God is the most important title of Our Lady. But we might ask why we say Mother of God, and not Mother of Jesus. In the past some wanted to be content simply with the latter, but the Church has declared that Mary is the Mother of God. We should be grateful, because these words contain a magnificent truth about God and about ourselves. From the moment that our Lord became incarnate in Mary, and for all time, he took on our humanity. There is no longer God without man; the flesh Jesus took from his Mother is our own, now and for all eternity. To call Mary the Mother of God reminds us of this: God is close to humanity, even as a child is close to the mother who bears him in her womb. The word mother (mater) is related to the word matter. In his Mother, the God of heaven, the infinite God, made himself small, he became matter, not only to be with us but also to be like us. This is the miracle, the great novelty! Man is no longer alone; no more an orphan, but forever a child. The year opens with this novelty. And we proclaim it by saying: Mother of God! Ours is the joy of knowing that our solitude has ended. It is the beauty of knowing that we are beloved children, of knowing that this childhood of ours can never be taken away from us. It is to see a reflection of ourselves in the frail and infant God resting in his mothers arms, and to realize that humanity is precious and sacred to the Lord. Henceforth, to serve human life is to serve God. All life, from life in the mothers womb to that of the elderly, the suffering and the sick, and to that of the troublesome and even repellent, is to be welcomed, loved and helped. Let us now be guided by todays Gospel. Only one thing is said about the Mother of God: Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart (Lk 2:19). She kept them. She simply kept; Mary does not speak. The Gospel does not report a single word of hers in the entire account of Christmas. Here too, the Mother is one with her Son: Jesus is an infant, a child unable to speak. The Word of God, who long ago spoke in many and various ways (Heb 1:1), now, in the fullness of time (Gal 4:4), is silent. The God before whom all fall silent is himself a speechless child. His Majesty is without words; his mystery of love is revealed in lowliness. This silence and lowliness is the language of his kingship. His Mother joins her Son and keeps these things in silence. That silence tells us that, if we would keep ourselves, we need silence. We need to remain silent as we gaze upon the crib. Pondering the crib, we discover anew that we are loved; we savour the real meaning of life. As we look on in silence, we let Jesus speak to our heart. His lowliness lays low our pride; his poverty challenges our outward display; his tender love touches our hardened hearts. To set aside a moment of silence each day to be with God is to keep our soul; it is to keep our freedom from being corroded by the banality of consumerism, the blare of commercials, the stream of empty words and the overpowering waves of empty chatter and loud shouting. The Gospel goes on to say that Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart. What were these things? They were joys and sorrows. On the one hand, the birth of Jesus, the love of Joseph, the visit of the shepherds, that radiant night. But on the other, an uncertain future, homelessness because there was no place for them in the inn (Lk 2:7), the desolation of rejection, the disappointment of having to give birth to Jesus in a stable. Hopes and worries, light and darkness: all these things dwelt in the heart of Mary. What did she do? She pondered them, that is to say she dwelt on them, with God, in her heart. She held nothing back; she locked nothing within out of self-pity or resentment. Instead, she gave everything over to God. That is how she kept those things. We keep things when we hand them over: by not letting our lives become prey to fear, distress or superstition, by not closing our hearts or trying to forget, but by turning everything into a dialogue with God. God, who keeps us in his heart, then comes to dwell in our lives. These, then, are the secrets of the Mother of God: silently treasuring all things and bringing them to God. And this took place, the Gospel concludes, in her heart. The heart makes us look to the core of the person, his or her affections and life. At the beginning of the year, we too, as Christians on our pilgrim way, feel the need to set out anew from the centre, to leave behind the burdens of the past and to start over from the things that really matter. Today, we have before us the point of departure: the Mother of God. For Mary is exactly what God wants us to be, what he wants his Church to be: a Mother who is tender and lowly, poor in material goods and rich in love, free of sin and united to Jesus, keeping God in our hearts and our neighbour in our lives. To set out anew, let us look to our Mother. In her heart beats the heart of the Church. Todays feast tells us that if we want to go forward, we need to turn back: to begin anew from the crib, from the Mother who holds God in her arms. Devotion to Mary is not spiritual etiquette; it is a requirement of the Christian life. Looking to the Mother, we are asked to leave behind all sorts of useless baggage and to rediscover what really matters. The gift of the Mother, the gift of every mother and every woman, is most precious for the Church, for she too is mother and woman. While a man often abstracts, affirms and imposes ideas, a woman, a mother, knows how to keep, to put things together in her heart, to give life. If our faith is not to be reduced merely to an idea or a doctrine, all of us need a mothers heart, one which knows how to keep the tender love of God and to feel the heartbeat of all around us. May the Mother, Gods finest human creation, guard and keep this year, and bring the peace of her Son to our hearts and to our world. This is an international forum and many users (including myself) are not native English speakers. As far as I understand this forum is set up for people to share information and experience and to support each other in the endeavour they all share: to migrate to Australia. Attacking people about their language skills is just not on. This is not FaceBook and no place for trolling or personal attacks. Be kind and be tolerant. As for the original question: I recently lodged a partner visa for a couple who were both in Australia. They were very organised, highly literate people, who had already done a lot of preparation by the time they contacted me. It then still took us about 3 weeks to get everything ready for lodgement. My average client takes 2 to 3 months to get all the documentation together, especially where one of the partners is overseas. There are many factors out of your control that will determine how long it will take to process your visa: government policy, staffing levels and volume of applications at the particular processing centre, your nationality, the case officer etc. etc. What you can control is the quality of your application: make sure the forms are filled out correctly, provide good evidence, cover all bases, make it easy for the case officer to tick all the boxes. Do spend some time to get all the supporting documentation in the correct format, the correct orientation (not upside down or sideways), in the right order, grouped in a logical fashion and clearly labeled. Don't upload single pictures. Create a photo-book with dates and comment. Don't include pages of small print form airline tickets, just the 2 main pages with travel details will do. Do not upload multiple pages of a single document separately. Don't combine different documents into one file unless they are relevant to each other. Keep in mind that a total stranger, who knows nothing about you, will be looking at all this, so try and make it easy for them. Photo of Depew courtesy of Toyota. Toyota celebrated its 60th anniversary in the U.S. on Oct. 31, 2017 by commemorating the formation of Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. on Oct. 31, 1957 in California. On the eve of the 60th anniversary, Automotive Fleet was invited to tour the recently opened, all-new headquarters for Toyota Motor North America (TMNA) in Plano, Texas, which was designed to create more unified operations of its North American business units. Upon conclusion of the tour, AF took the opportunity to interview Dave Depew, general manager, fleet sales for Toyota Motor North America, to get an update on the companys fleet sales initiatives in the U.S. Below are excerpts of the interview. AF: Could you provide an overview of the business functions that were relocated to the new corporate headquarters in Texas? Depew: Toyotas One Toyota vision for its new headquarters is to create a unified operation in North America, in part, by bringing together its quality engineering & manufacturing; sales and marketing; financial services; and corporate functions all into one location. These were previously four different companies: Toyota Corporate Function: This includes accounting, human resources, etc. Engineering and Manufacturing Functions: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America (TEMA) in Erlanger, Ky., has consolidated with TMNA, which includes demand planning, logistics, parts distribution, and related functions. Sales and Marketing: This includes sales and marketing for both Toyota and Lexus divisions, formerly known as Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), which is now part of TMNA. Also included are sales operations, dealer support, strategic planning, and media planning. Toyota Financial Services (TFS): TFS provides automotive financial services to Toyota customers and dealers in the U.S. The opening of our new headquarters in Plano is an extraordinary next step in Toyotas 60-year journey in the United States, with team members from the four different companies now together in one campus location. We believe this will inspire greater collaboration, innovation, and faster decision making as we turn to and lead the future of mobility, all with an eye on our customers. AF: Are there additional advantages to centralizing Toyotas various corporate facilities into the new corporate headquarters? Depew: By unifying our headquarters in Plano and expanding our technical center in Michigan and production engineering facilities in Kentucky, it will help Toyota better serve customers and achieve sustainable, long-term growth. With all affiliates together, Toyota is better equipped to speed decision making, share best practices, and leverage the combined strength of our team members. This is the next step toward becoming One Toyota and builds upon previous moves weve made to enhance regional autonomy, self-reliance, and responsibility. AF: How would you characterize Toyota sales in the commercial fleet market year-to-date for calendar-year 2017? Depew: Toyotas commercial sales have declined 20% calendar year-to-date. The CYTD decrease is due to commercial customers waiting to order the 2018 model-year Camrys, Tacomas, and Siennas all of which now feature automatic braking, pedestrian detection, and the entire Toyota Safety Sense technology features as standard equipment. AF: What is Toyotas sales forecast for the commercial segment of the fleet market for 2018? Depew: We forecast slow and steady growth, just like 2017. However, this is a tough question to answer with everything going on in Washington, D.C. If a tax plan passes, the commercial segment stands to benefit. Companies, like consumers, want to know tax policy and its impact on their operations. AF: What has been the fleet reaction to the all-new 2018 Toyota Camry? Depew: Commercial orders for the all-new 2018-MY Camry are up 25% for the first eight months of the model-year. Customers like the look, MPG, performance, and connectivity. AF: What are the early results of the new OTD initiative of using expanded ePools for the 2018 Camry? Depew: Toyotas two most popular Camry commercial models, LE gasoline and LE hybrid, both have improved order-to-delivery times versus a year ago. AF: How are sales progressing for the new Toyota Prius Prime? Depew: Toyota has sold over 16,500 Prius Primes through October 2017. Of which, more than 500 have been sold via fleet. AF: What are the key trends you see emerging from commercial fleets in terms of product selection? Depew: There is more demand for small and mid-SUVs to replace sedans. With increased utility and minimal MPG penalty, SUVs are very popular. Also, companies with corporate sustainability initiatives to lower CO2 emissions continue to look closely at hybrids and alt-fuel vehicles. AF: Could you provide an update on the fleet reaction to the Toyota Safety Sense active safety package now being standard in almost all 2018 models? Depew: The customer response to Toyota Safety Sense as standard equipment across its 2018 lineup (excluding 4Runner and 86) has been very positive. Safety continues to be a key purchase consideration for fleets. Toyotas is well positioned to take advantage of the demand. THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW: Bakersfield can impact whether or not you are successful with your New Year's resolution Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 1) Ten police officers and three barangay tanod involved in the Mandaluyong shooting on Thursday face homicide charges, police said. "May order of detention sila so ngayon naka-detain sila sa Mandaluyong Police Station," National Capital Regional Police Director Oscar Albayalde told CNN Philippines. The suspects charged as are as follows: PSInsp. Maria Cristina Vasquez PO1 Alfred Uribe PO2 Nel Lemuel Songalia PO1 Jave Arellano PO1 Tito Danao PO1 Mark Castillo PO1 Julius Libuen PO1 Bryan Nicolas PO1 Albert Buwag PO1 Kim Rufford Tibunsay Barangay Tanod Wilmer Duran Barangay Tanod Ernesto Fajardo Barangay Tanod Gilberto Gulpo Vasquez and Gulpo are still at large, while the remaining nine policemen and the two barangay tanod are under police custody. On December 28, Velasquez' team and barangay officials fired at a white vehicle on Shaw Boulevard in Mandaluyong City, after receiving reports from the barangay officers that a gunman from an earlier shooting in Brgy. Additional Hills had escaped using the vehicle. It all started with a quarrel between gas delivery boys and construction workers in the barangay. Jonalyn Ambaon, partner of construction worker Eliseo Aluad, was shot in the head as a result. Aluad and six other companions rode a white Mitsubishi adventure to rush Ambaon to the hospital. They were soon apprehended on Shaw Boulevard, and police started firing at the vehicle. Ambaon died in the hospital hours after, while of her companions Jomar Hayaun died during the incident. The others remain in critical condition. The four of six gas delivery boys involved in the prior shooting Jemar Alpin, Abdurahman Alpin, Romeo Resureccion and Wahab Alpin have also been placed under police custody. The two others have yet to be apprehended. Possible shootout? Meanwhile, paraffin tests on the gas delivery boys, as well as the passengers of the white van, tested positive for gunpowder nitrates. Albayalde on Monday said the test results prove there could have been a shootout, and that Ambaon's group also fired at the group of gas delivery boys during the encounter in Brgy. Addition Hills. "So ang lumalabas dito talagang nag-away itong grupo na ito at nagkabarilan talaga sila doon kaya 'yun ang sanhi ng tama sa ulo ni Jonalyn," Albayalde said. [Translation: It seems the two groups exchanged fire and that's how Jonalyn got injured.] Albayalde, however, clarified the test results are inconclusive. He said negative results for gunpowder nitrates does not mean they did not fire guns. (CNN) Short-lived White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci on Sunday defended President Donald Trump's tweet last week on climate change, saying that his actual opinion on the subject might surprise people. "I love the President's sense of humor, but I also think he's saying something else," he told CNN's Dana Bash on "State of the Union." "I think you guys should ask him directly if he's a climate change denier. I think you'll find you'll be surprised by that answer." Scaramucci was referencing Trump's tweet on Thursday suggesting that climate change could be a good thing given that East Coast cities have been gripped by freezing temperatures. "In the East, it could be the COLDEST New Year's Eve on record. Perhaps we could use a little bit of that good old Global Warming that our Country, but not other countries, was going to pay TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS to protect against," Trump wrote on Twitter. "Bundle up!" Trump's tweet, if taken as a policy pronouncement, would place the President's climate policy further out of step with the vast majority of scientists, who believe global warming is damaging for the United States and the world. In his tweet, Trump was referencing news that the Eastern United States and Midwest are being clobbered with a brutal cold front that will make New Year's Eve a frigid affair in many cities. In Trump's hometown of New York City, celebrants will gather in Times Square with the temperature around 12 degrees Fahrenheit -- but it will feel colder because of the wind chill. Temperatures will likely dip lower on New Year's Day. Scaramucci said he believed the tweet came from Trump himself, rather than his social media director, Dan Scavino. "First off, you can tell that that was the President tweeting himself," Scaramucci said. "I am going to give a shout-out to my friend Dan Scavino. I know the difference when Dan is tweeting and when President Trump is tweeting. That was clearly the President." He also defended Trump's decision to exit the Paris climate agreement earlier this year. "I think what he's really saying in that tweet is that deal, the Paris Accord, there was something really wrong with that deal as it related to the United States," Scaramucci said. "So he really didn't want to sign it and go along with the crowd. He's an entrepreneur. Entrepreneurs have the tendency to diverge from crowd thinking." The Government Accountability Office released a report in October that said the US government has spent more than $350 billion over the past decade in response to extreme weather and wildfires and estimated that the US would incur far higher costs as the years progress if global emission rates don't go down. The report called on Trump to use the information GAO compiled to help identify risks posed by climate change and "craft appropriate federal responses." Additionally, the Climate Science Special Report released by the federal government in November found "no convincing alternative explanation" for the changing climate other than "human activities, especially emissions of greenhouse gases." White House staffing changes In his interview Sunday, Scaramucci defended Trump's chaotic White House, saying he admires the fact that Trump is continually shifting his team around. "My point on this, and I've said this repeatedly, is that I admire that aspect of the President," he said. "Even though I was a victim of that -- I didn't resign, I was, frankly, fired -- at the end of the day I respect the business like decisions that are being made by the White House, and it's very different from the government." Scaramucci also defended comments he made at a Hanukkah party, where he reportedly described the "kill or be killed" atmosphere in the White House. "I have a tendency to talk with colorful language," he said. "I said those things, the point being it's not just about the Trump White House, it's about Washington in general. I think we have to be very careful that people get intoxicated by power." He continued: "I thought I had very strong alliances with people that I in fact did not have. ... (W)hen they were in power, they were building borders to secure and protect their power. I think that is very, very dangerous." This story was first published on CNN.com, "Anthony Scaramucci: Trump's view on climate change might surprise you." (CNN) Pope Francis is having cards printed and distributed showing a 1945 photo of victims of the nuclear bombing of Nagasaki along with the words "the fruit of war." The photo captures a boy carrying his dead brother on his shoulders while he waits for his turn at the crematory. It was taken by US Marine photographer Joe O'Donnell shortly after the bombs were dropped at the end of World War II. The leader of the world's Roman Catholics asked that "the fruit of war" be written in the back of the card along with his signature "Franciscus." A short caption explains the content and origin of the photo, it reads in part: "The young boy's sadness is expressed only in his gesture of biting his lips which are oozing blood." After the bombs dropped by the US on Nagasaki and Hiroshima forced Japan's surrender and ended World War II in 1945, O'Donnell spent four years documenting the aftermath in the two cities, according to Library of Congress records. His photos were published in the book titled "Japan 1945: A US. Marine's Photographs from Ground Zero." CNN's senior Vatican analyst John Allen wrote on his website: "Though release of the photo in the run-up to New Year's does not add anything substantive to the pontiff's positions, it's nevertheless the first time Francis has asked that a specific image be circulated in the holiday season, suggesting he believes its message is especially relevant at the moment." The Pope has previously condemned nuclear weapons and highlighted the impact of conflict on children, Allen wrote. This story was first published on CNN.com, "'The fruit of war': Pope Francis prints photo of Nagasaki victims." BORDERLAND BEAT The Most Extensive and Reliable Source of Information Related to the Mexican Drugs Cartels. You will not find this level of coverage anywhere else, join us! Send information, pictures or videos, you remain 100% anonymous. Envia fotos, videos, notas, enlaces o informacion todo 100% Anonimo. General Mail Box: borderlandbeat@gmail.com Want to be a contributor or citizen reporter for Borderland Beat? We love to have you in our team, send us an email! WARNING: Posts may contain strong violent material, discretion is advised. COMMENTS: We do not publish all comments, and we do not publish comments immediately. In the 1980s comic book Watchmen, a redheaded protester haunts a local New York newsstand holding a sign which says THE END IS NIGH. Sometimes I feel the urge to hoist my own version of that sign upon a street corner, moaning as I watch the city I fell in love with change into something alien and unfamiliar, a luxury product completely out of reach of most of its own residents. Beloved spots of substantial historical value are constantly closing. Mega-condos will rule Midtown. The phrase pricey neighborhood applies to more places than ever before. You sense that the character of the city might be changing too. You might be thinking about things that you can do to help preserve what you loved about New York in the first place and help keep it livable for the 21st century. The city needs you! Here are ten ways of becoming a better New Yorker, ten things you can do (or mindsets you can develop) to continue making this a great place to live. This is the fleshed-out list that first appeared in our 2015 Year In Review podcast but it seems especially relevant in 2018. 1) Learn history. Talk about history. We live in old buildings, walk down old streets. The stories behind them influence our lives to this day. Knowing the history of your neighborhood or your favorite landmark isnt just a fun stash of trivia you can unspool at a party. It adds greater value to the places you interact with everyday. And if youre going to pay all that money for rent, wouldnt you like get a bit more out of it? This isnt just about reading books about history, watching Ken Burns documentaries, going to museums or, you know, listening to a podcast. Its about conceiving your life as the next chapter of the places around you. Engage with others about the importance of knowing history. Because you never know who will have the energy and power to preserve it should the places you love become endangered. In this day and age, you cant fully trust that a landmarks commission or a preservation group will be fully empowered to step in. Old Pennsylvania Station, photographed from Macys, taken by Irving Underhill, courtesy Museum of City of New York 2) Read Jane Jacobs book The Death and Life of Great American Cities Jacobs was a community activist during the Robert Moses era of vast highways and the modernist architecture boom. She was a crusader for active streets, of fluid interactive neighborhoods, during an era dominated by the ideals of Moses and modernist concrete architecture. Her great manifesto The Death and Life of Great American Cities, written in 1961, takes on a new relevance in the New York City of 2017. I suspect we may continue to need Jacobs guidance as the city enters a new era of transformation. 3) Protest and speak out Most people dont protest anything that exists outside their personal life. When confronted with the closure of a favorite grocery store or the demolition of a beloved building, the tendency is simply to shrug your shoulders and sigh, Thats sucks. Oh well! If it means something to you, take a few minutes out of your day, go in and ask why a place is closing. Interact with proprietors, let them know that youre sorry to see them go. Perhaps youll be told that theres something you can do (sign a petition, make a phone call). Perhaps theres nothing you can do. But your simple words of encouragement may help that shop owner or employee make it through a rough day. And could help in the thought process of their next great venture. And if enough people do the same thing, perhaps the fate of a certain place can be changed. 350 Fifth Avenue. Empire State Building, view of from Lincoln Building, East 42nd Street. Photo by the Wurts Brothers, courtesyA Museum of City of New York 4) Look into a community group Community groups are often on the front line of major shifts within a neighborhood. The problem is, they can be intimidating to join. Regular meetings can be held at inconvenient times and are less than exhilarating, often bogged down with minutiae. Dont let that stop you. Community groups need you and they need your voice, even if youre a new resident. There are perks to becoming acquainted with the most vocal members of your neighborhood. And keep in mind that you can participate in some groups even if you dont live there. The Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation is a great example. 5) Identify where you might be part of the problem The unsettling end result of learning history and becoming involved with your community is that you may come to a realization that you are part of a larger problem. Perhaps youre part of a gentrification wave moving into expensive apartments in a once-affordable neighborhood. Perhaps you unknowingly displaced somebody else. Maybe you dont really spend that much time in your neighborhood. Is it merely a place you hang your hat, as they say? This sort of self-reflection can make you feel a little helpless. Or it can empower you to offset the negative impact you might be making upon a neighborhood. After all, people interested in environmental issues will try and lower their carbon footprint. If youre interested in a vital and rich New York City, why not make small, worthwhile changes to your own life? Block of brownstone residences in Park Slope, photographed by Danny Lyon, 1974, courtesy US National Archives 6) Spend your money locally This is the number one way to support your neighborhood. Seek out shops and services that are within three to five blocks of your home. Try to visit them all at least once and evaluate what they can provide for you. I assure you that the convenience will make up for any extra costs, and you might find that local places may actually be cheaper. Personal maintenance services (salons, manicurists, dry cleaners) are the easiest, then branch out to grocery stores and delis. You probably will still need to spend at big box retailers or chains on occasion, but just be aware of the kinds of items that can be easily purchased within your neighborhood. Even among the big shops, theres a distinction between local franchises and national ones. Nine times out of ten, the services at local chains are more personal and the prices can be competitive. 7) Get out of your neighborhood Mass transit operates a bit like a transporter on Star Trek, materializing you from point to point without the context of time and distance. It disguises the fact that New York is one of the most walkable cities in the world with hundreds of miles of sidewalk. To understand your neighborhood, you sometimes must become more aware of those around yours. Break out of your comfort zone and break out some walking shoes. Get off the subway two or three stops before your home and just walk the rest of the way. (Or get out a few stops after you usually get out.) This is greatest way of clearing your head after a long day, and youll always discover something new along the way. A Instead of leaving town for the weekend, chart a course via public transportation to a neighborhood on the outskirts of the city. Youll be able to see the history of New York City this way as clustered brownstones give way to housing development or homes with front yards. Avenues with towering skyscrapers sometimes lead to sun-filled side streets. The more you experience, the more attractive the city becomes. St. George, Staten Island, photomechanical print/postcard, courtesy New York Public Library 8) Get young people and new arrivals excited about history New Yorkers can get very jaded. That mindset can help preserve a neighborhood or it can generate a profound lack of enthusiasm. History and preservation has always been seen as an elder pursuit. The young dont care about history, right? Well, as the producer of a New York City history podcast and website, I can tell you quite the opposite. I believe the present generation has the greatest potential for appreciating history and using its tools to create a better city. Museums and community groups should be doing more to reach out to younger people, but you can help out with that too, everything from the presents you buy somebody for their birthday (put down that Dan Brown novel and get them Gangs of New York) to the places you go with them. And this includes new arrivals to New York who simply may not yet feel comfortable wandering around the city themselves. Outside the former Mars Bar in the East Village which closed in 2011. (Courtesy the Commercial Observer) 9) Remain a little outraged I dont mean to take away the joy of feeling a little jaded and grumpy. Sometimes thats the fuel that can lead to a movement but only if you become proactive. Make yourself heard. Become a voice of discontent in social media. Read Jeremiahs Vanishing New York at least once a week and get a little angry at the closures of so many places that provide richness and texture to the city. There is something very serious happening in New York this era will be noted by future historians and this requires a unique and unconventional effort. If you care at all, then you have to be part of it in some way. Find a way to contribute through your written words or conversations, to your co-workers or your congressperson. But through it all. 10) DONT PANIC NEW YORK CITY IS OVER. You will hear variations of this from your concerned friends and read similar refrains on message boards and comment sections. Check the comments on various local websites on any given day and you will see variants of this phrase about twenty times. This statement is inaccurate. New York City has gone through vast changes over the decades. Gentrification has been a regularly recurring process in the city for almost one hundred years. The remnants of beloved eras (Harlem in the 30s, Greenwich Village in the 60s, East Village in the 80s) are disappearing, seemingly at a rapid pace these days. Urban blight reoccurs as well. Whats different is our perception of these changes. I can openly lament the loss of my Meatpacking District, for instance, because it wasnt like what I loved about it in the 1990s. But another person will look at me and say, Are you nuts? Its safer than ever. Youre glamorizing things that are actually quite terrible. And besides the High Line is amazing. The New York City that you fell in love with might be disappearing. Do what you can to help preserve that part of it that you loved. But always remember that your city most likely replaced somebody elses version of New York City. Its constantly reinventing itself and sometimes to the detriment of many of its residents. In the end, New York City is never over but it can become tremendously unbalanced. This should be a city for all of us, not some of us. Become a voice, a part of the conversation, to make sure that doesnt happen. Brooklyn Bridge Park (courtesy Wired New York) At top: Harlem Street with Church, by William H Johnson, 1939-40, courtesy the Smithsonian Institute World's fastest cruise missile BRAHMOS was successfully test fired from the Sukhoi-30MKI fighter on Nov. 22, 2017. NEW DELHI (PTI): The Indian Armed forces displayed a renewed assertiveness in dealing with national security challenges in 2017 -- be it the 73-day-long border face-off with Chinese troops in Doklam, containing militancy in Kashmir or aggressive deployment of warships in critical sea lanes. On the operational front, a new 'mission-ready' plan for aggressive deployment of warships in critical sea lanes was made operational by the Navy which came just a month before India joining hands with Japan, the US, and Australia to form a quadrilateral bloc to pursue common interests in China-dominated Indo-Pacific region. Another highlight of the year was the government unveiling a much-awaited policy under which select private firms would be roped in to build key military platforms like submarines and fighter jets in India in partnership with global defence firms. Though the policy was announced in May, nothing concrete has taken place on the ground for its implementation. The much ambitious modernisation plan of the three forces also moved at snail's pace. As the Army was reeling under severe shortage of ammunition and other hardware for "short duration wars", the government vested full financial power on the force to directly to carry out required procurement, in another significant policy decision. Since beginning of the year, the Army pursued an aggressive anti-terror policy in Jammu and Kashmir, at the same time, forcefully responding to all ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops along the Line of Control with a tit-for-tat approach. In May, the Army said it launched "punitive fire assaults" on Pakistani positions across the Line of Control, inflicting "damage", days after two of its troopers were beheaded, reflecting its policy of 'hot pursuit' against Pakistani 'misadventure'. The policy earned it criticism from local people and its intensity grew significantly when an young army officer used a Kashmiri man as a 'human shield' from stone throwers by tying him to an army jeep in April. Notwithstanding the criticism, the Army Chief Bipin Rawat defended the act and even conferred the officer Commendation medal when a Court of Inquiry was finalising its probe into the incident. "This is a proxy war and proxy war is a dirty war. It is played in a dirty way," Rawat had famously said nearly two months after the incident, triggering another wave of criticism. However, the Army earned kudos for its "mature" handling of the Doklam standoff, which was the most serious since a similar standoff in the 1980s. Troops of India and China were locked in a 73-day-long standoff in Doklam since June 16 after the Indian side stopped the building of a road in the disputed area by the Chinese Army. Bhutan and China have a dispute over Doklam. The face-off had ended on August 28. "The Indian Army stood firm in Doklam in the face of heightened rhetoric by China. We earned compliments from a number of neighbouring countries for not succumbing to Chinese tactics," said a top official of the defence ministry. Days after the end of the face-off, Gen. Rawat said India cannot afford to let its guard down against China, insisting China has started "flexing its muscles". The Army has been strengthening its infrastructure along the nearly 4,000 km-long Sino-India border since then. Soon after the standoff was over, the Army finalised one of its biggest procurement plans for infantry modernisation under which a large number of light machine guns, battle carbines and assault rifles are to be purchased at a cost of nearly Rs 40,000 crore to replace its ageing and obsolete weapons. In September, the Army finalised a plan to induct women in the military police, seen as a major step towards inducting women into combat stream. On the naval front, the Navy significantly ramped up deployment of its warships in the Indian Ocean region as part of the 'mission-ready' plan besides enhancing cooperation with a number of strategically key countries including Singapore. During the Malabar exercise in July, India, Japan and the US demonstrated unity of purpose in dealing with common maritime challenges. The Navy has also taken a series of key measures to bolster its strike capability including commissioning of Scorpene-class submarine INS. Showcasing its growing assertiveness, they foiled a number of piracy attempts on commercial vessels in the Indian Ocean region. In November, the Indian Air Force successfully test fired the world's fastest supersonic cruise missile BRAHMOS from a Sukhoi-30 combat aircraft for the first time. The deadly missile is being integrated into a total of 42 Sukhoi jets as part of a mega project to bolster the IAF's strike capability. The IAF was dogged by a string of accidents involving a number of its fighter jets and attack helicopters. The year 2017 also witnessed India's growing defence and security ties with the US, Japan and Russia. Prime Minister Narendra Modi held bilateral talks with US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit in Manila in November during which the two leaders pledged that the two countries should have the world's greatest militaries. The year saw change of guards in the Defence Ministry. In September, Nirmala Sitharaman took charge as India's first full-time woman Defence Minister, succeeding Arun Jaitley. Jaitley was handling the defence ministry after Manohar Parrikar quit to become Goa's Chief Minister in March. Dr. Sudhir Kumar Mishra, CEO & MD, BrahMos Aerospace, Distinguished Scientist & Director General (BrahMos), DRDO, Ministry of Defence, New Delhi. A file photo. NEW DELHI: The Indian Institute of Technology Madras Chennai has chosen Dr Sudhir Kumar Mishra for the distinguished Alumnus Award for 2018. The distinguished Alumnus function will be held as part of the Institute Day scheduled to be held in the second week of April 2018. On this day, the Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai celebrate the founding Day of the Institution. Indian Institute of Technology Madras has announced the Distinguished Alumni Awards (DAA) for 2018, given annually by the Institute in recognition of extraordinary accomplishments by alumni in various spheres. The nominations are received under the following categories: Academic Excellence, Technology Innovation Excellence, Business Management Excellence, Entrepreneurial Excellence, and Excellence in other walks of life. KOLKATA (PTI): The last MiG-27 ML aircraft roared over Hasimara Air Force base in Bengal for the last time as the IAF bade farewell to this legacy fleet in a function last week. The MiG-27 ML, codenamed 'Bahadur' in India, has had an impeccable track record in its more than three decades of glorious service to the nation, a Defence spokesperson said in a statement on December 29, 2017. The formidable strike aircraft of Russian origin has the single most powerful engine in the world and variable geometry wing which allows the pilot to change the wing sweep angle while flying as per the mission requirements to achieve optimum flying characteristics, it said. This swing wing fighter bomber was inducted into the IAF fleet in the late 1980s. Being a dedicated ground attack aircraft, it was one of the main strike aircraft of the IAF. With its sophisticated avionics and weapon computers, it is capable of delivering a variety of loads in different modes of attack with immense precision, the statement said. Being a very stable weapon platform with good forward visibility and all around view, it can drop bombs, rockets, precision munitions guided by TV/laser and also fire air-to-air missiles for self defence, thus making it a lethal and a potent weapon platform. MiG-27 ML had proved its worth in various operations, including in Kargil and earned rich accolades in numerous international exercises held in India. The pilots proudly call themselves 'Swing Wingers' and have always vouched the aircraft's precise weapon delivery and rapid acceleration, the statement said. Though the last MLs retire, they are not the last swing wing aircraft in service as few of them got a midlife avionics upgrade and continue to serve the nation. They are called MiG-27 UPG and are presently based in Jodhpur. The 22 Squadron, known as 'Swifts' was the last squadron of the IAF flying the MiG-27 MLs. The squadron has a rich history and is known for undertaking the famous 'Boyra Day Operations' in Gnat aircraft, marking the beginning of 1971 War. One of the youngest fighter squadrons, it converted to the MLs in February 1990. The lethal MiG-27 aircraft, with its range, speed and ferocity in attack has always been in perfect harmony with the Swift, who bade it farewell with full military honours. Squadron head Group Captain S L Mahajan, who after a stint in Sukhoi-30 MKI, proudly led the last ML. The 'Swift' pilots are slated to move to other squadrons/appointments and the squadron would be number plated for new induction. A file photo. BENGALURU (PTI): ISRO has announced that it would launch 31 satellites, including India's Cartosat-2 series earth observation space craft, in a single mission onboard its Polar rocket on January 10, 2018. The mission will be the first Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) mission after the unsuccessful launch of navigation satellite IRNSS-1H in August 2017. "The launch is tentatively scheduled for January 10," a senior Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) official told PTI. The mission's main payload would be India's Cartosat-2 series earth observation satellite. The Mission Readiness Review committee and Launch Authorisation Board is scheduled to meet in the coming days and would take the final call, he said. PSLV-C40 will be used for the launch from the spaceport in Andhra Pradesh's Sriharikota, about 100 kms from Chennai. The mission would be a combination of 28 nano satellites from foreign countries, including Finland and the US, one micro and nano satellite from India along with one Cartosat satellite, the official said. On August 31, India's mission to launch its backup navigation satellite IRNSS-1H on board PSLV-C39 ended in a failure after a technical fault on the final leg following a perfect launch. ISRO then said the heat shield did not separate on the final leg of the launch sequence and, as a result, IRNSS-1H got stuck in the fourth stage of the rocket. According to ISRO, Cartosat-2 series satellite launch is a follow-on mission with the primary objective of providing high resolution scene specific spot imageries. It carries Panchromatic and Multi-spectral cameras operating in Time Delay Integration mode and is capable of delivering high resolution data. This would be the third satellite in the Cartosat-2 series. In February this year, PSLV-C37 launched the first Cartosat-2 series satellite along with 103 co-passenger satellites in a single flight. In June, India's workhorse launch vehicle launched the second one along with 30 co-passenger satellites -- the 39th consecutively successful mission of PSLV. Next year will be critical for Irelands efforts to resolve its housing crisis and critical infrastructure issues, writes Tom Parlon. With major investment in housing and infrastructure from Government in the pipeline, the Construction Industry Federation expects a significant increase in both areas. How and where this investment translates into construction activity on the ground will be the challenge in 2018. The Government will set out the first step in a journey to Ireland 2040 with the launch of the new National Planning Framework in early 2018. This document will set out the spatial strategy for this countrys development over the next 25 years. Its our belief that Cork and Limericks progress or otherwise should be the yardstick we measure our progress in housing and infrastructure next year. If we get the Cork/Limerick regions development right, then we can be more confident that were developing a balanced and sustainable economy. If the inevitable growth in residential, commercial and infrastructure is concentrated solely in Dublin, or not spread more evenly across the regions, then alarm bells should be ringing about the long-term sustainability of the plan. Within this context, Cork/Limerick should be developed as a complementary counter-balance to the sprawling unsustainable growth that has seen the greater Dublin area now account for nearly 50% of GDP. This situation is untenable for the regions and for the capital. The Irish economy and its citizens will be best served with Dublin operating as a global city, connected to thriving regions by world class infrastructure. We need to rise above parochial interests and understand our relative size in the global economy; we should view Ireland as one region and develop and connect our urban centres accordingly in one network. Currently, we have a capital city that it is flattening out across the Leinster region, whilst the regions are being denuded of people by a lack of opportunity. It was unsettling to see that population in regional areas had declined and that in the recent CSO Census data on employment that Dublins daytime population swells by 27% as over 148,000 people commute into the city for work due to the lack of opportunity in their local area. This is part of a global trend where people are moving to urban areas. Some 60% of the population live in urban areas and this is expected to reach 75% by 2050. The reality is that if we dont develop regions like Cork/Limerick rapidly then the current trend of urbanisation will see Dublin become unsustainably dominant in terms of population and economic growth. From a construction industry perspective, many thousands of our employees are amongst those swelling the Dublin population daily to work. With over 30,000 small enterprises operating in the sector, the industry is dispersed across the country and as a result, will be instrumental in delivering the roads, rail, housing and general construction that will dictate whether the NPF is a success. Its essential that the Government nurtures construction SMEs with the same levels of support that the farming and retail sectors benefit from. The other key benchmark of success next year will be housing delivery. CIF analysis shows that 14,917 new houses were started in the Jan/Oct period this year. This represents an increase of 35.6% in the commencement of new housing from 11,000 to 14,917 units up to October 2017. The ESRI recently upgraded the required housing output target for Ireland from 25,000 per year to 35,000 per year. Simply put, where there is finance available, construction is occurring strongly. Hotel, commercial, student accommodation and particular types of housing are also showing strong activity. However, there is a decade of pent-up demand for more housing that currently surpasses the levels of finance available. Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe and Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy have introduced key initiatives over the past few years and they are pulling all the levers they can to unclog the system. These measures take time to wend through legislative processes before they can even begin to have an impact. Even from that point due to inertia in the planning system, the impact of measures are often two years in the future. Then, due to the time it takes to build modern housing, you can be looking at five years from launch of Government strategy to handing over the keys to a homeowner if everything goes well and there is no change of Government. As an example, the Government formally announced the establishment of the Homebuilding Finance Ireland agency in the budget this October. This agency will command 750m to go where the banks fear to tread and invest in housebuilding outside Dublin. Legislation is required and within the current political environment, you can foresee many challenges to its progress to the Dail. Without political consensus, this legislation could take a year to get through; even longer, if theres an election. Fortunately, a number of both Mr Donohoes and Mr Murphys initiatives have been in place for a couple of years. As a result, we expect these to bite down next year with a significant increase in the rate of commencements and completions. The rate of new house commencements this year was up 35% and might break 15,000 this year for the first time in nearly a decade. We expect this rate to be significantly higher by this time next year. Finally, back to our barometer of success: Cork and Limerick. The rate of commencements in these areas in 2017 was relatively static compared to 2016. Most of the new houses being started were in the greater Dublin area. We could approach 25,000 commencements in 2018 with the right conditions. However, if a significant proportion of these are not in the Cork and Limerick urban centres (and other urban centres), increased housing output will become a pyrrhic victory as Irelands economy continues to become unsustainably imbalanced. Tom Parlon is the director general of the CIF The first baby of 2018 has been born in Limerick. A little boy was born at seven seconds past midnight at the University Maternity Hospital. More than 1,400 on-duty gardai have been assaulted over the past six years. Figures released to The Herald under the Freedom of Information Act show 158 officers were attacked in the first 11 months of last year - an average of 14 a month. The number of older people in Ireland will go from half a million to a million and a half over the next five years. Charity for older people ALONE, is warning that this will increase pressure on services like healthcare, transport and housing. Sinn Fein and the DUP have expressed a desire to restore powersharing in Northern Ireland but neither has signalled a softening of position in the Stormont standoff. Democratic Unionist leader Arlene Foster and Sinn Fein's Stormont leader Michelle O'Neill used new year messages to reiterate their preference for devolved governance instead of a return to Westminster direct rule. But they also made clear their stances on key sticking points in the long-running powersharing crisis had not changed. It is almost a year since Northern Ireland had a properly functioning administration. The institutions collapsed last January amid a row over a botched green energy scheme. The rift between the DUP and Sinn Fein widened in the subsequent months. A stand-off over proposed legislative protections for Irish language speakers and the North's ban on same-sex marriage are currently among the main sticking points. Mrs Foster said the UK Government should move promptly to appoint direct rule ministers if a short final attempt at brokering a deal fails. She said a short time frame should be set for renewed negotiations and rejected suggestions that the talks venue should be shifted to a hothouse format in England. The former Stormont first minister said the continued absence of a devolved executive was "unacceptable and simply unsustainable". "Recent rounds of talks have been bedevilled by the setting of pre-conditions by Sinn Fein," Mrs Foster claimed. "Let us re-enter talks with one shared pre-condition - that we will redouble our efforts to restore devolution and start taking the decisions that the people of Northern Ireland so desperately need. "Let's set ourselves a short time frame. And let's do it here at home rather than in some fancy English stately home." Mrs O'Neill made clear Sinn Fein would only return to Stormont if the DUP was prepared to give ground on issues such as the Irish language and gay marriage. "I want to lead Sinn Fein back into a new Executive because locally elected ministers are best placed to run local public services and fight back against the threats of Brexit and austerity," she said. "I want to develop the widest possible consensus in political, civic and popular opinion to achieve this. "I believe that can happen early in the new year but only if the institutions represent genuine and equal partnership government for all our people. "That will require the British Government and the DUP accepting the political and democratic reality which has already been made abundantly clear by the electorate. "If they continue to set their face against the people and against progressive politics, then there is an onus on the two governments (UK and Irish) to spell out how they intend to ensure the implementation of previous agreements and pave a pathway to restore the institutions on the basis of equal partnership and respect in the terms set out almost 20 years ago." Mrs Foster said: "I still believe that the best way to deal with the issues facing our society is for Stormont to be back up and running with locally elected and accountable politicians taking decisions on the issues that matter to people across our province. "A return to direct rule would be an inferior alternative, but it would be a government. "But the people of Northern Ireland deserve a government and if Sinn Fein persist with their intransigence then the Secretary of State (James Brokenshire) should move to appoint direct rule ministers early in the new year." Mrs O'Neill said she was "optimistic" that powersharing could be put back together. "I am optimistic because I see the transformation that has taken place in this society since the people voted for the Good Friday Agreement 20 years ago," she said. SDLP leader Colum Eastwood insisted direct rule was not inevitable. He accused Sinn Fein and the DUP of overseeing 10 years of failed governance. "British direct rule can't, like Brexit, be enforced upon us," he said. "Instead of being led into the easy comfort of our own silos, let all of us in political life finally reach for solutions. "Whether from a nationalist or unionist tradition, each and every one of us belongs to this small corner of Ireland. "Our only choice is to live with each other and work together." A male surfer has been rescued off the Wexford coast after being caught in a dangerous rip current that stranded him a mile offshore, from Curracloe beach. Rosslare Harbour RNLI launched the lifeboat at 1.15pm today, after a second, female surfer managed to get back to shore and raise the alarm. Update 23.56pm: A man fired more than 100 rounds at sheriff's deputies in Colorado, killing one and injuring four others, before being fatally shot himself in what authorities called an ambush. Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock said deputies came under fire almost immediately after entering a suburban Denver apartment and trying to talk with the suspect, who was holed up inside a bedroom. He said: "I do know that all of them were shot very, very quickly. They all went down almost within seconds of each other, so it was more of an ambush-type of attack on our officers. "He knew we were coming and we obviously let him know that we were there." The wounded deputies tried to pull the fallen officer, identified as Zackari Parrish, out of the line of further gunfire but were unable to because of their own injuries and only managed to "crawl to safety," Mr Spurlock said. The incident occurred around 5.15am local time at Copper Canyon Apartments, a landscaped apartment complex in Highland Ranch, 16 miles south of Denver. The authorities had left the home about four hours earlier after addressing a noise complaint but returned in response to reports of a disturbance at the property. **Copper Canyon OIS Update**- Deputies responded to a domestic disturbance resulting in shots fired. 5 deputies shot by suspect. 1 deputy confirmed deceased. 2 civilians also shot by suspect. Suspect shot & believed to be dead & no longer a threat. #CopperCanyonOIS DC Sheriff (@dcsheriff) December 31, 2017 There were two men inside the home when deputies arrived and someone let them inside, Mr Spurlock said. The disturbance was initially reported to be domestic but turned out to be noise-related, he said. "The suspect was just making a ton of noise and annoying everyone around him," Mr Spurlock said. Resident Steven Silknitter, 50, told The Denver Post that he heard 15 to 20 shots. "It was back and forth - unbelievable," said Mr Silknitter, who lived in the Denver suburb of Aurora during a 2012 cinema shooting that left 12 dead. The suspect was well known to authorities in the Denver area but had no criminal record, said Mr Spurlock, who declined to name him until his identity was confirmed. The sheriff did not release any details about the weapons and ammunition used except to say the suspect had a rifle. He did not know if law enforcement had any prior knowledge of firearms being in the home but said the possibility always weighs on deputies' minds. "We respond to every call anticipating that everyone has a gun. This is Colorado. Everybody has a gun," Mr Spurlock said. Mr Parrish was 29 and a married father of two young children, and joined the department seven months ago after working as an officer for the nearby Castle Rock Police Department. Mr Spurlock called him a "good kid" who was eager to work. "His wife told me today that he loved this job more than he had loved any job he ever had," the sheriff said. The three deputies and one police officer injured were listed as being in stable condition. They were deputies Michael Doyle, 28, Taylor Davis, 30, Jeffrey Pelle, 32; and Castle Rock police officer Tom O'Donnell, 41. Two civilian also suffered injuries that were not life-threatening. Mr Pelle is the son of Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle. The sheriff said his son underwent surgery from injuries suffered in the attack and was recovering. President Donald 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!" The killings occurred on the final day of a year that saw the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history in Las Vegas. AP Earlier: Five sheriff's deputies have been shot - one fatally - and two civilians were injured after police responded to a domestic disturbance at an apartment block near Denver, Colorado. The suspect was gunned down by police and was believed to be dead, the Douglas County Sheriff's Office said. A hospital where three people were taken for treatment said they had suffered non-critical injuries. Another nearby hospital said it received four patients but would not release their conditions. A major road was shut down after the shootout in Highlands Ranch, and residents in the vicinity were asked to shelter in place, and avoid windows and exterior walls. The office tweeted that at 5.13am local time deputies responded to the Copper Canyon Apartments for a domestic disturbance. "During the Investigation, shots were fired and multiple deputies were injured ... Please avoid this area." The shooting happened at a landscaped apartment complex 16 miles south of Denver. Law enforcement agencies including the Parker Police Department, the Lone Tree Police Department, the Castle Rock Police Department and the Colorado State Patrol were lending assistance. The authorities said an emergency shelter has been set up following the shooting. The Douglas County Sheriff's Office said anyone who was "displaced from their homes" after police were called to the shooting scene could go to the East Ridge recreation centre for shelter. 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 Domestic sales of passenger vehicles (cars, vans and utility vehicles) are estimated to have risen approximately six per cent in December. That came on the low base of December 2016, when sales had declined nearly 1.4 per cent after demonetisation. Hyundai, which is the second biggest player in the segment, reported flat growth, while Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M), the third biggest company, saw a seven per cent decline in sales. These are sales to dealerships. The industry's growth, however, was supported by a double-digit growth in sales volume of Maruti Suzuki. The company, which sells every second passenger vehicle (PV) in India, clocked 11.4 per cent growth in December volumes, dispatching 118,560 units to dealers. It had seen a decline of a little over four per cent in December 2016. The company's volume growth was supported by a 23 per cent increase in sales of compact cars to 53,336 units. This segment has Maruti's best sellers, the Dzire and Baleno. The company's utility vehicle segment expanded by 20 per cent to 19,276 vehicles. Last month, almost every company announced an average price rise of two per cent in car prices, effective January. However, Rakesh Srivastava, director (sales and marketing) at Hyundai, argues that one should not compare the two Decembers. "Post demonetisation, there was a shift in demand from November-December of 2016 to the first quarter of 2017. Last year was also unique as the implementation of the goods and services tax (GST) from July had caused preponement of demand. This is why the festive demand was also not very strong in 2017. Retail demand is good and our dealers have been able to bring down inventory of 2017-made cars to an acceptable level," he said. The Korean company sold 40,158 vehicles in December, marginally more than the 40,057 in December 2016, when its sales had declined about four per cent. M&M reported seven per cent decline in December sales to 15,543 units. In December 2016, it had a decline of a little over eight per cent. M&M has been seeing four per cent growth in PV volume during 2017-18, compared to the industry's growth of about eight per cent. Japanese car maker Honda reported sales of 12,642 vehicles last month, a 26 per cent growth over December 2016, when its sales fell about 18 per cent. These four together account for 80 per cent of domestic sales volume. Tata Motors, Toyota, Ford, Renault, Volkswagen, and Nissan did not announce their numbers on Monday. Some of these are said to have seen a decline in December and their performance is expected to pull down the average growth of 7.8 per cent, based on the performance of Maruti, Hyundai, M&M, and Honda, to around six per cent. A total of 457 Indian prisoners, including 399 fishermen, are languishing in various Pakistani jails, according to a list the Pakistan government handed over to the Indian High Commission on Monday. The Foreign Office said that the step of giving the list of prisoners was consistent with the provisions of the Consular Access Agreement between Pakistan and India, signed on May 21, 2008. Under the agreement, both countries are required to exchange lists of prisoners in each other's custody twice a year, on January 1 and July 1. "Pakistan today handed over a list of 457 - 58 civil prisoners and 399 fishermen - in Pakistan, to the High Commission of India in Islamabad," it said. It further said that Pakistan will release 146 fishermen on January 8. The Foreign Office said India will also hand over the list of Pakistani prisoners to Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi. Fishermen from Pakistan and India are frequently detained for illegally fishing in each other's territorial waters since the Arabian Sea does not have a clearly defined marine border and the wooden boats lack the technology to avoid being drifting away. A mound spotted by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar at a village in Sheikhpura district has yielded potsherds, perhaps dating back to 1,000 BC. Potsherds are pieces of broken ceramic pot or other earthenware that have archaeological significance. "We visited the site yesterday (Saturday) and were thrilled to discover a number of potsherds which give a hint about the antiquity of the mound," Executive Director of the K P Jayaswal Research Institute, Bijoy Kumar Chaudhary, said on Sunday. The state-run institute, located in the Patna Museum building, researches in the field of history and archaeology. "Black slip wares and black and red wares found at the site appear to be of a period around 1,000 BC. We also found some red furnished ware that could date back to the Neolithic period," Chaudhary told PTI. A team of archaeologists conducted preliminary explorations at Pharpar village in Ariyari block after getting a call from Chief Secretary Anjani Kumar Singh. The chief secretary, who was accompanying the chief minister during his visit to the village on Friday, telephoned Chaudhary after Kumar noticed the mound and observed that it looked like a site of historical and archaeological importance, he said. The village is about 120 kilometres from the state capital. The archaeologists also found some fragmented sculptures of Buddha, Lord Vishnu, and some female deities. "Fragmented sculptures had been found in the village earlier also when our institute was carrying out state-wide explorations. But the mound was overlooked at that time," Chaudhary said. Preliminary exploration have established the archaeological significance of the spot, he said. "We now plan to conduct a comprehensive exploration which may yield many more artefacts and shed light on the historical significance of the obscure spot," Chaudhary said. The spot was noticed by the chief minister on Friday when he was there on his 'Vikas Samiksha Yatra', to take stock of the development work carried out by his government. Nitish Kumar is known for his interest in archaeology. At his instance, a "Bihar museum" has been set up in the state capital, which was inaugurated a couple of months ago while museums across the state are being given a face-lift. After the ancient Nalanda University got the Unesco World Heritage status in 2016, Kumar is now making efforts to get the same tag for the cyclopean wall at Rajgir. A cyclopean wall is constructed without mortar, using enormous blocks of stone. A 30-year-old man was shot at inside a pub in south Delhi's Greater Kailash following an argument apparently over parking space, police said on Monday. The district police will be writing to licensing branch for the cancellation of the pub's licence, they said. The police suspect that the accused, Umesh, and the victim had an argument over parking space last night, following which he shot at Vinay. After receiving information about the incident, the police reached the spot to find that Vinay had been taken to AIIMS Trauma Centre with a bullet injury near the collarbone, they added. Vinay is out of danger now. Umesh was beaten up by the public and handed over to the police who seized the firearm. Romil Baaniya, Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) said the exact time of the incident will be ascertained only after going through the CCTV footage. "Allowing anti-social elements into the bar is a violation of licence terms and conditions. Local police will write to licensing branch for cancellation of licence of the bar where the incident happened," the DCP said. The officer said all police stations in south district have been instructed to keep a watch on pubs, bars and restaurants and sensitise the security staff of the places to prevent such incidents. Police on Monday arrested two managers of the '1 Above' pub, where a fire claimed 14 lives last week, an official said. Gibson Lopez (34) and Kevin Bawa (35) were arrested by a team of sleuths from the N M Joshi Marg police station, he said. Both Lopez and Bawa were working as the managers of the pub, located at the Kamala Mills compound in Lower Parel area here. They were present in the pub when the blaze occurred in the early hours of December 29, but fled without helping the guests, the official said. "We have arrested both the managers," senior police inspector Ahmad Pathan told PTI. They have been booked under IPC sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 337 (causing hurt by an act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention), the police said. Both the accused will be produced in a court later in the day, the police said. The massive fire that swept through the pub left 14 people dead and 21 injured. Fire training is a must What is the most significant lesson from the recent Mumbai fire tragedy? It is an issue that law enforcers, regulators and media have missed. There is no training in schools and colleges as to what should be done in emergencies a common man would meet like in many foreign countries. Such training is only a part of specialised organisations like armed forces, police etc whereas everyone should know what to do. There are no fire drills, no exercises and no mock training programmes where right from the time you are a student you are made aware of what to ... security advisors (NSAs) of India and Pakistan held a "secret" meeting in Thailand, a senior Pakistani official said on Monday. A Pakistan's security division official, on the condition of anonymity, said the meeting between Pakistan's NSA retired Lt Gen Nasser Khan Janjua and India's NSA Ajit Doval took place on December 27 in Thailand, The Dawn newspaper reported. "The meeting was good. Doval's tone and tenor was friendly and positive," the official who had been briefed about the meeting disclosed. He was told the meeting was useful and said it might help in restarting some sort of engagement at the diplomatic level as well, the report said. According to the Pakistani official, the meeting came after Indian death-row prisoner Kulbhushan Jadhav met with his family on December 25 in Islamabad. While Pakistan termed its decision to allow Jadhav's family to travel to Pakistan to meet him as a humanitarian gesture, India has accused it of violating mutual understandings, asserting that the Indian appeared coerced and under considerable stress during the tightly-controlled interaction. India also accused Pakistan of disregarding cultural and religious sensibilities of family members under the pretext of security. Jadhav, who was captured in March last year, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court for alleged spying, an accusation that India has dismissed as concocted. New Delhi says Jadhav was kidnapped in Iran, where he had legitimate business interests, and brought to Pakistan. To save Jadhav, India moved the International Court of Justice, which ordered Pakistan in May to stay his execution. Pakistan's financial regulatory body on Monday banned Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed-led Jamaat-ud-Dawa and Falah-i-Insaniat Foundation from collecting donations, according to a media report. The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) prohibited the collection of donations by the JuD, the front organisation of banned outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba, as well as several other such organisations named in a list of banned outfits by the UN Security Council, the Dawn reported. "The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan hereby prohibits all companies from donating cash to the entities and individuals listed under the UNSC sanctions committee's consolidated list," read a notification issued by the commission. In addition to JuD, the list also includes LeT itself, the Falah-i-Insaniat Foundation (FIF), the Paasban-i-Ahle- Hadith and Pasban-i-Kashmir, among others, the paper said. The SECP notification further warned that non-compliance with the said ruling could result in a hefty monetary fine. "The Government of Pakistan has already prescribed a penalty of up to Rs 10 million for non-compliance on the sanctions regime being implemented," it said. In January 2017, the Pakistan government had launched a crackdown against JuD, placing Saeed under house arrest. However, Saeed was released in November after the Lahore High Court refused to extend the period of his confinement. Responding to reports that the government is planning on seizing their assets, JuD and FIF said they will take the matter to the court, the paper said. "There are clear rulings of the Lahore High Court and Supreme Court that JuD is free to continue its welfare activities in Pakistan," JuD spokesperson Yahya Mujahid was quoted as saying by the paper. "The government still pulls such stunts for the appeasement of India," he claimed. The JuD is believed to be the front organisation for the LeT which is responsible for carrying out the Mumbai attack. It has been declared as a foreign terrorist organisation by the US in June 2014. Pakistan's government plans to seize control of charities and financial assets linked to Islamist leader Hafiz Saeed, who Washington has designated a terrorist, according to officials and documents reviewed by Reuters. Pakistan's civilian government detailed its plans in a secret order to various provincial and federal government departments on Dec. 19, three officials who attended one of several high-level meeting discussing the crackdown told Reuters. Marked "secret", a Dec. 19 document from the finance ministry directed law enforcement and governments in ... The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has played down superstar Rajinikanth's announcement of joining politics and said the actor would not fare well in it as he was aligning with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). "He has knowingly or unknowingly created a perception that he is aligned with the BJP or rather the BJP is aligning with him," DMK spokesperson A Saravanan told ANI, and added that the BJP too has sent out a similar message. "People will certainly not be very enthusiastic about it because they may like Rajinikanth as an individual person, but if he is going to create the perception that will be difficult for the people of Tamil Nadu to accept. We know how the BJP has been faring well in the state of Tamil Nadu and how the BJP has always given Tamil Nadu a step-motherly treatment," Saravanan opined. Saravanan also commented on Rajinikanth's statement regarding the need for spiritual politics sans caste and religion barriers. "In the land of the Dravidian ideology which has ruled the roost for the last 50 years, how this spiritual politics will take place is again a big question mark," he said. A youth was hit by a bullet on Monday during clashes with the security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district. Security forces had cordoned off the Drubgam village where funeral preparations of Manzoor Ahmad Baba, the Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) militant killed on Sunday, was on. Baba was killed along with another militant, Fardeen Ahmad Khandey, in a gunfight inside the Central Reserve Police Force training centre in Lethpora area. Protesters trying to breach the cordon clashed with the security forces. "A youth sustained a gunshot injury during these protests. He has been shifted to Srinagar for treatment," police sources said. Scores of people also attended the funeral prayers of Khandey in Nazneenpora village of Tral area. The mourners gathered in large numbers despite restrictions imposed by the authorities. Yes. I will do my part to conserve household energy usage, even if I'm uncomfortable in my home. No. It is too hot to conserve household energy usage. I already conserve, even before ERCOT requested it. Maybe, depending on the reason ERCOT provides and whether or not I am home during that time. Vote View Results The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha last week. The bill which is commonly known as the Triple Talaq Bill criminalises the practice of divorce by uttering 'Talaq' thrice in the Muslim community. The bill has come in for criticism from various quarters. The authors take a closer look at it in this Business Standard Special and explain where it falls short. The British Parliamentarian Edmund Burke once wrote "Bad laws are the worst sort of tyranny." The Muslim Women (Protection Of Rights On Marriage) Bill, 2017 ... Disclaimer: Views expressed are personal. They do not reflect the view/s of Business Standard. on Monday said it has raised $500 million (about Rs 3,193.75 crore) term loan from overseas lending bodies to expand its business. The private sector bank has concluded the syndicated term loan facility from a group of overseas investors, it said in a regulatory filing. The fundraising, along with the funds raised during the ongoing financial year from multilateral institutions ADB and OPIC, will help the bank expand its lending to clients, it said. The tenor of the loan is for three years and will be used for general banking purposes, it added. Earlier in June, had raised $225 million (about Rs 1,445 crore) from the US government funding agency Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) for lending to small and medium enterprises. And in September, the bank had raised $200 million (about Rs 1,282 crore) loan from Asian Development Bank (ADB) to serve low-income women borrowers in rural areas. Stock of the bank traded at Rs 1,641.80 a piece on BSE, down 0.51 per cent from previous close. At least five militants were killed in an airstrike in the eastern Afghan province of Nangarhar, the Special Forces said on Monday. As a result of an airstrike launched by Afghan Special Operation Forces in district Dih Bala, Nangarhar province on Sunday evening, five militants from the IS died and two IS fighters wounded, Operational Coordination Group Afghanistan (MoD-OCGA) said in a statement, Xinhua news agency reported. Afghan security forces and the NATO-led coalition troops have beefed up security operations and airstrikes against militants as the war-weary people are facing upsurges in attacks by the Taliban and IS militants across the country. The IS, which emerged in Nangarhar in early 2015, has yet to make comments on the report. Iran President Hassan Rouhani has admitted that the Iranian people have the right to express themselves peacefully in his first comments on the anti-governmental protests. "Iran is a free nation, and according to the constitutional laws, the people have the right to express their criticism and protest," the state-run IRNA news agency cited Rouhani as saying. However, Rouhani said that the aim of these protests should be to improve the situation in the country and people's lives. Iran's President also slammed the comments made by his US counterpart, Donald Trump, regarding the rallies. "Anyone who calls the Iranian people terrorists does not have the right to sympathize with the people," Rouhani said. Rouhani made these remarks on Sunday during a cabinet meeting after four days of protests against price increases and corruption. Two people died on Saturday in the western Iranian province of Lorestan during the protests, the deputy governor of the province Habibollah Khojastepour said. Khojastepour said the death of the two civilians on Saturday night in the city of Dorud in Lorestan, adding that the authorities wanted to disperse the demonstrations peacefully, according to the semi-official ISNA news agency. He alleged that "takfiris" (Sunni extremists) and foreign intelligence services had been involved in the protests in Dorud, which he characterized as riots. Meanwhile, at least 200 protesters were arrested on Saturday in Tehran on charges of causing conflict and destroying property, Tehran city government security official Ali Asgar Naserbajt said. Some of those arrested were later released, while others were remanded to custody, Naserbajt told the ILNA news agency. Illegal rallies took place in Tehran and security forces were deployed to prevent harm to civilians, Naserbajt said. Authorities have blocked access to certain social media networks following the protests that started on Thursday. Messaging service Telegram and photo-sharing application Instagram stopped working in Iran after allegedly having been used to organise protests, and Internet connections were bad. Deputy Interior Minister for Political Affairs Esmail Jabar Zada justified the use of "some tools" to curtail illegal rallies, the official IRNA news agency reported. The measures are temporary and the government has no intention of blocking social media networks permanently, the deputy interior minister said. Jabar Zada said authorities were conducting investigations to find out who was behind the protests. Issuing a tough warning to Pakistan, US President Donald Trump on Monday alleged that this South Asian nation has given America nothing but lies and deceit and has given safe haven to terrorists. "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 said in a strongly worded tweet. "They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!" Trump said in his first tweet of the year. 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 This is the strongest warning that has come from the US President. In his new South Asia Policy unveiled in August last year, Trump had called for tougher measures against Pakistan if it did not cooperate with the US in its fight against terrorism. Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif on Monday called on Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi after US President Donald Trump accused Islamabad of giving nothing to the US but "lies and deceit", a media report said. "The meeting held a detailed review of the Trump's statement," the Geo TV reported, citing its sources. It said the two leaders also discussed on the country's foreign policy. "We will respond to President Trump's tweet shortly inshallah...Will let the world know the truth..difference between facts & fiction..," Asif tweeted. In a scathing attack, Trump accused Pakistan of giving nothing to the US but "lies and deceit" in return for $33 billion aid and said Islamabad has provided "safe haven" to terrorists. "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 said in a strongly worded tweet. "They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!" Trump said in his first tweet of the year. This is the strongest attack that has come from the US president. His remarks came days after the New York Times reported that the US is considering withholding $225 million in aid to Pakistan reflecting its dissatisfaction with the latter's reluctance in the war against terrorism. Four officials of a Mathura district jail were suspended on Monday after three undertrials managed to escape the prison. On the intervening night of Sunday and Monday, three of four inmates successfully escaped by jumping the prison walls at around 2 am. However, the fourth prisoner injured himself while jumping from the wall and was caught. As of now, the prison authorities are interrogating the prisoner to know about the three fugitives and their plans. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A single-engine seaplane crashed into Cowan Creek at Jerusalem Bay in Sydney on Sunday afternoon with all six people on board confirmed dead. According to The Sydney Morning Herald, the Sydney Seaplanes aircraft, with a pilot and five other passengers on board, crashed at about 3.15pm and a search-and-rescue operation later located the submerged aircraft. The New South Wales (NSW) Police have confirmed that all six bodies were recovered. There is no further information on the identities of those on board. However, there are unconfirmed reports that those on board were five British nationals, including an 11-year-old, and the pilot. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In the wake of United States President Donald Trump's scathing attack on Pakistan for giving "safe haven to the terrorists", senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy on Tuesday called for further strengthening of bilateral relations with the US. "Now, India should be very clear that if we want to deal with Pakistan, we have to have the support of United States and Israel. As a measure of goodwill, we should shift our embassy from Tel Aviv to western Jerusalem," Swamy told ANI. It may be noted that Trump reversed the decades-old US policy and recognised Jerusalem as Israel's capital on December 6. Jerusalem is a disputed territory contested by both Israel and Palestine. In his tweet against Pakistan, the US President yesterday stated, "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!" Swamy welcomed Trump's statement remarking that the latter presented facts in his accusation about receiving nothing in return from Pakistan for the aid provided to them. Haryana Health Minister Anil Vij has indicated the private hospitals to make self-regulatory rules after the state government cancelled the licence of the blood bank and pharmacy of the Fortis hospital at Gurugram. "With the action against Fortis Hospital, corporate-type hospitals should get a message that they make self-regulatory rules. Only minting money should not be the aim of hospitals," Vij told ANI on Sunday. The licences were cancelled after irregularities were found in the hospital's blood bank and pharmacy. "After the death of a girl due to dengue, a three-member committee was sent to Gurugram's Fortis hospital. In its report, the committee stated there were irregularities in the hospital's pharmacy and blood bank, following which we have cancelled the license of the blood bank and the pharmacy," Vij said. He said that the committee also informed about other irregularities against the hospital and action will be taken against it by other departments. "For further action against the hospital, the health department has written to the Police and Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA), which had provided land for the hospital. We also wrote to the Indian Medical Association (IMA) about other irregularities and have asked for the status report," Vij said. The committee has alleged several irregularities, including refusal of an appropriate ambulance service to the patient, not following leave against medical advice (LAMA) protocol, and overcharging. According to the IMA protocol, a patient is discharged against the medical advice then the hospital arranges or advises for an ambulance that could provide similar conditions. "The ambulance in which the girl was being transported had no such facilities. An Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulance should have been used. But Basic Life Support (BLS) ambulance was provided which had no such facilities," Vij told ANI on December 6. Parents of the seven-year-old girl, who died on November 21 of Dengue Shock Syndrome (DSS), had alleged that the Fortis Hospital charged Rs 16 lakh for the 15-day treatment. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At least seven people have been killed in massive anti-protests against D.R. Congo President Joseph Kabila, who has refused to step down from office. A police spokesman quoted by the Guardian on Sunday said four people had been killed in clashes with security forces in the capital, Kinshasa, and three of the deaths were being investigated. Catholic churches and activists had called for peaceful demonstrations after Sunday mass, one year after they oversaw the signing of an accord that set a new election date to ease tensions in the mineral-rich country. Kabila, whose mandate ended in December 2016, had agreed to set an election date by the end of 2017. Congo's election commission says the vote cannot be held until December 2018. Critics accuse Kabila of postponing elections to maintain his grip on power, causing tensions to increase and provoking violence and deadly street demonstrations across the country since the end of 2016. The United Nations Human Rights office in D.R. Congo has condemned the use of force against peaceful demonstrators and the violent suppression of fundamental rights by security forces. More than 100 protesters have been detained so far by the police. Congo's election commission has set a new date for presidential and legislative elections, which is to be held on December 23, 2018, though the opposition has said it would only agree to delay the vote until June 2018. Kabila can remain in power until the next election is held, although he is barred by the constitution from seeking another term in office. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Just hours after United States President Donald Trump accused Pakistan of doing nothing in 'war on terrorism' except lying and cheating them, the latter has retorted that the US should not blame Pakistan for its failures in Afghanistan. Pakistan's Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif was first to respond on Monday. He tweeted, "We will respond to President Trump's tweet shortly inshallah...Will let the world know the truth..difference between facts & fiction." Trump, in a strongly-worded tweet, said America had been 'foolishly' providing military aid to Pakistan for 15 years, but in return, it has only received 'lies and deceit.' "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 posted on the micro-blogging site today. Soon, the Government of Pakistan's Twitter handle also became active and quoting Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it stated, "allies do not put each other on notice". Moments later, the handle again tweeted; this time it quoted Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb. It said, "...#UnitedStates should not put blames for its failure in #Afghanistan on Pakistan. She further said that #Pakistan has rendered unmatched sacrifices in the war against# terrorism and there is no ambiguity about it." Pakistan Army also joined the bandwagon against the Trump's accusations. Taking note of accusation that in response to 33 billion dollars in aid that had been given to Pakistan over the last 15 years, the US has got nothing, army's spokesperson Major General Asif Ghafoor tweeted that the aid the country had received from the US was "reimbursement for support Islamabad gave to the coalition for its fight against Al Qaeda". The Trump's scathing remarks come after a media report emerged that the United States was considering to withhold a $255-million aid to Islamabad due to Pakistan's inability to destroy terror safe havens. According to a New York Times report, the growing disagreement between the two countries and Pakistan's inability to neutralise the terrorist networks operating from its soil was possibly affecting the decision in providing financial aid to the Islamabad. Although the volume of annual US assistance to Pakistan stands at $1.1 billion, hundreds of millions of dollars are withheld every year under different restrictions imposed since 2011, when relations between the two countries began to deteriorate after Osama bin Laden was found in Abbottabad. Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) Chief and 26/11 Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed continues to spread religious hatred from the Pakistan soil as he, recently, invited all Islamic states to launch 'Jihad' against the United States and Israel. Hundreds of JuD activists participated in a rally 'Tahafuz Baitul Muqaddas' at the Istanbul Chowk here. The event was attended by JuD leaders, including Hafiz Saeed and Abdul Rehman Makki. The event was conducted in the wake of the US President Donald Trump-led administration unilaterally identifying and declaring Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) co-founder, while addressing the gathering, said, "The day Jerusalem (Bait-ul-Muqaddas) becomes the capital of Israel, a caravan of 'Jihad' will be launched. Pakistan's army chief General (Qamar Javed) Bajwa, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and all leaders of the political parties need to unite. Pakistan's atomic bomb is the asset of 'Islam', which should be used to free Jerusalem. This is my open announcement." He added, "We should organise an Islamic conference to be attended by chiefs of the Islamic states to declare 'Jihad'. The influence of the ISIS will weaken and the conspiracy of the United States against Islam and holy war (Jihad) will come to an end." The United Nations- and US-designated terrorist was recently released from house arrest after a Pakistani court cited lack of evidence against him in the Mumbai attack case. Abdul Rehman Makki, the second in-command of the JuD, said: "May Allah almighty willing this 'Ghazwa-e-Hind' (Battle of Hind) and 'Ghazwa-e-Saleeb' (Battle of Christianity) will continue and this conference had pledged and promised they would wage jihad for Palestine like JuD had been waging Jihad in Kashmir." Hafiz Saeed, who formed Milli Muslim League (MML), is planning to contest the 2018 general elections in Pakistan. India has protested against Pakistan time and again for harbouring Saeed. He is wanted for allegedly plotting the Mumbai attacks that took place on November 26, 2008. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) He has been cited by Rush Limbaugh, quoted in the New York Times, featured at Real Clear Politics and Lucianne.com and interviewed on radio, TV and in social media. For many years he served as a Lecturer in Corporate Communication at Penn State University. A former President of the Philadelphia Public Relations Association (PPRA) he has lectured at Rowan University, Temple University, The College of New Jersey and Arcadia University. He has conducted workshops on public relations for thousands of participants throughout the nation and has taught countless others the art of public speaking. He has also advised numerous lawyers, judges, public officials and political candidates. Cirucci is a prolific writer and his op-ed pieces have appeared in the Philadelphia Daily News, Philadelphia Inquirer, Courier-Post and other publications. A native of Camden NJ, Cirucci is a former President of the Philadelphia chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators. Cirucci served as Associate Executive Director of the Philadelphia Bar Association for nearly 30 years. He served as Chair of Penn State University's Professional Advisory Board for the Corporate Communication major at Penn State Abington and on the Pennsylvania Bar Association's Judicial Selection Commission. He received his MA degree from Rowan University and his BA from Villanova University. He has been named a Distinguished Alumnus of Rowan's public relations program and was inducted into the Philadelphia Public Relations Hall of Fame. He received the E. A. "Wally" Richter Leadership Award from the National Association of Bar Executives' Communications Section. The Award is the Section's highest honor. He has also been honored by numerous other local, state and national groups. Cirucci's passions include politics, the popular culture, books and authors, art, communication, music, theatre, movies, dining and travel. In his hometown of Camden, Cirucci taught fifth grade at the Ulysses Wiggins Elementary School named for the founder of the Camden NAACP. He later served as editor of a local weekly newspaper, as Assistant to the Township Manager of Cherry Hill Township and as Associate Director of Communications at the New Jersey State Bar Association. He's Dan Cirucci, the founder and editor-in chief of the Dan Cirucci Blog, Matt Rooney's sidekick on Save Jersey's weekly videocast and one of the most widely honored public relations professionals in his field. He's also been a public relations consultant to numerous organizations and individuals and hosted The Advocates on RVN-TV. Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jairam Thakur on Monday announced compensation of Rupees 15 lakh for the next of kin of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawan Kuldeep Rai, who lost his life in Pulwama terror attack. "We have announced compensation of Rs 15 lakh for the next of kin of CRPF jawan Kuldeep Rai who lost his life in Pulwama terror attack. I will try to meet the jawan's family too," he told ANI. Five jawans lost their lives after terrorists stormed a training centre in Pulwama district in the wee hours of Sunday. The terrorists first lobbed grenades and then began indiscriminate firing and entered the training centre in Awantipora. Three terrorists were also killed. In another incident yesterday, a soldier lost his life in the ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir's Nowshera sector. The Pakistan Army initiated unprovoked firing on Indian Army posts in the early hours wherein the Indian Army retaliated strongly and effectively. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India and Pakistan on Monday shared a list of the prisoners lodged in their custody, keeping with the provisions of the 2008 Agreement on Consular Access. Committed to addressing the humanitarian issues, India shared a list of 250 civilian prisoners and 94 fishermen with Pakistan. Further, it also shared the list of 54 Pakistani civilian prisoners and four fishermen, who have completed their sentences and are awaiting for Islamabad to confirm their nationality. Meanwhile, a juvenile Hasnain, whose nationality was verified by Pakistan, is being repatriated today. On the other hand, Pakistan also shared a list of 58 civilian prisoners and 399 fishermen lodged in its custody, who are Indians or believed to be Indians. India has repeatedly emphasised the need for early release and repatriation of civilian prisoners. India is also awaiting the consular access of Indian nationals, including former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav and Hamid Nehal Ansari, in Pakistan's custody for whom it has not yet been provided. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two managers of '1-Above' pub were arrested in connection with the Kamala Mills fire tragedy, confirmed the Mumbai police on Monday. A huge fire broke out at Kamla Mills compound in Lower Parel locality of Mumbai in the wee hours of Friday, killing 14 people and injuring 12. Earlier, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) lodged a complaint against two Kamala Mills pubs - '1Above' and Mojo's Bistro - in connection with the midnight blaze. The case was registered under Section 216 of Indian Penal Code (IPC). The Mumbai police has also issued a lookout notice against all the accused in the case. The massive fire reportedly had broken out from the '1Above' rooftop restaurant and later spread to the entire area, on the intervening night of Thursday and Friday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Afghanistan president Hamid Karzai has welcomed United States President Donald Trump's tweet wherein the latter accused Islamabad of providing safe haven to the terrorists. Karzai has also called for establishing a joint US-regional coalition to pressure the Pakistani military establishment to bring peace to not just Afghanistan but the entire region "President @realDonaldTrump tweet on Pakistan's duplicitous position over the past 15 years is vindication that the war on terror is not in bombing Afghan villages and homes but in the sanctuaries beyond Afghanistan. I welcome today's clarity in President Trump's remarks and propose a joint US-regional coalition to pressurize the Pakistan military establishment to bring peace to not just Afghanistan but the entire region," Karzai said in a series of tweets on Monday. Earlier, Trump, yet again, castigated Pakistan for providing safe havens to terrorists. Trump, in a strongly-worded tweet, had said America had been 'foolishly' providing military aid to Pakistan for 15 years, but in return, it has only received 'lies and deceit.' "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 posted on the micro-blogging site yesterday. The tweet has angered the whole Pakistan state. The army and the government criticised Trump's statement and said the U.S. was blaming its failures in Afghanistan on Pakistan. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy on Monday said more Muslim women should join politics. His statement comes in the backdrop of Ishrat Jahan, a petitioner in the triple talaq case, joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Kolkata. "Ishrat Jahan is a fearless lady and has taken up a right cause, which is within the Constitution of India. Her courage is an example of Indian women and we welcome her in the BJP. We would like more Muslim women, who identify with India and its history as their own, to join politics. The BJP would welcome them," Swamy said. He also said that the BJP was only against those Muslims who consider themselves as descendents of Muhammad Ghori and Mahmud Ghazni. "This development is an answer to those who say that the BJP is against Muslims. The BJP has never been against the Muslims. We are for those Muslims who accept that their ancestors were Hindus, which is what DNA studies show. When you claim that you are descendents of Muhammad Ghori and Mahmud Ghazni and proud of Aurangzeb then you don't belong to us; you go to Pakistan," Swamy said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Up to 5,247 Muslims have been killed in the Boko Haram violence in seven local government areas of Adamawa town in northern Nigeria between 2013 and 2017. According to local media reports, the data was revealed by the Adamawa State chapter of Muslim Council. The council represents all Islamic organisations in Adamawa. The affected areas were - Madagali, Michika, Maiha, Mubi North, Mubi South, Hong and Gombi. A report signed by the Adamawa Council Chairman Abubakar Magaji and Secretary-General Ismaila Umaru indicates that another 5,161 Muslims sustained injuries. The report also indicated that 12,732 properties belonging to Muslims in the councils, including houses, mosques, livestock and farm produce worth 81.6 billion nairas ($2.2 million) were destroyed by the insurgents. Madagali reported the highest number of dead victims with 2,500 people, while Hong had the least with 68 people. Also, the Muslims in Michika suffered the highest amount of losses with property worth 23.3 billion nairas destroyed, while Maiha reported least losses with 157 million nairas. The report recommended the reconstruction of places of worship and Islamic schools destroyed. It also suggested an increase in security personnel and providing financial support to the victims, who in turn, will assist the military in fighting against the militants. Adamawa is one of the three states in Nigeria most affected by the Boko Haram insurgency, followed by Borno and Yobe states. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan has hit back at United States President Donald Trump for accusing Islamabad of lying and cheating in 'war on terrorism', saying that US has given it "nothing but invective and mistrust". Pakistan Defence Minister Khurram Dastgir-Khan on Monday accused the US of overlooking "safe havens of terrorists who murder Pakistanis" and said Islamabad as anti-terror ally provided the US with "land and air communication, military bases and intel cooperation that decimated Al-Qaeda over last 16 years". "But they have given us nothing but invective & mistrust. They overlook cross-border safe havens of terrorists who murder Pakistanis," Dastgir-Khan said in a tweet. Earlier, Trump, once again, castigated Pakistan for providing safe havens to terrorists. Trump, in a strongly-worded tweet, on Monday said the United States had been "foolishly" giving aid to Pakistan for 15 years, but in return, it has only received "lies and deceit". "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 & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!" Trump said on the Twitter. The tweet has drawn huge criticism in Pakistan. The army and the government criticised Trump's statement and said the US was blaming its failures in Afghanistan on Pakistan. Later in the day, Pakistan also summoned United States ambassador David Hale over Trump's accusations and lodged its protest against the tweet. The national daily quoted sources as saying that Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua sought an explanation from the envoy in the matter. The Palestinian government has recalled its United States ambassador following US President Donald Trump's controversial decision of recognising Jerusalem as the capital of Israel a few weeks ago. According to Al-Jazeera, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas had earlier said that they would not accept any peace plan from the U.S., after Trump's Jerusalem move. Palestinian foreign minister Riyad al-Malki on Sunday said, "The discussions would take place to set the decisions needed by the Palestinian leadership in the coming period regarding our relations with the U.S. Our U.S. envoy will return back to 'his normal work' after the discussions." On December 6, Trump reversed decades-old U.S. policy, when he recognised Jerusalem as Israel's capital, prompting international criticism and sparking protests across the Also, 128 countries voted in favour of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolution calling on Washington D.C. to roll back the recognition. Jerusalem is considered a sacred place, which is home to Jewish, Christian and Muslim holy sites. However, it is also a disputed territory, contested by both Israel and Palestine, which sees it as a capital of its future state. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi Traffic Police was forced to issue an advisory on Monday after people thronged the India Gate lawns in large numbers to celebrate the first day of the new year. Delhi Traffic Police took to Twitter to warn motorists as the massive gathering of people caused huge traffic in Central Delhi. "Traffic will remain very heavy near India Gate C-Hexagon due to gathering of more than 1 lakh pedestrian and heavy volume of motorist. No parking available around India Gate. Advised to avoid India Gate and take alternate route," Delhi Traffic Police tweeted. More than 50 traffic police officials were trying to regulate the traffic at India Gate. However at the time of filing this report, heavy traffic jam was also witnessed on all the roads leading to India Gate. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday addressed via video conference the curtain-raiser ceremony of the commemoration of professor Satyendra Nath Bose's 125th birth anniversary at Kolkata. Physicist Satyendra Nath Bose, born on January 1, 1894, is best known for his work on quantum mechanics in the early 1920s, providing the foundation for Bose-Einstein statistics and the theory of the Bose-Einstein condensate. The class of particles that obey Bose-Einstein statistics has been named Bosons, after Prof Bose. The prime minister started his inaugural address in Bengali by extending wishes for the New Year. "We open a long year celebration of the 125th year of Satyendra Nath Bose who was born on this day in 1894. I have learnt about his accomplishment which is far ahead of his times and society. We have a lot to learn from the life and works of Acharya SN Bose. He was a self-taught scholar. He succeeded despite many constraints - including the lack of formal research education and little connectivity with global scientific community," Prime Minister Modi said. The prime minister further said that science and technology should contribute towards building a New India. "Anyone associated with science and technology must focus their innovation and research towards building a New India. Our country's scientists will continue to give us creative technological solutions with their out of box thinking, in order to make lives of people easier," he said. In the speech, Prime Minister Modi also highlighted the contribution of Bengalis in various fields and said, "It is a matter of pride for India that Bengal has given the best scientists to the world. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Jimgorn said: I am confused....Who is claiming that Obama didn't inherit Bush's economy.?? I thought we were pointing out that Obama presided over 8 years (not 1 or2, which can be excused) of a stagnant economy of his own creation..... Click to expand... Thanks for the honesty. Yes, you are confused. Dazed and confused.Obama's economy wasn't stagnant. You and your kin can continue saying it, but everyone I know was doing pretty well once the effects of GW's present were overcome.Stagnant economy ... 3 percent ... keep your eyes on the swinging pendulum ... y'all take turns maintaining the hypnotic spell you've succumbed to. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's agenda is to abolish all Muslim Personal Laws, said All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) President Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday. He was reacting on the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill 2017 that was passed in the Lok Sabha. The AIMIM chief said, "The Prime Minister's agenda is to remove all Muslim Personal Law. They want to remove all forms of talaq. But, the prime minister is cut off from the reality on triple talaq. He should know that marriage in Islam is a civil contract. A breach of the contract does not lead to the criminal penal provisions." He added that the bill, also called the Triple Talaq bill, will create more injustice as the burden will be on poor Muslim women. "The badly drafted bill violates fundamental rights promised by the Constitution. Can the PM tell that if the man is sent to prison, who will give the subsistence allowance, who will take care of the wife?" asked Owaisi. The bill, which will now be tabled in the Rajya Sabha, draft says, "any pronouncement of talaq by a person upon his wife, by words, either spoken or written or in electronic form or in any other manner whatsoever, shall be void and illegal". There is also a provision of imprisonment for a term, which may extend to three years and fine for violators. The draft bill also envisages entitling divorcee Muslim women for maintenance and has a provision for them to have the custody of their minor children. The offences under the purview of this bill will be cognisable and non-bailable. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In the wake of Pulwama encounter in Jammu and Kashmir, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) on Monday said the search operation is still underway in the area to be doubly sure before calling it off. "The search operation is still going on. We want to be doubly sure before we call off the operation," CRPF Special DG (Jammu and Kashmir zone) SN Srivastava said during a media briefing. "Two of the militants, killed yesterday, are from this region. One killed today is a foreign militant," he added. Five jawans lost their lives after terrorists stormed a training centre in Pulwama district in the wee hours of Sunday. The terrorists first lobbed grenades and then began indiscriminate firing and entered the training centre in Awantipora. Three terrorists were also killed. More details are awaited. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Indian security forces on Monday identified the three terrorists, one from Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) and other two from Jammu and Kashmir, killed in Pulwama encounter. The PoK origin terrorist has been identified as Ali Sozal and the other two as Fardeen Mohibuddin and Manzoor Ahmed Baba, who hailed from Jammu and Kashmir's Tral and Pulwama region respectively. Three AK 47, two UBGL, eight magazines, five grenades, a pouch attached with a magazine clip, a flag, and some eatables were recovered from their possession. Meanwhile, Director General of CRPF Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar and other senior officers also paid their last respect to jawan Rajendra Nain, who was killed in the encounter, on the arrival of his mortal remains in New Delhi. Jawan Pradeep Kumar Panda, who survived the terrorist attack in Nowhatta Chowk in Srinagar on the Independence Day in 2016, was also killed in the encounter. The CRPF is mulling to give him the prestigious gallantry award. Five jawans lost their lives after terrorists stormed a training centre in Pulwama's Awantipora in the wee hours of Sunday. The terrorists first lobbed grenades and then began indiscriminate firing and entered the centre. The CRPF is still searching the area. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Sunday that the people of Iran were free to protest peacefully, but rejected protesting by violence. These comments by Rouhani come after his first public appearance at the Parliament, following days of anti-government protests that have rocked the country for the past four days now, as reported by Mehr news agency. The Iranian President, while addressing the Parliament, said, "Criticism is different to violence and destroying public property. The government bodies should provide space for legal criticism for the citizens and protest." He also added, "Iranians understand the sensitive situation of Iran and the entire region and will act based on their national interests." Rouhani trashed United States President Donald Trump's comments in support of the protesters and said, "those who called Iranians terrorists have no business sympathising with our nation." The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations (U.N), Nikki Haley, also said the Iranian government was "being tested by its own citizens". Protesters in different cities of Iran have raised anti-government slogans over alleged corruption and rising prices that have been plaguing the people of the country for four straight days. Scores of protesters have been arrested. Also, three protesters were reportedly shot dead yesterday by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in central Iran. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) has barred the collection of donations by 26/11 Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed's Jamaatud Dawa (JuD), the charity wing of banned outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), along with several other such organisations named in a list of prohibited outfits by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). "The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan hereby prohibits all companies from donating cash to the entities and individuals listed under the UNSC sanctions committee's consolidated list," read a notification issued by the commission. The UNSC sanctions list includes the names of Al-Qaeda, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, JuD, FiF, LeT and other organisations and individuals, reported Geo News. The development came after reports circulated that the Pakistan government is deciding to take action against organisations and individuals linked to terrorism at a latest high-level meeting on national security. Saeed, who formed Milli Muslim League (MML), is planning to contest the 2018 general elections in Pakistan. India has protested against Pakistan time and again for harbouring Saeed. He is wanted for allegedly plotting the Mumbai attacks that took place on November 26, 2008. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At least two people were killed and 30 more were injured in an attack by suspected Boko Haram militants on Sunday in northern Cameroon. According to Xinhua, three suspected members of the terrorist group were disguised as suicide bombers. They targeted a bustling local market in Bia village, in Cameroon's Far North region, which is just three km away from the Nigerian border. According to local authorities, one of the three suicide bombers died on the spot with two others on the run. The injured were taken to a nearby army hospital, owned by the Rapid Intervention Battalion (BIR), an elite unit of the Cameroonian armed force who are fighting against the militants. The Boko Haram insurgency began in 2009 when the militants staged an armed rebellion against the government of Nigeria. Also, the group have carried out mass abductions, including the kidnapping of 276 schoolgirls from Chibok in Nigeria in April 2014. The group is also active in neighbouring Cameroon, Chad, and Niger. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Triple talaq petitioner Ishrat Jahan has joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). As per the reports, Ishrat was felicitated by the Howrah BJP unit on Saturday and inducted into the party. Ishrat, who was divorced by her husband over the phone from Dubai in 2014 by uttering 'talaq' thrice, was one of the petitioners in the triple talaq case. The Supreme Court struck down triple talaq and declared the Islamic practice unconstitutional in a 3-2 majority verdict on August 22 last year. The Lok Sabha on Thursday passed the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriages) Bill 2017 making instant triple talaq illegal with up to three years in jail for the husband. The passed bill will now be tabled in the Rajya Sabha for passage before it is forwarded to the President for signing it into law. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) United States President Donald Trump has, for the first time, openly castigated Pakistan for providing safe havens to terrorists. Trump, in a strongly-worded tweet, said America had been 'foolishly' providing military aid to Pakistan for 15 years, but in return, it has only received 'lies and deceit.' "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 posted on the micro-blogging site, on Monday. The tweet comes in the wake of the United Nations-designated terrorist, Hafiz Saeed, looking to contest the 2018 general elections in Pakistan and thereby, forming a party - by the name of Milli Muslim League (MML). Saeed was recently released from house arrest after a Pakistani court cited lack of evidence against him in the 26/11 Mumbai attack case. Earlier on December 30 too, a report emerged that the United States was considering to withhold a USD 255-million aid to Islamabad due to Pakistan's inability to destroy terror safe havens. According to a New York Times report, the growing disagreement between the two countries and Pakistan's inability to neutralise the terrorist networks operating from its soil was possibly affecting the decision in providing financial aid to the Islamabad. The report cited the major disappointment for the US was Pakistan's rejection of its demand of access to one of the abductors involved in the kidnapping of the Canadian-American family. The US had, earlier, claimed that more than $33 billion in aid had been provided to Pakistan since 2002. Although the volume of annual US assistance to Pakistan stands at $1.1 billion, hundreds of millions of dollars are withheld every year under different restrictions imposed since 2011, when relations between the two countries began to deteriorate after Osama bin Laden was found in Abbottabad. India has also, time and again, protested against Pakistan for harbouring Saeed - wanted for allegedly plotting the Mumbai attacks that took place on November 26, 2008. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Minister of State (MoS) Jitendra Singh on Monday said United States President Donald Trump's decision to end aid to Pakistan has "vindicated India's stand on terrorism". Speaking to ANI, the Union Minister said, "The Trump administration's decision today has abundantly vindicated India's stand as far as terror is concerned and as far as Pakistan's role in perpetrating terror is concerned." He added that those countries, who were earlier denying the role of Pakistan as the perpetrator of terrorism on the Indian soil, are also supporting India's viewpoint on terrorism. "They are also understanding Prime Minister Narendra Modi's reiteration that the war against terrorism has to be fought collectively. There can't be good terror or bad terror, there can't be a distinction in terrorism happening, terrorism is terrorism," Singh asserted. Earlier in the day, Trump, in a strongly-worded tweet, said America had been 'foolishly' providing military aid to Pakistan for 15 years, but in return, it has only received 'lies and deceit.' Meanwhile, Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said he would respond to the US President's tweet shortly after the latter blamed the country for providing safe havens to terrorists. "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 posted on the micro-blogging site today. The tweet comes in the wake of the United Nations-designated terrorist, Hafiz Saeed, looking to contest the 2018 general elections in Pakistan and thereby, forming a party - by the name of Milli Muslim League (MML). Saeed was recently released from house arrest after a Pakistani court cited lack of evidence against him in the 26/11 Mumbai attack case. India has also, time and again, protested against Pakistan for harbouring Saeed - wanted for allegedly plotting the Mumbai attacks that took place on November 26, 2008. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) About 25 people, including 15 foreign nationals, have been arrested in Turkish cities of Ankara and Istanbul for their suspected links with the Islamic State (IS) group. As per a report from Anadolu, the Turkish police and anti-terrorist police teams raided four addresses in Istanbul's three districts simultaneously on Sunday after they received a tip from a local intelligence agency about the presence of suspects linked to top IS leaders in Syria and Iraq. In a similar operation in the Turkish capital Ankara, the police raided two hideout places and detained five persons, all of them being foreigners. Among the suspects were three Syrians, an Iraqi and a Chechen who had entered the country illegally. According to the police, the suspects were planning attacks during the New Year's Eve celebrations in the cities across Turkey. This incident comes after Turkish security forces suspended over 2,700 personnel for having suspected links with the IS group. Turkey has been embroiled in a state of emergency since last year, as the dreaded terror organization has repeatedly targeted civilians in suicide bombs, rocket and gun attacks. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Is someone saying Trump is not a sexist pig? It is a shame it takes so much money to have legal and social power, and it really bothers me that I have female, Christian friends who almost worship Trump. They are so blind, they do not see how disruptive this is to their relationships when they get all giddy about what a great man Trump is. Yuck, I don't get it. The thought of a woman being attracted to Trump makes my skin crawl and I want to take a shower. I remember being in the same space with men who think of women like Trump does, and in no way was that pleasant! I am glad our perspective is changing. The Baloch Organisation (WBO) on Monday welcomed United States President Donald Trump's stance towards Pakistan for providing safe havens to terrorists. "We welcome President Trump's stance towards Pakistan, finally the US has accepted reality and recognised Pakistan for what it is, and this is not only in the interest of the US but the entire world," Bhawal Mengal, spokesperson for the WBO, said. He also hoped that Trump's renewed policy towards Pakistan will bring peace and stability to the region. "We hope that President Trump's renewed policy towards Pakistan will bring peace and stability to the region. We also hope that he will be the first leader to take strict action against Pakistan and hold it accountable for its crimes against humanity in Balochistan," he added. A few hours ago, Trump, in a strongly-worded tweet, said America had been 'foolishly' providing military aid to Pakistan for 15 years, but in return, it has only received 'lies and deceit.' "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 posted on the micro-blogging site, on Monday. The tweet comes in the wake of the United Nations-designated terrorist, Hafiz Saeed, looking to contest the 2018 general elections in Pakistan and thereby, forming a party - by the name of Milli Muslim League (MML). Saeed was recently released from house arrest after a Pakistani court cited lack of evidence against him in the 26/11 Mumbai attack case. Earlier on December 30 too, a report emerged that the United States was considering to withhold a USD 255-million aid to Islamabad due to Pakistan's inability to destroy terror safe havens. According to a New York Times report, the growing disagreement between the two countries and Pakistan's inability to neutralise the terrorist networks operating from its soil was possibly affecting the decision in providing financial aid to the Islamabad. The report cited the major disappointment for the US was Pakistan's rejection of its demand of access to one of the abductors involved in the kidnapping of the Canadian-American family. The US had, earlier, claimed that more than $33 billion in aid had been provided to Pakistan since 2002. Although the volume of annual US assistance to Pakistan stands at $1.1 billion, hundreds of millions of dollars are withheld every year under different restrictions imposed since 2011, when relations between the two countries began to deteriorate after Osama bin Laden was found in Abbottabad. India has also, time and again, protested against Pakistan for harbouring Saeed - wanted for allegedly plotting the Mumbai attacks that took place on November 26, 2008. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Hyderabadi woman on Monday appealed External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to bring her daughter stranded in Saudi Arabia's Dammam back to India. Rayeesa said her daughter Safora Begum used to work as a lab technician here when a visa agent lured them of a better job opportunity in Dammam. "The visa agent said that they will make the passport for free and offered a good job in Hospital in Saudi. Their names were Sammi and Musa. They send my daughter to Dammam but did not provide any job. She was instead forced to work in a house as a maid," Rayeesa told ANI. Narrating her ordeal, Rayeesa said they made several appeals to the visa agents to bring her back but they refused. Rayeesa claimed that her daughter was being tortured and harassed in Dammam. "They shifted my daughter to two to three places. One day, she surreptitiously ran away from the house and approached the Indian embassy for help. Later, the owner reached there and promised that they will send her back, but they did not do anything," she added. The disappointed mother has now urged Swaraj to help in bringing her daughter back. Key benchmark indices languished near the flat line in the mid-morning trade in the absence of any major global or domestic cues. At 11:20 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex rose 21.79 points or 0.06% at 34,078.62. The Nifty 50 index was almost flat at 10,530.30. Key indices started the first trading session of the calendar year 2018 on a subdued note and languished near the flat line so far. Among the secondary indices, the S&P BSE Mid-Cap index advanced 0.75%. The S&P BSE Small-Cap index rose 0.98%. Both these indices outperformed the Sensex. The breadth, indicating the overall health of the market, was strong. On the BSE, 1,860 shares advanced and 681 shares declined. A total of 101 shares were unchanged. Auto stocks were mixed. Ashok Leyland (up 1.84%), Mahindra & Mahindra (up 0.79%) and Tata Motors (up 0.7%) edged higher. Hero MotoCorp (down 0.25%), Bajaj Auto (down 0.2%) and Eicher Motors (down 0.16%) edged lower. Maruti Suzuki India advanced 0.12% after the company's total sales grew by 10.3% to 1.30 lakh units in December 2017 over December 2016. Domestic sales rose 12.1% to 1.19 lakh units. Exports dropped 6.2% to 10,780 units. The announcement was made during market hours today, 1 January 2018. IT stocks dropped. TCS (down 1.06%), HCL Technologies (down 0.68%), Wipro (down 0.13%) and Tech Mahindra (down 0.06%) declined. Infosys advanced 0.02% after the company announced that it has on 28 December 2017, signed an agreement for divestment of its entire investment in ANSR Consulting Holdings, Inc., for a total consideration of $1 million. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 29 December 2017. Overseas, Asian markets remain closed due to New Year Holiday. Growth in China's manufacturing sector slowed slightly in December. The official Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) released on Sunday dipped to 51.6 in December, down from 51.8 in November. The 50-point level divides growth from contraction on a monthly basis. The official non-manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) rose to a three-month high of 55 from 54.8 in November. US stocks closed lower on Friday, 29 December 2017 as selling pressure accelerated towards the close of the session. US markets remain closed today, 1 January 2018 on account of New Year's Day. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Shares of automobile companies will be in spotlight as these companies announce monthly sales volume data for the month of December 2017 starting today, 1 January 2018. Infosys announced that it has on 28 December 2017, signed an agreement for divestment of its entire investment in ANSR Consulting Holdings, Inc., for a total consideration of $1 million. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 29 December 2017. GAIL (India) said it has placed orders for another 400-km of pipeline of the Pradhan Mantri Urja Ganga natural gas pipeline project that will take the fuel to eastern India. Line pipe orders for about 400-km for pipeline from Dobhi in Bihar to Durgapur in West Bengal has been placed, the company said in a statement. With these awards, pipe supply orders for 2,100 km of the Jagdishpur-Haldia & Bokaro-Dhamra Natural Gas Pipeline (JHBDPL) project have been placed. Also, 1,700 km of line laying orders have been placed. The 2,655 km long JHBDPL project, also known as the 'Pradhan Mantri Urja Ganga' project passes through Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Odisha. GAIL till date has committed over Rs 6500 crore for the project, the statement said. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 29 December 2017. Oil India said it has made two hydrocarbon discoveries in the Dumduma Petroleum Mining Lease (PML) in the upper Assam basin during the second and third quarter FY 2018. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 29 December 2017. NTPC said that unit 2 of 800 megawatts (MW) of Kudgi super thermal project, stage-I (3 X 800 MW) will be declared on commercial operation with effect from 1 January 2018. With this, the commercial capacity of Kudgi super thermal power project, NTPC and NTPC group becomes 1,600 MW, 44,492 MW and 51,383 MW respectively. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 29 December 2017. Separately, NTPC said its board of directors in its meeting held on 29 December 2017 has designated Sudhir Arya, Executive Director (Finance) as Chief Financial Officer of the company with immediate effect. The terms & conditions of appointment including remuneration of Sudhir Arya, shall be as per the existing policy of the company. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 29 December 2017. Axis Bank in a clarification to the media news titled "Axis Bank seeks bids for controlling stake in GMR Chhattisgarh" said that the bank denies the news and added that it is factually incorrect. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 29 December 2017. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Key indices may remain rangebound as most of the global markets remain closed today, 1 January 2018. Overseas, Asian markets remain closed due to New Year Holiday. Growth in China's manufacturing sector slowed slightly in December. The official Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) released on Sunday dipped to 51.6 in December, down from 51.8 in November. The 50-point level divides growth from contraction on a monthly basis. The official non-manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) rose to a three-month high of 55 from 54.8 in November. US stocks closed lower on Friday, 29 December 2017 as selling pressure accelerated towards the close of the session. US markets remain closed today, 1 January 2018 on account of New Year's Day. Closer home, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) bought shares worth a net Rs 595.04 crore on Friday, 29 December 2017, as per provisional data released by the stock exchanges. Domestic institutional investors (DIIs) purchased shares worth a net Rs 461.37 crore on Friday, 29 December 2017, as per provisional data. Key benchmark indices registered modest gains on Friday, 29 December 2017, boosted by an ongoing global rally fuelled by bullish bets on coordinated economic growth. The Sensex had advanced 208.80 points or 0.62% to settle at 34,056.83, a record closing high. Among corporate news, Infosys announced that it has on 28 December 2017, signed an agreement for divestment of its entire investment in ANSR Consulting Holdings, Inc., for a total consideration of $1 million. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 29 December 2017. NTPC said that unit 2 of 800 megawatts (MW) of Kudgi super thermal project, stage-I (3 X 800 MW) will be declared on commercial operation with effect from 1 January 2018. With this, the commercial capacity of Kudgi super thermal power project, NTPC and NTPC group becomes 1,600 MW, 44,492 MW and 51,383 MW respectively. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 29 December 2017. Separately, NTPC said its board of directors in its meeting held on 29 December 2017 has designated Sudhir Arya, Executive Director (Finance) as Chief Financial Officer of the company with immediate effect. The terms & conditions of appointment including remuneration of Sudhir Arya, shall be as per the existing policy of the company. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 29 December 2017. Axis Bank in a clarification to the media news titled "Axis Bank seeks bids for controlling stake in GMR Chhattisgarh" said that the bank denies the news and added that it is factually incorrect. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 29 December 2017. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Key benchmark indices opened the first trading session of the new year on a subdued note. At 9:17 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex rose 10.78 points or 0.03% at 34,067.61. The Nifty 50 index fell 8.50 points or 0.08% at 10,522.20. The S&P BSE Mid-Cap index advanced 0.32%. The S&P BSE Small-Cap index rose 0.42%. Both these indices outperformed the Sensex. Overseas, Asian markets remain closed due to New Year Holiday. Growth in China's manufacturing sector slowed slightly in December. The official Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) released on Sunday dipped to 51.6 in December, down from 51.8 in November. The 50-point level divides growth from contraction on a monthly basis. The official non-manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) rose to a three-month high of 55 from 54.8 in November. US stocks closed lower on Friday, 29 December 2017 as selling pressure accelerated towards the close of the session. US markets remain closed today, 1 January 2018 on account of New Year's Day. Closer home, the breadth, indicating the overall health of the market, was strong. On the BSE, 506 shares advanced and 155 shares declined. A total of 49 shares were unchanged. Infosys fell 0.1% at Rs 1,038.30. The company announced that it has on 28 December 2017, signed an agreement for divestment of its entire investment in ANSR Consulting Holdings, Inc., for a total consideration of $1 million. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 29 December 2017. NTPC was down 0.42% at Rs 176.45. The company said that unit 2 of 800 megawatts (MW) of Kudgi super thermal project, stage-I (3 X 800 MW) will be declared on commercial operation with effect from 1 January 2018. With this, the commercial capacity of Kudgi super thermal power project, NTPC and NTPC group becomes 1,600 MW, 44,492 MW and 51,383 MW respectively. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 29 December 2017. Separately, NTPC said its board of directors in its meeting held on 29 December 2017 has designated Sudhir Arya, Executive Director (Finance) as Chief Financial Officer of the company with immediate effect. The terms & conditions of appointment including remuneration of Sudhir Arya, shall be as per the existing policy of the company. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 29 December 2017. Axis Bank was up 0.07% at Rs 562.80. The bank in a clarification to the media news titled "Axis Bank seeks bids for controlling stake in GMR Chhattisgarh" said that the bank denies the news and added that it is factually incorrect. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 29 December 2017. GAIL (India) rose 1.07% at Rs 502.50 after the company said it has placed orders for another 400-km of pipeline of the Pradhan Mantri Urja Ganga natural gas pipeline project that will take the fuel to eastern India. Line pipe orders for about 400-km for pipeline from Dobhi in Bihar to Durgapur in West Bengal has been placed, the company said in a statement. With these awards, pipe supply orders for 2,100 km of the Jagdishpur-Haldia & Bokaro-Dhamra Natural Gas Pipeline (JHBDPL) project have been placed. Also, 1,700 km of line laying orders have been placed. The 2,655 km long JHBDPL project, also known as the 'Pradhan Mantri Urja Ganga' project passes through Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Odisha. GAIL till date has committed over Rs 6500 crore for the project, the statement said. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 29 December 2017. Oil India advanced 0.75% at Rs 375 after the company said it has made two hydrocarbon discoveries in the Dumduma Petroleum Mining Lease (PML) in the upper Assam basin during the second and third quarter FY 2018. The announcement was made after market hours on Friday, 29 December 2017. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Government has launched the Bharat-22 Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) to benefit long term and retail investors by providing an opportunity of participation in equity stocks of the Government run companies and earn stable returns. The New Fund Offer (NFO) of BHARAT 22 Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) (scheme) was launched from 14th November, 2017 to 17th November, 2017 as a part of Government of India (GOI) disinvestment programme. GOI has offered 3% discount to all investors of the reference market price during New Fund Offer (NFO). The objective of BHARAT 22 ETF is to invest in constituents (22 companies) of S & P BSE Bharat 22 Index and endeavour to provide returns before expenses, which closely correspond to the total returns of S & P BSE Bharat 22 Index, subject to the usual elements of market risk. BHARAT 22 ETF comprising 22 stocks of listed Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs), Strategic Holdings of Specified Undertaking of Unit Trust of India (SUUTI) and Public Sector Banks (PSBs) namely: 1. Axis Bank Ltd 2. Bank of Baroda (BOB) 3. Bharat Electronics Ltd. (BEL) 4. Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (BPCL) 5. Coal India Ltd. (CIL) 6. Engineers India Ltd. (EIL) 7. GAIL (India) Ltd. 8. ITC Ltd. 9. Indian Bank 10. Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. (IOCL) 11. Larsen & Toubro Ltd. (L & T) 12. National Building Construction Corporation (NBCC) Ltd. 13. National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC) 14. Neyveli Lignite Company (NLC) Ltd. 15. National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) 16. National Aluminium Company Ltd. (NALCO) 17. Oil & Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) 18. Power Finance Corporation Ltd. (PFCL) 19. Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd. (PGCIL) 20. Rural Electrification Corporation Ltd. (RECL) 21. Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Ltd. (SJVNL) 22. State Bank of India (SBI) Government of India raised an amount of Rs.14,500 crore through BHARAT 22 ETF. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Government of India has made enabling provision allowing States to impose stock limit on onions. States were advised to take necessary and corrective measures by way of licensing, imposition of stock limits and movement restrictions. They were also requested to hold periodical meetings with traders, farmers, retailers and consumer associations at State and District levels to impress upon them the need to desist from unfair and illegal trade practices and profiteering. Government has also requested States to initiate action against unscrupulous traders and hoarders of onion under Essential Commodities Act. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The 11 Gorkha Rifles Regimental Centre (11 GRRC) celebrated its 71st Raising Day at the Lucknow Cantonment on Monday, an official spokesman said. The celebration began with the hoisting of the regimental flag by Brigadier Pankaj Singh, Commandant, 11 Gorkha Rifles Regimental Centre, at the Quarter Guard on the centre's premises. This was followed by wreath laying at the War Memorial. All officers, junior commissioned officers (JCOs) and other ranks of the centre attended the ceremony. The Last Post was sounded after the wreath laying, followed by two minutes' silence for the peace of the departed souls. At the regimental temple, prayers were offered for the well-being of the regiment, personnel and their families, followed by Special Sainik Sammelan. Barakhana and Pagalgymkhana were also organised, in which all serving and retired Officers, JCOs, other ranks and their families, residing in Lucknow, participated. The 11 Gorkha Rifles was raised after Independence on January 1, 1948, at Palampur in Kangra valley of Himachal Pradesh. For the last 70 years, the units and personnel of the regiment, no matter where the battle field, have lived up to the call of duty both in war and peace to ensure its motto of "Yatraham Vijaystatra" (We, the Metaphor for Victory), according to an official. This regiment has an impressive tally of gallantry awards and decorations, which includes one Param Vir Chakra, the highest gallantry award, awarded to Captain Manoj Pandey (Posthumously) during the 1999 Kargil Operation, four Ashok Chakras, 14 Param Vishist Seva Medals, two Mahavir Chakras, three Kirti Chakras, two Uttam Yudh Seva Medals, 19 Ati Vishist Seva Medals, 14 Vir Chakras, 13 Shaurya Chakras, four Yudh Seva Medals, one Uttam Jeewan Raksha Padak, 89 Sena Medals, 31 Vishist Seva Medals and 31 Mentions-in-Dispatch. The 11 Gorkha Regiment has also been awarded three "Battle Honours" and four "Theatre Honours", three "Chief of Army Staff Unit Citations" and eight "General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Unit Citations". --IANS md/nir/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In the biggest challenge to the authority of the Tehran regime since mass protests in 2009, anti-government protests over corruption, rising food and fuel prices as well as unemployment continued for the fourth day on Monday claiming at least 12 lives, the state media reported. The anti-government protests continued despite an appeal for calm by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Sunday, the state-run IRNA reported. Rouhani said that citizens were "completely free to express their criticism of the government or stage protests... in a way that would lead to the improvement of the country's conditions" but warned against violent acts. He played down the significance of the protests on Monday, as the country's leadership struggled to respond to the largely spontaneous uprisings. "Our great nation has witnessed a number of similar incidents in the past and has comfortably dealt with them. This is nothing," Rouhani said in a meeting with Iranian MPs. In a nod to the concerns fuelling the protests, he added: "We have no bigger challenge than unemployment. Our economy requires major corrective surgery." According to report, several armed protestors tried to take over some police stations and military bases but faced serious resistance from security forces. Police used teargas and water cannon to quell a rally in Tehran's Engheleb Square and demonstrations were reported in Kermanshah and Khorramabad in the west, Shahinshahr in the northwest and in the northern city of Zanjan. Earlier, state-run media outlet IRIB reported that officials had temporarily restricted access to social media apps Instagram and Telegram, which were used by Iranians to share news about the protests. Iran's Minister for Communications and Technology Azari Jahromi denounced the reports as "rumours" in a tweet. Social media has helped gather tens of thousands participating in the protests -- described as the largest public display of discontent in Iran since the 2009 Green Movement when people took to the streets to dispute the election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a CNN report said. Some protestors even called for the resignation of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei. In some demonstrations, women cast off their hijabs, defying the country's strict Islamic dress code. The demonstrations saw Iranians chanting "We don't want an Islamic Republic" and "Death to the dictator". US President Donald Trump voiced his support for the demonstrations in a series of tweets on Sunday. He posted: "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!" Rouhani slammed Trump in his speech, saying that the US President had been at the root of many of Iranians' woes, "constantly creating problems" for people in the country since he entered the White House. --IANS soni/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) More than 200 New Year revellers were booked by the police for drunken driving in major towns of Uttar Pradesh, an official said on Monday. All the drivers booked were under the influence of alcohol and were driving at very high speed, he said. While 50 of them were from the state capital here, the maximum number was booked from Kanpur, the industrial hub, where 70 persons were detained. Most of those booked were returning from parties and were intercepted by the police armed with breath analysers stationed at major traffic points. An official told IANS that many were also booked in Allahabad, Agra and Varanasi. There were clear instructions from the Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Anand Singh that drunken driving would not be tolerated. In a New Year's eve missive Singh had directed district police chiefs to crack down on such lumpen behaviour. In Kanpur's Lajpatnagar, police had to resort to cane charge on a group of revellers after midnight when they were creating ruckus outside a local eatery. Most of them were drunk and were trying to gate crash the restaurant for liquor and food though the place was full, an official said. The New Year was, however, celebrated with abandon and traditional gaiety at most places in the state as families went out for dinners and parties organised by major hotels, clubs, discotheques and pubs. --IANS md/in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A teenage Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) suicide bomber killed on Sunday in Kashmir had threatened terror attacks across India in an undated video which announces the "roaring" resurgence of his outfit headed by the Pakistan-based militant Masood Azhar. The video, which gives a peek into how Kashmiri teenagers are being brainwashed into believing that they are targeting enemies of Islam, was apparently recorded in a house in the Kashmir Valley. The Pakistan-based militant outfit on Monday released the eight-minute video online in which Fardeen Khanday, son of a Jammu and Kashmir policeman, urges Kashmiri youth and Muslims across the country to join the "fight against India". Seated between three AK assault rifles, a huge cache of ammunition, grenades and communication devices, Khanday appears calm even as he says that "by the time the video is released I will already be a new guest in heaven". Khanday, 16, was killed after he and two other Jaish suicide bombers attacked a paramilitary camp in Pulwama in south Kashmir on Sunday. Five Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed in the attack. The other two attackers were also killed. He said it was being made out as if unemployment was driving Kashmiri youths to take to militancy. "But the fact is that it is nothing (but) propaganda. "The importance of jihad increases when infidels occupy our land and threaten the modesty of our women. "My friends and I have listened to the call of Quran and plunged into the battlefield of jihad. This will continue till the last occupying soldier is present in Kashmir," he says in Urdu with a thick Kashmiri accent. According to police, Khanday, a resident of Tral in south Kashmir, which was the slain Burhan Wani's hometown, joined militants only three months ago after his family reported him missing on September 15. In the video, he also talks about the demolition of Babri Masjid as well as attacks on security forces blamed on the Jaish. "Even after repeated claims by Indian security forces and agencies, Jaish-e-Mohammad has not been wiped out from the Valley. Jaish is not so weak. It is impossible to stop Jaish-e-Mohammad... We are roaring," Khanday says in the recorded video. --IANS sar/mr/hs/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US-Pakistan relations took a major blow on Monday when President Donald Trump halted all aid to Islamabad after accusing it of lying and giving "safe haven to terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan". Pakistan, a close ally of the US for 70 long years, vowed to respond soon and tell the world "the truth... (the) difference between facts and fiction". In an announcement which many saw it coming, Trump began the New Year with a stinging attack on Pakistan, saying it would get no more US aid as it was harbouring terrorists the US was fighting in Afghanistan. "The US 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," he tweeted in his strongest denunciation of Islamabad. "They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!" he added. Foreign Minister Khawaja M. Asif said in Pakistan's first reaction: "We will respond to Trump's tweet shortly Insha Allah... Will let the world know the truth... Difference between facts and fiction." There was no immediate reaction in Kabul and New Delhi which have repeatedly accused Islamabad of harbouring and arming terrorists ranged against the two countries. Pakistan routinely denies such accusations, charging instead India and Afghanistan with trying to destabilize it. Trump's announcement followed an increasingly tense back-and-forth between Washington and Islamabad after the US President unveiled his administration's National Security Strategy that showed Pakistan in poor light. He had then reminded Pakistan about its obligation towards helping the US because it got "massive payments" from Washington every year. "We have made it clear to Pakistan that while we desire continued partnership, we must see decisive action against terrorist groups operating on their territory," Trump had said. "They have to help." The Trump administration had on December 30 said that it was considering to withhold $255 million aid to Pakistan. A Pentagon report to the US Congress of December 17 had warned that Washington would take unilateral steps in areas of divergence with Pakistan while expanding cooperation between the two countries where their interests converged. US Vice President Mike Pence then "put Pakistan on notice" in the harshest US condemnation of Islamabad since the two countries came together during Afghan war 16 years ago. Army spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor last week asserted that the aid Pakistan received from the US was "reimbursement for support we gave ... for its fight against Al Qaeda. Had we not supported the US and Afghanistan, they would never have been able to defeat Al Qaeda". The US did not contemplate stopping all aid to Pakistan even after US commandos raided the hideout of fugitive Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden near Rawalpindi, killed him and flew back with his body. Pakistani officials then said they had no idea bin Laden was in Pakistan. --IANS soni-mr/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Assam government has published part of the draft of the much-awaited National Register of Citizens (NRC) which includes names of 1.9 crore people of total 3.29 crore applicants in the state, an official said. The publication evoked a mixed response across the state while there are reports that one person in the state's Silchar allegedly committed suicide after not finding his name. Making the announcement at a press conference here close to midnight on Sunday, Registrar General of India, Sailesh said the names of the rest of the people are at various stages of verification. The status of inclusion of names can be checked in the websites -- www.nrcassam.nic.in, www.assam.gov.in, www.assam.mygov.in and www.homeandpolitical.assam.gov.in, the Office of the State Coordinator of National Registration (NRC) posted on its official Twitter page. Sailesh said the complete NRC will be published within 2018, adding that Sunday's publication is only the part draft and that there is no need to worry if anyone's name has not been included in it. "It only means that his or her name is at some stage of verification," he said. The NRC authorities had received applications submitted by 3.29 crore people, accompanied by six crore documents, of the state for inclusion of their names in the NRC, the process of updating which began in 2013 and was carried out under the Supreme Court's instruction. In Cachar, police said that Hanif Khan's body was found hanging in the backyard of his house. "Locals said that the person got afraid after his name was not found in the NRC and took the extreme step. However, we are trying to ascertain if there is some other reasons behind his decision," said a police officer. While the historic move has elated most of the citizens of the state, yet many people found it disheartening not to find their names in the part draft NRC. People from different walks of life were seen queued at NRC Seva Kendras located in different parts of the state to find out whether their names figured in it. Some were disheartened as their names did not appear in the NRC and said that there are some problems by which some genuine names did not appear. However, welcoming the draft NRC's part, All Assam Students Union (Aasu) adviser Samujjal Bhattacharyya termed it the "first step towards having a foreigner-free Assam". "The updated NRC is the result of 38 years of wait after the historic Assam Accord was signed. This is going to be the only constitutional safeguard for the indigenous people of the state," he said. Bhattacharyya also thanked the Supreme Court, saying that it is due to the consistent monitoring of the apex court that the people of Assam has got the part draft NRC. Opposition leader Debabrata Saikia welcomed the effort but said that names of many people left out in the part draft. "This should not have happened. I hope that all the names of genuine Indian citizens will be included in the final NRC," he said adding that the names of Congress legislator Nurul Huda, whose forefathers' name appeared in 1951 had not figured in the updated NRC. "These are genuine cases which are left out and I hope they will correct the same soon," he said. A senior All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) leader said that party chief Badruddin Ajmal's name also did not figure in the NRC, but added here is no need to panic and that the final NRC would include the names of all genuine Indian citizens in Assam. --IANS ah/vd (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bangladesh will build two new air bases to further strengthen its Air Force. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina made the announcement after inspecting a parade on Sunday by young Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) officers in Jessore, 164 km from Dhaka, Xinhua news agency reported. She said steps were on to establish the new air bases in southern region of Barisal and in Sylhet in the northeast. Hasina expressed optimism that the BAF would turn into "a most modern Air Force soon". She said more multi-role combat aircraft, modern basic training helicopters, jet trainer aircraft, simulators, unmanned aerial vehicle systems, long- and short-range air defence radars and medium-range surface-to-air missiles would be added to the Air Force. --IANS soni/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Security forces on Monday recovered the body of a third militant killed a day earlier after attacking a CRPF camp in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district. "The body was found at the Lethpora encounter site. With this, the search operation has ended," a police officer said. Two local militants of Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) were killed on Sunday when three guerrillas entered the training centre of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), triggering fierce fighting that lasted nearly 12 hours. The identity of the third militant was being established, police said. Five CRPF troopers were also killed in the fighting. Internet services suspended in Pulwama district on Sunday are yet to be restored. Iranians are free to protest against the government but must not jeopardise security, President Hassan Rouhani has said after four days of demonstrations. Speaking at a cabinet session, he acknowledged that there were problems that needed to be solved but warned that violence would not be tolerated, BBC reported on Sunday. The protests have been the biggest show of dissent since huge rallies in 2009. There have been clashes in several cities, and Iran has restricted social networks used to organise protests. The "temporary" restrictions on the apps Telegram and Instagram were imposed to "maintain tranquillity", state news agency Irib reports. The protests began in the north-east as an outcry against economic hardship and rising prices, but turned political in many places, with slogans chanted against Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Rouhani and Iran's interventionist foreign policy in the region. In his latest tweet on the issue, US President Donald Trump said that Iranians were "finally getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism". In his first public comments, Rouhani criticised Trump. "This gentleman in America, who is now trying to sympathise with our nation, appears to have forgotten that he called the Iranian nation terrorists several months ago," he was reported to have said. "This man, who is an enemy of the Iranian nation from the top of his head to his very toes, has no right to sympathise with Iranians," he added. The Iranian president said that Iranian citizens were "completely free to express their criticism of the government or stage protests... in a way that would lead to the improvement of the country's conditions". He acknowledged grievances over the economic situation, a lack of transparency and corruption but defended his record. Rouhani added that expressing criticism was completely different from being violent or destroying public property. Violence flared in many places on Saturday, and videos posted online suggest demonstrations have continued in a dozen or more cities on Sunday. Small crowds have gathered in the capital Tehran chanting "death to the dictator" and police have used water cannon to disperse protesters at a major intersection -- as captured in a video obtained by BBC Persian. --IANS pgh/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Finnish President Sauli Niinisto in his New Year's address has deplored the modest role of the European Union (EU) in the world decision making. He noted Finland supports the proposals of UN Secretary-General to reform the organisation. "Despite its shortcomings, the UN is an irreplaceable actor in promoting international peace and security," he said on Monday, Xinhua news agency reported. He also described as a gloomier note the blunt US criticism of this global organisation. Niinisto said Finland is active in supporting stability and dialogue in the Baltic Sea area, Arctic areas and also globally. "Finland's foreign and security policy situation is stable," he said, noting that Finland is committed to the implementation of the Paris Agreement and has just increased its international climate funding. Commenting on the world economy, the Finnish President said tigther monetary policy is inevitable in the world at some stage and it will lead to a more challenging situation. "The warning that abundant funding has been channelled into increased debts and asset values is well founded. Reasonable caution is now called for," he said. --IANS pgh/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Greek revelers ushered in the New Year with music concerts and firework shows with the main open air party held on Sunday night in the foot of Acropolis Hill in the heart of Athens. Thousands of people gathered in many central squares across the country to ring in 2018, singing along and dancing to the rhythm of music performed by renowned local artists, Xinhua news agency reported. Political leaders and citizens wished for peace and prosperity across the world and exit from the debt crisis for Greece which has suffered since late 2009. Under the timetable, the bailout program the country signed with international lenders in the summer of 2015, the third since 2010, will end this summer. "The past teaches us. The present makes us stronger. The future unites us in order to conquer what is rightfully ours," Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos said in his message for the New Year. "We have left the darkness behind... We are finally leaving behind the era of supervision, of tough measures and humiliation. And this is a very good reason to be optimistic that 2018 will be a good year for our country and our people," Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said in his message for the New Year. --IANS pgh/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Police have seized a stash of guns, including an AR-15, from a Houston hotel room, an US official said. The police were called on Sunday to the Hyatt Regency Houston to help deal with Russell Ziemba, 49, who in a drunken state allegedly got into a confrontation with an off-duty officer. A search of Ziemba's room led to the discovery of the semiautomatic weapon, a shotgun, a handgun and ammunition, the New York Post quoted the authorities as saying. Ziemba reportedly told the police he was at the hotel to celebrate New Year's Eve and had brought the weapons so they would not get stolen. The Houston Police said they did not believe he intended to use them unlawfully. Ziemba was charged with assaulting a peace officer and trespassing. The hotel's New Year's Eve bash is one of the largest in the city with about 2,000 people attending. At least 59 people were killed on October 1, 2017, when a gunman opened fire on an open-air music festival from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel and casino on the Las Vegas strip. It was one of the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history. --IANS in/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With the planned arrival of amphibious support ship USS Wasp (LHD-1) in the Pacific Ocean, the Wasp will replace USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) as the forward-deployed flagship of the amphibious forces in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations. Wasp is leading the Up-Gunned Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG), a beefed-up naval force comprising three amphibious support ships, 2,200 personnel strong Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) and some Fifth Generation F-35B stealth fighters. This ESG enhances the U.S. rapid response capabilities and power projection in the volatile region of the Western Pacific. Apart from the American 40500 ton LHD that has already been modified to operate the F-35B, both Japan and South Korea are interested in the new potential mating STOVL fighters with flat-deck helicopter carriers. Both countries already acquired the conventional take-off variant (F-35A), and consider operating the Short Take-Off / Vertical Landing (STOVL) B version from ships. On its current mission in the Pacific Ocean Wasp will perform its first operational mission with F-35B ship-based joint strike fighter capability. Wasp will operate in the Sea of Japan, in the region that includes North Korea and China. Wasp is transiting to Sasebo, Japan, to conduct a turnover with the USS Bonhomme Richard as the forward-deployed flagship of the amphibious forces in the Western Pacific. The Marine Corps Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA 121) that operates F-35B from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni in Japan since January will provide the aircraft deployed on the Wasp as she arrives in Japan. Wasp is the centerpiece of the ESG, which also includes the amphibious transport dock ship USS Green Bay and one of two forward-deployed amphibious dock landing ships, the Navy said. The 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) will also join the task group with more than 2,200 Marines aboard. The ESG and MEU are the premier crisis response U.S. force in the western Pacific, able to respond at a moments notice to any contingency. Our capabilities, paired with the F-35B Joint Strike Fighter, increases our Navys precision strike capabilities within the 7th Fleet region. Wasp commander Capt. Andrew Smith said. Last week it was announced that South Korea considers buying additional 26 F-35s, in addition to the 40 they already ordered. Six of those 26 are likely to be F-35B STOVL variants, that will be able to operable from the Marado the Korean Navy second Dokdo class assault ship currently under construction. This 14,000 ton vessel can be modified through the remaining construction phase, to operate F-35s as it is commissioned around 2020. Korea expects to begin deploying the first F-35As in 2018, and all 40 planes are slated for delivery by 2021 and open to receive the second batch of 20-26 starting in 2023. Japan is also evaluating the possibility to deploy F-35B on naval vessels, specifically, the 20,000 ton Izumo Class helicopter carriers Izumo (JS183) and Kaga (JS184). The size of the Japanese ships is 30 ft (nine meters) shorter than the wasp (814 vs 844 ft 257 vs 248 meters), This will practically transform Izumo into an aircraft carrier with limited offensive capability. This modification enables the Japanese naval forces to improve control of remote islands, employing the modified carrier as a floating island refueling and rearming jet fighters operating far from shore. For its size, Izumo will be able to operate up to 10 aircraft on board. Japan also has two smaller helicopter carriers JS Hyuga and Ise. Japan does not necessarily have to buy the STOVL F-35B to benefit from such refit, as the modified carrier will be able to improve interoperability with the United States Navy and Marine Corps. Like the USS Wasp, the converted Izumo will be able to support F-35B on forward deployment or as a floating refueling station The US Marine Corps is operating from bases in Okinawa. While these developments are aimed to provide Tokyo with some deterrence against North Korea, it should also be a concern for China, as sources in Beijing immediately commented criticizing the Japanese move. Following a defensive-oriented policy since the end of World War II, Japan does not pursue investments in strategic weapons such as long-range ballistic missiles, bombers, or aircraft carriers with attack capabilities. Following the North Korean aggression and proliferation of regional threats, Japan has bolstered its defense capabilities and is opening to expand military investments, and the Japanese government has already included funding for the introduction of long-range cruise missiles in its 2018 budget. By possessing an aircraft carrier, even though not a large one, Japan could expand the flight range of fighter jets heading to attack North Koreas territory, thus boosting the capability to strike an enemy base. Japan will review the National Defense Program Guidelines at the end of 2018, and whether to possess offensive capability will be a focal issue. Mumbai, Jan 1: Eight years after the Centre's direction to formulate a state action plan on climate change, and seven years after awarding the contract for a comprehensive vulnerability assessment study, the Maharashtra cabinet has finally adopted a plan on climate change. Titled 'Assessing Climate Change Vulnerability and Adaptation Strategies for Maharashtra: Maharashtra State Action Plan on Climate Change, and prepared by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), the action plan assesses vulnerability of the state to changing climate and outlines broad and ambitious strategies for building a climate-resilient future. The action plan, built on high resolution modelling for which TERI entered into a partnership with the UK Met Office, projects changes in temperature and rainfall across the state at a resolution of about 25 km by 25 km for time periods 2030s, 2050s and 2070s -- with the average climate during 1970-2000 as the model's baseline. An important component of the action plan is the Macro Level Vulnerability Index based on 19 indicators, which has identified the most vulnerable districts in Maharashtra: Nandurbar is the most climate change-vulnerable district, followed by Dhule and Buldhana. Satara is regarded as the least vulnerable district. Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg are also considered less vulnerable to changes in the climate. The state government has announced setting up a panel of experts to oversee the implementation of the report. But, meteorologists and experts aren't satisfied with the action plan. "The state has taken considerable time to come up with its adaptation plan on climate change. But the plan misses out on some crucial weather events, such as thunderstorm and lightning, that are linked to climatic changes. Air pollution, an important factor, is also missing from the plan," said Akshay Deoras, Nagpur-based meteorologist. Ashok Jaswal, former scientist with the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Pune, stresses that an effective state action plan should include all direct and indirect climatic parameters. "Air pollutants are aerosols and have their own different properties. Some are salt-based, whereas others are carbon-based, or dust, or smoke. Some reflect solar radiation, whereas others trap heat," he said. "These aerosols influence cloud formation, rainfall and the overall climate, and must be a part of the state action plan on climate change." Broadly speaking, the plan discusses the impact of climate change on six sectors -- agriculture, water resources, health, forests and biodiversity, livelihoods, and energy and infrastructure. It also makes projections for rainfall and temperature in the state; and assesses the future sea level rise. A section in the plan is dedicated to extreme rainfall, flooding and adaptation in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. The document shows that temperature and rainfall are projected to increase all over the state with some regional variations. Amravati division (Vidarbha region) and Aurangabad division (Marathwada region) are going to experience greater rise in annual mean temperatures than other parts of the state. The projected increase in annual mean temperature for Amravati is expected to be 1.44-1.64 degree C, 2.2-2.35 degree C, and 3.06-3.46 degree C in 2030s, 2050s and 2070s, respectively. For the same time periods, the projected annual mean temperature increase for Aurangabad division is 1.44-1.56 degree C, 2.15-2.3 degree C, and 3.14-3.38 degree C, respectively. An increase in temperature is likely to lead to a decrease in yields for some crops, such as rice, sorghum and cotton. Minimum temperature is also projected to increase, particularly in the divisions of Konkan, Pune and Nashik, which could have an adverse impact on crops sensitive to high night temperatures in the reproductive phase, such as grain growth in rice or tuberisation in potatoes, warns the state action plan. The action plan notes that an increase in temperature will be conducive to malaria-transmitting mosquitoes in eastern and coastal (Thane and Raigad regions) Maharashtra in 2030s. By the 2050s, a faster rate of parasite development will take place in Aurangabad, Jalna and Nashik districts. Since a warmer atmosphere has a higher capacity to hold water vapour, it will lead to intense rainfall events with longer dry or low rainfall spells in between. Extreme rainfall is projected to increase in all regions of the state with greater increases in the northern parts of the state. Meanwhile, parts of south-central Maharashtra are projected to experience more dry days in the 2030s as compared to the baseline. These districts of Marathwada are already prone to recurring droughts and infamous for farmers' suicides. "The findings... clearly describe the adverse impacts of climate change on all regions of the state. The report shows the worrying trend of an increase in extreme weather events and heavy precipitation days," said Parineeta Dandekar, associate co-ordinator of the South Asian Network on Dams, Rivers and People. "Increased rainfall will lead to heavy flooding, which will have a direct bearing on the state's water infrastructure. But, the action plan fails to elaborate upon ways to manage the water infrastructure in times of climate change." Lightning is listed as a state-specific disaster in Maharashtra, but the state action plan makes no mention of lightning, which is linked to climatic changes. "Rising temperature means more evaporation and high moisture content in the atmosphere, which leads to more thunderstorm activity and an increased incidence of lightning," explained Jaswal. A recent study, 'Distribution of Lightning Casualities over Maharashtra', has examined lightning deaths in the state between 1979 and 2011 and found 2,363 casualties from 455 lighting events. On an average 72 casualties per year have been reported with significant increasing trend. "It is shocking that in spite of so many lives being lost each year due to lightning, the state action plan does not even mention the terms thunderstorm and lightning. Unless the plan acknowledges these weather events, how will the state government manage such disasters?" questioned Deoras. The action plan does take note of the adverse impacts of hailstorm on horticulture crops in the state. For instance, it notes that hailstorms destroyed the grape crop in 2008-09. In 2010, almost 15 percent of the orange crop was destroyed due to rising heat and untimely hailstorm. But it fails to provide pointed information on ways to minimise impact on crops. The action plan also makes no mention of air pollution. "Not including air pollution in the state climate action plan is a major drawback and the same must be rectified at the earliest," said Jaswal. Dandekar stresses on the need for translating action points into swift action. "The recommendations should not remain on paper, but must be included in the various state policies for immediate implementation," she said. Deoras recommends setting up of a committee to reframe the action plan, by including the above-mentioned points, and then working towards the plan's implementation by providing specific directions. (In arrangement with indiaclimatedialogue.net. Views expressed are those of the website. Feedback at information@indiaclimatedialogue.net) --IANS icd/sac (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ousted Pakistan Prime Mminister Nawaz Sharifs daughter, Maryam Nawaz, has rubbished rumours of her fathers self-exile, describing it as a "self-created lie". In a tweet on Sunday, Maryam stated that exile will be the fate of military dictators and non-democratic characters, not of representatives elected by the people. A spokesperson of Nawaz Sharif also called news report published in national and international press as "speculative" that Sharif was negotiating a deal with Saudi Arabia to avoid facing an accountability court back home. The spokesperson said Sharif was visiting Saudi Arabia due to his long-standing relations with the royal family and in his capacity as the head of the ruling party, a press release issued on Sunday said. "He has always utilised these relations for national interest and never for his personal benefits," it said. The spokesperson expressed disappointment and surprise that the story was published "in violation of established norms and ethics" without taking the version of all concerned. He advised media organisations to approach him before filing a story. --IANS ahm/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Superstar Rajinikanth, who made waves on Sunday by plunging into electoral politics, on Monday launched a website and an app inviting people to sign up in his campaign to bring about a political change in Tamil Nadu. Even as established political parties by and large appeared to play the wait-and-watch game, Rajinikanth uploaded a one-minute video extending New Year greetings and thanking all those who supported his entry into "I have created a web page -- www.rajinimanram.org -- where members of my registered fans associations and unregistered associations and people who want a good change in Tamil Nadu's can register with their names and voter ID to coordinate ourselves. "Let us bring a good change in Tamil Nadu. Hail Tamil people and Tamil Nadu," he said in the video, which had a logo made famous by him in his super-hit film "Baba" with words "Truth, Labour, Elevation". Accusing political parties of "looting" the people, Rajinikanth on Sunday said he would float a new party to pursue "spiritual politics" and vowed to contest the next Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. After years of uncertainty, the 68-year-old bus conductor-turned-heartthrob of Tamil cinema told cheering supporters here that his decision was a "compulsion of time". Alleging that in the country had gone "very wrong", Rajinikanth said: "Under the guise of democracy, political parties are looting their own people." Such a system, he added, needed to be changed. Meanwhile, former AIADMK MP K.C. Palaniswamy claimed that his party was not perturbed by Rajini's announcement. Ever since 1996, the AIADMK has been working on a strategy of 'anti-DMK+Congress+Rajinikant factor' and the actor's Sunday announcement that he would float a party was not worrying, he said. "There is a widespread perception that Rajinikanth is taking a political plunge at the insistence of BJP. His announcement that he would practice 'spiritual politics' will cost his proposed party the minority votes," AIADMK spokesperson Palaniswamy told IANS. In 1996 Rajinikanth declared that if J. Jayalalithaa was voted back to power, even God would not be able to save Tamil Nadu. That statement was said to have played a major role in the victory of the DMK-TMC combine then. However, in 2004, Rajinikanth said his vote was for the BJP which had aligned with AIADMK for the Lok Sabha polls. At that time, he was very upset at the PMK party that opposed him for his smoking and drinking scenes in the movie "Baba". The PMK was then aligned with the DMK. "The actor is facing an uphill task. Firstly, he has to build the grassroot infrastructure. His age (67) as well as the age of his fans, who are around 50, are against him," Palaniswamy added. According to him, Rajinikanth's foray would affect only the Congress, DMK and the sidelined party leader T.T.V. Dinakaran. While MDMK chief Vaiko declined to comment on Rajini's decision, Tamil Nadu Fisheries Minister D. Jayakumar on Monday said that only Rajinikanth should explain what he meant by "spiritual politics". MDMK leader Vaiko refused to comment on Rajinikanth's decision, noting that everyone had a right to join politics. The hugely popular actor said his party would not contest the upcoming local body elections but would field candidates in all the 234 Assembly seats in 2021. In a clear attack on the ruling AIADMK, Rajinikanth said the happenings in Tamil Nadu in the past one year -- since Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa died in December 2016, leading to splits in the party -- had made the state a laughing stock. Political analyst Jhon Arokiasamy said people saw AIADMK's sidelined leader T.T.V. Dinakaran as a true leader for taking on the BJP that is in power nationally. "Rajinikanth may say he will practice politics that will not be based on caste or religion. But the political fabric at the ground level is that of caste," he told IANS. According to Arokiasamy, at the most Rajinikanth may target Dalit votes if one goes by the theme of his last movie "Kabali". He said DMDK founder Vijayakant took several years to condition and convert his fan clubs into a political organisation. On Sunday, the actor himself admitted that in a state with a plethora of political parties, it would be no easy task to float a new one. "It is like taking a pearl from the deep sea." According to Arokiasamy, the possibility of Rajinikanth's party merging with the BJP in the future cannot be ruled out. --IANS vj-dc-vsc/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Goa-based NGO on Monday demanded that Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar withdraw his letter to Karnataka BJP leader B.S. Yeddyurappa promising to consider the southern state's demand for drinking water from the Mhadei river on "humanitarian grounds". "The Chief Minister should withdraw the letter written to Yeddyurappa immediately. The act of Parrikar is extremely suspicious and against the interests of Goa vis-a-vis the Mhadei dispute," S.N. Joshi, Convenor of NGO Ami Goykar, which serves as an umbrella for various green groups that have been vocal about the Goa Chief Minister's controversial letter to Yeddyurappa told reporters here. Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra are currently battling a dispute over the controversial Kalsa-Bhandura dam project across the Mhadei river at a central tribunal. Mhadei also, known as the Mandovi river, is known as a lifeline in the northern parts of the state. It originates in Karnataka and meets the Arabian Sea in Panaji in Goa, while briefly flowing through the territory of Maharashtra. While the river runs 28.8 km in Karnataka, it flows 81.2 km in Goa. The southern state has demanded that Goa should allow the transfer of over seven TMC water to tide over its irrigation and drinking water needs. The matter is being heard by the Mhadei Tribunal appointed by the central government. The Goa government has been opposing the Karnataka's demand for over two decades. But last month, Parrikar in a letter to Yeddyurappa, a key figure for the BJP vis-a-vis the upcoming Karnataka polls, had offered to consider the state's demand for "drinking water" on "humanitarian grounds". Parrikar's letter has evoked criticism from the Opposition as well as civil society groups in Goa. --IANS maya/nir/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has bashed his US counterpart Donald Trump for "sympathising" with anti-government protesters even as Tehran curbed the social media amid intensifying demonstrations over corruption. In his first public comments since the wave of anti-government protests began on Thursday, The Irnanian leader said people were free to criticise the government but their protests should not lead to violence, the state-run IRNA reported. The authorties in Iran have now blocked access to Instagram and the popular Telegram messaging app used by activists to organise and publicise the protests. President Trump has regularly been tweeting his support for protesters in Iran, most recently saying: "The people are finally getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism." Trump tweeted on Sunday that it looks like the Iranians "will not take it any longer". But Rouhani hit back saying: "This man in America who is sympathising with our people has forgotten that he called the Iranian nation terrorists a few months ago. This man who is against the Iranian nation to his core has no right to sympathise with Iranians. President Rouhani's comments came as a security deputy for Tehran's governor said that 200 people had been arrested after protests on Saturday night including 40 "leaders". A fourth day of demonstrations saw crowds take to the streets to light fires on the streets and shout "death to the dictator" with water cannon used on a crowd in Tehran. The Iranian President said: "People are absolutely free to criticise the government and protest but their protests should be in such a way as to improve the situation in the country and their life. "Criticism is different from violence and damaging public properties. Resolving the problems is not easy and would take time. The government and people should help each other to resolve the issues." The demonstrations were fanned in part by messages sent on the Telegram messaging app, which authorities blocked Sunday along with the photo-sharing app Instagram, which is owned by tech giant Facebook. Telegram in particular is very popular in Iran, with more than 50 per cent of the country's 80 million population said to be active on the app. Iran state TV website reported the decision citing an anonymous source who said it was "in line with maintaining peace and security of the citizens." Also weighing in on the unfolding crisis was Nikki Haley, America's envoy at the UN, who said the country is "being tested by its own citizens". "We pray that freedom and human rights will carry the day," she said in a statement. Haley's comments echoed those of US President Donald Trump, who earlier on Sunday said the US was watching closely for human rights violations. "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," Trump tweeted. Iran has promised to use an "iron fist" to crush dissent, raising fears of widespread bloodshed after two activists were shot dead in the city of Dorud overnight. The government has confirmed the deaths, but said the men were killed by "foreign agents" and not the security forces. --IANS ahm/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Afghan Taliban has pressed the world community to ask the US and its Western allies to leave Afghanistan instead of asking the group to stop its armed struggle. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid's comment came amid the latest call for peace talks by the Foreign Ministers of Afghanistan, China and Pakistan at a trilateral dialogue in Beijing on December 26. In a joint statement, the three sides had called on the Afghan Taliban to join the peace process "at an early date", while reaffirming that a broad-based and inclusive peace and reconciliation process, which, they said, was "Afghan-led, Afghan-owned", and fully supported regionally and internationally. The Taliban seemed unconvinced with the trilateral meeting's demand and instead advised the international community to press the US and NATO to "end the invasion as it is the only solution to the conflict in Afghanistan," Daily Times reported. "The world community should put pressure on the US to quit our country and end its brutality. War has been imposed on us. The US wants to continue the war," the Taliban spokesman said. "Reconciliation could start when foreign troops leave Afghanistan. The presence of the US military is a threat to the whole region," he said, in reply to a question posted on his WhatsApp account. The remarks are an indication that the Taliban have not shown any flexibility for talks with the Afghan government, which they consider as powerless. However, the Taliban insist they are ready for talks with the US to discuss with them "timing" for the withdrawal of the foreign troops. "There is no change in the Taliban stance about the talks with the Kabul administration as any such act will be considered a deviation from the set principles of Mullah Omar and Mullah Akhtar Mansour (former Taliban chiefs)," a Taliban leader argues. He requested not to be identified by name as no Taliban leader is authorised to speak to the media and only the spokesman can make comments. US forces have increased airstrikes against the Taliban positions after President Donald Trump unveiled his strategy for South Asia and Afghanistan in August that mainly focuses on war and little on political option. Trump's policy --IANS ahm/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Three prisoners escaped from the high-security Mathura jail in Uttar Pradesh early on Monday, police said. Security has been beefed up. One of the accomplices got injured as he fell down trying to scale the boundary wall, a police officer said. The prison inmates, who escaped around 2 a.m. on New Year day were housed in the 'youth barracks', an official told IANS. They have been identified as Shera, Sanjay and Baldev. Rahul fell down and was injured. Prison authorities were interrogating him to ascertain the plans and whereabouts of the three fugitives. The fugitives were housed in a barrack that had a tin shed. Senior police officers were on the job to track them at the earliest. --IANS md/in/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a New Year Day tragedy, three contract workers of the BMC were killed when the front portion of a massive crane crashed on them in Powai area here on Monday evening, officials said. According to the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) Disaster Control, the incident occurred around 6.00 p.m. when the labourers were digging a pit for a sewerage line near the IIT-Bombay main gate. "The front portion of the crane, or bucket, broke and fell on the labourers working there for the sewage lines. While three succumbed instantly, two other injured labourers have been admitted to the Rajawadi Hospital," said the official. --IANS qn/nir/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump has said it is time for change in Iran following anti-government protests that have left at least 12 people dead. "Iran is failing at every level despite the terrible deal made with them by the Obama Administration," Trump said on Monday in a tweet, The Hill reported. "The great Iranian people have been repressed for many years. They are hungry for food & for freedom. Along with human rights, the wealth of Iran is being looted," he added. "TIME FOR CHANGE!" Lawmakers and former government officials have praised Trump for his approach to the protests in Iran. The President has tweeted several times about the protests in recent days. "The people are finally getting wise as to how their money and wealth is being stolen and squandered on terrorism," Trump said on Sunday. "Looks like they will not take it any longer. The USA is watching very closely for human rights violations!" Iran's government, however, had slammed Trump on Saturday for tweeting his support for Iranian protesters, calling a tweet in support of protesters "deceitful". The protests were initially focused last week on high food prices, corruption and the cost of Iran's participation in the Syrian and Yemeni wars. However, slogans have become more specifically anti-clerical as the demonstrations have progressed, calling for an end to theocratic rule. Amid growing demand for its current S-400 system, Almaz Antey continues development of a successor to the Triumf. Known as Prometheus, the S-500 is a more advanced air and missile defense system originally scheduled for deployment by the Russian air defense forces by the end of the decade. A navalized version could follow in 3-5 years. According to Russian officials, testing of the new interceptors is said to be on schedule for fielding by 2020, three years later than the original schedule. The new system employs two new interceptors 77N6-N and 77N6-N1, both are designed to perform at hypersonic speed (above 5,000 meters/second), using Hit-To-Kill (HTK) effect. In their HTK capacity, the new Russian air defense system will be similar to the latest U.S. interceptors, such as THAAD and Patriot PAC-3, but the speed and range of the Russian system are expected to exceed the performance of the American systems. The interceptors of the current S-400 system that excels in medium and long-range performance uses proximity fusing. The S-500 system is reported to be able to cover a radius of to 600km defending against ballistic missiles that are launched from a range of up to 3,500 km. It will be able to engage aircraft, at a range up to 400km. Other new elements in the S-500 system are four types of radars a battle management radar (91N6AM) and 96L6-TsP acquisition radar, 76T6 multimode engagement radar and anti-ballistic engagement radar 77T6. According to Russian sources, the S-500 has an operational radius of 600 kilometers, and the capability to simultaneously engage 10 targets, including aircraft, ballistic missiles, and even high speed hypersonic aerial targets. The S-500 system employs specialized transporter/erector/launcher (TEL) vehicles that will enter developmental engineering this year (2018). The vehicle is based on a BAZ-69096 1010 truck. The Almaz Antey Corporation began development of the new SAM system in 2011 and is currently proceeding with developmental testing. The new missile will be able to operate as part of Integrated Air Defense Systems (IADS), along with existing assets such as the S-400, S300, S-350, Buk-2M and short-range SA-11 or SA-15 units. The S-500 is positioned to become the successor of the S-400 Triumf currently deployed throughout Russia and offered for export. Comparable to the Terminal High Altitude Air Defense (THAAD) system (the Russians claimed it will be superior), S-500 is superior to the S-400in intercepting air-breathing targets (aircraft and cruise missiles) at longer ranges, and ballistic missiles flying at higher velocities. With a response time of three seconds, S-500 is three-times faster to respond to new threats, over the S-400. Since it will be able to intercept targets at altitudes of 200 km above the earth atmosphere, S-500 is also considered to become an anti-satellite weapon. S-400, also known under the designation S-300 PMU-3 is currently the heaviest air defense asset in the Russian air defense array. 19 systems are currently deployed throughout Russia, with an undisclosed number of S-400 units being exported to China, and Algeria. The sale of such system to Turkey has been confirmed. Russia also negotiates the sale of S-400 with India, and Saudi Arabia, with no results yet. The S-400 comprises four types interceptors, covering different segments of the airspace protected by the unit. The system can operate four 40N6 interceptors able to hit large targets at ranges of up to 400 km (namely strategic platforms such as airborne warning and control AWACS, Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) or aerial tankers). Alternatively, four 48N6 interceptors can be stored in the same canisters, providing long-range intercept capability at a range of up to 250 km. Two types of shorter-range interceptors can be used, four of these smaller interceptors are stored in each canister that carries the larger missiles. These smaller interceptors are designated 9M96E2 and 9M96E, they cover the medium (120 km) and Short (40km) range. Those shorter-range missiles are also employed in smaller, individual canisters in tactical air defense systems, such as the S-350 Vityaz. The Trinamool Congress on Monday celebrated its Foundation Day as the party turned 20. Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee congratulated the grassroot workers for their efforts in serving the people of the state. "On January 1, 1998 @AITCofficial was formed. My best wishes to all 'grassroots' workers of the party who work tirelessly for the people. Many thanks to every citizen for your blessings & support. Greetings to Maa, Mati, Manush," Banerjee tweeted. Subrata Bakshi, TMC General Secretary, added that the party would continue their fight against the divisive of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He said that nobody could suppress the voice of CM Banerjee against the divisive policies of the BJP and that the people of this state and the country would fight against the communal party. Instructions were issued last week to conduct various programmes on Monday across the state to mark the 20th Foundation Day of TMC. Flag-hoisting programmes and street-corner meetings were held by several district leaders underlining their achievements in the last six-and-a-half years. The party was founded by Banerjee on January 1, 1998. --IANS dm/nir/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Donald Trump began the New Year on Monday with a stinging attack on long-standing ally Pakistan, saying it will get no more US aid as it was giving "safe haven to terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan". "The US 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," Trump tweeted in his strongest denunciation of Islamabad. "They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!" he added. The Pakistan government vowed to respond soon. "We will respond to Trump's tweet shortly Insha Allah... Will let the world know the truth... Difference between facts and fiction," tweeted Foreign Minister Khwaja M. Asif. Trump's announcement follows an increasingly tense back-and-forth between Washington and Islamabad after the US President unveiled his administration's National Security Strategy. He had then reminded Pakistan about its obligation towards helping the US because it got "massive payments" from Washington every year. "We have made it clear to Pakistan that while we desire continued partnership, we must see decisive action against terrorist groups operating on their territory," Trump had said. "They have to help." Pakistan is also accused by Afghanistan and India of harbouring terrorists ranged against the two countries. Islamabad routinely denies such charges. --IANS soni/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The government on Monday announced the appointment of Vijay Keshav Gokhale, former ambassador in Beijing, as the new Foreign Secretary to replace S. Jaishankar who retires on January 28. The appointment of Gokhale, currently Secretary (Economic Relations), was cleared by the Appoinments Committee of the Cabinet, an official statement said. Gokhale is a 1981 batch officer of the Indian Foreign Service and has served Indian embassies in Germany and Malaysia. He will take over from Jaishankar who was appointed Foreign Secretary on January 29, 2015, for two years and given a one-year extension in January last year. Users in India and other parts of the world went into a frenzy after WhatsApp went down puncturing their plans to wish their friends a "prosperous 2018" at the stroke of midnight. It was restored in two hours. At midnight, a large spike was seen in the number of reports that the messaging service was suffering outages in India, Japan, Britain, Barbados, Panama, South Africa, Spain and Qatar, The Mirror reported. According to downdetector.co.uk, it received 2,012 reports that WhatsApp was not working at its peak. Thousands of people took to Twitter and other social media platforms to express anger, as well as connect with their dear ones, while the Facebook-owned instant messenger remained dormant for almost two hours on Sunday. Several people used social media to vent their frustrations using the #whatsappdown. One Twitter user wrote: "Nothing could've been better than whatsapp servers crashing on new year's eve #whatsappdown #WhatsApp" Another said: "Open Whatsapp. Send message. Nothing. Airplane mode on. Airplane mode off. Nothing. Open twitter. See whatsappDown. Find relief that it's not just me. #HappyNewYear2018." The app appeared to display a permanent loading wheel with messages failing to deliver. Whatsapp later apologised. "WhatsApp users around the world experienced a brief outage today that has now been resolved. We apologise for the inconvenience," a spokeswoman for the messaging service was quoted as saying. Meanwhile, some smartphones could have experienced this problem due to WhatsApp cutting support for some operating systems. Last week, the company confirmed that the mobile messaging app will stop working on a number of platforms from December 31. The messaging app dropped the support for 'BlackBerry OS', 'BlackBerry 10', 'Windows Phone 8.0' and older platforms, from December 31. "We will no longer actively develop for these platforms, some features may stop functioning at any time," WhatsApp had said at that time. --IANS sku/in/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress on Monday said that while it welcomes the first 'Draft List of National Register of Citizens (NRC) for Assam issued on Sunday night, its workers will ensure that the entire exercise is carried out with "complete integrity, transparency and accountability". "The first step in this Herculean task has been possible owing to the commitment of people of the state to Assam to the Assam Peace Accord. We reiterate that Congress party remains committed to every pledge made in the Accord," Congress Spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said. The Registrar General of India on Sunday night issued the first Draft List containing 1.9 crore names in accordance with the Supreme Court directions to publish the first draft on or before December 31, 2017. As many as 68.27 lakh families comprising of 3.29 crore applicants had submitted 6.5 crore documents in support of their citizenship claims. "This is the follow-up action of the historical 1985 Assam Peace Accord signed by the Rajiv Gandhi government with AASU and Assam Gana Sangram Parishad, which led to the end of one of the most violent movements in Assam and culminated in strengthening of democratic process. This process of identification and inclusion has been carried on since then," Surjewala said. As per the Assam Accord, the government needed to identify and deport illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and provide constitutional safeguards to indigenous communities of the state. "Congress Party will also ensure that the entire process of verification of citizens is carried out with complete integrity, transparency and accountability. "We assure the people of Assam that Congress leaders and workers will leave no stone unturned to ensure that not a single claim of any citizen is left unaddressed and not a single family or a section of people suffers on account of lack of appropriate verification of their documents or claim. We will handhold and provide all the necessary support in this regard," the Congress leader said. Surjewala said the initiative to prepare the Citizen Register was taken forward after a tripartite consensus in 2005, between the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, then Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, and the representatives of All Assam Students Union (AASU). "The exercise, that so begun in right earnestness, has been monitored by the Supreme Court of India since December 2013 and the first draft has consequently been published yesterday (Sunday)," he added. --IANS mak/rn (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two contrasting assembly poll wins stood out in the BJP's forward march that continued in 2017 - one was its astonishing scale of victory in Uttar Pradesh and another its surprisingly tough return to power in its bastion of Gujarat. If the BJP's huge win in the politically important Uttar Pradesh prompted many, including a key Opposition politician, to believe that its return to power in the Centre in 2019 was all but certain, the Gujarat result gave the Opposition hope as some fault lines emerged in an otherwise dominant saffron narrative. As the year came to an end, what is, however, clear that it will go down as a high watermark for the party. It was its most successful year after Narendra Modi led it to power in the Centre in 2014 and its president Amit Shah went on to assert that its win in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur polls was even bigger than its victory in the last Lok Sabha polls. Modi noted at a party meeting that the BJP with its allies were today ruling more states- 19 in total- than Indira Gandhi did at the height of her powers. In Uttar Pradesh, the BJP reached close to the vote share of more than 40 per cent it had garnered in the last Lok Sabha polls, indicating that Modi's charisma was more or less intact and its political project of Hindu consolidation while weakening caste alliances was working. Its massive win in Uttar Pradesh and also in Uttarakhand, where the Congress tally fell to 11 from 32 while the BJP won 57 seats against 31 earlier, left the Opposition party dispirited and it was telling that it failed to form governments in Goa and Manipur, two states which threw a hung mandate with the Congress in lead. Elections to five states, Punjab being the fifth one, spread across February and March, were held against the backdrop of the Modi government's demonetisation decision in November 2016 and were seen as a first popular referendum on the exercise. Hoping for a backlash, the Opposition went to town with stories of problems and hardships caused to the masses but was in for a shock when the results came. The BJP's scale of victory in Uttar Pradesh, where it won 325 seats in the 403-member assembly, was such that Conference leader Omar Abdullah advised the Opposition to forget 2019 and prepare for 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The SAD-BJP alliance was routed in Punjab by the Amarinder Singh-led Congress but it hardly mattered in the political discourse triggered by the saffron tsunami in Uttar Pradesh, which sends 80 members to the Lok Sabha that had 543 elected members. If the BJP got better of its rivals in electoral field, it outwitted them off it as well. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, a staunch critic of Modi and seen as an Opposition leader around which 'secular' parties could rally, changed camps overnight, dumping the RJD and the Congress for the BJP over issues of corruption involving RJD chief Lalu Prasad and his family members. As far as symbolism goes, Kumar's embrace of Modi, with whom he once refused to share a stage, stood out for its projection of the BJP's strength. Its dominance was also underlined by its success in electing a first party man as president with Ram Nath Kovind trouncing his rival Meira Kumar by getting over 65 per cent of votes. That he is a Dalit only gave the BJP another talking point to woo downtrodden communities. However, if the year started and continued like a dream for the BJP, it did not really end the way its leaders would have envisaged. The Congress, which appeared to be one-legged in Gujarat after its senior leaders including Shankersinh Vaghela deserted it months before the assembly polls, ran a spirited campaign under Rahul Gandhi, giving BJP the jitters in the home state of Modi and Shah. The BJP returned to power for a sixth consecutive term but with its lowest tally of all these six polls. Against 99 seats of the BJP, the Congress won 77, its highest after 1985 polls. Shah took heart from his party's share of close to 50 per cent but there was little doubt that distress in a section of farmers and disaffection among numerically strong Patidars had set it back. Many believed that it was largely Modi's standing in his state and the formidable saffron organisation that spared the party blushes in its bastion state where the Congress machinery was seen comatose. Opposition parties believe that they have at last got hold of issues around which they can build a campaign against the BJP. With another round of elections only months away, the new year will tell if 2017 gave the opposition false hopes or it finally manages to show signs of putting up a real fight in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Among big states, the Congress-ruled Karnataka will go to the polls in the first half of this year followed by assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh- all ruled by the BJP- by the year end. A total of 1,752 drunken revellers were penalised by Delhi Police on New Year, double from 2017, with the majority of the offenders being youngsters, officials said today. A total of 16,720 challans were issued for various traffic violations on the New Year's eve and after midnight, Special Commissioner of Police, Traffic, Dependra Pathak told the press. In 2016, the number of revellers caught for drunken driving was 889 out of the 13,260 challans issued for various traffic violations. Thousands of Delhi Police personnel, including those of Traffic Police, were yesterday deployed at 433 points across the city. At 125 spots, teams with alcometers were deployed, he said. "A total 745 persons were booked for drunken driving before 12 in the night. Another 1,007 were booked after that, totalling the number to 1,753. Majority of the offenders were youngsters in their early twenties and thirties," the officer said. The Traffic Police had adopted "zero tolerance" policy towards drunken driving that often leads to the surge in the number of offenders caught during new year celebrations. Most of the violators were caught at party hubs in the city including Connaught Place, Khan Market, Hauz Khas, Cross River Mall. Also, 193 challans were issued for over-speeding, 507 for dangerous driving, while a whopping 3,665 people were penalised for riding two-wheelers without helmet, even as 1,125 flouted one-way rule on certain city roads, officials said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 12-year-old deaf-mute Pakistani boy, who had strayed into the Indian territory about seven months ago, was repatriated today, according to the Pakistani embassy in New Delhi and a senior Indian official. Hasnain was kept in an observation home in Punjab's Faridkot district after he had inadvertently crossed over to the Indian side of the border in May 2017. A Rs 20 Pakistani currency note was recovered from him. He was repatriated through the Attari-Wagah Border. The Pakistan High Commission said in a statement that the boy was handed over in presence of its officials. Faridkot's Deputy Commissioner Rajeev Prashar told PTI over phone earlier in the day that the boy was handed over to Pakistani authorities at the Joint Check Post at the border. "The boy was lodged in a juvenile-cum-observation home in Faridkot. We received a communication from the Ministry of External Affairs after which he was sent under a police escort from Faridkot to Attari," Prashar said. The Pakistan High Commission said it got consular access to Hasnain on November 21. "During the consular access, the child communicated in sign language that he is from Pakistan. He recognised Pakistani currency and picture of Quiad-e-Azam immediately. He drew the Pakistani flag on his house. He was able to write a few words in Urdu," the statement said. Recently, a competent court had ordered his release, Deputy Commissioner Prashar said, adding his repatriation process was speeded up after he was identified recently. The high commission statement said it remained in "constant contact with the relevant Indian and Pakistani authorities for the completion of all procedural and logistical requirements for the earliest repatriation of Hasnain and his reunion with the family. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As many as 150 persons were arrested for drinking on New Year's eve here, police said. Prohibition is in force in Gujarat since the state's inception in 1960. Police registered 112 cases involving 150 persons under the Gujarat Prohibition Act for being inebriated in various parts of the city last night. "Thanks to intensive patrolling in every nook and corner of the city, 150 drunk persons were arrested on the night of December 31. All have been booked under the Prohibition Act," said Deputy Superintendent of Police M K Rana. Police also raided a liquor warehouse in Nikol area and seized 722 bottles of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) worth around Rs 4 lakh, he said. Fifty-nine bootleggers were arrested under the Gujarat Prevention of Anti-Social Activities Act during the last week of December, said Rana. Some 40 police stations in the city had deployed one patrolling vehicle each to catch those who consume liquor on New Year's eve. Each vehicle carried a poster which described it as 'special vehicle to catch drunk persons'. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Nineteen cases of theft of antiquities have been reported from the Centrally Protected Monuments of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in the past three years, the government said today. According to the information uploaded on the Lok Sabha website, the artifacts retrieved were originally from Karnataka, Gujarat, Bihar, Orissa, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and a few other states. In most cases an FIR was filed, while in some other the artifacts were recovered. "Whenever any illegally exported objects or antiquities of Indian origin surfaces in foreign countries, efforts are made through the Indian mission abroad for retrieval of such antiquities," Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma said, according to his reply to a question in the Lok Sabha and uploaded on the website. Twenty seven antiquities were retrieved from foreign countries in the past three years. Of them, 18 returned from the US during 2016 and 2017, according to the ministry. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The first draft of the much awaited National Register of Citizens (NRC) for Assam has listed 19 million people out of the 32.9 million applicants as legal Indian citizens in a massive exercise aimed at identifying illegal immigrants in the state that borders Bangladesh. People flocked to seva kendras across Assam in large numbers since morning today to check whether they figured in the list containing the names of those who were recognised as citizens of India in the Supreme Court-monitored exercise, hours after the document was released at midnight. A top official said there is no need for anyone to panic and that other names are in various stages of verification. "There is no need for anyone to panic. Other names are in various stages of verification and as soon as the verification is done, we will come out with another draft ... Substantial progress has been made, but still lots of work need to be done," Registrar General of India Sailesh said, releasing the first draft of 19 million names out of the total 32.9 applicants. "This(NRC) is unprecedented. There is no example in this country. I doubt if there is any other country in the world having such a complex methodology to determine the citizenship of the people," the RGI told newsmen. Security was tightened across the state to ensure law and order. Asked about the possible timeframe for the next draft, he said the NRC Authority will present its case before the Supreme Court, under whose monitoring the document is being prepared, at the next hearing in April and the date would be decided accordingly. "We are working with an intention to publish an error free draft. What time and when we will publish the next draft will be as per the Supreme Court guidance... We will be able to complete the entire process this year," Sailesh said. The RGI said the ground work for the mammoth exercise began in December 2013 and so far 40 hearings have taken place in the Supreme Court during the last three years. NRC State Coordinator Prateek Hajela said the application process began in May 2015 and a total of 6.5 crore documents were received from 68.27 lakh families across Assam. "The process to verify the names is tedious. So there is a possibility that some names within a single family may not be there in the first draft. There is no need to panic as rest of the documents are under verification," he added. People, carrying documents to prove their citizenship, thronged the seva kendras and stood patiently in long queues as soon as they opened at 8 AM to check if their names were included in the draft. Many families claimed that names of only some of their members were found in the first draft, while others said none featured in the list. The servers of the official websites for checking names in the NRC draft were jammed as thousands of people attempted to see their names in the first draft, NRC sources said. The Office of the State Coordinator of National Register of Citizens, Assam, has provided five alternatives to check for the names included in the draft. The first way is to check the printed version of the list at the NRC Seva Kendras between 10am to 4 pm till January 31 on all working days. The second way is to check online at www.nrcassam.nic.in, www.assam.mygov.in, www.assam.gov.in and www.homeandpolitical.assam.gov.in. The third way is through automatic receipt of SMS by preregistering applicant's mobile number by sending an SMS to 9765556555 or 9108464438 and 9108464450. The fourth way is sending demand SMS to the same phone numbers by typing ARN space and the 21 digit application receipt number (ARN). One could also call at the 24X7 tollfree helpline number 15107 from Assam and 18003453762 from outside Assam. The NRC was last updated in Assam way back in 1951. Then, it had recorded 80 lakh citizens in the State. Since then, the process of identification of illegal immigrants in Assam has been debated and become a contentious issue in the states politics. The exercise got a major push after the BJP came to power in May 2016 with "illegal immigration from Bangladesh" as a poll plank. India and Bangladesh share 4,096-km-long border, of which 262 km falls in Assam. A six-year agitation demanding identification and deportation of illegal immigrants was launched by the All Assam Students Union (AASU) in 1979. It culminated with the signing of the Assam Accord on August 15, 1985 in the presence of the then prime minister Rajiv Gandhi. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The first session of the newly- elected Himachal Pradesh Assembly would commence on January 9 at Tapovan Complex in Dharamsala. A notification to this effect was issued by Governor Acharya Devvrat here today. The session, concluding on January 12, would have four sittings. Election of Speaker and Deputy Speaker would also be held during the brief session. The previous Congress government had in 2005 started the practice of holding the Winter Session of the Assembly in Dharamsala. It had, in January last year, also declared Dharamsala the second capital of Himachal Pradesh and Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur today said the status would continue. On December 27, Jai Ram Thakur was sworn in as the 14th chief minister of Himachal Pradesh after the BJP won 44 out of 68 seats in the state assembly elections held on November 9 last year. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tata Steel on Monday expressed hope that the new year is expected to be slightly better compared to the last two years as stability has returned to the steel sector globally. Addressing a gathering on the new year, TV Narendran, CEO and Managing Director of Tata Steel said 2017 was somewhat better compared to the preceding two years despite challenges. In 2014, he said, Tata Steel had dealt with some of the challenges relating to the closure of its mines because of change in regulations, while in 2015 China had increased its export volumes globally, including India, which created a challenging atmosphere. However, Tata Steel continued to perform and grew during this period despite the odds, he said. "Despite these challenges in the last two years, Tata Steel has continued to invest and has grown not only in the works but also in the township of Jamshedpur to improve facilities during this period," Narendran said. Recently, he said, the Tata Group Chairman and Board members had visited Jamshedpur and they were "quite happy" with what they saw. Emphasizing on the need for competitiveness, he said that going forward, the competitiveness of Jamshedpur plant will get challenged after 2030 when the mines it has at its disposal today would be put up for auction. Later, talking to reporters, Narendran said there is a stability in the steel sector globally and import of steel from China has come down to five million tonnes from 10 million tonnes because of anti-dumping duty and other temporary measures taken by the government. Referring to the Kalinganagar project in Odisha, Narendran said the board has given green signal to start the second phase of work there, which has achieved 100 per cent production level within a year of commission. Describing the government's act as positive in view of demand, he said the consumption of steel would increase with infrastructure development in the country and also the logistics cost, which was currently on the higher side compared to other countries, would come down with improvement in infrastructure. On completion of three years by the Raghubar Das-led government in Jharkhand, Narendran said the government was successful in creating a name for the mineral-rich state during the period. Meenakshi Badola wanted to celebrate her New Year Eve with her sister in Patna for the first time in almost 20 years. She had prepared for the family reunion before the year ended. But that was not meant to be. Badola, 45, had booked tickets for her and her five-year-old daughter and 71-year-old mother-in-law on Patna-bound Garib Rath Express for December 30, from Anand Vihar Terminal in New Delhi. When the Badola family finally alighted the train in Patna, the celebration was the last thing on Meenakshi Badola's mind. The express train had started the journey 10 hours late than the scheduled departure, and reached Patna more than 23 hours late, at 4:30 am on January 1. She was not alone, though, to miss the New Year Eve celebrations. Thousands of passengers in nearly 400 trains were delayed due to dense fog across the country on December 31. According to the official data, as of December 31 midnight, 400 mail and express trains reached their destinations late after getting delayed on account of fog. As of January 1, 2018, 6:30 am, 56 trains arrived late, 20 were rescheduled and 15 trains were cancelled. Trains like Patna Rajdhani Express, Poorva Express were 12 hours late, Rewa Express was 11 hours late and Magadh Express was 11 hours late. The Railways said that it has started Fog Pass Device (Fog Pilot Assistance System) or FSD. It is GPS-enabled and can continuously calculate the distance of the train in relation to the next landmark, enabling drivers to know when exactly a signal is approaching. The transporter has recently installed 4,920 such devices in the most fog-affected railway zones - northern, north-central, north-eastern and north-western. Plans are afoot to install additional 1,175 such devices to take the total to 6,095, covering the most-affected zones, the transporter said. Eight people, including three security personnel, were today injured in two successive blasts in the restive Balochistan province, according to a media report. Two people were injured in the first blast when an improvised explosive device (IED) went off in an under construction building at a busy marketplace in Mall Road in Chaman, a city near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, the Express Tribune reported. The second explosion took place shortly after at a police checkpost in the same area, when security personnel and onlookers had gathered at the site of first blast. Six people, including three security personnel, were injured in the blast, the report said. Balochistan had witnessed an increase in the number of terrorist attacks in 2017 as separatists belonging to various banned outfits stepped up attacks in different parts of the province. Militants were also involved in suicide bomb attacks on shrines, hospitals and on security forces. According to a report in the Dawn newspaper, there had been an increase in suicide bombings in the country last year as compared to 2015 and 2016. Last year, 43 per cent of terror attacks in the country had been carried out in Balochistan with 10 out of 23 suicide bomb attacks in the restive province. According to the report, 183 militant attacks took place in Balochistan in 2017 in which 308 people, including 84 security personnel, were killed and 572 people injured. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas today harshly condemned a vote by Israel's ruling party in support of annexing large parts of the West Bank and criticised the United States for its silence. Abbas said the non-binding vote by the central committee of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party yesterday "could not be taken without the full support of the US administration." He said in a statement that the White House "has refused to condemn Israeli colonial settlements as well as the systematic attacks and crimes of the Israeli occupation against the people of Palestine." "We hope that this vote serves as a reminder for the international community that the Israeli government, with the full support of the US administration, is not interested in a just and lasting peace," Abbas said. "Rather its main goal is the consolidation of an apartheid regime in all of historic Palestine." The Likud central committee backed a resolution urging Israel to extend sovereignty over all settlement areas in the West Bank and called for unlimited settlement construction. Netanyahu, who is a member of the central committee, was not present for the vote. Taking such a measure could effectively end hopes for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as there would be little area left for a Palestinian state. But a significant number of members of Netanyahu's right- wing coalition say that is precisely what they are seeking and openly oppose a Palestinian state. The prime minister says he still supports a two-state solution with the Palestinians, although he has also pushed for Jewish settlement expansion in the West Bank, which has been under Israeli occupation for more than 50 years. Palestinian anger at the US is already high after President Donald Trump last month tore up decades of careful policy to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Scientists have identified a gene that improves the heat tolerance of the algae that live symbiotically with coral species, and could potentially help the corals adapt to some warming. Symbiodinium is a unicellular alga that provides its coral host with photosynthetic products in return for nutrients and shelter. However, high sea temperatures can cause the breakdown of this symbiotic relationship and lead to the widespread expulsion of Symbiodinium from host tissues, an event known as coral beaching. If bleached corals do not recover, they starve to death, leaving only their white, calcium-carbonate exoskeleton. Now, researchers from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia have identified special genes, called retrotransposons, which could help the algae adapt more rapidly to heat stress. The team conducted analyses to find out which genes were turned on or off when Symbiodinium was exposed to heat stress. Surprisingly, most genes commonly associated with heat stress were turned off, while a small number of retrotransposons were turned on. Retrotransposons are small genetic sequences that have the ability to replicate and position themselves in new locations in their host's genome. "The ability of retrotransposons to copy themselves and integrate these new copies into the host genome makes them genetic parasites," said geneticist and principal investigator, Manuel Aranda. The team suggests that the activation and replication of Symbiodinium's retrotransposons in response to heat stress could lead to a faster evolutionary response, "since producing more mutations increases the chance of generating a beneficial one that allows the symbionts to cope better with this specific stress," Aranda said. The researchers next plan to investigate coral genomes to find out if they too have retrotransposons that are activated in response to heat stress. "If they do, it would mean they might be able to genetically adapt faster than we thought," said Aranda. They also plan to investigate the possibility of "hijacking" the molecular machinery of retrotransposons to engineer more resilient genomes in both Symbiodinium and their coral hosts. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At least eight people died and several others remain missing after a passenger boat capsized off the coast of Borneo today, an official said, in the latest deadly maritime accident in Indonesia. The ferry was carrying some 45 people when it sank just minutes after leaving Tanjung Selor in North Borneo province, said Gusti Anwar Mulyadi a senior official of the local search and rescue agency. Some 33 people have so far been rescued and navy personnel have been dispatched to search for the remaining passengers, but he said high waves are impeding operations. "We don't know yet what has caused the accident and how exactly it happened. But we'll try to figure that out and are now focusing on finding the remaining passengers," Mulyadi told AFP. It is the latest boat accident in the vast Indonesian archipelago, which relies heavily on boats to ferry people around its 17,000 islands, but has a patchy safety record. Last July, eight people drowned in a boat accident on the same route from Tarakan to Tanjung Selor. On New Year's day last year at least 23 people died when a tourist boat from Jakarta burst into flames. It was carrying about 250 local holidaymakers to celebrate the New Year on Tidung island near Jakarta. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With the closure of RBI's deadline to resolve the 28 identified large stressed accounts in the second list, banks are gearing up to refer as many as 24 of them for insolvency proceedings. In August, the Reserve Bank had asked banks to either resolve the 28 more large stressed accounts or refer them to the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) by December 31. These accounts together account for 40 per cent of bad loans of around Rs 4 trillion. "Except for Anrak Aluminium, Jayaswal Neco Industries, Soma Enterprises and Jaiprakash Associates, all other accounts are going to the NCLT (for resolution)," a senior banker said. Some of the large accounts, which are likely to go to the NCLT, include Asian Color Coated Ispat, Castex Technologies, Coastal Projects, East Coast Energy, IVRCL, Orchid Pharma, SEL Manufacturing, Uttam Galva Metallic, Uttam Galva Steel, Visa Steel, Essar Projects, Jai Balaji Industries, Monnet Power, Nagarjuna Oil Refinery, Ruchi Soya Industries and Wind World India. In the case of Anrak Aluminium, the lenders are looking for a one-time settlement, while for Soma Enterprises, the banker said the account is closer to resolution. For Jaiprakash Associates -- its EPC business arm -- the lenders are seeking Reserve Bank approval for a "deep restructuring", another banker said. The lenders have also sought RBI permission to extend the December 13 deadline for Videocon Industries, where they have huge exposure, said another banker. However, RBI refused to extend the deadline and banks are preparing to approach NCLT. Banks will also have to make a provision of 50 per cent on these accounts by March 2018. It can be noted that of the 12 largest accounts that the RBI had named on the June list, 11 of them are under the NCLT. The apex bank's internal advisory committee identified 12 large stressed cases worth over Rs 50 billion, accounting to 25 per cent (Rs 1.75 trillion) of total gross non-performing assets, for proceedings under the insolvency and bankruptcy code. The central bank advised banks to set aside 50 per cent provisioning against secured exposure and 100 per cent against unsecured exposure in all cases referred for bankruptcy. (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.) A Bihar minister was today allegedly manhandled by the employees of a hotel in the temple town of Tarapith in Birbhum district, a charge denied by the hotel authorities. Suresh Kumar Sharma, urban development and housing minister and a BJP MLA of Bihar, was allegedly manhandled and his men were attacked when they demanded that the booking amount be refunded, said the minister's personal secretary S Kumar. "We had booked two rooms online. But after reaching there in the afternoon, we found that the rooms were not suitable for the minister," Kumar said. The hotel was asked to make alternative arrangement but they abused the minister, he alleged. "We decided to leave the hotel and demanded refund of the booking amount but they refused and the employees attacked us," Kumar claimed. "The minister's securitymen rescued him and we are forced to leave the hotel," he said. Manager of the hotel Sunil Giri, however, said, "We just told them that online booking amount could be refunded only through online mode." "But they were not ready to listen and attacked our employees at the reception," he alleged. Birbhum District Magistrate P Mohangandhi said he heard the incident and told the Rampurhat sub-divisional officer to look into the matter. Repeated calls to the SDO went unanswered. The minister and his entourage, meanwhile, have checked in to another hotel in Tarapith, famous for the temple of goddess Tara. Both sides lodged complaints with the police against each other. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The BJP Karnataka unit today came down on state minister for minoritywelfare Tanveer Sait for opposing the bill banning instant triple Talaq. The BJP demanded the Congress central leadership clarify its stand in the wake of Sait's statement. Two days ago, Sait had told reporters that it was not proper to frame rules on personal beliefs that are against thetenets of Islam and Muslim Personal Law Board has opposed it. Karnataka BJP spokesperson S Suresh Kumar told reporters here that the bill abolishing triple Talaq is a step towards empowering Muslim women. The Centre has also announced that henceforth Muslim women can go for Hajj alone which was prohibited earlier. "There were rules which said that women can go for Hajj only with men. That restriction will be removed," said Kumar. In this context, he took a dig at Sait for his "regressive" stand on triple Talaq. "We want to know from the Congress leadership whether it is the party's stand. The party has to clarify," said Kumar. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With an eye on minority votes ahead of this year's panchayat polls, West Bengal unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party has decided to organise a conference to reach out to the minority communities. The minority conference will be held on January 11 here and party leaders of the state and the central minority cell will address it, West Bengal BJP minority cell president Ali Hossain said. "Opposition parties always try to paint the BJP as an anti-minority party, but the fact is the BJP has always worked for the the development of minorities. "Through this conference we will promote the development works undertaken by the Narendra Modi government," Ali told PTI. The minority conference assumes significance ahead of the rural polls as Muslims constitute 30 per cent of the total population of the state and the ruling Trinamool Congress has a strong support base among them. Panchayat polls in the state is likely to be held in the middle of the year. Ali said the condition of minorities in West Bengal has not improved under the TMC government and the Muslims are looking up to the BJP to address their grievances. The support base of the party among Muslims is increasing with every passing day, he claimed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) After winning the sixth term in recently-concluded Gujarat assembly polls, the BJP has now set its eyes on local and panchayat bodies which are expected to go to polls next month. BJP leaders on Monday held two meetings at the party headquarter in Gandhinagar to formulate the strategy for the upcoming polls, a release said tonight. The leaders also discussed the distribution of work for various election-related tasks. The five-year term of 75 municipalities, two district panchayats, 17 taluka panchayats and around 1,400 gram panchayats across the state is ending in March this year, which would necessitate polls in February, said a party leader. However, the schedule of the polls is yet to be announced officially. Earlier in the day, state BJP president Jitu Vaghani, along with Joint General Secretary (Organisation) V. Satish, held a meeting with party leaders to finalise various programmes to be launched by the party in view of the elections, according to the release. Later in the evening, the BJP core group held another meeting to take stock of the party's preparedness as well as to formulate a strategy for the election. This meeting was attended by senior party leaders, including Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel and Vaghani among others, the release added. As a large number of New Year revellers converged to India Gate, the Central Secretariat metro station was today swamped with huge crowd, prompting authorities to temporarily restrict movement of commuters through a few gates. The iconic memorial to the fallen soldiers in British Raj era, located in the heart of the national capital, is a major draw for people on festive occasions and, according to traffic police authorities attracted 2-2.5 lakh visitors till late evening. Serpentine queues of people standing at various entry gates of the Central Secretariat Metro Station, were seen, while a swarm of people crowded concourse, platforms and carriages. "Suddenly, a large number of crowd passed through some of our metro stations, as these were New Year revellers heading towards India Gate. So, the Central Secretariat station being an interchange point got choked for few hours. "For the purpose of managing crowd, some of the gates were shut temporarily during the evening time when the footfall peaked, after which the restriction was removed," a senior DMRC official said. At Central Secretariat, an interchange point for Yellow Line (Samyapur Badli-Huda City Centre) and Violet Line (Kashmere Gate-Escorts Mujesar), commuters standing in long queues, jostled at the entry and exit gates. People also crowded the Token Vending Machines (TVMs) while many sat idle, along the walls. In some other metro stations too, like Rajiv Chowk and ITO, the footfall was much higher than the daily average., as people headed from all directions to India Gate to celebrate the day. The scene on streets was much more difficult as the new year revelry coupled with partial closure of Lajpat Nagar flyover in south Delhi, brought the traffic to almost a standstill. Many pedestrians avoided streets and headed for metro for commuting, only to be greeted by long queues and a milling crowd. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chhattisgarh was in the in 2017 mostly for wrong reasons, be it the killing of 25 CRPF men by Naxals, death of over 200 cows in state-aided shelters, a "sex CD" allegedly featuring a state minister and uproar over alleged purchase of forest land by another minister. Besides, shortfall in rains leading to drought in 96 tehsils and farmers' suicides also made However, distribution of bonus to farmers against procuring their paddy in the Kharif crop season 2016-17 by the state government brought some cheers to cultivators. On April 24, as many as 25 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed and seven wounded in Burkapal area of Sukma district in the deadliest attack by Naxalites in recent years. The Burkapal attack raised questions about counter- insurgency preparedness as just a month ago on March 11, 12 CRPF were killed in a Naxal ambush in Bhejji police station area of Sukma. Another from Naxal-affected Bastar that made headlines was when controversial Inspector General of Police (Bastar range) SRP Kalluri was attached with the Police Headquarters (PHQ) in Raipur in February without being given any charge. Kalluri, an IPS officer, was facing criticism for alleged fake encounters and targeting local journalists, social and human rights activists in Bastar division. The Bastar police had also faced heat over the alleged threat to social activist Bela Bhatia, who was asked by a group of men to leave Bastar in January, during his tenure. The Raman Singh government faced the worst criticism from Opposition Congress for the death of over 200 cows in three state-aided private shelters between August 16 and 18. According to state officials, the cows died allegedly due to "starvation and lack of care" in these shelters. One of the cowsheds was run by a local BJP leader in Durg district, while the other two in Bemetara were operated by his relatives. Verma was arrested in this connection and the state government constituted a judicial constitution to probe. Similarly, at least 37 cows died in 15 days at a private cow shelter in Rajadera village of Dhamtari district in December following which its owner was arrested. The ruling BJP also came under sharp attack from the Congress over its decision to sale liquor through state-owned outlets. In July, the news of allegations against Agriculture Minister Brijmohan Agrawal of acquiring a forest land reportedly in the name of his wife and developing a resort on it, hogged media attention. Denying any wrongdoing in the registry of the land, the minister said the allegations against him were part of a political conspiracy and he was open to any probe. Controversies continued in the state's politics as a "porn video" allegedly involving Public Works Department minister Rajesh Munat surfaced in Raipur after the arrest of a senior journalist Vinod Verma in Ghaziabad (Uttar Pradesh) in October. According to Raipur Police, Verma was arrested on October 27 after a case of blackmail and extortion was registered at the Pandri police station based on a complaint by BJP leader Prakash Bajaj who had said that he "was being harassed over phone by an unidentified caller who told him that he had a CD of his 'aka' (master)". Police claimed to have recovered 500 CDs, pen drives and other stuffs from Verma. After Verma was arrested, the sex video allegedly involving minister Munat surfaced in Raipur, triggering a political storm with the Congress and the BJP targetting each other on the issue. Munat lodged a complaint against state Congress chief Bhupesh Baghel and Vinod Verma for allegedly tarnishing his image through the CD. The CBI has been assigned to probe the CD row. A special CBI court in Raipur on December 28 granted bail to Verma after charge sheet was not filed in the case within mandatory 60 days. Due to scanty rainfall, the state government declared 96 tehsils out of 150 tehsils of the state as drought affected and launched a number of relief works for farmers. The Chhattisgarh government demanded around Rs 4,400 crore from the Centre as drought-relief package. During the recently-concluded winter session of the assembly, the government informed the House that 61 farmers committed suicide between April and November 30 in 2017. The other stories that drew attention were the distribution of around Rs 2100 crore to farmers for paddy procurement done in the previous kharif season and disbursement of bonus worth Rs 270 crore to 'tendu' leaves collectors. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) China has developed a new underwater surveillance network to help its submarines get a stronger lock on targets while protecting the nation's interests along the maritime Silk Road, which included the Indian Ocean, a media report said today. The system, which has already been launched, works by gathering information about the underwater environment, particularly water temperature and salinity, which the navy can then use to more accurately track target vessels as well as improve navigation and positioning, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported. The project, led by the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), is part of an unprecedented military expansion fuelled by Beijings desire to challenge the US in the world's oceans, the Post said. After years of construction and testing, the new surveillance system was now in the hands of the navy, which reported "good results", the oceanology institute said in its latest briefing in November, according to the report. But China still has some way to go before it can compete with the world's only true superpower, it said. The Chinese system is based on a network of platforms buoys, surface vessels, satellites and underwater gliders that gather data from the South China Sea, and the Western Pacific and Indian oceans, the paper quoted the report by Oceanology Institute. That information is then streamed to three intelligence centres in the Paracel Islands in the South China Sea, the southern province of Guangdong, and a joint facility in South Asia where it is processed and analysed, it said. In recent years, China has stepped up naval expeditions to the Indian Ocean to fight the pirates in Gulf of Aden. These expeditions included large naval ships accompanied by submarines. China is silent about the reasons to deploy submarines for anti-piracy operations. China is also seeking to establish logistic bases in the Indian Ocean, much to the chagrin of India. The first such base was opened by China in Djibouti last year and it acquired the Hambantota port of Sri Lanka on 99 years lease for debt swap and currently developing the Gwadar port in Pakistan as part of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. China is involved in maritime disputes in the South and East China Seas. It claims almost all of the South China Sea and has also laid claims on the Senkaku islands under the control of Japan in the East China Sea, believed to harbour vast natural resources below their seabed. The US has been periodically deploying its naval ships and fighter planes in the South China Sea to assert freedom of navigation in the disputed areas. Yu Yongqiang, a researcher with the Institute of Atmospheric Physics also under CAS and a member of the expert panel overseeing Chinas global underwater surveillance network, said that while it undoubtedly represented progress in Chinas submarine warfare capabilities, it was dwarfed by the systems operated by the US around the world. "We have made just a small step in a long march," he said. For submarines patrolling the sea route, or "road", element of China's global trade and infrastructure development plan known as the 'Belt and Road Initiative', which included the 21st century Maritime Silk Road, the systems ability to not only measure, but also predict temperature and salinity at any location, any depth and at any time will be invaluable. Submarines use sonar (sound navigation and ranging) to locate, identify and attack other vessels. Yu said that as well as improving their targeting ability, the new surveillance system should enable submarines to steer a much safer course through difficult waters. For the naval forces charged with guarding the maritime Silk Road, there are many adversaries lurking in often hostile waters, according to a researcher involved in the development of the new surveillance system. Since the Cold War, the US had closely guarded the Western Pacific via "island chains", the researcher said. Similarly, the South China Sea was circled by many small, "unfriendly" countries involved in territorial disputes with China; while India was wary of Beijings growing influence in the region and was consequently trying to tighten its grip on the Indian Ocean, he said. "Our system can help tip the balance of power in these regions in Chinas favour," the researcher said. According to a study by the Centre for a New American Security and the International Institute for Strategic Studies, by 2030 China will have 260 warships and submarines compared to the US' 199. As the battle for the oceans hots up, tools such as the underwater surveillance network could be the difference between winning and losing, the report said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The CISF has favoured installation of body scanners at all airports -- both domestic as well as foreign -- to ensure enhanced security to lakhs of air travellers. The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), that guards 59 such civil facilities at present, is also aiming to introduce the tagless hand baggage regime of travel for the passengers to all the airports from the present 27. "CISF is of the view that installation of body scanners will definitely improve the efficiency of screeners as it identifies the spot which needs be physically checked," CISF spokesperson Assistant Inspector General (AIG) Hemendra Singh said. The paramilitary force had in October conducted trials of one such device at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport here. The system is used in many countries and entails frisking of an individual with the help of x-rays and similar technology. The officer said the airport security force is also "planning to implement the tagless system of hand baggage at all the airports with the help of the Bureau of Cvil Aviation Security (BCAS) and airport operators." According to latest CISF data for the year gone by, its officials detected a total of 96 cases where passengers, both Indians and foreigners, were apprehended by it for using fake/edited tickets to enter into airport terminals across the country. A maximum of these incidents (43) took place at the IGI airport this year, it said. It also detected 232 cases of arms and ammunition being carried by passengers up-till the terminal area. 29 such cases were detected at the IGI, the data said. It added that a total of 126 touts were also apprehended by it this year at these 59 airports. The force also handled lost or unattended gadgets, cash and other passenger belongings worth Rs 44.66 crore at these airports in 2017 which was later restored to them or handed over to the airport authorities. The spokesperson said the CISF has adopted a system of prompt grievance redressal of passengers. "As and when CISF receives any complaint regarding loss of property/article, either through e-mail or hard copy, all out efforts are made to provide necessary assistance or information to the passengers. "The complaints are enquired thoroughly with the help of CCTV recordings, statement of the personnel or staff on ground and outcome of the same is informed to the complainant," he said. He said the force has also established 'help desk counters' at all the 59 airports under its cover to facilitate senior citizens, needy passengers and women. "CISF personnel at help desk counters are helping passengers in their security related problems. These counters are also helping women travellers in making a safe exit from the airport in taxis or otherwise," Singh said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Cocaine worth Rs 25 crore in the international market was today seized from a Philippine woman at the International Airport here, the biggest such seizure in the state. Around 4.8 kg cocaine was recovered from the woman by a team from the Narcotics Control Bureau, Cochin sub-zone, on New Year day, an NCB release said. NCB superintendent, Cochin sub-zone, Venugopal G Kurup said 36-year-old Jhonna was travelling from Sao Paulo to Addis Ababa and from there to Kochi via Muscat. She was apprehended at Cochin International Airport (CIAL). The release said the cocaine was found hidden in a wrapped trolley bag. This turned out to be the biggest ever seizure of cocaine from Kerala, it said. When contacted, Kochi Customs Commissioner Sumit Kumar said NCB Kochi unit was questioning the woman passenger who landed from Muscat, Oman. She has been detained, officials said. The NCB last month had arrested a Venezuelan with one kg cocaine. A Paraguayan national with 3.6 kg of cocaine in his possession was arrested in November. Both passengers had landed at CIAL. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Gautam Buddha Nagar district magistrate B N Singh today ordered the closure of schools for three days in view of the cold weather. "Schools will remain closed till January 4 and open on January 5. Classes from nursery to class 8 will remain closed. The order is applicable to all govt and private schools affiliated to CBSE, UP board, ICSE or any other board," the DM said. If the schools are found open during this period action will be taken against the management, an official said. "The order is applicable to all schools in Gautam Buddha Nagar District including Noida and Greater Noida as both the twin cities are part of this district," the official said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Continuing its crackdown on unauthorised constructions for the fourth day today after a blaze at an upscale pub in Mumbai killed 14 people, the civic body asked the owners of commercial establishments to assess, on their own, if their premises were compliant with all fire safety norms. The owners of commercial establishments must assess if they adhere to Fire Codified Requirements, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said, adding that those found not complying with the guidelines would face action. On December 29, a massive fire swirled over the terrace of '1 Above' pub at Kamala Mills compound, killing 14 people. The BMC has initiated a drive to demolish illegal constructions at hotels and pubs following the tragedy. The Mumbai fire department was planning to install a new software to monitor compliance of the fire safety rules, a senior civic body official told PTI. "We are in the last stage of introducing a new software which will pick defaulters from the database. The database will comprise fire compliance details of lakhs of commercial and big residential establishments. The software will send alerts not only to us but also to owners (about non- compliance)," the official said. Municipal Commissioner Ajoy Mehta asked seven zonal deputy municipal commissioners to find out why action had not been taken against illegal constructions at commercial structures. A BMC official said Mehta expressed anger over the corporation's failure to take prompt action. Since December 29, BMC officials have inspected 615 establishments and demolished illegal constructions at 355 hotels and pubs till yesterday, according its spokesperson. More than 420 LPG cylinders were seized from various eateries for violation of norms related to their use and storage, a release from the BMC said yesterday. The demolition drive was being carried out in Todi Mill and Raghuvanshi Mill areas today, another BMC official said. The Delhi government has objected to the joint proposal of the civic bodies for allowing them to levy "user charge" on residential units and temples among others for door-to-door garbage collection, an official said. The three municipal corporations, the New Delhi Municipal Council and the Delhi Cantonment Board had approached the Delhi Urban Development Department with a proposal for introducing "user charge", ranging from Rs 50 to Rs 200 per month, for domestic waste generators depending on the category of the locality. The proposal also includes levying user charge of Rs 2,000 for collecting garbage from clinics, dispensaries and other places. In a written comment on the proposal to Lt Governor Anil Baijal, Delhi Urban Development Minister Satyendar Jain said there is no logic in levying user charge for solid waste management, and added that house tax is collected mainly for this purpose. He said collection of garbage is covered under the "obligatory functions" according to the provisions under Section 42 of Delhi Municipal Corporation Act (66 of 1957). "Charitable and religious institutions, including temples and dharamsalas need to be exempted from payment of user fee. Residential units in colonies falling in categories C to H prescribed for property tax categorisation should be exempted from the user fee," Jain said. "In case of individual doctors' clinics, dispensaries, the user fee of Rs 2000 is too high and should be limited to Rs 100 at the maximum," he said. The urban development minister said in some cases, the proposed user fee will work out to be much more than the entire property tax being paid by the owner and therefore needs to be reduced. Currently, garbage collection is outsourced to various contractors, who collect waste from 'dhalaos' or dumps. The South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) has been made the nodal agency the proposal on behalf of all the civic bodies. The proposal essentially seeks an amendment to the bye-laws related to sanitation under the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act, 1957. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Attempts made to "fabricate and distort history" is a terror of a different nature, general president of Indian History Congress K M Shrimali said, expressing concern over the shrinking space for reason and debate in the country. The sole agenda behind RSS-BJP trying to rewrite history is to create a Hindu nation, where minorities are treated as second-class citizens, he said. "It is matter of concern that the space for reason and debate is shrinking in India. We have never witnessed such a disturbing trend. Those with little knowledge about history are trying to fabricate and thrust their idea. It is a terror of a different nature," the former history professor of Delhi University told PTI. The RSS and the BJP are determined to divide the nation on religious grounds, Shrimali said, adding that history is a discipline of reason and cannot be written with fabricated truths, imagination or myth-making. Reason and debate have become the biggest casualties in the Sangh Parivar's interpretation of history, the former professor rued. "There are ways of understanding mythology... Not everything which is part of mythology is history... But you don't enter into arguments, you try to bully people. That's not the way to write history," he said. The historian also explained that Hindutva and Hinduism are different concepts with the former being a political ideology. Shrimali said Hindutva is being used as a tool to access power. The uproar over Ayodha temple and the film, Padamavati, is aimed at consolidation of Hindu votes. Reacting to a RSS-BJP criticism that a distorted version of history is being taught in India by the "Left and liberal historians", Shrimali said historians don't need to take lessons on nationalism from those "who had surrendered before the British during the independence movement". He also said that the party in power is trying to obliterate the contributions and legacies of the Mughal Empire. He, however, expressed confidence on the "functioning of the minds" of Indian people in their attempts to resist fabricated history. Shrimali's view found resonance in eminent historian Irfan Habib, who said history depends on "events of facts" and any attempt to invent facts will be treated as fiction. Slamming the rising political intolerance and the recent killings of rationalists Narendra Dabholkar, Govind Pansare, M M Kalburgi, Habib said an atmosphere of fear is prevailing in the country, where these murders are grisly reminders of an ongoing campaign against the freedom of thought, speech and expressions. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Services in government medical college hospitals in Kerala remained affected today as junior doctors continued their strike against a decision to raise the retirement age of doctors. Representatives of the protesting doctors held a meeting with Kerala Health Minister K K Shailaja yesterday, but failed to reach an agreement and resolved to continue the stir, which they started on December 29. Meanwhile, Thiruvananthapuram Medical College superintendent M S Sharmad appealed to junior doctors to call off their strike. It was wrong on the part of junior doctors to continue the stir after announcing to end it following discussions with the health minister the other day, he said. The state cabinet had in November last year raised the retirement age of doctors in the Health department from 56 to 60 and in the Department of Medical Education from 60 to 62. The protesting doctors are demanding timely reporting of vacancies and creation of posts, annual recruitments and ending the bond system. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) today said it has attached assets worth Rs 4.23 crore of a "notorious criminal" based in Bihar's Munger district. The central probe agency said the assets attached of Bharat Yadav included a hotel, plots and some life insurance policies. Yadav is a notorious criminal of Munger. He was involved in various criminal activities such as murder, dacoity, extortion, forgery etc, the ED said in a statement. FIRs registered against Yadav became the basis for the ED to file a criminal case against him under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. A probe revealed that Yadav had "accumulated a huge amount of cash by indulging in criminal activities", it said. It was found that the proceeds of crime were laundered and used for acquiring immovable and movable assets in his name and in the name of his family members. The properties attached include several plots at Jamalpur in Munger and Deoghar, hotel 'White House' at Jamalpur, cash in a number of bank accounts and LIC policies totalling Rs 4.23 crore, it said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama today asked students here to focus more on the ancient Indian knowledge instead of getting attracted towards the western culture. He made the remarks while addressing students on the golden jubilee celebrations of Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies (CIHTS) at Sarnath, here. "Modern India should not forget their ancient knowledge. There is a lot to be learned from the ancient Indian thought which can help in controlling destructive emotions in us," he said. "India is the only country that could combine the benefits of modern education with ancient knowledge which may help in achieving inner peace and at the same time keep the negativity in us away," he said. The 82-year-old Buddhist spiritual leader said that India can make a significant contribution in promoting world peace. He said because of "neglecting" its own ancient knowledge and tradition, the country (India) which was known as "Guru" (in ancient times, has now become "chela" (disciple)by rapidly adopting the western culture. He added that India should not forget its rich knowledge which is solution for all the problems. Yesterday, while addressing an International conference titled 'Mind in Indian philosophical school of thought and modern science' at CIHTS, the Dalai Lama had called for a "demilitarised world". "It is terrible to see that human beings are killings human beings, which need to be stopped immediately," he had said. "We are all brothers and every country is dependent on one another so there is a need to promote peace among us and shun killings," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A "projectile" fired today from the Gaza Strip hit southern Israel without causing casualties or victims, the Israeli army said in a statement. The army gave no further details, but public radio said a rocket had exploded near an Israeli town it did not identify. Palestinian militants in Gaza have fired more than a dozen rockets or mortar rounds at Israel in violence that erupted after US President Donald Trump's controversial December 6 recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. The rockets are often fired by fringe Islamist groups, but Israel holds Gaza's rulers Hamas responsible for any attacks from the territory and has repeatedly retaliated, targeting Hamas positions. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The CPI-M-led LDF government in Kerala today decided to set up a Kerala Madrasa Teachers Welfare Fund Board to make available pension and other benefits for Madrasa teachers. A decision to this effect was taken a cabinet meeting chaired by chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan here, an official release said. The cabinet approved a draft legislation in this regard, the release said. The main objective is to provide pension and other benefits for madrasa teachers, it said. The cabinet decided to recommend to the governor P Sathasivam on convening the assembly session from January 22. The session is scheduled to be held till February 8. The state budget for the year 2018-19 would be presented on February 2, official sources said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Five students were killed and seven others injured when their car rammed into a speeding goods train at an unmanned level crossing in neighbouring Bharuch district, a senior official said today. The victims, all students of a madrasa in Bharuch, were returning from an event, when their car collided with the train last evening at Dayadara village, around 110 kms from here, Western Railway's Vadodara division PRO Meena Kumar said. There were 11 students and a driver in the car at the time of the mishap, he said. All the students were rushed to a nearby hospital where five of them were declared brought dead, he said. The injured students and the driver were undergoing treatment in the same hospital, Kumar said. A probe has been ordered by the railway authorities into the mishap, he added. Details about the victims were not yet available. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Third largest carmaker on Monday reported a 26 per cent growth in domestic sales at 12,642 units in December as against 10,071 units in the same month a year ago. By selling 62,573 units, its flagship the City has emerged as the top-selling mid-size sedan in the year just gone by, the company said in a statement. For the nine months of the current financial year (April-December) cumulative sales grew 20 per cent to 1,29,964 units from 1,08,522 in the same period in 2016, the company said, adding for the full year of 2017, cumulative volumes grew 15 per cent, selling 1,78,755 units as against 1,56,107 units in 2016. Commenting on the sales numbers, Yoichiro Ueno, president and chief executive at India, said, "the year just gone by has been a milestone for Honda Cars, as our best seller City completed two decades of unparalleled success in this market." The City has emerged as the highest selling mid-size sedan in 2017 selling 62,573 units, he added, pointing out that the robust sales growth in 2017 was backed by the City and the WR-V. For the reporting month also, the City led the chart with 4,365 units, followed by the WR-V with 3,760 units, the Jazz at 1,891, the Amaze at 1,415, the BR-V at 880 units, the Brio at 291, and the CR-V at 40 units, taking the total domestic sales at 12,642 units. The company also shipped 730 units to other markets, taking the total volumes to 13,372 units in the month. India entered the country in December 1995 and now runs two manufacturing facilities in Greater Noida, and Tapukara in the Alwar district of Rajasthan. Its model range includes the Brio, Jazz, Amaze, City, WR-V, BR-V and the CR-V all manufactured in the country, while the Accord Hybrid is sold as a CBU imported from Thailand. The Himachal Pradesh government today gave an ex-gratia relief of Rs 20 lakh to the family of Inspector Kuldeep Roy of the 185 Battalion of the CRPF, who was killed in a suicide attack by militants in Pulwama district of south Kashmir yesterday. Roy hailed from Tikkar Khatriyan village of Hamirpur district. Governor Acharya Devvrat and Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur have expressed grief over the death of Roy and expressed sympathies with the bereaved family and prayed for peace to the departed soul. Thakur said the brave soldiers of the state lead from the front to safeguard the country. The supreme sacrifice by the martyrs would always be remembered by the country, he said. Three militants in the early hours yesterday stormed a CRPF camp in the Lethpora area of Pulwama and killed five personnel while injuring three others. In response, all three militants were gunned down by the security forces. Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed claimed responsibility for the attack. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Healthcare services at many private hospitals in the country are likely to be hit tomorrow as the has called for suspending routine services for 12 hours to protest a Bill seeking to replace the Medical Council of India (MCI) with a new body. Services at outpatient departments (OPDs) of many private hospitals may be hit by the protest, but emergency and critical services will remain open. The Medical Commission (NMC) Bill, which was tabled in Parliament on Friday, seeks to replace the MCI and also proposes allowing practitioners of alternative medicines, such as homoeopathy and ayurveda, practise allopathy after completing a "bridge course". The Bill is likely to come up for discussion in Parliament tomorrow. The (IMA), which has been strongly opposing the NMC bill saying it will "cripple" the functioning of medical professionals by making them completely answerable to the bureaucracy and non-medical administrators, has declared tomorrow a "Black Day". "The NMC Bill in the present form is not acceptable. This Bill is anti-poor, anti-people, non-representative, undemocratic and anti-federal in character. "The IMA headquarter hereby declares closure of all routine services for 12 hours from 6 AM to 6 PM tomorrow across the country," newly-appointed IMA president Dr Ravi Wankhedkar said. The Delhi Medical Association (DMA) is supporting the IMA's protest and has called upon all private and corporate hospitals in the capital to keep their OPD services closed. IMA members also held a meeting with the Union Health minister J P Nadda nd conveyed their concerns over the Bill. Dr K K Aggarwal, the former president of the IMA, said they have already written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the health minister urging them to redraft the Bill and rectify some of its provisions to protect the interest of the medical practitioners. He said the provision which allows AYUSH graduates to practise modern medicineafter completing a bridge course will promote quackery. The NMC bill proposes replacing the Medical Council of India with a new body and "possibly" Section 15 of the IMC Act, which says that the basic qualification to practise modern medicine is MBBS, Dr Aggarwal said. "It (the bill) takes away the voting right of every doctor in India to elect their medical council," he said. "The Medical Council of India is a representative body of the medical profession in India. Any registered medical practitioner in the country can contest the election and every qualified doctor can vote. "Abolishing a democratic institution and replacing it with a body in which a majority is nominated by the government, is certainly a retrograde step," Dr Aggarwal said. He further said the draft bill, in its current form, allows private medical colleges to charge at will, nullifying whatever solace the NEET brought. Clause 49 of the Bill calls for a joint sitting of the National Medical Commission, the Central Council of Homoeopathy and the Central Council of Indian Medicine at least once a year "to enhance the interface between homoeopathy, Indian Systems of Medicine and modern systems of medicine". The Bill proposes constitution of four autonomous boards entrusted with conducting undergraduate and postgraduate education, assessment and rating of medical institutions and registration of practitioners under the National Medical Commission. The commission will have a government-nominated chairman and members, and the board members will be selected by a search committee under the Cabinet Secretary, it says. Healthcare services at many private hospitals in the country are likely to be hit tomorrow as the Indian Medical Association has called for suspending routine services for 12 hours to protest a Bill seeking to replace the Medical Council of India (MCI) with a new body. Services at outpatient departments (OPDs) of many private hospitals may be hit by the protest, but emergency and critical services will remain open. Union Health Minister J P Nadda had a meeting with the members of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) where the latter conveyed their concerns over the Bill. A senior health ministry official, however, said the Bill is slated to come up for discussion in Parliament tomorrow and the House will decide over it. "We heard them out, but nothing can be done now as the Bill has been tabled in Parliament. A discussion over it will be held tomorrow and the House will decide," he said. "The Bill is aimed at bringing reforms in the medical education sector which is under scrutiny for unethical practices and also will weed out corruption," the official said. The National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill, which was tabled in Parliament on Friday, seeks to replace the MCI and also proposes allowing practitioners of alternative medicines, such as homoeopathy and ayurveda, practise allopathy after completing a "bridge course". The IMA, which has been strongly opposing the NMC bill saying it will "cripple" the functioning of medical professionals by making them completely answerable to the bureaucracy and non-medical administrators, has declared tomorrow a "Black Day". "The NMC Bill in the present form is not acceptable. This Bill is anti-poor, anti-people, non representative, undemocratic and anti-federal in character. "The IMA headquarter hereby declares closure of all routine services for 12 hours from 6 AM to 6 PM tomorrow across the country," newly-appointed IMA national president Dr Ravi Wankhedkar said. He said, "We were left with no option but to take the issues to our patients and the people. We have received tremendous response and all the IMA members will follow our call." The IMA has 2.77 lakh doctors as its members. The Delhi Medical Association (DMA) is supporting the IMA's protest and has called upon all private and corporate hospitals in the national capital to keep their OPD services closed. Dr K K Aggarwal, the former president of the IMA, said they have already written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Union health minister urging them to redraft the Bill and rectify some of its provisions to protect the interest of medical practitioners. He claimed that the provision in the Bill which allows AYUSH graduates to practise modern medicineafter completing a bridge course will promote quackery. The NMC bill proposes replacing the Medical Council of India with a new body and "possibly" Section 15 of the IMC Act, which says that the basic qualification to practise modern medicine is MBBS, Dr Aggarwal said. "It (the bill) takes away the right of every doctor in India to elect their medical council," he said. "The MCI is a representative body of medical professionals in India. Any registered medical practitioner in the country can contest the election and every qualified doctor can vote. "Abolishing a democratic institution and replacing it with a body in which a majority is nominated by the government, is certainly a retrograde step," Dr Aggarwal said. He further said the Bill, in its current form, allows private medical colleges to charge at will, nullifying whatever solace the NEET brought. Dr Wankhedkar said, "The Bill purported to eradicate corruption is designed to open the floodgates of corruption. A Bill to regulate the medical education and medical practice without the concurrence of the medical profession will be a disaster." Clause 49 of the Bill calls for a joint sitting of the National Medical Commission, the Central Council of Homoeopathy and the Central Council of Indian Medicine at least once a year "to enhance the interface between homoeopathy, Indian Systems of Medicine and modern systems of medicine". The Bill proposes constitution of four autonomous boards entrusted with conducting undergraduate and postgraduate education, assessment and rating of medical institutions and registration of practitioners under the National Medical Commission. The commission will have a government-nominated chairman and members, and the board members will be selected by a search committee under the Cabinet Secretary, it says. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Healthcare services in private hospitals in Goa are likely to remain affected tomorrow as the Goa unit of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) today decided to join a protest called against a bill seeking to replace the Medical Council of India (MCI) with a new body. Due to the protest, Out Patient Department (OPD) services across 140-odd private hospitals in the coastal state are likely to remain affected. However, the healthcare services in government hospitals will continue as usual. The National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill, which was tabled in Parliament on Friday, seeks to replace the MCI and also proposes allowing practitioners of alternative medicines, such as homoeopathy and ayurveda, practise allopathy after completing a "bridge course". The Bill is likely to come up for discussion in Parliament tomorrow. "The emergency and casualty services in all the 140-odd private hospitals, however, will remain open during the protest," said Dr Ajay Pednekar, the Goa unit president of the IMA. OPDs in private hospitals will not work between 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. tomorrow to protest against the "undemocratic, anti-poor, non-representative and anti-federal" bill, the IMA said, adding that emergency and critical care services are exempted from the protest. However, the services in state-run hospitals, includingthe Goa Medical College, would remain unaffected as the Goa Association of Resident Doctors (GARD) have decided against shutting down OPDs. Dr Pednekar said doctors would observe January 2 as the "Black Day" in protest against the NMC bill. He said the IMA has decided to submit a memorandum against the bill to elected representatives including Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar tomorrow. Dr Pednekar said NMC is a pro-private management bill "which will pave the way for widespread corruption". "It removes all the regulations before starting a medical college. No one needs any permission," Dr Pednekar said. Meanwhile, GARD president Dr Akshay Naik said the state-run Goa Medical College and other hospitals will continue to function as usual tomorrow. "We are giving moral support to the strike as we agree that NMC Bill is not in the favour of the medical profession. But since we are in the government set up and since we don't want to put patients to inconvenience, we have decided not to shut down the OPDs," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Union health ministry today asked central government hospitals to take "necessary" steps to ensure healthcare and emergency services run smoothly in wake of an IMA call to suspend routine services for 12 hours tomorrow. The Indian Medical Association has called for suspending routine services tomorrow to protest against a bill that seeks to replace the Medical Council of India (MCI) with a new body. The National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill was tabled in Parliament on Friday> It also proposes to allow practitioners of alternative medicines, such as homoeopathy and ayurveda, practice allopathy after completing a "bridge course". Healthcare services at many private hospitals in the country are expected to be hit due to the shutdown. The IMA has 2.77 lakh doctors as its members. "It has come to our notice that the IMA would be on one- day strike on Jan 2, 2018. Since, the strike may involve a large number of medical professionals, it is anticipated that there would be inconvenience to the patient care services in hospitals," the health ministry advisory said. "It is requested that all necessary measures may be taken to ensure that the patient healthcare and emergency services are run smoothly," it added. The advisory has been issued to AIIMS, Safdarjung Hospital and other such central government-run hospitals. The ministry has also sought a compliance report from hospitals. The IMA has strongly opposed the NMC bill, saying it will "cripple" the functioning of medical professionals by making them completely answerable to the bureaucracy and non-medical administrators. It has declared January 2 as "black day". "The NMC bill in the present form is not acceptable. This bill is anti-poor, anti-people, non-representative, undemocratic and anti-federal in character," newly-appointed IMA national president Dr Ravi Wankhedkar said. The Delhi Medical Association is supporting the IMA's protest and has called on private and corporate hospitals in the national capital to keep their OPD services closed. IMA members also held a meeting with the Union Health Minister J P Nadda and conveyed their concerns over the bill. Dr K K Aggarwal, former president of the IMA, said they have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the health minister, urging them to redraft the bill and modify some provisions to protect the interest of medical practitioners. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India awaits consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav and other Indian nationals in Pakistan's custody, the external affairs ministry said today, as it exchanged with Islamabad the list of civilian prisoners and fishermen lodged in each other's jails. "Lists of 250 civilian prisoners and 94 fishermen were handed over to Pakistan," it said. A list of 54 Pakistani civilian prisoners and 4 fishermen, who have completed their sentence and whose nationality confirmation is awaited from Pakistan, was also handed over and Pakistan was asked to expedite the confirmation, the ministry said. Asserting that it remains committed to addressing humanitarian matters, including those pertaining to prisoners and fishermen in each other's country, the ministry said the government has repeatedly emphasised the need for early release and repatriation of civilian prisoners, missing Indian defence personnel and fishermen along with their boats. "We also await consular access to those Indian nationals in Pakistan's custody for whom it has so far not been provided, including Kulbhushan Jadhav and Hamid Nehal Ansari," the ministry asserted. Pakistan has also shared a list of 58 civilian prisoners and 399 fishermen in its custody, who are Indians or believed to be Indians, it said. The ministry said the list was exchanged between the two countries through diplomatic channels simultaneously at New Delhi and Islamabad. It was done as part of the 2008 Agreement on Consular Access between India and Pakistan. The ministry also informed that a juvenile named Hasnain, whose nationality was verified by Pakistan, was being repatriated. The Pakistan Foreign Office also issued a press release regarding the exchange of lists and said that Pakistan will release 146 fishermen on January 8. The exchange of the lists of prisoners comes days after Indian death-row prisoner Jadhav met his family on December 25 in Islamabad. The Jadhav-family meeting became the latest flashpoint in the already strained Indo-Pak relations with Pakistan terming its decision to allow Jadhav's family to travel to Pakistan to meet him a humanitarian gesture and India accusing it of violating mutual understanding. There was no consular access granted during Jadhav's meeting with his wife and mother and instead Deputy High Commissioner J P Singh, who accompanied the two women, was initially separated from them. They were taken to the meeting without informing Singh, and the meeting was started without him, the ministry had said in a statement earlier. Singh could join only after pressing the matter with officials, but was still kept behind an additional partition that did not allow him access to the meeting as agreed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A batch of 144 Indian fishermen, most of them from Gujarat, who were released by Pakistan last Thursday, arrived here today before proceeding to Veraval town from where they will go to their home towns in various districts. While most of the fishermen hailed from coastal and other districts of the state, some of them belonged to Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. They were working in Gujarat when Pakistani maritime authorities had detained them for allegedly fishing in its territorial waters. As a goodwill gesture, Pakistan had last week announced that 291 Indian fishermen will be released in two phases till January 8, 2018. The fishermen were handed over to Indian authorities at Wagah border on Friday. They were then accompanied by officials of Gujarat Fisheries department from Amritsar in Punjab to Vadodara. An official said the fishermen would proceed to Veraval, the headquarter of Gir Somnath district, from where they will leave for their home towns in various districts of the state. Fishermen from Pakistan and India are frequently detained for illegally fishing in each other's territorial waters since the Arabian Sea does not have a clearly defined marine border and the wooden boats lack the technology to avoid being drifting away. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) National security advisors of India and Pakistan held a "secret" meeting in Thailand where the tone and tenor of India's NSA Ajit Doval was "friendly and positive", a senior Pakistani official said today. A Pakistan's national security division official, on the condition of anonymity, said the meeting between Pakistan's NSA retired Lt Gen Nasser Khan Janjua and Doval took place on December 27 in Thailand, 'The Dawn' newspaper reported. "The meeting was good. Doval's tone and tenor was friendly and positive," the official disclosed. The official maintained that he was briefed about the Indo-Pak meeting. He was told that the meeting was "useful". The report also quoted the official as saying that the interaction might help in restarting some sort of engagement at the diplomatic level as well. However, there was no word -officially or unofficially - from the India side. The meeting, which appeared to be pre-decided, came two days after Indian death-row prisoner Kulbhushan Jadhav met with his family on December 25 in Islamabad. The Jadhav-family meeting became latest flashpoint in already strained Indo-Pak relations with Pakistan terming its decision to allow Jadhav's family to travel to Pakistan to meet him as humanitarian gesture and India accusing it of violating mutual understandings. New Delhi also hit out at Pakistan, asserting that the Indian national appeared coerced and under considerable stress during the tightly-controlled interaction and also accused Pakistan of disregarding cultural and religious sensibilities of family members under the pretext of security. Jadhav, who was captured in March last year, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court for alleged spying, an accusation that India has dismissed as concocted. New Delhi says Jadhav was kidnapped in Iran where he had legitimate business interests, and brought to Pakistan. To save Jadhav, India moved the International Court of Justice, which ordered Pakistan in May to stay his execution. It was not the first meeting between the two NSAs in a third country. In December 2015 also, the two NSAs, along with the two foreign secretaries, had met in Bangkok, which was not revealed from both the countries till after the meeting. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two members of an international drug cartel have been arrested, leading to seizure of 3.5 kg of high-grade heroin having an estimated value of around Rs 15 crore, police said today. A team of Special Cell of the Delhi police acting on a tip off caught Ravi Shankar (50) and Vikas (30) near Sherawala Gurudwara on Outer Ring Road, on December 27, said PS Kushwah, DCP (Special Cell). "Two Kg heroin was recovered from Shankar and 1 Kg from Vikas. Further 500 gram heroin was recovered from Shankar's house in Hoshiarpur (Punjab)," he said. The drug is estimated to have a value of Rs 15 crore in the international market, the officer said. Shankar has been found previously convicted for 20 years in two cases registered against the NDPS Act, Kushwah said. Both the accused, residents of Hoshiarpur, revealed during interrogation that they received heroin from persons of African-origin residing in the area of New Mahavir Nagar, he said. "Supplier of Heroin in this case has been identified. He was introduced to Shankar by a fellow Nigerian woman, who is lodged in Kapurthala Jail, where Shankar was also undergoing imprisonment," the officer said. They further told the police that couriers from neighbouring countries used to bring heroin through capusles filled with the drug, by swallowing it. It was later supplied to drug dealers in Delhi, UP, Punjab and Haryana, he said. The Delhi-based African origin persons also used to send consignments of heroin to countries in Europe, Africa and other parts of the world, Kushwah said. Accused Shankar is a "notorious drug supplier" of Punjab. He has been found previously arrested in more than 18 cases of boot-legging and drug-trafficking in Punjab, he said. He is also convicted in three cases of the NDPS Act. In two cases, he was convicted for 10 years rigorous imprisonment with fine in each case registered at Hoshiarpur. In the third case, he was convicted for imprisonment already undergone, added the officer. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress Legislative Party leader and former minister Nawang Rigzin Jora claimed today the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir had deteriorated alarmingly over the past three years as PDP-BJP coalition had not gone down well with the people of the state. "There is no improvement in the security situation and the reality is that the situation is getting worse with each passing day since the PDP and BJP came together to form the government," Jora told reporters here ahead of the party legislature meeting on the eve of the budget session. He claimed the casualties suffered by the security forces and civilians over the past three years had increased manifold. Referring to the suicide attack on a CRPF camp in Pulwama district of south Kashmir which left five jawans dead, he said the bloodshed is continuing and "the fatal casualty among the security personnel has broken all records over the past decade". The border residents are facing the brunt of Pakistani shelling which has also gone up alarmingly, the former minister said. "They used to taunt us for border skirmishes. Today the situation is that every now and then, the forces and civilians are suffering casualties and the problems of the border residents have increased manifold," he said. Jora claimed the increase in violence is because "this coalition of ideologically different parties has not gone down well with the people of the state". "Aag aur Pani (Fire and water) has come together which is not acceptable to the people as they are ideologically poles apart and have come together for the lust of power," he said attacking the PDP and the BJP. On Congress's approach in the upcoming budget session, scheduled to commence here tomorrow, he said PDP leader and former chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed used to say that the job of the opposition is to keep the government on tenterhooks. It is our job and we will make them accountable to the people, he said. "Our first complaint is that the government has failed statutory requirement to meet once in every six months. They will say that they have set up three day session in Srinagar but that was for a specific issue and was meant to pass the GST," he said. Claiming that the government has failed on every front, he said it was visible in newspapers only. "Even the projects started by the previous government have not been completed, he said and referred to artificial lake project and Mubarak Mandi and Patnitop rope way projects. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Infrastructure major Larsen & Toubro (L&T) today said it has won a Rs 2,100 crore contracts from Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) and Reliance Industries. L&T Hydrocarbon Engineering (LTHE), a wholly owned subsidiary of L&T, has secured a major EPC (engineering, procurement, construction) contract for crude distillation and vacuum distillation unit (CDU & VDU) from HPCL, Visakhapatnam Refinery, and an extension to an ongoing contract for Reliance Industries, Jamnagar, both adding to approx 2,100 crore, L&T said in a statement. The 9 MMTPA CDU & VDU project is a part of HPCL's Visakh Refinery Modernisation Project (VRMP) and involves engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning, it said. The order reinforces LTHE's unique capability to deliver 'design to build' engineering and construction solutions across the hydrocarbon spectrum, it added. LTHE has been serving the onshore hydrocarbon sector since early 1990s. "The companys track record includes successful completion of several challenging projects for domestic and international clients," the statement said. Larsen & Toubro is Indian multinational firm engaged in technology, engineering, construction, manufacturing and financial services with over USD 17 billion in revenue. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) London police have arrested a 31-year- old man in the killing of a young pub worker who was last seen alive on Christmas Eve. Police say the man is being questioned on suspicion of murdering Iuliana Tudos. He has not been charged or identified. The man was taken into custody today from an address in east London. The 22-year-old woman's body was found in a park in north London. She had been stabbed in the abdomen and suffered a head injury. Tudos worked in a popular bar in the crowded Camden neighbourhood in north London. The area is filled with pubs and restaurants. She had last been seen leaving Camden by bus. Police were alerted when she failed to show up at a planned party with friends. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi today dismissed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's claim that it was his government, which had made it possible for the Muslim women to perform Haj without being accompanied by a male guardian. "This regulation (enabling Muslim women above 45 years of age to perform the pilgrimage without a male guardian) was passed by the Saudi Haj authorities many years ago," the Hyderabad MP told reporters here. "Women over 45 can go for Haj in groups. Women from Malaysia, Indonesia and the Arab countries have been going for Haj. The prime minister wants to take credit on every issue," Owaisi said. In his "Mann ki Baat" radio address, Modi had yesterday said his government had removed the restriction that a woman Haj pilgrim must be accompanied by a male guardian ("mahram"), following which hundreds of women had applied for travelling alone for the pilgrimage. According to the Ministry of Minority Affairs, Muslim women above 45 years of age will now be allowed to go on the pilgrimage, without a "mahram", in a group of at least four. "It is god's grace that Taj Mahal and Charminar were already built, otherwise he (Modi) would have claimed that he had constructed them," Owaisi said. If the prime minister was so concerned about Muslim women, he should ensure justice for Zakia Jafri, the widow of former Congress MP Ehsan Jafri, who had lost his life in the 2002 Gujarat riots, he added. "The main problem concerning the Muslim women is education and livelihood. You (Modi) can give a seven-per cent reservation to the Muslim women in education. You have a two- thirds majority. You can bulldoze (the opposition) and bring a legislation to give a seven-per cent reservation to the Muslim women," Owaisi said. The AIMIM leader also pointed out that Modi and the BJP had not fielded a single Muslim candidate in the recently-held Gujarat Assembly polls. On the issue of instant triple talaq, Owaisi said his request to the prime minister was to enact a law, giving "24 lakh women of the country", who were thrown out of their matrimonial homes, the right to live with their husbands. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 50-year-old man was stabbed to death by unidentified persons near Suyog Building in Civil Lines area of Nagpur last night. A constable posted in the building, which houses government offices, found Premlal Mohanlal Desai (50) in injured condition around 9.30 pm yesterday, police said. Desai was taken to a hospital where he succumbed to injuries, said an official of Sitabuldi police station. Desai was stabbed outside Suyog Building and he ran inside to seek help and collapsed, police said. Police have registered a case of murder. Probe is on. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Invoking a rustic Hindi phrase, Union minister Narendra Singh Tomar has said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress leaders were as different as the hair of a moustache and that of a tail. He was addressing BJP workers at Kolaras in this district two days ago. Talking about the challenge posed by the opposition party in Gujarat with the help of Hardik Patel and others, Tomar said, "The difference between the prime minister and Congress leaders is akin to the difference between the hair of moustache and hair of tail. (Pradhan Mantri aur Congress netaon-ke beech moonch aur poonch ke baal jaisa antar hai). The Congress would not be able to bridge this gap." When contacted, the Union minister told PTI today, "I haven't named any (Congress) leader. I was referring to the difference between the personalities of Modi and Congress leaders." In his address to BJP workers, Tomar also dubbed the Congress as the party of a single family. "The members of (only) one family can become the president of the party but in BJP, a person from a tea seller's family can become the prime minister. This doesn't mean there are no capable leaders in the Congress, but they don't get the opportunity due to its dynastic politics," Tomar said. Results in Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat Assembly elections showed that people were with Modi, he said. Tomar described senior Congress leader from the state Jyotiraditya Scindia as a "tourist Parliamentarian" who arrives as a tourist and returns after performing 'Bhumi Pujan' ceremony for projects. The Congress MP, however, doesn't tell people which government funded these projects, the Union minister added. Later, speaking to reporters after the BJP workers' gathering, Tomar said there was no anti-incumbency in Madhya Pradesh, and the BJP would retain power in the state. He expressed confidence about the saffron party's victory in the upcoming by-polls to Kolaras and Mungaoli Assembly seats. By-elections to Kolaras and Mungaoli were necessitated by the demise of sitting Congress MLAs Ram Singh Yadav and Mahendra Singh Kalukheda, respectively. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The entire Nagaland has been declared as "disturbed area" for six more months, till June-end, under the controversial AFSPA, which empowers security forces to conduct operations anywhere and arrest anyone without any prior notice. In a gazette notification, the Union Home Ministry said it is of the opinion that the area comprising the whole of Nagaland is in such a "disturbed and dangerous condition" that use of armed forces in aid of the civil power is necessary. "Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by Section 3 of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (No. 28 of 1958), the central government hereby declares that whole of the said state to be a 'disturbed area' for a period of six months with effect from December 30, 2017, for the purpose of that Act," the notification said. A home ministry official said the decision to continue the declaration of Nagaland as "disturbed area" has been taken as killings, loot and extortion have been going in various parts of the state which necessitated the action for the convenience of the security forces operating there. There have been demands from various organisations in the northeast as well as in Jammu and Kashmir for repealing the controversial Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), which, they say, gives "sweeping powers" to security forces. The AFSPA has been in force in Nagaland for several decades. It has not been withdrawn even after a framework agreement was signed on August 3, 2015, by Naga insurgent group NSCN-IM general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah and the government's interlocutor R N Ravi in presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The framework agreement came after over 80 rounds of negotiations spanning 18 years with the first breakthrough in 1997 when the ceasefire agreement was sealed after decades of insurgency in Nagaland. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today met people from all sections of the society at his official residence here and exchanged New Year greetings with them. Among those who greeted Kumar on the New Year were ministers, legislators, youths, women, senior citizens, senior government officials like the principal secretary and secretaries to various departments, workers and leaders of his the JD(U) and common people, an official release said. Kumar accepted bouquets and garlands from visitors on the occasion and exchanged wishes with them, it said. Bihar Speaker Vijay Kumar Choudhary, ministers Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh, Binod Narayan Jha, Krishna Nandan Prasad Verma, Manju Verma, Pashupati Kumar Paras and several political and social workers apart from senior officials greeted the chief minister on the occasion. Kumar also released the Bihar Diary 2018 and calender published by the information and public relations department, another official release said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) There were no casualties during New year celebrations in Chennai due to several steps taken to prevent untoward incidents and mishaps, like deployment of around 10,000 personnel and use of UAVs, police said today. Only 11 cases of minor accidents were registered last night, they said. Besides the deployment of about 10,000 police personnel, two Unmanned Aerial Vehicles were used between 10 PM on December 31 and 3 AM on January 1 at vital locations, a police release said. The two UAVs were deployed at at Marina beach and the main thouroughfare of Kamarajar Salai. A total of 368 police check posts and 25 police booths were set up in places like Marina Beach, Santhome Beach, Elliots Beach, Old Mahabalipuram Road and East Coast Road, where people thronged in large numbers, the release said. Apart from these initiatives, awarenesss were also made through loudspeakers at 68 vital places while ambulances were kept ready in 126 places across Chennai. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At least Rs 24 lakh each is expected to be given as compensation to the next of kin of all Keralites who died in the devastation caused by cyclone Ockhi, a Home Ministry official said. The central government is also likely to release the final financial assistance to cyclone-hit Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Lakhshadweep by the end of this month. While the Kerala government will provide Rs 16 lakh as compensation to the families of the 76 people, whose bodies were recovered, Rs 4 lakh will be given by the central government. Besides, Rs 2 lakh will be given to the families of the victims under the Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana and Rs 2 lakh has already been released from the Prime Minister's relief fund, the official said. Next of kin of those who were missing after the cyclone is also expected to receive around Rs 20 lakh, the official said, requesting anonymity. In Kerala, so far, 76 bodies have been recovered while whereabouts of 144 people are not known. Exact amount of compensation for those who died in Tamil Nadu is yet to be known. At least 14 people lost their lives in Tamil Nadu during the cyclone. The official said the central team, headed by additional secretary in the home ministry Bipin Mallick, which visited Kerala to asses the damage caused by the cyclone has returned and will submit its report soon. "After the report is submitted, a final decision on the total amount of financial assistance given to Kerala will be decided, hopefully by January-end," the official said. Another team, headed by joint secretary in the home ministry, Sanjeev Kumar Jindal, has also returned from Tamil Nadu after making an assessment of the damaged caused by Ockhi. So far, Rs 133 crore each has been given to both Kerala and Tamil Nadu as interim relief after the cyclone hit the two states. Rs 15 crore has been given to Lakhshadweep. Cyclone Ockhi had made the landfall in Lakshadweep on December 2 and caused extensive damages to houses, power lines and other infrastructure in the islands and coastal areas of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Telangana government ushered in the New Year today by gifting the farmers 24-hour free power supply for agricultural purposes. Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao described the initiative as a "wonderful victory", according to an official statement. "With 24-hour quality, uninterrupted and free power to the farm sector, Telangana will go down in the history as the first state in the country which is supplying round-the-clock power to all sectors," he said. "Though it was not mentioned in the Telangana Rashtra Samiti's manifesto (during the Assembly elections in 2014) nor it ever made any promise, keeping in view the untold misery of the farmers, it was decided to supply 24-hour free power," the chief minister said. Though round-the-clock power is provided in some other states as well, it is charged. Except Telangana, no other state in the country is giving 24-hour free power supply to the farm sector, he said. Rao congratulated all the officials concerned and said everyone in the country was looking up to Telangana for the "revolutionary" changes that took place in the power sector. The chief minister today held a meeting with TS Genco, Transco CMD D Prabhakar Rao and other senior officials of power utilities in the backdrop of launching the 24-hour supply to the farm sector. As many as 23 lakh agricultural pump sets would be provided free power from December 31 midnight, the government had said last month. The initiative would push the overall power demand to 11,000 MW by March this year. "By spending Rs 12,610 crore in setting up new power lines, transformers and sub-stations, the state power utilities have made elaborate arrangements for power supply," the government had earlier said. The installed power capacity has grown from 6,573 MW as on June 2, 2014 to 14,913 MW as on today with an "ultimate capacity of 28,000 MW in the near future", the government said. Meanwhile, state-owned Singareni Collieries Company said in the wake of the government's decision to supply 24-hour free power to agricultural pump sets in the state, the PSU is geared up to supply coal to all the power plants which have tie-ups with it for fuel supply. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) One woman was killed and eight people were injured when their vehicle fell into the Ganga canal near Khatoli town in the district, police said here today. The victims were returning from a marriage function to their village Bihari in the district yesterday, they said. The deceased was identified as 55-year-old Kashmiri Devi while the injured were admitted to a local hospital, police added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) : The new year was welcomed with fervour across Tamil Nadu and in neighbouring Puducherry with people thronging places of worship in the wee hours of today. Special poojas were conducted in various temples including the famous Sri Parthasarathy Temple in Chennai, Arulmigu Subramaniaswamy Temple in Tiruttani and Meenakshi Sundareshwarar temple in Madurai among others. Similarly, mass prayers were held as the clock struck 12 at the famous Santhome Basilica Church and Annai Vailankanni Shrine (Our Lady of Good Health), Besant Nagar in Chennai and Annai Vailankannai Shrine in Nagapattinam district. Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit, Chief Minister K Palaniswami, DMK Working President M K Stalin, MDMK chief Vaiko and PMK leader S Ramadoss also extended their wishes on the occasion. In Puducherry, devotees offered prayers at the famous Manakula Vinayakar Temple while others visited the Aurobindo Ashram in the Union Territory. Several cultural programmes were organised as part of welcoming the new year while police maintained strict vigil across the State. Lt Governor Kiran Bedi thanked God for the peaceful festivities to welcome the New Year on beach road. "All went well. Thank God. Drones did their job and so did the preparations and plans and also briefings," she tweeted. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An 18-year-old student today approached the Bombay High Court, seeking a CBI investigation into the December 29 fire tragedy at an upscale pub at Kamala Mills compound in central Mumbai in which 14 people died. Garv Sud, a city resident studying in the United Kingdom, also urged the court that the culpable homicide charge under Section 304 of the Indian Penal Code be pressed against the owners of Kamala Mills too. "The petition was filed today. We will wait for it to come up for hearing once the high court resumes after the vacation on January 4," Sud's lawyer Prakash Wagh said. "It is not enough to just book the owners of '1 Above' pub for culpable homicide and negligence. The owners of Kamala Mills are equally responsible for the incident. The CBI should be asked to probe the incident," the petition said. The Mumbai Police today arrested two managers of the '1 Above' pub, but the main accused - the pub's owners - are still at large. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Fresh protests broke out as night fell in Iran with reports of a policeman shot dead, as the authorities moved to crack down on days of unrest across the country. There was a heavy police presence in Tehran as small groups of protesters ran through the city centre shouting anti-regime slogans yesterday, local agencies reported. State television said one policeman had been killed and three others wounded by fire from hunting rifles in the city of Najafabad in central Iran. The latest demonstrations came despite President Hassan Rouhani's vow that the nation would deal with "rioters and lawbreakers". US President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly criticised Tehran over four days of demonstrations, said it was "time for a change" and that the Iranian people were "hungry" for freedom. The intelligence ministry released a statement saying "rioters and instigators" have been identified "and will be dealt with seriously soon". The Revolutionary Guards published photos of three people wanted for their role in the unrest, calling on the public to report any "seditionist elements". It followed the deadliest night yet on Sunday, with state television reporting six people killed by gunfire in the western town of Tuyserkan, and a local lawmaker saying two people had been shot dead in the southwestern town of Izeh. Two others, including a teenage boy, were run down and killed by a fire engine protesters stole in the western town of Dorud, the state broadcaster said. The total death toll linked to the protests currently stands at 13. Rouhani tried to play down the unrest, which began in second city Mashhad last Thursday and quickly spread across the country to become the biggest test for the regime since mass protests in 2009. "This is nothing," Rouhani said in a statement on the presidency website. "Our nation will deal with this minority who chant slogans against the law and people's wishes, and insult the sanctities and values of the revolution," he said. Pro-regime rallies were held across several towns and cities. Reporting restrictions remained tight, but videos on social media showed seemingly widespread anti-government protests in many parts of the country, with attacks on government buildings and a school for clergy in the northwestern town of Takestan on Sunday. Tehran has seen relatively small protests, but many people sympathise with the economic grievances driving the unrest. "Life is really difficult. The high prices really put me under pressure. My husband is a government worker but his salary is no way enough for us to make ends meet," said Farzaneh Mirzaie, 42, a mother of two. "Mr Rouhani says it's free for people to protest but we're scared of speaking. Even now, I'm scared of talking to you," added Sarita Mohammadi, a 35-year-old teacher. "If it's free to speak out and protest, then why have they deployed so many forces out there in the streets?" The authorities have confirmed more than 400 arrests since the outbreak of the unrest, of whom around 100 have been freed. "Those who have rightful demands must be guided in lawful ways and those who riot and commit sabotage and chaos and set fire to public property... must be confronted decisively," judiciary chief Ayatollah Sadegh Larijani told the state broadcaster. "The country must have discipline," he added. Trump, a fierce critic of Tehran, used one of his first tweets of 2018 to again lash out at a favourite target. "The great Iranian people have been repressed for many years. They are hungry for food & for freedom. Along with human rights, the wealth of Iran is being looted. TIME FOR CHANGE!" he tweeted. After initial silence, state media began showing some footage of the demonstrations on Sunday, focusing on young men attacking banks and vehicles, an attack on a town hall in Tehran and images of a man burning the Iranian flag. Rouhani came to power in 2013 promising to mend the economy and ease social tensions, but high living costs and a 12 percent unemployment rate have left many feeling that progress is too slow. "We have no problem bigger than unemployment. Our economy needs an operation. We must all stand together," Rouhani acknowledged yesterday. The authorities have blamed external forces for fomenting violence, saying the majority of social media reports were emanating from regional rival Saudi Arabia or exile groups based in Europe. Authorities ruthlessly put down the 2009 protests, which followed a disputed presidential election that gave hardliner Mahmoud Ahmadinejad a second term. At least 36 people were killed in the 2009 unrest, according to an official toll, while the opposition says 72 died. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Army Chief General Bipin Rawat on Monday urged all Army personnel to work with "added zeal" to preserve the core values of the force, including its "apolitical" character while ensuring that it remains one of the most potent instruments of India's power. In a New Year message, Rawat also complimented the Army for successfully meeting external as well as internal challenges with grit, determination, and pride during 2017. His comments were seen as a reference to the 73-day-long border face-off between Indian Army and Chinese troops in Doklam and the anti-terror operations by the force in Jammu and Kashmir. "Our unflinching loyalty, commitment to the nation and apolitical stance, confers on us a uniqueness that we must preserve," he said. Therefore, Rawat said, "we need to continue to work with added zeal while upholding our core values of integrity, loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, courage, and honour to fulfil our constitutional obligations and assigned roles." Rawat said the Army successfully dealt with various challenges it faced throughout the year, including combating terrorism and insurgency and guarding the country's borders. "We have successfully progressed through an eventful year meeting all challenges, both external as well as internal, with grit, determination, and pride. We have exhibited sincerity and commitment of the highest order while guarding our frontiers, combating terrorism and insurgency," he said. Since the beginning of the year, the Army pursued an aggressive anti-terror policy in Jammu and Kashmir, at the same time, forcefully responding to all ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops along the Line of Control with a tit-for-tat approach. The Army chief also paid glowing tributes to those who made supreme sacrifices in the line of duty. "Let us continue to strive for all-round excellence to ensure we remain as one of the most potent, responsive, accountable and relevant instruments of power," he said. General Rawat called upon all the Army men to "rededicate" themselves in the service of the nation and discharge responsibilities in the best traditions of our Army. He said Indian soldiers in the UN Missions have made the Army and the nation proud by displaying "outstanding professionalism" in the face of challenging situations. A high-profile British CEO and his family were among six people killed in a New Year's Eve seaplane crash in Australia, police said today. The plane went down yesterday in the Hawkesbury River near the suburb of Cowan some 50 kilometers north of Sydney, as New Year's revellers on the banks watched in shock. The bodies of all of those on board -- one pilot and five passengers -- have been recovered from the wreckage, with Richard Cousins, chief executive of British catering giant Compass, identified as among the deceased. Cousins' two sons in their early 20s and his fiancee and her 11-year-old daughter were also killed in the crash. "The thoughts of everyone at Compass are with Richard's family and friends, and we extend our deepest sympathies with them," Compass group chairman Paul Walsh said in a statement. Cousins, who was recently named by Harvard Business Review as one of the world's best-performing CEOs, was due to step down from Compass this year. New South Wales detective superintendent Mark Hutchings said all passengers on board were British nationals and the pilot Australian. The cause of the accident remains unknown with the investigation ongoing. Witnesses recalled seeing the aircraft, a DHC-2 Beaver Seaplane which was heading to Rose Bay in Sydney Harbour, do a sharp turn before plummeting straight into the water. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, whose father died in a light plane accident, paid his respects to the families of those killed. "We grieve for those who've lost their lives, and again, our thoughts and prayers are with their families as they come to terms with this terrible loss," he said. The flight company Sydney Seaplanes has suspended its operations until further notice. The proposed US Bill -- Protect and Grow American Jobs -- is riddled with "onerous conditions" and places "unprecedented obligations" on both Indian IT and clients using H-1B visas, software body Nasscom has cautioned. Nasscom said it has flagged its concerns around visa-related issues in the US with the Senators, Congressmen and the administration, and will engage further in a dialogue over the next few weeks over the proposed legislation. The Bill proposes new restrictions to prevent abuse and misuse of H-1B visas. It tightens the definition of visa-dependent and imposes fresh restrictions in terms of minimum salary and movement of talent. Apart from prescribing higher minimum wages, the Bill places the onus on clients that they will certify that the visa holder is not displacing an existing employee for a tenure of 5-6 years. "That formulation has conditions which are extremely onerous and makes it very difficult for people to not just get the visa but also on how they can be used," R Chandrashekhar, President, National Association for Software and Services (Nasscom) told PTI. There is no doubt we have been seeing an increasingly negative environment and this is a part of the protectionist, anti-globalisation trend: R Chandrashekhar, President, Nasscom "We do not know the exact timeline but we have been told it will come up early 2018," he said. Chandrashekhar said another "extreme concern" is that "in the name of protecting American jobs, this has been applied only to the so-called visa-dependent companies that translates to Indian companies". "There is no doubt we have been seeing an increasingly negative environment and this is a part of the protectionist, anti-globalisation trend," he said referring to a slew of measures taken by the US in the recent past, including increased visa scrutiny, premium visa processing being put on hold for a few months, etc. Chandrashekhar also pointed out that the use of visas by Indian IT firms has fallen by 50 per cent in the last two years and that the number now stands below 10,000. "It is below 10,000, which is a minuscule fraction of 85,000 visas (H-1B visas) issued every year... how such onerous restrictions on 12-15 per cent of the visas that are being issued protect American workers, certainly defies logic," he said. Chandrashekhar explained that the Bill proposes to raise the minimum wage substantially to about $100,000 if the company has to be exempted from the labour certification requirements. Also, the client deploying the worker will have to certify that no American worker will be displaced for the 5-6 year period. Further, the software services provider will have to notify the US authorities if the client has displaced a worker, an obligation that is unprecedented, he said. Chandrashekhar added that many of these changes were "emotive and political" rather than being based on "economic arguments". He said that Nasscom has shared its concerns with both Indian and the US governments. "...We will probably be having further interaction in next few months. In next couple of months, we expect to have interactions once again with the US authorities," he added. The prosecution today demanded death penalty for the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party leader Khaleda Zia's son for his alleged role in the 2004 grenade attack that killed 24 people and injured 300 others, including Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, a media report said. Tarique Rahman, the BNP's senior vice president who lives in exile in London, is accused in two cases of murder and blasts for planning the attack in which more than 10 grenades were thrown in a rally organised by Hasina's Awami League party when she was in opposition and Zia was in power. Among the dead was Ivy Rahman - the wife of late president Zillur Rahman and then Mohila AL president. Chief prosecutor Syed Rezaur Rahman demanded death sentences for Rahman and 48 others, including the then-home minister Lutfozzaman Babar and chiefs of major intelligence agencies while wrapping up the argument at a Speedy Trial Tribunal here, the Daily Star reported. The state counsel had submitted arguments after observing testimonies from 245 witnesses on December 27. The court had fixed January 1 for the defence and the state to present their arguments. Justice Shahed Nuruddin adjourned the case till tomorrow when the defence, led by state-appointed lawyer Chitanya Chandra Halder, would present their argument, the report said. There were 52 accused in the case of which 23, including Babar and BNP leader Abdus Salam Pintu, are behind the bars. Former Inspector Generals of Police (IGPs) Ashraful Huda, Sahudul Haq and Khoda Boksh Chowdhury, Lt Commander (retd) Saiful Islam Duke, former investigation officers Special Superintendent Ruhul Amin and Senior ASP Munshi Atikur Rahman and ASP Abdur Rashid were among the eight who are out on bail. While 18 other accused, including Rahman, BNP leader Harish Chaudhary, former lawmaker Kazi Shah Mofazzal Hossain Kaikobad, Major General (retd) A T M Amin, and Lieutenant Colonel (retd) Saiful Islam Joarder are still absconding. Apart from these, three accused - Jamaat leaders Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed, Mufti Hannan and his associate Sharif Saidul Alam Bipul have been executed after being convicted in the war crimes and grenade attack cases. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A couple from Pune died in a road accident on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad road near Dahanu in Palghar district of Maharashtra today, police said. The deceased were identified as Pinki Shah (35) and and her husband Chirag Shah (38). Their two sons were badly injured, police added. The Shahs were returning from Vadodara when another car, coming from the opposite direction, jumped over the divider and collided with their car, police said. Driver of the other car too was injured and was undergoing treatment, they said. Kasa police have registered a case. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ration card holders will now have an option to buy ration from any fair price shop in the city with the Delhi government today announcing portability scheme in public distribution system. The food and civil supplies department today started distributing ration through point of sale device (PoS) at all 2,254 fair-price shops on a month-long trial basis. Food and Civil Supplies Minister Imran Hussain said that after the trial run, the government may consider a complete roll out of the facility from February. At present, the government is distributing specified food articles to the tune of 3.75 lakh quintals to 72.78 lakhs beneficiaries per month in the national capital. "The department has implemented ration portability scheme under which ration card holders can buy ration from any of 2,254 fair-price shops with complete shifting to PoS device. "For availing this facility, the biometric data of the beneficiaries must match the official record," Hussain told reporters here. He also said that the new system will have a robust mechanism for verification of beneficiaries through the Aadhaar authentication, having features to monitor transactions online. The e-Pos devices have also been integrated with electronic weighing machine to ensure correct weight to the beneficiaries. "Under this system, distribution of eight per cent of the total card holders will be allowed off line in order to provide ease to the beneficiaries whose Aadhaar authentication either fails or who still do not possess Aadhaar cards," the minister also said. Apart from this, he also announced the department's proposal to increase the margin money for fair-price shop owners from Rs 70 per quintal to Rs 200 per quintal (from 70 paisa per kg to Rs two per kg), which is under active consideration of the government. The proposal will soon be tabled in the Cabinet meeting for the approval. According to Hussain, there was a long pending demand of fair price shop owners for increasing the margin money in order to enable them bear the costs of running FPS on account of wages payment, rent of the shop, shortage incurred during retail distribution, electricity charges and reasonable commission/profit to make FPS operation sustainable and viable. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has set reconciliation as a top priority for his government in 2018. In his new year message, he said that the country has entered 2018 with many challenges. "The economic prosperity we should gain as a country, the reconciliation which should be deeply instilled in the society, human freedom and a further endorsement of the glorious image of Sri Lanka at the international fora are among those priorities," the president said. "Our determination and commitment towards making the New Year, an amazing one, will depend on how far we succeed in achieving these goals," he added. Three years ago, Sirisena got elected with the pledge to achieve national reconciliation with the Tamil minority by addressing their concerns which had led to a bloody separatist conflict. He took steps to reform the island's constitution to replace the existing 1978 constitution. Meanwhile, Sirisena also announced that he would be addressing the nation on January 3 (Wednesday) on the recommendations of the commission, appointed by him to probe the alleged Central Bank Bond scam. The recommendations are being viewed with much interest as the ruling national unity government, headed by Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesimghe, has faced rough times ahead of the next month's local council election. The UNP leaders are being held accountable for the alleged scam and the findings of the commission may work in favour of Sirisena's SLFP in the election the analysts note. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Rohingya exodus in Myanmar, Saudi Arabia and allies severing ties with Qatar, North Korea conducting its largest nuclear test and the end of autonomy in Spain's Catlonian region made headlines in 2017. The Harvey Weinstein scandal brought to light decades of sexual harassment inflicted by the Hollywood mogul, as over 40 victims confessed to have been harassed by him at some point of time in their lives. The fall of Zimbabwe's veteran President Robert Mugabe, and the US President, Donald Trump, leaving the 2015 Paris climate deal, were among other issues that made across the globe. Following is the diary of international events: Jan 1: Islamabad: Pakistan today said India's bid at the UN to ban Masood Azhar was "politically motivated" and "replete with frivolous information", two days after its close ally China blocked the proposal to get the JeM chief and Pathankot attack mastermind listed as a global terrorist. Jan 2: Rio De Janeiro: At least 60 inmates died during a prison riot in the northern state of Amazonas, including several who were beheaded or dismembered, Brazilian state authorities said today. Jan 4: Washington: US President-elect Donald Trump today appointed young Indian-American Raj Shah, who played a leading role in the Republican party's anti-Clinton campaign during polls, to a key White House position. Jan 5: Istanbul: A Turkish court today sentenced two army officers to life in jail over their roles in the failed July coup, the first verdicts to be handed out in the biggest legal process in the country's history. Jan 6: Houston: At least five people were killed and eight others njured today when a gunman opened fire at US' Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in Florida, the latest mass shooting incident to rock the country. Jan 7: Beirut: A massive tanker truck bomb ripped through a market by a courthouse in the rebel-held Syrian town of Azaz, killing 48 people and wounding dozens near the Turkish border. Jan 8: Kathmandu: In a historic verdict, Nepal's apex court ordered the removal of the country's anti-corruption head from his post, saying that he did not meet qualifications required to hold the powerful post. Jan 9: Islamabad: Pakistan successfully test-fired its first Submarine-Launched Cruise Missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead up to 450 kms, with the military saying the strategic weapon has given the country a "credible" second-strike capability and augmenting deterrence amidst tensions with India. Jan 10: Washington: US President-elect Donald Trump appointed his 35-year-old son-in-law Jared Kushner as his senior advisor that would make him one of the most powerful individuals in the incoming White House team, prompting Democrats to immediately call for a review of the move, citing nepotism laws and potential conflicts. Jan 11: New York: US President-elect Donald Trump said that pending negotiations with the Mexican government, his administration would immediately move ahead with its plan to construct a wall along the southern border to keep out illegal migrants and Mexico would reimburse it. Jan 12: London: Amid a visa clampdown on foreign students by the UK, there has been a sharp drop in the number of Indians coming to study in the country's higher education institutions over the previous year, according to new data released. Jan 13: London: The UK has launched a new placement scheme to bring in doctors from India to plug shortages in the emergency departments of its state-funded National Health Service. Jan 14: Dhaka: Bangladesh police today said they have arrested a top Islamist militant accused of being one of the "masterminds" of the country's worst terror attack at a popular Dhaka cafe and plotting murders of religious minorities including two Hindu priests. Jan 15: Karachi: China has handed over two ships to the Pakistan Navy to safeguard the strategic Gwadar port and trade routes under the USD 46 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a move likely to raise alarm in India. Jan 16: Seoul: In a departure from the leniency typically given to South Korean big businesses, prosecutors today requested the arrest of the de facto head of Samsung Electronics, the country's most valuable company, in an influence-peddling scandal that has toppled the country's president. Jan 17: Rome: Four people died and nearly 180 are missing, presumed dead, after Saturday's migrant ship capsize in the Mediterranean, officials said today after interviewing a handful of survivors. Jan 18: Washington: Describing the US' ties with Pakistan as "extraordinarily complicated", the Obama administration today hoped that the incoming Trump government would deepen its security and counter-terrorism cooperation with Islamabad to make America a safer place. Jan 19: Islamabad: Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today raked up the Kashmir issue in his first meeting with the new UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres but got no positive response to his request for the world body's intervention in the issue. Jan 20: London/Colombo: Protests demanding lifting of the ban on bull-taming sport 'jallikattu' have spread to outside India with the Tamil diaspora in Sri Lanka, Britain and Australia holding demonstrations against the ban. Jan 21: Washington: After spending his first night at the White House, the US President Donald Trump today kicked off the first full day of his presidency with a national prayer breakfast that also included Hindu and Sikh prayer services among others. Jan 22: Paris: Partial results suggest that Manuel Valls, a center-leaning former prime minister who rallied France together after extremist attacks, will confront stalwart Socialist Benoit Hamon in the country's left-wing presidential primary runoff. Jan 23: Washington: The White House today warned China that the United States will defend "international interests" in the South China Sea and that trade must be a "two-way street." Jan 24: Washington: US President Donald Trump has asked FBI director James Comey to stay in his post, despite criticism for his actions during the presidential election which many Democrats say damaged Hillary Clinton's candidacy, media reports said today. Jan 25: Washington: US President Donald Trump took a first step toward fulfilling his pledge to "build a wall" on the Mexican border today, signing two immigration-related decrees. Jan 26: Washington: US President Donald Trump today defended his plan to limit the entry of people from several Muslim countries, saying it was necessary as the world is "a total mess", even as he was non-committal on whether nations like Pakistan, Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia would be on the list of the proposed visa ban. Jan 27: Washington: US President Donald Trump today played down speculation that he may lift sanctions on Russia, even as British Prime Minister Theresa May urged him to continue with them until Moscow implements the international agreement on Ukraine. Jan 28: Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin and his new US counterpart Donald Trump agree to develop relations "as equals" and to establish "real coordination" against the Islamic State group in Syria, the Kremlin says. Jan 29: Khartoum: Sudan summons US charge d'affaires Steven Koutsis to protest President Donald Trump's visa ban which has already prevented some of its citizens from flying to the United States. Jan 30: Washington: Former US president Barack Obama expresses his objections to any faith-based discrimination, in an apparent dig at his successor Donald Trump's ban on nationals of seven Muslim-majority countries entering the country. Jan 31: Baghdad: President Donald Trump's travel ban that prevents Iraqis from entering the United States punishes people who are "fighting terrorism," Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi says. Feb 1: Washington: The US Senate confirms former ExxonMobil chief Rex Tillerson as the next secretary of state, handing a major boost to President Donald Trump as he builds his cabinet. Feb 2: Washington: Hammered by political opponents for his alleged "Muslim ban" policy, US President Donald Trump says his administration will do everything in its power to defend and protect religious liberty of America, which will remain a tolerant society where all faiths are respected. Feb 3: Paris: A French soldier patrolling at the Louvre museum shoots and seriously injures a machete-wielding attacker, thrusting security and the terror threat back into the limelight three months before elections. Feb 4: Washington/Los Angeles: An American judge imposes a temporary, nationwide hold on Donald Trump's ban on travellers and immigrants from seven Muslim-majority nations, in a major blow to the US President's controversial order. Feb 5: Islamabad: Upping the ante, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said Kashmir is the "core dispute" between India and Pakistan and the dream of peace and prosperity of the people of the region will remain elusive without resolving the issue. Feb 6: San Francisco: Silicon Valley's top firms, including Microsoft, Apple and Google, are among 97 technology giants that have files a motion in a US court against President Donald Trump's controversial immigration order calling it "violation" of the laws and the Constitution. Feb 7: Islamabad: Pakistan decides to build at least 50 bunkers for civilians along the Working Boundary with India in the Punjab province to provide protection during cross- border firing incidents. Feb 8: Washington: Two top US senators proposed a legislation to cut the number of legal immigrants to the US by half within a decade, a move that could adversely hit those aspiring to get a green card or permanent residency in the US including a large number of Indians. Feb 9: London: British Parliament overwhelmingly supports a bill empowering Prime Minister Theresa May to start crucial negotiations by March 31 on leaving the European Union, bringing Brexit a step closer. Feb 10: Beijing: Reacting guardedly to India's diplomatic protests over its move to block US resolution to list Pakistan-based JeM leader Masood Azhar as a terrorist, China today hoped all members of the UN Security Council who are part of the anti-terrorism committee will follow rules. Feb 11: Beijing: A Chinese soldier, who was stuck in India for over 50 years after crossing the border following the 1962 war, today returned to China with his Indian family members to a rousing reception and an emotional reunion with his kin. Feb 12: Washington: US President Donald Trump today defended the ongoing crackdown on illegal criminals, saying he is merely fulfilling his election promise and only removing gang members and drug dealers. Feb 13: Washington: Describing North Korea as a "big problem", US President Donald Trump today vowed to deal with it "very strongly", after the reclusive country carried out yet another ballistic missile. Feb 14: Washington: Expressing bipartisian support for the Indo-US relationship, top American Congressmen today pledged to work together to strengthen the bilateral relationship under Trump Administration, terming it "very important" for the stability of the international community. Feb 15: Washington: US President Donald Trump today expressed his openness to a one-state solution to the decades -old Israeli-Palestinian conflict, even as he asked visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a temporary hold on Jewish settlements in lands claimed by the Palestinians. Feb 16: Washington: President Donald Trump has said he is considering signing a "brand new" executive order by next week to temporarily bar citizens of seven Muslim-majority nations from entering America, a day after a US court refused to reinstate his controversial travel ban. Feb 17: Munich: European leaders today fired a salvo of warnings against Washington, cautioning it against hurting EU cohesion, abandoning shared values and seeking a rapprochement with Russia behind the backs of its allies. Feb 25: Washington: The Trump administration dismisses as "absurd" any correlation between US President Donald Trump's controversial remarks on immigrants and the Kansas shooting incident that resulted in the "tragic" death of an Indian engineer. Feb 26: Islamabad: The court employees in Pakistan- occupied Kashmir (PoK) will have to offer daily prayers punctually - both in and outside the court- as their annual raises would now hinge on their offering prayers regularly and on the prescribed times, says a top Judge. Feb 27: Los Angeles: Barry Jenkins' coming-of-age drama "Moonlight" walks away with the top award at the Oscars but its thunder was stolen by a bizarre announcement mix-up that initially declared "La La Land" as the best picture winner. Feb 28: Washington: Defence Secretary Jim Mattis submits to the White House a preliminary trans-regional plan that suggests deployment of all elements of US national power to defeat the Islamic State terror group around the globe. Mar 1: New York: Anxiety among Indian immigrants in the US over the proposed tightening of work visa rules under the Trump administration has been compounded by fears in the wake of the fatal shooting of an Indian engineer in Kansas. Mar 2: London: Prime Minister Theresa May suffers her first parliamentary defeat over Brexit after the House of Lords voted in favour of an amendment to guarantee the rights of EU citizens in the UK after the country leaves the bloc. Mar 3: New York: An Indian-origin girl in the US has been allegedly racially abused by an African-American man who called her inappropriate names and yelled "get out of here" when she was travelling in a busy commuter train. Mar 11: Damascus: Twin bombs targeting Shiite pilgrims killed 59 people in Damascus, most of them Iraqis, a monitoring group said of one of the bloodiest attacks in the Syrian capital. Mar 12: Islamabad: Pakistan is set to conduct its first national census in 19 years for which it will deploy nearly 200,000 troops. Mar 13: London: British MPs overwhelmingly approves a bill allowing Prime Minister Theresa May to trigger negotiations for the UK's exit from the European Union. Mar 14: Karachi: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif warns against the forced conversion and destruction of worship places of other religions, describing them as "crime in Islam" as he greeted the Hindu community which celebrates the Holi festival with traditional enthusiasm across Pakistan. Mar 15: Washington: Two Russian intelligence agents and a duo of hackers were indicted over a data breach that compromised 500 million Yahoo accounts in one of the largest cyberattacks in history. Mar 16: Washington: Two American judges have halted Donald Trump's revised travel ban on citizens of six Muslim- majority nations, stating that his own comments suggests religious bias, in a blow to the US President who has vowed to take the legal battle all the way up to the Supreme Court. Mar 17: Lima: The number of people killed in Peru following intense rains and mudslides wreaking havoc around the Andean nation climbed to 67, with thousands more displaced from destroyed homes and others waiting on rooftopsfor rescue. Mar 18: Paris: Troops at Paris' Orly airport today shot dead a man who tried to grab a female soldier's weapon saying he was ready to die for Allah, triggering a major security alert that caused travel chaos. Mar 19: Lahore/New Delhi: A 10-member Indian delegation arrived here today to take part in the meeting of the Permanent Indus Commission (PIC) beginning tomorrow in the Pakistani capital. Mar 20: Juba: At least 37 people were injured when a passenger jet crash-landed in South Sudan's northwestern city of Wau today, government and airport officials said. Mar 21: Washington: President Donald Trump today signed a bill authorising USD 19.5 billion funding for NASA programmes and setting a new goal to send humans to Mars. Mar 22: Washington: Recognising that there are many pressing challenges in the Middle East, US Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson today said defeating the terrorist group is the "number one US goal in the region." Mar 23: Washington: A bill seeking to prevent US companies from outsourcing jobs overseas by "abusing" H1-B programme has been re-introduced in House of Representatives by two lawmakers. Mar 24: Washington: In a major setback to President Donald Trump, House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan today withdrew a healthcare bill aimed at repealing and replacing the Obamacare policy from vote as the Republican party failed to muster the votes needed to get the legislation passed. Mar 25: Washington: Two top Senators have urged the Trump administration to push for the sale of F-16 fighter jets to India to build its capability to counter security threats and balance China's growing military power in the Pacific. Mar 26: Washington: Top al Qaeda leader Qari Yasin, who was involved in multiple deadly attacks in Pakistan which claimed dozens of innocent lives, has been killed in a US drone strike in eastern Afghanistan, the Pentagon has said. Mar 27: Dhaka: Bangladesh army today said it has neutralised all four Islamist militants, including a woman, who were holed up in a building after four days of siege in the northeastern Sylhet city, even as the 'Operation Twilight' continued to secure the site. Mar 28: United Nations: India is not participating in the first UN conference in more than 20 years on a global nuclear weapons ban which opened here amid objections from major nuclear powers. Mar 29: Washington: US President Donald Trump today signed an executive order to nullify his predecessor Barack Obama's climate change efforts, raising questions over America's leadership in the international campaign against global warming. Mar 30: Washington: A US federal judge in Hawaii has indefinitely extended its previous order blocking President Donald Trump's revised travel ban on people from six Muslim- majority countries. Mar 31: Washington: President Donald Trump has said that the next week's high-profile summit with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping will be a "very difficult" one as the US can no longer afford massive trade deficits and job losses. Apr 1: Dhaka: Three militants, including a woman, were found dead by Bangladesh security forces today when they stormed their hideout, ending a two-day stand off with Islamist militants in a northeastern city amid a massive nationwide clampdown on militants. Apr 2: Peshawar: Four missiles fired from Afghanistan lands in northwest Pakistan's restive tribal region bordering Afghanistan, triggering panic among the residents, says officials. Apr 3: Washington: President Donald Trump promises to support Egypt and vows to work with it to fight against Islamic militants, as he welcomes Egyptian President Abdel al-Sisi to the White House in a reversal of US policy. Apr 4: Washington: The US strongly condemns a suspected chemical attack in Syria that killed 58 people, describing it as "reprehensible" and "intolerable" attack. Apr 5: Washington: US President Donald Trump says the suspected "horrible" chemical attack in Syria that left over 70 people dead cannot be tolerated and it has crossed "many many lines". Apr 6: Washington: US Republican party takes a "nuclear option" of changing longstanding Senate rules to confirm President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee after Democrats blocked his nomination. Apr 7: United Nations: The US criticises Russia for standing with Syrian President Bashar Al Assad every time he crosses the "line of human decency" and asserts that it was "fully justified" for striking the Syrian airfield from which the chemical attacks were launched. Apr 8: Beirut: An air strike killed 18 civilians including five children in Syria's northwestern province of Idlib today, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said. Apr 9: Cairo: At least 45 people were killed and nearly 120 others injured in powerful blasts triggered by ISIS in two churches packed with worshippers celebrating Palm Sunday in Egypt's Tanta and Alexandria cities, the deadliest attacks on the minority Coptic Christians in recent years. Apr 10: San Bernardino (US): An apparent murder- suicide inside an elementary school classroom in San Bernardino left a teacher and the shooter dead and two students critically wounded, police said. Apr 11: Dortmund: Spain international Marc Bartra was injured in the explosion which hit the Borussia Dortmund team bus today and saw their Champions League game against Monaco called off, the club confirmed. Apr 12: Washington: US President Donald Trump told allies it was time to end Syria's "brutal" civil war today, as he branded the country's leader Bashar al-Assad a "butcher" and questioned Russia's role in a suspected chemical attack. Apr 13: Washington: The US military today dropped its largest non-nuclear bomb ever deployed in combat on an Islamic State tunnel complex in eastern Afghanistan, close to the Pakistani border. Apr 14: Islamabad: India said today it would appeal against the death sentence to Kulbhushan Jadhav and demanded from Pakistan a certified copy of the charge-sheet as well as the army court order in the case, besides seeking consular access to the retired Indian navy officer. Apr 15: Beirut: A stalled population transfer resumed after a deadly explosion killed at least 100, including children, government supporters and opposition fighters, at an evacuation point, adding new urgency to the widely criticised operation. Apr 16: Istanbul: Turkey's two main opposition parties says they would challenge the results putting the 'Yes' camp ahead in the referendum on expanding the powers of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after alleged violations. Apr 17: Islamabad: A 20-year-old medical student, who visited Syria in February to join the ISIS and receive weapons training, says that she was to be used as a suicide bomber to attack a church on Easter in Pakistan's Lahore city. Apr 22: Mazar-I-Sharif (Afghanistan): More than 100 Afghan soldiers were killed and wounded in a Taliban attack on an army base in northern Afghanistan, the defence ministry said today, the latest in a string of deadly assaults against Afghan military sites. Apr 23: Paris: Centrist Emmanuel Macron will face off against far-right Marine Le Pen in the second round of France's presidential election, projections showed today, making him clear favourite to emerge as the country's youngest leader in modern history. Apr 24: Washington: The US today imposed "sweeping sanctions" on Syrian government officials in response to the suspected sarin gas attack on civilians earlier this month. Apr 25: Dakar: Almost 30 people have died in two boat accidents in Senegal and The Gambia, neighbouring west African nations with poor maritime safety records. Apr 26: Washington: The Trump administration today announced what it claimed to be "one of the biggest tax cuts in American history", through drastically reducing tax rates both in the business and individual categories, fulfilling one of its major election promises. Apr 27: Islamabad: Pakistan today said that it will decide "on merit" the request made by India for consular access to its citizen Kulbhushan Jadhav who has been sentenced to death by a military court on spying charges. Apr 28: United Nations: Russia today warned at the United Nations that military options to address the threat from North Korea's nuclear and ballistic programs were "completely unacceptable" and would have "catastrophic consequences." Apr 29: Istanbul: Turkey has passed two new decrees, one that expelled more than 4,000 civil servants and another that banned television dating programmes. Apr 30: Kathmandu: Nepal's first woman Chief Justice Sushila Karki was suspended today after an impeachment motion against her was registered in Parliament by two major ruling parties that accused her of "interfering" with the executive and issuing "prejudiced" verdicts. May 1: Washington: US President Donald Trump today said he would not rule out meeting North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un, saying he would be "honoured to do it," despite weeks of tough talk against the regime. May 2: Beirut: A jihadist assault led by suicide bombers killed dozens today at a camp for the displaced near Syria's border with Iraq, as pressure grows on the Islamic State group in both countries. May 3: Tehran: Iranian agencies are quoting provincial officials as saying that 21 miners died in a coal mine explosion earlier in the day in the country's north. May 4: Washington: US President Donald Trump today promised to bring down health insurance premiums and deductible as he celebrated the defeat of Obamacare on the floor of the House of Representatives. May 5: London: In a major boost to British Prime Minister Theresa May, her Conservative Party today made huge gains in the local and mayoral polls which was being seen as a victory for her tough-talking Brexit stance and a vindication of her move to call a general election next month. May 6: Islamabad: Pakistan has summoned the Indian envoy here over non-issuance of medical visas to Pakistani nationals seeking treatment in India, Pakistani media reports said today. May 7: Paris: Pro-European centrist Emmanuel Macron promised today to heal France's divisions after crushing far- right leader Marine Le Pen in a pivotal presidential election that has given him a large but fragile mandate for change. May 8: Bonn: Uncertainty over America's future in the climate-rescue Paris Agreement loomed large over UN talks in Bonn today to work out the nuts and bolts of implementing the hard-fought international deal. May 9: Washington: President Donald Trump delayed a decision to honor or walk away from the Paris climate accord until he returns from Europe late this month, leaving global partners in limbo today. May 10: Washington: Defending Donald Trump's decision to fire FBI chief James Comey, the White House said today that the US President had lost confidence in him and was looking to fire him from day one. May 11: Washington: President Donald Trump has said that he wants to stop illegal immigration into the US and called for a merit-based immigration system that could benefit high- tech professionals from countries like India. May 12: Colombo: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said the biggest challenge to sustainable world peace is from mindsets rooted in hate and violence, and not necessarily from conflict between the nation states. May 13: Paris: The unprecedented global cyberattack affected "more than 75,000 victims" in dozens of countries, French police said in a statement today, the day after the ransomware hit Russia's banks, British hospitals and European car factories among others. May 14: United Nations: The United States and Japan today called for an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council on North Korea after Pyongyang carried out its latest missile test, diplomats said. May 15: Paris: New French President Emmanuel Macron named centre-right lawmaker Edouard Philippe as prime minister today in a further effort to splinter the country's traditional parties and redraw the political map. May 16: United Nations: The United States would consider talks with North Korea if it halts all nuclear and ballistic missile tests, Washington's envoy to the United Nations said today as the UN Security Council weighed new sanctions on Pyongyang. May 17: Dublin: Enda Kenny announced today he will step down as Ireland's prime minister after six years once his Fine Gael party elects a new leader. May 18: Islamabad: Pakistan stands at a "crossroads" in its fight against extremism and must decide whether it wants to enjoy the benefits of its young demography or suffer at the hands of terrorism, Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa said today. May 19: Tripoli: An attack on an airbase in south Libya has killed 141 people, mostly soldiers loyal to military strongman Khalifa Haftar, a spokesman for his forces said today. May 20: Tehran: Iran's moderate President Hassan Rouhani trounced a hard-line challenger to secure re-election today, saying his country seeks peace and friendship as it pursues a "path of coexistence and interaction with the world." May 21: Male/New Delhi: The Indian Navy has traced a Maldivian landing craft with six crew members, three days after it went missing while travelling between two islands in the Maldives. May 22: Beijing: China today said there is no change in its stance on admission of non-NPT states into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), marring Indias chances of entering the 48-member elite club at its crucial meeting next month. May 23: Manchester/London: A 22-year-old Libyan- origin suicide bomber set off a powerful homemade bomb at a concert of US pop star Ariana Grande in Manchester, killing at least 22 people and injuring 59 others, in the deadliest terror attack in Britain since the 2005 London bombings. May 24: Islamabad: Pakistani fighter jets flew near the Siachen Glacier today, according to a media report here, but Indian Air Force sources said there was no violation of India's air space. May 25: United Nations: The United Nations has dismissed Pakistan Army's claim that its military observers came under attack from Indian troops near the Line of Control, saying there was "no evidence" of them being targeted. May 26: Washington: Amul Thapar, an Indian-American legal luminary and US President Donald Trump's first nominee to a powerful appeals court, has been confirmed by the US Senate to the key judicial position. May 27: Colombo: India today rushed relief materials and deployed rescue personnel in Sri Lanka as the country faced its worst floods since 2003 that claimed the lives of 122 people and displaced half a million. May 28: London: British police today conducted fresh raids in Manchester and arrested a 19-year-old man in connection with the concert bombing, taking the total number of those in custody over the attack to 13. May 29: Berlin: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he had a "very good interaction" when he met German Chancellor Angela Merkel today at her country retreat near Berlin for informal talks over a private dinner. May 30: Washington: Relations between the US and Germany veered further toward crisis today as President Donald Trump complained about the US trade deficit with Germany and said it must pay more for the NATO military alliance. May 31: Kabul: At least 90 people were killed and hundreds wounded today when a massive truck bomb ripped through Kabul's diplomatic quarter during rush hour, in the deadliest attack in the Afghan capital since 2001. Jun 1: Washington: President Donald Trump today withdrew the US from the landmark Paris climate accord which he said was not tough on India and China, and alleged that the deal was negotiated "poorly" by the Obama administration and signed out of "desperation". Jun 2: St Petersburg: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today met UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres here on the the sidelines of an economic summit and stressed on multilateralism to address global challenges such as terrorism. Jun 3: Kabul: Explosions ripped through the funeral of an Afghan anti-government protester in Kabul today, killing at least seven people and wounding dozens in fresh carnage that spiked tensions in a city already on edge. Jun 4: London: Three knife-wielding attackers wearing fake suicide vests unleashed a terror rampage through central London, plowing a high-speed van into pedestrians on the iconic London Bridge before stabbing revellers in a nearby market, killing seven people and injuring 48. Jun 5: Riyadh: Arab nations including Saudi Arabia and Egypt today cut ties with Qatar, accusing it of supporting extremism, in the biggest diplomatic crisis to hit the region in years. Jun 6: Houston: Facebook and Google are among the top US tech giants who have joined an alliance to fight global warming by reducing carbon emissions to honour the Paris Agreement on climate change, days after President Donald Trump announced his decision to withdraw from the landmark deal. Jun 7: Washington: The Pentagon has said that tension continues to exist along the disputed portions of India-China border even though the economic relationship between the two countries have increased in recent years. Jun 8: Seoul: North Korea launched a series of what appeared to be "surface-to-ship" cruise missiles today, South Korea's defence ministry said, in what would be the latest in a string of tests in defiance of UN sanctions. Jun 9: Doha: Qatar today dismissed as "baseless" a terrorism blacklist published by Saudi Arabia and its allies which linked individuals and organisations in Doha to support for Islamist militant groups. Jun 10: Tripoli: An armed group in Libya said on Facebook today it has freed Seif al-Islam, the son of dead dictator Moamer Kadhafi who has been in custody since November 2011. Jul 1: Washington: The US Congress is "broadly positive" towards Indo-US strategic and commercial partnership despite many areas of "serious discord", a Congressional report has said, underlining that the bilateral engagements are "unprecedented". Jul 2: Baghdad: A suicide bomber attacked a camp for displaced Iraqis in Anbar province today, killing 14 people, a police major and a doctor said. Jul 3: Versailles: President Emmanuel Macron today promised a "profound transformation" of French politics, proposing to slash by a third the number of MPs, and telling lawmakers he would call a referendum if they do not agree. Jul 4: Jerusalem: Prime Minister Narendra Modi tonight gifted his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu replicas of two sets of relics from Kerala, regarded as key artifacts of the long Jewish history in India. Jul 5: United Nations: The US ambassador to the United Nations is warning China it risks its massive trade with the United States if its trade with North Korea violates UN sanctions. Jul 6: Bangui: Local officials say that more than 78 people have been killed after a truck overturned in an accident in Central African Republic's city of Bambari. Jul 7: Hamburg: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today held bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Japan, Shinzo Abe, and Canada, Justin Trudeau, along with informal interactions with a number of world leaders on the sidelines of the G20 Summit here. Jul 8: Hamburg: Wrapping up his second European tour, President Donald Trump and Asian allies searched for consensus today on how to counter what the president called the "menace" of North Korea after its test-launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile. Jul 9: Mosul: Iraq declared victory against the Islamic State group in Mosul today after a gruelling months-long campaign, dealing the biggest defeat yet to the jihadist group. Jul 10: Washington: An Indian man in America has pleaded guilty to supporting terrorism by providing material support to a "key leader" of al-Qaeda for "violent jihad" against US soldiers and a judge, authorities said today. Jul 11: Washington: Donald Trump today defended his eldest son Don Jr -- who is under fire for his meeting with a Russian lawyer during last year's US presidential campaign - and hailed his "transparency" for releasing emails about the talks. Jul 12: Washington: US President Donald Trump said in an interview today that he had a good meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin last week and that the two have a good relationship. Jul 13: Paris: US President Donald Trump suggested today he could change his position on the Paris climate accord, in remarks after talks with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron. Jul 14: Washington: US forces killed the leader of the Islamic State group's Afghanistan branch in a raid earlier this week in the northeastern province of Kunar, the Pentagon said today. Jun 11: Paris: French President Emmanuel Macron's party is on course for an overwhelming parliamentary majority after today's first round of voting for the National Assembly that left traditional parties in disarray. Jun 12: Athens: A woman died and 10 people were hurt today when a 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck the Greek islands of Lesbos and Chios and the Aegean coast of western Turkey, officials said. Jun 13: Paris: French President Emmanuel Macron said today the door was "always open" for Britain to remain in the EU after Prime Minister Theresa May said Brexit talks would begin next week. Jun 14: Mogadishu: Gunmen posing as military forces were holding dozens of hostages inside a popular restaurant in Somalia's capital in an attack that began when a car bomb exploded at the gate, police and a witness said tonight, while the extremist group al-Shabab claimed responsibility. Jun 15: Washington: The US Senate today overwhelmingly passed tough sanctions on Russia and Iran, sending the House of Representatives a bill that would prevent President Donald Trump from unilaterally easing penalties against Moscow. Jun 16: Washington: US President Donald Trump today vowed to roll back his predecessor Barack Obama's signature Cuba policy, saying it was "one-sided" and his administration will seek a "much better" deal for the Cuban people and America. Jun 17: Moscow: Russia said today that airstrikes carried out this month had killed about 180 Islamic State jihadists in Syria, including two field commanders. Jun 18: Tehran: Iran's Revolutionary Guard said it launched a series of missiles into Syria today in revenge for deadly attacks on its capital that were claimed by the Islamic State group. Jun 19: Bamako: An Al-Qaeda-linked jihadist alliance claimed responsibility today for an attack on a tourist resort near Mali's capital that left five people dead, including members of a European Union mission to the country. Jun 20: Brussels: An explosion rocked the central train station in Brussels today and a man was shot by police during the incident, prosecutors told Belgian media. Jun 21: Baghdad: Jihadists today blew up Mosul's iconic leaning minaret and the adjacent mosque where their leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared a "caliphate" in his only public appearance in 2014, an Iraqi commander said. Jun 22: Washington: The US has cleared the sale of 22 predator Guardian drones to India, governmental sources said today, a deal being termed as a "game changer" ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit here for his maiden meeting with President Donald Trump. Jun 23: Peshawar/Karachi: Twin blasts tore through a market crowded with Eid shoppers in a mainly Shia town, a suicide bomber blew up his explosives-laden car and militants opened fire on police in separate attacks in Pakistan's three major cities today, killing 62 people and wounding nearly 100. Jul 15: Dhaka: A 25-year-old medical student from India was allegedly stabbed to death by his compatriot who then tried to commit suicide at their flat in Bangladesh's northeastern port city of Chittagong, police said today. Jul 16: Islamabad: The Pakistan Army said today that it had no role in the investigation of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's family assets, asserting that it was "focused only" on safeguarding the country's security. Jul 17: London: India and the UK have discussed key issues such as extradition, counter-terrorism and illegal immigration during high-level talks here, officials said today. Jul 18: Moscow: India has sought time to "evaluate" Russia's offer of upgrading its Sukhoi-30 fleet to a near fifth- generation aircraft level, a top official of Russias Rostec State Corporation has said. Jul 19: Washington: The US today listed Pakistan among the nations providing "safe havens" to terrorists, saying terror groups like the LeT and JeM continued to operate, train, organise and fundraise inside the country. Jul 20: Islamabad: Pakistan today said it was fully resolved to fight terrorism and had taken strong measures against the menace, a day after the US listed it among nations providing "safe havens" to terrorists. Jul 21: Washington: Pentagon chief Jim Mattis said today that he believes Islamic State chief Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is still alive, following various claims he was dead. Jul 22: Dubai: Five Indian sailors, who were stuck on an UAE ship for months over non-payment of their salaries, will be returning home, the Indian Consulate General said here today. Jul 23: Moscow: Pakistan has received a Russian-made Mi- 171E non-combat helicopter, the second such chopper delivered to the country this year, indicating growing ties between Islamabad and Moscow, a media report has said. Jul 24: Islamabad: Pakistan today summoned India's Deputy High Commissioner J P Singh over alleged ceasefire violations during which he lodged a strong protest over the death of an Indian soldier and many civilians in firing by Pakistani troops. Jul 25: Washington: US President Donald Trump today praised his son-in-law Jared Kushner for "proving" that he "did not collude" with the Russians and mocked opponents by saying that his 11-year-old son could be their next target. Jul 26: Washington: US President Donald Trump said today transgenders will not serve in the US military "in any capacity", asserting that their service would bring "tremendous medical costs and disruption". Jul 27: Islamabad: In the wake of the Panamagate case, Pakistani officials have recorded a stunning hike in taxes paid by lawmakers, from a paltry 15 to a whopping 3,852 per cent rise in individual cases, authorities said today. Jul 28: Washington: North Korea today launched an intercontinental ballistic missile for the second time in a month, the Pentagon said, a day after US Congress voted to impose new tougher sanctions against Russia, Iran and Pyongyang. Aug 5: Caracas: A new assembly loyal to President Nicolas Maduro fired Venezuela's attorney general, a vociferous critic, in its first working session today, bolstering criticism it is acting to create a "dictatorship." Aug 6: Warri: Twelve worshippers were shot dead at a church in southeast Nigeria today, with authorities suggesting the bloodshed was due to a local feud. Aug 7: Lahore: An explosive device tonight went off inside a truck parked on the route former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif is to take on Wednesday for a public rally in Lahore, injuring at least 35 people, officials said. Aug 8: Beirut: US-led coalition raids on Raqa in northern Syria have killed 29 civilians over the past 24 hours as American-backed forces battle the Islamic Stategroup, a monitor said today. Aug 9: Washington: Defence Secretary Jim Mattis today warned North Korea to "stand down" from pursuing nuclear weapons and cease considering actions that would lead to the "end of its regime", after Pyongyang threatened missile strikes against US strategic military installations in Guam. Aug 10: Washington: Pakistan has built a "hardened, secure, underground" complex in a remote mountainous region in the restive Balochistan province that could serve as a storage site for nuclear warheads, an American thinktank said today. Aug 11: Cairo: At least 41 people were killed and nearly 180 others injured today after two trains collided near Egypt's coastal city of Alexandria, officials said. Aug 12: Lahore: Pakistan's sacked premier Nawaz Sharif said today he will strive hard to replace the country's old and "flawed" system with a new law which will put an end to the unceremonious ouster of the prime ministers. Aug 13: Washington: North Korea's "grave threat" demands a "concerted effort" from the US and its international allies, a top American security official said today as he warned that the two countries were closer to war than they were a decade ago. Aug 14: Washington: US President Donald Trump today denounced racism as "evil" as he slammed white supremacist and neo-Nazi groups for the weekend violence in Charlottesville, describing them as "criminals and thugs". Aug 15: Washington: Religious freedom is under attack in Pakistan where minorities like Sikhs, Christians and Hindus remained concerned over government's "inadequate" action to address forced conversions to Islam. Aug 16: Lahore: Pakistan's top anti-graft organisation has summoned ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his two sons in money laundering and corruption cases on Friday on the order of the Supreme Court. Aug 17: Barcelona: At least 13 people were killed today when a driver deliberately slammed a van into crowds on Barcelona's most popular street in an attack claimed by the Islamic State group. Aug 18: Lahore: Ousted Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his two sons today failed to appear before the top anti-graft body, which wanted to interrogate them over money laundering and corruption charges revealed by the Panama Papers. Aug 19: Beirut: The Islamic State group today claimed responsibility for deadly attacks in Spain and stabbings in Russia, in statements carried by the jihadists' propaganda agency. Aug 20: Riyadh: Qatar has blocked Saudi planes from transporting hajj pilgrims, Saudi state media said, after Riyadh reopened the border despite a major diplomatic crisis roiling the Gulf. Aug 21: Washington: US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson today spoke with Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, India's External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Afghan Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani to discuss how they can help in shaping President Donald Trump's new South Asia strategy. Aug 22: Washington: India is emerging as a very important regional strategic partner for the US that can help modernise Afghanistan both politically and economically, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said today. Aug 23: Benghazi: At least 11 people were beheaded today in an attack claimed by the Islamic State jihadist group on a checkpoint manned by forces of Libyan military strongman Khalifa Haftar. Aug 24: Charleston: A fired dishwasher shot and killed a chef and held a "small number" of people hostage for about three hours before he was shot by police at a crowded restaurant in a tourist-heavy area of downtown Charleston, South Carolina, today, authorities and one of the restaurant's owners said. Aug 25: United Nations: UN chief Antonio Guterres has informed through a letter to the Security Council of the order given by the International Court of Justice in the case of Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav, who has been sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court. Aug 26: Houston: At least three persons were killed today after tropical storm Harvey, the most powerful hurricane to hit the US mainland in 12 years, made landfall in central Texas coast with winds of 195 kmph. Aug 27: Houston: Harvey, the most powerful hurricane to hit the US in 13 years, left a trail of destruction as it sept through Texas today, pummelling the region with heavy rains and claiming at least five lives since making landfall on the US' Gulf Coast. Aug 28: Islamabad: Pakistan today summoned India's Deputy High Commissioner here after three civilians died in alleged "ceasefire violations" by Indian troops along the Line of Control. Aug 29: Washington: The missile North Korea fired early today over Japan was an intermediate range ballistic missile and did not threaten the US, the Pentagon said today. Aug 30: Washington: The Trump administration said today it was necessary that Islamabad take "decisive action" against militant groups based in Pakistan, after the National Assembly unanimously condemned US President Donald Trump's "hostile and threatening" statements against the country. Aug 31: Crosby: Storm-battered Texans faced a worrying new threat today as potentially harmful smoke spewed from a swamped chemical plant near Houston, as Harvey's floodwaters began to recede in America's fourth-largest city. Sep 1: Lahore: Pakistan's anti-graft watchdog has recommended freezing of assets and bank accounts of ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his family members, an official said today. Sep 2: Moscow: Russia today summoned the top US envoy in Moscow to protest a search it says American officials are planning at a diplomatic facility in Washington that is due to be shuttered. Sep 3: Washington: The US will launch a "massive military response" to any threats from North Korea, Defense Secretary James Mattis said today in a blunt warning to the reclusive nation after it carried out its biggest nuclear test. Sep 4: United Nations: The US today called for "strongest possible" measures against North Korea in the wake of a powerful nuclear test and warned that every nation that does business with Pyongyang and is aiding its "dangerous" nuclear intentions will be on its radar. Sep 5: Washington: US President Donald Trump today scrapped an Obama-era amnesty programme that granted work permits to immigrants who arrived in the country illegally as children, a move likely to impact 800,000 undocumented workers including more than 7,000 Indian-Americans. Sep 6: United Nations: The United States today asked the UN Security Council to slap an oil embargo on North Korea and freeze the assets of leader Kim Jong-Un, in response to Pyongyang's sixth and most powerful nuclear test. Sep 7: Washington: US President Donald Trump offered today to mediate in the crisis between Qatar and its Arab neighbors and said he believed the dispute could be solved "fairly easily." Sep 8: Juchitan De Zaragoza: Mexico's most powerful earthquake in a century killed at least 40 people, officials said today, after it struck the Pacific coast, wrecking buildings and sending families fleeing into the streets. Sep 9: Damascus: Syrian troops broke the Islamic State group's siege of Deir Ezzor military airport today, dealing a fresh blow to the jihadists who also face a new offensive from US- backed fighters elsewhere in the province. Sep 10: Dhaka: Bangladesh's foreign minister said today that genocide was being waged in Myanmar's violence-racked Rakhine state, triggering an exodus of nearly 3,00,000 Muslim Rohingya to his country. Sep 11: Geneva: At least 30 people, most of them school children, were injured today when a train engine collided with carriages full of passengers at a station in the Swiss Alps, police and media said. Sep 12: Washington: US President Donald Trump today described the latest batch of UN-backed sanctions against North Korea as a "very small step" that must lead to tougher measures. Sep 13: Rockford (US): A shooter opened fire at a high school in Washington state today, killing one person and injuring at least three others, authorities said. Sep 14: Nasiriyah (Iraq): Gunmen and suicide car bombers killed at least 74 people today near the Iraqi city of Nasiriyah, in the deadliest attack claimed by the Islamic State group since it lost second city Mosul. Sep 15: London: An improvised explosive device (IED) exploded on a packed underground train at a London station today, injuring at least 29 people in the fifth terrorist attack this year, which Prime Minister Theresa May said was "clearly intended to cause significant harm". Sep 16: Bujumbura: At least 36 Burundian refugees have been killed in clashes with Congolese security forces who allegedly fired indiscriminately at protesters, the United Nations envoy to Congo said today. Sep 17: Lahore: Ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif's ailing wife today won the crucial by-election in Lahore that was seen as a test of support for the family after the Supreme Court dismissed Sharif from the office in the Panama Papers scandal. Sep 18: Seoul: North Korea bitterly denounced new sanctions on its economy as "vicious, unethical and inhumane" and warned the measures would only accelerate progress on its nuclear weapons programme, state media reported today. Sep 19: United Nations: Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif today slammed US President Donald Trump's address that took aim at Iran at the United Nations, calling it an "ignorant hate speech." Sep 20: United Nations: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe today declared the time for dialogue with North Korea is over and rallied behind a US warning that "all options" are on the table. Sep 21: Miami: Hurricane Maria left more than 15 people dead in hard-hit Dominica, the small Caribbean island's Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit announced today. Sep 22: New York: The number of threats and incidents endangering South Asia's peace and stability are on the rise, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj today said, in an apparent reference to Pakistan. Sep 23: Beijing: A shallow 3.5-magnitude earthquake which hit North Korea near the country's nuclear test site today was likely an aftershock from the hermit state's missile test on September 3, a nuclear test ban watchdog and other experts said. Sep 24: Berlin: Chancellor Angela Merkel clinched a fourth term in Germany's election today, but her victory was clouded by the entry into parliament of the hard right AfD, the best showing for a nationalist force since World War II. Sep 25: Washington: The White House today rejected claims that the United States has declared war on North Korea as "absurd" in the latest exchange of barbs and insults between the two nuclear powers. Sep 26: Washington: Two influential Democratic lawmakers, including an Indian-American, today introduced a legislation in the US House of Representative to support India's permanent membership to the UN Security Council. Sep 27: New York: Pakistan's Foreign Minister has acknowledged that Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed, the Haqqanis and the LeT are "liabilities" but the country lacks the required "assets" to get rid of them. Sep 28: Islamabad: Pakistan today dodged a question on the recent photograph gaffe by its top diplomat in the UN General Assembly, saying the incident cannot be used to deny an "indisputable fact" that Indian security forces were using pellet guns in Kashmir. Sep 29: Washington: The US said today it will withdraw about 60 per cent of its personnel from the embassy in Cuba in response to mysterious health attacks on more than 20 American diplomats in Havana. Sep 30: Kinshasa: A transport plane chartered by the Congolese army crashed near Kinshasa today, killing at least 11 people, military and airport sources said. Oct 1: Washington: US President Donald Trump said today that negotiating with North Korea over its nuclear program would be a waste of time after it emerged that Washington had channels of contact with Pyongyang. Oct 2: Beirut: Syria's war killed at least 3,000 people including 955 civilians in September, the deadliest month of the conflict this year, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said today. Oct 3: Las Vegas: At least 58 people were killed and 500 injured when a heavily armed "lone wolf" gunman opened fire from a 32 -floor hotel room on an open-air concert on the Las Vegas Strip in the deadliest mass shooting in US history. Oct 4: Kathmandu: Nepal's Maoist party announced today an alliance with the largest communist bloc, ahead of key elections seen as the final step in the Himalayan nation's post-war transition to a federal democracy. Oct 5: Djibouti City: Djibouti today acknowledged India's role in maintaining peace and stability in the Horn of Africa region as the two counties decided to join hands to eradicate the menace of terrorism. Oct 6: Karachi: A suicide bomber today blew himself up at a Shia shrine packed with devotees in Pakistan's troubled Balochistan province, killing at least 18 people and injuring 25 others, police officials said. Oct 7: London: At least 11 people were injured today when a car jumped on to a pavement and hit pedestrians near the Natural History Museum in London, the police said. Oct 8: Cox's Bazar (Bangladesh): A boat packed with Rohingya refugees fleeing violence in Myanmar's Rakhine state capsized today in a river near the coast of Bangladesh, leaving at least two people dead and scores missing, officials said. Oct 9: Washington: The head of the US Environmental Protection Agency said today that President Donald Trump's administration will move to repeal his predecessor Barack Obama's plan to restrict greenhouse gas emissions. Oct 10: Washington: The series of reforms initiated by the Modi government like demonetisation and the GST has put the Indian economy on a "far more stronger track", Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today said. Oct 12: Santa Rosa (US): The death toll from some of California's worst ever wildfires rose to 17 as thousands of firefighters battled today to bring the infernos under control. Oct 12: Beirut: A jihadist car bombing targeting displaced Syrians in the northeastern province of Hasakeh today killed at least 18 people, including Kurdish security forces, a monitor said. Oct 13: London: The leaders of Britain, France and Germany today said they remain committed to the international nuclear deal with Iran after US President Donald Trump refused to certify the agreement. Oct 28: Mogadishu: A suicide car bomb exploded outside a popular hotel in Somalia's capital today, killing at least 18 people and wounding more than 30, and gunfire continued as security forces pursued the attackers inside the building, police said. Oct 29: Mogadishu: The death toll from a deadly attack on a hotel in Mogadishu rose to 27 today, prompting the Somali government to sack its police and intelligence chiefs. Oct 30: Washington: A top Chinese diplomat has said that people accusing China of indulging in "predatory economics" should "look into the mirror", underlining that there is no evidence of China trying to dominate the region. Oct 31: Washington/New Delhi: India today jumped 30 places to rank 100th in the World Bank's 'ease of doing business' ranking, sending the jubilant government to vow to continue reforms that will help the country break into top 50 in coming years. Nov 1: Washington: Osama bin Laden closely followed developments in Kashmir and the trial of Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks case, indicated the documents seized during the 2011 US raid on a Pakistani compound that killed the al-Qaeda founder. Nov 2: Madrid: A judge in Madrid today ordered ministers of Catalonia's deposed government to be held in jail pending further probes into their role in the regional government's quest for independence, prompting calls for protests in Barcelona and other cities. Nov 3: Rome: The bodies of 23 people were recovered from the Mediterranean today after the dinghy they were travelling in sank, the EU's anti-migrant task force said. Nov 4: Islamabad: Pakistan's ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif denies any deal with the powerful establishment for his return to the country. Nov 5: Jerusalem: Ratan Tata has "testified" before the Israeli police in connection with allegations of corruption involving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, reports in Israeli media say, which were denied as "factually incorrect" by the noted Indian industrialist's office. Nov 6: Houston: A court-martialled former US Air Force airman armed with a powerful assault rifle sprays bullets on worshippers at a Sunday service at a rural church in Texas, killing at least 26 people and injuring 20 others in the latest gun-related massacre to shock the country Nov 7: Islamabad: Pakistan's Supreme Court says the disqualification of prime minister Nawaz Sharif was "uncontroversial" as it issues a detailed verdict rejecting review petitions filed by the Sharif family in the Panama Papers case. Nov 8: Washington: India is a lot more attractive place for business than what the World Bank's recent ranking suggests, top Indian-American economist Arvind Panagariya says, noting that the 30-point jump in one year was "overdue". Nov 9: Beijing: President Donald Trump wraps up two days of intense talks with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping as both sides ink deals worth over USD 250 billion but doubts lingered about any headway over his efforts to push Beijing to take strong action to rein in nuclear-armed North Korea. Nov 10: Islamabad: Pakistan says it will allow convicted Indian death row prisoner Kulbhushan Jadhav to meet his wife, months after India had requested Islamabad to grant a visa to his mother on humanitarian grounds. Nov 11: Danang (Vietnam): President Donald Trump said Saturday he believes Vladimir Putin is being sincere when he denies meddling in the US election that propelled Trump to power, adding that the Russian leader felt "very insulted" by the allegations. Nov 12: Washington: A magnitude 7.2 earthquake rattled northeast Iraq near the border with Iran today, the US Geological Survey said. Nov 13: Manila: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today held "very expansive" talks with US President Donald Trump during which the two leaders carried out a "broad review" of the strategic landscape in Asia, signalling deeper cooperation by the two countries in dealing with sensitive security issues confronting the region. Nov 14: Manila: In the backdrop of emerging configuration of a key quadrilateral alliance, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today held separate talks with his counterparts from Japan Shinzo Abe and Australia Malcolm Turnbull focusing on crafting a new strategy for the Indo-Pacific region. Nov 15: London: Embattled British Prime Minister Theresa May today called on MPs from all sides of the polit (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Salil Parekh is all set to take charge as Infosys CEO tomorrow as the over USD 10 billion company looks to bring back the focus on revenue growth and business strategy under the new leadership. Infosys, which spent most part of 2017 handling the public standoff between its high-profile promoters and the past leadership, will also announce its third quarter financials on January 12. Industry watchers say Parekh's skills in handling multi- cultural work environment, combined with his strong grip on technology and sales, makes him the perfect choice for leading Infosys during this period of transition. Parekh, 53, is described as a soft-spoken yet determined man by those who know him. He was chosen from over two dozen candidates in a search that lasted about three months and covered a wide canvas of names within Infosys as well as alumni and external aspirants. The former Capgemini executive's experience in building the IT firm's operations in India and its acquisition of iGate (in 2015) will also be an added advantage for him, they added. This is the second time -- after Vishal Sikka -- that the company has roped in an external candidate for the CEO role in its over three decade history. Sikka left Infosys abruptly in August last year, after a prolonged standoff with promoters including the iconic N R Narayana Murthy over allegations of corporate governance lapses and hefty severance packages of former executives. Parekh will work with non-executive Chairman and co- founder Nandan Nilekani, who was brought in to steady the ship after the resignation of Sikka and other board members, including the then Chairman R Seshasayee. Interestingly, Parekh's appointment has received a thumbs up from Murthy, who was vocal in his criticism of Sikka and the previous Infosys management. Besides bringing stability, Parekh will also have to focus on hiring people who are strong in digital technologies and global sales as the IT industry, as also Infosys, is in midst of transformation. The road-map that Parekh sets on would be keenly watched, not just by investors but the industry as a whole as Infosys reboots to bring back its lost glory. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A teenaged boy kept the police and fire brigade personnel and his family members on tenterhook for around six hours after climbing a sunshade at the top of their four-storey house in the city and threatening to jump from there. The incident occurred at Dum Dum area in north Kolkata after the 15-year-old boy's father scolded him for riding a motorbike without a driving license, the police said. Failing to persuade him to descend from the top of the building, the family members called the police and the fire brigade for help. Curious onlookers watched the drama on New Year's Day as it unfolded at around 11 a m and ended at 4.50 p m. "The boy climbed the sunshade after he was scolded by his father. We tried to convince him to get down to the terrace. But he was not listening to us and kept on moving from one sunshade to the other," an officer of Dum Dum police station said. Fire department officials took precautionary measures by setting up a net below and putting up ladders at points from where the boy could be rescued, he said adding that he finally came down after around six hours. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath today said his government is making efforts to bring the forest dwelling Vantangiya community to the mainstream of the society by declaring their settlements as revenue villages. The Vantangiya community comprises people brought from Mayanmar during the colonial rule to plant trees for afforestation. "The Uttar Pradesh government is committed to providing basic facilities to the Vantangiyas. Since Independence, members of Vantangiya community have been deprived of their rights. "Once the villages dominated by them are declared as revenue villages, they will gradually integrate with the mainstream of the society," the chief minister told reporters here before leaving for neighbouring Maharajganj district. A revenue village is a small administrative region with defined borders. One revenue village may contain many hamlets. A village administrative officer is the head officer of a revenue village. The chief minister said in the second phase, 47 Vantangiya-dominated settlements will get the status of revenue villages, taking the number of such villages to 65. "As many as 1,625 villages will also be declared as revenue villages," he said. The community faces problems related to the use of natural forest produce like fruits, honey, wax, wood and leaves to meet their daily needs as the forests inhabited by them are not considered as revenue villages. Conversion of tribal-dominated forest villages to revenue villages under the provisions of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act will enable the administration to adopt development measures such as setting up of schools, dispensaries, and other facilities in these villages. Adityanath also interacted with people at Gorakhnath temple and was briefed by officials about preparations regarding Makar Sankranti celebrations, Khichdi Mela and Gorakhpur Mahotsav which will be held from January 11 to January 13. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Frank Schaeffers last roadtrip for 2017 took him from Agua Dulce in Californias Santa Clarita Valley to Lewiston, Maine to talk with progressive Democrat Jared Golden. Frank bonded with Jared over the service Jared and Franks son both experienced as marines in Afghanistan. If youre not from a military family, you may find what Frank and Jared had two say about that in the video enlightening. Give it a watch. When Jared first declared his candidacy in August, he told us that he plans to make this race an example of how Democrats can win back districts that have gotten away from the party. He reminded us that Bill Clinton, Gore, Kerry, and Obama all carried the district but that something changed recently. Republican Bruce Poliquin won the seat in 2014, and Trump carried the district in 2016. The Democratic Party needs to work to understand how it has lost support in districts like this and pay attention to the basic, kitchen table issues that matter to the people that live in my region. My part of the country has been hit hard. Free trade deals that benefit CEOs but not workers have led to mill closures and the loss of good paying jobs. The opioid epidemic is growing out of control. The poverty rate among Maine children has grown at eight times the national average in recent years. Ive seen what happens when our rigged economic system leaves people behind. In the Marines, I was taught to leave no one behind. He was just getting started. My district voted for both Bernie Sanders in the primary and Donald Trump in the general to send a message that the political establishment in both parties has let them down. They want action on infrastructure, jobs, and health care-- and they are tired of hearing politicians talk without walking the walk to protect their interests in Washington. Bruce Poliquins vote for the disastrous Republican health-care plan is just the latest example, as it would have taken health insurance away from tens of thousands of Mainers and resulted in the loss of many good paying jobs at rural hospitals. In the oldest state in the nation, with a struggling economy, real leaders shouldnt be working to take health-care away from their constituents, they should be fighting to ensure access to health-care for all of them. I think the Democratic Party has a lot to learn from us up here in Maine. In the State House, my job as Assistant Majority Leader is to serve as the whip, the guy who counts the votes. Ive counted the votes-- and I can tell you, we cant get to a majority in the U.S. House of Representatives without figuring out how to win districts like mine. How are we going to do it? By cutting through the rhetoric and talking plainly and directly to people about issues that impact their lives. We need to have the courage to stand by our progressive values while meeting people where they are to engage with them about how we can work together to make real progress. My campaign is going to relentlessly focus on economic issues: creating jobs with investments in infrastructure, from transportation and public works to renewable energy; strengthening organized labor because as theyve declined so have wages; opposing trade deals that benefit our neighbors to the north and south more than they do us; pushing for Medicare coverage for all and a fair tax code that benefits the working class. In the Maine Legislature Ive stood strong by our union brothers and sisters. Its my great honor that the Maine AFL-CIO has awarded me its top honor for legislators, the Edie Beaulieu Award, this year for my work on behalf of working class people and priorities. In 2017, Ive sponsored and passed legislation to address wage theft by employers who steal from their employees, to make access to workers compensation easier for firefighters and police officers diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress, and to provide state health-care services for veterans experiencing a mental health crisis. We can win back districts like mine by being strong on behalf of the people that need our help most, unafraid to expose the GOP agenda as disastrous for the people, and by connecting to them on a personal level. To win, we need to be honest about the struggles our communities face, and offer solutions that really improve peoples lives. Thats been my record in the Maine State House, and its what Ill do in Congress. The Congress's Karnataka unit today claimed that some BJP legislators and leaders have evinced interest in joining the party, ahead of the 2018 Assembly elections in the state. "Some BJP legislators and leaders have expressed interest in joining our party and are in touch with us. But it is difficult to take everyone in as we will have our party leaders in thoseconstituencies," Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President G Parameshwara told reporters here. "We will have to think before taking them in," he said. Parameshwara, however, said a decision has already been made to take in sevenrebel leaders from the Janata Dal Secular. The seven rebel JDS MLAs are Zameer Ahmed Khan (Chamarajpet), N Chaluvarayaswamy (Mandya), Akhanda Srinivasamurthy (Pulakeshinagar), H C Balakrishna (Magadi), Bhima Naik (Hagaribommanahalli), Ramesh Bandisiddegowda (Srirangapatna) and Iqbal Ansari (Gangavathi). They had earlier met CongressPresident Rahul Gandhi for joining the party. JDS had suspended them in June 2016 for voting against its official candidate and supporting the Congress in the biennial elections to fill four Rajya Sabha seats from Karnataka. Questioned whether Congress was attempting an 'Operation Hasta (hand)', similar to the 'Operation Kamala' by the BJP when it was in power, Parameshwara said, "You may call it anything...they are willing to join the party." 'Operation Kamala' saw the BJP winning over many opposition MLAs, who resigned from their party and joined the saffron party, and won elections on its ticket. The strategy had helped the BJP secure a comfortable majority in the Assembly under the chief ministership of B S Yeddyurappa. The Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee chief also described BJP national President Amit Shah's visit to the city yesterday as an attempt to stop internal fighting within the party state unit. "Naturally during the visit, he has spoken aboutthe election. His visit will have no impact on us. Our strategy isbeyond theirs, so it will make no difference," he said. Shah, during his meeting with party leaders here, had held discussions regarding strategies for securing a win in the 2018 Assembly polls. Parameshwara also said that Rahul Gandhi is expected to visit Karnataka by the end of this month. Dates for his visit are yet to yet to finalised, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Putting branch rationalisation plan on fast track, Punjab National Bank (PNB) has placed 300 branches under watch and asked them to either shape up within a year or face closure or merger. "That (rationalisation) exercise is going on. We have given notice to all loss-making branches that within one year they should turnaround otherwise we will look for options for their mergers or closure. We are working on 300 branches," PNB Managing Director Sunil Mehta told PTI in an interview. He, however, clarified that not all of them are loss- making, and some are marginally profit making. "So, we are working on all those plans. If they are able to turnaround its okay otherwise we will have to close them down or merge," he said. The country's second largest public sector lender has about 7,000 branches across the country. The branch rationalisation proposal was discussed at the 'PSB Manthan' organised by the Finance Ministry last month. As far as overseas branches are concerned, Mehta said, the bank has taken decision to close down representative offices in Australia and China. At present, PNB has its overseas presence in nine countries by way of four branches (2 Hong Kong, 1 Dubai and 1 OBU-Mumbai), two subsidiaries (London and Bhutan), one Associate (Kazakhstan), one joint venture (Nepal) and four Representative Offices (Sydney Australia, Shanghai-China, Dhaka-Bangladesh and Dubai-UAE). Asked if the bank aims at divesting some of stakes in its the UK subsidiary, Mehta said, the bank has been able to convert PNB International into a profit making centre now. "We have an opportunity to disinvest in it but right now it has just turnaround. We would like to stabilise it first then only we will unlock the value. We will get better value then," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 12-year-old speech and hearing impaired Pakistan boy, who was kept in a juvenile home in Punjab's Faridkot district after he strayed into the Indian territory from Ferozepur side nearly seven months ago, was being repatriated today, a senior official said. The child, identified as Hasnain and aged around 12 years, was escorted to the Attari in Amritsar to be handed over to Pakistani authorities at the Attari-Wagah international border, Faridkot's Deputy Commissioner Rajeev Prashar told PTI over the phone. The BSF had arrested him in May 2017 from Hussainiwala in Ferozepur after he strayed into the Indian side. A Rs 20 Pakistani currency note was recovered from him. "The boy was lodged in the juvenile-cum-observation home in Faridkot. We received a communication from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) after which he was sent under a police escort from Faridkot to Attari in Amritsar from where he will cross over to Pakistan," Prashar said. He said earlier the boy was booked under relevant Indian laws after he was found to have crossed over without any documents. Recently, a competent court had ordered his release as the boy had completed his sentence for the offence of entering into India without valid documents, Prashar said. His repatriation process was recently expedited after he was identified, the officer added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actor-filmmaker Jodie Foster says big-budget superhero films are "ruining" the viewing habits of the audiences worldwide. The 55-year-old director slammed big studios for promoting "bad content" and that she does not want to be associated with films cashing in on this latest trend. "Going to the movies has become like a theme park. Studios making bad content in order to appeal to the masses and shareholders is like fracking - you get the best return right now but you wreck the earth. "It's ruining the viewing habits of the American population and then ultimately the rest of the world. I don't want to make USD 200 million movies about superheroes," Foster told RadioTimes magazine. The Oscar winner, however, said she is open to a superhero project, only if it had "really complex psychology". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A gang of six persons has been arrested by the Rachakonda Police in connection with the 2016 case of kidnapping a school director for a ransom of Rs one crore. The director, identified only as Susheel, was allegedly kidnapped on December 15, 2016 when he was returning home at Tarnaka from the school in Boduppal. However, he was released the next day after he convinced his captors that he would arrange the amount as notes of Rs 2,000 and Rs 500 were banned. "As the started scrolling in the electronic media, the kidnappers kept Susheel as a hostage on December 15. Susheel promised them to arrange the money secretly without informing his parents and police within a week," the Rachaonda Police said in a statement issued today. Believing Susheel, his kidnappers took him on a motorcycle and dropped him at Kolthu village in the Shamirpet mandal in the early hours of December 16. They also warned him of serious consequences if he disclosed the matter. However, after he was released, Susheel ignored the kidnappers who later stole his car and unsuccessfully tried to sell it off. Susheel was the director of Pallavi Model School. Police got wind of the offenders and apprehended them, the release added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A trustee of a famous Jain temple in Nagpura and his wife were today shot dead at their home in Chhattisgarh's Durg district, police said. The incident took place in the wee hours, when Ravalmal Jain (70) and his wife Suraj Devi Jain (65) were in their house in Ganj area under Kotwali police station limits, Inspector General of Police (Durg Range) Dipanshu Kabra told PTI. Ravalmal, a prominent businessman and social worker, was one of the main trustee of Parshwanath Jain Tirth in Nagpura area of Durg. "A pistol used in the offence was recovered from near the crime scene," the IG said. Prima facie someone known to the victims might have killed them, since, till now, there is no evidence of the forced entry into the house, he said. Their son and some other persons, who were present inside the house when the crime happened were being interrogated, Kabra said. According to the IG, a case has been registered and their bodies were sent for postmortem. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Raman Singh expressed grief over the deaths of Ravlmal Jain 'Mani' and Suraj Devi. In his condolence message, the chief minister said, Jain played an exemplary role with utmost dedication in promoting Yoga and naturopathy in Chhattisgarh. He had also played an important role in setting up a naturopathy college in Nagpura, Singh added. The police has launched a probe and the culprits will soon be put behind the bars, the chief minister said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Three labourers were killed while two others were injured when a part of a JCB crane machine fell on them in suburban Powai in Mumbai today evening, a civic official said. "Our control room got information about the accident at 5.21 pm and a fire brigade team was rushed to the spot for rescue work," said an official of the disaster management cell of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation. "The victims had got crushed under the heavy bucket of JCB machine. They were rushed to the nearby Rajawadi hospital where three of them were declared brought dead, while two others are being treated," the official added. The labourers were engaged in the work of digging a pit for a sewer line. A private contractor is carrying out the work for the BMC. The deceased were yet to identified. The injured were identified as Ramnath Singh (48) and Porat Singh (47). Police were also probing the incident and action will be taken against the contractor or JCB driver if they were found to be at fault, the official said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A day before the Rajya Sabha is likely to take up the triple talaq bill, a Muslim women's rights group has written to the members of the Upper House, stating that the bill should prescribe 'Talaq-e-Ahsan', that involves arbitration, as the method for divorce. The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, which makes instant triple talaq illegal with up to three years in jail for the husband, was passed by the Lok Sabha last week. The bill is listed for introduction in the Rajya Sabha by Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on January 2. The Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan (BMMA), which was a petitioner in the Supreme Court against instant triple talaq, has written a letter to lawmakers, demanding that the bill include the 'Talaq-e-Ahsan' method of divorce in which arbitration is mandatory and lasts for minimum 90 days before the beginning of the divorce process. "The Bill must include the Talaq-e-Ahsan (divorce through arbitration) method of divorce. This method must be made available to both husband and wife so that the marriage is dissolved without injustice to women," the letter states. While the bill declares triple talaq unlawful, it does not prescribe a legal method for seeking divorce. It allows the victim to approach a magistrate seeking "subsistence allowance" for herself. She can also seek the custody of her minor children from the magistrate who will take a final call on the issue. The letter has been sent to all Rajya Sabha MPs as well as to Congress President Rahul Gandhi, TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, and Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav. The letter has also been sent to Law Minister Prasad, Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi and Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi. The women's group has also sought that the offence of giving triple talaq be made a non-cognisable and bailable crime. "Marriage is a civil matter. And just as all civil law violations invite penal action, violation of this law must also invite penal action. This penal action must happen at the behest of the complaints filed by the aggrieved wife if the laid down procedure is not followed," the letter states. It says that the new law should be guided by the earlier progressive laws such as bigamy law, anti-dowry law, prevention of domestic violence law, which are bailable and non-cognisable. BMMA has also demanded a codified Muslim family law, based on the Quran, which includes matters such as age of marriage, registration of marriage, polygamy, mehr, custody of children and inheritance. The BMMA is a national coalition of Muslim women, with over one lakh members across 15 states. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Donald Trump capped 2017 with a video self-tribute touching on what he sees as the high points of his achievements and rhetoric from his first year in office. He gave a plug to American exceptionalism, too. In the video running three-and-half minutes, scenes of Trump with military personnel, Border Patrol agents and other world leaders are set to a stirring soundtrack as he declares of his country: "We gave birth to the modern world and we will shape tomorrow's world with the strength and skill of American hands." Trump cited his success in placing a new justice on the Supreme Court, his efforts to cut regulations and his big win on overhauling taxes, which he falsely described as the "largest tax cut in the history of our country." Trump offered the video with a New Year's Eve message, saying "What a year it's been, and we're just getting started. Together, we are MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! Happy New Year!!"He later offered another Twitter message, loaded with his signature bombast: "As our Country rapidly grows stronger and smarter, I want to wish all of my friends, supporters, enemies, haters, and even the very dishonest Fake Media, a Happy and Healthy New Year. 2018 will be a great year for America!"The president is spending the holidays in Palm Beach, where his Mar-a-Lago club hosts an annual New Year's Eve bash. At the event last year, hundreds of guests gathered in the club's grand ballroom, including action star Sylvester Stallone and romance novel model Fabio. The White House said Trump been briefed on New Year's Eve security precautions around the country and will continue to monitor those efforts. Trump offered his condolences today to the victims of a shooting in suburban Denver that killed one sheriff's deputy and wounded six other people, including four deputies. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Police today arrested a 42-year-old man following the murder of his parents early in the morning in Chhattisgarh's Durg district. Ravalmal Jain (72), accused Sandip Jain's father, was a trustee of a famous Jain temple in Nagpura. Sandip (42) was arrested for allegedly shooting his father Ravalmal and mother Surjibai Jain (67) dead at their home in Ganjpara locality, Inspector General of Police (Durg Range) Dipanshu Kabra told PTI today evening. Ravalmal, a prominent businessman and social worker, was one of the main trustees of Parshwanath Jain Tirth in Nagpura area of Durg. The couple was found shot dead at home in the morning. Investigation revealed that Sandip was the only third person present in the house at the time, and during interrogation he broke down and confessed to have killed his parents, the police officer said. Sandip allegedly told police that he and his father had an altercation last night over rituals performed by his father at their house everyday. He used to fight with his father for other reasons too, police said. Today morning, when his father was heading for washroom, Sandip shot him twice from a pistol, and then he also shot his mother, he told police. Police had suspected that the murderer was known to the couple as there was no sign of forced entry. Later, the investigation revealed Sandip's involvement in the crime, Kabra said. The pistol has been recovered, he added. Further probe is on. Chief Minister Raman Singh expressed grief over the deaths of Ravalmal Jain and his wife. Jain played an exemplary role with utmost dedication in promoting Yoga and naturopathy in Chhattisgarh. He had also played an important role in setting up a naturopathy college in Nagpura, the chief minister said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) I love Thailand. Ive been going there for 4 decades and have explored every part of the country from Chiang Rai and the Golden Triangle, through Mae Hong Son, Chaing Mai, Udon Thani, down through Hua Hin, Ko Samui (back when there were no hotels, no phone service and no airport), Surat Thani, Phuket and Yala. And, of course Bangkok. They call it the Land of Smiles and the Thai people are the biggest asset the country has, of course. The food is great too. And I usually get off the plane and head right for Health Land for a 2 and a half hour massage. But now I have a new reason to visit Thailand drugs. After cancer treatment I was left with several side effects that have to be treated. Insurance pays for some. For example, I need albuterol to spray into my lungs twice a day. The co-pay is between $70 and $80. In Thailand its $6. Yeah, six. All the drugs I take are like that. The worst though is an experimental drug my doctor has me on, locosamide (VIMPAT). My doctor is an award-winning cancer doctor and, in the midst of her research and award winning, she saved my life. When I felt my ability to walk was being threatened by a severe case of peripheral neuropathy caused by one of the chemo drugs, we tried lots of standard stuff that didnt work. She then prescribed the VIMPAT. The good news is that its working. The bad news is that Humana, the insurance company, refuses to pay. The worse news is that it costs $3,000 a month. In Thailand the VIMPAT only costs $600 a month. The savings pays for a vacation! My own story made me recall a feature David Sirota wrote last summer, although I live in California, not Connecticut, Why Are Drug Prices Going Up? Democratic Power Players Help Pharmaceutical Industry In Connecticut Battle . His set-up should sound familiar to anyone who pays attention to this kind of thing at all: Wide majorities of voters want public officials to reduce American medicine prices, which are the highest in the world and have become a key driver of skyrocketing healthcare costs. And yet as politicians including Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders have continued to call for a crackdown, corporate power players have successfully blocked even minimal reforms with the help, at times, of industry-connected Democrats, whose party portrays itself as a consumer-defending critic of the healthcare industry. Democrats control the state legislature and the governors mansion in Connecticut but the Democratic Party there is at least partially controlled by the insurance industry. The clash between populist outrage at rising drug prices and the industrys political clout in Hartford, wrote Sirota, illustrates why seemingly straightforward consumer protection measures still face steep odds. Keep in mind when you read this that Governor Daniel Malloy is the most hated governor in America. Fresh off a presidential campaign that saw both parties candidates promising to make prescription medicine more affordable, Connecticut lawmakers in January introduced legislation to bring more transparency to drug prices. The bill, which mirrors similar initiatives in other states, also aims to stop insurance companies from effectively forcing their policyholders to pay more for medicine than it actually costs a lucrative scheme that critics say allows insurers and their affiliated pharmaceutical benefit managers to pocket the difference. Despite the pharmaceutical industrys opposition, the Connecticut legislation initially seemed headed for approval: It was sponsored by the Senate Democratic and Republican leaders and was backed by high-profile officials like the Democratic state comptroller. But a few weeks ago, bill proponents say, Connecticuts insurance commissioner Katharine Wade pressed for changes that would weaken the penalties in the legislation and leave enforcement of its provisions to the healthcare industry itself. Democratic Gov. Dannel Malloy, who appointed Wade, came to her defense. We must take much greater care in considering the impact our actions have on Connecticut insurers, he said. House Majority Leader Matt Ritter, a Democrat, suggested lawmakers were not sufficiently listening to insurers and then sponsored an amendment to implement Wades proposals. He also backed an amendment to strip out a separate provision in the bill designed to compel insurers to more explicitly disclose all their fees to policyholders. Much of the pushback was framed as an effort to preserve the roughly 58,000 insurance industry jobs in Connecticut at a moment when Aetna is threatening to move its headquarters out of the state. However, left unmentioned was a web of familial and financial links between the Democratic officials floating changes to the bill and the industries with a potential financial interest in the legislative outcome. - Wade is a former vice president of Cigna the insurance behemoth that runs its own pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) and that is facing a class action lawsuit in Connecticut over its role in an alleged drug price-gouging scheme. As Wades department regulates Cigna and its PBM, her husband is an in-house Cigna attorney and her father-in-law, James Wade, is a partner in a law firm working for the PBM, OptumRX, named as a defendant in the Connecticut price-gouging suit. That same law firm lobbies for Cigna and for the health insurance industrys trade association in the state. - Ritters father, a former Connecticut House Speaker, runs the government relations division of Brown Rudnick a law and lobbying firm that represents drug manufacturer Boehringer Ingelheim and the Healthcare Distribution Alliance. The latter describes itself as the national organization representing primary pharmaceutical distributors. - Malloy is the chairman of the Democratic Governors Association, which raised more than $6 million from donors in the health insurance and drug industries during the 2016 election cycle, according to data compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics. Malloy was reelected chairman of the group in December and days later the DGA received $100,000 from UnitedHealth, whose PBM is a defendant in the same Connecticut class action suit over drug prices. With insurance money flowing into the DGA which directly supported Malloys own election campaigns the Democratic governor has pressed for insurance industry tax cuts, pushed state subsidies for Cigna, and blocked the creation of a publicly run health insurance option. Katharine Wade, Malloy and Optum did not respond to IBT questions. A spokesman for Ritter said the majority leader has not been involved in negotiating this bill or the amendments, despite the fact the amendment, which was eventually dropped, that sought to add Wades language back into the bill had his name on it. James Wade said in an emailed statement, I have had nothing to do with this case. My appearance was filed merely to accommodate an out of district attorney to enable him to be admitted pro hac vice in this district. Other than that I have not participated in the case. Cigna declined to comment. Malloy and Wade have previously said that, despite their attempts to change the bill, they support the larger aims of the legislation. That assertion has not satisfied lawmakers pushing the bill. Noting that Wade faced a state ethics probe last year over her regulatory involvement in Cignas proposed merger with Anthem, Democratic and Republican senate leaders criticized her work on the new prescription drug bill. Since you are the chief public officer charged with regulating health insurers, reviewing their financials, and approving their rates in a manner consistent with both the letter and intent of the law and the public interest, we would have expected you to support legislation that improves public transparency regarding drug prices, protects consumers from secret price gouging and prevents the off book accumulation of what is essentially premium revenue, state Sens. Martin Looney (D) and Len Fasano (R) wrote in a May letter. Please accept this letter as an expression of our concern regarding your attempt to influence pending legislation in which Cigna, your former employer and your husband's current employer, has a direct financial interest. We believe we have been down this path before and we fear we are heading in that direction yet again. America spends more on healthcare per capita than any other industrialized nation and ever-pricier prescription drugs have fueled that trend. Spending on medicine has in recent years increased more than the overall rate of health spending and drug expenditures now comprises roughly 17 percent of all healthcare costs, according to a recent study by Harvard University researchers Aaron Kesselheim, Jerry Avorn and Ameet Sarapatwari. Much of the outrage about high medicine prices has been aimed at pharmaceutical manufacturers especially after drugmakers headline-grabbing price spikes for EpiPens and emergency therapies to combat lead poisoning. Connecticuts legislative fight, by contrast, spotlights the labyrinthine system of intermediaries between drug manufacturers and American consumers. In the middle of that maze of doctors offices and pharmacies are PBMs, which administer the drug benefits promised by insurers to their policyholders. When they were first conceived in the 1960s, PBMs held out the promise of using their power to negotiate price discounts, and in recent years, three companies OptumRX, Caremark CVS, Express Scripts have accumulated control of the vast majority of the market. That consolidation in the $250-billion-a-year market has not coincided with lower drug prices for consumers. Instead, spending on prescription medication spiked 20 percent between 2013 and 2015, according to Harvard researchers. This year, drug prices for Americans under age 65 are expected to rise nearly 12 percent, almost five times the expected growth in wages for 2017. In October, lawyers representing Cigna policyholders brought a class action case against the insurer, asserting that, through its deal with OptumRX, the company had illegally conspired to inflate the drug prices charged to thousands of its policyholders. Cigna, the complaint alleged, either independently or in conjunction with a PBM, required pharmacies to jack up the prices of their prescription drugs sometimes to more than the full price of the drug. After the patients would pay the inflated fee, usually for generic medicines, the pharmacy would funnel the difference between the drugs original price and its newly-elevated price, also referred to as the clawback or spread, to either the insurer or the PBM, according to the suit. The suit also alleged that the pharmacies were contractually prohibited from alerting patients of the practice or directing them to lower-priced options. In a February report, Bloomberg obtained contracts prohibiting pharmacists from publicly criticizing the PBMs or recommending less expensive ways to purchase the drugs, such as paying the pharmacy directly out of pocket. The system, lawyers argue, is a violation of the promise that a policyholders payment is a shared copay between the consumer and the insurer and that the consumer will never have to pay more than insurers are paying a pharmacy for the covered medication. PBMs can serve a helpful role in managing drug insurance, and copays can be a useful strategy when applied to expensive drugs with similarly effective lower-cost alternatives that are assigned lower copays, Harvards Kesselheim told IBT. But when copays are high and there are literally no other alternatives, then patients have a problem. The clawback practice is far from uncommon, according to a June 2016 survey of 640 pharmacists, conducted by the National Community Pharmacists Association. Only 16 percent of respondents said PBMs imposed clawbacks fewer than 10 times per month. More than a third said the practice occurred more than 50 times on a monthly basis, and nearly half said it happened between 10 and 50 times over the same period. A full 87 percent said the clawbacks significantly affect their pharmacy's ability to provide patient care and remain in business. The survey buttressed the lawsuits allegations that pharmacists were prevented by gag clause rules from telling patients about the alleged scheme or lower-cost alternatives even if the patient asked. Nearly a fifth of the pharmacists who participated in the study reported gag clauses preventing them from telling patients about cheaper options more than 50 times a month, and 39 percent said it happened between 10 and 50 times.Those cheaper options mainly included paying out of pocket meaning patients paid more for their drugs using their insurance than if they had simply paid the cost of the drug without involving their insurance provider. It's really not insurance, is it? Randal Johnson, the president and CEO of the Louisiana Independent Pharmacies Association, told New Orleans TV station Fox 8 of the alleged Cigna and UnitedHealthcare schemes. I mean, what is that if you go in and they're negotiating a price for you, and it's actually costing you more to acquire the drug with your insurance than you could if you walked in off the street and you didn't have insurance? While the PBMs allegedly extracted the spreads from the pharmacies, its unclear whether the insurers or their PBMs are pocketing the difference between what theyre allegedly pushing the pharmacies to charge and the drugs wholesale prices. We dont really know what happens to the money. Thats where the lack of transparency makes everything very confusing, John Norton, the communications director of the National Community Pharmacists Association, told IBT. I could break into Fort Knox easier than being informed by the PBMs or insurers the portion of the clawback amount retained by either the insurers or the PBMs, said Susan Hayes, a founder of and principal at the consulting firm Pharmacy Outcomes Specialists. But unless sponsoring companies usually very large ones are contracting directly with their PBMs, in which case the PBM keeps all of the clawback, the insurer and the PBM are probably splitting that spread, she said. With polls showing that most Americans want lawmakers to move aggressively to lower drug prices, legislators have intensified their scrutiny of insurers and PBMs. Sens. John McCain (R-AZ) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) introduced bipartisan legislation in May to bring transparency to prescription drug pricing. But with the pharmaceutical industrys lobbying muscle in Washington and huge campaign donations to both national parties, consumer advocates are trying to take the fight local. The pharmaceutical industry has spent literally $80 million lobbying in the first quarter this year. They have two lobbyists for every member of Congress in D.C., Ben Wakana, executive director of the newly formed Patients for Affordable Drugs, told IBT. State capitols can provide an opening where people are a little more open-minded because they have not been bought out by pharma. Nearly 80 bills have been introduced in 30 states to tackle prescription drug costs, according to the National Academy For State Health Policy (NASHP). Almost all of these bills seek to bring more transparency to the pricing of pharmaceutical drugs. In Connecticut, the legislation prohibiting both clawbacks and the gag contract restrictions came at a particularly sensitive time for the industry it was introduced just as the drug-price lawsuits against Cigna and OptumRX began moving forward in the state. During the initial hearings, consumer and physician groups argued that the bill represented an important step in shedding more light on opaque drug pricing policies. Pharmacists, like physicians cannot negotiate terms of their contracts with insurers, said a coalition of medical societies in a statement to lawmakers. Many physicians believe that if these clawbacks were outlawed and patients were given the information and allowed to choose the cheaper option they would have more disposable income for other medications and other needs. The pharmaceutical industry countered by arguing that the current system helps consumers. Any provisions that would call for manufacturers to publicly justify the price of certain therapies by detailing the input costs to develop and market them can interfere with the market-based ecosystem that works to bring down prescription drug costs through robust private-sector negotiations, testified Patrick Plues of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization, a drug industry trade association. State records do not reflect the insurers publicly lobbying on the legislation, and it is unclear how much insurers are directly receiving from clawbacks. Still, the bills sponsors suggested the opposition has been fueled by the industry. We naively assumed the health insurance industry would support these common sense reforms designed to save their policyholder's money, Looney and Fasano wrote in May. However, we now realize that many insurers have formed their own separate but related PBM businesses which engage in this very same practice...it is clear that the goal of insurer affiliated PBMs is to generate off book revenue that is not subject to regulatory review or public accounting. Among the biggest players in the legislation has been Wade, who was Cignas top lobbyist from 1992 to 2013. According to Looney and Fasano, Wade proposed language that would essentially limit the enforcement of the anti-gag and anti-clawback provisions and cede that enforcement to the health insurers and PBMs themselves a proposal the lawmakers called the fox guarding the hen house. In an interview, Looney told IBT: I think the pharmacology groups, the manufacturers, are actually for the bill theyve been quite helpful. The PBMs and the insurers tend not to be as supportive. The insurers actually own some of the PBMs... I think their interests were being represented by the language the insurance department was suggesting to add to the bill. A spokesperson for Wade told the Hatford Courant that the senators omitted an important part of the language that Wade had proposed be added to the bill. Wades office did not respond to repeated IBT requests for comment and for the full language that Wade wanted added to the bill. Malloy defended his insurance commissioner, saying in a statement that to accuse the commissioner of 'interjecting' herself into an open legislative process by offering appropriate language is ridiculous on its face. It's especially ridiculous given that our administration has been consistently supportive of the underlying bill concept to imply otherwise is disingenuous at best, and a lie-by-omission at worst. " Malloys statement chastised the senators for their unnecessary and antagonistic approach toward Connecticuts insurance industry. The governor repeated that critique Friday, saying the senate had turned a deaf ear on the insurance industry when lawmakers passed a bill that would require insurers to provide additional health benefits for women, children and adolescents and expand contraception benefits. They are a very, very powerful lobby here in the state, Ellen Andrews, executive director of the Connecticut Health Policy Project, told IBT about the insurance industry. Honestly, this is a very small thing. If a drug costs $5 why should we be overpaying? Pushback from the administration speaks to how powerful the insurance industry is here. Despite Malloy and Wades pressure, Connecticuts senate unanimously passed the drug pricing bill but the bills fate in the House remains uncertain in the waning hours of the legislative session. [Subsequnetly the bill passed in the House.] Ritter, the Democratic Majority Leader, along with the Democratic chairs of the Public Health and Insurance and Real Estate Committees, drafted an amendment containing nearly the exact same language that Wade sought to add into the bill. A later amendment ultimately scrapped the language. When it comes to health insurance issues, Ritter told reporters that lawmakers should be careful what they propose. Even if its a concept and you want to get a public hearing, be careful. Thats a very important industry to the state of Connecticut, Ritter said. But while the bill could be watered down, it is also possible that time to pass it will simply run out. The session ends Wednesday, and it is unclear if the Democratic leadership will bring the bill to the floor for a vote before then, despite the bills unanimous passage in the Senate. Republican Rep. Fred Camillo, a co-sponsor of the legislation, told IBT that although Connecticut politics has changed and bills that normally would have flew through years ago are not, he hoped the anti-clawback bill would reach the floor of the House. It certainly has a lot of support. Were hoping it gets called, he said. Matthew Katz, the executive vice president and CEO of the Connecticut State Medical Society, a physicians group and a state-level entity of the American Medical Association, said the class action lawsuits allegations against Optum should at least warrant some sort of review by the states health insurance department. But he raised concerns about the familial connections of Wade, the insurance commissioner. The wisest thing would be for her to recuse herself if there was an ongoing investigation in this matter. If there is an investigation, she should step back, as thered be at least a perception of a conflict of interest, he told IBT. Theres a lack of transparency that could rise to the level of deception, he said. What seems to be happening here is the patients are getting the short end of the stick. The police today arrested two managers of the '1 Above' pub in Mumbai, where a devastating fire killed 14 people on Friday, an official said, adding that a court here has sent them to police custody till January 9. Gibson Lopez (34) and Kevin Bawa (35), who managed the pub at Kamala Mills compound in Lower Parel, were arrested by policemen from the N M Joshi Marg police station, he said. The managers were present in the pub when the blaze swirled over its terrace in the early hours of December 29, but they fled without helping the guests, the official said. "We have arrested the managers," senior police inspector Ahmad Pathan told PTI. They have been booked under various sections of the IPC for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, causing hurt by an act endangering life of others, causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or safety of others and acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention, he said. The two were produced in a local court, which remanded them to police custody till January 9, the official said. However, the main accused in the case were still at large. The police has sent teams across Maharashtra - and also outside the state - to trace them, he said. According to the official, the police has issued a lookout notice against the main accused. The massive fire that swept through the pub killed 14 people and 21 injured. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a bid to bring the forest-dwelling Vantangiya community into the mainstream, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath today declared their 18 settlements as revenue villages and accused the opposition of "befooling the poor and the deprived" for long. The Vantangiya community comprises people brought from Myanmar during the colonial rule to plant trees for afforestation. Adityanath, who, soon after taking over the reins of power in the state, had directed the officials to initiate steps for bringing members of the community to the mainstream, took part in an event in Barhava Chandanchafi village where he also distributed land patta to 3,779 Vantangiya families. "From today the task of extending the benefits of the government schemes to the Vantangiyas has started," he said, adding that besides roads, water and power, health facilities, education and houses will also be provided to the poor. "Those who have been speaking about being in politics for the benefit of the poor and villagers have been befooling the people all along... the BJP is the only party which can work for the development of the poor and villages," the chief minister said. He also laid the foundation stones for Anganwadi centres in these villages where there is also a proposal to set up primary schools, junior high schools, houses under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, toilets, ration shops, solar panels and extending pension benefits to the widows and the aged. "It is the priority of the state government to ensure development of villages which remained deprived of basic amenities since Independence," Adityanath said. Earlier in Gorakhpur, he said, "The state government is committed to providing basic facilities to the Vantangiyas. Since Independence, members of Vantangiya community have been deprived of their rights." "Once the villages dominated by them are declared as revenue villages, they will gradually integrate with the mainstream of the society," the chief minister told reporters here before leaving for neighbouring Maharajganj district. A revenue village is a small administrative region with defined borders. One revenue village may contain many hamlets. A village administrative officer is the head officer of a revenue village. The chief minister said that in the second phase, 47 Vantangiya-dominated settlements will get the status of revenue villages, taking the number of such villages to 65. "As many as 1,625 villages will also be declared as revenue villages," he said. The community faces problems related to the use of natural forest produce like fruits, honey, wax, wood and leaves to meet their daily needs as the forests inhabited by them are not considered as revenue villages. Conversion of tribal-dominated forest villages to revenue villages under the provisions of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act will enable the administration to adopt development measures such as setting up of schools, dispensaries, and other facilities in these villages. Adityanath also interacted with people at Gorakhnath temple and was briefed by officials about preparations regarding Makar Sankranti celebrations, Khichdi Mela and Gorakhpur Mahotsav which will be held from January 11 to January 13. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The US defence agency is seeking innovative technologies that can map, navigate and search underground environments which are too hazardous for human first responders in times of disasters. Underground settings are becoming increasingly relevant to global security and safety. Rising populations and urbanisation are requiring military and civilian first responders to perform their duties below ground in human-made tunnels, underground urban spaces, and natural cave networks. Recognising that innovative, enhanced technologies could accelerate development of critical lifesaving capabilities, US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) announced its newest challenge: the DARPA Subterranean Challenge. The Subterranean or "SubT" Challenge aims to explore new approaches to rapidly map, navigate, and search underground environments. Teams from around the world will be invited to propose novel methods for tackling time-critical scenarios through unknown courses in mapping subsurface networks and unpredictable conditions, which are too hazardous for human first responders. "One of the main limitations facing warfighters and emergency responders in subterranean environments is a lack of situational awareness; we often don't know what lies beneath us," said Timothy Chung, programme manager in DARPA's Tactical Technology Office (TTO). "The DARPA Subterranean Challenge aims to provide previously unimaginable situational awareness capabilities for operations underground," said Chung. "We've reached a crucial point where advances in robotics, autonomy, and even biological systems could permit us to explore and exploit underground environments that are too dangerous for humans," said TTO Director Fred Kennedy. "Instead of avoiding caves and tunnels, we can use surrogates to map and assess their suitability for use," said Kennedy. "Through the DARPA Subterranean Challenge, we are inviting the scientific and engineering communities - as well as the public - to use their creativity and resourcefulness to come up with new technologies and concepts to make the inaccessible accessible," he said. Teams can compete in one or both of two complementary research tracks: the Systems track, to develop hardware and software to test on a physical course; or the Virtual track, to develop software-based approaches to test on a simulated course. Teams in both tracks will compete in three preliminary Circuit events and the Final event. Each Circuit event will explore the difficulties of operating in a specific underground environment. The first will focus on human-made tunnel systems. The second will focus on underground urban environments such as mass transit and municipal infrastructure. The third will focus on naturally occurring cave networks. The Final event, planned for 2021, will put teams to the test with courses that incorporate diverse challenges from all three environments. The winner of the Systems track will take home a USD 2 million prize, while the winner of the Virtual track will earn a USD 750,000 prize. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump has said the US will have a "fantastic year" ahead as he touted the economic success during his first year in office. The remarks came as the president walked into the New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago, his Palm Beach, with first lady Melania Trump. The president said the country is already "off to a very good start" while highlighting some of provisions included in the Republican tax cut plan, his administration's first major legislative victory. He touted opening Alaska's remote Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to oil and natural gas drilling and repealing ObamaCare's individual mandate, which requires individuals to buy health insurance or face a fine, The Hill reported. "We are off to a very good start, as you know, with the great tax cuts and ANWR and getting rid of the individual mandate, which is very, very unpopular, as you know," he said. "We're going to have a great year. We're going to have a fantastic 2018," Trump said. "But we are going to have a tremendous year. Stock market, I think, is going to continue to go up. Companies are going to continue to come into the country. And they're doing it now, soon to be a record clip," he continued. The president did not say much when asked about the latest wave of threats by North Korean Leader Kim Jong-Un, who touted in a New Year speech that he possesses nuclear weapons that are capable of striking mainland US. "We'll see, we'll see," he said. High profile guests at the president's party included his children as well as other top government officials. Trump and and Barron were both in tuxedos. First Lady Melania had a full length rose gold glittery gown with floral accents. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi today pitched for using vernacular languages in promoting science communication in a "big way" to develop "love of science" among the youth, saying language should not be a barrier but a facilitator. The prime minister also said that every scientist and researcher of the country should direct innovation and research for a 'New India'. Addressing the curtain-raiser ceremony of the commemoration of professor Satyendra Nath Bose's 125th birth anniversary in Kolkata via video-conference, Modi said that scientists and researchers of the country should use their knowledge and research for the benefit of people and their socio-economic needs. Modi began his speech in Bengali, extending new year wishes to the people of the state. "To promote understanding and love of science among our youth, it is vital that we promote science communication in a big way. Language should not be a barrier but a facilitator in this task," Modi said. He said it was important in today's world that the final outcome of the innovation and research should be judged for their positive impact on the lives of the poor. "With their out of the box thinking, our scientists should give new direction in creative technology. Our innovations and final research outcome should be directed to help the common people," the prime minister said. The Centre has started a research and development (R&D) project involving separate science organisations in solar power, green energy, water conservation and waste management sectors, he said. Stating that the science and technology department was working on multi-pronged projects, Modi said the priority was to set up a scientific infrastructure mechanism, drawing reference to the Centre's initiatives such as Start-up India and Skill Development Mission. Calling upon every scientist to mentor at least one child, Modi said, "In this way, one lakh students can be scientifically inclined." "In 2017, all Indians had taken pledge to make a new India as visualised by our forefathers. We must devote all our energy and everyone involved should chip in for this. The year 2018 is poised to be a watershed year when every scientist should direct his innovation and research for building a new India," he said. Pitching for a strong collaboration between academic and R&D institutions, Modi said that the success of such efforts will depend on bringing all these institutions and labs under one platform. He said the Centre is setting up 20 institutes of eminence in the country and invited both private and public institutions in higher education sector to take part in the mission. Describing Indian scientists and technology experts as the "pride of nation", Modi said, "When ISRO sends over 100 satellites to space, the entire world takes note." He asked the scientific community to brace for new technology challenges. "We are waiting for new innovations in water, power, airport, roads, digital infrastructure. The government is on your side but any innovation should be followed by proper plan of action," he said. Stating that Bengal's "rich soil" had given birth to luminaries in different fields including science, with names such Acharya J C Bose, Meghnad Saha and S N Bose, Modi said that till date, people are being benefited by their commitment and creativity. Born on January 1, 1894, physicist Bose is best known for his work on quantum mechanics in the early 1920s. Bose discovered what is known as bosons and worked with Albert Einstein to define one of the two basic classes of subatomic particles. Modi said Bose had worked towards popularising science among the people and had launched a Bengali science magazine since he understood the importance of vernacular medium to popularise science. S N Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences Director Samit Roy, Minister of Science and Technology Harsh Vardhan were among those present at the programme at the institute. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu today said there should be a discussion on the type of publications being brought out these days and if they were in any way contributing to social awakening. Naidu was addressing a gathering here this afternoon after inaugurating the 29th Vijayawada Book Festival. "Improved rate of literacy and income levels are expected to lead to an increase in publication (of books) in the country. But we should look into the qualitative and quantitative aspect....How many of these publications are imparting knowledge on our history, culture and traditions and how many are contributing to social awakening. "There should be a discussion on how many of these publications are misleading the society," the vice president said. At the same time, he said, cinema should also protect Indian culture and languages and promote social wellbeing. "Cinema has an enormous impact on our people. But dialogues and the language used in some of the films is not honourable. Cinema, being a powerful medium, should hold mirror to the society and enhance the contemporary lifestyle," Naidu observed. The vice president said he was not talking about any kind of censorship, but was only offering a "good counsel". Stating that books were still the "mainline" despite the spurt in "online" (Internet), Naidu remarked that opening a book would open up a new world (to the reader). "Books are good friends and a good teacher. They enhance our quality of life and guide us in the right path in times of distress," he noted. "We have given the status of God to letters in our language. Indian tradition gives great importance to books and authors," Naidu said while listing out examples from the Vedic literature to some contemporary writing. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said 2018 would be observed in the state as the year of protecting the Telugu language. He mentioned the steps his government was taking in this regard. Vijayawada Mayor Koneru Sridhar, Vijayawada Book Festival Society honorary president D Ashok Kumar and others were present. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The ministry of tourism has advised all states and union territories to identify tourist spots which are prone to accidents and erect signs warning visitors of the dangers involved in taking selfies at such locations, the government said today. In his reply to a question uploaded on the Lok Sabha website, K J Alphons, the minister of state for tourism, said that while the ministry does not compile data regarding the number of accidents at tourist sites while clicking selfies, it has issued an advisory over it to the states. "Posting of volunteers/tourist police at such identified places, if feasible. Sensitisation through public address systems and spreading awareness through social and other media campaigns," Alphons said were measures recommended in the advisory sent out. The minister said the ministry has also asked the state governments to barricade areas wherever possible danger is identified for tourists to avoid such accidents. The advisory also stated that signs warning visitors of the dangers involved in taking selfies at such locations should be erected. According to a recent study published in International Journal of Mental Health, India ranks number one when it comes to accidents related to selfies, accounting for almost 60 per cent of the total selfie accidents that happen throughout the world. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India has suggested the government to make PAN compulsory on air-ticket bookings for overseas package tours to bring high value transactions into the data system. In its pre-Budget memorandum with regards to direct taxes, the Chartered Accountants' apex body also recommended an independent audit provision which may be inserted to provide for a comprehensive audit of all TDS returns filed. The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) also said the scope of filing return should be widened so as to include in its ambit the persons who are frequent international flyers. "A person having foreign tour twice in a block of three years or thrice in a block of five years should file his/her return of income mandatorily," it said. Other such examples include a person having huge agriculture income or is in a possession of large agriculture land; a person paying electricity expense above certain limit (say Rs 60,000 per annum), a person paying school fees above specified limit (say Rs 72,000 per annum) should also come under the scope of return of income. Moreover, if the aggregate amount deposited in the current account exceed certain limit (say Rs 30,00,000) then provisions of filing of return should apply to that person mandatorily, while cash withdrawals from saving bank account above certain limits should also take place in the annual information return/statement of financial transaction, it said. It further noted that PAN should be made mandatory on air-ticket bookings for foreign overseas package tours. "Persons booking international air-tickets should be required to give their PAN while booking tickets when such foreign travel is organised as foreign package tours. This step will bring many high value transactions into the data system, which can be scrutinised for expanding the tax base," it noted. It further noted that "the airline companies should be required to forward such declarations to their respective Assessing Officers. This information can be included as part of the return under section 285BA". Regarding TDS (Tax Deducted at Source) returns it suggested that an independent audit provision may be inserted to provide for a comprehensive audit of all the TDS returns filed with the department. "Appropriate forms of audit report can be prescribed to certify the correctness of the quarterly TDS returns. This will enable the department to be rest assured about the correctness of the TDS returns filed as well as the remittance of the tax deducted at source to the credit of the Central Government," it noted. The Reliance Naval stock from the ADAG Group of shares soared in Monday's trade even as the market saw heavy selling with Sensex and Nifty falling during the last hour of trade. Reliance Naval and Engineering Limited, formerly Reliance Defence and Engineering Limited, rose 38.68% or 19 points to 68.30 on the BSE. The Reliance Naval stock has gained 23.93% or 13 points in the last one year. The Company is engaged in shipbuilding and fabrication. Its segments include Ship Building and Fabrication, and Trading. The Ship Building and Fabrication segment includes shipbuilding, block manufacturing, ship and rig repairs, fabrication at its Special Economic Zone (SEZ) and Export Oriented Units (EOU) situated at Pipavav, Gujarat. Other ADAG Group stocks Reliance Power (21.99%), Reliance Home Finance (8.95%), Reliance Nippon Life Asset Management (0.70%) and Reliance Capital (4.03%) closed higher. Reliance Communications (3.23%) was the only loser among these stocks. Meanwhile, the Sensex and Nifty closed 244 points and 95 points lower, respectively. The BSE has sought clarification from Reliance Naval and Engineering Ltd today, with reference to increase in price. Five things youve probably never done in Jasper You may have hiked the Old Fort Point Loop Trail in Jasper National Park, but have you cooked and eaten a gourmet meal at the top? Last October, I stood on top of Old Fort Point gazing out at an incredible view while I made homemade cheese using a camping stove at a real table. Making cheese is something I never imagined myself doing. Having a gourmet cooking lesson on a mountaintop was even more inconceivable. news, latest-news When six-year-old Henry McArthur lent a hand drawing the raffle for the world's first coin of 2018, he didn't expect to pick his own ticket as the winner. Royal Australian Mint chief executive Ross MacDiarmid looked just as surprised, having himself asked the young man to "do the honours" as collectors gathered for the historic moment on New Year's Day. "I can't believe it," Henry said, holding up the ticket in delight. He was one of first 100 people to line up for the coin at 6am on Monday. This year, for the first time, a raffle was held to decide who would claim the newly minted prize, ending an annual tradition of enthusiasts camping out to secure the first spot at the doors come January 1. After a Belconnen teenager was struck down with food poisoning, dehydration and sunburn during his week-long wait outside the mint last year, it was decided things needed to change. "We were concerned about the health of people who were lining up for long periods of time," Mr MacDiarmid said. "I think [this has] worked really well." For the McArthur family, who moved to Canberra from Kangaroo Island only last month, it's already paid dividends. Just moments after drawing out his own ticket, Henry went on to pick his father's - winning proud dad Robb the seventh coin of the year. "We thought we'd do something a bit Canberra and come along today," his mother Judith explained. "Look how excited he is, he's shaking. I think we might go and buy a Lotto ticket now." Mr MacDiarmid was quick to dismiss suggestions he had a hand in the family's success. "It wasn't rigged, I was as shocked as anyone!" he said. Henry paid just $3 to mint his coin, but it could likely fetch thousands. Mr MacDiarmid said the first coin struck in the world each year held "major value". But while Henry might have been the luckiest in line, he wasn't the youngest. Two-month old Jack Kuffner had come all the way from Germany to claim a raffle ticket. It was something of a homecoming for parents Andrea and Michael, who got married at the mint in 2017, and have both worked in the coin industry. "We even met at a coin show, so total coin nerds," Mr Huffner said. "As a laugh, my wife calls Jack 'small change'." Like most of those in line, they praised the new raffle system as "fairer" and "more exciting". Collector Ted Silk has been waiting outside the mint almost every New Year's Day for the past two decades, even back before there were lines. "In those days, you could just wander down the corridors into the mint," he said. For many of the "regulars", New Year's Day at the mint is an annual reunion of sorts, he said. "But I tell them we're not obsessives..." As demand for coins continues to decline throughout much of the world, Mr MacDiarmid said the mint pulled in a record $5.1 million in earnings last year, and also enjoyed a spike in visitor numbers. This year, the first coin recognises Australia's convict past, marking the 230th anniversary of the First Fleet's arrival, as well as 150 years since the last convicts transported to Australia set sail for our shores. About 250 people turned out for the event on Monday, a spokesman for the mint said. /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/ebf41745-0eb7-49fa-b216-8cc55d94fdd9/r0_131_2000_1261_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg